Annette Neuffer Narcissus Poeticus: fragrance review & a draw

"Just a drop on each wrist and two in the bath were enough to send silver running down the walls" wrote French Vogue editor Joan Juliet Buck once upon a time, referring to an absolute of narcissus, properly named Narcissus Poeticus in Latin or Poet's Daffodil (it's a kind of daffodil after all). And she continued: "It set the world throbbing out of contol when I wore it. It became a little weird. It was only years later that I read inhaling too much of it can make you go mad". Makes you want to rush out and find out where narcissus absolute is available, doesn't it!
Yet narcissus absolute is almost never used in industrial calibre perfumes because of its scarcity and minute yield, which makes the cost prohibitive. Once upon a time it entered such romantic compositions as Worth's Je Reviens, but certainly not any more.
Therefore, upon being informed that indie German perfumer and jazz musician Annette Neuffer had prepared her own version of this intoxicating spring flower which spots the fields of my homeland right about springtime, I was immediately reminded of the above trivia. Annette reassured me that the fragrance "actually srceams for you - the indolic flowers gal". Can you say I've made my proclivities well-known...The dice was cast and predictably I was toast upon the very first vapour.

Because you see, all-naturals Narcissus Poeticus is heady, bedazzling, Bacchic, mind-blowing and beautiful, there's no other way to describe it! The tale of Narcissus, struck by Nemesis for his egotistical admiration makes you understand well just how this little flower can truly madden! The fragrance by Annette blends luscious, vibrant, natural essences, weaved into a dynamic composition; I have had it evolve on my skin, and each day there is a new nuance to be revealed, one day it's the jasmine, another what I perceive as orange blossom absolute (the genius pairing first conceived for Narcisse Noir by Caron) and another yet I get lots of yummy tonka bean. The inspiration came through early botanical fragrant evaluation excursions in Annette's Grandma's garden: "I was about 1,5 years old then. In spring there were lots of narcissus, jonquils and violets in bloom and their scent fascinated me already in that very early age of about 15 months! My grandma told me that I never put the flowers in my mouth, like all little kids do, but picked and inhaled them. The garden was located between forest and river and the most exciting humid crisp green scents were wafting around and intermingled with the air of the flowers".

This spring awakening is translated into Narcissus Poeticus. "Galbanum is the personification of that fresh spring green elusion and matches wonderfully with the essence of violet leaf. And a little later on in the year the fruity and fresh black currant buds - I used the absolute of it very sparingly to give a hint of fruitiness". Those who are afraid of the bitter green tang of the exotic grass of galbanum should sigh with relief, here it's weaved in very smoothly without dominating. Narcissus with its intoxicating, sweet, yet at the same time almost smoky vibe, poised between jasmine and hyacinth, is represented in all realism here; as if the white blooms are sprouting in front of your computer-weary eyes from the landscape painting across the wall.

You'd be hard pressed to peg this fragrance only as a floral or a green, nevertheless; there is an intimate, unsettling (deeply sexual) vibe about it, like a warm pillow where a beloved head had slept on the night before and you're clutching it in the morning, the memory of the scent even more precious than the reality lived, to paraphrase Henry Miller and his sexy Tropic of Cancer. The inclusion of blackcurrant buds adds a touch of of naughtiness, buttressed by honey and ambrette seeds, two essences that speak in intimate, hushed tones of lust and shared moments. A floral exalted into an animalic that can still behave, meowing its yearning. The slight hint of a dark chocolate edge presents itself throughout, something that puzzled me, as I suspected patchouli in minute amounts. Annette confirmed that indeed it is the green leaves of this exotic bush that mollify the floral notes and extend them. Paired with the classic vanilla-sandalwood-tonka accord, the base of Narcissus Poeticus is veering into the comforting.
The version I have is ultra-smooth pure parfum (the new and improved version 2010, not her older composition) and the lasting power for an all-naturals fragrance is quite satisfactory, although don't expect it to outlast a spring day's welcome.

Notes for Narcissus Poeticus by Annette Neuffer:
Head: Bergamot, Clementine, Tunisian Neroli, Violet Leaf, Galbanum
Heart: French Narcissus Absolute, Tunisian Orange Flower Absolute, Indian Tuberose, Egyptian Jasmine*, Bulgarian Rose Otto*
Base: Vanilla Absolute*, Mysore Sandalwood, Tonka Bean, Vegetal Musk

*certified organic, organically grown

Narcissus Poeticus by Annette Neuffer is only available through her site, Opulentals at NaturParfum.net
For our readers, curious to experience this scent in pure parfum, a small decant will be given away to a lucky reader. Enter a comment and you're included in the draw Draw is now closed..

Related reading: Avicenna by Annette Neuffer

Painting The Loss of Virginity (or Spring Awakening) by Paul Gauguin via wikimedia commons. Pic of narcissi via ruhr-uni-bochum.de.
In the interests of full disclosure I originally got to test the perfume through the perfumer herself.

Dawn Spencer Hurwitz Bancha: new fragrance

Niche perfumer Dawn Spencer Hurwitz has expertly crafted a brand new and very special ayurvedic scent elemental to the season which opens up, spring, called Bancha.

In alignment with nature, Bancha hopes to ease the wearer through transitional months, as signs of vitality and fresh starts begin to resurface all around. Memories of winter’s coldness quietly fold into warm breezes as the renewed element of invincibility overtakes the mind and senses. Bancha’s earthy-green notes are inspired by the fresh tones of the traditional Japanese tea of the same name and comprised of essences used in traditional ayrudedic medicine, to ensure complete wellness through simple scent meditation.

Charismatic and refreshing, the bold citrus top notes of Bancha intertwine with a base of earthy, green aromas for a crisp, lively fragrance that will revive the senses and restore harmony. The unisex scent welcomes spring’s fresh start…

Top Notes: Green Mandarin, Lime Peel, Mint, Yuzu
Middle Notes: Holy Basil, Centifolia Rose, Sambac Jasmine, Pine Needle
Base Notes: Australian Sandalwood, Himalayan Cedarwood

With heady green undertones, the sweet notes of this fragrance create a wholly balanced sense of well-being and reinforce holistic healing. Bancha will be available in early 2010.

Bancha is available in:
Parfum - 5 ml Antique Presentation Extract / $80.00
Eau de Parfum - 1oz EDP Spray / $70.00; Mini Dram Bottle / $18.00.

Original info via press release.
Awakening Spring, a painting by Luc-Olivier Merson.

Madonna Launches Celebrity Fragrance

Finally, did I hear you ask? For years perfume enthusiasts have wondered how it is possible that even Z-list "celebrities" have their own juice out while Madonna, an affirmed perfume lover (as per our celebrity list) hasn't. Well, not anymore!

"The first fragrance from Madonna may not be what you'd expect. Merchandising company Signature Networks has announced a deal with the star that could see the introduction of a fragrance based on her English Roses book for children" (according to Goliath Business News)
Of course it was as far back as 2005 that Hello Magazine had this blurb out: "According to British newspaper The Sun, she's planning on launching an eponymous fragrance this Christmas in a deal reportedly worth £5 million". And in 2007 the rumours had already gained a significant amount of analysis behind them, citing Madonna's meeting with Firmenich executives, as per Théo Spilka. What transpires at any rate is that Madonna did have the plan in the works for about a decade.

The question by now was whether such a fragrance would actually sell well, taking into consideration Madonna has the bulk of her career behind her: Neil Katz, CEO of Parlux Fragrances, which markets the Paris Hilton scent, says, "Years ago, she could sell fragrance. But I don't know if at this point in her career, she still has that strong a following. I don't know." "She has most of her career behind her," Bousquet-Chavanne notes, but "she has a universality to her and a timelessness." Judging by her 1979 nudes inspiring the visuals for unrelated fragrance, well...
What is news is that perhaps this venture will market not the adults who grew up with her but the pre-teens, aged 6-14, who are the audience for her books and their parents who buy them. The news is actually even more complicated, as it will be the culmination of a wider project which involves a clothes and accessories brand. According to Happi.com: "MG Icon, the newly formed joint venture between Madonna and Iconix Brand Group, has announced its first direct-to-retail license agreement with Macy's, Inc. for Material Girl, a new fashion line, which will eventually include beauty products. Inspired and designed in collaboration with Madonna and her daughter Lourdes, the Material Girl junior collection will launch exclusively in approximately 200 Macy's stores and online in August. It will feature footwear, handbags and jewelry priced between $12.00-$40.00. According to MG Icon, future expansion plans call for Material Girl to be active in the beauty sector, with a fragrance bowing in 2011." Could it be called Candy Perfume Girl?

EDIT TO ADD: Nope, Candy Perfume Girl it ain't. Read more on Madonna's "Truth or Dare" on our updated article.


pics via ghollywoodgossip.com

"You could smell him coming a mile off"

"When Diddy hit Blighty for an extraordinary seven-hour booze bender" begins the article on the Mirror.co.uk which talks about how Puff Diddy played the diva (deus?) game the other night in London and stayed awake not to miss anything. But what's more impressive is how he had perfume henchmen spraying his "Unforgiven" fragrance all around, so people could smell him coming a mile off, according to one attendee "but you could hardly see him under all that mist from the perfume". Argh, argh....
"The megastar rapper transformed into Diva Diddy and was followed around by personal perfume sprayers who squirted his Sean John fragrance every 20 minutes. But clubbers were choking with laughter at one of the exclusive bars graced by the 40-year-old, when the DJ who was spinning his tracks started gagging after too much scent came his way. But not to worry, Diddy had someone acting as a walking coathanger there to waft it away"

The Plaza NYC introduces fragrance collection

You know there's something in perfume-as-the-new-It when hotels are launching their own fragrance lines...Costes was in the vanguard; now The Plaza is trodding in their footsteps with what seems like a lifestyle frag line.
The Plaza (www.ThePlaza.com), New York ’s iconic hotel, recently debuted a signature fragrance collection, fittingly titled The Plaza. The collection includes an eau de parfum, a candle, and soap (fittingly these are all exclusively sold at The Plaza Beauty at The Shops at The Plaza). There are plans to introduce additional exclusive scents to the hotel’s fragrance collection later this year.
The fragrance was created exclusively for The Plaza by one of the world’s "most celebrated perfumeries, Krigler, a 5th generation fragrance house" using "exceptional ingredients from around the world". The Plaza fragrance has top notes of bergamot, grapefruit, verbena heart, Texan cedar, oud, and iris, delicately balanced with undertones of amber, precious wood, and leather. The result they tell us is "an elegant bouquet that evokes the very essence of the landmark hotel – classic, timeless and romantic".
“We looked to The Plaza’s rich history situated on Central Park and Fifth Avenue to seek inspiration,” said Kristin Franzese, Executive Vice President, Retail. “The Plaza fragrance captures a moment in time. We wanted to create a modern scent that appeals to women who share the same dreams and aspirations inspired by the romance and classicism of one of New York ’s most iconic and glamorous destinations.”