What’s a Solar Fragrance? Just the Dreamiest Way to Smell Like Summer

I may have come of age in the sun-obsessed early 2000s, but those carefree UV-soaked days are now firmly behind me. As dreamy as the idea of a hot day spent sprawled out on a gorgeous stretch of golden sand with a spicy romance novel and a piña colada may be, the reality of a beach vacation never quite lives up to the hype for me—I’m too familiar with exactly how often you need to reapply SPF to bask in the sun without worry.

I didn’t think I’d ever want to cosplay as a beach girlie, until a sample of Coconut Sun by Halifax-based perfume brand The 7 Virtues landed on my desk in the dead of February at the tail end of the pandemic. Desperate for an escape, I was immediately hooked on the warm, uplifting blend of coconut, frangipani, sea salt and vanilla. It perfectly captured the trips my family took to the beach growing up, down to our wet swimsuits, salt-textured hair and the plates of cut up fruit my mom would pack in the cooler. Suddenly, I was nostalgic for the sun-soaked vacations of my youth.

As it turns out, there’s a whole category of perfumes that aims to bottle up the essence of a sunny day at the beach—minus the sand and UV damage—and it’s having a major moment.

Designed to evoke sun-kissed bare skin and the kind of optimistic feeling you can only get when your out-of-office message is on, solar fragrances have instant mood-boosting power and elusive characteristics deeply rooted in scent memory. The term “solar” doesn’t refer to a specific note or fragrance family, but rather to a vibe. “It’s all about warmth and light,” says Barb Stegemann, the founder of The 7 Virtues. “It’s not defined by a single note, but by the feeling it creates—like sunlight on your skin.” 

A sun-inspired scent can belong to many traditional olfactory categories—floral, woody, citrus or amber. Think juicy and tropical, fresh and clean, or subtly sultry. Common notes include soft floral notes, such as ylang-ylang, frangipani or jasmine, along with coconut, citrus, vanilla and musk. A solar scent is unmistakable in its brightness when you first encounter it—it’s old-school Coppertone notes with a hint of salt, laundry hung to dry outside or the kind of cocktail that might be served in a coconut shell and topped with a tiny umbrella.

Fragrances with sunny notes—like Jil Sander’s Sun or Estée Lauder’s Bronze Goddess—existed long before the search term went viral, but there’s a reason we’re reaching for them again now. “We’re looking for simple joys,” Stegemann tells me. And what’s more joyful than spritzing on a new fragrance that smells like pure sunshine?

Scroll on for the solar perfumes worth adding to your collection this summer—and beyond.

The 7 Virtues Coconut Sun Eau de Parfum

The brand formulated 51 versions of this perfume to nail founder Barb Stegemann’s vision, which was inspired by her childhood spent on the beaches of Cape Breton and Antigonish in Nova Scotia. “The scent of salt air over warm sand was something I needed to get right—it had to match those memories exactly,” she says. The result is cheerful and layered, with a hint of citrus and a creamy note that’s reminiscent of sunscreen on sun-baked skin.

Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess Eau Fraîche Eau de Toilette

With a soapy bergamot opening that quickly blooms into a sunny blend of coconut, vanilla and a sprinkle of salt, this iconic juice is clean and sophisticated. Pair with a wide-brim straw hat and a flowy caftan to bring your White Lotus fantasy to life.

Ellis Brooklyn Sun Fruit Eau de Parfum

Packing for your next girls’ trip? Notes of sun-warmed pear and fig give way to a soft musky floral scent, making this the perfect pick to transition from a beach day to a dinner reso.

Jo Malone London Beach Blossom Cologne

A squeeze of lime and a dash of mint put a fresh twist on this blend of coconut and tonka bean. Mojitos on the beach? Sign us right up. 

Juliette Has a Gun Lust for Sun Eau de Parfum

Guaranteed to become a regular in your beach bag, this cheeky burst of coconut meets its match with delicate florals—including monoi, gardenia and orange blossom—and a bold base of vanilla, musk and ambroxan.

Tom Ford Soleil Blanc Eau de Parfum 

Classic solar notes, like ylang-ylang, jasmine, coconut, tonka bean and amber, meet cardamom and pink pepper for a spicy take on the category in this luxe fragrance. 

Maison Francis Kurkdjian Aqua Vitae Cologne Forte Eau de Parfum

Want to smell expensive? Spritz on this zesty juice that layers opening notes of mandarin and bergamot with a warm base of musk and sandalwood for a chic finishing touch.