The violet could also be a spring flower, however I appear to get pleasure from violet-scented merchandise most in the summertime. A couple of years in the past I even wrote a round-up of violet-fraganced physique merchandise and Robin titled it “A summer time of violets.” Now that point has develop into weirder and extra fluid than ever in 2020, why not get pleasure from any flower at any time when we select — by way of fragrance? Since violet fragrances typically make me really feel a little bit extra serene and pulled-together than I actually am, I have been sporting them typically lately.
Netherlands-based indie perfumer Hiram Inexperienced has simply launched a brand new pure perfume named Vivacious, with notes of bergamot, violet, carnation, orris and amber, that guarantees to “zing your life” because it shifts from “vivid and joyful” to “heat and opulent.” Inexperienced says he began engaged on a violet-centered fragrance about seven years in the past, then set it apart and solely lately returned to the thought. I am glad he did.
Vivacious is described as a violet perfume “up to date for the 21st century,” the form of phrase that usually makes me nervous. Nevertheless, violet-lovers needn’t concern. Vivacious preserves violet’s inexperienced and mushy facets, situating them inside a streamlined composition that does not dumb something down (or fruit-berry it up). It opens with a sunny, outdoorsy impression of violet, during which notes of grass and hay make me think about a area of the tiny purple flowers. The violet observe goes extra candied in Vivacious’s coronary heart, however by no means candy sufficient to show this right into a “girlish” scent. As a substitute, the violet’s powderiness is balanced by a frivolously spicy carnation observe. In the event you’re somebody (like me) who loves Guerlain Après l’ondée, you may smile throughout this part of Vivacious.
An hour or so after I’ve utilized it, Vivacious smells much less like a violet-and-carnation bouquet with inexperienced leaves and extra like a scattering of violets in a wood trinket field. Its base is a really light amber; like the remainder of Vivacious, it has no laborious edges or corners. The violets linger, turning duskier and a little bit waxy. Though Vivacious smells extra conventionally female in its introduction and coronary heart, its dry down is extra gender-neutral. This perfume has low sillage and lasts 4 to 5 hours on my pores and skin.
I’ve loved sniffing Hiram Inexperienced’s Slowdive and Arbolé Arbolé earlier than, and I do know that Kevin and Angela (respectively) have loved reviewing them and others from this line. Vivacious feels extra “me” than any earlier Hiram Inexperienced perfume I’ve tried to this point (Lustre continues to be on my to-sniff listing) and I am craving a full bottle. It makes me really feel calmed and quietly cheered moderately than vivified (if that is a phrase), which is precisely what I would like proper now.
Hiram Inexperienced Vivacious is obtainable as 50 ml Eau de Parfum ($165) at Indigo Perfumery, Luckyscent and First in Perfume.
