Ingredient Guide
Pink pepper, also called pink peppercorn, does not belong to the pepper family despite its name. In French, it is called baie rose (bei rōzu/be rōzu) or poivre rose (powaburu rōzu).
Unlike black pepper, the small red berries are not hot; they have fresh, herbal top notes and a rose-like nuance. Among spices, pink pepper is one of the cold spices used to create fresh fragrances.
The first perfume in the world to use pink pepper (as a clearly recognizable note) was Pleasures (Estée Lauder, 1995, Alberto Morillas).
Pink pepper adds a modern touch to perfume and can express a surprising freshness in fragrances for any audience. It also has the ability to lift certain base notes so that they can be smelled in the top notes.
Mark Buxton
What Does It Smell Like in Perfume?
Pink pepper materials include a natural extract obtained from the berries of Schinus terebinthifolius using supercritical CO₂. Sparkling citrus and juicy green notes appear first, gradually giving way to a woody scent reminiscent of pine and resin: a material that combines brightness with depth. Spicy and refreshing in a lemon-like way, it brings lively stimulation and dimension to perfume. It is also botanically distinct from black pepper of the genus Piper.
Choosing a fragrance with pink pepper
Pink pepper adds a lively, fresh accent to flowers and fruit. Its brightening effect can be more useful to consider than the sharp heat of ordinary pepper.
- Livelier rose: For those who enjoy a fresh spicy accent around radiant flowers.
- An accent for fruit: Enjoy the contrast between tart-sweet pomegranate or berries and pink pepper’s liveliness.
- Depth in the drydown: Amber, patchouli or smoky woods change the impression after the bright opening.
Two fragrances featuring pink pepper
Rose of No Man’s Land Eau de Parfum (Byredo)
Pink pepper and Turkish rose petals meet rose absolute, raspberry blossom, papyrus and amber. Light spice and dry woods accompany the rose’s radiance.
Pomegranate Noir Cologne (Jo Malone London)
Pomegranate-like fruitiness is layered with pink pepper, Casablanca lily, patchouli and smoky guaiac wood. Rich fruit and smoky woods contrast with the floral focus of Rose of No Man’s Land.
Find your next fragrance
In Fragrance Finder, choose “Favorite fragrances & notes” on the home screen, then look for notes you enjoy under “Favorite notes”. Select from the available suggestions and press “Next”.
