Eau Fraîche is a stunning summer fragrance from Canadian indie line Monsillage.

Eau Fraîche opens fresh and vibrant from lemon-scented verbena sweetened by juicy mandarin. The second I smell it, I relax into it. Soon, the fruits make way for a note of aromatic, heady lavender to emerge. The lavender moves forward while the verbena recedes, playing a supporting role in the background throughout the development of the fragrance. Then the herbs show up – thyme, spicy and warm and rosemary, minty and woody. This is the phase I caught coming from Ms. Michaud that summer’s day. It’s what made her Eau Fraîche memorable for me. But when I started wearing it, I realized there was more to love. Like the lilac at the heart. Here it’s aquatic and soothing with the top notes shimmering above it. The base is woody from cedarwood and vetiver, which also gives it some depth.

The drydown is fresh and soothing. A combination of ingredients in harmony and with a natural richness that make Eau Fraîche the perfect foil for summer heat. But what stands out to me is that it smells real and that speaks to the quality of the ingredients.

Don't wait until summer to try it.

Notes: verbena, mandarin, lavender, thyme, rosemary, lilac, aquatic note, white cedar, vetiver, musk and ambergris.