As summer wanes and the leaves turn to their autumnal palette, we’re thinking more than ever about scent. This time of year we embrace more than just sweaters and chunky knit socks; we delight in the lingering notes of pumpkin as we pass the coffee shop, and we’re baking with extra dashes of cinnamon and vanilla. Fragrance is extremely important to us here at Virtue® because it plays a critical role in the efficacy and effectiveness of our products. Before we go in search of another spiced latte, we’d like to share a bit about what makes our scents so special—and your hair so healthy.

Every Virtue® formula is carefully crafted with nourishing ingredients that complement our healing protein, Alpha Keratin 60ku®. But that’s not all we’re focused on. Fragrance plays a huge role in our hair care experiences, which is why our ingredients are curated to not only create a luxurious aroma, but also to perform, actively benefiting each specific hair type.

Virtue products utilize what our leading fragrance expert, Lisa Wilson, calls “functional fragrances”—fragrances that contain essential oils, extracts, and aromatic ingredients that are dual-purpose. Our team works with three global fragrance houses and sees hundreds of samples until they land on the perfect fragrance for each platform. The vision is clear: Every scent must support each hair type; smell natural, light, and clean; and be virtuous, which is, of course, the most difficult challenge of all.

You may be wondering how, exactly, does one create a virtuous fragrance? It starts with the intention to always be better. While our technology is the backbone of our formulas, we’re also passionate about infusing virtuosity into everything we do.

“It’s about knowing our audience. Never being cloying. Fragrance isn’t meant to be a driver of our products—our technology is—but the right fragrance will quietly help tell our story from a sensory standpoint. It’s a gut instinct thing. We just know,” says Lisa.

We’re also thoughtful about the level of scent in each product, careful to never make them too strong. This is often a group effort, combining the know-how of Creative Director Adir Abergel and Product Development Director Debby Vellozzi—determining how much product might be used in one sitting, and analyzing the user experience from every angle. It’s a collaborative and highly curated kind of teamwork, which is what makes it so very Virtue.

A rich, nurturing blend of creamy coconut and tropical yuzu extracts wrapped in warm woods.

A restorative blend of herbs, fruits, and citrus, incorporating soothing lavender and fresh mint essential oils.

A revitalizing citrus floral blend of leafy greens, flowers, and fruit, including white pear notes, stimulating spearmint leaf and bright, lemon essential oils.