Restoring perfume to its truth by stripping away the superfluous: that is the founding idea of Obvious, a French house born in 2020. Une Amande, Une Pistache, Une Vanille, Un Musc, Dulce de Leche, Kakigori White Crush and the house’s 8 other creations are available at Sayhar, a niche perfumery in Paris 8th arrondissement, in our boutique at 27 rue de Marignan or online.
The Obvious House
Behind Obvious stands David Frossard, a discreet yet indispensable figure in niche perfumery. A former distributor, he spent more than twenty years supporting the rise of Byredo, Juliette Has A Gun, Atelier Cologne and Liquides Imaginaires, before founding Obvious at the end of a journey that was as philosophical as it was professional. Before perfume, he studied philosophy, and it was in Descartes that he found the founding idea of his brand: the obvious, that encounter with truth which needs no explanation. For him, beauty needs no explaining, and everything added around a fragrance hides more than it reveals. Obvious was born from this conviction: perfume had become an accessory of ostentation, and it needed to be restored to its truth by stripping away the superfluous.
This commitment is reflected in the manufacturing process. The fragrances are made in France, with a preference for natural ingredients and organic alcohol. The bottle is made of lightweight, recycled and recyclable glass; the cap is made of agglomerated cork derived from wine cork scraps and contains no plastic; and the box is made of recyclable paper with no cellophane. The fragrances can be worn alone or layered by combining two of the brand’s scents.
Obvious fragrances available at Sayhar
Une Amande: inspired by the myth of Phyllis, who was transformed into an almond tree and blossomed once more in the arms of Demophon. Created by Julien Rasquinet, it blends almond blossom, heliotrope, orange blossom and jasmine with almond essential oil, on a base of tonka bean, benzoin, vanilla and creamy musks.
Une Pistache: a journey through Persian markets, among orange blossoms, pistachios and almond paste. Fanny Bal plays on pistachio milk, gourmand and lightly toasted, with heliotrope and frankincense, on a base of sandalwood and musk.
Dulce de Leche: Argentina’s iconic milk caramel, and with it shared afternoon snacks and childhood memories. Created by Meabh McCurtin, it blends hazelnut, cardamom and black pepper with a dulce de leche accord and sesame, on a base of vanilla, guaiac wood and sandalwood.
Une Vanille: the black vanilla pod from Madagascar, brought back to its original depth, far from overly sweet vanillas. Created by Anne-Sophie Behaghel, it is paired with a tonka bean with almond facets and clean musks.
Kakigori White Crush: snow from Mount Fuji, harvested in summer and drizzled with syrup for Japan’s elite. Tanguy Guesnet builds a musky floral around white musks, iris and rose, softened by tonka bean.
Milk & Matcha: the ritual of a matcha latte at the counter before diving into the day. Meabh McCurtin pairs a matcha accord with orange blossom and maté, between ginger and mandarin at the top and vanilla, tonka bean and Peru balsam at the base.
Plum Cream: the Japanese umeboshi plum, macerated in salt, interpreted in a fragrance for the first time. Tanguy Guesnet surrounds it with rum, davana, immortelle and rockrose, on a woody, leathery base.
Une Figue: a fig savoured on a Corsican beach, with your head in the sun and your feet in the water. Created by Anne-Sophie Behaghel, it blends fig milk, Corsican immortelle and marine notes, accented with rosemary and eucalyptus.
Une Fleur d’Oranger: a summery escape in the heart of the Mediterranean. Anne-Sophie Behaghel blends Cypriot mandarin, Italian bergamot and oranges, along with neroli and Tunisian orange blossom absolute.
Un Musc: a fragrance that feels as comfortable as the softest white T-shirt. Anne-Sophie Behaghel brings crystalline white musks to life with ginger, bergamot and vetiver.
Malfa Walls: the small town of Malfa, on the island of Salina in the Aeolian Islands. Julien Rasquinet weaves notes of citrus and thyme all the way into the nave of a church, where incense rises towards the sky, before settling into a base of leather, oud and cade.
Himalayan Spell: the myths of the Himalayas, from Bhutan to the monasteries of Nepal, inspired by Himalayan birch and its leathery notes. Julien Rasquinet opens with red berries, saffron and black pepper, followed by nagarmotha and jasmine, on a base of suede, leather and oud.
Floridita’s Night: an intense Cuban night, steeped in the spirit of Hemingway. A daiquiri accord blends with cigar leaves and myrrh, against a base of tonka bean, vetiver and patchouli.
Frida’s Thorns: an ode to Mexico and Frida Kahlo, a rose that defies convention. Julien Rasquinet blends it with cocoa, raspberry and pear, against a base of patchouli and vanilla.
Which Obvious fragrance should I choose?
Gourmand: Une Pistache, Dulce de Leche or Milk & Matcha. Floral: Une Amande, Une Fleur d’Oranger or Kakigori White Crush. Musky: Un Musc or Une Vanille. Fruity: Une Figue or Plum Cream. Spicy and leathery: Malfa Walls or Himalayan Spell. Amber and tobacco: Floridita’s Night. Gourmand rose: Frida’s Thorns.
Where can I buy Obvious perfumes in Paris?
At our Sayhar boutique, located at 27 rue de Marignan in Paris’s 8th arrondissement, just a stone’s throw from the Champs-Élysées. There, you can experience the entire Obvious collection and get advice from our team. Still not sure? The Scent Matchmaker guides you through a few questions.