perfume write-ups: violets

assorted brands

For the past couple months I’ve repeatedly wanted to wear something violet-y but didn’t really have any samples that satisfied this urge. (Actually, I did, but I forgot about them. I’ve incorporated them below.) Spring is here, weather is warming, the heavy winter scents are going into retirement, so it seemed like—now is the hour (to go hog wild on violets). I decided to get two violet samplers from Surrender to Chance (this one and this one), plus CB I Hate Perfume’s “Room With A View.”

“Violet” is an important scent in the history of perfumery, as it was one of the first synthetic scents, such that suddenly everything could be scented with violets (and was scented with violets). In short, “violet” went from being an incredibly expensive smell to an unspeakably cheap one. Now, oddly, I don’t think you really see violet scented things much outside of perfume, or at least you don’t in the States. I’ve never seen “violet” scented soap in a store, for instance. It exists and I could order it online, but it’s not like rose or vanilla or lavender. Possibly as a culture we perhaps went a little too hog wild on violets and the pendulum has not swung back.

Beneath the jump: “Zagorsk” (Comme des Garçons), “Insolence” (Guerlain), “Love in Black” (Creed), “Aimez-Moi” (Caron), “Ormonde Woman” (Ormonde Jayne), “Room Service” (Vilhelm Parfumerie), “Splendiris” (Dusita), “Violet & Amber Absolu” (Jo Malone), “Equistrius” (Parfum d’Empire), “Le Parfum de Thérèse” (Frederic Malle), “Duende” (Fantôme), “Sweet Parmesan Violet” (Hilde Soliani), “J’Adore” (Christian Dior), and “Room With A View” (already mentioned).