This $34 Dossier Originals scent is a vacation to the South of France in a bottle.
They’re a myriad of warm-weather scents that reference some of the more obvious seasonal influences: white florals, stone fruits, and maybe even a hint of sunscreen. But the best summer fragrances aren’t just an intoxicating mix of the season’s most enchanting elements—instead, they combine conventional notes in a truly unexpected formulation to offer a certain je ne sais quoi, settling on the skin like the glow of the mid-afternoon soleil. That’s exactly how we landed on our freshest, most unique warm-weather scent: Introducing NEW Summer Crush, our newest Dossier Original that lets you spritz the cooling essence of the South of France no matter where you are. Pardon our French, but we’ve crafted the perfect beach day in a bottle. Très magnifique, oui?
What Does Summer Crush Smell Like?
The refreshingly fruity, South of France-inspired fragrance boasts notes of peak-season watermelon, beach breeze accord, romantic Ylang Ylang, sensual coconut, and buttery sandalwood that envelops its wearer in a haze of summer delight, making it *the* tropical scent of the season. If you’re wondering what perfume smells like a summer vacation on the shores of the iconic French Riviera, you’ve met your olfactory match: Summer Crush is hot, French, and definitely not subtle.
Take a closer look at the notes:
Top: Watermelon, Lemon, Beach Breeze Accord
Middle: Ylang Ylang, Coconut, Tiare Flower, Orange Blossom
Base: Creamy Musks, Heliotrope, Vanilla, Sandalwood
Price: Price $34Why Summer Crush Is The Perfect Hot Weather Fragrance
In fact, we took inspiration from one of France’s most idyllic coastlines, just miles away from Dossier’s factories in Grasse, France (the designer perfume capital of the world). Our experts know first-hand exactly what perfumes are best for summer and what types of fragrances are best to wear in hot weather. The answer, bien sûr, includes scents that unapologetically mingle with the season’s sultry heat and humidity to intensify over time. Just like your go-to summer crush, it can ignite a fire from within—but it’s not nearly as short-lived as a European rendezvous.
Summer 2024 Fragrance Trend Alert: (Vacation aka) Solar Perfumes
That said, Summer Crush isn’t just one of the best beachy perfumes around but also the ideal day-to-night scent for all genders: More complex and sophisticated than even the best coconut perfumes, it’s liable to transport you to a lazy afternoon spent catching rays along the Côte d’Azur—and then it stays with you well into the night as you search for your own Summer Crush on the dance floor. In just one spritz, the scent unfolds into a romantic tropical delight with middle notes that are equal parts sweet, floral, and slightly spicy, while the base calls on notes of creamy musks and sensual vanilla, making it one of the best transitional summer-fall scents around. And because scent is the strongest sense tied to memory, you’ll ache to revisit its enigmatic aroma days, weeks, and months after your first wear. Think: Sunday afternoons, romantic date nights, and even more formal events that call for the highest levels of playful elegance.
If you’re drawn to perfumes that smell like a tropical beach vacation but want something that feels uniquely your own, call upon our favorite olfactory hack: scent layering, which involves combining different scents to create a singularly signature fragrance. By layering fragrances, you’ll create an even more distinctive scent that’s nearly impossible to replicate. In fact, just like all Dossier Originals, Summer Crush is genderless, nuanced, and mingles beautifully with others.
Fragrance Layering 101: How To Layer Summer Crush, According To Our Nez In France
Layering Combo #1: Summer Crush + Aquatic Vanilla (inspired by JHAG’s Vanilla Vibes)
Seeking the perfect “vacation” scent? Layer Summer Crush with Dossier’s Aquatic Vanilla, a fusion of a fresh, salty, marine accord with warm notes of vanilla, musk, benzoin, and sandalwood (inspired by Juliette Has A Gun’s Vanilla Vibes).
According to our nez in France, these two fragrances create a “mix and match” or complementary combination. A “mix and match” combination is when two individual fragrances have overlapping or complementary notes, so they pair well and create a harmonious (unique) third scent when layered together. In layman’s terms, think of this combination as a 100/100 relationship––fragrance edition.
Start with a spritz of Summer Crush for an invigorating rich, then finish with Aquatic Vanilla, a highly evocative scent with a heart of coconut that lends a lightness to traditionally dense notes like orchid and vanilla. But what scent family is coconut in that it can help reshape an entire scent? While coconut is technically a fruit, it wavers between the fruity scent family and the gourmand scent family depending on the other elements formulated with it. Gourmand notes, of course, include all raw materials inspired by edible delights—think: the “so good you can taste it” notes, like caramel, coffee, brown sugar, or chocolate. These two fragrances expressively evoke a summer’s day on the beach and harmoniously combine for a scent that’ll transport you to a beachside holiday.
Layering Combo #2: Summer Crush + Floral Ylang Ylang (inspired by Chanel’s Gabrielle)
Looking for an unlikely “solar” fragrance pairing? Try combining Summer Crush with Floral Ylang Ylang, a rare combination of the four “star white flowers” of perfumery—orange blossom, Ylang Ylang, jasmine, and tuberose (inspired by Chanel’s iconic Gabrielle fragrance).
Our nez describes this type of scent layering combination as a “serendipity mix.” These two fragrances are an unlikely match that creates surprisingly harmonious chemistry. It’s a “doesn’t make sense on paper but works in IRL” relationship, distilled into a fragrance combination.
Why Summer Crush + Floral Ylang Ylang Works:
The juxtaposition between refreshing the fragrances’ fruity citrus and powdery florals creates delightful chemistry. Still, unlike ambiguous notes like coconut and jasmine, you may be wondering what Ylang Ylang smells like: On its own, it’s a tropical note that lends a slightly sweet but complex floral accord, but thanks to Floral Ylang Yang’s top notes of sparkling grapefruit, blackcurrant, and lily, it works alongside Summer Crush to create an unexpectedly intoxicating finish. Sure, it might not sound like the most objectively logical pairing, but trust: the scent combination is even more provocative than the sum of its parts.
Experience Summer Crush’s transformative powers for yourself: Stock up for the summer months, then transition into the fall and winter months by creating your own signature scent when you experiment with layering.
