Ray of Light April Aromatics 2014

Perhaps the greatest test for any natural perfumer is how they handle The Great Citrus Problem. Citrus notes are short-lived molecules of pure joy, and it is the task of every perfumer to come up with new solutions to make them last beyond 5 minutes. Companies with a broad palette of mixed media materials (both naturals and synthetics) can extend the citrus through layering it over coumarin or oakmoss-replacing materials; see Azemour Les Orangers (Parfum d'Empire) as perhaps the best example of this on the niche side.

On the natural end of things, Ray of Light is probably the best I've personally encountered. The yuzu-like grapefruit topnote is so riveting that you'll drop whatever you're doing just to focus on it. How is this incredible note extended? The best I can tell, it's done through using mint to bridge it to a slightly bitter, resinous galbanum or hay-like accord in the base. There's also a candied edge to it reminiscent of the lemon-and-lime flavored chews of my childhood.

Right from the opening, it gives off strong ice candy vibes. After that, it simply smells like a really great mint lemon tea to me. As if fresh mint stems were taken, the juice completely extracted, and mixed with lemon. Not artificial at all, but super zesty and natural. The combination of lemon and mint just works really well in the summer.

So the "smart" short form of a demand from philosopher Hans Jonas goes: Giving precedence to the bad prognosis over the good is responsible action with regard to future generations.

Also attributed to Jonas is the ethical or ecological imperative inspired by Immanuel Kant: Act in such a way that the effects of your actions are compatible with the permanence of genuine human life on Earth.

I confess my guilt. In my comment on ‘Calling all Angels,’ I had - despite my love for the scent - poked fun at April Aromatics' approach. Due to the esoteric nonsense, which ranges from Herkimer diamonds to the contributions of celestial hosts to bottling at full moon. But what does the surrounding fuss matter to me, when the lady is ultimately right with her eco-thing - see above? Especially since... But more on that later.

Bright, fresh, and wonderfully natural citrus fruit is soon enveloped by robust-fresh mint. Behind it, a hint of green. Ray of Light. Aha, I feel a lightsaber being shoved up my nose. The whole thing soon skims closely past the soapy or cleaning product-like territory, yet remains clearly on this side of the demarcation line and instead shifts to an orange-like note that I quite like, even though it leans a bit towards nimm2. In general, all the mentioned citrus things are plausible. Who is supposed to disentangle that in detail?

Quickly, the mint becomes a veil that is hardly perceptible on its own, yet presumably spreads that ethereal freshness that lingers long over the fruit. The next phase, roughly from the end of the first hour, clearly reminds me of fizzy powder, as my favorite colleague spontaneously confirmed. Fizzy powder on a woody base. Nevertheless: fizzy powder.

A blinding beam of light is a successful description of the scent.

A hearty inhalation of fizzy powder would also fit.

I find the consistency of this citrus note enormous. One might pay the fizzy powder price for it, yet it is still astonishing.

After three or four hours, hesperidin peel joins as support. Thus, the scent impression is established. It merely dims over time in two ways: on one hand in terms of volume, on the other character-wise, as vetiver gradually takes on a share of the scent as a freshness substitute. "Bright tobacco" is plausible, provided you know it; something tobacco-like can be diagnosed on request. Nevertheless, a citrus twist remains present until the evening that simply does not want to come across as artificial.

I am completely puzzled regarding the durability of the citrus note. How does this work with supposedly purely natural ingredients? It requires further testers who have ideas about it. Or general expertise.

Worse still - and thus back to the remarks from the beginning: If this actually works, and in a natural way, why isn't this done everywhere?

I thank Gerdi for the sample.