After writing last week's review of Fabergé Straw Hat, I took a look around and realized that my violet obsession isn't restricted to perfumes. I'm applying and ingesting and inhaling other violet-perfumed products on a regular basis, too. Here's a quick round-up of some favorites.
Lush Daddy-O shampoo (top center image) is anything but a "shrinking violet" —its floral aroma is rich and vibrant, with added notes of ylang ylang and violet leaf to add complexity. The scent will linger in your hair all day. ($9.95-$30.95 at Lush)
For something much quieter, you could try Perfumeria Gal Violet Lip Balm (below right image). It's a slick, slightly glossy balm with a sweet and simple violet fragrance, packaged in a lovely little Art Nouveau-style tin. ($6.50 for 1.5 oz at Kalastyle and Smallflower)
Ever since I first read that Virginie Gautreau, the subject of John Singer Sargent's Madame X, wore a violet-tinted face powder, I've wanted to follow her decadent example. Bésame Brightening Violet Powder (below left image) is much more wearable and discreet than Gautreau's choice of cosmetics, with a light candied-violet scent to match its color. ($22 at Bésame and Sephora)
The first violet-flavored treat I ever tried, back in my college days, was Chowards Violet Mints (bottom image). Their silver-and-white purple foil wrappers still sparkle discreetly at newsstands around New York City, like a confectionary analogue to the classic blue-and-white "Anthora" coffee cup. Basically, Chowards Violet Mints are chalky-sweet little squares of nostalgia. (About $1 at newsstands and drugstores)
If I'm feeling a little fancier, I might open my tin of Les Anis de Flavigny Violette Pastilles (top left image). These candies are sugary little orbs with real anise seeds at their centers; if you ever wore and loved Caron Aimez-Moi, you should try these someday. The container is a nice keepsake (and it holds a few perfume sample vials perfectly). ($4.25 for a 1.75 oz. tin at Smallflower)
If you'd rather drink your violets, Kusmi Violet Tea (not shown) is an elegant option. It's a black tea infused with a sophisticated violet essence that complements the tea's flavor without dominating it. (about $18 for a 4.4 oz. tin at Kusmi Tea)
And let's not forget home fragrance, although violet candles aren't all that easy to find. Diptyque Violette (top right image) is the ultimate, a powdery violet with hints of iris. It's a delicate scent that somehow still fills a room. ($62 for a 6.5-oz. candle at Diptyque and Aedes) And, for something more affordable and casual, The Lucky Honeybee Apothecary Violet Lime Candle (not shown) blends its cool floral note with a crisp green edge. ($10 for a 6-oz. candle at The Lucky Honeybee)
Do you have any favorite violet-fragranced items beyond the realm of perfume? Feel free to share in the comments!
I share almost all of your auxiliary violet obsessions, except for the candle, which I have never sampled. I enjoy the bright, powdery taste of Parma Violet candies too.
We are united in our violet love!! 🙂
Creme Yvette! A violet to drink….
Try an Aviation cocktail with Crème De Violette! Amazing – I’ll be glad to recommend my favorite bar in Seattle that makes this 🙂
So good! We have a place nearby that makes a great Aviation.
The Aviation is one of my very favorite cocktails! I haven’t had one in a while. Must remedy that…
The Water Lily is a variation the Aviation that a bartender at Little Branch recommended to me once. It was lovely.
I am also a huge fan of the Choward’s violet candies. There is one store in Seattle that occasionally carries them and I am a very happy person when they are in stock. My husband HATES the smell – the candies are so potent that I end up having to keep them in a ziplock bag.
They do have a very distinctive powdery-sweet smell! I think of them as “Victorian Smarties.” I always feel happy when I see them. I’m glad they’re still around; long may the live!!
All aboard the violet express! With Jessica as our conductor, of course! 🙂 This is a very comprehensive list- the only addition I can think of is the lovely rose-violet scent of Guerlain powders and lipsticks.
Whoo hoo!
Ah, the scent of Guerlain Meteorites facial powder “spheres”… someday, I’m going to splurge on a canister. Years and years ago, I owned a bottle of Guerlain Meteorites fragrance. I swapped it away, like a fool.
Very late to this party but I also recommend Keiko Mecheri’s Genie des Bois in terms of fragrance and Mariage Frere’s Iskander for tea – it’s a delightful violet green tea that’s delicious iced!
Oooooh, those violet candies are making my mouth water!
They’re a fun change of pace from typical peppermint or spearmint candies!! 🙂
I remember not liking the Choward’s mints, but I really like the Anis de Flavigny candies. I like the violet ones, but the neroli ones are good too. I also enjoy Creme de Violette (haven’t tried Creme Yvette). I’ve wanted to try the Kusmi violette tea, but I’m going to have to order it since the one place around here that carries some Kusmi never seems to have that one.
I had the rose Flavigny pastilles once, and I liked those too!
Kusmi really is good quality, worth the price. And their tins are nice for storing jewelry or little odds and ends (or other loose tea or teabags), afterwards.
Berdoues Violettes de Toulouse is basically Chowards in perfume form.
Argh, I really need to get my hands on some of that! A classic. Annick Goutal’s La Violette is also very candied-violet.
Great post! I enjoy Violette, but not obsessed about it. The Lush shampoo definitely needs to be tried. On the list it goes!
I remember seeing Les Anis de Flavigny Violette Pastilles at Bon Marche in Paris. They do packaging well in Paris. I wanted one of every sweet they had there and especially loved their sugar cubes.
Yes! French confectionary and its packaging are so wonderful. Italy does an excellent job in that area, too!
I remember seeing actual candied violets — not violet-shaped candies, but real crystallized flowers — in a shop window in Florence. That moment may have been the root of my entire violet obsession.
What a fun post, thanks! Most of those products can be had where I live, except for Daddy-O. I have that in the shower rack at the moment. It’s an extraordinary rich, dark, violet scent – almost sinister. It does linger in the hair for hours. I’ve read reviews from people who find it drying but it’s completely fine on me.
Mean’t ‘can’t be had’ 🙁 .
Daddy-O really is intensely fragranced — and not a girly violet, at all. Maybe it also includes some vetiver?
I should try it as a shower gel. I don’t know why I’ve never thought of that before.
Oh good idea! I’ll try that too. Thanks. 🙂
I love the way Lush treats violets. They’ve had several Violet-based products over the years that I have adored.
Yes! Bathos bubble bar…and there was a great soap called Gratuitous Violets (discontinued, alas)…and now we have Don’t Rain on My Parade shower gel, lots of violet leaf and violet!
Oh, how I miss Bathos! The Ultraviolet bubble bar scratches the itch pretty well though. I hope they’re still making it. I hear it’s the same scent as Kerbside Violet.
Kerbside Violet is pretty nice. 🙂
I love Violet Tea by Kent & Sussex Tea& Coffee Co. Not only does it smell of violets, but it also contains violet petals. Very pretty.
Jessica! I was smiling through your post because I am using pretty much everything you mentioned in this post! Violets are just so beautiful 🙂
Climbing into my bed scented with Guerlain’s Meteorites room spray is so satisfying.
I would also recommend these tiny Italian candies – Pastiglie Leone’s Violetta – Do give them a taste! The added bonus that they come in these cute little vintage looking boxes just makes me feel so chic when I take them out of my bag. Ha.
Very late to the the thread but in Sweden a couple weeks ago I had violett glass med violett sylt which is violet ice cream with violet jam. Amazing & I can’t get it even in NYC sigh…if you are ever in Ähus…