Schizm (2001)
by Ayala Moriel

Another wonderful scent from Ayala Moriel parfums with beautiful notes very well blended...I can detect green mossy notes only and possibly some incense...

The scent does not last very long on my skin and wonder...is this because I am wearing it on a winter day...?

Very unisex frag in my eyes and nose...

Big thumbs up...!

19th February, 2011.

The name is misleading. There is no contradiction or struggle here. This nouveau chypre hits the ground running with a burst of pepper. It is oriental in the sense that gunpowder tea is. Cepes play up the indolic tuberose, so you have a sexy, gourmand floral for the autumn.

10th October, 2010. (Last Edited: 26th December, 2010.)

I have too many samples. I admit it. I have HUNDREDS of samples here that I have never tried. I can't give them away in swaps, as I haven't worn them yet, and who knows, I might fall in love with them! I also don't like to try/wear multiple perfumes in a day. I know some people will have a sampling binge and plough through 10 or 20 samples. Not I!! I like to wear one at a time. And usually, I want to wear something I know I love, so sampling falls by the wayside, and I end up with a huge backlog of untried 'fumes laying around. Sigh.

Yesterday, I didn't wear perfume. As I was getting ready for bed, I pulled out a little package of samples I received from our own Ayala awhile back. I removed the stopper from each vial and gave a tentative little sniff to see if I felt inspired by any. One was too pungent. One too flowery. (for my mood at the moment, you understand). And then I pulled the stopper from Schizm....

What's this?? It's decidedly green, but NOT the sharp green I usually shy away from. This is a soft, mossy, comforting green. But sweet, too. "Hmmmm", I thought, ...."I think I'd better try it." And so I did. Last night at bedtime, and again this morning.

I am in love. Yes, first I fell hard for Ayala's Espionage a few months back, and now I am in the clutches of Schizm. The greens remind me of lying on a mossy riverbank under an enormous Weeping Willow tree on a warm, sunny day. I am sure I have a bottle of sweet red wine and some cheese and fruit with me, too. :-) I believe I shall doze off with my cheek against the warm skin of my true love lying by my side. It is languorous, and speaks to me of warmth and contentment.

Ayala's website lists it as a Chypre Floral with the following notes:

Top notes: Black pepper, Cedarwood, Mandarin
Heart notes: Tuberose, Orange Blossom, Jasmine
Base Notes: Oakmoss, Musk notes, Incense

I have to say that this is so beautifully blended that I am not getting a lot of "notes", just a seamless, dreamy whole. I don't smell pepper or cedarwood at all, in fact!! Those usually give perfume an "edge" for me that this just doesn't have.....it's so SMOOOOOOOOOOOTH!

Ayala -- Kudos.....you've seduced me again with another beautiful fragrance from your line.

27th October, 2006.

Incense and pungent spices, a little smoky, with exotic florals. Fascinating, but a little sour on my skin.

11th August, 2006.