CB Experience- to see a FLOWER: Simple Gifts

CB- aka Christopher Brosius- speaks to our collective unconscious, our amygdala, our “lizard brain”.
Sometimes, what I crave is utter simplicity; I don’t need much to be content.
I keep many of CB’s scents around for the sheer comfort of triggering memories and emotions.
My favorite ones concern my keen love of the natural world.
to see a FLOWER….
CB describes this as “delicate spring flowers [hyacinth, daffodils, jonquils, crocuses], green shoots, wet dirt, and a bit of moss “.

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Serge Lutens Bas de Soie: Purple Floral Pas de Deux

Bas de Soie is the latest release from Serge Lutens and based on the early information it seemed as this was going to be a continuation of the recent “anti-perfume” theme. It was described as a fragrance focused on two notes that of iris and hyacinth. That pair has also had occasion to leave me cold in the past as both of those floral notes have had a distinct metallic character on my skin. I was expecting an olfactory sword fight when I tried Bas de Soie. Much to my surprise I did find that both of these central notes would do battle but of a lyrical kind akin to a balletic pas de deux. Each has time when they are the only player on stage and then they interact differently and find a lyrical poetic harmony that changes over time on my skin.

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A Perfume Organic: Grace Undyed

Amanda Walker’s company A Perfume Organic …well, they are for real. The minimally packaged perfumes are presented in charming glass roller bottles inside flower seed embedded paper boxes printed with soy inks. The little sample pouch is similar with its simple undyed fabric, unbleached paper sample cards, simple glass perfume vials. All good. I am reminded of the I Ching’s 22nd hexagram “Grace”. The highest form of “grace” also means “undyed”. The explanation is that true grace is achieved when the outside and the inside match, in a simple, graceful, undyed manner. Perhaps this is the definition of Natural Grace.

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Chanel Bleu de Chanel: Expendable?

I realized I was having trouble trying to find a way to review the new masculine release from Chanel, Bleu de Chanel. After having worn it a number of times I know it is not a fragrance I will reach for often. On the other hand I do see it as a fragrance that will be well received by the much bigger majority that do not own multiple bottles of perfume. Because I think Bleu de Chanel is meant to be more “commercial” than “classic” do I judge it as populist piece of perfumery or as something that had the potential to take its place next to the other classics in the Chanel line?

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Kenzo Homme Woody/Boisee’: When It Isn’t All About Wood

If Tania Sanchez is correct the smell that drives men wild is bacon. If the department store fragrance counters are any indication the smell that many perfumers think drive women wild is wood. Because of this tsunami of terpenes hearing there was another woody fragrance on the way was not news. I received the announcement of Kenzo Homme Woody/Boisee’ with a little more anticipation because Olivier Polge was the perfumer behind it and he had made one of the best men’s florals of 2008 in Kenzo Power. Kenzo Homme Woody/Boisee’ succeeds where so many other flankers and woody fragrances have failed previously because of two very simple reasons. First, even though this is a flanker it bears little similarity to the previous fragrance for which it shares its name. Second, even though it says woody on the label it doesn’t have to be an unrelenting parade of wood

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