Vaara by Penhaligon's
Men Women 2013
Description
Vaara by Penhaligon's is an oriental fragrance for men and women. Launched in 2013, this composition was created by perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour. The top notes unfold with quince, rose water, saffron, coriander, and carrot seeds; the heart reveals a harmony of rose, peony, freesia, and magnolia; while the base offers a warm persistence of honey, white musk, cedar, sandalwood, benzoin,…
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The olfactory pyramid
A guide to the opening, heart and lasting trail of the fragrance.
The community speaks
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In the collection
Leading answer I own it
2,664 votes
What do you think?
Leading answer Like it
1,126 votes
Season
Choose severalLeading answer Spring
824 votes
Time of day
Choose severalLeading answer Day
431 votes
Each question has its own vote count. You can choose several seasons.
Fragrance profile
About Vaara
Vaara by Penhaligon’s is an oriental fragrance for men and women. Launched in 2013, this composition was created by perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour. The top notes unfold with quince, rose water, saffron, coriander, and carrot seeds; the heart reveals a harmony of rose, peony, freesia, and magnolia; while the base offers a warm persistence of honey, white musk, cedar, sandalwood, benzoin, and tonka bean.
Fruits, vegetables and nuts Spices Green, herbal and fougère Musk, amber and animalic Flowers Sweet and gourmand Woods and mosses Resins and balsams
It may remind you of
Ranked by what the community voted.
More from Penhaligon's
More from Bertrand Duchaufour
How it wears
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Longevity
Leading answer Moderate
394 votes
Sillage
Leading answer Moderate
491 votes
Character
Leading answer Traditionally feminine
218 votes
Value perception
Leading answer Fair price
168 votes
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Community reviews
9 reviews
Share what you noticed: opening, drydown, sillage and the moments when it works for you.
Fruity floral with a spicy twist, by Duchaufour for the British niche. Quince and rose dominate, with a prominent yet soft saffron. Peony gives it an aquatic and clean air. In the dry down, there’s honey that smells more like beeswax. It reminds me of Chance Eau Tendre but with saffron. Lasts 7-8 hours with good projection and sillage. Versatile for all seasons, though better in spring. A safe bet in the niche world, worth trying. 🥰
Fruity floral with a spicy twist, by Bertrand Duchaufour for a British niche brand. Quince and rose take center stage, accompanied by a prominent saffron that’s present but not metallic or annoying. Peony adds that aquatic touch, keeping it clean and fresh. In the dry down, the honey feels more like beeswax to me. There are other notes, but these are the ones I notice. It reminds me of Chance Eau Tendre but with saffron, so if you like that, you’ll definitely love this. Lasts 7-8 hours on my skin with moderate projection and a wide sillage. It’s versatile for all seasons, though ideal for spring and transitional weather. Seems like a great entry point into the niche world and worth trying; a safe bet that you and those around you will enjoy. 🥰 Ig @vale.perfumatica
Elegant for spring and summer. Juicy and citrusy opening, fresh with coriander and peony; the roses are barely noticeable. Clean and sophisticated. Ends with the sweetness of tonka bean, honey, and benzoin without losing its cleanliness thanks to the musk. Ideal for everyday wear.
Elegant for spring and summer, with a juicy citrus opening wrapped in the freshness of coriander and peony. I barely notice the roses, but that fresh, clean vibe is there. The longevity is moderate, and it ends with the sweetness of tonka bean, honey, and benzoin without losing its cleanliness thanks to the musk. On me, it’s a sophisticated and pretty fragrance for everyday wear.
It stole a sigh of disappointment from me. The opening is weird, lots of alcohol, nothing pleasant. It turns into a cocktail of synthetic fruits bathed in a harsh musk, followed by a synthetic rose, all without a clear concept. It’s not terrible, but it’s not something I’d want to wear. Longevity and projection are very low.
A fragrance that stole a sigh of disappointment from me 😔. It has a very strange opening, lots of alcohol, nothing pleasant. It turns into a cocktail of synthetic fruits bathed in a harsh, also synthetic musk, later accompanied by an even more synthetic rose, all framing a fragrance without a clear concept. It’s not terrible, but it’s not something I’d want on my skin, at least not anytime soon… Longevity and projection are very low.
Well, I finally tested it at the men’s clothing store where this brand has its exclusive. Honestly, I didn’t expect much, and that’s pretty much what I found. As light as air, this fragrance seems like a sigh; of course, with those notes, not much more can be done. I agree with Drakecito: the musk (not very niche, this one) is the only thing that lifts the perfume a bit, though it doesn’t really feel like musk. It’s like Creed Virgin Island Water that never delivers on its promise (though this is much better than the one we’re comparing it to in terms of note purity). Anyway, a fragrance that doesn’t keep me up at night in my case.
I’m not an expert, having tested it in Valencia at that clothing boutique, but based on the notes, it sounds like a natural products and flowers shop. It has that ‘something’ from Vaara’s notes; let’s see if I dare to go and try it.
For me, it’s a disaster from Penhaligon’s and another letdown from Mr. Duchaufour. He releases too many perfumes a year, and the quality is dropping. It’s a meaningless mix of overly sweet fruits, with honey and that synthetic musk that smells everywhere. Ethereal texture and not very original; it reminds me of Traversée du Bosphore but lacks body and development. It smells good but adds nothing, lasts 4-5 hours, and the sillage dies in 30 minutes. The price is a joke.