Coco Vanille: the notes, explained

Coco Vanille is N° 01, the first extrait from Immortal Extraits. It's built around two of the most comforting smells there are, coconut and vanilla, and it changes on the skin as the day goes on. Here's what's inside, and what to expect from the first spray to the last trace.

How notes work

Perfumers describe a fragrance in three layers, often drawn as a pyramid:

• The opening, or top notes, is what you smell first. These are the lightest ingredients, and they fade first.
• The heart, or middle notes, comes through once the opening settles. It's the character of the scent.
• The drydown, or base notes, is the richest layer. It lasts longest and stays close to the skin.

The layers overlap rather than switch over, so a good fragrance feels like one scent slowly changing.

The opening: coconut water and bergamot

Coco Vanille opens bright and milky. Coconut water brings the fresh, slightly sweet side of coconut: think of the inside of a split coconut, warm from the sun, rather than suncream. Bergamot, a fragrant citrus fruit, adds a lift of brightness so the opening never feels heavy.

The heart: vanilla orchid and jasmine

As the opening softens, the floral heart comes through. Vanilla orchid is the flower the vanilla pod grows from, and as a note it's soft, pale and gently sweet. A touch of jasmine gives it a warm glow without turning the scent into a bouquet.

The drydown: bourbon vanilla, tonka, sandalwood and musk

This is where Coco Vanille settles and stays. Bourbon vanilla is the name for the rich, dark style of vanilla associated with the islands of the Indian Ocean, and it's deeper and creamier than the sugary vanilla of a cake. Tonka bean adds a warm sweetness with hints of almond and hay. Sandalwood brings a smooth, creamy woodiness, and a clean musk gives the whole thing a soft, skin-like finish.

How it wears through the day

The first few minutes are the brightest, with the coconut and bergamot at the front. The heart arrives as the scent settles on your skin, and over the following hours the vanilla, tonka and sandalwood take over and sit closer to you. Because it's an extrait, it wears close and rich rather than loud. People notice it when they're near you.

Everyone's skin is different, so the way it develops on you will be your own.

When to wear it

Coco Vanille works all year round. In summer, the coconut makes it feel like sunshine on warm skin. In autumn and winter, the vanilla and tonka are cosy and comforting. It's easy enough for the office and warm enough for the evening, and like any fragrance, it isn't for one gender or another: it's for whoever loves the smell.

How to wear it

Two or three sprays is plenty: the sides of the neck, behind the ears or the inner wrists. Let it dry without rubbing. If you love the drydown, a light mist on a scarf will keep it with you into the evening.

New to coconut and vanilla scents? Read what is a gourmand fragrance?