Anna May Perfume-image used with permission
I’ve had a love affair with fragrance since I was 15 (when I got my first job so I could actually afford it). It started with bright young scents like Liz Claiborne Realities then as I refined my tastes I turned to scents like Ralph Lauren Romance and Dior J’adore. Then I found Angel by Thierry Mugler. From that point on, I fell in love with deep, slightly masculine scents. I wore Angel for a few years then when Coco Mademoiselle (Chanel) emerged, I wore that. Coco Mademoiselle seemed the perfect embodiement of ’me’ in a scent. Strong, sweet, classic, with a hint of darkness lingering every so subtly in the background. When I ended my 6 year relationship, the scent bothered me. They say that memory and scent are strongly linked (think of the smell of crayons and paste and instantly be transported back to kindergarten). Not that the memories were bad. I just felt I needed a new signature because I had evolved so much. So I gave my full ‘backup’ bottle of Chanel to my best friend and searched for a new scent that was dark and feminine. That’s when I found Midnight Poison. Already, the scent conjures up memories of Las Vegas, adventure, and the initial courting of my soul mate and I. It’s a dark scent that Sephora describes as such:
From a mysterious, sensual fragrance, a new Cinderella is born – the mystery begins when the clock strikes twelve. In a fairytale that only Dior could imagine, this intense new fragrance epitomizes the magical transformation that only a Dior gown can create. Cinderella’s metamorphosis as she dons her couture is like the blossoming of the mysterious black rose. The deep blues of the bottle recall not only past Poison bottles, but the sweep of a dramatic ball gown as well. At the stroke of midnight Dior’s Cinderella takes flight, leaving only the exquisite trace of her perfume lingering in her wake.
Maya Perfume Oil--Image used with persmission
I love it, but I am also keeping my eye (or nose!) out for other deep and dark yet feminine fragrances. Today, while browsing Etsy.com for natural skin care products I ran across the most unusual and delicious perfumer. I was instantly captivated by her passion for her craft. And her selection seems to cover all of general genres of the perfume catalogue. I am considering ordering samples of most of her offerings. The idea of a handcrafted fragrance excites me. I love supporting other businesses run by women. The company is called Wiggle Perfume. Here is the blurb from their shop:
A word about the wiggle: The wiggle is about pushing back against the notion that all our parts are meant to be hard and flat and angular. It’s about realizing how much power there is to be found in the curvy jiggly bits. It’s about spending less time in the gym and more time in the bedroom. It’s about relaxing and letting the good outweigh the bad. Rock what ya got! (It is not, however, about using those bits to get out of speeding tickets. At least not too often, let’s don’t ruin it for the rest of the girls, eh?) Mae West knew about the wiggle, Marilyn understood…a little wiggle makes the world go ’round.
Delicious!
Standouts for me are: Anjali-a spicy incense-y fragrance (sounds divine)
Little 5- intense opium spice with oriental rose, deep and dark
Black no.1-which she describes as “a mix of blackberry, narcissus, violet, patchouly, and clove. There’s also a little hint of rain floating around in there, ’cause it wouldn’t be the same without some moody weather. “
and Maya-cocoa, orchid and plumeria with a kick of black pepper. OH!
I’m tempted to get samples of them all to experience the true artistry and passion that I’ve grown to admire in people who follow their creative passions.
Have any of you tried Wiggle Perfume? Are there any other handcrafters of perfume you really think shine? I see a new addiction on the horizon, indie perfume!
I am in no way affiliated with Wiggle Perfume, Dior, Chanel, Liz Claiborne, Thierry Mugler or Ralph Lauren. This is just a personal post doting on the emotional and personal world of fragrance and should be taken as entertainment or discarded as sheer babble.
