The Sabé Masson brand, which was founded by Isabelle Masson in 2014, has just arrived at Aus Liebe zum Duft. Madame Masson can look back on a long career in the perfume business and was one of the co-founders of the popular and internationally active retail chain Sephora, which was taken over by the luxury group LVMH in the mid-1990s. The experienced entrepreneur remained loyal to the beauty industry, founding further brands until she finally launched Sabé Masson.
Sabé Masson – Alcohol-free fragrances
The label has dedicated itself to a very special and increasingly popular topic, namely the development of skin-friendly and alcohol-free fragrances. Sabé Masson calls these “Soft Perfumes”, which differ from conventional creations due to their special formulation and, in some cases, the way they are applied. The brand’s fragrances are available both as eau de parfum and as solid perfume in the practical stick form.
I would like to reveal a few details about both variants. I have here bottlings of the Eaux de Parfum, which have the milky coloring that I already know from other alcohol-free fragrances. Perhaps some of you will remember them. A few months ago, I introduced you to the creations of the ARgENTUM brand, which also relies on a skin-friendly formulation in its collection (you can find all the information about ARgENTUM here). Back in 2021, I presented the now discontinued fragrance house Maison Sybarite to you here in the fragrance diary, where I encountered milky, alcohol-free compositions for the very first time.
The secret of the formulation is the so-called WPE (water-plant emulsion), i.e. an emulsion of aqueous and plant components. I probably don’t need to explain what water is, but I would like to briefly mention the plant component. The innovative and patented formula of the WPE is a dispersion of oil and water, which are combined with a plant-based ingredient: saponins extracted from tea ensure that the water base and perfume oil are permanently combined.
Without these saponins, the perfume oil would float on the water, they would be two separate phases. The WPE has a milky appearance because it consists of millions and billions of tiny micro-droplets. The water-plant emulsion moisturizes the skin, is gentle and makes the skin feel wonderfully soft.
Then there are the Solid Soft Perfumes, i.e. solid perfumes, as we know them in principle from other brands. However, the perfume sticks are also based on the water-plant emulsion and therefore do not contain alcohol. These cream perfumes are based on natural vegetable waxes and oils, such as sunflower wax, carnauba wax, berry wax, rose geranium oil, coconut oil, rose oil and many more.
This makes the Solid Soft Perfumes wonderfully moisturizing, nourishing and also vegan. The solid perfume mechanism is familiar from lipsticks, allowing the Solid Soft Perfumes to be easily twisted out as required. By the way: one stick should last for 300 applications.
Né des Roses – Born of roses
Our first candidate of the day comes from the pen of a perfumer who seems to be a regular guest here on this fragrance blog: Serge de Oliveira. The Robertet perfumer has worked creatively for Nectar Olfactif, Carrière Frères, Room 1015 and Atelier Oblique, for example, and has always impressed me with his compositions. So I’m really looking forward to Né des Roses, which the label has announced:
A radiantly rosy, floral chypre. A rose of great simplicity that reveals itself in the freshness of a garden, only to reveal itself as heady, chypre and with a musky base. “Né des Roses”, a name in harmony with an exceptional, well-traveled essence …
The fragrance notes make me rejoice inside: bergamot, blackcurrant, peony, rose, green tea, patchouli, moss and musk. There are a few ingredients that I’m particularly looking forward to. Green tea, for example. The peony and the blackcurrant. I’m never against a nice patchouli and I also think musk and moss are fabulous. 😊
I am already familiar with the special consistency of the alcohol-free WPE-based eaux de parfum. In fact, the milky liquid can be wonderfully massaged into the skin after spraying and leaves it feeling soft. What’s more, it lacks the typical smell and the boozy effervescence – to put it mildly – that conventional alcohol-based fragrances have.
Né des Roses starts off with lush, soft and smooth notes that smell of the finest rose. Very gentle, comforting and with certain milky undertones, the creation is very present without being overpowering in any way. The rose shows its facets in a beautiful way, is fresh, youthful and a delicate pink. The fruits provide lightness, while the green tea brings gentle, meditative watery nuances into play. I like the fact that the queen of flowers only has a very subtle soapiness, which is more of an understated nature. The usual suspected base notes of patchouli, moss and musk bring creamy, powdery and light woody nuances to the composition and skillfully round it off.
Né des Roses is a soft, calming and spring-like rose fragrance that is very gentle, creamy and cozy. The protagonist mentioned in the name defines the creation olfactorily from beginning to end and – in my eyes – shows her most beautiful side. Ideal for all fans of rose fragrances who prefer present, long-lasting and finely balanced compositions. Serge de Oliveira once again demonstrates his skills with this eau de parfum and, like me, will enchant many others with Né des Roses. 🩷
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