Bay

Thus the bay note is present in attractive sporty or natural masculine fragrances but also, to a much lesser extent, in feminine oriental fragrances.

The bay note thanks to the essential oil of pimenta racemosa or “bois d’Inde”

Like many trees or shrubs of the West Indies, pimenta racemosa is one of those hard-wooded, resistant trees that West Indians seek to use both for its unfailing sturdiness and for its therapeutic or fragrant virtues.

Pimenta racemosa or “Bois d’Inde” yields, through its leaves, an essential oil as divinely fragrant as it is beneficial to health, notably for hair beauty and growth. Moreover, the leaves of pimenta racemosa mixed with rum and water are used to create an aftershave well known to West Indians, “bay rum”.

In perfumery, the shrub produces the famous “bay” note, which enriches fougère, citrus or aromatic fragrances for men with a touch of spice that is both fresh and powerful.

Masculine fragrances and the sharp, fresh essence of bay

Contrary to what its name might suggest, the bay olfactory note is obtained through the distillation of the leaves of the pimenta racemosa tree, not of its small black berries, cousins of myrtle. Be that as it may, the bay note is highly appreciated by masculine perfume creators.

Trophée by Lancôme as well as Eau Sauvage Extrême by Dior, two very characteristic fragrances of the 1980s in which the man is sporty and dynamic, feature the bay note in the heart of their citrus and aromatic compositions. In Trophée, the “bay” note is joined by patchouli, cedarwood and jasmine; in Eau Sauvage Extrême, jasmine and sandalwood accompany coriander and the divine spicy bay note.

Escada pour homme by Escada, released in 1994, does not hesitate to use the bay note alongside powerful fragrances as well as flowers and spices. Bay is thus found in the heart of this beautiful oriental, accompanied by carnation, geranium and cinnamon.

Finally, MONTANA GREEN by Montana uses the bay note to create new accords, this time rather aromatic, spicy and fougère, for a fragrance that exhales the bay note as a top note, just like the fine woody and chypre XS Extrême.

Although essentially very masculine, the bay note is also sometimes present to bring a touch of powerful, spicy originality to feminine oriental fragrances. Some, like Enjoli Midnight, use the bay note as a base note to leave a persistent, spicy sillage, while others, such as Diamonds & Rubies by Elizabeth Taylor, do not hesitate to use bay as a top note paired with citrus!