Floral · Natural material · Top notes, Heart notes, Base notes
Violet
Violet is the scent of the flower and leaf of Viola odorata (sweet violet), a small purple-flowered plant from Europe. The flower smells sweet, like powder and sweets, while the leaf smells green like cucumber skin. In perfume, violet can sit in the top, heart or base notes, depending on which part is used.
· Written by the FRAG team
What does violet smell like?
The violet flower smells sweet, soft and powdery, with a slight berry-like fruitiness. The scent is delicate and a little cool, recalling face powder and sweets.
Violet leaf smells very different: green, cool and slightly metallic, like cucumber peel and a freshly snapped stem. On skin, the green edge of violet leaf softens into a smooth, suede-like green with a faint earthy trace. Many perfumes use violet flower and leaf together.
How is violet made?
Viola odorata is native to Europe, North Africa and Western Asia. True violet flower extract had almost disappeared from perfumery by the late 1950s because it was so costly. Today the violet flower scent is almost always built from ionones, molecules first synthesised by Ferdinand Tiemann and Paul Krüger in 1893. The name ionone comes from ion, the classical name for the violet.
Violet leaf is still used as a natural material. Violet leaf absolute is solvent-extracted from fresh leaves, with Egypt as the main producer. Its green scent comes from a compound also found in cucumber.
Violet in a perfume
Violet can appear in every layer. Violet leaf often sits in the top or heart notes for a fresh green feel. Ionones for the violet flower usually sit in the heart and base notes, adding a soft powdery feel that stays close to the skin.
Classic partners are iris and rose, which are powdery too. Violet leaf suits green notes, cedar and other woods, while the violet flower often meets heliotrope and musk in sweeter perfumes.
When to wear violet
A violet leaf perfume feels fresh and green, so it is comfortable for daytime and hot weather. Powdery violet is softer and suits work or casual plans. When violet is paired with woods and amber, it turns warmer for the evening.
