Amber Vanilla has the richness of a Pre-Raphaelite painting, reminiscent of a jewel-encrusted medieval fabric, dark golden heavy velvet. According to various sites, the notes here are just those in the name, amber and vanilla, but I don’t believe that for a second, this is a complex albeit very smooth blend. Amber opens the composition and it is dark, warm and intense; there is a depth to it that is very incense-like to my nose and I suspect there is an incense note in Amber Vanilla. The fragrance becomes darker and more resinous as it settles on my skin, and even when the vanilla drydown comes, bringing some sweet softness to the blend, the perfume does not lose the vague churchy feel that, to me, is the essence of its uniqueness.
Like the first Regina Harris perfume oil, Amber Vanilla has a certain religious atmosphere yet it is an incredibly sensual fragrance. This scent reminded me of the story of St. Theresa of Avila, Roman Catholic mystic, who entered states of ecstasy while studying religious texts in a Carmelite cloister, and of Bernini’s sculpture, The Ecstasy of St Theresa. “I saw in his [angel’s] hand a long golden arrow, its metal point tipped with fire. With this he appeared to pierce my heart again and again, reaching into my insides and ripping them from me, leaving me embracing in the great love of God." Just like in the story of St Theresa and in Bernini’s magnificent work, in Amber Vanilla divinity interacts with matter and spiritual merges with corporal.Amber Vanilla Perfume Oil can be found at Beautyhabit, $125.00 for 15ml
V, I thought it was rather unsual, "churchy" amber-vanilla fragrance. I now need both Regina Harris scents, which are $125 each...heh
ReplyDeleteWhat are you going to do when you run out of perfumes to review? ;)
ReplyDelete*panics*
ReplyDeleteSurely that would never happen! :-)
Thank you, Christina! You are so kind.
ReplyDelete*green with envy because I don't own Amber Vanilla (yet)*
:-)
Happily (given the price) I am so far immune to Regina Harris. M, we are turning out to be *almost* evil fragrance twins :-)
ReplyDeleteLOL R, I wonder if there are any scents at all that we agree on. Oh, wait, Chinatown was one! Still, I like the idea of being someone's evil twin. Bwahahahaha
ReplyDeleteDang, now I'm going to have to try this on. I didn't like the original, too much incense. Maybe I won't like this one. But I love amber.....must try!
ReplyDelete:-)
If you love amber, you really should try this. It doesn't have nearly as much incense as the orginal one, there is just a hint, which maybe I am just imagining. Rich sweet amber...*swwon*
ReplyDeleteShoot. *I* want an evil twin.
ReplyDeleteI am curious about both RHs, but the price holds me back. It sounds like perhaps I do need to try it, though. Churchy amber and vanilla??? Sounds good to me. And, in truth, I do love those bottles. They remind me of the fatice spires on top of some churches, most notably like ones such as this.
I can pretend to be your evil twin till you find one :-)
ReplyDeleteBeautihabit sells sample packs of their scents, they do have both Regina Harris scents. And the 25% off sale is still on till tomorrow...hehehe...am I an enabler or what?
I don't need another amber-vanilla in my life, not even one in a stunning bottle, but I wanted to say, St. Theresa of Avila's writings make me so uncomfortable! It's not the spirituality...it's the feeling that you're reading a teenage girl's mash notes...
ReplyDeleteLOL!
ReplyDeleteThe Bernini comparison is inspired! ♥ xoxo
ReplyDeleteRegina Harris Amber Vanilla perfume oil rocks big time! This heady stuff is animalic and h-o-t.
ReplyDeleteNot for the faint of heart. Have always believed if the wearer has the right chemistry, and the
be-smeller has an appreciation for that chemistry (with the Amber Vanilla), this stuff has the power to seal the first date with absolute passion! Use at your own risk- and enjoy!
Wow this sounds divine! How is it in comparison to Casmir? Perfumes can easily make me sick. So, I peak interest in perfumes that seem similar to Casmir and have a sensual vanilla smell.
ReplyDelete