Lavender is soothing to the spirit, strengthening, relaxing as it galvanizes; the essence takes off some of life’s sharper edges. D’s mum Daphne always sends us big sachets of bundled dried lavender from their Norfolk garden on special occasions, and for me there is no better exemplar of this flower on the planet; the scent penetrating but in perfect harmony with itself; herbal; floral; indigo, mauve and blue… .I place it, press it under my pillow to release the fragrance then turn the pillow over. Sleep is immediately more nourishing.
Lavincense, a new release from Hermetica Paris, a vegan, cruelty free ‘clean’ perfumer whose fragrances come in a more mellow, oil form than the usual bracing alcohol format, is a very warming, musky, smoothed out lavender, lavandin and sage composition that captures well the ‘goodness ‘of lavender, fusing it with a more sensual musk and incense base that is somewhere between Serge Lutens’ Gris Clair (angrier, harsher, more flinty) and Jean Paul Gaultier’s Le Mâle (lazier, more slovenly). An easy wear, calming and grounding, this perfume is one for the more solid, contented days of just mozying about the house by yourself, or for casual lunches in a local cafe with good friends in your latest winter knitwear. Simple, but a scent with a positive, easygoing aura.
The Black Narcissus 
Nice write up! I’ve been curious about Hermetica. How does their scent format compare to typical alcohol-based fragrances in terms of strength?
Quite long lasting actually : I tried Vaninight – a vanilla / sandalwood – yesterday and it lasted all day. The frankincense crystals didn’t come out in Lavincense until a few hours later so there is definitely gradation. – overall it’s smoothly put together and the oil-based aspect adds to thar
Thanks! Sounds intriguing.
Loved this post…especially because this morning after I made up my bed, I sprayed. The sheets with Molinard’s Lavande. Hopefully, I will have a peaceful sleep tonight.
Loving our lavender-scented synchronicity
I have grown to love perfume oils through my Arab-style attars. I prefer the way they gently warm up on the body and release their layers with your every movement. Quite different from western perfumes with their initial alcoholic bombast and subsequent dissipation.
Just looked at the Hermetica site, they have some very intriguing selections. Multilotus and Figfever sound fantastic.
Sage, lavandin, and lavender remind me of summer evenings in my native Sonoma. I shall have to try it!
It is not ‘ravishing’,if you know what I mean, but pleasing and mellow. I liked the sound of multilotus as well.
Even just reading the word lavender relaxes me!
Lavincense sounds appealing. We have lavender growing everywhere here; we have little rain in the summer months and it thrives with neglect. Like you, I love lavender sachets. We make monster ones here from the French and English bushes in the garden, as big as a brick. A couple of squeezes under the pillow, as you do, and the bedroom positively vibrates.
We also have a new lavender farm up in the highlands overlooking Sechelt inlet. Ric got me some of their lavender body butter. Holy smokes, it’s almost as strong as lavender essential oil. Touch the surface and it just melts immediately. Heady, beautiful stuff. I smooth it over my shins and I get clouds of lavender wafting up for hours.
Your description of Gris Clair is spot on. I do like it a lot. My favourite might be Lavande Velours. It really does smell velvety somehow.
I adore that and must get D to start wearing it again – he smells incredible in it.
THAT LAVENDER BUTTER THOUGH
I can imagine it going well with Gris Clair, as there was also something lacking in it that needed to be filled up, and yet it also has it own distinctive aspect that I quite like.
I often forget how much I enjoy lavander fragrances, until I read something about a lavander fragrance and realize how many I actually own.
This one sounds rather lovely and soothing. Just what we need this winter.
The final accord is perhaps a little too basic here ( not your thing ), but overall I rather liked this.
What is your finest lavender ?
I love it in Ma Liberté, and Moment Supreme by Jean Patou, Eau d’Elide by Diptyque, and Pour un Homme de Caron, but I have the dregs of a vintage bottle of Yardley’s English Lavender that are just so simple and perfect.