'Destination Scents' Are The Summer 2024 Perfume Trend We Can't Get Enough Of

While all our five senses are powerful and important, our sense of smell is uniquely connected to our memories. All you have to do is get a whiff of a certain scent linked to a past event, and suddenly you're there all over again. Depending on the memory, it can be both visceral and haunting when that happens.

"You can think of the original brain as being a sense of smell plus a sense of navigation plus a sense of memory," professor of neurobiology at Harvard Medical School, Sandeep Robert Datta, told Harvard Medicine. "That explains why all those structures are so intimately connected, and why odor memories are so evocative ... We're constantly being reminded about where we've been and where we are through our sense of smell." Because of this, wanting to smell good or smell like something that's associated with a positive memory is only natural. That's where destination scents come into play.

Also known as "solar" perfumes, destination scents evoke the feeling of being in a faraway place, like the beaches of St. Tropez, the plains of the Serengeti, or the grassy fields of Big Sky, Montana. Because not everyone can travel to these places, Women exclusively spoke to scent expert, Emma (@perfumerism), to learn more about destination scents, why you should add them to your summer fragrance repertoire, and how to wear them.

Simply put, a destination scent is just that: a scent that reminds you of or smells like a destination. And, considering how vast the world is, if you do some digging you're likely to find a scent for just about any destination out there.

"Depending on your destination, we often gravitate towards particular notes for particular occasions," Emma exclusively tells Women. "For example, tiaré flower is a tropical flower that is indigenous to the South Pacific, particularly near the water and around areas with beaches." As Emma explains, people who have traveled to places where the tiaré (also known as a gardenia) grows get to take home the memory of the scent that will forever be linked to that specific place. "Destination scents allow us to create memories outside of our everyday bubble," says Emma, adding that many people usually invest in destination scents for special occasions. The right scent can really elevate an event or moment, because of the psychological impact it can have.

What's interesting about scents is that there's a unique science behind them. "Perfumers measure the volatility of the molecules to control the nature and evolution of the scent," perfume expert Johnny Webber told Restless. "Different notes in a perfume are combined to hit the air at different times, hence top notes, middle, and base notes in perfume descriptions." That's why summer and winter scents have opposing smells because of how they interact with the skin. In the same vein, destination scents are created to allow the wearer to experience a story, a place, and a time that they once knew.

Because destination scents are all about tapping into our memories, how you choose to wear them is based on your past and preference. Beach memories (to go with your beachy waves) are likely to be full of coconut and salty scents, while memories of the Tuileries Gardens in Paris might inspire your search for a specific flower.

If you're not sure where to start, Emma recommends the Ouai St Bart's body mist that's popular right now. "It's been a best-selling body wash for a while, so there's a cult following who was ready with their wallets the second the perfume dropped. It's a really nice piña colada scent," says Emma, adding that her personal favorite is Arizona Bloom from Floral Street. Destination scents come down to what you want to evoke and the energy you want to share with those around you.