Parfumplus

THE HUMBLE ORIGINS Native to the mountains of North Africa, particularly in Morocco and Algeria, the Atlas Cedar grows between 1500 and 2500 metres altitude. It can reach 40 metres in height, 20 metres in width, and live several hundred years, sometimes up to 2000 years. Its branches are light bluish-green, spread horizontally. This is why it is also called the Blue Cedar. We can speak of it just as a majestic tree. So much so that it is emblematically represented on the flag of Lebanon. For the Lebanese, it is a symbol of hope, freedom and memory. The essential oil from the Atlas cedar is obtained by distillation and is characterised by a woody smell, powerful, pleasant and especially with a lot of character. The cedar will be used as a base note to push all woods. For example, it works very well in combination with virginia cedar, papyrus or vetiver. This is one of the many reasons why I find it a very interesting raw material. I also like to use it in oriental perfumes, to push the oriental side and give power and character to the perfume. A GLIMPSE IN PERFUMES - BERENGERE RECOMMENDS The Atlas Cedar is a much-sought ingredient. For instance, we find it in Cedre Atlas by l'Atelier Cologne where it is combined with fresh notes, citrus, woods and amber. Also in Oud Minerale by Tom Ford, in large volume, mixed with black pepper, papyrus and very powerful marine notes. And in Santal Noir by Dior. It is mainly found in men's fragrances, but it is sometimes used in unisex fragrances. It is a raw material that reminds me of my first trips to the Maghreb, but also my 3 years spent in the Middle East. It is the dry wood that has been left too long in the sun with its honeyed facet and its flexible use in any type of perfume. It does not take much to give a powerful and deep facet to a perfume. Antoine de St Exupéry, who loved cedar very much and who stayed in Lebanon in 1935, wrote in his novel Citadelle : "Peace is present when things form part of a whole greater than their sum, as the diverse minerals in the ground collect to become the cedar tree." © FourPlus Media parfumplusmag.com P A R F U M P L U S 31