Sirens, and mermaids writ large, are having a moment. The term hails from Greek mythology, where mysterious female creatures lured sailors to their deaths, and today, that translates to a woman who is considered utterly beguiling, and perhaps a little dangerous. Just in the last few months, there's been the Netflix show, Sirens, which, while not explicitly about the mythical creatures, used the term to signal how society can villainise women, without looking into the wider context of living under patriarchy. And then, on social media, there's been a whole gamut of "siren" related beauty trends; think sultry, smoky eyes, and you'll get the gist.
So, it's safe to say that the public consciousness has developed a newfound interest in these misunderstood creatures, and this has made its way into the olfactory space. After all, if you can channel siren-like energy in your make-up, you can certainly do it with scent too. And it's an evocative prompt—think salty, stinging, marine fragrances that conjure up the roaring ocean and the mysteries that lie beneath. My picks ahead.
Best 'siren' scents
1. Fendi Eau de Artifice
The fashion house's latest olfactory creation was inspired by the movement of water over marble fountains—particularly those found in Rome, the Eternal City, after dark. Crafted by the jeweller Delfina Delettrez Fendi, this scent also evokes the sensation of cold jewels on the skin, and packs a heady punch of saline, aquatic minerality, which is heightened by fresh juniper, and then, subtle metallic notes to signify lucky coins tossed in the fountain. It bottles the very essence of water.
2. Orabella Salted Muse
This is one of the saltiest perfumes I've ever smelled, and while that may not sound very pleasant, it's one of the prettiest fragrances I own. Its rich aquatic minerality shows up as a susprising zestiness, which keeps the fragrance at the fore all day long. It's complimented with vibrant pink pepper and an olive tree accord, before evolving into something woodier with cedarwood and crisp notes of amber. It's also worth noting that this is infused with essential oils, so make sure you spray it onto your skin, and not your clothing.
3. Bibbi Swimming Pool
While Bibbi's Swimming Pool isn't inspired by the ocean and its mythical inhabitants, it's one of the best, and most on-the-nose (pun unintended) aqueous scents I've ever sniffed. It was created to conjure up a hot summer's day in Italy. "You dive naked into the pool and every sense of your body is awakening. Definitely a mind-shifting experience. from air into water, ultimate awakening. Like a fresh splash that awakens your senses and makes you crave more," reads the description on the brand's website. It opens with ginger, basil and spearmint, heart notes of eucalyptus and geranium, and a base of ambroxan, wet grass, and white woods eco.
4. Masque Milano White Whale
Literally inspired by one of literature's most iconic (and obsessive) quests: Captain Ahab's search for the mythical white whale, Moby Dick, this unisex scent from Masque Milano is part lore, and part (excellent) fragrance. The top notes were blended to capture the essence of candles, ropes and the vast ocean, thanks to Olibanum, Salt Rope Accord, and Madagascar Black Pepper. The heart notes of Ambergris Accord, Osmanthus China, Violet, Iris Italia Concretes, are grouped under the moniker "...There She Blows", and the novel's Pequod Ship brings together base notes of Cedarwood Virginia, Patchouli Indonesia, Vetiver Haiti, Cistus Labdanum.
5. Tom Ford Oud Minerale
I've long said that Oud Minerale by Tom Ford is the perfect unisex perfume—it's so unique and nuanced that it feels different and personal to every wearer. Salty, marine and aquatic accords are perfectly grounded with the addition of oud, which doesn't feel heavy here, just pleasantly warming and aromatic. To me, it's the perfect melding of desert with water; an oxymoron, but one that works so well. And in keeping with the siren theme—this is very much a seductive, date-night scent.
6. D.S. & Durga Rockaway Beach
Another highly evocative perfume, D.S. & Durga's Rockaway Beach, calls to mind salty skin, sunscreen and the ocean coast of Queens, during the 70s music boom in New York. "Everywhere kids thrashed out jams of teenage angst, none more catchy than the Ramones," say the founders, David Seth Moltz and Kavi Ahuja Moltz. "You could make a quick song about the simple joys of life – escaping to the beach from the dirty dungeon of humid summer in New York [...] The scent in the air and on your skin after a dip in the water will always be home to me." And true to form, this scent conjures the swish of the ocean breeze with striking clarity, with top notes of ocean air, sun tan lotion, salt flowering privet, skin musk and hedges.
