I am a fan of a good scent. I write about cologne all the time and became a little obsessed with stacking fragrances and diving deep into the notes that build all my favorite scents. The top notes you smell right away, the heart notes that form the core of the fragrance, and the base notes that stick around the longest. As a matter of fact, Kevin Keller, co-founder of Fulton & Roark is who sent me down the obsessed path when he introduced me to the concept of stacking colognes a few years ago when I interviewed him for a different article on how to select the right cologne. So, now that summer is in full swing, I have been a little focused on what makes up a summer scent and how to keep it strong in the heat and humidity. So I reached out to Kevin and he hit me with some knowledge.
I don’t believe in hard seasonal rules. Fragrance is personal. If you love a dark, smoky scent, you should wear it, even in July. You might just want to go a touch lighter than you would in the winter months. – Kevin Keller, Co-Founder, Fulton & Roark
Summer vs winter colognes
I am a big fan of breaking up my colognes by the day and the season. I believe every man should have eight colognes. One day scent and one evening scent for all four seasons. Now, that doesn’t mean he can’t have twenty eight if that is what strikes him. It doesn’t mean he can’t have one if that is what he likes. However, for me, I love the changing of the scent as the weather inspires me. For Kevin, I wanted to know what it is that naturally causes people to reach for a specific scent in the summer versus in the winter.
“The traditional answer is that summer scents tend to be brighter, fresher and more transparent. Meanwhile, winter fragrances are often seen as warmer, richer and more full-bodied. In the summer heat, people naturally gravitate toward citrus, green notes, aromatics, lighter florals and marine elements. In colder weather, notes like resins, tobacco, vanilla, leather and heavier woods tend to feel more naturally appealing. Part of that is practical. Heat helps fragrance project, so something dense and powerful can become overwhelming on a hot day. But part of it is simply emotional. A fragrance with citrus, fresh leaves or sea air can create the feeling of openness we associate with summer, while amber and spice can feel warm and cozy, almost like putting on another layer of clothing.”
Fighting the humidity
I spend a lot of time in Orlando and New York City. These are two of the places in the country that top the holy-crap-I-can’t-breathe-it’s-too-hot list. That means I have to deal with humitdity and baking like a chicken on the streets of New York. Cologne, specifically, feels like it evaporates from by body immediately when I walk out of the house in the summer. But Kevin has some tips to help me smell good even when I feel like I am dying of heat stroke.
“As a guy who grew up in Atlanta, I can relate, almost… Heat can make a fragrance open and project very quickly, while perspiration, frequent showers, and the constant transition between outdoor humidity and aggressive air-conditioning can make it seem to disappear just as quickly. This is one place where the concentration of the fragrance really matters. Fulton & Roark fragrances are formulated as extrait de parfums, with nearly 30% fragrance oil. Because an extrait contains more fragrance material and less alcohol as a proportion of the total formula compared to a lighter eau de toilette or cologne, it tends to evaporate more slowly. That means the scent will unfold more gradually and remain on your skin longer than what you might be used to. You still get that initial lift from the top notes, but the fragrance has enough substance to carry through the day rather than burning off all at once. Fragrance generally performs better on moisturized skin, so applying an unscented moisturizer first can help. I would focus on areas that are less exposed to direct sunlight or constant perspiration, such as the chest or the back of the neck.
“One slightly unconventional summer trick is to apply a spritz behind the knees when you are wearing shorts. It is a warm area of the body, and as the fragrance rises, you can catch subtle traces of it throughout the day without concentrating everything around your face and neck. Also, especially in the summertime, remember that you may stop noticing your fragrance before everyone else does. Before applying more, ask someone you trust whether they can still smell it. With an extrait, a few well-placed sprays will usually serve you better than overapplying at the beginning of the day.”
Notes to pay attention to
Remember when I talked about being a bit of a nerd when it came to the notes? Yeah. Of course I was going to ask Kevin what notes I should look for for my summer scent. Of course, there are a lot of different concepts that bring me to the summer feeling. For instance, I could go citrus, which makes me think of oranges in Florida or Southern California. I could go floral, which takes me to the blooming of Spring and the first feelings of warmer weather. Or I could go nautical, which sends me to the memories of the days spent on a boat or at sea. Any of these work for me, but what are the specific notes that build those feelings?
“Citrus is the obvious starting point: grapefruit, bergamot, lemon, mandarin and pomelo. They create an immediate sense of brightness. Green notes are also especially compelling in summer—things like petitgrain, tomato leaf, coriander leaf, verbena and even bell pepper. They smell crisp and alive without simply smelling ‘clean.’ Marine notes, salt and sea spray can work well, although the best aquatic fragrances usually combine that freshness with woods, minerals or aromatics so they don’t feel too literal. The larger point is that you don’t necessarily have to look for one specific note. Look for contrast: something fresh or luminous at the top, supported by enough texture underneath to keep the fragrance interesting.”
Fulton & Roark suggestions
Ok, enough beating around the bush. I like his advice, but I want to know what is on Kevin’s shelf. What does the expert reach for? Obviously, this is subjective as we have already established that cologne is a deeply personal feeling. But here is what Kevin loves for the summer.
“In my mind, Ghost Trees is a perfect example of what an interesting fresh fragrance can be. It has the familiar aquatic notes men often associate with summer, but there is much more happening beneath the surface. Woods, mineral elements, and aromatic notes give it real depth and complexity. It feels fresh without being simple or predictable.
“Flower District is another favorite. It was inspired by New York’s Flower District in full summer swing, so it includes not only grapefruit, rhubarb, rose and violet, but also tomato leaf, woods and birch. To me, it smells less like a bouquet and more like walking through an actual flower market. It’s bright, energetic, and full of that sense of summertime optimism that I love for this time of year.
“Roark’s Cove is a terrific choice for someone who wants one fragrance that can carry them through summer and continue working all year. It is fresh, green, woody and complex without ever becoming too heavy. It’s named for a road that runs through the mountains of Tennessee. My cofounder says Roark’s Cove Road is his very favorite place to ride his bike, and we attempted to capture the feeling of a bike ride through a forested mountain road. It is fresh, green, woody, and complex without ever becoming too heavy.
“And then there is Thousand Palms, which is the wild card of the group. It is unquestionably eccentric, with a crisp green opening built around bell pepper, petitgrain and pink pepper, followed by tuberose, coriander leaf and mango. To me, it’s the perfect fragrance to pair with a white button-down or linen shirt. It is not for everyone, but that is exactly what makes it so memorable. If you’re looking for a summer statement, Thousand Palms is the one.”
