Our sense of smell gets its immense power by virtue of being the only one directly connected to our brains. This goes some way to explaining why the best perfumes can bring back such powerful memories and transport us to different times and places.
I put this power to good use during the pandemic. If you’d been allowed to visit me during the winter lockdown of 2021 in particular, you’d have been greeted by a blast of sunscreen scents. I couldn’t get enough—Nivea Sun EDT, Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess, To The Fairest Cecile…the more 80’s sun cream vibes the better, each fragrance providing me with amazing holiday memories and instant escapism.
Fast forward to now, and my next holiday is a long way off. April showers are potentially on the horizon, and I’m getting major pangs of longing every time I watch The White Lotus (Four Seasons Koh Samui? Yes please!). In essence, it feels like the perfect moment to indulge in a bit of fragrant travel.
These are my perfect escapist scents to keep you going until you can actually get away.
Thailand
(Image credit: Kilian)
This swoon-worthy Thailand-inspired fragrance takes you straight to a luxurious, but intimate evening at the Four Seasons Koh Samui. Crisp grapefruit brings to mind a fresh, white cotton kaftan that is worn on a huge private balcony. As you take in the view, notes of mango, coconut and toasted tonka conjure up the most delicious, tropical rice pudding that never sways too sweet. The juxtaposition of crisp white cotton and indulgent dessert merges with the scent of jasmine Sambac that dances in the warm, exotic air.
The Seychelles
(Image credit: Jo Malone London)
Beach Blossom is the smell of hot holiday skin on the most perfect of beaches. The coconut water accord is refreshing whilst smelling like expensive suncream that was applied earlier in the day. It merges with tonka bean on warm skin, slightly salty from the sea. Mint and lime hover gently in the background, a delicious mojito that you sip on as you look out over the bright blue sea. This is holiday fantasies at their very best.
Morocco
(Image credit: 2782 Barcelona)
It’s the delicate Moroccan mint note in Wandervogel that makes it so special. It’s light and refreshing, like an iced Moroccan mint tea, and this shot of coolness fuses beautifully with subtle marine, sand accords and a sultry musk that gives perfect holiday, warm skin vibes.
Imagine you’re in a busy, hot souk and then in the distance you see the cooling sea. You’re desperate to jump in and cool down. Wandervogel is how you’d feel as the water hits your heated skin.
Greece
(Image credit: Estée Lauder)
This new member of the Bronze Goddess family takes me straight back to the beautiful and little-known Greek Island of Spetses that I visited as a teenager. Ripe figs adorn the trees, the night air is filled with jasmine, the sea is clear and inviting, and the beautiful white houses contrast the brightness of the flowers, plants, sea and sky.
Bronze Goddess Aegea captures the heart and soul of a beautiful Greek Island whilst also smelling of sea-salty, warm skin. An absolute delight.
Venice
(Image credit: The Merchant of Venice)
Red algae and salty woods open this multi-faceted fragrance and instantly bring to mind Venice’s winding canals. Just as you are becoming immersed in the salty, aquatic notes, you are taken in a different direction where refined vanilla becomes the smell of local delicacies from Venetian bakeries. The salty woods and gourmand vanilla are complemented by Mediterranean fig and classy amber. This is a true adventure of a fragrance, taking you on unexpected twists and turns.
Dubai
(Image credit: Contes de Parfums)
When master perfumer Anne Flipo created this incredible interpretation of Dubai, she wanted it to reflect her food memories of the city. The result is a gourmand vanilla that wraps itself around an abundance of treats, including chewy dates, sizzling saffron and spices and Arabic sweets.
The result is a fragrance that lends a feeling of childish wonderment. It feels familiar yet exotic as sweet treats settle into the most moreish trail of ambery wonder.
Australia
(Image credit: Goldfield and Banks)
I love how Goldfield and Banks use so many Australian botanicals in their fragrances. The Australian ginger flower accord in Ingenious Ginger is bright and fizzy like a thirst-quenching ginger beer. The intensity of the initial burst of the spice soon lessens as it merges with smooth, creamy sandalwood and a flourish of citrus.
I imagine I’m with a group of friends on an Australian beach with the sun shining down on us. Soon we lie down, sated and content. Our skin is warm and our hearts are full. This is the smell of the utter joy and abandonment of travelling to the other side of the world with the people you adore.