American Beauty (2009)
by Dawn Spencer Hurwitz

This is was my review of DSH's American Beauty for Sniffapalooza Magazine. "American Beauty (Rose No. 1) is a straight up rose scent with a twist in the base. American Beauty begins a bit green & tart with the tiniest bit of spice. As it dries, it becomes a little honeyed but with enough of a green, rosy note that it does not become too sweet. If you have ever grown fragrant geraniums, you will recognize this stage in the scent development: light, green, clean, fresh, rosy, tiny bit sweet.

Then there is the most startling phase of this scent, the dry down. American Beauty is quite persistent but it is so full of surprises, its staying power will not upset you. The buttery aspect of orris appears about three hours into the scent, with just a touch of violet. What remains four to eight hours into the fragrance is a base note blend of Ciste Absolute, Patchouli, Mysore Sandalwood and Peru Balsam. The whole of which combine to create a slightly spicy, sweet, richly warm but earthy woody scent touched with the middle notes of rose. Aptly named this is. ©"