The winner of Wing and a Prayer’s gorgeously rosy Serendipity is most appropriately, Rose! Rose has her own blog, A Rose Beyond the Thames and is one that I love to read for her musings on perfume, beauty, books and other worthy pursuits. Thanks to everyone for participating and helping me celebrate Scent Hive’s 2nd anniversary!
I knew I would discover amazing natural perfumes and beauty products when I started Scent Hive two years ago to this day. That was a part of my inspiration, to experience the world of naturals more fully in order to share what, in my opinion, is the best of green beauty available.
Although I am very intentional about Scent Hive, there have been many surprising discoveries that have knocked me out of longheld prejudgements about my preferences. Case in point; my past disregard for rose is now a burgeoning love affair. I did a two part post on this fragrant subject over a year ago, but my appreciation for this classically romantic flower in reality, has just begun. Since that post, I have relished in many gorgeous rose perfumes like Velvet and Sweet Pea Bed of Roses and Gabriel’s Aunt Royal Couplewhich are so compelling that I keep coming back for more.
Serendipity, a new limited edition fragrance from Wing and a Prayer, is another rose perfume that has elevated my adoration of this flower. Like most people, I find the scent of roses easy to love when they are in the garden or freshly cut in my home, but in many perfumes, its tendency is slightly one-dimensional. Such perfumes can be very pretty to be sure, but I like more complexity than most rose-centric perfumes offer. In the right blend though, rose has the potential to take on a rich and multi-layered quality. Such is the case with Serendipity.
Upon first spritz, I wasn’t completely taken with Serendipity. Its opening is reminiscent of a crepey, vintage tea rose which again, is pretty and most die hard rose fans would love it, but I wanted a little more to grab on to. Fortunately, it took mere minutes for a full-bodied woody citrus scent to emerge, and grab me it did! Nowhere in the notes is a citrus of any sort mentioned, but there is no doubt that I feel petitgrain or the essence of a bitter orange rind present when I wear Serendipity. The heart is reminiscent of my favorite citrus perfume, Red Flower’s Guaiac, with thick rose petals pressed atop its bright and sparkling radiance.
After inhaling its blissful heart for a good 45 minutes, the path to the drydown materializes, leading to the herbaceous, fruity-floral glory of boronia. Boronia is an evergreen plant with exceptionally fragrant blossoms, native to Australia. I envision this plant and its little blooms as super hearty, bearing down against intense heat and beach winds to bring us its fabulously woody and warm floral aroma. (I don’t know if boronia thrives by the sea, but it’s an image I enjoy). In Serendipity, boronia bestows its tannic depth and floral nuances that recall honeysuckle and a bit of peppery freesia, giving the rose essential oils more richness and texture. What I love most about boronia, is that for all its complexity, it remains lighthearted and conjures up that insouciant image of a warm, breezy beach.
Serendipity lasts for hours, at least 6-8 on my skin, and in its final stage it evolves into a musky rose that resembles Wing and a Prayer’sFlowers with the same subtly sweet ambrette musk. For an all natural perfume, its longevity as well as its sillage are very impressive, and the price is quite reasonable. Since roses are the quintessential Valentine’s flower, consider Serendipity for the occasion if you want an alluring variation on a classic.
In celebration of Scent Hive’s 2nd anniversary, Wing and a Prayer is giving away a bottle of Serendipity to a lucky reader. Please leave a comment to be entered for a 1/2 oz. bottle of this limited edition fragrance. Extra entries if you follow Scent Hive on Bloglovin, Twitter, or subscribe to Scent Hive. Please let me know in your comment what you did so you get the entries you deserve! Drawing is now closed.
Serendipity is available at Wing and a Prayer’s etsy shop. $45 for 1/2 oz or $90 for 1.7 oz.
Posted by ~Trish
Can you believe the holiday season is already upon us? Thanksgiving will be here in a heartbeat, and the first night of Hanukkah is December 1st. So it’s time to hop to it and get gifting. I’ve gathered together some of my favorite bloggers (links below) to offer our recommendations for those special items on our to-give lists, and maybe even our own wish-lists. My list includes many price points ranging from $6.50 for a gorgeously scented soap to $325 for a precious limited edition perfume, with lots in between. As you might have guessed, all of my recommendations are 100% natural which means no petrochemicals, phthalates, synthetic fragrances, or parabens.
Urban Eden (Now Oilve and Oud) Shahrazad soap ($6.50 per bar) I recently reviewed Urban Eden soaps and at the time I had just started using my bar of Shahrazad. At this present moment, I have but a tiny sliver left and recently placed an order for another bar so I can continue to bask in its plentiful floral spiciness. Tuberose, frankincense, and cardamom are the standouts in this richly lathering soap that’s perfect for this time of year.
Gabriel’s Aunt tea light sampler. ($9 for a set of 10) After you spend some time at the Gabriel’s Aunt etsy shop, you’ll be glad you can choose 10 different tea lights in your sampler. Nikki Sherritt, creator of GA, has so many scrumptious scents to choose from that it really is hard to pick only a few. My favorite isRoyal Couple ($25 for 8oz candle), a rose and jasmine blend that warms a room with a finespun throw. You can read more about her liquid and solid fragrances here and here.
Wing and Prayer mini sampler ($10 for three 1/8oz rollerball) This has got to be one of the best bargains in the natural perfume world. $10 for three nicely sized fragrances? That’s a steal that we all need to take advantage of! I adore Flowers, a gardenia fragrance with sweet notes of linden and beeswax as well as Bella, a soft blend of verbena and neroli. An individual bottle is $35 for a 1.78oz spray which is also an incredible value for such gorgeous, all natural scents.
Scented Djinn Sahar ($25 for 5ml) This beauty boasts jasmine, sandalwood, and champaca infused with honey and vanilla. Sounds pretty right? It’s also calming and cozy and I love to wear it on cold fall mornings. I reviewed Saharthispast spring if you would like to read more.
evanhealy Sweet Blossom Hydrating Oil($29.95 for 4oz) Smoothing this body oil over freshly showered skin is a pleasure of which I will never tire. Frankincense, neroli and a light touch of ylang ylang intertwine to create a comforting scent that will put a smile on the lucky recipient’s face. And not only is it beautifully fragranced, it is made with cold pressed, organic oils of sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, jojoba and apricot kernel so it feels as good as it smells.
Organic Apoteke Droseros Hydrating Mist ($30 for 5oz) Hyrdosols have become a part of my daily skincare routine. Sometimes I spray it on my skin when it’s dry and I want to apply a body oil (such as evanhealy’s above) and I also mist my face with a hydrosol before using my serum. Currently, Organic Apoteke is my favorite because it’s soothing and hydrating. But honestly, I really love it because it smells so darn good. It’s like there’s a magic honey ingredient in this mist that lasts for hours and swirls around my skin amidst delicate rose petals. I’ve got this in the travel size, and you can be sure it’s going with me on my next plane ride.
DSH PerfumesÉpices d’Hiver ($40 for 1 dram/5 mls or $120 for 1 oz) Épices d’Hiver was launched by DSH Perfumes last fall, and got a lot of wear during the cold months, which here in the Northwest can last well into May. So suffice to say, I wore it many a day. Now that the rain and cold are upon us once more, Épices d’Hiver is back in action, providing me with a cozy spicy go-to fragrance suffused with nutmeg, hay and woods.
Ayala Moriel Parfums Palas Atena ($48 for 4mls or $120 for 9ml flacon) Palas Atena was the first Ayala Moriel fragrance that I fell for, and it still ranks high on my list of favorites of her creations. It’s a classic floriental with notes of patchouli, amber, champaca, cinnamon, jasmine, lavender, neroli, sandalwood, and sweet orange. Each essence flows into the next, moving in continuous harmony like a high quality vintage fragrance.
Intelligent Nutrients Aromatics in Focus ($50 for 0.85 oz) Feel free to spritz this alluring aromatic all over yourself. Mist it on your face, your skin, and your hair and let its organic vitamin e and castor oils hydrate while organic flower oils intoxicate. The neroli jasmine duo is swoon worthy, and so well loved, that I can’t imagine anyone not being thrilled to open up this 100% organic scent.
Roxana Illuminated Perfume’s Rosa Solid ($72 for 5.3 gm solid in a refillable silver compact) Oh lovely Rosa! Such a precious compact made even more so by its contents. If you are a rose lover, or know one, you should feel compelled to give Rosa a serious gander. Rose otto from Turkey and an absolute of rose bourbonica from India grace this sensual solid perfume, as well as woods, oud, vetiver and leather. Its rich and earthy bouquet is full but wears close to the skin. One of my favorite rose perfumes.
Aftelier Perfumes Candide ($150 for 0.25 oz which includes a 2ml mini, the mini is sold separately for $45) Mandy Aftel of Aftelier Perfumes has just launched Candide, and made a personal appearance last night at Bendel’s in NYC to celebrate its release. And believe me, she has much to toast as Candide is truly beautiful. It radiates with sparkling notes of pink grapefruit, blood orange and raspberries all wrapped up in sueded jasmine petals. Its lush and enticing, but cheerful and flirtatious as well. A suggestion of frankincense affords a bit of grounding, but to be sure, Candide is lighthearted through and through.
Strange Invisible Perfumes Elektrou ($325 for 0.25 fl. oz. pure perfume • Available in-store or by phone only. Call toll free: 800.919.7472) Strange Invisible Perfumes has lured me in once before with these limited edition gems. I caved and bought Dimanche last spring, and have not regretted it for a second. It exudes two notes that I can’t seem to get enough of, hay and honey, in a surprisingly sophisticated and provocative manner. Well, if you wish you’d jumped at the chance to get Dimanche, Elektrou is quite similar, with a few distinct differences. Dimanche’s opening is on the sharp side due to the edginess iris sometimes possesses. Elektrou on the other hand is immediately soft with its vanilla and smooth amber accord. Sandalwood plays a large roll in Elektrou’s suppleness, emanating a sensual ease. It’s going to take serious restraint that I am not sure I have to keep myself for purchasing Elektrou as I want every scarf I own to smell just like it. It’s a splurge no doubt, but one that the perfumista in your life (which is probably yourself) will adore.
Please stop by the following blogs for more gift ideas.
Posted by ~Trish
Light, citrusy florals are ideal for the summer’s heat. The brisk citrus essences are as refreshing as a cool breeze under a shady tree and the floral notes evoke strolls through gorgeous garden blossoms. Wing and a Prayer, a perfumery in Northern California, has perfected this genre of fragrance and makes it 100% natural and affordable. The above photo is of their sampler trio; three 1/8oz perfumes of your choosing for $10. I’m sure many of you know how expensive natural perfumes are, so this is a terrific deal.
Wing and a Prayer’s creator is Jane Cate and her daughter, Sarah, helps run the business side of their perfumery. Jane was kind enough to send me many samples of her fragrances, and while they are all very lovely, two really stand out as particularly exceptional.
Bella, named after Jane’s grandmother Isabel, is an excellent interpretation of a citrusy floral. Bergamot and lemongrass fulfill the citrus aspect, and meld into a delicate verbena scent that is akin to L’Occitane’s Verbena Perfume Extract which I adore, but is now discontinued. I rarely use my little L’Occitane Verbena bottle as I don’t want to use it up, but now that I have discovered Bella, I don’t need to horde it anymore. Verbena is rather sharp so I want to clarify that while Bella smells of verbena, it is much rounder as it’s softened by delicate florals and a whisper of neroli. A dusty rose is the most apparent floral note to my nose, but it resides in the background giving body and smoothness to the citrus fruits.
I have been wearing Bella a lot this summer. Early summer days in the Northwest can be a little cool which suits Bella fine, but she really blossoms in the full warmth of the sun. Flowers, my other favorite Wing and a Prayer fragrance is just as beautiful on a warm day. Gardenia predominates within Flowers, but like a playful surfer-girl rather than a sultry bombshell. Linden blossom persuades gardenia in this direction with its light, beeswax note. Additionally, linden blossom leans a bit green and citrusy which also heightens the flirtatious nature of Flowers. There’s something a little musky at the base of Flowers, like the sweet vegetal musk of ambrette seeds. Flowers is similar to Ajne’s Printemps, so if that’s out of your wallet’s comfort zone, Wing and a Prayer provides a more affordable option.
Bella and Flowers are available at Wing and a Prayer’s etsy shop, $35 for 1.7oz.
Posted by ~Trish
thefloraesthetic.com 