Description
A classic chypre reborn with a twist — its luminous light drawn from plump May peonies, organically grown on a historic Civil War–era farm in upstate New York. Steeped in the history of the land in which they grow, as well as their own lore as a flower of protection and immortality, the blossoms are hand picked and the oils slowly suffused into fat through an ancient method of perfumery called enfleurage. With time and labor the spirit and scent of the living peony flower is carefully extracted and the oil of the blossom can then be blended with hinoki wood and elemi resin, to evoke the classic citrusy brightness of a chypre, and rosewood for earthy depth. The result is a perfume of dualities — the striking romance of peony draped in the smoky, sensual shadow of resin and wood.
How To Use
Use a drop or two on the wrist, behind the ear, or on any pulse point.
Ingredients
Sclerocarya Birrea (Marula) Seed Oil*, Paeonia Lactiflora (Peony Enfleurage) Oil*, Chamaecyparis Obtusa (Hinoki) Wood Oil, Aniba Rosaeodora (Rosewood) Wood Oil, Canarium Luzonicum Gum (Elemi) Oil. *Organic
Sizing + Info
Approx 6 ml / 0.2 oz
Store in a dry place away from heat and direct sunlight. As with any of our Slow Beauty, please spot test this oil for adverse reactions before use and discontinue use if irritation occurs. Please consult with a physician before using if pregnant or breastfeeding. We recommend using this product within a year of opening. Opened Slow Beauty products are final sale.
The Bottle
The sixth bottle in our 2025 series of micro batch seasonal perfumes in hand blown glass perfume bottles inspired by 19th century stone and ceramic snuff bottles. Each sculptural bottle is a distinctive work of art, blown by a master glass artisan in Illinois, and shipped using the ancient method of cork and wax sealing.
Refills
$265
Shipping
$10 standard shipping, free shipping on orders of $150 or more
The word chypre means “Cyprus” in French, and the earliest perfumes to bear this name were earthy blends of resins, herbs, and woods. It was not until the early 20th century that the modern chypre was born, when François Coty unveiled his iconic fragrance — a bold composition of Mediterranean botanicals built on a striking contrast: luminous citrus top notes set against shadowy woods.
Peony Chypre follows a classic structure, its luminous light drawn from peonies harvested at the height of last spring’s bloom. This year’s enfleurage oil has nine heirloom varieties, each carrying its own lineage and fragrance: Auten’s Pride (1933), Edulis Superba (1824), James Mann (1920), Minuet (1931), Mons Jules Elie (1888), Sarah Bernhardt (1906), Walter Faxon (1904), Duchess de Nemours (1856), and Festival Maxima (1851). The oil of the flower is extracted through the ancient art of enfleurage, capturing the true living scent of a peony flower and the small batch oil is shaped by the varietals chosen and the year’s weather, each harvest an unrepeatable alchemy.
The bottle is the sixth in our 2025 series of micro batch seasonal perfumes in hand blown glass perfume bottles inspired by 19th century stone and ceramic snuff bottles. Each sculptural bottle is a distinctive work of art, blown by a master glass artisan in Illinois, and shipped using the ancient method of cork and wax sealing.
The History of the Chypre
The word chypre means “Cyprus” in French, and the lineage of a classic “chypre” perfume composition can be traced back to the Mediterranean island, once a center of the perfume trade. Archaeological finds show that Cypriotes were distilling herbs, resins, and flowers into scented oils as early as 2000 BCE. These early perfumes were resinous, herbal, and woody — the earliest iteration of what would later become the chypre structure.
Through the Middle Ages and Renaissance, perfumes from Cyprus drifted across Europe, their earthy blends believed to shield against illness and ward away evil spirits. Over time, the chypre became charged with mystical power — thought to be a veil both protective and transformative. Invisible yet potent, scent could not be touched or held, yet it had the power to alter the atmosphere in a room, stir emotions, and in its earliest medicinal uses, offered an aura of healing and defense. Rising on the air like a ghost, unseen fragrances seemed destined for the heavens, a way to commune with spirits, gods, and those that had passed into another realm.
The modern chypre was born in 1917, when François Coty released his iconic fragrance Chypre, built from the raw materials of the Mediterranean — bright bergamot, resinous labdanum, and shadowy oakmoss. Its alchemy of light citrus versus umbrous woods became so influential that “chypre” entered the perfumer’s lexicon as a name for the entire family of scents: fragrances of contrast and transformation.
Peony Chypre is a classic form reborn with a twist — its luminous light drawn from plump May peonies, organically grown on a historic Civil War–era farm in upstate New York. Steeped in the history of the land in which they grow, as well as their own lore as a flower of protection and immortality, the blossoms are hand picked and the oils slowly suffused into fat through an ancient method of perfumery called enfleurage. With time and labor the spirit and scent of the living peony flower is carefully extracted and the oil of the blossom can then be blended with hinoki wood and elemi resin, to evoke the classic citrusy brightness, and rosewood for earthy depth. The result is a perfume of dualities — the striking romance of peony draped in the smoky, sensual shadow of resin and wood.