Your heart is dark as a hemlock grove where the sun never shines and nothing grows.

Perfume Challenge Week 29: Monday, 8/1/11, to Friday, 8/5/11
A week of DSH Pefumes

When I was in junior high and early high school, I had a wonderful best friend, Marti. Marti was smart and funny and sharp-tongued and beautiful, like so many teenage girls are, and we could talk on the phone for hours after school after spending almost every class together. We grew apart in high school, in same the way I was systematically isolated from everyone by the growing random horror of my home life and my inept and desperate attempts to deal with it (hello, cycle of violence), but I never forgot Marti. Years have passed now, and we've reconnected thanks to ye olde intertubes, and I'm happy for that. It's nice when technology occasionally brings people together rather than isolating them from one another.

Never turn your back
on Mother Earth.

Recently Marti reminded me of something it's possible completely escaped my attention at age thirteen: her mom is a huge perfumista. To quote Marti, "she has more perfume than is natural for a human to own." I'd say that described me, too, at this point. I always adored Marrti's mom for so many reasons -- she was smart, she was funny, she was an excellent nurse who specialized in difficult deliveries, and when she was angry at the world, she watched nature videos of tornadoes destroying things as a coping mechanism. The perfume thing is icing on a cake of amazingness I've long admired. When I'm in Houston next, I'm hoping to hook up with them both for some perfume shopping.

If you're reading this, Lillian, thanks for always being kind to me after my mom left. I never forgot it.

Monday: DSH Perfumes Spring Moss - A dewy moss with subtle cool melon and cucumber nuances. Notes: Cucumber, Melon, Moss.

This is a bright, fresh scent that on me is almost spearmint-y. I know the notes say melon and usually that would be the death knell for me, but in this case it is light and fresh scent with the melon no where to be found. It lacks the decaying earthiness I'd have expected from a moss, but maybe that's what is Spring-like about it. Spring Moss is very much a new growth scent and great for warmer weather, so I suspect it wears very well at the cusp of Spring's change to Summer. I'll be sure to try it around that time next year. A solid 3 of 5 nods for scent, 5 of 5 nods for longevity (like all DSH perfumes oils, a little goes a very long way - 6 to 8 hours), and 5 of 5 nod for pricing (1/3 oz pulse roller on sale for $18), which for me was a whooping $14 for what I suspect is a three to five year supply with frequent use of this Fond Farewell item.

Layering Experience: I tried layering Spring Moss with Jo Malone Red Roses, after thinking I'd like a fresh green rose and finding the combination of Red Roses and Jo Malone Fresh Mint Leaf left me wanting a stronger green aspect. I found the combination a huge success, the Spring Moss being strong enough that a few pulsepoint dabs balanced very evenly with a light spritz of Red Roses. The effect was is a youthful and fresh rose scent that makes for nice wearing in warmer weather.

Tuesday: DSH Perfumes African Violet - A powdery, almost candy-sweet, violet flower note. Notes: Violet, Orris, Violet, Violet Leaf Absolute, Orris Concrete, Orris Root.

Well, helllllllllo violet. Attention lovers of soapy, powdery violets. Do not be fooled by the description, because this is definitely not the sweetest or most candied violet I've tried. No this is the kind of violet that once made me opine that violets were hard for me to love. That was on September 30, 2009, almost two years ago. My, how things change. Had I tried African Violet back then, I would have hated its intense soapy powdery florality. Now I think it is really quite pretty, though, it is not in the vein of violets I tend toward (like CB I Hate Perfume Violet Empire or Serge Lutens Bois de Violette.) Despite my newfound affection for African Violet's soapy, powdery beauty, I still prefer those less traditional violet approaches; turns out my nose is, at times, pretty consistent. But if you want a voluptuous violet of the soapy, powdery bent, I insist you look no further. 3 of 5 nods for the scent (based on my preferences, not the quality) and again, amazing longevity and price point (1/3 oz pulse roller on sale for $19).

Wednesday: DSH Perfumes Sweet Gardenia - A thoroughly tropical interpretation of gardenia with island flowers and a hint of sensuality in its base notes. Notes: Coconut, Orange Blossom, Gardenia, Tuberosa, Ambergris, Musk.

The opening is, as promised, very tropical. I think the tropical aspect comes from a balanced overlay of coconut and tuberosa, though the tuberosa is supposed to be a base note. This is one unusual gardenia, and more what I expected from Pacifica Tahitian Gardenia than what I got. Also, and this is a bonus for me, I get the rubbery part of the tuberuse/gardenia combo, which I truly enjoy. If you want a pretty gardenia for a beachy date, this is a nice option. Also a Fond Farewell item; 1/3 oz pulse roller on sale for $14. 3 of 5 nods.

Filmed in Oregon!

Thursday: DSH Perfumes Hemlock - Based on Canadian Hemlock Spruce, this scent has a bright and shining lightness with subtle drydown notes that come straight from the dark forest floor. It's the perfect compliment to the winter chill. Notes: Green Mandarin, Green Peppercorn, Silver Fir, Tanacetum, Angelica, Balsam Fir, Spruce, Atlas Cedarwood, Patchouli, Peru Balsam, Rhum, Treemoss.

 Hemlock spruce, as it says right there on the label. To me, this reminds me of the many, many, many hours spent in Decembers of my youth wandering around car lots full of fresh Christmas trees, if someone had dressed all the trees with decorative balls made of various kinds of peppercorns. In other words, it has a great scent memory embedded, and really makes me miss those times. Though I find it very sexy for anyone, there is wonderful potential here to sell a perfume-adverse man on a scent that feels like it goes with the latest episode of Ax Men. Personally I love it and will be leaning on it heavily when we get closer to the holidays. 1/3 oz pulse roller on sale for $19. Again, a Fond Farewell item. 4 of 5 nods.

Friday: DSH Perfumes Almond Blossom - A delicate floral scent with hints of almond in the top note and warm lily/musky nuances in the dry down. Notes: Bitter Almond, Jasmine, Lily of the Valley (Muguet), Amber, Musk.

Dear Fates, if I'm meant to die of poisoning someday, can you make sure it comes in the form of cyanide baked into some sweet dessert items so it smells like this just before I die? At least I would die happy.

Almond Blossom is an attempt at the floral and not the food, and the result is sweet but not too sweet and very almond, in an almond extract way, not a roasted nut way. It lasts forever, and is as delicious as it is pretty, but not nearly as sticky sweet gourmand as DSH Perfumes Lush Honey. The floral notes ensure you get a sweet scent that runs less toward the almond food and more toward the flower, as promised. 1/3 oz pulse roller on sale for $18. Available for a limited time and quantity. 5 of 5 nods.

Layering Experience: I tried layering Almond Blossom with Jo Malone Orange Blossom, and it turned out to be another wonderful surprise. The dryness of the Orange Blossom kills almost all of the gourmand aspects, turning it into a decidedly lovely floral combination. This is a combo I will be revisiting with some frequency. If you have the two on hand, give it a whirl. Two to three generous dabs of perfume oil to one full spray works for me.

Winner of the Week: I'm not going to pick this time. Every one of them are truly lovely and available for less than $20 each. I am pleased to say I own a third ounce off them all, which I suspect will last me a blissfully long time.  Also, with that kind of variety, you can hit almost an mood, weather or seasonal inclination, and all for under $100. Definitely shop the DSH Perfumes specials and sales while you still can to find all of the above at more than reasonable prices.

"Love is crooked as the teeth in an old man's smile,
as the stones in the graveyard, as a country mile,
but I'll drive all night to get there if you let me stay awhile.
Your heart is empty as winter in a tourist town.
Your heart is dark as a hemlock grove."
~ "Hemlock Grove," Mark Erelli

So good on paper, so romantic but so bewildering.

This has been a strange couple of months for me, being jobless. It’s weird not going out regularly to interact with the world. I am what you could call a “true extravert”, someone who deeply enjoys and feels renewed by interaction with the world. I need the stimuli, the unpredictability, the newness. Without there being a specific need for day to day outings, I just never seem to get it together. This creates a weird isolation, and at the end of the day, dear reader, I feel as though I have nothing to tell you. What did I do today? I don’t know. Nothing. Everything. I made dinner for my husband, who is really sick. I managed three entrees to cover varying needs, and I made them all without a recipe, which means I’m finally becoming something of a cook. I played a video game for a couple of hours that means nothing to me with people who are everything to me – close friends all across the country, which allows us to talk to each other for free. I spent quality time with my cats, who are probably as close to kids as David and I will ever get, and who love me unconditionally (as long as the food bowl get filled at the end of the night). I took all the ornaments off our Christmas tree, dug out some paperwork I need to send the Bar, and had a minor breakdown about my isolation.

It reminded me of, in short, of that song Carly Simon sang, “Coming Around Again.” “So don’t mind if I fall apart. There’s more room in a broken heart.” It’s strange not knowing what I want to do next with my life. I’ve been moving from goal to goal, year after year, for a decade. My future, for the first time, is a lot hazier. It’s a strange feeling.

With that in mind, I hope you’ll be patient with me if I’m less routine with my posting than I should be. I don’t have a real routine yet – I’m starting one Monday to help structure my studying – but I’m still here. Still smelling lovely, new things. Still trying to find a way to share them with you.

After rummaging around in my sample box, here are the random things I’ve got for you today.

Keiko Mecheri Iris Pourpre

I generally really enjoy irises. They can be refined and elegant, like Iris Pallida, simultaneously natural and ethereal, like Serge Lutens Iris Silver Mist, or youthful and accessible, like Prada Infusion d’Iris. It’s amazing to me that one flower can be so magical, so flexible, so many things in the hands of different artists. Keiko Mecheri describes Iris Pourpre as follows:

When creating Iris Poupre, Keiko Mecheri drew inspiration from a precious lacquered panel from the Edo period. The sparkle of the embedded gold-leaf inlay is delicately captured in the perfect black stillness of the panel’s glossy coat. The art work depicts the nobles of Kyoto contemplating from the height of a wooden passerelle over a field of gracious wild indigo and golden iris. You would be right to expect a corresponding fragrance to be characterized by a classical elegance. From the subtle sweetness of the white bloom to the rhizomatous powder of the orris root, the iris in its entirety resounds. A trace of ylang ylang lends a full richness to the sheer iris blend. Iris Poupre’s chypre chord echoes the tree-sap-derived raw materials of the lacquer painstakingly applied to the Edo panel with control and finesse. This perfume defies the expectation of a floral fragrance dripping with an instantly recognizable honeyed nectar. Iris Poupre recalls the elegant refinement of an antique jewelry box. A scent that is breathtaking in its masterful restraint, naturalistic charm and undeniable mystery.

Iris Pourpre a strange combination of a lot of different aspects, and thus ends up kind of muddled. It’s got a dryness to it, which is nice, but also seems accessible in the same way that Infusion d’Iris is. When I say accessible here, I mean in the way that some music is less about being artful and more about being appealing. Or the way some television or movies are meant to entertain, not to produce an act of art. This isn’t a knock on Iris Pourpre; it seems like a nice iris for people who don’t think they like perfume (though I’d still give them Infusion d’Iris to start with). I’ve seen some reviews that describe the scent as “purplish”, and I’d second that, which is fitting given the purple flower. But there is perfume crème brulee, and there is perfume popcorn, and this feels like it tends toward the popcorn end of the spectrum. Even as popcorn goes, it’s pretty excellent – just the right amount of butter and maybe one of those fancy shaker salts. Give it a whirl if you like irises, particularly if you’re looking for a masculine iris because of the chypre undertones. You can get samples from Luckyscent as well as a full 75ml for $115.

More reviews can be found here: Fragrant Foodie

Stacked Style Baroque Bleu

Stacked Style described Baroque Bleu as

an intoxicating scent that lingers long after you’ve left the room. While the heart of the fragrance is gardenia and tuberose, added notes of sweet coconut and rhubarb lend an unexpected twist to this sexy, white flower. Inspired by the romantic, bygone Baroque era, Baroque Bleu is a modern floral with a classic sense that’s perfect for any occasion.

Onward marches the review of florals. I’ve sampled this one several times now, but haven’t gotten around to reviewing it. That’s not for lack of affection. Baroque Bleu has been in my little tin of perfumes to remind me to review it for quite a while. I really like Baroque Bleu in part because it is exactly what it says it will be. It’s a very nice gardenia and tuberose, and the coconut is present, too. About half an hour in I get a rubbery, musky thing underneath that makes me love it all the more. It feels less like a fake flower and more like a real, living beautiful thing you could experience…or be. And it does remind me of a simpler time, but I think more of the 1920s. I sniff at Baroque Bleu and I think of a young Daisy Buchanan, twirling in circles in the arms of charming men at parties held on beautifully manicured lawns under twinkling lights, reflecting in repetition in the gently breaking waves.

I think it’s possible to idealize any era, any moment, and if there’s a way to bottle that sentimentality, that idealism, then perhaps Baroque Bleu is that idealized 20s glamour for me. It’s not rouged knees and flapper dresses and partying away the pain of the Great War, it’s more white woven cloche hats and white lace drop waisted dresses. It’s about feeling innocent and free and full of hope in a moment between two terrible wars and a horrible economic depression, without even realizing it while it’s happening…and yet knowing just enough about the world to know that even if war is temporary, well, so is peace. So you better enjoy it. Baroque Bleu samples are available through The Perfumed Court has a partial bottle for less than $40, and I saw some new bottles similarly priced through other online outlets. Baroque Bleu is also part of the Perfumed Court Gardenia Sample Pack, which I dropped my $20 to explore. At such affordable prices, this is a great scent to own, and I highly recommend it.

That’s all for tonight folks. Tomorrow I’ll finally get a bunch of packages to the post office. (Draw winners, I apologize for the delay.) I’ll finish up some laundry. Get the lights off the tree and get the tree put away. David said we might go to the bookstore, get some coffee, take a little walk around the outdoor mall if the weather is better. We do that sometimes. While I’m out, I’ll see if I can find a story to tell you, or a scent to share. Thanks in advance for reading. It’s nice, sometimes, just knowing you’re out there and still listening.

“And I believe in love.
But what else can I do?
I’m so in love with you.”
- “Coming Around Again,” Carly Simon