Grasse Perfume Week by Nez
July 3–5, 2025
For the 2025 edition of Grasse Perfume Week, Actifs Précieux presents a rare and meaningful creation: a CO₂ orange blossom extract, the result of a unique convergence of technical precision, botanical poetry, and deep ecological commitment.
It all begins at dawn in the blooming groves of Hammamet, where the flowers are carefully hand-picked in their freshest, most delicate state. Immediately after harvest, they are transported just 36 kilometers inland, to Hammam Zriba, a historic thermal village nestled at the foot of the Zaghouan mountains.
There, in a high-precision extraction atelier designed by Apyrion the flowers are processed the very same day using supercritical CO₂ technology ; a clean, solvent-free method that preserves the living essence of the flower in all its aromatic complexity and purity.
The result is an extract of rare clarity and depth; luminous, green, citrusy, and solar; capturing the intimate breath of neroli in its truest expression.
At the heart of this project is Hedi Derouiche, co-founder and technical director of Actifs Précieux. A native of Hammamet, he conceived this creation as a tribute to the iconic flower of his hometown. For him, the extraction is more than a technical act; it is a form of botanical alchemy, where science, heritage, and reverence for nature converge.
Beyond its sensory richness, this ingredient reflects a broader commitment: full traceability, short supply chain, fair compensation for harvesters, and a completed Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) confirming its measured environmental footprint.
Unveiled during the Smell Talks at the Grasse Campus, this CO₂ orange blossom extract from Hammamet is more than just an ingredient, it is a song of matter, a homage to the living, and a rooted vision for a new kind of perfumery, regenerative, conscious, and deeply anchored in place.
Danse le silence des jardins d’aube, le souffle blanc de la fleur d’oranger caresse l’âme comme une promesse.
Pureté en volutes, lumière qui se pose, le Néroli murmure la paix à celles et ceux qui savent écouter
Diane Heals
