Sniff More Greens this January

Jan 25, 2022

We don’t do food here at e-scents, we do niche fragrance, so for those of you who don’t like kale, we couldn’t help but jump on this as the perfect opportunity to talk about green scents. Not always everyone’s cup of green tea, these herbal, earthy fragrances can be a beautiful olfactory experience if chosen correctly, and we’re here to help you learn what makes them so special

We’ve thrown a couple of niche vegan fragrance brands into the mix too, for anyone attempting Veganuary

In the world of perfumery, green scents represent nature and, well, greenery. They are the trees, the grasses, the earth and even the aquatic plants swaying in the currents. Sometimes packed with freshness and vivacity, and sometimes brooding as a dark forest, there isn’t a part of the green fragrance family that doesn’t cover these ends of the verdant spectrum, and all the viridescent rainbow that lies between

Invoking a sense of renewal and a freshness of life, green perfumes began to appear after the second world war, bringing with them memories of untouched countryside and careless summers. The origins of this fragrance family played on the most powerful part of scent science; its ability to tap into your brain, and they were welcomed with open arms

Add a green note like sage or violet leaves to any scent on the fragrance spectrum and it will make it come alive with a natural freshness. You’ll instantly be transported to a meadow in late summer, or a damp mossy forest as winter turns to spring. They are the ultimate escape scents, and have the ability to make you feel connected and grounded in a way no other scent family can

Perfect examples can be discovered from the armchair travel experts D.S. & Durga. Take Vintage Boston Ivy; ‘A memory of Boston in the 80s. Where green moss & ivy grew next to IRA graffiti and fresh clover was salted by the sea’. Or Coriander; ‘Sparkling leaf, cubeb, green pepper and cracked Ukrainian coriander seed. Cool spices and Black Sea breeze – like the hills above Odessa’. Can you think of a better way to put yourself somewhere else, than by whiffing one of these fragrances, based on the descriptions alone?

Some examples are literal, like Carthusia’s Essence of the Park, an homage to the oxygenated hearts of cities the world over, and some fragrances take a darker turn, like Beaufort London’s Rake & Ruin. It captures an evening in history, a tavern, the botanical ingredients of gin and the dark wood floors on which they were spilt, transporting you to a moment in time you might not have experienced for yourself, but you can now

Wandervogel from the interpretive 27 87 Perfumes takes an aquatic turn by introducing rare Moroccan mint in a modern interpretation of exploring lands unseen. It’s a seriously fresh take on a green scent, but the freshest of the fresh has to be Ulrich Lang’s Apsu. The lush green notes are drenched in crisp clear water, and all you want to do is dive in

But despite all the verde-tinted joy we’ve given you above, we know that green scents might not be your vibe, so as promised we’ve thrown in a little snippet about vegan perfume brands too. New Zealand based brand Abel is 100% plant based. Frances Shoemack has worked hard to find alternative fragrance ingredients which would normally be drawn from animals, to bring you an entire vegan perfume range that more than holds its own against other niche brands

Ellis Brooklyn, although not able to boast a full vegan line, is chock full of literary inspired scents that seamlessly lend themselves to everyday wear. Made with upcycled non-toxic ingredients, all of creator Bee Shapiro’s scents are cruelty-free and ethically sourced. 27 87 Perfumes can also boast a line of fragrances compatible with vegan principles, so if you’re looking to make plant-based changes across all aspects of your life, we suggest you definitely start here