The titel says it all…. A blue Monday, late 2014. I saundered into a beauty hall near my then office building, crossed over to the ‘Niche perfumes’ section, and a soft, green bottle caught my eye. Soft yet invigorating like a field covered in fresh morning dew, the gentle green curves of Carven L’Eau de Toilette beckoned me over. I raised the bottle, lifted the top, got a whiff of the scent and that was it, I was hooked. Almost three years later, this perfume made it’s way back to me…

60 years after the heydays of their legendary fragrances ‘Ma Griffe’ and ‘Vétiver’, Carven wrote a new chapter with the 2013 launch of Carven Le Parfum. As with all success-stories, it wasn’t before long that the house launched a “younger sister” of the scent, and in 2014, Carven L’Eau de Toilette saw the light, ready to take over. Another composition  created by Francis Kurkdjian, it was described “like a lightweight piece of clothing…as easy to wear as Le Parfum but made of a different fabric, probably more airy”. Equally focused on white florals as the original, the couture edge of the Le Parfum made way for sweeter and fresher undertones. Sweet pea, sandalwood and hyacinth remain a common ground for both perfumes, but the L’Eau de Toilette opens with added notes of Italian lemon and  peony for that zingy burst of freshness. Freesia and wisteria strengthen the hyacinth to form the perfume’s slightly creamy heart, but that tinge of green from the opening lingers all the way to the sandalwood base. Blond woods and musk round out the scent without being too overpowering, in a manner truely befitting a bouquet of spring flowers.

Fresh, modern, clean and a slight hint of couture! Welcome back into my life, Carven L’Eau De Toilette!

Available at Planet Parfum