I know that us Brits have a reputation for always talking about the weather but, sue me, the recent heatwave that we’ve been experiencing has felt nothing short of relentless. I’m not the kind of person that thrives in hot temperatures at the best of times, but throw in stifling tube journeys, school runs in the blazing sunshine, and a terraced house with bricks that seem to heat up like a pizza oven and I have been well and truly struggling. Yet in spite of the 30-degree temperatures, something totally unexpected happened when I was picking my son up from school last week: I was stopped mid-rush by a fellow parent who told me I smelled amazing. Not just fresh or clean mind you, but so good that she wanted to know what fragrance I was wearing immediately. And the truth is, I wasn’t just wearing one great perfume, but a whole army of amazing-smelling products. Call it my summer scent strategy if you will, but if you’re wondering how to smell good in a heatwave then you're in the right place.
So how to smell good in a heatwave? The secret lies in the heat lies in layering. “Layering is about creating complexity that can't be bottled,” explains Tanya Gonzalez, co-founder of luxury fragrance brand Eauso Vert. “You’re building fragrance depth as each layer has a different molecular weight and evaporation rate so they release at different intervals throughout the day.”
Over the years, I’ve developed a tried-and-tested technique that keeps me smelling good even on the sweatiest of days—and it starts in the shower. From scented body washes and lotions to deodorants that smell like your most expensive perfume, my routine is all about creating a fragrance that lasts on the skin before we even get to spritzing on my chosen summer scent. It might sound excessive but, trust me, fragrance layering isn’t about overpowering the senses but creating a subtle, yet lasting impression that will hold up in the highest of heats. “What you get is something that shifts and breathes with you, rather than just sitting on top of your skin,” says Gonzalez. As for getting my makeup to have the same staying power? I’m yet to master it.
So, ahead of more soaring temperatures predicted in the UK this summer, here is my top-to-toe fragrance layering ritual to make sure you always smell good in a heatwave.
How to smell good in a heatwave
How to smell good in a heatwave: Deep cleanse your body
For me, fragrance layering begins in the shower, with a two-step body wash process. (Okay, maybe the ritual is a little excessive.) Hear me out though. Once the temperature gets over about 25 degrees, my bedroom effectively becomes a sauna so by morning I am feeling clammy to say the least.
Therefore, a deep-cleansing body wash is the first thing I reach for to get squeaky clean—opting for ones infused with exfoliating acids to really slough away all signs of my sweaty evening and leave me with a clean base from which to start the rest of my routine.
Naturium’s The Energizer Mandelic Acid Body Wash is particularly brilliant as it has actually been formulated to help neutralise odour-causing bacteria, but the Sundae Green Tea Whipped Shower Foam with AHAs is another firm favourite.
How to smell good in a heatwave: Choose a fragranced shower wash
This step is really down to personal preference, but it’s all about creating that first layer of fragrance for the day. There are so many amazing smelling body washes and shower gels for all tastes and at all price points but, personally, I find that opting for a shower oil really helps with locking scent into your skin rather than just rinsing it all down the drain.
My personal favourites are the Sol de Janeiro Delícia Drench Shower Oil—a creamy, sweet and woody delight that lingers on the skin longer than any other shower product I’ve tried—and the iconic L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil which acts almost like a musky skin scent to any other products that you then layer on afterwards.
How to smell good in a heatwave: Moisturise, moisturise, moisturise
I have a rather excessive collection of body lotions, butters and oils because I am obsessed with moisturising top-to-toe after every shower, but I was interested to learn that when it comes to fragrance longevity keeping your skin moisturised is crucial. “Hydration is key and perfume lasts longer on moisturised skin, so apply an unscented lotion or matching scented body cream before your fragrance,” says Cherry Cheng, founder of Jouissance.
I wish I was chic enough to own a matching lotion for all of my perfumes but, instead, I tend to opt for lotions and oils that are skin-like with musky or vanilla notes. Phlur’s Missing Person Body Oil was my hydration of choice on the day I received the compliment, and I can attest to its longevity for the fact that if I apply this at night I still smell incredible the next morning. I
’m also a huge fan of The Body Shop Butters and Body Yogurts, with their Moringa scent being a personal favourite thanks to its almost clean linen freshness which plays nicely with any other fragrance you spritz on top.
How to smell good in a heatwave: Upgrade your deodorant
I think it probably goes without saying that most of us are going hard on the deodorant during a heatwave, but the key to smelling good for longer is to choose one that smells just as good as a high-end perfume. Typically, I’m a Sure Maximum Protection kind of girl because, as I’ve said multiple times already, I’m sweaty. So if you’re also dubious about switching to any kind of deodorant that doesn’t feel heavy-duty then I understand your concerns.
However, there’s a new wave of deodorants that are crafted with exfoliating acids, free from aluminium and baking soda, and infused with the most incredible scents. Phlur Vanilla Skin Deodorant is a gourmand delight while Nécessaire The Deodorant Olibanum smells like a sexy and expensive evening perfume.
How to smell good in a heatwave: Hair freshener
I’m not someone who washes my hair every day so, for the purposes of this piece I haven’t focused on the best shampoos or conditioners to make your hair smell incredible. However, what I will do during hot weather is use a hair mist to make sure that my strands are leaving a beautiful sillage when I’m, quite literally, running to make the school pick up on time.
Of course, you could just use whatever perfume you’re going to be wearing for the day but dedicated hair perfumes tend to also be infused with nourishing oils that not only add shine but help the fragrance to stick to your strands. Gisou’s Honey-Infused Hair Perfume in Wildflower Honey is a delicious and delicate floral scent that has the added bonus of softening and smoothing my frizz-prone hair, while Byredo Hair Perfume in Mojave Ghost will leave your hair smelling like you’ve just stepped foot out of a salon after having a professional wash and blowdry.
Top tip: “You can also mist a scarf or lightly spritz your hairbrush for longer diffusion without overwhelming others in the heat,” says Cheng.
How to smell good in a heatwave: Choose your summer scent
Each to their own when it comes to your signature scent or go-to summer perfume, but there are some things to consider when it comes to choosing the best perfume for hot weather as fragrance does evaporate faster in the heat.
“In high temperatures, lighter formulations can project too quickly and fade fast, so look for solar florals, citrus with woody or musky bases, and fresh green or aquatic notes anchored with something grounding like vetiver or ambergris which tend to wear beautifully in heat,” advises Cheng.
My picks so far for summer 2025 have been Bibbi Fruit Captain which is bright, joyful and, unsurprisingly, fruity, but has a musky, ambroxan base which anchors its longevity, and Ellis Brookyln Salt which is both fresh and musky like an ocean breeze.
How to smell good in a heatwave: Keep a body mist on hand
Truly, I’m already smelling pretty damn good after all of those steps but the final secret in smelling good in a heatwave lies in a humble body mist. Once considered a relic of the early noughties, destined to be confined to the PE bags of teenage girls, body mists have undergone quite the glow-up over the last few years with many going viral thanks to their brightly-coloured bottles and dopamine-inducing fragrances.
And, for me, they really come into their own during the summer when not only do they act as a quick scent top-up during the day, but the mist itself often provides a moment of blissfully cooling relief.
All of Sol de Janeiro’s mists deserve the hype but their Cheirosa 68 Perfume Mist is a really fresh and floral delight, but it’s Phlur’s Peach Skin which has been my most reached-for mist this summer—a tropical burst of peach and plum with a grown-up sandalwood and amber dry down that people always comment on.
