Hallowe'en Treat: Phoenix Myster by Roxana Illuminated Perfumes

By Tom A few days ago, perfumer Roxana Villa emailed me with news of a new product- inspired by yours truly. My first reaction was of course, pride since the only thing I had previously inspired would have been mild distaste. Then I felt some fear; what if I hate it? Well, I pretty much knew that wouldn't happen because of the notes (from her site) - Vanilla: warm and inviting - Benzoin: purifying, when combined with spice acts an an attractor - Myrrh: (for the nest) enhances contemplation - Dragons Blood Resin from a small indigenous village in the Amazon. - Spices: invigorating, energizing, spell enhancing and uplifting - Orange: uplifting I do admit googling "Dragon's Blood Resin" to see if it was for real and lo and behold it is. It's a resin with some medicinal purposes. Vanilla, myrrh, spices and orange are of course right up my alley. Pheonix Myster is written of in her blog as a celebration of my favorite time of year, Fall. For me it's a time of renewal and contemplation, planning for the upcoming winter and the promise of spring. Growing up in New England fall was a time for putting up preserves, making leaf piles, that nip in the air requiring cashmere sweaters and lit fireplaces. I used to drive on the cold days to school in my little red FIAT Spyder with the top down wearing a scarf, marveling at the beauty of the leaves turning, an experience I was able to recreate with my BFF Bitsy last year in a borrowed Honda S2000. It was just as sublime an experience years later and better shared (and it was nice to not have to crank the car..). While Roxana writes about Samhain and the celebration when time of year when the "veil between worlds are at their thinnest" the balance of notes neatly straddle the world of my memories and the world of the Druids. Maybe that's the point. Citrus dominates the opening, and never leaves the composition completely. The vanilla and the spices keep it somewhat foody, but not sweet; sort of like walking into a house where someone had been making really good marmalade. Benzoin and myrrh add shadows: those worlds of memory and mysticism merging. Phoenix Myster is at once as warm and inviting as a rambling country house, but with a touch of October Country darkness making it perfect for this season. Phoenix Myster is available at her e-shop $25.00 for 1 OZ spray Image source, Roxana Illuminated Perfume.