Leo Season Ends Mercury's Retrograde—Wearing These Bold, Unapologetic Scents Are the Perfect Way to Celebrate

We want your monthly horoscope to be On the Nose—literally. At the start of every astrological season, Aliza Kelly, celebrity astrologer and host of "Horoscope Weekly" podcast, will break down what the world has in store—and which scent is written in your stars.

Welcome to Leo season, darlings! The Sun enters this bold fire sign on July 22, igniting the skies with passion, pride, and performance. It’s no surprise that this season occurs during the peak of summer: when the Sun (Leo’s own planetary ruler) is at its hottest. Leo energy, similarly, is all about owning the spotlight — bravely, courageously, and unapologetically. After the watery introspection of Cancer season, this next chapter demands you turn up the volume and step into your starring role. Are you ready for your close up?

We’re immediately greeted by a vibrant New Moon in Leo on July 24—a fertile moment to manifest confidence, creativity, and courage. New moons are all about new beginnings, so consider planting seeds of intention under this vibrant sky. What do you want to bring into your life? What affirming words or phrases can guide you through the next four weeks?

On July 30, Venus (the planet of love and beauty) enters Cancer, softening the edges and reconnecting us with tenderness and nostalgia. This sweetness carries us into early August, when Mars enters Libra on August 6 and asks us to balance passion with partnership. Then, on August 9, the Full Moon in Aquarius shines a light on your community, your vision, and your place in the collective. Aquarius wants you to let your freak flag fly — so remember, what makes you different is exactly what makes you powerful.

Oh, and that annoying Mercury Retrograde that’s been making everything a little more annoying? That ends on August 11 and — all at once — you’ll feel the fog lift, your eloquence return, and your exciting opportunities pick up right where they left off. With the bloopers, delays, and snafus in the rear-view mirror, you’ll be ready to embrace the magic (and all the reality television worthy drama) of this larger-than-life season.

Ultimately, Leo season asks us to stop dimming, start radiating, and remember that being “too much” is, well, just right. And, of course, I’ve paired each zodiac sign with a fragrance to help you embody this sun-soaked energy. Let’s get into it.

Ready to get your spark back, Aries? I bet you are! With the Sun’s movement into a fellow fire sign and Mars (your planetary ruler) entering Libra on August 6, your relationship dynamics are heating up in a major way. You're being pushed to balance independence with connection — how do you stay true to yourself while making space for someone else? Phlur’s Rose Whip embodies the fire you’re channeling: bold, seductive, unapologetically alive. It’s lusty, rose-forward, spiked cherry cola, channeling confidence, flirtation, and just a hint of danger. This season, pleasure is power, so don’t be afraid to get a little wild.

For you, Taurus, Leo season raises the stakes. The Full Moon on August 9 casts a bright light on your career and public image, asking: is your external life aligned with your internal needs? Have you established a solid foundation to support your biggest, most ambitious goals? Eauso Vert’s Salvia Salvia is the bridge between effort and ease: herbaceous, breezy, green—a bowl of fresh flowers in a seaside garden. It evokes warm sunlight on fresh skin, mint between your fingers, and the scent of pine carried in from the ocean. Let it remind you that peace and relaxation don’t negate your hustle; in fact, rooting yourself will only enhance your intentions.

With Mercury retrograde still throwing you off balance at the start of Leo season, don’t be surprised if the final weeks of July are off to a rocky start. But don’t fret: Mercury retrograde officially ends on August 11, and the back-to-back headaches and miscommunications will finally come to an end. Glossier’s Orange Blossom Neroli is your comeback scent: bright, bubbly, and floral-citrus clean, it smells like a truly lovely day. It’s the olfactory equivalent of a perfectly timed text, some sexy happy hour banter, and lingering looks on a hot summer night. This is your reminder that communication is an art—and this is truly where you shine. Speak up, flirt back, stay curious…and don’t let the retrograde get you down too much.

Your birthday season may be over, but when Venus (the planet of love and beauty) enters your sign on July 30, you’ll definitely have something to celebrate. This is your magnetic moment, Cancer: a chance to secure that sultry summer romance you’ve been craving. Ellis Brooklyn’s Salt captures this exact energy: sensual, oceanic, soft with ylang-ylang and skin-warmed ambergris. It smells like a siren’s song, seafoam, secrets, and sun-kissed shoulders after a dip in the tide. There’s something intoxicating and otherworldly about it (which is, obviously, so Cancer-coded). Let this scent be your invitation to reclaim your passion and purpose.

Happy solar return, Leo! (That’s how astrologers say “happy birthday;” cute, right?) The Sun is in your sign—and your sign is ruled by the Sun—so this is a gorgeous natural alignment. No wonder your birthday season is your annual glow-up! For you, these dog days of summer are all about embracing your unapologetically bold and bodacious nature; it’s your opportunity to set major goals, take big risks, and bless this next year around the Sun with some inspired birthday wishes. Tom Ford’s Neroli Portofino is your power scent: citrusy, floral, and impossibly luxe. It evokes coastal elegance, turquoise waters, and sun-drenched skin wrapped in silk. Let’s be honest, Leo: everyone already turns their heads when you walk into a room, but with a few spritzes of Neroli Portofino, that unmistakable impression will linger just a little longer. Love this for you!

Every year, right before your birthday season, the Sun glides into an area of your chart associated with the psychic realm, unspoken truths, and deep psychological mysteries. So, while everyone else is at the pool party, you’re feeling a bit more…introspective. It’s not that you don’t appreciate the invite; you’re just feeling a bit more spiritual than social. This is your chrysalis moment, Virgo, and Belnu’s Incense Antique is the scent of sacred transformation. Smoky, resinous, spiced with pepper and cypress, it smells like ritual, like memory, like portals that transcend time. Sit in the ceremony; you’re preparing for your rebirth.

Ready to party, Libra? Of course you are! We’re in peak summer energy now, and with Mars (the planet of action and energy) entering your sign on August 6, your drive and magnetism are reignited in a major way. You’re stepping back into your power—and this time, everyone is taking note. Oscar de la Renta’s Bella Soleil is your Leo season muse: fruity, tropical, and effervescent like a golden hour cocktail. With mango and prickly pear, it evokes the ease and play of a vacation with your besties. When you shine, everything blooms around you. So don’t be afraid to take up space, Libra!

Is your elevator pitch ready, Scorpio? This is a season of public emergence for you. The Sun’s movement into Leo activates your career zone, and the New Moon on July 24 will ensure that people in high-powered positions are paying close attention. Make sure you’re ready for whatever exciting (potentially life-changing!) opportunities come your way with Deborah Pagani’s The Vital Mist. Sure, it's a heat-activated hair protectant infused with blend of botanical extracts, niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid for a silky smooth and shiny finish—but that’s not all. It’s infused with a dreamy, classic fragrance: creamy, milky vanilla beans peppered with pistachio and saffron notes. Sophisticated, old school Beverly Hills glamour that screams corner office. Enjoy the promotion, Scorpio!

Leo season expands your world—mentally, spiritually, and literally. With the Sun illuminating a like-minded fire sign’s sky, this is your chance to roam: through new philosophies, distant places, and unfamiliar experiences. Byredo’s Bal D’Afrique is a perfect portal for the journey. Rooted in warm vetiver and sandalwood, yet lifted by soft florals and citrus, it evokes the sensation of arriving somewhere both new and deeply known. It smells like a stunning sunset in a far-off land — sweet, golden, and full of possibility. Think al fresco dinners with dreamy tablescapes, trees twinkling with fireflies, a cacophony of crickets, and the comfort of laughter and flavorful food shared with friends. It’s a reminder that, sometimes, the most exciting adventure is one in your own backyard.

What’s happening behind the scenes is just as important as what’s being built in public, Capricorn. With the Sun now moving through Leo, the spotlight turns to your inner world: power, purpose, and transformation. This is a potent time for reflection. Are you aligned with your soul’s deeper path? Have you honored your instincts, or pushed them aside in the name of productivity? Palatine by Parfums de Marly invites you into your private magic. It’s complex and contemplative—violet, amber, and patchouli—like pressed petals in a silk-bound journal, searching for fairies at twilight, and reading secret love letters by candlelight. Earthy yet otherworldly, this scent perfectly supports your summer metamorphosis.

It’s not your birthday season, but under the Full Moon in your sign on August 9, it might as well be. This lunar moment spotlights your desires, your needs, your singular spirit. You’re being asked to reconcile your individuality with your relationships—not to choose one over the other, but to find harmony between the two. Genesis by Pigmentarium is your olfactory match: unconventional, luminous, and unafraid to take up space. With bursts of lime, grass, and sour green apple, it’s bright and strange in the best way—a kaleidoscope that refuses to conform. Like you, it breaks rules with elegance. You don’t need to shrink to belong; you be you, Aquarius.

This Leo season highlights your relationship with rhythm, health, and daily rituals. It’s a chance to align your habits with your higher self; not through rigidity, but reverence. Are your routines nourishing your spirit? Are you giving your body the attention it deserves? Lake & Skye’s 11 11 is your aromatic anchor of the season. Clean, minimalist, and transcendent, it smells like waking from a sacred dream into freshly laundered sheets, like dew on the grass before sunrise. Its aura is light but powerful—an invisible veil of intention. For a sign as sensitive as you, it’s the perfect support system: gently clarifying, subtly enchanting, and fueled by the angel numbers that guide you right into a flow state.

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