When it comes to perfume, most eco-centric women tend to shy away from conventional choices and gravitate toward pure perfume oils instead. Considering that so many fragrances contain phthalates, petrochemicals and animal ingredients, it’s easy to see why. We don’t want to breathe these substances in and apply them to our skin.
Stores aren’t exactly brimming with natural, organic alternatives – all the more reason why every release of a genuinely green, nontoxic perfume is so exciting. Honoré des Prés is the first line of French organic perfumes designed by Olivia Giacobetti, one of France’s most famous perfumers. Each scent in this luxury line is completely organic, ECOCERT certified and free of petrochemicals, synthetic perfumes, coloring agents and phthalates.
Scents include:
Chaman’s Party – An explosive perfume due to its top-secret ingredients with aphrodisiac properties. Inspired by a tree-house experience and total immersion in the heart of the virgin Amazon forest. Vetiver root from Haiti, sacred basil from Egypt, Wood of Life from Venezuela, dried clove flowers from Madagascar.
Bonte’s Bloom –Inspired by dreamlike summer voyage: dressed in white muslin and wearing a vintage hat, you walk alongside sunflower fields in a warm sun-kissed afternoon and marvel at dragonflies and butterflies. Sunflowers, South Indian flowers, wild Moroccan blue chamomile, fresh citrus fruit leaves from Paraguay, sage leaves – those that the wild honeybees prefer – and a drop of white iris butter to add a touch of “vintage chic”.
Nu Green – Inspired by a spring morning’s refreshing swim in a natural rock pool in the heart of nature. You sense how this beneficial water purifies, sheds the superficial. A ruffle of crumpled green mint leaves, enveloping dewy grass with Indian botanical musk, clumps of monastic medicinal tarragon… and cedar wood.
Sexy Angelic – Inspired by a deliciously sweet experience of French candies from Aix-en-Provence… the pure secret of seduction used by French women to meet their Prince Charming! A fresh almond fruit caress rubbed onto weeping maidens’ cleansed skin. A snip of hemlock flower, a touch of Angelica – but only the seed – and… a hint of freshly baked “Calisson” marzipan candy from Aix-en-Provence.
Honore’s Trip – Saturated with citrus fruit, saturated with color, saturated with Mediterranean fruit, saturated with freshness… An explosive cocktail of pure tangerine extracts, Mediterranean oranges, all yellow and green lemons, together with spicy pepper taken from trees in the Philippine Islands.
Honoré des Prés is currently available at Le Printemps in Paris and online at La Mure Favorite.
This perfume sounds great, and it is wonderful that more and more organic products are showing up in the cosmetic industry. But have you checked out the prices? $200 for 100ml! The one frustration that my friends and I express on a regular basis is the lack of availability of organic scents (and some other cosmetics), but also the cost factor. Due to how few are available, the prices are pretty high. You can pick up Givenchy, Fendi, and many other designer scents for at least half the cost of this perfume. (if not cheaper) I am going to Paris in the spring and was thinking how great it would be to pick some up. (save on shipping) But if that is the cost, there is no way I can afford it. So back to the essential oils or perfume free for me…
02/10/09 » 2:49 pm »
check out ‘intelligent nutrients’ founded by horst rechelbacher. he also founded aveda 30 years ago. IN has got organic personal aromas, which are wonderful and not that expensive. melanie, you cannot have it both ways. organic essential oils are expensive and rare, that’s why in conventional perfumes you will find all that stuff you don’t want to spray onto your skin or breath in. cheap and nasty!
aveda also has natural scents to choose from without the nasties you normally find in perfumes. check out the 7 chakra body mists or the new personal aromas ‘yatra’ or ‘ancient attar’. most of the essential oils are organic. according to aveda’s ‘nose’ (a person who designs scents) it is extremely difficult to get proper organic essential oils, since the extraction method relies on chemicals. organic essential oils sometimes don’t smell nice at all, but rather musky. that’s one of the main reasons why there aren’t more natural organic aromas on the market. apart from cost and expertise. the cosmetic companies these days aren’t about making a healthy product, they want to make a healthy profit!
02/11/09 » 3:17 am »
Kim, an eco chick writer, blogged about Tsi-La organic perfumes, which are also safe and LOVELY smelling. She has some and so do I (thanks Kim!) and they are some of my faves- and not as highly priced.
Here is a link to the piece about Tsi-La: http://eco-chick.com/2008/05/20/tsila-organics/
I also wear Pacifica’s perfumes (http://pacificaperfume.com/) which come in a spray OR a hard balm (great for purses) in a zillion scents – I wear Vanilla Vera Cruz and Spanish Amber and I give them as gifts too.
My grandma wore Joy perfume when I was growing up and it was very expensive due to its ingredients, and it IS true that all natural, traditional perfumes are going to be expensive because…..lots of labor goes into them and their ingredients are rare. I think this is OK- it’s what makes JOY or Honore de Pres for special occasions, and lavender and sandalwood (a fave make-it-myself combo) great for everyday.
02/11/09 » 1:21 pm »
Starre -You are so welcome – was great to see you finallly after so long! – Tsi La is a lovely brand! I always think of you and that tuberose scent you liked. It is a shame there are such toxins in some of those old scents we loved.
Hey – I think Pacifica uses some questionable ingredients – have you investigated at all? I love some of their fragrances as well, but I remember reading that they used something harmful – might have been parabens???
02/15/09 » 5:49 pm »
We actually carry this line now at spiritbeautylounge for $140 a bottle (+ free eco-shipping! ) The price is the same as any other non-organic boutique fragrance ( Carthusia, Juliette Has A Gun come to mind) only this one is 100% natural and phtalate free! We also carry the Intelligent Nutrients aromas which smell amazing and TsiLa (they have a new fragrance coming out soon too) but Honore des Pres is the first organic fragrance line I have encountered which I can be confident the average Diptyque, CK One, Clinique Happy, or Estee Lauder Pleasures type buyers will also love. As Sankara pointed out, \\\”organic essential oils sometimes don’t smell nice at all, but rather musky\\\” This is definitely not the case with these masterfully created fragrances. And I honestly didn\\\’t write this only as a plug, just wanted to provide the information
03/28/09 » 12:45 am »