Rania J Musc Moschus via @raniajparis

“Softly, softly, now; here there is no beneath or above, no hell

for miscreant flowers opening for the moon.” ~ Softly, Softly Now by Patrick White

Rania J Paris at Esxence 2019 via @raniajparis

It was a pleasure to finally meet perfumer Rania Jouaneh at this year’s Esxence after following her work for some time. I found her to be sincere, impassioned and welcoming – generous with her time and warmth. When she informed Michelyn and me that she had composed a new fragrance, a variation on the musk theme – we were delighted (as you may recall, one of the scent trends we noted was the prevalence of musk soliflores). We smelt myriad musks at Esxence, but Rania J Musc Moschus was memorable in its edible loveliness and custom-made for skin: while it’s gorgeous on paper, it is more complex when applied to a fleshly canvas. It was quite a while before Rania was able to send samples and this involved more work for her; we’re grateful that we may now share our impressions with you.

Utka Nayika Lady Awaits Her Lover in the Forest 1775-170, British Museum

A musk is a musk is a musk – except that it isn’t, at all. We have beastly musks, beachy musks, tender musks, unwashed musks, foody musks, woody musks, mossy musks, spicy musks, fruity musks, herbaceous/vegetal musks, cottony musks, freshly-laundered-linen musks, barbershop musks, hippie-dippy musks – and more besides. It’s enough to boggle your first cranial nerve (Olfactory! We’re No.1!). What sort of musk is Rania J Musc Moschus?

Mughal lovers 19th C. on the terrace via mutualart.com

On paper you’ll notice the blast of bergamot which appears to linger indefinitely; a sweet/tart lusciousness of cassis tempered by silvery iris, the chumminess of vanilla and sandalwood as they riff off one another like jazz musicians – and fluffy musk, unlike its more assertive animalic presence in most of Rania’s previous perfumes. This in itself is a departure from the expected. Mouillettes won’t do at all; the fragrance smells linear on them, you can’t properly gauge it that way. You must have skin.

The Lovers by Riza-yi Abbasi metmuseum.org

Rania J Musc Moschus = carnal adventure. Be prepared for travel; all that’s required is skin-as-real-estate, the perfume does the rest. Short as the list of materials may appear, it is deceiving because Musc Moschus is a winding road that keeps shifting before you. Forget the road map and follow your nose. Its bracing sparkle of bergamot swiftly segues to cassis (aka blackcurrant) and that tangy aroma we associate with it – fruity, slightly sour yet sweet, oozing juice. Cassis is going to weave its way throughout the fragrance, with a little addendum: there is a touch (well, more than a touch) of the animalic in its absolute. Some liken it to cat urine, but they do so with great affection (Eastern European perfumers/perfumisti I have known, in particular). Next on my skin iris appears, intuitively entwined with sandalwood and vanilla; we’ve been juicy but now there is a woody, smoky aspect because Rania’s vanilla has more faces than Janus. Just when you think the fragrance is ever-so-slightly charred it waxes gourmand: think singed marshmallows, caramel that’s overcooked. It’s honeyed and a tad bitter. Great puffy clouds of cotton candy over a slow flame adorning the evening sky. Wait – here’s the succulent cassis; iris pops up buttery and earthy, cosying up to sandalwood once more. Fruit, flower, wood, resin, musk: it’s a quintet.

Musc Moschus is an ensemble piece in which every player matters. There is an organic flow at work and I suspect that it may be partly due to the use of prime botanical materials. Whatever it is going on, it’s marvelous, comfortable – and fascinating. Musc Moschus will be a favorite for many because of its effortless opulence with a pinch of mischief tossed in. A welcome addition to anyone’s scent wardrobe, the additional merit is its longevity and tenacity: a single spritz lasted all day and clung to clothing even longer.

Notes: bergamot, blackcurrant, iris, sandalwood, vanilla, musk

Samples generously provided by Rania Jouaneh – thank you! My nose is my own…

~ Ida Meister, Senior Editor and Natural Perfumery Editor

~ Art Direction: Ida with photographs from Rania Jouaneh

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Thanks to the largesse of Rania Jouaneh of Rania J Paris, we have a 100 ml bottle (€215,00) of Rania J Musc Moschus for one registered reader in the EU, Canada or USA . You must register here or your comment will not count. To be eligible, please leave a comment saying what you enjoyed most about Ida’s review of Musc Moschus. Do you have a favorite Rania J fragrance? Draw closes 8/30/2019

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