Bamboo

Bamboo is a grass of the Poaceae family. Bamboo is a giant grass that can reach up to 30 m in height. Bamboo originates from Asia, where it is an integral part of life. In Japan and China, bamboo is associated with several festivals, notably the Bamboo Festival, which pays tribute to it. Bamboo also carries many symbols and represents strength, flexibility, friendship and old age. Bamboo comprises a rhizome, a culm (or stem), branches (or offshoots), and leaves that are borne by the branches. Its trunk is made up of characteristic nodes.

Bamboo, that exotic reed

Even though it has adapted perfectly well to European gardens, bamboo remains for us an exotic reed. While it is possible to obtain a natural bamboo extract for use in cosmetics, bamboo notes are reproduced in perfumery in the laboratory, synthetically. In cosmetics, bamboo is widely used, as it has a high absorption capacity. It fixes colors wonderfully, reduces the bleeding of lipsticks and increases the volume of mascaras. Thanks to bamboo sap, which has an alkaline pH, bamboo is the ideal ally of aqueous creams. In perfumery, the exotic reed offers green, fresh tonalities, but also woody and aquatic ones. It is therefore found in numerous compositions, both masculine and feminine.

The bamboo note and its association in perfumery with the olfactory families

Thanks to the freshness it gives off, bamboo is mainly found in aromatic, citrus and floral fragrances. It appears in Eau Torride by Givenchy, a citrus-aromatic. Here, bamboo is positioned as a top note, alongside bergamot, lemon and mandarin for an ultra-fresh effect. Bamboo is also found in Light Blue by Dolce & Gabbana, a floral-fruity where bamboo sits in the heart notes, accompanied by jasmine and rose. Another floral-fruity where bamboo offers all its freshness is Rose de Courrèges, by Courrèges. Here, bamboo sits in the top notes alongside peach and grapefruit. Bamboo can nonetheless also be found in woody fragrances such as Habit Rouge Sport, by Guerlain. For this masculine fragrance, bamboo appears as a top note, accompanied by pink pepper and orange. It then offers its green, damp freshness.

Originating from Asia, bamboo has managed to adapt to our gardens. Also called the exotic reed, bamboo is heavily used in cosmetics for the many properties it offers there. In perfumery, the bamboo note is represented synthetically. Thanks to its fresh, woody and aquatic scents, bamboo is highly prized in aquatic, citrus or floral compositions.