Essence No. 6 Vetiver

Even when I was in my 20s I’ve always loved masculine scents. And so far I have been impressed with the entire collection from Elie Saab’s Essence line with Francis Kurkdjian working his magic. I own the Ambre and Gardenia, with Rose No. 1 in my current shopping basket on Fragrancenet. And I’m swooning over my latest trial run, Vetiver No. 6. I know I should wait until I’ve worn this at least twice before writing a review, but I’m too excited and need to share my thoughts. This is beautiful, a clean, natural take on vetiver. Even though pine is not listed, I feel like I’m in a forest. For some reason I also pick up a little suede and mint, I don’t know which notes are the culprit. It does lean more masculine than feminine, but so what. It’s fuckin great. A woman can wear this scent. On one arm I have another recent love, Vetiver Insolence from the Miller Harris house. This and the MH are very different takes on vetiver. Vetiver Insolence is more gourmand, so more of a winter scent, and Vetiver No. 6 is better suited to warm spring days. This is a refined, professional take on vetiver. I think it would work well in an office environment so it’s incredibly versatile. LOVE. EDIT: I own it!

Beautiful take on vetiver signed Francis Kurkdjian. It opens with a fresh citrusy vetiver. Shortly after, the vetiver goes back behind the scenes and the papyrus takes the lead, supported by cloves, and a hint of grapefuit to sharpen the edges. Then, the vetiver comes back (without being loud) in the drydown, now showing a powdery/dusty facet (some musk? or maybe cloves?). A poem that would deserve to be recited louder... indeed, this creation misses the masterpiece grade because of its modest projection. Not a revolution here, but - like the other fragrances of this line - a perfectly tailored blend, using both haitian and indonesian vetiver oils. Like a litterature masterpiece that happens later to be just a good movie, this juice is a fantastic composition that fails to enter the perfume history because of its poor performance. Still a love for me, though. Edit: it's my SOTD, and I have to say that it still projects moderatly after 6 hours, so performance is better than I thought. Spring/Fall days (and summer mildly hot days), 30+. Some powdery aspects and a slight sweetness in the background makes it the most unisex vetiver in my collection (together with Lutens VO)

Is there better value than this Ellie Saab Layering line? These scents are exceptionally priced for the quality and high level of naturals. Plus, we get master perfumer MFK! I think if the price was double, I would still buy them and you can find them at discounters rather prominently now which only increases the value. Speaking of value, this has saved me from buying so many other vetivers that simply aren't quite as good or too expensive for what they deliver. This vetiver scent on its own is beautiful and a natural vetiver that is not too complicated as long as one loves Vetiver and as a Vetiver it is quintessential. It is a bit spicy opening and soapy smooth mid and clean dry down that faints too quickly from an emerald green scented opening to sage green colour scented drydown(the glaring weakness is longevity and projection). However, the magic occurs as you layer this frag. It is designed to be layered and the combinations are infinite. All things considered 9/10 and must own at a discount price.

I’m so impressed with Elie Saab’s essence range and this one is no exception. Smooth, herbal and slightly medicinal so of course it’s going to lean slightly more masculine but I love that! Not for lovers of the sugary flower brigade who prefer to smell like cupcakes, this is a serious and sober fragrance. The trick is how to stop my husband from making it his own. From my understanding, this range was intended to be layered with other complementary products, I have used this particular vetiver to amp up and improve the performance of some of my beloved woody fragrances which have become weaker over the years. I love it with Habanita but it’s equally good alone, it smells downright sexy all by itself. Projection is quite good, and it will last at least 6 hours.

I see why there are so many thumbs ups (but currently even more thumbs downs) for "reminds me of" Vetiver Oriental. That one is a strong love of mine and I know it very well. I was definitely reminded of it immediately when I sprayed this one on for the first time, but they are by no means the same. I love vetiver and I have tried and own quite a few vetiver perfumes. Something about these two is deeply shared and makes them stand out as kin in that crowded field- but this one is MUCH less sweet than VO- not having the chocolate and amber as that one does. If you like VO but find it too sweet definitely check this one out... or if you love VO and want a version of it that suits a slightly different mood. For me I am thrilled to have both.

This one really is a vetiver scent (meaning it has the prominent part in the smell overall) and there is something to smell here and think about it. It reminds me remotely Vetiver Bourbon by Pd'E but the difference is that VB is very strong and almost only vetiver while this Essence No 6 Vetiver is milder, more sophisticated, somehow more complex. I wouldn't wear VB outside of home but I could wear this one, it is modest. I enjoy VB (and almost the same Vetiver Haiti by The Merchant of Venice) because of the extraordinary level and strength of vetiver but I don't want to bother people around me -- while this Essence is safe to wear in the office and other places.

Elie Saab recommends that you combine this with No.7 Neroli, or No.3 Ambre, from the same series, however, I think this works by itself just fine. When I compare this to the great players on the Vetiver arena, Tom Ford's Grey Vetiver, Guerlain's Vetiver and Vetiver Extreme, Encre Noire and others, No.6 Vetiver can stand it's ground by itself. It's earthier but at the same time cleaner than Guerlain, feels fresher on your skin, it's a very pleasing scent that focuses on Vetiver above it all. The projection is low but the longevity is well over 6 hours. Also, the bottle is amazing, great weight and magnetic cap, the sprayer is one of the best I've tried.

I love vetiver and, really, in the bottle, this smells like something that will turn me into Gollum real quick. But here's the secret to making this work: for those of you who find certain scents too sweet or too youthful, layer it with this and you're going to smell like a deeper, darker version of that with hardly any brainpower involved at all. And that's something that will make you shine above others when it comes to knowing what sort of scent impression you want to make.

Bright and clean vetiver. Spicy clove. Dry/powdery/papery/crisp papyrus cypriol. Fizzy purple violets, lavender, and geranium. This perfume is a crackling, dazzling, electric hum in the air. The notes pyramid on fragrantica is incorrect. Notes include: Tarragon, Clove, Grapefruit, Haitian vetiver, Java vetiver, Calabrian bergamot, Cashmere wood, Lavender, Papyrus, Geranium, & Violet Francis, if you're reading this, please relaunch this under Dior Privée or in your own Maison!

Tried this and the whole line at the new Elie Saab boutique on Madison Ave in NYC. This was my standout, but the amber, rose, and gardenia were all lovely. Frankly, it's all Kurkdjian, so ofc it's all lovely. $260 for what looked like 3 oz. Nice staying power, reminiscent of Dior Eau Sauvage Parfum (the pre-2017 incarnation). Medicinal barbershopy, a different direction for FK.

vetiver dances a minuet here. perfect match for a ftgfop1 assam 2nd flush and sunshine. ethiopian slow beats in the background. a luscious mood, luscious lemony and luxe vetiver. can't imagine adding one more scent. that seems to me would be overkill and destroy the diaphanous quality. more indian summer than spring for me.

Earthy, grassy and somewhat fresh. I have got several vetiver-based scents and I have finally realized that my nose doesnt like vetiver, independent of how much others around me appreciate them. The Longevity is really good. I could feel the smell in the shower 12h after I applied it on my skin.

A vetiver for true vetiver lovers. Clean, fresh, and dry in the way only vetiver can be. This leans more masculine than feminine, but could be worn by an edgy woman. It immediately makes me feel cool and fresh when I apply it.

It's manly, i like it and my wife likes it. A brighter, refreshing citrus and vetiver, A great everyday affordable fragrance

I love it soooooo much!!! Love at first spray!!!! One and only!!!!! Unfortunately they discontinued the line 😭😭😭😭

This is mossy woods and light spices, classy vetiver and fresh moist forest.

The entire Elie Saab La Collection Essences line has been composed by the talented Francis Kurkdjian. I am accustomed to smell either powerful and raw or at least somehow vetiver centered scents while acknowledging a label with vetiver on its name. That’s not the case though with Elie Saab’s Vetiver. Essence No.6 begins with some fresh citrus peel top notes paired with violet leaf to prelude the main course. This is a spicy woody event with an evident barbershop ambiance. The lavender is medicinal and quite herbal while a strong clove element stretches the medicinal aspect on one side and the anisic on the other supported by tarragon. The vetiver is slightly smoky and boldly supports the whole composition with the excellent quality of materials allowing the structure to carry its weight for a spruce chypre-like drydown. In general, it works as an imaginary vetiver bridge between Invasion Barbare and New York Intense connecting the suave barbershop air of the former with the classy chypre element of the latter while simultaneously washing them away with cold papyrus smoke. Vetiver is woodier, drier, greener and furthermore a tad sweet and moderately powdery fragrance exuding a warm aromatic aura. Masculine, classic and a great choice for a distinctive everyday signature.

I love vetiver fragrance! Elie Saab Essence No 6 Vetiver EdP smells to me like Vetiver Oriental from Serge Lutens with heavy dose of cloves. Elie Saab Essence No 6 Vetiver EdP starts with a fruity green scent, followed by cloves. This fruity/green/clove scent profile remains prominent and is later joined by some earthy note, probably from vetiver, a way-diluted almost unrecognizable vetiver. For a fragrance named Vetiver, it just doesn’t have enough vetiver juice in the bottle. In my opinion, vetiver is treated here as a pedestrian, not a star. I've tried it on hot summers and cold winters, and the cloves note always dominates. Maybe “Essence Clove” would be a more suitable name than Essence Vetiver? Longevity is about 6-7 hours on my skin. [Update: I then tried it again on a wet cloudy day, temperature was around 20 degrees Celsius (68F). Oddly, it smells fresh and woody. The scent of cloves seems to be less prominent in high humidity, and I could smell more lovely vetiver. Funny how moisture in the air could impact scent presentation. My opinion on this fragrance changed from OK to Like.]

Citrus top notes of grapefruit and bergamot. I'll admit I'm not a bergamot lover. The top is weird on me but luckily it's brief. Then the scent settles into a deeply earthy and dry vetiver (woody and almost powdery without being dusty) that is supported by a woody base of papyrus until it fades. I love this part. The clove I detect blends with the papyrus giving it even more earthy and medicine/masculine vibes. This scent is unisex and wears well on men and women alike. I love the dry down when the vetiver displays itself in all its glory and majesty. I can tell this is quality and it's blended gorgeously. I'm actively working on expanding my tastes and appreciating unisex frags. Beware this line is for people who enjoy modest scents. Sillage and longevity are both low to moderate. -

Elie Saab Vetiver (2015) - crisp mountain air - #franciskurkdjian’s starts with a citrus blast of bergamot and then comes the Vetiver, but this doesn’t assault your nose, as it comes in whiffs. The vetiver oil used is superb quality. What’s interesting is the use of Papyrus & Clove that adds a mentholated, piney, and slightly smokey nuance to the perfume. One of the best vetiver around.