What does Lotus smell like?
The lotus note blends a wet, almost ozonic freshness with a soft, waxy floralcy. You can pick up nuances of water lily, green leaf, sometimes juicy fruit and powder. It stays transparent and soothing, far from the opulence of white flowers. On skin it fades fairly quickly behind musks and pale woods, leaving an impression of clean skin and water. It is a note of calm rather than seduction.
Origin and production
The sacred lotus, Nelumbo nucifera, grows in the still waters of Asia, from India to Vietnam, where it symbolises purity. A rare and costly lotus absolute is produced in India by solvent extraction of the flowers. Most lotus notes on the market, however, are accords made with aquatic molecules, hedione and green and fruity notes. Lotus became popular in the 1990s with the wave of aquatic, transparent fragrances.
How perfumers use it
Found in the top or heart, lotus adds freshness and transparency. It pairs with lily of the valley, cyclamen, water lily, citrus and musks. Issey Miyake's L'Eau d'Issey opens with it in an aquatic floral; Hermès's Un Jardin sur le Nil marries it to green mango and incense, while Tom Ford's Black Orchid weaves it, more unexpectedly, into a dark, truffle-laced heart.
How to wear it
Lotus suits spring and summer, for daytime. It appeals to lovers of light, fresh, minimalist florals.
