Hermes (Hermessence) Santal Massoia: fragrance review

“Virtuosity,” star perfumer Jean Claude Ellena says “is a form of seduction.” In the latest Hermessence, Santal Massoïa, virtuoso Jean-Claude Ellena is quoted as wanting to evoke "what is beneath the air" in an Indonesian forest, and to that end he interweaved an airy fig note amongst the woody ones: fresh rather than creamy, with his trademark space between the notes casting rays of welcome luminescence amidst the dense forestry. Santal Massoia is a luxuriant fresh woody for those of us who appreciate the understated luxury of opting for one piece of jewelry over two; one lump of brown sugar in our tea instead of heaps of caramel corn syrup; and an original art work by an unknown painter, who moonlights as a newspaper illustrator, rather than reproductions of Monet's celebrated oeuvres on our walls. As Mr. Ellena points out in his book "Perfume, the Alchemy of Scent", any perfume is only “a succession of olfactory moments” after all. And living from moment to moment is a small proof of happiness, isn't it?

Hermès Santal Massoïa is such a succession. It opens with a greenish impression of fig skin and leaves, a footnote taken from Hermès Un Jardin en Meditaranée, but at the same time tinged with the unmistakeable scents of sandalwood and coconut, milky notes that combine to create a soft-focus effect like Sarah Moon photography. His green-creamy accord of stemone and octolactone gamma is among his signatures. The coconut note is subtle, watery, not very sweet, more reminiscent of coconut milk or a milk pudding. The wood dries that soft way, not fatty or especially fruity, and do I smell a hint of woody vetiver? I believe so. It doesn't change much beneath those two phases, much as most of the fragrances in the Hermessences boutique line; these are impressionist scents, with no pretense of going for the dense composition of Velázquez's The Surrender of Breda.

Massoia bark of Cryptocaria massoia gives an alkyl lactone (lactones are milky-smelling substances) which would naturally provide the lactic element of natural sandalwood. Massoia lactone (possessing a coconut-like, green and creamy scent) interestingly can also be found in molasses, cured tobacco and the essential oil of osmanthus fragrans. The material has facets of dried fruit and dulce de leche, which would lend themselves to a Lutensian opus easily. It's an unusual material to be sure and one which is not especially used in perfumery. The latest IFRA restrictions in fact target it, which is why perfumers have to resort to fractioned versions that result in a pure material with no risks.

Sandalwood on the other hand is a perennial classic: There are many established sandalwood fragrances in the market, from the mink-stole old-world plush of Bois des Iles by Chanel with its sparkling overlay of aldehydes (especially delightful in vintage extrait de parfum) to the classic woody bonanza of Tam Dao (aerated and creamy at the same time), all the way through the subtlety of Etro's Etra or the gingerbread complexity and heft of Jungle L'Éléphante (Kenzo). Sandalwood is making a come-back (did it ever go away?), with the challenge of coming up with a reputable & sustainable source of the material (the Mysore region in India is protected since the species is on an endangered list) or a composition of a base that imitates it satisfactorily. Recently Le Labo Santal 33 proposed a butch rendition highlighting the Australian variety of sandalwood (which is different than the creamier Mysore sandalwood) with a passing hint of coconut, while Tom Ford offers his own delicious, smooth cumin-laced Santal Blush in his Privé line of upscale fragrances, while Wonderwood by Comme des Garcons is another one.
Hermès Santal Massoïa offers a new, admittedly luxe and subtle version of the prized wood which is mysterious and retains a refined freshness at all times; as with everything Jean Claude Ellena there is no hint of "notes lourdes" (fatty notes). This streamlined composition is not meant to be a diet sandalwood, but an elegant gouache that can remain contemporary, fresh and natural-feeling. Much like Iris Ukiyoe, it's a poetic formula. No one who follows the sensibilities of Jean Claude ~and I'm one of them~ expects a tooth-aching diabetes-coma-inducing dessert from him, nor a cheap "tropical" with that trademark sickening coconut note which obliterates everything within a 4 feet radius. In that regard, the man is consistent.
Hermès Santal Massoïa will therefore satisfy lovers of sophisticated, green woody fragrances, while it might seem too refined (or too sparse or possibly too green) for those who prefer their wood fragrances heftier, more calorific and direct-aiming. Personally I find Santal Massoïa luxuriant and quietly sexy, a radiant composition perceived by people around that lasts well on me (five hours and counting, someplace between Vétiver Tonka and Ambre Narguilé) and totally unisex. In fact it would be totally delicious on a man, a welcome break from "aromatic" woodies that make everyone smell the same.

According to Jean Claude himself (via joyce.fr): « Il est des bois verticaux et linéaires comme le cèdre, et d’autres horizontaux, ronds, souples et veloutés tels que le bois de santal et le massoïa. De cet entendement j’ai composé ce parfum de bois lactés, énigmatiques, invitant et distant, aux odeurs âpres et étranges de résine et de fruits secs, et familières de confiture de lait et de fleurs. Ca ne ressemble à rien d’autre et pourtant on est prêt à l’accepter. J’aime cette ambigüité, ce paradoxe ».

Hermès Santal Massoia includes notes of sandalwood, massoia bark, and coconut. It is set to be available at Hermès boutiques around the world from November 11th 2011.

Related reading on Perfume Shrine: Hermes fragrance reviews & news, Sandalwood: the material, synthetic replications & fragrances highlighting it, the Hermessences fragrance reviews.

photo via 2luxury2.com

Ormonde Jayne goodies for the season

Ormonde Jayne celebrates November, Thanksgiving and the holidays approaching with a vengenace.
First there is Bond Night Celebration: Meet Linda Pilkington, the founder of Ormonde Jayne, at the Old Bond Street boutique, help yourself to a glass of champagne and mince pies and earn a 10% discount with your purchases.

Thursday 17th November
5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Place:The Royal Arcade, 28 Old Bond Street, London.
T: 0207 499 1100
Print this invitation above and bring it along with you to receive a 10% discount on the night or by telephone.
The first ten customers to purchase receive a full size scented candle worth £42.

There is also complimentary worldwide shipping for all orders from Nov.15th till Nov.24th; just type promotion code THANKS at the OJ online boutique checkout.

Additionally there is an event organised and co-hosted with Charbonnel et Walker. An exclusive evening of chocolates, truffles and fragrances on Thursday 1st December at Charbonnel et Walker on the Royal Arcade, 28 Old Bond Street, London. Tickets are 25£ per person, all purchases benefit from a 20% discount and all guests take home a good bag worth of 40£. Reserve your place: victoria.leadbitter@charbonnel.co.uk

Prada Candy: fragrance review

It's been called "Werther's Original in a bottle". It's been called "Infusion de benjoin". It's been called "a vat of Polish fudge made of condensed milk" or "cajeta". To my mind, it's neither, though I can see where the assessments are coming from. Prada Candy is simply the most unexpected launch of this autumn coming from the most blasé designer brand. I defy anyone to smell it and come up with a definitive verdict in less than a week's testing. It just keeps you guessing, is this for real? 

There's something inherently sophisticated about the Prada fragrance line (the apotheosis being L'Eau Ambrée; in contrast some of the Infusions are limp-wristed to me) and though at first glance ~or rather, sniff~ that's not apparent in Candy, in the end you realize that it could have been Pink Sugar, but it's not. It resembles the best-selling Aquolina scent in some respects; the strawberry-flavoured caramel being melted in a hot plastic cup, at some intergalaxial fun fair where waitresses are clad in A-line skirts embossed with lip prints in pastel hues. That doesn't mean that Candy is not a departure for the brand; something by  that name in a pop canister resembling a pink-edged coffee press is meant to be sweet and teeny-bopper and not coming out of the mind of Miuccia with her Communism background, right? Is catering to lower instincts like hunger and lust an opium for the people?

But there's thankfully a certain comfort factor about the new Prada fragrance instead of just dessert sweet, thanks to the deft of hand of perfumer Daniela Andrier; it's a complex gourmand oriental with a balsamic, drizzling, sexy background that holds it from becoming a total "teenagers-don't-know-any-better" mess. I'm not entirely convinced it's the best fit the brand could come up with (and it's not "me", which might be influencing me), but it's got a certain pull-in factor despite the identity crisis (Watching the commercial with Léa Seydoux I don't know if I'm supposed to laugh or hide my eyes out of shame on the protagonists' behalf). In short, Prada Candy is that confusing phenomenon: a fragrance that doesn't fit with Prada's image (much like L'Artisan's original Vanilia with its "simplistic" ice-cream cone scent was incongruous with the hippy, boho style of the rest of the brand), but somehow manages to appeal all the same.Of course one could argue that Prada might slap their label over a bottle of water and it would still sell like hot bread. True.

The composition features elegant musks up top with the intense flavour of milky, creamy caramel mixed in, some of the caramelic accents reminding me of the upper edges of lavender's spectrum. That caramelic note takes almost licorice & tonka facets, complex, abstract, like a passing kinship with the original Lolita Lempicka perfume. There is benzoin resin in the lower range of notes (much like in their best-selling Infusion d'Iris scent), purported to be as much as 12% of the formula -which I find hard to totally believe as benzoin is a known sensitizer- that creates a moiré effect between cozy and powdery. Benzoin naturally possesses facets like copal, a smell between medicinal and sweet, with earthier components (Smell Guerlain Bois d'Arménie which is full of it) . This characterises the drydown (i.e.the final phase of persistence) of Prada Candy on the skin after the first half hour following spritzing. The musky "dirty diapers" note, like baby urine, creates a background of soft suede and darkness reminiscent of a lot of vintage fragrances (it's the sexy note in Shalimar). A sneaky wink. And this is exactly why Candy is not dumping the brand or just aiming at a younger demographic, as one would be quick to cauterize at first "reading" of this launch.
The sillage is nice and cozy and the lasting power very satisfactory, after a while it becomes a skin scent.
I don't think I will be buying a full bottle, but I will tuck in  many samples in my bag for when I want to (contendedly) get down and silly. Nothing wrong with that!

Prada Candy is available at Eau de Parfum concentration at major department stores, starting from £40 for 30ml/1oz. and online (check the selection of discount fragrances for even better deals)
ETA: A new flanker, Candy L'Eau, a lighter interpretation, is introduced in spring 2013. 





Photo of dulce de leche via pinterest.com

Le Labo Aldehyde 44: fragrance review

The aliphatic aldehydes string of Chanel No.5 is what is termed "aldehydic" in perfumery parlance and characterises a whole sub-group within the floral fragrance family: C10, C11, C12 aldehydes to be exact, creating an accord so memorable it has pervaded fragrance mores for decades. [If you don't know what aldehydes are, refer to this article]. Le Labo's take in Aldehyde 44 is more inspired by the sweeter, soapier, more snowy-capped mountains seen flying above in lesser known (and more American-geared) Godzilla-aldehydic Chanel No.22 and equally American "sharp clean" White Linen by Estee Lauder than muskier-sexier-dirtier (aka Frenchier) No.5 however. Perhaps the fact that it's a Dallas,TX city-exclusive (only Dallas inhabitants and visitors of the city's Le Labo boutique at Barneys can partake of the sprakling waters!) is not totally random as imagined.This is a clean, rested, posh fragrance; depilated, smoothed and hosed and full of energy, not languor.

The opening in the Le Labo fragrance is so old-fashioned elegant and prim in its sharp biting "sparkle", with its citrusy-waxy fat top note, you will be doing a double take to see whether you have been magically transported back to 1955 and wearing a whale-boned petticoat under your skirt. But the perfume is modern, in more ways than one.
The progression is seamless and sustainaibly sour aldehydic into a somewhat metallic musky floralcy in the base, without either too much sweetness or woodiness (The idea of musk at Le Labo can be perversely illusionary anyway, as attested in Musc 25. Perfumer Yann Vasnier is using ambrettolide here in Aldehyde 44, which is a macrocyclic musk, very refined, soapy smelling-fruity in character).
What is characteristic is there is no powderiness in Aldehyde 44, as associated with other retro fragrances that utilize irones and ionones (iris and violets) to denote cosmetic products and old-school face powder. Instead it's citrusy waxy-soapy-fatty, it makes me think it's what an hypothetical child between Ivoire by Balmain and White Linen would be like: the green sudsy oiliness of the former meets the fatty sweetness of the latter, the rosy facets taking on a peppery bite with lots of buds' green, a hint of pear fruit in there too.

If you read that Aldehyde 44 contains woods and vanilla and imagine a comforting scent, you will are in for a nasty surprise: the woods only come from the C12 aldehyde (a pollen-rooty, lilac scent) and the silvery refracting amber synthetic; while the citrusy touches are reminiscent of bitterish, tangy orange rind (which has a resinous quality, not unlike some incense blends) and not marmelade. The floral notes cannot be taken apart, it's an abstract blend where no note rises above the rest. Aldehyde 44 possesses "sweetness" of another kind altogether and it can only be compared to that encountered in No.22 (especially in its less incense-y modern incarnation as part of Les Exclusifs in Eau de toilette) or the classic Lauder referenced above. The sillage is civilized, but definitely there, and the lasting power very good. Lovers of the elegant polished genre, rejoice, this is a well-crafted example; perhaps not totally necessitating the ouchy price-tag nevertheless.

The offficial Le Labo presentation states: "Aldehyde 44 is a small wonder that sits tight between an aldehyde overdose, that gives this scent a unique cleanliness to it, a sublime floral composition that is built around Naracissus, Jasmin, and Tuberose (all Absolute in case you wandered), and a bed of muscs tied with a hint of vanilla. The result is esthetically admirable and unique".

Aldehyde 44 by Le Labo features fragrance notes of: aldehydes, tuberose absolute, jasmine sambac, narcissus absolute, woods, vanilla and musk.

Le Labo Aldehyde 44 is a Dallas, TX city-exclusive, retailing at $290 for 50ml, but only for the month of November it is globally available at Luckyscent and on the official Le Labo site.

Related reading on Perfume Shrine:  Le Labo reviews & news , Aldehydes: what they are, how do they smell, where do they shine, Aldehydic fragrances

photo of Cyd Charisse

Evelyn Lauder: 1936-2011

Pink was Evelyn H. Lauder's colour. The breast health advocate and founder of the Pink Ribbon campaign working for Estée Lauder for more than 50 years (she was Leonard Lauder's wife) died from ovarian cancer at her Manhattan home. 
She will be fondly remembered for all her action in the support of women, her graciousness and her kind manner.

photo of Evelyn Lauder and Greek designer Dukas who designed the latest pink bracelet for the campaign against breast cancer via ermoumag

Serge Lutens L'Eau Froide: new fragrance

When Lutens launched L’Eau Serge Lutens, in 2010, he didn't mince his words: ‘When I presented L’Eau to my team, I felt like Saint Just informing the nobles they were going to lose their privileges.’ The concept behind L'Eau by Lutenswas interesting to analyse, even if the reality of the fragrance was lukewarm to hard-core Lutens fans such as myself. Now, he's following up with a second "Eau". Who, the magus of orientalia? Apparently yes.

True to his signature blend of humor and provocation, next March the divine Serge will be presenting the follow-up: L’Eau Froide, a clear eau de parfum concentration of fragrance that will see his previous Eau joined by a similar-looking bottle. (1.7oz/50ml and 3.4 oz./100ml, 69 and 100 euros respectively at select doors stocking Lutens fragrances in March 2012).
What will Serge Lutens's upcoming fragrance L'Eau Froide smell like, though?

He only reveals frankincense aong the fragrance notes, the classic Catholic and Orthodox ecclesiastical incense note. ‘Frosty’ and ‘glacial’ are enot adjectives we tend to associate with incense (rather pyrocaustic is, although on Perfume Shrine we have devoted a whole series to different  varieties and  nuances of incense fragrances). But Serge’s response is probably what matters anyway: ‘People only notice the pyrogen facet in smoky incense burners… but not the coolness, except for the church’s.’Incidentally, Lutens is no stranger to incense in his impressive line already: Encens & Lavande takes on the ashen facets of lavender-nuanced smoke, while Serge Noire is the spicy, warm & cool contrast of serene meditation.
Back to the newest Lutens L'Eau Froide: "To begin with, it is cold, but in a nice way. Smells like rosemary, pepper… a slightly spicy-aldehyde-y effect, like bay leaves. A minty sensation too, plus a woody pinch of eucalyptus. Who knows, maybe it’s meant as a wink and a nod to Morocco’s “hammams”, or Turkish baths?" writes Nicolas Olczyk trying. it.

The bottle and the box are inscribed with iterations of coldness...cold, icy cold, frosted, transparent, crystalline, calm, ice salt, large glass of water...
I'm a firm believer in the cooling properties of unadulterated frankincense which I burn regularly: After all, the raw material shares citrusy top notes in itself, which dissipate and volatilise quickly rendering that cool smoky ambience we associate with stone temples of old.
One is quick to suppose that this "second act" might actually be an abandonded mod in the creative process of either of Serge's previous incense fragrances (or even of his L'Eau), but I can't wait to smell this aromatic interpetation of one of my favourite notes all the same. Expect a full review soon!

Photo by Fred Boisssonnas, Old Metsovo 1913, Greece, To the springs.

Jasmine Gin Fizz: Floral-Laced Cocktail Recipe for Festive Nights

We have to thank Korres, the Greek company, for this recipe of floral-laced festive Jasmine Gin Fizz brought to you today thanks to the sharing spirit of my reader Morticia. Now that the nights are longer, and more inviting to parties, we can get to the spirit of the upcoming festivities with something alcoholic. Gin Fizz recalls the sparkling nature of Lubin's classic fragrance by the same name, whetting the appetite of this perfumeholic for an accompanying sip on the lips.

The recipe here follows a late 19th century Silver Fiz cocktail version, which was updated by chef Ryan Fitzerald, who always wanted to incorporate the floralcy of jasmine tea into a gin cocktail (he added honey to bring on the fruitiness of jasmine in the blend).
The recipe suggested by Korres below is even easier:

Jasmine Gin Fizz

Ingredients:
2 ounces jasmine gin
1 ounce fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon superfine sugar
club soda
ice

Preparation:
To make the jasmine gin, you soak two jasmine teabags in 8 ounces of gin for one hour. Then get the teabags out and count 2 ounces of the liquid. Add and stir 1 ounce of fresh lemon juice and the sugar. Shake so that sugar dissolves. Strain over ice in a suitable glass (get out the cocktail glasses!). Top with club soda.

L'chaim!

photo via whimsically wishing blog

The winner of the draw...

It is always exciting to host draws for readers on these pages, but this time was truly exceptional. Not only did people respond with comments piling up for the grey amber raw material grain I was giving away, but the emails I received with comments and questions on the fascinating subject were heart-warming, interesting to search upon and further giving me ideas for other exciting and unusual draws to be hosted on Perfume Shrine in the near future.

For now, without further ado, the lucky winner for the ambergris is Marianne. Congratulations! Please email me with your shipping data, using the Contact address, so I can have this out in the mail for you soon. Thanks everyone and till the next one!

Jean-Francois Laporte: RIP

The founder of L'Artisan Parfumeur, one of the pioneer niche perfumery brands, and later the founder of his own name brand (Jean Laporte Paris) and Maître Parfumeur et Gantier (in 1989), is no longer with us. A great perfumer, an iconoclast, a visionary. May his spirit continue to live on in both companies remaining.
 

Dakota Fanning for Oh, Lola! by Marc Jacobs:

Designer Marc Jacobs flaunts his recent "Oh, Lola!" perfume, a flanker to his previous fragrance Lola as: "sensual", comparing the two: "More of a Lolita than a Lola". However the British Advertising Standards Authority had a differing opinion, after receiving "several complaints" from those who viewed the 17-year-old Twilight actress Dakota Fanning posing with an oversize bottle of the Marc Jacobs scent between her legs, and so they banned it on the grounds of it "sexualising children".

The Guardian reports that Coty, who makes the fragrance, doesn't have the same problems with the ads, because most readers of the magazines featuring the ads are 25 or older and the picture is no more racer than the other images hosted in those magazines.
This latest incident comes after the banning of Belle d'Opium by YSL ads which roused 13 complaints from people who claimed the commercial championed drug use (wow, 13 complaints, huh!!) and the banning of the "Fallen Angels" campaign for Axe deodorant (which is continued to be  broadcasted in my country almost every day)

What do you think about the Oh,Lola! ad: Trashy or Tasty?

Christian Dior Hypnotic Poison: the new commercial with Melanie Laurent

Mélanie Laurent is the new face for Dior's Hypnotic Poison perfume, after Monica Bellucci (who is currently advertising Swedish brand Oriflame skincare).
Directed by John Cameron Mitchel, the new Dior Hypnotic Poison commercial is set in the Louvre (witness the characters seen almost under the wings of the "Nike of Samothrace" , thus named after the island of Samothrace) with the two lovers following each other in at the Daru staircase and the room of Classic Greek Antiquities (You can see Artemis on the hunt for a split second). Hypnotic Poison is a classic, we get it. The commercial...hmmm, not so much. Not bad, but it takes a bit more to compete with Parian marble.



According to the Dior site, Hypnotic Poison mingles "Four contrasting facets – intoxicating bitter almond and carvi, opulent Sambac jasmine, mysterious Jacarandra and sensuous vanilla and musk– make for a compelling, bewitching fragrance fusion. Intoxicating and extravagant".

House of Sillage & their Tiara fragrance: new niche outfit

House of Sillage, a luxury parfumerie, launched its premier fragrance, Tiara, a complex blend of citrus (Calabrian green tangerine), florals (Bulgarian rose oil) and Madagascar vanilla with musk in a bottle shaped like a...tiara. The promise is of "an evocative scent that is further transformed by each woman wearing it" and is developed by Francis Camail.
The company is based in California, started by Nicole Mather, but the bottle and juice are developed in France. The commercial teaser on the site looks 100% American, I have to say.

But...brace yourselves... Tiara is a limited edition that goes for 1,200$ for 75ml of extrait de parfum in a bejewled presentation. The company leaves the window open for more fragrances to be launched soon, though.

More info: www.houseofsillage.com.

JoAnne Bassett Enchant Parfum: a Brave New Scent review

When autumn and winter weather takes its toll, there is a not so perverse pleasure into getting out the lush florals and the green scents from behind the screen and the books, and in pretending it's late spring all over again. In that frame of mind I spent this past weekend re-testing Enchant Parfum by all-naturals artisanal perfumer JoAnne Bassett.

Enchant was part of the Brave New Scents Project of the Natural Perfumers Guild, which we tackled here on Perfume Shrine a while ago. The perfumer claims to have composed this in a sort of epiphany, or rather "the poetry guided me into what to choose" (A.Huxley was the inspiration behind the project), but I think composing a fragrance with such contrasting notes takes more than just random luck. The happy scent of Enchant reminds me of JoAnne's favourite quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson: “ Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself. ”. It's no wonder she's residing at Cardiff by the Sea in California. The sunny skies and the lush surroundings around her can't but inspire an embracement of nature, even as she focuses on French-inspired scents with accompanying names recently, like Versailles, Madame Pompadour, Petit Trianon, Marie Antoinette, Josephine, Napoleon and Malmaison...

Enchant is full of zesty aromas, natural lavender with its camphoraceous top note, very lush rose and jasmine on a bed of hypnotic florals. It oscillates between a sweetish, liqueur-like character (thanks to both rose and davana) and woody camphor, which makes it...well, interesting! It's difficult to classify conventionaly, as I smell both herbal/aromatic and floriental elements in it at the same time; it's quite complex, though it's clear we're talking about a unified composition, not a thing that breaks apart on the blotter within minutes (the bane of several artisanal perfumes). Like I said, I get mostly the camphoraceous-spicy scents (basil, lavender, patchouli), the woody murky (lots of vetiver to my nose) and the floral (lots of rose coupling with pink pepper that compliments it, champaca which is sweeter and jasmine which is extra sweet). This collage gives an uplifting effect, optimistic, and I admit that I didn't expect lavender to give me such apositive reaction: usually I find it either too fake (more vanilla than lavender, as in many functional products or "soothing" products) or straight-out medicinal out of the straight essential oils aromatherapy shelf. Here it's neither, hallelujah!
JoAnne talks a lot about how she gave a spiritual twist by choosing the oils and essences that go into it, but I find Enchant Parfum smells good no matter if you're into getting yourself in a pretzel-shape and humming Ommmm as your mantra or not; it just works!

Enchant is parfum concentration (36% compound) and it shows in its projection and tenacity. The photo on top depicts a limited edition crystal blown flacon for the parfum; I absolutely adore this photo taken by JoAnne Bassett herself and the presentation (notice those tiny bubbles)!

Notes for Enchant Parfum by JoAnne Bassett:
Rose de Mai absolute – the May Rose, expensive and rare oud or agarwood, sandalwood, exotic and costly osmanthus, sacred champaca and holy basil, yuzu, orange esences, butter co2, musky ambrette seed, davana, pink pepper tree, and high altitude lavender, the green note of galbanum, sensual jasmine auriculatum, copaiba balsam, vanilla tincture, and the dark and rich ruh khus vetiver, and dark patchouli in an organic jojoba oil base.

According to the perfumer, the oils that correspond to the Huxley quote are:

I want God: holy basil, oud, champaca,
I want poetry: osmanthus,
I want danger: vetiver, patchouli,
I want freedom: orange essences, yuzu,
I want goodness: rose, jasmine,
I want sin: ambrette seed
  
For more info, please visit the JoAnne Bassett site. 
You can also visit her blogs: Aromatic Journeys and JoAnne Bassett

Top photo by JoAnne Bassett, used with permission. Bottom photo by Margot Carrera

Loulou de la Falaise Klossowski: 1948-2011

The muse of Yves Saint Laurent, the designer of his eponymous jewels and her own jewellery & accessories line (Maison de Loulou) is no longer with us, after her battle with a long-protracted disease. She left her last breath on Saturday, November 5th at the age of 63.

Loulou's mother and a major influence, Maxime de la Falaise, was an English model and socialite who married a French count. Loulou met Yves in that social milieu in the mid-1960s. Instead of her being intrigued by him, he was mesmerized by her style, her eyes, her figure and her attitude.They quickly became joined at the hip, re-writing couture history together. After Yves's death in 2008, they're now re-united at last...
Her style will continue to inspire me and thousands of women across the world. 

Photo of Loulou de la Falaise in YSL shirt & jewels by Ali Madhavi via antimonide.com
Loulou de la Falaise smoking in YSL fashions, via blog.stylesight.com

Le Labo Musc 25: fragrance review

Musc 25 by niche outfit Le Labo reminds me of The Body Shops' White Musk, more than I'd care to admit for something super-exclusive (only Los Angelitos are privy to it) going for a matching pricey tag: The squeeky, almost white-snow reflective cap of citrusy-rosy aldehydes and the laundered scent of lily of the valley on top, underscored by the familiar sweet warmth of synthetic musks, creates an effect of radiant, well-meaning, inviting vibes all around, but with a slightly mysterious touch too. Le Labo advertises it as a "dirty, sexual, decadent" musk with "the devil itself" included; colour me utterly dumbfounded! Have they smelled Miller Harris (gorgeous) L'Air du Rien or the (ultra cuddly, ultra controversial) Muscs Koublaï Khan by Lutens? [If you don't know the first thing about the distinction between clean and dirty musks, refer to this link]. That's not to mean that Musc 25 is bad, because it's not, as long as one knows what to expect.

Musk is suich a misunderstood word anyway, since most people have never smelled natural deer musk to begin with.What IS "musky"? To many it means "heavy, dense, opressive", to others "oily & unwashed", to some it stands for what perfumery jargon categorises as "mossy", to others still it bears a "cheap" association through long familiarisation with drugstore musks. Perfume vocabulary is unchartered territory to the general audience. So many "musk" fragrances on the market (drugstore too) are mixes more than single note explorations as well. I guess the only way is for you to make things clearer for yourself is to check out our Scented Musketeers Series on musk perfumes and grab some samples to explore for yourself.

Le Labo Musc 25, created by perfumer Frank Völkl, is a likeable sweetish, refined and mostly "clean musk", yet without spike-in-the-head harshness, nor soapy smelling (Many white musks come off as "soapy"). It's billowy, soft (a little powdery), wide-eyed and rather fond of trashy novels kept under the bed. She (or he, but it's mostly a "she" vibe in attitude, if not in smell) gets them out and masturbates to them when the parents are away, playing Under the Bridge in the background, the melodious bass reverberating off the poster-collaged walls.
Apart from the best-selling White Musk referenced (the old, better version), Musc 25 also has some elements of Ava Luxe's Love's True Bluish Light; namely the vanillic sweetness and the slightly ozonic quality that provides an instant electrifying freshness. This kind of synthetic musks is what accounts for "the magic moment" upon opening the machine after using fabric softener and dryer sheets; a primary selling point for those products. Vetiver in small amounts pairs well with synth musks (witness its pairing with Galaxolide in Trésor, to which Musc 25 shares a peachy mini-facet), accounting for more than the sum of its parts.
The trail left by Le Labo's Musc 25 is lightly ambery and quite tenacious indeed; LA tanned legs, as my friend The Non Blonde puts it. My main objection is ~like with Clair de Musc by Lutens~ that there are refined musks in lower price points as well.

According to the official blurb:

"Musc 25 is Le Labo’s LA exclusive scent. Why you ask ? Because genderless angels have to be tempted into the smell of life. Musc 25 is white, angelic, very musky and aldehydic, and so intensely luminous that you will need to wear shades to approach it. Yet despite all this heavenly white, it’s core is somber, devilishly dark, so much so that it wakes up your inner demons that are anchored in sin and in animalic notes that are sensual, sexual, and decadent. Its altar is made of vetiver, ambergris, more musc, and more civet and of the devil itself. Enjoy the ride of L.A 25, oops, we meant Musc 25."

Apparently they also claim to have developed a synthetic named X that imitates the pheremone induced by smelling..drumroll..sperm! (Supposedly that creates an aphrodisiac effect; please forget for a second the horror of Sécrétions Magnifiques, no relation.) Something doesn't quite compute for me in that, not least because sperm has a bleachy, citrusy magnolia smelling segment in there by itself when fresh. In that regard the combination of citrusy sparkly aldehydes, ozonic touches and lily of the valley is more acurate than muscenone, vetiver, patchouli, civet or ambergris. I guess there is an integral sense of irony in the best jokes anyway.   

Le Labo Musc 25 has fragrance notes of: aldehydes, lily of the valley, rose absolute, vetiver, cedar, patchouli, ambergris, musc, and civet.



Le Labo Musc 25 is a Los Angeles exclusive retailing at $290 for 50ml, but only for the month of November it is globally available at Luckyscent and on the official Le Labo site.
The Los Angeles Le Labo boutique is at 8385 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles, (323) 782-0411

Disclosure: I was sent a sample by the company for reviewing purposes. 

Diptyque Epinette, Perdigone & LE Winter 2011 Candle Coffret: Gifts for the Season

Diptyque, as regular as a clock, prepares winter gifts and treats for the home and your loved ones. For winter 2011 and the upcoming holidays, they have prepared two new candle scents, Epinette and Perdigone, and a limited edition mini candles coffret for collectors.

Echoing the aromatic freshness of its needles and the resinuous notes of its pine cones, Epinette, the Spruce Tree, is a green-hued candle which promises a wintry runaway in the depths of the woods. (68$ for 6.5oz or 32$ for 2.4oz)

For Perdigone, a concentrate of warm and fruity notes, clustered around a spiced plum, perfumes the house mouthwateringly. Absolutely comforting in the depths of winter. (68$ for 6.5oz or 32$ for 2.4oz)





The limited edition Winter 2011 mini-candles coffret by Diptyque contains three scented candles with spicy and woody notes: The familiar warmth of the Wood fire (Feu de Bois), the aromatic freshness of Pine (Pin), and the festive and spicy notes of Pomander (Pomander).
3 x 2.4oz candles retail for 84$ in a specially designed coffret.

Guerlain Vere Novo: fragrance review of the extremely rare & vintage

"All is mystery; but he is a slave who will not struggle to penetrate the dark veil". Benjamin Disraeli's quote rings in my ears each time I try to apply my scientific skills into unravelling a perfumery puzzle: The who, the what, the when, the where, the intricasies tied into the interaction between these parameters; each time they create their own small district. Far from pontification, the work on Perfume Shrine aims to reconnoiter, to probe, to create sparks that will lead to personal explorations and a new way of thinking. Imagine the gluttony in my eye upon hitting on a rare specimen, the pearl beyond compare, the diamond in the pile of coal; it's a dirty job, but someone's got to do it, right? Out of the blue, one such thing came rapping, rapping at my chamber door: Vere Novo by Guerlain. 

Arguably the most beautiful of French perfume houses (certainly the most prolific one), Guerlain, since its foundation in 1828 on the Rue du Rivoli, has produced over 800 perfumes, creating a unique trajectory in history. Beautiful, evocative, dreamy, obscure names litter the catalogue, like a queen-bee populating a new hive with frantic pace: Senteurs de Champs (1828), Cyprisine (1894), Le Jardin de mon Curé (1895), Voilà Pourquoi J'aimais Rosine (1900c.), Bon Vieux Temps (1902),Violette à Deux Sous (1902c.), Avril en Fleurs (1905), Vague Souvenir (1912), Mi-Mai (1914), Bouquet de Faunes (1922), Ne M'Oubliez Pas (1923)... We have reviewed on these pages some rarities too: Pour Troubler (1911), Guerlain Djedi (1928), Loin de Tout (1933), Fleur de Feu (1948), , Atuana (1952), or the lush tuberose of Guerlain Marie-Claire...

My own precious sample came through the inquisitive kindness of Liisa of Under the Cupola, whom I trust implicitly. She sourced her own stash through the vast and intricate world of international auctions & splits, so I can't vouch for who the original seller was. (Isn't that true for most decants sourced?). But this thing smells glorious all the same, negating any doubt I might have for its comparatively light colour (the wee shade is close to how Après L'Ondée used to be or Jicky); and it does smell like a Guerlain through and through!

To my nose Vero Novo bears Jacques Guerlain's name (it's exactly contemporary to Le Jardin de mon Curé, both from 1895; though other sources mention it introduced sometime between 1883-1889) and seems to bear traces of both his own themes explored later on in Vol de Nuit and his predecessor's (Aimé Guerlain) in Jicky.

The name comes from Virgil (Georgicorum, libri quator) and translates [J.W.Mackail, 1934] as "in early spring". But to Italians, spring begins on February 7th [Varro, I.28], and Virgil was familiar with the sight of the Alps from childhood, witnessing the earliest sign the gradual melting of snow. To the Guerlain family, the melting of snow is mingled with the cold-warm, cuddly, slightly animalic, slightly leathery scent of the cassie (a richer, muskier variety of mimosa, with violet tendencies complimented by anisic accents and full of farnesol which is terpenic-smelling, i.e. dry piny-woody).
It was in 1869 that heliotropin, a golden standard for Guerlain, was discovered by Filtig & Mielk, its structure analysed two years later (by Barth) and synthesized from safrole in 1890 by Eykmann. Vanillin from guiaicol was synthesized by Reimr and Tiemann in 1874. This was a time in history when the breakdown of many materials created the modern face of perfumery as we know it, almost to this day.

Mingling the imaginary accords with the natural, Guerlain took the plush of civet-smoky vanilla in Jicky and diluted it threefold (watching to bring forth the piperonal in vanilla, but not dusting discernible "powdery notes"), adding what later became the velvet, earthy sheen in vintage Vol de Nuit,  plus some woody resinous citrus-peel notes (bergamot & some petit grain?) with a pine-needles effect (discernible in the opening), thus producing in Vere Novo a great skin scent, full of overall softness and the delicious contrast between fragrance dryness and buttery, sweet tones.
Vere Novo wafts deliciously, mingling the hint of patisserie with a suede note. I caught myself catching my wrists to sniff and question: "Do I smell that good?", more times than I care to admit. I suppose this is part of the classic Guerlain magic: Creating an experience that compliments the wearer's decolletage and mingles with the aroma of culinary pleasures that wrap an evening full of earthy delights.

Vere Novo was being produced by Guerlain from its launch in 1895 till the outbreak of WWII according to most records and official Guerlain text ads (in the form of little stories bearing the names of famous perfumes of the house) that were in circulation during L'Entre Deux Guerres (i.e. the 1920s and 1930s). Meaning it's discontinued and extremely rare to get hold of. The fact that several Guerlain fragrances from that era, such as Shalimar, Mitsouko and L'Heure Bleue (as well as Vol de Nuit) became classics and best-sellers for the French house probably explains the demise of some of the older products, such as this one. Pity and we can mourn to eternity, but there you have it. The surprising pleasure of discovering a diamond within the coal pile however is the perfume historian's not so humble lasting delight.

Related reading on Perfume Shrine: Guerlain series

Illustration: Withered Spring, by Aubrey Beardsley

Michelle Yeoh for Guerlain: new face

Famous faces haven't been in short supply these days at Guerlain: Natalia Vodianova (face of Shalimar, Parfum Initial and also the classic Shalimar), Nora Arnezeder (for Idylle) and Hilary Swank (for Insolence). This alpha team is joined by ~ageless! can you believe she's 50?~ Malaysian born, Hong-Kong based actress and producer Michelle Yeoh.

Funnily enough, it won't be just for her high cheekbones, balanced features and truly amazing skin that she Michelle Yeoh is promoted as a Guerlain ambassador (although she is used for all that too), but also for her potential to introduce the idea and magic of fragrance to the Asian market. "Beyond our success through our innovations in skincare and make-up, since 1828 the heart of Guerlain beats in perfume, still quite distant in the culture of our friends in Asia. Michelle Yeoh will be our guide to introduce our Asian customers into the magical universe of our perfume creations", according to Laurent Boillot, PDG at Guerlain. He adds: "“Beyond being a beautiful lady, Michelle defends several causes, she is a woman of conviction and we are pleased that she is now going to defend the causes of beauty and elegance in the French way, for a company which for 183 years has been transmitting the values of courage, creativity and refinement”.


It remains to be seen whether there will be separate advertisements for  existing Guerlain fragrances for the Asian market fronted by Michelle or whether there is a new fragrance in the works specifically targeted for that demographic.

Photo of Michelle Yeoh at the flagship Guerlain store in front of the famous chandellier with all the glorious Guerlain fragrances via Paperblog.fr
Photo of Michelle Yeoh with orchids via newzy.net 

Interview with Melissa Ceria, director of Art de Vivre programs at French Institute Alliance Francaise

"Perfume is an ephemeral thing, but it has a lasting effect on people". As I hear those words in the melodious cadenza of Melissa Ceria's voice I find myself nodding my head appreciatively. How many times have we not marveled at the power of fragrance, its mystique, its pull, its ability to inflict guttural responses, but also its ethereal quality of having the potential of an objet d'art.
Melissa Ceria, director of Art de Vivre Programs at The French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF) in New York City, graciously granted me an interview in which we talked in detail about their upcoming Series Le Parfum: The Power of Fragrance, we had announced on Perfume Shrine a while ago. (Please refer to our timetable, descriptions on which perfumers to meet and ask questions of, tickets and links on our Art de Vivre announcement).

Melissa is a joy to talk to, a mother and professional who takes the time to answer questions with great care and genuine interest. She's generous and forthcoming with information and someone who really "gets" what makes a perfume lover tick. After all, she used to collect miniatures at the ripe age of 11 and dream of how these scents expressed her budding femininity. She's one of us!

In her words: "There is also a very aspirational angle in wearing perfume. Who do we become when we spray on our favorite perfume? Does it help us project a certain image of ourselves? (We make demands of perfumes.) Women want to get inspired by perfumes, to dream a bit. Advertising images especially cater to that, but also the whole experience of packaging and names and presentation, all these things inspire responses from women."

For the Art de Vivre series of exciting events scheduled as Le Parfum: the Power of Fragrance, kick-starting today, she invited Christophe Laudamiel, who will introduce samples provided exclusively by the perfume museum, L' Osmothèque (where he's co-curator), therefore rare and covetable by all serious perfume lovers, letting audiences discover an array of scents and their stories. Next, she introduces a panel of acclaimed professionals in fields having to do with fragrance and scents, who will discuss the influence of fragrance on identity, memory and desire. Last but not least, Melissa organizes "Speed Smelling", "a really great way for the audience to get to experience the work of great perfumers working today. They will have the chance to see what inspires a fragrance (Anything from grapefruit to graffiti, we say!) and meet with no less than 9 renowned IFF perfumers [...] as they unveil personal creations composed around elements that have inspired them. Each perfumer will sit at a table with guests, talk about their sources of inspiration and then reveal the perfume they created around those ideas. None of these fragrances are available on the market, so there's a surprise element to this that's fun. Attendees will be able to smell, ask questions, interact with the perfumers. Each session with each perfumer lasts for 5 minutes and then attendees will hop to the next table and meet the next perfumer! "

This is a piece of a greater piece. You can read the whole interview on this link on Fragrantica.

Giveaway: Win a Real Grain of Natural Ambergris

The amount of feedback and requests with questions concerning natural ambergis I have received has been amazing. I have explained about natural ambergris as a perfumery material in the past (contrasted with synthetic woody-ambers) and posted about cooking with ambergris and the joys of actually eating it (yes, you read this right), so it was only natural that adventurous readers asked me about sources and details.
I came to realize that for some of them the whole subject sounds totally inaccessible, so in the interests of being a good sport & doing a public service (and at the same time drawing out some of our lurkers; come on, we welcome questions, there is no such thing as a stupid question) I'm offering for grabs ~out of my own personal stash~ one gram of natural ambergris, ethically harvested from the shores of New Zealand for one (ultra) lucky winner. It will be sent raw in a small glass vial by me to anywhere in the world and you can keep it as is, tincture it in perfumer's alcohol for use in your mixes or just for reference, or cook with it and see what all the fuss is about.

In order to participate in the draw you need to answer to these questions in the Comments:
1) Do you find the PerfumeShrine  aroma-materials articles useful as they are or do you have suggestions for them to get better? How?
2) Do you want more materials or terms defined for you? Which ones?

Draw is open to everyone (Anonymous users will be counted by the time-stamp of their post), wherever you are, and will remain open till  Monday 7th Nov. midnight. Good luck to all!

Edit to add: the photo shows genuine ambergris, a HUGE "Yeti" piece provided by natural perfumer AnyaMcCoy 

Eva Mendes Talks on the new Thierry Mugler Angel Eau de Toilette

Sexy Latina actress Eva Mendes is fronting a soaring best-seller in the perfume world, which now comes in an updated concentration, Angel Eau de Toilette, and she reveals to us what she thinks about being the face of Thierry Mugler's Angel fragrance as well as her memories & musings on the actual scent. Enjoy!

How did it feel to be offered to be the muse for Thierry Mugler's Angel?

Eva Mendes: “I was so excited to collaborate with Thierry Mugler, because it’s a scent that I grew up loving. It came out while I was still in school, and both of my sisters and my mother liked to wear the fragrance. It’s really nostalgic for me! Mugler was definitely a big name in our household when I was a kid.”

You know that women who wear Angel don't change perfumes.

EM: "Yes, it's because it's so special! I recall my mother advising that I should choose a perfume that trails, that stays in the room after I have left to make my absence felt. That perfume can only be Angel".

Which do you prefer? The new eau de toilette or the older eau de parfum?

EM: "Both, so I can wear Angel all day long. The lighter concentration in the mornings, the more intense in the evenings".

How do you like to apply fragrance?

EM: "I love to spray it on my wrists, but also on the back of my neck and in my hair, I find it very feminine...".

 Past modeling by Eva Mendes includes fronting the Calvin Klein brand, both in print ads and commercials. The billboards for Calvin Klein were deemed overly sexy at times, while her TV-commercial Secret Obsession was banned in the USA for being too sexually provocative. By contrast, her collaboration with the Clarins Group ~who handle the Thierry Mugler portfolio~ has not had any of the same problems.

And just for the heck of it, here's the original music sung by Noel Harrison from the 1968 classic film The Thomas Crown Affair starring (the ultra cool) Steve McQueen and (the divine) Faye Dunaway.



certain info via Vimadonna & Instyle

Madonna to Launch her "Truth or Dare" Fragrance

Arguably late on the bandwagon of the celebrity scent phenomenon and a dollar short, the former pop queen of the universe is issuing her first fragrance under her brand bearing the name Truth or Dare, after her (demographically older aimed) lifestyle collection. Sales predictions talk about 60$mil by the end of the following year.

According to WWD, the fragrance Truth of Dare by Madonna will be a Macy's exclusive in the U.S., hitting shelves on March 26, 2012. The scent, as it turns out, was inspired by the star's mother:

“She always smelled like gardenias and tuberose, an intoxicating mixture [that was] feminine and mysterious. I wanted to re-create this scent, but with something fresh and new about it as well. Something honest and yet daring -- hence the name Truth or Dare.”

We had always heard that Madonna loved classic Piguet fragrance Fracas (a lush, creamy tuberose perfume) exactly because it was her mother's scent (Actually in the mid-90s when the Piguet line was re-issued almost everyone in the media it seemed fwas coming forth claiming Fracas was their mothers', grandmother's, avourite nanny's etc. scent, but I digress). The Madonna perfume reportedly includes fragrance notes of gardenia, tuberose, lily, neroli, amber, and musk. The scent will be encased in a white bottle embazoned with a gold M with a cross through it, and topped off with a round gold cap.

A Dish for All Saints & the Day of the Dead: Ancient Bittersweet Koliva

The season of mists is upon us, the fireplace silent with the first ashes lain motionless, morning frost chilling the small of my back as I roll out of bed begrudgingly. The protracted dawn, diminishing in light, reminds me of the dwindling of daytime and brings the knowledge of death closer. The knowledge that, like with all natural things, this is the fate that awaits every one of us too, some day. It is then, at those early morning hours, Halloween looming or not, curling my hands around the steamy cup of malotira tea, looking through the misty windows at the black-billed magpies, gliding from perch to perch with renewed vigour, that I think of my dearly departed. There is deep feeling, akin to drama, in all aspects of commemorating the dead in my culture.

And this is where the "kollyva/koliva" (κόλλυβα) pudding comes in, making me a little choephoros (libation bearer), as I amass pots & pans and test the heaviness of the pomegranates to determine whether their seeds will be juicy enough.

A special memorial dish of the Eastern Orthodox and Greek Catholic church, made of shredded wheat, nuts, raisins, pomegranate seeds and sugar, koliva/kolyva/kollyva is widespread across the Balkans (Serbs call theirs Koljibo for instance) and has an ancient lineage: The word derives indeed from the ancient Greek κόλλυβο, which meant "grain of cereal". The dish is prepared at home but served (and shared) in church for the benefit of departed souls. Participating into preparing and sharing a meal for the dead ~even another person's dead~ is a mystagogy. It's the belief of our ancestors needing life to continue, to be sustained in memory, to still need nourishment; if not in the literal sense, in the spiritual one. By remembering them, we hold them in Elysium.
In a way, it's close to how the Mexicans observe their own Day of the Dead; celebrating life in all its earthen dimensions means honouring the dead; they were  a part of life's cycle and can still be, beckoning as we do to visit us in their soul form again and humouring them by relaying funny stories of their passage on earth.

Everything in the preparation of the delicious dish of "koliva" is symbolic, with tentacles griping both the Pagan and the Christian world, as befits every traditional Greek ritual. The boiled wheat is a throwback to rural products offerings to the many gods of antiquity responsible for the good crops. It's also a symbol of resurrection; as the grain of wheat is planted in the soil to take root and bring forth fruit, so is man buried with the promise of resurrection. Nuts and raisins are the most concentrated forms of sustenance, essential for the soul's passage through Hades. Anise seeds help to establish psychic sight and ward off the evil eye. Pomegranate seeds recall Persephone and her tale of diving into the Underworld; pomegranate the common thread between the two realms. Dusting sugar is mounted on top to represent the grave, parsley chopped across the borders to recall "the place of growth, of coolness, of repose" that Heaven stands for, rose water to evoke serenity. The dessert is decorated with a cross and the deceased initials in sugared almonds and sometimes "silver candy" and a small candle is lit while the blessing is read; the pudding is then passed onto bystanders in waxed paper bags with a little spoon to eat on the spot or keep for later. But take koliva home and you have to eat it till night falls, or the magic is lost! But with a sweet taste like that, who's to refuse? The oily and crunchy center of the nuts, the starchy chewy grains, the cool and juicy pomegranate seeds make for a delightful contrast of flavours you will want to repeat again and again, preferably unrelated to anyone's passing on.

HOW TO MAKE BITTERSWEET "KOLIVA" PUDDING:

Ingredients needed:
1 cup of shredded whole wheat
4 cups of water
1 cup of chopped nuts (walnuts, almonds, pistachios)
1/2 cup of holden raisins
1/2 cup of pomegranate seeds
1 teaspoon of powdered cinnamon
1 teaspoon of anise seeds, finely milled
1 tablespoon of rose water

For the top decoration:
1 cup of powdered sugar
3/4 cup of sugar-coated almonds (sometimes sold as "Jordan almonds")
chopped fresh parsley (about 1/2 cup, but it really depends on the borders of the dish you use)

Preparation
The night before:
Rinse and drain the wheat. Cook it as you would rice, for about one to one and a half hours over a medium-low stove. Do not overcook and check the wheat as it's cooking for doneness. (It should retain a tiny bit of crunch). Pour the hot wheat into a large colander, rinse with very cold water to stop the cooking and allow to drain overnight, covering loosely with a towel. Do NOT refrigerate! (The chill hardens the starch in the grain and you don't need that for this recipe, you want it to be fluffy)

In the morning:
In a large bowl mix the wheat with the assorted nuts, the raisins, the pomegranate seeds, the cinnamon and the anise powdered and add the rosewater for flavour. Transfer the mixture into a wide bowl or deep pan. Now place a piece of waxed paper on top of the mixture and flatten the top, so that sugar is evenly distributed. Sprinkle powdered sugar evenly over the wheat mixture. If you want to decorate with specific lettering or a cross or something, you can make your own cardboard stencil and shift the powdered sugar atop the wheat layer accordingly, leaving an imprint, so to speak. Also use the sugared almonds to make designs or just use them to line the bowl/pan. Finally, add the chopped parsley on the edges. A candle is placed in the middle and lit during the memorial service*.

When ready to serve, take large spoonfuls, minding that you put both sugar and the wheat & nuts mixture in each person's portion. Share!

Θεός σχωρέσ'τους και ζωή σε λόγου σας! May God rest their soul and give life on to you!


Music clip: Traditional lament (amané) from Asia Minor "I told you once, I tell you again (do not go to the sea)" sung by rock singer Babis Stokas. (A more traditional version with folk instruments and beautiful photos can be heard here)

*If you want to do this properly as a commemoration** of your dearly departed, plan to be at church before Liturgy begins so that you can give the bowl and your list of names of your deceased family and friends to the priest for the blessing. 

**According to Orthodox Christian Church tradition, koliva is offered in the Church at the mnemosynon rite (i.e. commemoration) 3 days after death, 9 days after death, 40 days, 6 months, one year after death, and whenever desired thereafter.
***another recipe and home-taken photos by a half-Greek on Feeding the Saints blog. 

Related reading on Perfume Shrine:  Pomegranate: Scent, Flavour & Mythology, Aromatic Cuisine: Scented Cooking

Photo of koliva dish via suvin saran, inspired by Maria Speck's book Ancient Grains for Modern Meals.
Pic of Pamaretto and portion of Sandro Botticelli's Madonna of the Pomegranate via examiner.com
Mexican Catrinas via wikimedia commons.