Vivacious

Between this, Slowdive, and Hyde, Hiram Green is quickly becoming one of my most beloved and admired contemporary perfumers. I totally get the comparisons to L'Heure Bleue and Après L'Ondée, but to me, Vivacious is much more modern and well-rounded than either of them, especially L'HB. It's essentially a blend of powdery florals with a spritz of citrus and luminous resins. Two key purple flowers have been elided, however: iris and heliotrope. I'm a huge fan of them both, but they tend to impart a cold, sharp, clean edge to many powdery fragrances, including another favorite of mine, Habanita. Instead, we're presented with this balanced panoply: the dusty warmth of carnation; the starchy earthiness of orris (the root of the iris); the damp green coolness of violet; hints of tangy bergamot and sheer amber. They all come together to form something both powdery and green, lustrous and grounded, wise and lively: the glowing chill of an unexpected, elegant caress. There’s something almost spicy here, as well. I’m not sure if it’s the carnation or the orris, or perhaps a bit of both. There's a kind of olfactory gloss at play in Vivacious, something with heft and shine that belies an airy core—a restrained generosity. I'd therefore classify this as slightly more formal and feminine, but as always, it could definitely be worn by anybody given the right ambiance. The harmony between dewiness and heat makes it a very versatile fragrance in terms of season; I daresay it could be a year-round affair. The longevity is very good, with the amber and carnation becoming more pronounced with time. The sillage is demure but noticeable. Vivacious, fortunately, more than lives up to its name. It's scintillating, breezy, and full of life.

Wow. I was not expecting to love this, as violet perfumes tend to have a kind of minty or slightly metallic quality to them that I find off-putting. But Vivacious is SO rich, creamy and smooth! The violets are there, adding their brightness to this perfume in a way that I'm surprised at. I didn't know it could be this way, Violet love <3! The violet is beautifully rounded out by a buttery orris and mild amber. The carnation gives a spicy kick. This falls into warm-spicy genre for me. Soft, earthy, and mildly spicy... blended BEAUTIFULLY. The fragrance fades out with Orris being the predominant base note on me. This does not feel 'flowery' to me, but violet perhaps doesn't read that way to my nose. My perception of the fragrance pyramid in terms of prominence: Orris, Violet, Bergamot, Carnation, Amber. Edit: after some thought, I think it's important to emphasize that there is not much sweetness in this perfume at all. It creates a slightly "raw" ambiance.

It definitely has the retro Guerlain vibe. It has all I like on L’Heure Bleue (nostalgia, iris, yummy powdery notes) but avoids any grandma association. Vivacious is lighter and more cheerful. However, in my opinion it’s more nostalgic than zingy or „vivacious“. Which is not a bad thing, on the contrary, it might be my Victorian dandy scent for rainy days. It leans feminine but not more than, say, Le Cri (Parfum d’Empire) or Angélique (Papillon). Iris is very prominent during the first half an hour, then it is more about violet and carnation. Actually at the beginning you get this strong L’Heure Bleue feeling, but slowly it changes into a beautiful modern violet scent with a warm amber (but not too sweet) background. I think this is one of the best Hiram Green’s scents (on par with Hyde for me, though they are as different as day and night) and a great blind buy!

A very natural scent of violets with spicy clovy carnation. There's something earthy here, maybe it's the amber, which might be something like labdanum. Balushi (in comments below) describes it well - cold, powdery, earthy and spicy. I find it soapy too - a lovely old-fashioned violet spicy soapiness that makes me think of Crabtree & Evelyn soaps, or a country cottage bedroom with a china bowl of pot pourri, patchwork quilt and a window over-looking a garden. Twee if you don't like that sort of thing, but I find it comforting and soothingly old-fashioned. Into dry-down it becomes warmer, with a hint of cinammon I think. It's spicier than Apres l'Ondee, less milky. As spicy as Luten's Vitriol d’œillet but prettier, more floral. I'd say its unisex since it's not sweet and it's soapy/spicy. Lovely, and unique!

Vivacious is absolutely delicious and very Guerlainesque, indeed! In my opinion, you do not need to own a full bottle of this if you already have L’Heure Bleue, they’re very, very similar, with Vivacious being more... well... vivacious :) A crispier and happier version of the Guerlain classic. I generously applied my entire spray sample at around 8am, by noon it was a skin scent and was gone by 4pm... not bad but not great either. A fantastic creation, that I wouldn’t hesitate to add to my collection (even with the LHB similarities) if it was priced more moderately, but at $165 for a 50ml I cannot justify owning it. Conclusion: great scent and an absolute MUST try for all Guerlain fans, and perfume lovers alike.

Nice flowery perfume. The notes are very representativa: Violet, Carnation and iris... This is vivacious! Very bright fragance subtle and elegant. The smell is very natural. The only issue i find maybe is the performance since It is not very good. It lasts for hours but with a very moderate/soft projection. The dry down has for me some cola drink vine. I think vivacious is a fantástico fragance for daytime use in spring and fall. Unisex but leaning maybe a bit more the femenine side fue to the softness It has... Scent: 9 Longevity: 8 Sillage: 6 quality/price: 5 Versatility: 8.5 Originality: 7 Global: 8.5

I agree with the vintage Guerlain feel descriptions below. To me it evokes Apres l’ondee and L’Heure Bleue with a hint of candied violet feel of Insolence. I guess, because of violets and my violet references. Edit : As the hours go by it evolves more into a sweet violet perfume and the perfume that brings most to my mind is Insolence, though more natural, calmer and less intensely sweet. There is also a hay-like quality. 2 sprays are very noticeable 4 hours + later. My partner who won’t care about perfume thought it smelled “clean and like a freshly ironed shirt”

There’s something so nostalgic about this scent that it almost makes me emotional—it feels like smelling a lost memory. It’s a modern take on the classic powdery violet fragrance, and I agree with others who’ve noted similarities between Vivacious and Après L’Ondée. But the addition of slightly waxy orris and a touch of spice gives it a kick that makes it feel more contemporary. The result is a scent that’s both unique and timeless—high quality, beautifully blended, and versatile enough to wear daily through every season.

Ravissement How not to think of Après L'Ondée when the evolution reveals under its powdery bouquet a gently amber base, of a genre that Guerlain would not have denied? Complex but balanced, opulent without being heady, the sillage of Vivacious is a delight. Ironically, it evokes some monuments of a perfumery considered “modern” precisely because it was able, at the turn of the 20th century, to assimilate the synthetic ingredients that he excludes today.

Its beautiful and echoes nostalgia. The violet/bergamot/orris moments are just rich and lush. Full bottle worthy. Its not as sharp as insolence, and less powdery than LB. What is really close to it is the 1992 version of Evening in Paris. Paris is more powdery with peach, but I personally think its closer to that than LB. Layer this with the dark Caron base under it like Nuit de Noel and it becomes more evening. Just a quality fragrance. Love it.

This scent is my current hyper fixation. Dusty, powdery, herbal.... almost reminiscent of an earthy dandelion root tea or tonic blended to perfection with the rawest honey from the country side. This smells pollenated....if that makes sense. I hate that this is getting phased out, will cherish my bottle.

Hiram Green, yet again, has delivered for me. This frag starts out smelling like cherry cotton candy in a very adult way. As it wears on that initial scent mellows to a quieter version of frolicky fun. I cannot detect powder in here anywhere. A fun, easy call back to childhood and female leaning IMHO.

At first spray it smells like huge tuberose then quickly the clove starts to present and you get the spicy carnation vibe all sweet and lovely hearkening to the vintage days but updated. The drydown is very sweet. It doesn't last more than a couple hours, but is lovely as all Hiram Greens are.

The spiciness from the clove blends smoothly into the spicy sweetness of carnation. That complements the more delicate scent of violets rather than overwhelms it. It's a shame it's been discontinued. Maybe something similar is still being produced by a different maker.

A beautiful little carnation fragrance without being overly spicy. The violet and orris notes are noticeable at the beginning but it moves backstage bringing the carnation to the fore.

Wow,, THAT is green violet. The oils in this brand is stellar. Top quality. Lovely. Only one thing wrong. The price. Too high.

I love this. Feel like buying a few more bottles as it is discontinued! I'll have to find something similar. Wah!!

I was quite sad when Hiram announced the discontinuation of Vivacious. Sad and surprised, as I always felt it was one of the most accomplished perfumes from the house, as well as one of the most adored. Who knows? It’s definitely my favorite Hiram Green perfume. It is a very well-composed, natural-smelling violet-themed fragrance. This is the main issue when searching for the “perfect” violet perfume. This one, and Sultan Pasha’s Violet Noyee, are the most naturalistic takes on the flower (in my opinion). I often find the interpretation of this floral accord too powdery, too cosmetic, or too sweet for my liking. Here, it smells naturalistic and well-rounded. It offers a fully immersive olfactory experience - fruity, grassy, powdery, and sweet, all in the right amounts. Hiram draws inspiration from classics like Après L'Ondée and adds his personal touch. The result is more than a mere “modernized” version of the former. While it shares some common ground, Vivacious feels very “outdoorsy” and natural-smelling in comparison to the Gurlain. It is perhaps less melancholic—less gray and more golden-green hued. I was quite surprised by its opening when I first experienced it. It opens up grassy and spicy, like having the breeze hit your face as it bends the grass in the fields, carrying the flower pollen to your nostrils. Besides the green aspect, there is a lot of spiciness from the clove, which gives it a nice lift. This skews the composition into unisex territory. (I know many men struggle with the idea of floral perfumes.) Later, the carnation in the heart takes over from where the clove left. It pushes the spiciness well into the dry-down and reinforces the “vintage” flair of the perfume. Orris is used to add powderiness, supported by a golden, dusty, and glowing amber accord in the base. This perfume feels like taking a nap in a violet field, immersed in the scent of grass and the flowers, warmed by the sun above. Vivacious may appear simple at first, yet it is not. It may seem familiar, but one cannot deny its creativity. If you felt Après L'Ondée was too feminine or melancholic, you might be pleasantly surprised to find a brighter and more unisex version in Vivacious. Or, perhaps you were searching for a natural-smelling violet that combines vintage and modern elements. This one also bears innovative agrestic qualities, especially in the opening. Needless to say, if you love the scent of violets, I believe this one is a must-try. IG:@memory.of.scents

Vivacious is a simple scent, but with an unusual composition. While violet is present, I expected it to be the dominant note, appearing realistic and natural like the flower itself. Instead, after an fast-changing opening featuring the aforementioned violet, it settles, becoming a carnation-dominant scent. Smooth and sweetly spicy, it is pleasant and a little different, but not the scent I was expecting. Vivacious opens with a surprisingly sweet violet note - more candied Parma violet than delicate, powdery floral. Orris root joins it very quickly, tempering the sweetness with its beautiful powdery earthiness. There is some grassiness in there too. There is a lot happening during the opening, with the notes progressing very quickly. Clove-like carnation also emerges early, adding soft spice. It becomes carnation-dominant as it progresses, soft and powdery, with a hint of sweet amber in the base as it dries down. Sillage and longevity are moderate - as usual, excellent performance from this all-natural brand. While it is a pleasant yet unusual composition, I was hoping for the violet-iris accord to be centre-stage, instead of the unexpected carnation. Unisex and easy to wear, this is a great transeasonal day scent that manages to be a little different. The best carnation scent I've tried since Cartier L'Heure Convoitée II. 4/5.

this opens up with a strong floral that kind of reminds me of tuberose, but also smells like a bouquet of flowers in a scratch n' sniff book i had as a child. there was one other perfume with this scent that i also think i mentioned on here, haha. anyway, i don't know WHAT is doing that here because it doesn't seem like any of the notes. most of these notes seem like they'd be soft but this is kind of powerful and there is also almost a gasoline like thing going on, along with something herbal. shortly thereafter it gets a bit spicy from carnation and the orris adds an almost soft suede like element. later it gets sort of dusty and i can see the violet aspect better but it's not a powdery violet, but more sweet. i think the strongest notes here are carnation and orris. it's way softer now, it smells natural, powdery, herbal. after a lot longer on skin i really like it-it's powdery and somewhat bready. the violet is really beautiful once it has time to settle in.