QuinceOpens with
RoseHeart
HoneyDries down to
Bertrand DuchaufourThe nose · 120 fragrances · also made Jubilation 40 Man (2023)Portrait →Will you like it? Mark a few fragrances you own or love and we'll tell you.
Penhaligon's · Sold as unisex
Vaara
A quiet moment of reflection, where the subtle warmth of powdery notes envelops you in a cocoon of sophistication.
Full bottle: Premium tier, typically $100–250. Links open each seller's own page. We may earn a commission; it never changes the order.
VaaraPremium · $100–250
42%Similar accords, often for lessL Eau d Issey Pure Nectar de Parfum · Issey MiyakeMid-range tier, $40–100 · shares 5 of its 11 notes8 matches →How it wears
From community votes · bars are each option's shareComposition & Character
Notes Pyramid
BaseFoundation
The story behind the bottle.
Launched in 2013, Vaara by Penhaligon's is a composition crafted by perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour. It opens with the fresh and fruity quince, intertwined with rose water and saffron, creating an initial brightness that gives way to a heart of peony, freesia, and magnolia. The base notes of honey, white musk, cedar, sandalwood, benzoin, and tonka bean provide a warm and powdery depth. Vaara is unisex in nature, blending floral sweetness with spicy warmth.
Apply Vaara lightly at first and allow it to develop over time. The fresh top notes will dissipate quickly, but the warm base notes will linger throughout the day, making this fragrance perfect for both daytime and evening wear.
Fig. 01 — Vaara, Penhaligon's
Where to buy.
Wear it for a week first
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Bertrand Duchaufour
The world traveler's noseBertrand Duchaufour is a perfumer-adventurer whose creations read like a travelogue of the senses. Trained at Roure (now Givaudan), his work draws deeply from his journeys through Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and sub-Saharan Africa.
“The art of perfumery must be at the same time, innovative, harmonius, and “sent bon”.”
Bertrand Duchaufour · CaFleureBon, October 2010
Designer Penhaligon's
More from the house · founded 1869 · United Kingdom
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Chosen from what wearers say it smells like, what its fans also love, and its notes
Love it, not the $100–250 price?
Matched by accords and notes. Sample first, then decide.
The originalVaaraPenhaligon's · Premium · $100–250Issey Miyake · 2018L Eau d Issey Pure Nectar de ParfumShares 5 of its 11 notes$40–100★ 4.03 (1,106)40%Match
Cacharel · 1998NoaShares 6 of its 19 notes$40–100★ 3.88 (14,074)41%Match
Cacharel · 2011Le Jardin NoaShares 6 of its 19 notes$40–100★ 4.03 (38)41%Match
Cacharel · 2012Noa Le ParadisShares 6 of its 18 notes$40–100★ 4.40 (15)
With Xerjoff Elle Perfume Extract
Adds amber, woody and citrus; shares benzoin.
Suggested from accords and notes · not yet tried by wearers
What people
are saying.
Respected, if divisive: loved by 30%, disliked or hated by 13%.