How to Wear Botanical Perfume in Summer

Before you decide which scent to wear in summer, it is good to know how to properly apply your natural perfume to avoid skin irritation and make your scent last longer on skin on warm summer days.

While it is common to wear fresh and airy scents in summer and heavier and warm ones in winter, it is not the case with botanical fragrances. Since they are much more complex and change every after a few seconds, minutes and even hours, it is useful to get to know your signature scent. Botanical perfumes do change with time and it means that a light fragrance may turn into warm one with time. Learn the notes, the ingredients of your perfume, test one perfume a day before you decide to switch to another sample.

Botanical scents are unisex, seasonless and are worn only when you wish to wear them. Watch as they change on your skin depending on weather and your mood, it is all about experimenting!

One essential detail you must always keep in mind is to never use perfume on skin and expose it to the sun afterwards in summer. It is really difficult to trace which raw materials can cause sensitivity and cause irritation and which can be phototoxic. The best option for warm temperatures is to use botanical perfume on clothes and hair, besides you will be sure to use your sunscreen without affecting the fragile perfume structure. You can also apply perfume on those areas which are hidden under clothes and do not heat up too fast. Warm temperatures make botanical perfume evaporate much faster, thus it will not last long. Perhaps, it is best to enjoy your natural perfume early in the mornings and in the evenings on clean moisturised skin, just for yourself.

There are special hidden spots which are either away from the sun or always forgotten, they will help your botanical scent stay longer on skin: areas behind your ears (on scalp, since scalp skin has more sebum and helps to keep the scent on skin longer), under or between your breasts (for women, perfect for intimate evening rituals of self-care), on décolletage (if hidden under clothes to protect it from sun exposure), any hair area (where scalp borders with face and neck skin, perfect after washing your hair after a long hot day, cover your hair with a hat if used in the morning and exposed to the sun), use a clean pipette and add a few drops of perfume into your massage/body oil (max 3%, blends beautifully with fractionated coconut oils blends), etc.

While it is true that fresh scents can cool you down and warm ones can help you create a special ambiance and sillage around you, it is up to you to choose which ones you enjoy the most! If in doubt, our recommendations for summer are: Summer 1928 (warm, cognac like scent reminiscent of wild flowers), Sonnet 98 (fresh, zesty from the start till the end), RedBird (clean, watery and green), Sachet de Senteurs (green floral, musky, inspired by vintage perfumes).

If possible, switch to lighter perfume concentrations in summer: eau de cologne and eau fraiche (2-5% of oils in alcohol) are safer for sensitive skin and to avoid photoxicity. It is still highly recommended to follow the above steps to wear your perfume safely.