The salt-kissed skin effect in certain aquatic fragrances

[slpfrsly]

Aquatic fragrances come with baggage. Without going through the archives, I'm sure there are numerous forum topics discussing and bemoaning the state of masculine perfumery, in large part due to the market dominance of aquatics ~15-20 years ago. Synthetic, loud, oversprayed, generic, uninspired - most of us know the issues.

Despite this, I love aquatic fragrances. In particular, I love the feeling a good aquatic fragrance can produce several hours in to a wearing, when the louder, more caustic elements of the fresh-synthetic blend have diminished in volume.

There's one aspect of an aquatic fragrance that appeals to me the most; I can only describe it as a recreation of the feeling, and the smell, of your skin after swimming in the ocean. It might seem obvious that an aquatic fragrance would smell watery but not every aquatic manages to create this desirable effect.

To me, the smell and sensation is similar to how your skin smells after swimming in the sea - a lightly salty kind of smell that mixes well with the natural scent of skin. Some of the earlier aquatics seemed to imitate the smell of your skin after swimming in chlorine; I get a similar feeling wearing the original Acqua di Gio as I do after swimming at the pool. It's a chemical, fresh, synthetic smell - not unpleasant, but too much and it can be slightly offputting. As such, there seems to be a split between aquatics that evoke the ocean and those that conjure something more synthetic and chemical.

I find that some of the more recent releases, particularly from niche houses, give the best impression of skin after swimming in oceanic water. It probably has something to do with the increase in briney marine notes like seaweed that were used in scents like Acqua di Sale, Bvlgari Aqva, Oud Minerale, and Sel Marin. Two that stood out to me as 'salt-kissed skin' scents were L'Artisan's Air de Bretagne and (once it dries down; the opening smells like a urinal at the beach) Maison Margiela's Replica Sailing Day. Sea air, salty skin - there's not a great deal of difference to my nose. Both are nice, although lean unisex to me. Which isn't a bad thing, necessarily, but unisex usually means 'more feminine than masculine', and I think a good aquatic fragrance is one of the staples of masculine perfumery.

On the more synthetic, chlorinated, or swimming pool side of things, you obviously get the likes of Acqua di Gio, many of the light blue fragrances from the 2000s, and more recently Louis Vuitton's Afternoon Swim. I think this is a great piece of branding by LV as the fragrance dries down to something mildly chlorinated that works well on skin; after the citric opening, it smells more you've been at a pool party or on a cruise - less community pool, more champagne in the hot tub with suntan lotion. The suntan lotion effect is also relevant here, and to my nose can be found in something like Micallef's Osaito, which mixes the coconutty-creamy lotion notes you find more prominently in Tom Ford's Soleil Blanc with the salty floral notes found in Creed's MI and Erolfa. Unfortunately, Osaito is a synthetic mess, something that collapses in to a nauseating and headache-inducing failure, but it's another example that comes to mind.

Designer houses seem to have moved away from this style of aquatic fragrance. The recent Acqua di Gio flanker, AdG EDP, is a mess to my nose. It is thick and heavy, an ambroxan-laden bomb of a fragrance with the increasingly common clary sage giving it even more heft. It's heavy, not light and fresh; something that will cut through the hour many hours after application, never settling on skin and becoming more 'natural-smelling', dare I say it. Tragically, it seems like the delicate post-swim skin scent is now found primarily in niche fragrances. For me, this is a huge loss and a big step backwards for designer fragrances. Aquatic 'bombs' seem to stem from the original Invictus, with its mix of sweet, fresh, loud, and citric - but this is not what an aquatic fragrance ought to be in my opinion. An aquatic fragrance, at its best, should be more subtle (at least after a few hours), something that settles on the skin, mixing the qualities of an aftershave with the sensation of water (or how your skin smells after swimming in it).

But I'd like to hear what you think. What are your opinions on all of this?
- Do you have a favourite fragrance that produces this salty skin effect?
- Is the briney-seaweed accord too realistic for you; do you like the more chemical calone-type aquatic?
- Or perhaps you prefer the way designer aquatics have gone in recent years instead, moving away from the oceanic or marine smells?

Let me know your thoughts. 🌊

 

[hednic]

- Do you have a favourite fragrance that produces this salty skin effect?
Let me know your thoughts. 🌊

Herbal Aquatica by Montale does this for me.

 

[Aswifter1]

I think it says something about AdG that such a discussion nearly always comes full circle back to it as the reference aquatic. Unfortunately, I can’t get all the way there with it—something always seems to be missing. L’Immensite is the closest I’ve found to an “upgraded” AdG but I don’t get the salty, after swimming effect from it.

The note you are describing, at least as I perceive it, is one that I’ve found in D&G Light Blue Eau Intense and L’eau par Kenzo.

Swimming in Lipari gets close as well but it almost seems like it’s more salty than aquatic to my nose.

 

[ihxb01]

the feeling, and the smell, of your skin after swimming in the ocean

I’ve been looking for that smell in aquatics for a very long time. So far, I only discovered this one.

 

[HMan]

Salt is an interesting effect, Carthusia A’mmare does it quite well IMHO, I always describe it as a barber at the seashore, you can smell the salt air. It’s probably the only true marine I own, but I enjoy it in the summer.

 

[slpfrsly]

I’ve been looking for that smell in aquatics for a very long time. So far, I only discovered this one.

View attachment 327459 View attachment 327460

😂

Herbal Aquatica by Montale does this for me.

I never think of Montale in terms of aquatics but it seems they've made a few of them.

Salt is an interesting effect, Carthusia A’mmare does it quite well IMHO, I always describe it as a barber at the seashore, you can smell the salt air. It’s probably the only true marine I own, but I enjoy it in the summer.

Not one I know. I get sea air from scents like Sel Marin and Acqua di Sale, those sorts of fragrances, but the salty skin effect is something different to that and harder to find. Maybe skin chemsitry plays a big part in it?

 

[Aswifter1]

😂

I never think of Montale in terms of aquatics but it seems they've made a few of them.


Not one I know. I get sea air from scents like Sel Marin and Acqua di Sale, those sorts of fragrances, but the salty skin effect is something different to that and harder to find. Maybe skin chemsitry plays a big part in it?

Your last statement is an interesting point and perhaps why you see these type of fragrances especially popular with folks in the gym who are sweating more than the typical person. I’ve noticed that Light Blue Intense smells especially nice on warm skin after a workout.

 

[Ken_Russell]

Rather unexpectedly, have found this particular salty effect on skin (at least according to feedback from others, both as a compliment from the ones who liked but also with a slight criticism from the ones not keen on this note) from a fragrance that is NOT an aquatic, namely the early to late 90s Chevignon Brand for Men.
This one being, oddly or not, a masculine fragrance bridging the gap between the bolder, more powerhouse 80s leather chypres and/or fougeres, while on the other hand more inoffensive office-appropriate 90s designer daytime wear freshies.

Having said this, being still quite keen on and therefore quite ready to enthusiastically wear and/or at least further test BOTH scents with a more realistic seaweed/kelp but also nearly sea breeze, even "wet sand" beach note, as well as more commonplace, inoffensive, designer style aquatics that still stay quite close to, rather than moving away, from the oceanic-marine theme.

With a fairly vast and varied array of possible options, including but by far not limited to: Baldessarini del Mar, Carlo Colucci Uomo Mare, Periplo by l'Erbolario, Gabriela Sabatini Wild Wind for Men, Axe Marine, Aqua di Roma Uomo, as well as another Chevignon scent, namely the much airier unisex aquatic Best of Chevignon, Laguna by Salvador Dali-most of these having a much closer affinity to the second type/theme of aquatic fragrances.

 

[Effortless]

The recent Acqua di Gio flanker, AdG EDP, is a mess to my nose. It is thick and heavy, an ambroxan-laden bomb of a fragrance with the increasingly common clary sage giving it even more heft. It's heavy, not light and fresh; something that will cut through the hour many hours after application, never settling on skin and becoming more 'natural-smelling', dare I say it.

Couldn't agree more on the EDP, was not impressed at release, but halfway through my 15ml travel size I think it's a total abomination.

If I want heavy and punchy in an aquatic style I'll go with something that actually manages to execute it well, like Black Sea. AdG EDP somehow floats between light and thick in all the wrong ways, a compromise and mishmash gone completely wrong.

 

[slpfrsly]

Rather unexpectedly, have found this particular salty effect on skin (at least according to feedback from others, both as a compliment from the ones who liked but also with a slight criticism from the ones not keen on this note) from a fragrance that is NOT an aquatic, namely the early to late 90s Chevignon Brand for Men.
This one being, oddly or not, a masculine fragrance bridging the gap between the bolder, more powerhouse 80s leather chypres and/or fougeres, while on the other hand more inoffensive office-appropriate 90s designer daytime wear freshies.

Having said this, being still quite keen on and therefore quite ready to enthusiastically wear and/or at least further test BOTH scents with a more realistic seaweed/kelp but also nearly sea breeze, even "wet sand" beach note, as well as more commonplace, inoffensive, designer style aquatics that still stay quite close to, rather than moving away, from the oceanic-marine theme.

With a fairly vast and varied array of possible options, including but by far not limited to: Baldessarini del Mar, Carlo Colucci Uomo Mare, Periplo by l'Erbolario, Gabriela Sabatini Wild Wind for Men, Axe Marine, Aqua di Roma Uomo, as well as another Chevignon scent, namely the much airier unisex aquatic Best of Chevignon, Laguna by Salvador Dali-most of these having a much closer affinity to the second type/theme of aquatic fragrances.

That's very interesting. I'm not surprised in a way. I find a lot of those 80s leather chypre fragrances to have a very savoury quality to them. I think it's the leather accord they used: Floris Elite comes to mind as a good example. It's quite savoury, a dry umami type of leather note, almost yeasty/bready - so I can definitely see how that translates to a salty aroma on skin, eventhough it's quite different to an aquatic. Thanks Ken.

 

[hednic]

I never think of Montale in terms of aquatics but it seems they've made a few of them.

They're few and far between, but IMO the ones they do release are not bad at all.

 

[Ken_Russell]

That's very interesting. I'm not surprised in a way. I find a lot of those 80s leather chypre fragrances to have a very savoury quality to them. I think it's the leather accord they used: Floris Elite comes to mind as a good example. It's quite savoury, a dry umami type of leather note, almost yeasty/bready - so I can definitely see how that translates to a salty aroma on skin, eventhough it's quite different to an aquatic. Thanks Ken.

Thank you for the reply-being incidentally a happy owner of Elite as well. Its mossy/savory quality style fougere notes might at first be as different as possible from an aquatic.
Nevertheless quite counter-intuitively not so much so if also factoring in a certain understated, rather seaweed and/or salty quality in the background, as a discreet but persistent supporting role, likely indeed not the only 80s option with such particular effect.

 

[RPLens]

Some very good recommendations here.

I personally prefer the hyperperforming showergels with aquatic nuances, there are some very good (niche) fragrances in this range.

Lately I heard a girl say that a showergel fragrance reminds her of a naked man.
Which I think is more of a covert communication, as usual with women.
I think it reminds them of past indiscretions, like for example the wild night with Chad or Tyrone after a concert.
Or that wild hook-up with Davy from the marketing department after a teambuilding activity.

The smell of a man cleaning himself while she is waiting in the bedroom, only for him to sneak out as if it never happened.
It's these past indiscretions that are most memorable apparently.
Nobody can convince me that they love showergel fragrances just because it's clean, women are way too emotional for that.

 

[Aswifter1]

Some very good recommendations here.

I personally prefer the hyperperforming showergels with aquatic nuances, there are some very good (niche) fragrances in this range.

Lately I heard a girl say that a showergel fragrance reminds her of a naked man.
Which I think is more of a covert communication, as usual with women.
I think it reminds them of past indiscretions, like for example the wild night with Chad or Tyrone after a concert.
Or that wild hook-up with Davy from the marketing department after a teambuilding activity.

The smell of a man cleaning himself while she is waiting in the bedroom, only for him to sneak out as if it never happened.
It's these past indiscretions that are most memorable apparently.
Nobody can convince me that they love showergel fragrances just because it's clean, women are way too emotional for that.

Curious as to which fragrances are you referring to?

 

[RPLens]

Curious as to which fragrances are you referring to?

The Louis Vuitton aquatics for example, like l'Immensite.

 

[Aswifter1]

The Louis Vuitton aquatics for example, like l'Immensite.

One of my favorites and has one of the best aquatic notes (despite not being the dominant player) in anything I’ve smelled recently.

 

[RPLens]

One of my favorites and has one of the best aquatic notes (despite not being the dominant player) in anything I’ve smelled recently.

Which other aquatics / showergel fragrances do you like?

 

[Aswifter1]

Which other aquatics / showergel fragrances do you like?

Not sure if these two fit but I really like Tygar and Meteore for this vibe.

In terms of more of a pure aquatic, I prefer D&G Light Blue Intense.

 

[cheapimitation]

There's one aspect of an aquatic fragrance that appeals to me the most; I can only describe it as a recreation of the feeling, and the smell, of your skin after swimming in the ocean. It might seem obvious that an aquatic fragrance would smell watery but not every aquatic manages to create this desirable effect.

My favorite fragrance for this is the often overlooked Neroli 36 from Le Labo. I think it gets bad reviews because it doesn't smell much like Neroli and I'm almost sure it has the much maligned calone, but every time I've worn in I'm in love with the salty skin after the beach smell I get in the base.

Sel de Vetiver would be another contender but this one can lean a little hars, almost too salty at times as it isn't softened with any florals like the Le Labo.

 

[slpfrsly]

Some very good recommendations here.

I personally prefer the hyperperforming showergels with aquatic nuances, there are some very good (niche) fragrances in this range.

Lately I heard a girl say that a showergel fragrance reminds her of a naked man.
The smell of a man cleaning himself while she is waiting in the bedroom, only for him to sneak out as if it never happened.
It's these past indiscretions that are most memorable apparently.
Nobody can convince me that they love showergel fragrances just because it's clean, women are way too emotional for that.

🤣

I never thought about this but there's definitely something to it. I suppose clean fougere fragrances may well have conveyed a similar thing at one time, but 'the' smell of men's grooming products has chagned from aromatic soaps to the blue sporty synthetic shower gel stuff.

Incidentally, I don't find the salty skin effect 'sexy' as such. It's different to the chemical freshness you get from an aquatic, or even a dark blue shower gel scent. It's more of a naturalistic of texture effect, something I think mainstream/designer perfumery is getting pretty good at making.

 

[slpfrsly]

My favorite fragrance for this is the often overlooked Neroli 36 from Le Labo. I think it gets bad reviews because it doesn't smell much like Neroli and I'm almost sure it has the much maligned calone, but every time I've worn in I'm in love with the salty skin after the beach smell I get in the base.

Sel de Vetiver would be another contender but this one can lean a little hars, almost too salty at times as it isn't softened with any florals like the Le Labo.

Interesting, I haven't tried Neroli 36, but it does seem like Le Labo really love naming their fragrances after a non-dominant note. Their Patchouli is a clove fragrance, and I can't remember the others, but anway. That's interesting. If I come across it I'll give it a try as a salty neroli (even without very much neroli) sounds worthy of some investigation at least.

Yes, I find the note salt aromachemical/accord (which I really like) that's found in Oud Minerale and so on to be something a little different than a salty-skin effect. I'm sure they're not a million miles apart, but one is more of a top/strong note, the other an effect in the drydown.

 

[RPLens]

🤣

I never thought about this but there's definitely something to it. I suppose clean fougere fragrances may well have conveyed a similar thing at one time, but 'the' smell of men's grooming products has chagned from aromatic soaps to the blue sporty synthetic shower gel stuff.

Incidentally, I don't find the salty skin effect 'sexy' as such. It's different to the chemical freshness you get from an aquatic, or even a dark blue shower gel scent. It's more of a naturalistic of texture effect, something I think mainstream/designer perfumery is getting pretty good at making.

Check this:

How scent, emotion, and memory are intertwined — and exploited

A Harvard panel explores the connection between smell, emotion, and memory.

news.harvard.edu

Experts discuss the science of smell and how scent, emotion, and memory are intertwined — and exploited​

We all know the stories of women who say "you smell like my ex" when wearing Le Male.
Or "you smell like my dad" when wearing a classic, old-school cologne.

So where exactly do you think this "naked man" reference comes from when smelling the blue-sporty-synthetic-showergel stuff?
Where does this arousal and high compliment factor come from? From where comes this recognition?
Well you guessed it....
After the escapade, she enters the hot and steaming bathroom while he is drying himself.

To get back ontopic: my favorite fragrance for the salt-kissed skin effect is the discontinued Acqua di Gio Essenza.
I really like that one.

 

[slpfrsly]

Check this:

How scent, emotion, and memory are intertwined — and exploited

A Harvard panel explores the connection between smell, emotion, and memory.

news.harvard.edu

We all know the stories of women who say "you smell like my ex" when wearing Le Male.
Or "you smell like my dad" when wearing a classic, old-school cologne.

So where exactly do you think this "naked man" reference comes from when smelling the blue-sporty-synthetic-showergel stuff?
Where does this arousal and high compliment factor come from? From where comes this recognition?
Well you guessed it....
After the escapade, she enters the hot and steaming bathroom while he is drying himself.

I'm sure that is part of it, although I would push back slightly on it just being that for women. A woman is just as likely to develop a sexual scent memory, if you want to call it that, based on the fragrance the man wears during sex/dating rather than the smell of shower gel afterwards. In that sense, gourmands - or, frankly, any type of modern fragrance deemed appealing to women - can do the job if it reminds them of sexual intimacy.

On shower gel fragrances specifically, I would think there's just as much, if not more, of a connection to the locker/changing room aroma than there is post-coital associations. If someone's getting aroused by the memory association with men's shower gel, it's just as likely to be men as it is women, in a "you dropped the soap" kind of way.

Which is why I think any dark blue/modern masculine fragrance has to stand on its own two feet as attractive/appealing, rather than just relying on scent memory or whatever. I'm sure you're right about the connection though, that's surely part of it.

To get back ontopic: my favorite fragrance for the salt-kissed skin effect is the discontinued Acqua di Gio Essenza.
I really like that one.

Considering I wore this for the best part of 2 years, I've completley forgetten what it smells like.

 

[johnnyutah]

There's one aspect of an aquatic fragrance that appeals to me the most; I can only describe it as a recreation of the feeling, and the smell, of your skin after swimming in the ocean. It might seem obvious that an aquatic fragrance would smell watery but not every aquatic manages to create this desirable effect.

you might want to try Azzaro Shine. it gives me the feeling of sitting on a beach towel after having been in the water, with some sand stuck to my lotioned up legs. nice surprise of a blind buy for me, considering how crap the packaging & design are.

personally, I find the realistic niche interpretations a bit boring. I much prefer the 90s calone vibe (say Chrome), or a more futuristic vibe (calypsone in Hermann).

 

[MattJP]

Sel de Vetiver +1
This one does it for me.