Serenissima

For years, I wandered through our botanical garden in Dahlem every season and got to know not only the most diverse plants, but also the cycle of nature.
So of course I also know where to find which trees, bushes and flowers, where the magnolias bloom earliest and most beautifully, where the delicately colored, filigree and full fruit tree blossoms turn into plump, ripe fruits over time and that just now, when the days are finally getting longer again, the dreamlike colorful splendor of the azaleas and camellias beckons in one of the large glass houses.
I also spent time outdoors, knowing full well that the subsequent stay in the greenhouses would quickly warm me up again, and was delighted every year at the end of winter to see the witch hazel in bloom, of which there are several bushes at the end of the beech avenue at the entrance to Königin-Luise-Platz.
Witch hazel in bloom, even when the snow is still heavy, means: "Spring is on its way; winter can slowly pack its bags: So let's go, good grief!"

This feeling of the approaching, much longed-for spring, of winter soon coming to an end, is conveyed by "Dust of Snow", one of Alkemia's fragrances that is both interesting and wearable from time to time.
These fragrance compositions are not daily companions; for me they are impressions, fragrances that have become inclusions of a moment that should be enjoyed as such.

"Dust of Snow" is cool and refreshing, if only because of the essential oils it contains: citrusy ginger spiciness provides cool, invigorating moments that seem to become richer and warmer through balsamic fir and light resin smoke accents and something foreign to my nose, conveying the brightness and shy warmth of the winter sun:
Welcome winter sun warmth on my back and dancing facets of light on the snow, as I greet with annual joy and gratitude the multitude of fragile yellow and rather rusty-red witch hazel blossoms on still bare woodland.
It is unimaginable that the healing, anti-inflammatory ointments and tinctures are made from this: Nature and its treasures!

If I manage to survive the first, fragrance-opening ginger spiciness ("nipping at my nose") of "Dust of Snow" without sneezing and watery eyes, I settle comfortably into the balsamic calm of this fragrance, feeling warmly embraced, as if I were wearing a thick, cozy wool sweater (perhaps with a little ginger scratchiness after all?).

for me, "Dust of Snow" is a fragrant symbol of the end of winter and the awakening of spring; the two are very close together here.
As mentioned: Not a fragrance for everyday life, but a flattering excursion for the senses, a pleasant escape from it.
Sillage and durability are within the normal average range.
All in all, a pleasant companion for a walk through expectant silence and cold, the face turned towards the first caress of the still pale sun.

Alkemia's "Green Witch" is wonderfully green, wonderfully spicy and surprisingly (apart from the mock hazel) not a hay fever/allergy candidate!
The longer you wear it, the more relaxing and fragrant a walk through an aromatic, later rather balsamic, light forest develops, in which you could easily meet a herb woman with her pannier on her back: "The Green Witch"!

Despite the strong dark spice, rays of sunlight seem to play through the greenery. Light-hungry ground cover plants, such as lemon verbena, would otherwise not be able to thrive: and they emphasize light and sun in this fragrance composition - the warm light in the dark!

A variety of aromas from different woods, long-stored and freshly cut, slightly bitter rowan bark (it's been a long time since I cooked mush from the fruits of the trees!), and the spicy juice of freshly cut sage meet with that of the "great witch's herb":
Not only externally and internally healing; the inherent plant spirit is said to connect the soul of the wearer with the "other world" - or so the legend goes.
Witchcraft stuff? Old wives' tale? Who knows!
Rather a rich, spicy blend of fragrances, in the shade of which a few rare forest orchids (also known as "lady's slipper", so beautiful to look at) still find their home, quietly seducing us with their sensual scent and caressing our senses, and whose charm even greets the always somewhat grumpy oakmoss in a friendly manner.

Is this fragrance composition really already perfume or is it still aromatherapy?
I don't know; maybe "both - and"!
For me, "Green Witch" is simply well-being: a spicy, relaxing break in the countryside - born of the moment (opening the bottle and spraying) and quickly accessible without long journeys or hikes.

"Alkemia" fragrance compositions are not commonplace; they all follow their own path and probably also like to puzzle us.
But is that wrong?
A moment of reflection, of pondering, of introspection wrapped in a sprayed veil of fragrance - why not?

"Green Witch" touches with a particularly spicy magic, even without the belief in witchcraft and dark myths.
This still youthful "green witch" accompanies you for some time in a pleasant way; it is worth tracing her charisma and feeling relaxation through this alone.

"Forest Patchouli" is not a golden-brown, but a green-brown patchouli fragrance!
Great!

Instead of golden veins and influences, I find pine and fir needles and interesting spices in the heavy dark base and thus a very special fragrance experience:
Aromatic, spicy and balsamic at the same time.

I don't know if it is exactly these mentioned scents of Siberian stone pines and balsam firs: I just smell a wonderfully heavy patchouli scent that is so very different from what I know and love.
Pepper and grated nutmeg, well dosed, I would also suspect some cloves.

This second fragrance from the brand "Alkemia", which I was allowed to test (the first was "Book of Shadows"), also immediately captivated me.
Not only because I have learned to love patchouli in all its facets over the years, but also because it develops so differently, so mystically dark and intensely touching the senses, on my very cool, light skin.
A deep forest darkness into which the essential oils of the conifers conjure up dancing lights:
Fragrant will-o'-the-wisps over a heavy, damp patchouli base - extraordinary and beautiful!

I think it's quite good that the sillage and longevity are not infinite here.
for me, "Alkemia" stands for "snapshots in a fragrance".
Mysteries that float around for hours lose their magic:

So it's better this way: everything fits and my curiosity about the secrets of the bottlings I still have is very great!
I love mysteries in fragrances!

My choice of title alone (a song from the musical "Girl Crazy"/1930 by George and Ira Bernstein) shows:
Unfortunately, incompatible personalities have clashed here.

It happens time and again that fragrances do not meet our expectations, do not suit our skin or, as in this case, are simply too powdery for our airways, which have already been attacked by early flowering pollen.
But that shouldn't be a reason to rate them poorly or make nasty statements about them: it's completely unfair; we all agree on that!
Every perfumer puts their craftsmanship and often a little bit of themselves into their compositions; both deserve respect!
Even if we personally don't like the result: then even I tend to shut up!

But now to "Night Song":
In my opinion well acquainted with the wonderful and mostly quite opulent, natural creations of Teone Reinthal, I was very happy about the fragrance sample that ElAttarine bottled for me (thank you very much for that) and sprayed generously:
I coughed; coughed for a long time until I started to get hoarse!
Shouldn't one enter unknown terrain and shores carefully and cautiously?
That's what I'd been taught as a child; I completely forgot about it during "Night Song" in my once again so lively curiosity, but as we all know, you're always smarter when you come from the town hall. (At least that's how it used to be!)
I'll dose more sparingly in future to get to know you - I promise!

Suddenly I find myself in a drying shed, an airy barn, where the leaves of the tobacco plants hang in bundles from the ceiling and masses of aromatic dust particles, moved by a light breeze, dance in the dimmed light.
A magnificent melange of fragrant resins floats playfully and generously around the tobacco leaves hung upside down, probably to give them the aromas of myrrh, labdanum and a nice dose of bright incense.
The warm vanilla, perfumed with soft oud and slightly animalic sandalwood, together with these aforementioned fragrance notes, awaits the appearance of the "Noblewoman of Champaka" to lovingly and touchingly marry her.
The precious blossoms of the so-called "Joy Tree", from which Jean Patou created his dreamlike perfume of the same name, appear as the highlight, accompanied by "Pink Lotus" (once again: Teona Reinthal loves this fragrance) on the fragrance stage carefully prepared for them.
This tobacco harvest hanging there develops exceptionally beautifully and richly on the skin after a certain time and will thus write a very personal fragrance story.
"Night Song" already does that, as a very special, extremely interesting and yet wearable creation with rich sillage and well-known longevity.
It's a real shame that the two of us don't harmonize with each other!
"Night Song" may travel on and resound in another place, on another skin in the spirit of this composition.

And, no:
I did not rate "Night Song" wrong: it is a beautiful, rich fragrance, exactly according to the philosophy of the company Teone Reinthal Natural Perfume, which fully deserves my rating.
But "Night Song" just doesn't resonate for me, unfortunately!

Even when I was younger, I liked to spray fragrances in my hair, partly because I was baking in the sun for hours, didn't want to get stained, but still wanted to smell good.
Even later and today, this ritual is still part of my summer; my fragrances from Jo Malone's seasonal collections are ideal for this: all wonderfully clear and a pleasant and surprising way to wear perfume.

The first "real" hair perfume my hairdresser gave me for Christmas (I think it was 1999) was Chanel's "Allure Hairmist": Of course I was thrilled!
What a gift: "Allure" was new on the market and in this sprayed lightness was good for me to wear as a fragrance and hair accessory at the time!

Every now and then something flutters into the house by post (sometimes also by "snail mail"); fragrance fulfillments from wish lists and every now and then a little surprise is enclosed.
This time it was a hair fragrance from my "dream team" François Demachy and Christian Dior; both meet in the creations of "La Collection Privée" by Dior Parfums.
I immediately want to chat with these two gentlemen again.
Oh, I'm delighted, because "Oud Rosewood - Brume de Parfum pour les cheveux" is holding court in my freshly washed hair, which is now finally blonde again, and I'm enjoying Monsieur Demachy's noble, stinky fruit summer at the end of February.

I already told you my "rosewood oud" story about the eau de parfum.
I find its components here again, not watered down, as I perhaps feared, but only much quieter, finer and spun into a delicate hairnet by a master hand.
I admit: this really is pure luxury, but getting to know it makes me want to try the other hair perfumes listed here.

Sun-drenched raspberry and quince aromas still appear in the morning slumber; their fruity sweetness is present, but slightly muted.
Oud and sandalwood appear more briskly, as if they were afraid of having to hold back their masculine aura too much; sprayed in long hair and not too close to the scalp, we communicate harmoniously and the noble rosewood, even as a fragrance note still shimmering silky brown with a distinctive rose nuance, flatters and does not hold back too much.

This creation is perceived by me as balanced in my hair and on my pillow for some time, stylish and more summery and playful than elegant and, like the eau de parfum, still a fragrant lover's piece.

The way of pampering oneself with "Brume de Parfum pour les cheveaux"/hair perfume is something I would like to see catch on.
Especially in the warmer months of the year, when some skin heats up too much and some compositions become very powerful and possibly even overpowering, such hair perfumes would be a great alternative.