As a beauty editor and perfume lover, I see many perfume trends come and go. And as the autumn perfume trends begin to emerge amongst the new perfume launches and on my social feeds, an unexpected theme has emerged in the forecast: rain perfumes.

“As Brits, we have a rather particular relationship with rain. We’re used to it shaping so much of the year; we talk about it, plan around it, dress for it, complain about it and, secretly, I think, rather love it,” says Sarah Reason, founder of Soliflore. “It’s part of our landscape and, in a way, part of us. Rain is woven into so many of our memories: muddy walks, wet pavements, the sound of rain against the window, coming home and putting the kettle on. It’s familiar, comforting and uniquely British.”

Curiously, Google searches for rain perfumes are up 5,000% this week. And after a long summer of heatwaves, it could well be why we’re gravitating towards the scent as we welcome in a new season. However, the notes associated with downpours may be speaking to us on a deeper level, allowing us to connect with nature and all its elements. In many ways, rain perfumes allow us to touch grass in a quick spritz.

“Nature has always offered us a sense of escape from the noise of everyday life, and scent is one of the quickest ways to get there; few smells are quite as evocative as rain. The heady smell of rain on earth just after a downpour, the smell of wet leaves and moss in the woods, rain hitting a warm pavement, or that cool, almost metallic freshness in the air just before a storm,” says Reason. “Perhaps that’s why rain has become such an interesting theme in fragrance. We’re not necessarily looking for a perfume that smells like standing in a downpour. We’re looking for that feeling, the sense of being surrounded by nature, of taking a deep breath of cool, fresh air, of the world being briefly quiet and washed clean,” she says.

What Is the Scent of Rain?

“Rain, or petrichor, isn’t actually one smell, but a combination of tiny molecules being released into the air when raindrops hit the ground, akin to a cocktail of whatever’s happening in the air and on the ground around you,” explains Reason.

“One of these is geosmin, a compound made by microbes in the soil, responsible for the unmistakable earthy scent we associate with rain. Plants, leaves and fungi add to the mix, which is why rain in a forest can smell woody, green and slightly mushroomy, whereas rain hitting a warm pavement can pick up all sorts of dust, oils and other compounds that have been sitting there, giving it a sharper, more mineral-like smell,” she says. “And if you’ve ever noticed that fresh, almost metallic scent before a thunderstorm, that can be down to ozone, which is produced during electrical activity in the atmosphere.”

If you’re ready to embrace rain perfumes, scroll on for the most refreshing fragrances to spritz, come rain or shine.

Best Rain Perfumes

1. Perfumer H Steam

2. Clean Reserve Rain Reserve Blend

3. Gallivant London

4. Nancy Meiland Rosier

5. D.S. & Durga Steamed Rainbow

6. Maison Margiela Replica When the Rain Stops

7. Loewe Smoky Rain

Why Trust Us