Stash one of these new bottles in your gym bag.
Changing up your fragrance with the seasons is an an easy and impactful update. The newest scents are unexpected, edgy, and don’t follow outdated gender “rules”. Here, perfume expert Sue Phillips of The Scentarium, a bespoke perfumery in New York City, breaks down what makes these spring blends so intoxicating.
Top notes of lime, cardamom, and coriander give your nose the energizing kick it needs first thing in the morning, but the scent has lasting depth too, thanks to the cedarwood and white musks that settle into skin. Pairing citrus with woody, herbaceous notes seems contradictory, but actually plays well, says Phillips, since the wood provides the grounding, complex base and the citrus lifts the scent. That combination—of light and refreshing, yet deep and robust, like aftershave—is something both men and women can appreciate. Find it.
Lush, multi-layered, and sexy, this blend features pepper and greens on top, a combination of rose, jasmine, and rich florals in the middle, and warm amber, musk, incense, and patchouli at the base. Rose can’t seem to shake its reputation of being a powdery old-lady scent, which is a shame, says Phillips, because the best modern rose fragrances are spicy, rich, and can be worn by both sexes. Find it.
The unpredictability of a more intense scent in the warmer months keeps things interesting. The vibrant hits of grapefruit and juniper take this cologne out of curled-up-by-the-fire territory. Like the most appealing unisex fragrances, this one is heavy at the heart and base and light on top. It’ll develop on skin throughout the day, so give it time to work with your body chemistry. Find it.
Try to push aside the middle school dance memories that come up when you hear “body mist.” This one is light enough that you can’t really overdo it and smells like a cool sea breeze, not a mix of sunscreen and daiquiris. Find it.