Enveloped in lovely flowers

You know how I said the other day I was smelling perfumes that I didn't feel I had the right words to describe? Well, I still don't, but I don't think I'll be coming up with them any time soon and I do want to share with you this new-found classic that was born in the 21st century.

The two creations by Annie Buzantian for Puredistance are recent but they smell elegantly classic and as if they weren't produced in these times.

As with Puredistance I, Antonia comes without any notes listed. Oh, I adore a good mistery. I just wish later someone would tell me how correct was I in my assumptions.

So let me tell you what captivated me with Antonia. Because that is what happened, even though when I first tried it, I still thought it couldn't possibly beat Puredistance I for my affections.

It starts green, powdery and slightly earthy, there is a bitter quality to that greeness but at the same time, it evokes softness and warmth. A friend told me it smelled fresh to her which made me consider my own idea of fresh. My nose seems to have evolved in time when  fresh in my mind is linked with aquatic, ozonic, fabric softener ideas of fresh. This is not it. I realized later that this is what fresh must have smelled like in historical romance. Classic, soft, green and flowery.

After the initial slightly bitter feel to greeness (and brief flirting with soapiness), it just gets better and better. I cannot stop myself smelling it, I feel like someone perfumed my favourite cashmere sweater with lush flowers so that at the same time I feel warm and enveloped in a cloud of white, velvety flowers. It is like your favourite elegantly stylish aunt hugging you and the warmth and perfume that envelops you with all the love that is in that hug. Elegance and style are forever and smelling like that can never be wrong.

Today I'm finally wearing it not just testing it on my wrist. What can I say? It feels like it's blooming on my skin. For something so soft and feminine, it has some serious tenacity and wonderful wafting capability. And I absolutely love the fact that 7 hours after applying it, I can still smell it around me.

It is never too sweet, something is hiding in there making it just perfectly poised with florals dancing around a base hiding a note that won't let them drown in their own lushness and sweetness. It also makes me wonder if there is some kind of a juicy fruit note hidden in those flowers?

I want to thank Ninja of  Puredistance for sending me a sample of their new perfume. There is also one more reason I need to thank them. They made me realize that I actually love classic perfumes (I really didn't think that before).

Picture was received as part of Puredistance release package.

Puredistance I - my story

And where to begin this story?

How about, here is what true niche house and exclusivity are. One perfume, not many places to buy it in the world but available to anyone with an internet connection. Well, available might be putting it a bit optimistic - you know, the cheapest bottle goes you can buy is 165 Euros. But there are always samples...
Ok, this doesn't tell you much about what I think about it. I will try and do it justice but you know me, I sometimes (often) lack the words to describe things as accurately as they appear in my head, so I can only say I will do my best.

Honestly, the first sniff and my initial thought was, this is of the type of perfume I usually don't wear (due to the fact that I haven't actually smelled any of the classics I find wearable). And believe me, it won't take you long to realize it's a classic, even though not the classic as I seem to have understood it before Pure Distance I came along. You know, it's hard writing about something which creates new associations each time you smell it. :)

I will follow Suzanne's lovely example and skip the notes. They are really not that important, they can never describe the actual feeling. You might already be impatient to hear what that feeling is and now I'm going to say that the booklet I got with my bottle is completely correct and quote them:

"A lady stepping into a room crowded with people. Conversations stop. Everybody loooks at her. It is not here serene face.. there is the elegant, natural way she mover. And her simple, stylish white dress... So beautiful. Beautiful in a pure and natural way."

"The name Puredistance originates from this dream. What makes the lady stand out from the crowd is her understated elegance. Which is the essence of Puredistance."

I've been looking for the right words to describe this and then I read the booklet and there they were. But not only elegance. For me, Puredistance is exactly the way a woman seduces. It is a bit austere and cold at the beginning, with flowers hinting at femininity but not so much that you can be sure before she slightly smiles at you five minutes later. And still, you enjoy the company so much, the talk is gentle and intelligent, the atmosphere relatively relaxed but not really completely at ease. You can't say she likes you yet, you are already falling a bit for her and she is standing there elegant, relaxed and with a little smile curving her lips. But after a while, you can see the signs telling there is warmth underneath that smile and the woman behind that elegance is the one you will never find tiresome.

That is what Puredistance I smells like to me. It's there one minute, the next I'm wondering where did it go, only to find that it's playing with me, seducing me with each new sniff I take.

And just so you know how strong a character I am, it took 3 tries for me to fall in love, while my boyfriend only smelled it from the bottle and asked me instantly: Are you going to wear this? For me? (with that knowing look). :)

I wish I could have given you more with my review. You can always go read Suzanne's (she did it wonderfully).

I also had this serious doubt - you know, they were so kind to send me a bottle of this expensive perfume, what if I don't like it? But I shouldn't have had doubts. :)

And since people from Puredistance were so generous with me, I want to give you 2 samples from my bottle. Just comment and you will be entered. I can't give more, I already promised my good friend a decant. :)

P.S. I remembered while getting to sleep I didn't put the date until you can enter, until May 17 when I'll randomly select the winners.