Here’s the thing about really versatile fragrance notes: they should never be static. For example, I want a rose to smell different depending on what type of fragrance it’s used in—in some scents, it should smell sharp and young, while in others, it should smell sweet and warm. No matter what, however, a rose scent should always be unmistakably rosey.
This is the case for any universally blendable fragrance notes, but it’s particularly true for vetiver, a note you’ve likely seen crop up in many different fragrances. Vetiver is a grass native to India and Southeast Asia. Depending on what region of the world it comes from, the way it smells can vary quite a bit—some can be clean and fresh, while others can be smoky and deep. It always adds a crisp, earthy greenness to scents, and it’s a calling card for cool people everywhere.
Key Notes: Bergamot, pink pepper, Haitian vetiver, cedar sandalwood, oakmoss, myrrh, musk. This green perfume is spiked with 25% vetiver, which is about three times the normal concentration. Don’t worry, you won’t end up smelling like a lawnmower (though who doesn’t love the scent of freshly cut grass?). It’s made with a rare vetiver oil that nixes vetiver’s bitter tendencies for a crisp take on the scent that’s balanced with a woody blend.
Key Notes: Italian bergamot, Italian mandarin, lime, cardamome, Tunisian neroli, rose, taragon, ginger, vetiver. This fragrance will instantly transport your senses to an idyllic meadow in the woods. It’s spicy, woody, and grassy, but it’s still soft around the edges, making it an ultra-wearable scent.
Key Notes: Italian mandarin, Floridian grapefruit, Indonesian nutmeg, Egyptian geranium, Madagascan ylang-ylang, Turkish rose, French carrot seed, vetiver from Haiti and Java, Virginia cedar, white musk. There’s nothing I like more than a gender-neutral perfume. This fragrance gives you the best of both traditionally masculine and feminine scents by mixing grassy notes with florals.
Key Notes: Tonka beans, cedar, juniper berries
Key Notes: Elemi, geranium, vetiver. Elemi is a tree resin with a spicy, almost balsamic-like quality. The note gives this perfume a complex heart, while fair-trade vetiver essential oil from Haiti evens everything out.
Key Notes: Cassis, rose geranium, patchouli
Key Notes: Cardamom, vetiver, vanilla. Vetiver and vanilla may not seem like natural partners, but in this scent, they meld together beautifully. The blend of cardamom, vetiver, and vanilla creates a juxtaposition of fragrances that are warm and enticing.
Key Notes: Ambrette seeds, sea salt, sage
Key Notes: Mandarin, bergamot, pink peppercorn, orange flower absolute, black honey, amber, vetiver, leather. If you could bottle the feeling of sunbathing in the sand on a warm day, you would be left with this perfume. One whiff of this immediately makes you feel like you’re summering on the Italian coast.
Key Notes: Coco de mer, ylang-ylang, cardamom
Key Notes: African marigold, bergamot, buchu, cyclamen, violet, Moroccan cedar, vetiver. If there’s anything that Byredo does exceptionally well, it’s capturing a moment in time through scent. Use this fragrance to transport yourself to Paris in the 1920s.
Key Notes: Grapefruit, pink pepper, cardamom, vetiver, patchouli, cedar. Grapefruit and vetiver are a match made in heaven. Grapefruit offers just the right amount of citrus without being too sweet or sharp, while vetiver complements it perfectly by adding a grassy, fresh element.
Key Notes: Sandalwood, vetiver, clove, black pepper, amber, incense. This masculine-leaning scent is a match made in heaven for anyone who wants to leave a lasting impression. Frankincense and incense give this fragrance an ethereal edge.
Key Notes: Sour orange, pink pepper, sea grass, cane, clove leaf, toquilla straw, vetiver, breadnut, rhum agricole. Set your clock to island time. This tropical scent will make you feel like you’re on vacation, no matter where you actually are.
Key Notes: Lime flower water, coriander seed, pear, mandarin, bell pepper, pea flower, basil, nutmeg, moss water
