ÇAFLEUREBON X DARREN ALAN PERFUMES SCARAB QUEEN image courtesy of Darren Alan Perfumes©
I have always been fascinated with the powerful ancient Egyptian queens who often ruled alongside or alone as Pharaohs and wondered what fragrances they would wear. Six months ago, I asked Darren Alan of Darren Alan Perfumes to collaborate on our second ‘Queen”, to celebrate ÇaFleureBon’s 16th anniversary. I wanted the perfume to be historically correct in terms of materials available to the Pharaonic perfumers of that era. He was up for the challenge, very different from Lipstick Queen (co-directed with Nicoleta Tomsa), yet both are transformative. Darren is known for his neo-vintage style but ÇAFLEUREBON X DARREN ALAN PERFUMES SCARAB QUEEN takes us back not fifty nor a hundred years but thousands.
Hatshepsut (c. 1505–1458 BCE) was the sixth pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty and one of ancient Egypt’s most powerful rulers. image via iStock
In ancient Egypt, scarabs represented rebirth, regeneration, protection, were worn as talismans and used in tombs to guide spirits to the afterlife. But no one wants to smell like the inside of a crypt, so Scarab Queen had to smell amazing, genderless and use 100 percent natural oils. In keeping with the tradition of the Egyptians, who often added gemstones to their perfumes, every bottle contains a genuine piece of Lapis Lazuli which symbolizes royalty.- Michelyn Camen, Editor-in-Chief
Blue Lotus Flower image via iStock
“Scarab Queen opens with energetic Juniper Berry, Lemongrass and Camphor. The heart features an artisanal Blue Lotus Flower extraction made in-house by Darren Alan Perfumes. He used over 20 kilos of rare Blue Lotus Flowers that yielded a little over an ounce of absolute – just enough to create this perfume. The exotic fragrance of Blue Lotus is floral, green, slightly spicy, and intoxicating, with a watery an musky undertone. It’s unlike any other flower used in perfumery. Beeswax absolute, resinous Frankincense, and Benzoin bridge the heady Blue Lotus with the dark and rich base of rectified Calamus Root (Sweet Flag), Myrrh, and Cypriol (Nut Grass).
image iStock
Instead of deciding on proportions based on traditional perfume-making knowledge or olfactory considerations, I structured the ingredients in Scarab Queen according to ancient Egyptian numerology and followed the fractions of the Eye of Horus. The result was not only a perfectly balanced perfume, but also one that was inherently IFRA-compliant.” –Darren Alan of Darren Alan Perfumes
Notes: Juniper Berry, Lemongrass, Camphor, Blue Lotus Absolute, Beeswax Absolute, Frankincense, Benzoin, Myrrh, Sweet Flag, Nut Grass
Disclosure: Michelyn was not compensated in any way for this collaboration.
Available to purchase here.
$109.64 10mL
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