New Fragrance Review: Rebel Intuitive Perfumerie Grace At 67th, Ninon and Winter Lewd + Natural Decadence Draw

AnitaPallenberg- with KeithRichards Gramand Gretchen-Parsons

Anita Pallenberg with Keith Richards Gram and Gretchen-Parsons

Great perfumes are always about surrender.  They should tempt and dare you to try things you’d never allow yourself to consider.   They should be able to stop time, or set you down in another altogether. Recently I came across a new house out of Montpelier, VT of all places – entitled Rebel Intuitive Perfumerie, which has released three rich, earthy and beguiling scents that instantly provide another state of being – you enter a soporific, trance-like and hallucinatory zone where anything is possible.  Rebel Intuitive scents seem to be meant as conduits of dark, sensually-loaded secrets.   I was drawn in immediately.

Katy Knuth and Becky Sheloske   rebel intuitive

Katy Knuth and Perfumer Beckie Sheloske  

The truth is that Rebel Intuitive is brand-new, having launched three perfumes in November of 2014:  Grace at 67th (a dark green scent), Ninon (spicy and dry), and Winter Lewd (a cool, fantasy-thuja style fragrance).  The house was formed by perfumer Beckie Sheloske and creative designer Katy Knuth.  Their vision for Rebel Intuitive centers around fiercely sensual, bohemian decadence.  (Beckie and Katy find inspiration in the girlfriends Keith Richards had in the 60’s, and their website features a photo gallery depicting languorous women reclining on divans and animal furs).

nina des lenclos french courtesan

Nina de Lonclos Queen of the Courtesans

Their Ninon fragrance is named in honor of a French courtesan Ninon de Lonclos from the 17th Century.  This is not a house for the timid forest creature seeking “fresh”, “clean” or “office-appropriate” scents. There is a rich strain of nostalgic artistry involved as well – these perfumes would have been welcome wafting through the writing salons of the 18th century or worn by haggard, thin absinthe drinkers in Paris.   Rebel Intuitive makes fragrances not for today’s technology-saturated times, but instead harken back to a slower, sexier and darker era.

flowers photo decadent

Floral arrangement by Prusak Floral Design

Perfumer Beckie Sheloske began her career in fragrance in 2009 by fashioning a lab out of a walk-in closet.  She read books like Mandy Aftel’s “Essence and Alchemy” alongside of Steffan Arctanders “Perfumes and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin.”   This led to discovering Enfleurage in New York City and gathering up raw animalic essences, and being gifted dried castoreum samples from friends involved in the furrier and trapping trades.  Soon, she was creating her own absolutes and accords, laced with vanilla absolules, resins and root sources. The result became a natural perfumery house, with Rebel Intuitive Perfumerie having been recently admitted to the Natural Perfumer’s Guild as a Professional Perfumer of this month. The three perfumes Rebel Intuitive offers are anachronistic, heady and voluptuous.  Allow me to be a tour guide of the landscape they inhabit for the curious:

rebel intuitive grace and 57th  Maggie Lenz-McQuilken

Grace at 67th  (model Maggie Lenz-McQuilken photo by Heather Gray)

Grace at 67th:   Grace at 67th arises from a bed of sage, tarragon, basil and myrrh – a forest scent for folks who like their greenery thick, damp and close to the ground.   The sharp aromatic tang of the herbs is tempered by a hint of sweetness along with the turning over of the log.  This is the scent for the truffle hound – dark and damp and mysterious. Notes: Tarragon, Sweet Basil, Clary Sage, Neroli, Violet Leaf, Narcissus, Rose, Costus, Ambrette, Myrrh, Labdanum

rebel intuitive ninon perfume

NINON (Model: Hannah Satterlee Photo: Heather Gray)

 Ninon – Named after the 17th century French courtesan Ninon de Lenclos, this scent is all spices and wood, with a hint of powdery carnation. It is  my favorite of the three – this is a smell of a room circa 1925, kitted out with Tiffany lamps, and beaded curtains, with old Oriental rugs and furs draped over wicker chairs.  A scent that is both narcotic and tempting in the same instant. Notes:  bergamot, red mandarin, lemon, palmarosa, carnation, rose, osmanthus, jasmine, vanilla, honey, sandalwood, Africa stone, styrax

winterlewd Katy Knuth.

Winter Lewd (model Katy Knuth, Photo: Heather Gray)

Winter Lewd:  An herbal and calming scent, with pronounced black currant and hay notes that settle the bones and calm the nerves. Winter Lewd is, despite the racy title, a therapeutic fragrance of blood oranges with a blue tansy heart.   A scent for Winter, and, as Rebel Intuitive would have it, as “an influence to focus on an enlivened state in the blue-black darkness.” Winter Lewd:  Notes: blood orange, tangerine, bois de rose, tagetes, blue tansy, nigella damascena, hyssop, davana, hay, black currant, agarwood, muhuhu

Rebel Intuitive fragrances have average power and sillage, and stayed present less than six hours on my skin.  I would have liked them to linger awhile longer, because of the trance-like state they brought on.  But perhaps it’s well that they don’t – any longer and I’d probably need a babysitter. Somewhere out in Vermont, Beckie Sheloskie and Katy Knuth are offering natural fragrances that definitely blur the lines of decency and curiosity, creating in their work a new and daring state of mind, illuminated by a trio of heavy-lidded and timelessly sexy perfumes.

Disclosure:  samples were provided by Rebel Intuitive Perfumerie for review

-Steve Johnson, Sr. Contributor

Photo by Jeb Wallace-Brodeur Perfumes by Rebel Intuitive in Montpelier.

Thanks to Rebel Intuitive we have a sample draw of Grace at 67th, Ninon and Winter Lewd for any reader in the world OR  if you live in the USA you can choose the sample set or a 15ml ($129) of  your choice. To be eligible please leave a comment on  what excites you about Rebel Intuitive Perfumerie and which of the three perfumes you think would appeal to you and where you live. Draw closes January 30, 2015

We announce the winners only on site and on our Facebook page, so Like Cafleurebon and use our RSS option…or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume

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41 comments

  • I like how Rebel Intuitive’s scents harken back to a slower, sexier, darker era. I live in the U.S and though they all sound fabulous, winter Lewd is calling my name. Thanks for the draw.

  • Thanks for this intro to RI! I went to their website and am enchanted. If I had the luck of winning, I think I’d love a fb of Winter Lewd. Love love love the whole concept and the fact that it’s all natural. Cheers. In the US (Still).

  • Erica Golding says:

    Fascinating! Natural perfumery is an incredibly challenging, complex art form. I am incredibly curious about this new line of fragrance! Winter Lewd appeals to me the most, but they all sound so mysterious and unpredictable, and I would cherish the opportunity to try the sample set. Thank you for the generous giveaway and for the chance to win!

  • I am also a natural perfumer and natural is all I wear so I’m always excited to find another house with the same mindset. What intrigues me besides their interesting work is that they have a creative business partnership which is something I’ve always yearned for but it such a delicate balance to find the right person. Wishing Katy & Becky much success!

  • Robert Herrmann says:

    wow, what N amazing sounding range. HVe never heard of them before this review, and would love to try Ninon! Many Thanks! I live in the USA

  • I find it fascinating that the perfumers admire the lovely Ninon de Lenclos and were so inspired by her story. Each perfume speaks to me in different ways, one because I grew up in the forest, one for its calming and yet contrasting nature, but the exotic call of Ninon would be my choice. Much success to Beckie and Katy. I’m in the US.

  • Never heard about this perfume house until today, but If “Rebel Intuitive scents seem to be meant as conduits of dark, sensually-loaded secrets” and “makes fragrances not for today’s technology-saturated times”, then I’m drawn in, me too!
    All of the three perfumes appeal to me, but maybe be a little more – NINON: something spicy and dry could work better these winter days.
    I’m in the EU. Thanks for the draw!

  • Fazal Cheema says:

    I like the fact that the approach of Rebel Intuitive Perfumerie is daring and not safe and they draw inspiration from historical figures and past trends. Ninon may appeal more to me because it has many notes I enjoy such as Jasmine, Rose, Osmanthus, and Carnation. Best of luck Rebel Intuitive Perfumerie on your perfumery journey and thanks for the wonderful draw. I am in the US

  • “Heavy-lidded and timelessly sexy perfumes” sounds appealing enough to me! Moreover, they are naturals. I think the powdery Ninon would suit me most!
    I am in Bulgaria (EU). Thank you for the chance!

  • What excites me about Rebel Intuitive is that they’re naturals, that they’re homegrown here in Vermont, and that they’re sexy, dark and daring. So hard to pick among those three; I’d have to go with a sample set, but Grace at 67th appeals to my woodsy and earthy nature.

  • I live in the US and think that Ninon would appeal to me the most- I’m a fool for osmanthus. These sound amazing and I would love the sample set, if I win. Thanks!

  • I like the idea of “fiercely sensual” fragrances, and 15 ml of Winter Lewd would be my choice. I’m in the US. Thanks!

  • DNEM. I just wanted to thank you for bringing these perfumes to my attention. They sound wonderful and if they live up to the name *rebel*, they were made for me. 😉

  • Hooray for New England perfumery! These scents sound like just the thing for when you are home buried in two feet of snow 🙂
    I am in the US and would love to try Ninon. Thanks!

  • I’m all for a house that makes fragrances not for today’s technology-saturated times. I would love to try the 15ml Winter Lewd. 🙂 usa

  • blood oranges with a blue tansy heart? WT…complex is a mild word here and you have me on the line for this one. Would love to try their scents, they all sound fabulous. Enjoyed reading about Beckie Sheloske as well. Thanks for the review and the generous draw, as always, never a dull moment with you guys! I an international

  • I am most interested in Grace at 67th and Ninon. I find it intriguing that their muses are the girlfriends of Keith Richards. It sounds like quite the olfactory journey discover how they interpret their inspiration through scent. I live in the US. Thanks for the draw.

  • I am fascinated by new edgy ideas in fragrance and marketing. Niche brands are cutting edge sometimes.

  • What a fascinating review! Such a complexity to these fragrances I felt as if I was holding my breath as I read this. I loved reading about the whole process and the notes in these, unbelivable to my mind these combinations! Thank you for this draw. My choice would be Ninon. I am in the US

  • Beckie Sheloske says:

    Muhuhu is a wood that is in the same family as Himalyan Cedar but has a little bit sweeter scent profile…..
    And thank you all so much for all this fab feedback and thoughtful commentary!

  • Natural is very appealing to me. Love women-owned companies and in that picture above? They look like they’re having alot of fun. All of the descriptions sound amazing but Winter Lewd would be my choice! I’m in the US. Thanks for the draw!

  • I would love to try perfumes from a “slower, sexier era.” I would especially like to try Winter Lewd. I am in the US, thank you!

  • what an interesting review 🙂
    i really love the slightly irreverent approach to the sometimes too ‘holy’ world of natural perfumery 😉
    it’s hard to choose just one, but somehow Grace at 67th seems most appealing
    i am in the EU – and thanks for the draw!

  • “fiercely sensual, bohemian decadence” got my attention! I’m in the US and would love to win the sample set. Thank you!

  • Rebel Intuitive sounds very interesting. What caught my attention is the Ninon fragrance that was named after a French courtesan, I find it somewhat nostalgic and mysterious , definitely makes me want to try this scent. I am in the EU. Thanks for the draw.

  • I’m so delighted for the gals at RI! Beckie just became our latest Certified Natural Perfumer in the Natural Perfumers Guild. Her perfumes are fabulous, and she really ‘gets’ what it means to be a CNP. The future of RI is very, very bright! Good luck to all those who are in the running to win a fragrance from RI.

  • Rebel intuitive sounds like they cultivate creative anachronism. I like that they are all-natural and draw inspiration from many places.
    All three scents sound distinct from each other and each appeals in its own way.
    Ninon sounds like it would be my favorite too, and I’d choose a bottle of it if I won. Thank you for the reviews and draw! USA.

  • Cynthia Richardson says:

    I am excited about the idea of Rebel Intuitive Perfumerie’s fragrances that are fiercely sensual, bohemian decadence that harken back to a slower, sexier and darker era. Of the three perfumes I think Grace at 67th would appeal to me. I live in the US and would like to try the sample set.

  • I like the “perfume for the modern hedonist” tagline! Often natural perfumers go for a hippie “crunchy” vibe, so when I see an all-natural brand going for a more luxe aesthetic my interest is piqued. Ninon is calling my name! I’m in the US. Thanks for the draw.

  • Thank you, i live in the US and I would love to try Ninon. This seems like a really cool house, and I love their concept of decadence and surrender to unconsidered experiences. I would opt for the 15 ml of Ninon.

  • It is the first time I am being informed about “Rebel Intuitive” house. What I find rather appealing is the fact that they make only natural perfumes with dark sensual character.
    Of all three perfumes which I find rather appealing Ninon would be my most favorite for its narcotic character and notes like jasmine, vanilla, honey and sandalwood.
    I’m in the EU. Thanks for the draw!

  • Rebel Intuitive Perfumerie has very nice site with lovely presentation of the concept and perfumes. This review is an excellent overview of the house and perfumes. I’m always curious about the selected raw materials and I’m especially excited because hyraceum is used in Ninon. I’m in Croatia, EU. Thank you.

  • I’m at the sime time intrigued and a bit repelled by the name of the house. Rebel? Is it real or is it fake? And then — dark? Sensual? Mmm.
    All three perfumes sound interesting, maybe Grace at 67th more than the others.
    I’m from the EU.

  • Always happy to see a picture with Gram Parsons in it!
    Enjoyed the Rebel Intuitive Perfumerie website. Ninon would be my favorite, but I would pick the sample set as all three sound intriguing. I am in the US.

  • Such an interesting concept, reminds me a bit of the Arquiste background story for each of their releases, grounding them in that time and place conceptually. As inspired as the creators are by 1960s bohemian “air,” it would be interesting to see their interpretations of that place in time. And each of the perfumes sound interesting, but if I had to limit myself to try only one it would be Ninon, but if I was selected as the winner, I’d pick the sample set. I’m in the U.S.

  • Rebel Intuitive has a fresh, new perspective and that is exciting for me to read about it. I’d love to try Ninon the most, and would love to win the 15 ml. Thanks, I’m in the US.