Sunflowers Eau de Toilette Gift Set

There is a particular kind of fragrance that belongs to hot afternoons rather than to evenings, and Elizabeth Arden Sunflowers Eau de Toilette 100ml has been the cheap and cheerful end of that category since 1993. The appeal is immediate. Bergamot lifts the first spray, melon brings a cool, watery sweetness, peach supplies soft fruit, and osmanthus holds it all together with its curious fruity and faintly bitter character. Nothing is hidden, nothing takes long to arrive, and no part of it asks to be studied.

Jasmine and cyclamen make up the middle, the first creamy and sweet, the second green and dewy, and the pair keep the fragrance light rather than letting the fruit thicken. Sandalwood and oakmoss then take it to the finish, smooth and mildly earthy, which gives it just enough weight to stay on the skin for a few hours. David Apel is the perfumer.

Eight materials, no complications anywhere in it, and eau de toilette strength to match. Expect around three or four hours and a modest trail, which is why this is a fragrance to carry rather than to apply once and forget. It is pitched at women and worn largely by people who want something uncomplicated for the beach, the garden and the school run. At 100ml it is priced to be used without thinking about it, which is most of the reason it has lasted. If what you want is a summer bottle you need not be precious about, start here.

Elizabeth Arden is an American beauty company that began in a New York salon and expanded into skincare, cosmetics and scent. It does not license its fragrances to anyone: Revlon became the owner in September 2016 and produces them.