Juliette Has A Gun

Juliette Has A Gun: what kind of brand is it

Juliette Has A Gun is a French niche fragrance brand created in Paris in 2006. The scents are made in France, between Paris and Grasse, and the collection holds more than 30 fragrances. The brand became known for a clear voice: the bottles are simple, the names are playful and the scents talk about character rather than fashion rules. If you want a fragrance that does not look or smell like every other bottle on the shelf, that is one reason the brand interests many shoppers.

Ricci founded the brand at the age of 28. He did not continue the family fashion house; he set up a house of his own and told his story through fragrance. The result sits between classic French perfumery and modern niche: the scents are simple in structure, but the idea behind each is more personal than usual.

Romano Ricci and the family background

Romano Ricci is the great-grandson of fashion designer Nina Ricci and the grandson of Robert Ricci, the nose behind the fragrance L’Air du Temps. He grew up around his grandfather’s fragrance factory, Parfums Nina Ricci in Paris, so the world of perfume was familiar from childhood. Even so, he did not build his brand on the old family name and founded an independent house.

This background helps explain why Juliette Has A Gun scents sit between two worlds: they carry French perfumery craft, but the tone is free and direct. Ricci has described his approach as minimalist, elegant and pure, and that is especially true of Not a Perfume.

What the name Juliette Has A Gun means

The name points to Shakespeare’s Juliet, seen from a 21st-century angle. Today’s Juliette is an independent, passionate and bold woman, and the weapon in her hand is perfume, her weapon of seduction. The name has nothing violent in it: it is a metaphor for a woman who decides for herself what to wear and how to express herself. The same free attitude applies to wearing the scents: niche perfume can be enjoyed without rigid rules.

Not a Perfume: a fragrance with one ingredient

Not a Perfume arrived in 2010 and is the best-known product of the house. Its idea is unusually simple: the fragrance consists of one single ingredient, Cetalox. Cetalox is a synthetic form of ambergris and perfumers normally use it in the base of a scent. Natural ambergris is a waxy substance formed in the digestive system of sperm whales. In Not a Perfume, however, Cetalox is the whole fragrance, not only the background.

The result is a clean, slightly woody and musky skin scent that stays close to the skin. A classic perfume has a pyramid in which top, heart and base notes open one after another. Not a Perfume has no such pyramid. The scent develops with your skin and is a little different on everyone. The name Not a Perfume comes from that idea: the formula lacks the many parts that people associate with perfume. On the official site Not a Perfume is listed in 7.5 ml, 50 ml, 100 ml and 200 ml.

Who Not a Perfume suits

If you like a scent that does not shout but stays near the skin, it is a logical choice. It also suits people who like to layer: Not a Perfume can be worn alone or under or over another fragrance, because it does not add many new notes to the mix.

Why niche perfume differs from the usual

A niche fragrance is often built around one idea rather than around the taste of the mass market. At Juliette Has A Gun each scent has its own story: Not a Perfume is an experience in minimalism, Powder Love a game with childhood sweets, Musc Invisible a clean skin-close musk and Ode to Dullness a calm, poetic cream. All four scents coming to the shop are eau de parfum, and each can be worn by day or by evening, as long as you like the taste of the scent.

Powder Love: cotton candy and powdery musk

Powder Love is a gourmand fragrance with a playful character. It opens with marshmallow, cotton candy and sugared almond. The heart holds orange blossom and tonka, and the base is powdery musk. The scent leaves a soft, sweet and powdery impression and suits those who want a fragrance that recalls childhood sweets.

Powder Love is an eau de parfum and is sold in 7.5 ml, 50 ml and 100 ml. The 100 ml bottle is the one coming to our shop. The sweet tone suits autumn and winter evenings especially, and anyone who enjoys the warm scent familiar from tonka bean.

Musc Invisible: soft white musk

Musc Invisible is a white musk fragrance with notes of jasmine absolute, cotton flower and white musk. It is a soft, warm and comfortable composition: the scent recalls a fresh shower and clean cotton fabric and does not try to be the loudest in the room. If you prefer a fragrance that is present but does not dominate, this is one to try.

Musc Invisible suits daily wear, the office and places where a strong scent could disturb. It is also a good base for layering, because a clean musk blends with other fragrances.

Ode to Dullness: dullness as softness

Ode to Dullness is an eau de parfum whose idea is to look at dullness in a new way. It does not mean boredom but softness, quiet and poetic thinking. The scent is designed to be calm, light and warm, an invitation to slow down. Ricci has described it as a minimalist response to the excess of modern life.

The notes are star anise and freesia at the top, sandalwood in the heart, and tonka bean and musk in the base. Such a composition can be called creamy and warm. The bottle shows a blue-grey gradient with a burgundy accent. Ode to Dullness is available in 7.5 ml, 50 ml and 100 ml.

How to choose a Juliette Has A Gun scent

The choice depends on what you expect from a fragrance. Here is a short guide based on the four scents coming to our shop.

• You want a minimalist skin scent with one ingredient: choose Not a Perfume.
• You like sweet, powdery and playful: choose Powder Love.
• You want a clean, soft musk for every day: choose Musc Invisible.
• You look for a calm, creamy and warm scent: choose Ode to Dullness.

If you are still undecided, start with the scent whose first impression you like best, and give it time to open on your skin. A perfume smells different on a paper strip and on skin, because skin temperature and chemistry affect how the scent develops.

How to wear and store perfume

Spray the perfume on clean skin, for example on the wrists, under the neck or inside the elbows. Do not rub your wrists together, because that changes how the scent develops. Keep the bottle in a cool, dark place, away from direct sunlight and bathroom humidity. That way the scent keeps the character it had in the bottle for longer.

For layering, a simple base works best. For example, over Not a Perfume or Musc Invisible you can add the sweet Powder Love, but start with a single spray and see how the scents settle together.

Perfumes in our shop

If you want to compare Juliette Has A Gun with other choices, see the perfumes category, with fragrances for women and men. Softer and sweeter scents are found on the page women’s perfumes. The brand’s products are being added to the shop step by step, so the selection will grow.

Frequently asked questions

Who founded Juliette Has A Gun and when?

Romano Ricci founded the brand in Paris in 2006, when he was 28. Ricci is the great-grandson of Nina Ricci.

What is the only ingredient of Not a Perfume?

Not a Perfume is built on Cetalox, a synthetic ambergris-like molecule, also known as Ambroxan. It is the heart of the whole scent, not just the base, so there is no classic note pyramid.

Which notes does Powder Love have?

Retailer pages most often list marshmallow, cotton candy, sugared almond, orange blossom, tonka and powdery musk. It is a gourmand scent that is sweet and soft.

What is Musc Invisible made of?

The notes are jasmine absolute, cotton flower and white musk. The scent is soft and clean, suitable for everyday wear.

What does Ode to Dullness mean?

The name means an ode to dullness. The idea is to see dullness as softness and poetic quiet, not boredom. The notes are star anise, freesia, sandalwood, tonka bean and musk.

What sizes do Juliette Has A Gun fragrances come in?

On the brand site the scents come in 7.5 ml, 50 ml and 100 ml, and Not a Perfume also in 200 ml. Coming to our shop are Not a Perfume 50 ml, Powder Love 100 ml, Musc Invisible 50 ml and Ode to Dullness 50 ml.

Is Juliette Has A Gun suitable for men?

These scents are not limited to one gender. Not a Perfume and Musc Invisible are simple and clean and suit anyone who enjoys such notes. Powder Love is sweeter, Ode to Dullness softer and creamier. Choose the one you like.

How do I wear Not a Perfume?

Spray it on clean skin and let it open on your skin. You can wear it alone or beside another fragrance, because it does not add many new notes.

Where are the fragrances made?

The fragrances are created in France, between Paris and Grasse.