Laurel

I spent my summer vacation this year finally back in Great Britain. Although London tempts with various well-stocked perfumeries, it was too stressful for me and I only used it as a transfer point for trains to the south and north. Thus, a day trip also took me to the beautiful city of York. While leisurely strolling through the streets and alleys, I suddenly found myself in front of the Neal's Yard Remedies store, whose products I had heard about several times, but as far as I know, there is no distribution in Germany yet. While you can order alcohol-free products directly and have them delivered to Germany, I have been particularly interested in their fragrances for a while. So, I went into the store, looked around a bit, smelled this and that, and sprayed some of the "Pure Essence No. 1 Frankincense" on my wrist. The first impression was already quite good, but since I had the whole afternoon ahead of me and I really wanted to walk on the City Wall, I left the store for the time being.

I can highly recommend the experience of strolling along at least a part of this city wall built by the Romans to any visitor of this city. It is truly a great experience and offers beautiful views. However, this should preferably be done before visiting a pub, as one should not be too intoxicated. The city wall is not very wide and is mostly open on at least one side. A wrong step could lead several meters into the abyss. So, I enjoyed my walk, which led around the entire city. Again and again, a fresh, slightly spicy scent wafted into my nose, reminiscent of champagne. Could it be that ...? Yes, quite clearly, I smelled my hand and the paper strips on which I had also sprayed the fragrance; it was the frankincense scent from the store. It was a relatively warm day by English standards, and the scent just fit perfectly. It kept wafting into my nose, and I knew I had to visit the store again.

So it happened, and alongside some body care products, the 50 ml of Pure Essence No. 1 Frankincense also ended up in my backpack. Who might this fragrance be suitable for? Well, anyone who immediately seeks to escape at the mention of frankincense need not worry at all here. On the one hand, the frankincense is not in the foreground. It is actually the bergamot that creates a bright base mood, making the fragrance perfect for summer use. Neroli is also clearly detectable. The frankincense stays subtly in the background and does not come off as smoky at all. It rather ensures that the fragrance components rise pleasantly into the nose and, together with myrrh and patchouli (also subtly dosed and by no means intrusive!), provide the necessary base. The fragrance does not undergo significant development, but that is not a problem at all; on the contrary. Luckily, such a fine, sparkling summer fragrance retains its character. Thanks to good longevity, one can enjoy it for many hours.
By the way, despite the lack of German distribution, there is no reason for concern. The products from NYR are available through a Dutch online shop (Cosmania).

My trip to Italy this year also took me to San Marino, the oldest republic in Europe. In the perfumery Liberta, located right next to my hotel (and very well sorted with niche fragrances), I was introduced to "Mare Pacifico" by Linari. I must admit, I had not heard of this German company before.

The fragrance was composed by Mark Buxton, who is particularly known for various incense scents (all fragrances from the "Incense" series by CdG as well as several others from this company; "mb03" by Biehl Parfumkunstwerke (and the 2 others from the "mb" series), among others) and is currently quite popular. So, I had to travel to Italy to become aware of this fragrance. However, I only purchased it shortly after I returned to Germany. At € 148, it was a bit expensive for me, especially since I had already bought 2 other fragrances there, but fortunately, it was offered at a reasonable price on Parfumo shortly after.

The scent captivated me right from the start. A very harmonious and natural fragrance that reminds me of the lake (which is only a few kilometers away from San Marino). To prevent being overwhelmed by the salty sea notes, the composition was skillfully softened by very light grassy notes, as well as roses and a hint of patchouli, while lemon provides a clear freshness. For me, it is one of the rather rare fragrances in which I could "bathe," fulfilling the sea scent's purpose perfectly. Admittedly, the sillage is not particularly strong, and the longevity could be better, but this is likely due to its natural character. I appreciate this, as I do not want to overwhelm my surroundings with a sea breeze and prefer to spray a little more.

Linari has thus created a truly beautiful perfume that is equally well-suited for men and women.

Thanks to Oloroso, I got a sample of this fragrance. As a big fan of incense scents, I had high hopes for it. But unfortunately, I was disappointed.

As the listed notes suggest, the "Incense" is very one-dimensional, and there is no noticeable development in the scent. I guess this is what a jacket would smell like after sitting by an Easter fire for a few hours. Very smoky and dark. This is not a matter of dosage; I only sprayed it once. After a few hours, the smoke becomes a bit more subdued, but I still can't find the "scent" pleasant.

I am glad for the sample and do not regret that this fragrance seems to be hard to come by; it is also said to be relatively expensive. I remain loyal to my favorite, "Messe de Minuit" by Etro. It radiates a wonderful warmth, the incense is aromatic without being overpowering, and the slight sweetness (at least at the beginning) is very pleasant.