Vétiver Écarlate

Vetiver Ecarlate has quickly become my favorite hot weather choice! When I first smelled it off the tester card, I was not really impressed, it had the peppery tomato vine note and citrus, and very soon settled into a familiar vetiver drydown, all as expected. But then the hot day hit and I put on several spritz of it to go out, and it managed to turn my thoughts around with no effort: Vetiver Ecarlate is not your standard freshie/citrus kind of scent. I'd even go as far as saying this isn't a perfume in its traditional sense. Beyond the faint scent that lingers for hours, this creates a charged haze around you in heat and breeze. I'm sure a lot of people don't perceive it as a perfume kind of scent, but the way they react to it is fun to watch: it cheers everyone up and gives them a moment of pause as they wonder what's going on. Another point of interest is the vetiver in the drydown has more of an earthy-sweet facet, as compared to the routine dry-woody profile we know of vetiver. One reviewer described it as the tomato leaf turning into tomato flesh in the drydown, which makes perfect sense when you experience the evolution. Perhaps that's why it carries the term ecarlate (meaning scarlet) in its name? To wrap up, this is a very unique scent in its design, and the choice of high end material gives it a quietly chic vibe to stand out among the busy portfolio of summer citruses. Quentin's vision matched with L'Artisan Parfumeur's philosophy has created a very rare masterpiece that magically holds the tension at the intersection of fresh, sweet and dry! Totally worth the full bottle price and I will happily buy again when I run out, which I expect will be pretty soon living in this hot climate I am in! <3 <3

These three ingredients go really well together. The tomato leaf is responsible for a tart, green, vegetal aspect to the composition, but it's not so strong as to turn the fragrance into a garden smell. The grapefruit is bright, fizzy and invigorating and contributes just as much if not more than the tomato leaf. The grapefruit also seems to stick around longer. In spite of the name, vetiver is the supporting note here, acting like a branch between the other two notes. It doesn't have any of the smoky or rooty facets that vetiver often has. It's a very smoothed out, grassy vetiver, like the one in TF Grey Vetiver. There's a hint of ginger that isn't mentioned but it's nice to get some of that zingy quality too underneath the freshness. There's no sweetness here. It works really well in an office setting and lingers around for the entire working day. I would say it skews slightly masculine. All in all a very classy and versatile, slightly off-beat citrus freshie with good longevity.

Got this a while ago, worth every penny. Beautiful harmony of bitter, green, bright aromas with quality aura. Awesome longevity, stays super fresh and the citrus just lingers and lingers - which is amazing! This kind of citrus staying power is pretty rare, I think I have two fragrances that compare to this in the sense of citrus longevity - and I love citruses. It is pretty linear, but in the opening I do get those tomato leaves, very softly (I just wish they were slightly more dominant), drydown is grapefruit and fresh, green, foresty vetiver, almost salty. Might sound boring but I swear it is not! This is so fun to wear, uplifting good mood fragrance. Kind of off-the-beaten-path, but nothing too challenging. Fits well to office and brings you to spring mood even in middle of the winter. Unisex, actually I would describe this free from gender conventions. Just a great scent.

A hint of vetiver, with dominant tomato mixed with milder grapefruit notes. This smells absolutely delicious. When I first smelt it at the Seoul airport I couldn't decide if I loved it or hated it, but I found myself continuing to think about it so I bought it right before I boarded the plane. Since then it's been bliss- I find myself sniffing my wrist throughout the day to get a whiff. After this, tried the pea and beetroot ones at the shop- I really want to like them, but I felt like puking for how much they felt like raw vegetables. This really made me appreciate how the tomato-mixed grapefruit took away some rawness with fruit here. Finally, vetiver is used as a complementary scent. You basically can't smell it, but you can tell where they used it. Suits me perfectly- I like vetiver, but not that much. This is exactly what this vetiver is like.

Vetiver Ecarlate is a photorealistic green citrus fragrance. The tomato leaf and grapefruit is so naturalistic, it almost borders on culinary. On first spray, I was reminded immediately of Hermes Un Jardin Sur Le Nil with that sort of watercolor transparency- though I would say this fragrance leans further masculine due to higher presence of vetiver. The vetiver here mainly plays a supporting role, lingering in the background as structural architecture while the tomato leaf and citrus take the spotlight. It's especially unique in it's consistency: the citrus and tomato persist from opening to drydown with no degradation. It is bright, effervescent, charming, and incredibly happy all while being vegetal, soapy and calming. Fantastic release! Score: 8/10 Wearability: 8/10 Projection: Moderate to Strong Longevity: Long Lasting

“The perfect summer fragrance doesn’t exi.....” I bought Vetiver Ecarlate *full retail price* within 24 hours of trying a sample from Luckyscent. The opening is solid red grapefruit with tomato leaf. Hints of sweat and cannabis, and wild fruitful gardens. Dries down to a floral vetiver. I love vetiver, and I’ve had several essential oils from different regions. Some were smokier, earthier, or more floral. This vetiver is more floral, and creates an accord with grapefruit that comes together as sort of rose-like. I love grapefruit, but never thought I would love a grapefruit fragrance because I was tortured by So Pink! while working at The Gap in the early aughts. It’s a testament to Vetiver Ecarlate’s power that I love it. If you’re a fan of any of the top three notes, seek out a sample.

This fragrance is stunning. I have this and the Iris de Gris and while I love them both this is probably a bit more approachable. A recent Replica release From The Garden has similar notes so if you like that you will like this. Where they stray is that this grapefruit note keeps it like a fresh burst of tomato straight off the vine- while from the garden pulls more of a soil tincture. This stays bright and fresh and lasts ages. I can smell it on my sweatshirt for a day or two after- and that is rare for me and such bright fragrances. Stays relatively linear but gets a bit sweeter as it wears. I am a sucker for a vegetal perfume and this is top tier.

Somehow this smells more like the overall vibe of a tomato—the fruit, the stems, the leaves, the roots in the soil—than any other "tomato perfume" I've sampled. Yes, you could say it's mostly just grapefruit and vetiver, but the combo does some alchemical magic that transports me to a humid hothouse full of ripe tomato plants. Quentin Bisch is like a ghostwriter who doesn't quote his subject verbatim but, by loosely paraphrasing in his own words, ends up getting much closer to the subject's intended message. Bravo.

Opens with a dazzling ripeness of tomato leaf and fresh citrus - chlorophyllic and sour and completely mouth-watering. Funnily enough, the citrus note hangs around longer than the tomato leaf, close to 8h on my skin. This is a perfect heat-wave scent, evocative of everything fresh and green and ripe with not a single cloying note. I still can't quite decide whether I actually want to smell like tomato/grapefruit though! If this was a bloody mary type of drink, it would be my favorite summer drink though.

I'm absolutely obsessed with this fragrance. It is the best grapefruit I've ever smelled and I think that is because the ginger punches up the tartness a notch. I can absolutely smell the tomato leave and it is just like rubbing it between your fingers- all gardeners know! Usually citrus brightness fades quickly in perfumes and this one doesn't. I would like to note that there is no sweetness in this fragrance, but just tons of freshness. I love it so much.

this is one i really needed to test on skin to appreciate. TBH on blotter, a sort of expected verdant citrus. Tomato leaf / grapefruit -- a lovely combo; nothing too novel or unexpected. On skin, the vetiver gives almost a sort of pepper-y facet, and it wears almost like like a vegetal Glossier You. Almost passed this one off, but glad I skin tested. Unique, but mass-appealing, fresh, vegetal, into it.

Simply wow, I don’t say that much but I was quite surprised how much I liked this, wasnt expecting to this as much as I do. I had a decant I got for a friend but I tested this myself and I’m glad I did. Tomato, grapefruit and a clean woody veitver in the base. Projection is moderate to good and longvity on my skin is 10 hours. I will be buying a FB eventually, or partial for the right price.

A bright and friendly-smelling tomato leaf scent! It's one of the most nostalgic-smelling perfumes I've ever smelled - it reminds me of summers I spent in my cousin's backyard gardens that were full of giant tomato plants. It also happens to be one of my most compliment scents - there's something about an immediately identifiable note that makes a perfume an amazing conversation starter.

Love at first sniff. Fresh aromatic Vetiver and tomato leaf. It's almost alive. A very unique fresh and green perfume. I think this is a clearly masculine fragrence, can't really imagine it on a woman. When i smell this, I can instantly image a vibrant vivid garden, meant in the best way possible. The price is quite hard on this, but it's a french niche, what to expect?

It's an unmatched gem in perfumery ( so far for me). The best zesty, zingy fragrence I've ever smelled. It's almost alive. This fragrence made the deepest impression in me. I tried it at CDG when I left Paris. I couldn't stop smelling the test paper until it faded completely. It's may be just me, but I feel like I found THE scent, but it's sad that it's hard to get.

Finally found a tomato perfume. Been dying to spray the Loewe room spray on me! But too bad they dont sell a perfume one. This perfume is a mix of that but with a bit more grapefruit. Still great fragrance i reckon. Anyone curious on the Loewe scent, go in any boutique. Its their signature store scent. Very addicting. Lol!

A holy grail fragrance for tomato vine lovers. Fairly linear and very well-blended. In my opinion, one of the best examples of L’Artisan’s expertise in crafting extremely natural smelling fragrances. Peppery, tart, green - and has the ability to evoke powerful nostalgia if you were blessed with an Italian grandmother.

This scent makes me smile. Photo realistic grapefruit and tomato with that nice earthy peppery kick. Super bright great for the heat. Longevity on my skin is a SOLID 10 hours, with a nice skin scent up to 24 hours for me. On my skin it definitely leans more on the masculine side

The first time that I smelled L'Artisan Parfumeur fragrances at my local Nieman's, this one really stood out to me. It reminds me of the smell of the air and earth after it rains on a hot summer day on the island of Kaua'i.

Beautiful. Smells similar to L'Ombre dans l'Eau, Mantes La Jolie, and Synthetic Jungle, but is a bit softer than all of those. You still get that super fresh and sharp tomato leaf though, just a bit more subdued

this does things to my brain... if i spray this before bedtime, you might find me digging barefoot in the community garden at 3am on a random tuesday... rubbing myself in tomato leaves...

Literally green tomato stem, leaves, and peel with a slight hint of grapefruit..Dry out to the scent of Yuzu.. Feel like wearing the morning veggie market on me..

A fresh bright grapefruit cocktail sipped in a tomato garden. Bright, but rich. Clean but interesting, a genuinely stunning fragrance.

This is a strong grapefruit, down to earth scent. Vetiver adds a bit masculine vibe. Very gentlemanly. 8/10

I like it far more than I expected! Sharp citrus and complexity from the tomato leaves. Very unisex.

This is liquefied tomato leaf: fresh, green, spicy, viney. It's perfect for the height of summer.

In my opinion, this is the best vetiver

Like Iris De Gris from the same collection, Vetiver Ecarlate really surpassed my expectations. I thought it would be a lot more gimmicky than what it is! But I shouldn't be so surprised - I don't know why I was imagining a vegetable soup kind of scent, which would indeed be hard to wear, when the grapefruit and vetiver are right there in the note pyramid to point into a different direction altogether, and, especially, when I've had such great experiences with tomato leaf as a perfume note in the past. My very first signature scent from way before I really got into perfumes, DKNY Women, is kind of based around it, and I loved it in Annick Goutal's Folavril as well. In those two, the former especially, it was accompanied by a cold powdery kind of sweetness, rather sparkling, and I still think that's the best setting for it - a truly wonderful contrast. But this bed of grapefruit and vetiver must be a good close second, because I have to say the combination works very well. Others have mentioned that the tomato leaf isn't very prominent, and that's true, but only after the first hour or so. In the opening it's very much the star player, and I love that phase. Afterwards the grapefruit and then as it dries down the vetiver take main stage, but I still get whiffs of tomato leaf all through the development. And in its way it's a pretty longlasting scent - I don't have to use much to be reminded of it from time to time all through the day. Just as I like it! I could kick myself for only getting a 5 ml decant, most of which I used up over the past summer months to form a definite opinion on it. I don't think I need a full bottle but I'd love a larger amount to have as a refreshing but substantial option on those hot summer days which require it (and which are only becoming more frequent...)

Applies musky vetiver with menthol brightness that's more brisk pine. Soft wood depth, which may also be vetiver. Tomato leaf is my favorite, so surprised I almost didn't notice since it blends with the vetiver so well. But there definitely is a bristly green chord. The juicy grapefruit also adds refreshing citrus brightness throughout. I love all the ingredients, but they don't start gently. Takes time for them to settle and harmonize. Strength is fine, but not a beast. On skin, vetiver grows in heft, which pairs with the bitter tomato leaf and grapefruit. Not generic and love how it warmly radiates natural notes. On clothes, green tomato leaf projects more. Overall, a delightful blend that leans more fresh while still unique and cozy. The way the citrus elevates vetiver and tomato leaf in the dry down is to die for. Seriously, wait for that stunning addictiveness. I'd rank this close to Serge Lutens' "Fille en Aiguilles" in being potentially bottle worthy, classy, nature scents. That is pine instead of vetiver, though. 1ST REVIEW: Opens dewy green with a hot pepper note. Citrus dominates projection. Turns into equal parts pulpy pink grapefruit and dry tomato leaf. Pleasant, and even though I wasn’t initially excited, the projection is surprisingly strong and the green stem/leaf elevates it. Imperfect, but worth trying if you like grapefruit and green scents. Hours later, the tomato vine/leaf is still projecting like crazy, which is super rare and not easy to find. Impressive. Hours after that, all that’s left is warm vetiver that’s a perfect comedown. Can’t believe how long this one lasts. Such a varied experience, too.

When I first sprayed this, I immediately mumbled, “Oh my god...” Another reviewer described it perfectly as a “zingy, zesty” grapefruit fragrance. It’s bright and sprightly at the jump. It’s quite beautiful, and that’s from someone who’s citrus-averse. This, for me, is a lesson in nuance and all the ways a note could be interpreted. For me, it smells more like a bitter pomelo than a pink grapefruit. Vetiver Ecarlate (VE) and Zara’s Vetiver Pamplemousse (VP) are both realistic depictions of a fresh and zesty citrus rind. But comparing them side by side, VP is juicier and fruitier like a Ruby Red grapefruit whereas VE leans in a bracingly green direction. It’s more akin to Windows Down from Henry Rose, actually. I don’t perceive the tomato leaf as much as I do the pomelo. I think the vegetal greenness pairs too seamlessly to be teased apart. As a tomato leaf fan, I guess I do wish this note was strengthened and the pomelo less so. But again, no criticisms here. Really fresh, really zingy, really nice.

This is a really fresh and bright perfume. I love tomato leaf in fragrance, and although this is a unique blend, I don’t find it as tomato-forward as something like Maison Margiela’s Replica From the Garden. The grapefruit and vetiver in this end up taking centre stage over the tomato, vs. From the Garden’s green mandarin and geranium blend complimenting the tomato better. Very comparable notes between the two, but the slight tweak in the citrus and floral/herbal choices make all the difference. One thing this fragrance definitely has over From the Garden is the longevity however. I could still smell it a bit on my skin and clothes the next morning after wearing. From the Garden does not have that staying power. But overall I don’t think the cost of this perfume is worth it for me since I would much rather reach for From the Garden despite its short wear.

Vetiver Écarlate walks where Replica's In The Garden once cut deep. Gone is the raw bite of torn stems, the bitter snap of leaves crushed between fingers. Here, the green is softer, blurred by the sun’s embrace, mixed among the swollen sweetness of ripe, bruised tomato flesh. Pulp glistening, red and golden, neither tart nor overly lush—just full, just right. Less harsh, and the perfect amount of succulent. Grapefruit zest shimmers through, a rather aromatic breath of citrus lifted by the earth’s warmth, quiet tang curling around the tomato’s natural acidity like light through shifting leaves. The vetiver is barely a whisper, simply an unobtrusive pulse of dry wood and soil beneath everything, holding the scent in place. A garden not in its wild youth, but in its ripe, glowing stillness. Golden hour, where all is warm and balanced.

Those who know me would know this would be the easiest for me to like - grapefruit and vetiver is a winning combination for me. I honestly don't pick up too much of the tomato leaf - but it does have a zesty pink grapefruit opening, with quite a fair bit of rind. I suspect the green, sulfurous qualities of tomato leaf overlap with some aspects of the grapefruit accord here, and its relative subtlety makes it more of a nuanceur to the grapefruit. In any case, the nuttiness of the vetiver is nicely linked to the drier aspects of the grapefruit note, and this makes a solid summer freshie if you like grapefruit. However, this is also quite similar to the more affordably priced Concentrée de Pamplemousse Rose (Hermès) and Vetiver Pamplemousse (Zara), so £150 is a bit much for something that isn't terribly original.

This is lovely. Not something I’d choose for myself, but I’d enjoy it on a man as a daytime scent. Update: I have been testing this scent for some time now, and I must admit it’s incredible how something made with synthetic ingredients can smell so natural. Despite it not being “my thing” at all, this fragrance has surprised me by staying true to the promised fresh tomato leaf–grapefruit accord from the very beginning to the very last moment, when it becomes also pleasantly sweet. While I don’t enjoy many scents by this author due to their often too-intense projection, I must admit—I truly enjoy this one. Bravo, Quentin Bisch! P.S. Today I went to buy a full bottle, but the scent from the bottle was so strongly rhubarb that I changed my mind.

Three notes or accords listed here and it smells like all of them. It's a modern vetiver, leaning on the nootkatone synergy with grapefruit, a perfect combination but then it has this vine tomato consume association to me. Lasts ages. If you want a vegetal, woody, fragrance with a long lasting bite of bitter grapefruit, then this is as good as any I've tried. Does it excite me, not really, but it ties in very well with the Fennel one, Cedrat ceruse in a cohesive collection. I like it.

The grapefruit and tomato leaf bring out a tart and tangy opening, smoothed from below by the vetiver. This smells very much to me like a farmer's market, and I can imagine wanting to smell that way, especially in the daytime in warm weather. This just didn't smell to me like any of the other fragrances to which people in other reviews below compare it (at least the fragrances with which I'm familiar). This smells to me pretty much like its own thing.

This is so far away from the scent profiles I typically enjoy! I love, love, love the tomato leaf smell! Grapefruit is fantastic here as well, somehow it does not fade away in 30 minutes, like it usually happens with citruses, but lasts for hours and hours. The vetiver is dry and a bit smoky. Amazingly unique creation!

In the beginning this smells like very realistic rhubarb. You can feel the earthiness aspect as well and the greeness from the leaves. Later on it becomes more of a grapefruit and vetiver mixture. Its nostalgic and refreshing.

god i love this so much but it really doesn’t last on me and i cannot justify a purchase .. after an hour it’s just grapefruit and all the earthy & green notes are gone. opening is so nice but cleaning product drydown tbh

A really unique fresh and zingy opening with the tomato leaf and grapefruit. The vetiver lends a great earthiness to round out the fragrance. Great end of summer transitional fragrance heading into Fall.

Such an out of the box smell. Opens up very green and bitter, like the smell of cannabis, dries down to a woody, green, grapefruit smell. Not your average fresh citrusy smell. Worth sampling.

I'm an extreme perfume newbie, but got a trial bottle of this because I love the smell of tomato leaf. At first it smelled just tomato leaf and a bit of the grapefruit, but over time it settled down and smelled exactly like my mom after she's been gardening. Nostalgic, but not something I'm going to wear.

Tomato leaf + grapefruit + smokeless, dry vetiver. The tomato leaf scent is particularly prominent. In the dry-down, the tomato leaf fades, but the mix of grapefruit and vetiver strangely gives off a hint of rhubarb.

I get equal amounts of tomato leaf, grapefruit(probably mixed with some Timur), and an earthy, almost leathery vetiver(I also get it in Hemingway and Sultan Vetiver), Which makes it a bit challenging to wear.

Too little tomato leaf and something here is like evoking freshly hulled peas. Not an unpleasant scent, just seems to be missing focus.

On me this is very soapy. The notes are all buried under a bar of dove. Maybe a citrus soap.

Too much vetiver and lemon and not enough tomato leaf

Yuck. The first sniffs made me literally nauseaus. With time, it gets more bearable. It smells literally like fresh tomatoes in the rural market and I have no idea why would anyone like to smell like that. As it dries down, it becomes more like flowery vetiver as someone already mentioned. Yet I can still imagine tomatoes in the market. Curiously, I like tomatoes as a vegetable, but tomatoish fragrance apparently is a terrible idea.

I love grapefruit scents- but this has a very sharp bitter grapefruit note. Alost like biting into he rind and not the juicy flesh. A hard NO for me

Thankfully, it does not smell like rhubarb. I understand why some people make this association, but ultimately, it's a blunt description. It smells like grapefruit, tomato leaf and vetiver. While rhubarb is sour – this is not. It's quite predictable. What you see, is what you get. This trinity plays very well together. I like all these notes individually, so unsurprisingly I also like this scent. I'm just not lyrical with it. I guess those who really like it, also like it for its simplicity. For me, the simplicity is... too simple? It comes down to a fundamental question – is this a composition that is more than the sum of its parts? In this case, I'm really not sure. It's perhaps a bit too early for me to say, I have only worn it for a couple of hours. I will have to come back later and give my final thoughts. Initially, it's definitely a like. A few wears later, I still like this perfume. It’s nice, very easy to wear and works perfect in high heat, because it’s light and delicate and no matter how much you spray, you would never overwhelm anyone with this. It’s really grapefruit-forward rather than anything else, and the grapefruit does last an impressive amount of time. It’s very nice, but it just doesn’t evoke any deep feelings in me.