Green note

The green note corresponds to natural fragrances, of fresh leaves, cut stems, grass, morning dew… In short, these are all vegetal and spring-like scents. The raw materials used to recreate green notes are often absolutes, derived from flowers or leaves, buds or plant roots. The most widely used raw material is galbanum. Green notes can also be recreated using synthetic molecules, such as cis-3-hexenol, which recalls the scent of freshly cut grass.

Green notes, freshness and more freshness

Since the mid-twentieth century, green notes have been on the rise. The first time green notes were discovered with such intensity in a perfume was in a Balmain creation from 1947, Vent Vert. It is galbanum, long shunned, that is used here. In a composition, green notes bring an impression of greenery and intense freshness. Different scents and nuances are available within “green notes”, and it is even sometimes possible to obtain fragrances close to flowers such as jonquil or lily. Many perfume creators were subsequently enthralled by green notes, such as Chanel with its N°19. Galbanum is positioned here as a top note associated with bergamot, neroli and hyacinth. The last perfume chosen by Gabrielle Chanel herself is a very bold composition.

The pairing of the green note with different olfactory families

Today, green notes are widely used in perfumery. They are present in many olfactory families. Green notes blend very easily into floral perfumes. A famous floral perfume where galbanum is present as a top note is Anaïs Anaïs by Cacharel. The heart is composed of a thoroughly floral bouquet thanks to the pairing of rose, ylang-ylang, lily and lily of the valley. The base is woody, soft and amber, notably thanks to amber and cedarwood… A great floral and romantic perfume. Green notes are also found in chypre and fougère perfumes. Indeed, green notes paired with oakmoss or vetiver produce extremely fresh fragrances. This is the case for Azzaro pour Homme L'Eau by Azzaro, where green notes are positioned as a heart note. The base notes, such as vetiver, patchouli and sandalwood, offer a sillage that is delicately woody and musky. The tone of this Azzaro is greener and more aquatic than its predecessor.

Because they present multiple fragrances, green notes enchant us, refresh us and remind us of renewal, like the start of spring… Fresh grass, cut stems, morning dew, dried leaves, everything here makes us dream freshly! Green notes, reproduced through synthetic molecules, are currently indispensable assets to the world of perfumery.