DSH Perfumes Love is Everything Review (Dawn Spencer Hurwtiz) + Heirloom Elixirs #4 Draw

Dawn with Xander photo for @CaFleureBon

"One evening while sharing one of our favorite family meals (Curry), my son Xander offered us some of his FAVORITE things in all the world, his Mango Lassi. When we asked him if he was sure he wanted to give any away, he just simply said, “Of course. I love you and love is all that matters”. It was in that moment that I thought about creating a perfume around a Mango Lassi and dedicating it to Xander." ~ Dawn Spencer Hurwitz

Dawn Spencer Hurwitz of DSH Perfumes ©

Love IS Everything: it’s what transforms a night owl artist into the day-dwelling maternal love object of a six year old boy in Boulder. Iconic perfumer, painter, jewelry designer, avid gardener, photographer et al, Dawn Spencer Hurwitz of DSH Perfumes has never been a morning person by nature. Motherhood, however – creates the necessity of schedules, discipline, and consistency (never mind what Oscar Wilde avowed: consistency is NOT the last refuge of the unimaginative.) AND the dazzling eye of broad daylight. Dawn’s devotion to her son Xander is ample proof of that. 

Ida with Xander© at India Quality

Curry indeed: Dawn and her husband Edwin met in Boston many years ago while at university and their favorite place to eat was (and still is) India Quality in Kenmore Square. No wonder that child is so fond of lassi (and mango ice cream!) – he was downing it in utero. They have family in New England and visit whenever they can; when they’re here, that’s where they go. I first met infant Xander there six years ago and it’s been a pleasure to watch him grow and develop into the affectionate, creative little man you see here. Mango lassi is his special treat and the concept of a perfume evoking it is cosy, companionable and lushly tropical. It’s delicious (he is, too).

The fleeting zing of citruses imparts freshness in anticipation of the luscious heart of DSH Perfumes Love is Everything. Numerous elements conspire to accentuate one another and develop a harmonious whole: for example, the tea-like floral aspect of champaca absolute and its leaf CO2 complement the astringent delicacy of green tea – a lovely foil for rich mango accords which are bursting with sweet juice. Mango leaf itself adores them all; together they cry out for the succulence provided by lavish butter CO2 and cream, jasmine grandiflorum and Bulgarian and centifolia roses. Gulab attar (roses distilled with sandalwood) is the intuitive pairing for Australian sandalwood, accompanied by extravagantly floralTahitian vanilla and cool musky ambrette. 

Saveur.com Mango Lassi

Love Is Everything is a fruity gourmand fragrance, there is no denying that. Does that lessen its appeal? Hardly. There is an initial booziness, a fruited eau-de-vie opening rush which titillates the nose and gives way to a lingering velvety softness, a tuft of vanilla and whispering sandalwood. DSH Perfumes Love is Everything may have been conceived as a perfumed loving tribute to Xander, but it’s a real joy for grownups. Notes: bergamot,mandarin, champaca leaf CO2, cream accord, gulab attar, mango leaf absolute, mango pulp accord, green tea absolute, butter CO2,Bulgarian rose otto, centifolia rose absolute, champaca absolute, grandiflorum jasmine, Tahitian vanilla absolute, Australian sandalwood, ambrette seed

Sample kindly provided by Dawn Spencer Hurwitz – many thanks! My nose is my own…

~ Ida Meister, Senior Editor and Natural Perfumery Editor

~ Art Direction: Michelyn Camen, Editor-in-Chief who thanks Dawn and Ida for sharing theri private photos

DSH Love is Everything is # 4 in The Heirloom Collection, a limited edition available until February 28, 2019. You can read about the concept  of Heirloom Elixirs here.

Love is Everything photo from DSH Perfumes©

Thanks to the generosity of DSH Perfumes, we have one 1/4 oz Extrait (or Voile Parfum if it’s outside of the conus ) DSH Perfumes Love is Everything, Heirlooms Elixir #4 for one registered reader worldwide. To be eligible, please leave a comment saying what appeals to you about DSH Perfumes Love is Everything, based upon Ida’s review and where you live. What  food or beverage do you associate with your child or mother ?  Draw closes 1/15/2019

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We announce the winners only on site and on our Facebook page, so Like ÇaFleureBon and use our Blog feed…or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume.

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37 comments

  • INYA says:

    This article is so sweet. The idea behind this new fragrance by Dawn touched my heart. My Mom loves apples, but only the yellow ones. If I ever find a fragrance that represents that scent, I would treasure it forever.Thanks for another fabulous draw! USA

  • MariaB says:

    The combination of mango pulp and green tea sounds refreshingly appealing. Of course, the connection with Dawn’s son is sweet. One food I associate with my mother is arroz con mariscos, a Cuban dish. I don’t think I’d want to smell like it, however. I live in California. Thank you so much for the draw!

  • Susana Craig says:

    As a mother of two adorable 2 Year and 8 year old beautiful girls, I always told them “ sharing is loving “ . We love our bananas so much. Back home ( Philippines ) we had banana plants in our backyard. Healthy and affordable fruits.

    Loved being closed with my girls. Baby smell that we can’t compare any of the fragrance existed.

    Thank you so much for opportunity to win.

    We live in South Carolina USA

  • fazalcheema says:

    Xander is handsome fella. Mango lassi is a drink I am quite familiar with so I am curious how Love is Everything pays tribute to the drink. I am in US.

  • clarissa says:

    I think the most intriguing part about the fragrance is it’s food aspect – it is hard to fold a foodie association into a fragrance without it being too artificial
    My favorite childhood food memory is my grandma’s cooking.
    Thank you for the draw. I am in the US

  • NiceVULady says:

    Ida, your review is good enough to eat. I love the idea of creating a fragrance that evokes so many memories for the creator. I don’t have a foodie association with my mother, so I can’t relate entirely, but the review was lovely,and the draw is great. Thanks for all. I’m in the USA

  • Christie Overbeck says:

    Reading this made me want a sweet! Like an orange Dreamcicle. This perfume sounds lovely and the story behind it is beautiful! Molasses cookie smell is a food smell that reminds me of my mother. Special memories. Virginia, USA

  • Rica6129 says:

    Ida thank you for this review What a great idea to make a perfume that expresses this beautiful connection between Dawn and her son .. And as I love everything Dawn does! … thank you for the opportunity of the draw.
    Montréal,Canada

  • TaffyJ says:

    Such a heartwarming background story. Xander is an absolute delight.
    Homemade bean soup and bread fresh from the oven was our treat on cold days when we got home from school. My mother loved to bake bread especially.
    Lovely giveaway.
    USA

  • Christi says:

    Sweet article but it’s making me hungry! This sounds delightful! I love the notes! I love creamy fruity things and really love mango lassi but have only had the liquid version. The creamy fruity thing of my childhood was Dreampops (orange and vanilla ice cream) and the liquid version, Orange Julius, reminds me of my mom because she couldn’t stop talking about it after she tried it. Thanks for the chance!

  • jeremyn87 says:

    It sounds appealing since it seems like a dense and cozy scent good for the winter. Plus the initial boozy feeling which was mentioned.
    I’d associate cranberry juice with my mom, since it was one of the first juices Ive had.
    Im in IL in the US. thanks for the draw

  • Tami H. says:

    What a lovely review. SO many beautiful notes. This is my favorite part.

    The fleeting zing of citruses imparts freshness in anticipation of the luscious heart of DSH Perfumes Love is Everything. Numerous elements conspire to accentuate one another and develop a harmonious whole: for example, the tea-like floral aspect of champaca absolute and its leaf CO2 complement the astringent delicacy of green tea – a lovely foil for rich mango accords which are bursting with sweet juice. Mango leaf itself adores them all; together they cry out for the succulence provided by lavish butter CO2 and cream, jasmine grandiflorum and Bulgarian and centifolia roses. Gulab attar (roses distilled with sandalwood) is the intuitive pairing for Australian sandalwood, accompanied by extravagantly floralTahitian vanilla and cool musky ambrette.

    Thanks for the generous giveaway, i live in the U.S.
    My Mom has always made creamed peas for me, makes me so happy since my hubby won’t eat them.

  • Cynthia says:

    Ida, what a lovely tribute, and the pictures of Zander, Dawn and yourself are so sweet. I love the story behind the concept of this perfume. Truly, “out of the mouth of babes.” Love is everything, indeed.

  • Grandiflora says:

    What a great story!! I love Indian food too, Xander! What appeals to me most about DSH Perfumes Love is Everything, based upon Ida’s review is Ida’s statement that “it’s a real joy for grownups”. I’m just going to trust her on that one! The food I associate most with my mother is Cella’s Chocolate Covered Cherries. She has gifted a box of chocolate covered cherries for all of her children every Christmas that I can remember. If I made a perfume to honor her it would be dripping with chocolate and cherries! I’m in the US.

  • Alen says:

    Great reading. This fragrance sounds like an intoxicating gourmand juice, that i would probably like it a lot. I will remember forever the smell of biscuits with vanilla and rum, made by my mom’ when i was just a little boy. Thank you for the chance, i am in the EU.

  • Zibbyz says:

    We love Indian and mango lassi here too, it is one of my son’s fans as well. I enjoyed hearing about Dawn’s love for her son. My mother bakes cardamom bread for Christmas, and I also associate Dr Pepper with her, that particular scent/taste.and she associates it with her mother, from Texas. Thank you for the lovely story and the draw, I’m in the US.

  • Harbinger says:

    I love mango lassi which is why this fragrance sounds so appealing to me. Thanks for the draw. USA

  • gunmetal24 says:

    I love mango lassi, mango and Indian food in general. Ida has painted a colourful picture on how this composition unfolds. It seems like she used a lot of natural ingredients (mango leaf absolute…wuttt??!!!) and this appeals to me alot.

    The desert that reminds me of my mom is a Malaysian desert called ‘Pulut Tai Tai’. Its a glutinous rice cake dyed blue/indigo using butterfly pea flowers and served with ‘kaya’, a coconut and egg jam.

    Based in Canada 🙂

  • Yana_Tommelise says:

    OK, DSH Perfumes is my favorite brand. I always say that. I love everything that Dawn creates. I was lucky enough to had a dinner with her and her family in London and we ate Indian food. Xander had Mango Lassi. I have a feeling that this perfume has a part of me in it. Velvety, soft and delicious. What a delight it would be to add it to my collection. I am in Germany

  • cindy maynard says:

    I have so many of Dawn’s fragrances I should open a store! I also live in Massachusetts. Dawn is not only a creative person but a truly caring person and this comes across in how she handles her business. The combination of notes in this fragrance sounds delicious. My grandmother was Italian and so one of my favorite childhood scents was the smell of her sauce coming from the kitchen very early in the morning. I don’t personally know Dawn and her family but I feel a kinship through everything she creates and this would be no different.

  • Timea says:

    Very nice article, and however I like some food or drink smelling perfume, I’m not sure that I could associate my mother with foods of drinks. Maybe the Russian cake, I think that is her favorite dish, and also one of my own favorite. Thank you for the chance. I live in Europe.

  • SandiL says:

    How can I not be intrigued by something that is one of Xander’s favorite things? I have enjoyed seeing this guy grow up over the years, and I know he is a special gift <3 Thanks Dawn for the generous draw and for Ida and CaFleureBon for keeping us so beautifully and well informed.

  • audesko1 says:

    MMMMMM mango Lassi! A very fun article and I think it is a great idea doing a heirloom collection. Darling son! Interesting, our smell is not just about perfume. It’s about food and gourmands. I live in the US.

  • DespinaVnt says:

    What a touching reason to create such a delicious-sounding fragrance.
    Thank you for sharing it, along with the precious photos.
    The gourmand aspect of the scent sounds refreshingly original, and the cocktail of exotic ingredients (including my beloved champaca) makes trying it imperative!
    I associate my mother, a great cook, with so many food smells – some of which are ekmek kataifi, tsoureki and roasted lamb with potatoes.
    Thank you once more, I live in EU (France).

  • marcopietro says:

    Nice review and a beautiful name for a fragrance! Words and images sweet and reassuring. A food that reminds me immediately my mother is “zuppa inglese”, a typical dessert of my region.
    I live in EU.
    Thanks!

  • doveskylark says:

    It is always fun to hear how Dawn is inspired. She takes inspiration from everywhere! I love that Indian food and love itself is her inspiration here. Mangos are so delicious! And the combination of green tea and champaca sounds very delicious!
    I have never thought about my Mom and associated food. I suppose it would be cinnamon toast. Or Boston baked beans prepared in a slow cooker.
    I live in the USA.

  • patrick_348 says:

    The fragrance sounds like it is fun, unpretentious, and unisex. I like how it seems to be inspired by mango lassi but is doubtless something far more complex. I associate macaroni and cheese with my daughters, and I live in North Carolina in the USA.

  • L.Chose says:

    I don’t know if Love is Everything but a good cold mango lassi is. I was little scared in the beginning because it mentioned “Curry” . Like Dawn’s family I too love curry, but I don’t want to smell like it. Mango Lassi have a sweet and tart creamy taste, so interest if she was able to pull it off olfactorily with the cream accord, mango pulp and citruses. My mom is a subpar cook, but she does a few things well and spinach quiche is one of them. Here in California

  • mmkpa says:

    As a mother I love that this fragrance was inspired by Dawn’s son. I adore mango lassi, and mango has long been a note I enjoy in perfume. I do enjoy Ida’s prose – she evokes the scent so well in her words.

    I am in Pennsylvania, USA!

  • Kcast28 says:

    I adore DSH perfumes! I fell in love years ago with her Tuberose scent…. this blend sounds heavenly! I’m in Oregon USA Thanks!

  • mollybg says:

    Thank you and Dawn for sharing this fragrance with a lucky reader! While all Dawn’s creations are inspired, I especially love the story behind Love Is Everything. Xander sounds like a compassionate boy who is wise beyond his years. I also adore mango lassi for a refreshing summer treat.

    My mom was a terrific cook, and my favorite dish was her chicken and biscuits. Winter comfort food at its best. I would request them every year for my birthday dinner.

  • roxhas1cat says:

    What a beautiful reminder that “love is all that matters”. Very interesting notes. I love mango lassi, I’ve only had it as yogurt/mango in the blender. Haven’t had any for ages. Xander is going to grow up with adventurous taste. My Mom is a fantastic cook, but the more fragrant dish I remember was some sort of stewed fruit with peaches, prunes, spices and I forget what else. Thanks for the chance. USA.

  • susie q says:

    A boy after my own heart I love mango and mango lassi Indian food is my fav esp this Pakistan Indian rest. Down the street the best! Thank-You Ida you’ve made me want to not only inhale this gourmandish frag but taste it too! Not literally but you know between the writing and the pics. My moms and Island gal mangos papayas banana leaves coconuts. I’d love to try this Thanks to DSH for the sample! USA

  • Diana D says:

    What an incredibly complex and delicious fragrance! I always associate the smell of pasta sauce with my mom and grandma. They always had a big pot of it cooking on Sundays.
    I live in the USA

  • Lori Laws says:

    Wonderful article Ida! I love the concept behind this fragrance…an ode to Xander and mango lassi. Such a beautiful sentiment by Xander “love is all that matters.” This gourmand sounds like a slice of heaven. Thanks for the giveaway and I live in the US!

  • Caliwas says:

    What appeals to me most is the name of the fragrance Love is everything. I could not agree more. What food as a child I associate with my mom and grandma would be homemade toffee candy because they were masters at it. I live in CA, USA.