Hippie Bling: Rich Hippie's Woodstock, Krishna, Nirvana and Groovy

Rich Hippie gets a lot of blowback on the blogs for the sky-high pricing of their fragrances, which is understandable, as it does seem more than cheeky to ask for what amounts to $450.00 an ounce for something with the word "hippie" in its name (even when it's preceded by the word "rich").

But there's a lot to like about the Rich Hippie line: its commitment to natural ingredients; its use of organic grape alcohol in its base rather than alcohol derived from petroleum; its support for organic farming methods; its small-batch approach to production -- and its high prices could very well be a reflection of the cost of its ingredients. When you're using natural essences and grape alcohol rather than synthetic aromachemicals and petroleum-based alcohol, this is bound to affect the bottom line dramatically.

In other words, yes, it totally sucks that Rich Hippie perfumes are crazy expensive, but there's a certain justification for the price point (no matter whether or not you agree with it), and if you're the kind of consumer who's fully on board with supporting 100% natural products, then you might just swallow your disbelief and shell out the cash. If you're fine with your latest purchase of Dior Miss Cherie, however, the price tags for the Rich Hippie line might make your head hurt. A lot.

But with all of the above out of the way, how good are the fragrances themselves? I ordered four samples so that I could find out for myself: Woodstock, Krishna, Nirvana and Groovy.

First, let me say that for 100% natural perfumes, they pack some oomph. My biggest complaint with the likes of Social Creatures and Ayala Moriel (for example, and this is not to diss on either because they both do excellent work within the field of natural perfumery), is that no matter how striking and excellent, they come across with so much less potency and power than their synthetic counterparts that I'm left almost mystified as to where they ran off to only twenty minutes after application. While Rich Hippie costs about 4 to 5 times more than fragrances from either Social Creatures or Ayala Moriel, it could very well be that the price for Rich Hippie reflects a much higher concentration and/or quality of ingredients used.

Second, and to be fair, part of the oomph may be that these are hippie juices, and as such, they're stuffed with heavy, resinous ingredients. Woodstock is a big, bold mix of frankincense, myrrhe and sandalwood with some light florals sprinkled over the top, and while the florals are actually very nice (they remind me of the quality florals used in Clive Christian No. 1 for Men), what you're mostly smelling is a snout-full of frankincense, myrrhe and sandalwood. So yeah, it lasts a little longer than most natural perfumes, but slather yourself in this juice and you are definitely walking out the door in a cloud of post-60's bohemian chic (fringed shawl and maxi dress not included).

Krishna packs a punch, as well, with a bright smack upside the head of bay leaf, juniper berry and eucalyptus leaf. The description states that lavender, champaca and chamomile are also present, but hoo-doggy, that eucalyptus is a chatterbox and you'll have to put up with its nonstop noise for a while before the flowers get a chance to roll on in. Unfortunately for me, eucalyptus has an association with bathroom fresheners -- I think it was in the 1980's where nearly every house I visited had a great big vase full of eucalyptus branches by the bathroom sink. I think even Glade came out with some eucalyptus smelling aerosol freshener. This doesn't predispose me to hand over $225.00 for a half ounce bottle.

Next, we head into Nirvana, and it's becoming quite clear that Rich Hippie is a potent stinkbomb of a brand. Bay leaf makes another appearance, along with a bergamot peel that smells like it was freshly scored off the fruit. Sandalwood brings up the rear, and it's a pleasantly simple brew. In fact, the Rich Hippie perfumes don't really get all that complex or engage in any radical evolutions -- the appeal of Rich Hippie is the decision to favor natural simplicity over chemical trickery, so when the ingredient list involves bergamot, bay leaf and sandalwood, then that's what you'll be smelling, and honestly, I think Nirvana offers just about the nicest smelling bergamot I've yet experienced. It's very well done, though I can think of about thirty five other fragrances I'd rather be wearing right now than what amounts to a bottle of expensive citrus oil.

Groovy is just okay. It's got some decent pine and fir resins, juniper berry crops up again, and the lavender is much more noticeable here than it was in Krishna, but I'm not crazy about it. All the notes smell fully present, balanced and rounded, and out of the four samples I've tested, not a one of them screeched or sliced at their opening, and the woody drydowns are excellent, but I do have to admit that these just aren't my thing. At all.

The Hippie moniker is very apt for this line, as there's a bit of a wild child quality out of the bottle, like a head of big frizzy hair and a loud personality that won't be tamed. I can easily see this line as a choice for rock stars, trustafarians and dopey celebrities, but I think there would be a riot if you tried to wear it to the office. The ingredients are great and the execution is simple, but they're too sixties, too bohemian love child and too much.

And then there's the natural essences longevity problem, which, when combined with the line's high prices, really doesn't make a lot of sense. Luca Turin said it best in Perfumes: The Guide -- "Most perfumers believe a judicious mixture of natural and synthetic is best; very few perfumers we've met believe in 100 percent synthetic fragrance. But even assuming you find fragrances that are 100 percent natural, there is no guarantee that they will be healthier for you (many natural compounds are toxic), nonallergenic (the list of plant allergens is long), or even good for the environment (natural Mysore sandalwood is heavily endangered due to its use in fragrance)."

Natural Perfumer Ayala Sender also has a bit of a problem with what she considers the misinformation at the base of many of Rich Hippie's claims: "There are plenty of things that deeply irritate me when I read the website that have nothing to do with my personal taste (or with my lack of fondness of the brand's paradoxical name): the perfume-history inaccuracies, the scare tactics, and last but not least - the inconsistency in regards to the quality or grade of the materials used (i.e. what is organic)."

But if you're the kind of flower-power child that can travel the world by private jet while delivering irony-free lectures about the dangers of global warming, then the price/longevity issue is obviously no obstacle and Rich Hippie might just be perfect for you. Have at it.

If I'm going to spend a wad of cash on a perfume, though, it's gonna have Bolt of Lightning in its name . . .