Smell like summer: 6 of the best scents for the new season
Where would you most like to escape the heat this summer? Perhaps to a villa on the southern Italian coast, where the air smells of salt water, fresh lemons and florals? Perhaps a tropical island where you can laze on the beach with cocktails? Or would you rather stay closer to home: in a sun-drenched rose garden at the end of August? Even if you’re not jetting off this summer, the best new fragrances of the season are ready to take you along.
From light, airy and fresh to warm, spicy and heady, we’ve got them all covered in our roundup of the best new fragrances for summer 2023, for day or night. Whether by the pool or in the park, it’s best to wear your favourite summer outfit, read a new beach book and have a cold drink.
Maison Francis Kurkdjian Aqua Media Cologne Intensive, £175
Imagine you’re on holiday in southern Italy. It’s golden hour, the windows are open, the summer breeze blows through the curtains onto your skin, and the sound of the waves lapping and the sound of the ocean can be heard in the distance.
Holidaymakers enjoy the sun. Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s latest creation takes you into this world thanks to herbal notes of Italian bergamot and green moss, combined with spicy verbena and sweet fennel, and base notes of
earthy patchouli and matcha. To me, it smells almost lemony – like a slice of lemon for an evening aperitif.
Phlur Solar EDP, £96
“Sour green, aquamarine / Girls dancing on the beach.” Like Lorde’s song of the same name, Phlur’s Solar manages to capture the joyful feeling of spending a day at the beach. How? Top notes of Italian red mandarin, bergamot and jasmine essence, heart notes of orange blossom and neroli, and to top it all off, base notes of driftwood, sea salt and what the brand calls “solar musk”.
Spray it on and enjoy the comfort of lying on the beach and letting the warm sun dry your limbs wherever you are. The scent is said to get stronger as your body temperature rises. So apply it to your knees and elbow creases for a longer-lasting, richer scent.
Diptyque Ilio Eau de Toilette, £125
I can’t help but think that the name of this fragrance reminds me of Elio from Call Me By Your Name, and for good reason. Diptyque’s latest scent combines notes of cactus, lavender and lemongrass, leaving us dreaming of a hazy summer romance under European skies. It’s an Eau de Toilette, meaning it has a lower concentration of essential oils and is lighter than an Eau de Toilette – perfect for those hot days when you just can’t bear to wear clothes. Plus, it comes in beautiful packaging featuring illustrations inspired by the Mediterranean coast by American artist Erik Winkowski. Flower Street Sweet Almond Blossom Eau de Toilette, £68 Calling all sweet fragrance lovers! Even those who don’t generally like sweet scents will be pleasantly surprised by Flower Street’s latest offerings (I’m like that, and I don’t like anything too savory). Sure, they’re sweet – mostly thanks to a blend of apple blossom and creamy vanilla – but tempered by spicy passionfruit and pink grapefruit (similar to grapefruit), earthy sandalwood and nutty tonka bean. Sweet. Aerin Mediterranean Honeysuckle Clementina, £100 Pack your bags (figuratively, of course); Aerin takes us to the Amalfi Coast, where the air is filled with heady citrus scents. With a base of Corsican clementine and the warmth of jasmine and musk, it’s the perfect summer scent for those seeking something light, fresh and welcoming. Juliette’s Desire for Sunshine, £95 If you’re hankering for a tropical holiday (or at least want one), then Juliet Got a Gun’s latest fragrance is for you. Lust For Sun combines the floral notes of coconut with exotic ylang-ylang and monoi oils (made primarily from the Tiare flower). It is warm and sensual, reminiscent of skin kissed by the sun during golden hour.
DQH Knowledge drop: In your 20s, your skin cell turnover decreases. (Cell turnover is a key component in keeping your skin youthful.) You know what else slows down? Your collagen production. Starting in your 20s, collagen decreases by about 1 percent per year. Should you want to prevent fine lines and wrinkles, start by eliminating behaviors that contribute to premature aging. “If it’s bad for you, it’s bad for your skin,” says dermatologist Michel Somenek.
“Cigarette smoking reduces blood flow to the skin and causes premature wrinkling and a dull skin texture. Making the repeated pursed motion to inhale can also cause smoker’s lines. Alcohol and recreational drugs are toxins for the skin that damage its cellular structure and DNA,” Somenek tells us. “The faster you eliminate vices while you are young, the better chance your skin and body have to recuperate.” Also, adopting an anti-aging routine in your 20s is key. After all, the best offense is a good defense. We spoke to Somenek and experts Joshua Ross and Audrey Kunin to find out more.
Keep reading for the best anti-aging products for your 20s, according to skincare professionals.
Sunscreen
“We all know that the sun is the number one cause of skin aging and starting the prevention in your 20s is very important,” Ross says. “The majority of your sun damage won’t start to appear until you’re in your 30s, so don’t wait until you see it surface or you’ll be behind the curve. Stay ahead of it with a good-quality zinc-based sunscreen worn daily.”
Farmacy Green Defense Daily Mineral Sunscreen
An invisible sunscreen with SPF 30, plus botanical extracts meant to protect skin with tons of antioxidants. Bonus: It’s clean and fine to use under makeup.
Bareminerals Complexion Rescue™ Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30
Although we recommend you use your SPF and moisturizer separately, we also understand moments when you don’t have time or energy for that extra step. For those times, this bareMinerals moisturizer is a great thing to have on hand.
Vitamin C Serum
“A great introduction to anti-aging is to start with a vitamin C serum in your morning skincare routine,” Ross says. “It’s a powerful antioxidant that will neutralize free radicals and brighten the skin.” He adds that it’s a great way to counteract the effects of the sun’s harmful rays, which, as previously mentioned, are among the biggest causes of premature aging.
Drunk Elephant C-Firma™ Vitamin C Day Serum
The Drunk Elephant C-Firma is a lightweight serum that promises to give skin a glow by combining the brightening powers of vitamin C with ferulic acid, l-ascorbic acid, and vitamin E. The included sodium hyaluronate is meant to replace hydration loss, so you shouldn’t have to deal with any irritation.
Sunday Riley C.E.O. Rapid Flash Brightening Serum
This potent serum is jam-packed with vitamin C (15 percent, to be exact), which means it’s a potential superstar at both brightening skin and dousing it in antioxidants.
Peptides
Using peptides on your skin has many benefits, says Somenek. “The skin barrier is what defends the body against pollution, UV rays, bacteria, and toxins. It can be damaged by several everyday factors. Using topical peptides aids in building a stronger barrier,” he says. “Peptides comprise elastic fibers, which are a type of protein. These fibers help to make skin appear taut and firm. Peptides can also help repair damaged skin, relieve inflammation, and even out skin tone. Some peptides can kill acne-causing bacteria that is common in 20-somethings.”
Kunin agrees, saying, “Peptides are an excellent entry point for supporting collagen.” She recommends looking for face and eye treatments that contain these collagen-boosting powerhouses.
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Eye Rescue Cream
This Charlotte Tilbury super-emollient eye cream has a base of coconut oil and shea butter (read: it’s incredibly hydrating). Botanicals plus peptides are meant to help reduce dark circles and boost collagen, respectively.
This creamy moisturizer serves up potent collagen-boosting peptides and pycnogenol, and antioxidant-rich vitamin C. “Instead of sitting on top of the skin, peptides penetrate the outer layer so they go deep. The ‘signals’ they send tell the cells to produce elastin and collagen, which are needed for youthful-looking skin,” explains Somenek.
At-Home Peel Pads
Remember that skin cell turnover fiasco we talked about earlier? One way to help support it is by exfoliating. “Exfoliation is important to help keep skin fresh and luminous,” Kunin says. She recommends using at-home peel pads as an easy and effective way to exfoliate.
“The goal in your 20s is to fight the slowing pace of cell turnover. It is wise to use products that gently exfoliate, yet still remove oil and other impurities. Products that have Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA) or Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHA) are a good choice.”
According to Somenek, you should only exfoliate two to three times a week. “People of all ages are guilty of over-exfoliating and that can be too much of a good thing,” he says.
Dermadoctor Kakadu C Intensive Vitamin C Peel Pad
A few swipes of this Derma Doctor powerful peel pad promise to leave your skin glowing and smooth, thanks to the seven (yes, seven) types of chemical exfoliants, including AHA and BHA. It also contains vitamin C via Kakadu plum extract for added brightening and antioxidant protection.
KEY INGREDIENTS Kakadu plum extract is sourced from the Kakadu plum, a fruit grown in northern Australia. It contains vitamin C, which restores the skin’s natural barrier, increases collagen production, and soothes irritation.
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta® Universal Daily Peel Pads
These are the gold standard of peel pads, with a cult following and over 900 five-star reviews on Sephora. They’re easy to use and contain a blend of anti-aging exfoliating acids.
Emollient Night Cream
“In your 20s, you need to start upping the hydration in your skincare routine. You may have been cautious of over-moisturizing because of acne in your teens, but as you enter your 20s, your skin transitions and becomes drier,” Ross says. “I recommend an emollient night cream added into your evening skincare regimen.”
“Twenty-somethings need to make sure that they are not using creams that will clog their pores and cause excess oil production,” says Somenek. Opt for non-comedogenic products.
Cerave Skin Renewing Night Cream
One great choice is the CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream, which is a non-comedogenic night cream that leaves skin soft and glowy. It combines the moisturizing powers of ceramides and hyaluronic acid.
RoC Retinol Correxion Max Hydration Creme
“The best night cream ingredients contain retinol, benzoyl peroxide, and/or salicylic acid or hyaluronic acid. The goal is to moisturize, yet remove excess oil,” says Somenek. This Roc Retinol Correxion cream fits the bill as it contains both hyaluronic acid and retinol so it promises to moisturize while also being non-comedogenic.