Oeillet 000 by Guerlain, launched around 1880, takes its name from the French word œillet (pronounced uh-yay), meaning carnation—a blossom long associated with love, passion, and refinement. The addition of “000,” or Triple Extrait, signified the perfume’s remarkable strength and purity, a mark of luxury and exclusivity. In essence, Oeillet 000 translates to Triple Extract of Carnation, a name that promised depth, richness, and intensity far beyond ordinary floral waters. To the 19th-century woman, this was a statement of elegant sensuality, a scent that embodied both boldness and grace.
The word œillet evokes vivid imagery—velvety red petals tinged with clove, their spicy sweetness unfolding in soft waves. It conjures emotions of romance and vitality, yet also discipline and polish; for in Victorian culture, the carnation symbolized devotion and admiration, a flower worn by gentlemen in buttonholes and adored by women for its lingering, peppery perfume. The name “Oeillet 000” suggests something both precise and indulgent—a scent crafted with care, yet opulent enough to intoxicate the senses.
The year 1880 fell within the Belle Époque, a period of cultural flourishing in France marked by elegance, optimism, and innovation. Paris was the world’s capital of luxury, where fashion, cosmetics, and perfume were integral to self-expression. Women’s dress at the time was elaborate—corseted bodices, trailing skirts, and silken gloves—and perfume served as the invisible complement to this visual splendor. Guerlain’s Oeillet 000 would have suited the sophisticated woman of this era—poised, socially aware, and drawn to the refined sensuality that only a house like Guerlain could produce.
In perfumery, carnation fragrances were already admired for their warm, spicy floral character, but Guerlain’s Triple Extrait stood apart for its exceptional concentration and polish. While many perfumeries of the period offered oeillet perfumes, Guerlain elevated the form by refining the balance between natural carnation absolutes and emerging synthetics such as eugenol and isoeugenol—aroma compounds found in clove and ylang ylang that replicate the flower’s distinctive, spicy profile. These synthetics enhanced the perfume’s complexity, lending it a luminous warmth and long-lasting vibrancy that natural materials alone could not achieve.
In scent, Oeillet 000 would have opened with the peppery sparkle of fresh carnation petals, softened by traces of clove and rose. The heart likely bloomed into a lush bouquet of warm florals, underscored by powdery notes and a faintly balsamic sweetness. As it settled on the skin, the perfume would reveal a velvety, ambery base, its spiciness mellowed by soft woods and musk—a composition both bold and romantic, perfectly suited to the refined yet passionate sensibilities of the era.
In the context of 19th-century perfumery, Oeillet 000 both aligned with contemporary floral trends and transcended them through its concentration and technical artistry. Guerlain’s mastery lay in transforming familiar floral themes into olfactory luxury—taking something traditional, like the carnation, and rendering it sublime through precision, imagination, and depth. Oeillet 000 was not merely a perfume; it was an expression of craftsmanship and identity, the scent of a woman who understood beauty as both art and power.
Fragrance Composition:
So what does it smell like? Oeillet 000 is classified as a spicy floral fragrance for women.
- Top notes: carnation, eugenol, orange blossom, cassie
- Middle notes: clove, isoeugenol, jasmine, rose, ylang ylang
- Base notes: vanilla, civet, storax
Scent Profile:
To smell Oeillet 000 is to encounter a fragrance that seems to smolder softly in the air—a velvety, spicy floral that fuses warmth and elegance with the precise craftsmanship that defined Guerlain’s 19th-century artistry. It opens with the unmistakable fire of carnation, the flower that inspired its name, whose scent is not purely floral but textured with spice, clove, and a faint medicinal sweetness. The carnation note—drawn from natural extracts and enriched by eugenol, a key molecule also found in clove—creates the perfume’s signature duality: at once feminine and assertive, a bloom with both beauty and bite. This opening is lifted by a breath of orange blossom, radiant and honeyed, which softens the carnation’s sharper edges and brings a gentle sunlight warmth to the first impression. Alongside, cassie (from the acacia tree of Egypt and southern France) adds a powdery, mimosa-like greenness with faint violet and almond undertones, grounding the brightness with a natural, skin-like warmth.
As the perfume unfolds, the spicy facets deepen. Clove—rich, dark, and aromatic—merges with isoeugenol, a synthetic molecule developed to echo the natural oil but with a smoother, rounder profile. Together, they amplify the floral fire of carnation, giving it both longevity and luminosity. The middle notes bloom with rose, jasmine, and ylang ylang, each contributing a different shade of sensuality: the rose lending its classic, powdery romance; jasmine infusing a narcotic, indolic depth; and ylang ylang from the Comoros islands bringing a creamy, almost banana-like lushness. These tropical blossoms, with their natural components such as benzyl acetate, linalool, and methyl anthranilate, form a luxurious heart that transforms the sharp clove notes into something rounder and more feminine. The interplay between these natural essences and their synthetic counterparts—particularly the eugenol derivatives—creates a harmony of heat and softness, mimicking the living carnation more faithfully than nature alone could provide.
As it settles, Oeillet 000 becomes warmer, more intimate, and deeply sensual. The base glows with vanilla, its sweetness thickened by the balsamic tones of storax, a resin prized for its leathery, smoky warmth. Civet, in minute quantity, adds a faintly animalic undertone—an echo of skin, warmth, and luxury—that transforms the floral spiciness into something profoundly human and tactile. This was a hallmark of Guerlain’s work: a subtle sensuality that never shouted, but lingered like a secret.
The effect is of a fragrance alive with contrast—floral yet spicy, warm yet polished, natural yet artfully refined. You can almost imagine the materials themselves: the spiced air of a Parisian boudoir, the gleam of cut carnations in crystal vases, and the soft rustle of silk as perfume warms against the skin. Oeillet 000 was more than a scent; it was a sensory portrait of 19th-century femininity, rendered in clove, rose, and amber light.
Bottles:
Presented in the Carre Flacon (parfum) and the flacon Goutte (eau de toilette).
Fate of the Fragrance:
Discontinued, date unknown. Still being sold in 1931 (as just Oeillet).
