In the vast garden of floral fragrances, there are the typical perfume stars. Rose, tuberose and jasmine tend to steal the scent spotlight. But the under-the-radar floral that perfumers say is far more unique and quintessential for summer? The iris.

"Iris is regarded as one of the most exquisite ingredients in the perfumer's palette ," says Gil Clavien, a Caress Body Wash Master Perfumer. "It's an elusive and precious ingredient in the world of perfumery." This is due to several reasons. First, there's the aesthetic of the flower itself. "The petals are unlike any other flower—large, flowing, soft and precious," says Danielle Fleming, a fragrance expert and founder of Note Fragrances. Second, its vivid scent. "When you smell an iris, its fragrance comes from the root of the flower—the bulb—not the petals like other flowers," she adds. So extracting the fragrance  requires distilling the roots and stems of the flower after they've been dried for up to five years. Next, they are ground down into a powder and finally into a butter to become an absolute, which is a thick, aromatic oil (aka iris absolute). "You would think since its aroma is coming from the root, it would have a dense, earthy, woody aspect to it, but it's actually really soft and powdery," explains Fleming.

Text, Line, Font, Black-and-white, pinterest

The source of iris' delicate scent also makes it exceptionally long-wearing: "It's different from other florals in that it performs uniquely on skin," says Fleming. "Typically, over time, your fragrance goes through the dry down phase when it dissipates. With the iris, the aroma actually increases before it decreases, so it stays on skin."

Not surprisingly, several fragrances in various forms—from perfume, to body wash and lotion—have featured iris as the scent superstar that it is. "Iris has had a resurgence, in part because it adds depth to a fragrance," says Clavien. Case in point: When woven into Caress Mystique Forever Body Wash, which Clavien co-created, "Iris reinforces the rich floral bouquet, while providing a unique, creamy powdery aspect to the addictive amber and musk background," she says. Even more unique: the fragrance in the Caress Body Wash can stay on skin for up to 12 hours. Other powdery versions of the floral to note: Salvatore Ferragamo Emozione and Chanel No. 28 La Pausa. While iris-centric perfumes such as Van Cleef & Arpels Bois D'Iris, Prada Infusion Iris, and Aerin Iris Meadow flaunt the flower's woody, green, and earthy characteristics. "Iris can take you in vastly different directions in a way few single ingredients can," says Fleming. See below for our top picks, a mix of classics and new launches.

Brown, Liquid, Beauty, Purple, Logo, Cosmetics, Lavender, Beige, Tan, Perfume, pinterest