The Smell of Summer

I just tried an amazing scent from the CB I Hate Perfume line. It's called At The Beach 1966, and it does the trick of being a perfect summertime fragrance. It smells true to it's name. The first thing I think of is the original Coppertone sunscreen in the pink bottle. It is definitely a floral scent first and foremost, but I do detect a hint of wet sand and saltiness underneath the Coppertone. It makes me think of childhood days spent at St Simons Island, Georgia. We would play in the salty waves all day long until our skin began to burn, then run back to our towels to reapply sun lotion. At the end of the day when I collapsed into a happy exhaustion, this is the essence that still clung to my skin and hair.

I know I have previously mentioned Jovan Island Gardenia, but it is worth another accolade for being one of the best summer perfumes as well. I buy a bottle every year. Don't waste your money on the Marc Jacobs or Chanel if you are looking for an exotic white floral true gardenia potion. Island Gardenia is the real deal at the low price of $10. Used with a light hand, this smells like heaven. It makes me think of classy ladies of the 1940s with flowers pinned in their hair. At times it also remind me of the expensive shampoos and styling products used in my uncle's salon. If you love the smell of gardenia as much as I do, your search stops here.

The last perfect summer scent I want to talk about is Bonne Bell Skin Musk. Do not be fooled by the silly name and even cheesier packaging! This is not your typical loud brash musk. It is very subtle, smelling of a powdered lavender when first applied and then drying down to a light sandalwood creaminess. It lasts all day long and is delicate enough to be worn with other perfumes. I like to layer this with the gardenia sometimes for added allure. When worn alone it smells like you have just emerged from a lovely bath.