The fourth and final part of our Matière Première review series covers the three fragrances French Flower, Santal Austral and the recently added Vanilla Powder. Over the last few days we have already had a closer look at the remaining eight eaux de parfum from the French niche fragrance house and of course I will link you to the articles below.
- Matière Première – The natural beauty of a raw material
- Radical Rose, Encens Suave and Parisian Musc by Matière Première
- Crystal Saffron, Falcon Leather and Bois d’Ébène by Matière Première
French Flower – Matière Première
French Flower revolves around a very special flower, the white queen of the night, so to speak. The night hyacinth, or tuberose, exudes its beguiling fragrance, especially when everyone is asleep. A fragrance that can be offputting due to its power and expressiveness and that definitely does not appeal to everyone.
Aurélien Guichard combines tuberose with pear, green tea and ginger. Incidentally, the tuberose used in the composition – like the rose petals in Radical Rose – comes from our own cultivation areas in the south of France and is therefore of particularly high quality. And French Flower is supposed to smell just like the tuberose fields in Grasse.
French Flower smells bright, radiant and surprisingly delicate at first sniff. The tuberose picks up speed as it progresses, but remains quite reasonable. The fine fruity nuances of the pear lend the eau de parfum a delicious and juicy sweetness that keeps the sometimes rather stormy blossom in check. Lightness is provided by the ginger, whose fresh and citrusy accents blend wonderfully into the composition, while the green tea evokes gentle watery nuances. The tuberose thus presents itself in French Flower in a truly beautiful way. By no means as harsh, greenish and opulent as in many other creations, but rather very elegant, distinguished and seductive. For all fans of fruity-floral fragrances that smell of summer and sunshine. A feminine eau de parfum for the warmer seasons that should be worn on every occasion. ❤️
Santal Austral – Australian sandalwood
The name should also be the program at Santal Austral. Sandalwood from Australia – organic quality by the way – is at the heart of this creation. Aurélien Guichard wanted to create a bright and seductive woody fragrance, and sandalwood seemed to be the perfect base.
He combined sandalwood with benzoin resin, almond, milk, iris and tonka bean to emphasize the “creamy, velvety side” of the wood and convey “long-lasting comfort”.
Anyone who loves sandalwood should definitely remember this fragrance. Santal Austral is warm, creamy, wonderfully spicy and exudes all the facets that make sandalwood so special. In fact, the eau de parfum is very light, airy and transparent, but also has a good presence and, as with all Matière Première creations, its longevity is excellent. The velvety, spicy warmth of sandalwood is gradually joined by the creamy, sweet nuances of benzoin resin, deliciously gourmand almond mellow, so light, so enchanting, and the elegant powdery notes of Tuscan iris. Together, this results in a wonderful, woody and smooth fragrance that not only sandalwood lovers will want to fall into. A composition that is incredibly atmospheric, harmonious and finely balanced and perfectly suited to the cooler months of the year. 🤎
Vanilla Powder – White and black
2023 saw the launch of Matière Première Vanilla Powder and this latest addition to the collection was an instant favourite with many niche fragrance fans. Rightly so, in my opinion, because the eau de parfum is an absolutely successful addition to the brand’s previous creations. Vanilla as a central raw material was still missing in the Matière Première line – along with a few other fragrances that I am still hoping for.
And so in Vanilla Powder, Aurélien Guichard combined the ingredients bourbon vanilla, coconut, palo santo and white musk to allow the dark and lush nuances of the black spice to “meet an explosion of modern white powder”. Incidentally, the vanilla used in the composition comes from a Fair For Life cultivation program.
Airy and light, bright and radiant, Vanilla Powder opens the fragrance. At first, I perceive a dry sweetness and the powdery, milky nuances of coconut, into which the fine spiciness of vanilla gradually creeps, profound, mysterious and seductive, accompanied by the sweet and smoky accents of Palo Santo. These act rather subtly, combining with the still very milky and dry nuances of coconut and vanilla and having an underlining effect. On the one hand, the musk enhances the colouring – bright white is the order of the day here – and also underscores the dry, crystalline powder associations that I actually have when sniffing the fragrance. Vanilla Powder appears clean and pure, but also has facets reminiscent of sun cream, a hint of tropical flair and gourmand, spicy notes. This eau de parfum is summery, sunny and absolutely sociable. A feast for all lovers of the combination of coconut, musk and vanilla and a fragrance that is always on point in the warmer months of the year.
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