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Elle
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Elle
This Beachy Ingredient Is the Secret to 2025's Most-Loved Summer Perfumes
When I think of my favorite summer memories, long beach days and the scent of salty, sun-kissed skin come to mind—and it seems the fragrance world has caught on. Sea salt notes are trending for summer 2025, lending an aquatic touch to beachy florals and woody musks. "Summer never gets old, and anything that makes us think of the ocean has the potential to bring joy," David Seth Moltz, perfumer and co-founder of D.S. & Durga, tells ELLE. While salt itself doesn't have a strong aroma, ozonic accords and musky notes like ambergris are often used to give perfumes a salty essence. "Oceanic notes make perfumes smell more realistic," adds Moltz. Just like how salt enhances flavor in food, salty notes can amplify a fragrance's profile, adding a savory, skin-like quality. From classics like Jo Malone's Wood Sage and Sea Salt to Glossier's buzzy You Fleur, I sniffed my way through dozens of sea salt perfumes—and tapped Moltz and ELLE editors—to determine which ones are truly worth the hype. Discover my edit below. Tropical florals and marine notes are a match made in fragrance heaven in this bestselling Ellis Brooklyn perfume. Ylang ylang and tiare flower blend with salty vegan ambergris to create a summery scent that's anything but basic. 'Salt Eau de Parfum is the first day of a beach vacation," Ellis Brooklyn founder Bee Shapiro previously told ELLE. "You wake up early on your own, there's no one on the beach yet, and there's still that morning freshness in the air. It's such a unique fragrance because it's not playing on any oceanside perfume stereotypes. It's this gorgeous, sophisticated take on how the ocean makes us feel.' Key notes: Ylang ylang, Tahitian tiare, ambergris Sizes: 0.34-3.4 oz. Want a subtle way to dip your toe into the sea salt perfume trend? The latest iteration of Glossier's cult-loved You is more summery than its predecessors, featuring sea salt accord and apricot skin atop musky ambrox base notes. Personally, I think it's even better than the original. 'This smells like sunshine and showering after a day in the ocean, without any of notes of sunscreen," adds Beauty Director Kathleen Hou. "It is a very soft fragrance that evokes the feeling of freshly laundered towels... It's very comforting and cozy and the quintessential girlhood scent—this generation's Marc Jacobs Daisy.' Key notes: Apricot skin, osmanthus, sea salt, cashmeran Sizes: 0.27-1.7 oz. Rose Atlantic is an ode to Moltz's favorite summer destination: the New England coast. As a New England native myself, I can confirm this perfume smells just like the region's fragrant seaside roses mixed with salty ocean air. It also boasts impressive longevity and sillage—you'll only need a few sprays for this modern rose scent to linger all day. Key notes: Lemon, rose, salt water, dune grass Sizes: 0.33-3.4 oz. On the hottest days, the last thing you want is a heavy fragrance. Enter this refreshing hair and body mist, lightly scented with honeysuckle, lily of the valley, and pink sea salt. It's designed to have an instant cooling effect—much like a welcome breeze. "This scent is heavenly," raves one Amazon reviewer. "It's light yet floral and sweet with the perfect balance of salt air, so you smell so fresh when wearing it! This one will be a staple for me." Key notes: Honeysuckle, muguet, pink sea salt Size: 3.4 oz. The original sea salt scent, Jo Malone's Wood Sage & Sea Salt evokes crashing waves on rugged cliffs, blending earthy sage, sea salt, and musky ambrette. To me, it's the quintessential summer office fragrance: sophisticated and memorable, yet not overpowering. (Its eau de cologne formulation is less potent than an eau de parfum, making it ideal for those who prefer a more subtle fragrance.) I keep a bottle at my desk for a midday pick-me-up that won't give my coworkers a headache. Key notes: Ambrette seeds, sea salt, sage Sizes: o.3-3.4 oz. Looking for a gourmand perfume that won't turn cloying in the summer heat? Consider Liis's Choux Choux, inspired by the fluffy French pastry of the same name. This irresistible scent features a sea salt note drawn from fleur de sel caramel, balanced by citrus peel, sandalwood, and creamy, lactonic aromas. Key notes: Citrus peel, cream, fleur de sel caramel, sandalwood, vanilla Size: 1.7 oz. If you're a fan of aquatic, slightly soapy perfumes, Salt Air is worth a sniff. Combining driftwood, sea salt, cotton blossom, and water lily, it's a fresh-out-of-the-shower-skin scent that's as soothing as lapping waves. 'Every time I smell this fragrance, I feel like I should be driving down the Pacific Coast Highway in a convertible," says Beauty Editor Katie Berohn. "To me, this fragrance is Los Angeles in a bottle—vibrant, sexy, and a little unexpected.' Key notes: Sea salt, seaweed, water lily, cotton blossom, driftwood Sizes: 0.33-1.7 oz. Made to mimic the scent of perfumed skin after a dip in the ocean, La Mar blends creamy coconut, salt water, jasmine, gardenia, and tuberose. While I haven't had the chance to try it just yet, it seems like the kind of intoxicating fragrance you'd wear while lounging in a private cabana at a five-star resort in the Maldives. Bonus: Its quartz-capped bottle easily doubles as decor. "It's light and feminine, wearable enough for everyday and special enough for date night," notes one Bloomingdale's reviewer. Key notes: Jasmine, sea water, tuberose, gardenia, coconut Sizes: 1.3-2.5 oz. Salt-forward fragrances ooze sex appeal, since they often evoke the scent of lightly sweaty skin. Described as a "savory skin musk," Eauso Vert's Salvia Salvia smells like humid air after a tropical thunderstorm. "Salt and mineral accents along with Mexican herbs, like salvia and clary sage, make this scent stand out,' Hou adds. An earthy base of labdanum and ambermax give it depth and longevity, lingering well beyond the six-hour mark on my skin. It's complex but not overwhelming, making it ideal for year-round wear." Key notes: Mexican green lime, sea salt, sage, labdanum Size: 1.7 fl. oz. "Salted Muse smells fresh and a little earthy (in a good way), like that first whiff of ocean air you breathe in on a beach day," says Commerce Editor Sarah Maberry. "There's something a little brine-y about it that makes you want to go back for another smell." If your signature cocktail is a dirty martini, this fig and olive tree-infused scent is a must-try. Key notes: Sea salt, olive tree, cedar Sizes: 0.33-3.4 fl. oz. Like vanilla soft serve on a scorching afternoon, this fragrance mist is equal parts creamy and refreshing. At first spritz, it's pure nostalgic vanilla sugar, but it dries down to cozy sandalwood, keeping it from veering too saccharine. It also happens to be one of the longest-lasting body mists I've ever tested. I love how it transforms on my skin throughout the day—I can still catch whiffs of it well into the evening. Key notes: Vanilla, sea salt, sandalwood Size: 8 fl oz. After its collaboration with Chloe Sevigny, niche perfume brand Regime des Fleurs has stayed on my radar for its unique, evocative fragrances. Inspired by midnight beaches and bioluminescent surf, Nitesurf Neroli features a rare smoked seashell accord that makes it one of the most distinctive floral perfumes on the market. It's an ethereal scent I love reaching for on sultry summer nights. Key notes: Neroli, salty mist, citrus, smoked seashells, ambroxan Size: 2.5 oz. David Seth Moltz is a perfumer and co-founder of D.S. & Durga. Lauren Gruber is a seasoned commerce writer and editor with over four years of experience covering lifestyle topics, specializing in beauty and fragrance. For this roundup, she consulted a scent expert about the sea salt perfume trend and tapped her fellow editors for their recommendations. After conducting extensive research on the topic, she personally tested nearly every scent on this list to round up the 12 best sea salt perfumes.
Elle
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Elle
10 Best Lavender Perfumes for Every Season and Occasion
Every item on this page was chosen by an ELLE editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. Like sophisticated vanilla perfumes and delicate rose fragrances, lavender perfumes are perennial for a reason. 'Lavender is one of the most beautiful oils by itself,' says David Seth Moltz, co-founder of D.S. & Durga. 'It recalls a journey through European fields with age-old associations; it can denote cleanliness and is usually powdery for people who dig that,' he notes. Used as far back as ancient Egyptian times, lavender has also been shown to have soothing and calming properties. So whether you're looking to wind down for the weekend or are just getting into a jam-packed work week, a few spritzes of lavender perfume may just help you dissipate stress (and smell amazing in the process). Despite its light and airy nature, lavender shouldn't only be considered a daytime or spring-ready scent, however. Actually, it's quite versatile.'Lavender is one of the canonical aromas of perfumery, so can work for both day and night and in any season,' says Seth Moltz, adding that it's especially fitting for the evening when mixed with deeper floral or amber scents. According to the expert, lavender blends well with other florals like jasmine and rose, as well as herbs and citruses for a crisp medley. Eager to add a lavender fragrance to your lineup or replenish your go-to stash? Ahead, shop 10 top-rated lavender perfumes that rightfully earn a spot on your vanity. Cult-loved fragrance brand D.S. & Durga is exceptional at creating unexpected, visionary scents, so you can bet its take on lavender is far from basic. Evoking the smell of burnt aftershave—which the brand imagines to have wafted through the air of a New York-based barbershop that historically burned down in 1891—it showcases notes of spearmint, lime, vanilla, and charred lavender. The result: A smoky-sweet aroma even your BF will be tempted to steal. Nordstrom rating: 5/5 stars A Nordstrom reviewer says: 'I have nearly 100 bottles of cologne. Burning Barbershop is BY FAR the best fragrance I have ever smelled. Definitely a more masculine scent but not your traditional woodsy type of smell. I took a leap of faith and hadn't smelled it prior to my purchase, and now my only regret is that I didn't opt for the larger bottle. Worth every penny and more.' A refreshingly modern option, YSL Libre offers a dark floral mix of lavender, orange blossom, and musk accord. Nordstrom rating: 4.6/5 stars A Nordstrom reviewer says: 'Love it; this perfume lasts all day. I still smell it on my clothes when I'm about to wash them. It's a statement piece.' From the famed Italian fragrance house Acqua di Parma comes this bright formula that will help put a pep in your step on even the gloomiest days. Top notes of lemon, orange, and crisp bergamot make way to lavender and rose, which are then grounded by earthy sandalwood and patchouli. A Nordstrom reviewer says: 'This is incredibly beautiful and classically elegant. It starts off a little strong and citrusy but drys down slowly to subtle perfection of rose and lavender. It lasted a day and a half on my skin, which is unheard of in today's fragrance world.' Love potions may be the stuff of mythology, but this sexy Gucci scent is perhaps the next best thing. Spritz on the lavender, sage, and tonka bean-infused fragrance; your enchanted date won't know what hit them. Meticulously crafted with eaux de parfum, aromatic oils, and acque profumate ('scented waters'), the formula is also designed to be easily layered with other scents in the collection. Nordstrom rating: 4/5 stars A Nordstrom reviewer says: 'A mystical transport back in time of lovely floral aromas.' Chanel perfumes are iconic, and its unisex Boy de Chanel scent is bound to become one of your new favorites. Paying homage to Gabrielle Chanel's great love, it boasts a calming yet bold combo of lavender, geranium, grapefruit, and sandalwood. Chanel rating: 5/5 stars A Chanel reviewer says: 'It smells expensive and exclusive. It starts kinda powdery and dry. It evolves into a slightly citrusy and fresh aroma. This scent is subtle, perfect for every day. I love it.' This straightforward scent by Chloé is a surefire pick for any lavender purist. Per the brand, it's inspired by perfumer Quentin Bisch's childhood memories of his mother walking through their garden toting a bushel of lavender. Nordstrom rating: 4.7/5 stars A Nordstrom reviewer says: 'I love lavender but don't like my perfume to be too singular or literal and find most lavender scents to be a little screechy and synthetic. But this Chloe perfume is top-notch in my book. It smells as if someone laid a freshly cut bunch of lavender next to a strong cup of black tea. It isn't particularly potent, lasting about five hours on my skin, and stays close and subtle. Absolutely lovely!' Among Jo Malone's repertoire of clean, luxurious fragrances is this lavender perfume with a warm and spicy twist. Including notes of rich amber and herbaceous petitgrain, it's deep enough for evening wear and is bound to invigorate the senses. A Nordstrom reviewer says: 'This is my favorite Jo Malone fragrance! It is at once both fresh and spicy, with a lovely top note and sensual dry down. I love that the lavender note doesn't get lost in the heady amber base. The two seem like such a contradiction, yet work beautifully together. I wear this scent alone during the day and layer it with a bit more spicy perfume at night, and people are always asking what I'm wearing.' This gender-neutral fragrance mixes bitter orange oil, neroli blossoms, sacred palo santo, vetiver, and sandalwood for a finish that's part sweet, part woody, and slightly grassy. To help you relax, it's also infused with CBD. Rating: 5/5 stars A reviewer says: 'An intriguing mix of florals and yard-work smell, in the best way possible. The neroli wears the pants in this scent, and the lavender is just enough to keep me interested. Great to wear out or for staying in.' While Maison Francis Kurkdjian's artisanal perfumes will cost you a pretty penny, they're backed by an astounding amount of hype (in fact, the brand makes one of the most popular perfumes ever to grace TikTok). This version from the label stars lavender from Provence, plus citrusy Litsea cubeba from Indonesia and Calabrian lemon. Rounding out the complex aroma are musky, ambery notes to ensure you earn endless compliments. Nordstrom rating: 4.5/5 stars A Nordstrom reviewer says: 'It's light and fresh yet not powdery. Smells bright with lemon but sexier than that. When I walk into a room, my boyfriend will comment that I smell fantastic. It's very different than anything else I've tried from this brand.' If you want something feminine but not too overpowering, go for this top-rated option from Guerlain. It combines jasmine, lavender, and vanilla for what customers call a well-balanced fragrance. Sephora rating: 4.4/5 stars A Sephora reviewer says: 'This has such a unique smell, makes me feel like a boss b*tch when I wear it to work. It's not super floral, sweet, or musky. A perfect clean scent.' David Seth Moltz is a scent expert and co-founder of D.S. & Durga. Sam Peters is a seasoned commerce writer and editor with over five years of experience covering fashion, beauty, and lifestyle topics. For this roundup, she consulted a scent expert about the benefits of lavender perfume and considered a range of top-rated lavender perfumes on the market, evaluating each on their customer feedback.
