Very Vetiver

An emblematic note in perfumery, vetiver has pride of place in several recent fragrant creations. And this year, the most famous of vetivers, Guerlain’s, is celebrating its 50th anniversary. It’s a perfect excuse for taking a closer look at this noble ingredient, which fascinates brands and fragrance designers with its woody, green, resinous and smoky aromas …
Vétiver was the first fragrance designed by Jean-Paul Guerlain, in 1959. The house recently launched Vétiver Extrême and even a women’s version, Vétiver pour Elle.

It is true that, like Dior’s Eau Sauvage and Fahrenheit, quite a few women have long worn Vétiver.
So it’s no surprise that more and more new women’s scents, including the chypre scent Profumo (Acqua di Parma), the sensual-oriental Strip (Agent Provocateur), and even woodsy-florals – like the fairly fresh She Wood (from the Canadian brand Dsquared²) and the spicier Magnifique (Lancôme) – are giving vetiver pride of place. Lancôme had already paired vetiver with vanilla in Hypnôse. And women who enjoy more ambry vetivers shouldn’t forget Habanita (Molinard) and Le Baiser du Dragon (Cartier).

Thanks to niche brands, a number of modern classics have been built around vetiver. The advantage of niche scents is that they tend to sidestep the issue of whether they are for him or her, even if female fans of this lovely woody note wouldn’t hesitate to adopt fragrances intended for men.
Here are some to keep an eye out for: Original Vetiver by Creed, fairly gentle, Vétyver Haïti by Comptoir Sud Pacifique, somewhat powdery, Le Vétiver by Lubin, green and woody, Vétiver Extraordinaire (Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle) at once sweet and sparkling, and Sycomore (Les Exclusifs de Chanel), both raw and well-dressed.