L'Artisan launched Verte Violette in 2000 as part of the Je T’ai Cueilli Une Fleur trio, which also included Jacinthe des Bois and Oeillet Sauvage. Perfumer Anne Flipo created all three fragrances; the notes for Verte Violette are violet leaves, raspberry leaves, rose, heliotrope, cedar, iris and white musk.
Verte Violette starts slightly astringent, as violet fragrances sometimes do, but it settles quickly. It is rather sweet, although perhaps not quite so sweet as the opening of Borsari Violetta di Parma. It is also less directly focused on the violet: the Borsari is more likely to satisfy a craving for the scent of the flower itself. Verte Violette is fresher and prettier, although whether that is a mark in its favor depends on your outlook.
And it is green, though only mildly so; personally, I am always disappointed when a fragrance with Verte in the name doesn't actually scream out with leaves and shrubbery and the like. The dry down is soft and musky, with just a tad of powder.
I have never really made up my mind about Verte Violette. It is pretty, but perhaps too conventionally pretty for my taste; it has an almost old-fashioned "girly" prettiness that reminds me of Drôle de Rose, another L'Artisan fragrance that I fall in and out of love with on a regular basis. There are times when I enjoy Verte Violette, and then there are times when I wear it and wish it was greener, or earthier, or something more than what it is.
Verte Violette is available in 50 and 100 ml bottles of Eau de Toilette. For buying information, see the listing for L'Artisan under Perfume Houses.
Tomorrow: more L'Artisan
Note: top image is Pressed Violet by Bungalow.Brian at flickr; some rights reserved.
I am with you on Violette Vert. It is somehow too pale and dainty to make much of an impression. L'Artisan just seems to be in the air today. 🙂
I wish it were greener, too. That's about all I have to say on the matter. I wish I had more or at least something interesting, but, alas, I do not.
I can't make up my mind on VV either. Poor lasting power doesn't help. But it's definitely a green violet unlike most other violet fragrances.
Hmmmmm. . . .I have been wanting to try this for awhile, but your review suggests I would probably find it too light and weak. Too bad–but my CC thanks you:)
Yes, dainty — exactly.
I agree I wish it had more oomph. I go back and forth wearing this one and Fresh Index Violet Moss. I think I prefer the Violet Moss a bit more.
And I wish I had a more interesting response, LOL…
Someone needs to make a really *green* violet still…
Hmmm…not sure if light & weak is exactly what I'd call it…V's description above as “pale and dainty” is probably more like it. Certainly it is no weaker than any of the L'Artisan EdTs, at any rate.
Now the F Violet Moss is one I haven't tried. Is it sweet? My objection to most of the Fresh scents is that they are too sweet for me.
R, have you tried the Annick Goutal Violette? It has a sharpness I think you might find pleasing. I am never quite sure whether I like it — or Verte Violette, for that matter. Maybe you could layer it with something green (how bout Vent Vert?!) I have a much higher tolerance for sweet violets than you do (and a lot less tolerance for green) so I'm probably not much help, am I?
I really love Violet Moss & I don't care for most of the Fresh scents. It has one of their lowest ratings on MUA, but its a favorite of mine. The mossiness keeps the violet from becoming too cloying.
I second March's recommendation of AG's Violette. I'm not sure what I feel about it – I think it does need something fresh and green with it as it is quite sweet but slightly dusty/musty.
To my nose I think Verte Violette probably smells truer to what the flower is like.
Actually, I think I'm coming to the conclusion that I'm not so fond of violet on its own. I think I prefer it diluted & blended with other things.
This is my latest purchase and I adore it! Beautiful soft violet fragrance, and I am possibly guilty of overspray as true to the flower, one can smell it once only briefly, then it is gone. Love the handbag size beautful L'Artisan bottle which is carried with me all day. I feel special when wearing this. but Robin you have me longing for the Fleur d'Oranger now!
I thought Verte Violette was pretty, but I agree with you completely about the green–I wanted more. I was also extremely disappointed in the lasting power of this scent. I put it on before work, and it was gone before lunch.
Adding it to my “to try” list, thanks!
I have not tried the AG — another I'll add to my “to try” list, thanks M. But if I was going to layer with something green, it would be *really* green — GD Sous Le Buis or something.
I like this one okay, but I don't find myself reaching for it that often. E. Duse from Laura Tonatto is still my favorite, and I really need to get a bottle of it one of these days.
Ah, then it depends on what you mean by musty…couldn't stand Caron's Violette, and don't much like the Berdoues either. Dusty would be ok though!
Have a review of the Fleur d'Oranger 1/2way done, will post it either today or tomorrow. It is too dratted expensive!
Most (not all) of the L'Artisan EdTs last around 3 hours, just a bit less than average for an EdT. I don't mind since I like to change my fragrance during the day anyway, but I know many people do mind…hence, the many “Extreme” versions.
My sample of E Duse is still patiently waiting its turn for a try…will see if I can get to it this week. Too many perfumes, too little time!
I don't find the F Violet Moss sweet, but of course YMMV.
Oh, Robin — try the E Duse!!! Okay, it's a COMPLETELY different fragrance, and maybe you will hate it. But it is my favorite of the violets, it is the only LT I love, it is … the most fully constructed to me? If that makes sense. Like a perfume, less like a toilet water, I guess. The Caron made me heave, but I hate that Caron base anyway.
PS I will mail you some AG Violette one of these days. Behind in my mailings! I have another Skanky Orange to send you too! 😉
LOL at “The Caron made me heave”…I really, really didn't like it either. And, I bought it unsniffed. Dumb. But it has many fans — in fact, I bought it because I had heard how utterly wonderful it was.
Promise to try the E Duse, and now waiting breathlessly for another skanky orange, LOL…
This is one of the first scents I bought when I started exploring niche brands. Even though I still find VV lovely, I prefer more interesting floral scents now. I agree with your comment that Verte is “too conventionally pretty for my taste.”
It was one of the first I tried too, although I didn't like it at all at first — actually like it better now. And I hated La Chasse, which I now love.
A little late to this party! 🙂 Just found a sample of this in my drawer and decided to try it. It's pretty, and I see what you all mean by dainty and not quite green enough. Am I the only one who smells a resemblance to the base of Premier Figuier in the dry down as well?
Didn't catch the resemblance myself, now I'll have to try them together!
I was in L'Artisan today in Soho on my PDA reading your reviews as I was sampling away. So I bought this today. I wanted something “conventionally pretty” “girly”… different for me. I don't mind it's lasting power not lasting. In this case, I prefer it. I love the initial smell on me but because I'm not really a “girly” girl, I love when it's gone. Perfect! I've come late to this smell obsession so I realize there are miles to go in experiencing them all. Love the journey. There is no destination.
I don't always mind a short lived fragrance either…sometimes it is nice to be able to easily switch halfway through the day. And yes, the journey is the point, isn't it? Nice when it takes you into the Soho L'Artisan 🙂
So while this lasts, I love it. It's sooo pretty. It makes me smile as soon as I spray. And then it's gone. Are all L'Artisan scents EDTs? Do any of them last? What a shame. rose
Many of the L'Artisans are sheer, especially the florals, and as I said below, perhaps on the lower end of average for EdTs. Verte Violette probably lasts about 3 hours on me, which is so-so but not entirely horrible for an EdT.
There are a number of “Extreme” EdP versions, and some of the EdTs last very well for EdTs (Timbuktu, Bois Farine, Dzongkha, Mechant Loup all come to mind). Others are even more fleeting than VV (Passage d'Enfer, The Pour Un Ete, for instance) but I forgive them because I adore them 🙂
I've just joined, so I'm catching up. I had been wearing Caron's Bellodgia because I loved it years ago and didn't know what else to try. Then I suddenly, inexplicably wanted to smell violets. –My garden violets. Sweet, elusive, green, fresh. Violets and earth on a cold February day. So I recently tried a number of violet fragrances, Verte Violette being one. I liked this one better than Violetta di Parma and Violetta di Bosco. The last two were very sweet, powdery… Someone described a 'little girl' scent' and I can understand that. Verte Violette was better but still not right. As LaureAnne said, it wasn't green enough. All of these perfumes reminded me of grandmothers and maiden aunts. Too old-fashioned (but that's just my reaction). Also tried Norma Kamali Violette –which I absolutely detested! There's some note in there that I can't stand. Even when I sniffed the small sample vial before putting any on, I recoiled (in horror!). It smelled like moldy grapes or rotten currants to me. Like a common kind of oval-shaped hard candy –raspberry flavor –that I've hated since childhood. But, I took it into work for a friend to try, and, of course, she absolutely loved it. (And she now has the vial. Smile.) I don't know what the note is, but if I find out, I'll be sure to avoid it. I liked Calypso Violette very much, –but it didn't actually smell that much like violets to me. Spicy, sweet, but not violet. I think I could detect a bit of violet in the mix but it wasn't dominant for me. (But I'm new at this and just started educating my nose.) I came to the conclusion that violet scent just wasn't for me. I'd almost forgotten about the last sample vial still sitting untouched. So I decided to be thorough and try the last one. Caron's Violette Precieuse. What can I say? I must be a Caron type. I put a little of this on and detected that horrible note that was so strong in Norma Kamali Violette, but it was much milder, barely noticeable really. I was lying on the bed watching the evening news and realized my nostrils were flaring! Without even realizing it, I was trying to get more scent. I do love this perfume. It smells like violets, but also something else –raspberries? Fresh, green. It reminded me of my great Aunt Katie's house when she made home-made jelly. It brought to mind clear, dark purple crystal. So many associations and images that the other perfumes didn't trigger. I've read comments about Caron's dark base (and hope to understand that someday). What I experienced was depth.Violette Precieuse seemed deep, complex, rich… Not that I'll wear it much. I still don't think violet is a scent for me to wear. It's just not the same as my garden violets. That can't be bottled. (Can it?) But I want to have Violette Precieuse on hand just so I can sniff it from time to time. Just so all those rich associations will come back. It's odd to me that I could love a scent –but not want to wear it. I want to own it, want to smell it, but not ON me. At least not often.
Leslie
Wow, that is a violet excursion, thanks for the detailed notes! I have not yet tried the new version of Caron VP. I did not like the original, but I understand the new one is quite different (and from what I hear, the dark base is mostly gone from the new VP).
Ha, thanks for reading these detailed notes! It's so nice to be able to tell someone. So wonderful to have found the perfume people. I had read that you didn't like VP but didn't realize you were talking about the original. I wonder what you'd think of the new version. It was such an odd experience for me, being new at this. It really seemed that while my conscious mind was watching the evening news, my unconscious was awash in VP and frantically trying to get more of the scent. Analyzing, associating, reveling…
Now I'm trying orange blossom.
I'll try it eventually…I do know the rabid fans of the older version weren't pleased with the new, but as I didn't like the old perhaps this one will be more to my taste. But then, I love the Borsari too, which you didn't care for.
Hope you'll find an orange blossom to love!
came here to read about VV as I am expecting a bottle of this it anyday now.
i love your comment about this being another L'Artisan that you fall in and out of love with- like Drole de Rose….i made it through a bottle of D de R but i know exactly what you mean! sometimes that gentle sheer transparency is all i need, and the D de R was perfect.
bought the VV unsniffed…i know i will love it 🙂
I hope you will love it since you've got a bottle on the way!
I am transfixed with the delicate earthy veil of scents from Verte Violette. It seems scent fit for a pixie..not everyone’s cup of tea, but certainly mine.
So glad you love it!
Thank you, Robin! I admit to being a perfume novice. I am currently struggling to find an additional fragrance that suits me as well as VV does. Almost all other fragrances smell too synthetic, too mature or too unisex for me. A joyous route to find my way through smells both foul and delightful! Thanks for your helpful reviews.
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