BEAUTY / JULY 2026
All The Right Notes
For fragrance aficionados, a signature scent defines part of your identity, while a summer fragrance captures memories, becoming a time capsule forever tied to one particular season of your life. It should capture the spirit of the season without relying on the usual clichés; think less Piña Colada, more sun-warmed skin. The best don't simply smell beautiful, they conjure a mood. Salty skin after a swim, linen drying in a warm breeze, olive groves, ripe figs fresh from the tree, long lunches that become late dinners. They smell like memories you haven't made yet, becoming part of a summer before it's even begun. These are the new launches that have all the right notes.
Words by Katie Hutley
Rose fragrances can sometimes feel predictable. Rose Pacific is anything but. D.S. & Durga imagines the flower growing beside the Pacific Ocean, where salty sea air, citrus and warm sand soften its sweetness into something effortlessly modern. Persian lime and Pacific spray keep the opening bright before wild California rose and poppy emerge, settling into a gentle trail of peach and vanilla musk. Fresh, breezy and quietly romantic, it's the fragrance equivalent of an endless summer afternoon on the Californian coast.
Rose Pacific by D.S. & Durga, Eau de Parfum, £155 for 50ml, libertylondon.com
Master perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena has created a fragrance that captures the warmth of skin after a day spent beneath the Mediterranean sun. Delphes centres around the rare Olive Grignon Absolute, extracted from the branches, leaves and fruit of the olive tree, bringing an earthy richness that's beautifully understated. Black pepper and violet leaf lend freshness, while cedarwood, patchouli and sandalwood create a warm, mineral finish. Refined and intimate rather than overpowering, it's the sort of scent people notice only when they're close.
Delphes by L'OBJET, EdP, £200 for 100ml, l-objet.com
Inspired by one of Liberty's iconic archival prints, Tana Meadow translates the feeling of an English summer into fragrance. Juicy mandarin, pear and ginger open with sparkling freshness before white orchid, jasmine, rose and creamy coconut create a floral heart that's light rather than overly sweet. Vanilla, praline and soft woods add warmth as it settles on the skin, making this an uplifting scent that moves easily from sunny afternoons to summer evenings. Elegant, optimistic and unmistakably Liberty.
Tana Meadow by LBTY., Eau de Parfum, £225 for 100ml, libertylondon.com
White Blood turns the traditional white floral on its head. Rather than aiming for innocence or purity, Bertrand Duchaufour explores something altogether more intriguing, imagining an impossible flower that shifts with light and movement. Bergamot and black pepper bring brightness before luminous tiaré, pink lotus and starfruit unfold into a soft, musky base of vetiver and grey amber. Complex without feeling heavy, it's an intelligent, contemporary fragrance from one of perfumery's most exciting new houses.
White Blood by L'Entropiste, Eau de Parfum, £185.46 for 50ml, lentropiste.com
Created by legendary perfumer Dominique Ropion, Fashionably Late is built around tuberose but strips away any excess, leaving something sleek, modern and quietly glamorous. Powdery mimosa and velvety cashmeran soften the floral heart before amber and sandalwood create a warm, lingering finish that stays close to the skin. Sophisticated rather than showy, it's a fragrance that feels equally at home at an elegant dinner or slipping into the last cocktail bar of the evening.
Fashionably Late by Fine Scents, Eau de Parfum, £180 for 60ml, finescents.co.uk
Floris, Britain's oldest perfumer, looks to the ancient rituals that first gave fragrance its place in history with Celest, a composition that feels both timeless and contemporary. English chamomile and bergamot bring a calm, luminous opening before honey, cedarwood and balsamic accords add richness and depth. Ambergris, musk and opoponax leave a soft, resinous trail that lingers beautifully on the skin. Quietly luxurious and beautifully composed, Celest is understated elegance in fragrance form.
Celest by Floris, Eau de Parfum, £130 for 50ml, florislondon.com
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