Cozy Lavender Perfumes: Ajne, Tsi-La, & Roxana Illuminated Perfumes

Most of you fellow perfume lovers know the uncontainable fervor of a “note obsession.” That desire to experience every perfume that features a specific note until you find the perfect fragrance in which that scent, be it cedar, vanilla, gardenia, whatever… comes alive for you as it never has before. If you are new to fragrance and intrigued by this world, you will almost certainly find yourself on a “note obsession” bender at some point.

I have been on many over the past six to seven years. The most recent ones have been vetiver, tobacco and lavender. My lavender fascination took me by surprise, as most “note obsessions” do. Usually a subtle passing whiff or a mere suggestion in casual conversation can trigger a full-blown infatuation. It was two summers ago, and I must have tried every lavender scent I could get my hands on. I won’t bore you with my research details, but the final contenders were Annick Goutal’s Eau de Lavande and Caron’s Pour un Homme. Both are fantastic lavender renditions, but neither felt completely at home on my skin. My lavender crush became a summer fling.

It’s in those moments when you let go of finding perfection, that little treasures enter your life. Summer left and the bone chilling northwest rain made its entrance.  Along with it came the discovery of Ajne, an exquisite natural perfumery in Carmel, California. They do chakra evaluations in their boutique, and also over the phone, if you’d like guidance in selecting your perfume. I figured it would be interesting, so I took the test. The results directed me to the lavender scent I had been looking for all along, deLavande. According to the folks at Ajne, deLavande helps open the throat chakra, the area that allows you to speak your truth. (Their chakra test also revealed that I needed some work on my crown chakra, so Fleur Blanche, my gardenia holy grail, was also recommended). So here I am to tell you about it.

deLavande is created with three types of lavender, Ajne’s own that they grown on their organic farm, as well as lavender from Provence and Bulgaria. Ajne does not list specific notes other than “smoky-almond wood” which hopefully is enough to stir up the warm, softening experience of deLavande in your mind. Lavender of course is the vital element of this fragrance, providing the herbal and slightly medicinal quality that brings rejuvenation and relaxation to those of us who enjoy the scent. But alongside the subtle smoky woods, is a luscious powderiness that must come from either benzoin or labdanum, or a blend of the two. The result is like being enveloped in the aroma of bread baking in a lavender infused wood stove. It’s not gourmand, or foody, it just possesses the warmth and comfort of freshly baked bread on a fall day.

Tsi-La’s Misaki and Roxana Illuminated Perfume’s Vera are like sisters to deLavande. They all look similar, but have their own individual characteristics that set them apart. Misaki has much more of a tannic and slightly green feeling, which makes sense as warm tea, green tea moss and crushed mint are listed in the fragrance description. French lavender is too, (no big surprise there), but Sicilian bergamot, Tahitian vanilla orchid and neroli are as well, none of which made an impression on me. I could not sense any citrus or vanilla tones in Misaki. Once the intense tannic quality quieted and the drydown settled, a hint of maple-kissed tea leaves developed, redolent of immortelle essential oil. I would consider both deLavande and Misaki wearable for both men and women, and appropriate for all seasons. Yet, Misaki might lend itself more unisex and more seasonless since it’s less powdery.

While I did find Vera to have a powdery-lavender nature, it is also the most herbaceous of the three due to its prominent sage note. California lavender, sage, hay and orange blossom mingle to give Vera a well blended bouquet. At the top, Vera has a fabulous boozy hit, like that of a lavender infused vodka allowing for a seamless transition to the verdant sage and hay notes. All of those herbal ingredients could have turned Vera into just another lavender perfume, but Roxana’s masterful touch drew upon orange blossom in just the right amount, giving the fragrance softness and a gentle floral garnish. Like deLavande, it’s cozy, a little sensual, and beckons all lavender lovers to try the perfume on their skin.

All of these perfumes are 100% all natural and are wonderfully long-lasting. Roxana Villa gives a portion of the proceeds from the sale of Vera to support the Ojai Lavender Festival.

deLavande is available at Ajne: $40 for  0.125oz Parfum Petite, $80 for 0.5oz, $130 for 1 oz

Misaki is available at SpiritBeautyLounge: $125 for 1.7oz

Vera is available at Roxana Illuminated Perfume: $150 for a 7gm flacon in a hand crocheted pouch.

Posted by ~Trish

“Lavenlight” original photograph by AliciaBock on etsy.

rms beauty: Creamy Mineral Makeup

Pure, all-natural, unadulterated, mineral makeup. That’s what celebrity makeup artist Rose-Marie Swift is offering with her rms beauty line. This means the ingredients are all in their natural state and have not been processed in any way. On the rms philosophy page of their website, you can read in greater detail about this, but suffice to say, their ingredients are food grade quality and organic, with all of their nutrients intact.

Over the past several weeks I have tried three rms products, the living luminizer, cream eyeshadow, and lip2cheek. I placed my rms order with SpiritBeautyLounge after I saw their Tweet for 20% off (which they frequently offer) and am pleased to report that not only did I discover a fabulous new makeup line, but a new favorite online store. SpiritBeautyLounge provided me fast shipping, terrific samples and amazing customer service. (This was all before they knew I was a blogger, BTW).

Living luminizer is so easy to apply it’s ridiculous. I love the frosted glass pots, and the surface of the luminizer is so smooth and creamy, your finger glides effortlessly over the top of the product and it blends right into your skin. The effect is glowy and dewy without any garish glitter. Under a very bright light, some slight sparkles are noticeable, but I had to have a hand mirror right up to my face to see that effect. Muse, one of the lip2cheek colors, is also a breeze to apply. But rather than a blush, I’d consider this a highlighter like living luminizer, and I certainly wouldn’t apply this light color on my lips. It’s on the beigey side and even more neutral than living luminizer, it’s dewy and luminizing as well, but gives less of a sheen. An appropriate analogy would be: Living Luminizer is to Nars Albatross as Muse is to Becca Hyawatha. Does that help anyone? Both rms products are gorgeous and natural, but if you want a really natural highlighter, pick Muse.

I bought one full-sized eyeshadow, Seduce, and received one eyeshadow sample, Magnetic. Seduce is described as a “sensuous earth brown”, and Magnetic as a “taupe silver with a hint of mauve”. Those are pretty accurate. Seduce has an earth tone for its base, and there’s some taupeness to it as well but it’s not super mauvey. And wow! Is it ever gorgeous! I couldn’t have picked a better color for myself. I have brown hair with some highlights, brown eyes and an olive complexion, but I think Seduce would be flattering on most complexions. It’s got a flash of silver when the light hits it just right which creates a brightness that lightens up the face. I have been using this as an eyeliner, as I typically do with most of my eyeshadows. I take my eyeliner brush, run it over the surface and apply it directly to my lashline. It’s so easy. No fussing with powder, no need to add water…no mess. I’ve also used Seduce on my lids which creates a sheer wash of color that’s pretty and easy to apply. It does crease, which happens with any shadow I use, but if I only use it on the first half of my lid I avoid the crease factor. This look works since the color is sheer, but can be intensified with more applications. Magnetic is far more metallic but also makes for a beautiful liner. Yet it’s simply not appropriate for day, at least not in my world. I’ll be saving my Magnetic sample for holiday parties.

Aside from Muse, the lip2cheek colors have taken a little bit more work to get used to, but not too much. Bottom line, your skin needs to be very well hydrated before you apply your lip2cheek color and I don’t recommend applying it over powder. (I happen to like the look of cream blush under a light dusting of powder, but that’s up to you). My favorite color of the bunch was a sample of Illusive that I received with my order. It’s a neutral brownish rose (not too warm, not too cool) that gives your cheeks a healthy flush and easily doubles as a beautiful lip color. I prefer a glossy look so I dabbed a bit of Dr. Hausckha’s Lip Care Stick to achieve a subtle shine, and voilà! naturally glowing cheeks and rosy lips from one product. I purchased Modest, “a warm/pink salmon with a very subtle golden shimmer” according to SpiritBeautyLounge, and they pretty much nailed that description (although in real life the product is much brighter than pictured on their website). Don’t let the shimmer part keep you away if you’re thinking glitter, the shimmer is barely perceptible and gives more of a subtle glow. I prefer to wear Modest as a cheek color only, as it is too light and “corally” on my pigmented lips. The final lip2cheek sample I received was Smile, a pinker version of Modest, and the only product in the rms beauty line that contains a tiny amount of synthetic ingredient. (You can read about it in the disclaimer on their website). Smile, like Modest, was too light to wear as a lip color, but on the cheeks, both created a healthy look of good eating, hydration, and a brisk walk around the block.

As a make-up junky who has used almost every brand you can name, I am duly impressed with rms beauty. I love their color selection, the feel of the products, the packaging, and most of all, the fact that they have gone above and beyond most other “natural” cosmetic companies in keeping their ingredients pure. Again, there are a couple of caveats: your skin must have a moisturizer on it before you apply the lip2cheek color and my expectations of the eyeshadow might be different from yours… I am using it and loving it as an eyeliner.

rms beauty can be found at SpiritBeautyLounge and NatureofBeauty. $36 for lip2cheek and cream eyeshadows. $38 for Living Luminizer.

Posted by ~Trish

The winner of the Jackson Sage Soften Up Salve is…

Alyssa! I’ll get your info to the lovely people at Jackson Sage and they will send you a full-size Soften Up Salve for you to enjoy.

And for eveyone else, don’t forget that you have until November 13th to take advantage of the buy-one-get-one free promotion they are extending to Scent Hive readers. Simply enter the promotion code “ScentHive1009″ in the comments at check-out and you will receive a second product for free. Check out my recent review for more information on this fantastic line of botanical skin care.

“Girls Entangled” Limited-Edition Screen Print by Sanya Glisic at etsy.

Posted by ~Trish

Jackson Sage Botanical Skin Care. Fabulous Gift Ideas.

I love picking out perfume for gift giving, especially for a loved one. But it’s not always appropriate or particularly easy, so beautiful soaps, especially ones that are handmade from all natural ingredients have become my go-to gift as of late. Jackson Sage soaps fulfill these requirements and they are exceptional from their presentation to their performance, and are 100% botanical.

As you can see from the above photo, it would be a joy to give or receive one (or two, or three) of these lovely gems. Before I get to reviewing the smells and the suds, I’d like to draw your attention to the gorgeous paper in which these bars are delicately wrapped. They are all handmade, and some hand-printed, and all selected by Jackson Sage manager, Erika Holden, to complement each soap’s scent. The Yum Soap’s paper is sturdy and aubergine in color with pink graphic Japanese-style flowers that appear to be painted on its surface. Rhassoul and Lavender Soap has a softer dusty rose paper with delicate gold butterflies flitting around. These are just two examples of course, and I can’t bear to throw the decorative encasings away even though the bars are mere slivers in my shower.

So how’s a bar of Yum Soap supposed to smell? I was hoping for yummy of course, and I had very high expectations due to the description: white and dark chocolate, cocoa powder, and peppermint. Sounds like it should smell like one of my all time favorite treats, a Peppermint Pattie doesn’t it? It did and it was fabulous. I loved every chocolate-minty minute with my Yum Soap. From the moment I opened the box and saw the charming paper to the last sudsy lather, the yumminess did not disappoint. This particular bar would make a superb holiday gift for pretty much anyone on your list.

My second place favorites go to Rhassoul and Lavender Soap and Reflection Soap. The Rhassoul and Lavender Soap is dense and feels weighty in your hand. The rhassoul clay is a detoxifier which is balanced by the moisturizing effects of shea butter. The lavender scent is mild, but the suds are plentiful. For a daily body soap, this would be my pick. The bar of Reflection Soap is like a piece of art. Broad dark brown bands run across the soap and it’s intriguing to look at, like holding a mini-Robert Motherwell in your hand. Looking at the ingredients, it must be the castor oil that gives the dark stripes their color. Reflection also has a subtle lavender scent with an added touch of rosemary and milled grape seeds for exfoliation. It too creates a gorgeous lather like the others and the exfoliating action was a pleasant surprise for me, but might not be for everyone.

The last bar I tried was Island Escape. While this bar of soap ranks high among my overall soap experiences, of the four Jackson Sage soaps, this came in 3rd place since there was a tie for 2nd. The essential oils are listed as patchouli, ylang ylang, and sweet orange. To be blunt, ylang and sweet orange could not compete with patchouli. I’m not saying they were strong-armed by Ms. Patch, as Island Escape is a very nicely mannered patchouli-scented soap, but there’s not so much of the aforementioned essential oils. So if you love yourself some patchouli in the shower, put this in your shopping cart.

As for those dry hands you might have, check out the nurturing ingredients that await you in Jackson Sage’s Soften Up Salve: Calendula Oil, St. John’s Wort Oil, Plantain Oil, Beeswax, Meadowfoam Seed Oil, Lecithin (Soy Based), Seabuckthorn Berry Oil, Vitamin E, and Rosemary Oil Extract. I’ve been using it on my hands at night when they feel exceptionally dry, and if my boys were still in diapers, I’d be using it on their bottoms as well. My rough elbows will soon feel the comforting effects of Soften Up Salve and the next time I have a scar that needs healing, on it goes. This salve has a grassy, haylike scent that is also rich with a bitter cocoa-like quality. I find it compelling and warm. It melts into the skin after a few minutes, so even though I use it at night, I would never hesitate to apply it during the day before leaving the house. This too would make a nice gift for the holidays as most people are in need of a soothing balm this time of year.

In the interest of keeping this post a reasonable length, I’ll briefly mention the Recovery Cream which is a lovely (and effective) shea butter based, all-purpose cream. It’s thick in texture and rapidly absorbing. You can read more about it here and check out the five different scent offerings. I sampled the lavender and adored its light, refreshing fragrance.

Right now is a great time to explore the Jackson Sage line, as they have been kind enough to extend a Buy-One-Get-One-Free for Scent Hive readers! Simply put in the promotion code “ScentHive1009″  in the comments at check-out and you will get a second product for free.  This offer will be good until Friday November 13th.

Also, leave a comment and you will be entered for a giveaway to win a Soften Up Salve.

Extra entries:

-subscribe to Scent Hive’s email (See right hand column. If you already subscribe, please mention it in your comment).

-follow Scent Hive on Twitter

-follow Jackson Sage on Twitter, Facebook or sign up for their emails.

Please let me know in your comment if you did one of the extras. Thanks! You have until Wednesday November 4th at 9pm PST to enter. We have our winner!

Posted by ~Trish

DIY Lavender Milk Bath: Alyssa’s Guest Post

Before we get to Alyssa’s lovely post below, let me announce the winners of the Love Etc. giveaways. Lauren won the new set that will be sent by the The Body Shop, and Vicuna1 won the “tester” set that will be sent by me. Congrats!

Alyssa’s DIY Lavender Milk Bath

A warm bath is one of my favorite pampering rituals, lovely scented candles casting a soft glow and maybe a little music. The perfect bathing experience wouldn’t be complete without something special added into the bath water to benefit body and soul. That is why Lavender Milk Bath is my preferred handmade bath indulgence. Here is what you’ll need:

· 1 1/2 cup of Epsom salt
· 1/2 baking soda
· 1/2 cup of whole fat powdered goats milk
· 15-25 drops of lavender essential oil
· 1/4 cup sweet almond oil

Mix all ingredients together. If you would like, into the mix you can also add a tablespoon of lavender buds. While lavender flowers are pretty in the water they can be a lot to clean up. This recipe makes a decent amount of product, lasting for many baths. Add in about 2-3 tablespoons per bath.

Smells fantastic and will leave skin soft and moisturized!

~Recipe, post and photo by Alyssa. Alyssa is studying physical therapy and working towards her medical esthetician license. Her dream is to work in a health and medical spa that offers only organic and natural treatments for the skin. She has been a member of MakeupAlley.com since 2006. You can find her other Scent Hive DIY recipe here.

~posted by Trish

DSH Perfumes: Épices d’Hiver, Rose Vert and Yuzu

Have you ever stepped into a store and felt like the owner created it just for you? Maybe it was a home decor boutique where every detail spoke to your aesthetic sensibility? Or maybe a vintage shop that was chock-full of cardigans sparked your yearning because all the ones you adored fit perfectly? From a crass point of view, getting this type of consumer response is a marketer’s dream, but even as a jaded shopper, this experience can rouse feelings of giddiness and excitement in me.

I had such an encounter not too long ago when I rediscovered the DSH website. Don’t ask me how it slipped by me that Dawn Spencer Hurwitz has so many natural perfumes in her line-up, but she does and it did. She has made them more visible with the Natural Perfumers Guild symbol, so searching for them is quite easy. She plans to make finding them even more effortless with a “naturals” link on her site that will take us directly to all of her botanical offerings within a week or two.  So I mentioned feeling giddy and excited…this is no exaggeration. Go to her website and check out this prolific perfumer’s vast array of 100% (and nearly 100%) botanical perfumes. I felt like I unearthed a treasure chest of undiscovered natural fragrances and had to catch my breath. Where had I been?

Thankfully Dawn saved me from my ignorance. She emailed me, and offered to send samples that she will be featuring at the Vert exhibit in Venice, Ca. on Saturday October 24th. The Vert event is an extension of the Natural Botanical Perfume Exhibitions that Persephenie Schnyder has been hosting at her beloved scent haunt, Blunda Aromatics. Dawn Spencer Hurwitz will be at Vert from noon-6pm, and if you live in the area, I would not miss this extraordinary occasion.

As I mentioned, I have had the pleasure of sampling a few of the DSH perfumes that will be highlighted at Vert. One of these is truly special, as it is the first in her new Gaia Perfume Botanical Collection. Épices d’Hiver (Winter Spices) is so good, I feel confident in saying you lovers of cozy, spicy fragrances should put this on your holiday wishlist. It’s that likable. Although davana, stargazer lily accord and jasmine are listed in the notes, Épices d’Hiver has only a mere floral whisper. Davana is in the topnotes, along with pink pepper and nutmeg, and is a flower that I have not smelled. It is described as having a “fruity (apricot) odour of hay and licorice“, and also being “slightly woody with a hint of vanilla and a subtle camphorous note“. Intriguing no doubt! The hay, licorice and woody notes (not so much vanilla at the top) meld with the festive and familiar nutmeg and vitality of pink pepper.

The scent remains spicy and warm into the heart, but becomes slightly powdery and comfortingly but subtly sweet as benzoin wraps its loving arms around the whole affair. Woods, earthy patchouli and a botanical ambergris accord settle this fragrant experience into its base, but the spices are always present, like that warm cup of tea in your hands assuring you that as long as you’re taking in a deep breath of an aromatic essence, life’s is gonna be OK.

Rose Vert, another fragrance to be featured at the Vert event, has an unexpected dreamlike effect. It’s green and mildly citrusy at the outset, but the blend of four different rose absolutes and one rose otto create a swirling rosy haze that is mesmerizing. Fresh cut stems and crushed leaves are strewn throughout the heart and drydown of Rose Vert, so it never becomes a transparent floral. It’s substantial and grounded, even in its dreamy redolence. It would layer beautifully with another favorite freshly-cut rose fragrance of mine, Bonny Doone Farm’s Rose Creme Parfum.

Yuzu will also be at the event, and will be perfect for Los Angeleans to spritz. It’s loaded with all kinds of citrus; blood orange, fresh lemon, white grapefruit and yuzu in the top notes, followed by green mandarin, lime peel, pink grapefruit, and more yuzu in the middle. The base involves woods, Atlas cedarwood and Australian sandalwood to be specific. Yuzu is a citrus scent through and through though, as neroli and petitgrain finish things off with the (mildly) woody drydown. The citrus essences are very well blended, not one boasts loader than the other. It’s refreshing and the cedar/sandalwood duo gives the fragrance some woodiness of course but does not overpower it where you think “Aha! that’s cedar or that’s sandalwood!” Again, excellent blending technique by Ms. Hurwitz. Yuzu is reminiscent of another beautiful woody citrus perfume, Annick Goutal’s Eau d’Hadrian. How wonderful to have found a similar fragrance, just as winsome and appealing, but 100% botanical. Thank you Dawn Spencer Hurwitz!

DSH perfumes are available at the DSH website, and Blunda and Vert boutiques. You will find Épices d’Hiver under the Limited Editions Section of the website.

Posted by ~Trish

Vert image from InStyle Magazine DSH Parfums des Beaux Arts image from psychopdedia.com

Love Etc, The Body Shop’s New EdP by Dominique Ropion and Giftset Giveaway

Even though I am a naturals-lovin’ gal, I am perfume lover at heart, so when The Body Shop PR people contacted me regarding their new product launch, Love Etc., I was duly intrigued. The creator of the Eau de Parfum, Dominique Ropion, is very well-known for composing many perfumes such as Carnal Flower and Une Fleur de Cassie from the highly regarded Frederic Malle line-up. He’s also the nose behind the iconic Ralph Lauren Safari and Givenchy Amarige and the more recent mainstream hits, Givenchy Very Irresistible, Calvin Klein Euphoria and Armani Code.

While the Body Shop does use petroleum ingredients and parabens in their products, (the Love Etc. line is no exception) thankfully the green side of me was also piqued when I learned that Love Etc. features alcohol made from Ecuadorian organic sugar cane that is fairly traded and organically sourced through The Body Shop’s Community Trade program. You might be wondering, as I was, what this means exactly. Consorcio Argoartesanal Dulce Organico (CADO), a rural cooperative in Cotopaxi, Ecuador with over 150 families in membership, was formed to promote environmental sustainability and biodiversity. The Body Shop provides these organic sugar cane farmers a fair income and one hopes, a better outlook for them and their families’ futures. The outlook already appears to be more beautiful for the land, as according to The Body Shop’s press kit, the CADO farms are now blessed with orchid plants that did not grow when pesticides were in use. The Love Etc. line also includes a body wash and lotion, each containing Community Trade organic babassu oil and Community Trade organic honey from Coppalj in Brazil and African forest beekeepers respectively.

The scent itself is supposed to capture “the exuberance of love, happiness, fulfillment and goodness…help women unleash their feel-good factor”. Certainly no perfume can do all that, but with a marketing campaign filled with smiles, hearts, fair trade ingredients, and Dominique Ropion at the helm, I know I’m feeling pretty good.

Upon first smell, it would be easy to dismiss Love Etc. as just another fruity floral. The first hit packs the all too ubiquitous pink grapefruit-esque note which had me suspended in a moment of disappointment. Golden pear then delivered me from my despair and took me into the well-mixed cocktail zone. Not too sweet; just the perfect balance of fruit and booze. Neroli and bergamot are also listed alongside pear as topnotes (pink grapefruit is not) but even after three wearings, those two never made much of a statement. The fruitiness of the pear lasted about an hour, which was pleasant, but I can’t claim to be partial to fruity perfumes. So I was delighted after about an hour, when Love Etc. took on a warm beeswax-coated floral quality that had me captivated.

Jasmine, heliotrope and lily of the valley are the floral notes in Love Etc., yet none of them proclaimed themselves as the alpha flower. The jasmine was not indolic, the heliotrope was not almondy, and the lily of valley did not smell of, well…lily of the valley. Love Etc. simply has a pretty white floral blend that is not heady or forceful. This backdrop allows for the perfect foundation of honeyed warmth in its heart and the creaminess of vanilla that is strewn throughout. As for the drydown, it gets even better when sandalwood comes into play, and it lasts hours upon hours. (This longevity is one thing I am not used to since I wear naturals the majority of the time). Indeed, it’s been well over 24 hours since I sprayed it, and I’m still relishing in my Love Etc. which has dried down to a gorgeous woody-vanillic-floral that I think most women would enjoy.

In addition, the Body Wash and Body Lotion have excellent staying power, but are slightly different versions of the fragrance. I found the Body Lotion to be heavier on the pink grapefruit accord and the Body Wash to have more sandalwood. And I can’t help myself, I’ve got to make a pitch to The Body Shop peeps…I really hope that someday soon The Body Shop will release a line that is free of petroleum products, synthetic ingredients, and parabens.

So now for the really fun part! The GIVEAWAY! Leave a comment and you will automatically be entered to win a Love Etc. giftset from The Body Shop. This includes the EdP, Body Wash and Body Lotion, and will be sent to the winner directly from The Body Shop. Also, I will send the set I received for review to another lucky reader, as long as you don’t mind that a little bit of product will be gone from each of the bottles. (If you do not want to be entered in the giveaway for my set, you can specify this in your comment). US citizens only for this giveaway per The Body Shop request and also for me as the shipping would be a lot to send the three bottles overseas. You have until Sunday October 25th at 9pm PST to enter. Good Luck! Winners have been chosen!

Love Etc. Launches Monday October 19th and is available at The Body Shop’s retail stores.

Posted by ~Trish

Dabney Rose: Handmade Hydrosols and Natural Perfumes

There’s a serious chill in the air here, so much so that we’ve turned on the heat in our house. That’s when the dry skin appears. My face starts to feel dry and tight a few hours after applying moisturizer and I need to pull out the heavier face creams that have been relegated to back of my bathroom drawer. Dabney of Dabney Rose sent me some of her handmade hydrosols a few weeks ago, just in time for me to spritz on my parched face. Previously, I had thought of hydrosols as a refreshing summer mist for a cooling effect, but it’s been lovely to use them for some moisture either before applying lotion or just as a quick hydrating pick-me-up during the day.

Typically when I have used a hydrosol or toning mist, it’s either been lavender or rose. Dabney does not limit herself to these traditional florals as her hydrosol range covers a variety of essences such as lemon blossom, mango, tuberose, and frankincense. Her hydrosols are steam distilled and contain both the oils and the water soluble components of the plant. When working with flowers, Dabney takes the time to remove the blossoms from the calyx at the base which she says can lend a “bitter edge” if they are mixed in with the distillation process.

I sampled her cacao and raspberry hydrosols separately and together. The raspberry truly smells like fresh raspberries and the fine mist was instantly refreshing and hydrating. The cacao had the same toning/moisturizing qualities as the raspberry, but the scent experience was completely different of course. The cacao was a warm, roasted chocolate scent that lingered for about 5-10 minutes. Just perfect in my opinion as I don’t like tenacious smells on my face. It’s enough to soothe your senses, and help you get on with your day. And spritzing the cacao and raspberry together was like a hydrosol truffle for your face.

On the Dabney Rose website you will find much more detail about Dabney’s uses for the hydrosols: they are edible, they have healing properties, and you can read in detail how they are made. You will also find her exceptional Face Treat Hydrosol with cacao, raspberry, rose, rock rose, vetiver, frankincense, rose hip seed oil, and Bach Flower Essence. I’ll be taking this yummy hydrosol blend to work with me, another enclosed and dry winter environment with temperature fluctuations that leaves my skin moisture starved.

You might be wondering about the image uptop…the gal on the motorcycle. That’s the image for La Femme Biker, one of Dabney’s all natural perfumes. The notes are listed as jasmine, rose, vanilla, cognac, labdanum, frangipani (plumeria), cacao, blood orange and ambergris. But it’s truly the jasmine, vanilla and labdanum that fuel La Femme Biker. It’s a note triad that flows seamlessly. Jasmine’s floral contours lend depth and range, vanilla’s familiar sweetness provides comfort and a touch of sensuality, and labdanum’s earthy rawness gives La Femme Biker a slight edge that it requires. The fragrance is beautiful and subtle, and I found it to be wearable in any situation I found myself, be it work, an evening out, or at home taking care of my boys. In fact, mentioning my boys makes me think that despite its name, La Femme Biker is perfect for cuddling up. It smells of skin that wants to be nuzzled.

 

Update 10/27/09: I just received an email from Dabney and over the last month or so she has been distilling several new and exciting plants, and has created a Décolleté Spray. You can read about it here.

Dabney Rose products are available at the website.

Posted by ~Trish

Halloween Treats For Grown-Ups

As a mom, the focus of Halloween tends to be on costumes, post trick-or-treat candy negotiations, and not so much on grown-up-time fun. I’d like to change that with this post, and focus on some delicious treats for those of us out of our tweens. So pull up a chair, and get to deciding which scent you’d like to wear for Halloween.

Aftelier’s Chocolate and Saffron Body Oil

I almost needn’t say more after you read this product’s name, right? Chocolate and Saffron Body Oil. It’s luscious, luxurious and very sensual. But there is one element missing in the name, and that’s jasmine. The oil smells as if it’s been infused with jasmine, bittersweet cocoa, and a boozy-honeyed quality that I’m assuming the saffron imparts. The chocolate oil is so dense, you must shake it vigorously to disperse it before using, and it’s beautiful to see it mix and meld with the golden saffron tinged oil. On the skin, the fragrance is decidedly chocolatey, in a dark and sexy way. Imagine walking down a tropical moonlit path with night blooming jasmine surrounding you, and impossibly, the blossoms are dusted with bittersweet cocoa powder. Like a dream, the cocoa melts into the petals and the petals into your skin, and you’re far far away from any children asking you how much candy they can eat on Halloween night. And…end dream sequence. Go get some Aftelier Chocolate and Saffron Body Oil, it’ll make trick or treating much more pleasant.

Velvet and Sweet Pea’s Black Cat

As I’m sure many of you have noticed, 100% all natural perfumes can run on the expensive side, and Laurie Stern, the artistic mind behind Velvet and Sweet Pea, has answered her clients’ calls for something a little more affordable. Black Cat is one of Laurie’s newest offerings, and not only is it appropriately named for Halloween, its scent is perfect for the coming festive winter months. Cocoa, ylang ylang, aniseseed myrtle and biodynamic Italian blood orange blend beautifully, like biting into a bittersweet chocolate-orange holiday confection, spiked with anise. The drydown is gorgeous as the base of this Eau de Parfum is Tahitian vanilla infused organic grape alcohol. This freshly crushed vanilla bean essence alluringly opens in the fragrance’s final stages, and lasts for hours.

Anise has become one of my favorite notes over the past few months, most notably in Honoré des Prés’ licorice tinged Sexy Angelic , Ayala Sender’s The Purple Dress, and now in Black Cat. Its anise component is from Aniseseed Myrtle, a tree whose oil smells just like anise, and its bitterness tempers the beloved chocolate/orange duo perfectly. I have a feeling that at $35 for 6mls, Laurie Stern’s Black Cat will get much play throughout this fall and winter from many a perfume lover, including me.

Soivohlé Oudh Lacquer Parfum

This is a fragrance that brings together oudh and chocolate. Some might feel this is a meeting of exasperation and the ultimate in comfort, respectively. I have not had the experience of oudh being unapproachable or difficult to wear. Maybe it’s because I have mostly worn it in all-natural formulations which possibly gives it a warmer, rounder impression. So while Liz Zorn, the nose behind Soivohlé, has created a fragrance that boasts a dry and robust oudh, the perfume will not keep you at arm’s length. From the get-go, dark chocolate envelopes you and guides you into this deep, spicy, smoky scent encounter.

Anise and orange are subtly blended in Oudh Lacquer Parfum, steeped into the tangy woody texture of the perfume, and imbued into the cocoa absolute. An expert hand and artistic mind was clearly used in achieving the fine floral balance of the honeyed linden blossom and spicy/heady champaca. Several other blossoms are present, such as orange blossom, rose, aglalia, as well as orris butter, but the linden and champaca are the florals that give luster to this Oudh Lacquer. And thankfully, the warm, rich cocoa never strays from beginning to end.

Please visit Nathan Branch’s blog for his two part review of Oudh Lacquer. It truly deserves a Part I and a Part II. All three of these fragrances merit more words than I have room for here. They are all sophisticated, compelling, and most importantly, beautiful to wear.

Aftelier’s Chocolate and Saffron Body Oil is available at Aftelier.com $40 for 4.6 oz.

Velvet and Sweet Pea’s Black Cat EDP is available at Purrfumery.com $35 for 6mls.

Soivohlé’s Oudh Lacquer Parfum is available at soivohle.com for $95 for 4.5mls or $260 for 1/2 oz.

Posted by ~Trish

Skyclad Witch by WinonaCookie on etsy.com

It’s a Crock

I know I’m not Wonder Woman. I’m a mom, I work. I try to make wholesome dinners, but I fail sometimes. OK, a lot of the time. So I bought a crock pot today, hoping that slow cooked, veggie laden soups and stews will save my family and me from vitamin D deficiency and whatever else might ail us. What does this have to do with natural perfumes and or beauty products? Nada. I just figured if I wrote it here on my blog, I might hold myself accountable and actually use the darn thing more than twice this fall/winter.

Do you have any favorite Crock Pot recipes? Please do share!

And the winner of the Sabon samples is… Katy! Congrats!

Posted by ~Trish

Sabon: Natural and Organic Body Products

Scrubs, body butters, and beautiful bar soaps make my brain go fuzzy and any semblance of rational thoughts about what I already have at home quickly fades to gray and I get all giddy inside. Have you been to Sabon? This is the kind of place where such a stupor can occur if you’re anything like me around said body products, especially when this tempting haven for all things body and bath has a new organic line.

It’s not like I didn’t have enough to tempt me while I was in New York this summer (read here and here if you’re curious about what else what I discovered). But there were, and are, plenty of opportunites to stumble across a Sabon boutique when you’re walking the streets of NYC as there are seven locations in Manhattan, as well as one in Garden City, NY (shout out to Roosevelt Field Mall!), one in Boston, and two in Chicago. If you’re not close to one of those cities, no worries, you have access to all of their products via their website.

My two favorites from the Organic Skincare line are the Organic Butter Cream and the Organic Body Scrub. These are made from 98.86% and 100% natural ingredients respectively, and both contain ingredients certified by ECOCERT. The Organic Butter Cream is thick, whipped, creamy perfection. It comes beautifully presented in a glass jar, with elegant wood and curlicues as a background design on the label. A little bird and flower illustrations are extra flourishes, and these things matter, especially when you might be considering them as gifts. More importantly though, it effectively moisturizes while not being greasy in the slightest. This is amazing considering it contains shea butter, olive, macadamia, and jojoba oils. It absorbed into my skin immediately, and left a light yet noticeable fragrance of delicate flowers dipped in melted beeswax. The scent wears close to the skin, making it perfect for the office or totally not for the office if you know what I mean.

Moving on to the Organic Body Scrub. If you’ve never stepped into a Sabon boutique, you’ve missed out on a big part of their marketing plan. Dark wood, product lined shelves entice you into the back of their store where a rustic basin awaits, along with a sales associate to massage your tired and weary hands with one of their scrubs. I went for the organic one. It’s lovely. Again, like the Organic Butter Cream, the presentation is perfect; weighty glass jar with silver top, label expertly embellished with dainty flowers and vintage motifs. The scrub itself is utilitarian meets luxury. It gets the job done of exfoliating (you might want to go easy on sensitive skin), and in the process, leaves your skin baby smooth. That’s the first time I’ve used baby smooth on this blog. It’s so over used in advertising isn’t it? But seriously, most apropos in this scrub situation. Sabon’s Organic Body Scrub smells just like the Organic Body Cream, but lighter on both the floral and honeyed notes.

There are other natural offerings at Sabon, without the organic ingredients, but you have to be a bit of a sleuth to find them. Unfortunately the website does not list the ingredients under the individual products, something customer service has informed me they are considering, and I certainly hope they follow through. They use some synthetics and petrochemicals, including aromachemicals, so read the labels if you’re at the store, or contact customer service and they will write you back with the list of ingredients if you prefer to avoid those ingredients.

Aside from the Organic Body Cream and Scrub, Sabon’s Body Butters were my prized find. They are made with essentials oils, shea butter, coconut oil, cocoa butter, and beeswax. I preferred Vanilla Coconut as it is a delectable little brick of moisturizing goodness. One swipe of my finger across the top of the butter bar is more than enough to hydrate my hands and upper arms, and plenty to scent my skin for the entire day. Was there some mention that I didn’t like musk? Did I say that? I need to retract that from my previous posts because Vanilla Coconut Body Butter is definitely on the musky side, and I love it! I don’t know what essential oils they have used to create a white musk/clean musk softness (I’m taking customer service’s word here that there are no synthetics in the body butter), but musk is definitely present to my nose. And major props to Sabon for getting the vanilla coconut blend just right. The coconut avoids that weird plastic accord that plagues many other coconut scents and the vanilla never becomes foody or too sweet. Surprisingly, it works just as well in cooler weather as it does in summer’s heat. It’s cozy and comforting. A “let’s snuggle up” kind of scent.

I’d love to share samples of my discoveries, so leave a comment and I’ll enter you in the giveaway to try samples from my Organic Butter Cream, and Vanilla Coconut Body Butter as well as samples from the store that I have not used; Organic Face Serum, Organic Hand Cream and Organic Eye Lifting Serum. I’ll take comments for a few days and let you know who the winner is at the beginning of next week. The winner is Katy!

Posted by ~Trish

Photo of Sabon’s basin from Mes Petits Choux

Artemisia Natural Perfume’s Ondine

Ondine. An ondine is a water nymph, beautiful and immortal according to German folklore. Ondine is also the namesake of a natural fragrance worthy of adorning that nymph. That is if the water girl likes to be anointed with milky blossoms washed over transparent woods.

Lisa Fong, creator of Ondine and her line Artemisia Natural Perfume, has made this water lovin’ gal particularly happy as I am partial to woody florals for autumn. Although, it’s not so much woody, but more suggestive of woods. Kewda attar is in the Ondine blend, which is made from the essential oil of kewda flowers and sandalwood oil. I have not smelled kewda flowers on their own, but the attar has a spring bouquet intensity, not unlike hyacinth, which is undeniably flowery. Narcissus is immersed in Ondine’s floral brew as well, making for heady bulb bliss.

I know some of you turned the other way after I mentioned hyacinth. That note seems to be a game changer for many. But read on. It’s not a literal hyacinth that I’m speaking of, the kewda attar simply reminds me of hyacinth upon its opening. The narcissus actually plays a more pivotal role in the topnotes, and the heart gets more earthy-floral as orris and violet leaf wrap themselves around the creamy, gentle sandalwood. Myrrh also gets into Ondine’s business, tiptoeing on the skin so its resinousness is soft and warm, rather than sharp or bitter.

And that’s how Ondine continues…shifting more into the earth, but never completely away from the flowers that blossom out of the earth. Seaweed is also mentioned in the notes on the Artemisia website. (This is a perfume dedicated to a water nymph afterall). However, I never sensed the seaweed, nor a watery or aquatic nature to Ondine. Nevertheless, gorgeous creatures deserve to have a lovely fragrance bestowed upon them, why not a springtime woody floral to keep those darker days at bay just a bit longer?

Ondine is available at Artemisia Natural Perfume. $78 for 17ml.

Posted by ~Trish

Ondine photograph at Ballet.co Galleries

Impressions of Peace. This is a poem about the world that is ours, or could be.

FIVE A.M. IN THE PINEWOODS

I’d seen
their hoofprints in the deep
needles and knew
they ended the long night

under the pines, walking
like two mute
and beautiful women toward
the deeper woods, so I

got up in the dark and
went there. They came
slowly down the hill
and looked at me sitting under

the blue trees, shyly
they stepped
closer and stared
from under their thick lashes and even

nibbled some damp
tassels of weeds. This
is not a poem about a dream,
though it could be.

This is a poem about the world
that is ours, or could be.
Finally
one of them— I swear it!—

would have come to my arms.
But the other
stamped sharp hoof in the
pine needles like

the tap of sanity,
and they went off together through
the trees. When I woke
I was alone,

I was thinking:
so this is how you swim inward,
so this is how you flow outward,
so this is how you pray.

Mary Oliver, House of Light
Beacon Press, Boston (1962)

Today is International Peace Day, as declared by the United Nations. It’s a day to highlight efforts by individuals, communities, nations and governments to end conflict and promote peace. As a parent, and midwife, my focus tends towards women and children, and an organization that I’d like to draw attention to is Women for Women. You’ll see their link at the lower right of my blog, or you can find their website here. They are a terrific organization that Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl Wudunn included in their list of organizations that help women in developing countries. This list was an addendum of sorts to their heart-wrenching but very salient article in the New York Times, Saving The World’s Women: The Women’s Crusade. If you missed it, I highly recommend you read it on this day of International Peace.

Roxana Villa, natural perfumer and promoter of peace, has gathered ten of us perfume bloggers to discuss her “Perfume for Peace” (the perfume is unnamed, represented only by the peace symbol) as well as our thoughts on this day. Some proceeds from Perfume for Peace go towards helping the Peace on Earth Project come to fruition. The Peace on Earth Project aspires to be a series of concerts in sacred places all over the world, that is envisioned as a musical prayer for peace. It will also be a live concert telethon that will, “address pressing issues of hunger, poverty, shelter, health, and the safety of children worldwide.”

So how does Perfume for Peace smell? Joyous and uplifting, then moving into sublime and serene. The liquid perfume is energetic with vibrant citrus and ginger, enough to waken your senses and get you moving in the world. A gentle call to attention if you will. From this piquant, spicy citrus, emerge lovely florals and woods which was revealed to me as vintage Mysore sandalwood after I wore the fragrance for a few hours. Honestly, I would have guessed oud with its tangy yet dried woodiness. Smooth vanilla enhances the drydown, so if you like a honeyed, balsamic end to your fragrance, this Perfume for Peace might be one to consider.

Roxana has also created this in a perfume solid, which has the same notes (clementine, neroli, ginger, champa, blue lotus, vintage Mysore sandalwood, tobacco and vanilla orchid bean), but its evolution is slightly different and wears closer to the skin than the liquid perfume. It begins with that tang from the vintage Mysore sandalwood right off the bat, and the vanilla is more evident from the beginning as well. It unfurls quickly into the sweet and smooth vanilla woods that is reminiscent of Lyra. (Read here about the “ice cream cone trees” both Lyra and the Perfume for Peace remind me of). Both are beautiful creations from a gifted natural perfumer who has created a fragrance about the world that is ours, or could be.

If you leave a comment at Roxana’s blog by October 1st, you will be entered in her drawing for a sample of this Perfume for Peace. Roxana’s Perfume for Peace is available at her esty site.

Please visit the other participating blogs:

Bitter Grace Notes
Examiner, Cleveland
Examiner, Portland
Illuminated Perfume
Indie Perfumes
Memory and Desire
Perfume Shrine
Perfume Smellin’ Things
The Non-Blonde

posted by ~Trish

Peace Has Begun illustration by Greg Spalenka at etsy.com

Winners of Fire & Cream and Essentially Me Samples

It’s celebration time for three lucky Scent Hive winners! Lawladyda and WaftbyCarol won the giveaway for the Strange Invisible Perfumes samples of Fire and Cream. Entangled won the Essentially Me full set of ten samples. Congratulations! I will be contacting you by email for the necessary information.

Thanks to everyone for your comments.

Posted by ~Trish

Celebration by Lee Krasner at Artnet.com

Essentially Me Natural Fragrances

Essentially Me is a one stop shopping website for all things perfume. If you need botanical extraits, they’ve got ‘em. Pure absolutes… they’re available there also. Are you in need of a pipette, some smelling strips, or a blending bottle? They’ve got all that too. Basically, if you’ve ever wanted to become a mad perfume scientist and create your own fragrance, Essentially Me probably has what you need. Detailed instructions on how to get started creating your signature scent, as well as a book that Elena from Perfume Shrine reviewed in wonderful detail here, are also available at Essentially Me.

Alec Lawless, the creator of Essentially Me, also offers perfumery courses in England at their showroom / workshop / lab in a Victorian woollen mill in the Cotswolds, as that is where the company is based, if you’d like a little guidance in your fragrance making endeavors. Mr. Lawless has created ten fragrances if you don’t find yourself with a lot of time on your hands or aren’t inclined to do-it-yourself. He’s made the wise decision to make customizable sample packs available, as well as international shipping.

It’s a hefty task to review ten fragrances, therefore Elena and I have decided to split it up. So please do visit Perfume Shrine to get her take on the five I’m not discussing. Overall, I was very pleased and impressed with Mr. Lawless’ natural perfumes. (Small disclaimer, they are approximately 99% natural, there are less than 1% of synthetics* in their fragrances). The fragrances are consistently well-blended, complex, and have a very sophisticated presence.

Chypre

The fragrance that I assumed would be the most sophisticated and elegant, turned out to be the most non-traditional of my bunch. Chypre (French for Cyprus) fragrances typically have an oakmoss, woods, and citrus blend. This Chypre definitely has cedarwood and a faint neroli-ish citrus, but really, it’s all about the cumin. That’s right, cumin. Yet this is not the human-cumin of Alexander McQueen’s Kingdom, but rather a very powdery, soft cumin that is proper, yet mildly rebellious at the same time. The drydown hangs onto the savory cumin opening and heart, but makes way for some rich and bitter tobacco, then some pretty, but not clearly discernible gentle florals.

La Joupe

My neighbor has a gorgeous honeysuckle vine that sits between our two houses and emits a heavenly scent in the summer. It’s intoxicating really, and La Joupe takes me back to the not so distant heat of July. Interestingly, the floral notes for La Joupe are listed as jasmine, tuberose, ylang ylang, and orange blossoms, but that mixture turns into honeysuckle on my skin. Good enough for me because it’s sweet and pretty, and sometimes a perfume lover needs a break from intense and heady. Sunny and smooth works well on a day like today, as the sun is still shining and probably won’t be for too much longer here in the Pacific Northwest. (Insert melancholic gaze here).

Fauve

There’s so much oakmoss kicking around with sandalwood in this opening, that Fauve is more of a chypre than Chypre! And I love it. Upon first dabbing, it reminded me of Cristalle EDT in its radiant green coolness. Fauve continued to hold my attention with a surprising and restorative minty lavender heart. All of this aromatic, chypre-love was all well and good, but when the beeswax/vanilla ambrosia made its appearance after about an hour, I went weak in the knees. But don’t get the wrong idea. Fauve didn’t turn into a foodie party, it stayed true to its original intent. No doubt it’s elegant through and through; but the honeyed drydown amidst minty, oakmossy nuances…delicious!

Kuan Yin

Who loves the apricoty goodness of osmanthus? You do? Well then, you must give Kuan Yin a try. Kuan Yin starts with osmanthus and ends with osmanthus, but the beginning and end are slightly different. Mimosa helps start things off, creating a very fruity floral experience. It’s fleshy and deeply citrus on the outset, moving into a more fresh and green fragrance. The citrus calms slightly after a half and hour, turning into that quirky baby aspirin accord, with a splash of lime. Luckily, mighty tobacco comes to the rescue with its depth and slightly bitter earthy edge to give Kuan Yin a richness, moving it away from what could have been a light citrus fragrance and into a full-bodied osmanthus perfume.

Classique

I know I gushed quite a bit about Chypre, but Classique might be my favorite of these five I have reviewed. Classique is not the most complex of my grouping, but it hones in on two notes I adore, jasmine and coriander, coriander being a note that is not used frequently enough in perfumery from my point of view. Jasmine of course lends a gorgeous tropical, almost narcotic quality to Classique that has the perfect balance of indoles. There’s just enough to give the fragrance a well-rounded quality, but not too much as to compete with the compelling scent of coriander. In Classique, coriander brings a buttery, spicy tone that is also woody and fresh. The flower and the seed meld beautifully together in this scent, and if you enjoy the two, I strongly encourage you to test it in a sample pack. The other notes in Classique are rose, neroli, ylang ylang, geranium Bourbon, bergamot, mandarin, petitgrain, bay, clove, and vetivert Bourbon. Indeed there’s much going on in this perfume, but on my skin at least, jasmine and coriander are the real stand-outs that merge into a unique and alluring fragrance.

Essentially Me fragrances are available at their website.

Leave a comment and you’re entered to receive my set of all 10 samples! The winner has been chosen.

*per Essentially Me’s PR person: “Synthetic fragrance compounds usually have petrochemical-derived ingredients. The ones we use are about 50% petrochemical-derived, with the rest made up of turpentine derivatives (that is, synthetic molecules created from chemically processing alpha-pinene which is extracted from pine trees)”

Posted by ~Trish

Strange Invisible Perfume’s Latest Release: Fire and Cream

Fire and Cream launches today, the newest fragrance from Alexandra Balahoutis, perfumer and creator of Strange Invisible Perfumes. The name Fire and Cream is not so much descriptive of the perfume, but rather of Ms. Balahoutis, as she created this fragrance for herself. Yet, Fire and Cream not only alludes to her red hair and pale complexion, it also refers to the sky one summer evening when Ms. Balahoutis looked at what must have been a gorgeous sunset and thought, “The sky is full of fire and cream.”

Fire and Cream begins with heaps of pure orange, and a healthy dose of herbaceous white lavender. Both hydro-distilled orange and orange blossoms are in the top notes, allowing for a luscious mix of rich citrus, sweet blossoms and aromatic lavender. The herbal quality continues into the heart of the fragrance where frankincense and tuberose enter the picture. I confess that my nose did not pick up these individual notes, (they are listed on the press release), but I did sense resinous and mildly heady after about an hour. I also took note of vetiver which is listed as a base note, but mingles unabashedly throughout the fragrance hierarchy. In fact, Fire and Cream reminds me of Magazine Street with its similar vetiver vigor, (blended beautifully with vanilla) but Fire and Cream is toned down on the sweetness and turned up on the herbaceousness.

Another similarity to Magazine Street is the well-mannered patchouli dry-down that gives both fragrances an earthy yet smooth base. Fire and Cream still remains much more aromatic than the more confectionary Magazine Street, and I do believe it would wear very well on a man. In addition, the drydown comes full circle with a glimpse of its lovely orange opening. Alongside sandalwood, the final unfolding evokes petitgrain, an essence which can easily be worn by a man or woman.

Fire and Cream also seems to be one of those fragrances that will move effortlessly from season to season. The citrus/lavender duo is not overbearing in its liveliness and the patchouli/frankincense/tuberose triad never becomes a heavy floriental. All notes are well-balanced and being a fan of Magazine Street, I am enjoying that it feels like a familiar favorite, but is different in its cologne-esque edge.

So is there fire and cream in Fire and Cream? I’m not sure the name befits the juice in the literal sense, but I do love the fragrance itself and the story of a stunning sunset as its inspiration. But I’m certainly no red head with a pale complexion. I’m a brunette with brown eyes and olive skin. So Alexandra, you’re gonna have to move over…Fire and Cream is mine!

Leave a comment and you will be entered in a giveaway to receive a sample of Fire and Cream direct from Strange Invisible Perfumes. There will be two lucky winners! You will have until Sunday September 20th at 10pm Pacific time to enter. US entries only this time. Good luck! The winners have been chosen.

Strange Invisible Perfumes Commitment (from their press kit):

Strange Invisible Perfumes is committed to respecting and preserving the earth. Its practices as a company, boutique, and manufacturer are vibrantly green. All products are authentically pure and natural. They are completely free of synthetic preservatives, genetically modified ingredients, parabens, petroleum, coal tar, and industrial phthalates. While sincerely recognizing the value of organic certification, Strange Invisible Perfumes adheres to its own standards of purity and authenticity, which are arguably far more rigorous. The company aggressively pursues ingredients that are organic, fair trade, wildcrafted, and biodynamically cultivated, with every ingredient satisfying at least one measure. All perfumes are set in a base of 100% organic grape alcohol. Ecologically sound packaging reinforces its green stance.

Fire and Cream is available at Strange Invisible Perfumes

posted by ~Trish

Bee Here Now, Blogging Project

The name for my blog, Scent Hive, is clearly inspired by bees. I’m no expert on these insects, but am fascinated by their amazing ability to communicate with each other and of course their attraction to (and need of) scent and flowers. Communicating about natural scents and beauty products, and a maybe a little sharing of information, is why I started Scent Hive, hence the tagline, “Collect your pollen. Fly away inspired.” I’ve collected a little pollen from the New York Times on colony collapse disorder, or in other words, the disappearance of honeybees. Most of the nitty-gritty behind the vanishing of bee colonies is way over my head, so I appreciate the common sense advice given by Marla Spivak, a professor of entomology at the University of Minnesota:

What can we do to help bees? Plant lots of flowers that provide nectar and pollen for bees, and reduce pesticide use. These two tangible and relatively easy actions, when implemented by many people, can save our bees and restore health and diversity to our agricultural and urban landscapes.

So let’s heed Dr. Spivak’s call to plant more flowers and support perfumers who use real flower essences in their perfumes to get more bees buzzing shall we?

Ayala Moriel Parfums’ The Purple Dress

For this bee focused post, I’ll be reviewing perfumes that have honey notes in them, and Ayala Sender, the creator of Ayala Moriel Parfums will release honey tinged, The Purple Dress, in December 2009. For those of you who love champaca, oud, anise and honey, you might want to go ahead and purchase a sample as they are available now.

The Purple Dress is an elegant tannic brew steeped in anise that is unique in its own right, but is of the same ilk as Aftelier’s Tango, another honeyed perfume. Both are dark and smoky, moody and sexy, and have gorgeous powdery woodsy drydowns. But Tango’s opening exploits champaca’s headiness to its fullest whereas The Purple Dress is probably more versatile in its smoothness. Its champaca is tempered by the lightheartedness of magnolia and an easy touch of honey but also grounded by black tea’s continual presence. According to Ayala’s website, this fragrance is a salute to Alexander Argov, who composed the famous Israeli song, The Purple Dress. You can hear an excerpt of it here and enjoy its evocative melancholic beauty, similar to its namesake perfume.

Artemisia Natural Perfume’s Yuzu Citrus

Yuzu Citrus is the creation of Lisa Fong, founder of Artemisia Natural Perfume. With a description like “honey, lemon verbena, in a subtle grassy base,” you’d think Yuzu Citrus would be all citrusy and green, which it no doubt is. It’s sparkling and uplifting. I feel like a young girl with flaxen hair (I’m a brunette by the way), running amuck in a late summer’s wildflower meadow with grass so dry you can smell the need of rain in the air. But it’s more complex than that thanks to galbanum and frankincense. In the opening and in the heart, there’s an expansion of the grassy/honey pairing that’s warm and haylike and reminiscent of beeswax. Ahhh beeswax! Such a sweet resinous scent that embodies heat and depth. After several hours of skintime, Yuzu Citrus morphs into a delectable liquid honey skinscent. I love it, and it’s most definitely full-bottle-worthy.

I’ll declare Artemisia’s Yuzu Citrus seasonless. A perfect warm weather citrus perfume that’s not too sweet and most certainly not ordinary. And beautifully comforting for those colder days to remind you of the sun’s toasty glow, but grounded enough to not be a tease.

Velvet & Sweet Pea’s Honey

How could I write about bees and honey and not include Velvet & Sweet Pea’s Honey perfume? Honey is a rich, glistening, golden honey perfume. Laurie Stern, the creator of V&SP, uses the word opulent to describe Honey on her website, and I am in full agreement. It strikes me as a wearable vintage perfume. It speaks with a regal tone, but it’s not going to put anyone off. Quite the contrary. Honey will entice with its luxurious notes of French orange blossom, Moroccan and Bulgarian rose, vetiver, and Madagascar vanilla. Bees are offered the chance to use their charms in three different ways in this fragrance, via honey, beeswax and Laurie’s “bee guru’s” propolis. Not one note in particular stands out on its own in Honey, but rather all are joined together harmoniously and expertly in a floral gourmand with a vintage edge.

And the best bit? Laurie is a bee keeper, enabling her to use the honey and beeswax from her hive for use in her Honey perfume and other products. Additionally, as with all of the aforementioned perfumers (Ayala Moriel Parfums, Aftelier and Artemisia Natural Perfumes) V&SP perfumes are 100% all natural. That means nothing synthetic, no petroleum products and no phthalates. So enjoy your honey!

Many thanks to Roxana of Roxana Illuminated Perfume for organizing this Bee Celebration. I am honored to be included in such illustrious company. Please check out the following list of bloggers for their posts inspired by bees and their honey:

Roxana’s Blog

Perfume Shrine

The Non Blonde

Beth Gehring

Donna Hathaway

Posted by ~Trish

Bee Illustration ©Roxana Villa

Cinquième Sens Olfactory Training: September Sessions

 

Here is some information regarding Cinquième Sens’ Olfactory Training Sessions in New York City. The following is from Laura, at their Madison Avenue location:

 

Cinquième Sens is a well-known perfumery school, based in Paris just near the Eiffel Tower. Our New York training center is located at Midtown East, near to the Grand Central Station and we propose small group workshops for anyone who wants to learn about fragrances. Our method of work is interactive and we carry a particular attention to the quality of our trainings and the interactions between participants.

 

Would you like to test your sense of smell? Identify the different raw materials? Understand the vocabulary of fragrance? Gain knowledge about the perfumer’s work?

 

If so our trainings are designed for you! You’ll have the opportunity to work with our Olfactorium® which is a compact version of a Perfumer’s Palette and contains 48 raw materials and fragrances.

 

We currently propose 2 trainings depending on your needs and interests:

-          The Perfumer Palette September 16^th (3 hours): an introductory session to measure your olfactory abilities and acquire methods for memorizing odors.

-          Introduction to Technique and Language of Perfumery September 22^nd and 23^rd (2days): an introduction to the universe of perfume from raw materials to fragrance classification.

 

Please contact Laura for more information, you can reach her at (212) 686-4135 or laura@cinquiemesens.com

 

posted by ~Trish

Enfleurage, NYC Indie Scent Boutique

 

Has a perfume ever brought you to tears? Maybe it conjured up a beautiful or heartbreaking memory. Or maybe the fragrance itself was so overwhelmingly glorious that it overtook your emotional dashboard and the floodgates opened. I entered Enfleurage this past week with Jessica from Now Smell This and found myself in one of those moments. I had never met Jessica before that day, and was not keen on bursting forth with emotional lability in front of her. But when I took my first whiff of the boutique’s Tuberose Enfleurage Butter, my heart was full of longing, and indeed I wanted to cry.

 

We’ll delve into the longing part in a minute. Let’s have an Enfleurage orientation first. Enfleurage, the boutique, is in NYC’s West Village and is filled with fragrant distilled oils, moisturizing oils, body butters, teas, soaps, incense, etc. (For a detailed description of their offerings see NST’s review here). Enfleurage, the process, allows flowers to release their oils into a fatty pomade, typically over the course of several days, while being pressed between glass plates. Trygve Harris, the boutique owner, uses organic palm oil from Colombia as the fatty medium, and offers this as a fragrant moisturizer in butter form. Tuberose, gardenia, rose and rose glory bower (chiclé is the nickname) are the current varieties.

 

Indeed, the Tuberose Enfleurage Butter took my breath away and put a skip in my otherwise steady heartbeat. And if I had been alone inhaling this for the first time, my emotions would most certainly have gotten the better of me. I am attempting to figure out why this particular tropical white flower concoction created, and still creates, such a visceral response in me. I suppose it might be the utter purity of the butter. It’s simply solidified oil and tuberose oil. (Of course the painstaking process to render the oil from the tuberose is costly and time consuming).

The purity lends itself to a fragrance all together different from what I experienced in Carnal Flower at the Frederic Malle boutique. While Carnal Flower is most assuredly beautiful and very true to tuberose’s lush, green nature, Enfleurage’s Tuberose Butter is, well… more buttery. With its hint of plumeria, this tuberose is like buttery sweat dripping down a stalk of Hawaiian sugar cane. Salty, sweet, creamy, and oh so very tropical. Unbelievably gorgeous. It made me wistful for unattainable sultry breezes and warm sand in between my toes at summer’s end. But most of all, it was so darn overwhelmingly glorious. And the Gardenia Butter? It’s drop-dead gorgeous too.

 

Before Jessica and I left Enfleurage, with a jar of Tuberose Butter in hand of course, Trygve poured some frankincense oil from Oman on my arm. This was after I had dabbed on a tiny bit, and she said “Oh honey, that’s not nearly enough! Here you go!”  I balked at the amount she bestowed upon me, but as we walked into the hot and sticky city air, I realized Trygve knew exactly what she was doing. This frankincense is no ordinary frankincense. The oil is water extracted in a copper distiller and the result is refreshing and uplifting. I could not believe I was experiencing frankincense. Menthol, pine and camphor mingle in the opening. Minty woods unfurl in the heart; and a mild, decidedly non-churchy incense peeks in at the end just to remind you that this really is frankincense you anointed upon yourself. I had to go back two days later to get a vial, this time accompanied by Lucy, the creator of one my favorite blogs, IndiePerfumes, and her compatriot in scent, Leah, of Asking Leah.

I also had the chance to smell blue lotus which was an enlightening opportunity after wearing and loving Mandy Aftel’s Lumiere for many weeks now. It was fascinating to experience the essence on its own and realize just how present it is in the top notes of Lumiere. It’s very moody and tannic, and less floral than I would have imagined, never having smelled it alone.

 

This summer at Blunda, Strange Invisible Perfumes, Le Labo, Caron, Frederic Malle, and Enfleurage, has been delightful and educational commiserating with fellow scent lovers, shop owners and fabulous sales associates while broadening my own knowledge of natural perfumes, one note at a time. 

 

Enfleurage; 321 Bleecker Street in the heart of Manhattan’s West Village

Trygve’s Facebook Page. Trygve’s Blog.

photographs by ~Trish

posted by ~Trish

NYC Boutiques: Caron and Frederic Malle

I have officially decided that the most fulfilling fragrance experiences come from visiting boutiques that focus on one perfume line. This became quite clear to me when I visited the Strange Invisible Perfumes boutique in Los Angeles earlier this summer, and was validated again when I spent time in both the Caron and Frederic Malle boutiques in New York City last week. Frederic Malle does not technically have a boutique in NYC, but the corner his perfume line occupies within Barney’s might as well be one, with its glass partitions, comfy couch and small but ample scent bar.

 

Let’s begin with Caron, as that was my first stop on what was a very hot and muggy day in the city. Luckily, Diane of whom I had heard so much about, was at the boutique and offered me a seat upon which to gaze at the regal crystal urns before me. I think she could sense my initial bewilderment at the 12 vessels and multitude of bottles, so she just began to spray and hand me test strips. Diane eased me into the Caron experience with her patience, wit, and knowledge of the line. But what I found most impressive, was her integrity regarding the perfumes, which most likely comes from working so intimately with a line that she truly respects.

 

Alpona and En Avion were the fragrances that above all, held my attention and imagination. (Amazing that the dark woodsy fragrances would appeal to me on such an oppressively humid day). And although Alpona opens with citrus; lemon, grapefruit, and bergamot, the topnotes belie its darker base of myrrh, patchouli and oakmoss. This juxtaposition was intriguing and ultimately the drydown made me crave autumnal colors and crisp air; but definitely not walking out into the sweltering urban heat! According to Diane, Alpona is no longer being created, so what she has left in her urn is all that is available.

En Avion was more floral than Alpona, and quite spicy on my skin. The top and heart are filled with rose, neroli, spicy orange, jasmine, lilac and carnation. The base is rounded out deeply with opoponax, amber, musk and wood. Diane was very sweet to give me a sample of En Avion, as it was clear I needed to spend more time with this spicy, woodsy, floral fragrance as the day outside was not lending itself to fully experiencing it at its best. Of the two, Alpona resonates more with me. Its shadowy tones make me want to move into hibernation and dream about mossy forests inhabited by the mythical creatures I tell my sons about at bedtime. Diane might get a call from me any day now, asking her to open up the tap on that urn and send me a decant of Alpona posthaste.

 

The above photo is one of the Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle boutiques in Paris, not Barney’s, but it gives you an idea of the aesthetic when you sit down to smell the divine fragrances Monsieur Malle has presented. I had yet another wonderful sales associate, Nathan, guide me through my first Malle experience which was surprisingly relaxing, low pressure and honestly…fun. I highly recommend you visit Barney’s on a day when Nathan is manning the Malle boutique, his customer service is excellent.

Frederic Malle, grandson to the founder of Dior perfumes, created Editions de Parfums to give the world’s best perfumers the opportunity to create fragrances without artistic limitations. The result has been some of the most compelling and frequently talked about fragrances in the beauty industry. One of which I saw mentioned in print at least three times in the week before I arrived in New York was Dominique Ropion’s Carnal Flower. Yes, Carnal Flower, that decadent blossom we know as tuberose. It can make you swoon, or suffocate. Intoxicate or nauseate, and I do believe Carnal Flower has the power to do either as well.

Some have called this “Fracas Lite”, and there’s no denying Carnal Flower owes much to its predecessor. But it’s not really “lite” as in “less filling.” We’ve got coconut and orange blossom, eucalyptus and melon to satisfy some new territory, but the narcotic tuberose is ever-present to satiate our lusty tropical desires. In fact, I was hoping for more green dewiness from the perfume, and ended up gravitating towards the lush and luxurious body cream which possesses more of tuberose’s freshness rather than its almost-over-the-top bombshell quality. I was this close to getting a jar on the spot, but realized that Barney’s infamous bag event is coming up in September (starts the 24th but you can call in your order on the 23rd) so I figured I’d wait and score the big GWP at that time. You can be sure I got Nathan’s number! 212-833-2652

Come back in a couple days for our regularly scheduled natural perfume and beauty product programming and see the organic side of NYC!

posted by ~Trish

Caron photos by Trish. Frederic Malle Boutique photo at Frederic Malle website