There’s nothing better than fresh, floral, light scents in the summer. A fragrance’s performance definitely depends on temperature, so it’s important to pick a scent you like and make sure it’ll perform well even in extreme heat.
Thus, we had to make a list of the best summer fragrances for women – scents that exaggerate her feminine sides and tell her story.
What’s The Best Summer Fragrance For Women?
Over 150 different perfumes and fragrances were tested to make the list of best summer fragrances for women.
Here’s how we test:
- We tested every fragrance five times – daytime outdoors, daytime indoors, office, nighttime outdoors, nighttime indoors
- We measured and documented how well it works and how long it lasts
- I was part of a team of experts (including you) that discussed perfume compositions and trends for 2022
Based on those results, we compiled the 19 best summer fragrances for women in 2022, which we’re 100% sure you’ll love.
The scents below aren’t in any particular order, since ordering them would mean judging one over the other, which we don’t have the right to do – taste for scents is subjective. In most cases, you can find full reviews of the perfumes, so we did our best to describe what they smell like.
It’s updated in the middle of spring every year.
Now let’s see what the best summer fragrances for women in 2022 are!
1. Maison Francis Kurkdjian Aqua Universalis
A fragrance like Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s deserves its place on today’s top list because of its universal cleanness. Aqua Universalis could be the solution to your search for a clean, fresh scent you can use every day.
There’s a citrusy opening with Amalfi lemon and bergamot. When it dries down, the floral side of the scent comes out, and that’s when it becomes more feminine, fizzy, and evocative.
Many people get reminded of those citrus vitamin C tablets when they smell this light scent. A musky, aromatic backbone reminds you of cleanliness on an airy morning.
I want to emphasize that Aqua Universalis isn’t going to get everyone’s attention because it’s not exciting, thrilling, or compulsive. Whether you’re getting groceries or taking a nice walk in the evening, this scent is perfect.
Maison Francis Kurkdjian Aqua Universalis short description:
- Scents of citrus, florals, and freshnessreshness
- Eau de toilette concentration
- On average, the product lasts up to 6 hours
- The sillage is moderate.
- I think it’s a little overpriced.
2. Tom Ford Soleil Blanc
Tom Ford is absolutely impossible to leave out of a list of best summer fragrances for women!
It’s one of those rich, complex, beachy scents that takes you on a yacht and makes you crave a juicy cocktail.
Despite the fact that it was described as mainly a coconut fragrance, I think there is much more to this fragrance than a coconut aroma.
The top notes are pistachio, bergamot, cardamom, and pink pepper, but the opening is so beautifully blended that it’s hard to pick out just one. Within 15 minutes, it has a warm, spicy gourmand flavor, but as it dries down, it becomes more white-floral sweet, ambery, and coconut-flavored.
There is a succulent, buttery, and tropical scent with rich coconut flavor sunscreen vibes. It may not be a crowd-pleasing scent, but it is sure to get compliments from everyone who appreciates intriguing and engrossing scents.
The short summary of Tom Ford Soleil Blanc is as follows:
- The scent is sweet, ambery, and coconut-like
- The concentration is eau de parfum
- On average, the product lasts up to 7 hours
- A projection’s lifespan ranges from one to two hours
- Distance of projection: about 2-3 feet
- A moderate amount of sillage is present.
- The price is slightly overpriced.
3. Maison Margiela REPLICA Beach Walk
The name of this perfume embodies summertime in a bottle. Because of its salty beach vibes, Maison Martin Margiela is one of my favorite scents. You’ve just found what you need if you’re planning a sea vacation and need some fresh scent for sunbathing.
Initially, the scent is citrusy with lemons and bergamots, but it gradually turns to a coppertone scent as it dries down. Ylang-Ylang and coconut become more noticeable as it dries, so the whole performance becomes sweeter and powderier.
I couldn’t smell any pink pepper, so maybe it was working in the background, but this scent doesn’t smell warm or spicy to me.
It reminds me of long Hawaiian beaches with a tropical vibe, and I can see a beautiful girl wearing it during summer vacation.
Short version of Maison Margiela REPLICA Beach Walk:
- There’s a sweet, coconut, and powdery scent
- Eau de toilette concentration
- Average longevity: 5 hours
- One-hour projection
- Distance projection: around 2 feet
- Moderate sillage.
- Fair price!
4. Dior J’Adore In Joy
Summer and all-occasion wearable scents that won’t offend colleagues are what J’Adore In Joy is all about.
We spend most of our day at work, so it’s always nice to have that one fragrance that can be easily worn in the summer heat and be suitable for office work.
When inhaled deeply, J’Adore In Joy has a salty and peachy aroma with wafts of jasmine. This crisp, clean, bright, and sensual scent will handle any heat you put it through.
As one of today’s best summer fragrances for women, J’Adore In Joy is able to serve as the everyday fragrance that won’t choke your colleagues and makes you feel sophisticated.
Summary of Dior’s J’Adore In Joy:
- Bright, salty, floral
- A concentrated eau de toilette
- Average duration: 6-8 hours
- Duration: 1-2 hours
- Around 2-3 feet in distance
- Moderate sillage.
- Good price!
5. Lancôme La Vie Est Belle Soleil Cristal
The house of Lancome surprised us with the release of the stunning spring-summer edition of its iconic La Vie Est Belle scent last year.
Considering my love for La Vie Est Belle, I had high expectations for this one, and I was pleasantly surprised! It definitely deserves a place among the best summer fragrances for women!
The La Vie Est Belle Soleil Cristal doesn’t share many similarities with the original, other than the vanilla note. Adding to the beauty of this scent is the fact that it is made up of all natural ingredients.
Apart from the bergamot and mandarin orange, there is a strong pink pepper strike in the opening, but it quickly fades after 10-15 minutes. When it dries, it becomes a sweet, coconut-oriented scent with a vanilla base and a powdery, creamy finish.
The quality of La Vie Est Belle Soleil Cristal is almost as good as the original, besides its stunning scent. Your day will be filled with compliments when you wear it all day long. If you crave coconut fragrances, it is a safe blind buy.
This is a brief summary of Lancôme’s La Vie Est Belle Soleil Cristal:
- The scent is sweet, coconut-y, and powdery
- EDP (eau de parfum) concentration
- An average of 8+ hours of longevity
- Two to three hours is projected longevity
- Distance projection: approximately four feet
- There is a strong sillage.
- The price is fair!
6. Marc Jacobs Daisy Love
Marc Jacobs’ Daisy Love is the definition of what we can call a “girly” fragrance. If you put on some very feminine outfit and need the cherry on top, it’s an exquisite perfume.
Accordingly, Daisy Love is a more playful, sweet, and youthful fragrance than the original Daisy Marc Jacobs.
Daisy Love is more compelling to younger ladies, but you can still wear it if you are more mature. I don’t like setting age boundaries when it comes to fragrances, but I do find Daisy Love more compelling to younger women. Age is just a number!
This simple yet irresistible scent has a cloudberry top note, a daisy flower middle note, and a musky base note. A light, airy scent that is fruity-oriented, sweet, and musky with a musky undertone.
Daisy Love is also crowd-pleasing, it is not offensive in any way, and it gets you beautiful compliments for as long as it lasts (which isn’t that long).
The short summary of Daisy Love by Marc Jacobs is as follows:
- The scent is fruity, sweet, and musky
- EDT (eau de toilette) concentration
- Approximately 6 hours of longevity on average
- A projection of one hour’s longevity is made
- A distance of around 1-2 feet is projected
- A moderate amount of sillage is produced.
- The price is fair!
Do you want to know more about this beautiful perfume? Check out our full Marc Jacobs Daisy Love review!
7. Byredo Bal d’Afrique
The house of Byredo brought us some phenomenal scents, including the Bal d’Afrique, a mixture of the Parisian avant-garde and African culture shaped into a masterpiece.
A unisex scent, Bal d’Afrique can be worn by both genders, but it leans slightly more towards the feminine side of things. My favorite thing about this fragrance is that it has a pleasant and inoffensive scent. It has a very well blended scent, neither too strong nor too weak.
With a light citrus opening and a floral undertone, surrounded by a woody background, this is a wonderful fragrance. When it dries, it becomes an aromatic, woody scent with hints of exotic spice and floral notes.
The unique combination in Bal d’Afrique makes it different from other fruity or floral scents.
Additionally, it can be used for both regular office days and special occasions, making it a great signature scent.
The short summary of Bal d’Afrique Byredo is as follows:
- Scents of citrus, aromatics, and wood
- EDP (eau de parfum) concentration
- On average, the product lasts between 6 and 8 hours
- A two-hour projection is expected to last
- Approximately 2-3 feet away from the projector
- A moderate amount of sillage is present.
- It’s a fair price!
8. Diptyque Philosykos
I can’t leave out Philosykos Diptyque, which came out in 1996 but still deserves a spot on our list of best vintage summer fragrances for women.
For all the ladies out there who want something more challenging and not-so-classic summer scents besides all those fruity, floral ones I mentioned above, I wanted to include this greener scent.
It’s all about figs and fig leaves in Philosykos. The opening is very green and woody, and it keeps that freshness and coolness all the way through. Coconut dries down to a creamy and sweet scent, but the fragrance keeps its greenness and gets a little lactonic.
This scent is so mysterious to me because many fragrance lovers, including myself, find it evokes nostalgia like no other.
Philosykos Diptyque was a game changer back in 1996 and started the whole fig-scent craze.
Today, I still find this intimate scent highly lovable and unique, not because of the notes, but because of the feelings it evokes.
Short Philosykos Diptyque summary:
- A green, woody smell
- A concentration of eau de toilette (EDT).
- On average, it lasts up to 5 hours
- Longevity of projection: 30 minutes to 1 hour
- Distance projection: about 2 feet
- The sillage is moderate.
- It’s a fair price.
9. Chanel Chance Eau Fraiche
I have to mention the beautiful and alluring composition of Chanel Chance Eau Fraiche while we are talking about woody and green scents!
If you are like me, you will love the complexity and the mixture of nuances that aren’t usually blended for feminine fragrances.h a prominent burst of lemon and citrusy combo, just like many other uplifting and bright summer scents.
Cedar, which is usually found in middle or base notes, plays an important role here as a top note that prolongs the citrusy and sparkly effect. As the scent dries down, it gets woodier and more aromatic, and while patchouli is present, it doesn’t feel dirty or masculine, but rather musky and earthy.
Chance Eau Fraiche would be a woman with a fluttering, white dress, a great hat, and light makeup – an elegant lady at one with nature.
Aside from being light and bright, Chance Eau Fraiche is one of the best compliment getters of all Chance flankers. Women’s summer fragrances definitely deserve a spot on this list!
The short summary of Chance Eau Fraiche by Chanel is as follows:
- Citrusy, woody scent
- EDT (eau de toilette)
- Average longevity: 5 hours
- Duration: around an hour
- About 2-3 feet in distance
- Medium sillage.
- The price is fair.
10. Creed Virgin Island Water
The beautiful and alluring composition of Chanel’s Chance Eau Fraiche must also be noted while we’re talking about greeny and woody scents.
There is a lot to love about this outstanding flanker, including the complexity and the nuances that aren’t usually blended for feminine scents.
Like many other uplifting and bright summer scents, Chance Eau Fraiche opens with a dominant lemon and citrusy combo.
There is something unique about this scent because cedar, which is usually found in middle or base notes, plays as a top note and locks in the citrusy and sparkly effect for a longer period of time. While patchouli is present in the drydown, the scent does not feel dirty or masculine, but rather musky and earthy.
Chance Eau Fraiche reminds me of an elegant lady with a fluttering, white dress, a great, green hat and light makeup – a woman who is one with nature.
Because of its light and brilliant nature, Chance Eau Fraiche is also one of the best compliment getters of all Chance flankers. This is definitely one of the best summer fragrances for women!
The short summary of Chance Eau Fraiche by Chanel is as follows:
- Scent of greenery, woods, and citrus
- A concentrated eau de toilette (EDT).
- On average, 5 hours of longevity
- Projected longevity: 1 hour
- Around 2-3 feet in distance
- Medium sillage.
- Fair price.
11. Parfums de Marly Delina La Rosée
Vivacious, vibrant, and engaging – Delina La Rosée is the latest release from Parfum de Marly, a lighter, shinier version of the original Delina.
La Rosée by Delina provides a light, ethereal, and dewy experience and is considered more summery than other Delina scents.
Bright, citrusy opening with a hint of tartness from the pair nuance, which adds to the fruitiness and freshness. From the top, you get traces of fruitiness and floral-rose aroma in the heart of the composition.
Delina La Rosée is a fairly “active” scent; it develops in different directions over time and reaches its nicest tops as it continues. For your summer-evening dates, this fragrance could be the perfect choice.
Parfums de Marly Delina La Rosée short summary
- Fresh, floral, fruity scent
- Parfum (EDP) concentration
- Average duration: 8+ hours
- 1-2 hours of projection longevity
- Around 2-3 feet in distance
- Medium sillage
- The price is fair.
12. Louis Vuitton On The Beach
With its citrusy-aromatic scent, Louis Vuitton’s newest release, On The Beach, is the brand’s attempt at targeting the younger population, and I believe most people have fallen in love with it.
On The Beach’s fragrance was inspired by the West Coast, not tropical, exotic, warm Mexico or Philippines beaches, which is why it doesn’t smell like a typical, coconut, citrusy fragrance.
Yuzu is the first nuance that comes to mind with the first spray. It controls the compositions for 10 minutes before the neroli adds to that citrus top. It has a woody and cool dry-down that is quite sandy and aromatic.
There are moments in the fragrance when it gets spicy, but it remains fresh and relaxing; it reminds me of long walks on the beach when it’s a bit colder.
The short summary of On The Beach by Louis Vuitton is as follows:
- Scents of citrus, aromatics, and freshness
- EDP (eau de parfum) concentration
- An average of 6-7 hours of longevity
- Approximately one hour is projected longevity
- A distance of around 2 feet can be projected
- The sillage is moderate.
- The price is slightly overpriced
13. Victoria’s Secret Bombshell
An extremely feminine, girly, and fruity scent with distinctive, tropical notes, Bombshell is a Victoria’s Secret bestseller.
It’s one of those scents that makes you want to quit your job, travel to Miami, buy a cocktail and just relax on an exotic beach. It’s important to note that men tend to adore this scent, whether it’s because of the brand name or not.
This fruity bomb combines pineapple, grapefruit, and passionfruit notes. Although the fragrance has a floral heart, it remains fruity-sweet with hints of citrus and woody notes.
It’s fresh, juicy, delicious, and sexy. It doesn’t have a complex composition, but it will get you compliments.
Victoria’s Secret Bombshell short summary:
- Sweet, fruity, fresh
- It is an eau de parfum (EDP).
- About 6 hours on average
- 1 hour projection longevity
- 2 foot projection in distance
- The sillage is moderate.
- It’s a good price.
14. Giorgio Armani Acqua di Gioia
There is no way you haven’t heard about Giorgio Armani’s iconic fragrance.
After 15 years of the well-known men’s fragrance Acqua di Gio, Acqua di Gioia was released in 2010. People with a great nose for perfection can still detect it while walking down the street years later.
The scent of Acqua di Gioia always evokes nostalgia in me, as it reminds me of high school and happy times, and Acqua di Gioia really has the power to bring back good memories.
There’s an Amalfi lemon nuance and mint nuance in this sensual perfume, but it’s not overly minty, it’s more like a side note that lets other scents shine through.
Pink pepper in Aqua di Gioia gives it a fresh-spicy effect, and the jasmine in the middle gives it a slightly sweet note.
The woody base notes complement the citrusy opening nicely, adding greenness and zest.
Summary of Acqua di Gioia:
- Citrusy, aromatic, green
- This is an eau de parfum (EDP).
- Average longevity: 6 hours
- Projected lifespan: 1-2 hours
- Around 2-3 feet in distance
- Medium sillage.
- Fair price
Would you like to learn more about this amazing perfume? In 2022, we’ll review Acqua Di Gioia in detail!
15. Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt
There are simply some days when we want to smell gorgeous by ourselves or for our significant other, even though Wood Sage & Sea Salt is a very intimate scent that lacks great performance.
There is nothing offensive about this perfume, but it is lovely, uplifting and can be worn for a work environment or a special movie night with your loved one.
In the beginning, grapefruit relish dominates, but quickly gives way to the herbaceous note of sage with saltiness flavoring. An aromatic, soothing, and crowd-pleasing runaway from chaotic liquids, it is a very clean, refreshing, and aromatic scent.
Wood Sage & Sea Salt is also extremely easy to layer and combine with other, charming scents.
The short summary of Wood Sage & Sea Salt is as follows:
- Aromatic, salty scent of the sea
- Eau de cologne concentration
- Approximately four hours of longevity on average
- Longevity projection: 30 minutes – 1 hour
- Distance projection: about one foot
- There is an intimate sillage.
- In terms of price, it is fair.
16. Dolce&Gabbana Light Blue Eau Intense
There is also the equally beautiful Light Blue Eau Intense, which came out as the flanker of the well-known Light Blue, and to some extent, it is a superior version of the original.
Since many of you ladies are huge fans of Light Blue, I wanted to remind you to give this sharper, crispier, and timeless replacement a try.
Light Blue Eau Intense opens with citrusy lemon and granny smith apple crispiness, and that fresh combination remains throughout the fragrance. Once the initial blast tones down, you get a dominant muskiness, but with aromatic marigold and amber wood, it creates a pleasant, sexy, and charming scent.
When debating whether to go with an iconic, original scent or a future queen of Blue edition, it’s important to emphasize that the intense version does get you better longevity, wider projection, and stronger silage.
The short summary of Light Blue Eau Intense by Dolce&Gabbana is:
- Citrusy, musky scent
- The concentration is eau de parfum (EDP).
- An average of 8+ hours of longevity
- 2+ hours of projection longevity
- Distance projection: about 2-3 feet
- A strong sillage is present.
- Price: fair.
17. Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Herba Fresca
In spite of many Aqua Allegoria fragrances being discontinued since 1999, Aqua Allegoria Herba Fresca remains at the top of its game, so it must be doing something right.
My list of “best bangs for the buck” would definitely include this high-quality fragrance at a very good value.
There is a strong focus on the cool, authentic, invigorating mint flavor in Aqua Allegoria Herba Fresca, as its name implies. The clover note continues the green overload as the green tea dries down.
There is a citrusy effect of the lemon within the first 10 minutes, but the overall scent is very natural, fresh, and aromatic. Even after all these years, it still holds that distinctive experience that makes us return.
The short summary of Guerlain’s Aqua Allegoria Herba Fresca is as follows:
- Aromatic scent of mint, green, and green
- EDT (eau de toilette) concentration
- On average, it lasts up to five hours
- Approximately 1-2 hours of projection longevity
- Distance projected: around 2 feet
- The sillage is moderate.
- The price is fair.
How To Choose The Best Summer Fragrance For You (Her)
The best thing you can do if you are new to fragrances is to find what you like and discover new scents.
Be sure to buy something in a small bottle if you’re buying something you’ve never tried before online, so that if it turns out to be a mistake, you won’t lose too much money.
Conclusion
In addition to the fact that this list of the best summer fragrances for women is updated every spring, 2022 is the first year after the pandemic, so we expect a lot of new fragrances to be released. As soon as they are released, we will test them out and include them in this review!
For help choosing the best summer fragrance, you might want to check out these articles:
While I am passionate about perfume, I live in a rural area of the Bronx, New York, far from any perfume stores that are close by. It is straightforward: I do not have any credentials to provide as the author of this blog. I just love perfume, that’s all I have to offer.
In addition to wearing male, female, and unisex fragrances, I also enjoy wearing perfumes containing woods, incense, citrus, flowers, spices, vetiver, and green notes. As well as chypre perfumes, I enjoy fragrances with oakmoss, especially chypres. Patchouli and amber are not particularly appealing to me, and with some notable exceptions, perfumes that smell very clean, oceanic, or are too sweet are not particularly appealing to me.
I also have an addiction to expensive chocolates and teas, and I spend a great deal of time browsing the Internet, reading blogs primarily written by others.