• About
  • Login to comment
    • Bluesky
    • RSS
    • Twitter

Now Smell This

a blog about perfume

Menu ▼
  • Perfume Reviews
  • New Perfumes
  • Archives

Aftelier Violet Ambrosia & Olfactive Studio Violet Shot ~ fragrance reviews

Posted by Jessica on 10 December 2020 6 Comments

One of my favorite winter-themed songs is the American standard "Violets for Your Furs." Billie Holiday's interpretation is the one I love most, although I'm very fond of Frank Sinatra's version, which was probably the one that introduced me to this song. The nostalgic mood, the intimate gesture, the contrast between a wintry urban setting and some fresh flowers — it would make a wonderful inspiration for a perfume. And now that winter has arrived in my own city, I'm suddenly in the mood for any and all violet fragrances. Here are two new ones that I've recently tried...

The latest from indie natural line Aftelier is Violet Ambrosia, with notes of violet, broom, vanilla, violet leaf, raspberry, ylang ylang, mimosa, bergamot and sandalwood. Mandy Aftel describes Violet Ambrosia as soliflore fragrance evoking "fresh honeyed violets." Ambrosia meant "the food of the gods" in classical Greco-Roman mythology, but Violet Ambrosia feels more to me like the food of the fairies; it makes me think of the Cicely Mary Barker "Flower Fairy illustrations" that I grew up loving.

This is a gentle kiss of a perfume. It opens with a virtual handful of broom flowers (from an aged broom absolute), smelling like sun-warmed hay — grassy and slightly sweet, almost almondy. Its heart is violet, of course (thanks to the natural isolate alpha ionone), with its honeyed facet boosted by mimosa and its powderiness supported by the vanilla and just a soft touch of sandalwood. Violet Ambrosia turns duskier and more subdued over its development. Due to its all-natural composition, it's a fleeting pleasure, but one that's easily recaptured by applying a few more drops of scent.

Meanwhile, in a completely different vein, French niche house of Olfactive Studio recently expanded its Sepia collection with a trio of floral-inspired fragrances: Rose Shot, Iris Shot and Violet Shot. All three were developed by perfumer Dominique Ropion. Violet Shot, my favorite of the three, features top notes of mandarin, pink pepper and cut grass; heart notes of violet leaf and safraleine; and base notes of patchouli, labadanum and vanilla.

Violet Shot is described as an "elegant and woody" take on this flower; when I sniffed my sample vial, I had an impression of candied violet, but on skin, Violet Shot is more complex and, yes, elegant (yet modern). In its initial phase, the violet leaf and an anise-like note are most prominent, making Violet Shot feel like an older, more worldly sibling to Lolita Lempicka. Then it becomes more of a woody violet, with some refined vetiver and resin notes underscoring the floral heart.

In its dry down, Violet Shot does turn a little sweeter and more vanillic, but it recalls a liqueur more than the candied violet that I caught in my first dry sniff. If you love Balenciaga Paris, you should give Violet Shot a try as well; it has a little more intensity and feels slightly more gender-neutral than the Balenciaga — which is now ten years old, apparently?! And yet I'm still not tired of violet fragrances. Give both of these a sniff, if you're able, and find some April in your own December.

Aftelier Violet Ambrosia is available as 30 ml Eau de Parfum ($195) and 2 ml ($50) and 8 ml ($195) Perfume through the Aftelier website. Olfactive Studio Violet Shot is available as 15 ml ($79) and 100 ml ($275) Eau de Parfum; for buying information see the listing for Olfactive Studio under Perfume Houses.

Note: top image via Olfactive Studio.

Possibly of interest

4160 Tuesdays Hush Hush, Sora Dora Mallow & Dawn Spencer Hurwitz The Stratosphere ~ fragrance reviews
Hiram Green Vivacious ~ fragrance review
House of Cherry Bomb Iris Oud, Alchemologie Nethermead, Regime des Fleurs Willows ~ short fragrance reviews

Filed Under: perfume talk
Tagged With: aftelier, dominique ropion, olfactive studio, violet

Advertisement


6 Comments

Leave a comment, or read more about commenting at Now Smell This. Here's our privacy policy, and a handy emoticon chart.

  1. lucasai says:
    10 December 2020 at 2:25 pm

    I have yet to try the new Aftelier but I love Violet Shot, it’s such a beautiful perfume.

    Log in to Reply
    • Jessica says:
      10 December 2020 at 8:56 pm

      I really like the whole trio! I had actually sniffed it from lab bottles at an industry event more than a year ago, and I bet you did, too…so this is a long-awaited launch for me/us!

      Log in to Reply
  2. 50_Roses says:
    10 December 2020 at 5:30 pm

    I have Violet Ambrosia and I love it. It is soft and quiet, but I actually find it does last a few hours, although at a low volume. I bought the Perfume Pomander, and I think a FB purchase is on the horizon.

    Log in to Reply
    • Jessica says:
      10 December 2020 at 8:55 pm

      I’ve been eyeing the Perfume Pomander! So clever…!

      Log in to Reply
  3. bastet says:
    10 December 2020 at 7:30 pm

    I think Amouage Opus III, one of my favorite violet perfumes, also has notes of broom and mimosa. I wonder if the Aftelier smells similar to Opus III?

    Log in to Reply
    • Jessica says:
      10 December 2020 at 8:54 pm

      I love Opus III! However, that one feels much richer and plusher to me, like an operatic voice…whereas the Aftelier is more of a lullaby. Very gentle. 🙂

      Log in to Reply

Leave a reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Advertisement

Search

Recent reviews

Atelier Cologne Love Osmanthus
Moschino Toy Boy
Arquiste Misfit
Diptyque Eau Capitale
Zoologist Bee
Parfum d’Empire Immortelle Corse
Comme des Garcons Series 10 Clash
Frédéric Malle Rose & Cuir
L’Artisan Parfumeur Le Chant de Camargue
Yves Saint Laurent Grain de Poudre
Régime des Fleurs Chloë Sevigny Little Flower
Chanel 1957
Gallivant Los Angeles
Amouage Portrayal Woman

Blogroll

Bois de Jasmin
Grain de Musc
Perfume Posse
The Non-Blonde
More blogs...

Perfumista lists

100 fragrances every perfumista should try
And 25 more fragrances every perfumista should smell
50 masculine fragrances every perfumista should try
26 vintage fragrances every perfumista should try
25 rose fragrances every perfumista should try
11 Cheap Perfumes Beauty Outsiders Love

Favorite posts

The Great Perfume Reduction Plan
Why I Love Old School Chypres
New to perfume and want to learn more?
How to make fragrance last through the day
Fragrance concentrations: sorting it all out
On reformulations, or why your favorite perfume doesn’t smell like it used to
How to get fragrance samples
Perfume for Life: How Long Will Your Fragrance Collection Last?

Upcoming

List of upcoming Friday projects

15 March ~ swapmeet

3 April ~ damage poll
26 April ~ splitmeet

3 May ~ spring reading poll
17 May ~ Haiku challenge!

 

Back to Top

Home
Archives
About Now Smell This :: Privacy Policy
Perfume Reviews
New Perfumes
General Perfume Articles
The Monday Mail

Glossary of Perfume Terms
Perfume FAQ
Perfume Books

Noses ~ Perfumers A-E :: F-K :: L-S :: T-Z

Perfume Houses A-B :: C :: D-E :: F-G
H-J :: K-L :: M :: N-O :: P :: Q-R :: S
T :: U-Z

Copyright © 2005-2025 Now Smell This. All rights reserved.