Violet perfume: 16 to try, from sweet flower to green leaf
Violet in perfume is either the sweet, powdery flower or the cool green leaf. This guide groups 16 violet perfumes by the side they show and explains how to try them in 3ml.
Violet perfumes to try, by the side of violet
Sixteen perfumes in five styles, in the order the guide presents them.
- 1Best overall
Aqua Allegoria Flora Salvaggia
Violet, melon and wildflowers over orange blossom and jasmine, with iris and white musk.
from €7.833 ml
Read the pick - 2
A white-flower heart of jasmine, orange blossom, violet, lily-of-the-valley and rose.
from €14.673 ml
Read the pick - 3
Bergamot and violet over coffee and iris, with patchouli and vanilla.
from €8.103 ml
Read the pick - 4Best powdery pick
Leather, tangerine and coffee over violet, heliotrope and jasmine, with caramel, musk and vanilla pod.
from €6.573 ml
Read the pick - 5
Raspberry, pear and grapefruit over violet, litchi, apple blossom and rose, with musk and plum.
from €7.293 ml
Read the pick
Show all 16 picks
- 6
Mixed berries and citrus over violet and jasmine, with musk, vanilla and cashmeran.
from €8.913 ml
Read the pick - 7
Green apple, bergamot and violet over musk, rose and sandalwood, with black currant and peach.
from €14.853 ml
Read the pick - 8Best for summer
Violet leaves, yuzu and anise over basil, mint and cardamom, with licorice and olibanum.
from €10.353 ml
Read the pick - 9
Mineral notes, violet leaf and salt over ginger and sage, with woody notes and vetiver.
from €7.293 ml
Read the pick - 10Best for winter
Suede, licorice and mandarin over violet leaf, rum and cumin, with bourbon vanilla.
from €8.103 ml
Read the pick - 11Best value
Citrus and green notes over a floral heart with violet, rose and freesia, then musk and cedar.
from €6.213 ml
Read the pick - 12
Citrus and jasmine over sea notes, peach and violet, with white musk and cedar.
from €6.213 ml
Read the pick - 13
Elemi, lemon and orange over amber, pepper and violet, with fir, cedar and benzoin.
from €10.083 ml
Read the pick - 14
Saffron and juniper over black violet, rose and leather, with blonde woods and vetiver.
from €14.493 ml
Read the pick - 15
Basil, violet and mandarin over sage and cedar, with vetiver, leather and nutmeg.
from €16.203 ml
Read the pick - 16Best for evening
Spices, red berries, violet and tuberose over leather and sandalwood, with amber and olibanum.
from €13.863 ml
In this guide
A violet perfume is either the sweet, powdery flower or the green, cool leaf, and its partners decide the rest. Aqua Allegoria Flora Salvaggia by Guerlain leans on the flower beside melon and wildflowers, while Valentino Uomo Born in Roma by Valentino opens on violet leaf with salt. Below, 16 are grouped by the side of violet they show.
Every perfume here lists a violet note, and each comes as a 3ml or 10ml decant. Pick the side you lean towards, then test one flower and one leaf before you size up.
Quick comparison
| # | Perfume | Label | Main notes | Lasts | Trail | Season | 3 ml | 10 ml | per ml |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aqua Allegoria Flora SalvaggiaGuerlain | Best overall | Jasmine, Orange Blossom, Solar Notes | Moderate | Moderate | Spring, Summer | €7.83 | €22.86 | €2.29 |
| 2 | J'adore L'Or (2023)Dior | Jasmine, Lily-of-the-Valley, Orange Blossom | Moderate | Moderate | Spring | €14.67 | €44.37 | €4.44 | |
| 3 | The Only OneDolce&Gabbana | Coffee, Iris | Long lasting | Strong | Autumn, Winter | €8.10 | €25.74 | €2.57 | |
| 4 | FeminityMancera | Best powdery pick | Heliotrope, Jasmine, Lily-of-the-Valley | Long lasting | Moderate | Autumn, Winter | €6.57 | €18.18 | €1.82 |
| 5 | Daisy Eau So FreshMarc Jacobs | Apple Blossom, Jasmine, Litchi | Moderate | Moderate | Spring | €7.29 | €20.07 | €2.01 | |
| 6 | Burberry HerBurberry | Jasmine, Violet | Moderate | Moderate | Spring | €8.91 | €25.74 | €2.57 | |
| 7 | Aventus for HerCreed | Musk, Rose, Sandalwood | Long lasting | Strong | Spring | €14.85 | €42.21 | €4.22 | |
| 8 | EGE AIGAIONishane | Best for summer | Basil, Cardamom, Mint | Long lasting | Moderate | Summer | €10.35 | €27.18 | €2.72 |
| 9 | Valentino Uomo Born in RomaValentino | Ginger, Sage | Moderate | Moderate | Autumn, Spring | €7.29 | €19.98 | €2.00 | |
| 10 | Fahrenheit Le ParfumDior | Best for winter | Coriander, Cumin, Rum | Long lasting | Strong | Winter | €8.10 | €23.13 | €2.31 |
| 11 | CK OneCalvin Klein | Best value | Freesia, Jasmine, Lily-of-the-Valley | Summer | €6.21 | €14.31 | €1.43 | ||
| 12 | Acqua di GiòGiorgio Armani | Coriander, Cyclamen, Freesia | Summer | €6.21 | €18.81 | €1.88 | |||
| 13 | Eau des MerveillesHermès | Amber, Pepper, Pink Pepper | Moderate | Moderate | Autumn | €10.08 | €30.60 | €3.06 | |
| 14 | Black SaffronByredo | Black Violet, Leather, Rose | Long lasting | Strong | Autumn, Winter | €14.49 | €37.35 | €3.74 | |
| 15 | Ocean LeatherMemo Paris | Cedar, elemi, Sage | Moderate | Moderate | Spring, Autumn | €16.20 | €49.32 | €4.93 | |
| 16 | Crying of EvilStéphane Humbert Lucas 777 | Best for evening | Leather, Rose, Sandalwood | Long lasting | Strong | Winter, Autumn | €13.86 | €38.34 | €3.83 |
Show all 16 picks
Community votes
The two sides of violet in perfume
Violet is not one material but two. The flower gives a sweet, soft, powdery effect. The leaf gives something greener and cooler.
The flower side has a catch. Wikipedia's Viola odorata entry says there is some doubt whether true violet-flower extract is still used commercially in perfumes, while violet leaf absolute remains widely used. Wikipedia's Ionone entry explains how the flower is rebuilt instead: the ionones take their name from the Greek word for violet, and alpha and beta ionone together carry the characteristic scent of violets, which perfumers combine with other materials to recreate the flower.
The same entry notes that beta-ionone contributes significantly to how roses smell, which may help explain why violet and rose sit so comfortably together. We list every violet perfume we stock on the violet note page. This guide sorts 16 of them by what happens around the violet.
Violet flower or violet leaf
Choose the flower when you want softness, a powdery finish and a floral heart. Choose the leaf when you want a crisp, green opening. Gender follows the perfume, not the side: the leaf picks below are listed for men or as unisex, the flower picks for women, and five of the sixteen are unisex.
Wikipedia's Viola entry adds a quirk. Ionone, a major part of the flower's scent, temporarily desensitises the receptors in the nose until they recover, and the entry says violet is known for a "flirty" scent that comes and goes. Judge a violet perfume over a few wears, not one sniff.
Violet also turns up outside the pure-violet style. Our guide to powdery perfumes covers the soft, dusty side of the family, and fragrance families explained shows where floral, green and fresh scents sit.
Violet flower at the centre
These four keep to the flower, with iris, coffee, heliotrope or white flowers for company. Three of them carry a violet accord as well as the note, and all four are listed for women.
Aqua Allegoria Flora Salvaggia by Guerlain
- Top notes
- Melon, Violet, Watery Notes, Wildflowers
- Heart notes
- Jasmine, Orange Blossom, Solar Notes
- Base notes
- Iris, White Musk
- Time of day
- Daytime
Aqua Allegoria Flora Salvaggia by Guerlain was launched in 2021. Guerlain describes a wildflower accord touched by the powdery side of iris and violet, lit by white flowers. In the notes, watery notes, violet, melon and wildflowers open, orange blossom, solar notes and jasmine form the heart, and iris and white musk close.
Most community voters rate its longevity moderate, and most rate its sillage moderate. Voters most often pick it for spring and summer, for day and office wear.
J'adore L'Or (2023) by Dior
- Heart notes
- Jasmine, Lily-of-the-Valley, Orange Blossom, Rose
- Time of day
- Evening
J'adore L'Or (2023) by Dior puts violet in a bouquet. The catalogue lists only its heart: jasmine, orange blossom, violet, lily-of-the-valley and rose, so the violet is one of five flowers.
Community votes on its longevity lean moderate, then long lasting. Votes on its sillage lean moderate, then strong. Voters most often pick it for spring and autumn, and for evening and night wear.
The Only One by Dolce&Gabbana
- Top notes
- Bergamot, Violet
- Heart notes
- Coffee, Iris
- Base notes
- Patchouli, Vanilla
- Time of day
- Night out
The Only One by Dolce&Gabbana is an eau de parfum from 2018. The house names the pairing of violet, coffee and iris. Bergamot and violet open it, coffee and iris sit in the heart, and patchouli and vanilla make the base.
Community votes on its longevity lean long lasting, then moderate. Votes on its sillage lean strong. Autumn and winter lead its season votes, and night and evening its time votes.
Feminity by Mancera
- Top notes
- Coffee, Leather, Pink Pepper, Tangerine
- Heart notes
- Heliotrope, Jasmine, Lily-of-the-Valley, Violet
- Base notes
- Amber, Caramel, Oakmoss, Sandalwood
- Time of day
- Evening
Feminity by Mancera is a niche perfume from 2020 with a long list. Leather, tangerine, coffee and pink pepper open it. Violet, heliotrope, jasmine and lily-of-the-valley form the heart, over caramel, white musk, sandalwood, amber, oakmoss and vanilla pod.
Community votes on its longevity lean long lasting, then moderate, and on its sillage they lean moderate, then strong. Its season votes go to autumn and winter, with evening and night the favoured times.
Violet with fruit and rose
Here violet sits with fruit: berries, pear, green apple and black currant, with rose in two of the three. Voters pick all three for spring and for daytime wear.
Daisy Eau So Fresh by Marc Jacobs
- Top notes
- Grapefruit, Green Notes, Pear, Raspberry
- Heart notes
- Apple Blossom, Jasmine, Litchi, Rose
- Base notes
- Musk, Plum, Virginia Cedar
- Time of day
- Daytime
Daisy Eau So Fresh by Marc Jacobs dates from 2011. Green notes, raspberry, pear and grapefruit open it. Violet sits in the heart with litchi, apple blossom, rose and jasmine, and musk, plum and Virginia cedar sit below.
Most community voters rate its longevity moderate. Votes on its sillage lean moderate, then intimate. It is picked most often for spring and summer days.
Burberry Her by Burberry
- Top notes
- Black Currant, Blackberry, Lemon, Mandarin Orange
- Heart notes
- Jasmine, Violet
- Base notes
- Amber, Musk, Oakmoss, Patchouli
- Time of day
- Daytime
Burberry Her by Burberry is a 2018 perfume that opens on berries. Strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, sour cherry, black currant, mandarin orange and lemon open, then violet and jasmine form a short heart. Musk, vanilla, cashmeran, woody notes, amber, oakmoss and patchouli are in the base.
Moderate is what most voters say for both its longevity and its sillage. It is picked for spring and autumn, and for daytime wear.
Aventus for Her by Creed
- Top notes
- Bergamot, Green Apple, Lemon, Patchouli
- Heart notes
- Musk, Rose, Sandalwood, Styrax
- Base notes
- Amber, Black Currant, Lilac, Peach
- Time of day
- Daytime
Aventus for Her by Creed is a niche perfume from 2016, listed for going out. Green apple, bergamot, lemon, patchouli, pink pepper and violet open it. Musk, rose, sandalwood and styrax fill the heart, and black currant, peach, amber, lilac and ylang-ylang end it.
Community votes on its longevity lean long lasting, then moderate, and on its sillage lean strong, then moderate. Voters most often pick it for spring and summer, in the day or at the office.
Green violet leaf perfumes
Violet leaf perfume is the green, cool side. EGE AIGAIO and Born in Roma Uomo set the leaf beside yuzu, salt and herbs, while Fahrenheit Le Parfum puts it among rum, licorice and vanilla.
EGE AIGAIO by Nishane
- Top notes
- Anise, Violet Leaves, Yuzu
- Heart notes
- Basil, Cardamom, Mint
- Base notes
- Licorice, Olibanum
- Time of day
- Daytime
EGE AIGAIO by Nishane is a unisex niche perfume from 2020. Nishane calls it a tribute to the Aegean Sea and a green aquatic scent. Violet leaves, yuzu and anise open it, basil, mint and cardamom follow, and licorice and olibanum finish.
Most community voters rate its longevity long lasting and its sillage moderate. Voters most often pick it for summer, by day or at the office.
Valentino Uomo Born in Roma by Valentino
- Top notes
- Mineral notes, Salt, Violet Leaf
- Heart notes
- Ginger, Sage
- Base notes
- Vetiver, Woody Notes
- Time of day
- Daytime
Valentino Uomo Born in Roma by Valentino came out in 2019 for men. Valentino calls the violet leaf absolute at its opening an unconventional ingredient for a masculine fragrance. Mineral notes, violet leaf and salt open it, ginger and sage follow, and woody notes and vetiver close.
Most community voters rate its longevity moderate, and most rate its sillage moderate. Autumn and spring lead the season votes, for day or evening.
Fahrenheit Le Parfum by Dior
- Top notes
- Licorice, Sicilian Mandarin, Suede
- Heart notes
- Coriander, Cumin, Rum, Violet Leaf
- Base notes
- Bourbon Vanilla
- Time of day
- Night out
Fahrenheit Le Parfum by Dior is the warm one of the three, a 2014 perfume for men. Suede, licorice and Sicilian mandarin open it. Coriander, violet leaf, rum and cumin form the heart, with bourbon vanilla underneath.
For Fahrenheit Le Parfum, most community voters say long lasting on longevity and strong on sillage. Winter tops the season votes, with night and evening wear.
Violet in fresh classics
In these three, violet is one note in a busy heart, not the lead. They are here because the violet is listed, among citrus, sea notes and resin. Our guide to clean perfumes covers more of this fresh side.
CK One by Calvin Klein
- Top notes
- Bergamot, Cardamom, Green Notes, Lemon
- Heart notes
- Freesia, Jasmine, Lily-of-the-Valley, Nutmeg
- Base notes
- Amber, Cedar, Green Accord, Green Tea
- Time of day
- Daytime
CK One by Calvin Klein is a unisex perfume from 1994 by Alberto Morillas and Harry Fremont. Lemon, green notes, bergamot, mandarin orange, pineapple, cardamom and papaya open it. Lily-of-the-valley, jasmine, violet, rose, nutmeg, freesia and orris root form the heart, over musk, cedar, green tea, sandalwood, oakmoss and amber.
The catalogue holds only season and time votes for it: voters most often pick it for summer and spring, for day wear.
Acqua di Giò by Giorgio Armani
- Top notes
- Bergamot, Jasmine, Lemon, Lime
- Heart notes
- Coriander, Cyclamen, Freesia, Hiacynth
- Base notes
- Amber, Cedar, Oakmoss, Patchouli
- Time of day
- Daytime
Acqua di Giò by Giorgio Armani is a 1996 perfume for men, credited to Alberto Morillas, Annick Menardo and Christian Dussoulier. Its heart is crowded: sea notes, calone, rosemary, peach, freesia, violet and rose, among others, with white musk, cedar and oakmoss beneath.
Its votes, again season and time only, favour summer and spring, for day wear.
Eau des Merveilles by Hermès
- Top notes
- Elemi resin, Lemon, Orange
- Heart notes
- Amber, Pepper, Pink Pepper, Violet
- Base notes
- Benzoin, Cedar, Fir, Madagascar Vetiver
- Time of day
- Daytime
Eau des Merveilles by Hermès was launched in 2004 and is listed for women. Elemi, lemon and orange open it. Amber, pepper, pink pepper and violet make the heart, and fir, cedar, Madagascar vetiver, oakmoss and benzoin sit below.
Community votes on its longevity lean moderate, then long lasting, and on its sillage they lean moderate, then strong. Voters most often pick it for autumn, for the day or the office.
Violet with leather and saffron
The last group pairs violet with leather, saffron and spice, and all three are unisex.
Black Saffron by Byredo
- Top notes
- Juniper Berries, Pomelo, Saffron
- Heart notes
- Black Violet, Leather, Rose
- Base notes
- Blonde Woods, Raspberry, Vetiver
- Time of day
- Night out
Black Saffron by Byredo is a niche eau de parfum from 2012. Saffron, juniper berries and pomelo open it. Black violet, rose and leather form the heart, over blonde woods, raspberry and vetiver.
Community votes on its longevity lean long lasting, then moderate, and on its sillage lean strong, then moderate. Voters most often pick it for autumn and winter nights.
Ocean Leather by Memo Paris
- Top notes
- Basil, Mandarin Orange, Violet
- Heart notes
- Cedar, elemi, Sage
- Base notes
- Leather, Nutmeg, Vetiver
- Time of day
- Daytime
Ocean Leather by Memo Paris is a niche perfume from 2020. Basil, violet and mandarin orange open it. Sage, elemi and cedar follow, and vetiver, leather and nutmeg close.
Most community voters rate its longevity moderate and its sillage moderate. Spring and autumn lead its season votes, for the day.
Crying of Evil by Stéphane Humbert Lucas 777
Crying of Evil by Stéphane Humbert Lucas 777 was launched in 2022 and is listed for going out. Spices, red berries, violet and tuberose open it. Leather, sandalwood and rose make the heart, and amber, olibanum, patchouli and musk end it.
Crying of Evil gets long lasting from most voters on longevity, and strong on sillage. Winter and autumn nights lead its votes.
The violet map
| Style | Perfumes | What violet meets | Season votes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flower at the centre | Flora Salvaggia, J'adore L'Or, The Only One, Feminity | Iris, coffee, white flowers | Autumn for three, spring and winter for two, summer for Flora Salvaggia |
| Fruit and rose | Daisy Eau So Fresh, Burberry Her, Aventus for Her | Berries, pear, rose | Spring for all three, summer for two, autumn for Burberry Her |
| Green leaf | EGE AIGAIO, Born in Roma Uomo, Fahrenheit Le Parfum | Yuzu, salt, rum, vanilla | Summer for EGE AIGAIO, autumn and spring for Born in Roma, winter for Fahrenheit |
| Fresh classics | CK One, Acqua di Giò, Eau des Merveilles | Citrus, sea notes, resin | Summer and spring for two, autumn for Eau des Merveilles |
| Leather and saffron | Black Saffron, Ocean Leather, Crying of Evil | Leather, spice, woods | Autumn for all three, winter for two, spring for Ocean Leather |
Compare a flower violet and a leaf violet
The quickest way to find your side is to wear both. Try The Only One as the flower, in a 3ml decant at €8.10, and Born in Roma Uomo as the leaf, in a 3ml at €7.29. That is around 60 sprays from the 3ml, plenty for judging how each side wears on you.
Once one wins, move up to a 10ml decant, with around 200 sprays. Our guides to what a decant is and choosing perfume without smelling it cover the details, and our women's perfume page has more to browse.
Frequently asked questions
- What does violet smell like in perfume?
- Violet in perfume is sweet and powdery when it is the flower, and green and cool when it is the leaf. Wikipedia says there is some doubt whether true violet-flower extract is still used commercially, so the flower's scent is recreated with ionones, compounds named after the Greek word for violet, alongside other materials. Violet leaf absolute is still widely used. What you smell then depends on the notes around it.
- What is the difference between violet and violet leaf in perfume?
- Violet is the flower, soft and powdery, while violet leaf is the green foliage, crisp and cool. The Only One and Aqua Allegoria Flora Salvaggia show the flower side. EGE AIGAIO and Valentino Uomo Born in Roma show the leaf side.
- Is violet perfume for men or for women?
- Both. Valentino Uomo Born in Roma, Fahrenheit Le Parfum and Acqua di Giò are listed for men, and EGE AIGAIO, CK One, Black Saffron, Ocean Leather and Crying of Evil are unisex. The other eight in this guide are listed for women.
- Why does a violet scent seem to fade and come back?
- Wikipedia's Viola entry says ionone, a major part of violet's scent, temporarily desensitises the receptors in the nose until they recover. That is why violet can seem to come and go. Wear a violet perfume over a few days before you judge it.
- Can I try a violet perfume in a small size?
- Yes. A 3ml decant gives around 60 sprays, for example The Only One at €8.10, and the 10ml decant gives around 200 sprays, for example Valentino Uomo Born in Roma at €19.98. Try one flower violet and one leaf violet first.
Sources
Wear it for a week, not ten seconds.
Designer and niche fragrances in 10ml decants, so you can live with a scent before you commit.
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