Part 2: La Via del Profumo's samples -- Impressions (Aiona's Group, Pkg 2)

[Asha]

Aiona's package: (see separate thread)
Single notes: karo karounde, bergamot essential oil, civet tincture
Scents of the Soul: Morning Blossom, Holy Water, Rose des Bois, African Queen Pink Panther

Asha's package:
Single notes: castoreum
Scents of the Soul: Bazaar, African Night, Mona Lisa, Persona, African Queen Black Panther

------

This past Monday I picked up profumo's second sample package from the post office. I sent out the US packages, and some have already received them. I will be sending the international packages tomorrow. I have not yet sampled this latest batch, but since three of us now have the samples, I think we can get started!

[Nostalgie]

HI,e veryone, I sent a few PMs about this but just want to let everyone know NOT to have be in charge of a package in the month of March. I'm in the 8-person list, so put me toward the end. I am travelloing and will be out of the country so would slow down the testing.

Do continue to send me samples. My husband will get the the mail so they will not sit out in the heat or cold.


More on the new samples soon. I love this set--but have tested them all at once in my impatience so I need to think and sort things out.

Initial impressions: who knew I loved castoreum? Now I know it. Adore it. Want it in all my scents. I had never smelled it before and was braced to smell urine or feces or skunk. Delicious. DOes this mean I am strange?

I would wear Mona Lisa anywhere, any time. It fades quickly on me, though. A rare case where tuberose doesn't knock me over. Lovely, soft.

Persona; Gorgeous. I love vetiver but often I find vetiver scents are too masculine or too strong to wear for anyone but. Delicious balance here.

African Nigh Starts out just a little sour and green then goes floral and a tad soapy.

African Queen Very dark, almost burnt. A rich, animal scent. I get a cat pee odor, that nonetheless, makes me keep smelling it.

BazaarSpicy in a sweet way--in there cinnamon here? It isn't the kind of spice I like best--a bit too foody and happy for me.

[Aiona]

BazaarSpicy in a sweet way--in there cinnamon here? It isn't the kind of spice I like best--a bit too foody and happy for me.

Bazaar: Definitely cinnamon. Definitely foody! That must be why I like it so!! There's also lots of incense, I think.

Tonight I'm sampling African Queen Black Panther. It kind of accidentally exploded into my hand. I didn't realize there was a lot of liquid just under the cap, so a lot just squished out when I opened it, and then mixed with the scent of the Bath and Body Works Midnight Pomegranate soap (a gift from my former landlady) scent of my hands. So, I *STILL* can't smell the karo karounde in this. I can pretend I do, but my nose just isn't good enough to tease it away from everything else.

I did however decide to re-sample African Queen Pink Panther on the other arm, and *NOW* I *can* smell the mandarin! It smells like Smarties -- not the UK chocolate candy like M&M's but the US-Canadian Smarties that are little pastel-coloured fruity-flavored sour things. The mandarin though, when mixed with everything else, is what makes it smell like fish to me!

Both of these versions of African Queen are very weird. I still can't say I like them. African Queen Black Panther is unadulterated strangeness. Along the lines of Muscs Kublai Khan, but see, MKK dries down to something very soft and yummy. African Queen Black Panther does not. It stays weird. Almost like a certain type of body odor. Everyone smells different, but this one smells like certain people I've encountered, but not me! It doesn't smell like nether parts though; it smells like upper parts, if that makes any sense! It's not cumin-y. It's just. . . strange.

[Asha]

Testing on coffee filters tonight...

Bazaar:
First smelled non-descript spice with citrus. Then the spice developed into a rather overt cardamom, one of my favorite spices. In this fragrance, the cardamom takes on a slight menthol/camphor quality, similar to how some evergreens smell. Further on, I start to smell some cinnamon, but it is very subtle and blends well with the cardamom. I am not sure I am drawn to this one--the spices turn bitter at one point toward the end, with a slight off-note that is almost like the late drydown of grapefruit. However, there is a pleasant dry woody note that I like very much, and it really mellows the spices in the late drydown.

African Night:
On first spray, I smelled jasmine, the kind I used to have growing outside my house in northern California. I think it is actually Night Jasmine, and the scent was always stronger after twilight. The jasmine fades to reveal ylang ylang, and it has the typical lemon-woody on the verge of furniture polish smell that I associate with this essence. The floral combination is rather intoxicating and also gives a sense of calm. I am not sure if there is actually spice in this fragrance, but I do smell a little bit of clove. Some flower essences such as carnation give this effect. Very pretty, and the floral accord seems to last a long time. I really love the softly spicy drydown.

African Queen Black Panther:
Ok, I get gasoline again! At first, I thought I recognized karo karounde from the last round of samples. But within minutes, the gasoline note emerged and I must say, it smells like a combination of the fumes I smell at the gas pump with some really ripe fruit and body odor. Really severe body odor, I might add. Once this fades, I get the lovely overripe fruit note of the drydown stages of karo karounde.

Mona Lisa:
Beautiful citrus accord on top that reminds me very much of petitgrain which is woody, fruity and fresh. It becomes creamy almost right away, not like the sweet orange-cream of ice cream, candy or soda, but creamy like a soft, inedible vanilla with a faint tinge of orange. The label says it has tuberose. I am not sure I would recognize tuberose since I have never smelled it as a single note, but ML does start to develop a sort of chewy, almond-like note which is simultaneously sweet and bitter. This is something I can take very deep inhalations of--I sure wish it were a bit stronger and longer lasting! I think of all the almond-like fragrances on the market, and this blows them all away.

Persona:
Bergamot and lemon at first, green aromatic citrus turning to juicy citrus. The label says it contains frankincense, so I am sure that is where most of the lemon is coming from. There is a woody, watery smell, and although the label says it has vetiver, so far this is not a vetiver I recognize. There are so many varieties, so it could be this is one I have not smelled before. The scent moves into a sort of "fresh" accord without being aquatic or ozonic. The pine-like side of the frankincense makes it seem very cool, also. This one gives me a tickle in my throat--could be a sensitivity for me.

Castoreum:
Urine, wet cardboard, feces at first. When it dries, it turns more sweet but has a slightly dry, astringent edge--gorgeous. Surprisingly, it has a similar antiseptic note to the synthetic castoreum I have smelled. Real castoreum smells much more floral to my nose, and the antiseptic note seems more herbal rather than like "band-aid". Later, it takes on more of the familiar leather quality I expected from the start, but at the same time has a sort of tropical flower quality to it. I wonder if Shalimar ever had real castoreum and civet in it?

[Asha]

Another quick impression:

I tried Mona Lisa on skin, and the civet note really blossoms more than on paper. I recognize the tuberose now--I have smelled this same note in Fracas, Carnal Flower, etc. It is so subtle in Mona Lisa, and I agree with Nostagie, it is not overpowering at all. It is a close to the skin scent, very personal. I love how the civet turns creamy and how it carries the tuberose and citrus into the drydown. Later, I get the almond-like scent that I smelled on the paper.

[Aiona]

More on African Queen Black Panther:

It faded quickly on me. Could it be because of the soap I used? I dunno. But it was pretty much gone in about 3 hours. Maybe it's because it was from a dabber, versus a spray, cuz Rose des Bois lasted For*EVER* on me.

There are certain types of people who I think could and would wear this perfume. And the one word I could use to describe them is kiasu. For those that know this word, I know that might seem like an insult. But it's not. I never felt that kiasu is a bad word. I've been called kiasu before. To me, this is a perfume for someone who doesn't give a *bleeping* *bleep* what anyone thinks about what they do. They do things because they know it's gotta be done. It's not a fear of losing out, or being greedy. No, it's a drive for success (whatever their ideas of success are). Anyway. That's how I feel about African Queen Black Panther. It's a scent for someone who just doesn't give a *bleep*.

And though I used to be quite kiasu in my day, since moving to the countryside, I've mellowed out a lot. And so, this perfume totally doesn't fit me anymore. And I had to go and liberally spray "something else" on me after I realized it had faded away.

[purplebird7]

Thanks, Aiona, for the apt descriptions. Enjoyed reading them.

[Profumo]

I would wear Mona Lisa anywhere, any time. It fades quickly on me, though. A rare case where tuberose doesn't knock me over. Lovely, soft.

Aiona, just try it on your hair about a quarter of a vial which is like 5 or 6 sprayings. Then let us know what hapens. As a scientific curiosity of course.

[arwen_elf]

Mona Lisa is the first fragrance from this new batch that I am giving a full wearing. I can smell the mandarine, but not the tuberose. I think the purpose of the tuberose is to soften the civet. I am surprised that this perfume does not last long. I would think that the civet anchors the fragrance, but I have applied twice and it is there, but very close to the skin. It is very beautiful, I put some on my hair but I can barely smell it.

[Asha]

(cross posted from SotD)

Mona Lisa

Notes: Mandarine, Tuberose, Civet

On first application (dabber sample), Mona Lisa smells of citrus and cream. The citrus is listed as mandarine in the notes, and indeed it does have an "orange with and edge" quality about it. It is not as sweet as orange, and is slightly more woody and bitter. The creamyness comes form the civet which is mostly in the base at the start of the development. Soon after the fragrance dries, the mandarine becomes quite a bit more green, and this is facilitated by the emergence of the tuberose note. I have never smelled tuberose in isolation, nor have I smelled the actual plant. My only other exposure to this note has been in other fragrances such as Piguet Fracas and Malle's Carnal Flower. Mona Lisa's tuberose seems more dirty in comparison, and it is almost smoky, with hints of slightly musty wet cardboard and bitter almond. The natural civet seems to play an important role, giving the tuberose and mandarine some hefty substance without weighing down the delicate top and mid notes.

Mona Lisa develops very rapidly and wears close to the body. It is mostly a skin scent after about two hours. It is amazing how minimal natural ingredients of high quality can have such complexity. In a way, I am at a loss for how to describe such fragrances--I smell mandarine, I smell civet, I smell tuberose. However, there is a synergy that occurs in this and most of the other perfumes I have tried from this house. I smell all the ingredients, but I also smell the whole composition which shifts to emphasize one or two of the component ingredients. Surprisingly, the mandarine stays strong for most of the development. The tuberose comes and goes, and moves from indolic floral to a bitter and sweet nuttyness. The civet, of course, remains to the end, and is a beautiful finish, soft, creamy and musky.

[Profumo]

(cross posted from SotD)

Mona Lisa

Notes: Mandarine, Tuberose, Civet
. It is amazing how minimal natural ingredients of high quality can have such complexity. In a way,

Asha, the 3 ingredients in the notes are only the accord, there is more to it, for instance the almond scent in the bottom comes from Tonka. I am just thinking to add something to make it last longer, because longevity has been an issue also for the person for whom it was made. In that case, someday, I shall present it to the apreciated valutation of this expert board, especially to you who seem to like it a lot.

[Aiona]

Mona Lisa
I totally agree with you guys. The mandarin is so inviting. I put a dab on a lock of hair, and was entranced. I'm not so sure I like the rest of it as much. At first, the civet is pretty overwhelming to me. And then later, mixed with the mandarin, it becomes that strange fishy-smell again, that I get from African Queen Pink Panther. It's amazing though, to me, how the civet blends into it, and becomes less stanky. Smoother. Changes in the drydown. I can't say I'm fond of it on skin. It's that opening note I like the most. And that doesn't last very long. The civet really does anchor the mandarin and make it last though, doesn't it!

Edit: Make me eat my words. The drydown is very vegetal. I'm liking it more. But, I am an impatient person. I like my smells yummy and I like them now.
Edit: Three hours later, I can still smell it. It's close to the skin, really. But the vanilla comes out more, then. I'm amazed how changeable this is. I like it. I don't like it. I like it. Maybe *I* am the one that is changeable.

Castoreum
Another "challenging" scent for me. Again, stuff squished out of the vial, accidentally getting all over my fingers. But then, I managed to dab some of it on my arm. Woo-ee!!! To be quite frank, this smells like the mink we dissected in high school, dipped in butterscotch ice cream topping. Both vomitous and delicious at the same time. This is in Bandit, isn't it.

[Asha]

Aiona, regarding that fishy smell in Mona Lisa--I was thinking about how the fragrance develops after I posted. It does have a stage when it is weird and funky--late middle drydown. I don't smell fish, but I do smell rotting flowers and overripe fruit. It has a quality similar to mushy nectarines which are a combination of mandarine and peach to my nose. I also can imagine some exotic fruit which does not exist but somehow is created in my mind by this scent.

Salaam, to answer your questions, so far, Mona Lisa is my favorite of this batch, although I have yet to try all of the fragrances on skin. However, I am completely blown away by Morning Blossom from the first batch. Morning Blossom has set the standard for me, so far.

Also, thank you for the clarification about the notes--it makes sense that there are other ingredients, although I know that some of your scents are indeed very minimal. I am actually not very good at identifying more than a few key ingredients, anyway. Often the ingredients combine to give effects which are so seamless, they can't be attributed to a single source when I smell them. It would be similar to me identifying a particular paint pigment that was mixed to give a desired color in a painting--not likely

[purplebird7]

Yes, you are right.
Even the synthetic castoreum I smelled last summer reminded me of when I was a child and we used to visit my father's friend, a furrier.
The factory and all the coats had an aroma of castoreum.
The first time I sniffed that substance straight, I saw a pelt in my mind.

Also, since the Note Identification Project, I realize how difficult the task of the natural perfumer is. Like you say, each note, by itself, is complex. It takes a good nose to choose just the right few ingredients for the composition. Without self-control (and good measuring devices) the entire perfume could be ruined by adding one more component in too great an amount.

[Asha]

Profumo Persona

I applied this from a dabber sample. At first I smell bergamot, the same gorgeous bergamot I have smelled in Morning Blossom--sharp, juicy, green, woody and peppery. Persona has a touch of smoky tar beneath the surface, and it will be interesting to see how that develops. As with Holy Water, there is an watery quality to Persona as well--this is something I am having trouble putting my finger on. The wateryness eventually fades as the bergamot dissipates, and Persona becomes much more woody. The smokyness is also more prominent, and it smells like myrrh to my nose. The woody note smells vaguely of cedar. The cedar note is lovely and smells of old cedar chests rather than pencil shavings. There is a lemony quality that accompanies the cedar. It could be a separate wood note such as rosewood, but cedar itself also can have a slight lemony scent. Also, a faint floral note comes forward at this time, but I can't distinguish what it is. As the fragrance develops, the cedar becomes more strong, and starts to take on a creamy, sweet quality in the drydown. I think Persona must also have some sandalwood in it, mellowing the cedar note. Very nice!

[Profumo]

Profumo Persona
I think Persona must also have some sandalwood in it, mellowing the cedar note. Very nice!

Dear Asha, in these times of crisis, again the heavenly aroma of Neroli has won your heart. There is also Sandalwood, because I use it in my oakmoss compound. There is no Bergamot but instead Petit grain from lemon tree, which is much more long lasting. You can seebelow the brief that I received for this bespoke perfume, it will enlighten you about the structure of the fragrance:

" 3 principal essences:
Vetiver, frankincence, Neroli

7 more
Jasmine
Cedar wood
Tobacco
Benzoin
Petit grain from lemon tree
Clove buds
Oak Moss

Name of the perfume: Persona

Hello, I love Vetiver Fragrances (my favourites being: Guerlain, Givenchy, Encre Noir and many more).
I imagine a rather masculine fragrance moving around vetiver but without vetiver overpowering.
A memory I love: Smelling the skin on my hand and forearms after two days of hiking in nature on a sunny summer day... salt, sun, hay, wet earth, dry rocks, dew, and lots of green smells... Please be careful with the Neroli. Maybe the Jasmine could play a similar part.
I don't mind at all if you add notes or leave some out.
Thank you very much! Tobias."

[Asha]

Adding some thoughts--I am finally smelling vetiver in Persona. I should have looked at the notes: Vetiver, Frankincense, Neroli! Vetiver definitely can account for that lemony scent that I started smelling with the woody note.

And, I just saw your post, Salaam--here I was coming to write as soon as I noticed the vetiver in the drydown

[L'Aventurier]

However, I am completely blown away by Morning Blossom from the first batch. Morning Blossom has set the standard for me, so far.

I'm there with you Asha. After a full wearing, Morning Blossom was also my favorite from the 1st set of samples. There is a calming quality to Morning Blossom, almost like looking at a blue sky with patches of white clouds. I even associate the smell with the color blue. So clean, calm and fresh. I'm guessing it's the lavender and neroli that make it so relaxing. I almost feel that the name Morning Blossom doesn't do it descriptive justice. Profumo, are you planning to add this to your Scents of the Soul?

[Asha]

I **liberally** applied profumo's civet tincture and castoreum to parts of one arm...and on the other have applied vintage Jean Desprez Bal a Versailles parfum. BaV and vintage Shalimar extrait are the most skanky animalic fragrances I have come across (even more than Jicky with its huge dose of civet). There is a small chance that the vintage fragrances can have real animalics, so I wanted to try it out.

So far, the overdose of civet still smells very much like mothballs--it is the same mothball note I smell with synthetic civet in Jicky. As I have noticed in Mona Lisa and also when I tested civet on paper, the civet eventually settles down into a lovely soft and sweet scent. I was thinking this is what I would also smell in BaV...but I think this is not the whole story.

The spot of castoreum likewise has a rough beginning, but rather quickly mellows to be sweet, slightly tarry and antiseptic. Again, I have smelled something similar in castoreum-heavy scents such as Dzing!, but the natural castoreum is much smoother. I think it is a combination of civet and castoreum I smell in BaV. Of course, there are other notes such as aldehydes and florals, but the animalics in this vintage juice are far more smooth than the newer EdC I own, and in which I also recognize castoreum and civet (synthetic).

Interesting exercise so far!

Side note, I smell root beer in castoreum if I waft it from further away.

[mbanderson61]

Due to illness over the last few days, I have had to be very careful with scents, as they either smell altered or make me nauseous. Interestingly, two of these have not had this effect on me. Bazaar, with its slightly resinous spiciness and Persona, which could not be more different than the former!

I think that the mild cinnamon/cardamom aspect of Bazaar is soothing to my very upset stomach, but not so sweet that it makes me feel ill again. I do not find it foody per se, just spicy and comforting. I'm not at my best, so picking out notes is beyond me today!

Persona had a cleansing effect when I dabbed it on. The combination of vetiver and neroli created a slightly warm woody, grassy, green blend that I found refreshing and calming. Again, I wish that I could say more, but I'm having trouble with descriptions in my current state!

[Profumo]

I'm there with you Asha. After a full wearing, Morning Blossom was also my favorite from the 1st set of samples. There is a calming quality to Morning Blossom, almost like looking at a blue sky with patches of white clouds. I even associate the smell with the color blue. So clean, calm and fresh. I'm guessing it's the lavender and neroli that make it so relaxing. I almost feel that the name Morning Blossom doesn't do it descriptive justice. Profumo, are you planning to add this to your Scents of the Soul?

"Peace Blossom" would be better for you, l'Aventurier?
It is already a scent of the soul, how could I not add it to the collection when this expert board has given to it such a warm welcome.

[mbanderson61]

Testing on coffee filters tonight...


African Night:
On first spray, I smelled jasmine, the kind I used to have growing outside my house in northern California. I think it is actually Night Jasmine, and the scent was always stronger after twilight. The jasmine fades to reveal ylang ylang, and it has the typical lemon-woody on the verge of furniture polish smell that I associate with this essence. The floral combination is rather intoxicating and also gives a sense of calm. I am not sure if there is actually spice in this fragrance, but I do smell a little bit of clove. Some flower essences such as carnation give this effect. Very pretty, and the floral accord seems to last a long time. I really love the softly spicy drydown.

Testing African Night and I appreciate having Asha's impressions. I keep smelling a citrus, wood, floral accord and only when I read the above did I get the association to furniture polish. It's not quite that strong of course! I don't know whether it is the ylang ylang or whether it is a combination of wood and citrus notes. Curious to find out!

[Aiona]

After a full wearing, Morning Blossom was also my favorite from the 1st set of samples. There is a calming quality to Morning Blossom, almost like looking at a blue sky with patches of white clouds. I even associate the smell with the color blue. So clean, calm and fresh. I'm guessing it's the lavender and neroli that make it so relaxing.

Yes, lavender! That's what I'm smelling!

I tried Persona tonight, and the neroli in it made me think of Morning Blossom, so I had to try them both side by side. It's like yin and yang.

Morning Blossom has the lavender and neroli.
Persona has the frankincense and neroli.
I like neroli. . . . but I prefer the lavender over the frankincense, as it is brighter. Persona makes me feel like a evening blossom, as opposed to a morning blossom. As for Tobias' wishes. . . the frankincense + neroli almost smells like pine. So, I hope he agrees this smells like post-hike pine resin on one's clothes.

[t-box]

Hello everybody,

I am the one who gave the brief for Persona. I am very happy to read you discussing the fragrance! I do not have samples of the other new fragrances and so cannot say anything about them. Even though I am very curious about them.
I have spent some time with Persona now and like it very much. My special thanks go to Profumo!

For me Persona is indeed a very personal fragrance. But rather in a sense of reflection than identification. It already has become good company like other things in life that give us a sense of continuity: Places, things we collect, memories and dreams that return. And smells of course. But Persona does not remind me of a certain smell I know but rather it is like evoking all the places and smells I would like to go back to. In this sense the brief has not exactly been met but the Persona that came out is more true so.

For me the incense is the most prominent note in Persona. It reminds me of Russia and a number of films be Andrei Tarkovski. I think of two spiritual and at the same time adventurous characters: The medieval painter Andrei Rublov and the smuggler and guide in the science fiction film Stalker (please see the image I have attached).

Persona is a very unique scent but at certain stages in its development it reminds me of Guerlain Vetiver (the citrus and vetiver) and then later CdG Zagorsk. I made some test runs and it is interesting how they move around each other without touching. I would really like to see now how Persona relates to Morning Blossom!
So a lot of thanks again to all of you, I am curious to see how the thread develops!

[Aiona]

For me the incense is the most prominent note in Persona. It reminds me of Russia and a number of films be Andrei Tarkovski. I think of two spiritual and at the same time adventurous characters: The medieval painter Andrei Rublov and the smuggler and guide in the science fiction film Stalker (please see the image I have attached).

Persona is a very unique scent but at certain stages in its development it reminds me of Guerlain Vetiver (the citrus and vetiver) and then later CdG Zagorsk. I made some test runs and it is interesting how they move around each other without touching. I would really like to see now how Persona relates to Morning Blossom!

Hi, Tobias! Thanks for chiming in! I really like seeing how a fragrance was developed, as it is always such an interesting story. I think I tried CdG Zagorsk once, but I don't remember getting neroli out of it. I definitely enjoy Persona more, and like you, I also feel that the incense is the most prominent note. And I have a better handle on what is frankincense from this scent. Frankincense makes me pensive, which is perhaps why I say this more "evening blossom" than morning blossom to me. Lavender definitely wakes me up. (although I've seen aromatherapy stuffs that say to use lavender for sleeping. . . that doesn't work for me.)

[arwen_elf]

Hello t-box!
Thank you for sharing with us your relationshio and impressions about Persona. I wore it to work today and I enjoyed it very much. I could not discern the neroli note, it added sweetness to the composition, which otherwise would have been dry and smoky. At first I thought it was.mandarin or petit grain. To me this fragrance is equally dominated by Vetiver and the incense, which I could smell from start to finish. It lasted for about 7 hours. Although I think there are other supporting notes, I am not able to figure out what they are.

I tried Bazaar yesterday. It starts very green and spicy. Asha mentioned that one of the top notes is cardamon. Sadly, I don't know what cardamon smells like. I can distinctly smell cinammon from top tp base and something very green.I could have sworn it was vetyver, but it may be something else. Does it have oak moss in the base? Either that or a bit of patchouli makes this a very green chypre.

So far my favorite of this batch is Persona, but I still have two more to try: African Night and the unsweetened African Queen.

[Nostalgie]

I am just thinking to add something to make it last longer, because longevity has been an issue also for the person for whom it was made. In that case, someday, I shall present it to the apreciated valutation of this expert board, especially to you who seem to like it a lot.

I wanted to add to my initial comments that both Persona and Bazaar lasted a long time on my skin.

A longer lasting version of Mona Lisa would be wonderful. It disappeared very quickly (in about 45 mn), but i do love it.

I also love persona, and enjoyed catching whiffs of it all day on my skin.

I was surpised that African Queen Black Panther did not last longer, since it was SO pungent.

[Profumo]

A longer lasting version of Mona Lisa would be wonderful. It disappeared very quickly (in about 45 mn), but i do love it.

Longevity is not easy to achieve in a perfume because it has to do with skin chemistry. It is difficult to find essences that last longer than those used in Mona Lisa; Civet Tuberose, Ambrette, Tonka. It seems that your skin loves to drink the cocktel.
The fact is also that you have only a small vial to dab, a spray makes things very different.
I wear Mona Lisa with pleasure, I find it comforting, sensual and reassuring. I spray it on my neck and I smell it for 3 or 4 hours, but my cloth remains perfumed for several days after application. Surprisingly, the Mandarin which is by itself very short lived, is clearly distinguishable even after days.
I shall make a mini spray version available online.

[Profumo]

For those who want to join the trip, I have made the samples discussed available at: http://www.profumo.it/perfume/prodotti_outsiders.asp
The new fragrances that I shall send to the samling groups will be regularly uploaded at this page with a timing that will allow new members to participate in the discussions.

[L'Aventurier]

"Peace Blossom" would be better for you, l'Aventurier?

Peace Blossom sounds nice

[Aiona]

Today, I sampled African Night. I love love love the opening. But. It ends so quickly! And at the end of the day, I can smell it, if I get really close to my arm and sniff. But. I'm so spoiled I guess by synthetics that last forever and ever, and which project like a bloated cow on a catapult.

I never thought I'd say this, but I want my scents to project. A little. Not a lot. Not to precede me into a room, but just to waft around me in a cloud. A cloud of Aiona. But, see, African Night flares brightly for a few minutes and then, like a flare, it simmers and then just kind of hides under my sweater.

Of all the scents I've tried so far, I like Rose des Bois the most, and I don't know whether it's by coincidence or not, but it also lasts the longest on me (all day), and projects the most. Not *too* much. Just enough that I don't have to do the Basenotes salute when I want to catch a whiff of it on me.

My second favorite so far is Morning Blossom. Love love love love that neroli. But again, whether it's simply the nature of natural neroli or whatever, it is so fleeting. Big burst of beautiful smell, and then I have to get up close and personal with my arm to even tell that anything is there.

Rose des Bois meets all my criteria though. Is it really supposed to remind someone of someone matronly? Geez! I mean I know I have some big hips, but I'm not that motherly. Or am I?

[arwen_elf]

Aiona,

Do you think it has to do with environment or skin?
I have been wearing African Nights since 8:30 am, it is 4:30 pm and I can still smell it, although close to the skin. Around 2:00 pm somebody gave me a compliment.

The worst longevity I got was with Mona Lisa, and Morning Blossom secong. However, they both are very lovely.

I found African Nights very interesting, I can smell Jasmin and , what?, frankincense? I think there is some castoreum too, but not sure.

I tried some castoreum this morning. It smells like ink. Not bad, and not as pungent as civet.

[Aiona]

Aiona,

Do you think it has to do with environment or skin?

That's a good question. I do believe in "skin chemistry" although I have read here that a certain respected person does not. Maybe I should try Divatologist's special method.

The other possibility is that I enjoy Rose des Bois so much that I'm particularly sensitive to the notes, and can pick them up more easily because I'm looking for them.

[Asha]

arwen_elf, I think African Night might have some Ylang Ylang in it. I haven't revisited that one yet.

[Asha]

Today I wore Persona to work for the first time. Of all the fragrances we've tried so far, this one has had the best longevity and projection over an extended period. I really recognize the vetiver now that I have given it a second try. Having sampled quite a few commercial scents that were vetiver based, I really think this stands strong with all of them. t-box mentioned that it reminds him of Guerlain Vetiver in some stages. I suppose I agree, but Persona does not get nearly as soapy, nor do I smell the tobacco note. I do get the neroli note very late, more into the drydown. I caught whiffs of it after lunch and had not applied since morning.

I agree with the strong incense note, too...but one thing I have found with this type of vetiver (I think this is the Ruh Khus variety, which is the only type I have smelled in isolation), it really gets extremely smoky on its own. It also has a woody lemon note to it. These things mostly come out in the late stages of vetiver EO development, so the mandarine, petitgrain and frankincense really smooth out the lemon/citrus, woody and smoky effect by introducing these themes early on. Then, it is picked up again by the vetiver later.

I like how Persona is not a vetiver sledgehammer, if you know my meaning. It can easily get to be too much, so I appreciate its more subtle use here. I must admit, though, I prefer vetiver to be used in the way it comes out in No.19 or Mitsouko. I have yet to find my "holy grail", because I think what I really want from vetiver is the nutty top note. This part just does not last!

[Profumo]

Aiona,

I found African Nights very interesting, I can smell Jasmin and , what?, frankincense? I think there is some castoreum too, but not sure.

You are right Arwen, and that was difficult to see. There is some Castoreum in African Night.
Asha also is right, the central accord is Ylang Ylang, Rosewood and Grapefruit with a secret heart of Rose absolute.

[helg]

I am rather late in this and haven't read everyone's comments yet, but I have to say that Mona Lisa is an amazing perfume!
It doesn't really segregate into billows and notes, but has a very amalgamated feel about it, very smooth, very soft,very feminine, the civet-animalic feel is so powdery soft it gives a soft-focus effect to all the other notes and the florals especially. You can't pin point it as a tuberose scent for sure and that;s a plus as too often tuberose scents are so focused on tuberose they become like a stage performance where only the central diva is noteworthy and all the others are in attendance. Here one has trouble seeing it predominate and it blends seamlessly and delicately. I would think that there was actually a tinctured alcohol with tuberose and civet in use for the composition and the rest of the ingredients are married to it through osmosis.
I had no trouble of discerning it on my wrists for quite some time, some coumarinic and almost powdery trace left, very fetching! I found it quite lasting in fact for a natural perfume, although it does necessitate to come too close to detect it at that point, I have to lean over my wrists. (I do agree that Morning Blossom by its nature is quite fleeting though, but what a heavenly smell while it lasts, huh? Like a serene slice of heaven!)

Persona is also very interesting, a bit more masculine perhaps, more spiritual, less sensual-carnal-feminine, more celebral. At first I get the sweet-sour scent of frankincense tears, like the black eccelsiastical orthodox kind I have such happy memories of, but the ambience isn't smoky, it's as if you're smelling the imprint of the smoke on clothes and on carpets. There is some hesperidic touch, some fresh undercurrent beneath the clean, serene resinous quality. Strange and beautiful. Then I perceive the green grassiness-woodiness, I am guessing that there is some cedar in there, an earthy note of vetiver mingled with the woody, a little dirty like mosses are dirty in a sensuous way, it comes and goes, very discreet, and the sustained effect is nicely hazy and "there". I don't want to hazzard a guess as to how (more resins perhaps involved, I briefly get an almost cinnamic touch but it goes), but suffice to say it's quite lasting in itself too.

You are right Arwen, and that was difficult to see. There is some Castoreum in African Night.
Asha also is right, the central accord is Ylang Ylang, Rosewood and Grapefruit with a secret heart of Rose absolute.

I was just about to say that there is some note that reminds me of rose in there (I have problems with rose, alas) and then hesitated because it's so overtly white-floral and so night-time rampant with blossoms, but I guess rose absolute can't be hidden too much ;-)

[Asha]

Today I wore Bazaar on skin for the first time, and it was an all-day wearing.

This is undoubtedly a spicy fragrance from beginning to end. To my nose, the main spice seems to be cardamom--this spice smells like a combination of clove or cinnamon, pepper, allspice and a little bit of dry woodyness. I *think* I smell something floral in the top notes--it really reminds me of carnation, even though that note may not be used. I get the sense of a cool, crisp, dewy and spicy flower, all of which I associate with carnation. Sometimes an accord also seems carnation-like to me when it combines a mild rose (like tea rose) with clove. Either way, this floral note is fleeting and adds to the blend rather than dominating at any given time.

Soon after spraying, Bazaar becomes a woody spice scent. It is rather complex, and I must commend Profumo for the composition. I can't tell which wood, and I am only guessing the spice is cardamom. Whatever the spice, it has a pleasant biting edge. This is the same edge that was less tolerable in Rose de Bois, but here, the dry astringency works much better with the tannic wood accord.

Later, the woody spice blend seems to open up so that the notes become more distinguishable. I smell tobacco, sandalwood, vetiver, patchouli and cardamom. I am almost shocked at the sophisticated composition, because when I first sprayed it, Bazaar seemed so overwhemingly about spice. I thought spice would continue to eclipse everything else in the fragrance, but I am happy I was wrong! The drydown is inviting, colorful, and very warming. Now it is 12 hours later, and I still smell it quite easily. It still has a bit of spice, but now is mostly creamy, woody sandalwood, smoky vetiver, peppery, earthy patchouli and powdery vanilla.

[Sugandaraja]

Is it too late or can I still review the batch one samples? I receive mine later than others, but I'd only just started going through them when activity switched to the new thread.

Tried castoreum yesterday - a BIG surprise, as it smells nothing like I thought it did! This is that weird smoky note I've smelled in some fragrances, both salty, smoky, oddly buttery and slightly root beer-ish. I definitely recognize this from some leather fragrances, especially the Cuir De Russie variety.

I also now know an archetypal castoreum fragrance - Incense Noir. That stuff smells nearly entirely of castoreum, in all its smoky glory! I also suspect CdG Tar, Kolnisch Juchten and Lonestar Memories contain a big dollop.

My mother cannot stand this fragrance. Says it smells like an old suitcase!

[Asha]

Galamb_Borong...yes, there is a bit of a lag. Please do revive the old thread for your impressions on batch one. I have been doing the same--batch one posts I put in the first thread and batch two posts I put in this one.

[L'Aventurier]

I got my package this afternoon Here are my first thoughts on the 6 fragrances of this package. I particularly enjoyed this one. As usual, I spazzed out and tested everything at once, so I used coffee filters to keep each fragrance seperate from the others.


African Night:

Really like this one. The primary notes to my nose are jasmine and ylang ylang. A little bit of lemony undertones. I see this one as unisex. Reminds me of Manoumalia by Les Nez, but more interesting and a little less feminine.

Bazaar: Cinnamon, green cardamom and sandalwood. More masculine than feminine, this one has a lot of character. A youthful spicy scent that doesn’t smell foody. I like this one a lot too. I can picture this one as a classy scent of the 80s, but it is way too natural smelling for it to have been mainstream. My favorite part is the extraordinary, dry incense/woody drydown. Prufumo, what is this amazing woody basenote I am smelling? It smells to me like a smoky cedar, but I could be wrong.

Castoreum: Hey! This really does smell like leather, in the best way. I’m surprised at how complex this smells as a single note. It almost has floral undertone. I don’t detect anything fecal in this one, however it is very animalic, without smelling like body odour. Cool stuff. While synthetic Civet smells nothing like the real kind to me, this natural Castoreum smells like the cooler cousin of synthetic Castoreum.

Persona: I can easily see this as being someone’s signature cologne. Mossy green with vetiver and neroli on the front stage. Very distinct, but also smells reminiscent of Guerlain’s vetiver in the opening notes (without the prominent tobacco). As it dries down it turns into a fresh and citrusy neroli, with a little less vetiver standing out. I clearly detect some of the DNA from Holy Water/Morning Blossom in this, but there is much less prickly citrus (although I am still smelling some bergamot). I would like to get more incense from this like T-Box does, but I still have not tried it on my skin. Hmmm, Profumo, I’ll have to ask you to make me my own custom fragrance some day.

Mona Lisa: I especially like the tuberose in this – it gives it a sexy quality. Like Asha, I also get the creamy almond feeling, and a mothball quality from the civet. It dries down to soapy kind of scent. I’m not a fan of the civet in this, as I’m turned off a bit by the fecal undertones, but as time goes on, somehow the civet blends in and no longer smells fecal – this is my favorite stage and is very enjoyable (it starts to get creamy and almondy). I can, however, see how the civet grounds the fragrance and makes everything work together. This one reminds me a bit of my late grandmother, God rest her soul.

African Queen Black Panther: Now this is the stuff! This one doesn’t mess around – it’s very crisp and intriguing to me, with that sweat/pee note standing out even more. It doesn’t smell like pee per se, but more like minty fresh sweat… It’s hard for me to put into words without making it sound like it smells bad, which it doesn’t – I actually really enjoy this. It’s off-putting but in a good way. I get the famous Karo Karounde note only into the drydown, where it ceases to be as fresh and sweaty and becomes more of a comforting skin scent. Whereas African Queen Pink Panther was nice, this is a full-on head turner. Any woman who wore this would immediately catch my attention.

Profumo, I see what you meant when you named this African Queen, the name suits it perfectly. Very unique, but at that, I have a hard time matching this to someone I know.

Asha, I am finally getting a little bit of that gasoline vibe from this, but only if I use my imagination.

Aiona, I totally agree with you that this is for people who don’t give a bleep!


Overall, I enjoyed Bazaar the most and Mona Lisa the least, but my opinions will surely change when I try everything on my skin. The castoreum was a great learning experience – what a wonderful ingredient.

[purplebird7]

Really good analyses, people.
I'm still following along.

[L'Aventurier]

Since my whole family was here for supper tonight, I got everyone to smell African Queen Black Panther, the civet tincture, the castoreum tincture and Mona Lisa.

My sister reluctantly said that AQBP smelled like kitty litter (she didn't want to offend me since she thought it my new favorite cologne!). My mother said it smelled familiar but couldn't put her finger on it, then my dad said it smelled like pee. I guess the consensus is pee! Everyone was intrigued that this wasn't made with pee lol. An acquired taste I suppose.

I'll skip the civet testing details and just say that no one liked it. The interesting part about the civet though, was that everyone really liked Mona Lisa, even though there is civet in it! After I broke the truth to them about the civet in it, they agreed that minute amounts of animalic musk, even civet, which they didn't like on its own, can breathe life into a perfume.

As for the castoreum, everyone loved it too. My sister couldn't believe how something that smells so good can come from a beaver's musk gland.

[Sugandaraja]

I'm a bit slower than the rest of my fellow reviewers here, so forgive the lag!

African Night is an interesting fragrance, VERY strong on the Cananga to the point of harshness, but mellows down in the drydown to the point where a pleasing cinnamon note emerges. The Jasmine adds sweetness and a kind of fruitiness I've come to expect from jasmine fragrances.

All in all a very bold and unusual floral, but too harsh for my tastes.

[moltening]

Castoreum
To be quite frank, this smells like the mink we dissected in high school, dipped in butterscotch ice cream topping..

I had forgotten about the dissection lab we had to do back in high school Biology till I read that... and now that I come to think of it since you mentioned it, I have to agree -- but only partially. Underneath that, I found it to be surprisingly complex -- kind of like furry leather drenched in buttery salts.

I find this batch to be much more easier to wear than the earlier one! I am liking Persona and Bazaar, and will come back later with proper reviews! (Will use as tomorrow's SOTD!)

[Profumo]

African Queen Black Panther: Now this is the stuff! This one doesn’t mess around – it’s very crisp and intriguing to me, with that sweat/pee note standing out even more. It doesn’t smell like pee per se, but more like minty fresh sweat… It’s hard for me to put into words without making it sound like it smells bad, which it doesn’t – I actually really enjoy this. It’s off-putting but in a good way. I get the famous Karo Karounde note only into the drydown, where it ceases to be as fresh and sweaty and becomes more of a comforting skin scent. Whereas African Queen Pink Panther was nice, this is a full-on head turner. Any woman who wore this would immediately catch my attention.

Profumo, I see what you meant when you named this African Queen, the name suits it perfectly. Very unique, but at that, I have a hard time matching this to someone I know.

Asha, I am finally getting a little bit of that gasoline vibe from this, but only if I use my imagination.

Aiona, I totally agree with you that this is for people who don’t give a bleep!

Dear Aventurier, in fact I imagined the perfume first, intending to make it on the theme of Buchu and Karo Karoundé. The Buchu is so wild and weird, and Karo Karoundé so rich and heavy floral, both "botanical animalic" and therefore hormonal scents, both from Africa, so the name came together with the idea. African Queen.
I added only African essences, trying to reproduce the spycy smell of African people, so dear to my heart. Cumin, Civet, Sandalwood ecc...
I knew from the beginning that this was to be a perfume for VERY few. I love it, I am fascinated by it, stunned by it, and I also wear it if I do not have to meet people, or if I want to be weird. I am of those wo do not give a bleep, although I have learned to give more than a bleep when it is right to do so.

[Asha]

I wore Bazaar again on Wednesday...and then today I wore Chanel Egoiste. Now I am thinking the drydowns may be quite a bit more similar than I previously thought. And the nice thing about Bazaar--it does not have the phantom hairspray note that I often get with some orientals that have synthetic notes. (Yes, I do smell it a bit in Egoiste, but it does fade after a while).

[Quarry]

Castoreum -- I love how often Profumo scents put me at a farm where life is quiet and the people gentle and hippy-like. So it is with Castoreum. In this setting I find that the barn is wooden and old, haunted by the scent of sweet, dry hay. I can almost feel the the bristly hide of a horse or cow as I reach to pet its barreled ribcage. There are well-worn leather harnesses strewn over rough-sawn stall dividers. In the distance someone is collecting applewood to start a smoker. All this imagery makes me want to laze away the day, lying on the sunny side of a hill, slicked down with long, dried grasses, while chewing on a stem of straw and looking for animal shapes in the clouds.

[Asha]

This afternoon I am trying African Night on skin for the first time. On the coffee filter, it smelled mostly floral and was a rather soothing scent. On my skin, I still can detect the jasmine and ylang ylang quite strongly. However, on skin I smell a gasoline note, somewhat like what I found in the two African Queen fragrances, but not quite as overpowering. There is definitely an animalic tone which I didn't find to be as forward on the blotter. I do not feel nearly as calmed with this fragrance now, probably because the gasoline note, while greatly subdued compared to African Queen, is a bit offputting. As the fragrance starts to dry, I smell a hint of spice, nice and soft, somewhat like the clove note from a carnation.

This fragrance really comes on strong in the top notes, but settles quickly. I sort of feel like I can't even get in the door with it, though. I hope I did not find another note that I am hyperosmic to!

[Profumo]

This afternoon I am trying African Night on skin for the first time. On the coffee filter, it smelled mostly floral and was a rather soothing scent. On my skin, I still can detect the jasmine and ylang ylang quite strongly. However, on skin I smell a gasoline note, somewhat like what I found in the two African Queen fragrances, but not quite as overpowering. There is definitely an animalic tone which I didn't find to be as forward on the blotter. I do not feel nearly as calmed with this fragrance now, probably because the gasoline note, while greatly subdued compared to African Queen, is a bit offputting. As the fragrance starts to dry, I smell a hint of spice, nice and soft, somewhat like the clove note from a carnation.

This fragrance really comes on strong in the top notes, but settles quickly. I sort of feel like I can't even get in the door with it, though. I hope I did not find another note that I am hyperosmic to!

It looks like Asha has a gasoline memory associated with some ingredient. Is it Ambrette or citruses?
Once an arab visitor told me that Bergamot smelled like petrol.
Anybody else smells gasoline in African night or African Queen?

[purplebird7]

I had that same phenomenon happen with one of Ayala Moriel's all-natural jasmine perfumes. It was called Yasmin. One day I wore it on the outside of my arm, and I smelled something volatile, like lighter fluid. The listed notes were: Amber, Cassie , Frangipani, Gardenia, Jasmine Grandiflorum , Jasmine Sambac, Mimosa, Sandalwood. She thought maybe I was getting it from the Cassie. I thought it was a reaction with my skin after I had been in a swimming pool. Who knows. It was off-putting, though. Some people do report that with neroli or petitgrain, too.

[Asha]

Purplebird--I agree with your suspicion that in the case of African Night it might be the Jasmine. I have smelled single notes of almost every citrus out there, and none smell like gasoline. Nor did Profumo's sample of Bergamot EO have this issue.

The petrochemical smell in African Night was a little different than that in the two African Queen fragrances. I thought it was the strength, but it could be a completely different ingredient. Incidentally, Karo Karounde did not smell of gasoline to me. In fact, none of the single ingredients Profumo sent have a gasoline odor.

[Sugandaraja]

I must say that neither African Queen Pink Panther nor African Queen Black Panther did much for me, though the first has the curious distinction of being the only fragrance I know of that really reminds me of passion fruit; excessively so for someone like me who doesn't like fruit fragrances. I feel in the odd position of saying that while I don't like them, I can't say they're bad at all, just me and them don't get along.

Now Mona Lisa, on the other hand, is a charmer, but like the rest of the Profumo line isn't conventionally pretty at all. I cannot smell the civet or the mandarin here as a distinct note, rather I smell it was a two tone fragrance with the mostly curiously cool, "stone" smelling top note blended with tuberose gradually fading to a curiously culinary version of the flower. Don't get me wrong, it's not gourmand, it's just almost... grainy, bread-like in the heart and base.

[Aiona]

Last week, I was lucky enough to spend a ton of time with my relatives, and I had a number of them sample the castoreum. Very interesting responses. You see, I didn't tell them what they were sampling. So I was very surprised when two of my aunts said that castoreum smelled like a flower. They both sat there trying to come up with the name. "Not sampagita. That other flower. You put it wreaths too." "Champaca?" "No." "Ylang ylang!" "Yes!"

You see, in Philippines, a lot of the time, when relatives come "back home" from abroad, they are greeted at the airport with leis made from different flowers. The most common flower used is the "sampagita" (aka jasmine sambac). But, sometimes you'll get the odd champaca or ylang ylang thrown into the chain.

Anyway, so without my telling them that the castoreum was *not* a flower, they came up with ylang-ylang on their own.

Castoreum: Hey! This really does smell like leather, in the best way. I’m surprised at how complex this smells as a single note. It almost has floral undertone.

And then I remembered how L'aventurier had said he smelled floral notes. Very interesting, because I do not get flowers at all. Maybe because I have a firm bias in already knowing that this is an animal product.

Castoreum -- I love how often Profumo scents put me at a farm where life is quiet and the people gentle and hippy-like. So it is with Castoreum. In this setting I find that the barn is wooden and old, haunted by the scent of sweet, dry hay. I can almost feel the the bristly hide of a horse or cow as I reach to pet its barreled ribcage. There are well-worn leather harnesses strewn over rough-sawn stall dividers. In the distance someone is collecting applewood to start a smoker. All this imagery makes me want to laze away the day, lying on the sunny side of a hill, slicked down with long, dried grasses, while chewing on a stem of straw and looking for animal shapes in the clouds.

One of my younger cousins smelled the castoreum, and her impression more closely matched Quarry's. "It smells like I'm back on the farm," she said. She grew up on a farm.

Anyway, I just thought it was interesting to see my relatives' candid impressions.

On another note (ha ha.... I made a pun.), I finally got to sample the famed Guerlain's Aqua Allegoria Pamplelune at the Sephora in San Diego's Fashion Valley Mall this week, and I could not believe my nose. The parsley note in African Queen Black Panther is in the drydown of Pamplelune. I never thought I'd see another fragrance that would use such a weird note.

Whatever is making that smell? Is it really parsley? Or is it karo karounde?

[Profumo]

On another note (ha ha.... I made a pun.), I finally got to sample the famed Guerlain's Aqua Allegoria Pamplelune at the Sephora in San Diego's Fashion Valley Mall this week, and I could not believe my nose. The parsley note in African Queen Black Panther is in the drydown of Pamplelune. I never thought I'd see another fragrance that would use such a weird note.

Whatever is making that smell? Is it really parsley? Or is it karo karounde?

The smell you perceive as parsley, which is so "weird" in my first weird perfume African Queen, is Buchu from South Africa. In perfumery the molecule Thio Menthone is used as a substitute, but no one before dared make a perfume centered on this component, much too weird. As I said before, African Qeen is a perfume for VERY few. The Thio menthone is a molecule that contains a sulfur atom and this is what makes it mimic an animal pheromone (present in ruting cat pee).

[Asha]

Interesting about buchu--grapefruit also smells sulfurous to my nose.

[L'Aventurier]

Better late than never, I've finished reviewing Persona, Mona Lisa and Castoreum after a full day of wearing and analysing each.

Persona:

On my skin, and to my nose, Persona is characterized by very citrusy and crisp bergamot, which stays present all the way through (even into the drydown!), while a background of vetiver and frankincense play supporting roles. A very zesty, yet grounded fragrance, perfect for an intellectual or someone very down to earth. Overall, a pensive, yet refreshing fragrance, free of any melancholy or worry. As mentioned above, this does remind me a lot of Guerlain’s Vetiver, although Persona feels much more modern and youthful. The quality of ingredients, (as usual for Profumo’s creations), are on a level miles above 90% of the modern fragrances out there.

Although the blending has obviously been refined and tweaked to a subjective perfection, my only complaint would be that the bergamot overpowers the vetiver and frankincense - but then again, that’s a personal thing. Seeing as how this is a bespoke fragrance, created for someone and specific to their demands, I can only secretly wish that I had my own version.

Longevity was above par for an all natural fragrance, lasting about 4-5 hours with 2 swipes of an applicator wand. Although sillage was low, that’s how I like my fragrances

Mona Lisa:

The primary notes on this one were Tuberose, Civet, perhaps some ylang ylang or jasmine and something along the lines of Vanilla (I read above that this is Tonka). Surprisingly, for me, the mandarin is very subdued, and leads to a creamy orange flavor, as opposed to a citrusy one – perhaps that is just the wondrous result of the composition.

I’ve mentioned before that I’m not crazy about natural Civet - at first sniff, I couldn’t say that I particularly enjoyed it here either. However, when I closed my eyes and pictured Mona Lisa on a woman, my perspectives quickly began to change. I soon found Mona Lisa to be extremely soothing and inviting, like the gentle touch of a woman you are in love with. So much so, that cannot ever see myself wearing this!

Underneath the tender nature of this, somehow, I also strangely feel the urge to bite into my own wrist where I have applied it. I have heard that Tuberose can be meaty, so perhaps the Tuberose along with the Civet is awakening some subconscious instincts.

Perfectly blended, with just the right amount of sillage, this one is something special. I don’t have much experience with old fashioned or classic fragrances, however I can imagine this being released in the 1930s and becoming a classic in many a woman’s wardrobe. At that, it does smell old-fashioned, but in a nostalgic and classic way.

Longevity was about 3-4 hours with a medium application, so I imagine that a full spray would last just about all day.



Castoreum:

I wore some castoreum again the other day and enjoyed it profusely. I walked around feeling like I was sporting a brand new leather jacket and smirked to myself about how I was wearing the “real deal.” No matter how strange it is to accept, castoreum has a beautiful floral quality to it which is especially prominent in its sillage. Contrary to my expectations, the castoreum dried down while displaying an array of dominant accords – first it was leathery, then floral, then slightly buttery. In a perfect world where the price of fragrant materials aren’t related to their quality, many fragrances with synthetic castoreum would be greatly enhanced…

[Nostalgie]

Just checking in.. we will have more to sample, won't we?

XXX
OOO

[Laura Donna]

Persona - I am enjoying this fragrance very much today. As usual, I committed some impressions to paper before clouding my head with known truth about ingredients. This put me out on a limb comprised of lime, cypress or pine, birch-tar or something used to tan leather and frankincense. Then, unable to explain the slight, buttery puffiness with frankincense (something about this wood is not quite woody) and having experienced civet and ambergris but not castoreum, I interpolated castoreum. The smooth quality is more likely Abdus Salaam Attar's usual magic of adding one and one to produce three.

Now reading posts by L'Aventurier and others, I say: vetiver, of course, bergamot, why not, maybe the scent's general woodiness made me think of lime vs. lemon and bitter orange, neroli, love it but couldn't find its high pitch in my smelling...

Persona is the scent of a place I enjoy spending time. It is not a dress-up scent and doesn't play around with feelings or stake out territory. It is a tweed jacket, comfortable shoes, serious but not stern. It easily becomes part of someone like me. Persona, very good for my persona.

[lilybelle]

Persona - I am enjoying this fragrance very much today. As usual, I committed some impressions to paper before clouding my head with known truth about ingredients. This put me out on a limb comprised of lime, cypress or pine, birch-tar or something used to tan leather and frankincense. Then, unable to explain the slight, buttery puffiness with frankincense (something about this wood is not quite woody) and having experienced civet and ambergris but not castoreum, I interpolated castoreum. The smooth quality is more likely Abdus Salaam Attar's usual magic of adding one and one to produce three.

Now reading posts by L'Aventurier and others, I say: vetiver, of course, bergamot, why not, maybe the scent's general woodiness made me think of lime vs. lemon and bitter orange, neroli, love it but couldn't find its high pitch in my smelling...

Persona is the scent of a place I enjoy spending time. It is not a dress-up scent and doesn't play around with feelings or stake out territory. It is a tweed jacket, comfortable shoes, serious but not stern. It easily becomes part of someone like me. Persona, very good for my persona.

I got an impression of pine or evergreen branches from Persona, too. I love this fragrance. You're right, it's a fragrance that evokes a place you enjoy spending time in, a place in nature where there is peace and quiet and time to enjoy them.