Spray-On Freshness: We Ranked 14 Clean Fragrances to Counteract Sweaty Summers

Description: “Blanche explores the smell of texture and skin; bodies slipping beneath fresh sheets; laundry baskets filled to the brim; a punch of detergent. An aldehyde hit softens into delicate rose; through sandalwood and musk, the allure and intimacy of human touch.”

Audra: It makes sense that this floral reek is called Blanche because it smells an awful lot like an elderly Southern woman who would offend me. If you ask me, the only thing I’m getting from its scent description is a din of dissident notes, like when you’re standing at a fragrance counter at Dillard’s surrounded by those who’ve never been taught proper sampling etiquette. Score: 3

Rich: At first, I thought Blanche was too subtle, like it was throwing itself onto me from across the room. (How desperately Blanche of it!) It was cloudy, it was creamy. But then it developed into an olfactory pest, something almost aggressive given the supposedly pleasant nature of this fragrance subgenre. I got laundry booster crystals, I got clean linen spray, I got a Yankee candle of freshness. Pass! Score: 4

Emily: Blanche may have ventured to replicate the scent of “bodies slipping beneath fresh sheets,” but the only imagined association I could conjure was a serial killer dousing the floor in high-toxicity cleaning products to mask the scent of his crimes—bodies of another sort, if you will. While the scent mellowed out throughout the day, I never recovered from the initial stink and therefore am tossing out this $200+ offering. Score: 4

Average Score: 3.67/10

Description: “Inspired by the warm touch of a loving embrace. Hints of creamy vanilla and lotus blossom create the enticing scent of touchable bare skin. White musk and cashmere woods caress the skin with soft sensuality.”

Emily: I must confess that my moderately high score for Clean is based solely on a blast of baby slut nostalgia. Characterizing this scent as tinted with “hints of creamy vanilla” is a ridiculous understatement: Wearing Clean is more akin to slathering pre-made Betty Crocker vanilla frosting all over your body. While overly cutesy, as a woman who recently entered her dreaded third decade, I fear that I enjoyed the allusion to my once-beloved Warm Vanilla Sugar mist by Bath & Body Works. I was over-doused in pheromones, obsessive yearning, and desperation in those middle-school years, and it’s fun (albeit, inappropriate) to call back to that time. Blaming my emotions for this one. Score: 6

Rich: You know when you were in grade school and you’d go on a field trip to a museum and buy a rolled-up copy of the constitution that was treated to look aged and yellowed? That’s the first blast I got here. And then it faded to nothing more than the idea of clean. Score: 5

Audra: There’s always a basic in every bunch. As evidenced by our ranking of smoky fragrances, it can be a compliment. Unfortunately, when considering Clean’s iteration a clean, it isn’t. Skin is creamy, musky, and most unforgivable of all, vanilla-y. If those notes are in the clean fragrance of your dreams, well, go for it. Just know you’re boring. Score: 4

Average Score: 5/10

Description: “A woody aromatic character defines the Nio Xerjoff perfume, which takes its name from a meteorite which showered over Japan in the late 19th century.”

Rich: At first sniff, I detected unripe lemon and cilantro. It reminded me of soap taking it easy. I liked it, but nothing about it called to me to reapply, and then when it was gone in three or so hours, I was like, “Oh well, that was nice while it lasted.” Score: 6.5

Audra: It’s giving Eau de Lemon Pledge. Just kidding. It’s truly not bad. In fact, it’s actually quite nice. But its top note is citrus—namely, bergamot—and among its base notes are cedar and guaiac wood, so, don’t be shocked if memories of your mother shellacking the wood furniture with the greasy surface cleaner before company arrives are summoned to mind. Score: 6

Emily: Though lemon notes when concocted well can evoke visions of gingham picnic blankets and lemon meringue pie in the summer, this perfume felt closer to a bottle of lemon-scented Lysol All-Purpose Cleaner. I found it fine enough—but not enough to invest in. Score: 5.5

Average Score: 6

Description: “With its elegant and refined heart of vetiver superbly blended with sun-drenched citrus, rich spices, and prized woods, Tom Ford Grey Vetiver captures the essence of debonair, charismatic, and provocative masculinity.”

Audra: Well, there’s wood, and sage, and citrus. Yet, Grey Vetiver does not make me think of a certain household cleaning product. Tom Ford is masterful at striking the delicate balance between the traditionally masculine and feminine. This is technically a men’s fragrance, but its spice offers a certain sultriness that lends itself to anyone. Its staying power is also incomparable. Though I’m not sure if it’s quite a straightforward clean fragrance, it is a damn fine one. Score: 7

Emily: While I typically love Tom Ford’s subtle blends, Grey Vetiver sent me tumbling through time like Evelyn Wang in Everything Everywhere All at Once, revisiting every instance in which an unwelcome, strongly cologned male visitor popped by my cubicle over the last decade. I agree that the fragrance captures a sophisticated sense of “debonair, charismatic, and provocative masculinity,” and the drydown wasn’t unpleasant. I’m just not convinced I’d want that scent hanging around me—or on me—for a period of time longer than an hour. Score: 5

Rich: So zesty, yet subdued—like soap and clay merged, maybe? This struck me as refined and classy. Sometimes these fragrances get a little loud in their strivings to be accepted as soap, but Grey Vetiver is buttoned up and the epitome of an “office fragrance.” I thought the performance was lacking—it was gone in like two hours—but instead of frustrating me, that made me want it more. That rarely happens. Score: 8

Average Score: 6.67/10

Description: “Aqua Celestia forte Maison Francis Kurkdjian eau de parfum embodies continual fulfillment. Eyes set on the horizon, a dazzling opening appears as the sun pierces through the junction of blue sky and sea. Soft and bitter petitgrain from Italy adds to the sparkle of Aqua Celestia’s sunny, fruity notes expressed by the essence of lime from Mexico and cool Mitcham mint. Aqua Celestia forte embodies the radiance of a fresh and citrusy perfume.”

Emily: I loved the dominance of Aqua Celestia. The scent dares to replicate a sparkling sea, wispy blue skies, sour Mexican lime, and sweet citrus all at once, which I believe it achieves quite nicely. In terms of its literal interpretation of cleanliness, however, I found the fragrance almost too bold to be considered a successful clean scent. Lovely, nonetheless. Score: 7

Rich: I mistakenly tried this twice and oddly, liked it so much more the second time. Like, basically head over heels in love. MFK, home of the ubiquitous Baccarat Rouge 540, is one of my favorite houses (their Oud Extrait is an absolute staple for me), and this one did not disappoint. It’s gorgeous and bright, assertive but delicate in a way. There’s lemon, lime, and mint in the top notes, but what that reads to my nose is grapefruit with no synthetic sheen. Stunning. Later, the lily-of-the-valley grabbed me. I’ve smelled so many versions of this particular scent (maybe starting with Eternity for men) but nothing this well-balanced and crisp. I simply love it. Score: 9

Audra: I applied this at my desk at work and not 5 minutes later I changed back into the shirt I wore to the gym earlier that morning. That’s right, I’d rather stink of sweat than Aqua Celestia Forte. Too bitter, too overwhelming, too everything, and none of its particularly agreeable. Score: 5

Average Score: 7/10

Description: “This nostalgic scent will transport you to the warmth and vibrancy of an Italian summer. Inspired by La Fontelina and seaside lounging in Capri, Neon Neroli captures the crisp, fresh notes of neroli, orange flower and bergamot, complemented by white floral undertones.”

Rich: “Neon” is right. There are green fragrances and blue fragrances, and if there are purple fragrances, surely this one belongs in that subcategory. This reminded me of a scented toy from the ‘80s (like in the Strawberry Shortcake line) in the best way. It’s very, very, very sweet but I also got an undercurrent of barbershop, which nudges this one toward a unisex middle. It kept changing for me, too—I got some flashes of sunscreen at times. A weird one, for sure. Score: 7.5

Audra: Between the years of 2008 and 2011, a trend took the teenagers of my hometown—including yours truly—by their throats and led them over thresholds of area head shops. Sure, we liked to giggle at the behemoth dildos and gaze longingly at the cheap polyester lingerie as if we had someone worth wearing it for. But above that, we had but one objective: find the perfect drug rug. I don’t know who the first dumb white kid in Toledo, Ohio, was to wear one, but I’m quite certain the rest of us had to have one too, and because the only place to purchase them was, well, a head shop, we all reeked of patchouli and incense. This entirely unnecessary anecdote is my way of articulating that Neon Neroli is reminiscent of the waft that greets you when entering one of the aforementioned establishments—or when you make out with a person wearing a drug rug—and I can’t believe I’m writing this but…that’s okay! It’s warm and earthy and the drydown is subtle but very, very lovely. Score: 7

Emily: Despite regularly dousing myself in the plum-sweet Everlasting by Cinematic Infusions, for years I’ve been indulging in the lie that I avoid sweet scents. At long last, Neon Neroli has put that narrative to bed. The honeyed top notes of neroli and bergamot came through crystal clear, and, strangely, I imagine this fragrance to be the olfactory embodiment of a raspberry-colored neon sign. But it didn’t knock me over in ecstasy, and, while crisp, it was a little too sweet to make my clean top three. Score: 6.5

Average Score: 7/10

Description: “A hypnotizing and unique scent. It’s composed of ambroxyde, a synthetic animal musk, making ANOTHER 13 an addictive dirty potion blended with other carefully selected ingredients such as jasmine and moss – which give it spike and shine.”

Audra: I’m a sucker for a powdery musk and in my opinion, it doesn’t get much better than this one. It’s light (though many online disagree) but lingers, and there’s something unmistakably solar about it. However, it’s no secret that Le Labo is absurdly expensive. Frankly, I’m not certain I could justify the cost. Score: 8

Rich: This one is almost as ubiquitous as Baccarat Rouge and, anecdotally, seems to be overtaking Le Labo’s signature Santal 33 as the brand’s most present fragrance on the streets of New York. I smell it everywhere and, unfortunately, it always smells better coming from other people than it did from me. As ambrox (synthetic ambergris) is the center here, this is more of a vibe than a tangible sense-memory maker. To put it on is to walk in a cloud. Does this count as clean? Maybe? I don’t know, Le Labo’s description refers to it as a “dirty potion,” but it is very much what people smell like out of the shower and dressed up these days. Score: 7

Emily: I’m often drawn to the delicate reek of musk, and the combination of jasmine and moss, in a perfect world, should call forth a bright and earthy community garden. But, like Rich, I’m so used to catching this scent amongst the Clean Girls—gelled-down eyebrows, slicked buns, and all—that it took my senses on a gander around a well-traveled block rather than into a secret garden. Score: 6

Average Score: 7/10

Description: “Replica Bubble Bath by Maison Margiela makes you relive the exquisite ‘me time’ of pure wellness. This clean & fresh eau de toilette captures the soothing sensation of a hot bath filled to the brim with fragrant soap bubbles.”

Emily: God, if I could arrange to die in Maison Margiela’s version of a bubble bath, that would be the cherry on top of a not-half-bad life. Replica’s take on the clean scent is so literal that it encroaches on camp, while still retaining a gentle sense of refinery. Unlike my colleagues, I was magnetized by its disappearing act; it kept me in a state of craving, like the bouts in between reapplications of a lip-plumping gloss. Throughout the day, I looked forward to the moment I began to miss the scent, not unlike incessant dopamine hits or a perfectly timed reunion in a long-distance relationship. It’s just as the great Hilary Duff once crooned: “I’m coming clean.” Score: 8.5

Rich: Like many bottles in Margiela’s Replica line (ahem, Beach Walk), Bubble Bath is infuriating because it’s basically perfect but fades so quickly that it’s ultimately a non-factor. The soap is nice but not overpowering, and I even get a dash of synthetic fruit (I want to say grape), but after like an hour it’s like wearing nothing at all (nothin’ at all). Score: 6

Audra: Make no mistake, Maison Margiela’s Replica range is consistently ranked among the best fragrances money can buy. Jazz Club will always have a place on my shelf, as will Jezebel’s choice for superior smoky fragrance, By The Fireplace. It should arrive as no surprise that Bubble Bath is a very solid selection in the clean genre. In fact, it’s probably the most authentic on the list given its top note is actual, honest-to-goodness soap. However, it doesn’t last. Score: 7

Average Score: 7.17/10

Description: “Sheer, clean and uplifting with an ethereal vibe, it has a crisp texture and transparency.”

Rich: This is light, airy, and very feminine. I would not wear again but how could I ever get mad at something this delicate? It’s definitely clean, but I also get a slight hairspray note? Score: 7

Emily: Lake & Skye set out to make an “ethereal” clean scent, which in my nostrils translated to “sexual.” A blend of white ambers and musk, 11 11 smelled like a lover’s freshly showered body after a hot encounter. It made me want to cruise a masked sex party and leave poor unfortunate souls in my wake. A sexual cleansing is precisely what I’m after, and I’d be thrilled to splash this across my wrists and neck every day. Score: 9

Audra: 11 11 is elevated Jovani White Musk with a steeper price tag and far less longevity. That’s not to say it isn’t good. It is! Just give it five minutes and it’s as good as gone. Score: 7

Average Score: 7.67/10

Description: “A delicate, yet addictive fragrance that evokes the lingering scent of your lover’s skin.”

Audra: This unisex fragrance from Phlur is a revelation in that it manages to be distinctive though it’s in essence a compilation of the same notes that can be found in every other fragrance on this list. You’ll instantly recognize the musk, but by the time the wood and white florals register you’ll be besotted. Unfortunately, regardless of multiple applications, it leaves much to be desired when it comes to staying power. It’s a shame, as I’d rank it in the top three if only it could be detected after an hour. More like Missing Fragrance! Score: 8

Emily: Missing Person reminded me less of its intended love affair scene, and more of the quiet luxury of an ingenue’s wedding: subtle, expensive-smelling, unspeakably pampered. Were it not for its runaway bride tendencies, Phlur’s contribution might have topped this list. Score: 8

Rich: This is aldehydic loveliness, but anything it can do, Serpentine does way better. Missing Person is another one that rapidly evaporates—to Audra’s point, it must be so named because it disappears without a trace. Score: 7

Average Score: 7.67/10

Description: “A warm Mediterranean breeze bears the scent of orange blossom down a hillside. Neroli spills sun-born freshness; a smile spreads involuntarily across one’s face. Spanish summer, in an eau de toilette.”

Emily: All day while wearing Castile, I felt as though I was in a bed of daisies. Its soapiness was enough to summon the image of sudsy hands running gently down an arm, without plunging its wearer into a chemical-infused bathtub. Notes of orange blossom and neroli were the perfect additions to elevate this offering to the stuff of clean fragrance legends: Its cleansing intentions are clear, but its drydown reveals complexity and vibrance. Spray me, baby. Score: 9

Rich: Wow, do I love this. It evokes not lemon but lemoniness—it is gentle in its presentation, but kind of pointed in its synthetic soapiness. It’s deceptively strong, too—after spraying, I detected it in the back of my throat like incense. There’s a bite to it, and yet it’s so fresh. To me, it’s kind of the epitome of what I think about when I think about a clean fragrance. It’s not my favorite of the bunch, but it’s iconic and it knows it. Score: 8.5

Audra: It’s crisp! It’s spicy! It’s neither masculine, nor feminine! Penhaligon’s Castille is in a class of its own. Also, the packaging? It’s like if Jo Malone developed a personality. My solitary complaint is that somewhere in the drydown it becomes underwhelming—generic, even. Score: 6

Average Score: 7.83/10

Description: “Based on the Serpentine Galleries location in a historical parkland setting within a modern city, Serpentine is a collaborative bespoke unisex fragrance.”

Rich: This is like the popular kid whose mild strangeness is a feature, not a bug, which is to say: a direct part of their appeal. The aldehydes make this very typical of these fragrances, and yet, there’s something else going on that I can’t quite put my finger on. Maybe a fruitiness? It’s not the “asphalt” accord that CdG lists, though I find that hilarious. Incidentally, this is way more complex than CdG’s other obvious contender for this list, Marseille. It’s slightly surreal in a way that other clean fragrances don’t dare to approach. Score: 8

Audra: I have but one word: asphalt. Yeah, that’s an actual note in Comme des Garcons’s take on a clean fragrance. That said, it’s really quite perfect. Serpentine is, in every sense of the word, fresh—so full of zest, in fact, that one might forget the whole viscous petroleum thing if it weren’t so fun to tell people when they compliment it. Seriously, it’s the fragrance equivalent of “it has pockets!” Score: 8

Average Score: 8/10

Description: “Zoologist Cow brings to mind a bucolic scene, a myriad of scents from Mother Nature’s nurturing bosom.”

Emily: Sweet and sour at once, this funky, green apple push-pop of a fragrance is so cool—one-of-a-kind in a sea of vaguely soapy scents. Without its lily of the valley and violet counterparts, the milk notes might’ve been insufferable to this lactose intolerant nose. Instead, I found myself at peace with its greener pastures…and freshly milked heifers. Score: 8.5

Audra: I consider Zoologist’s Cow an abomination in a pretentious bottle, but because I am nothing if not a great sport, I wore it for an entire day and can attest to the following: It lasts. We’re talking “spray it on a jacket in April, still smell it by May”-type of longevity. Better yet, not one scent on this list garnered as much attention. Everywhere I went that day—the office, the gym, the train—someone asked me what I was wearing. On first whiff, all I could fixate on was actual milk. Then, as I let it rest on my skin, there was green apple, fresh linen, and black pepper. Anyone familiar with the brand is aware of its flair, but Cow is so singular that I simply have to respect it. Score: 7

Rich: This one is nearly perfect to me. There isn’t an aldehyde note, so instead of soapy soap, this is more like shampoo. An apple shampoo, to be precise. I also get a bit of black pepper, which isn’t listed, and this was formulated to be a lactonic fragrance (what better way to represent a cow?), so it’s milky on top of it all. I wish the performance were better, but I don’t mind reapplying this one all day, everyday. Lather, rinse, repeat, indeed. Score: 9

Average Score: 8.17/10

Description: “Celebrating the timeless style and heritage of haute couture, this jasmine perfume is at once rich and elegant; sophisticated and alluring. The crisp, fresh opening notes of bergamot and floral aldehyde yield to a complex but approachable heart of sweet jasmine and powdery orris, augmented by hints of mystical frankincense.”

Audra: Typically, I’d liken the act of taking a bath to simmering in one’s own filth soup. But if there’s any fragrance that would make a bath more attractive, it’s Heritage. Its notes of ivory soap, sandalwood, and aldehydes elicit a nostalgia for something simple—rustic, even—like, yes, wasting an hour or two in a clawfoot tub. I see relaxation when I sniff this. Score: 9

Rich: Pure, elevated Dove soap. It’s comfy and blanketing. My boyfriend told me it makes me smell like his grandma. Imagine that, but as a masterpiece. Score: 8

Emily: Though Heritage’s crisp top notes render it a perfect clean fragrance contender, its warmer base notes of cedar-wood, sandalwood, and oud are what make it so lovely. I also enjoyed the scent’s departure from aggressive sweetness. My only complaint, albeit a vane one, is that it didn’t evoke a more visceral reaction, as some of my other top picks did. Score: 7.5

Average Score: 8.17/10