Strange Invisible Perfumes Musc Botanique (2008), Essence of IX (2010) and Peloponnesian (2010) Alexandra Balahoutis -Fragrance Reviews + The 3 Strange Invisible Perfumes You Should Be Wearing Draw

Alexandra Balahoutis of Strange Invisible Perfumes phot via Instagram

Botanical perfumer Alexandra Balahoutis creates ephemeral natural beauties. I have long admired her exquisite perfumes ever since we met at the former Elements Showcase years ago in New York. In my mind, there is no doubt regarding neither the quality of her aromatic materials nor the originality of her compositions. I bought one fragrance in parfum form over 10 years ago –  Arunima (2005), a gorgeous oriental with rare blue lotus amongst the other lovelies (it is now unavailable) – and I saved up a long, long time for it. How fortunate that there is now a mini bar, a coffret, so that one will be able to sample quite a few of these bijoux.

Here are the three that are amongst my favorites:

  Strange Invisible Perfumes Essence IX via Instagram and  Travel Poster “Chemin De Fer D Alsace Et De Lorraine Au Pay Du Bon Vin D Alsace” 

Essence of IX: Dear Divine! This is my favorite of all: one sniff and I am back in the vineyards of France: the Loire, Bourgogne, le Sud, on the route de vin d’ Alsace – just as I ventured as a young girl all by my wee lone. There is not one essence I don’t adore: the piquant herbalcy of sage, the oaken cask, La Reine des Fleurs (ma rose), cassis, the ever-present lavande, the blissfully wistful and faintly animalic wild honey. Saints preserve us. I feel such intense longing and wanderlust every time I open my little vial; it sings to my restless blood with fervor. If it were within my means, I would loll about in it as one would with an ardent lover. Notes: white sage, hydrodistilled rose, black currant, lavender, French oak, wild honey

Strange Invisble Perfumes Musc Botanique and Dama Orientalista by Dubreuil

Musc Botanique is a musk to end all musks, quite candidly. Ambrette and frankincense are enamored; a sultry smoulder of geranium infiltrates that previously cool alembic. The amber note is such a diaphanous one; it endows a gauzy haze to the perfume as a whole. As with many botanicals, it clings closely to the flesh and speaks in hushed tones – like the walls of ancient mosques, where deer musk was once mixed with mortar and whispers still, centuries later. Notes: Egyptian geranium, frankincense, white amber, botanical musk (ambrette)

Strange Invisible Perfumes Peloponnesian and  Ancient Greek Vase via wikipedia

Peloponnesian: Aromatic adventurer: Peloponnesian cries out to the seafaring wanderer, a current-day Athenian wink towards the ancient ones. This perfume calls into play Mediterranean elements: tonic lime and orange, the venerable cypress, familiar orange blossom much beloved by the Greeks, grounded by equine-redolent botanical musk – ambrette. A bracing restorative in any season, and particularly during blistering summer months. Notes: hydrodistilled orange and lime, cypress, orange flower, mountain sage honey, botanical musk

Disclaimer: Samples provided by SIP; many thanks! My nose is my own.

~ Ida Meister, Senior Editor

Alexandra Balahoutis – Hydro Distilled Rose via Alexandra Balahoutis

Art Director: Michelyn Camen, Editor-in-Chief; One of the most read articles since our inception is “In Defense of Botanical Perfumery as Olfactive Art” written by Alexandra Balahoutis who was a Guest Contributor. We encourage you to read it here

Follow us @strangeinvisible  and @cafleurebon on Instagram

Thanks to the kindness of Alexandra Balahoutis of Strange Invisible Perfumes, we have the *mini-bar coffret (for one fortunate registered reader in the USA. To be eligible, please leave a comment with what appealed to you about the three perfumes reviewed based upon Ida’s reviews and if you have a favorite Strange Invisible Perfume. Draw closes 9/4/2017 

*Mini Bar Set Includes: Aquarian Rose, Atlantic, Black Rosette, Dimanche, Epic Gardenia, Essence of IX, Fair Verona, L’Invisible, Magazine Street, Musc Botanique, Peloponnesian, and Prima Ballerina

We announce the winners only on site and on our Facebook page, so Like ÇaFleureBon and use our RSS Feed… Or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


19 comments

  • nsquared says:

    The stories these descriptions conjure up in my mind! I really admire someone who appreciates nature beauty and had the willingness to create a successful company built on natural botanicals. I’ve heard of this company here and there but have never had the chance to sample. From description alone Essence of IX sounds like one that would draw me in. Also Magazine Street sounds very interesting, as I’m assuming she is referencing the famous street in New Orleans, where I live. Thank you… I’m in the USA.

  • Steve A. says:

    The sage and oaken cask makes Essence of IX sound appealing. “Musk to end all musks” has me salivating over this offering.
    My favorite is Peloponnesian so I already know how great this is in the summer time. US

  • Barbara L Fox-Hajj-Houssien says:

    Musc Botanique – “a musk to end all musks, quite candidly.” say the word musk and I’m intrigued, say it’s the musk to end all musks, and I’m hooked. Then there’s the Mediterranean aspect of Peloponnesian. I watch the sunset on the Mediterranean from the roof of my husbands home in Lebanon, and it’s something that sticks with you. I am in love with my adopted country and love to explore the scents. I’ve not had the chance to explore any Strange Invisible Perfumes and I thank you for this opportunity.

  • GrandmaGaga says:

    I enjoyed these concise, imagination-plucking reviews, each more vivid than the last! I haven’t had the opportunity to try any from Strange Invisible Perfumes but I love the originality of them. Thank you for the chance…I am in the US.

  • Rae Lynn says:

    Although all of the descriptions were intriguing, I love this description best: “As with many botanicals, it clings closely to the flesh and speaks in hushed tones – like the walls of ancient mosques, where deer musk was once mixed with mortar and whispers still, centuries later.” I live in the US. What a great draw!

  • NiceVULady says:

    Ida has such a distinctive style when writing. She makes the scents come alive. You can almost think you are actually wearing them. I’ve never tried any of this house. Musc Botanique appeals to me the most, although Essence of IX is really close. Thanks so much for the draw. I live in the USA

  • Diana D says:

    I love the description of Musc Botanique – “it clings closely to the flesh and speaks in hushed tones”. I’ve never tried any scents from this fragrance house. This mini bar kit would be a perfect way to experience this line!

    I live in New York.

  • RoseMacaroon says:

    Like you, I loved Arunima excessively — and I actually smashed my 5 ml decant by accident when it was still 80% full. Bereft doesn’t begin to cover it. I have a few of these and have a serious relationship going with Gemini from the zodiac series. It satisfies my violet fetish in a way that nothing else even approaches.
    Well, I already know that her version of musk is the most angelic thing in the world, but now that you bring the Egyptian geranium note to my attention I think I need to try this, badly. Essence of IX, another one I’ve been pining for — and your description is just how I imagined it is! Oh, my. Pelopenesian, this is one I haven’t looked into since realizing that orange blossom is another big love for me, so in symphony with the other notes it sounds like freaking heaven on earth — yeah…I just completely digging Alexandra Balahoitis’s style. She is a freaking wizard, IMO.
    Thanks Enormously for the draw!
    I’m in the US.

  • Jeanette says:

    I have fair Verona and love it. I first read about Strang Invisible on this site when there was a perfume Rose with a broken Neck. The minibar is something I would love especially Essenece IX and musc botanique from ida reviews

  • Cynthia says:

    I had a small decant of musc bontanique once, and I think Ida has captured its spirit marvelously when she describes it as “diaphanous and gauzy”. I also had a decant of one which I believe was called Magazine Street that I recall quite enjoying. I think Alexandra was one of th early movers and shakers in the genre of natural perfumes. I would love to sample her line. Thank you, Ida, for the descriptions and Cafleurebon and Alexandra for the draw! USA

  • Elizabeth T. says:

    Enjoyed reading about these! This is one brand that is high up on my list that I still haven’t tried. I especially was interested in the Essence of IX. The collection of notes – lavender and wild honey, sage and cassis. “There is no one essence I don’t adore.” Simply lovely. What a generous draw! Thank you. I’m in the USA.

  • cdmarine says:

    I’ve not had the good fortune to try any of these yet, but the idea of Peloponnesian appeals to me quite a lot. I love the lime/orange/orange blossom combo, and now that I’m thinking about it, it occurs to me that I don’t really have many fragrances that feature cypress. I’d be very eager to give this a try! (I’m in the US)

  • Hemla says:

    My family lives in the US -so even though I am not registered as living there -I kind’ve do.
    I haven’t yet sampled any SIP myself.
    I am curious to try Musc Botanique -beautiful review -especially the walls whispering back the scent to you…

  • Hikmat Sher Afridi says:

    Great read! Intrigued by the review of Musc Botanique – a musk to end all musks, quite candidly – like the walls of ancient mosques, where deer musk was once mixed with mortar and whispers still, centuries later. Wish I could have tried any of Strange Invisible Perfume.
    Thanks to the kindness of Alexandra Balahoutis of Strange Invisible Perfumes for mini bar / coffret and Cafleurebon for the opportunity by letting my relative address in US.

  • RinB says:

    I’ve yet to try any Strange Invisible Pefumes, but Musc Botanique sounds incredibly wonderful. Consider my interest piqued! You can really sense Ida’s enthusiasm about the scents from her prose and that’s enough to make me enthusiastic to try them too – thank you for the chance! (I’m in the US)

  • JozefJak says:

    I love that comparison with the places in the world, south of France, Mediterranean vibes of Greece. I,d love to try the scents. I have an address in Huston, TX

  • hofken says:

    Based on Ida’s reviews, the three perfumes sound like lovely fragrant representations of her memories of France, Greece and the Mideast. “I feel such intense longing and wanderlust every time I open my little vial; it sings to my restless blood with fervor.” I have not yet had the pleasure of wearing a Strange Invisible Perfume.

  • Raee says:

    Loved the description of Essence of IX, any perfume that can bring back memories is a powerful creation in its own right.

    I am a musc fan so the Musc Botanique appeals to me too.

    The review is simple yet gives the reader a fairly good idea about the perfumes.

    In USA.