Showing posts with label artisanal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label artisanal. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

PERFUMism: What Will be the Talk of Town Soon

Today is a very special day! Contrary to many others, I don't usually broadcast what I'm doing outside the scope of Perfume Shrine on these pages. But today is an exception because it is beyond the merely personal and it embraces the community. I have been working alongside two dedicated people on a common cause which is groundbreaking, innovative and will hopefully rekindle the discourse on the genuine love of perfumery and help the industry take notice.

PERFUMism.com is a new platform, totally uncommercial, completely independent, and utterly respectful to those who will partake of its content. It is unlike anything else that exists in the perfume community today in that it aims to communicate serious thoughts on scents and the people involved with them (we have invited acclaimed perfumers, industry insiders, distributors and exhibitors) beyond the overused concept of niche and "art" which is brandished like the latest It-bag in the blogosphere and the discussion fora. Art will feature naturally too, but will it be a pretentious facade to make money or stroke fragile egoes? No, most assuredly not! We're totally against vanity projects!

PERFUMism is a kick in the groin in that it will tell truths! It will not fear, it will not hold back, it will not mollify or caress ears and will question everything! Along with mme Rebecca Veuillet-Gallot, the renowned author of Le Guide du Parfum and the Patricia de Nicolai Parisian boutique-keeper, and Andy Tauer, the well-loved artisan perfumer who financed this new platform, we have been brainstorming on making a difference in the industry. With our passion and with the fertile discourse which you are invited to provide, we hope to effectuate the changes which we have been all praying for for a long while now...
So, without further ado, you're invited to check out the PERFUMism site, to leave a message at the ShoutBox (on the right hand corner, please leave a comment if you feel like it), take a tour and see if something catches your eye, and to subscribe ~entirely for FREE~ to our quarterly newsletter for news and press. Just click the link! There is also a Facebook page and a Twitter page, from where you can follow us.

My personal aim in participating on PERFUMism is to get a powerful message across that perfumery shouldn't be exploited as the new "It" money-maker, but as the only refuge of sensualists in an increasingly sensory-deprived and sterilised world! I am leaving you with a couple of words by Andy which resonate his thought-process behind this innovative concept championing true art in perfumery: "I am finally here, at the starting point, of something new and exciting, collaborative and driven by the quest to move. I am finally here, and I can make a statement. I am not niche! And now, we will start inviting others to join us. We are not many, but we are the few who will make a difference. That's what PERFUMism is about: Making a difference in the world of perfumes".

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Artisan Perfumery or Being Led by the Nose by Alec Lawless: book review & preview

Perfume books are diverse these days; it all depends on the axis taken when approaching the material: they can aim to be encyclopedic and easing you into being fascinated by perfumery itself (Mandy Aftel’s Essence and Alchemy), they can be fun guides jam-packed with minutiae you might or might not want to check (Susan Irvine’s, Turin’s & Sanchez’s) , they can be glossies with rare flacon collectibles and souvenirs of meetings with the masters (Roja Dove’s The Essence of Perfume), they can be exposés that reveal a heavily-veiled world (Chandler Burr’s The Perfect Scent) or they can take the witty neo-marketing route of presenting the scientific facts in an easily-digestible way (Avery Gilbert’s What the Nose Knows). The new book by Alec Lawless Artisan Perfumery or Being Led by the Nose surprisingly combines all worlds in one slim and elegant volume of no more than 100 pages, which you can slip in your Longchamp attaché for the morning commute or take to bed for an late evening read before spreading fragrant Crème Splendide on your weary skin and hitting the snooze button.

The author, a colourful personality himself ~judging by the bio included~ is a Psychology BA and trained psychotherapist who seems to have travelled the lengths and widths of the globe as well as a professional wine trained individual; points eminently apparent in his interesting writing. Co-owner of Aqua Oleum (a reputable brand I was familiar with as purveyors of quality essential oils, absolutes and aromatherapy supplies) along with his ex-wife, renowned aromatherapy author Julia Lawless, Alec Lawless has recently founded Essentialy-Me.co.uk, a company with natural fragrances spiked with a minimal quantity of synthetics based in Cotswolds, UK . He has been creating fine fragrance for the latter as an artisanal perfumer and a bespoke creator and we will return to his art at a future date.
For now, I am focusing on his book which is introduced with these words: “For more than 20 years Alec Lawless has been hand-making fine perfume following traditions handed down from antiquity. He explains the origins and use of fabled ingredients such as frankincense, ambergris and attar of roses, essential elements in the beautiful, strange and beguiling smells that haunted the court of Cleopatra and the salons of 19th-century Paris.”

The book is segmented into 8 chapters:
  • Historical Overview: A brief delineation of the emergence of perfumery and fragrance with mentions ranging from the surprising (it's the moth, not the dog, that has the keenest smell of all; the notion of Attila the Hun as a heartthrob) to the predictable (the almost necessary -for a perfume book- inclusion of the Spice Route; the scent love shared by Josephine and Napoleon)
  • Sourcing Natural Raw Materials: This chapter talks at length about the quality standards that need to be met when sourcing natural materials, referencing both the B.P (British Pharmacopoeia) criteria and the intricacies of handling and storage that often result –in the worst case scenario- in “wearing a topee”; the phrase is Delhi street slang for being ripped off! As a buyer of aromatherapy and perfumery supplies, Lawless has been painfully familiar with such cases and recounts them with self-depreciation and wit.
  • Sandalwood: Beyond the title, this chapter aims to offer a glimpse into the richness of any single material, taking the prized scented wood oil as a starting point of our own itinerary. Listing the main geographical sources of sandalwood oil (And Alec includes the Caledonia varieties into this as well, as he explains the tampering of Santalum Album oil supplies with the rather differently scented Eucaria Spicata from down under is more frequent and prevalent than we’d guess). The chapter is highly interesting to the perfume lover who has been hearing about the depletion of sandalwood forests in Mysore, India, the subsequent restrictions to its use, the poaching and frauds ensuing.

  • Natural and Synthetic: The fourth chapter deals with the naturals vs. synthetics debate in a surprisingly level-headed approach which explains the potential pitfalls, as well as a brief explanation of the 4 most popular animal notes of classic perfumery (musk, ambergris, civet and castoreum).
  • Cultivation, Taste and Consultations: This highly illuminating chapter is incorporating the Jean Carles methodology of creating accords into an easily understandable “building” process that follows Alec's own consultations with clients. It is also the chapter most immersed in his wine appraisal expertise which highlights beautifully some frequent thorny issues: Taking the impact on the market of famous wine critic Robert Parker who favours a specific style of drink (intense in taste and high in alcoholic count, a trait that produces a naturally sweeter and brisker bouquet), Lawless asks how much fragrance criticism in print and online will influence the fragrance industry in the end (Now there’s a question for you!) The issue of mental de-coupling from established mental pathways ~especially for the seasoned perfumophiliac~ is also aptly treated in comparison to wine: “Thomas refers to another experiment (Osterbauer et al.2005), which involved adding odourless, red dye to white wine. This fooled even Masters of wine into describing “the nose”[of said wine] in terms usually reserved for describing red wines”! Imagine!
  • A word about blending: Alec goes on into describing the process of blending his fragrant materials with some useful footnotes into maturing and rounding perfumer’s alcohol, giving specific examples of his creations.
  • Using Natural Raw Materials: The 7th champter is the briefest containing some practical info on the natural state of raw materials (liquid, solid etc) and the percentages of essence in relation to finished product (eau de toilette, eau de parfum etc). Nothing you haven’t read elsewhere, but really a minimal part of the book.
  • The A List: Finishing it off in grand style, Lawless goes into listing several natural raw materials grouped in olfactive family profiles (citrus, woody, balsamic, herbaceous etc) giving to the point, concise info on their production method, geographical origin (he stresses this is not conclusive), use in perfumery, as well as safety concerns and intriguing comments -when applicable- to each one of them. Perhaps the most encyclopedic chapter and one that might serve as a counterpoint to Mandy Aftel’s guidelines for fledging artisanal perfumers.
Last but not least, Artisan Perfumery must be the first book that contains a spread sheet of an actual gas chromatography and the way to “read” it: an explanation of trace, report and certificate of Rose Maroc Gas Liquid Chromatography (GLC) Trace, showcasing the emerging odouriferous materials in the rose absolute of Rosa Damascena from the Bulgarian state authorities.

The slim tome is easily paced, a fun read with a few select pictures mainly from India and Southern France (the cover reprises the detail of Perfume Mandala artwork by Fiona Owen which was commissioned by Lawless) and should provide an interesting read for both the amateur perfume enthusiast as well as the artisanal perfumer in need of a few ideas.

Printed by Remus Limited, retail price is £9.99. For our readers, Alec is offering a discount of £10.00 on “Artisan Perfumery or Being Led by the Nose" if you buy a copy of the book and ten perfume samples for a total of £19.99. Purchased online together or seperately on Essentially Me only.

Related reading on Perfume Shrine: perfume book reviews

Raw materials pic via konwill.com

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

The Strange Case of Dr.Oakmoss and Mr.Citrus (part 1)

We have been discussing the latest perfumery restrictions on ingredients these past few days. [You can catch up here and here]. Today's post is useful and practical advice before you rush to buy everything tagged "vintage" on Ebay or stores, especially on anything that says it has a "note" of oakmoss (many of them do not have oakmoss to begin with, as a "note" is not an actual ingredient ~meaning the effect of "oakmoss smell" can be replicated aproximately with other ingredients, some synthetic, some natural). To set things straight therefore, let me say the following.

Oakmoss is ~according to the latest restrictions applicable from January 2010~ only resticted, not prohibited. Let me repeat: oakmoss is not being completely eliminated from perfumes! The direction simply states that it needs to be drastically lowered. What that means: it's allowed to 0.1% of the formula compound AND at the same time the oakmoss extact has to contain no more of 100ppm atranol and chloroatranol (those two are the sensitising parts of the natural essence) But oakmoss has been steadily getting lowered in the last 10 years at least! Even if it means perfumes with high levels of it in the formula have to change again, those are the very perfumes which have already changed a lot, sometimes to the point of unecognisability as many fans have noticed! (Miss Dior, Ma Griffe, Cabochard etc.). After all the Scientific Committee on Consumer Products (SCCP) adopted the following during the 2nd plenary meeting of 7 December 2004: "The European Commission received a letter from the University Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg, France, with data demonstrating that chloroatranol is a potent fragrance allergen in cosmetic products. The European Flavour and Fragrance Association (EFFA) submitted a study “Local Lymph Node Assay (LLNA) – Sensitisation dossier on Atranol and Chloroatranol” and information on the levels of these substances in oak moss and tree moss" (the latter is exactly the study on which Dr.Rastogi was featured and please read on to find out more). Therefore this is known since at least 2004! In fact there is a very brief post on this link that announces it (with an email to the proper recipient, so it's not like they couldn't have been contacted!): Department of Environmental Chemistry and Microbiology, National Environmental Research Institute, Roskilde, Denmark. (scr@dmu.dk) And another from 2003!
So do you think perfume companies hadn't already wisened up seeing the developments that were impending? Surely not! They were already doing reformulations!

On what concerns Mitsouko in particular Mme Sylvaine Delacourte (artistic director for Guelrain) had the good grace to provide a quote regarding the reformulation of Mitsouko with only tree moss, setting things straight (and I translate):
"Our house has honoured two values for decades: Tradition and Modernity. Tradition denotes the quality of olfactive construction of each of our perfumes with savoir-faire and heritage. Modernity denotes the scrupulous and rigorous respect of the European regulations in the constant concern for our clients. Mitsouko has benefited in 2006 from the most recent olfactory innovations which respect our heritage while at the same time repressing the incomfort tied to certain raw materials. Therefore current Mitsouko responds to the European directives".


Perfumes can theoretically still include oakmoss (evernia prunastri or mousse de chêne) in the formula at the approved levels and I quote from the 43rd amendment of IFRA:
“For this material, for pragmatic reasons, restrictive levels allowed by the QRA for certain categories but actually being higher than those already in place before applying the QRA, will temporarily not be implemented until the end of a 5 year monitoring phase. At the end of the 5 years the position will be reevaluated again. […]Introduction of an additional purity requirement in the Standards on Oak moss extracts and Tree moss extracts.”

And category 11 (encompasses all non-skin contact or incidental skin contact products) is unrestricted! If we solemnly swear to only spray on clothes? This is why Luca finished his article with the wittisism “don't spray on skin”.

The "black" point is that since 2007 IFRA accepts big boys as members and this is the real news: Givaudan, Firmenich, IFF, Takasago etc. can be members who have a say in the regulation of perfumes. The perfumes which they themselves produce. Is it about the concern for consumers' health? It might but most importantly it's about money. How could this happen?
Like Anya McCoy told me:


"Perfumery is being forcibly mutated into a beancounter-driven business with an extremely limited palette. Afraid of lawsuits from consumers if they dare refuse to reformulate classics or create new fragrances with the limits placed upon them, big perfume houses have capitulated. This is a quote from a retired perfumer I interviewed two years ago, the one who blithely answered "we were asleep at the wheel" when I queried why the perfume industry allowed so many regulations to pile up. IFRA, at first golden and shiny with the promise of providing an industry regulatory system that would give the world of perfumery professional and governmental status, botched the deal ~badly!"

There is a PDF available for download (mail me if you want to read it!): It’s the study that Luca talked about in his article, the one I referenced above and of which Dr Rastogi is one of the paticipants. It opens with:

"Based on the submission by EFFA1 of a study "Local nymph Node Assay(LLNA)-Sensitisation dossier on Atranol and Chloroatranol", the Scientific Committee on Consumer Products (SCCP) adopted at its 2nd plenary meeting of 7 December 2004 an opinion (SCCP/0847/04) on Atranol and Chloroatranol present in natural extracts (e.g. Oakmoss and Treemoss extract) with the conclusion:“Because chloroatranol and atranol are components of a botanicalextract, oakmoss absolute, it has been impossible to trace exposure. Chloroatranol was shown to cause elicitation of reactions by repeated open exposure at the ppm level (0.0005%) and at the ppb level on patch testing (50% elicit at 0.000015%). As chloroatranol and atranol are such potent allergens(and chloroatranol particularly so), they shouldnot be present in cosmetic products."

The study talks about 2 ppm though and I quote:"The main identified allergens in oakmoss are chloroatranol and atranol. The ‘typical’ levels of these chemicals have been reduced to levels described". And it concludes with the very logical matter which we tried to explain the other day on why a simple warning label doesn't cover the issue and I quote (bold is mine):

"In recognition of the fact that contact allergy to oakmoss/treemoss is important, product ingredient labelling is required. Such labelling, as a secondary measure to prevent disease, is helpful only to that group of the European population who have a recognised contact allergy to oakmoss/treemoss (following diagnostic clinical patch testing). Labelling is not helpful to the group who have unrecognised contact allergy".

And tree moss which also contains the sensitisers has to be in tandem restricted so that the combined sum of essences does not exceed 0.1% in the formula.
Therefore since oakmoss is again to be reviewed in 2013, this means that there is a window frame for companies to conform and for us to think about this and decide with a cooler head than today's panic.

But there is hope for oakmoss notes yet! Although the patented synthetic Evernyl is not a satisfactory substitute, there is another oakmoss synthetic, Orcinyl 3, which if used together with Evernyl could do the trick.(And it’s only $2400/kilo).
Laurie Erickson, an artisanal pefumer from California for the Sonoma Scent Studio line, also told me: “The big difference for oakmoss with the 43rd amendment is that people who want to use natural moss have to switch to a low allergen moss like the Biolandes product with less than 100 ppm of atranol and less than 100 ppm of chloroatranol (the Biolandes is the only currently available natural moss I know of that meets this standard). If you use the low atranol moss below the maximum usage level and perhaps add a smidge of Evernyl/Veramoss and/or your other favorite mossy ingredients, you can create a pretty nice oakmoss note and still be within IFRA standards; I’m just starting to work with the new moss but so far I’m quite optimistic. I do wish they’d make some exceptions for the old classic formulas and I’m very concerned about the direction we’re heading with all these restrictions on so many materials, but I think we can still create moss notes in new perfumes even under the new guidelines if this low atranol moss turns out to be as promising as it seems right now. I’m just going through all my formulas to substitute the low atranol moss for the regular moss that I was using, and I’ll know more as I continue that process. I had been skeptical before sampling this moss because I’ve been disappointed with the low allergen versions of lavender and bergamot I’ve tried (though I hear better bergamot is available now), but I was pleasantly surprised when I sampled this moss and I ended up buying some.”

Ayala Moriel, another artisanal naturals perfumer has interesting commentary:
"As of the end of last year, neither of my oakmoss suppliers were no longer carrying complete oakmoss absolute. The sensitizing elements were removed, as per IFRA's regulations. Which is not surprising, since oakmoss is grown and harvested in the EU (mostly in former Yugoslavia), and most of the perfume industry at large is still concentrated on that continent. To my pleasant surprise, even at this manipulated state, oakmoss still presented the full spectrum of performance it always had, and was just as good as ever for creating chypres, fougeres and adding nuances to florals, orientals and citrus".
And she likes the Biolandes oakmoss as well! This is what she stated to me:
"1) IFRA is not scheduled to review oakmoss again until 2013, so I have no reason to believe there will be any changes to the current oakmoss regulations before than
2) I checked with my suppliers and they are not aware that this material is about to become unavailable in the near future
3) Since last year, the oakmoss absolute sold in the market was one with the sensitizing molecules removed, namely atranol and chloroatranol and resin acids. This
is also the reason why combining both oakmoss and tree moss is restricted (tree moss contains resin acids, so if it is used in a formula in a conjunction with oakmoss the concentration of oakmoss will be even lower). "

Roxana Villa of Roxana Illuminated Perfume has assured me that she has created an accord that mimics oakmoss sufficiently, composed of natural materials that are within limitations and if her Q is anything to go by on how her woody, green mossy blends go I am very optimistic! Liz Zorn of Soivohle' Perfumes is also another artisanal independent pefumer who is capable of creating oakmoss accords through the combinations of other ingredients: "It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out how to dupe oakmoss, or even jasmine for that matter. Natural a combination of natural and man made or all man made."

Alex, a perfumery student who writes J'aime Le Parfum had a lovely quote:
"I do not remember whether it was me or a fellow classmate who asked Jean Claude Ellena several months ago about his feeling about IFRA, and he basically said “I don’t really care, and it does not stop me from doing my work.” I think what he says is key here, and it has to do with creativity. You do not need jasmine to give your fragrance “naturalness” or “richness.” You do not need iso e super to do perfumery. You do not need oakmoss to do perfumery.You do not need majantol* to do perfumery." (*majantol is a synthetic lily of the valley ingredient.)
I have personably been in the fortunate position to have smelled the new Biolandes low-atranol oakmoss and compare it to the traditional oakmoss essence and it does seem to perform well, although perhaps not perfectly “photocopied” but a talented perfumer can certainly put it to good use. AlbertCan is also one who has worked with both and corroborates the potential. Technology is on our side if we give it time and who knows what the future holds?
Since reportedly the Chanel Company controls Biolandes, did they just opt for re-creating a chypre with no oakmoss in their 31 Rue Cambon instead of relying on this new low-atranol material? It goes to show how boundaries need to be crossed for something to be created anew or how they cannot be sure on further developments ruining a newly launched product.

The big news is however something else entirely: the raw materials suppliers at Grasse (who mostly dabble in naturals) have been bought out by the big companies! Laboratoires Monique Remy is owned by IFF. Robertet bought Charabot and so on...It figures, doesn't it.
Like Anya Mc Coy says again: "Another wrinkle is the buying up of all the small- to medium- size processing houses, from Charis to Charabot. The pipeline that is in place to bring the extracted aromatics to the perfumer, from the distiller with a field unit in the jungle of Indonesia, to the jasmine plants in Egypt are more and more under the control of corporate conglamorates. If they - the corporations - find it easier and cheaper to use synthetics and the demand for naturals dries up, so will the pipeline. Price fixing, as with vanilla absolute, is firmly in place, in my opinion."

So practical advice: If you need to stock up on favourites from big companies, don't rush to buy whatever has been produced in the last 6-7 years at least. And even then, it's good advice to save up your money for extrait de parfum only, the most concentrated version and therefore the one in which the limitations would pose a greater problem. Do continue to support the artisanal perfumers, now more than ever.
And another suggestion for the perfume industry this time: Have you thought of the vast potential of hair mists and oils?


To be continued with other questionable materials...

Monday, March 30, 2009

Home-Made in NYC Scents

An interesting article in the New York Times came to my attention focusing on the work of artisanal perfumers Dsanddurga. David Moltz and Kavita Ahuja collaborate and tell us how they begun their small-scale venture:
He distills some of his own oils, and he experiments and mixes his creations in his apartment in Manhattan with his partner, Kavita Ahuja. Everything is bottled and packaged by hand.“We thrive on the collective spirit of our friends in New York City who put their heart and soul into their own arts and crafts — jewelry designers, painters, screen printers, architects, clothiers,” Mr. Moltz said. “A good deal of our close friends make something with their own hands. We share information and wear each others’ creations, etc.”

Read the rest of the article following this link.

Thanks to Diavalano/mua.

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Globalisation-Indie Businesses: what's the score?

This tidbit of info and the very interesting video was brought to my attention by Anya from Anya's Garden.


I am not much of a Perfumaria (Passionaria of perfume, a term coined by yours truly) and in my life I have often being scolded of being a jaded aristocrat discussing the plight of the world from her couch ~which is not good karma if you think about it!~, but I thought this needed all the support it could get.
Perfume Shrine after all has always been for supporting small artisanal businesses and it would pain me if you were deprived of the choice to give them your business should you choose to.

I urge you to watch the video and read the post and, if you agree, to sign the petition. Just hurry, before the deadline for passing the signatures to the law-making body expires!

Friday, December 14, 2007

Shining Sunny Scents

Artisanal perfumer Laurie Erickson is the mind and soul behind Sonoma Scent Studio, a small but vibrant brand from Healdsburg, northern California, founded in 2004, which aims to cater for the customer who has become jaded with department store perfumes and is eager to explore a more natural approach. Although not strictly a line of natural perfumes (as she allows a small amount of synthetics, notably musks) Laurie does use a higher percentage of natural essential oils and absolutes than most without veering into the path of aromatherapy blends, but retaining the character of proper “perfume”: a scent that constitutes a whole; not just strings of voices that sound from in and out of a room, but rather a conversation of loving friends over a homemade dinner with good Napa Valley wine.

Laurie’s line is quite extensive comprising scents from different olfactory families, from warm Orientals to musk blends through dry woods and floral compositions. She first got inspired by the paysage of the Sonoma County with its oaks and redwoods, but also by her family’s beloved garden full of jasmine and roses. It was those blossoms that prompted her to source the best essential oils so she could enjoy floral scents year round and not just when the flowers are in bloom. Laurie however didn’t delve into perfume right away: she first earned a Bachelor of Sciences in Environmental Earth Science and a Master of Sciences in Geomechanics in Stanford University pursuing a career of technical writer. It is fortunate that her perfume business proved so successful that she decided to occupy herself with it exclusively.

In the 5 scents I tried I detected a common theme running through them, a resinous base of predominent labdanum and myrrh that gives them a deep resonance and a sensuous, slightly “dirty” character. The overall feel was that of scents that source natural essences; there is that familiar feel of non-perfumey ambience which I have come to recognise and appreciate. The onomastics somehow do not predispose one for a Californian meditative line, which is the only incosistency.

Encens Tranquille (quiet incense) is described as a meditative woody fragrance centered on incense, including notes of labdanum, frankincense, myrrh, cedar, sandalwood, ambergris, patchouli, oakmoss and musk. Deep incense, dense and dark, sobriety incarnate. There is the unusual tone of ocean and fish, if only for a moment as if a temple is situated on the seafront and you enter barefoot, with your hair still wet from a dip. And then a resinous explosion, murky, smoky. For those who are serious about their incense!

Champagne de Bois (forest champagne) is described as an effarvescent scent with aldehydic top notes, a heart of jasmine grandiflorum and carnation and a warm woodsy base of labdanum, sandalwood, cedar and musk. The opening is indeed sparkly, waxy, with a hint of flower which surfaces later. However the base of labdanum and cedar especially overshadow the blossoms rather too soon, suspending them in a mirage. It lasted incredibly long and seemed to grow more deep and dark with every passing moment.

Fireside Intense encompasses woods and resins along with a touch of leather and agarwood, evocing an evening sitting by a campfire. The scent truly captures the aroma of burnt coniferous wood, emanating from the mountains, embers glowing softly in the cool misty morning when the memory of the night has not yet been formed. Very dry and intensely smoky, it is a figurative painting of an American scene out of a Western film. It’s not the easiest to wear if you are working in an office with people who complain about fragrance wearing, but who cares? Fireside Intense has the rare gift of transporting the wearer to a more adventurous, quixotic existence where the men are ruggedly handsome, roasting salted meat and drinking inky black tea from a hip flask, gazing pensively over the horizon for new frontiers. I’m so there!

Ambre Noir (black amber) is the latest addition in the line. A dark amber with notes of labdanum, cardamom, red rose, woody notes, a touch of agarwood, myrrh, vetiver, moss and mitti. My contrapuntal impression of dry and sweet notes that come to the fore and then subside to the background, leaving a smooth impression on the skin after a while and lasting for hours, was unusual for me. I am not an amber person per se, I admit. And yet I love oriental perfumes, in which amber often forms the base! However, amber-centered scents are either too heavy, too thick to my sensibilities or too surupy for their own good. When I put Ambre Noir on the skin I feared that it would fall to the former category, on a sour whiff. But then I was surprised to see that it lightened up and a sweeter note emerged. A slightly powdery note that managed not to become cloying, which is an accomplishment in this category of scents, as previously mentioned. I am not completely certain that I would personally fit this scent, but lovers of ambers will find a balanced composition in Ambre Noir.

Laurie divulged to me that her bases, notably amber, are self-made and purposely drier than commercial perfumers’ supplies. Essences are diluted in pure perfumer’s alcohol for the eau de parfum concentration and natural fractionated coconut oil for the parfum oil base.

Jour ensoileillé (sunny day) is a floral jubilation, rich, warm and golden like a ray of sunshine on a lush countryside garden. Orange blossom, a little ruberose and jasmine marry their white synergy over a soft base of labdanum, sandalwood, ambergris, oakmoss and musk. The joy of the fragrance is contagious, as if a smile could be bottled and opened when the mood is grey and weary. The memento of summer into the heart of winter. A beautiful, feminine and exuberant fragrance with very good sillage and easily the prettiest of the bunch.

The rest of the line includes Voile de Violette (a violet and iris accord over a woody bottom), Rose Musc (a feminine blend of rose and musk on an ambergris base), Opal (a soft, vanillic clean skin musc I am personally very curious to try), Bois Epicés and Bois Epicés Legère (warm and cosy scents) and Cameo (a powdery feminine floral with rose and violet).

All the scents I tried reviewed above came in Eau de Parfum concentration, which is incredibly dense and lasting; much closer to parfum actually than most lines I have tried and therefore excellent value for money. A parfum version is available as well for people who want a closer to the skin experience that projects less. Additionally, body creams made with 20% moisturising shea butter and all natural oils (scented to the fragrance of your choice or unscented) are available.
Sonoma Scent Studio also takes requests for custom scents or all natural scents with prices varying according to ingredients used.
See details and contact on Sonoma Scent Studio site.


Leather Series will continue next week with iconic representations! Stay tuned.


Pic from film "Sideways" courtesy of athinorama.gr and Ambre Noir ad from Sonoma Scent Studio site

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