What does lavender smell like in perfume? Lavender smells herbal, floral and clean, with a soft, hay-like sweetness. It can feel fresh and aromatic or warm and comforting, depending on what it is paired with.
| Botanical name | Lavandula angustifolia |
|---|---|
| Plant part | Flowering tops |
| Origin | Provence, France and Bulgaria |
| Extraction | Steam distillation |
| Note | Top |
| Scent family | Florals |
| Odour | Herbal, floral and clean, with soft camphor and hay-like facets |
| Perfume uses | Fougères, colognes, gourmands and fresh florals |
| Key molecules | Linalool, linalyl acetate, camphor |
| Odour impact | Medium |
| Odour life on a strip | Short: a few hours |
| Found in | Carissis, Mocha Muscari |
Used within IFRA limits. Impact and odour life are our own studio guide, judged on a smelling strip.
What Is Lavender?
Fine lavender, Lavandula angustifolia, grows on the high plateaus of Provence and in Bulgaria. It is distilled in summer, when the fields are in full purple bloom. Higher-altitude lavender tends to be sweeter and more floral.
What Does Lavender Smell Like?
Here is how strongly each facet of lavender comes through, from our own smelling-strip notes.
Herbal
Aromatic, fresh herb.
Floral
Soft, purple petals.
Clean
A fresh, laundered feel.
Hay
A warm, sweet dryness.
How Perfumers Use Lavender
Lavender is the heart of the fougère family and a key cologne ingredient. In modern perfumery it is also paired with coffee, vanilla and tonka for a warm, gourmand twist.
Lavender in gourmands
Lavender’s linalool-rich sweetness pairs surprisingly well with coffee and vanilla, softening their richness and adding a fresh, aromatic lift.
Smell Lavender in Prosody London Perfumes
For lavender at its most expressive, try Mocha Muscari. Lavender lifts coffee and coconut in the opening, giving a gourmand a fresh, aromatic edge. You will also find lavender in Carissis.
Mocha Muscari
CarissisWhat Blends Well With Lavender?
Questions About Lavender
Is lavender only for men’s fragrances?
No. Lavender is used in fragrances for everyone.
Does lavender last long?
It is mostly a top note, though it lingers into the heart.
What pairs with lavender?
Bergamot, coffee, vanilla, rosemary and geranium.
Explore all of our natural perfume ingredients.
