Vanilla

Vanilla originates from Mexico. Then called Tlilxochilt, vanilla was used to flavor cacao, a drink made of honey, corn flour, and chili pepper. In 1516, vanilla arrived at the Spanish court under the name vanilla. Vanilla is the fruit of a green orchid called Planifolia Andrews, or also Tahitensis. The vanilla plant needs a warm, humid climate, as well as a support to climb on. Originally from Mexico, vanilla now comes from Madagascar and the island of La Réunion.

Vanilla, perfumery’s inexhaustible treasure

From its arrival in France in the sixteenth century, vanilla captivated perfume creators. Indeed, it alone brings together several hundred different odorous molecules. The scent we know as vanilla is at once a fatty, sweet, and spicy fragrance. Vanillin has been produced through chemical synthesis since the late nineteenth century. With vanilla, creators have had a field day… The trend was launched thanks to Guerlain’s Shalimar, whose central note is vanilla. Later, Yves Saint-Laurent would drive everyone wild with his very famous Opium. Here, vanilla is the master of the game. Thanks to a subtle blend of florals and spices, Opium is and will remain a sulfurous, almost provocative fragrance… Widely used in oriental perfumes, vanilla blends very well with other fragrances.

The wonderful pairings of vanilla

Very often paired with spices, vanilla reveals its warm, sensual, and flavorful side. Vanilla is a fragrance found in many oriental perfumes, to the great delight of women… but also men. Paired with candy, licorice, or cake accords, vanilla is enjoyed in a gourmand way. This brings to mind the first Lolita Lempicka perfume, which tempts us… Here, vanilla is judiciously paired with licorice and amarena cherry, giving the fragrance an enchantment with every passing second. Vanilla also pairs very well with the woody family, as is the case with Serge Lutens’s Bois Vanille. Here, vanilla is rich, reminiscent of velvet. Paired with almond paste, sandalwood, and beeswax, this fragrance expresses the riches of a vanished world… With floral notes, vanilla reveals all its femininity, as shown by Fragonard’s Notes de Vanille. Here, vanilla is paired with ylang-ylang, rose, and citrus. The result is an irresistibly feminine, fresh fragrance that can be worn in every season.

Originally from Mexico, the vanilla orchid has conquered the world and flavors of every kind. The vanilla pod has long delighted perfume creators. Endowed with multiple and varied scents, vanilla has managed to work its way into some very great perfumes. Paired with other scents, vanilla can be by turns floral, flowery, spicy, sensual, warm, fresh, woody… Whatever the pairing it is part of, vanilla remains unquestionably dazzling.