The realm of green or natural fragrance is pretty small. Long gone of the days when a hydrosol (flower water) is considered to have the complexity or longevity that consumers want and the continued obsession with celebrity means that for many, if X person wore it, a large percentage of the populous wants it.
Additionally the manufacture of fragrance is not necessarily the most sustainable process. There are lots of synthetic ingredients available which smell amazing. For some who are seeking a green fragrance, the use of a synthetic feels like an oxymoron.That said, the air miles involved in shipping a ‘natural’ ingredient around the world is rarely discussed when talking about projection and sillage of a fragrance
There is a real opportunity for ‘green’ brands to create a fragrance which meets consumers desire to be aspirational,smell beautiful be ethically sourced. As my journey thorugh my orange obsession continues I came across these ‘natural’ options.
Pacifica Blood Orange Solid Perfume (£10.00)
American brand Pacifica has been on my radar for years and thankfully is getting easier and easier to purchase. There are fifteen fragrances in the range and interestingly it is the gardenia not the orange blossom that is my favourite. This Blood Orange is very sweet in quite a teenager way. Blood Orange Pacifica style is a juicy orange pulp. It is the juiciness that I find addictive and the solid perfume is less saccharine sweet than the roller ball or the aerosol.
Solid fragrances look like a lip balm but you apply it to the skin. The volatile chemicals in the fragrance are released as the fragrance warms the coconut oil and soy wax base. This fragrance has not projection or silage, but, it is a great anchor for fragrances that you spray on top. A different way to layer fragrance, that really works. Try it with a cologne or a spicy scent to incorporate a little sweetness.
Weleda Grenade (£19.95)
Firstly big thanks to my twitter pal @chronicbeauty for giving me the heads up on this product. Weleda is one of my favourite brands. I had the pleasure of visiting their biodynamic farm in Derby which I wrote about here and here. They launched three fragrances last year and Grenade is the one that for me typifies the Weleda experience. A strange thing to say as Weleda use so many botanicals and every product range smells different. Having said that – if you didn’t tell me that this fragrance was made by Weleda, I would know it was.
Despite the fact the sea buckthorn is not a listed note, I swear that when I spritz this fragrance I can smell it. Grenade is a blend of neroli (obvs), vanilla and davana which is also known as artemis. Grenade is like neroli by the beach. There is definitely something ozonic about it but I really like that. It is very fresh, has pretty good longevity but has the hit of orange blossom that I need.
Whilst these fragrances define themselves as natural, they are not only for people looking for a green fragrances option. They stand alone as beautiful and affordable scents.