Matiere Premiere
Although Matiere Premiere has become pretty mainstream in France—it has a very large section on Printemps Paris’ fragrance floor and a flagship on rue Saint-Honoré—it’s still considered a niche house, especially in the U.S. The brand’s founder, Aurélien Guichard, takes a very simple approach to crafting each elixir, focusing on one hero note and enhancing the aroma. Most of the raw ingredients Matiere Premiere uses are grown on his family’s farm in Grasse, too.
Vanilla Powder, Crystal Saffron, and Parisian Musc have all, respectively, gone viral on TikTok, but Neroli Oranger deserves its shining moment. This delightful summertime scent is the closest thing you’ll get to pure orange blossoms. Different distillation processes allow Guichard to utilize multiple parts of the bitter orange tree, specifically Neroli and orange blossoms. The former, which smells green and citrusy, is the essential oil extracted from the blooms, while the blossoms themselves smell warm, rich, and honeyed. Combined with a hint of bergamot, a touch of ylang-ylang, and a dash of musk, the resulting bright, sweet, and vaguely soapy aroma transports you to a romantic seaside getaway in the south of France.
