It's rather with a heavy heart that I bring myself to report news of discontinuations, especially of popular fragrances. But even though a dirty job, someone has to do it...and give a spin to them, when needed to nuance news. The latest contender is the very popular and fairly recently introduced (2007) Note Vanillée by M.Micallef, which is no longer carried on Luckyscent. Note Vanillée includes top notes of tangerine and hesperides, seguing to middle notes of jasmine and honey and finishing on a blend of sandalwood, amber, bourbon vanilla, cognac and rum. It strikes a no man's land between boozy, citrusy and floral. On the other hand the official site of M.Micallef still lists Note Vanillée as usual. It is therefore with some itrigue that I am revealing that a new enterprise of M.Micallef USA is going to be slowly unveiled very soon as per my sources, which means they're withdrawing from distribution so as to rebrand themselves.
...for the Annete Neuffer parfum sample is Mystic Knot. Congratulations and please mail me using the email on the Profile page with your address so I can have this out to you soon. Thanks everyone for the enthusiastic participation and till the next one!
Fire on the mountain shall find the harp of gold Played to wake the Sleepers, oldest of the old; Power from the green witch, lost beneath the sea; All shall find the light at last, silver on the tree.
The eternal return of spring and the regeneration of nature are deeply ingrained in this side of the world: A glimpse of the wild nature that bursts forth with renewed vigour is enough to understand how ancient Greeks sanctioned it in several myths. Some of them tied to the sea involve Tethys, the Greek aquatic goddess, and the sea-creatures she protects.
For the occassion of the Spring or Vernal Equinox, Roxana Villa of Roxana Illuminated Perfumecame up with GreenWitch, an all-natural perfume, dedicating it to Tethys. She was inspired by the GreenWitch novel by Susan Cooper (1974), part of the authors Dark is Rising Series. The characters Simon, Jane, and Barney return to Cornwall with their Uncle Merry after learning that the grail they had found in Over Sea, Under Stone (Harcourt, 1966) has been stolen from the British Museum. Soon they are joined by Will Stanton and his American uncle. Older local women are preparing a celebration creating a doll from sticks and leaves which they toss into the sea as an offering to the White Lady or Tethys, goddess of the sea, "for the greeting summer and charming a good hearvest of crop and fish". Jane's unselfishness in the ritualistic wishing process wins her the favours of the effigy and thus the secret to the manuscript that will enable her to decipher the Grail's writing later on. Tethys (also known as "The White Lady" in Celtic lore) daughter of Gaia and Uranus according to Hesiod, is one of the Titans in Greek mythology. Wed to her brother Oceanus ~obviously the family relationships of classic mythological figures supervenes any modern notion [sources: Callimachus, Hymn 4.17, and Apollonius, Argonautica 3.244] ~ she became the mother to the rivers known to the ancients and thousands of daughters called the Oceanids.
GreenWitch as a perfume follows the formula of a traditional Chypre where oakmoss and labdanum in the base are balanced with bergamot in the top and where seaweed enters to render the sea accord. It's interesting to see such a "sea/marine" accord in a natural setting as I wouldn't be able to conjure it in my mind besides the expected ambergris. And yet, it can be done. Green Witch has some facets of deep blue in there! What I liked was the contrast between the marine and the earthy, as if brown algae were dancing in front of my eyes. Another novelty enterting the perfume is Africa Stone, the fossilized excrement of a small animal called the rock hyrax (providing an animalic edge and longevity) A complete breakdown of the ingredients and the composing process is included on this link. Balance is one of the main themes of Meán Earraigh (the Celtic spring equinox) as the light is evenly matched with the dark, as in this fragrance. A percentage of the profits from purchasing the flacon support GreenPeace. The perfume is available in the quarter ounce flacon pictured in the photo, 1 gram vials and in sample packs here. (stock is regularly replenished, according to demand)
Sometimes, things get a little hectic, life is a bit stressful, weather is acting up on you when you least expect it and you're finding yourself reaching for some comfort. Where do you seek solace? Today I am participating in a blog-o-rama with thirteen fine bloggers under the united theme of Comforting Scents for Uncomfortable Times organized by fellow blogger & perfumer Ayala Moriel. Come aboard and indulge in the selection!
Library smells Odd beginning, but I wanted to get this off my chest: There is something deeply comforting about an old English-style library; velvet-upholstered Chesterfield couches, mahogany desks, green-hued lamps, the trails of blond tobacco pipes smoked by those who inhabit it and rows and rows of leather-bound books. A little armagnac in a tumbler wouldn't hurt either! I intend to recreate this ambience in a special room in my house when I'm older. People might say I have the tastes of a dried-up old man going hunting, but I don't care. In the meantime, I'm recreating that atmosphere with Etro Gomma, the magestic sweep of Doblis, the elegant Diorling and the home candle for the otherwordly Messe de Minuit. For me, they feel like home.
Orange Blossoms& the Sea-Spray The smell of spring coming, rushing in might be an apter term. Even when the first hot rays are shining, it's the promise budding orange blossoms bring on the bigaradiers that flank the streets of where I live that signal their happy song, ushering in Easter and the return of Bacchus. And it is the salty, iodine scent of the sea brought by the gentle breeze of the evening, rolling along the coastal avenue under the palm-trees that speaks of the joys but also of the yearnings of the Big Blue.
Chanel Bois des Îles It's not hard to see the appeal of fine cashmere: Its luxurious, pliable, warm but never stuffy yarns, enrobe the body like a beloved's hug. There are several fragrances which claim to be "a cashmere scent" (short for I-want-to-cuddle) but this classic by Ernest Beaux remains unsurpassed, especially in extrait de parfum where its artistry shines like a bright star in the galaxy. Its creamy sandalwood, the doughy iris that provides the plush, some ylang-ylang, hazy opoponax and the labdanum smidge in the drydown account for the most huggable scent you can think of. Simply sublime!
Ava Luxe No.23 This is like cheating as it is along the lines of the afore-mentioned Bois des Iles, at least in general concept. But it bears its own mention because the creamy sandalwood base along something like cheery citrus on the top just makes me feel safe and peaceful. The acacia and hawthorn notes are like sugar-spun biscotti, the musk is warm, powdery, inviting. I guess that's comfort...
Frédéric Malle L'Eau d'Hiver There is a hint of spiciness hidden, a little heliotrope and hawthorn, some sweetness and the feel of a choir of angels singing atop a lightly salmon-coloured pillowy cloud and I'm transported. I always loved this one, composed by Jean Claude Ellena in 2003 and only this winter did I invest in my own bottle. From now on, the ethereal song can be repeated at will.
Baby scent Those little creatures burb and poop and pee and perform all possibly imagined inelegant functions, but there is something about their own personal smell, their innermost buttery, milky, a little musky essence that one cannot possibly fully appreciate it until they have a little one of their own and it cuddles up to bed with them. It's yummylicious and utterly addictive!
Hearty, humble food There is something to be said about the comforting aspects of reverting to the womb through indulging in the familiar scents and tastes of childhood. But what is most surprising is that even though possessing an inquisitive palate early on, it is those humbler carbohydrate-rich tastes which bring on that sense of psychological satiation like you're at peace with the world. I often long for a hearty plate of lentil soup, its garlicy vapours engulfing me on a dreary winter's day, or some on-the-spot composedzabaglione I recall gulping down as a treat after classes when little. Its aroma between a dessert and a vitamin-full supplement has something compelling about it. And of course organic strawberries eaten with fingers, scooping fresh cream along the way: What's more decadent, more delicious, more like a final declaration of spring-coming? I may be a fan of Slow Food, but there's nothing wrong with a couple of easy dishes sometimes. And, oh, cooking by itself is comforting (and sensual) by its very nature.
Salep This traditional Turkish drink has always been something of a remedy-all at my house. Probably because it does aid a rough throat, which is all I ever suffered from (and it was quite often, I can tell you that!). The poppy-seed dust folded into warm milk has something of the ritual of arcane shaman practices that catches the imagination. And the crushed cinnamon on top adds to its attractiveness: It was only later I learned cinnamon is sometimes tied to Aphrodite. Figures...
So which are your comforting smells? Share them with us!
Inspired by their latest creation, Ninfeo Mio, Camille Goutal and perfumer Isabelle Doyen invite us, through this candle, to a moment of escape in the Italian garden of Ninfa, at the shadow of a fig tree warmed by the sun. The candle Sous le Figuier would sublimate your rooms with its fruity notes of fig and peach mingled with mint to bring freshness and tonicity, sweet violet leaves and cedar wood for a warm final note. The softness and sensuality of the fig enter this elegant candle, presented in a clear glass streaked with gold and light and adorned with the Annick Goutal logo.
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It's rather with a heavy heart that I bring myself to report news of discontinuations, especially of popular fragrances. But even though a dirty job, someone has to do it...and give a spin to them, when needed to nuance news.
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