May Day Muguet- A Joint Blogging Project

And all of a sudden it's May.

Green and lush, sweet, intoxicating, lusty but also innocent and full of hope. May is a month of birthdays (my husband and wonderful almost three year old niece) and wedding anniversaries (my sister). Happiness is in the intoxicating air and it has a scent- lily-of-the-valley.

Lily-of-the-valley, muguet in French and in perfume-speak, symbolizes the return of happiness. It was a significant flower in Kate Middleton's bridal bouquet, which I'm sure smelled heavenly. It's also an important note in many a classic spring perfume, such as Diorissimo (at least originally) and Coty Muguet de Bois. Normally I have more than a minor aversion to muguet in perfume. There's something there that rarely sits well with me. The real thing is lovely, though nearly impossible to capture naturally. But over the last few months I've discovered a new appreciation for this note when done right.

Dawn Spencer Hurwitz of DSH Perfumes does it right.

Very very right.

Muguet de Mai (feminine) and Muguet Cologne (masculine) are both natural perfumes, something that is close to a miracle. And they smell like one. As true to the flower as it can be, both  in the tender green feel and in a heartbreaking beauty. Muguet de Mai is soft, warmed by the sun, sweet and smooth as honey. It's joyful and looks up at the blue spring sky. Muguet Cologne is earthy and a little smoky. Its green part is almost juicy and I can almost taste it. The smoky and woody elements are smooth and mellow- on my skin they become sweeter than on my husband's, and despite the "Cologne" part of the name, it lasts on me for very long hours.

Wearing Muguet de Mai is uplifting and centering. The way this DSH perfume melds with the skin is typical to natural perfumes- it becomes part of you and feels a lot more warm and intimate than regular floral perfumes. It's all that's good about spring and summer and is.  As for Muguet Cologne's masculinity, it is still very wearable for women who like  leafy greens and have been borrowing (vintage) bottles of Grey Flannel from the men in their lives.



Muguet de Mai notes:
bergamot, lemon, galbanum, violet leaf, freesia accord,  hyacinth accord, Tunisian neroli, linden blossom, cyclamen accord, broom, boronia, sambac jasmine, rose otto, ylang ylang, jonquil, lilac accord  , orris co2, cassis bud, honey beeswax, aged East Indian sandalwood, Virginia cedarwood, tolu balsam, olibanum and styrax resin.

Muguet Cologne notes:
lemon, bergamot, white grapefruit, galbanum, coriander, chamomile, hyacinth accord, Tunisian neroli, geranium, jasmine sambac, orris co2, linden blossom, rose otto, violet leaf, Australian sandalwood, Virginia cedarwood, olibanum, tolu balsam, vetiver, patchouli, and oakmoss.

Please visit the other participants in this May Day project:
DSH Notebook
Scent Hive
Indie Perfumes
Perfume Shrine
CaFleureBon

DSH Perfumes Muguet de Mai and Muguet Cologne are a very limited edition, available from dshperfumes.com:  There are only nine antique presentation flacons of Muguet de Mai perfume,  at $125;  a generous size sample at $22 and varying sizes of the Muguet Cologne from a sample vial for $5.25 to 10 ml $45 and 1 ounce at $98. My samples were sent directly from the perfumer.

Images:
Muguet de Mai by Dawn Spencer Hurwitz
Kate Middleton's bridal bouquet from the official Royal Family photo album on Flickr, courtesy of Clarence House.

Dawn Spencer Hurwitz- Rose Vert EDP

The first time I randomly pulled out the sample of Dawn Spencer Hurwitz Rose Vert and sniffed the tester it hit me with a chaotic multi-colored rose. I wasn't sure Rose Vert and I were fully compatible, but this DSH creation, like all natural perfumes, cannot be judged or appreciated until they get a chance to develop and interact with one's skin.

It's not so easy to pinpoint exactly what makes Rose Vert such a superior perfume, rosy or not. There's the abundance of just about every raw rose material known to men- Bulgarian Rose Absolute, Centifolia Rose Absolute, Damask Rose Absolute, Moroccan Rose Absolute and Turkish Rose Otto that paints a round, sweet and full picture of the flower, as though it was captured in its most flattering pose and angle. Then there's the pairing with green notes- from the light citrus of the opening to the dark velvety moss that draws you in, deeper and deeper into the wood, away from the sun... there's magic in there, sensuality and a delicate and sophisticated sweetness that comes from the rose itself with no discernible additives.

Rose Vert is an emotional experience as much as an olfactory one. DSH has created such depth in this perfume- color and texture that create longing to experiences and moments that linger on the edge of your memory and awareness. If you think about it, good poetry is often made of similar mental building blocks.

Rose Vert is part of Dawn Spencer Hurwitz Perfection Connoisseur collection, based on fine natural essences, seldom used in commercial fragrances due to their extreme rarity and cost. Available in several sizes, concentrations and bottles (for example: $60 10ml EDP) from dshperfumes.com.

Art: Wild Roses by David Densley, 2009

Ayala Moriel- Espionage

Between the provocative name and the list of notes, Espionage by Ayala Moriel is not what the uninitiated might expect from a natural perfume. Leather, tobacco and musk in a sensual dark blend- Espionage is as seductive as it sounds. It's also nicely long-lasting: I get about 6-8 hours even with light application, and quite a bit more if I use argan oil on my skin before dabbing this extrait de parfum.

The opening is smoky and tarry, all film noir and heavy eyelids. I don't get much or any proper top notes, but that's perfectly fine- who needs fresh and bubbly notes anyway, especially when we can have leather? And possibly a glass of hard liquor somewhere in the mix. Then it turn into the smoothest driest cedar (still with a side of tobacco) and stays this way for a while, until things sweeten up and I find myself surrounded by a sensual musky wood with just a touch of vanilla.

Espionage ends up a lot softer and curvier than it begins- from Angelina Jolie in a black trench coat to Sophia Loren playing spies wearing Dior. And it's utterly fabulous.

Espionage by Ayala Moriel Parfums ($65, 5ml parfum extrait in a roll-on bottle, other sizes, samples and formulation available, including an Espionage-scented chocolate bar) can be found at ayalamoriel.com.

Photo of Sophia Loren and Gregory Peck in Stanley Donen's Arabesque (1966) from stirredstraightup.blogspot.com

Perfume By Nature- Love Potion (perfume oil)

Before I start with tonight's perfume review:  I'm still waiting to hear from the winner of the Outlaw Perfume Project giveaway, Hotlanta Linda. Linda, please email me so we can make arrangement (another winner will be chosen if needed by the end of this week).

I already admitted yesterday that I've been spending my evenings lately watching old episodes of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, so I fully blame Willow Rosenberg for this one. I remembered I had a sample somewhere of an interesting natural perfume oil named Love Potion, and that there was something very special about it- an interesting marriage of jasmine and vetiver that I had plans to test further but never got around to actually doing that. A quick rummage through my sample drawers  and the vial was found (I'm still waiting for my nieces to get old enough so they can sort and catalog my perfumes. There's some progress on this front: both are already out of diapers).

Love Potion was created by Ambrosia of the Australian label Perfume by Nature. It's an all natural product, for those who care about it, and certainly smells like one in the opening notes: they have that familiar rawness that characterizes many natural perfumes. I've learned to get past this but I'm aware it's still a deterrent for some perfume lovers, which is a shame, especially in this case. Love Potion is a lot more sophisticated than its name reveals.

Once the herbal jagged edges calm down there's a spicy blend of blood orange and cardamom that instantly dims the lights and suggests exotica. Then there's jasmine. The jasmine in this Perfume By Nature creation is not indolic. Nor is it green or sharp. It's the flower in full bloom, warm, sweet and musky. Depending on my mood it feels like a hot summer night in a tropical resort or a joyous early spring day when you go outside and just feel- wind in your hair and the sun shines or maybe it's just cold enough to put some color in your cheeks- you're awake and alive in the moment. It's that much fun.

When the patchouli arrives on the scene it's surprisingly mellow. No one is going to look around for the dirty hippie. It gives Love Potion a warm and solid base and plays beautifully with the vetiver that only appears for me in the late dry-down (longevity is great, by the way). What's I get from this perfume is not so much dark arts as it is a beautiful, wearable blend that feels uplifting and calming at the same time. Like Willow at her best.

Love Potion from Perfume By Nature can be found in oil form, which is the one I tested ($80, 15 ml) or an EDP ($32, 15ml) at perfumebynature.com.au. The sample for this review was sent by the perfumer.

Photo of the wonderful Alyson Hannigan as Willow making a potion: effulgent13.blogspot.com

Aftelier- Candide

Candide by natural perfumer Mandy Aftel of Aftelier Perfumes is sweet, romantic, flirtatious and a bit risqué. Candied citrus and indolic flowers might not be a classic December perfumes, but it's fun and uplifting, so why not? Besides, I have a feeling that wearing Candide in the height of summer might be a bit too much, at least on days I'm actually planning on leaving the house and being around people. The way jasmine blooms in the heat might send the wrong message.

Candide opens up with a joyous and giggling citrus- it's bubbly, sweet and tinged with an impression of red fruits, though it doesn't even resemble the horrid department store berry note you find everywhere. It's easy-going and youthful without being juvenile. Soon after, jasmine comes into play and remains there for several hours. I get very little of the promised dry-down: if there are any frankincense, oppoponax and myrrh they've been swallowed whole by the jasmine. It might be a matter of skin chemistry, though. I've been known to be eaten alive by jasmine notes, only in this case I don't really mind. It's that much fun.

The jasmine in Mandy Aftel's Candide is round and full- it has curves and is not afraid to use them. It's definitely indolic to my nose (and to the husband's. So much, actually that he can't tolerate this perfume around him) and has all the dirty intentions in the world, but still maintains a certain sense of humor about it. However, Robin of NST didn't find the indoles all that prominent, so your impression may vary.

Candide by Aftelier ($150, 30ml EDP or 7.5oz extrait de parfum) can be purchased directly from aftelier.com . Samples and minis are also available. The sample for this review was supplied by the perfumer.

Please note that there's a 10% discount going on until December 13th with the code "holiday". As always, I'm in no way affiliated and have no commercial interest.

Outlaw Perfume Project- Final Thoughts

First- It's about time I announce the winner of Notoriety by A Wing And A Prayer:

Conratulations to Hotlanta Linda! Please email me so we can make arrangements.

Now, for my thoughts.
More than a revolution or a rebellion, I see the Outlaw Perfume Project as something along the lines of the Rally To Restore Sanity. The IFRA issue has been discussed to death and still makes absolutely no sense. Everything else in the universe, from food to household detergents, has labels that warn those with allergies of possible irritants. Thus, allowing us to make informed decisions and purchases, avoid peanuts or shellfish if they have the potential to kill us and stay away from things that may cause a reaction. So why not apply the same logic to perfume?

For the record, neither the Outlaw Perfumes nor any vintage formulation that contains hazardous materials such as citrus oil, rose absolute, jasmine absolute, oakmoss and others has ever caused me an allergic reaction. I do get itchy rashes from items like many household cleaners, Dove soap, Herbal Essence shampoo, several hair styling products and probably other things I can't recall right now. But never from perfume.

Yes, I know the answer is complex and has a lot to do with business decisions some of the big houses have lived to regret. Yes, most prominent perfumers work for the Big Boys, and at first refused to talk, especially on the record. But we're at the point their artistic freedom has been so limited, someone (I wish I saved the source and exact quote) said the restrictions are the equivalent of a painter being forbidden from using the color blue. Once again, what happened to sanity and common sense?

Apparently, with independent perfumers. The Natural Perfumer Guild spearheaded the Outlaw campaign and proved that real perfume is still alive and well. Other perfumer outside of the Guild, both natural/botanical artists and those who rely on the entire spectrum of materials, have been doing their thing with vision and integrity for years now and ignoring IFRA. Of course, this (and other factors) means their ability to sell and market their work might be limited, and this is where we, as perfume lovers, come into play.

As much as it's tempting to stock up and hoard vintage perfumes on all their rose and oakmoss goodness, the prices of those has been steadily climbing, sometimes to insane levels. Personally, I refuse to pay three figure prices for bottles that used to be readily available and never considered high-end or luxurious. Frankly, it also goes to former department store perfumes that all of a sudden have become a rarity. Instead, I'd rather pay real perfume artists for their often handmade creations. Those among them who use the best raw ingredients give us some of the most unique products on the market. This is true luxury and I have every intention to keep supporting them.

How about you?

Photo: Jane Russel posing for the movie poster of Outlaw, 1943, from firstordergoods.wordpress.com

Outlaw Perfumes- Light and Amberess by Anya's Garden

The last installment of the Outlaw Perfume Project (well, second to last, since I hope to write some kind of conclusion over the weekend) brings to us two outlaw creations by Anya McCoy of Anya's Garden. They represent two kind-of-sort-of opposite sides of the perfume spectrum- a citrusy cologne and an ambery floriental. Both genres are popular outside of the natural and niche perfume circle and it's a fascinating sensual experience to be able to smell and wear them in their true and raw form. And if you're even a little familiar with Ms. McCoy's work, you know it's never wishy-washy.

Light starts with a burst of a 3D citrus- full of fruit, juice and rind. It's so yellow and kelly green you can see the light and taste it on your tongue. The first couple of minutes seem like a sister fragrance to the beautiful Kaffir, but just when I thought I got it all figured out, the floral heart came alive. Rich, buttery and yellow- for a second there it reminded me of tuberose but not quite. A look at the cheat sheet revealed the floral heart is Aglaia, aka Chinese Rice Flower, which is apparently related to mahogany and smells divine. While many typical colognes combine citrus with their relative neroli (steam distilled orange blossoms) and often some kind of anemic blanched wood, the perfumer has chosen a resinous base of frankincense. It is surprisingly mild but does an amazing job anchoring the other notes and making them last for long hours. Next time I hear how citrus notes are always very fleeting so one shouldn't expect any lasting power, I'm sending whoever says that to have a chat with Anya.

Amberess is a true outlaw. Where Light only has the citrus and aglaia as its restricted ingredients, this diva is obviously trying to make the IFRA bureaucrats cry. This is copied straight from Anya's blog:

Top notes: none, in the true Oriental style
Middle notes: Zambian  Princesse de Nassau Rosa Moschata African musk rose otto and Musk rose absolute, Madagascan ylang ylang, South African rose geranium sur fleurs
Base notes: Indonesian patchouli, Himalayan amber oil, Turkish styrax, Greek labdanum, Peruvian tonka bean, Salvadorean balsam tolu, Balsam of Peru, Chinese benzoin, Madagascan vanilla

*red denotes untested or prohibited/limited aromatic

To me, Amberess is a creamy and feminine rose over a sweet amber base. It has an almost Turkish delight quality (for a second I can almost smell coconut, though it's obviously not there, just the nutty fullness). Amberess never goes sour on my skin, not even for a second. There's nothing green there, nothing fresh, just pure sensuality. This princess lounges in her velvet-lined boudoir, wearing layers of silk chiffon and indulging in  candy and men as she sees fit. I'll take a job as a lady-in-waiting for her. Or a full bottle.

Amberess ($125, 15ml EDP) and Light ($100, 15ml) are available online at anyasgarden.com. There's also a parfum extrait version and a sampling program. The samples for this review were supplied by the perfumer.

Art: Abstraction of the Bird Of Paradise by Marcia Baldwin.

Outlaw Perfume- Amazing by JoAnne Bassett

Who said chypres must be dark and brooding? Or that they have to be mysterious and film noir-ish? Chypres can also be sunny, fun and friendly, as natural perfumer and fragrance therapist JoAnne Bassett shows in her outlaw perfume, Amazing.

Amazing wasn't inspired by a tragic notorious outlaw woman but by the ingredients themselves- hence by nature and what it has to offer. And in the case of a natural perfume that doesn't bend to senseless restrictions, this is a lot. JoAnne Bassett took oakmoss, one of the most distinct and beloved notes in perfumery and blended in just about any essential oil and absolute that would play nicely with it, including 32 "outlawed" ones. The result is a playful and uplifting perfumes. The surprisingly complex citrus opening feels round and satisfying- this is not one of those fake cheap scents that use something grapefruity to claim freshness. Instead, Amazing is sunny and aromatic- it feels like a summer morning.

The citrus never disappears completely like one would expect from a lesser composition. It's still there when the heart turns floral with gentle jasmine and various roses and it's also around for the beautiful green dry-down. From bitter galbanum to velvety oakmoss- it smells natural yet very fragrant and distinct. I remember Ô de Lancome in its heyday, and even then this citrus-oakmoss blend was too harsh and lacked elegance (my mother used it as a household cleaning solution as she wouldn't have it on her body). Amazing is all the things Ô should have been but never was. It's funny now to note that I was a little worried that Amazing might be a little too hippie and more of an essential oil blend that a perfume, but this is absolutely not the case. JoAnne Bassett has created a worthy member for the Outlaw family, showing us why real oakmoss should never disappear from a perfumers palette.

This review is based on a sample sent by the perfumer (joannebassett.com).

Image from Charm Magazine, March 1959- myvintagevogue.com

Outlaw Perfume- Belle Starr by Artemisia Perfumes

"Shed not for her the bitter tear
Nor give the heart to vain regret
'Tis but the casket that lies here
The gem that filled it sparkles yet"

Carved into the headstone of Belle Starr

The true story of Belle Starr, the Bandit Queen, has been mostly lost to time and creative interpretations. Relationships with every wrong man she has ever met, violence and a tragic end (Belle Starr was rumored to have been murdered by her own son)- not the stuff of which perfume legends are usually made. But we're talking Outlaw Perfumes here, so just like the other muses for this project, a strong and fearless woman who took lovers, toted guns and ran a crime organization (maybe) is strangely appropriate.

The story of Belle Starr by natural perfumer Lisa Fong of Artemisia Perfumes is centered around jasmine. Jasmine, as we all know, can stink to high heavens if it's too indolic, or go the other way and turn into a bathroom product if it's too synthetic and cleaned up. The success of this Artemisia creation is in the way Belle Starr retains the fleshy dirty aspects but turns them into a smooth honeyed liquid that melds into the wearer's skin the way only a herbal perfume can do.

When I first tested Belle Starr without looking at the notes I could have sworn it was all about honey- a more floral relative of Miel de Bois with a dirty earthy side. Sniffing my neck a few hours later, the husband also said "honey", though he found it a little too sweet for his taste. It's interesting how the complex and mulit-layered jasmine note goes in and out, mixes with the mushroomy earth, dances with flowers and wood and smells new and unexpected because of the thick roobios absolute used to ground it.

 I wish the longevity was better than the 6 hours I'm getting, then again it doesn't exactly go away. It leaves a trace on the body that is not really a perfume, just an elevated level of skin scent. That's a quality I often find in natural perfumes and makes me appreciate them even more.

Belle Starr is not your typical jasmine. It's not your typical anything, really, and it's not trying to be. It doesn't try too hard to be easy or pretty, but it's still very wearable and sensual- as long as one can take the heat.

This review of  Belle Starr EDP from Artemisia Perfumes is based on a sample that was sent by the perfumer.

Art: a mixed media collage of a Belle Starr scrapbook by Tristan Robin Blakeman (tristanrobinblakeman.com)

Outlaw Perfume- Mata Hari by Dawn Spencer Hurwitz

**For more about the Outlaw Perfume Project, please read this**

When you search the Life.com website for Mata Hari photos you will find them with the tagline "Dancer, Stripper, Spy". Historical evidence shows she wasn't much of a spy, at least not a real double agent, but Mata Hari still paid with her life. Her notoriety had probably had something to do with that. She was a legend in her life and became an even bigger one when Greta Garbo put on the exotic headdress and took on the famous role.

This was the inspiration for the Outlaw Perfume Mata Hari by Dawn Spencer Hurwitz. The perfume does justice not only to the complex and mysterious women- both the spy and the actress who immortalized her, but also to the time period (the turn of the 20th century) and to the genre. Mata Hari is a fruity animalic chypre, and it doesn't get any better than that. Like many of us, I'm somewhat familiar with vintage classics. I own a few, but most of my bottles are from the early days. I have often wondered what the very first bottles of Mitsouko (1919) and other perfumes from that time were like. It seems like Dawn Spencer Hurwitz has given us a very good idea.

There's a lengthy list of notes on DSH website and on her blog, but deconstructing Mata Hari wouldn't be doing it justice, because this perfume is all skin, emotion and sensuality. There's a bitter bergamot opening, an exotic full heart of spice and pulpy fruit and a dry-down that is all leather, oakmoss and a gorgeous musk. The fact this is 100% botanical perfume is a(nother) wonderful testimony to the perfumer's talent and skill. It also proves a certain point regarding natural perfumery. The sillage is modest but the staying power quite phenomenal. I can still smell it on my skin 10-12 hours after application, and believe me- I've been using it sparingly.

The bottom line is that Mata Hari is a rich, dark and sensual perfume. When you wear it, the last thing on your mind is eco-whatever and the crunchy granola image of natural products. This is a real perfume, evocative and sexy. It lingers on skin, warms up and envelopes you discreetly (trust me- you wouldn't want Mata Hari to announce your and her presence to the entire boardroom or teacher lounge), draws in the few deserving ones and leaves a delicious leather and peach aroma on your sweater and (his) pillow. It's eye-rolling/toe curling good. Between this lively creature and DSH's other recent brilliant creation, Cuir et Champignon (review coming very soon), I'm in very deep trouble.

Mata Hari is a (very) limited edition (which makes me want to cry). You can read more about Dawn's inspiration for the perfume and the creative process on her blog.  A 5ml flask bottle is $85 while the beautiful antique bottle presentation (15 ml) will set you back $225 (dshperfumes.com). A sample for this review was provided by the perfumer.

**DSH is having a holiday sale at the moment- 20% off with code holiday10 (until December 13th).  **

Photo of Mata Hari in 1904: life.com

Outlaw Perfume- Notoriety by A Wing And A Prayer Perfumes- Giveaway

Jane Cate, the nose behind A Wing And A Prayer Perfumes, is responsible to one of my most favorites Mystery Of Musk perfumes, Tallulah B2. It's no wonder her newest creation for the Outlaw Perfume Project, Notoriety, is a standout. A stunning full bodied floral chypre, perhaps the most amazing thing about Notoriety is not how good it is, but the fact that every last essential oil and absolute used in its creation is now on IFRA's  restricted and prohibited list. This beauty, along with so many others, is what we're about to lose if nothing is done to stop the madness. What are these dangerous and notorious natural raw materials? Bergamot, rosewood, rose, wild rose, lavender, violet leaf, carnation, geranium, oakmoss and amber. Seriously.

Jane's muses for the perfume were three free-spirit women from days gone by who achieved notoriety. Etta Place, Isadora Duncan and Lillie Langtry. It is the latter who captures my imagination and connects me to this perfume. There's something about the distinct Victorian scandalous story and the royal romance. And Lillie  Langtry's friendship with Oscar Wilde. Who wouldn't want him as a BFF and mentor?

Rose, violet, carnation and lavender could  often be found at 19th century perfumed products. They can all be distinctly smelled in Notoriety, feeling feminine and a touch powdery. But the main story here is the rose on its many complex facets. It is very far from the various modern and synthetic interpretations of rose perfumes (sharing this quality with another Outlaw Perfume, Rose Of Cimarron)  and far more interesting. At first I thought about Notoriety as a warm and cozy rose, but venturing outside on a cold(ish) day had awakened the oakmoss and the unique smoky amber (I'm assuming ambrette seed) and exposed the full range of the perfume. It is, indeed, a chypre, tinged with something green (probably from the lavender), velvety and deep.

Now for the giveaway- a 1.7oz bottle of Notoriety EDP by A Wing And A Prayer Perfumes (wingandprayerperfume.com). One lucky winner will be chosen among those who comment on this post to answer this question:

What perfume ruined or discontinued due to IFRA regulation do you miss the most?

Photo of Lillie Langtry on stage as Cleopatra, 1891, from vintageephemera.blogspot.com

Outlaw Perfume- Rose Of Cimarron by Bellyflowers

*If you're new to the Outlaw Perfume Project, please read this first*

Long before Bonnie Parker fell in love with Clyde Barrow and joined his outlaw life, there was Rose Dunn in the Wild West. Fifteen year old Rose met professional outlaw George "Bittercreek" Newcomb and fell in love. Rose already knew how to ride, rope and shoot, but was more famous around those parts for her beauty and gentleness and was nicknamed "Rose of Cimarron". Her lover and his gang were busy robbing banks and stagecoaches and Rose got them supplies and tended their frequent gun wounds. Rose of Cimarron fared much better than Bonnie. Two years late, her older brothers had enough of their own outlawish ways, became bounty hunters and turned George & co. in when they stopped by to visit Rose. Lawmen killed the gang and Rose was an honest woman again and lived to old age as a politician's wife.

Perfumer Elise Pearlstine of Bellyflowers Perfumes created Rose of Cimarron as an homage to the woman who put her love before danger. The perfume starts sharp, peppery and a little menacing before the heart unfolds and it's all rose and jasmine, a little green and crisp but also as round and floral as they come. Wearing Rose of Cimarron for a couple of days made me realize that I've nearly forgotten what a true rose and jasmine perfume smells like. We've become too used to those synthetic department store variations, either a laundered rose in a dryer sheet musk or sticky rose over a too sweet plastic amber. The real thing is raw and foreign at first, before smells and mementos from long gone days start flooding one's memories. A precious vial of rose oil hidden in a drawer, sachets of rose petals, crisp white sheets with handmade embroidery and lace laundered and starched in the closet.

Isn't it astonishing that these very ingredients- rose absolute, jasmine absolute and ylang-ylang, materials that once perfumed just about everything, are now heavily restricted and regulated by IFRA, to the point that a scent such as this is an "outlaw"?

Rose of Cimarron's full and complex base (labdanum, patchouli, angelica root, ambrette seed, blond tobacco and amyris) is spicy and has a chypre air. I was actually surprised not to see oakmoss listed as a note because it seems like it's there, especially with the hint of soapiness I get here and there. In any case, once the abundance of pepper dries down, this Bellyflower creation becomes almost familiar and quite  easy to wear. Longevity is excellent and there's quite a lot of sillage for the first three or four hours.

Rose Of Cimarron by Bellyflowers ($40, 10ml) is available from the perfumer's website, tambela.com.

Photos of Rose Dunn from legendsofamerica.com

Outlaw Perfume: Daphne by Lord's Jester

*If you're new to the Outlaw Perfume Project, please read this first*

The first time I've smelled Daphne, the Outlaw creation of natural perfumer Adam Gottschalk of Lord's Jester, the lights dimmed and the room darkened. The intensity of this scent stunned me and for a brief second I wasn't sure if it was a good thing or not. But it is good. Most definitely.

Daphne, the perfume, was inspired by the story of Apollo and the nymph Daphne, but the first image my mind conjured was an old illustration  for Brothers Grimm fairy tales. Here was the Black Forest of centuries ago, looming and menacing, full of unspeakable evil and nameless creatures. Winnie the Pooh doesn't live here, for sure.

But this fairy tale by Lord's Jester has a happy ending. As the scent develops on skin it softens, opens up and sweetens considerably. The heavy branches move let some light in and you can see the velvet mossy forest floor under your feet. Soon enough Prince Charming will see the walls of the castle's gardens and smell the roses that grew wild and entangled for 100 years. And there inside there is a beautiful princess waiting, asleep, in all her sweetness. Daphne becomes honeyed and smooth, a rich oriental chypre that is a joy to wear.

Daphne by Lord's Jester Perfumes ($65, 10ml EDT) is available from lordjesters.com. The sample for this review was provided by the perfumer.

Art: Illustration for The Sleeping Beauty by Gustave Dore, 1867

Outlaw Perfume: Gypsy by Providence Perfume Co.

I remember now.

Perfume is an art. It creates pictures. It tells stories and stirs memories and emotions. Or, at least, it should.

Big corporations, focus groups, politics, marketing and mass marketing and most of all IFRA regulations have almost  taken it away from us and made us forget what it feels like to wear real perfume. But now, wearing Gypsy by perfumer Charna Ethier, I remember. And I don't want to let go.

Technically speaking, Gypsy is a dark amber with a touch of green fougere. If I were an abstract painter trying to capture Gypsy I'd paint my canvas black-based brown, maroon and brick red, let the colors bleed into each other and then incorporate some forest green veins. But Gypsy is only abstract if I let it be. It's a warm, breathing thing, human and personal and makes me think of the way other countries seemed to me as a child.

I go back to times before I had a clear map of the world in my head and was only discovering the wonder of foreign languages- people speaking in magical tones. My parents had guests from different corners of the world- long lost relatives and old friends coming from as far as South Africa and East Europe. They stayed up  late, drank mysterious and strong smelling liqueurs that had beautiful labels on their dark  bottles, wore strong perfumes and brought gifts that smelled of mystery.

Gypsy has all that and more. I consider it wearable by both men and women, though my husband's chemistry brings out something a little too sharp, while on me it's as soft and luxurious as I could have ever hoped. According to Charna Ethier "Most of the botanicals used in comprising Gypsy Eau de Parfum are posted on IFRA's list of banned/restricted ingredients".  The main notes are-

Top: galangal, lavender, lemon, petitgrain, and cardamom.
Heart: pink lotus absolute, Bulgarian lavender and green violet leaf.
Base: tonka, oakmoss, vetiver, patchouli, costus, and vanilla

But it's all about the blend- spicy, sensual, dark and sweet. It feels romantic and mysterious. It's incredibly long-lasting (easily more than 12 hours). A full bottle is now on my ever-growing wish list, a sentiment that seems to be shared by Ida from Ca Fleur Bon.

Gypsy is part of the Outlaw Perfume Project. The sample was provided by Providence Perfume Co. (providenceperfume.com).

Today's question: What was the last perfume that made you feel a strong emotion? When was that?


Art: Gitana II by Fabian Perez

Outlaw Perfume- The Revolution Has Started

I first became aware of IFRA and the restriction of certain perfume ingredients sometime around the end of 2005 or the beginning of 2006. I was already an avid reader of perfume and beauty blogs but had yet to start my own. I've read that some classic formula had to be changed because IFRA, a weird organization of which I've never heard before was trying to eliminate raw materials that could cause skin allergies. But none of this made much sense. Skin allergies? I was certainly familiar with those being very sensitive to a bunch of soaps, detergents, hair and body products and very common household products. They give me a rash so I do my best to prevent skin contact. All these items were clearly labeled with "if a rash develops discontinue use". So I discontinue use just as I read the labels on food, medication and cat treats. This perfume issue could not be true, right?

Only it was. And soon it became clear this wasn't just about oakmoss. There (among many others) went lavender, certain rose absolutes, pure jasmine, lemon verbena and citrus oil. Yes, the stuff you get on your hands, raw and undiluted, every time you peel an orange or zest a lemon. And why was IFRA insisting on restricting to the point of neutering or outright banning ingredients in perfume while everything else from bleach to peanuts only gets a warning label? Because according to the EU, people who use perfumes cannot be trusted to read labels. Seriously.

One by one beloved perfumes were changed to the point they became unrecognizable and the industry kept quiet. Guerlain changed some formulas and discontinued others, Chanel (still!) kept denying anything was going on, pretending loyal customers were either dumb, anosmic or both and everyone else followed suit. It's their livelihood, after all.

It became clear that if anything was going to change, if anyone was going to say "enough!" it was not going to be the big corporations. They'd just keep on churning bottle after bottle of bland synthetic dreck, put all their money into marketing and shiny ad campaigns and pray we wouldn't notice. But we did and we still do. The answer seems to be coming from the indie perfumers, especially those dedicated to cultivating and using the best natural ingredient the world has to offer.

The Outlaw Perfume project is one such effort. The Natural Perfume Guild headed by Anya McCoy is embarking on creating a series of perfumes that would make IFRA itch. Made from the good stuff and smelling like perfume should smell, every Outlaw perfume will have a clear warning label. It's up to us to use them right. This project is backed by several bloggers and websites and will include reviews and exciting giveaways. Here are the other participating writers:

Elena at Perfume Shrine
Pat at Olfactarama
Donna at the Examiner.com
Carol at Waft by Carol
Beth at Perfume Smelling Things
Felicia at Fragrance Belles Lettres
Lucy at Indie Perfumes
Ida, Mark and Monica from Ca Fleure Bon

So, here's today's question: When did you become aware of IFRA and its influence on the perfume industry? What was the first reformulation you noticed?

Top image: Brigitte Bardot and Serge Gainsbourg as Bonnie & Clyde, 1968
Outlaw Perfume logo: Anya McCoy