New Natural Perfume Review: Phoenix Botanicals Lavender Noir, Violet Creek & Ka Pueo + A Tree Grows In Brooklyn Draw

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Irina Adam

Natural perfumer Irina Adam of Phoenix Botanicals creates fragrances inspired by remembrances of places, journeys and the grandeur of nature. Crafted of 100% natural, and 85% or more organic, plant essences in a base of gentle jojoba, her perfumed oils are all compounded by hand in her Brooklyn studio. They all radiate simple beauty and still contain all natural healing and aroma-therapeutic qualities. With her new collection, Ms. Adam takes us on a walk over hill and dale, to the creek in the valley bringing it all to life, including not only flora but fauna.

cafleurebon PB TRIO lavender noir

"Lavender Fields 1" by Lorraine Westwood

A sensation as bright as sunlight surrounds you, as Lavender Noir melts into the skin. You feel uplifted as you pass by the wildflowers growing along the trail, releasing their soft scents when brushed by a hand. A patch of wild lavender appears, as the forest ends, blowing in the breeze releasing its soft woody floral scent on a warm wind, while moss clusters blow from gnarled branches at the edge of the clearing. Wading through this thicket of purple petaled stalks, small mushrooms are crushed underfoot. The only “noir” here is the release of that earthy but fertile aroma that blends seamlessly with the fougere feeling already unfolding. Rounded out by touches of smoke, this fragrance quiets to a docile skin scent that smells verdant and clean, but not soapy or too herbal. Smelling “of” nature and not just “like” nature, this waxes slightly darker than most scents in this genre, yet it has the texture of fine lace filigree on skin. Sillage: average. Longevity: very good.

Notes: bergamot, lavender, wildflower petals, tonka bean, smoke, mushrooms & oak moss.

cafleurebon PB TRIO violet creek

"At Hillard's Creek" by Jindrich (Henry) Degen

Although I love the texture violets give perfumes, the straight on intensity of the aroma can be off-putting for me. The idea of a violet soliflore had me feeling a bit nervous, yet Violet Creek is not that kind of perfume. This is not the dandy powdered Parma violet in all its pomp and ceremony; this is the softer gentler viola sororia, what I call “backyard violets”, that proliferate in the grass at the edge of the creek. A leafy green opening adds the olfactory impression of a softly meandering stream. The fresh zing of ginger fused to the soft leaves accents the subtle sharpness of the smooth purple petals and adds a hint of rose to magnify its simple elegance. Vetiver and tufts of moss add the finishing grassy touches to this perfumed locale. Though this maintains a pervasive green and subtle floral persona, it dries to a warmer sweeter resin-kissed finale, warm and fresh simultaneously. This is the violet for me. SIllage: slightly below average. Longevity: fair.

Notes: ginger & spice accord, violet leaves, rose, vetiver, smoke, benzoin, oak moss.

cafleurebon phoenix botanicals trio ka pueo

"Kokee Pueo" by David Kelly

In her newest fragrance, Ms. Adam has brought to life the Hawaiian white owl. Inspired by nightly sightings of the wild and magnificent bird, while visiting there, Ka Pueo attempts to capture its grace and might. An aromatic and woody perfume that is also uplifting wafts from the skin immediately. Balmy spice tinged floral notes swirl with shimmering pine as this rises upwards. As it levels and soars gracefully, soft jasmine and Palo Santo wood capture its sleek yet soft feathers and protective presence. Its rapid dive and silent landing, on a tree branch, are incorporated in the finish of vetiver, soft frankincense and tonka bean. This maintains a quiet and calm, almost spiritual, presence that wraps you in a gossamer veil, as opposed to a heavy coat of twigs and blossoms. Substantial and intriguing, while being stealthy and subtle, this perfume defies classification. The perfumer calls it “dreamy” and “unisex” and I couldn’t agree more. Sillage: slightly above average. Longevity: good.

Notes: ginger lily, sustainable Palo Santo, pinyon, jasmine accord, tonka bean, vetiver, frankincense & wood.

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All of this company’s fragrances are perfumed oils (not EDTs or EDPs) and all are vegan, gentle and 100% natural. While many natural perfumers use grape and/or grain alcohol in their perfumes, Ms. Adam does not. These perfumes all exude natural essences without the added scent of alcohol or its aid on projection and development. Sillage and longevity ratings above are based on this.

Disclosure: Reviews based on samples sent to me by Phoenix Botanicals. These fragrances are available on the Phoenix Botanicals website.

John Reasinger, Senior Editor and Natural Perfumes Editor

cafleurebon PB TRIO 4 ml flacon

Thanks to Phoenix Botanicals we have three 4 ml bottles of perfume oil to give away.  Three readers anywhere in the world will win and each have their choice of one of the three perfumes reviewed above. To be eligible, please leave a comment stating which of these three perfumes you would like to possibly win (or try the most) and your favorite place to walk in Nature. Draw will end at 5 pm EST on February 22nd, 2014.

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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57 comments

  • Ka Pueo sounds perfect for me, since I have long been a fan of owls and the wisdom and mystery they represent.

    My favorite place to walk in nature is the woods on my mother’s property. It’s especially beautiful in the fall and winter.

  • It’s always wonderful to find a new natural perfumer! All of Irina’s work sounds lovely and I would be happy to try any of these scents but since I love owls I’d have to choose Ka Pueo.
    I enjoy taking walks in my own neighborhood which is full of old growth trees and abundant gardens. Best of all I can just step out my door to enjoy the birds. If I have the luxury of time to travel I love to walk along bays and places with quiet bodies of water especially at low tide.
    Thank you!

  • leathermountain says:

    I would love to try Lavender Noir. My favorite place to walk is through my neighborhood, looking at the volunteer nature between the cracks, and the lovingly tended nature of people’s gardens.

  • i would like to try either violet creek or lavender noir (hard to pick)! and my favorite place to walk is alongside the ocean!

  • It’d be a tough decision between Violet Creek and Ka Pueo, with Ka Pueo perhaps given the edge by my own memory of a wonderful sighting of an owl. My favorite place to walk is by the ocean, but even a visit to our tiny neighborhood park is delightful with my nephews.

  • I am interested in Ka Pueo, and in line with the tropical mood it suggests, my favorite place to walk in nature is along the shore on Miami Beach.

  • The character of Ka Pueo very intriguing for me, I like to get lost near secret hot springs in deep woods and deserts …

  • I would love to try Ka Pueo. I sounds so intriguing! My favoritevplacecto walk is along the beach in Clearwater Florida. Thanks for the draw!

  • I’d want to win Ka Pueo. My favorite place in nature is the Sinai Desert at the shores of the Red Sea.

  • I would love to try Lavender Noir! Thank you for this great article on bold American Perfumer Irina Adam! I love to walk in the Cypress swamp areas of Florida! Great Job John!

  • I would like to try Lavender Noir. My favorite walk is in the forest of Tatoi area (were our former king Konstantinos used to live but not anymore since it is part of the state estate). It is so peaceful out there and I love it cause it is very near from where I live.
    John thank you very much for this lovely review!

  • My choice would be Ka Pueo, based on it’s “dreamy” description.
    My favorite place to walk is on the nature trails in the White Mountain area of New Hampshire. Thanks for the draw!

  • I would love to try ka pueo, it has such a magical sound! My favorite place to walk in nature is the beach! Thanks for entering me in this draw!–Tati

  • First, let me say, I love the art work that accompanies these enticing reviews. And I would love to walk through that lavender field. My favorite nature “walk” was rafting the Grand Canyon. I would love to try Lavender Noir.

  • I’d lik to try Lavender Noir the most and my favourite nature place for a walk is a local forest or a lakeside

  • These perfumers seem to capture the spirit of naturals, for me; easy going and personable. I would be thrilled to win ‘Violet Creek’ … i’ve spent many childhood hours wandering creekbeds.

  • I’d like to try Violet Creek the most, though I’d be happy with any of them. My favourite place to walk is in the Durham dales in the North of England.
    Thanks for the draw.

  • I would love to try either Violet Creek or Ka Pueo… Maybe Violet Creek is shouting a bit louder. My favourite place to walk is just outside where I live; mountains, pine forests, olive groves, streams with spring water… filled with so many different kinds of wildflowers. I absolutely love them. I’m in the EU. Thanks for the draw!

  • Wow!
    All three of them sound good…
    I have a kind of love/ hate relationship with lavender, so… not Lavender.
    I like owls… AND spicy perfumes. Equally like violets’ fragrance.
    And I have no violet perfume in my wardrobe. And I really crave for one…
    So,, considering all this … and that spring is coming, I would like to have Violet Creek.
    Gentiana

  • I’d love to try Violet Creek or Ka Pueo. My favorite place to walk in nature: There is a horticulture park near me that is really fun to walk through, especially in summer; it’s full of shady spots to sit, a big open field to lie down in, and a lot of the plants have little signs on them saying what they are.

  • Lavender Noir sounds the most “me” but I would want to win Violet Creek. My feelings about violet scents is exactly what you described, John, so the idea of backyard violets is intriguing. They are one of my favorite flowers and I love to discover them when walking in the woods behind the family farm, a favorite place all my life. Thanks for the generous draw!

  • I would like to try Violet Creek. I love violet and am always up for trying a new scent with that note.
    My favorite place to walk is in the woods that buttt up against the sea on the coast of Maine.

  • I’d love to try Ka Pueo. It sounds like a perfect fragrance for the cold weather. My favorite place to walk is on the seaside. For me, nothing beats the sight of the majestic ocean.

  • Hard choice, but I would go with the Lavender Noir. Lately I’m mesmerised by lavender.

    My favorite place to walk is in the mountains, especially in summertime when everything is nice and juicy green. Love the panorama in the mountains.

  • Violet Creek sounds wonderful. My favorite place to walk would be either the Minnesota woods or the coastline around Sanibel Island. Take me away!

  • Thank you for another wonderful draw! I love walking on the beach and would love to win Violet Creek.

  • I think I might like to try Ka Pueo most, it sounds like the most complex of the three.
    My favourite nature walk is along the seaside just as the evening starts to set it.
    ty

  • I would most like to try Lavender Noir. My favourite place to walk is the Swiss Alps in summer – all the gorgeous wild flowers.

  • Violet Creek ~ have been wanting to order a sample and love wild violets that I find in the spring in the backyard ~ so dainty and beautiful! My current favorite place in nature is in our neighborhood down by our lake. Amongst the dogwood trees and several Eagle nests ~ just a gorgeous place to be!!!

  • Lavender Noir sounds like me, and I have a deep attachment to lavender in general. My favorite walk in nature is a bright, mildly warm day on a hiking trail fragrant with earth with the sun overhead making a beautiful chlorophyll light show of green. 🙂

  • I would love to try ka-pueo. Favorite place to hike is in the pacific northwest in the temperate rain forests or along the beach. Thank you for the drawing.

  • I love the white rose butter that Irina at Phoenix Botanicals makes and the solid rose perfume. I would love to try a vial of the Violet Creek in this giveaway please! My favorite place to walk is down Beacon Street in Brookline, Massachusetts, which is described as a city like a landscape garden. I love Boston’s brownstones and foliage in the seasons. Call me an urbanite, but I love the bits of sky and greenery that you find nestled between historic architecture here. 🙂

  • I would love to try Violet Creek. My favorite nature walk is through the Olympic National Forest in Washington State, where the ancient trees dripping with moss tower overhead like the struts of a cathedral. Thanks for the opportunity!

  • I would love to try Violet creek.I live on a lake and my favorite place to walk is around it .I reside in the US.Thank you 🙂

  • Violet Creek please! I love the New Zealand bush with its ferns and mossy fragrance. Not only mossy but earth that contains decaying leaves, seeds and ‘poo’ from birds and small mammals. Not many fragrant florals although a few bushes to gift their leaves of lemony balm to us. Sunlight filters through and small birds forage on the floor, the canopy the domain of a larger species or two. Its serene, is middle earth as they say…

  • Valentine girl says:

    My favorite place to walk is among the sand dunes, salt marshes, and with the wild ponies on Assateague Island. I would love to try either, the Ka Pueo or the Lavender Noir. Really enjoyed the review!

  • My favorite place to walk in nature is the beach. While I don’t live close to one, I take advantage any time I am on vacation! I would love to try Ka Pueo. Thanks for the draw and I am in the US.

  • violet creek for me.
    and my favorite places in nature involve the desert (american south-west) and mountains (all over the world.)

  • Ka Pueo for me, please! Thank you for the draw!
    Each description sounds lovely and I really want to try them all. Or at least one of them. I am in the EU.

  • I would love to try Lavender Noir! My favorite place to walk is the Smoky Mountains in the summer right after a rain.

  • I have been looking for a lavender perfume as I don’t usually like them usually so I choose lavender noir. My favorite place to walk is in the woods near the beautiful lakes in Maine where my best friend has a summer house. It’s never hot and the trees shade the sun,so peaceful. I haven’t heard of Irena Adam so thank you for featuring her fragrances I love oils.

  • I would love to try Ka Pueo! I am in the US, and my favorite place to walk in nature is in the woods of upstate NY, particularly near the gorges and waterfalls. Thank you for the draw.

  • My favorite place to walk is through the fantasy landscapes of my favorite writers. That way I don’t get out of breath! Do the forests of Lothlorien count as nature?
    I would most like to try Ka Pueo (wish I knew how to say that). And I am from South Africa:)

  • Na Ka Pueo ia’u–I am for Ka Pueo, please and thank you for the draw! Definitely have to try this one, for the notes but also for my family’s ties to Hawai’i. My favorite place to walk in nature is anywhere along a coastline, whether soft sandy beach, pebbled shore, or rocky tidepools.

    “Ka Pueo” is pronounced “Kah Pooh-way-oh”, BTW 😉

    I live in the US.

  • Cynthia Richardson says:

    I like to walk in the desert foothills of southern Arizona early in the morning. I would most like to try Ka Pueo

  • I would love to try Violet Creek. It sounds lovely.
    My favorite place to walk in Nature is along the cliffs of the Monterey Bay.
    Thanks for the lovely reviews.

  • Fazal Cheema says:

    My favorite place to walk maybe Japanese Bamboo Forest…i am interested in Ka Pueo and reside in the great USA

  • Both Ka Pueo and Violet Creek sound wonderful, although I *think* Ka Pueo would be my first choice. My favorite place to walk in nature is either Glen Ellen in Yellow Springs, OH, or in Onomea outside of Hilo, HI. Thanks for making me think of both of them, and thank you for the draw!

  • Thank you for the chance to try something from this line. My favorite place to walk in nature has always been the woods, I’d love to try Ka Pueo. I’m in the U.S.

  • I would love to try Lavender Noir. My favorite place to walk would be near creeks and rivers. I love hearing the sound of water as I walk

  • I love walking in parks at observing nature at its best. I would choose Lavender Noir. Thanks for the draw!

  • I just came from the post office with my parcel containing Violet Creek.
    I die from curiosity to smell it.
    Thank you Cafleurebon for the draw, thenk you Irina and Phoenix Botanicals for the generosity.

    I will come back with impressions.