The scent of spring

Spring invites us to join in the rebirth of nature, which, in perfumery terms, translates into a torrent of floral and vegetal notes. In addition, the perfumer's palette is filled with fruity notes like never before. We invite you to discover the scent of spring.

Rose, jasmine, magnolia, hyacinth, orange blossom, lily of the valley… The floral notes allow us to feel the freshness and energy of spring with their delicate, feminine scent that shines even brighter with the addition of green notes that evoke the fragrance of freshly cut grass bathed in morning dew.
"Solar flowers, such as orange blossom, jasmine and ylang ylang, dress our skin with warmth, sensuality, joy and well-being," explains Adela Sanchez, Trainer Fragrance at Shiseido. "While the green or earthy notes, such as violet leaf, fig leaf, vetiver and pine, immerse us in an olfactory experience that evokes a walk in the countryside," she adds.

The rain that gives way to flowers is the inspiration for Aqua Allegoria Florabloom, a new Guerlain creation that evokes the superblooms of the desert. White flowers, roses, notes of iris and violets merge on a background of moss, culminating in unctuous, solar facets.
The Grasse Centifolia Rose, queen of perfumery since the 19th century, when the hybrid was created that gave rise to this delicate flower that is hand-picked during its three-week flowering period, stands out. Spikenard is also very present, in the form of an ointment obtained by enfleurage on Grasse vegetable butter, an absolute and a CO2 extraction of Indian spikenard that reveals unctuous facets, thanks to a mango accord.

According to perfumer Jérôme di Marino, there is a trend towards more natural perfumes in terms of olfactory notes. "There is a return to more direct floral notes with white flowers and the return of rose in women's perfumes," he says.
Floral and herbaceous, the note of Iris Pallida, known as the "blue gold of Grasse", gives life to L'Occitane's new fragrance, Herbae. The composition vibrates with a natural extract of Iris Pallida, which blooms in the heart of Provence, unfolding an addictive and refreshing floral symphony.
Iris is one of the most precious and expensive raw materials in perfumery. The absolute of the flower is obtained from an extraction of its roots, which must be peeled, washed and dried, before being crushed and distilled to obtain what is called butter or concrete. This long and complex process, coupled with its low yield, makes it one of the most valuable raw materials for perfumers.

Spring is the common thread running through Issey Miyake's new L'Eau d'Issey. "I wanted to create fragrances that offer an interplay of colour and matter, warmed by the vibrant rays of spring. Violet and lavender radiate the same shade of colour. I combined them with new luminous ingredients while maintaining the brand's signature aquatic freshness," says perfumer Marie Salamagne, author of L'Eau d'Issey Solar Violet and L'Eau d'Issey pour homme Solar Lavender.
The spring garden is the main concept of Brilliant Peony, from Clean Reserve H2 Eau Collection. "I created this fragrance to evoke the sensation of smelling the peony on the shores of Lake Como in Italy. The goal was to keep the floral fresh and wet, so I combined it with Italian bergamot to further capture the essence of the region," explains perfumer Catherine Selig. It should be noted that this brand's perfumes have been developed by Takasago with a water base, without ethyl alcohol, which makes them interesting for people with sensitive skin.

"The scent of jasmine embodies for me something that belongs to the order of absolute beauty. When it reaches our brain, the scent of its flowers provokes an immediate sensation of happiness. Narcotic and captivating, familiar and distant at the same time, jasmine is a source of confusion, evoking the sweetness of Mediterranean gardens, mixed with intoxicating exotic, almost animalic scents", writes the sourcer Dominique Roques in the book The Scentfinder.
Transparent and luminous, but also characterised by its sensual and animalic soul, jasmine takes on a thousand faces in fragrances, depending on how it is used in the perfume score. We find it in Daisy Wild by Marc Jacobs, a fragrance that combines jasmine, vetiver and banana blossom to express a sense of connection with nature and a free spirit. Also, in the new Miss Dior, the work of Francis Kurkdjian, creative director of Parfums Dior, which recreates Provençal evenings with jasmine as a counterpoint incorporating a fruity facet. This gustatory twist takes us into a new olfactory terrain, that of gourmand floral notes.

Although summer fruits are still a couple of months away from their peak of sweetness, crunchy, sweet and sour and juicy fruit notes fill the spring fragrances with taste nuances. "Their juiciness offers youth, sweetness and fun: pineapple, peach, pear, coconut and red fruits delight the younger generation. A real addiction for this season full of romanticism", reveals Adela Sánchez.
Although until a few years ago, fruity notes were mostly used in fragrances aimed at a teenage audience, the expansion and diversification of the perfumer's palette, with exotic fruits and more vivid and realistic notes, is boosting their presence in compositions of great creative height.

Perfumer Ramón Monegal explains that fruity notes were not contemplated in perfumery, except in Cyprus compositions. "Except for citrus, all fruity notes (strawberry, peach, pineapple, melon…) are synthetic. But the evolution from classic to modern is to lower the flower and raise the rest (spices, balsam, resins, woods…)," he explains.
There is also a cultural reason, says Monegal, why fruity notes have been little used in the past in Europe (except for citrus). Today, under the influence of oriental perfumery, fruits have flooded olfactory compositions.
Today, new technologies such as Jungle EssenceTM, patented in 2007 by the fragrance house Mane, make it possible to capture odoriferous molecules from flowers and fruits for industrial-scale production with a vivacity never seen before. This technique, in line with green chemistry processes, has made it possible to create natural extracts of pineapple, passion fruit, raspberry, coconut and plum, to name but a few. And it continues to evolve, offering perfumers multiple possibilities: "We take, for example, the osmanthus flower, known for its apricot fragrance, and then mix it with peach - the result is an extract that works very well," says Serge Majoullier, the company's Vice-President Perfumer, Creative Expert "Naturels d'exception".

Apple, pear, cherry and peach take centre stage in fragrances such as Eden Sparkling Lychee /39 by Kayali (red apple), My Way Eau de Parfum Nectar by Giorgio Armani (pear), Q Eau de Parfum Intense by Dolce&Gabbana (cherry) and À Fleur de Pêche by L'Artisan Parfumeur (peach).
From Le Secret du Marais, Marta Tamayo, Communications and Marketing Director of this select boutique of signature fragrances, located in the heart of Madrid, reveals her favourite perfumes for this season: "Sabrage, by Anomalia Paris; Tilia de Marc, by Antoine Barrois; Cèdre Figalia, by Atelier Materi; 312, Saint-Honoré, by BDK Parfums; and Petit Matin, by Maison Francis Kurkdjian. There are quite a few because I like to change according to my mood and the occasion," she says. An attractive selection of fragrances with no shortage of white flowers and musks, as well as sparkling and juicy fruity notes.