Flower Power: In Fiore Night Queen Parfum Solide Haute Concentre

In Fiore is the brainchild of Julie Elliott, who creates fragrances and skin care products with a deft hand and a host of pure floral ingredients that seems dizzying at first. The In Fiore skin care regimen I've been trying out is not tailored to the average American woman who is short on time and can't even bother to take off her makeup before bed. In Fiore is for someone who values her sanity and takes her time indulging the senses simply because she sees the necessity in that. This appeals to my hedonistic side quite a bit, and I will happily take 15 minutes (or more if I'm applying a masque or two) twice a day to make my skin glow supernaturally. There are many steps, and each product works in synergy with the next. Every skin concern is addressed in several products in the line. For me, it's an intoxicating and entertaining process.

Now that you have a little background on the range of products available, I encourage you to take a look around  In Fiore's website to feast your eyes on the aforementioned  lovely products. For now, I will move on to today's main event: Night Queen solid perfume.

Notes: Jasmine Sambac, Grandiflorum and Auriculatum, Bulgarian and Centifolia rose, Italian bergamot peel, saffron, Dark Indonesian patchouli leaf, Oud of Assam

Night Queen Parfum Solide Haute Concentre, one of ten fragrances available, is quite simply a jasmine lover's dream. And I'll even go one better-- I challenge anyone who historically has not enjoyed jasmine as a fragrance note-- this soliflore will be of interest. As you can see from the notes list above, different types of jasmine essences are utilized for different effects, and I think this is the main reason why I love it so much. There are a few of us out there who love the spicy, slightly jagged edge of jasmine sambac, and it's frequently passed over for its more refined sisters (always the bridesmaid...). The moonlight-stippled aura surrounding Night Queen is one of vintage repose and quiet confidence-- it reminds me of this image that I adore:

Just another Monday Night...

Brass mirrored compact each solid comes in

The patchouli and oud are in perfect proportion and lend the blend rich incense tones. The two types of rose used (centifolia and Bulgarian) act as enhancement for the jasmine and contrast for the base, but it's not intense enough by itself to make its presence known unless you're hunting for it. In other words, it's perfect for me. It's a fairly dry scent, yet surprisingly multi-layered with excellent throw. It feels like everything has its place specifically to allow the jasmine to take the lead, and lead it does. I'd follow this Queen anywhere.

The solid perfume compacts are brass with the In Fiore logo etched on to the top, it is quite generously sized, and there is a fully functional makeup mirror inside. The consistency of the beeswax mixture is soft and it spreads well, probably because of the skin-loving jojoba seed oil it contains.

There are a couple of surprises buried within the pretty brass compact-- the honey-scented wax nudges me toward orange blossom on a warm day. As usual, my skin grabs and amplifies any sweetness available to it, but there's only a little bit. Night Queen is devastatingly lush and has made its mark on me. It is now among my very favorite jasmine perfumes. Ever. If you're looking for a perfume in solid form that, strangely, has about the same scent throw as a liquid perfume and/or  if you're a jasmine nut, you need to check out In Fiore solid perfumes, and start with Night Queen. I've already got my "I'll die if I don't try these" list of other In Fiore fragrances I need to take a spin with next. In the spirit of Night Queen, I will proceed with wild abandon.

In Fiore Parfum Solide Haute Concentre in Night Queen (and nine other scents) is $65 and available through   the In Fiore website directly, or at BeautyHabit.com.

[Product sample sent to me by the creator for my consideration.]

Eternal Autumn: Aftelier Oud Luban solid perfume

Autumn is my favorite season, and in Chicago, it never seems to last for more than a couple of weeks before it starts to get bitterly cold. When Mandy Aftel recently launched her new Oud Luban solid perfume, I knew at first sniff that I would be able to enjoy the spoils of my favorite season anytime, anyplace. It's like a gift from Mother Earth herself.

Oud Luban puts Mandy's talent for blending on full display- there are many strong essences dancing with one another, but the whole is far greater than the sum of its parts. Besides the eight varieties of oud that are used in Oud Luban, there are also notes of elemi, orange terpenes, blood orange, frankincense CO2, opoponax, benzoin, choya ral, and aged patchouli. The overall impression is one that isn't as literal as I was expecting; instead of visualizing incense, I see a bonfire that is trailing smoke far up into the sky. Instead of simply sensing the presence of the precious Noble Rot, I am immersed in the forest itself with mushrooms growing all around. I also detect the sweetly animalic essence of beeswax, proving that life is teeming. 

photo: "Tempura- Autumn" by SLnnItaly

I love that there are no heart notes in Oud Luban, it has citrus top notes that sing out clearly high up in the register, then a few of the more volatile elements of incense, and its soul rests in the rich and complex base notes. The longevity of Oud Luban on the skin is quite impressive for a solid perfume, topping off at about 5 hours. It's such an intimate and intoxicating scent that on days that I wear it, I need to keep it with me at all times for touch-ups. I just can't bear to have the magic fade out on me for a second.

I feel strongly that Oud Luban is one of Mandy Aftel's greatest triumphs, and it represents a broadening scope in her body of work. I am so excited to experience what she does next, and every other perfume after that. Her attention to every detail and insistence on the highest quality materials means that I can indulge my obsession with scent in the unique way that her fragrances allow me to. Lucky, lucky me!

Oud Luban is available at Aftelier.com for $210. It comes in a beautiful silver compact designed by Mandy and holds 1/4 oz. Samples are also available for $6.

[sample was provided by the perfumer for my consideration]

Juniper Ridge Steep Ravine and Yuba

Occasionally, a small independent brand will pop into my sphere of existence from out of nowhere and quietly hand to me something that I hold in the highest esteem, and that is peace of mind. I am a worrier by nature, I fret (and I do it well), I toss and I turn, I'm often restless and anxious. Juniper Ridge, a company dedicated to wildcrafting from (and protecting) the Western Wilderness, offers peace of mind in abundance. Today, I'll be reviewing a room spray and a perfume, with more to come in the future.

Oregon Wild- photo by Justin Rohde

First up is the Steep Ravine Room Spray. Forget any notion you have of room sprays for a minute, and imagine this: an all-natural pump bottle room spray that smells exactly like the woods in winter, with a little hit of ozone appropriate for the season. A crisp accent of citrus carries with it a certain levity that pairs so well with the pine, and a touch of eucalyptus tickles the nose. In other words, heaven on earth, in the most literal sense. The scent is ideal for the home, and I think it would make a really beautiful holiday gift for absolutely anyone.

notes: bright pine, sap, dappled sunlight and warm wind blowing through the giant trees

Juniper Ridge also has solid perfume in their lineup of products, and I was sent Yuba to try. My first thought was "I love this little vintage tin!" They use repurposed (but brand new) Flood's Ointment tins from the 1930s that contain 1/2 ounce of solid perfume. 

notes: cozy cedar cabin, pine sap, Sierra Granite Lake

Yuba is very sprightly and refreshing, and I'm quite impressed with how potent and long-lasting this solid is. There is also a lot of skill in the blending: the light grapefruit topnote perfectly accents the fresh cedar and pine, and this balance is maintained throughout wearing (which is about 4-6 hours). I'll be honest- natural woods and resins of high quality such as this makes my eyes roll back into my head with pleasure. There's never a time or place when a scent like this wouldn't be desirable to me. Yuba is an all-purpose mood lifter, and it works with a swiftness that only natural essences can achieve.

Juniper Ridge source their materials locally and give back to the environment that inspires them, and that's the sort of warm fuzziness that separates Juniper Ridge from many other indie businesses. They create unique products responsibly, and I promise that if you give them a try, you'll go back for more. They also carry incense, handmade soaps, essential oils, teas and sachets in addition to their amazing room sprays and solid perfumes. If you fall in love with a particular scent, you can usually purchase it in several different forms as well. I hope that one day I can make it back to the Pacific Northwest and treat myself to one of their Wildflower Tours, but in the meantime, I've got inspiration aplenty to take me to my happiest place in the forest. 

Yuba 1/2 ounce solid perfume can be purchased for $65 and Steep Ravine Natural Room Spray is $15 for 2 ounces- both available at juniperridge.com.

[press samples were sent to me for my consideration]