The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Velvet Lavender arrived in 2015 as part of Eric Buterbaugh Florals, a perfume venture born from a florist's lifelong immersion in botanical work. The line treats each fragrance with the same attention Buterbaugh brought to his floral practice, building compositions that let a single ingredient breathe without flattening it. Lavender was a natural starting point. Familiar to almost everyone, it carries the weight of its own associations, and the challenge lay in rendering the herb without leaning on the obvious. The fragrance that emerged doesn't chase the crisp, green facet the note is known for. Instead, it finds the quieter warmth underneath.
The apricot skin moves against the lavender in a way that reads almost edible without ever becoming overtly sweet. Mugwort contributes a faintly bitter, slightly green sharpness that pulls the composition back from anything too soft, giving the fruit somewhere to land. Clary sage adds a musky, dusty herbal density that grounds the heart in something earthy. At the base, bourbon vanilla anchors the structure, lending a low, warm sweetness that doesn't fight the lavender but rather translates it into something creamier.
The evolution
The first spray lands soft and almost edible. Apricot skin arrives first, ripe but not jammy, with bergamot threading through to lift the fruit without sharpening it. Lavender shows up early in the development, already rounded and gentle, less green stalk and more sun-warmed petal. Mugwort enters and the air turns slightly bitter, almost herbaceous, a green thread woven through the fruit before the apricot fully fades. Clary sage arrives next, bringing a dusty, musky density that thickens the composition. The herbal layer settles in fully, and the lavender becomes part of a broader accord rather than standing alone. Bourbon vanilla then begins to surface, quiet at first, creeping underneath the herbs and turning them golden. Sandalwood gives the base a low, woody weight that anchors everything, and musk draws the fragrance close to skin.
Cultural impact
Velvet Lavender works across seasons with ease, reading naturally in cooler months when its warmth feels welcome, and transitioning into spring through the fruit-forward opening that lends it a brighter edge. Among floral-leaning fragrances, it carries more body than a simple soliflore, offering something denser and more layered without becoming heavy. The composition wears well in casual and dressed-up settings alike, and its balance of fruit, herb, and base notes gives it a versatility that appeals to anyone drawn to lavender in a less conventional register.
