Review by Hannah JV in Canada.

Continuing on with our series on The 7 Virtues, today we move away from the company’s moves to empower growth in Afghanistan and move to Haiti. Barb Stegemann and the team at The 7 Virtues saw the benefits reaped by growers in the Afghanistan who have been able to thrive off the production of orange blossom oil and rose petal oil, and decided to help people in the small Carribean country, which was devastated by an enormous earthquake in 2010. The oil of choice this time is vetiver, a fragrant oil distilled by the roots of perennial vetiver grass. This scent helps make up a more recent addition to the family of The 7 Virtues – Vetiver of Haiti.

Back in March, Barb got to be part of a delegation that headed to Haiti with The Clinton Foundation – an organisation created by Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton that aims to:

…implement sustainable programs that improve access worldwide to investment, opportunity, and lifesaving services now and for future generations. Working in diverse geographic regions and responding to local needs, the initiatives address targeted challenges in the Foundation’s key areas of focus: economic development, climate change, global health, and health and wellness.

Former President Clinton recognised Barb as an entrepreneur with a humanitarian mission and took her on the trip. While being taken aback by joining the likes of Heineken and Pepsi on the tour, Barb says she was honoured to be a small-to-medium sized enterprise owner welcomed on the trip.

The work of The 7 Virtues in Haiti is similar to that of their work in the Afghanistan – the organic vetiver grown in Haiti is considered the best in the world, and Barb’s team purchases oil made from vetiver at a fair market price to help the supplier rebuild his disaster-stricken community. This relationship of mutual aid over charity has served communities in Israel, Iran and Afghanisation well, and with Vetiver of Haiti into its second year of production, this arm of the business is seeing continued success.

Vetiver of Haiti

This fragrance is definitely the most masculine of the four signature fragrances produced by The 7 Virtues, but it’s not so overpoweringly manly that a woman would be put off. To the contrary, it’s probably my favourite fragrance in the set and I have been wearing it as an evening scent for the past few days. Top notes are the bold pairing of lime and bergamot but they fade quickly, leaving the fresher, wetter scent of fern in their wake. The vetiver oil really comes through in the drydown, where hints of sandalwood come through nicely too. This is a very well balanced fragrance on its own, but it also goes well with some of the more feminine fragrances in the blend box. The big reveal is out on Saturday 21st – stay tuned!

The Perfumed Dandy has memories of making hay.
Jane Daly of Daly Beauty says The fresh yet smoky quality of the vetiver is so rich you can almost close your eyes and imagine yourself surrounded by greenery and earth.

Further reading:
A Week of Virtues – The 7 Virtues – Afghanistan Orange Blossom
The 7 Virtues: Noble Rose of Afghanistan
Make Perfume Not War
Afghan Woman