Remi Malek as Freddie Mercury via Daily Express
With the release and accolades for the 2018 bio-pic “Bohemian Rhapsody” followed by Remi Malek’s recent Academy Award for best actor, Freddy Mercury and Queen are riding high on the charts again. I was recently given a tester bottle of Jusbox Perfume’s magnificent tribute to Freddy Mercury, and the excess of the 1980’s; Jusbox Use/Abuse.
Chiara and Andrea Valdo of Jusbox photo Hernando ©
Arriving in a 78 ml. bottle (to honor the classic 78 vinyl LP’s) with coral colored sides and a cap resembling a vinyl LP record, Use/Abuse by perfume house Jusbox is at once cheeky and chic and ultimately wonderful. Jusbox Perfumes is the brainchild of Italian siblings Andrea and Chiara Valdo (collectively known as “V-Monkey”), and is a tribute to the intersection of music and perfume.
Chiara and Andrea Valdo of Jusbox photo Hernando ©
“Music and Perfume share a similar and extraordinary power: intensely and yet involuntarily they both have the ability to bring back the most hidden emotions and memories…Thee perfumer, just like the musician, plays notes and accords to compose superb and touching harmonies. Sometimes the language of perfumery may appear difficult and hard to decode and this is why Jusbox makes use of the language of music, usually more familiar, in order to make everyone clearly understand the true essence of its perfumes.” –Jusbox Perfumes
The 80s via whithill puzzles
The 1980’s were a decade of contrasts and profound change; it was a decade of wretched excess with Rolex two-tone watches, BMW’s, sky-high shoulder pads and hair. Jazzercise and Max Headroom. And AIDS; the plague that would touch so many lives and decimate a whole generation of people. As Charles Dickens would say “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.”
Photo: retrowaste.com
Musically the 80’s brought us iconic albums like Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”, Madonna’s “Like A Virgin” and groups like Duran Duran, U2, Tina Turner, Prince, David Bowie, The Police and of course Freddy Mercury and Queen. Freddy Mercury was the consummate performer; larger than life as he jumped and twirled on stages across the globe, and we sang along to songs that would become a genetic part of the zeitgeist, and ultimately the anthems of our lives; “We Will Rock You”, “We Are The Champions”, “Another One Bites The Dust”, and the modern masterpiece that is “Bohemian Rhapsody”.
Freddie Mercury and Jusbox Use/Abuse apped by Michelyn©
Jusbox Use/Abuse is the perfect olfactive metaphor for the times. Perfumer Antoine Lie has created a floriental that is big, brash, bold, and addictive. From the very first spray, you know that Use/Abuse is a take-no-prisoners perfume; the initial nuclear blast of the tuberose sets the stage for a melange of massive florals that lasts and lasts. Masterfully blended, the tuberose is never shrill or harsh, and retains the beauty of the bloom while dialing back the buttery, animalic facets.
Freddie Mercury via Getty
The citrus keeps it fresh and relevant, and the jasmine and peony only add to the beauty. The incense is barely recognizable, but manages to anchor the florals in the here-and-now, and the resinous opoponax and soft musks create a furry and sublime landing pad from which the over-the-top florals rise up and create an almost cosmic dance. In the last few years, the fragrance world has had a veritable onslaught of tuberose jus; everything from the mediocre to the sublime. Jusbox Use/Abuse is solidly on the sublime end of this spectrum, and if you are a tuberose lover, you will most definitely want to own Use/Abuse for yourself. In the words of Freddy Mercury and Queen it will surely “rock you”.
Notes: Tuberose, mandarin orange, incense, jasmine sambac, peony, sandalwood, opoponax, musk.
Disclosure: Thanks so much to Europerfumes for my tester of Use/Abuse. The opinions are my own.
Editor’s Note: You can read Marianne Butler’s review of Jusbox No Rules here
Lauryn Beer’s review of Jusbox Beat Café here
Watch Sebastian Jara’s review of Juxbox Black Powder here
And more recently Cheeky Smile by Contributor dana sandu here
–Robert Herrmann, Senior Editor
-Art Direction: Michelyn Camen, Editor-in-Chief
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Available @10CorsoComo @Bloomingdales, @Perfumology @Selfridges, and other fine retailers.
Thanks to the generosity of Europerfumes (USA only) and Chiara and Andrea Valdo we have a 78 ml tester of Jusbox Use/Abuse for one lucky reader in the USA, Canada or the EU, or the Travel Set. The draw is for registered readers only, so be sure to register if you have not done so.
To be eligible please let us know what you thought of Robert’s review and if you want the 78 ml bottle or the travel sprays of all 11 Jusbox perfumes and where you live. What's your favorite memory of the 80s or Freddie Mercury song . Draw closes April 5, 2019
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.