For many people, January is the month to change things up and start anew, but for me, February is that month. By the time February rolls around, I’ve recovered from the seasonal and fiscal excesses of December and am ready to gently poke my nose in unexplored territories. One form of fragrance I’ve recently explored is scented oils. The use of perfume is ancient, going back about four thousand years, and until the 1300s all perfumes were produced by using oil. Perfumed oil is a very different fragrance experience than alcohol-based perfume. These oils stick close to your body and often smell very different on you than they do in the bottle, so your first sniff should never be your last. I love the connection with history I feel when I smell a clever perfume oil, and there are some really lovely, good quality oils available. Luckily for us, most of them will not cost you anything close to the average bottle of perfume, so you can afford to experiment.
A good place to start your foray into perfume oils is Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab. It has one of the most intriguing Web sites I’ve ever come across. It’s arcane and wonderful, full line drawings and poetry in addition to scented products. I have spent more hours than I care to admit just browsing the site and having fun, and I think you will, too.
Bess
Inspired by the lifelong love between Elizabeth I of England and the Earl of Leicester, Bess is a mix of rosemary, orange flower, grape spirit, rose, lemon peel, and mint. I’ve been in love with Elizabeth I all my life. She’s my favorite historic figure—a charismatic, brilliant woman who gave her name to an age and had great jewelry, too. How could I pass up this scent? Sniffed from the bottle, the opening is a rather sharp mix of rosemary and grape, but once put on the skin the scent changes entirely. The grape soothes out, tempering the rosemary, followed quickly by the neroli and rose. The result is surprisingly soft and smooth, but not all that feminine. The mint is subtle, but close to your skin you can really catch the fresh greenness of this little herb. Bess is a delightful trip to an Elizabethan garden, and could also be worn by the adventurous man in your life.
Marie
Inspired by Marie Antoinette, Marie is a blend of violet and tea rose.
Don’t be put off by this old fashioned combo, there’s nothing old lady-ish about Marie. Out of the bottle Marie is almost too sweet, but put it on your skin and it’s as seductive and charming as Marie Antoinette, that trendsetting but ultimately doomed Queen of France. Once you put Marie on your skin the violet really makes an impression. Violet perfume is tricky to create; done wrong and it’s musty, or smells like candied fruit, but done right violet is earthy and dark with spicy undertones. Marie’s violet is one of the best I’ve ever smelled and combines with the gentle tea rose to create a unique and captivating fragrance. Everyone I’ve come across loves the smell of Marie and I’ve had compliments on how good I smell every time I’ve worn it.
Cairo
The ancient Egyptians loved cosmetics and perfume and used incense in both religious rituals and daily life. Fragrance was everywhere, as evidenced by wall paintings and the beautiful and often whimsical bottles found in tombs. Needless to say, I’ve been fascinated by Egypt all my life and always wondered what their perfumes and incense smelled like. Recipes for kyphi, an incense, were found in the pyramid texts and among the ingredients were honey, raisins, wine, cinnamon frankincense, and myrrh. We still use those ingredients today in perfume, and Cairo was inspired by ancient kyphi.
