Any recommendations for smelling like the ocean?

1 - 25 by 29
Any recommendations for smelling like the ocean? 1

Hello everyone!

I'm new here and I apologize if this has been asked here before and if I'm asking this in the wrong place or something because I'm still learning to use this website, but does anyone know perfumes that actually smell like the ocean? I don't mean anything tropical, what I mean is more.. colder (?) if you get what I mean. Something like salty water and/or how the air smells at the sea. Notes of smoke, the smell of rain (whatever that is called), seaweed and something like rotting wood would also be alright if mixed in, but I'm looking for more pure ocean-y type, salt water perfume, like how fresh fish smells like, affordable if possible. I own Sea Salt eau de toilette by Monotheme Fine Fragrances Venezia and I do like it, but it's not even close to what I'm looking for. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated! ❤️

1

Eau des Merveilles Bleue Not very cheap, but lovely.

Le Rem Eau de Toilette Intense also not very cheap but cheaper than the one above (which is different and more what you describe and which I prefer).

Thalasso Therapy and Fior di Salina are cheaper options, a bit similar as Le Rem.

1

Embruns d'Essaouira might be exactly what you are looking for. Extremely salty and sharp, like ocean waves hitting you in the face.

2

Squid reminds me of the ocean more than anything else I've tried.

4

Thank you for everyone so far and thank you for everyone in the future! Just putting this out here so I don't end up spamming. I'm adding every recommendation to my wishlist so I remember them and I will be slowly sampling them all. You're all lovely and I'm glad to be part of such a supportive and helpful community. ❤️

1

I've never encountered Sea Salt, so I can't judge how close it is to anything I've tried, but there are a few perfumes that I personally found quite marine, each in their own way.

Kenzo Homme Eau de Toilette Intense is a more green and sour type of sea. Fleeting scent of fruits getting cut open at the shore, frilly sea lettuce, glowing plankton on a summer night. It's a lovable and multifaceted type of sea, but on me it got pretty pickly as time went on, so if that's something you're also sensitive to, keep it in mind.

"Le Sel d'Issey | Issey Miyake" is a colder type of sea, if that's what you're looking for. But the exact experience may wary depending on your skin chemistry. My partner got a pretty reserved and well rounded marine woodiness. On me it was a feast of salty, oily, pungent seaweed. It was pretty neat as far as realistic marine experiences are concerned, and as far as I'm aware – it's pretty affordable. But experience will you get and how much you will enjoy it? Your guess is as good as mine.

Dans le bleu qui pétille is a more... unique type of sea. Murky, rancid seafoam. Rotting wood. Cold air and sharp smoke. Smoked fish. It's not as pure in its oceanness as previous entries, but to me it was also the most memorable one, so I can't help but suggest it. Who knows, perhaps something in it ends up being what you're looking for ദ്ദി ( ᵔ ᗜ ᵔ )

1

I have a couple of favorites that I hope to acquire soon:

Acqua di Sale: Sunny ocean water at the same temperature as your body with sunrays poking through. My number one.

Pacific Rock Moss: A peppier, lemony coastal scent. Very positive Aussie. Reminds me of a lemony kakigori.

I-I Terralba: You can smell the ocean water along with the sand and shrubs growing on a wild beach.

1
4

Squid ++ once it's dried down. Like you're in the middle of the ocean.

1
1

This is one of my top favourite perfume genres, I absolutely adore the smell of salty sea! Of the ones already mentioned I'd say Thalasso Therapy is definitely one of the best sea smell interpretations that I have ever smelled. I just got a chance to test Squid only a couple of days ago and it's salty and sea-like for sure, the top notes are a bit too smoky and sweet to be an authentic representation of the sea but the drydown after 3+ hours of spraying is great. A few others I'm recommending you from this genre would be Blue Wonders, Reveal, Scent Mix - Scent for Men Aquatic Breeze, Aqva Divina Eau de Toilette, Womanity Eau de Parfum and Wonderlust Eau de Voyage.

1

L'Eau d'Issey pour Homme Eau de Toilette an obvious one perhaps (but more a fresh ocean feel) but the best one I have smelt ✨

Last edited by DeepSixed82 on 06/23/2025 - 08:32 AM; edited 2 times in total
2

@DeepSixed82 I think you may have meant L'Eau d'Issey pour Homme Eau de Toilette? Personally, it didn't strike me as oceanic (perhaps lively shore-like?), but I understand why it may give that impression to other people.

But the female counterpart is very much a freshwater type of scent, imo.

2
Ursaw

@DeepSixed82 I think you may have meant L'Eau d'Issey pour Homme Eau de Toilette? Personally, it didn't strike me as oceanic (perhaps lively shore-like?), but I understand why it may give that impression to other people.

But the female counterpart is very much a freshwater type of scent, imo.

You’re right haha, Thank you, I changed it to the Homme one now. It’s where I’m so used to only talking about female fragrances Very Happy (I only wear female myself) I agree technically, it isn’t very oceanic..I just think of the ocean when I smell it.
I don’t know many oceanic perfumes (especially for woman) Rain yes.. for rain I’d say Un Matin d'Orage Eau de Parfum is a very good one.

3
DeepSixed82

You’re right haha, Thank you, I changed it to the Homme one now. It’s where I’m so used to only talking about female fragrances Very Happy (I only wear female myself) I agree technically, it isn’t very oceanic..I just think of the ocean when I smell it.
I don’t know many oceanic perfumes (especially for woman) Rain yes.. for rain I’d say Un Matin d'Orage Eau de Parfum is a very good one.

I mostly wear masc/unisex labeled fragrances, so I'm kind of useless if someone is looking for an ocean that's specifically feminine. But from what I've tried so far, I've noticed that the oceanic notes are somewhat of a rarity when it comes to female target audience. It's as if society decided that only men are allowed to smell nice and salty, lol.

2
Ursaw
DeepSixed82

You’re right haha, Thank you, I changed it to the Homme one now. It’s where I’m so used to only talking about female fragrances Very Happy (I only wear female myself) I agree technically, it isn’t very oceanic..I just think of the ocean when I smell it.
I don’t know many oceanic perfumes (especially for woman) Rain yes.. for rain I’d say Un Matin d'Orage Eau de Parfum is a very good one.

I mostly wear masc/unisex labeled fragrances, so I'm kind of useless if someone is looking for an ocean that's specifically feminine. But from what I've tried so far, I've noticed that the oceanic notes are somewhat of a rarity when it comes to female target audience. It's as if society decided that only men are allowed to smell nice and salty, lol.

Hahah.. It’s true actually, when I was modelling in the late 90s/2000s I used to have so many perfumes because I would get them all for free, had around 500 bottles (had lots I didn’t even like) so I got to test tons over the years (some I can’t even remember.) Salty oceanic was one thing I can’t remember ever smelling in a female fragrance. But I think woman do have more variety of smells in general, all men’s fragrances smell quite similar to me.. (I much prefer masculine fragrances on woman) I particularly love 1980s/1990s perfumes, modern ones don’t have much variety or character in general either from what I’ve experienced.

2

Sea of Gray by Solstice Scents - I've been looking for fragrances that smell like the ocean here in Massachusetts and this is pretty good!! It smells like a cold ocean. There's no tropical additions, it smells salty but it does have a vanilla note present that you'll smell throughout the whole time you have it applied. I don't get any sense of boardwalk or eating an ice cream by the ocean though. The ocean does sometimes have a slight green sweetness to me. Although I wish I could recommend something more sour and brine-y. Like how it smells to plunge underwater and come back to the surface. As for it's price it's not cheap I would say. And highly recommend sampling first bc of the vanilla. 

(FYI I have no idea how to link it as everyone else has in this thread apologies)

1

Lineage notes do not give a picture how that one smell. It has sea - mineral character and is way way better done that Profumum Acqua di Sale, Carthusia Ammare or Heeley Sel Marin (but those you could test also).
Lineage works great in cold also (or maybe even better; which I cant say about those 3 mentioned above)
+ for Kenzo pour Homme Eau de Toilette

1

You might like Wood Sage and Sea Salt by Jo Malone. It has a slightly fresh but salty smell to it, it reminds me of the ocean breeze. However the longevity is not great which is something to keep in mind

1

Seemann has the closest feeling for me:

Kokain SeemannKokain Seemann IntenseKokain Seemann Reloaded

1

I am talking myself out of buying Atlante right now. It is so good with the seashell and stone notes

1
0
0
0

Absolutely the best I've come across is I-I Terralba. Also Acqua di Sale and Pacific Rock Moss are nice.

1 - 25 by 29
Notify about new comments
Forum Overview Perfume Recommendations Any recommendations for smelling like the ocean?
Go to