Olibanum Neroli, photo by Nicoleta
Gérald Ghislain – the founder and creator of Histoires de Parfums is a pioneer in the world of niche perfumery, as 24 years ago (yes, 2000 was almost a quarter of a century ago) Histoires de Parfums launched their line of “stories to be read on your skin” – an olfactive library that has brought to life, over the years, famous characters, mythical years, poems, music, and amazing raw materials. With Olibanum, launched two years ago, the idea was completely different: “I wanted to create a brand without telling stories, focused on a sole raw material, with a reasonable ecological impact. I’ve been told I was crazy. It made me want to do it.” Gérald Ghislain
Gérald Ghislain image via website
The brand is focused on simplicity, with perfumes that say how they smell and that smell how they say; constructed with a conscious approach and care to have a minimal ecological impact on the world, and committed, lending support to numerous humanitarian projects. Olibanum wears its green pledge proudly, with minimalist packaging, recycled and recyclable, organic alcohol made in France, formulas developed with ethical natural products, and every detail, including the supply chain, thoughtfully designed to be eco-friendly and to minimize the carbon footprint.
Olibanum logo – image via the brand
Why is olibanum the main focus? Gérald tells us: “Coveted by pharaohs and kings of antiquity, this burnt offering, which adorned altars around the world in India, Africa, Europe, and Mesopotamia, was believed to convey the prayers of rituals both sacred and secular. From India all the way to the Horn of Africa and passing through the Sultanate of Oman, the olibanum resin is harvested by cutting into the bark of the Boswellia tree to awaken its woodsy, aromatic, balsamic, mineral, spicy, and lemony tonalities. Even today, this resin purifies the atmosphere, relaxes, and soothes the mind.” The many faces of olibanum are explored and magnified with the use of another “hero ingredient”. We have the woods, the leaves, the flowers, the fruits, the seeds, and the roots. Think of having different colored lenses put over an olfactive microscope, through which you can explore the scenery, to discover new and surprising details. Plus – these “lenses” can be layered, to explore new facets, interactions, and dimensions.
Celine Pedriel at Cosmo International courtesy of the perfumer
For its 19th fragrance, Olibanum has chosen to team up with Celine Pedriel and focus on a beloved raw ingredient: neroli. The white fragrant flower of Citrus aurantium in this perfume comes from the province of Khemisset in Morocco. This variety was selected for its floral, citrus, green, and honeyed notes. “The arrival of orange blossoms in April causes great excitement because it is the moment awaited by thousands of women who, every year, participate in the harvest. It is also a big logistical challenge for the producer who must organize both harvesting and processing in the hours that follow. Each day he organizes the transport of 1,500 pickers to each of the three farms, from their villages to the fields. Only the open flowers, not buds, are harvested and sorted delicately before being transported to the factory to be extracted, for an absolute whose notes reveal a natural flower effect, less green than a neroli and less animal than an absolute. Notes of fresh petals are very refined and give the compositions a solar effect.”*
Orange blossom, image via the brand
As far as its mood-boosting qualities, Author and ÇaFleureBon Editor Elise Pearlstine eloquently summed it up: “Throughout history, aromatherapists and herbalists have long known that the flowers of bitter orange – both spicy and sweet-smelling —alleviate insomnia, anxiety, and depression, and in effect, this it is the Xanax of perfumery.”
Olibanum Neroli, official photo
The steam distillation of the petals produces Neroli, whereas extraction using volatile solvents produces Orange Blossom Absolute. I love both equally, with their different personalities and characters, and because I am – yet again – deep down the rabbit hole of Harry Potter books with my kid’s lecture club, I would compare Neroli with the charm of Hermione: classical, intricate, a bit old-school, lovable but with a little bit of “spicy bite”, making it an acquired taste. On the other hand, orange blossom, with its dreamy, airy, soft, and sweet aura would be Luna Lovegood – more lighthearted, delicate, and easier to love. I have a lot of perfumes in my collection focused on neroli and even more that are about orange blossom. From the refreshing Tom Ford Neroli Portofino to the crispness of Nishane’s Colognise to the sweetness of YSL’s Atlas Garden to the fruitiness of Dusita Anamcara – I love them all and they are regular in my perfume rotation, especially in the spring and summer.
In Olibanum Neroli, I have the best of both worlds: the complex, spicy spirit of Neroli mixed with the irresistible sweet and solar orange blossom. Add to that the sparkling opening of fizzy bergamot, the honeyed roundness of Jasmin, the fluffy facets of musk, and just enough incense to keep things grounded and interesting – and you have the recipe for a fantastic summer scent. Sweet, fresh, floral, and clean, it makes me want to arrange summery Pinterest boards, make honeyed linden blossom lemonade, wear white linen dresses, and be uncharacteristically light-hearted.
Notes: Bergamot, Neroli, Orange Blossom, Jasmin, Oliban, Musk
Nicoleta Tomsa, Senior Editor
*Information taken from Olibanum’s press release
Disclosure: A bottle of Neroli was offered by Olibanum. Opinions are my own.
Thanks to the generosity of Olibanum we have a 1.7 oz bottle for one registered reader in the USA or EU only. You must register or your entry will not count. To be eligible, please leave a comment saying what sparks your interest based on Nicoleta’s review of Olibanum Neroli and where you live. Draw closes 6/2/2024
CURRENTLY AVAILABE IN THE EU https://www.olibanum.com/products/neroli AND COMING TO THE USA SOON
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