Despite frequent references to colors in perfumery, such as “blue” for marine and “gold” for amber, GREEN is the color that truly creates a direct association between sight and smell in blind tests. It’s no wonder that it’s the only olfactory subfamily named after a color. As part of the aromatic family, green fragrances focus on elements of nature, with notes and accords that evoke the smells of forests, fields, and farms, including leaves, buds, stems, grasses, and roots. This perhaps presents their biggest challenge: Are people interested in wearing perfumes that exude aromas reminiscent of environments or products like toothpaste (mint) and disinfectant (pine)?
Green notes differ from herbaceous, spicy notes like rosemary, basil, tarragon, marjoram, and thyme, which are more closely associated with flavors, used in food. Green notes are typically bitter and dry, each with particular undertones such as citrus, watery, vegetal, woody, or fruity, imparting a nature-like feel. Both herbaceous and green notes are essential components of aromatic fragrances and add freshness to various compositions. Examples of green notes are provided below.
Galbanum: The “king” of green ingredients, galbanum, a plant resin, is known for its persistent, bitter, vegetal aroma. It’s sometimes used to build intense green accords and other times as a key component of green florals and green chypres.
Violet leaves: Unlike the violet note, which is powdery, slightly woody, and with a cosmetic vibe, violet leaves smell watery, ozonic, and grassy, with a sporty vibe. This note is more common in men’s fragrances, such as fougères and aquatics.
Mint: Mint is the ultimate cooling note. When used as the main theme, the challenge with it is to avoid a toothpaste-like scent. However, it comes very handy in building fougère accords, enhancing lavender and geranium.
Pine needles: Pine is the most well-known conifer tree, and the note comes from its needles. Balancing green and woody aspects, its odor is sharp, cold, tangy, and slightly balsamic. Mostly used in men’s fragrances, it is today seen as old-fashioned.
Tomato leaves: With a unique and very distinctive smell, tart and vegetal, tomato leaves are evocative of the outdoors. This note is a key component of the groundbreaking Eau de Campagne (“country water”), released by Sisley in 1976.
Lemongrass: Often mistaken for verbena, lemongrass is a green note with a particular lemony facet. Evocative of spas due to its relaxing and energizing vibe, it can also be associated with functional products like soaps and air fresheners.
Rhubarb: Also used as a culinary ingredient, rhubarb has a sharp, tart, vegetal, and slightly fruity smell. This note has been gaining popularity for its ability to enhance fruity floral accords, providing a non-gourmand mouth-watering effect.
Fig leaves: While the aroma of ripe figs is rich, lactonic, with honeyed and coconut-y accents, fig leaves have a sharp, bitter green aroma with hints of the fruit. In perfumery, the note is typically obtained using the aroma chemical Stemone.
Eucalyptus: Eucalyptus is characteristic of saunas due to its ultra-fresh, invigorating properties. Very distinctive and dominating, it’s rarely used in perfumery and, when it is, it is often combined with mint, pine needles, and patchouli.
Other green notes include: Angelica root (musky, spicy), Blackcurrant buds (tangy, fruity), and Mate (herbal, tarry).
(from top to bottom, left to right: galbanum, violet/leaves, spearmint, pine needles, tomato/leaves, lemongrass, rhubarb, fig/leaves, eucalyptus, angelica, blackcurrant/buds, mate)
Balmain’s Vent Vert (1947), meaning “green breeze” in French, was composed by the daring perfumer Germaine Cellier and launched right after World War II. It is considered the first green floral, with a hefty dose of galbanum comprising 8% of the concentrate, which was unprecedented at the time. The Italian brand Pino Silvestre (1955) introduced its eponymous masculine fragrance that intertwined a blend of aromatics (citruses, basil, juniper, sage, lavender, geranium) with an accord of pine needles, cedar, and oakmoss, evocative of a forest. Geoffrey Beene’s Grey Flannel (1975) is an innovative take on the fougère genre, featuring a striking accord of galbanum, violet leaves, and oakmoss, enveloped by powdery ionones. Sisley’s Eau de Campagne (1976), created by Jean-Claude Ellena, is considered the first truly green fragrance, highlighted by a striking note of tomato leaves.
GREEN FRAGRANCE PICKS
L’Artisan Parfumeur’s Premier Figuier, 1994 (fig, fig leaves)
Lorenzo Villoresi’s Yerbamate, 2001 (mate, tea, grass, hay, tarragon, mint)
Comme des Garçons’ Amazingreen, 2012 (green pepper, palm tree, ivy)
Aedes de Venustas’ Signature, 2012 (rhubarb, tomato leaves, cannabis)
Olfactive Studio’s Panorama, 2014 (galbanum, fig leaves, violet leaves, wasabi)
État Libre d’Orange’s Your Or Someone Like Me, 2017 (mint, blackcurrant buds)
Akro’s Haze, 2018 (eucalyptus, mint, absinthe)
Parfums Dusita’s Erawan, 2018 (hay, vetiver, vanilla)
Amouage’s Portrayal Man, 2019 (violet leaves, vetiver)
Frédéric Malle’s Synthetic Nature, 2021 (galbanum, blackcurrant buds, hyacinth, patchouli)
(text by Daniel Barros)
