A couple of nights ago I watched the film, Henry and June, it chronicles Henry Miller and Anaïs Nin’s affair in 1930s Paris. I saw this film years ago when it first came out, and I’m almost sure that I began to think about Nin’s writing again just about the same time I started wearing the two fragrances I am reviewing here. I mean I haven’t thought about Anaïs Nin in ages, and all of a sudden I wanted to revisit her via this film, her writing, especially her diaries, and perhaps through these two fragrances….

I wish you were here with me. I wish you could be with me and experience these two incredibly constructed leather fragrances created by one Spanish perfumer, Ramon Monegal. On the soft side of my right wrist is his Cuirelle a reinterpretation of leather. Think suede as sensation; its soft yet arid touch. On my left wrist is Mon Cuir a take-charge leather, caressed and surrounded by an incredible floral note. These fragrances are two sides of the same coin. Monegal’s fascination with “olfactory image” or what he defines as an attitude that one can project through wearing a particular fragrance is clearly expressed through both these fragrances. Cuirelle’s subtlety and Mon Cuir’s strength combined with their superb raw materials tapped my subconscious, and I began to think not only about duality in fragrance, but in Anais Nin’s life and writing. I thought about her struggles and triumphs as she explored both sides of herself. Duality lives inside all of us, our ability to shine, but also a necessity to be reflective, and at times the double lives we may lead in order to get closer to who we really are.

It all seemed royal as I sat down at the beautiful, spacious, and playfully well-organized Scent Bar in Los Angeles, don’t miss it if you find yourself in LA. I was presented with the Ramon Monegal collection by the knowledgeable Stephen Gontarski on what seemed to be a silver platter, and given Monegal’s lineage this made perfect sense. A visit to the RM website explains, “he represents the fourth generation of the founders of the House of Myrurgia, which was the official purveyor of the Spanish Royal Family, and the most important international perfumists in Spain.” Stephen spoke about the aromatic thread that runs across the entire line that seems to define it. As I spoke to Stephen and learned more about the collection, I noticed the substantial flacons with their black dome-like tops and thick crystal bottoms seemed to reflect the tenacious juice inside, and at other times they became a crystal fortress protecting the more delicate ones. I recently read that Monegal’s vision for the flacons were to resemble crystal ink wells, a metaphor for the creative process, from ink comes words, sentences, poetry and literature, and on and on. In the end it was the tremendous Cuirelle and Mon Cuir that chose me though, luring me back to discover and notice their distinction.

Cuirelle seduces slowly, initially I’m excited by a bright burst that quickly becomes round and balsamic, a combination of sweet and woody. Notes of honey and cedar create a warm powdery fragrance. A crisp incense note and a boozy vetiver bourbon join to give lift and interest to this fragrance. Cuirelle is a delicate oriental with just enough spice, that manages to stay soft and bright as it lingers close to the skin. Its dry down makes one feel cozy like coming home and laying down in your own bed after a long journey. Cuirelle I’m yours.

Mon Cuir comes on strong and opens with a floral rush (orange flower to be exact.) The orange flower note cushions and teases, bringing us closer to the snap of Russian leather and resinous birch tar. You can almost smell the bark. This leather is pungent, smoky, and camphorous. As it settles on the skin, a minty patchouli, and a creamy sandalwood base rounds it and helps create a modern fragrance that sparkles on the skin. At first, I thought Mon Cuir was harsh, but I was wrong. This is a tenacious fragrance with a surprisingly delicate nuance. This fragrance is not a boring lover. Its dry down is like a lion after a kill, it stays on-guard watching and waiting.

These last days of August brought a blue moon, and as I sat on the shoreline and watched the fiery sunset gently fade into the horizon I was reminded of Cuirelle’s lingering softness.  As my back turned away from the bay, I was met by a rising enormous blue moon, a full moon. The full moon had happened twice this month and seemed to mirror my second take on Mon Cuir. The summer was coming to an end. I had both of these fragrances on my mind, and somehow felt stronger for knowing both. 

Disclosure: This review was based on samples provided by Luckyscent.

–Valerie Vitale of Soliflore Notes, Monthly Contributor