#37 Jil Sander Sun
Sunshine, sea breeze and speedos, perhaps.
The UK ‘heat wave’ is quite over already as the temperature starts to drop – the two weeks of stuffy, no air-conditioning sleepless night and the humidity that reminds me of home. I posted about the summer (citrus heavy) fragrances a couple of post back and while I’ve been wearing a lot of those, I get a bit bored with lemons, limes and tangerines in different forms and iterations. Don’t get me wrong - I don’t dislike them, I am just merely shelving them until the mood comes. I am not monogamous when it comes to fragrance and skincare.
The Brits generally, and even more the beauty community speaks a lot about summer reminding them about sun tan lotion and sun cream – Nivea Sun and Estee Lauder Bronse Goddness are the two most popular summer fragrances that get mentioned by every single beauty blogger out there. They are sweet, coconut-y, orange blossom and have a sea salt note with the capability to instantly transport one (metaphorically of course) to the beach. I’ve never associated a summer with that, simply because it is summer every day back home, so I don’t see fragrances in seasons as much as my European friends do. Also, back in Asia, nobody does tan – the scent of a ‘classic sun tan oil’ is completely absence from the scent memory.
I went around sniffing these ‘iconic’ best sellers, from the cheapest to the ridiculous, and yet I don’t find myself associated. The connection was not there before and is not now. Most of them have some form of vanilla, gourmand sweetness and I absolutely dislike that in my fragrance. I simply don’t like to eat what I wear. Some fragrance chuck in poor formulated neroli and orange blossom and that can turn overly heady – which usually follow with a migraine.
Jil Sander Sun for Women
Until I blind bought my bottle Jil Sander Sun for Women (suitable for all genders) – thanks to Alice Du Parcq and Sali Hughes – I begin to understand the suntan lotion and beach association. Jil Sander Sun is a very 90s fragrance, it has the vibe of all the great 90s classic like CK One and Armani Aqua Di Gio, but obviously a different scent profile. The prominent notes (vanilla, amber, orange flower) on paper sounds like a nightmare to me. Jil Sander Sun has all the elements of Nivea Sun and Estee Lauder Bronse Goddness but without the sweetness.
The dry down is vanilla, tonka and patchouli making it a much complicated fragrance. I wore it on the first time and I went to Brighton (after being told and recommended numerous times buy by Brits colleagues) on a hot sunny day and then, I totally get it – Jil Sander Sun in a beach is completely appropriate – sunshine, salty breeze, sweat, flip flops and a cool fizzy lemonade.
Longevity is surprisingly amazing – the dry down on my clothes is warm and sexy and not sticky at all. I gave myself many generous spritz and have not top up for the entire day and I can still smell myself 10 hours later.
When the heat starts to fade and sunshine become a luxury, I’ll revisit this fragrance, give myself a few spritz once to instantly teleport me to a white sands, hot beach and speedos.
Its is called Sun for Women, because there is a men’s version, which I’ve not tired, but am not sure if I would want to blind buy.
Leave a comment below and tell me what’s your summer fragrances, or fragrances that reminds you on holiday xx