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Whether you prefer the Mediterranean coast, the Greek Isles, the beaches of Barcelona, or faraway excursions to tropical paradises like Tahiti or Bora Bora, there's no denying that us Brits love our summer holidays. The past year has kept many of us from being able to get away, and unfortunately, we still don't know what the summer months of 2021 will look like quite yet when it comes to international travel, although there's a good chance we will be spending most of our time exploring the many beaches, natural parks, and country getaways within our own borders. And whilst the UK has some really lovely places to go on holiday to — some of the beaches in Wales are just as picturesque as the ones in Spain — we're not going to lie, there's a part of us that really misses the consistent 40-degree temperatures, bright-blue skies, and local cuisines of our favourite summer holiday spots.
One way you can transport yourself across the ocean without hopping on a plane? Fragrance. No, seriously. Not only are there many perfumes out there inspired by popular summer holiday destinations — like Portofino, Tahiti, and Morocco — but your sense of smell is also a powerful mnemonic device, e.g. memory aid, that can help you vividly recall a past time, place, or event. If you loved your trip to Capri a couple of years ago, you could try spritzing Acqua di Parma's Arancia di Capri eau de parfum to mentally transport you back there with its notes of orange, neroli, and caramel. Ever explored the American Southwest with your friends? Well, Floral Street's Arizona Bloom captures both the dry heat and distinct flora and fauna of the Arizona desert.
Not all fragrances that smell like summer holidays are inspired by a specific locale, however; some are just meant to smell like a day at the beach. Many of these fragrances — the most famous of which include Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess, Bobbi Brown Beach, and Tom Ford Soleil Blanc — use creamy notes like coconut, white flowers, and vanilla for that tropical sweetness, musk to give them a "skin scent" sort of quality to evoke what you smell like after a day spent in salt water and the sun, and a note called benzoin, which is a natural resin that smells a bit like vanilla and is used to generate a sense of warmth and heat in the scents.
So if you're looking for a way to get yourself into that summer vibe regardless of whether or not we can travel internationally, sit back, grab a fruity beverage (tiny umbrella highly recommended), and keep reading to discover all our favourite fragrances that smell exactly like a summer holiday.