Paul Yacomine is a London-based hairstylist with a glamorous client list of celebrities and models; he is also the creator of a hair-care line that specializes in the high-tech delivery of beneficial ingredients. A trio of hair perfumes was recently added to the product list: called Parfum de Coiffeur, it promises to treat hair gently while adding shine and fragrance with natural oils.
The Parfum de Coiffeur packaging is coolly attractive: its three metal spray bottles, each holding a different scent, look like they should contain top-secret serums or vaccines, and the set is presented in a Mission Impossible-worthy canister of silvery metal and clear plastic. When removed from their niches, the sprays dispense their fragrances — Bergamot, Frangipani, or Amber — smoothly and evenly.
The Paul Yacomine website claims that these fragrances contain 30% essential oils, and that they “radiate their scent with the natural movement of free flowing hair.” I can’t verify the actual amount of natural ingredients in these hair perfumes, but they are definitely oil-based rather than alcohol-based. They disappeared into my shoulder-length hair without leaving any noticeable residue, and their aromas diffused well, re-emerging from time to time with variations in my body heat and my movements.
Bergamot is the most fleeting fragrance of the three, which makes sense, since it’s composed from citrus essential oils; but while it lasted, it had the aromatherapeutic side effect of lifting my mood. Frangipani, a blend of creamy white petals, is cleanly elegant rather than tropical, and it emanated gently from my hair throughout most of the day. It would probably appeal to admirers of Annick Goutal’s Songes. Amber is the richest and most tenacious scent of the three. It reminds me a bit of Le Labo’s Labdanum, smooth and mellow like aged, polished wood, and it has a sweet aspect that makes it feel almost gourmand. The Amber spray, when applied in the afternoon, lasted for the rest of the day and was still noticeable in my hair when I woke up the next morning.
I’ve also tried wearing all three scents on my skin, as suggested by Paul Yacomine. Their staying power seems slightly less persistent on skin than on hair, and their sillage stays close and subtle. I’ve even experimented with layering two scents at a time on my wrist: Bergamot gave a nicely tart twist to Frangipani, and when I applied Bergamot over Amber, the result was a mouth-watering blend similar to the smell of a spice cake with lemon icing.
All in all, I’ve enjoyed using Paul Yacomine’s Parfum de Coiffeur sprays. They have an elusive, coming-and-going quality, and their fragrances, designed as single-note scents, are evocative without being overly embellished. Come to think of it, I could probably use a haircut right now, but these scents do make my hair feel more stylish for the time being.
The Paul Yacomine Parfum de Coiffeur coffret of three scents (15 ml each) sells for $55-60. The set is available from b-glowing and the Paul Yacomine website.
See also: Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb Hair Mist ~ hair perfumes, part 1
Looks very musculine & cool. Like a cool trio of aftershave goodies for a man. But it's actually oil-based fragrance for hair. Actually, I like to spray perfume in my hair – it holds the fragrance for a long time. I gotta admit that I'll spritz alcohol based perfumes in my hair without any doubts:))
I usually put a spritz of regular perfume on my hair, too… but these were nice to try. They really did work well. I like the packaging, too! The bottles are kind of industrial-looking, but the lettering on the labels is more “feminine” without being frilly. 🙂
I remember a shampoo from the 70s called, I kid you not (anybody out there remember this?) “Gee, Your Hair Smells Terrific!” Not to forget the exclamation point. This sounds much nicer, something I might try. I'm growing my hair out after a bad patch where some meds I had to take made it fall out, and look forward to once more having longish hair that smells terrific. Thanks for the post!
Hi Fleur, Oh, I do remember that ad! I also remember the Herbal Essences ads (for the *old* shampoo, with the flower-child hippie-girl illustration on the label), which emphasized how great your hair would smell after use. 🙂
Wishing you healthy, happy hair!
I not only remember but actually USED “Gee Your Hair Smells Terrific!!”! I prefered the Herbal Essence stuff and actually found body lotion and shower gel to match. Even as a hippie iIwas a scent-freak!
Aha! You subverted the stereotype that all hippies are unwashed and smell of patchouli. Great! 🙂