7 Products That Changed My Life This July

We’re in the hot, sticky thick of summer, a dizzy blur of beach trips, late-night garden parties, and alfresco dining. As a Leo, I can’t help but love it. On the flip side of all that rollicking, though, is battling the elements every waking hour we’re outside. I’m talking sun protection, bug repellant, and—to put it diplomatically—sweat and smell management. And when you slip back into your icy AC haven, you’ll need to take special care for hydration, recovery, and comfortable sleep. The products I was drawn to this month all support that extra bit of maintenance required to remain refreshed, and maybe even feel inspired, amid the relentless temperature spikes.

I tend to stay far away from gourmand scents. I’ve always associated overly sweet stuff with the middle-school-era sense memory of walking into my local mall’s Bath & Body Works. But this sumptuous new Collection Privé concoction from Dior’s Francis Kurkdjian might just be the bottle to convince me otherwise. It takes inspiration from the memories and flora of Christian Dior’s South of France getaway: citrus trees and early-spring almond blossoms and cocktails made with sirop d’orgeat. The latter is especially present in the scent’s initial top notes, but it doesn’t overstay its welcome. The fragrance quickly evens out to a crisp bitter almond and tonka bean, embodying the warm, relaxed energy of an outdoor dinner party at dusk. The woody drydown really is the highlight and, to stick with the metaphor, ushers you straight into a dreamy summer evening beneath the stars. It’s this expertly executed blend of notes—the overpoweringly sweet and citrusy mixed with what smell like sandalwood and possibly vetiver—that make this a unisex scent in the truest sense of the word. If anything, the scent makes the case for a long, thoughtful conversation with nature, not a quick exchange. Needless to say, it’s a new favorite in my collection.