ScentFan

I’ve been testing a number of new fumes lately (not that I need more) and this was a standout because it smells exactly like its ingredients. Cardamom and Rose. Sandalwood and cedar. Papyrus and musk. For freshness subtle carrot, vetiver, All distinctly there but blended into the creamy loveliness they imply. How so? They are authentic to my finicky nose. No undertones of the gas station, no hints of kerosene. Even the Maison Francis Kurkdjian I sampled on my right wrist now, more than an hour later, reeks of gasoline, Not so Desert Dawn on my left wrist. It still invites hungry sniffing of its dry deliciousness as the sun rises.

One day I got the idea to test horse perfumes and among the several I tried this stood out as being both wearable and beautiful.

I have a wild and irrational love of these animals, but from afar. I own no horse, don’t visit with or ride them. I keep them at a distance as if protecting my heart from a dangerous potential seduction. I watched on TV when Secretariat won the Triple Crown and cheered my lungs out—replayed it time and again over the years.

Only once could I not avoid them.

A prospective cohort invited me to her daughter’s dressage event to talk business. After the event I found myself outside the stables with these magnificent creatures walking languidly by and felt my love of them breaking free, wanting to go where they went, be with them.

I was taken inside to meet the daughter’s horse. She was clearly reluctant to let me, a possible rival, anywhere near her precious beast yet there I was. I reached my hand out to let it smell me and spoke as if I was reading its mind, “I am already in love.” Bashfully, the daughter smiled.

At a party that night, all I could talk about was the horses and how I almost wanted to spend the night in the stables with them.

Arabian Horse perfume, with it’s restrained but unmistakable evocation of horses in a meadow among the wildflowers and the trees, allows me to safely indulge my hidden passion, perhaps from a past life—when I owned and adored horses, or was one.

Okay, this is what happened. Bogue and Slumberhouse got together and had a baby. One whiff and Lita filled my nostrils with smoky delight and left me moaning. I put it on my wrists from which it is assaulting my nose with pleasure. I expect it to still be doing that in the morning.

So what if it’s a little ashy? Splendors like this are allowed to burn.

I believe Jo Malone when she says this perfume contains “seven of the world’s most exquisite roses.” When I first smelled it, I was idly paused at a perfume counter with a friend. The sales clerk handed a test strip of this to my friend and the roses leapt from the perfumed paper into the air and up my nose. I knew I would buy it.

At once my eyes opened in surprise. I said, “What is THAT??” and could barely keep myself from snatching it from her hand. We each left with a bottle. I’m wearing it now, about to meditate, this ecstatic scent fit accompaniment for the other bliss I will shortly be in.

Crushed violet, mint, honeycomb and lemon mimic the mundane aspects of the rose—thorns, stems, leaves—supporting, as claimed, seven of the most breathtaking rose petals on this earth.

This came as a free sample with an order, so I wasn’t expecting what happened when I sprayed it on my wrist. A milky stream ran down my arm, followed by a truly unique and delightful waft of earthy rose beauty up my nose.

Not believing it, I sniffed again. Whoa! Beautiful! No immeditate breathing problems or stuffy nose or urge to sneeze.

What IS this? I think I smell saffron, balsam, tonka supporting one of the most beautiful roses ever! Looking up the notes … yes, saffron and cardoman and two citrus mesmerizers in the top. (Please, nose, don’t close). À succulent Damascene rose and Iris in the heart.

Oh, shucks, there’s something synthetic here! Is it a deal breaker? (Maybe not. I can still breathe.)

Two aromatic woods and fragrant Tolu balsam in the base support this composition.

Unfortunately, for me, the verdict is mixed. The scent is wildly beautiful, but so far I do have trouble from whatever synthetics are here. What a shame! I feel like getting on my knees and begging this perfumer to double the price, if need be, but to please make a breathable version of this lovely, lovely rose!

In case this is a fluke, I’ll try it again another day. If synthetics don’t bother you and you love rose, fly to test this or even blind buy.