Summer in my corner of the world does not usually lend itself to thoughts of the beach and bikinis. The Pacific Ocean is chilly and dangerous, and one quick wade up to your ankles leaves you longing for a wetsuit rather than a bathing suit. Recently, however, we’ve had a spate of hot weather that has left me longing for blazing sun and white sand beaches. I abhor the smell (and cost) of the gas I’d need to fulfill my summer fantasies, so instead I sought out some scents of summer ...
Ed Hardy by Christian Audigier
Released earlier this year, legendary tattoo artist Ed Hardy’s women’s fragrance has top notes of mango, strawberries, apple soufflé, and ruby grapefruit. Middle notes are freesia, muguet, and linden, with base notes of amber, musk, tonka beans, and vanilla pudding.
The fragrance is described as a “tattooed fruity floral.” I went in search of a beach umbrella but one whiff of Ed Hardy and I felt as though I had instead been poked in the nose by a paper umbrella (from a cheap cocktail). I am not a fan of fruity florals, and I am not Ed Hardy’s target audience (girls in their teens), but I was hoping for a fragrance with more imagination and edge than this cloying eau de parfum delivers. I wore it a couple of times and I never smelled anything other than the sweet notes, and my scent double was equally unimpressed.
We were impressed with the bottle and packaging, however. Shocking pink with a skull and flowers motif, the bottle is the only thing that really rocks in Ed Hardy by Christian Audigier.
Widely available, $25–$75, including at Macys
