Les Belles de Ricci

Tomato leaf as a perfumery material is rare precisely because it's difficult. It can read as harsh, almost medicinal, or tip into an aggressive green that overwhelms everything around it. The perfumers' solution here was to pair it with basil, another herb that could anchor the sharpness without dulling it, and mint, which adds a cooling counterpoint. The orange in the top notes does quiet citrus work, softening the entry without making it sweet. What makes this structure work is the heart. Tomato flower, cyclamen, magnolia, freesia, none of these are heavy florals. They're aromatic flowers. Magnolia has a creamy, slightly citrusy character that bridges the green opening and the fruity base.

The evolution

The top notes arrive fast. Mint and basil hit first, cool and aromatic, with orange lending a brief citrus brightness before the tomato leaf takes over and asserts itself. This is the moment that defines Les Belles de Ricci, that first 15 to 20 minutes when the green is at its most intense, almost vegetal, like crushing a leaf between your fingers. The heart develops within the hour. Magnolia emerges as the dominant floral, creamy and grounded, while the tomato flower adds a quieter green-floral layer beneath it. Freesia keeps things crisp. The transition isn't dramatic, the green doesn't disappear, it just softens into the background, becoming texture rather than statement. The drydown is where the fragrance settles into itself. Raspberry appears as the base warms, sweet and slightly tart, while fig leaf adds a green, slightly woody grounding. This is the phase that lasts, the 4 to 6 hour range on most skin. The sillage never becomes large. This is a fragrance that stays close, that someone has to lean in to notice. The kind of fragrance that rewards proximity.