In today’s crowded perfume scene, it takes something truly extraordinary to make our beauty editors sit up and take notice. This is especially true for spring and summer perfumes, when brands jostle for attention with new releases that promise to transport you to warmer climes and lift your mood.
Given the current status of the world, I’m skeptical about perfumes that aim to spark joy. But when I heard about Noyz Detour Eau de Parfum, $85, a scent that claims to capture “the warm and happy memories of a road trip”, I was a little more than curious.
If you’re a Refinery29 regular, you’re probably already aware of our love for Noyz, an LA-based fragrance brand with cool girl status. Renowned perfumer Jérôme Epinette, who has worked on bestselling perfumes for the likes of Byredo and Floral Street, is the creator behind the collection. Our beauty director Jacqueline Kilikita is already a big fan: “My bathroom shelf is chock-full of fragrances, but I’ll always make room for Noyz,” she says. “The brand oozes cool, and its note combinations are so unique; Unmute Eau de Parfum, $85, for example, is like no other vanilla scent I’ve tried.”
Detour, the brand’s latest drop, is another variation of that vanilla-heavy, “skin musk” perfume trend we’ve been seeing everywhere. But we actually think this has serious potential to stand out and emerge as the viral scent of the summer. Keep reading to learn the stamps of approval from two picky Refinery29 editors.
Noyz Detour Eau De Parfum, $85
Call me a Debbie Downer, but “happy” olfactory notes don’t usually do it for me. Most gourmands — fragrances with sweet, edible notes — smell more cloying than comforting to my nose, and I tend to get sick of floral scents after a few wears. Meanwhile, citrus notes remind me of cleaning products. Admittedly, I wasn’t too convinced that I’d like Detour, which features all three components. But it proved me wrong.
In fact, I fell in love with Detour at first spritz thanks to its bold initial blast: I could smell a burst of white florals, namely creamy jasmine and powdery gardenia, but it’s balanced out by equally powerful whiffs of crisp apple blossom and Spanish mandarin. This bright and juicy combination lingered in the air around me, and made me think of that first breath of summer air when you roll down your car windows. This was precisely Epinette’s intention. I couldn’t help but smile as fun memories of past summer road trips washed over me.
Kilikita was also impressed by the scent’s incredible projection: “Just one spritz on my left wrist was enough to garner multiple compliments from friends on a recent night out,” she says, adding, “The staying power is akin to a perfume extrait, which boasts a larger concentration of fragrance oil.” This makes sense given the emerging perfume trend of pairing citrus with musk, which prolongs the wear time of a scent.
As Detour settles, it transforms into something more intimate, with skin-wrapped musk and warm, comforting vanilla. Kikilita caught subtle hints of tobacco, coffee, and dried flowers, while it smelled more like caramel toffee to me. It has a warm, lived-in feeling that doesn’t try too hard to be “sexy” but rather, invites people to lean in closer. I’ve been wearing the perfume for a week straight and haven’t been able to stop sniffing my wrists. Ever better is how it changes throughout the day, gradually transforming from an invigorating citrus-floral bomb at the start of the day to a cozy, skin-like scent by nighttime. As someone who gets bored of a fragrance easily, this is such a blessing.
This unique shapeshifting quality convinced us that Detour will be the cool girl’s scent of the summer. In fact, it has already generated lots of buzz since making its debut at none other than Coachella. It certainly has a fun and energetic burst that bodes well for festival season, while the creamy and musky dry down brings a slice of nostalgia for summer’s past.
Personally, I can’t wait to break this out for my upcoming summer vacay, and will definitely be wearing this when I need a timely reminder of more carefree days.
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