Vetiver in perfumery : an essential natural raw material
Vetiver is an essential ingredient in perfumery. Behind this strange name hides a fabulous root with a powerful and complex scent: woody, aromatic, green, earthy, smoky, very persistent.
Vetiver is subtly present in our Hespereden fragrance where it is combined with cedar to bring a woody and smoky base, evoking the undergrowth and contrasting with the freshness of grapefruit. In Silence des Calanques, it is its green and aromatic side that is appreciated to set and enhance the floral and marine notes.
From the 1960s onwards, the vibrant woody scents based on vetiver became so successful that they became a classic in men's perfumery (it was also popular with women later on).
Very present around the Indian Ocean, it is nevertheless in Haiti that the cultivation of vetiver is the most important (approximately 50% of the world's cultivation). Immersed in the soil to a depth of 3 metres, the vetiver root gives rise to a herbaceous plant that can grow up to 2 metres high. These roots, once harvested, must be distilled for 24 hours to give a rare and precious essence. 150kg of roots are needed to obtain 1kg of vetiver essence.
The result is a resinous elixir with an intense, warm, rich and creamy fragrance. Vetiver essential oil is one of the most woody scents among perfume plants.