10 Perfect Summer Colognes
On a hot summer day, it is easy to appreciate the allure of a classical cologne, a citrus rich composition accented with green, herbal and orange flower notes. The effervescence of citrus—be it the bracing sharpness of lime, the peppery shimmer of bergamot, the intense verdancy of petitgrain (bitter orange leaves and buds) or the playful sweetness of mandarin—has a refreshing, exhilarating effect. It instantly cools, evoking the delicious sensation of an ice cube melting on hot skin. It creates a light, unobtrusive veil of scent. There is also a very strong logic behind using colognes in warm climates– neroli and petitgrain oils share the same pungent component as perspiration and allow it to become masked by the bright, green freshness of orange flower.
I’m not sure whether my perfume tastes are in flux, or whether I’m being influenced by the fact that our air conditioning broke down in the middle of a heat wave, but lately I have been relishing citrus colognes and exploring this genre in all of its permutations. Below are my ten choices for some of the best colognes I discovered during my quest. Some of them are venerable classics; others are interesting newcomers. While they are perfect on a hot June afternoon, my other criterion for selecting these fragrances is that I would want to wear them year round, mercury level notwithstanding.
