Brave New Scents: Jessamine by Charna Ethier (Providence Perfume Co) and Sweet Water by Liz Cook (One Seed Perfume)

I don't think I'll be able to review all of the Brave New Scents, but I do want to talk about some others in the project that caught my heart.

Jessamine

Top notes: Cedrat, Yutu, Galbanum
Heart notes: Jasmine Auriculatum, Aglaia, Linden Blossom, Pink Lotus
Base notes: orris, hay, Tahitian vanilla Bean tincture

"Evoking Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, southern drawls, Jessamine covered verandas and the hum of cicadas."

I can't start by saying that this perfume evokes a cologne-ish feel at the beginning. Because even though that was the first idea that came to my head, the citrusy-green opening isn't light and floaty, but full while at the same time beaing so fresh. I guess that is needed during Southern summer.

This freshness is soon resting upon a nutty feeling and you are happily starting to enjoy the sunny, fresh smelling flowers in the air. I can't say I can tease out the participating flower notes but the whole feeling is yellow (and you can see some of the flowers here are yelloy, jessamine stands for yellow jasmine).

I love it that I cannot tease out the individual notes but am left with enjoying their interplay and smelling the lovely mix they made.

But, the evening in the Garden approaches and the sunny flowers are no longer playing and wafting. What we are left is a broody vanilla.
Are you sure you still want to be outside?


Sweet Water

Top notes: clementine CO2, distilled lime, basil absolute
Heart: mimosa absolute, linden blossom absolute, honey absolute, hay absolute, sweet clover absolute, jasmine sambac CO2, mint absolute
Base: tobacoo balkans absolute, amber oil, copaiba balsam, iris butter, tonka bean absolute, labdanum absolute clear, green tea absolute

The first thing that came into my mind upon smelling this was LOVELY! (and I do mean that in capital letters)
But I don't think that would count as a perfume review. :)

I hope you didn't pay much attention to the notes because they can't convey the loveliness of this. It starts sweet and spicy, lightly fruity (I'm thinking citrusy/basil combination with mint playing along).

It's like you are blasted by good chear. :)

And then the sweetness blossoms. The flowers and the honey. The real honey. The one you smell when you open your pot. For me, this pot contains chestnut honey, a slightly darker smelling version of honey.

Btw, here is where I have to say that this is not the type of honey that makes people run screaming in the other direction. The one that actually doesn't smell like honey but like a candied, awfully synthetic imititation of one.
Here, the honey smells as honey is supposed to. And if anyone had a chance to try it, I would love to hear if someone else got the pure honey note from this.

Eventually though, honey sweetness dissipates and you are left lying in dark hay, smelling tobacco from afar.
Like I said, lovely. :)


Just a little reminder, you have until tomorrow midnight (October 4th) to enter for a chance of winning either Carmine or Avalon.


Jessamine pic by http://providenceperfume.blogspot.com/