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AJNE’s creator Jane Hendler has taken natural perfumery one step further. Not only does she create and bottle beautiful essences…she grows many of the raw materials used organically on her farm in Carmel, California. Her creations can also be custom ordered with different base mixtures (oil or denatured spirits) bottle formats (roller balls, dab perfume or spray) and with or without gold or silver filigree. This makes each bottle ordered feel personally “yours”. Not only are these perfumes natural, and as organic as possible, but the “notes” and essences used are meant to stimulate and balance one’s higher energy centers (or chakras) and bring the wearer into harmony with the Earth and Nature. These scents are an absolute joy to wear.
Jane and Rex Rombach
It was on the mystical slopes of Mt Shasta, in California, that Jane first told her husband she wanted to make and create plant-based perfumes that not only smelled good but actually enhanced the aura of the wearer. Each and every scent I have smelled from this company has a deep and abiding spirituality to it, and does truly invigorate and stimulate one’s senses. No synthetics here trying to smell like something else or “trick” your nose; these contain natural essences and radiate a down to earth simplicity while smelling anything but mundane.
Big Sur attempts to capture the intense natural beauty of Big Sur, California. In the late 19th century, Robert Louis Stevenson lived briefly in the area, followed by the likes of John Steinbeck, Henry Miller, and Jack Kerouac. When I think of Big Sur, I think of powerful waves crashing on jagged rocks throwing spray everywhere. Sharp coastline hills covered in greens and trees also come to mind. Ajne’s website calls this a “meeting of land, sea and sky” and it’s an apt description.
Sparhawk: Big Sur Retreat, Clear Ridge
This perfume went on very incense-like on my skin. It’s blending of sandalwood’s dry warmth along with the clean freshness of rosewood made this woody aromatic lover sigh. The addition of toasted vanilla added a dark golden sweetness that never became cloying, but only added to its enchanting mystique. As it developed it seemed to soften a bit, as the woods calmed down, and you notice that a gorgeous giant champaca bloom has opened. Champaca flowers are in the magnolia family and have yellow, orange or white blooms. They have been used in incense, perfumes and ceremonially in India for centuries.
This fragrance has the magical atmosphere that incense does, yet it is never too resinous or overly smoky. It has delicate wisps of smoke dancing about in it, but they never obscure the beauty of the woods and spice that lend their deep and gentle strength to the whole. The sweetness of the vanilla touches the regal floral aroma with a hint of sensual deliciousness while letting its slightly sweet and somewhat earthy nature shine through. All in all this is an extremely well-blended perfume-not only in how it is made, but in how beautifully it blends with its wearer. I am a BIG fan of woody and spicy perfumes that have dark and mysterious flowers and I think it is safe for me to say this scent is “love at first sniff” for me!
Into the Beyond: Christine Crozier
Many new age souls believe Big Sur to be a vortex (or “power spot”) where the spirit world and the physical world touch or meet. Whether you believe such things or not, a few things are immediately obvious after dabbing this scent on your skin. It has a heavenly loveliness to it and its blend of spices woods and flowers truly is uplifting. It has an airiness that is not fake or phony and a feeling of primordial power to it, like walking among ancient trees or watching the waves dance to their centuries old rhythm as they break on the shore. It is at once warm and cozy, but at the same time it is wild and untamed. Big Sur is not what I had originally “osmagined” (sea spray, driftwood, etc.) when I read the name…it’s even better! Sillage: good. Longevity: very good.
Savannah resonates with the same delicate beauty as the city of Savannah, Georgia-one of the few places in the American south that was not plundered and burned to the ground during General Sherman’s march to the sea in the Civil War. It still has stately old antebellum manor houses, beautiful squares lined with ancient trees and radiates a genteel and peaceful aura. The perfume matches the vibe of the classic old-fashioned city and blends a stately elegance with a surprising blend of innocent freshness and a slightly naughty playfulness.
Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh 1939
An uplifting opening of zesty lime and tart grapefruit catches your nose along with a dry bergamot and the result is like a clear spring day. It goes on a bit bitter and ever so slightly sour, yet seems to be sweet and juicy at the same time. It has a distinct clarity and a bright disposition that seems a bit masculine and citric, until the magnolia arrives. In Gone with the Wind, Rhett Butler often referred to Scarlett O’Hara as his little “magnolia blossom”. It is no wonder. Magnolia is a flower that has an unusually feminine characteristic yet also has a deep and abiding strength. Its creamy sweetness brings to mind warm summer days, horse-drawn carriages and long flowing skirts with matching bonnets and petticoats. This may sound somewhat old-fashioned, even prudish, but I assure you it is not.
Without the usually overbearing thick feel magnolia can sometimes have, this scent appears on the surface to be the epitome of all that is lady-like and proper, yet the tart citruses and hints of woods and an almost boozy warmth reveal a girl who is not afraid to go on a buggy ride without her shawl…or even a chaperone. Despite the fact it is a magnolia perfume, Savannah works very well on my male skin; and my skin usually eats magnolias for breakfast. It has a delicate side but also has an endearing, almost tomboy-like, quality to it that is at once unique and intriguing. Sillage: average. Longevity: slightly below average.
Disclosure: Reviews based on 5 ml perfume roller balls sent to me by AJNE Pure Botanical Alchemy.
–John Reasinger, Editor
Art Direction: Michelyn Camen, EIC
For our draw our friends at Ajne are offering a set of Savannah and Big Sur 5ml perfume roller balls to one winner. To be eligible you must live in the USA or have a shipping address in the USA. To be eligible please leave a comment which appeals to you the most or which city or place in the USA should have its own perfume
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