Ralph Lauren Perfume- Complex Notes for a Melody of Scent

By: Gen Wright Click author's name for more of his/her articles

Even though Ralph Lauren is known mostly for his revolutionary clothing styles, he is also a very successful and respected figure in the fragrance industry. In 1978, with the help of perfumer Carlos Benaim, his Polo brand launched its first scent for men. Packaged in the trademark forest green, the scent had a distinctive pine note and launched with an expert concoction of the following: pine, lavender, juniper, Artemisia, bergamot, cumin, basil, and green notes. And that was just the initial push of scent!

For heart notes, Polo relied on coriander, Marjoram, jasmine, carnation, geranium, thyme, and rose, for a core that spilled nicely into the most memorable portion of the scent: a base, which consisted of Oak moss, patchouli, leather, cedar, amber, musk, and frankincense. It was a mixture that played so well into popular culture that its complexity and power is now mistakenly taken for granted. But the fact it is still going strong after thirty years is a testament to its staying power.

Since then, Ralph Lauren Perfume choices have grown in both details and variety. Aside from the amazing richness of the original Polo brand, Lauren also offers the following items of interest:

Notorious (for Women)

The latest in a long line of successful scents, Notorious takes simplicity and elegance to new levels with top notes of bergamot, pink peppercorn, and blackcurrant. These swiftly advance to the heart notes of carnation, chocolate cosmos, and white frost peonies, that provide a nice warming effect, which prepares you for its woodsy base notes of patchouli musk, vanilla, and iris. Though marketed as a scent for women, I dare say this could just as easily be a unisex aroma.

Romance (for Men and Women)

Harry Fremont and Antoine Lie designed this scent over ten years ago for men and women, respectively, and it remains one of the best in a long line of Ralph Lauren Perfumes. The version for women contains top notes, which include Sun Goddess rose, ginger, chamomile, lychee, marigold, and yellow freesia. The male version is quite different with iced lavender, pistachio leaves, and mandarin peel. Both start quickly and continue to flee in distinctive directions from one another.

The version for women utilizes lotus flower, Night Blooming Daylily, White Violet, and Violet Absolute, for a sensual feminine arrangement. Sharing in this sensuality is the male version, which achieves the same goals by different methods of employing Indian Basil, Tiger Lily, and Fresh Wood of Wacapou.

Both end with a woody flare of impressive staying power. Romance for Women incorporates patchouli, Oak moss, exotic wood, and skin moss, to reach its end, while the male companion tips its hat to bristle cone pine, sheer Vetiver blend, and clean musk.

These are not lazy scents. For thirty years, Ralph Lauren has employed the top perfumers of the world and the most impressive mixtures of ingredients to make Polo and all other brands under the Lauren umbrella some of the most captivating aromas on the market. It is a task Ralph Lauren Perfumes have been proud to undertake, and one it has accomplished for nearly half a century. Expect more of the same from Ralph Lauren for some time to come.