Collect your pollen. Fly away inspired.
Posted in Velvet and Sweet Pea on Aug 9th, 2010
“Songbird” is a lovely name. It’s a pretty word to speak, and the thought of songbirds is a charming one. But after several wearings, I have a new name for this perfume. I find Sensual Chameleon to be more appropriate since Songbird flows through several alluring transformations. No disrespect to Laurie Stern of Velvet and Sweet [...]
Posted in Strange Invisible Perfumes on Aug 1st, 2010
Mediterranean travels have taken me to the shores of Italy, France and Spain. Of course I feel blessed to have experienced the azure waters, palm trees, and restful sun drenched beaches of the Mediterranean in these countries, but I have yet to meet the acquaintance of these waters in Greece or its islands. Greece is [...]
Posted in Liz Earle on Jul 5th, 2010
My introduction to Cristalle EDT was by way of its sophisticated sillage wafting gracefully around a woman who has since become one of my dearest friends. Megan and I met over sixteen years ago, and Cristalle remains her signature scent, at least in my mind. Her father bought her a bottle in Paris twenty five [...]
Posted in Aftelier on Jun 28th, 2010
New Website Launch Special – Everything 10% off! As a special thank-you for your support of Aftelier, and in honor of the launch of the new online store, everything will be available for 10%-off until July 12. To get this special deal, enter LAUNCH2010 at checkout. Posted by ~Trish
Posted in Herbal Alchemy Apothecary on Jun 7th, 2010
One of the most fulfilling aspects of creating Scent Hive has been discovering natural perfume lines that were previously unknown to me. It’s even more fulfilling when these discoveries stem from readers’ recommendations. Michelle, a fellow lover of naturals that I have exchanged perfumes with more times than I can remember, has sent me some real [...]
Posted in Tallulah Jane on Jun 4th, 2010
Congratulations Amanda, and thanks to everyone for your comments and entries! Posted by ~Trish
Posted in Aftelier on May 3rd, 2010
A visit to Mandy’s work space/living space in Berkeley, CA was exactly what I hoped it would be. She was a gracious host, accommodating my almost-due pregnant friend Mary and her cutie-pie 16 month old boy with a charming ease. Mandy served us delicious tea that she perfumes herself, let us dawdle in her vibrant [...]
Posted in Strange Invisible Perfumes on May 1st, 2010
Lily of the valley is such a precious flower. The way the tiny blossoms hang precariously from their slim stems makes my heart ache just a little. And their glorious scent is beyond captivating, I adore it. A neighbor has lily of the valley in her garden, and I point them out every spring to [...]
Posted in Strange Invisible Perfumes on Apr 19th, 2010
Alexandra Balahoutis is the the founder and perfumer of Strange Invisible Perfumes. She creates vibrant, compelling, beautiful perfumes, the latest being Essence of IX. Essence of IX is a limited edition fragrance, inspired by the “ghostly aromas” present in a wine glass. She collaborated with Ann Colgin of Colgin Cellars in creating this rich and [...]
Posted in Ayala Moriel Parfums on Mar 19th, 2010
Today is the last day of winter, and as we pass from one season to the next we find ourselves in a moment of reflection. Ayala Sender of Ayala Moriel Parfums has gathered a handful of bloggers to reflect on the remarkable scents that gave us comfort this past winter. Here is my selection of [...]
Posted in Roxana Illuminated Perfume on Mar 14th, 2010
The above necklace is from the etsy shop of Skeptis, the winner of Roxana’s 2nd Tier Chocolate Giveaway! After I drew Skeptis’ name, I went to her etsy link and discovered her beautiful creations. Very worth checking out. Posted by ~Trish
Posted in Roxana Illuminated Perfume on Mar 10th, 2010
Spring is burgeoning with much vim and vigor here in the Northwest. Camellias, Daphne, Forsythia, Crocus, Cherry Trees and Narcissus grace us daily with new blossoms and a kaleidoscopic display of color. That means Mother’s Day will get here before you know it and Roxana Villa’s chocolate solid fragrances are special and lovingly made gifts. [...]
Posted in Joanne Bassett on Mar 9th, 2010
The full bottle of her choosing, goes to Monica! Congrats and enjoy picking out your perfume. I decided to send a 2nd person some JoAnne Bassett samples from my collection, and that goes to Aubrey! On Thursday I’ll be posting a review along with another fabulous giveaway you won’t want to miss. Posted by ~Trish [...]
Posted in Joanne Bassett on Mar 4th, 2010
Transitions can be challenging. Transitions can be smooth. Either way, it’s nice to have something guide the way. We perfume lovers often look to fragrance to illuminate the path for comfort or energy. Moving from winter into spring often requires a bit of both, something vibrant to help grow new leaves and something soothing to [...]
Posted in La Via del Profumo on Feb 14th, 2010
There’s so much to love about labdanum. I love the sound of the word. It’s a potential tongue twister but once you get it, labdanum is a fun word to say. I also love the story of this resin. Goats would feast on Mediterranean rockrose shrubs filling their bellies while unwittingly collecting the sticky substance [...]
Posted in Artemisia Natural Perfume on Feb 2nd, 2010
I spritzed Artemisia Natural Perfume’s Rayon Vert, having no idea what to expect. I figured it’d be green of course, maybe a radiant crisp green, but other than that, I had no idea what I was in for. The sun is shining brightly as I write (that’s a rarity in the Pacific Northwest this time [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on Jan 30th, 2010
Gabriella! Congrats to you and thanks to everyone for such a successful giveaway. Roxana Villa of Roxana Illuminated Perfume has more lovely all natural chocolate solid perfumes to offer in the coming weeks, so don’t go too far! Posted by ~Trish “Dance at the Moulin Rouge” by Henri De Toulouse-Lautrec at art.com
Posted in Gabriel's Aunt on Jan 20th, 2010
This review continues my exploration of natural perfumes from Gabriel’s Aunt. Last week I wrote about Royal Couple, a radiant and sultry rose/jasmine duo that comes in both a cream perfume solid and a candle. Today, I will focus on two of her roll-on perfumes, one that also features jasmine, but from a different perspective. [...]
Posted in Gabriel's Aunt on Jan 14th, 2010
Gabriel’s Aunt (GA) isn’t entirely new to me. Nikki Sherritt, the creator of GA’s natural candles and perfumes, also pours candles for Ayala Moriel Parfums. I adore Ayala’s White Potion candle, so I figured I should give Nikki’s concoctions a try as well. I wasn’t expecting to be as crazy as I am over GA’s [...]
Posted in Ayala Moriel Parfums, DSH/Dawn Spencer Hurwitz, Soivohlé/Liz Zorn on Jan 7th, 2010
It’s been about a year now that I have been drawn to tobacco scents. Discovering In Fiore’s Maia, which is now called Jasmin Supérieur, sent me down this road due to its subtle yet intoxicating tobacco quality. I had always assumed tobacco in perfume would have to be an acquired taste for me. Turns out, [...]
