New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Heliotrope

post #1 of 45
2/4/09 at 12:37pm
Thread Starter 
I consider my previous two threads on "what to try when searching for note X" a great success, so I call upon your combined expertise once again.
I may just like heliotrope. I thought I didn't, but it appears I do. So my quest du jour is for a heliotrope-centred frag. Now, running the note through the directory gives approximately a bazillion results - I believe it must be used to round out many floral bouquets. It's hard to pick those where the heliotrope plays a central role.

(EDIT: *just* found tdi's thread from a year ago (to the day almost! must be the season) which didn't come up on the search function. Reading with interest.)

Ones I've already tried:
Ava Luxe Heliotrope
Profumum Volo AZ 686
Jil Sander Sun
Serge Lutens Datura Noir
BPAL O (no heliotrope in the notes, but my nose tells me there is - no clue who's right there)

Ones I think I ought to try:
Etro Heliotrope
Voluspa Cult of Helios
Avon Heliotrope

With the added complication that the latter two aren't available in Yurp, I think.
Suggestions?
Reply
Reply

Features on Basenotes

Greatest Hits: Annick Menardo
Basenotes Reader Awards 2013 - Finalists Announced.
Petals Falling From The Sky - A Report From The Cote d'Azur's Bataille De Fleurs
post #2 of 45
2/4/09 at 1:02pm
Après l'ondée

Heliotrope is front and center.

A love-it-or -hate-it fragrance.

I love, love, love it.
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 45
2/4/09 at 1:23pm
Thread Starter 
Yes, of course. I knew that. I *have* tried Après L'Ondee a while back, and have nary a memory of it. The Guerlinade just doesn't resonate with me, in general. But still, worth a retry. Thanks!
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 45
2/4/09 at 2:42pm
I've recently discovered that I love heliotrope, too; so I'm very interested in your discoveries.

From what I've experienced so far (in 2008):
Aqua Allegoria Angelique-Lilas has it noticeably.
It's also in Omnia Amethyste.
Kenzo Flower Le Parfum (in the red bottle) has a rich amount of it.
Fleur Oriental by Miller Harris, a recent love of mine, also has a healthy dollop.
And I adore it in Ozwald Boateng's Orange, which I never would have known about but for Musse.

I love the way heliotrope adds a creamy edible floral quality. It's addictive to me. It seems to go equally well in citrussy-light florals, or rich orientals. I'm going to check out some of the ones you have listed as well.
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 45
2/4/09 at 2:49pm
Don't forget the easily unisex Jaïpur Homme by Boucheron.
(Talk about an absolute bomb of heliotrope, esp. in the edp formulation!)
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 45
2/4/09 at 3:05pm
I thought L'Eau d'Hiver was a heliotrope centered fragrance. Any yays or nays?
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 45
2/4/09 at 3:07pm
I'd definitely recommend L.T Piver Heliotrope Blanc - a pure, uncluttered, and very natural smelling heliotrope. Les Senteurs website has samples available if you'd like to test and the perfume itself is not expensive. D&G Feminine is also worth testing - it has heliotrope in with a light floral mix of cyclamen, lily and wisteria. The overall feel of Feminine is similar to Heliotrope Blanc, light airy and very easy to wear IMHO. Lalique Le Parfum also has heliotrope so it might be something you would like. What is your impression of Datura Noir? Is it light and airy or dense and sultry - I can never quite tell from the reviews.
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 45
2/4/09 at 4:50pm
Heliotrope is one of my favorite notes ... and it is included in a lot of different kind of scents.

For Heliotrope in a starring role, you HAVE to try Etro Heliotrope. It also has some almond and vanilla and other yummy stuff to make it clean, airy, and almost ethereal feeling.

Other fragrances I enjoy that have at least some heliotrope include:

Dolce Vita
Jaipur Homme
Jaipur Saphir
Herve Leger
L'Heure Bleue
Cuir Beluga
Gucci Eau de Parfum (the brown juice one, the pink juice one also lists heliotrope, but I don't care for that one)
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 45
2/4/09 at 5:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by lushsoup View Post

I thought L'Eau d'Hiver was a heliotrope centered fragrance. Any yays or nays?

'Yay' here. Definitely heliotrope centered, and you beat me to it, lushsoup.

And I'll also agree with shadesofbleu's recommendation of Gucci Eau de Parfum. It's a very rich and Oriental fragrance, but that heliotrope is definitely out there in front. Love it.
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 45
2/4/09 at 5:15pm
I was looking for heliotrope in Ozmoz & found Viv. Westwood Sin Garden http://www.osmoz.com/fragrances/Haut...ir-SIN-GARDEN# it looks interesting. Does anybody know it?
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 45
2/4/09 at 5:38pm
Actuallty, one of the best Heliotrope scents I know of, where the heliotrope is pronounced, is Heliotrope by Molinard, it is part of Les Senteurs line of scents.
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 45
2/4/09 at 6:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by lushsoup View Post

I thought L'Eau d'Hiver was a heliotrope centered fragrance. Any yays or nays?


HUGe yay to that one!
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 45
2/4/09 at 6:37pm
I was reading about Heliotrope the other day at Bo Jensen's website and here are a couple of quotes that I found to be of interest:

Although the heliotrope fragrance has always been admired in perfumery, extraction of the flowers has never been successful. Knowledge of the constituents of the fragrance is also very limited. A Japanese study from 1995 identified benzaldehyde, anisaldehyde and benzyl acetate as major components, but these compounds alone don't explain the unique fragrance of the flowers...

The chemical compound 3,4-methylenedioxybenzaldehyde has been given the name 'heliotropin' because its odour somewhat resembles that of heliotrope. However, it is not found in this flower.
Reply
Reply
post #14 of 45
2/4/09 at 8:44pm
I can't resist a heliotrope thread. First, I may have a deserved reputation for disliking vanilla. CORRECT! Yet that is only in perfumes.
Each year I devotedly grow heliotrope flowers. I find that fresh floral scent -- a distinctive combination of vanilla, cinnamon and baby powder -- to be compelling. I love getting whiffs of it as I pass my lovely deep purple flowers.
I would never wear such a scent, but I can certainly appreciate it. So I wish you well in your sun-oriented ("helio-tropic") quest.
Reply
Reply
post #15 of 45
2/5/09 at 2:00am
As a confirmed Heliotrope fan, I can definitely second Piver's Heliotrope Blanc as worth trying.
If you PM me with your address I can send you a sample Veuve Amiot.It smells just like the Cherry PIe
Heliotrope flower.It is more natural than the Etro and creamier.
There is another scent called Lullaby by Jeffrey Dame (over on POL,) which has a lot of heliotrope in it
and is very unusual in a soft, pillowy kind of way - really beautiful. I can also send you a sample of that if you'd like.
Other scents with Heliotrope include Dolce Vita and Emporio Armani She.
Reply
Reply
post #16 of 45
2/5/09 at 4:18am
I just realized, I've never smelled real heliotrope! I only know it from a bottle, and that is virtual reality.
Well, if the reconstruction is as good as lily of the valley in Diroissmo I'm OK. Otherwise? Hmmmm. Time to commune with nature, I guess.
Reply
Reply
post #17 of 45
2/5/09 at 6:28am
I'm definitely going to plant some heliotrope this spring. It's going on my "to plant" list right now.
Reply
Reply
post #18 of 45
2/5/09 at 7:01am
Quote:
Originally Posted by lilybelle View Post

I'm definitely going to plant some heliotrope this spring. It's going on my "to plant" list right now.

I think I'm going to give it another try this spring too. I planted some a few years ago, but it didn't work out so well.
Reply
Reply
post #19 of 45
2/5/09 at 8:28am
Try to get the variety called "Cherrie Pie" - it's very heavily scented.
Reply
Reply
post #20 of 45
2/5/09 at 9:26am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nostalgie View Post

I just realized, I've never smelled real heliotrope! I only know it from a bottle, and that is virtual reality.
Well, if the reconstruction is as good as lily of the valley in Diroissmo I'm OK. Otherwise? Hmmmm. Time to commune with nature, I guess.

Same here! Even worse (confession time!), I never realized the flowers were purple. From how they smell in perfume, I'd assumed they'd be white or cream coloured.

Today I got to smell D&G Feminine, and it's heliotrope-y indeed! A very airy, light, sweet heliotrope. I think I prefer the slightly heavier, more rounded out type, as in the Ava Luxe one or Datura Noir.
Reply
Reply
post #21 of 45
2/5/09 at 9:58am
Agree with many of the recommendations above. My absolute favorite is Apres L'Ondee. I would KILL to smell the parfum. Plus the L'Eau d'Hiver is such a minimal/crisp take on the same ALO theme. Both are so beautiful to me.

Now I want to smell some of the other recommendations above. The Etro sounds great shadesofbleu.
Reply
Reply
post #22 of 45
2/5/09 at 5:54pm
  • aaz
  • offline
  • Gender:
There is a 'Heliotrope & Santal' by Accord Parfait if you can find it, it smells really delicious and woody at the same time as I believe the ingredients are just Heliotrope and Sandalwood in an EDP. Not certain if they have been discontinued but I just love the combination of the two ingredients together - it also reminds me of part of the heart notes in Jaipur Pour Homme by Boucheron - which is one of my all time favourite heliotrope infused fragrance. By the way, there are 2 different colours for the heliotrope plant - one with a deep purple and the other white (sometimes you may get a slight blush of mauve in some flowers). To me, there is a slight variance in the scent - I find the one with the deep purple the stronger scent. I have one of each growing in pots and they are really hardy and do not need much pruning. I have never really pruned either one back except to cut off the dead branches. They tend to have a sprawling habit and they do make very ornamental bushes or pot plants and they flower every so often. Do plant them and enjoy the perfume!
Reply
Reply
post #23 of 45
2/5/09 at 6:23pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by lilybelle View Post

I'm definitely going to plant some heliotrope this spring. It's going on my "to plant" list right now.

I am glad to see the enthusiasm for experiencing the real flower as a point of comparison to the perfume version. I grow mine as annuals in pots (due to the cold winters). They never get very big but they sure put out a cloud of scent! I find them to be a bit fussy, requiring neither a lot nor too little water. Still, they are an essential in my garden.
As much as possible (for gardeners) I'd urge growing fragrant flowers (and also herbs). Learn what things smell like in nature.
Reply
Reply
post #24 of 45
2/6/09 at 3:53am
I was going to suggest Herve Leger.

Then there is Lalique Le Parfum, which hasn't come up yet. There is a bizarre heliotrope-cumin accord in it which I personally find quite repellent, but the dedicated heliotrope sleuth may wish to try it regardless in the spirit of scientific inquiry.
Reply
Reply
post #25 of 45
2/7/09 at 2:23pm
The best heliotrope heavy fragrance I have tried is Loukhoum by KM.
Reply
Reply
post #26 of 45
2/7/09 at 3:10pm
I forgot to mention that supposedly (since I personally have never smelled it) vintage Farnesiana by Caron is a wonderful heliotrope scent.

Anyone smell it and care to comment?
Reply
Reply
post #27 of 45
2/7/09 at 3:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nostalgie View Post

HUGe yay to that one!

I'll pipe in here, and add Dans Tes Bras. I am not confident to identify heliotrope, but when comparing these two scents, there was "that something special" that both had in common, and they both have heliotrope listed in their compositions. I thought that my be the mystery ingredient that caught my notice so enchantingly.
Reply
Reply
post #28 of 45
2/7/09 at 5:51pm
I get heliotrope in Belle en Rykiel and Daim Blond. I don't have much love for BeR and I think heliotrope is part of the reason why, but I do love the spicy/leathery DB and find it fits in nicely here to create what for me is the perfect fall/holiday scent.
Reply
Reply
post #29 of 45
2/8/09 at 2:23am
I'm a big Heliotrope fan, and I've found my personal 'holy grail' of heliotrope fragrances, namely Santa Maria Novella Eliotropio. It's wonderful... lightly sweet with a touch of that almondy flavor. It's a touch musky and very subtle. There isn't much sillage, but what can you expect? It's also great for layering. I believe it's discontinued, or at least it is in the US, but I can help with samples.
Reply
Reply
post #30 of 45
2/8/09 at 3:06am
I recommend you try Alessandro by Mazzolari, which is a slightly more floral and refined and less gourmand take on heliotrope than Etro's Heliotrope. And I second & third Après l'Ondée and the scent inspired by it, L'Eau d'Hiver

Quote:
Originally Posted by mikeperez23 View Post

I forgot to mention that supposedly (since I personally have never smelled it) vintage Farnesiana by Caron is a wonderful heliotrope scent.

Anyone smell it and care to comment?

I recently smelled the vintage extrait, mike, and found it centered on a mimosa note rather than on a heliotrope one.
Reply
Reply
post #31 of 45
2/8/09 at 9:32am
What a wonderful thread, I love heliotrope, and many of the frags mentioned here are among my favourites! One of the best soliflore heliotropes I've tried was Crown Perfumery's Heliotrope, but I don't know if that's available anywhere anymore.
Reply
Reply
post #32 of 45
2/9/09 at 9:26am
Thanks to all of you enablers, I've been checking out TJ Maxx lately. Just bought, very cheap, unsniffed and unheard of, Volupté by Oscar de la Renta.

It definitely has a heliotrope note. Very interesting, though,there is a lot of violet, which takes it out of the soft melancholy heliotrope genre into something almost unisex, a bit earthy, a bit dry and spicy. Not at all sweet.

It is growing on me,. I think it must have been ahead of its time.
Reply
Reply
post #33 of 45
2/9/09 at 2:44pm
Oh, Nostalgie! I have been lurking on the same bottle at my Marshalls. It's $12, but I have been passing on blind buys. How much do you like it? Does it smell like any other perfume you can think of?
Reply
Reply
post #34 of 45
2/9/09 at 3:28pm
Chantilly, that's the one!
And I NEVER buy blind and I NEVER buy at TJMaxx. So maybe it was fate.

I wish I could help more...I'm sure someone will step in and lend me a hand...a nose...

I smell the heliotrope and violet right away. Then more violet than heliotrope. It goes earthy-violet. Then patchouli takes over--which you will love or hate. I kind of love it. It is that almost brunt-rubber patchouli base.

I find it interesting because heliotrope is usually used in sweeter or gentelr mixes.

The deep dry down is very faint,but just delicious--a fresh violet against a dry patchouli. Very close to the skin It doesn't last long.


I think it is well worth $12.oo.
P.S. Check out the reviews here on Basenotes. I seem to not be detecting a rose note. The reviews are quite positive.
Reply
Reply
post #35 of 45
2/9/09 at 3:38pm
All right you enabler you. And she's off, out the door, down the road, and to the finish line! We have a winner! I'll report back later.
Reply
Reply
post #36 of 45
2/9/09 at 3:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChantillyLace View Post

All right you enabler you. And she's off, out the door, down the road, and to the finish line! We have a winner! I'll report back later.

Glad to contribute to the cause!

Please also let me know if you have trouble opening the cap. I do. Well, it is open. i can't close it properly.
Reply
Reply
post #37 of 45
2/9/09 at 4:23pm
I have some Oscar Volupte to sell, if anyone's interested. Very cheap!
Reply
Reply
post #38 of 45
2/10/09 at 3:06am
Loving this thread and all the suggestions for another heliotrope-lover. My 'to smell' list lengthens daily!
I can add only two, probably contentious, fragrances to the list: L'Heure Bleue from Guerlain and Teint de Neige by Lorenzo Villoresi. I feel that both contain heliotrope but my nose is notoriously blunt.

Ah! just checked the database and Teint de Neige does have it listed as a note. L'Heure Blue however doesn't seem to. Hmm.
Reply
Reply
post #39 of 45
2/10/09 at 6:12am
Thread Starter 
Ugh. That's the third time I've tried an failed (due to computer crash, firefox crash and stupidity of my own...) to compose a list of all your recommendations. I guess it's not meant to be!

Quote:
Originally Posted by chaeleran

What is your impression of Datura Noir? Is it light and airy or dense and sultry - I can never quite tell from the reviews.

To me, it's quite dense and sultry. The thing with heliotrope, though, is that is sort of sings in harmony with itself; it's high-pitched and deep & reverberating at the same time. Compared to D&G Feminine, Datura Noir is definitely more full-bodied and lush. More of a contralto to the D&G soprano. (I wonder where my musical thing is coming from all of a sudden...)
Hell, I think I'll need a bit of vampiness tonight - will make DN my SotE.
Reply
Reply
post #40 of 45
2/10/09 at 7:24pm
Well, I got my bottle. The first time I sprayed it I didn't like it. Very old school late 60's early 70's. The second time I sprayed it, liked it better. Very Zen like with the incense note. A llittle drier than I was ready for but it is getting better. I layered it with AL heliotrope and it was a really nice mix. I think it is FBW. DD said she would go in on one so........ It's funny how your nose takes time to get used to a scent sometimes. I saw a SotD post that Taolady loves Volupte'. Maybe we can get her to give us her take on this?
Reply
Reply
post #41 of 45
2/13/09 at 4:30am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChantillyLace View Post

Well, I got my bottle. The first time I sprayed it I didn't like it. Very old school late 60's early 70's. The second time I sprayed it, liked it better. Very Zen like with the incense note. A llittle drier than I was ready for but it is getting better. I layered it with AL heliotrope and it was a really nice mix. I think it is FBW. DD said she would go in on one so........ It's funny how your nose takes time to get used to a scent sometimes. I saw a SotD post that Taolady loves Volupte'. Maybe we can get her to give us her take on this?

Layering with more heliotrope sounds like a great idea,b/c the heliotrope dissipates so quickly --can't hold up to the heavier notes.

It is a retro scent--in a good way I think!
Reply
Reply
post #42 of 45
8/24/10 at 5:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mikeperez23 View Post

I forgot to mention that supposedly (since I personally have never smelled it) vintage Farnesiana by Caron is a wonderful heliotrope scent.

Anyone smell it and care to comment?

I adore heliotrope and grow both the deep purple and pale white/lavender color. Both have different scents. Farnesiana is one of my favorite fragrances, but for a different note: Acacia farnensiana. The Caron perfume is absolutely exquisite in its rendition of this lovely flower. Some might think there is a heliotrope component in it.
Reply
Reply
post #43 of 45
8/24/10 at 5:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Merbert View Post

I adore heliotrope and grow both the deep purple and pale white/lavender color. Both have different scents. Farnesiana is one of my favorite fragrances, but for a different note: Acacia farnensiana. The Caron perfume is absolutely exquisite in its rendition of this lovely flower. Some might think there is a heliotrope component in it.

I've never heard of that flower, nor have I smelled it. Very interesting.
Reply
Reply
post #44 of 45
8/24/10 at 6:23pm
Le Parfum by Barbara Bui is a good choice for heliortope if you can find it.
Reply
Reply
post #45 of 45
8/24/10 at 11:55pm
Oh I love my heliotrope. Lots of classic Guerlains of course have it.

LT Piver do one Heliotrope Blanc, Etro, I own and love and if you can get it Crown Perfumery Heliotrope another I own.

Farnesiana in extract is gorgeous. MPG Secrete Datura has it big time.
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Female Fragrance Discussion

Features on Basenotes

Greatest Hits: Annick Menardo
Basenotes Reader Awards 2013 - Finalists Announced.
Petals Falling From The Sky - A Report From The Cote d'Azur's Bataille De Fleurs