DIVA LAVENDER HEART
Botanical name : Lavandula Angustifolia
PART OF THE PLANT
Aerial part
(stem + flower)
PROCESS
Lavender essence
Co2 fractionation
FORM
Heart of lavender oil
Origin : Provence, France
True to its name, Diva Lavender is the most refined variety of the iconic flower of Provence. Crafted for YSL BEAUTY to enhance its warmest, most balsamic, floral facets, lavender reveals its true essence. Streamlined elegance, with a twist.
ORIGIN
Today, its purple fields under pure blue skies are the symbol of Provence and its vibrant summers. Throughout the Mediterranean world and beyond, lavender is also the olfactory emblem of cleanliness. It has been for millennia, ever since Ancient Romans used lavender to scent baths and laundry. In fact, its very name is drawn from the Latin lavare; “to clean”.
It was in the 19th century, when Grasse rose as the capital of perfumery, that lavender, grown in the hills around the town, turned into the “blue gold” of Provence. At a time when gentlemen were expected to smell clean rather than alluring, lavender became one of the key notes of fougères, the first masculine fragrance family, created in the 1880s. It has been the coolly elegant signature scent of men ever since. But lavender can also be a gender-bender, adding a touch of edginess to feminine fragrances…
SOURCING
Among the 28 species of lavender grown in the world, the variety used by YSL BEAUTY is a newly created hybrid, selected for its high yield, resistance to disease and scent-rich essence. Its farming is part of an initiative to promote the return of lavender crops to France, working with local partners to bolstering local economy and ensure the sustainability of the sector.
HARVEST
Diva Lavender is grown in low mountain areas of Provence on north-facing slopes, known as ubacs, from November to March. The flowers are picked early in the morning between July and August. The harvest is then dried before extraction.
PROCESS
The first steam distillation yields a 100% natural essence, further refined through a cutting-edge technique, CO2 fractionation, which retains only the most beautiful elements of the material. These components are then reassembled into Diva Lavender Heart, the warmest, most balsamic, floral expression of the essence. A couture Lavender crafted by Master Perfumers for YSL BEAUTY.
WHERE TO FIND IT: LIBRE,
THE EAU DE PARFUM
BY YVES SAINT LAURENT
The first floral lavender, LIBRE’s provocative move is to gender-bend a classic masculine fragrance style, the fougère, into a feminine perfume – just like Yves Saint Laurent retailored the tuxedo for women. And like any great piece of design, the fragrance is built on tension. Walking the line between the sexy and the cool. A quintessentially masculine structure and an ultra-feminine heart.
Conceived by Master Perfumers Anne Flipo and Carlos Benaïm, LIBRE is built from top-quality materials sourced around the world and crafted exclusively by the perfumers for YSL BEAUTY. Customized by Anne Flipo to highlight its flamboyance, Diva Lavender heart from Provence brings out the warmest facets of the essence. Lush Orange Blossom absolute from Morocco, fashioned by Carlos Benaïm, reveals the hidden, burning-hot character of the suave white flower. Liberating the quintessence of each note. That’s the essence of LIBRE.
