Heritage brand is a phrase that gets used alot in the beauty industry but Roger and Gallet have been in the business of perfumery since 1862 so they truly deserve that moniker. In the UK, Roger and Gallet came to prominence for their soaps and they remain best known for bath and body products but they started as a perfumer and retain their heritage in this realm. My favourite fragrance from this range is Bois D’Orange. It hits you with zesty mandarin, lemon verbena and basil at the top. Then you get the floral orange blossom and neroli which take you into woody amber rosewood and cedar. This fragrance is cool, clean, sharp crisp and light.
I have the ‘Eau Fraiche’ which means that it has a lower concentration of essential oils than an eau de toilette or cologne (generally one to four percent). After the initial burst of green and citrus, it dries down to a very gentle hint of floral. The thirty ml size means that a mid morning and early evening spritz are portable.
Roger and Gallet will tell you that this will transport you to an Andalusian garden but for me, the basil note really take the fragrance from warm southern hemisphere Mediterranean cologne to cool northern hemisphere woodland especially when it is first sprayed. Like a brisk walk on a crisp morning, this fragrance is refreshing and glorious. Wear it on it’s own, layer it over an oud or spice fragrance the accessible sizes and price point mean that you can spray it liberally and enjoy.
Roger and Gallet Bois D’Orange is available from John Lewis and other authorised stockists. Prices start from seventeen pounds.
PR Sample