Elite World News

Members of perfume chat boards occasionally debate the pros and cons of wearing perfume in their hair. Some fragrance lovers feel it’s a discreet and long-lasting way to enjoy perfume; others worry that the alcohol in the perfume will dry out their hair or damage their hair-color. I’ve always thrown caution to the winds, figuring that a spritz of Eau de Toilette is less damaging than many environmental factors (or most mainstream hair products, for that matter), but I’m also willing to try some of the new perfumes created specifically for hair.

Viktor & Rolf’s new Flowerbomb Bomblicious Perfumed Hair Mist joins the Flowerbomb line-up of Eau de Parfum, “extreme” Eau de Parfum, Eau de Toilette, body cream, body lotion, and shower gel. Its bottle is a slightly smaller version of Flowerbomb’s “grenade,” complete with sealing-wax “pin,” cast in frosted glass. This formula contains far less alcohol than the Eau de Parfum, and it includes silicones and glycerin to benefit the hair’s texture.

Full disclosure: I’ve never been an ardent fan of Flowerbomb, which leans too heavily on its vanilla and sweet-patchouli notes for my taste. It reminds me of sugar cookies baking in a kitchen where someone has recently burned incense sticks. If it were human, it would be one of those odd-couple college roommate pairings, in which a cheerleader and a hippie girl overcome their surface differences and coexist cheerfully in their shared pursuit of boys and beer.

I was therefore pleased to realize that Flowerbomb Bomblicious Perfumed Hair Mist (yes, awful name!) is sheerer and softer than its perfumed sisters; this might just be the most flowery version of Flowerbomb. Hints of a spring bouquet of jasmine and orchid emerged from the fragrance’s dessert-like base and lingered gently in my hair for a few hours after application. The vanilla note was still present, but it cushioned the florals rather than smothering them. I also tried wearing this product on my wrists, where it had a low sillage but lasted longer than I would have expected.

In short, if you love Flowerbomb, you’ll appreciate this product as a new way to layer your fragrance; if you absolutely detest Flowerbomb, this hair mist probably won’t change your mind; but if you’re ambivalent, you might find Flowerbomb Bomblicious Perfumed Hair Mist an alternative worth trying.

Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb Bomblicious Perfumed Hair Mist is $40 for 30 ml at Saks Fifth Avenue or Nordstrom.