DSH Perfumes Golden Poinsettia (Dawn Spencer Hurwitz) 2023 + Candlelit Chypre Giveaway

 

DSH Perfumes Golden Poinsettia

DSH Perfumes Golden Poinsettia courtesy of the brand

It is the custom of award-winning artisanal perfumer Dawn Spencer Hurwitz to provide her fragrant audience with a newly composed holiday scent every year. The beauty of this annual event is that these perfumes aren’t purely seasonal; they are available around the calendar. Many of them are warming and hygge-like, but they also bloom voluntarily all year long, making them more versatile than one would surmise. Having smelt them all, I think it’s fair to say that the lion’s share of them venture into gourmand territory of some sort: they tend to be yummy overall, with an occasional dark horse thrown in for good measure, just to keep us on our toes and prevent boredom. This year, there are several new celebratory fragrances, each unique (including Bacchanal and Butterbeer) – but it is her latest Heirloom Elixir #31, DSH Perfumes Golden Poinsettia, which I chose to review for you.

Dawn Spencer Hurwitz of DSH Perfumes

Dawn Spencer Hurwitz of DSH Perfumes via the perfumer

“I just wanted to create something wonderful, unisex, deep, warm, and ravishing. The leather with the vanilla (and edges of warming spice) makes the whole affair gorgeously sophisticated and perfect for both men and women.”-Dawn Spencer Hurwitz

DSH Perfumes Golden Poinsettia

Pixabay

Very few perfumers compose a retro-vintage (or neo-vintage, if you prefer) perfume as effectively as Dawn does. My impressions arise from her reluctance to cut corners when it comes to quality: while many of her fragrances are created in a mixed media format, she places a premium value on quality materials – even if they are costly. Some things can’t be substituted, and no one knows this better than Dawn (and a few very choice other perfumers). DSH Perfumes Golden Poinsettia is a shimmering, gilded amber-kissed chypre that is a delectable choice for this festive season. Does it tiptoe around gourmandise? Absolutely [sic]. That translates as just enough sweetness to complement the charming complexity which underscores its radiant candlelit glow.

Elizabeth Taylor Color portrait of Elizabeth Taylor, Oct. 1948 Philippe Halsman wikiart

Everything about DSH Perfumes Golden Poinsettia is round and voluptuous; jagged edges are nowhere to be found. From start to finish, this fragrance is both tender and tenacious: it lingered even after hand-washing, bedtime ablutions and a full night’s slumber. The aldehydes themselves are gentle. Golden Poinsettia betroths realistic raspberry to a trio of rose otto and absolutes: raspberry intuitively adores rose – and crowns them with a bouquet of warm spices. The quietly indolic caress of Spanish orange blossom and jasmine grandiflorum feels like a seasoning of sorts, further cushioned with a soupçon of almondy heliotrope and a dash of buttery orris concrete (with its silvery mystery). What constitutes a gold leaf accord? Although it isn’t listed and its presence is very subtle, I wouldn’t be surprised if we discovered saffron in it. This perfume’s base is singularly cossetting and unique, in that a number of potentially dominating olfactory materials are present – and they play together symphonically; there are no soloists amongst them. All the tranquil voices contribute sweetness: vanilla, benzoin (sweet, spicy, and leathery), and Tolu balsam. Two varieties of oakmoss are judiciously employed, joined by the same treatment labdanum, leather, cedar, sandalwood, and musk are given. Ambergris simply makes everyone else look good (I think it’s amazing with roses). I love that there are no aromatic divas in Golden Poinsettia, that it’s a truly collaborative effort between all its components. That’s certainly appropriate, as we know that poinsettias have tremendous visual appeal – but no scent: in other words, this fragrance is a Dawn fantasy composition in which she gives full rein to her imagination, while evoking that intimacy which we cherish. Never was a chypre so incandescent and serenely compelling.

Notes: aldehydes, bergamot, gold leaf (metallic note accord), raspberry, Bulgarian rose absolute, Turkish rose otto, Damask rose absolute, orange flower absolute – Spain, jasmine grandiflorum, heliotrope, orris concrete, spice notes, Siam benzoin, vanilla absolute, Tolu balsam, brown oakmoss, green oakmoss, ambergris, Atlas cedarwood, Australian sandalwood, labdanum, leather, musk (Perceived notes: saffron, nutmeg)

 Sample provided by the perfumer – many thanks! My nose is my own…

~ Ida Meister, Deputy and Natural Perfumery Editor

DSH Perfumes Golden Poinsettia Heirloom Elixir

Thanks to the largesse of perfumer Dawn Spencer Hurwitz, we are offering one 7.5 ml flacon of DSH Golden Poinsettia for one registered reader in the USA only. You must be registered or your comment will not count. Please share with us what appeals to you about Ida’s review of DSH Perfumes Golden Poinsettia. Draw closes 12/4/2023

Enjoy Ida’s review of Heirloom Elixir No 30 Saku and No 1 Essenza dell’Ibisco that was brought back from 2006

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18 comments

  • Teresa C says:

    The melange of notes blending so well that they don’t eclipse each other strikes me as wonderful in a holiday scent, where so many strong notes can edge each other out. but then DSH has such a deft hand with scent!

  • Donna S says:

    Creating a fragrance and naming it Pointsettia which has no smell is very creative and begs one to experience it. Would love to try. Thank you.

  • snowflake15 says:

    The notes make it sound like my type of perfume. Can’t wait to try it. Thank you for the draw.

  • cnii says:

    I love a “neo-vintage” chypre! I also like the idea of a special holiday perfume, and the name, Golden Poinsettia! Thank you, Ida, for another beautifully written review.
    I’m in WV, USA

  • rmsssss says:

    Dawn is a perfume genius, and I’m always interested in trying a new creation from her. I love how smooth and rich Golden Poinsetta sounds from Ida’s review, and the mix of different florals sounds beautiful as well. Thank you so much for the chance to win! I’m in MN, USA.

  • Frank G says:

    What appealed to me about Ida’s review of DSH Perfumes Golden Poinsettia is the gold leaf accord and how it’s very subtle. Never seen it mentioned in any other perfume. The fact that Golden Poinsettia is well rounded with no jagged edges. Thank you for the opportunity. New York, USA.

  • Christie says:

    I woke up and read this review and immediately felt like decorating for Christmas! This reads like a beautiful reflection of the warmth of the season. What appeals to me is the rich rose with the oakmoss. Sounds like such a gentle transition all the way to the base. I would love to experience Golden Poinsettia. What a great name for a fragrance, so elegant!

    Thanks for the giveaway! I’m in the USA.

  • Belladonna says:

    This is written so beautifully! What a visual, too. Love Ida’s description of the golden leaf accord. Thank you for the draw. In US.

  • wallygator88 says:

    Thanks for the great review, Ida.
    Love to see DSH’s prolific ability to make scents that smell wonderful, is quit amazing.
    The notes of vanilla, leather and spices really makes this a ravishing fragrance.

    I really do enjoy the imagery of a Poinsetta and I do hope that this fragrance, being a chypre, transfers it’s beauty into the olfactory realm.

    Cheers from WI, USA

  • Regis Monkton says:

    I can like increasing my experiences with different chypres. I like to hear about original chypres and I like to learn new things about the chypre family. Golden Pointsettia seems like a chypre I’d like to try. I like to hear about its realistic raspberry in combination with the rose, and also, I like to hear about its use of two varieties of oakmoss (I love oakmoss). Also, I still haven’t tried anything yet from DSH perfumes, and I’m very interested to see what their like. I live in the U.S.A.

  • skye says:

    Golden Poinsettia sounds like a festive choice for the holiday season. Ida describes it as a shimmering, gilded amber-kissed chypre bordering on a gourmand. The quality of the ingredients seem top notch, as expected with Dawn Spencer Hurwitz. I’m on MD, USA.

  • Joe says:

    As a longtime fan of Dawn’s work, I find this review so delightful. I’m intrigued by Ida’s description of the floral mélange kissed with strawberry and the many other supporting notes.

    Thank you to DSH for the generous draw opportunity.

    I’m in the US.

  • Joe says:

    CORRECTION

    As a longtime fan of Dawn’s work, I find this review so delightful. I’m intrigued by Ida’s description of the floral mélange kissed with raspberry and the many other supporting notes.

    Thank you to DSH for the generous draw opportunity.

    I’m in the US.

  • b says:

    I like the mix of chypre bordering on gourmand. Spicy Christmas in a bottle with intriguing notes and a fun festive flavor, can’t be beat for the holidays

  • roxhas1cat says:

    I like that this tip toes around gourmand. Bring back the glamour of Liz!! She was one of my Mom’s favorite actresses. I love raspberry in combination with rose. A gentle caress of orange blossom sounds good. Thanks for the chance. USA.

  • foreverscents says:

    It’s always great fun to see what Dawn will create around the holiday season. I love her gourmand holiday fragrance Dark Moon. But I am intrigued with a holiday chypre. Golden Poinsettia’s notes do indeed sound shimmering and voluptuous. The orange blossom and jasmine with leather and oakmoss really appeal to me.
    I live in the USA.

  • mmerline says:

    Great review, Ida. Golden Poinsettia sounds like a decadent fruity-floral take on its trademark fantasy poinsettia bloom, and I’m most intrigued by the focus on comforting and sweet notes and that metallic gold leaf accord. I would have expected a sharper floral composition, but the way Golden Poinsettia is both “tender and tenacious” seems much more appealing. It sounds lovely.

    I’m in the USA.

  • bel says:

    I love the idea of a round chypre that ‘tiptoes around gourmandise.’ DSH is one of my favorite perfume brands, and I agree that Dawn’s choice of quality materials and her creativity handling them distinguishes her as a perfumer!