Monthly Archives: August 2009

Enfleurage, NYC Indie Scent Boutique

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Enfleurage NYC

 

Has a perfume ever brought you to tears? Maybe it conjured up a beautiful or heartbreaking memory. Or maybe the fragrance itself was so overwhelmingly glorious that it overtook your emotional dashboard and the floodgates opened. I entered Enfleurage this past week with Jessica from Now Smell This and found myself in one of those moments. I had never met Jessica before that day, and was not keen on bursting forth with emotional lability in front of her. But when I took my first whiff of the boutique’s Tuberose Enfleurage Butter, my heart was full of longing, and indeed I wanted to cry.

 

We’ll delve into the longing part in a minute. Let’s have an Enfleurage orientation first. Enfleurage, the boutique, is in NYC’s West Village and is filled with fragrant distilled oils, moisturizing oils, body butters, teas, soaps, incense, etc. (For a detailed description of their offerings see NST’s review here). Enfleurage, the process, allows flowers to release their oils into a fatty pomade, typically over the course of several days, while being pressed between glass plates. Trygve Harris, the boutique owner, uses organic palm oil from Colombia as the fatty medium, and offers this as a fragrant moisturizer in butter form. Tuberose, gardenia, rose and rose glory bower (chiclé is the nickname) are the current varieties.


Enfleurage NYC

 

Indeed, the Tuberose Enfleurage Butter took my breath away and put a skip in my otherwise steady heartbeat. And if I had been alone inhaling this for the first time, my emotions would most certainly have gotten the better of me. I am attempting to figure out why this particular tropical white flower concoction created, and still creates, such a visceral response in me. I suppose it might be the utter purity of the butter. It’s simply solidified oil and tuberose oil. (Of course the painstaking process to render the oil from the tuberose is costly and time consuming).


The purity lends itself to a fragrance all together different from what I experienced in Carnal Flower at the Frederic Malle boutique. While Carnal Flower is most assuredly beautiful and very true to tuberose’s lush, green nature, Enfleurage’s Tuberose Butter is, well… more buttery. With its hint of plumeria, this tuberose is like buttery sweat dripping down a stalk of Hawaiian sugar cane. Salty, sweet, creamy, and oh so very tropical. Unbelievably gorgeous. It made me wistful for unattainable sultry breezes and warm sand in between my toes at summer’s end. But most of all, it was so darn overwhelmingly glorious. And the Gardenia Butter? It’s drop-dead gorgeous too.


Enfleurage1

 

Before Jessica and I left Enfleurage, with a jar of Tuberose Butter in hand of course, Trygve poured some frankincense oil from Oman on my arm. This was after I had dabbed on a tiny bit, and she said “Oh honey, that’s not nearly enough! Here you go!”  I balked at the amount she bestowed upon me, but as we walked into the hot and sticky city air, I realized Trygve knew exactly what she was doing. This frankincense is no ordinary frankincense. The oil is water extracted in a copper distiller and the result is refreshing and uplifting. I could not believe I was experiencing frankincense. Menthol, pine and camphor mingle in the opening. Minty woods unfurl in the heart; and a mild, decidedly non-churchy incense peeks in at the end just to remind you that this really is frankincense you anointed upon yourself. I had to go back two days later to get a vial, this time accompanied by Lucy, the creator of one my favorite blogs, IndiePerfumes, and her compatriot in scent, Leah, of Asking Leah.


I also had the chance to smell blue lotus which was an enlightening opportunity after wearing and loving Mandy Aftel’s Lumiere for many weeks now. It was fascinating to experience the essence on its own and realize just how present it is in the top notes of Lumiere. It’s very moody and tannic, and less floral than I would have imagined, never having smelled it alone.

 

This summer at Blunda, Strange Invisible Perfumes, Le Labo, Caron, Frederic Malle, and Enfleurage, has been delightful and educational commiserating with fellow scent lovers, shop owners and fabulous sales associates while broadening my own knowledge of natural perfumes, one note at a time. 

 

Enfleurage; 321 Bleecker Street in the heart of Manhattan’s West Village

Trygve’s Facebook Page. Trygve’s Blog.

photographs by ~Trish

posted by ~Trish

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NYC Boutiques: Caron and Frederic Malle

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I have officially decided that the most fulfilling fragrance experiences come from visiting boutiques that focus on one perfume line. This became quite clear to me when I visited the Strange Invisible Perfumes boutique in Los Angeles earlier this summer, and was validated again when I spent time in both the Caron and Frederic Malle boutiques in New York City last week. Frederic Malle does not technically have a boutique in NYC, but the corner his perfume line occupies within Barney’s might as well be one, with its glass partitions, comfy couch and small but ample scent bar.


Caron Boutique

Let’s begin with Caron, as that was my first stop on what was a very hot and muggy day in the city. Luckily, Diane of whom I had heard so much about, was at the boutique and offered me a seat upon which to gaze at the regal crystal urns before me. I think she could sense my initial bewilderment at the 12 vessels and multitude of bottles, so she just began to spray and hand me test strips. Diane eased me into the Caron experience with her patience, wit, and knowledge of the line. But what I found most impressive, was her integrity regarding the perfumes, which most likely comes from working so intimately with a line that she truly respects.


Caron Urn

Alpona and En Avion were the fragrances that above all, held my attention and imagination. (Amazing that the dark woodsy fragrances would appeal to me on such an oppressively humid day). And although Alpona opens with citrus; lemon, grapefruit, and bergamot, the topnotes belie its darker base of myrrh, patchouli and oakmoss. This juxtaposition was intriguing and ultimately the drydown made me crave autumnal colors and crisp air; but definitely not walking out into the sweltering urban heat! According to Diane, Alpona is no longer being created, so what she has left in her urn is all that is available.


En Avion was more floral than Alpona, and quite spicy on my skin. The top and heart are filled with rose, neroli, spicy orange, jasmine, lilac and carnation. The base is rounded out deeply with opoponax, amber, musk and wood. Diane was very sweet to give me a sample of En Avion, as it was clear I needed to spend more time with this spicy, woodsy, floral fragrance as the day outside was not lending itself to fully experiencing it at its best. Of the two, Alpona resonates more with me. Its shadowy tones make me want to move into hibernation and dream about mossy forests inhabited by the mythical creatures I tell my sons about at bedtime. Diane might get a call from me any day now, asking her to open up the tap on that urn and send me a decant of Alpona posthaste.


Paris Boutique

The above photo is one of the Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle boutiques in Paris, not Barney’s, but it gives you an idea of the aesthetic when you sit down to smell the divine fragrances Monsieur Malle has presented. I had yet another wonderful sales associate, Nathan, guide me through my first Malle experience which was surprisingly relaxing, low pressure and honestly…fun. I highly recommend you visit Barney’s on a day when Nathan is manning the Malle boutique, his customer service is excellent.


Frederic Malle, grandson to the founder of Dior perfumes, created Editions de Parfums to give the world’s best perfumers the opportunity to create fragrances without artistic limitations. The result has been some of the most compelling and frequently talked about fragrances in the beauty industry. One of which I saw mentioned in print at least three times in the week before I arrived in New York was Dominique Ropion’s Carnal Flower. Yes, Carnal Flower, that decadent blossom we know as tuberose. It can make you swoon, or suffocate. Intoxicate or nauseate, and I do believe Carnal Flower has the power to do either as well.


Some have called this “Fracas Lite”, and there’s no denying Carnal Flower owes much to its predecessor. But it’s not really “lite” as in “less filling.” We’ve got coconut and orange blossom, eucalyptus and melon to satisfy some new territory, but the narcotic tuberose is ever-present to satiate our lusty tropical desires. In fact, I was hoping for more green dewiness from the perfume, and ended up gravitating towards the lush and luxurious body cream which possesses more of tuberose’s freshness rather than its almost-over-the-top bombshell quality. I was this close to getting a jar on the spot, but realized that Barney’s infamous bag event is coming up in September (starts the 24th but you can call in your order on the 23rd) so I figured I’d wait and score the big GWP at that time. You can be sure I got Nathan’s number! 212-833-2652


Come back in a couple days for our regularly scheduled natural perfume and beauty product programming and see the organic side of NYC!


posted by ~Trish


Caron photos by Trish. Frederic Malle Boutique photo at Frederic Malle website

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The Scented Djinn Giveaway Winner is….

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Khamsa Winner

Holly! Congratulations on winning the bottle of Khamsa. I will get this out to you ASAP.


So I have returned from my whirlwind trip to New York which included the 50th anniversary party for my in-laws and a couple of sniffing extravaganzas to NYC. Reports of my fragrant discoveries will soon follow.


posted by ~Trish

“Screaming Banshees” A print of the original acrylic painting by Emily Balivet, 2005 on esty.


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The Scented Djinn: Reviews and Giveaway

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A djinn is a supernatural creature, a genie in Arabic folklore, that can either do good or evil in the human world. Justine Crane, the woman behind The Scented Djinn, has thankfully decided to use her creative powers for the good of scenting us humans. The fragrances of The Scented Djinn are all natural and several of the ingredients have been handcrafted by Justine herself. When she’s not busy overseeing her fragrant lair, Justine can be found teaching classes, writing her blog Oh True Apothecary!, or tending to the business side of things, which she has been doing since 1996.

Oshiba Eau de Parfum

Oshiba began with a take-charge labdanum and frankincense blend, which created a dark and leathery mood that was familiar yet compelling. Think of a similar atmosphere to Donna Karan’s Black Cashmere, but less wood and more pelt. On The Scented Djinn website, labdanum is mentioned as a basenote, but to my nose, the top was all about this rich and resinous essence. The fragrance meandered effortlessly through its labdanum intensity towards a delicate powdery lavender mélange. Oshiba’s final destination was a soft vanilla, with remnants of a hushed labdanum. Earthy, soil stained sweetness of benzoin kept this finespun drydown grounded and close to the skin. The weather here has been schizophrenic to say the least. A couple of weeks ago it was in the low 100′s but when I wore Oshiba it was 30 degrees lower with a hint of autumn in the air. What a perfect scent to summon crisp air and cooler evenings.


Ianthe Eau de Toilette

When I read Ianthe’s list of notes; violet leaf, rose de mai, ambrette and orris, my gut told me this would be my favorite of Justine’s creations. Indeed, I was correct. She calls it a “violet nymph” and by golly this is an accurate description as I have fallen in love with this beguiling creature. She’s sweet but not too sweet. Ianthe has her hands in the soil, digging for those ambrette seeds, so the fragrance is well-grounded and does not begin delicately. The rose was not apparent to my nose, and the orris seemed only to illicit more of the violet tones of Ianthe, becoming more honeyed and delicious rather than heavy, soapy or woody. And then, my skin was left with a gauzy haze of violet pastilles that was more like a memory rather than a confection in my mouth. A true pleasure for violet perfume lovers, and presented in a darling 10ml corked bottle.


Khamsa Eau Fraiche

Justine’s Khamsa Eau Fraiche is made with cilantro, citrus, patchouli and frankincense. In fact, the frankincense and lemon hydrosols were created by Justine, as well as the fresh lemon essential oil, all used in the fragrance. I loved the opening of Khamsa. The cilantro/citrus kickoff was unique, enjoyable and refreshing. It even allowed for an interesting evolution into the warmth of the next phase; patchouli and frankincense. But then the drydown, on my skin, was exclusively patchouli. If you’ve read any of my reviews, you know I am not a big fan of the patchouli. I wish I were, because Khamsa has one of the most fascinating fragrance openers I’ve experienced in a while and I am loath to have the lovely bottle Justine so generously sent me go to waste. So all of you patchouli lovers, step forth and stake your claim!


I’m doing a giveaway for this full-sized bottle (100 mls) of Khamsa Eau Fraiche. Just leave a comment and you’ll be entered. You have until August 26th 10pm Pacific to enter. Good Luck! The winner has been chosen.

The Scented Djinn fragrances are available at Justine’s etsy shop.


Posted by ~Trish

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Let's Have a Picnic.

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Manet

 

We’re going off topic today. No perfume reviews to be had. No body products or cosmetics will be discussed. Instead, let’s talk about plates, cutlery and cloths shall we? I’ve never reviewed anything like this on Scent Hive, but I was approached by the people at myEARTH360.com to check out their green line of picnic-ware, and after perusing their website it seemed like a practical review for the blog. So let’s get to it!

 

Verterra Dinnerware

It seems like plates are a real bugger when it comes to eco-friendly outdoor eating. You simply can’t recycle paper plates. The ones that are wipeable are impregnated with plastic rendering them un-recyclable, and the untreated ones get soiled leaving them un-recyclable as well. So either you throw them away, or get a reusable/recyclable option. Of course you can use what you have which is always preferable, but if you are looking for a lightweight, sustainable option, check out “Dinnerware from Fallen Leaves”. Verterra plates are made from fallen palm leaves and are processed without chemicals, lacquers, or bonding agents. I was sent one plate and have used it several times, washed it, and even put it in the microwave. (They are microwave safe).  It’s held up nicely with just a few scratches showing, and my guess is that it would stand up to a summer’s worth of use, if not longer. And you can feel über-green about your purchase because when you have finally beaten your Verterra plate to a pulp and need to toss it, you can compost it if you do so in your household, and if you don’t, it will biodegrade in the landfill unlike that melamine plate from Target.

 

Aspenware WÜN

What’s WÜN? Wooden Utensils Naturally of course! And like Verterra, these forks, knives and spoons are compostable and biodegradable. But most importantly, as long as you don’t chew on them after your meal is done, reusable as well. As for function, the knife is the clear winner. I don’t think it could cut a steak, but it does the job of any standard butter knife. The fork is a little awkward, but picks up food just fine. As for the spoon, well… don’t expect to be slurping gazpacho out of it. It’s more like a fork without the tines. I was thinking it would be perfect for spreading jam. So the WÜN, I’m a little lukewarm about. If you’re at home and eating in the backyard, I say use the utensils you’ve got, even if they’re plastic. My mom has plastic forks and knives that she’s been using for at least 15-20 years and I don’t see them ever dying. If you don’t want to lug heavy cutlery to the park or camping and need to buy something new, give WÜN a try. See if they work for you. They’re made from logs that were cut down during logging and would have been left to rot otherwise, so once again, you can put on that green halo and feel all warm and fuzzy while you picnic.



SKOY

 

SKOY Earth Friendly Cloth

Here’s the item I’m really excited about! (Is it weird that I’m excited about a cleaning cloth)? These all natural, 100% biodegradable SKOY cloths are fantastic. I’d kicked the paper towel habit years ago without much difficulty, but I always have a roll of paper towels on hand, just in case. I hardly ever used them, until I had two kids. Two boys I should say. Now that they are getting older, and even messier, I find myself reaching for the paper towels more and more. I need to stop. I have also been wanting an alternative to the sponge. Most sponges are made from polyurethane, a petrochemical, and the natural ones turn moldy within weeks. Enter the SKOY cloth, a paper towel-sponge hybrid made from a cotton and wood-pulp cellulose blend. It looks like a thick, shrunken paper towel, but handles the job of a sponge. You can clean it in the dishwasher, disinfect it while it’s wet in the microwave (for 1-2 minutes) or stick it in the washing machine. I have not had it for more than a week, so I can’t yet comment on whether or not it gets moldy like a natural sponge does, but since it’s much thinner and less porous, I’m hoping it does not. It also gets points for the cuteness factor, I love the simple flower design.

 

Which leads me to flowers, scent, and perfume. I can’t help it. What’s your favorite fragrance for a picnic? Today, I’m picking Strange Invisible Perfumes‘ Magazine Street. I treated myself to bottle while I was in LA at the end of July and am really enjoying how the vanilla opens up in the warmer weather. The sweet magnolia and grassy vetiver play well together and make for a flirtatious, and sexy summertime scent. Perfect for making your picnic a little more interesting.

 

my360EARTH.com discount for Scent Hive readers. Enter HIVE10 at check out to receive 10% off your first purchase. See the website for clothes, jewelry, baby bottles and sippy cups, as well as the above items. Promo good until Wednesday August 19, 2009.


Le Déjeuner sur l’Herbe by Edouard Manet 1963 on Shafe.co.uk

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HAIR: The Sequel

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This spring, I was pretty much set in my haircare drill. Giovanni 50/50 shampoo and conditioner, along with John Masters Organics Citrus and Neroli Detangler left my hair clean, soft, and shiny, and continues to be the backbone of my routine. In HAIR: Part I, I had also become quite partial to hair oils rather than styling gels or creams, and Dr. Hauschka’s Neem Hair Oil was the first one I used and I found it to be very effective at taming frizzes, adding subtle gloss, and curl definition.

hair.wolfgangsvault

But, having a natural beauty blog means staying open to new products, especially when there’s interest from readers. My HAIR post continues to be one of Scent Hive’s most popular, so here are more reviews:

Aubrey Organics is a brand that has long interested me, and I can’t express enough how much I appreciated turning a conditioner bottle over to read the ingredients and seeing this statement at the top:

100% Natural Ingredients. No Parabens or Petrochemicals

At the bottom you’ll find: No Animal Testing, Vegan, Biodegradable

So Aubrey covers a lot of bases, including many organic ingredients of course. Since my hair is thick, wavy, and leans frizzy, I tried the Rose Mosqueta Nourishing Shampooand Island Naturals Replenishing Conditioner for starters.

Rose Mosqueta Shampoo, is wow…super scented. Rose musk anyone? And the scent lasts all day long. So if that’s a deal breaker for you, go ahead and jump to the conditioner review. It’s not entirely a deal breaker for me depending on the day. If I want my hair to be my scent of the day, then I’ll go for it because this shampoo is high quality. It has an excellent lather, which is not to say it will be sudsy like a mainstream shampoo, but for a natural shampoo, it’s lovely. My hair felt well hydrated after using Rose Mosqueta and was shiny to boot. I only wish it weren’t so intensely fragranced. I’ll admit that musk is not on my preferred scent list so I might be a bit sensitive to it. But if you like musk, you will love this shampoo.

Aubrey Organics Island Naturals Replenishing Conditioner also gets high praise for its performance. It’s thick and rich and I love its first ingredient; coconut fatty acid cream base. Give me more of that in my hair please! I love running a comb through my hair when it’s being conditioned, and this allowed for smooth combing action. (Not quite as effortless as John Masters Organics Citrus and Neroli Detangler, but smooth nonetheless). With a name like Island Naturals, I was expecting a tropical scent of pineapple, mango, coconut or a hint of gardenia, but instead found mint and rosemary on my head. Fine by me, just not what I was anticipating. Indeed, you will find balm mint and rosemary oil in the ingredient list, with some coconut as mentioned above, but apparently the aromatic herbs are too much for the little island fruit (or seed to get technical). Regardless, my thick hair met its match in Island Naturals Replenishing Conditioner and will be in rotation among Giovanni 50/50 and John Masters Organics Citrus and Neroli Detangler.

Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose Conditioner says it’s for “Dry Brittle Hair”, but I found Island Naturals to be far more hydrating. The Island Naturals Replenishing provided so much moisture, that fine hair might be too weighted down by it, but I think the Honeysuckle Rose Conditioner could be doable in a small amount. If you find that starts coating it too much, give Blue Chamomile Hydrating Conditioner a try, it gets rave reviews on the Aubrey website from the gals with thin, fine hair.

As for styling products, I’ve been keeping it simple with hair oil after the shower. My routine: Towel dry, 3-6 drops of oil rubbed all over the hands, distribute through middle of hair, ends, then hairline. Comb it. Wrap it up in a clip for a while. Done. I’ve discovered Weleda Rosemary Hair Oil and have found my new favorite styling product. No doubt that Dr. Hauschka’s Neem Hair Oil is a quality product, but Weleda’s helps tame the frizzies a smidge better and makes my hair just a bit softer. And the rosemary scent is delicious.

For some fun, not so serious hair care, give John Masters Organics Sea Mist Sea Salt Spray with Lavender a go. While it added too much body to my hair, it would be perfect for someone whose thin hair needs some life. Or if you’ve got some bedhead and need to give it a boost, spritz this on and refresh your hair with a lavender scent and a little wave.

If you’ve got some favorite natural haircare products, by all means, please share your discoveries by hitting the comments button below! And check out Stylecaster.com for some hair and beauty tips.

Posted by ~Trish

image from http://blog.vva.org/?m=200808

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DIY Summer Foot Scrub: Alyssa's Guest Post

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At a young age, I had a strange fixation on making my own beauty products. When eight years old, I tried to extract the scent of the lily of the valleys that grew in our garden by squishing them up in jar. Needless to say all I got was the scent of something green that was pulverized into mush. I also had my hand in lip gloss creating and soap making, neither turned out the way I hoped. As I got older, it started to come easier for me to create my own items. I read up on books and found useful sites on the internet to help me out with the kinks. It wasn’t long, around the age of sixteen when I found my passion, the world of natural health and beauty.

 

Once you begin making your own beauty products it’s hard to stop, especially when you find something that really works and makes you feel good. Trish has asked me to be a guest writer here on Scent Hive and I am honored to share my favorite beauty recipes with you all. If you have never created your own natural beauty products before and are looking for somewhere to start, I think you’ll find the recipes I’ll be sharing easy and flexible. If you want to add more of something like scent, go ahead and personalize it! Like I said before, these recipes are my favorites because they work, are easy to make, and they make me feel good when using them. Most of the ingredients can be found either at your local grocery store, or can be picked up at a health food store. Here is the first recipe for my Scent Hive DIY Series.

 

Summer Foot Scrub


DIY Summer Foot Scrub

 

I have been making this scrub for myself for two summers now. It’s a lovely treat for the feet.

  • 1 tablespoon of oil
    I personally like to use extra virgin coconut oil as it smells delicious and is less greasy than most oils. But almond is also another great choice for those who like extra moisture.
  • ½ cup of blue organic cornmeal
    Any cornmeal will do but I like the blue because of its color.
  • ¼ cup of table salt
  • 2 drops of rosemary, 2 drops of peppermint and 3 drops of lavender.
  • Like I stated before, create this how you would like it. Use all three essential oils, or just one.

Mix all ingredients together and store in a dry area in a jar that holds about 8 oz. It will last longer if water is kept from entering. If the scrub seems too dry add in a little more oil.


Alyssa is a recent highschool graduate, going to college in the fall where she’ll be studying physical therapy and working towards a medical esthetician license. Her dream is to work in a health and medical spa that offers only organic and natural treatments for the skin. (I think she’ll be opening her own someday!) She has been a member of MakeupAlley.com since 2006.

Posted by ~Trish

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