Spring seeking, Sonoma Scent Studio Bee’s Bliss

There are many ways to combat a winter grim. Some wear their most comforting vanilla or amber fragrances to keep warm. Others might actually go on holiday at that time, escaping to a warm country where they can laze away for a week or two. There’s also a bunch of winter people like me, who find more positive aspects of the cold season. I always liked winter (maybe because that’s when I was born) but if you hate that time of the year you might be pleased to hear that newest release from Sonoma Scent Studio can take you back to best memories of spring and summer.

Bee’s Bliss is like a magic door, like a portal opening to the bounty of a meadow in full bloom. As soon as you try it you get positively overwhelmed by the amount of colors and sound of the place you get transported to. First accord on my skin is that of mimosa. It’s obviously floral with a yellow tinge & some powdery, pollen-like undertones. It feels very realistic, very natural and optimistic. It’s as if you could grab those fragrant pompons (but in human-suitable size) and cheer up for spring to come faster. Couple of minutes later lilac becomes more pronounced on my skin.

Lilac adds a pop of pastel shades of pink and purple on the yellow background. Its floral tones are stronger than those of mimosa but still equally behaved. I find lilac to be a very feminine note associated with innocency & that’s exactly how I perceive it in Bee’s Bliss. And I like its powderness. Few steps further into this secret garden allow to discover even more flowers. Next I get a bit of jasmine and orange blossom, they play together as if in a love serenade, when two combine into one. The impression is on one hand heady & rich, pure & fresh on the other hand.

It takes a little bit longer for Bee’s Bliss to wrap itself in an almost transparent veil of silk. Iris is a bit more hidden in this fragrance. I wanted to play hide-and-seek with it but I didn’t manage to find more than just a glimpse of it. But at least I could smell some of it so I’m happy. It takes between 1 to 2 hours before the perfume starts to change again on my skin. The powdery effect becomes more intensive but it’s enriched with this specific, almost almondy aroma that also introduces something creamy, similar to tonka. Heliotrope really is a multifaceted accord with nice complexity.

At the later development stage I realize that SSS Bee’s Bliss takes on a fruity theme. However the elements are difficult to distinguish, that’s why I decided to go with the idea of a fruity punch (or fruit salad, as you prefer) in which apricot, peach and some other fruit are mixed together. Everything is drizzled with honey sauce. All this is resting on the warm base made of beeswax and cozy amber. Resinous delicacy of benzoin and a bit of dustiness of oakmoss and patchouli finish this delicious and bright fragrance. It can easily serve as a dose of vitamin D on a gray, gloomy day.

Bee’s Bliss from Sonoma Scent Studio is a funny perfume I would definitely wear it if I needed an injection of positivity. Laurie Erickson created a nice, effervescent fragrance for everyone. Sadly this could also be her last composition as she announced last week that for the sake of own health she decided to hand over the brand into new & caring hands. It makes me a bit sad but I try to understand her motives. It must be hard for anyone to part with something you’ve been taking care for so many years. I wish her good luck & health and hope we’ll be able to keep in touch.

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Two winter ambers from the U.S

Winter season is a perfect time to reach for more rich, opulent and heady perfume. When it’s cold outside I especially like to reach for cuddly ambers, spicy blends (especially when they have rose too), so here you have two interesting ambers from two of our favorite American perfumers.

Sonoma Scent Studio – Amber Incense

This particular creation opens on my skin with an incense accord that quickly surrounds me. It’s pretty simple note but after a few minutes you realize how much complexity there is to it. The spiritual scent is not only about incense, it’s also about resins, the aroma of burning logs in the fireplace as well as a prominent spiciness of black pepper that appears 5 minutes later.

Then there is amber, I find it quite mineral and a bit salty. It has a marine undertone in my opinion, something that makes me think of a salty ocean breeze. As minutes go by it starts to get closer to the animalic aspect of its aroma. But no, it never becomes too much. Later on woody notes become more substantive. It’s hard to tell if it’s cedar, sandalwood, birch or other species of wood.

Few hours later it’s still pretty smoky to me. I can say that in my case Amber Incense maintains its ambery & smoky character for a long time. Then it unveils some fruity notes, I especially can detect a tart plum (it’s a smoked plum of course) and I don’t smell apricot that is mentioned on a card attached to my sample. Unfortunately I don’t smell soft florals either. Generally incense, amber, pepper and woods are most prominent elements of new perfume by Laurie Erickson.

It’s no problem at all, this perfume was meant to be like that in my opinion. “Soothe your spirit with this warm & meditative blend” describes it ideally. Amber Incense is an all-natural blend.

Aftelier – Amber Tapestry

Inspired by experience as a weaver in her youth, Mandy Aftel decided to create a perfume of amber that would be like threads of different colors and textures that can be woven together into a unique canvas. Amber Tapestry starts with a strings of sambac & grandiflorum jasmine – white floral note that is slightly indolic and has a vintage vibe quickly knots with the smell of amber.

Amber is a multi-dimensional accord of this perfume. It combines aspects of something vanillic, mineral, animalic and fuzzy. I find it rather cuddly and glamorous in its unique way. It definitely has a wonderful richness and warmth to it, it gives a feeling of being wrapped by a furry blanket. Mandarin gives it more Christmasy vibe thanks to its aromatic juiciness, while heliotropin introduces a floral and creamy feeling that nicely contrasts with earlier part. The perfume is nice & complex.

Drydown is animalic but in an inoffensive way. There is castoreum that nicely blends with amber (combination makes me think of Ramon Monegal Ambra di Luna) and then it transforms into tonka beans. They’re smelling of roasted nuts that are enriched with aromatic, creamy and mild spicy properties. Labdanum and benzoin are a core of the heavier, balsamic part of Amber Tapestry. There is also a hay like aroma from coumarin plus a burned, caramelized note of maltol. Mandy also used some real ambergris. Additional notes include pear and cinnamon.

Amber Tapestry has a nice smell, good for cold winter days. I think it might actually smell even more interesting during a walk outside in the snow rather than when you wear it staying at home.