Peony has always made women dream, thanks to the gracious beauty of its multiple, crumpled petals that look like real crêpe paper, and to its delicate, ‘rosy’ smell perfectly in line with the current crave for intimate, not too ostentatious scents.
The problem is, it is called a ‘mute’ flower, which means you cannot capture its perfume. However, it can be very efficiently reproduced in a laboratory, with natural essences like Turkish rose or geranium, and a bit of synthesis (freesia, mockorange, a fruity touch of raspberry or red currant…).

Acqua Di Parma was the first to reinterpret it as an eau de parfum (Peonia Nobile, 100ml, €132), and then as a shower gel (Peonia Nobile, Luxurious Bath Gel, 200 ml, €45), and Luxurious Body Cream enriched with a pearl powder for a radiant skin (250ml, €68). Delightful! And the brand already claims the antioxidant virtues of the peony extract in the body cream.

Fragonard has made it their Flower of the Year, thanks to talented Céline Ellena, who worships it and has delivered her own interpretation in an Eau de toilette (50ml, €17). The brand also offers it in multiple other versions (a box of four soaps, 4x50g, €11; a bar soap, 140g, €4; a diffuser, 200ml, €28; a case, €18…).

The peony fragrance can even be found in supermarkets. After their Pivoine Féérie eau de toilette (50ml, €12.50), Jeanne en Provence has launched a whole peony-dedicated range: Shower Gel (250ml, €4.30), Liquid Savon de Marseille (500ml, €5.90), Moisturizing Body Lotion (250ml, €6.50), Moisturizing Hand Cream (75ml, €3.50).

Skincare virtues

Peony is a flower of gods: its name comes from Peon, a doctor of Mount Olympus, who used its root to treat Zeus. Radiance flows naturally with such a glowing flower!
L’Occitane has dedicated a whole face care line to it, after exploring it as an eau de toilette (Pivoine Flora, 75ml, €50). The Provence-born brand has developed a Pivoine Pure complex which combines the perfecting virtues of a peony extract from the region of Drôme with the astringent, rebalancing properties of a Mediterranean lemon extract. It can be found in their two latest creations: Pivoine Pure Perfecting Mattifying Fluid (50ml, €35) and Perfecting Purifying Foam (150ml, €19), which cleanses the face and helps remove impurities in combination to oily skins.

Sephora has also dedicated a whole bath range to these gracious corollas: Bubble Bath and Shower Gel (260ml, €7.95), Hand Cleansing Cream (240ml, €4.95), and Moisturizing Hand Cream (50ml, €4.95).

Our hair was not left behind. Klorane has discovered anti-irritant, itching-relieving properties in peony. The brand targets sensitive, irritated scalps with a peony range (Shampoo, 200ml, €6.75; Gel Conditioner, 150ml, €10.50; Soothing & Anti-Irritating SOS Serum, 65ml, €12.40).

Ariane Le Febvre