Good sniffage for a summer road trip

beach comfort zone road trip beach
Beach vacations and long weekend getaways are in the works here, so I’m planning on hitting the highway soon and so will be out of touch for a bit. My DS will soon be in college, so last-minute traveling will be much easier with just two schedules to consider, instead of three.

My destinations these days rarely offer much in the way of sniffing, so as usual, I’ll have to bring my own. But thinking of long, often-monotonous drives, I wonder: What are the best scents for a summer road trip?

It really should be a fragrance that works well in the enclosed space of a vehicle, is easygoing (for the passengers’ sakes) and makes you feel good – especially important if you’re the primary driver. And while we’re in vacation mode: What to pack in your purse or suitcase? Just in case you don’t have any good sniffing at your destination or you don’t find any souvenir scents along the way.

If I were going to a perfume-rich location such as London, Paris, NYC, L.A. or Chicago, I wouldn’t pack a thing and would roll through the city, happily testing scents with abandon as I went.

However, for my lovely, but perfume-pedestrian road trip, I’ve rounded up the island vibe-y Kai, the refreshing Annick Goutal’s Hadrien and the slightly more exotic Nuits d’Hadrien, fruity Calyx and bubbly Wrappings, and perhaps something else that skews beachy. I’ll even throw in a dab o’ Carnal Flower for a sultry summer evening out. It’s so important to be fragrantly prepared for any occasion, right?

Anyway, what are your best fragrances for a road trip or any kind of travel? I’m especially curious what you folks who fly a lot tend to wear (or not)?

  • Ariel says:

    I’m just reading along with wide eyes because nothing is working for me this month, scent-wise. Portland started blooming, so it’s fine. I just ride my bike and smell all the jasmine, peonies, lilies, and lilacs. It’s ridiculous. Feel like I keep putting on scents that are just too late for the summer. They will be good in September, but clearly, I need to add to my stash because nothing- zip, zero, nada- is working. Except maybe a green oud, but still.

  • Ann C says:

    I just got home from vacation. The fragrances I brought with me are NdP Cap Neroli, EL Bronze Goddess, Chanel No 5 Eau Premiere, and L’A L Chasse aux Papillons

  • matty1649 says:

    Gone are the days when I could drive a road trip. If I have to travel I now have to take the train. Loving reading all your suggestions.

    • Musette says:

      Matty, if your flag icon is correct, you’re in the UK, which is Train Heaven (compared to US, which isn’t really set up to easily go anywhere outside of major metropolitans, alas). I LUH the train, which is why it is always so sad when I find out that it will take me 3x as long, cost twice as much, and get me maybe somewhere near where I need to be (plus I will still have to rent a car) to go from my area to some other ruralish area in the good ol’ USA. Try going to Kansas. Or Nebraska. I’d have an easier time taking a train to the moon~

      xoxox

      • matty1649 says:

        I live in the North West of the UK..It’s only 2hrs 10mins on the fast train to London.Discounted tickets are put on sale about 12 weeks before you need to travel.I take advantage of these tickets to go to London to see major exibitions at places like The Royal Academy, The British Museum and The V&A. Easily done in a day.My son and daughter in law live in Scotland, that’s about 3 hrs away. I stay with them for a few days. The same when visting on e of my grandaughters in the SE of the UK.

  • Maggiecat says:

    I consider the same things you do when I’m a road trip, and tend to go with citrus eaux and/or tea based scents. Ineke ‘s Poet’s Jasmine is one that works well.

  • Musette says:

    I’m so disorganized, when it comes to road trips, because I figure ‘hey, I’m in a car – I can bring whatever I like’ so I end up with a buncho stuff in the bottom of my insanely huge toilette bag, which I can barely zip because ‘hey, I’m in a car’. so I end up wearing ……… nothing?

    It’s Official: I cannot pack perfume for a road trip. There. I Said It.

    xoxoxo

  • Rosemary says:

    ELDO You or Someone Like You is a fave of mine for summertime, happy and fresh! I recently sampled some Iunx #8 l’eau Baptiste that is light and airy on me, easy going. Have a great trip!

  • March says:

    Ohhh, some overlap! (ish). I’d bring Child (which is Kai-like) and Eau du Sud (my Hadrien stand-in) and some Bronze Goddess… probably some Guerlain Terra Cotta. And something with tea — maybe AG Ile au The or Duel. Can you tell I’m an AG fan? lol

  • Portia says:

    Hey there Ann,
    I’m a decant lover and Travel Spray aficionado. It’s embarrassing how many of both I have here and I love picking what’s to come with on a holiday.
    A couple of my faves for hot weather are Ubar, Vintage Miss Dior, Bulgari Green Tea and Niki de Saint Phalle. Madonna’s Truth or Dare roll on has come a few times too.
    Portia xx

  • Maya says:

    I agree on roll-ons. I like Kai Rose.and Geisha Botan for enclosed spaces. I think Memo Lalibela and Lubin Kismet, lightly sprayed, would work well or do what they do in the old classic movies – spray a cotton ball and put it in your bra. 😉 Wishing you fun vacation getaways.

  • MMKinPA says:

    My last beach trip included Bronze Goddess And Cap Néroli. Just went to San Francisco and didn’t take a thing – stopped by Chanel and Tigerlily to perfume myself with a couple of new things..:

  • Tara C says:

    I grab decants or roll-ons, Kai and Monyette Paris always go to the beach with me. For non-beach trips, I like Bottega Veneta, Feminité du Bois, Bulgari au Thé Bleu, and Mon Guérlain. Those little 15 ml Hermessence travel sprays are great too.