Thursday, March 31, 2022

Ebb & Flow: March 2022

 The highs and lows of the month.


Perfume:
MoonaLisa Cedarwood and Patchouli EDP (all natural, I love it)

Perfume Oil:
Arcana Wildcraft Strawberries Crave Waterfalls and Nocturne Alchemy Wisteria Petal Ice Cream

Body Butter:
Future Primitive Campfire Marshmallows

Soap:
Future Primitive Tobacconist bar soap

Shampoo:
Future Primitive original shampoo bar

Conditioner:
Future Primitive Clotted Peach Cream hair rinse

Skin Care:
Blood Moon Botanica Moon Dew mixed with Forest & Fjord Deep Forest serum

Lip Balm:
For Strange Women Baba Yaga 

Candle:
Bath and Body Works White Tea and Sage

Wax:
Candles From the Keeping Room strawberry blends

Eating:
Sumo oranges, Jelly Bean grapes, soy sauce and butter flavored Pocky stick type things

Drinking:
Water, Coffee, Doctor D's probiotic kombucha in crisp apple

Reading:
 Snow White, Blood Red short stories of dark, horror fairy tales

Watching:
Seinfeld with the girls, my first barred owl in our own backyard, flowers blooming everywhere

Listening:
John Denver's greatest hits on vinyl all the time while cooking.

Awaiting:
Library book sale this coming weekend, more wildflowers to bloom so I can make mini bouquets to tuck all around the house, and the next Candles From the Keeping Room opening.

Dreading:
Mosquitoes (already being attacked), state testing at school, dealing with the insurance companies over my health stuff and hospital stay. 

Hit:
The mystery box of crystals I ordered from The Spirit Nectar off of Etsy. They were amazing!

Miss:
Mr. Art Wood's beeswax tapers on Etsy. They don't burn well and go out all the time. I really like Pitch Pine Pottery's beeswax tapers but they are rather spendy. If you have recs I will take them.

Low:
A lot of financial struggles around the house this year, health issues, state of affairs in the world, in teaching. Trying to stay positive.

High:
The rush of spring being here. Getting excited about plants and growing things again. The thrill of bugs, wildlife, chickens. Fresh eggs. Fresh flowers. Fresh breezes. Good books. Good smells. Good people. Soft sheets. Cold water. Comfy chairs to read in (found an old one for $35 at a thrift store and I love it). 

How are things for you? Try anything new you love? What are you craving? What small things are you really loving?


Wednesday, March 30, 2022

Blood Moon Botanica: Perfume Oils

 Britton from Blood Moon Botanica was originally the perfumer and part owner of Haus of Gloi many moons ago. Since they struck out on their own I have been following along and supporting them as they released and dabbled in many different things, from flower essences and tinctures to skin care and body care and more. They recently picked back up perfumery in a big way and I have been here for it.


Huckleberry Mountain- Notes: Conifer accord, sun-touched huckleberries, forest foliage, dusty roads, wildfire smoke, and dried grasses. Sample for $5.50 or 6ml for $20

From the bottle the huckleberries ensnare the nose first, tart and juicy like a blueberry with a seed-like crunch. On the skin those purple and blue hued berries sidle along with raw nicotine. This could be the grasses and dusty road, but it very much brings to mind smokeless tobacco and the papery and peppery insides of unsmoked cigarettes. The starkness of it softens and the berries settle into the woods.


Samhain Night- Notes: Graveyard dirt, rustling autumn leaves, a bundle of protective herbs along with vetiver and spikenard.

Loamy soil and damp, crumbling leaf litter fecund with humus dwells in the bottle. On the skin the soil and damp grassy vetiver mix to create a swampy atmosphere. The dank fog obscures the rickety shack on the edge of the mire where cypress knees rise up like horns of long buried fiends. Glimmers of green gas flicker like will-o-the-wisps over the rippling black waters. Earthy, herbal, decaying and ambient. The scent settles down into frangible dead leaves and broken twigs and pillowy herbs. Meditative and haunting. Hey there, you have dirt under your nails. Whatever have you been up to?


Harvest Moon- Notes: Clean clear moon accord, golden pumpkin leaves, pumpkin pulp, dried yarrow, and a touch of honey.

Honeyed pumpkin flesh floats right out of the perfume bottle. On the skin it is limpid and golden, honeyed pumpkin fruit. There is a tang of bitterness from the yarrow and pumpkin leaves that creates wildness and lends a pungent air. The herbal aspects fade and and the honey lingers on, warm and dusky.


Witch- Notes: Black musk, beeswax candles, dried vanilla bean husk, soot, and lunar night blooming jasmine incense.

From the bottle unfolds a thin plume of blackened vanilla musk. Something is brewing up in there. On the skin a spell of musk, candle wax and joss sticks creates a veil of perfume. Milky vanilla curls around the perimeter and the whole thing smells of cloaks scented in potions and petitions from working magic. It is a spooky and wearable witchy scent that will be in heavy rotation.


Canyon Lands- Notes: Juniper needles and berries, poplar buds, sagebrush, and feral homestead lilacs, sandalwood, mitti attar, and pine oils finish it.

Right out of the sprayer it is breathtaking. Arid creosote breezes, dry crackling juniper and ozonic static electricity attract sandy dusty earth and pithy smells. The electricity dissipates and an almost uric note seeps in, reminding me of budding sweat and the sap of sage. It is certainly a spirit of place as the name suggests, abundant with desolate beauty.

I really enjoy these squatty yet petite bottle shapes with the tiny caps. They hold 6ml and have not leaked on me. Most of these scent wear close to the skin, creating a hovering aura of sillage. The longevity is on the shorter side on my skin, around 3-4 hours or so. I don't mind this at all as I like to apply different scents sometimes. Britton is gearing up for a spring perfume restock and will be including Moon Dew face serum (get it!!!!) and some body butters (get them!!!). I love their body butter formula, it is very silken and creamy rich. I plan on trying to pick up Frost Giants, Dreamy, and Ponderosa. I will also try and nab two deodorant/perfume oils in Vanilla Patchouli and Holy Forest. I enjoy using these for weekends or when I am not working and sometimes before bed. They keep my pits from being too pungent when I don't want to really wear a heavy hitter deodorant. The shop will open on the 16th. Follow them on IG for updates or sign up for their newsletter. They do a great job of mailing those newsletters out, which I appreciate. 

Monday, March 28, 2022

Arcana Wildcraft: New Classics Jeunesse Doree and Lughnasadh

 These perfumes were a gift from Julia.


Arcana Wildcraft added a few new scents to their permanent collection and I wanted to showcase them.

Jeunesse Doree- Notes: The luxe, opulent beauty of nonpareil jasmine sambac absolute, golden Italian bergamot zest, plump vanilla pods, sugary Peru balsam, soft Clearwood, and a single drop of French cognac. $26

Jeunesse doree means fashionable wealthy young people, or gilded youth. The original use for this term came from the French Revolution and the posh young anti-Jacobin thugs who terrorized Robespierre's cronies. At least that is what the Miriam-Webster definition tells me. When I sniffed it from the bottle I was getting Victorian era socialites, but turns out I was about a hundred years too late. This is a refined scent- the amber bottle houses plumose jasmine and gleaming bergamot cushioned on velvet. Graced on the skin that sugary balsam blends beautifully with the jasmine to create candy coated blossoms that straddle the line between creamy and indolic, especially once the bergamot and vanilla pool into the heart. The creamy jasmine reflects the creamy vanilla while woody and bright notes of bergamot and balsam lend elegance and age. This is a lovely scent that wears like a classic indeed.



Lughnasadh- Notes: An ode to the ancient god Lugh, Celtic mermaids, and the element of water. The scent of fresh water, white coconut, moonlight reflected on the ocean, smooth amber, seaweed absolute, rain-drenched juniper tips, and a drop of ruby-red grapefruit. (Formerly known as Lammas) $26

Along with Kraken, Strawberries Crave Waterfalls, and Fresh Coconut layering note, this perfume will become a summer staple. Sunny grapefruit, tropical coconut and coastal landscapes murmur of faraway shores and sun dappled skin. Wet on warm skin the coconut echoes of the cracked brown rind, creamy white flesh and refreshing translucent milk sipped from nature's own bowl. The bounty that is chalice, drink and morsel all in one. As the thirst is quenched and the day lingers on the scent of sun warmed amber sands swirls in pools and eddies around the senses. The timid sweet coconut and amber are a merry meet. The freshness of the ocean and juniper just whisper as a gentle breeze pushing the amber and coconut into that sultry sway. This is a beautiful perfume that will be perfect for this Florida girl in the heat and humidity of summer.

I spent all weekend outside in yard and I swear the hours spun around the clock in double time. Lots of weeds pulled, dug up some plants that died in the freezes, and planted some daisies, salvia, nailwort, St. John's wort, jasmine, and blue butterfly. The chickens made me laugh. I let them out to scrounge around the yard and every time I got to digging and planting they would run up to me and investigate. Such curious gals. The phlox seeds I planted last fall are blooming. I need to make note to pick up more packets from the Florida native wildflower website. They always remind me of my great grandmother. I'll be sure to take some pictures. 

How was your weekend?

Wednesday, March 23, 2022

MoonaLisa: Various 3ml Perfumes



MoonaLisa is an indie perfume house that has been around for a while, her website states 1991. Moona has a background as a sculptor, chef, herbalist, and of course, in perfumery. She operates her house out of two websites, one for the perfume found here (MooScents) and one for bath and body and home products found here (MoonaLisa). Currently, all perfume oils are $15.95 and EDPs are $24.95. If a perfume oil has more expensive ingredients she will offer them in 3ml sizes, but if they are standard they will go in larger 5ml roll-ons. I will feature my roll-ons next. Today is all about the 3ml perfume oils I have from MoonaLisa. These were collected over the past couple of years, so fairly recent.

Fir & Spice- Notes: All natural fir balsam, cedar wood, and silver fir. Accented with golden frankincense and myrrh, with just a touch of aromatic seasonal spices.

Dusty cedarwood and warm frankincense tears herald the coming of sacred woods and precious resins when sniffed from the bottle. Applied wet to the crook of an arm the cedar fizzes up with an aldehyde brightness. The sunlit cedar sparks settle down back to the earth and are grounded by dried evergreen needles and woody myrrh. At some points there is a gingery bubbling lightness to the edges, hard to tell if it emanates from the pale myrrh or terpenes from the wood pith. Regardless, this is a dancing wood nymph of a fragrance, agile and lithe, sunny and cheering.


Yuletide Grove- Notes: An accidental blending of Starlight Woods and Yule Wood. Woody smoky soft amber and incense paired with evergreens, sandalwood, amber and spice.

A lovely sugared amber spruce this one is right out of the vial and wet on the skin. A near perfect Yule celebration: handcrafted hard candies, citrusy balsam garlands, the merest hint of cinnamon amber tipples. The sweetness makes me smile and imagine crystallized Christmas trees, twinkling with diamond sugar dust. I loved the idea of Yuletide Grove so much I did end up getting Starlight Woods as well. Now I simply need to pick up Yule Wood next to have all three iterations. Obviously you can see I am hooked and think they are well worth it.


Snow Ice- Notes: Sweet crystallized vanilla sugar and cream.

I am always a sucker for vanilla centric scents. I find them comforting and easy to enjoy in most moods and seasons. Snow Ice fresh from the crystal bottle brims with thick chewy vanilla bliss. Swirled on the skin with the wand, a rich toothsome vanilla flows forth. It posses nuances of a sticky pale caramel, vanilla butter fudge, and a touch of sweetened condensed milk. It is ultra creamy and simply decadent. 


Starlight Woods- Notes: Woody smoky soft amber with wafts of sacred incense.

Faintly the scent of delicate vanilla amber floats up in a haze. Brushed onto the skin, a candied version of this vanilla amber melts into a pool of warmth. It reminds me of an artisanal version of Amber Romance for a brief turn, but then the incense slowly trickles in and elevates the fragrance even further. On my skin this tends to hold close, with a quieter sillage, making for a more meditative experience. I will happily wear this one on days I need an extra dose of peace. 


All Hallows' Eve- Notes: Autumn strolls through dry graveyards, with earthy grounding oak moss, patchouli, herbs, oud wood, sandalwood, mosses, smoked woods, and a touch of earthly reminders of home. 

This is a haunting creature. From the bottle smoky oakmoss and midnight oud slither out and up to the senses. Swiped onto the skin a deep, ember bright bonfire ignites in the dark. There is a wax oil scent called bonfire bliss and this brings to mind that profile: pillowy woodsmoke, softly acrid embers, earthen ash. If you enjoy flame, smolder and smoke, you will love All Hallow's Eve.


The Witching Hour- Notes: Labdanum, benzoin, black agar, cedarwood, olibanum, and magic.

From the bottle comes a gorgeous frankincense and oud wood, resinous and woody, sparkling and burnished. On the skin The Witching Hour darkens and broods and this is the perfect scent to illustrate that bewitching nocturnal time. The benzoin and agarwood are full bodied with inky musk and a blackened furriness that slinks about like the shadow of a cat under a moon. The richness of the agar carries a smoky and pithy undertone that reminds me of the Andy Taur Attar I love to wear. This posses that almost animalistic nature of that scent. So beware the padding paws of the lurking feline during The Witching Hour, she just might pounce and you will indeed be caught.


The Conjuring Room- Notes: The distinct aroma of layers upon layers of magical oils, wax built up from years of burning candles and dark magic.

I love how the resins and bits settle down at the bottom. Shaking it up does make it feel like I am preparing a potion to uncork. When it is unstoppered the most delicious honeyed vanilla and creamy beeswax bubbles up. The ritual continues as these creamy smooth scents are joined by furry lavender and tonka hues. A touch of smokiness from extinguished candles and sooty fingertips. This is a plush, sweet, creamy and smoky dream. Perfect for conjuring spells.


Dusty Attic- Notes: An aged Moona amber blend, with oakmoss absolutes, subtle smoke elements, all swirling over fine aged patchouli.

In the vial this dark elixir smells boozy and moody, vintage with elegant oakmoss. Anointed on the skin that boozy amber emerges as a darkling beauty. It reminds me of opening up vintage glass bottles of perfume in quiet tucked away thrift shops. The booziness ages away into an arid warm amber. The sweetness fades as oakmoss dusts the perfume with its sharp green papery aroma. At this stage it truly does smell exactly like the vintage fragrances perched on faded and forgotten dressers stored in attics. 


Winter Solstice- Notes: A blend of different sacred resins such as frankincense and myrrh from around the world, nutmeg, and labdanum absolute.

This beauty was a fast favorite. I have since picked it up in the EDP format and will scout out another bottle later this year as the 3mls do go rather quickly with my heavy handedness. From the vial frankincense lifts up with clarity and sunny brightness. Moona's frankincense and ambers age incredibly well (I used to always get compliments on Salome's Secret for its resiny traits). Once on the skin that chewy woody frankincense is made more diaphanous by the austere myrrh. It is golden and rich, crystalline and shimmering, decadent and timeless. This is so beautifully blended that the individual notes don't appear in separation but merge into one beautiful ritual. The nutmeg lends a warm woodiness while the labdanum gifts a darkness. All swirl together to craft a resinous offering to the longest night of the year. If you love incense scents, do give this one a try. Winter Solstice does have to be applied liberally so have a sillage and longevity that lasts more than a few hours. It may be on the fleeting side but it is worth the experience.


Strega- Notes: Legendary European witches smells of labdanum, Bulgarian rose, frankincense, vetiver, piper longum, and vanilla absolute from their good magic, and darker notes from their mischief like deep woods, damp mosses, and incense smoke.

I bought Strega just as much for her name as the notes listed. It was a good call. From the bottle a resiny sweetness lifts up. Don't let the rose shy you away. Despite the name, this is not a grandmotherly scent. Dabbed onto the wrists this perfume is truly pure magic. Moona has a way of crafting fragrant potions that wear like elixirs, defying the ability to deconstruct them into their ingredients, demanding to be taken at their whole. But I persist. The incense is softened by dark vanilla husks and dusted with white pepper. It fleshes out to feel like an inviting dusky vanilla woods threaded through with gossamer incense smoke. Your Strega has a cozy home with dark corners, a lone sweet rose in a vase on the rough hewn table, vanilla clinging to her worn apron from the ghosts of past treats, and a ready pillowy hug to sooth the frayed heart. Embrace her.


Warm Hearth- Notes: Sweet vanilla with cinnamon, nutmeg, and patchouli.

This one was an instant love. If you have a hankering for a sugared vanilla and gently spiced patchouli this is a true gem that satisfies those cravings. Wet on the skin the candied patchouli glows, it is a snug patchouli that doesn't lean medicinal or overtly earthy. Simply a sugar sprinkled patchouli leaf. The vanilla is a clear shard of rock candy that can crunch between teeth or stir clockwise three times into a comforting drink. The spices in this scent are extremely subtle and quiet, merely accentuating the mild woodiness of the patch and the warmth of the vanilla. This is a forever love and I will be picking up a back up. The longevity on this one is pretty stout, it lasts several hours, basically all day long.

Mabon- Notes: Frankincense, sandalwood, cypress, juniper, pine, and pulverized oakmoss and concrete. A Scott Cunningham recipe with Moona's twist of added saffron and myrrh oils. A dusty fall stroll like scent.

A mesmerizing autumnal chypre-esque fragrance right out of the tiny crystal decanter. The oakmoss is tenderly aged and sings in harmony with the woods and resins. On the skin this is truly a magical ritual in the making. It is herbal and fresh like the snap of twigs with smudged green dregs in the bottom of a mortar. The saffron lingers with yellow pollen stains in the heart of the scent, a grassy yet brittle hay. It dries down into an airy frankincense and coniferous pine aroma. Lovely.

As of last night the MooScents website was still open for spring perfume orders. I picked up some of course. I do find that sometimes the TAT can be a touch longer than stated, but the customer service, perfumes, and packaging are all well worth it. I heard MoonaLisa's chocolate scents were pretty stellar so I picked up two of those (and some others). Did you order? Do you have any favorites from MoonaLisa?


Monday, March 21, 2022

Happy Spring

 


Hey there. So things are starting to slowly reach a type of homeostasis over here. I don't want to say normal, because what does that even mean these days? And with the war, cost of living, and pandemic still raging I don't think things are all that great at the moment. But the health issues I have been struggling with as of late have been slowly getting better so that is a plus. My energy is creeping back and I am thankful for that.


I have a magnet on my fridge one of my sisters gave me that says something like: if you have a library and a garden you have all you need. I am really leaning into that. I have enough books to get me through several years and a garden big enough to weed. I am loving the sweet alyssums lately, they smell so heavenly. Their dainty white fluffy clouds of flowers are strongly honey scented and make me smile.


Did you know we have a fox that comes into our yard early in the morning hunting for squirrels?? I have only seen him once at night but Adam has been lucky enough to spot him and take pictures quite a few times. He likes to send them to me while I am at school working. It totally makes my day and makes me slightly envious of his work at home view.


I think the thing about gardening is that it gives you hope. I am sure I read somewhere that planting a seed is a sign that you have faith in what the days will bring. I may not be harvesting a bounty of foods but I will gratefully take the handful of carrots and rutabagas that I pull up. 

Work is a rollercoaster but I am going to stick it out another year where I am at (if they'll let me). I am hoping I can make a good choice with my head and heart about all that when the time comes. 

I have been off Facebook for a while now and it has helped in some areas but certainly not in saving money. I figured being out of many of the wax and perfume groups would tame the spending but heck, I find all kinds of things to buy anyway. Needing to make a budget and stick to it. 


But for now I am just going to try and focus on the little things that can bring small moments of joy. And taking photos and smelling the perfumes I have are a part of that for this time being. 

Did I tell you that my oldest now has a learner's permit to drive? She loves high school so far. Learning a ton and making a couple friends. 

My youngest is making straight A's for the first time and really seeing that she is able to get the hang of math and reading despite struggling with it for so very long. I am so happy for her. She has also picked up drawing and sketching. 

My cat is getting old. She has a lot of the signs: grouchy, meows all the time, bitey, sleeps ALL day in the same spot, coat looking scruffy. I am thinking her time might be winding down. 

The chickens are doing great! They gives us 3-4 eggs each day, once even five! Not bad for only three hens. We had to give one away because she was a bully. So Reki, Baka, and Frederick are our forever girls. Well, as long as they live girls. They are so sweet. They love pecking around the yard and being held. Scarlette even swings with them in her lap. 

Well hoping your spring is going well as can be. What do you do to boost up your serotonin? 

Sunday, March 20, 2022

Arcana Wildcraft: Meditations on Love

 These perfumes were sent as a gift.


Hey there. It's me. How have you been? I have been ok. Still into my smell goods, reading, working, gardening. Trying to find those tiny bits of joy where I can.

Speaking of tiny bits of joy, I do have some perfumes to show you. These are from Julia's Valentine's release at Arcana Wildcraft, titled Meditations on Love. A sample is $6 and a full 5ml bottle is $26 and free shipping on orders over $50. If you join Julia's Facebook group you can sometimes catch the deals like gifts with purchase and discount codes. 


Seduce- Notes: Cafe au lait, delicate neroli, dark crimson musk, oven-toasted brioche, Mexican vanilla, crystalline chunks of rich amber, vintage patchouli, and smooth sandalwood.

In the vial there is a push and pull factor between the coffee and neroli. It almost comes across like a perky variety of dragon's blood but I think that is the red musk's influence. Applied on the wrists, the patchouli opens up (Julia always has the most incredible patch) and pairs with the warm musk to act as the smoldering setting within which the seduction takes place. It eventually drifts quietly to the background to linger as velvety shadows amid the candlelight of the neroli. The more gourmand aspects of this perfume are blended so beautifully. One moment a tendril of steamy coffee and cream will entice, then the next a wedge of crusty nourishing bread will hover at the periphery of my senses. All the while the vanilla, amber, patch and sandalwood mingle and meld into a beguiling perfume. Seduce is a highly nuanced red musk unlike any that I have sniffed before. The deep drydown becomes more soft and snug as it settles into a tender vanillic sandalwood cream. It is a pleasure to wear and expertly blended.


Touch- Notes: Golden honey on warm skin, soft brown leather, a baby lambswool sweater, floating layers of sheer silk, grey musk, and lightly smoked sap-frosted woods.

From the vial comes violet hued impressions, the delicate orris smudged bruises under sleepy bedroom eyes, the tender blue veins that dwell in the crooks of arms, the dreamlike quality of light just after the sun sets and just before it rises. Brushed onto the skin the luminous leathery iris and orris root tones glow with pale lilac and azure auras. It is a sleepy and soft beauty along a similar feel as Celestite to my nose. A difference is the leather and the honey. I love how the honey grounds this scent and keeps it from floating into the ether, much like a touch can be grounding and comforting. The heart begins to drift into the textile territory with the clean skin scent of wool and watery layers of silk. The heart slowly warms up by the dripping of honey and this carries down to the base. It is quite the suggestive scent in the drydown, as if fingers trail along the skin leaving a honeyed ghost of pheromones it their wake. Touch is a beautiful scent. Shadowy blue florals and leather to the warm sweater borrowed from a lover to a honeyed skin musk.


Trust- Notes: Lavender scented kulfi, ruffled red carnations, precious French cognac, ribbons of melted caramel, white amber, fluffy vanilla, clove bud, and brown sugar.

I have never tasted nor smelled kulfi before. I see it is a traditional Indian frozen dessert and when I sniff in the bottle I certainly pick up a creamy cool treat infused with amber cognac. I love how boozy and creamy this is in the bottle, with just a whiff of resinous warm amber. Wet on the skin the greenhouse scent of carnations wafts up, like a stem or two sentimentally presented by a lover. The carnations and cognac are quite the heady pairing, and they merge together seamlessly. The heart fills as the cream begins to rise, quietly pushing the courtship flowers to the background. Slowly a richness darkens the cream and kulfi, this must be the brown sugar and caramel with a breath of clove. It dries down to remain this creamy sugared dark treat. Enchanting. 


Blush- Notes: A trail of wild-harvested mosses in an enchanted forest leads to profusion of tuberose petals, fresh apricots, soft earth, and blushing peaches drizzled with a touch of wildflower honey.

The notes on this one had me wiggling my eyebrows for sure. I adore Julia's narcotic white florals (the jasmine and strawberries in Merrywidow!) so I was excited to see her pair tuberose with the peach and apricots. In the vial those three have quite the menage a trois in a clearing somewhere out in nature. I hope the insects were kind to them. Drenched on the skin juicy apricots and peaches start jammy and sweet but then mellow into the furred skins of the fruits rather than the flesh, while the dainty white tuberose petals offer up their honeyed opulent perfume. The tuberose here is not indolic or gasoline nuanced but leans more towards the creamy and honey rich scent of pure orange blossoms and bulb flowers and gardenia all swirled into the majesty that is tuberose herself. Bits of moss and earth act as a vignette framing the fruits and tuberose flowers. As it begins to dry the ripe peaches and apricots fade and the tuberose blooms fully forward, humid and lush but softened ever so slightly by the muted moss and earthen hues smudged around it, earthen and not sweet. In the drydown the petals become withered and crackling, light and dusty, falling to the earth.


Wide-eyed- Notes: The sweet amazement of the dawning of love. A green meadow wreathed in mist, the beating of butterfly wings, Jasmine sambac, young, ripe strawberries, and a bit of sugar-gilded vetiver.

Well howdy-do. After thinking of Merrywidow's lush jasmine and boozy strawberry, look who struts her stuff right into my hands? Another lush jasmine and strawberry! This makes me ridiculously excited. In the bottle the strawberries are tiny toothachingly sweet glistening red beads pillowed by fuzzy green leaves with dainty white flowers arching out, bobbing on their long thin stems. Gracing the skin those beautiful berries are ever present and larger than life, however, just as ephemeral as they would be in nature they quickly ripen and move to the edges of the scent to allow the jasmine to pull through in the heart. This jasmine is a gorgeous white star shining with moon dappled fragrance. It is lush and delicate, less powerful and bulb-like than the tuberose, more gossamer and sweet. A princess rather than a queen. I think that the tiny wild strawberries hanging around the edges all the while bolster this image. 


Muse- Notes: Delicate, crisp lemon cookies, tart yuzu, velvet blankets, wild-harvested fir tips, warm stones in an ancient forest, sweet coconut water, and wild juniper. 

Muse is a wild beauty. From the bottle I sniff out the bright and zesty yuzu citrus tones and it is accompanied by the serenity of coniferous woods. I know I will love it. Drizzled onto the skin a clean and warm musk unfolds that houses the lemony bright yuzu. It really does smell of sun dried linens that have netted the blossoms drifting along a breeze. As the winds shift the yuzu becomes more pronounced and the gentle green milkiness of coconut water trickles in. The effect isn't tropical but serene and calming. As if wandering a rocky forested coastline in the Mediterranean with gentle cleansing winds and wild citrus fruits growing crookedly towards the sea. Certainly a place to muse. This beauty dries down to a soft pale coconut woods that induces frequent sniffing.

All of these Meditations on Love are simply lovely. I am enthralled with the floral and fruit combinations that ring true and wear beautifully. I actually went to a wedding with my right arm slathered in Blush and my left graced in Wide-eyed and savored every moment. Sorry if I am a bit rusty on the writing and interpretations. These things are like muscles and mine are sorely atrophied. I am aiming to pick up two new to me scents from Julia at Arcana soon (Her Flame and Her Sorceress) and then I also plan on beginning the review process of a ton of Moonalisa scents I have ordered over the years but never got around to. I have found that I missed writing about scent. So here I am. Once more. Pouring over the goodies. Hope you have been doing well! What are you wearing?