Vetiver (also known as Chrysopogon zizanioides, or vetyver in French) is a very commonly used perfume ingredient. It is a plant that looks like very long grass with reddish-brown blossoms. You can find this plant in India, Indonesia, Haiti, China, Japan, and Brazil. Its scent is very intensive – it combines grassy, earthy, and woody notes with sweet, smoky, and amber notes. Vetiver fragrant essential oil is extracted from the plant’s roots. Its great fixative properties as well as its distinctive fragrance make it a preferable ingredient for many perfumes.

An interesting fact about vetiver is that its scent may differ based on the region it is grown in (this is very important as it cannot be synthetically produced, so perfumeries have to take this into consideration). One of the best vetiver oils can be found in the northern parts of India, where they also use it as a medicine for relieving headache and stress (Indians call it “the oil of tranquility”). There is a myth about vetiver, saying that it has the ability to increase your financial resources (maybe this is one of the reasons it is mainly used for men’s fragrances)…

Here’s a list of our favorite men’s fragrances with this note:

• Guerlain Vetiver EDT for men – originally launched in 1961, this elegant and masculine woody perfume was re-launched in 2000. Even though the bottle and the color of the perfume were changed, the gorgeous fragrance remains the same – a perfect mix of citruses, spices, and herbs. With top notes of lemon and mandarin, middle notes of vetiver and cedar, and base notes of tobacco and pepper, this is one of the most popular vetiver fragrances for men.
• Tom Ford Grey Vetiver EDP for men – launched in 2009, this perfume is perfect for the sophisticated and refined gentleman. The whole fragrance revolves around its base note – vetiver. On top, there are orange flowers and grapefruit gently giving way to the heart of orris and pimiento. The warm, woody base combines vetiver, amber, and moss for the perfect masculine harmony of the fragrance.
• Prada Infusion de Vetivr EDT for men – launched in 2010, this is a limited edition of a men’s fragrance designed by Daniela (Roche) Andier – a renovation of the classical perfume Prada Infusion D’Homme from 2008. The fragrance features top notes of ginger and grapefruit and base notes of spicy pepper. The heart of this perfume owes its uniqueness to vetiver and white musk, making it a distinguishable men’s fragrance.
• Chopard Noble Vetiver EDT for men – launched in 2010, this is the fragrance designed for celebrating Chopard’s 150^th anniversary. This perfume is made to complete the bold and elegant man who knows what luxury is. The nose behind this perfume is Lucas Sieuzac (Symrise). The perfume’s composition opens with spicy pepper, bergamot, and cardamom. Its heart hides the woody vetiver notes, enriched by mahogany, while the base notes of tobacco and leather strengthen its position as a highly masculine fragrance.

Vetiver perfumes are the perfect present for the elegant and masculine man. Whether it is your boyfriend, your husband, or your brother, you won’t make a mistake with a vetiver perfume!