The world of woody fragrances

I would like to take some time and tell you about an olfactory family I'm particularly fond of.
Fragrances with warm, sophisticated nuances, sometimes resinous, smoky or even damp, they evoke a sense of comfort and mystery. As you may have gathered by now, I'm talking about woody fragrances.

A story that will take you on a magnificent walk through the forest.

A world of wood:

Woody fragrances have a long history. As far back as antiquity, ancient civilizations used resins and precious woods to create perfumes for religious ceremonies and rituals. Over the centuries, wood has become a much-appreciated and worked-in material in fragrances, and is even considered the "backbone" of compositions. Indeed, these essences are often used to structure a formula and fix the most volatile substances.

It was in the 18th century, with the development of extraction techniques, that the use of woody notes became more widespread. Today, it's rare for a fragrance to contain no wood, and woody fragrances can be combined with other olfactory families to create unique and varied scents. These accords can be found in many sub-families: spicy woody, aromatic woody, floral woody... (The olfactory families)

Characteristics of woody fragrances:

Woody fragrances are based on essential oils derived from tree wood and moss, offering the nose a wide range of nuances.

Often used as a heart or base note, they bring strength, character and balance to the composition. There are a multitude of materials with woody scents. However, the most commonly used are:

- Cedarwood: native mainly to the Himalayas, North America and Lebanon, it is renowned for its elegance and scent. With its warm, mellow, woody scent, subtly blending earthy and spicy notes, it evokes the tranquility of ancient forests. In perfumery, cedarwood adds a refined depth to compositions. Its soothing yet powerful character makes it a prized note for balancing floral and sweet accords, offering a unique signature.

- Sandalwood: originating mainly in India, sandalwood reveals a rich cultural and spiritual heritage. Its soft, creamy fragrance evokes mystical, soothing scents. In perfumery, sandalwood offers a unique woody note, bringing sensual, charismatic depth to compositions. It gives fragrances a mysterious, warm and bewitching aura.

- Vetiver: native mainly to India and other tropical regions, it embodies the quiet strength of nature. Its earthy, smoky, green fragrance evokes walks in the fields after the rain. In perfumery, vetiver offers a distinctive, complex note. With its woody yet herbaceous character, it adds an elegant, vibrant depth to fragrances, creating a memorable olfactory experience. Vetiver gives fragrances an authentic imprint.

- Patchouli: native to Southeast Asia, it exudes a powerful, bewitching and exotic scent. In perfumery, its earthy, richly woody and spicy fragrance offers a deep, mysterious note. It lends fragrances a bold, captivating personality. Patchouli plays an essential role in making fragrances distinctive and memorable.

Why choose a woody fragrance?

Choosing a fragrance is a very personal choice, and depends on your tastes and personality. But why choose a woody fragrance? (Find your perfume)

Long associated with so-called "masculine" perfumery because of their stronger, earthier trail, wood has charmed all noses over the years. Today, perfume designers are exploring more accord and note combinations to work with woody scents and create fragrances that reflect a wider range of emotions for all types of people. Often evoking a feeling of warmth and connection with nature, cedar, sandalwood and vetiver are now appreciated by many.

Refined, sophisticated, powerful, elegant, natural, woody fragrances are versatile and timeless. They can accompany you for any occasion in any season. What I appreciate most about these scents is the sense of serenity and well-being they can provide. That feeling of being grounded, in harmony with yourself, and connected to nature, like the roots of a tree.

When you choose a woody fragrance, you take on a unique olfactory signature that leaves a memorable olfactory imprint wherever you go.

Our woody fragrances

Forest walks, desert lands, the Milky Way or declarations of love, woody scents can express many things, so I'm going to take you on a journey through our different wood-themed fragrances.

Platypus is my first creation, created on my return from a trip to Australia. I imagined this fragrance as a beautiful walk in the forest in search of that mysterious animal, the platypus.
I vividly remember that hot, sultry day on February 5, 2020, when we stopped near Latrope in Tasmania to protect ourselves from the heat and enjoy the protection of the trees. The sun was at its zenith, revealing the warm, subtle aromas of the forest vegetation. Taking advantage of the coolness of the trees and rivers, it didn't take long for the sun to reveal itself to us. He was playing in the water currents, creating bubbles, a spectacle we thoroughly enjoyed.

So I created Platypus, recalling that moment and all the smells that surrounded us. A fresh, camphorated, green opening with rosemary, lime and red mandarin, evolving into a mysterious heart, a cocktail of woods, spices and flowers where cedar wood reveals its strength and beauty on a soft, moist base of oak moss and ambrette. A fresh, finely wooded fragrance that will give you the wonderful sensation of a walk in the woods.

Uluru. Eleven years ago, we had the chance to explore the Australian continent and discover all its riches. It was therefore obvious that one of my creations would focus on this monolith in the middle of the red center, Uluru. I was captivated by this place, by its history, its atmosphere and all the mystery it holds. Through this fragrance, I wanted to recreate my memory of this red, spicy, sun-drenched land. The mineral scent accompanied by the vegetal scent as you approach this enormous mountain lost in the middle of nowhere.

The citrus surge gives way to drier, spicier notes. The finely smoky scent of Japanese cedar and hinoki wood mingles with the sweetness of sandalwood. The powerful base notes of patchouli and vetiver link us to the history of this sacred land. A charismatic, bewitching fragrance that will take you on a journey to the heart of the Land of Oz.

Naivasha is a wonderful souvenir from Kenya. It's an exciting journey where wonder is omnipresent. But when night falls, the spectacle is indescribable. Far from any light pollution, in the dark of night, the stars carpet the sky and let us discover all the facets of the Milky Way. It's at this moment, in the heart of the wilderness, isolated from everyone else, that the rustle of leaves under the paws of animals gives way to the roar of lionesses. It's a moment when you wish time would stand still, to savor the spectacle indefinitely. Naivasha is a warm, enveloping, milky fragrance. Its orangey opening evolves into a tender heart where the soft, dusty notes of sandalwood combine with a cocktail of woods to finally envelop us in sweet vanilla notes. A gentle olfactory journey with powdery, milky scents.

To express their feelings, some people write, others draw, but I've created a perfume. Tomo is my declaration of love, a poetic, hypnotic trail, like whispers of sweet words. A fragrance crafted around the finest materials in perfumery. Its lightly leathery opening, a blend of green myrtle, cypress and saffron, takes us to a generous heart where marvelous sandalwood is adorned with the delicate, powdery notes of iris and the finely smoky trail of hinoki wood. It ends with a generous accord of vanilla and labdanum. A poetic, enveloping and captivating trail.

I hope you've enjoyed your journey through the olfactory world of wood, and that if you haven't yet had the opportunity to smell or wear this olfactory family of fragrances, it's piqued your curiosity and inspired you to set off on a voyage of discovery.


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