Lavender is one of the oldest and most used notes in perfumery. Its scent is universal—everyone recognizes lavender—and yet in the hands of a skilled perfumer, it can transform into something completely unexpected. The lavender in classic fougères is nothing like the lavender in modern niche perfumes.
Types of Lavender in Perfumery
- Fine lavender (Lavandula angustifolia): the most valued. Floral, herbal, with almost fruity notes. Grows at high altitudes—the best comes from Provence, above 1,000 meters. Very expensive compared to lower-quality lavender.
- Lavandin (Lavandula x intermedia): a hybrid between fine lavender and spike lavender. More rustic, more herbal, more intense. Much more abundant and economical. It is the lavender used in detergents and mass-market perfumery.
- Spike lavender (Lavandula latifolia): rustic, mentholated, almost medicinal. The roughest of the three.
Lavender: a masculine, feminine, or unisex note?
Lavender has a reputation for being "masculine" due to its massive use in fougères and men's colognes during the 20th century. But before that, lavender was unisex. And in contemporary perfumery, it has become so again: fine and delicate lavenders in completely feminine perfumes, spicy lavenders in unisex scents, creamy lavenders in gourmand fragrances for all genders.
Lavender beyond the fougère
The most innovative perfumers have used lavender in completely unexpected contexts:
- Lavender + leather = Dzing! by L'Artisan Parfumeur
- Lavender + vanilla = an extraordinary aromatic gourmand
- Lavender + oud = an Arab-Provençal combination that works surprisingly well
- Lavender + spices = an oriental with a unique herbal heart
Lavender in divain
In our aromatic and fougère fragrances, lavender is the main note that provides freshness and herbal character. We work with superior quality lavender so the result is floral and elegant—not the industrial lavandin that smells like household cleaner.
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