There are few smells quite as satisfying and perhaps even nostalgic as freshly-cut grass. To me, it screams warm weather and signals that sunnier, lighter times are ahead—a feeling I’ll soak up at any given opportunity. The idea of cut grass in a fragrance? Well, I wasn’t entirely convinced at first but upon trying various perfumes featuring the note, I stand corrected. Bottling summer is the easiest way I can elevate my mood, and there are so many ways perfumers have managed to do it.
As someone who prefers grassy, herby and citrus scents over anything gourmand, it’s not all that surprising that mowed lawn in a spritz form has won be over. I was curious to learn more so I enlisted the help of fragrance expert and brand founder Veronique Gabai to explain all things cut-grass perfumes.
What gives the cut-grass scent?
The first, and most obvious question is what is the cut-grass note? For Veronique, “Galbanum is truly the scent of fresh-cut grass.” She describes it as being sharp, strong, and “immediately reminiscent of the lawn mowing rituals”. There are plenty of other green notes that help give that earthy scent. With green scents, you can also find tea notes—herbal or aromatic—like basil or mint, Veronique explains. “I love sappy inflexions of some of these watery, herbal notes, and then some fresh floral notes also have a very strong green tone, albeit a bit sweeter, like lily of the valley,” she adds.
Notes that pair well with freshly cut grass
That leads us nicely onto what notes grass goes well with to elevate the scent if straight-up mowed lawn isn’t for you. Immediately, Veronique said woods are “fabulous with green notes”, before noting that she also loves “the marriage of green and amber too”. On the slightly more expected route, she also notes more traditional pairings. “Green grass, fruity notes and flowers love playing together; it’s not surprise that many fragrances use that structure to create fresh, floral bouquets,” Veronique says.
(Image credit: Tori Crowther)
Are grass notes getting more popular?
In short: yes. In a world where we’re yearning for a back-to-basics mentality, Veronique says that scents connecting us to nature are all becoming more popular. “They bring us immediately to a state of calm, of purity, of deep connection to the earth, which I believe we are all craving, in a world more chaotic and volatile by the minute,” she adds. Using fragrance, Veronique says natural ingredients and those connected to nature, like grass, herbs, citrus and deep woods, are anchoring us and giving us a sense of peace and joy.
Best cut grass perfumes, according to a beauty editor
1. Perfumer H Dandelion
(Image credit: Perfumer H)
This is such a fascinating scent that I feel works in this category by association. Its dry down is exactly as the name alludes to: dandelion. It transports me to lying on fresh, soft grass surrounded by flowers and nature; reminding me of a picnic in the sunshine. It’s earthy, youthful and full of joy—exactly as perfumer Lyn Harris intended.
2. Maison Margiela Replica From The Garden Eau De Toilette
(Image credit: Space NK)
It’s no secret that I love Maison Margiela Replica fragrances, which are all designed to evoke memories and universal experiences—and happen to be spot-on every time. From the Garden is no exception. It opens with its fruity, sweet notes of grapefruit, blackcurrant and mandarin before settling with tomato leaf, geranium and moss coming through. This one isn’t a direct cut-grass perfume but absolutely gives that summer’s day spent in the garden or park with the smells of lawn, flowers and fruits. It’s one of the more universally wearable scents in the list, I’d say.
3. Hermès H24 Herbes Vives Eau de Parfum
(Image credit: Hermès)
Hermès H24 Herbes Vives Eau de Parfum is an elevated refreshing cut-grass fragrance. Its notes of fresh herbs, pear and Physcool (a cooling molecule) make for a light and airy scent with lasting herby, grass-like notes. It leans more masculine on the dry down but is a scent I wear and is stunning for spring and summer—it can be hard to find a fragrance that feels so cooling yet doesn’t disappear in minutes.
4. Lush Grass Perfume
(Image credit: Lush)
I’ll admit, this was the perfume I was most apprehensive to try. It felt so stark in nature due to its straightforward name and any coloured fragrance makes me a little nervous to try. Plus, it’s pretty expensive for a Lush product so I wasn’t sure what to expect. It’s much richer and more woody than I’d anticipated. It opens with a grassy hint but the dry down leans heavily towards sandalwood giving it quite a traditionally masculine feel.
5. Library of Fragrance Cologne Spray in Grass
(Image credit: Superdrug)
This is by far the closest fragrance you’ll get to straight-up freshly cut grass scent. It opens a little apple-y for me but dries down to an unmistakable grass scent. I asked my boyfriend (who was completely unaware what the scent was) what he thought the blotter smelt like and immediately said grass without a doubt. Would I wear this on its own? Probably not personally but it’s absolutely a scent to layer with other florals and fresh fragrances. It’s an incredibly refreshing fragrance, and I can imagine would be such a winner for those who adore that mowed lawn scent.
6. Nikura Fresh Cut Grass Fragrance Oil
(Image credit: Nikura)
Another classically grass scent is this fragrance oil, which is fantastic if you’re somewhat of a scent potion maker at home. It’s ideal for creating your own or mixing into candles or diffuser. It’s unmistakably cut grass and its magic lies in its simplicity. It’s summer bottled, feeling playful and vibrant.
7. Veronique Gabai Vert Désir Eau de Parfum
(Image credit: Veronique Gabai)
This perfume is described as having a “splash of clean, fresh water infused with herb, mint, absinthe”, and that’s pretty spot on. It’s a minty-fresh fragrance but reminds me of being surrounded by nature with the sounds and smells of water nearby. It dries down with its woody notes that complement but not overpower. It’s both chic and incredibly relaxing, plus it’s really easy to wear.