Providence Perfume Co.’s Brand New Body Oils: Skin as Charmeuse

I can already hear the rumblings all the way to South Boston- the Irish Riviera:

“Here comes Ida’s / Chayaruchama’s / Hayat Rahman’s Eastern European hyperbole

getting the death grip on her.

AGAIN “

Fret not., my friends.

For a reasonable price, you too can wallow in the blissful experience of skin as charmeuse.

Jason, my hunky Celtic/ Italian mail carrier [with a Celtic Cross tattooed on his mighty meaty calf 😉 ] just delivered a package from Providence [ in more ways than one].

I dashed down our three flights, dashed back up, showered, and anointed myself.

Lord have mercy.

This stuff is as beneficial as it is aromatic-

And organic, to boot.

So I shelved my other plans for the day and sat down to type frantically with my right forefinger.

[This is how I do it, folks- I can’t type, drive, or sew well…I gave them up for physics and metal shop ;-)]

Charna Ethier has been bee-busy these days- teaching, filling orders by hand-

And agonizing for quite some time over the creation of a line of bath / body oils; we discussed this awhile ago.

Her perfectionism has paid off.

Charna’s oils are 100% natural, botanical, vegan, and dye/ paraben/ chemical preservative –free.

As you’d expect.

Apricot, sweet almond, safflower, jojoba, olive, and neem oils are used along with healing aloe- infusions of rosemary and calendula are in there as well.

They are silky, not slimy- and leave your skin so tenderly, delicately perfumed.

Simply marvelous.

The scents: Orange Blossom, Lavender Vanilla, Wild Lime Leaf, and Amber Cream.

Orange Blossom [“queen neroli and orange zest” ] I paired with her perfume Divine– a study in orange blossom, vanilla and musk.

I think I will require surgical removal of my nostrils from my own cleavage…

This combination renders an exquisite echo of the elusive Prada # 9 [MC’s and my joint favorite].

It would play equally nicely with Lei Flower and Ginger Lily

Wild Lime Leaf: exuberantly breezy, green, and exotic- boasts fresh kaffir lime, petitgrain, a whisper of jasmine, and Mexican lime.

I can clearly smell this coupled with her Tabac Citron, Indolice, or Musk Nouveau.

Lavender Vanilla ought to make Origins blush, frankly; there is no comparison in quality.

You don’t have to be a baby, nor a lavendevotee to enjoy it.

Charna blends three lavenders with organic Madagascar vanilla…smooth, subtle,soothing.

Gypsy, Tabac Citron, even Musk Nouveau and Osmanthus Oolong would accompany it in good spirits.

Amber Cream: it could be ‘amber dream’, for all its benzoin beauty.

What wouldn’t go well with this?

Divine, Ginger Lily, Lei Flower, Cocoa Tuberose…anything you LIKE.

Put it under Tom Ford’s Amber Absolute…or MFK’s Absolue Pour Le Soir, why don’t you?

I intend to.

The bottles serve dual purpose: beauty and utility.

They are 100 ml vintage milk glass bottles-

Impervious to the light, lovely to hold, and protective of the precious contents.

Enjoy .

Photo Credits:

Providence Perfume Company logos, bottles- courtesy of Charna
Lipstick kiss- gayrva.com
Tom Ford Amber Absolute- fragrantica.com
MFK Absolue Pour Le Soir- luckyscent.com
Amber resin- enchantedgal-stock.deviantart.com
Lavender field-beautybunch.com
Kaffir lime and blossom- meredithnursery.com.au
Orange and blossom- statesymbolsusa.org
Botticelli Venus- thedailyritual.net
Silk charmeuse-aurorasilk.com
BG breakfast -courtesy of Sniffapalooza photographer Michael
Zohan making elderly lady “silky smooth”…-amazon.com

–Ida Meister, Senior Editor

Thanks to Charna Ethier we have have a complete set of these body oils to give away to one reader. Just leave a comment with what fragrance you would wear over these oils. The draw closes Sunday March 27.

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25 comments

  • Laura N says:

    Charna, congratulations on launching the body oils and on this wonderful review!  I'm so happy for you!  And thank you for offering some lucky person the chance to try the whole line.
    If I win, I'd pair most of them with Tabac Citron,  which was both my husband's and my favorite when I sampled some of Charna's perfumes at a boutique in Providence.  But I'm also wondering how Gypsy would pair with these–tricky to imagine, since I haven't sampeld Gypsy yet.  But a girl can dream.
    Hoping for ever more success for you, Charna!
    Laura from Urban Eden 🙂

  • Sandi says:

    Ok I would love these. When Ida posted this on FFF I went to Charna site. I think that I would love to layer the Orange Blossom with Guerlain Vetiver…Actually I love experminting so who knows what I would come up with. Ida I think I need a mail carrier like yours 😉 Love your writing…

  • lreilsel says:

    These body oils sound irresistible…and I would wear
    Amber Cream with Prada's Amber
    Orange Blossom with Chinatown
    Wild Lime with Madison Square Park
    Lavender Vanilla with Jo Malone's Amber Lavender

  • Lou Anne says:

    Oh, Ida, these oils sound lovely!  Amber Creme and Cocoa Tuberose, Orange Blossom and Ginger Lily, maybe Wild Lime Leaf and Musk Nouveau, no Amber Creme and Cocoa Tuberose (I've really fallen for Cocoa Tuberose). Too many combos waiting to be tried.
    I can't wait to see what Charna comes up with next.

  • Warum says:

    Ida, your enthusiasm is contagious!  Now I want to try these, of course, and I will be keeping the line on my radar.  It's always good to deal with an organic line. I'll have to look up the perfumes she makes to see if they are organic as well.  Some research to do… but for now my ideas for pairing:
    I'd try Orange Blossom with Honey Blossom from Mandy Aftel, I think a little bit of Neroli won't hurt that gorgeous honeysuckle that I'm getting.
    Lavender Vanilla would be a difficult one for me, I do not wear a lot of lavender, and it is hard for me to imagine the smell of lavender and vanilla together (yes, even though I tried lavender cookies!).  But I will try this one with Mint Leaf from Jo Malone's Tea Collection.
    Wild Lime Leaf sounds lovely for the Summer!  I'd pair it with DSH Bermuda Lyme (more lime!  more lime!  greener!  cooler!) or, for a completely different effect, try to put it under Miel and Honey Shimmering, one of my Summer scents.
    May I have me some Amber Cream with my dark coffee? Yes, I am talking New Haarlem, but DSH's Lumiere will do just fine as well, I'm sure.

  • Ccc says:

    Indolice with Orange Blossom. I think that would give more strength to the floral notes in Indolice.

    Indolice with Wild Lime leaf. Why not? It might increase the woody, mossy side of the first one.  
    Amber Cream and Cocoa Tuberose. Really, this would be dreamy. 
    Lavender Vanilla with Tabac Citron. Just perfect. 
    I must win these oils. I am already dreaming about them. :))
     

  • Elise says:

    I was going to say I'd use a light jasmine scent because I llike to add a bit of floral to a vanilla or amber, but I love the idea above of Indolice with Orange Blossom! enter me!

  • cynthia says:

    Ida, you are an enabler! I want all of these!
    Orange blossom is a favorite note of mine. I would pair it with my L'artisan Harvest Orange Blossom. (That doesn't look like quite the right name….the expensive one!)
    Lime Blossom with Jo Malone lime blossom
    Lavendar Vanilla would put an interesting spin on my Roxanne solid Vera. It is more hay-like. The vanilla might make an interesting combo.
    Amber I would put with Serge Lutens Bois d'Vanille.
    Thanks for another great contest, and thanks to Charna, of course.

  • Natalia says:

    I haven't tried Charna's creations, but indeed, Ida, your enthusiasm is contageous!!
    let's see…
    Orange Blossom + Armani Prive Orange Alhambra
    Lavender Vanilla + Jo Malone Vanilla and Anise
    Wild Lime Leaf + Voyage d'Hermes.. to add to those sparkly top notes
    and Amber Cream + L'Artisan Tubereuse… it smells cookie-yummy on me and I think will benefit from a rich "background" 🙂

  • angefunk says:

    I just got Charna's email about the body oils and I was drooling over them.  They all sound wonderful, espcially from the reviews.   I would love to be in the drawing.  Thank you.

  • Claudia Kroyer says:

    The Charna oils sound amazing, so many way to layer them with your favorite fragrances. I love Ida's sparkle enthusiasm and truly enjoy reading her write ups.
    Amber cream with Nobile 1942 Ambra Nobile or Mona di Orio Ambre
    Orange Blossom with SL Fleurs D'Oranger
    Lavender Vanilla with Micallef Note Vanille
    Wild Lime Leaf with Diptyque  L'Eau de Tarocco

    I think these would be amazing with many things in my collection. Thank you for letting us know about these. 🙂

  • Ruth says:

    Hi! These are making me drool just reading about them….my skin is yearning to try them…my nose is eager too!  It sounds like they could all easily stand on their own…but I do love to mix and match….the first thing I try with EVERYTHING is LL Fleur d'Oranger 27 because it's such a clean orange blossom cologne type–it tends to be very layerable. hmmm..Nuit de Tubereuse with the Amber Cream…that does sound very good! 
    There are soooo many possibilities!! 

  • Michelle Hunt says:

    Mmmmm…these sound just lovely.  I think I would pair most of these with my own perfume that I make for myself, a soft comforting sandalwood vanilla.  It seems that each of these would compliment, brighten or deepen it in some way. 

  • Z. Boudreaux says:

    Without any smells beyond the ones in my head I'd go for the following combos. I've been looking at her perfumes for a long time. Will be out that way this summer and hope there is a way to experience the line in person in Providence. Would love to get a head start on the body oils! 
     
    Orange Blossom: Musk Nouveau,Cocoa Tuberose,Osmanthus Oolong,Gypsy,Ginger Lily,Tabac Citron,Divine.
     
     
    Wild Lime Leaf: Osmanthus Oolong,Gypsy,Tabac Citron.
     
     
    Lavender Vanilla: Musk Nouveau,Cocoa Tuberose,Osmanthus Oolong,Gypsy,Tabac Citron.
     
    Amber Cream: Cocoa Tuberose,Gypsy,Ginger Lily,Divine.

  • JenM says:

    Wow, these sound terrific!
    Orange Blossom with SL Fleur de Oranger
    Lavender Vanilla with Lea St Barth
    Wild Lime Leaf with TF Lime Azure
    Amber Cream with Parfum Sacre

  • Tiara says:

    Almost choked on my coffee when I read that part about the mail carrier!  I'd love to try the Wild Lime Leaf with Escale a Portofino, or perhaps Osmanthe Yunnan with Orange Blossom or Lavender Vanilla. But I think I'd like Amber Cream all by itself.

  • Mary Beth says:

    Ida, I think I woke the house laughing at the thought of your potential surgery. Mighty limber neck you have there darling.
    Here are my ideas (pre-cafe): Wild Lime Leaf with Vanille Insensee, Orange Blosson with SL Fleurs d'Oranger – it needs a little brightening sometimes, Lavender Vanilla with Jicky, of course! Amber Cream–maybe TF Tobacco Vanille. I'm thinking it might soften that sometime sharp edge a bit.

  • Amanda says:

    As a scent-obsessed vegan, these sound amazing!  I would definitely wear Wild Lime Leaf with Indolice, and Orange Blossom with Divine.  I'd wear Lavender Vanilla with Ayala Moriel's White Potion, and Amber Cream with Indolice or Aftelier's Cepes.   

  • Claudia Kroyer says:

    The more i read this the more i feel i need to try these……..the concept of dry oils sounds great as i do not like to coat my skin with anything too heave and the Amber Cream sounds right up my alley so does the Orange Blossom……..you are a little temptress Ida 🙂

  • HollyJae says:

    I was only just reading about these new oils on Charna's newsletter, I'd love the opportunity to try them all!  Amber Creme sounds like my kind of thing at the moment, and I'd probably pair it with Cocoa Tuberose because although I'm yet to sample this perfume, I'm in love already 😛
    Hx

  • Isa says:

    I would layer Orange Blossom with Yves Rocher Comme une évidence. Wild Lime Leaf would be coupled with Diptyque Vetyverio, just out of curiosity.
    I would wear some Lavender Vanilla with Sarah Horowitz Perfect Veil, and Amber Cream with État libre d'Orange Nombril Immense or Tam Dao 🙂

    I'd love to try these oils. Thank you!