The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Lacrima, a 2020 release from Parfumeide, is a fragrance built around fig as its central note. The perfumer Alba Chiara De Vitis constructed the composition using elements of the fig tree, beginning with a green, slightly bitter opening that captures the essence of the leaf. The wood bark provides structure and body, lending a solid foundation to the pyramid. As the fragrance evolves, a resinous warmth emerges, anchored by myrrh, which adds a sticky, dark quality that prevents the scent from feeling merely pastoral. The drydown settles into smoky, woody territory, where cedar becomes more prominent and the overall character becomes drier and more atmospheric.
Fig leaf opens the composition with a green, slightly astringent bite that reads more as herb than fruit. The note carries a bitter quality that immediately sets this apart from sweeter interpretations. Myrrh enters the picture as a resinous counterpoint, offering sticky warmth with an edge of darkness that grounds the brighter green notes. Blackcurrant, present as cassis, pushes the green elements forward and amplifies the bitterness rather than introducing sweetness to the accord. As the fragrance progresses, the bark of the fig tree emerges: dry, woody, and slightly smoky in character.
The evolution
The opening announces itself with fig leaf's green bite, sharp and herbaceous, cutting through the air. Myrrh follows within minutes, resinous, warm, unexpected against the green. Blackcurrant amplifies the tartness rather than sweetening it. The transition happens fast. Within twenty minutes, smoke and fig wood bark take over. The brightness retreats. What remains is darker, quieter, intimate. Incense threads through the composition for the next couple of hours, not church incense, but the kind of smoke that comes from something burning outside after dark. Musk anchors everything, warm and close to the skin. The drydown is a slow fade. Cedar lingers longest, mineral and clean, holding on skin and fabric well into the next day.
Cultural impact
The pairing of fig leaf with myrrh in Lacrima creates an interesting tension between freshness and depth. Fig leaf contributes a green, herbaceous quality that is sharp and slightly bitter, while myrrh adds the warm, resinous characteristics the resin is known for. These two elements do not simply sit beside each other but actively interact, with the green notes initially leading and the resinous warmth building as the fragrance develops. Blackcurrant provides a tart, jammy quality that pushes the green notes forward and keeps the composition from becoming too heavy.
