I can’t really think of a genre in perfumery that is more polarizing than “green”. So many people, novices and experienced perfume wears, have told me they don’t like green perfumes. I’m not really surprised by their confession. The last time green perfumes were “in” was decades ago, before Millennials were even born. They don’t really fit with the current olfactory aesthetics, so they aren’t really familiar. People often define green perfumes to me as “rigid” or “uncomfortable”. I think of green perfumes like I do “green juice”. It’s either something you have a taste for or you don’t…or you have to make yourself have a taste for them. And like drinking “green juice”, you don’t have to wear green perfumes unless you want to! There’s nothing wrong with loving or hating green perfumes. For those of us that love our greens bitter like a shot of wheat grass (or as “poison” as my nephew has said), there’s perfumes like Chabaud Vert d’Eau.
Vert d’Eau opens with citrus. It reminds me a lot of grapefruit peel (even though that isn’t listed as a note). It’s a bitter green citrus with a sulfuric quality. The bitter greenness reminds me of fresh tomato leaves. It wears as lemons and lush, bitter greens. Let me emphasize this again: the heart is green, very green. But, it gets milkier with unripe, tart peaches and fig leaves. Compared to other fig perfumes (like Diptyque Philosykos), Vert d’Eau isn’t milky at all. It’s more balsamic with milky aldehydes (vs the tropical, coconut-y feel in other fig perfumes). Eventually it settles into a scent that reminds me of clean skin washed with a fancy Italian white floral soap.
Like so many other green fragrances, Vert d’Eau is something you’re either going to love wearing or hate wearing. It’s bitter, green and dry. Personally, I love green fragrances, even the more synthetic/soapy ones (like this one). I’m really enjoying Vert d’Eau in the summer heat. It’s everything I’m craving right now: green notes, peaches, figs and fancy neroli bar soaps.
Notes listed include lemon, mandarin orange, peach, fig leaf, white flowers, white musk and cedar.
Give Vert d’Eau a try if you like fresh, green fragrances. Or perfumes like Annick Goutal Folavril, Smell Bent Lobster Cellphone (discontinued), Sisley Eau de Campagne, Miller Harris Le Pamplemousse, Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier Grain de Plaisir and/or Antica Farmacista Fig Leaf line.
Projection and longevity are average (to below average in hot weather).
The 3.4 oz bottle retails for $105 at Osswald. (That’s basically “free” for niche!)
Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Tomato leaf, bitter green floral. I don’t expect for everyone to enjoy this aggressively green fragrance as much as I do, BUT if you like the perfume equivalents of (disgusting) green juice, this is worth checking out.
Want more reviews? Try…
Basenotes – Member reviews
Fragrantica – Member reviews
This really does sound like the perfect antidote to the swampy southern summer! I think I was one of those people who “made” myself like green juices…but not the murky, viscous, room temperature ones. More, the ice-cold, pulp and pith-less ones. Man, I am high maintenance. Where would you say that Chanel No. 19 falls on this spectrum, if at all? I think I have discovered that I actually like this one…
mlleghoul recently posted..Links of the Dead {June 2017}
I’m so picky about my green juice. Like why would I bother with one that is truly unenjoyable? I want a tonic, not punishment. So, add me to the high maintenance club.
Yes, I think Chanel No. 19 is one of the best “greens”. It’s what got me into green perfumes (and is now one of my favorite perfumes ever). Another one that got me into greens is Sisley Eau de Campagne. Then, Chanel Cristalle (more peachy fruity), Balmain Vent Vert, Piguet Futur…these started my green obsession.