After the eau de parfum, here comes the eau de toilette. Narciso Rodriguez launched into perfumery by crafting a first fragrance dedicated to women, and more specifically to his friend Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, who became his muse. Since then, he has continued to captivate with the poetry and sensuality of his creations.
The Narciso fragrance was born in 2014, evoking both the name of the designer Narciso Rodriguez and the myth of Narcissus, a resolutely romantic story with a very strong universal evocative power. Since antiquity, narcissus has symbolized seduction tinged with mystery. Now, in 2019, it is precisely along this line that Narciso Rodriguez has oriented his new fragrance. Building on the scent of the very first Narciso, he created Narciso Rouge, a fragrance more passionate and more opulent than before. So, what about the composition of Narciso Rouge Eau de Toilette? How did Narciso Rodriguez enhance its musk heart to give it more vibrance and intensity?
Musk, an ingredient inseparable from Narciso Rodriguez
Since launching into perfumery, Narciso Rodriguez has simply been fascinated by the scent of musk. As a result, he made it the main ingredient of his compositions. Yet musk is usually placed in the base notes of fragrances. Bold and highly inventive, Narciso Rodriguez does not hesitate to use it in the heart notes of his olfactory recipes. Once again, in the Narciso Rouge fragrance, it becomes the central element. Here, it does nothing but amplify the animalic, seductive side of this fragrance. Indeed, musk is truly an animal raw material that was once extracted from the abdominal glands of an Asian musk deer. However, to obtain it, musk deer generally had to be killed. Since this practice is now banned, the scent of musk is reproduced in laboratories. Prized by perfumers for its complexity and many nuances, musk gives off a strong, seductive, and slightly woody odor. Musk is unmatched at improving the longevity of Narciso Rouge, while amplifying its share of mystery. Here, it symbolizes all the passion that Narciso Rodriguez wanted to embed in his composition.
The other raw materials contained in Narciso Rouge Eau de Toilette
Besides musk, Narciso Rodriguez used two different olfactory families in the Narciso Rouge fragrance. First, he relied on floral ingredients to highlight all the femininity of his fragrance. Bulgarian rose, a great classic of feminine perfumery, retains its very fresh, somewhat lemony character. More fruity than rose absolute, it is ideal in the top notes of fragrances to give them more lightness and romance. Here, in the opening of Narciso Rouge, the rose is joined by iris, one of the noblest flowers in the perfumer's entire palette. Renowned for its elegance, iris gives Narciso Rouge a powdery, refined quality. To balance this floral scent, Narciso Rouge rests on a woodier base. This fragrance concludes with a duet of vetiver and white and black cedarwood. Finally, tonka bean wraps the whole in its almond-like, slightly toasted note. It does nothing but amplify the animalic aspect of the musk, while enhancing the powdery character of the iris. Undeniably, tonka bean helps reinforce the harmony of the whole of Narciso Rouge.