From the houses · Kenzo Parfums

Kenzo Parfums: L’Eau Ambrée and the ocean as a mission

Kenzo Parfums is adding a warmer version to a well-known fragrance: L’Eau Ambrée is a new interpretation of L’Eau Kenzo, meant to give the classic a more sensual dimension. The image behind it is an ocean warmed by the last rays of sunlight. More interesting than the image is the list that comes with it: 90 per cent natural-origin ingredients, a ylang-ylang extract obtained without solvents and a bottle made with recycled glass.

A warmer L’Eau

L’Eau Kenzo is one of the house’s well-known fragrances, and the new version shifts the accent. Inspired by an ocean warmed by the last rays of sunlight, L’Eau Ambrée is meant to feel warmer and more sensual than the original. Kenzo Parfums explicitly links the fragrance to an ambition: it should be created with greater consideration for the environment, from the choice of raw materials to production.

What “natural origin” means

L’Eau Ambrée is made entirely in France and contains 90 per cent natural-origin ingredients. The wording deserves a closer look: in cosmetics, natural origin usually means that an ingredient comes from a natural source. It may still have been processed. That is no flaw, but it is different from “natural” in the sense of unchanged.

One detail concerns a classic floral raw material of perfumery: the ylang-ylang extract in the fragrance is obtained with a water-based technology, without solvents. Other ingredients come from recycled materials or from agricultural supply chains that are transitioning towards regenerative practices.

For sensitive skin, a high share of natural ingredients changes nothing fundamental, though. Fragrance materials from nature can trigger allergies too. If you know you react to fragrance allergens, check the ingredient list of every new perfume before it goes on your skin.

Glass and paper

Kenzo Parfums also gives figures for the packaging. The bottle contains 15 per cent recycled glass, and the outer packaging is made of paper from responsibly sourced materials. These are concrete figures of the kind one would like to see on more products.

11,000 corals for French Polynesia

The ocean that inspired the fragrance is also at the centre of a wider commitment. Kenzo Parfums has partnered with Coral Gardeners, an organisation dedicated to restoring coral reefs in French Polynesia. Through the partnership the house has funded the planting of 11,000 corals and training for 520 children from local communities, raising awareness of reef conservation.

The partnership is also reflected in a film that Kenzo Parfums created for L’Eau Ambrée with Coral Gardeners in Moorea. Shot in the waters of French Polynesia, it shows the landscape and marine environment that inspired the fragrance, telling its story in the place where it began.

What remains open

Details on the notes beyond ylang-ylang, on prices and on the launch date in individual markets were not available to the editors at the time of writing.

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This article presents a new launch and is for general information. The photos are supplied by the respective brand.