A while back I began to feel like I was in a rut and a little bored with most of the fragrances in my collection. I would find myself going though my samples and decants looking for something inspiring, interesting, or evocative to wear. I really enjoyed Nasomatos Duro, and a set of Tom Ford Private Collection samples held my interest for a while, but nothing really gave me that spark that I was looking for (although Amber Absolute
and Tobacco Vanille are both very good.) So, somehow I found myself on the CB I Hate Perfumes website. Interesting. I had never tried anything from the line, and I guess I just bought the whole feel-good philosophy. And I really related to his ideas about the power of scent as primarily an evocative force, one that defines our history and experience.
He says, The way you respond to any scent is unlike anyone elses no one remembers what you do, no one feels what you feel. There is a reason you remember certain scents so fondly its the way nature designed you. Scent is the record of your own special life its your experience.
Most of the perfumes are made in two forms, oil or water based. He does not use alcohol in his products, for reasons you can read on his site.
So I pulled up the Perfumed Court and lucked into a sale on CBs fragrances. I ordered pretty randomly; Burning Leaves, Just Breathe, Russian Caravan Tea, Black March, and The Fir Tree. All in water perfume versions. After a week of wearing, here are my impressions:
The Fir Tree: This is a pretty straight-ahead accord. I live in rainy Portland, Oregon and have grown up around Douglas Firs. I spend about 3-4 weeks a year doing forest restoration, and the fir tree is one of my earliest, most familiar and comforting smells. This version is pretty true to life, with sticky fir sap, pine needles, and some freshly cut lumber. If you have ever carried your freshly cut Christmas tree in from your car through the rain, this is the fragrance that lingers on your shirt. This was my first trial of a water perfume, and the main effect seems to be a short skin life, and reduced sillage. It wears close to the skin, and is not at all a powerhouse. That said, I suspect that this low profile correlates to its extreme naturalism it may lack some of the aroma-chemicals that produce and enhance sillage, but might tarnish the bright realism of the fragrance.
Just Breathe: The listed notes are Bamboo Leaves, Japanese Green Tea, three varieties of Cedarwood, forest and just the merest hint of Incense. Well, this is a much more sweet and traditionally feminine accord than you might expect from looking at the notes. The bamboo and green tea come through, but there is a definite white floral tone to the mix here. It has a light, airy feel, and again, the naturalism is impressive. Sometimes I get a strong sweet rose note from this. In the end, I enjoy the perfume, and will wear it at times, but its too feminine to wear to the prison the real world acid test for my feelings that people should wear whatever perfumes they want.
Burning Leaves: This is lovely and very evocative. The smoke here is nicely done. Unlike Lonestar memories, which pounds me with a distinct, acrid liquid smoke note, Burning Leaves is a more gentle effect. I get images of piles of fallen maple leaves, sap, maple syrup, some incense, and some of that wonderful sweet smokey smell that lingers on your clothes after you have been in the yard burning a pile of leaves. This is the longest lasting, and most present of those that I tried This is a comforting, casual fragrance best worn on weekends in winter.
Russian Caravan Tea: I have tried and worn a lot of tea scents. I enjoy the Lapsong, chai tea effects of Tea For Two, the black tea notes of CdGs Tea, and the green tea notes of Rodger and Gallets Green Tea. For summer, my favorite is lovely jasmine and lemon tea accord of LArtisan Parfumeurs Thé Pour un Été. And this Russian Caravan Tea is somehow a completely different animal. The listed notes include Smoked black Indian tea, bergamot and the hint of shelves full of old books. The initial blast is of a well-balanced black tea chamomile I think and a strong dose of lemon. Its a nice effect that makes a warm and inviting. It is not as strong as smokey as CdGs Tea Leaves, but definitely on the masculine side. There is little sweetness here, but it is not bitter or resinous like some teas can be. The overall effect is earthy and comforting.
Black March: Reportedly inspired by the poem by Stevie Smith.(there is a wonderful and rich analysis of the poem here http://www.helium.com/items/137189-s...-stevie-smiths ). The smell of Black March reminds me of soil, vegetables, the almost floral explosions of smell that a garden after a spring rain. The notes are listed as, rain drops, leaf buds, wet twigs, tree sap, bark, mossy earth and the faintest hint of spring flower bulbs, as pretty and bright as rain drops on black twigs in March. Honestly I dont find this a particularly pretty scent. It has a lush, cool, vegetal tone that is familiar and evocative, but I was wishing at times that it brought a bit more green, floral, pretty notes to the party. But, I suppose, that would have made it too much like the perfume which Mr. Brosius so clearly hates. It took a couple wearings, but this one eventually became a favorite, especially when layered with the similarly earthy but much brighter Black Caravan Tea.
In all, I highly recommend that you all find a way to try some of his scents. They certainly pulled me out of my fragrance funk and brought back some fun to this wonderful hobby. Also, I would be interested in exchanging CB decants with anyone who wants to swap. His new one, Fire From Heaven (http://www.cbihateperfume.com/CBFFH.html) sounds like something I need to try.
Thanks all.
-Slim
and Tobacco Vanille are both very good.) So, somehow I found myself on the CB I Hate Perfumes website. Interesting. I had never tried anything from the line, and I guess I just bought the whole feel-good philosophy. And I really related to his ideas about the power of scent as primarily an evocative force, one that defines our history and experience.
He says, The way you respond to any scent is unlike anyone elses no one remembers what you do, no one feels what you feel. There is a reason you remember certain scents so fondly its the way nature designed you. Scent is the record of your own special life its your experience.
Most of the perfumes are made in two forms, oil or water based. He does not use alcohol in his products, for reasons you can read on his site.
So I pulled up the Perfumed Court and lucked into a sale on CBs fragrances. I ordered pretty randomly; Burning Leaves, Just Breathe, Russian Caravan Tea, Black March, and The Fir Tree. All in water perfume versions. After a week of wearing, here are my impressions:
The Fir Tree: This is a pretty straight-ahead accord. I live in rainy Portland, Oregon and have grown up around Douglas Firs. I spend about 3-4 weeks a year doing forest restoration, and the fir tree is one of my earliest, most familiar and comforting smells. This version is pretty true to life, with sticky fir sap, pine needles, and some freshly cut lumber. If you have ever carried your freshly cut Christmas tree in from your car through the rain, this is the fragrance that lingers on your shirt. This was my first trial of a water perfume, and the main effect seems to be a short skin life, and reduced sillage. It wears close to the skin, and is not at all a powerhouse. That said, I suspect that this low profile correlates to its extreme naturalism it may lack some of the aroma-chemicals that produce and enhance sillage, but might tarnish the bright realism of the fragrance.
Just Breathe: The listed notes are Bamboo Leaves, Japanese Green Tea, three varieties of Cedarwood, forest and just the merest hint of Incense. Well, this is a much more sweet and traditionally feminine accord than you might expect from looking at the notes. The bamboo and green tea come through, but there is a definite white floral tone to the mix here. It has a light, airy feel, and again, the naturalism is impressive. Sometimes I get a strong sweet rose note from this. In the end, I enjoy the perfume, and will wear it at times, but its too feminine to wear to the prison the real world acid test for my feelings that people should wear whatever perfumes they want.
Burning Leaves: This is lovely and very evocative. The smoke here is nicely done. Unlike Lonestar memories, which pounds me with a distinct, acrid liquid smoke note, Burning Leaves is a more gentle effect. I get images of piles of fallen maple leaves, sap, maple syrup, some incense, and some of that wonderful sweet smokey smell that lingers on your clothes after you have been in the yard burning a pile of leaves. This is the longest lasting, and most present of those that I tried This is a comforting, casual fragrance best worn on weekends in winter.
Russian Caravan Tea: I have tried and worn a lot of tea scents. I enjoy the Lapsong, chai tea effects of Tea For Two, the black tea notes of CdGs Tea, and the green tea notes of Rodger and Gallets Green Tea. For summer, my favorite is lovely jasmine and lemon tea accord of LArtisan Parfumeurs Thé Pour un Été. And this Russian Caravan Tea is somehow a completely different animal. The listed notes include Smoked black Indian tea, bergamot and the hint of shelves full of old books. The initial blast is of a well-balanced black tea chamomile I think and a strong dose of lemon. Its a nice effect that makes a warm and inviting. It is not as strong as smokey as CdGs Tea Leaves, but definitely on the masculine side. There is little sweetness here, but it is not bitter or resinous like some teas can be. The overall effect is earthy and comforting.
Black March: Reportedly inspired by the poem by Stevie Smith.(there is a wonderful and rich analysis of the poem here http://www.helium.com/items/137189-s...-stevie-smiths ). The smell of Black March reminds me of soil, vegetables, the almost floral explosions of smell that a garden after a spring rain. The notes are listed as, rain drops, leaf buds, wet twigs, tree sap, bark, mossy earth and the faintest hint of spring flower bulbs, as pretty and bright as rain drops on black twigs in March. Honestly I dont find this a particularly pretty scent. It has a lush, cool, vegetal tone that is familiar and evocative, but I was wishing at times that it brought a bit more green, floral, pretty notes to the party. But, I suppose, that would have made it too much like the perfume which Mr. Brosius so clearly hates. It took a couple wearings, but this one eventually became a favorite, especially when layered with the similarly earthy but much brighter Black Caravan Tea.
In all, I highly recommend that you all find a way to try some of his scents. They certainly pulled me out of my fragrance funk and brought back some fun to this wonderful hobby. Also, I would be interested in exchanging CB decants with anyone who wants to swap. His new one, Fire From Heaven (http://www.cbihateperfume.com/CBFFH.html) sounds like something I need to try.
Thanks all.
-Slim
