Green fragrances feature fresh and lively notes that evoke freshly cut grass or stems, green leaves (like violet leaf), foliage, mosses, green tea or other green vegetal scents.
This family of fragrances started appearing after WWII. Green fragrances with their fresh and dynamic notes symbolised life and a sense of renewal, much needed at the time.
One particularly interesting green note is called galbanum, a plant native to Iran and the Middle East. Similar to fennel, it produces a fragrant gum resin. It is quite pungent and harsh but when used in small quantity, galbanum conjures up the smell of crushed leaves, ivy, green beans and damp earth, all reminiscent of spring smells. Galbanum is present in classic green chypre fragrances such as Chanel No 19, Miss Dior (in the original version!), Bandit by Robert Piguet or Vent Vert by Balmain. We feature galbanum in Lawn, a fragrance that captures the calm sense of renewal inspired by a dewy summer morning.
Another natural material used for its green aspect is violet leaf absolute. Sometimes, synthetics such as leaf alcohols are used to render the smell of freshly cut grass.
In our Signature collection, fresh floral fragrances such as White Flowers, White Roses and Lily of the Valley all feature green dewy notes reminiscent of young buds and nature.
Hyacinth, present in the fragrance Taffeta, and Bluebell, featured in our new Flower Market Collection for the home, both present distinctive green floral notes.
Green notes can also come from aromatic herbs. A scent is considered ‘aromatic’ when it’s herbal in nature. Fresh & uplifting, they contain herbaceous ingredients such as rosemary, lavender, thyme, sage, basil and more. Fresh aromatics combine these herbs with citrussy elements for an airy outdoorsy feel. Aromatics can also be complemented by woody elements such as mosses, patchouli and resins.
In the Artillery Collection, Hungary Water (aka Artillery No 3) combines zingy citrus notes with fresh green herbal notes of mint and rosemary. Fresh spearmint notes are also featured in bestseller Mandarin and Mint ,complemented by clary sage, marjoram, lavender and thyme.
Green notes make a fragrance feel crisp, sharp and add a naturalness to many types of perfume. Whether they’re added to a floral, a chypre or even a fruity fragrance, their unique freshness is the magic ingredient that makes a perfume come “alive”.
[Originally published on 15/06/2019]
