Rules Are Overrated: Wear Summer Scents in January

This January, instead of piling on a bundle of new rules and resolutions, try something different: break the rules, let your hair down. Just go ahead and do whatever you fancy.

By now, many of us are done with that cosy, snuggle-up-next-to-the-fire-in-our-pyjamas winter feeling. Sure, as autumn rolls in, there’s something lovely about cosying up and catching wafts of all our favourite wintery fragrances. But let’s be honest, by mid-January, we’re staring up at the sky, searching for that seemingly mythical ball of fire, wondering: will this winter ever end?

We humans haven’t quite figured out how to change the weather; at least, not in the ways we’d like. Thankfully, we don’t need to. You can invite a little sun-kissed warmth into your day with just one thing: fragrance.

Fragrance takes us places. It tells stories and whisks us away on adventures. So why not let it transport you from winter to summer in an instant?

The norm is to spray on fruity, floral, or citrus scents when you spot colours returning to nature and hear chirping birds testing their clumsy wings for the first time. Then, as the nights draw in and the woollies come out, we turn to deeper, wintery scents.

Smell Like Sunshine, Even When It’s Freezing

But here’s the thing: if perfume can take you places - and it absolutely can - why stick to the seasons? Why not let it take you somewhere far beyond reality?

As January, a miserable month for many, turns into February—arguably an even worse one—don’t sit around and dwell. Go somewhere else. Go wherever you fancy.

Look through your perfume collection and spritz on something that reminds you of sunshine. Dress in bright, cheerful colours, and stick a flowery screensaver on your phone and computer.

Probably best to leave the sandals for ‘real’ summer, though. Let’s keep a slight grip on reality—we wouldn’t want to lose a few toes in the process.

If you’re a fan of our perfumes, you might have one tucked away at the back of the cupboard, pushed aside when autumn brought its ambers to the surface. We’ve got plenty of summer-inducing scents to choose from. Look out for What I Did On My Holidays, Ealing Green, Dandelion Musk, Lemon Sherbet, and The Orange Tree.

A Fruity Escape from Winter

The summer scent that’s grabbed Sarah’s attention this “imaginary season” is raspberry; the fruit of summer itself. In fragrance, raspberry adds a sweet, fruity, and tangy touch, blending beautifully with countless other materials and accords.

To bring a rich but playful summer vibe to your day, search your perfume cabinet for something raspberry-inspired. Or try one of Sarah’s creations: Tokyo Spring Blossom, Red Queen and Amberama.

If you quite like all this talk about breaking rules and using fragrances in your own way, you might fancy our online perfume-making course. For a bargain price, you’ll get access to the full introductory course to perfume making. It’ll take you from someone who dreams of making perfume but hasn’t a clue where to start, to someone who understands perfumery materials, can follow formulas, and knows how to tweak them to create unique scents that are completely your own. Take a look at Scenthusiasm Scent School.

Written by: Sinead O’Carroll - Team Tuesdays