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A dew drop resting atop a deep-hued petal, its violet shade reflected and refracted in a thousand tiny facets, like scattered confetti through a kaleidoscope. Moisture makes for an enhanced experience of scent and dewy violets are such a psychedelic image that the fragrances inspired by them are sure to put a growl in your motor.
This is part of Perfume Shrine's Violet Series perfume articles focusing on violets-laced fragrances in all their nuances, so if you missed previous posts, take a minute to consult Violet, Violet Leaf & Ionones (for an essay on the perfumery materials), Best Soft Powdery Violet Fragrances and Best Woody, Earthy Violet Fragrances. Or just skip right down to the suggestions for leafy, green violets with an upbeat, contemporary take.
Today we're zooming into scents which take violet as a point of departure to evoke a more "naturalistic" impression whereupon violet is never without the foliage it is surrounded by and the leaves of the plant render their own dewy, somewhat metallic tonality; a very popular effect in unisex and masculine fragrances (especially in the modern fougere genre). Rather than the retro powdery (close to iris) or earthy note of the violet flower and its roots, violet leaves lend an unusual freshness, not to mention unlike the flowers they can be successfully extracted, which creates endless possibilities for modern, transparent but persistent fragrances. This is also thanks to the coupling of violet leaf absolute with synthetic musks and aromachemicals mimicking cedarwood, such as Iso E Super, or ambergris, such as Ambrox. Here is a personal selection. Feel free to add your own in the comments.
Green Violet Leaves Fragrances
Dior Fahrenheit (classic fougere)
Frederic Malle Dans tes Bras (with a salty skin effect)
Jean Charles Brosseau Fleurs d'Ombre Violette Menthe (green mint suffuses violets in freshness)
Les Nez The Unicorn Spell (with a fresh green beans note up top, but satisfying and polished)
L'Artisan Parfumeur Verte Violette (quite green & clean with an inedible quality, halfway between damp and dry)
Santa Maria Novella Violetta (with a citrus top note)
Crystal-clear, Aqueous Violet Fragrances
Balenciaga L'Essence (perfect for the office)
Cartier L'Eau de Cartier (a clean musky style fragrance with a dewy effect)
DSquared She Wood (a clear, transparent violet with cedar)
Marc Jacobs Violet (very light splash)
Stay tuned for your upcoming part of the Violet Series tackling Sweet, Candied Violet Perfumes.
This is part of Perfume Shrine's Violet Series perfume articles focusing on violets-laced fragrances in all their nuances, so if you missed previous posts, take a minute to consult Violet, Violet Leaf & Ionones (for an essay on the perfumery materials), Best Soft Powdery Violet Fragrances and Best Woody, Earthy Violet Fragrances. Or just skip right down to the suggestions for leafy, green violets with an upbeat, contemporary take.
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| via basenotes |
Today we're zooming into scents which take violet as a point of departure to evoke a more "naturalistic" impression whereupon violet is never without the foliage it is surrounded by and the leaves of the plant render their own dewy, somewhat metallic tonality; a very popular effect in unisex and masculine fragrances (especially in the modern fougere genre). Rather than the retro powdery (close to iris) or earthy note of the violet flower and its roots, violet leaves lend an unusual freshness, not to mention unlike the flowers they can be successfully extracted, which creates endless possibilities for modern, transparent but persistent fragrances. This is also thanks to the coupling of violet leaf absolute with synthetic musks and aromachemicals mimicking cedarwood, such as Iso E Super, or ambergris, such as Ambrox. Here is a personal selection. Feel free to add your own in the comments.
Green Violet Leaves Fragrances
Dior Fahrenheit (classic fougere)
Frederic Malle Dans tes Bras (with a salty skin effect)
Jean Charles Brosseau Fleurs d'Ombre Violette Menthe (green mint suffuses violets in freshness)
Les Nez The Unicorn Spell (with a fresh green beans note up top, but satisfying and polished)
L'Artisan Parfumeur Verte Violette (quite green & clean with an inedible quality, halfway between damp and dry)
Santa Maria Novella Violetta (with a citrus top note)
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| Yosemite Valley at Night, Yosemite National Park, USA, by Phil Hawkins |
Crystal-clear, Aqueous Violet Fragrances
Balenciaga L'Essence (perfect for the office)
Cartier L'Eau de Cartier (a clean musky style fragrance with a dewy effect)
DSquared She Wood (a clear, transparent violet with cedar)
Marc Jacobs Violet (very light splash)
Stay tuned for your upcoming part of the Violet Series tackling Sweet, Candied Violet Perfumes.
Love this series!
ReplyDeleteFahrenheit will always remain one of my husband's favourites - and I used to enjoy the almost identical Ultima II.
Jillie
Jillie,
ReplyDeletethank you, glad you're enjoying!
I know of lots of women who love Fahrenheit, but I confess I hadn't quite figured out the connection with Ultima II. I need to sample that one again, it's been eons since I had sampled it.
Oh --- I am off to the shops with my daugther (I cannot drive at the moment) and I am going to try that Fahrenheit! Never new it had voilets in it! Must try!
ReplyDeleteM,
ReplyDeletehope you had a great time!!
How was your shopping spree? Tell me all about it.
hugs ((((M))))
Hello - really like your violet series. I wore Balenciaga L'Essence (before I knew anything about perfume) and little did I know that it was an office appropriate scent. I actually was asked numerous times what I was wearing and many of my colleagues wanted to purchase it. It's funny now that I'm on 'sabbatical' for a year in France and having a break from work - I'm never tempted to wear it although I do think it's a really good violet perfume. I'm happy discovering a whole other world away from pleasant office perfumes!
ReplyDeleteM,
ReplyDeletethank you for saying so!
And what a delightful little story with an unexpected ending. Yes, outside the office a whole vista of daring and bold scents awaits. Bonne aventure!
Doesn't Tom Ford's Violet Blond belong here? It's rather dewy to my nose, though not faint at all (am I influenced by the ad images here?), overall a nice daytime scent.
ReplyDeleteMaria,
ReplyDeleteyou have a point, certainly. I had included already in the soft violets list, because it isn't as "cool" as Balenciaga for instance to my nose, but yes, it's a great daytime scent. In fact I like it very much!