2018 Roxo TonicHesperidic Woody Eau de Parfum

2018 Roxo Tonic by Les Bains Guerbois is a fresh, woody, citrusy unisex eau de parfum created by Fanny Bal. Featuring French gentian, a bitter root rarely used in perfumery.

One address, one hundred and forty years of history

It all began at 7 rue du Bourg-l'Abbé in Paris. In 1885, Auguste Guerbois opened the capital's most luxurious private bathhouse, which was soon frequented by Manet, Monet, Renoir, Zola and Proust. In 1978, the venue became Les Bains Douches, the Parisian equivalent of Studio 54. In 2015, Jean-Pierre Marois, a film producer and heir to the venue, transformed it into a five-star hotel, before reviving the perfume house in 2016. The catalogue follows two lines: "A Date, a Story" (2018), where each fragrance corresponds to a specific year in the venue's history, and "Forms & Materials" (2022), which explores the building itself. The compositions are the work of master perfumers: Dorothée Piot, Michel Almairac, Bertrand Duchaufour, Dominique Ropion, Jérôme Épinette, Fanny Bal, Mathieu Nardin.

An opening of bergamot, lemon and Madagascar ginger

Bergamot and lemon open with a crisp citrus note, while Madagascar ginger adds its warm spiciness. A lively start, true to its tonic character—as the name suggests.

A heart of French gentian and Tunisian neroli

French gentian forms the heart: a mountain root, distinctly bitter, used to make aperitifs. Tunisian neroli brings clear orange blossom and a tea accord with a tannic bitterness that extends the root.

A base of Haitian vetiver and ambroxan

Haitian vetiver—smokier than Javanese vetiver—brings a dry root note, while ambroxan provides a mineral, saline diffusion and musk ensures longevity on the skin.

The house's signature touch

Gentian is an aperitif root, not a perfumery root. Very few houses use it: its earthy bitterness is difficult to incorporate, and it is unlike anything else. Here, it gives the fragrance its tonic character, bridging citrus and root. And as with everything at the house, each ingredient is named after its origin—French gentian, Madagascar ginger, Tunisian neroli, Haitian vetiver.

For whom, and for what occasions?

Fresh, woody and citrusy, this eau de parfum is for those who love citrus and bitter roots and are looking for a freshness with character. From spring to summer, for daytime wear. It is the liveliest fragrance in the catalogue.

With 2018 Roxo Tonic Les Bains Guerbois, an aperitif root forms the heart of a fragrance.