Now that we’re leaving the hottest months of the year behind (at least in the Northern Hemisphere), I thought it might be a good idea to take a look at some of the richer, spicier offerings from the niche-isphere, since that’s what most fragrance fans will be reaching for when the days get shorter and the temperature begins to drop.
I’ve previously noted a number of spicy and/or incense numbers that beg for cold rainy days, a good book and a comfortable chair (for example: Indult Isvaraya, Les Nereides Imperial Opoponax, Etat Libre d’Orange Charogne, LesNez Let Me Play the Lion, Chanel Sycamore), but the spicy oriental & incense fields are crowded with players, so let’s get up close and personal with a few more selections:
Parfumerie Generale Haramens: probably one of the warmer, sweeter, spicier numbers I’ve had the pleasure to meet. One website describes it as “a night in the harem where Oriental pastries and incense fill the sanctuary while the women wait for the Sultan” and while the prose is overdone (oriental pastries? what does that even mean?), the vibe is pretty spot-on. This is a nearly edible vanilla confection with aoud wood frosting and incense sprinkles, finishing up on a dark, smoky note. If rich, warm and sweet is your thing, you should find much to like about Haramens.
Strangely enough, the gang over at Perfume Posse went on a rampage about Haramens in one of their comment sections, describing it as disgusting, worse than sewage, shocking, and like hampster piddle on cedar shavings. Either we received samples from different batches, or I’m just way more vanilla sensitive than the average bear, because (to me) this stuff is like a cadre of vanilla cupcakes baking in the oven as your hippie roommate burns sticks of frankincense in the next room.
Haramens is part of the Parfumerie Generale Private Collection, which means it’s difficult to find for sale from anyone other than Parfumerie Generale itself. Click on this link to read a brief interview with Pierre Guillaume, the perfumer for Parfumerie Generale. He mentions that he appreciates “heady and generous scents,” and Haramens is nothing if not heady and generous.
UPDATE: I contacted the people at Parfumerie Generale to ask them how one goes about purchasing a bottle of Haramens, and this was the response: “Hello. Unfortunately, Haramens was something ephemeral (limited edition), which is no more available now… even in the Private Collection… Kind Regards” . . . so, I apologize if my description of Haramens made you think you might like some, because you won’t be able to purchase any — EVER!!! *punctuated by the sound of me throwing breakable objects against walls*
Il Profumo Encens Epice: Encens Epice is a spicy incense for consumers who like their smoky fragrances with a little less added sugar. Encens Epice includes greener elements like patchouli leaf and pine tree sap that keep this otherwise woodsy/incense mix from tilting overboard. The tobacco addition is nice, as well, pushing Encens Epice into dry woods territory by furthering its parched aim, but as far as incense perfumes go, Armani Prive Bois d’Encens does this kind of uber-dry, meditative composition far better.
Ormonde Jayne Ta’if: a mildly spicy rose with its green stem and leaves still attached. Ormonde Jayne can always be counted on to class up the joint, and Ta’if (meaning “oasis in a desert”) is a soft oriental, a fresh and subdued take on the Middle East attar.
The rose is sweetened with a hint of dates, while saffron, jasmin and orange flower play a type of Greek Chorus in the background, commenting on what’s happening while forecasting what’s to come. The whole thing wraps up with a light amber that exhibits fine manners and good breeding. A respectable fragrance for polite company — needless to say, I’d have absolutely zero occasion for wearing it.
M. Micallef Night Aoud: Night Aoud is Haramens’ quieter, gentler sister — a woody oriental rather than a flat-out oriental oriental (with all the different categories of oriental, I think “oriental oriental” might just be necessary to distinguish the original from its cousins).
The opening is high and bright, but the incense smoke and aoud wood quickly take center stage and don’t relinquish the spotlight for the rest of the performance. It smells like it’s got some patchouli thrown into the mix, as well, because, you know, what’s a post 1990′s oriental without a dose of patchouli?
If a fragrance like Haramens is too loud, too sweet and just too much for your taste, but you’re still looking for something that has a bit of that sweet and smoky touch, M. Micallef Night Aoud would be a viable choice.
Anyone else got any rich, spicy stuff they’d like to reccomend? I’m all ears!
Speaking of all ears, The Brand New Heavies with “Midnight at the Oasis” — it serves to underscore our theme for the day. I was going to link to an original Maria Muldaur version, but then I thought, “Why torture everyone so?”:
UPDATE:
Regarding the natural perfumes posting from the other day, I tested out another of Ayala Moriel’s scents, Epice Suavage, and it’s genuinely terrific but lasts about a nano-second before it vanishes from the skin.
Okay, a nano-second is an exaggeration, but not by much.
Seriously, that is the one thing I do. not. like. about natural perfumery. Fine, yes, use as much natural materials as possible, I’m all for it, especially since natural essences have a complexity that’s often missing in synthetic bases, but at least consider the benefits of compromise — adding a synthetic fixative would provide some longevity for your customers without harming the formula, IMHO.
The extreme lack of longevity is a deal breaker for me, no matter how much I love the fragrance itself, which is a pity, as Moriel’s Schizm and Epice Sauvage are excellent pieces of work . . .
{ 5 comments }
I agree about the longevity issues – that’s why I could never seriously get into natural perfumes. I need more sillage and tenacity from a fume, especially considering the prices of the natural extraits.
I had someone else mention to me how much she loved Ayala Moriel’s perfumes, but that she had to apply so much of it to her skin to keep the scent going that she emptied the bottles at an alarming rate.
Perhaps this is why the perfumer from Social Creatures stressed that while his formulae were mostly natural, they were not 100% natural — he may have added some fixative for longevity’s sake. Rebel Ambush spoke softly, but it did manage to hang around a bit longer than the Moriels.
Chandler Burr noted in his review of Red Flower Guaic that it disappeared far too quickly, and I’m curious as to whether I’ll encounter the same longevity problem with the Rich Hippie line.
In reverse order:
I don’t mind the shorter lasting power on natural scents for certain applications…I’d be happy to reapply, as long as the price point reflected that need.
As for today’s reviewed perfumes, I’m going to focus on Parfumerie Generale, because two I LOOOVE scents are Bois Blond and L’Ombre Fauve. And “heady and generous” certainly applies to L’Ombre Fauve, all sweet and leathery on me, and in some ways to Bois Blond, a cozy sunlit pocket of the haypile in the woods.
Unfortunately, my experience with natural scents is that the price point doesn’t reflect the need for repeated application, and that it can’t, simply because natural essences are more expensive than synthetic aromachemicals. It doesn’t mean I won’t continue to support natural perfumers, I’ll just be frustrated while doing so.
I have a sample of Bois Blond in my Ready to Test box! I now can’t wait to get to it. Haramens was a genuine surprise and I’m working on finding out how to get a hold of a bottle. I got an email response from Lucky Scent saying they MIGHT be carrying it come October, but that they aren’t sure (thanks, that helps!), so I sent off an email to the Parfumerie Generale people themselves.
I’ll let you know if I hear anything back.
You are right, or at least my experience matches yours…natural scent price points do NOT reflect the unstop/apply/repeat process they require. And that the price frequently reflects cost of goods going in. But I can dream….
Oh! Did LuckyScent sell out of Bois Blond? {Leaves rather self-satisfied, with fresh ammunition justifying the recent purchase of a second bottle for deep storage when the budget didn’t really support it.} It is one of those limited release scents; maybe PG will bring it back into regular rotation?
Please do say if you hear anything.