Sandalwood

Mood Scent 4 Into The Woods – Our Last Mood Scent 4 Post!

It’s time for our monthly Mood Scent 4 post. Where Megan (Megan in St Maxime,) Samantha (I Scent You A Day) Portia (on A Bottled Rose) and I write about a different subject relating to perfume each month. This time we chose to write about woody fragrances.  But before I continue with my picks of woody perfumes I have some news for you: this will be our last Mood Scent 4 post!

Last Call For Mood Scent 4!

Megan started Mood Scent4 4,5 years ago and we have decided to discontinue this project recently for various reasons. Some of us are busy with other perfume related projects, others will be focusing on something different. It has been a very interesting, joyful time writing together and inspiring to read each other’s picks on the same perfume subject each month.

I hope you have learned  as much as I did from reading our different takes on perfume. I want to thank Samantha, Portia and Megan for our exceptional time together on this perfume journey. Although it feels like it’s time for something different, I am a bit sad that this project has ended and will miss writing together. 

April Aromatics Precious Woods – Tanja Bochnig 

April Aromatics featured several times on Megan’s and my posts as we are both a big fan of Tanja’s work. This time I chose Precious Woods for our Into The Woods theme as it invites us to take a walk in a forest.

Berlin based perfumer Tanja Bochnig was inspired to make this fragrance when she scented an Indian forest after the rain. I believe she succeeded very well in invoking the scent, image and experience of a forest walk. Wearing Precious Woods makes me feel very down to earth, grounded and calm. Looking at the notes this is not surprising as one of the main notes is sandalwood from India and New Caledonia. Sandalwood fragrance has been used by all Indian spiritual traditions (Brahmin, Buddhist and Hindu) to induce a calm state of mind. There is a certain intriguing funkiness to this fragrance too making it interesting.

Hiram Green Arbole Arbole – Hiram Green

‘Tree, tree
dry and green.

The girl with the pretty face
is out picking olives.
The wind, playboy of towers,
grabs her around the waist.’*

Arbole, Arbole was inspired by this beautiful poem from Spanish poet Federico Garcia Lorca. This is only a small part of the poem as it is too long to include it completely.  Garcia Lorca is very dear to me as he was one of my mother’s favourite poets.

Arbole, Arbole as a fragrance is as warming as a coffee with brandy on a cold rainy autumn morning. It smells like biting into a dry honeyed patchouli filled dark chocolate with vanilla powder and some frankincense sprinkled on top. Arbole, arbole was love on first sniff and has remained a favourite especially when it’s colder weather. I love it’s rich honeyed quality which can be found in Hiram Greens Slow Dive as well.

Adam Levine For Her – Yann Vasnier – 

I was inspired to blind buy this fragrance by Portia, who reviewed Adam Levine For Her on a previous Mood Scent 4 post. Samantha reviewed it as well on her blog several years ago. It’s a good example that excellent  fragrances don’t have to cost a small fortune.

Adam Levine For Her was created by French perfumer Yann Vasnier (also from Tom Ford Plum Japonais, Arquiste Anima Dulcis, Divine,  Keiko Mecheri and many latest Jo Malone fragrances).  This fragrance is fit for a tropical beach party with its soft creamy sandalwood, light coconut touch and spicy top. There is a hairspray note wafting in the air too.

Adam Levine is a singer, I have to confess I had to Google him but it explains the interesting bottle. The perfume costs less than 10 euro for a 100 ml bottle so grab a bottle while you still can as it has been discontinued.

These are the three woody fragrances I picked.  Have a look on Samantha’s blog I Scent You A Day Megan’s blog  Megan in St. Maxime  and Portia on A Bottled Rose!

What are your favourite woody fragrances? Did you enjoy your time together with us from Mood Scent 4? Did you try fragrances inspired by our posts?

Disclosure: All fragrances mentioned in this article were paid by me. Bottles which are sold now, could be different from the ones on the photographs. All photographs were made by me as well and are an artistic expression.

 

 

Mood Scent 4 Blogging Project: Rainy Day Fragrances

Welcome to the first joint blogging project by MoodScent4!

We are four perfume bloggers based in France, Holland, England and Wales who will be posting on a different joint subject every couple of months. Each time we will individually pick a selection of five or so fragrances to fit a particular mood or occasion. You will find links to the other blogs at the end of the post.

We hope you have fun reading our different choices and adding your own in the comments.

The first joined theme we picked are rainy day fragrances. As I live in Amsterdam, I experience quite some days of rain. On those days I like to wear fragrances contrary to the grey weather to add some sunshine and light to my day. These are generally energizing or uplifting citrus (with for example notes of bitter orange tree leaves or lemon) or cologne style fragrances like Hermes Eau d’orange verte, Annick Goutal Neroli Cologne. On other rainy days I choose more comforting oriental fragrances like Keiko Mecher Vetiver Velours, Guerlain Shalimar, Miller Harris Fleur Oriental or Mona di Orio Vanille.

One of my favorite scents to add sunshine and light to a day is the Eau de Cologne Hermes Eau d’orange verte. Eau D’orange verte is an extraordinary uplifting scent. True to its original name, Hermes Eau de Cologne smells very much like a cologne focussing on freshly squeezed bitter orange tree leaves. The Eau d’orange verte shower gel smells just like the Hermes Eau D’orange verte Eau de Cologne and is well worth a try for an energizing shower on a rainy morning.

Another very suitable fragrance for a rainy day is Annick Goutal Neroli Cologne. Neroli Cologne smells very much like a blossoming bitter orange tree filling the air with its magnificant scent, adding a feeling of a sunny spring morning near the Mediterranean coast.

A more comforting scent would also be a good choice for a rainy day to bring the feeling of being wrapped up in soft blanket, hanging on your couch reading a book with a cup of tea or Netflixing. Keiko Mecheri Vetiver Velours from the Les Merveilles Collection (previously The Bespoke Collection) is very suited for a grey rainy day. It is an elegant and sofisticated dry oriental woody fragrance leaving a soft powdery veil on one’s skin. Vetiver is very well blended into the whole fragrance by perfumer Yann Vasnier by not making it a dominant note.

One could also choose for the classic oriental Guerlain Shalimar or one of its modern (and one of my favorite) siblings Miller Harris Fleur Oriental. Fleur Oriental has amazing longevity and leaves a warm balsamic powdery scent. The soothing Mona di Orio Les Nombres d’Or Vanille would be an excellent choice as well. Vanilla is known for its comforting and uplifting properties. Mona di Orio Vanille is a more woody oriental fragrance. The perfumer Mona di Orio was inspired by an oriental romantic fantasy of an old ship travelling to Madagascar for vanilla pods, rum barrels, precious spices and sandalwood.

Have a look at the scented suggestions of Tara from A Bottled Rose, Megan from Megan in Sainte Maxime and Sam from I Scent You A Day for fragrances on a rainy day. I am curious what they have chosen, aren’t you?

What fragrance do you use on rainy days? A comforting one or do you choose an energizing scent? Let us know your choices!

The other blog posts on rainy days fragrances can be found here: A Bottled Rose, I Scent You A Day and Megan in Sainte Maxime.

Disclaimer: all perfumes mentioned in this article were bought by me.

Oliver & Co Santalum Scented Candle

According to his website Oliver & Co Spanish perfumer Oliver Valverde created his scented candle Santalum in 2010 together with four other candles, Ambrarem, Tuberosen, Terralium and Muskal. Ambrarem, Santalum and Tuberosen are still in production at this moment. The design of the container was simple and stylish to change in 2013 into a more futuristic and personalized one, inspired by space ships. I preferred the older packaging as I find it more suited to the fragrances. Oliver Valverde made the futuristic packaging to contrast the fragrances.

Santalum 3Like Oliver Valverde himself, these candles represent their own style both in packaging and fragrance. Compared to his perfumes the scented candles are less outspoken. Their throw off is marvelous and one of the best I have encountered so far to the point that the scent can be overwhelming at times. I tend to burn some of them (Ambrarem and Tuberosen) no more than one hour for this reason. All details, from the packaging to the design and fragrance are thought through and made by the perfumer himself.

One of the things to keep in mind when buying a scented candle is its size. Most of the scented candles are 190 grams (for example Diptyque) but Oliver & Co candles are 225 grams Santalum 2so they last longer. These scented candles include a wooden lid (where some other brands charge for them) and the containers can be re-used easily. So far I have used scented candles in the scents Tuberosen, Santalum, Silver Fir and Ambrarem. They are tempting to collect and easy to re use as their colours are beautiful with all different designs.

The most important thing remains its fragrance though. I believe Santalum to be my favorite one but have to admit it depends on the weather and season. The same as the scented candle Ambrarem, I wish Oliver made a perfume from it. Tuberosen and Santalum are suited for summer as they are  based on the summer/late summer flowers rose and tuberose. Silver Fir and Ambrarem are both very appropriate for cold winter weather.

What does Santalum smell like to me:

A beautiful feminine elegant light ethereal rose and raspberry fragrance which would make an excellent perfume and reminding me of Nicolai Rose Oud. If you like Nicolai Rose Oud Eau de Parfum you will probably like this scented candle.

What does it do ?

It brings softness,  soothes and relaxes.

Official notes: Sandalwood, Raspberry and Rose Petals

Burning time according to label: 50/60 hours

Size: 225 gr

Longevity: 5/5

Projection: 5/5

Price: 50 euro (sign up for the official newsletter as Oliver & Co has regular sales)

Disclosure: all candles mentioned in this article were bought by Esperessence

Photograph: Esperessence