in hardback. FN1 I watched Murder, She Wrote
religiously each week with my grandmother. (I always felt that Angela Lansbury's character had the world's greatest job -- wealthy successful novelist/murder mystery bellweather/semi-professional sleuth.) One Halloween I actually went as Miss Marple from the Agatha Christie
novels. (Yet another year of me explaining my costume door-to-door.) I sometimes think my love of the law, particularly criminal law, is less about the law itself and more about the mystery solving and the meting out of righteous justice. I never really wanted to be a lawyer (my love for old Perry Mason
episodes notwithstanding). I just wanted to be a little old writer lady living in New England, bringing mysterious death and intrigue along every time I went on vacation. Today's scent is pretty interesting in that respect. It's name derives from a plant often used as a poison. Datura belongs is a classic "witch weed," like deadly nightshade, henbane, and mandrake. Also, like the other witch weeds, it's known to possess hallucinogenic properties. While it might be more appropriate to be thinking witches in the fall, this is definitely more of a summer scent for me.
An unknown town, a tranquil closed garden of a riadh glowing under the moonlight. The perfect alchemy of a dream. A sumptuous composition almost narcotic gives Datura blanche its empowering presence.On application, I get a lot of coconut oil (apparently the Datura there) and vanilla candy coating, but the sugar candiness melts quickly into a dry, warm scent that reminds me of skin and hot rubber on the road, only to pop back up later in the lingering end notes. The dryness reminds of of the scent of linen sheets freshly washed and dried on the line in the warm sun. To me, this screams total beach scent -- tanning oil, warm skin, car wheels baking on searing hot sand. There are other scents that scream summer beach trips to me: CB I Hate Perfume At the Beach 1966, L'Artisan La Haie Fleurie du Hameau, and Annick Goutal Songes all immediately spring to mind. And you know what they have in common? Jasmine. FN2 So it's interesting to me that I think of this one as equally sun, sand, and surf-inspired when I would never have guessed I'd find a tuberrose/heliotrope scent that didn't make me think of say, cherry pie filling and baking almond cookies. One of the best things about how well this is balanced, in fact, is that it doesn't smell at all baby-powdery or provoke visions of play-doh, like so many heliotropes do. It's just sweet and warm and lovely. A great beach evening alternative for those who hate the soapy jasmines, if this is a poem, then for me, that poem is a warm and reflective experience that would be happily appropriate for the wearer of any age.
Notes: White Datura, Indian Tuberrose, Heliotrope, Bitter Almond, Myrrh, Tonka Bean, Vanilla Madagascar
You can buy Datura blanche in a 75ml spray for $110 direct from the perfumer, LuckyScent, or First-in-Fragrance. Luckyscent also has samples.
"Which is ridiculous,'cause witches they were persecuted,
Wicca, Good! And love the Earth!
And woman power!
And I'll be over here."
- "I've Got a Theory," from BtVS: Once More, With Feeling
(You can listen to video featuring the song here)
Want more reviews? Try...
~ a review from I Smell Therefore I Am
~ a review from One Thousand Scents
~ a review from The Fragrant Foodie
~ a review from Fashion Tribes
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FN1 I haven't read them in years, but my recollection of the Nancy Drew books (the original 52, anyway) is of a pretty self-possessed, independent and brave young woman. I think they make a wonderful gift for any young girl.
FN2 Okay, with At the Beach 1966, I'm guessing, but since Brosius never gives us a notes list anyway, I get to make one up as a non-professional, and my 1966 has, I think, some jasmine in it. Or I'm crack-addled. You decide.
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