Verdant by Boujee Bougies

Hi Posse, You might remember that the candle turned fine fragrance brand Boujee Bougies is the brainchild of my friends Nick and Pia. Last year I made a whirlwind trip to their HQ and then did dinner at their home. It was so good and fun. You can read more about the adventure and Queen. My very favourite of their original offerings is Verdant but it also seemed wrong to be writing about it when most of you were in the grip of winter. As spring/summer is definitely making itself known up in the northern hemisphere I’m going to give you the greenly green greenery update.

The Boujee Bougies crew say this: “New verdant air reaches skyscraper heights as millions of green stems weave through brutalist buildings from some distant past when humans ruled the Earth. A dewy mist lightly hovers over the concrete jungle, and a desert has turned into an oasis. New life can begin.”

Verdant is perfectly named. The blurb above encapsulates the idea. I can hear you wondering what my scent impressions are as it lives on my skin. Thinking, when will Portia get to the point. Well, I’m spritzing now. Let’s ride it together.

Verdant by Boujee Bougies 2023

Boujee Bougies gives these featured accords:
Top: Timut pepper, Neroli, Cactus accord
Heart: Violet leaf, Tomato leaf, White flowers
Base: Australian Sandalwood, Javanol, Vetiver, Oakmoss, Concrete accord, Musk

Sappy green like cutting hydrangeas but with a strangely alluring gummy sweetness like tearing dandelion leaves. There’s fresh cut grass and some flowers, but more like that interesting almost not there hawthorn flower rather than the heavy hitting white florals.

As we head towards the heart petrichor becomes apparent, that wonderful smell of water hitting long unwet concrete. One of the loveliest things about that first flush of rain in leafy suburbs of Australia and the bush is that instant tang of eucalyptus. Though the notes don’t reflect it I get strong memory references, as we have had rain this last week and walking the dogs I always love to breath in that eucalypt/petrichor melange.

The tomato leaf is not hugely prominent for me, it’s background player helping to lift and green. I want to call out mastic too, it’s a woody gum that can be chewed for digestion and it or something quite close is hitting me. LOVELY stuff.

As we head towards dry down (and this lovely, long lasting section is my absolute favourite) we have dry but creamy sandalwood amidst the greenery. Verdant suddenly becomes so sophisticated and elegant. Still green as green can be but underpinned by this unbelievably smooth and resinous beauty. Here’s where the fragrance becomes what I think of Verdant. It lasts and lasts on my skin, huffing out soft and surprising bursts of greenery and sandalwood as I move.

I’d also like to write a hearty congratulations to Pia Long for her Art and Olfaction Septimus Piesse Award for Exceptional Vision. So happy and excited for you. A well deserved golden pear to grace the Olfiction HQ!

Are you feeling the Verdant love?
Portia xx