I had the most marvelous weekend but the highlight was Sunday and the Neil Morris pop-up store in Boston.
The day started by meeting up with my Boston group for an Indian brunch. ComDiva, Brielle87, chayaruchama, and special guests debbbora and Leah from New York who spent the weekend in the lovely embrace of chaya were there.
Brunch was what it should be passionate perfumistas pontificating on personal preferences in perfumery. A lot of alliteration for a Monday, I know.
I love my Boston peeps but meeting debbora and Leah for the first time was a lovely treat.
Soon we finished eating and we headed into town for the reason we had all gotten together.
Neil Morris had all of his Vault fragrances out to be sniffed and the opportunity to finally say I've sniffed all of his catalog was perfect, for me.
I found two that worked amazingly on me; Spectral Violet and Dark Season.
The personal piece de resistance was Neil calling some of us over to premiere a new one. In the intro he mentioned that it was inspired by one of us and then he said because of my love of his use of narcissus in my favorites in his line he had created Patchouli Narcisse. I was floored but then I was swooning as this one was made for me because well I guess it was made for me.
Once again the narcissus sings on my skin but there is a black tea and dark fig to go with the narcissus that really make this awesome on my skin. Incredible afternoon of sniffing surrounded by my friends. The Holidays just don't get better.
Back to work today in something I just felt like wearing this morning.
Le Labo Rose 31
Cumin is one of the most controversial notes used in perfume. Some people find it reminds them of sweat and it turns them off immediately. I am in the spice loving camp and because I grew up around Cubans, who use cumin liberally in their style of cooking, I have a different olfactory relationship with cumin.
The 2006 release by Daphne Bugey for Le Labo, Rose 31 is one of my favorite cumin fragrances. If you're wondering why a fragrance named Rose 31 is a cumin fragrance, welcome to the rabbit hole that is Le Labo where the titular note is not always the most dominant note and in this case is just one of 31 ingredients. Mme. Bugey has created a spicy incense laden fragrance that just happens to have some rose in it.
The top of Rose 31 begins with that cumin note right out in front and it is rich and gorgeous. Mme. Bugey chooses to flank the dirty cumin with two of the cleaner wood notes available to aperfumer of cedar and guaiac. I feel this has the effect of keeping the cumin more balanced and less likely to remind one of sweat and more likely to keep it on the spice side of things. Of course that expereince will be different for everyone. Incense joins the cumin and woods to make the top of Rose 31 a beautiful beginning to my nose. The heart opens with the green rose aspect of cistus before the full spicy rose accord begins to predominate. Just as the rose begins to feel safe Mme. Bugey takes another sharp turn as a very medicinal oud appears followed by vetiver and musk. Just as in the top the flanking notes keep the oud from getting to be too much and dominating the final phase of development.
Rose 31 has excellent longevity and sillage on me.
Rose 31 is probably Le Labo's most complete fragrance and all 31 ingredients add up to one spectacular experience.
Have a Magnificent Monday everyone.
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I can hardly wait! I've got some recreational reading prepared as well, "Jitterbug Perfume" rec. by Sloan, "The Perfect Scent" rec. by SMM, and "The Gospel According to Chanel" - my own pick!
Afterall, look at my user name! Of course, it is after my cat, but my cat was named after the instrument - and the mellow, calming beauty it produces and the mood it evokes.
