Smelling salts
Salt is the scent of the moment.
Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt Cologne is designed to conjure up driftwood and the mineral notes of sea air, and has all the makings of a classic.
With notes of sea salt, mint rock, candyfloss and whipped ice cream, 4160 Tuesdays What I Did On My Holidays Eau de Parfum is going wholeheartedly for end-of-the-pier-show reminiscence. But it also has the aroma of old-school sun cream and
Less British seaside and more long weekend on the Côte d’Azur, Creed Millésime Impérial Eau de Parfum is a unisex number that combines bergamot, green mandarin, iris, musk and a “sea scent” that conjures up a warm courtyard with a Campari and soda.
Meanwhile, St Tropez Dispenser by Smell Bent has a very different summer nostalgia in mind: the concept of bringing the beach holiday home with you, so you can at least enjoy a reminiscent whiff while you lament and unpack. Sea salt, coconut, aloe vera, jasmine and honey bring all the sweetness of a sunny day into a pleasing spritz.
Miller Harris Fleurs de Sel Eau de Parfum is at a slight tangent to this trend – it doesn’t contain salt as such, but takes its inspiration from the flowers that grow in the marshy seascapes of France’s Côte Sauvage. It’s a peculiarly savoury number, using red thyme oil, clary sage, cedar wood, oak moss and leather, along with feminine notes of iris, narcissus and a barely perceptible drop of rose.
It may not list salt in its ingredients but Nuxe Prodigieux Le Parfum has a mineral base note that the perfumer added in an attempt to evoke the smell of the sun on salty rocks.
The decidedly sensual Calvin Klein Reveal Eau de Parfum has more of a From Here to Eternity tussle-in-the-waves feel than a jolly summer holiday vibe. The peppery, woody notes that accompany the “raw salt signature” make for a very provocative number.
Using salt for a different means entirely, the final scent is all about making those taste buds water. Salt Caramel Natural Spray Fragrance is meant to be a classy tribute to Charbonnnel et Walker’s über-expensive chocolates. But spritz this on and you basically smell like a bag of Butterkist.
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Amy Packer.