Byredo is one of those quirky fragrance brands that you’ll either get or you won’t. Some of the fragrances are a challenge and for the most curious of noses only, others, like Blanche, are infinitely wearable and slightly addictive. If you think I complain about the flights of fancy that French fragrance press releases are desperate to send us on (with only one conclusion ever: the fragrance is for a strong, independent woman with a hidden passionate sensuality.. yawn) then some of the inspirations for Byredo will be a leap even for those who don’t mind a French press release! Take Baudilaire: “….evokes a lazy isle to which nature has given singular trees, savoury fruits, men with bodies vigorous and slender, and women in whose eyes shines a startling candour…” You just can’t tell this stuff to a Capricorn! We’re too sensible to be able to join in the fantasy. But I am kicking myself a bit for not ordering Mr BBB a bar of Byredo Mr Marvellous soap for Valentine’s Day – I think it’s fun.
So, to cut it right back to the actual scent of Blanche – to me it just smells startlingly clean. Like you’re freshly washed – which for a hair fragrance is as near to perfect as it gets. Who doesn’t want their hair to smell like that? If I look at the description, it’s white rose, pink pepper, violet, neroli and peony before blonde woods, sandalwood and musk. Which I think is overstating it – they might well be there but you’d be pressed to pick any individual note out. Nonetheless, I’ve been spraying Byredo Hair Perfume in Blanche non-stop since I got my hands on it because I love the clean sheet, newly washed freshness of it.
I’m a sucker for anything out of the perfume ordinary such as fragrance for your cashmere, linen sprays and the like. I don’t neccessarily do it all the time but I like the idea that I can if I want to. So, Byredo Hair Perfume falls into this same category – a delightful non-essential that’s just about the luxury of it (at £37!).
Byredo Hair Perfume launches in three varieties (Gypsy Water, Bal d’Afrique and Blanche) in Selfridges on 16th February. I can’t help wondering if there’s a story behind that – Liberty are currently the most prominent stockist of Byredo.
*NB: Byredo Hair Perfume contains silicones so if your hair hates silicone, leave it alone.
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