The Chic Girl’s Guide to Finding Your Signature Spring Fragrance
Main image – Nabitang/Stocksy
Spring has arrived which means the flowers are in bloom, the days are warmer and the mornings are lighter. All together now – HALLELUJAH! And when it comes to fresh starts, treating yourself to a new spring scent can be the icing on the cake.
But where to start with finding the right one? With so many fragrance themes and individual notes, it can be tricky to find a scent you love, that also feels unique. Here, Rebecca Jaquest, founder of fragrance company NYITA, Louise Rigley, senior global brand manager at Ghost, and Stacy-Jayne Archer, senior creative marketing manager for Miller Harris, give their tips on how to choose the perfect fragrance to help you welcome in the new season.
Image – Carmenpalma/Stocksy
From florals and citruses to grassy notes and soft musks, your new spring perfume is officially pending.
Which fragrance notes feel most at home in spring?
Whilst you might have doused yourself in heavier, woodier scents over Christmas and during deepest, darkest winter, lighter, fresher notes are more suited to the shifting climate.
“As flowers start to bloom and our olfactory system re-awakens, bright, vibrant citruses sit perfectly with the freshness of the season, as do soft white florals,” explains Jaquest. “They are uplifting fragrances to accompany the new green shoots and feel of spring.” Spring awakening anyone?
“As the season shifts away from the density of winter, the instinct is to reach for scents that feel lighter, more transparent and alive with movement,” adds Archer. “Florals, greens, citrus and soft musks naturally echo the rhythms of the natural world at this time of year, which is why they feel so instinctively right.”
The spring fragrance families to go for if you’re not a fan of sweet florals
Let’s face it, sweet fragrances aren’t for everyone. “I think citrus, salty, or grassy scents can be an unexpected, enchanting alternative and perfect for the spring season,” Jaquest suggests.
Or, go green. “Green fragrances are a great alternative, offering a crisp, natural freshness through notes like fig leaf, herbs or freshly cut grass,” Rigley says. “Scents that evoke gardens just beginning to stir,” adds Archer.
Alternatively, “aquatic and mineral-inspired fragrances are also becoming increasingly popular, as they bring a clean, airy quality that feels modern and understated,” says Rigley. “Light woods such as cedar or sandalwood can also work very well when paired with citrus or soft musks, creating something fresh and refined without leaning too floral or sweet.”
This spring’s biggest perfume trends
“One of the most interesting directions this spring is a move toward garden realism,” explains Archer. “Perfumers are increasingly interested in capturing the scent of the entire plant, leaves, sap, stems and even soil, rather than focusing solely on the flower itself. Green, slightly wild compositions feel particularly relevant as people gravitate toward fragrances that feel closer to nature.”
Image – Abigailtulenko/Stocksy
And for those who like their perfume to be more on the subtle side, “there is also continued momentum behind transparent woods and skin musks,” she adds. “These fragrances are designed to enhance the scent of skin rather than sit heavily on top of it. The result is something intimate, subtle and modern.”
Meanwhile, Rigley has noticed trends that are more mood-led. “Consumers are moving beyond traditional fragrance categories and are choosing scents that reflect how they want to feel or the energy they want to project,” she explains.
How to find an on-trend spring scent that still feels unique
Try not to be heavily influenced by big brands, says Archer. “The most distinctive fragrances are rarely the most ubiquitous,” she explains. “Instead of focusing solely on major launches, it is often more rewarding to explore niche and independent fragrance houses where perfumers tend to work with greater creative freedom.”
And keep sampling. “Fragrance behaves very differently on skin than it does on paper, and the dry-down is often where a scent reveals its most distinctive character,” Archer says. “Wearing a fragrance throughout the day allows you to see how it evolves and whether it truly feels like your own.”
Rigley suggests looking “beyond the top note” and focusing on how the fragrance is built. “Many perfumes may feature similar notes, but the way they are blended with supporting ingredients can create something entirely different,” she says. “Ultimately, the most distinctive scent is one that feels authentic to the wearer and reflects their personality, mood and sense of identity.”
How to make lighter spring scents last longer
First of all, Jaquest says that longevity doesn’t always mean quality. “An incredibly cheap synthetic scent can last for a long time, whereas some extremely high quality and expensive naturals might fade a little more quickly, as nature intended,” she explains.
Secondly, how long yours lasts can boil down to application and, surprisingly, how moisturised your skin is. “Hydrated skin holds scent far better than dry skin, so applying fragrance after an unscented moisturiser can make a noticeable difference,” Archer explains. And she says your clothing might play a part too. “Natural fibres tend to hold fragrance beautifully, allowing lighter compositions to linger softly throughout the day.”
“Layering can also be effective,” adds Rigley. “Using complementary body products or applying fragrance to pulse points allows the scent to diffuse naturally with body warmth. The aim is not to overpower the fragrance, but to allow those lighter notes to unfold in a way that feels natural, balanced and true to their character.”
The takeaway
Shift your fragrance into spring mode by looking for lighter, soft florals and bright citruses. If sweet isn’t your thing, you can opt for crisp, green notes or marine-inspired scents.
You don’t have to follow the trends but if you do, focus on nature-inspired notes and remember to not discount independent brands as the experts say these can often be more distinctive. Keep your skin hydrated to extend your fragrance, or layer up with its co-ordinating body lotion before you spritz to make the smell last longer.
Meet the experts
Rebecca Jaquest is founder of fragrance company NYITA
Louise Rigley is senior global brand manager at Ghost fragrance
Stacy-Jayne Archer is senior creative marketing manager for Miller Harris
Get Glowing!
