Nir Guy and his mom Tali (Avital )Guy whose childhood garden was the inspiration for L’Ima
It was late April when I first heard from Nir Guy: he and Justin Frederico were busily at work on a new perfume they had been for some time. The inspiration arose from his maternal grandmother’s garden – fond memory of a personal Eden bustling with summer’s blooming plants, vegetables, fruits and flowers. That self-same garden had been just big enough to host his parents’ wedding. Nir desired a perfume to reverence his mother Tali’s love for growing things. The fragrance (soon to be named L’Ima: for Mom in Hebrew) needed to encompass all aspects of the garden and retain an airy feel: herbal, floral, citrus fruit, greenery. Perfumology L’Ima sought a delicate balance. There could be no preponderance of any one facet, and longevity was essential. It’s not unusual to gather so many aromatic materials together that a fragrance loses focus. There are the players’ personalities to consider, too: will they all get along? Will some tend to grandstand and steal the limelight? How do you ‘conclude’ a fragrance without altering its fundamental character? These were some of the challenges Nir and Justin addressed during the honing of their fourth collaboration Perfumology L’Ima.
Justin Frederico is the perfumer for L’Ima (he has co created each Perfumology fragrance to date: Blyss, Grange, and Clutch in collaboration with Nir Guy)
Creative director Nir Guy and perfumer Justin Frederico have stealthily invited you into the garden in full flush; close the gate behind you, it’s a private pleasure. Citrus groves flourish in such a climate, and zest oils spritz off their skins at the merest touch. Herbal borders smell divine and help keep pesky insects at bay – just watch that peppermint and verbena, though; they’re likely to take over any garden if left to their own devices! Their intense greenness assumes a different hue alongside the tangy soil-redolent aroma of tomato leaf and stem. A summer garden without tomatoes? Perish the thought; that’s heresy.
Top: Orange Blossom, roses; Bottom Victoria (Nir’s maternal Grandmother) and Pomelo blossom from the garden of Tali’s youth
Summer roses and fragrant-leafed geraniums linger good-naturedly beneath grateful nose and fingertips, garnished with an occasional plush lily for decadence’s sake. Orris and ambrette furnish opposing facets – earthy, animalic scented quicksilver contrasting sun-splashed citrus. Elemi’s lemony resin enjoys the peppery company of cardamom and copaiba. Copaiba is a talented material, blending/bridging the path between heart and base, particularly the sandalwood and only a dusting of amber, so as not to disturb overall aromatic harmony. Cashmeran and white musk round out rough edges for a tender touch. Balance is everything.
Perfumology L’Ima is an unusual perfume in that it’s not only delightful and refreshing – it’s also intriguing. Its singularity feels intimate, savory. While it certainly may be worn year ‘round, L’Ima blooms exuberantly in the heat, making it a pleasure in warmer temperatures. Consider it your new summer staple.
Notes: lemon, orange, pomelo, peppermint, lemon verbena, tomato leaf, geranium, orris, neroli, lily, rose, ambrette, elemi, cardamom, amber, copaiba, cashmere, sandalwood, white musk
~ Ida Meister, Senior Editor and Natural Perfumery Editor
Many thanks to Nir Guy of Perfumology, who kindly sent me an advance flacon! My nose is my own.
Ida’s Note: For those of you as yet unacquainted, Nir’s mother Tali is one of the most hospitable women I’ve yet to meet – and a fabulous cook and baker as well. I am deeply touched to have been asked to collaborate as evaluator. May she enjoy Perfumology L’Ima and wear it in good health!
all photos courtesy of Nir Guy; Michelyn made the collages
Thanks to the generosity of Nir Guy of Perfumology we have a draw for a 50 ml flacon of Perfumology L’Ima which has 30 percent concentration for one registered reader in the USA. You must register here or your comment will not count. To be eligible, please leave a comment saying what you enjoyed most about Ida’s review of Perfumology L’Ima. Draw closes August 1, 2019
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