Oliver & Co Santalum Scented Candle

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According to his website Oliver & Co Spanish perfumer Oliver Valverde created his scented candle Santalum in 2010 together with four other candles, Ambrarem, Tuberosen, Terralium and Muskal. Ambrarem, Santalum and Tuberosen are still in production at this moment. The design of the container was simple and stylish to change in 2013 into a more futuristic and personalized one, inspired by space ships. I preferred the older packaging as I find it more suited to the fragrances. Oliver Valverde made the futuristic packaging to contrast the fragrances.

Santalum 3Like Oliver Valverde himself, these candles represent their own style both in packaging and fragrance. Compared to his perfumes the scented candles are less outspoken. Their throw off is marvelous and one of the best I have encountered so far to the point that the scent can be overwhelming at times. I tend to burn some of them (Ambrarem and Tuberosen) no more than one hour for this reason. All details, from the packaging to the design and fragrance are thought through and made by the perfumer himself.

One of the things to keep in mind when buying a scented candle is its size. Most of the scented candles are 190 grams (for example Diptyque) but Oliver & Co candles are 225 grams Santalum 2so they last longer. These scented candles include a wooden lid (where some other brands charge for them) and the containers can be re-used easily. So far I have used scented candles in the scents Tuberosen, Santalum, Silver Fir and Ambrarem. They are tempting to collect and easy to re use as their colours are beautiful with all different designs.

The most important thing remains its fragrance though. I believe Santalum to be my favorite one but have to admit it depends on the weather and season. The same as the scented candle Ambrarem, I wish Oliver made a perfume from it. Tuberosen and Santalum are suited for summer as they are  based on the summer/late summer flowers rose and tuberose. Silver Fir and Ambrarem are both very appropriate for cold winter weather.

What does Santalum smell like to me:

A beautiful feminine elegant light ethereal rose and raspberry fragrance which would make an excellent perfume and reminding me of Nicolai Rose Oud. If you like Nicolai Rose Oud Eau de Parfum you will probably like this scented candle.

What does it do ?

It brings softness,  soothes and relaxes.

Official notes: Sandalwood, Raspberry and Rose Petals

Burning time according to label: 50/60 hours

Size: 225 gr

Longevity: 5/5

Projection: 5/5

Price: 50 euro (sign up for the official newsletter as Oliver & Co has regular sales)

Disclosure: all candles mentioned in this article were bought by Esperessence

Photograph: Esperessence

 

 

Frederic Malle En Passant The scent of Spring passing through

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In a search of perfumes made by the perfumer Olivia Giacobetti I came across the perfume En Passant. I already knew other perfumes made by her: Tilleul by Parfums d´Orsay and L´Ete en Douce by L´Artisan Parfumeur.

Olivia Giacobetti made En Passant for the exclusive brand Frederic Malle Editions de Parfums. Frederic Malle perfumes are very special in the sense that all perfumers were given the oportunity to create their own perfect perfume. All perfumers are displayed in the shop with their photograph.

Olivia Giacobetti Olivia Giacobetti´s perfumes can be very light and almost made for another realm, the one of elves and nymphs. Like making perfumes for Arwen Undómiel in Lord of the Rings played by Liv Tyler.

En Passant is a perfume inspired by the idea of passing through a branch of lilac flowers during spring. It means passing through in French. This makes En Passant an excellent scent to use in spring or if you want to invite spring into your life.

The most wonderful thing happened after I applied En Passant this week. After spraying En Passant, I passed a lilac bush near my home and I could smell a wonderful light trail of lilac. This was the whole intention of the perfume and I got it in an instant. Not complicated, just a light trail of lilac. The perfume En Passant is passing through as well on your skin as it leaves after two hours. Maybe that´s the whole idea although I have noticed Olivia Giacobetti has made more perfumes which do not stay on very long like L´Ete en Douce. When you spray it on, you get a wonderful fresh lilac scent. You would want it to stay that way for hours and hours. So personally I think it is a pity you can only smell it for a short while. The only remedy is to keep on spraying or to use it with the bodylotion and layer it that way. Haven´t tried the bodylotion but would really like to !

Passing through lilacs in Amsterdam

En Passant is simply lovely and fresh. Not fresh like fresh washed white cotton shirts but like light fresh white or pink flowers. Personally I smell lilacs, cucumber and linden blossom. Some others state notes are white lilac, watery notes, cucumber, orange tree leaves and wheat. En Passant really reminded me of another of Olivia´s perfumes, the linden blossom scent Tilleul by Parfum d´Orsay. This is an adaptation of an older version of Parfums d’ Orsay Tilleul and it is one of my favorite perfumes. Both Tilleul and L´Ete en Douce are wonderful summer perfumes.

En Passant is superb to wear right now that lilacs blossom outside and it is springtime. It would make an excellent gift for a young girl as her first perfume as well. I can imagine it be suited for people who do not like to wear perfume as it is so fresh and stays very close to your skin.

Bottom line: I love it. My advice: Just smell it !

Photograph of Olivia Courtesy of Guillaume Luisetti, http://www.luisetti.net/ Thank you very much !

Originally published: May 10th 2012

Photograph 1. Olivia Giacobetti. Made by Guillaume Luisetti

Photograph 2. Passing through lilacs in Amsterdam. Made by Esperessence

Guerlain Apres L’Ondee Eau de Toilette Sparkle of Joy

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Violets

Some weeks ago I had the opportunity to swap for the classic Guerlain Apres L’Ondee eau de toilette. The eau de toilette is a recent version which can still be bought in perfumeries and department stores.   Originally Apres L’Ondee was made in 1906 by Jacques Guerlain. It means after the rainshower in French and is meant to captivate the light and fresh atmosphere after the rain in Springtime or Summer when it is a bit warmer outside.

What surprised me most about Apres L’Ondee was its radiance and youthfullness when I scented it for the first time. After about a minute, it was as if its radiance was restrained, like a child who is not allowed to walk in the rain and enjoy it fully, wanting to play with her boots in the mud.

On my skin Apres L’Ondee has a slightly medicinal scent at the beginning, I call it medicinal but others have referred to it as herbes de Provence. Dissappearing to leave a light violet scent on the skin, like it has been powdered.

The fact that Apres L’Ondee  is referred to as a real classic fragrance had deterred me a bit. Jean Claude Elenna  paid homage to the sillage of Apres L’Ondee with Frederic Malle L’Eau d’Hiver*. Maurice Roucel made Guerlain Insolence edt as a modern version of Apres L’Ondee. It had left me with the impression of an old and musty fragrance. But none of these were the case. Not only does Apres L’Ondee not give the impression that it was created more then a century ago. When I scented it I started wondering why I had been looking for a holy violet vintage grail while it was right before my eyes to be found.

What did I like about Apres L’Ondee ? It takes me to the beginning of  joy. You start to see a sparkle of light as a new era is about to start but still do not experience it fully and feel a bit restrained by your environment or circumstances.  It feels very different to the Italian fragrance Luce made by Hilde Soliani where you can experience the joy fully and openly.

Try Apres L’Ondee especially if you like violets and do not be put off by the fact it was created more than a century ago. Have you been looking for a holy grail or perfect fragrance when it was right before your eyes to be found ?

Notes according to Guerlain (read more on the website of Monsieur Guerlain ) : bergamot, lemon, anise, neroli, hawthorn, rosemary, lavender, lily, orchid, violet, rose, jasmine, heliotrope, orris, sandalwood, vanilla, musk.

Fragrance family: floral spicy amber by the French Committee of Perfume / floral oriental fresh by Michael Edwards

When to wear: at a job interview, when meeting your Mother in law for the first time, at an occasion where you want to wear a subtle and refined fragrance or when you want you start feeling joy over a new beginning of a job or new period in your life.

Painting Courtesy of Mary-Clare Cornwallis

Read more about experiencing joy while wearing a perfume in my review of Hilde Soliani Luce

* More to be read in the article New Yorker The Scent of the Nile

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