Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of meeting the very lovely Benedicte Foucart the woman behind the brand Valeur Absolue. The brand self defines as ‘more than a perfume’ because it blends fragrance with well being. This brand is created by a woman, for women, which means the multifaceted nature of women in the twenty first century is perfectly understood. There are currently five fragrances in the range and the latest releases are Confiance and Serenitude.
The well-being element of the fragrance is evident as soon as you open the box. Each fragrance (there are five in the range) is in a contemporary glass bottle with very clean lines and in the bottom of each bottle are precious stones which reflect that name and nature of the fragrance that it is a part of. The nose behind these fragrance is Pierre Negrin who has worked on many great fragrances including Ralph Lauren, Amouage and David Beckham.
Confiance is the fragrance to go to if you are in need of an extra boost of confidence. If there is a meeting, job interview that you have to get through and you are looking for a fragrance that reflect that – go for Confiance. This fragrance is a warm round blend of vanilla and amber, with cinnamon clove and cedarwood. As the fragrance warms on the skin, the vanilla takes centre stage but the overall effect is subtle.On paper it sound heavy and wintery but in reality there is a lightness about this fragrance, it is neither heady nor headachy.
The vanilla in the fragrance is not only a high quality fragrance note, it has also been chemically proven to help reduce anxiety related to claustrophobia. It is often used to calm patients who are required to undergo an MRI scan. Immortelle extract has also been incorporated into the blend. Immortelle stimulates endorphin production. In addition, calcium and potassium have been added to the blend as they are said to help you regain your equilibrium. The semi precious stone in the fragrance is carnelian which is said to provide protection. I did not think that I would like this – or wear this, but I do and I have found that is great layered with mandarin and orange fragrances.
Serenity is my favourite of the two fragrances. It is spicy at first (cardoman and nutmeg) leading into the damask rose heart that has a touch of bergamot and strengthened by sandalwood and patchouli on the bottom.
Can you believe I like this rose fragrance? Me! As the fragrance dries down the bergamot comes through a bit stronger. The semi precious stone in this fragrance is amazonite. If you are a fan of Lola Rose jewellery you will be familiar with the stone which varies in colour from blue through turquoise to shades of green and is said to have soothing and calming properties.
The fragrance is soft and dries down to a very gentle whisper of fragrance. Like Confiance, Serenitude has the immortelle extract and both fragrances are pthalate and polycyclic musk (PCM) free.
Valeur Absolue is bringing something different to the fragrance market with this edit of five fragrances and definitely worth investigating at House of Fraser where the are sold exclusively either in 45ml (£59.00) or 70ml (£79.00) bottles