4 Scents That Will Transport You to a Sunny Place

My first ever vetiver-laced perfume, it’s potent—the fresher notes of bergamot and bitter orange only slightly lessen the intense power of the vetiver mixed with sandalwood cedar and oak moss. I wore this exclusively on a trip to Amsterdam, and now, whenever I wear it, it reminds me of meandering along the canals. ($190; fredericmalle.com)

Although vetiver is used in a lot of unisex and men’s fragrances, this is the perfect, feminine interpretation. The fresh-squeezed lemon top notes calm the headiness of the nutmeg, sandalwood and vetiver. It reminds me of some tall cocktail you’d get at a rooftop bar that has a bunch of ingredients in it you’d never think would go together (like absinthe and…anything), but blend together seamlessly to make something exquisite. ($175; nordstrom.com)

A reissue of 1957 classic (which the design house Carven claims to be the first vetiver fragrance ever), the lavender and citrus at the top makes it a surprisingly clean—and masculine—vetiver concoction. This is what my dream man—an odd combination of Christian Bale and Zach Galifianakis—smells like after a shower. ($80; saks.com)

This is composed entirely of natural (as in not synthetic) ingredients, which is seriously rare in modern perfumery. And it also disproves the theory that natural fragrances disappear quickly on your skin—this one lasts all day. Mint, lavender and grapefruit brighten the vetiver up, but it’s got unapologetic, raw earthiness. ($195; luckyscent.com)