Charles Langston:I’m an Editor Who Loves Bright, Citrus Scents and These Perfumes Smell Like Sunshine

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I'm a big believer in that the right scent can help set the right mood. Think of all the times you've entered a hotel or a spa and just felt instantly more relaxed. They likely had a candle or some type of fragrance that helped you feel that way.

And since you're not a hotel, you're a person (duh), spritzing on a scent is a little like setting an intention for how you want to be that day. That's why I like to wear bright, citrus-y scents that smell like sunshine.

It's been studied that citrus scents can have a positive, mood-boosting effect. As a beauty and fashion editor with a crazy inbox and a demanding schedule, I need all the positivity and mood-boosting that I can get!

I love my ever-expanding perfume wardrobe. I do not currently have a signature scent, but I do typically gravitate toward perfumes with notes of orange blossom, coconut milk, grapefruit, jasmine, bergamot, and vanilla, although I have been known to wear woody notes here and there.

In an effort to add more mood-boosting fragrances to my repertoire, I tested and compared three sunny scents below.

This is what I learned. 

Clinique Happy Eau De Parfum

This Clinique scent features ruby red grapefruit, bergamot, Hawaiian wedding flower, and mimosa. The citrus notes smell crisp, juicy, and energizing, while the floral elements of the fragrance are light and delicate in the nose.

Clinique Happy is such a nostalgic fragrance for me. It reminds me of summers spent in Chicago, walking under lush canopies of greenery, with sunlight dappling all the pretty flowers in neighborhood gardens.

This scent is so light and playful, it can work as an everyday scent, or even something you'd wear to the office. In fact, I like to keep a bottle right at my desk for an instant mood boost.

Confessions Of A Rebel Love High

This cruelty-free, vegan perfume is what I imagine Princess Peach smells like. It's positively sparkling with sunny notes of peach nectar, orange flower, and jasmine.

Love High is feminine, fresh, and just so, so pretty. It's the perfect bright citrus smell that will get you noticed. And you will get noticed. After I put it on, I had someone tell me that I smelled "delicious" while we were riding together in an elevator. 

Juliette Has A Gun Sunny Side Up Eau De Parfum Spray

We're huge Juliette Has A Gun fans over here. That's why I was so excited to try Sunny Side Up. First off, the perfume bottle is reminiscent of a fried egg, which I found really fun, and loved looking at on my countertop.

While this perfume doesn't have any citrus notes, it evokes the scent memory of waking up after taking a nap in the sun. It's a sleepy, vanilla-soaked, woody-floral scent that feels both dreamy and comforting. If you're a fan of santal scents but worry that they wear too heavy on your skin, Sunny Side Up is a great option!

Featuring notes of amyris, Jasmine lactone, sandalwood, and vanilla absolute, this scent is totally happiness in a bottle. It's also a great scent for date night thanks to its sexy sandalwood and vanilla profiles.

More mood-boosting citrus scents

Ready to smell like sunshine? Shop even more mood-boosting citrus scents below. We've found citrus note-filled perfumes and essential oil scents that you can shop now.