Immortelle in Perfumery

Do you know the flower with the sweet name of immortelle? Much appreciated by lovers of bright, joyful colours, immortelle also offers very particular aromas blending spices, hay, tobacco, which make it a precious ingredient for perfumers. Master Parfums therefore honours it in one of the questions of its advent calendar.

Learn More About the Immortelle Flower

The question found in the “Olfactory Palette” category is the following: “Immortelle is so called because the ancient Greeks believed that its oil brought immortality.” What would you have answered to this “connoisseur”-level question—true or false?

The answer is “false”!

The Origin of the Name “Immortelle”

Although even today its oil is used in cosmetics for its anti-ageing effects, the origin of its name comes from its flowers, which seem dry from the moment they bloom and never wilt. Indeed, immortelle is often used to make bouquets of dried flowers.

Its botanical name, “helichrysum,” comes from the Greek Helio, which means “sun,” and Chrysum, which means “gold.” Golden sun, the perfect name for this sublime golden-yellow flower! Its botanical designation, Helichrysum italicum, recalls that it is said to originate from Italy.

Where Does the Immortelle Flower Grow?

Easy to cultivate, immortelle likes arid, sunny, stony or sandy terrains, such as those of the Mediterranean region.

It does not need mineral-rich soils and can therefore easily cope with drought and heat. This is why it is more commonly found in the south of France and throughout southern Europe.

It is also an emblem of the Corsican maquis, where it can be found on the rock or on sand dunes.

Finally, immortelle grows in other dry, sunny regions, such as Australia, Asia or South Africa.

Immortelle in Greek Mythology

The fascination with the immortelle flower does not date from today.

In Homer’s Odyssey, Ulysses asked Nausicaa, daughter of Alcinous, what was the secret of her divine beauty. She replied that she used immortelle oil from Italy to give herself body and face care.

Immortelle is also associated with Apollo, god of beauty and the arts, because he liked to illuminate his handsome face with crowns of helichrysum, reminding everyone of his immortality.

The Immortelle Flower in Perfumery

Depending on its type of extraction, its aromas are different. In perfumes, it can first evoke chamomile, then its sillage becomes mysterious.

Derived from hydrodistillation, its essence is, like its flowers, flamboyant: a spicy curry note (coming from the curcumene it contains) blends with liquorice and anise notes coated in honey. It stirs the senses like an iodised breeze caressing the warm sand.

When it is extracted with solvents, one obtains a very powerful absolute that exhales a tobacco facet, notes of nuts or prunes, sometimes liqueur-like.

Perfumes Inspired by Immortelle

This sun beauty has of course inspired many perfumers…

Warm and torrid in Sables by Goutal.

It gets rowdy with coffee beans in Val d’Orcia by Parfumeurs du Monde.

In Like This by Etat Libre d’Orange, its spicy note rubs shoulders with the vivacity of ginger and the softness of pumpkin.

In Heliocriss by Sylvaine Delacourte, it surrounds itself with tonka and incense to envelop the tender white musks in mystery.

In Thé Darbouka by Orchestre Parfum, it evokes the warm sand of the Sahara desert.

In Limanakia by Pierre Guillaume, it recomposes the essence of this Aegean Sea island.

In L’Art de la Guerre by Jovoy, it becomes a weapon of masculine seduction in a revisited fougère with an unforgettable sillage.

And many more… Immortelle Corse by Parfum d’Empire, Mandarine et Immortelle by L’Occitane, Oud Immortel by Byredo, Côte d’Amour by L’Artisan Parfumeur, Blanche Immortelle by Atelier Cologne…

Immortelle Essential Oil

In addition to being an important flower in the world of perfumery, immortelle is used in cosmetics for its oil. Immortelle essential oil, often called Italian helichrysum essential oil, is appreciated for its vitamin K content, which confers on it anti-inflammatory, anti-bruising and healing virtues.

It is the flowering tops that are used for its making, which makes it a rather rare and costly essential oil in its very high-quality versions.

The Virtues of Helichrysum Essential Oil on Well-Being

In olfactotherapy, this essential oil has the following benefits:

• Combats nervousness,
• Helps to restart energy circulation,
• Regulates breathing,
• Restores concentration.

Discover even more anecdotes about perfumery thanks to the Master Parfums olfactory game, which exists in a full version and a pocket version.