Herba Fresca is a unisex fragrance from Guerlain's Aqua Allegoria collection. It is captivating in its freshness while nonetheless being steeped in sunlight.
Ultra vivid and particularly fresh, Aqua Allegoria Herba Fresca is part of the Guerlain house's private collection of Aqua Allegoria, which celebrates nature. Released in 1999, Aqua Allegoria Herba Fresca was created by Jean-Paul Guerlain. Speaking of this fragrance, the perfumer states that Herba Fresca is a fragrance that reminds him of his garden. This aromatic garden is a refuge for all the scented plants he loves. He goes there every day and feels good there…
Jean-Paul Guerlain, at the heart of the Aqua Allegoria fragrances
The primary purpose of the Aqua Allegoria collection is to pay tribute to nature and the magnificent raw materials it offers. Somewhere between a parfum and an Eau de Cologne, yet resembling neither, the fragrances of the Aqua Allegoria collection are entirely original. They tell the story of olfactory journeys across the world, bringing back ingredients from China, India, Madagascar, Italy, Venezuela and many other faraway lands. All the fragrances created by Jean-Paul Guerlain are luminous and sparkling. Grandson of perfumer Jacques Guerlain, who taught him everything, Jean-Paul Guerlain has been the house's third perfumer since 1959. He received a genuine tribute in 2016, when a rose was named Jean-Paul Guerlain… Aside from the Aqua Allegoria collections, nearly all created by Jean-Paul Guerlain, he is also responsible for Habit Rouge, Jardins de Bagatelle and Samsara. Today, it is Thierry Wasser who leads the olfactory creations of the Guerlain house.
Guerlain and the ultra-green touch of Aqua Allegoria Herba Fresca
Jean-Paul Guerlain wanted his new Aqua Allegoria essence to reflect the garden of Les Mesnuls, the garden of the Guerlain family estate. An endless source of inspiration for Jean-Paul Guerlain, the garden of Les Mesnuls is meant to be aromatic and richly floral. This is why Aqua Allegoria Herba Fresca is defined as an essence that is both natural and spontaneous.
It evokes the smell of grass at daybreak, just after the morning dew. Its composition immediately takes flight on a blend of very green, citrus notes, made up of four-leaf clover, a symbol of good fortune, and Italian lemon. The heart is full of greenery, combining green tea and curly mint. Finally, the base is meant to be more delicate, bringing more feminine, more floral tones through the presence of lily of the valley, another symbol of good luck, cyclamen and pear blossom. Lily of the valley, also called Lily of the Valley, is a perennial herbaceous plant. Lily of the valley is currently the emblem of May 1. This tradition dates back to the Renaissance. Indeed, in 1561, Charles IX decided to give a sprig of lily of the valley to all those close to him as a token of good luck.
From the twentieth century onward, lily of the valley has been permanently associated with Labor Day, and its little bells are famous the world over… In perfumery, the lily of the valley note is highly prized. Because lily of the valley is a “mute” flower, it is recreated in the laboratory using synthetic molecules. Lily of the valley gives off tones that are at once fresh, green, floral and delicate. Of course, the Aqua Allegoria collection would be nothing without the magnificent and legendary Bee Bottle of 1853…