Native to Indonesia, this aromatic plant has almost no smell in the earth. It is first necessary to dry its leaves and to let them ferment for its odorous molecules to form. After distillation, the oil must be aged in barrels for several months to allow optimal use. When ready, Pogostemon cablin reveals a powerful woody and earthy scent with smoky, camphorated, syrupy and even musty accents. Some say it recalls the smell of a damp cellar. Greatly appreciated in France by women of easy virtue at the end of the 19th century, patchouli was for a long time considered a little vulgar. Then the hippie generation of the 70's adopted it as a symbol of freedom and popularized the fragrance. Although it no longer carries a scandalous reputation, its powerful scent continues to fascinate and is used in both feminine and masculine compositions.

This is undoubtedly one of the most used ingredients in the men's fragrances of the 60s, giving off a very elegant earthy, smoky and root-like impression, with "green grapefruit" inflections. Its potency conjures up the image of a majestic tree, but the Vetiveria Zizanoides is in reality a small plant with green tufts and very deep roots. The oil is obtained by distillation of the roots, with two major sourcings, Java in Indonesia, for a particularly smoky variety, and Haiti. Vetiver is used as a base note.

Born at the end of the 19th century at the Tsars' court, this olfactory theme became fashionable in Europe, where it took the name Cuir de Russie (Russian Leather). Each fragrance house proposed its own interpretation, but the basic ingredients remained the same: smoked birch, cade wood and styrax. At the time, the scent of leather was associated with the smell of Cossacks' boots, which were tanned with burnt birch to make them more supple and waterproof. The leather accord became very popular in the 1920s in Europe, and was worn by women who wished to become emancipated. Today, a wide spectrum of leathers is offered, from classic smoky wood-honey-animal-tobacco type accords to notes imitating supple suede.

As its name suggests, it belongs to the woody family. It intervenes in the heart and in the base, which brings a sort of verticality to the perfumes. In perfumery, we can use different types of cedar with more or less accentuated olfactory facets. The most commonly used is Virginia cedar, Juniperus Virginiana, with the typical odor that emerges when sharpening a pencil: woody, dry, slightly spicy and creamy. It is quite different from the two other major varieties used in perfumery, Texas cedar, which is drier, and Atlas cedar, which is animal and leathery.

Lavandula X Intermedia is a hybrid cross between fine lavender and lavender aspic, which provides better yields. Its small violet-blue flower heads as well as its flower sachets sold in local markets are the emblem of Provence. Its purplish flower spikes are carried by long stems. Steam distillation produces an aromatic, fresh, herbaceous, camphorated and aniseed oil. This heart note is found in Colognes as well as in the Fougère accord, emblematic of men's fragrances.

The real name of the variety that floods market stalls with sunshine is the pomelo. Botanists prefer to talk about Citrus x paradisi. As with other citrus fruits, its oil is extracted by cold expression of the rind. Its scent differs from the orange by a slightly green bitterness. In a perfume, it conveys a similar very fresh, fruity, juicy sensation, with tart and slightly sulphurous undertones. With its high volatility, it fuses and adds vibrancy to any composition.