Indult ~ An exclusive society of perfumes

Indult: Privilege granted to certain people by the King of France or the Pope to few people in order to profit of certain exclusive favors. Indult Perfumes are inspired by these aristocratical privileges from the past centuries and the wish to present a new concept of perfume for people who appreciate the feeling of exclusivity. These exclusive and confidential perfumes are the result of delicate and exceptional ingredients. Each fragrance is edited in 999 bottles, Indult perfumes are made of natural and extremely rare extracts and contain no colorants or additives. The three perfumes were composed by nose Francis Kurkdjian who also created the MDCI perfumes that I reviewed several weeks ago.

TIHOTA

"Means Sugar in Polynesian. It’s an exotic marriage of musk infusion with the sensual vanilla pods. Like the blow of a warm breeze that wraps the body and invades the atmosphere in a singular way. Tihota is a magical trip, the incandescence of the sunrise that embraces the far horizon." The verdict: Have mercy! This is the mother of all vanilla scents, but with an incredible twist. If you are familiar with Vanille Abricot by Comptior Sud Pacifique, then just imagine that fragrance times ten. My sample was crushed in shipment, so there was only about a drop that I could safely test without cutting my arm with glass shards, but that one drop sent me over the edge of vanilla heaven. Full bottle worthy at any price!!

MANAKARA

"Madagascar’s area famous for flourishing the most beautiful lychees in the world.
When roses are fruits, they associate best with lychees. The most beautiful roses in perfumery are the ones from Bulgaria and Turkey; they could only find their alter ego in the heart of a Madagascar region where the most beautiful lychees are made. An exclusive fragrance where the voluptuous essence of rose is married with the fresh and subtle scent of lychee." The verdict: Sniff, sniff...I wish I liked this better, but I can only think of a very, very sweet rose flavored cotton candy and you'll get a very good picture of that this smells like on me. I think my chemistry intensifies the canned syrupy lychee fruits and I'll have this for dessert with ice cream rather than wear it.

ISVARAYA

"Meaning divine in Hindi. In India, the patchouli is traditionally the favorite scent of Vishnu, god savior of men and life, the guardian of universal harmony. From this secular legend, an olfactory allegory is born that associates the sensual intensity of the patchouli to the fruity and suave scent of the Indian plum trees and the flowers of Jasmine Sambac. Isvaraya is the fantasy of a diverse India, culturally and ethnically, between the spiritual legend of Vishnu and the fantasy of Bollywood." The verdict: It's really super rich and exotic, like Indian incense with heavy woods and florals. Not my cup of tea, but very exotic and sexy and it will be savored for those 'extra special' moments when only a mature siren of a scent will do.

Get over to Lucky Scent and order a sample when it's back in stock. And visit Indult.fr if you want to join the 'exclusive club' of the faithful and privileged 999.

Finding your 'happy groove'

The aim of a fragrance is to make you feel happy! The packaging of Smiley alone started the smiles and chuckles even before I got to the scent inside. Fragrance therapy without an RX? And what's with those crazy bottles that don't even stand up but prefer to just roll around? So fun! When most fragrance designers add glamor and value to their scents by bottling them up in fine cut baccarat crystal, sometimes even studded with diamonds....Smiley says, "No thanks" and instead comes packaged in a pill shaped bottle tucked away in a box that looks like it came from a pharmacology company. So original!

Ah ha!! There in lies the genius of this product, created by the very famous Jean Pierre Bethouart, mastermind of fragrances such as Caron, Christian Dior and Versace with the packaging credit going to Ora Ito who's reinterpreted everything from Vuitton backpacks to Heineken bottles, mobile phones and Mac computers.
So famous!

The Smiley formula combines theobromine and phenylethylamine, both natural mood elevators found in cocoa beans, as well as the more conventional notes of bergamot, orange, pimento and bay leaves; the middle notes are cacao, praline and curaçao; the base note has patchouli, myrrh and musk. Is this the smell of happiness? Anytime I can get a legal giddy boost that's not from a bottle, not from a pill and not from someone who's billing me by the minute - that's got my attention. Smiley calls itself the first anti-stress perfume and those who wear it are 'in therapy'. Now, granted this could be a bit too much hype, but really, who cares? If there is something in these pill shaped bottles that ups the happy factor for my stressful day, I'm at least smiling more just looking at those cutsie bottles labeled in French, English and Braille with such great smelling fragrance. So quirky!

Available in a preponderance of potent perfumed products...you can get your smiles in bath gel and bath fizzies, body lotion, massage oil and my favorite, the Smiley perfume extract. Honestly, you can measure this out by the drop and it lasts all day. Now that is something you can smile about. So happy!

Go on...purchase your own Smiley products at HappyTherapy.com or BigelowChemists.com and let the happy begin!

Ebba Los Angeles

"Mom I'm busy creating." When Viktoria Fisch's mom Ebba would wonder what her daughter was doing, she somehow new that the little girl and the elementary lotions and potions she was mixing in the bathroom would lead to greatness. Viktoria says that not much has changed in the years that have passed as one little girl grew up to demonstrate that anything is possible.

Finding the 'abundance within' must have destined her to become quite the talk around Hollywood, CA where flocks of the faithful drop by to experience first hand the fun and flirty scents that abound. Seems like there is always something new happening at Ebba Los Angeles. Perhaps the best known of the Miss collection is Miss Marisa and if you love mint, you'll love this fragrance. At first it developed with a somewhat 'soapy' opening, that made me wince just ever so slightly. It was also confusing as notes of peach and licorice played dueling matches on my skin. But wait...give this perfume oil about 15 minutes and then you have the most beautiful floral bouquet remaining with just a whisper of mint. I got raves when I wore this last week and it's definitely appropriate for office wear as it's not a suffocating scent, but polite in every aspect. The verdict: it's not your average floral bouquet, but you really don't want to wear 'average' do you?

The Miss perfume oils are packaged in a beautiful decorate box with a hand pressed wax seal. Available from Ebba online in a delightful collection of perfume oils, spray, bath and body and boudoir candles.

Get your samples here!

It's About Thyme

you discovered the amazing world of Thyme's collection of personal, bath and home fragrances.
"Beauty, not superficial beauty but true beauty, lies in the small details of life. These details...a greeting from a neighbor, the feeling of a plush towel against your skin, a stroll in the warmth of the sun...nourish our individual selves and nurture our connections to others. Finding beauty in these moments brings a thoughtfulness, a sense of well-being and fulfillment, to our sometimes hectic, always demanding lives."

Leslie Ross Lentz, founder of Thymes has a singular and abiding philosophy: "Our mission is to help you enhance and enjoy the quiet moments in your life. We honor this through every aspect of our manufacturing process, and we try hard to treat ourselves, and one another with the same degree of attention and care."

The perfumer at Thymes works as an artisan mixing blend after blend, to find a crisper note of citrus, the lushest-smelling lavender, a bergamot with just the right bloom. The perfumer's staff gives attention to these small details to ensure that the fragrances you experience will always be complex, delightful and more. Their packaging is a work of art! Each fragrance package is uniquely and playfully styled to make taking the bottle out the box as enjoyable as spritzing the delicate yet long lasting scents inside the box! I love to spritz a cloud of fragrance and then 'walk into' the scent. I get a head to toe experience that lasts all day!

My favorite collections are Gold Leaf, Wild Ginger and Kimono Rose.

Goldleaf "When perfume is a work of art. Experience a fragrance of exceptional elegance and grace, enhanced with the skin-soothing properties of nature's most luxuriant ingredients. Bee pollen extract infuses skin with vital nutrients, and golden honey draws in moisture to keep skin supple. Smooth jasmine, fragrant roses, hyacinth and creamy lily of the valley blossom on a background of oak moss and musk to create an elaborate tapestry for the senses."

"Make both you and your skin happy all over with the fresh, inspiring scent of Wild Ginger. Bursting with the bright, mood-elevating essence of effervescent organic ginger balanced with refreshing cucumber; touched with creamy vanilla and spiked with a slice of Tahitian lime and Moro orange. Energized with organic red clover to soothe and moisturizing honey to hydrate, it keeps your skin (and your spirits) positively glowing all day long. Slightly Untamed, Entirely Uplifting."

"Sparkling and lyrical, Kimono Rose is unabashedly feminine, beautifully layered with an undercurrent of intrigue. A sheer, sensuous floral heightened with effervescent sweet clementine and voluptuous cassis on a creamy bed of satiny rose, peony and jasmine petals…finished with a kiss of smooth, silken vanilla. Delicate but dynamic; soft spoken, yet striking, it is a modern reflection of who you are, and who you want to be…all wrapped up in one truly lovely fragrance."

All Thymes are available online and tucked inside each uniquely created box (it's almost a work of art) is a matching sample of body lotion.

Susanne Lang~Fragrant Layers of Scent

Behind the philosophy of Susanne Lang is the belief that a woman's beauty is most alluring when it's subtle. Not only a veil of her presence but the impression of poise and originality that she leaves behind. As a perfumer, this belief has inspired the creation of a palette of authentic essences which can be layered and blended in endless combinations letting every woman have her special signature fragrances that speaks uniquely to who she is and inspires to be.

Creating those endless combinations is precisely why Susanne created the Layers Wardrobe of Six. Susanne Lang's Layering Wardrobe includes six 7 ml bottles of Eau de parfum.

Midnight Orchid~Egyptian jasmine, balanced with soft musk and a beautiful vanilla absolute, so real it's almost edible. My favorite!

Lotus Blossom~Pink lotus, ginger lily, gardenia, freesia and just a hint of peach.

Tamboti Wood~Tamboti wood accord paired with fresh cedar, Indian sandalwood and vetiver.

Red Ginger~Ginger, pink pepper, patchouli and nutmeg meld perfectly with rose otto.

Vanilla Coconut~Tahitian vanilla, coconut, pineapple, with sultry notes of fig leaf and red torch ginger.

Cashmere~Cashmere combines rich and sensuous amber, incense, saffron and a variety of exotic spices

Reasonably priced at $72.00 and available from our friends at Lucky Scent.

Anglia Perfumery~Classic Fragrances From England

Relaxing on a quiet Sunday afternoon nestled in my comfy reclining chair next to the fireplace was not when I expected to be jolted out of my 'fume sniffing' session. There is was! Oh my gosh, where has this sample been all my life? Wedding Bouquet by Angelia Perfumery is a full-out wedding in a tester vial. The dress, the beautiful bride, the pipe organ, the cake, the flowers...the everything!

The Angelia Perfumery website describes it perfectly: "A floral fragrance with a mixed floral bouquet of rose, geranium, jasmine, ylang, cyclamen, heliotrope, neroli and lilac. The base is woody with substantive, soft vanilla notes." I was definitely having one of those 'ah ha' moments where my nose finally caught up to all of my blog editing and I cold detect every single solitary note presented in this beautiful fragrance. There is a touch of honey that makes this a very romantic scent.

Available online at the English Scent.

b-Glowing ~ A LaLicious gift for you

Lisa from b-glowing would love for all Noteworthy Fragrance readers to know about a very special offer. You haven't tried a Sugar Scrub until you've tried this finely whipped sweet concoction that locks in so much moisture that the water will literally bead off your smooth and silky skin! The fragrances are simply intoxicating! Purchase $65 or more of LaLicious and receive a FREE FULL-SIZE BROWN SUGAR VANILLA SOUFLE! Retail value: $30.00.
Certificate Code: yummy

Here's what Lisa says about the Brown Sugar Vanilla Soufle:

A scent so wonderful people will follow you around like a love sick puppy. The sweet, rich, decadent fragrance of French boulangerie! It's like wrapping your naked body in a cozy cashmere blanket. A product so luxurious it will melt on your skin. A scrub so fine your body will glisten. The shower water will actually bead off your skin. You've never tried a body scrub like this. The perfect amount of Oils, Pure Cane Sugar, Vitamin E & Honey whipped together to moisturize and exfoliate a very important part of our body, the skin.

This product is made with all natural ingredients. Using a whipped technique so the consistency will never change you will never need to re-mix them. Coconut oil absorbs quickly and easily into your skin, leaving it moisturized and protected without feeling greasy. Pure cane sugar crystals exfoliate dead skin cells while coconut, sweet almond and vitamin-e oils condition, moisturize and smoothes you to perfection!

Click here to view all the LaLicious products at b-glowing.

It's never to early to start your Holiday shopping.

Something new from Essense Collections

New for Fall and Winter!

From the Essense Studio Collection, Noteworthy Fragrances invites you to explore some new scents ready for the cooler weather, cashmere sweaters and a steaming cup of spiced tea.

Blond Suede
New for Fall is a buttery, supple and sweet leather fragrance: Blond Suede. Experience a new wonderfully light and subtly textured take on leather! The notes include bergamot, spices, violet, Bulgarian rose, jasmine, hay, orris, amber, castoreum, honey, leather and sandalwood. The verdict: a new take on leather. Yeah baby!

Sequoia7 is a scent of earth, mystery and a vast knowing. This winter perfume is from deep within an ancient forest. An earthy blend of coriander and caraway seed, cypress, liatrix, elemi, ginseng accord, guiacwood, patchouli, tobacco vetiver, oakmoss balsam teakwood and woodsmoke accord. The verdict: perfect for "winter hibernation". Oh so soothing.

New for Holiday Season 2007 Essense Collection:

Lumiere
A hushed candlelight perfume; warm, delicious and pulsating. Lumiere brings dark and light together with shimmering spice, rhum and deep coffee notes. But that's only the beginning. Add cinnamon leaf, nutmeg, almond milk accord, hazelnut, amber, sandalwood, oppopanax and Peru Balsam. The verdict: celebrate the season of lights with lovely Lumiere! Romantic and then some!

And if these new scents weren't enough to delight you, a special fragrance returns! After a long search for new source ingredients, Dawn is re-launching the highly desired skin scent la Fête Nouvelle. Bitter almond, freshly mown hay, lavender, green wheat, sweet grass, toasted rice are anchored with sandalwood, tonka bean, treemoss and vanilla. The verdict: sun warmed fields; simple, clean. Perfect and natural.

Dawn M. Spencer Hurwitz Perfumer and Certified Aromatherapist

Dawn M. Spencer Hurwitz has a unique talent and has been called a Perfume Genius by her devoted clientele. Beginning her career as an art student in painting, Dawn came to Perfumery in 1991. But before she gained the title of Perfume Genius, she was a little girl playing in fields of flowers dreaming one day of painting masterpieces and creating perfume. Now Dawn has achieved the best of both worlds with Parfums des Beaux Arts ~ fine art fragrances and Essence Oils.

Since the early nineties, Dawn has been busy transforming the ESSENSE perfumery into her previous online emporium, "essenseoils.com," as well as developing her innovative lines of ready to wear artisan perfumes under her own label and consulting for niche marketers, such as Flora Napa Valley, Calypso, Jules & Jane and Zents Spa collection. Dawn continues to be one busy creative lady and is ever on the quest to create new and luscious perfumes.

Recently updated packaging on the very popular Essense Collections brings bursts of jewel tones and gold filigree to express the sensual and other-worldliness of these beautiful scents. These jewels are boxed up in elegant black to show off the gorgeous colors and make them perfect for gift giving.

If you have personal questions about fragrance, Dawn will respond immediately to your inquires. A delightful perfumer with an exceptional future. Don't forget to check out the samples section of her website. It's a gourmet feast for your sampling pleasure.

Earlier review posted May/2007

Somewhere between Heaven and Earth

are some amazing handcrafted, fresh and lavish products for your bath and body that are sure to please the most difficult critic and that would be me! I don't like gooey, I don't like greasy and I don't want my jacuzzi tub clogged with oil after taking a long and luxurious bubbly soak. The Heaven and Earth products fulfilled my demands and left my skin totally softened with a delicate scent that did not overwhelm DH who is always such a great sport when I'm sampling and testing new products for review.

This line has offers moisturizers, sugar scrubs, salt scrubs for all skin types, hair care products, soaps and custom blended fragrances. There are even several products where you can choose to layer different scents for your own variety of 'heaven in a jar'. The products I sampled would be considered in the 'foody' or gourmand range. And you already know that I enjoy all things vanilla, so it came as no surprise to me that I loved the jar of Gingerbread and Frosted Vanilla Sugar foaming scrub the very first time I tried it. All I needed was a dollop of freshly whipped cream to go along with the warm, just from the oven gingerbread aroma. The sugar granules are refined enough in this scrub that you won't have to worry about sandblasting off a layer of skin. Finishing off with an application of Silken Glove Cream in Pure Vanilla, I was ready for a night of fragrant, sweet dreams!

I was especially drawn to Autumn, a fragrance with balsamic clove notes reminiscent of Darjeeling tea and undertones of burning leaves. Michele lists the notes as: "Golden Amber and Vanilla and then gently kissed with Orange Blossom. Orange Blossom, Vanilla Bean, Burning Leaves, Golden Amber and Cinnamon." These are long lasting uncomplicated fragrances that are fun, affordable and best of all, they are made in Minnesota. You gotta love that!

This is THE place to visit if you are looking for unique products that can be custom scented in an amazing choice of products.

Who wants samples?

Bermuda Perfumery Library

The Bermuda Perfumery was founded in 1928 by William Blackburn Smith and his daughter Madeline Scott. Easter Lily Perfume was first produced experimentally in a small wooden building in Bailey's Bay. The family gradually acquired the surrounding properties to a total of six acres, which is immense to Bermuda standards. New fragrances were added, such as Sweet Pea, Eve, Gardenia and Jonquil. Most were successful but not all. Jonquil was judged to be too sweet and heavy by the public and was dropped.

The same traditions and methods of perfume making are still pursued to this day with the guidance and assistance of David Botello, the Perfumery's perfumer for the past 43 years. Each bottle continues to be filled individually by hand by their dedicated staff. The Perfume Library is an absolutely perfect way to try each of the exquisite fragrances. For an extra special treat ask them to gift wrap your purchase. Delightful indeed!

My favorite fragrance is Lily, a chic and sparkling lush floral bouquet. "The effervescence of tamarine, clementine and guava, hibiscus, calla lily, wild muguet and purple orchid, intertwine with pear flower and nectarine with a touch of blonde woods and a dash of seducing white musk that will linger on the skin long after." This is the perfect Wedding Day scent that is innocent enough for the processional down the isle yet spicy enough to dance the night away.

All fragrances are available in Perfume, Eau de Toilette, Body Lotion and Shower Gel online at the Lily Boutique.