Cameo
by Sonoma Scent Studio

Sonoma Scent Studio CAMEO rolls roses and violets into an initially playful composition which finally winds up as a light, slightly floralized amber perfume. Early on, the violet is most pronounced, but within minutes the rose takes over. Since I love violet and like rose, I was naturally hoping that violet would hold up a bit longer, but the good news is that the rose is never overwhelming, and it may be that the violet is exerting a tempering effect even while it is no longer discernible as an individual note to my nose. There's nothing even close to rosebush-in-a-blender going on here: no green rose trimmings whatsoever. “Smooth skin musks” and “dry woods” are reputedly a part of CAMEO as well, and that's probably why the amber in the drydown, while dominant, is still rather subtle. This gentle amber-rose could be worn all year round, it seems to me. I like it. I do.

11th July, 2011.

Discontinued in 2008 but now back in the line-up, by popular demand.

Cameo starts off a little vintage-musty, mostly roses with notes of violet. The violet departs soon enough, the rose gaining prominence but there is a sour tinge to it which hints at something animalic. While this isn’t exactly my favorite part of the scent development, it intrigues me well enough to hold my attention as it evolves further to incorporate elements of masculine woods and musk. I rather enjoy this juxtaposition of musky roses against dry woods – it feels complex and sophisticatedly grown-up, even if it comes across a little dowdy at times.

Notes:
rose, violet, ambergris, labdanum absolute, oakmoss, orris, sandalwood, cedar, musk.

19th January, 2010.