Longtime readers know I’ve never been a lover of galbanum-forward Big Green Meanies like Vent Vert and Jacomo Silences – and that’s fine, right? We all have our personal preferences. I admire them, but I have no desire to own or wear them. Galbanum can read oddly sour on me, with hints of pickle juice, spoilt lettuce, or old vasewater, depending. This time of year, though, I find myself longing for some softer green fragrances that maybe have a hint of newly-mown lawn, maybe some herbs, or vetiver … you get the idea. The only thing I own that fills that need right now is my No. 19 Poudre – more of a soft iris with pale green notes, unlike the stiletto-sharp original.
Then, rooting around in my housemate Carolyn’s stash for something I could actually smell, I spritzed on her vintage bottle of Miller et Bertaux Green, Green, Green … and Green. I doubt I even tried it back in the day. I was obsessed with Spiritus/Land, and the threat of all that green in the name probably put me right off. Notes are laurel, bay leaves, verbena, green sap, coriander, jasmine, cedar, vetiver and musk.
Oh my goodness, what a delight in our cool (but sunny!) early spring weather. It’s a herbaceous green of a perfect weight – not shy but not overpowering, either. The opening smells a bit peppery-spicy (coriander?) then it’s a not-overly-sweet, grassy floral, I can pick out verbena and jasmine. Something about it as it dries down smells like sun-warmed grass layered with incense? What a fantastic combination. It’s got good longevity, too, at least on me.
I googled and apparently Miller et Bertaux is still in business, and still making this. If they have their own website I can’t find it, but the fragrances appear to be available via several retailers who carry the line (including some discounters, for great prices). They have other, newer scents now, some of which sound well worth sampling … I remember liking A Quiet Morning, and also thinking one or two of the other long-ago launches were so light I couldn’t see the point.
Do you feel the need for a spring-green fragrance? What are your favorites? Have you tried any Miller et Bertaux?
You are singing my song today! I love green scents, and have both No 19 Poudre and Miller et Bertoux Green, Green, Green and…Green. In fact, the Green x4 was one of my first scented purchases when I started my perfume hobby back in 2008. I instantly loved that leafy, stemmy, grassy combination. On me, the drydown is very coriander forward and, as you said, it lasts a long time. I’m glad to see this one get some love today. Thanks March!
Ooooh, one of your first purchases! How can it have been so long ago, you know? It’s the perfect combo of greens. Huh, maybe it’s the coriander in the drydown that makes me think of incense? And they have some newer ones that sound well worth sampling.
I’m a fan of galbanum /green… but it has to be Just Right. I sprayed Silences yesterday… nope! So I washed it off and applied TDC Charmes and Leaves. Perfection. I used to love Vent Vert but now… ( shrug)
Glad you’re smelling again!!
I’m only smelling some things, and it is wildly scattershot. So now I just do a browse until something registers. I remember that TDC!
Like you, green is really not my perfume friend. And I was trying to think if I actually have anything green in my collection (don’t think so). But I love the idea. I think I’m going to have to get my green fix from the Trudon Josephine and the Boujee Bougie Succulent candles. It feels like we’re almost moving seasons here. Not quite yet though.
We’re going to get high winds and snow (again) later this week, the last of the weekend snow is melting. But the daffodils are up and the apricot tree is budding, so it’s definitely a mix here! Those candles sound lovely.
I’ve never been very interested in most green fragrances. I don’t really dislike them or like them. Some green in fragrances can be very nice and I have no problem with galbanum. I don’t think I have tried any Miller et Bertaux but if you like Green, Green, Green it might be worth a sniff.
Right now I’m mainly exploring fig fragrances and loving it. How could I have ignored it for so long.
Oh my goodness, I love fig. Years ago I did two lengthy posts on all the figs I could get ahold of — I think they’re called Figmania.
I haven’t tried this one but I think I’m going to have to. I do remember loving Spiritus (and beating no less than Lauren Bacall to a seriously discounted tester at a now defunct store on Montana Avenue) and buying another bottle off of eBay. Which of course has disappeared into the depths of my hall closet. It supposed to rain over the weekend so maybe I’ll go spelunking in there and try to make some sense of it all..
Which ‘defunct store’? Between Northridge (? hope I got the right quake) and general recession… so many fabulous shops vanished. Do you remember A Room with a View? I got a gorgeous pale green silk charmeuse duvet cover ( embroidered with pale pink roses) there.
And the beauty shop – not the beauty supply store… the other one, down the street , been there since the 60s, starts with a ‘p’ in green lettering…
… and Edward Fox shoes with his signature court heel and fabulous bows…
… sigh
Oh, these LA stories — I’d have loved those stores. I loved a court heel with a bow, too! Trying to picture you with a duvet cover with pink roses is confusing me lol although it sounds fabulous.
Oh it took me a while and acme googling but I found it- Palmetto. They kind of focused on candles, home stuff and bath stuff with a minor in perfume (at least at the Montana Ave store- the Melrose one had more of the latter.) Lovely people owned it. I do remember Room With a View. Lovely Stuff. I also remember Rachel whats-her-teeth’s Shabby Chic, which always struck me as used furniture (or stuff that looked used) with a healthy dose of attitude..
What a FANTASTIC story! I’d have loved to run into Lauren Bacall in the wild, although I’d probably have meekly handed over that bottle. I adored Spiritus and have a decant somewhere or other.
No way I was giving that one up. It was almost full and marked down to like $25. (it was a tester and the label was smudged.) and it smelled wonderful on me.
You have forced me to buy a bottle (also seriously discounted) of Green x4. I’m sure I’ll love it..
Yay!!! I think you’ll like it (fingers crossed). also ordered various samples (the ones they had) from StC.