
As a beauty editor, I’ve tried hundreds of perfumes in the search for my perfect scent, but there is one I always reach for when the sun comes out. The Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess Eau Fraîche Skinscent smells like summer in a bottle – one sniff and you’ll be whisked away somewhere beachy and warm. It currently has 25% off at Lookfantastic.com, meaning you can buy a 50ml bottle for just £43.50 (a lot cheaper than an actual holiday!)
Whenever I wear it, which is most days for six months of the year, my son says that I “smell like sun cream”. Nothing has the force to make me viscerally reminisce about balmy days at the beach like the Bronze Goddess scent. Mentally, I’m in Ibiza enjoying an Aperol spritz on the balcony; physically, however, I am about to hit the school run. But a girl can dream!
Although it was launched years ago, this iconic scent still holds a place of pride in my fragrance wardrobe. With notes of amber, coconut milk, and sandalwood, a vanilla base, and a hint of citrus, it’s a concoction that I never tire of, and it always guarantees compliments.
Usually lighter, summery perfumes don’t go the distance, but the Bronze Goddess Skinscent lingers surprisingly well. It settles nicely on the skin, and I catch little whiffs of it throughout the day, which I love. You don’t need much at all, but I always top it up before an evening out, just to keep it feeling fresh.
I recently discovered the nighttime version called Bronze Goddess Nuit. It has a slightly stronger and sexier smell, with bergamot, ylang ylang, and pepper alongside classic notes of coconut and jasmine found in the original. It’s perfect for layering over the Skinscent that is still hovering on my skin from applying it in the morning.
For some, perfume is just the frill at the end of their beauty routine, but for me, Bronze Goddess is a time machine transporting me back to the beach. Want to come, too?