Sometimes I want to smell like Hawaiian Tropic and coconut rum. And I’m not the only one. People associate these smells with vacations and vacations are usually relaxing. And most of us are usually stressed. Enjoying “beach” scents is basically aromatherapy. It usually improves our mood, making us feel relaxed. And since I’m not getting a tropical beach vacation any time soon, thank goodness for these fragrances:

Budget Beach Scents (Under $50) –

Demeter Suntan Lotion Cologne – Coconut isn’t your thing? Then try this. It smells like Bain de Soleil. It’s an old-school tanning lotion blend of heady orange blossom and jasmine. The bummer is that it isn’t long-lasting and you can get the same effect wearing the actual tanning gelee. And the Demeter doesn’t give you that perfect orange sheen. The 1 oz. spray retails for $20 at Demeter. (Here’s my review).

Bath and Body Works Coconut Lime Verbena EDT – This is my personal favorite budget beach scent. It opens with zesty lime over salty coconut water. There’s a sheer aquatic jasmine that keeps this from too sweet. The dry-down is comforting woods with a little sweetness. The 1.7 oz EDT spray retails for $26.50 and is available at Bath and Body Works. Here’s my longer review. The lotion is good too.

Juara Candlenut Perfume Oil – This alcohol-free perfume oil rollerball is a tropical coconut floral. It reminds me of toasted coconut with lush night-blooming jasmine. And its’ long-wearing. And there’s a matching, non-greasy, super luxurious body cream (review here). The oil retails for $28 and is available at Juara.

Yves Rocher Malaysian Coconut EDT – OK, you better like coconut. I don’t care how “low-brow” it is; I love the smell of coconut. Actually, the cheaper the better. I’m automatically transported to the Florida Coast when I smell Yves Rocher Malaysian Coconut. It is a milky, creamy tropical coconut. It’s more like a body spray, but it’s a good price at $12 for 3.4 oz. at Yves Rocher. This mixes very well with sunscreen products 🙂

More Expensive Beach Scents ($50+) –

Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess “Eau Fraiche” – This is one of my favorite summer perfumes and I always urge people looking for a beach scent to try this limited edition fragrance. (It says it’s limited edition, but it keeps coming back every spring). It really does remind me of tanning oil, dry sand, and a hot breeze. I even get a “plastic” accord that reminds me of the bottle the tanning oil is in. It isn’t very long-wearing but it’s good. The 3.4 oz. retails for $55 at Estee Lauder.

Bobbi Brown Beach – This one reminds me of Bronze Goddess except it is more aquatic-citrus or breezy. It’s good, lighter, and still beachy. It retails for $55 for the 1.7 oz. It’s available at Sephora.

CB At the Beach 1966 Perfume Water – This alcohol free spray smells like skin after a day at the beach covered in Coppertone, which is slightly orange blossom-ish. It’s sheer and good. I find that it isn’t very long-lasting. If you want a cheaper, cruder version, try the Demeter Suntan Lotion Cologne. CB Perfume Water retails for $80 for the 3.4 oz at Luckyscent.

Creed Virign Island Water EDT – OK, so you are serious about your beach scents and get much more wear out them than I do. You want high-end. Go for this one. It reminds me of coconut rum with a lime wedge with the same aquatic jasmine in B&BW’s Coconut Lime Verbena, but smoother. The 2.5 oz. retails for $225 at Creed’s on-line boutique. Or check out a discounter like fragrancenet.com.

So, what’s your go-to “beach” scent?

*Post contains a few affiliate links. Thanks! Deborah Kerr photo from www.doctormacro.com.