How a heatwave impacts your fragrance: Experts reveal what happens to your perfume and the 5 best new scents to buy for summer 2026

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Just as we trade boots for sandals and cashmere cardigans for linen dresses, there is a case for changing your fragrance with the seasons.

Summer scents tend to feel brighter and airier: citrus and green notes, sheer florals, fruity mists and salty woods. Not to mention the increasingly popular body sprays that can be reapplied and kept in your handbag.

That said, fragrance can be surprisingly temperamental when the mercury rises. The office-appropriate spritz that you applied in the morning can become something significantly louder by lunchtime.

And your favourite perfume left sitting on a sunny windowsill may not be your favourite for long.

Heat changes perfume, and not always in the way you might expect. Here two experts explain their tips and tricks for choosing a scent for hot summer days. Plus my pick of the new summer fragrances to try...

Fragrance can be surprisingly temperamental when the mercury rises. The office-appropriate spritz that you applied in the morning can become something significantly louder by lunchtime

WHAT DOES HEAT DO TO PERFUME?

'Fragrance is incredibly sensitive to changes in temperature', says Chelsey Saunders, Director of Fragrance, Skincare and Haircare at Boots. 'During periods of hot weather, heat can accelerate the evaporation of fragrance oils, which may alter how a scent smells over time and can impact its longevity.'

Linda Pilkington, founder of Ormonde Jayne (ormondejayne.com), explains that different ingredients react differently to heat.

'Heat transforms the way a perfume behaves on the skin as each ingredient has its own molecular weight; hesperidic [citrus] ingredients like lemon, bergamot can evaporate quickly once the temperature rises above 28° if they aren’t well balanced and that changes how your fragrance unfolds.

'Heavier ingredients like amber, resin, woods linger on your skin longer, so a perfumer’s skill is to finely balance ingredients in a formula with accords to ensure the individual notes develop on your skin with longevity - and crucially, still sparkle.

'One of the great advances in modern perfumery is synthetic molecules, which lift each ingredient out and allow the natural oils to shine, developing on your skin over the course of the day without overpowering.'

Humidity can have an even greater effect. 'It increases how a fragrance radiates on your skin, but it ultimately will shorten its longevity,' says Pilkington.

Jo Malone has just launched at Boots, so you can spritz and sample in 39 stores, as well as shop it online. This fresh, breezy scent is my pick of the bunch, pairing salty marine notes with bright bergamot.

Why does vanilla have to be reserved for winter? Phlur says it doesn't, with this latest addition to its fragrance line-up, and I'm inclined to agree. If you find citrus in summer a little predictable, this woody take on vanilla could be for you.

Founder Chriselle Lim says: 'the fragrance is inspired feeling of limitlessness, like when you’re gazing into a vast canyon or driving toward the horizon.'

HOW MUCH SHOULD I APPLY?

The temptation in hot weather is to keep reapplying when your scent seems to have vanished. But what you can't smell yourself may still be very apparent to other people.

Pilkington says there's an important distinction between longevity and projection – how far a fragrance travels from the skin. A perfume can last all day without everyone in the room being aware of it.

Her advice is to keep things light: 'In the warmer months especially, fragrance should feel luminous rather than overpowering.'

She prefers an unscented body lotion rather than layering several competing fragrances. Wait until skin is completely dry before applying perfume and, crucially, resist the temptation to rub it in.

'This can disrupt the delicate evaporation of the fragrance and alter the way it develops.'

WHICH NOTES WORK BEST?

Don't assume summer means citrus. Pilkington says she favours ta'if rose, peony, freesia and tea notes, as well as tropical florals such as jasmine sambac.

There are plenty of alternatives to the traditional summer scents. 'Woody notes like cedarwood and sandalwood, when balanced with pepper, might not scream "fresh" on paper, but can refresh the senses.'

Vetiver is another option she recommends: earthy and refreshing without smelling conventionally citrusy.

For those who do prefer something lighter, Saunders says summer is when fragrance mists really come into their own. 'Body, fragrance and hair mists can be a great option during warmer weather as they're designed to be refreshed throughout the day.'

HOW SHOULD I STORE MY PERFUME?

'I always recommend storing perfumes in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight', advises Saunders.

So, despite looking pretty, the sunny windowsill is out. The same goes for leaving a bottle in the car or a warm bathroom, where high temperatures can affect the integrity of the fragrance.

On particularly hot days, Saunders suggests applying fragrance to cooler areas of the body, such as the lower neck, or even clothing. And rather than one heavy application, her advice is simple: 'Reapplying little and often can help maintain your chosen scent without it feeling overpowering in the heat.'

Rose isn't my first choice for fragrance. It reminds me of the (very nice) rose scented body wash and hand cream my Mum loves.

But this surprised me. It's light and fresh and at £68 this body spray is more purse-friendly way to buy into Byredo than its Eau de Parfums.

M&S Studio is the latest launch from Marks & Spencer, building on the runaway success of its Discover range. There are eight new scents to choose from.

I assumed I would favour one of the two vanilla scents but my favourite is actually Salted Haze. Pear blossom lends it freshness without being too floral, while a subtle musk emerges with wear.

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