Opus Oils Les Bohemes Collection: Dapper and Heavy Sugar

Kedra Hart is the creator of Opus Oils and the Jitterbug Perfume Parlour located in Hollywood, California, and she also teaches perfume classes in her Artisan Perfume School. She accepts appointments at the perfume parlour, and besides the dozens of fragrances she offers, also makes amazing perfumed teas (available on the Opus Oils website). Before very recently, I had not tried Opus Oils, but now I can confidently say I am a big fan of the fragrances and teas.

There is a certain opulence and charm with a thread of danger running through each of Kedra's perfumes, and there is something wildly unique about each one. When I sat down to test the batch of samples I was sent, there were several that had me swooning immediately, others took time for me to understand, and still others that resisted my beckoning to them. At the end, I had a big handful of vials that I knew I had to write about, so I'm going to be reviewing them all in stages. This edition will cover as-yet-unreleased scents from the upcoming Les Bohemes collection, meant to evoke the 1920s. I hope for everyone's sake that these are released soon. You can, however, pick up a sample pack- there are 10 vials in all for just $20. A steal.

First up is Dapper. Notes include: violet absolute, orris root, blond tobacco, sandalwood, aged dark patchouli. This is a thoroughly gender-neutral perfume, sweetly purple and velvety with a slightly verdant top- it reminds me of how I'd like a beet to taste when I'm looking at it. There is a tartness to the blend not really explained in the notes list, but I sense it as a dark berry of some sort, perhaps blackberry. The earthiness of the patchouli and orris root anchor the scent to the skin, and only after about 20 minutes or so can I really start to smell the sandalwood. I would personally sell my soul for some good sandalwood, but luckily I don't have to, because that which is contained in Dapper is so delicious and so smooth as it plays off of the candied violet, that I think I'll go ahead and keep my soul and just buy a bottle of Dapper instead. As the drydown emerges, a silky, suede-like musk steps forward, an animalic embrace that stays with you for hours. This perfume is a no-brainer for every season, men or women-- it is a true delight.

Next up is Heavy Sugar, an amber Oriental. I cannot resist Orientals, even in sweltering heat, so I was happy to have a new one to try. Notes on Heavy Sugar include: dark amber, aged labdanum, fossilized amber, vintage patchouli, sandalwood, beach-found ambergris. Right away, this has a very classic feel to it. It's rich, sweet (but not too much), it has a really lovely hint of black tea and maybe even jasmine, but if you're looking for a progression in stages of wear where distinct top, heart and base notes exist, look elsewhere. Heavy Sugar is linear, full of syrupy, powdered kisses, and will leave a scent trail behind you that will make people weak in the knees. Yes, even in the heat. In fact, I tend to feel that rich amber Orientals really bloom on my skin in the summer; the scent particles boiling up and doing a frenzied, fiery flesh dance. Heavy Sugar is memorable for its straightforwardness, its very vintage feel and its cozy, sensual nature. As you might expect, the longevity is excellent. This is a must-have for me as well.

The next review I do for Opus Oils, I will tackle a couple of my favorites from the 100% natural Fetish Collection. 

[Samples were provided by the perfumer for review. My opinions are solely my own, and I was not compensated for my review]