The fifth fragrance in A Perfumed Bestiary series carries the ancient beat of the Elephant, strong yet gentle with the sweetness of community and harmony. This perfume came together very easily. I began with Cypriol, also known as Nagamotha in Hindi, as the scent pairing/plant ally. Cypriol is a sedge from the Cyperaceae family that grows in… Continue reading A Perfumed Bestiary, Letter E for Elephant, Part 2
Tag: Earth
A Perfumed Bestiary, Letter E for Elephant, Part 1
The resilience of an ecosystemrelies on the delicate balanceof all species. E for Elephant, the largest of all our land dwelling mammals here on planet Earth. Elephant populations have been dwindling in numbers due to the ivory trade, animal abuse and declining habitats. These large nomadic creatures are considered a “keystone species”, meaning that when… Continue reading A Perfumed Bestiary, Letter E for Elephant, Part 1
Getting Dirty
Before my friend and muse, Mona Lewis, arrived in Santa Fe for the Poetry of Scent & Color workshops, I had been foraging for dirt, rocks and plants to run some tests. The dirt and rocks were to be used for creating pigments and the plants for eco printing onto fabric, as shown below. Heading… Continue reading Getting Dirty
Oakmoss
“A rolling stone gathers no moss.” In my palette as an authentic nature perfumer, oakmoss is one of my most cherished base notes. The damp, forest floor quality of this lichen lends a rich, full bodied, earthiness that reminds me of Demeter. As you may recall, she is the ancient Greek Goddess of the harvest and agriculture who… Continue reading Oakmoss
New Mexico Plant Feature: Osha Root
Keeping in the vein of last weeks post, I thought I’d share a bit about a local root that I have been cultivating a relationship with. It’s called oshá root, Ligusticum porteri, a perennial herb that grows at high elevations in rich, moist soils. Common names include: Porter’s Lovage, Wild Lovage, Indian Parsley, Mountain Carrot, Empress of… Continue reading New Mexico Plant Feature: Osha Root
Rooted
“Deep in their roots, all flowers keep the light.” ~ Theodore Roethke It’s root vegetable season, very evident at the Santa Fe farmers market. In California, where the growing season is all year long for the most part, you don’t witness the shift that occurs in the plants as much, a shift which humans also… Continue reading Rooted
Talking Dirty: Goût de Terroir at Fragrantica
Aligned with the energetics of Venus and her guardian Aphrodite, I am thrilled to share my first piece as a contributing writer on Fragrantica. Talking Dirty: Goût de Terroir. The french term, Goût de Terroir, refers to the flavors imparted by the earth to wine. Many thanks to Elena Knezevic, the founder of Fragrantica, and Marlen… Continue reading Talking Dirty: Goût de Terroir at Fragrantica
Do It in the Dark
Thanks to one of my local fan Peggy, who reminded that today is EarthHour, that once a year happening where we deepen our awareness of the planet we collectively reside on and refrain from lights (including computers and cell phones!) for one hour. It’s pretty interesting that as a species this is so difficult for… Continue reading Do It in the Dark
HAPPY EARTH DAY!
Wishing each of you a very happy EARTH day! The earthiest of our perfumes are Terrestre, created on Earth Day and Figure 1: Noir. Read more about elemental earth here. For a bit of validation on just how magnificent Mother Earth is, check out this video. As you may have heard, I will be a… Continue reading HAPPY EARTH DAY!
I Feel the Earth Move
All the ducks are getting lined up for the Figure 1: Noir release for Earth Day. There are still a few items to take care of like more photos, writing the press release and sending samples to my favorite bloggers. In the meantime I have been wearing both versions and getting feedback from the fandom. … Continue reading I Feel the Earth Move