Scents of Place: The Artisan Advantage

By Donna The debate over natural versus synthetic perfumes is ongoing, and both viewpoints have their proponents. It is generally agreed that mixed media compositions are usually the most successful artistically, while purely synthetic scents can lack character and seem faceless or cheap. Naturals often have issues with longevity and the unavoidable limiting factor of fewer source materials to work with. However, there is one thing that fragrances with a high percentage of natural materials can do that synthetics cannot, in my experience; evoke an actual sense of place, and “three dimensional” impressions of the real world. It is true that any aroma, not just of a perfume, can trigger a memory or an emotion. Fragrances can do it by design, and a skilled perfumer can orchestrate smells to bring forth a complex array of sensations. This is where artisan perfumery displays one of its greatest strengths – without accountants, focus groups and brand managers looking over their collective shoulders, they are free to follow their own ideas to conclusion and draw the rest of us into their world. I am highlighting just a few of these ideas from recent introductions by some of our most talented fragrance artists. Shelley Waddington of En Voyage Perfumes created Rainmaker to celebrate her new hometown of Portland, Oregon (which is also where I live) and its unique cultural vibe. Appropriately, it has an ozonic note, but it also has a grounded feel to it. To me it smells like a wet day in the city when it has just been raining and the evaporating moisture fills the air, amplifying the smells of wet pavement, old trees, muddy earth, bark mulch, grass and crushed flowers under a dramatic sky. Anything with a petrichor note will capture my attention, and this one gets it just right. In other words, it smells very much like an idealized version of my own neighborhood, and if I step out into my garden on such a day I will have a very Rainmaker experience. It has a cologne-like transparency, yet it maintains its fresh appeal for a long time into the drydown, a testament to what a well-judged blend of naturals and synthetics can accomplish. Truly unisex, the appeal of this easy to live with scent is very broad. The opposite of the cool wet Northwest is the desert, a place Amber Jobin of Aether Arts Perfumes knows well; Red Dodecahedron is the latest in her Burner series based on her annual pilgrimage to the Burning Man festival in Nevada. The immediate sensation from this fragrance for me is sun-baked dust sifting into everything; I have no idea how this was done but it’s very impressive. It does not stop there, but continues to develop into a sensual fragrance that includes black pepper, chamomile and a base of woods and resins including frankincense and sandalwood. It also has an animalic quality, bringing to mind the earthy denizens of Burning Man. After being in the desert sands, a cool beverage is most welcome, and her new Strawberry Sling perfume oil just hits the spot. This is a scent that emerged from the perfumer’s own experience of sipping a cocktail while smelling flowers blooming nearby, and it’s so delicious that it should have a warning label on it that says “do not drink.” A blend of lemon-scented natural essences results in the exhilarating zest of freshly squeezed Meyer lemons, mixed with a spot-on vodka accord accented with rosemary and a strawberry note paired with rose. I really loved this one, and I am hoarding my sample to wear when summer comes around again and it’s too hot for most other kinds of perfume. This is a textbook example of the kind of fun, offbeat work to emerge from the studios of indie perfumers who have free rein over their own work. Sometimes a perfumer chooses to pay homage to Mother Nature in a more specific way; in The Voices of Trees, Dawn Spencer Hurwitz of DSH Perfumes creates a scent that feels like an evergreen forest, with richly balsamic resin perfuming the air as the trees tower overhead, swaying gently in the wind. As narrow as its focus is, it is more than just a “smell” and works perfectly as a fully realized fragrance. I can’t open the vial without thinking of the woods behind my house when I was a child, a place where I spent endless hours among the pine, spruce and hemlock trees. Another recent DSH creation, the limited edition La Belle Saison evokes the sensation of fresh lilacs in the spring. Unlike virtually all other lilac perfumes, which are reconstructions that contain synthetics, this is an all-natural composition that gives the impression of lilacs without the usual photo-realistic aroma found in most of them, and contains no actual lilac. Instead, the effect is of being in a garden that has lilacs blooming but which also encompasses the other aromas of spring – green leaves, wet grass, drifts of scent from other flowers. It is as fresh and delicate as a rain-drenched panicle of white lilac blossoms, its beauty even further enhanced by its extrait de parfum concentration. It’s not just places that can be conjured up by a fragrance. In the masterful Memento Mori from Aftelier Perfumes, natural perfumer Mandy Aftel has advanced her alchemical art yet again with a stunning creation that is sure to bring to mind not only familiar places, but a human presence. Just inhaling the scent from the vial resulted in a swirl of emotions and half-remembered flickers of the past. I felt as though I had arrived home on a cold winter night and entered a place filled with warmth; standing in the doorway of a comfortable old farmhouse filled with the sweetness of wood smoke and the funky dampness of drying-out wool coats, the lingering aftermath of baking, and most of all the musky, physical embrace of a beloved person. It is remarkable how much this fragrance evokes a living being; if you have ever held a sweater or robe that belonged to someone you loved and missed and breathed deeply of it to bring them closer, you have some idea of what Memento Mori is like. It almost feels too private to wear in public places, being meant for either solitude or closeness; on skin it gradually becomes almost unnervingly intimate, like skin-to-skin contact with a lover, and capable of bringing strong emotions to the surface unbidden. It is powerful and beautiful, but not in the least pretty. It may seem strange to ascribe such power to a perfume, but I think anyone who smells this will fall under the same spell. Image credits: Rainy day wallpaper from crafthubs.com; Vintage strawberry patterned (actual) wallpaper detail from Etsy seller wallpaperyourworld; “Lilac Party” wallpaper from desktopnexus.com; lighted doorway at night wallpaper from desktopimages.com. Disclosure: I received free samples from all the perfumers whose perfumes I reviewed in this post.

Impressions of Genius: DSH Perfumes Giverny in Bloom Collection

By Donna Perfumer Dawn Spencer Hurwitz of DSH Perfumes has recently released the results of yet another collaboration with the Denver Art Museum – her eighth! - and once again she has demonstrated why she is one of the finest perfumers in America – and the world. The Giverny In Bloom Collection that accompanies the museum's major Impressionism exhibit is a perfect rendition of the artist's vision. There are four fragrances in the collection, three of which are actually the component accords for the final finished result named Giverny In Bloom. Each one has its own special character and is color-keyed to reflect its relationship to Impressionist art and gardens. Let's walk down the paths of Claude Monet's famous garden and see what we find. La Danse des Bleus et Des Violettes is an homage to blue and violet blossoms, and its shy and wistful character is guaranteed to charm. Rich in violets, iris and heliotrope with a touch of lilac, it is ever so soft and slightly powdery; it reminded me of the delicate paintings on bone china teacups, yet it is no relic consigned to a display cabinet; a a breath of green and true to life floral notes keep it firmly in the garden. The violet is quite prominent here but everything is swirled together and so well-balanced that nothing is at the forefront for too long as all the notes have a turn in the limelight. For those who find most violet soliflores to be too melancholy, this would be a good one to try. It is not rain-washed and sad but restful, evocative of a shady corner where one stops to sit on a bench and contemplate the surrounding garden's beauty.                                                                               The more extroverted L'Opera des Rouges et des Roses is a celebration of reds and pinks, with plump roses and peonies jostling for attention with warm, spicy carnations and almost being upstaged by a sublime note of jasmine. This is a cheerful scent, rich and sweet, spilling over with abundance and joie de vivre, a garden party in a bottle. I love these “old-fashioned” style florals and I mean that in the best possible way; perfumes with exotic woods and spices are all the rage these days, but the skill required to create a mixed media floral perfume that is both original and interesting cannot be denied.                                                                          My favorite of the three individual accord scents and the one that to me stands alone best as a finished perfume is Le Jardin Vert. Perhaps this is because it has one of my favorite notes in it – I just can't get enough galbanum, and there is enough of it here for my “green fix” and more; oakmoss, “dirt” accord, bergamot, pine needles – you name it, my favorite green and mossy things are all included, along with the ethereal breath of linden blossoms. This is a liquid vision of all those paintings of the bridge over the pond at Giverny, with weeping willows trailing in the water and lily pads covering its surface. The cool freshness of this perfume has been most welcome during this sweltering summer, and I have reached for it several times when the mercury rose to unbearable heights.                                                                                So, you may be wondering, what happens when all three of the base accords are combined to make the perfume called Giverny in Bloom? I really only need one word to describe it: magical. This is where the perfumer's genius reveals itself, in a thrilling symphony of scent and color that is worthy of a tribute to the master of Impressionism. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and the many superb florals combined with the green, mineral, earthy and woody materials create the uncannily three-dimensional effect of a living place. Its overall character is that of a green floral, with the galbanum of Le Jardin Vert still glimmering through. I can close my eyes and imagine I am there in Monet's overflowing garden, surrounded by the sensory feast of aromas and colors, not knowing where to look next, the dizzying jumble of grass, leaves and flower scents rising in the warmth of the sun and my skin caressed by cool breezes. The alchemy of this fragrance is such that when I walked back into the room where I had sprayed it I few minutes before, I smelled strong echoes of the two grandest green florals in perfume history – Balmain's Vent Vert and Jean Patou's Vacances, the latter one being my favorite perfume of all time. The originals of those two masterpieces are sadly no more, but now Giverny In Bloom is here to bring those lost gardens back to life. Image credits: Water-lily Pond and Weeping Willow; The Rose Walk, Giverny; and Branch of the Seine Near Giverny by Claude Monet via Wikipedia.org, all in the public domain. Disclosure: My testing samples of the perfumes in this review were given t me by DSH Perfumes.

All that glitters: The Brilliant Collection by DSH Perfumes

By Donna Once again, a collaboration between perfumer Dawn Spencer Hurwitz and the Denver Art Museum has resulted in a stunning group of fragrances. I always look forward to these art project launches from DSH Perfumes; Dawn's reservoir of creativity seems to have no limits. The Brilliant collection ties in with the DAM exhibit celebrating Cartier's storied history of jewelry making. All the more intimidating, the company also makes some very good fragrances, so this quartet had to distance itself from Cartier's own perfumes and make the fragrances all about the jewels – and what jewels they are! Starting off with a bang, Deco Diamonds is a tour de force, a seamlessly abstract beauty that brings to mind the kind of bold statement jewelry one might wear to a Black and White Ball – the men in elegant tuxedos and the women in sleek draped gowns embellished with feathers and sequins, and dripping with diamond necklaces, bracelets and rings, maybe a headband or two. Eventually this glittering aldehydic fragrance reveals its heart of jasmine and other white flowers, reminding me of one of Dawn's early perfumes that is no longer made, the gorgeously tender jasmine and mimosa Cielle. Deco Diamonds is a perfume from another world, not tied to the earth; if Cielle was a wisp of cloud in a blue sky, this is a jet trail, soaring bright and pure and streamlined toward the sun. In sharp contrast to Deco Diamonds, Fumée d'Or is a fantasy perfume in the sepia tones of a movie about the past, a whimsical imagining of what a goldsmith's shop in Paris might smell like; if this is the scent of such a place, I would want to live there and never leave. The overall impressions is warm and close, like entering a mysterious place on a brisk day and being enveloped in heat, the animal heft of human bodies and not-quite-familiar aromas. What is that languid, sweet smoke arising from the cauldron? Why do the dust motes dancing by the window sparkle so? What is that strange smell, like leather and metal somehow blended together? This “olde curiosity shoppe” of a fragrance will keep you guessing all day long. Rubies are one of the most sought after of all gems, and I predict that the fragrance devoted to them, Rubis Rosé, will be equally admired. If roses that smell of raspberries are your thing, this is the one. It is rich and dense like the best of the old garden roses, such as the purple-red Bourbon 'Madame Isaac Pereire' which is justly famous for its redolent raspberry scent. I would not call this a “jammy” rose perfume, because although it is fruity, it is so in a fresh and realistic way. Anyone who is not familiar with antique roses might doubt that a living flower can smell like this, but this plush, velvety aroma is exactly what is found in such a rose, and it comes as close as anything I have smelled to the incomparable perfume of the voluptuous old roses I love best of all. All of the perfumes in the collection are good, but one of them has captured my heart like no other – the stunning Jacinthe de Sapphir. The distinctive aroma of the hyacinth flower is one of my favorite smells in the world, but I have very rarely had the sensation of inhaling a perfume and feeling transported in time and place to a spring garden where the colorful hyacinth spikes give off their unique perfume, rich and intense yet not sweet in the way of most flowers, a green and airy scent with the chill of earth and winter still upon them. It even has that elusive, shifting character of the flower, dancing away and then coming back to tease the nose when you think it's gone for good. Of course this one is nominally in honor of precious sapphires, but it really an homage to this beloved garden bloom. This is the closest thing I have experienced to the exquisite hyacinth note in my favorite perfume of all time, Vacances by Jean Patou, and that's saying a lot coming from me. In the dead of winter, here is the ultimate breath of spring. Image credits: Vintage Cartier diamond engagement ring via glambistro.com, original source unknown. Seventeenth century engraving of a goldsmith's shop via wikipedia.org, in the public domain. Blue hyacinth via gallery.hd.org's Multimedia Gallery, free download photo by Damon Hart-Davis, effects by Donna. Disclosure: The samples I tested for this review were given to me by DSH Perfumes.

Aether Arts & DSH Perfumes prize draw - The winners

Random.org has spoken and the winners have been chosen! The winner of the 5.5 ml roller ball of Aether Arts Incense Indica is Sujaan. The winner of the 1 dram of concentrated oil perfume in the winner's choice of the DSH Perfumes Cannabis Culture Collection  is Lyubov. Hit the "Contact  me" button on the right and give us your mailing address. Congratulations!

Contact High: The new Cannabis fragrances from Aether Arts and DSH Perfumes -And a Prize Draw!

By Donna Colorado was one of the first states in the U.S. to legalize marijuana, and as it happens, that is also where two talented indie perfumers happen to live and work. I am sure that the backers of the movement to decriminalize this ancient plant did not anticipate that one of the “side effects” would be the inclusion of it in perfumery, but that's what happened. I am here to tell you that these are not novelties or jokes, they are real, quality fragrances that are very enjoyable to wear. The intensely green fougère called Agrestic from the Cannabis Culture Collection by DSH Perfumes (all of which I tested in the concentrated oil formulation) made me sit up and take notice because it manages to do something I never expected - it reminded me of one of my very favorite classic chypres, the original Jean-Louis Scherrer, because of its depth and dark green character. Had I smelled it and not known that it contain cannabis, I would not have dreamed it was in there. There is also a gorgeous hay note of course, and the combination of that with the cannabis works effortlessly. I never could stand the smell of marijuana smoke, but the heady, leafy aroma of the fresh plant is another thing altogether. It makes an excellent stand-in for patchouli and other aromatic herbal notes commonly used in fragrance, and in Agrestic it contributes to the overall green mood I love so much. The Green House is a feast for the senses, especially for gardeners; just one sniff and you have suddenly entered a warm, humid hothouse, with the clean earthiness of the soil and the breath of living plants hanging in the damp air. It is remarkably true to the real thing and I could not help smiling as I breathed it in. The top notes don't last very long, and it soon segues into a pleasing and mild green phase with a light, lemony quality and a touch of hay. This one is perfectly safe for the office and no one will ever know your little secret. If you prefer something that gives more of a nod to the characteristic smell of marijuana, you will enjoy I Love You Mary Jane. It has the sweet stickiness of the fresh bud blended with fruity and floral notes. Such diverse ingredients as jasmine, osmanthus, Damask rose, blackberry, mango, rhubarb, grapefruit and yuzu contribute to its unique profile, and its complexity kept me coming back to press my nose to my arm as the kaleidoscope of scents unfolded. Using rhubarb was a stroke of genius, its sour juiciness a perfect mate for the pungency of the cannabis. I Love You Mary Jane is unapologetic about its origins, and that is part of its considerable charm. The final fragrance in the DSH Perfumes collection is Rocky Mountain High, and it features something that is new to me in perfumery – skunk accord. Yes, she went there; but don't worry, none of our little striped friends were harmed in its making. In this creation, the cannabis is paired with the skunk and with woodsy evergreens – balsam fir, juniper, cypress – and various green herbal notes such as clary sage, basil and galbanum. A profound base of hemp, frankincense and amber rounds out the composition, which smells for all the world like a high end masculine scent from a luxury niche house. The skunk accord has the effect of creating a sexy, musky vibe that underlies the rather somber mix of dark green shades, and it ends up being an imposing and mature fragrance that's easy to wear yet entirely suitable for formal occasions. It is this one out of the four that best makes the case for the use cannabis as one would employ patchouli in a fragrance. Amber Jobin of Aether Arts Perfumes has also launched a new fragrance that features cannabis, and it is a world apart from the DSH scents. Incense Indica is her take on a classic, even ancient, style of perfume, and it's a Folger's Crystals® moment – she has substituted cannabis for frankincense, which would normally be the centerpiece of an incense fragrance, and yes, we did notice. This is a knockout of a perfume, and incense lovers are in for a treat. (I never thought I would say this, but I did not even miss the frankincense, which is one of my favorite things in perfume.) Incense Indica is the latest entry in the Burner series; each year, Ms. Jobin makes a perfume inspired by the Burning Man festival in the Nevada desert and its unique subculture of free expression. It is lush and rich, all honeyed smoke and sex and dark earthiness from cannabis resin and myrrh, embellished with Sambac jasmine, this must be one of the the least “churchy” incense perfumes I have ever smelled. Its longevity is approximately forever. This style of perfume is not for everyone, but for those who appreciate a good incense this will surely deliver the goods. This is not the first cannabis perfume Ms. Jobin has made – her 2011 Burner scent, the green chypre A Roll In The Grass, was very nicely done and highly wearable – my review of it it here. Thanks to the generosity of both perfumers, we are giving away two prizes! Aether Arts is offering a 5.5 ml roller ball of Incense Indica, and DSH Perfumes will give a 1 dram miniature of concentrated perfume oil of the winner's choice of any one of the four Cannabis Culture Collection perfumes. This is a worldwide draw, open to everyone; please be sure to specify whether you want to enter the draw for Aether Arts or DSH Perfumes. The draw will close one week after the publication of this review. Good luck! Image credit: Abstract cannabis motif from wallpaperscraft.com Disclosure: All the samples for this review were sent to me for testing by DSH Perfumes and Aether Arts.

New artistic creations from DSH Perfumes: Metropolis, Scent of Hope and more

By Donna The prolific Dawn Spencer Hurwitz of DSH Perfumes is having an especially creative year, and that is saying a lot. Once again, she is showing us that no matter what the genre of fragrance or the challenge presented is, she will find a way to make Art from it, and I am in awe of the results.                                                                         One of my favorite new launches this year attained that status as soon as it hit my nose. Metropolis is nominally a masculine scent, but I fell in love with it immediately and I would recommend it to anyone who appreciates a truly modern perfume experience. Its character is elegant but not cold, an Art Deco piece translated into smell. Like a handsome vintage automobile, it's all about the lines; it has an easy grace and airiness that makes it sleek and streamlined, but with a sturdy underpinning of strength that gives it the power it needs. Along with such traditional notes as cedar, leather, oakmoss, musk, petitgrain, rose otto, and woods, it also includes “brushed steel, glass, concrete and motor oil” according to the official description. Because this is DSH we are talking about, these unconventional elements are abstracted and seamlessly integrated into the whole, so you know you are smelling something unusual but you can't really pin down what it is. If this perfume were a car, it would be one of those gloriously swoopy Pierce-Arrow, Bugatti or Delahaye classics, timeless and luxurious without seeming excessive in any way, just pure design for its own sake.                                                                            Another new sensation is the much-anticipated Scent of Hope, which was inspired by one of the rarest and most coveted perfumes of all time, Iris Gris by  the house of Jacques Fath from 1946. I have never smelled the original – few people ever have, it seems – but I have wanted to try it for many years, having read much about its legendary beauty. Now those of us who missed out on it no longer have to search to the ends of the earth for it, because Scent of Hope is sublimely lovely and well worthy of the acclaim it is receiving. Had I the power to alter time and space, I would create an infinite quantum loop wherein I could smell the opening notes of this perfume over and over again, it is so so ineffably exquisite. The lightest puff of peach, an alpenglow cloud of delicacy, arises from the skin mingled with the most refined iris note I have ever smelled. This initial impression soon subsides but never disappears completely; the unfolding of the perfume proceeds with the slightly sweet and subdued peach in perfect harmony with the iris, keeping it from becoming either rooty or metallic, as iris is wont to do at times. It also lasts surprisingly well, which I did not expect – I put it on one evening and I could still smell it on my skin in the morning. If you need any more reasons to try it, here are two: 1. It is only available in perfume extract form, the strongest concentration, and 2. 30% of sales will be donated to Sense of Security, a Denver-based organization that helps breast cancer patients in need with their treatment and living expenses.                                                                             Amid all the excitement of such creative fragrances, it's easy to forget this perfumer's mastery of of another style – the soliflore. “Simple” florals are seldom as easy to pull off as they seem, and indeed the perfumer is expected to make them smell as close as possible to the real thing, in contrast to more abstract scents that allow for artistic license to be taken. I am very happy that she has relaunched one of her older classics that I had never encountered before, White Lilac. I always have high hopes for lilac compositions, but some of them fail to capture the fragile beauty of these blossoms. White Lilac is everything I could ever want in such a perfume, closer to nature than any other lilac soliflore I know, sweet and pure and true to life, and it remains fresh and vibrant throughout its development. I gave a bottle to my younger sister for her birthday since it is her favorite flower and she adores it. She is the strictest judge of lilac scents I know and this one passed her test with flying colors.                                                                                                    One of my own favorite flowers is the peony, and DSH Perfumes' new Peony is one of the best of the genre, highlighting the rosy aspect of these lush, showy blooms rather than the sometimes overly sharp freshness that characterizes most peony scents. It will not be mistaken for a rose perfume though; it is clearly a tribute to the unique aroma of the flower, which gives off a sweet scent with a nose-tickling undertone that is sometimes just a little indecent, which to me is part of its charm. If you are seeking a peony perfume that actually smells like the real deal, seek no further. Image credits: The exceedingly rare 1933 Pierce-Arrow Silver Arrow, of which only five were ever made, from rarecars.co, orginal source unknown. Closeup photo of an iris flower from hdwallpaperpc.com. Vintage lilacs & roses wallpaper from the graphicsfairy.com. Disclosure: I purchased the samples of Metropolis, White Lilac and Peony for this review. My sample of Scent of Hope was given to me my DSH Perfumes.

This really Gauls me: DSH Perfumes Passport to Paris Collection

By Donna Artisan perfumer Dawn Spencer Hurwitz of DSH Perfumes has presented another set of perfumes based on a collaboration with the Denver Art Museum, an artistic venture that brought us such past gems as the Secrets of Egypt fragrances and the YSL Retrospective collection. The new trio, inspired by iconic works of French art, is called the Passport to Paris collection. Each one was made to reflect the character of a particular piece, and after testing these all I can say is get me on a flight to France immediately if this is what happens when one contemplates French masterpieces. I began with the delicately delicious Amouse Bouche, which translates (very) loosely to “there's a party in my mouth.” I only wished that I could have a real strawberry confection like this to eat instead of being tantalized by the perfume. It is a gourmand with a feather-light touch, beginning with a realistic strawberry note heightened by lemon before the florals, including rose, jasmine and ylang ylang chime in to ensure that it's more than just a novelty scent. Soon the gourmand notes of tonka bean, buttered brioche and vanilla show up, and their restrained sweetness makes this smell like a sophisticated pastry, the kind that's almost too pretty to eat. I am a huge fan of strawberry in perfume, and therefore I am very critical of it when it's done badly. This is exactly right, and as a gourmand fragrance it's just sweet enough to make you want more, as though you were looking with longing into the storefront of a patisserie that has closed for the day and you have to be satisfied with the lingering aroma in the air. Amouse Bouche was made to match the mood of Toulouse-Lautrec's “The Dunce's Cap' and it is as lighthearted as its inspiration. Vers la Violette is entirely different, a moody green violet perfume with a refined sueded base. Its touchstone was a pastoral painting by Post-Impressionist painter Hippolyte Petitjean. I adore violets, so I was predisposed to like it, and it exceeded my expectations. Look “French perfume” up in the dictionary and you might well find a picture of this; nothing could be more Parisian than a bunch of violets, and this fragrance exudes chic right from the beginning. It is subtle but not wistful as the green notes of galbanum and oakmoss keep it away from the fainting couch; instead it strides breezily down the boulevard, cool and confident. This is the kind of violet fragrance that a man can wear with ease – notes of lemon, leather and ionone tamp down the floral sweetness. The perfumer really has a way with this fragile and temperamental floral; this is just about the polar opposite of her amazing Quinacridone Violet but no less deftly composed and it shows the range of possibilities to be discovered for the humble yet beautiful violet. It might even remind you a little of Balmain's Jolie Madame with its violets and leather, but with the chypre darkness replaced by buoyant spring green. If you can't be in Paris for the April violets, just wear Vers la Violette instead. Passport à Paris was a real surprise; it was the last one I tested, I did not expect that it would become quite strong on my skin after the initial impression of bergamot, anise and lavender made me think it would be as delicate as the other two. It is a classic fougère with a twist; as it develops it becomes richly animalic and decadently powdery, laden with patchouli, rosewood, civet, coumarin (of course) and sandalwood and with impressive staying power. The perfumer took her inspiration from Claude Monet's “The Beach at Trouville” which is a glimpse into the life of the upper classes taking the air at a seaside resort. It owes more to iconic unisex perfumes like Guerlain's Jicky than to strait-laced English style fougères that conform to a narrow definition of what “men's colognes” should smell like. (Don't worry, it's not a huge stonking monster like Drakkar Noir either!) This juice is anything but stuffy, spicy-powdery but with a soapy back beat that is irresistible, like a really sexy man fresh out of the shower, wrapped in a towel and shaving with a creamy lather, and all you can think of is unwrapping him. I don't often wear traditional masculine fragrances myself except for a few favorites like Grey Flannel, but I would wear this one, if only to conjure up a mental image of the guy in the towel...but I digress. Passport à Paris is as good as it gets in the fougère department in my opinion, but don't take my word for it, since I am not as well versed in this genre as I could be. I can only say that both men and women should give it a try, because it's really great. Image credit: Eiffel Tower wallpaper (the kind you can buy in a roll) from spoonflower.com.; also available as fabric. I want some! Disclosure: the fragrance samples for this review were given to me by DSH perfumes.

DSH Perfumes revisits the Secrets of Egypt collection – and adds another treasure

By Donna A few years ago Dawn Spencer Hurwitz of DSH Perfumes created a stunning collection of fragrances for the Denver Art Museum's King Tut exhibit. She researched ancient techniques and formulae to bring historic perfumes to life. Now she has reworked three of these perfumes to modernize them, and they are being presented as the “New Kingdom” collection; instead of being exacting reconstructions of antique fragrances, which was impressive enough, they are streamlined and clarified using a mixture of botanical and synthetic materials to bring them into line with the rest of her repertoire. (Wisely, she left my beloved 1,000 Lilies, also know as Susinon, alone; as far as I am concerned, it was already perfect.) The three reformulated scents, Antiu, Keni, and Megaleion, have been joined by a new member of the group, Iridum, an interpretation of iris. I wondered if the fabulous Antiu would still be as good, but I need not have worried; the sharp snap of galbanum married with bitter cherry/almond still works its magic, and the reformulation has extended the initial effect of the two contrasting notes so that they can be enjoyed over a longer span of time. The opening's short life was my only complaint about the original, so I am very happy that the new formula has made it more balanced. It is less dense and “chewy“ and more transparent than the original but none the worse for that. Fans of green scents should really try Antiu. You can't get any greener than galbanum, and once this has settled in and the bitter almond moves into the background, it reminds me a lot of what Balmain's Vent Vert used to smell like, and that is very good indeed. Keni was a sweetly spicy-woody perfume with a slightly medicinal air about in its first incarnation. It has now lost the medicinal part and is more of a recognizable modern scent, but it retains the fascinating mineral and leather effect in the drydown of the original. It also has a pleasing green aspect that is softer than Antiu's. I still can't figure out exactly what is in it, just like the first time around, but I actually like this version even better. It dries down to a delicious skin incense that makes me want to devour my own arm. Its longevity is good enough so that you may not get much else done if compulsive arm-sniffing is the effect it has on you. The relatively somber Megaleion is a musky incense and agarwood fragrance that still retains its “vintage” chypre” vibe from before, and it's still marvelous. It's not quite as skewed to the masculine side as the original; in fact, it has been softened just enough to make it more approachable for anyone to wear, and is no longer as austere as it once was. As an example of an ancient art it was beautiful, and now it is equally so but it will probably appeal to a broader audience. Something about it still reminds me of classic perfumes from the more recent past, and that's just as good as Egypt if you ask me. I must confess that I have never been an “iris person” when it comes to perfume - that is, not until I tried Dawn's Cyprian from her Perfumed Court collection. This charming recreation of an old French wig powder and hair pomade recipe made me realize what I was missing. I was always disappointed that iris fragrances did not smell like the iris flower – they were always too rooty, carroty, earthy or spicy, which did not match up with my love of the delicate scents of iris blossoms. With Cyprian I came to appreciate iris for what it is, not what I wished it could be. Iridum is a woody and refined interpretation of iris, and I found it to be just as delightful to wear as Cyprian even though it is very different in style. It is gentle enough that it has a somewhat floral effect, and not too dry, with just a hint of the “cinnamon red hots” kick found in abundance in some iris fragrances such as the formidable Iris Silver Mist by Serge Lutens – I can't wear that alien beast, but Iridum is another story. Instead of being haughty and intimidating, it is easy and welcoming, with a warm heart embedded in its cool beauty, and does not have the chilly aloofness that the Lutens does. Iridum can take its place among the pantheon of excellent and highly wearable iris perfumes, as elegant as the rest of the breed, and also among those that made me a convert to this style of fragrance – and yes, an iris person at last. Image credit: Blue iris from alegriphotos.com via Creative Commons license; special effects mine. Disclosure: I received samples of these fragrances from DSH Perfumes for testing.