MATIERE PREMIERE
VANILLA POWDER EXTRAIT
2025
PERFUMER
Aurelien Guichard
vanilla
coconut powder
palo santo
tonka bean
white musk
‘Vanilla Powder is a distinctive take on vanilla, born from the contrast between the deep intensity of Vanilla Absolute from Madagascar and an overdose of modern white powders. To create the Extrait, Founder and Perfumer Aurélien Guichard selected an exceptional guest ingredient: Tonka Bean Absolute Venezuela.’ – La Jetee
The tonka bean is first ground to powder, before being transformed into an absolute. I use it as a natural powder ingredient. It brings a voluptuous facet to Vanilla Powder and intensifies its addictive character.’ – Aurelien Guichard
I was disappointed quite a bit by the original Vanilla Powder EDP (2023); I went into sampling that one, expecting that it could become my favorite Matiere Premiere. Instead, it ended up being one of my least favorites. Vanilla Powder Extrait is a clear upgrade for my taste and it addresses the main issue I had with the EDP, however, I still don’t love it and definitely don’t love it as a ‘vanilla’.
There was a certain… Le Male/Le Beau type of freshness to the EDP on my skin, that fresher coconut tinge, which absolutely clashes with sweetness for me and it instantly turned me off for the whole Vanilla Powder experience. It had strong Sephora-isle connotations, which I’m personally not a fan, but it’s definitely not something you look for at this price for something that has ‘vanilla’ as its name and main ingredient. With the Extrait, that freshness is gone; it’s much warmer and slightly sweeter from the first moment, making for a more unified (also more linear) wear that suits this scent profile much better, at least for what I’d want from it.
What it doesn’t really address is the surprising “lack of vanilla”. Now, I’m not saying there’s not vanilla in it; knowing Aurelien, there’s probably a good amount of a high quality ingredient in here, but it does not shine in the end product. As with the EDP, coconut is much more prominent to my nose and tonka bean (which has been added as hero ingredient in the Extrait) is also more forward than vanilla to my nose.
I’d say I much prefer the Extrait’s opening and mid of the wear. The final hours I find screechy, amberwoody… again, not vanilla, not gourmand even, but harsh woods. This ‘strength’ does show in its longevity; at the time of writing I’m 8 hours into the wear and wearing it alongside 2 other fragrances, Vanilla Powder Extrait is by a large margin the strongest performer. However, it’s not a nice and smooth wear, unlike most of the other Matiere Premiere Extraits.
It’s a solid overall scent (my brother wore it in the car besides me earlier and it smelled fine), but it’s just impossible to get excited for, especially given the price point. Earlier this week I sampled Tauer Vanilla Absolue & Shalimar L’Essence, both more affordable and significantly nicer picks over this for vanilla. Broadly similar vanilla like an Acqua di Parma Vaniglia are also easy recommendations over Vanilla Powder for me.
If you like the EDP, it’s almost certain you will like the Extrait. As someone who didn’t like the EDP, the Extrait is an upgrade; I found this to be true for all the Matiere Premiere Extraits, but while all are already questionable sells at the price, Vanilla Powder definitely lands on the wrong side of the fence for me.
