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The Hot Girl’s Guide to Smelling Delicious All Summer Long
@jastookes / Instagram
In This Article
The Final Takeaway
Don’t Skip Moisturizer
Be Intentional About Your Body Wash
Use Deo on the Daily
Pick a Sunscreen That Aligns With Your Scent Goals
Experiment With Fragrance Formats
Don’t Forget Your Hair
Besides rooftop hangs, a spontaneous park gathering with friends, and a long-overdue beach vacation, smelling amazing this summer is at the top of our priority list. The first reason is, of course, the obvious: Who doesn’t want to smell good? However, in the summer, smelling good goes beyond just spraying on your favorite mist and calling it a day—it’s more like a highly strategic process. Because, well, there are a lot of (potentially smelly) elements involved in the summer, including heat and sweat.
“The body produces sweat to help regulate body temperature,” says Hadley King, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City. “When sweat is produced, it promotes heat loss through evaporation.” So, it makes sense that we tend to sweat more in the heat to keep our bodies cool. However, King says the elements play only a small role in determining how much sweat we produce. “Some people sweat more than others, and this is largely genetically determined, and odor will also depend on the specific types of bacteria present, which can be affected by the products that we use,” she says.
Meet the Experts
- Hadley King, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City.
- Bee Shapiro is the founder of fragrance brand Ellis Brooklyn.
- Mona Kattan is the founder and CEO of fragrance brand Kayali.
That said, there are a few practices you can consider to smell your best this summer—and, with the help of King, Ellis Brooklyn founder Bee Shapiro, and Kayali founder Mona Kattan, we’re listing them out for you. Do keep in mind, however, that everyone’s body and preferences are different. So, take what you need, remix what you don’t, and have fun. The world is your oyster.
Don’t Skip Moisturizer
While the sweltering heat and humidity are compelling reasons to ditch moisturizer, experts say you shouldn’t. “Starting with a moisturizing body care routine is key for any scent routine. It’s the foundation that can truly give a personal or signature scent its dimension and uniqueness,” Shapiro says.
Summer heat may not be the ideal time to lather on butters and creams, but King says starting your bodycare routine with a lightweight moisturizer is a good foundational step that will keep you comfortable. “Lighter moisturizers tend to feel better on the skin during hot months, while heavy moisturizers or body butters may feel oily or sticky,” she says. “This will also depend on personal preference, humidity, and your skin type.”
And, according to Kattan, a lightweight moisturizer (even an unscented option) helps boost your fragrance’s staying power. “Citrus and fruity notes fade faster, so layer them over lightly moisturized skin or unscented lotion to help the scent last longer,” she says. “Slow-evaporating ingredients like tonka and oud naturally last longer, and you can lock them in with moisturizer or petroleum jelly.” Kattan’s current go-to citrus combo for summer? Kayali’s Maldives 20 and The The Wedding Silk Santal 36, a duo she calls “lush, beachy, and romantic.”
Luckily, you’ve got plenty of options when it comes to staying moisturized in the heat. King herself loves using the Beekman 1802 Milk Shake Moisture Mist for Body, a unique sprayable moisturizer with a hint of fragrance. “It’s a great option because it’s lightweight but still hydrates the skin with hyaluronic acid and supports the skin barrier with squalane,” she says. This one comes in three fragrances: lavender, honey and orange blossom, and coconut. If you want to go the fragrance-free route, we’ve gone through bottles of Abi Amé’s Summer Skin Hydrating Serum and Lotion, a milky, lightweight liquid that seeps into dry skin, leaving it smooth and soft, not tacky or greasy.
When Shapiro sets the stage for summer fragrances, she turns to the classic Eos Vanilla Cashmere Body Lotion, a buttery, warm, gourmand scent that is delicious alone but plays well with other fragrances. “Starting with a moisturizing body care routine can really add dimension and uniqueness to a personal or signature scent,” she says.
Be Intentional About Your Body Wash
King says to shower regularly (or more often if you wish) in the summer, and your body wash is also a key element of smelling—and feeling—good. While she, like many of us, appreciates a good-smelling, sudsy wash, she advises keeping it simple and looking for lightly or unscented hypoallergenic options if you have sensitive skin or eczema.
Shapiro keeps the body wash step simple, and showers with Bioderma Atoderm Shower Gel, a lightly-scented option that she reaches for because of how “refreshed” it makes her skin feel. If you’re a sucker for a sensorial experience that doesn’t skimp on the squeaky-clean feeling, we’ve been loving Dove’s Garden Tea Party Body Wash, available in four amazing scents (our favorite is Rose Berry Bouquet).
Use Deo on the Daily
If smelling good is your main goal, using deodorant daily should be a non-negotiable. Whether you prefer natural or aluminum options is totally up to you, but a good deodorant formula can keep you feeling fresh. “Full body deodorants help by neutralizing odor-causing bacteria and absorbing moisture, although they don’t reduce the amount you sweat,” King says. “So yes, they can be helpful.” She notes her go-to antiperspirant is Dove’s Men Care Ultimate Smooth Glide Solid Antiperspirant in Juniper Woods, which has smokier, woodsy notes.
For a fresher vibe, we’ve been loving the Dry Idea Invisible Solid Deodorant for Women in Fresh Breeze, which smells exactly like it sounds—floral and clean enough where you get a whiff if you’re moving around, but it isn’t suffocating. The best part? It helps block sweat without being too harsh for sensitive pits thanks to a gentle formulation with good-for-you ingredients like shea butter and marula oil.
Pick a Sunscreen That Aligns With Your Scent Goals
Here’s your friendly reminder that, yes, you should be wearing sunscreen on your body (especially while it’s hot out). However, if you’re trying to think of how your sunscreen plays a role in your fragrance routine, you don’t have to rule it out. Shapiro says: Make your SPF work smarter, not harder. “Sunscreen scents have become a lot more elevated in recent years. I would think of sunscreen as your underlying body care scent for the day,” she says. “For example, Coola has a Guava Mango Mist that layers nicely with Ellis’ Ellis’ Guava Granita.”
We love the Kopari Sunglaze Sheer Body Mist Sunscreen SPF 50, which not only gives you a gorgeous glow and sun protection but also has a tropical scent that smells like vacation and plays well with other juicy scents—like a recent favorite, D.S. and Durga’s Debaser, a unique take on summer heat with notes of pear leaf, coconut milk, and moss. Once your body and suncare are on, Shapiro says your body mist or perfume will only take your scent to the next level.
Experiment With Fragrance Formats
When it comes to finding the best fragrance combination for you, Shapiro encourages trying out different formats and not being afraid to layer them. “I love the Blond Musk Oil Rollerball for my pulse points. I toss this in my purse for on-the-go, then I do an all-over spray on top of that. I’ve been loving Miami Nectar all over, or if I want something lighter, I mist the Marshmallows Body Mist all over.”
For a yummy second-skin finish, we love Phlur’s Heavy Cream, which has notes of whipped cream, coconut cream, and jasmine blossom. Think of it like a delicious vanilla ice-cream base for whatever toppings you layer on next. For nighttime and special occasions, Shapiro recommends using body oils like the Vanilla Milk Shimmering Body Oil, which adds a gorgeous sparkle to the skin for summer weekends or evenings. Tom Ford’s Soleil Blanc Shimmering Body Oil is also an honorable mention for a sexy, subtle sparkle with notes of bergamot, pistachio, and coco de mer.
Don’t Forget Your Hair
While many hair products (like creams, oils, and sprays) are already powered with fragrance, adding a hair or body mist can help with the longevity of a scent. “I use our hair and body mists for my hair and veer towards fragrance that complements my existing hair care,” Shapiro says. King uses the Crown Affair Signature Scent Hair Fragrance, which has notes of bergamot, green tea, and sandalwood. Noyz also recently dropped three new Hair and Body Mists you can spritz on your lengths to enhance your fragrance story (Juicy Chaos is our favorite of the trio). And pro tip: Kattan recommends even misting your hairbrush with fragrance before styling to maximize your scent.
The Final Takeaway
When it comes to smelling good this summer, don’t sweat it (see what we did there?). Your body will take on its natural process in warmer climates and temperatures. What you can do is work with your body’s chemistry and integrate steps that keep you feeling fresh and comfortable. Opt for lightweight moisturizers as needed (avoid harsh scents at this step if you’re sensitive), and when it comes to fragrances, have fun by layering different notes and finishes to create dimension that lasts.
Source URL: https://www.byrdie.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-smelling-delicious-all-summer-11777665