Scent Safari: Video Review for Komorebi

Maximilian Must Know Episode # 431 (Scent Safari - Ayala Moriel). 

First video reviews ever for Ayala Moriel Parfums! And first review of my new perfume Komorebi - yay! Maximilian compares it to Serge Lutens' Fille en Aiguilles, and says describes it as redolent of "woods, some forest funk, and this note of pine-like tree sap with some berries (...)" . FYI the vial titled "Forest Amber" is really Komorebi - before I had a name for it.

Also reviewed in this episode: Etrog, Film Noir, Espionage:
"The key word with these fragrances from Ayala is quality, development, power and performance (...) there is no gimmick (...) really high quality perfume made with passion and ingenuity and no shortcuts (...) This is as good as it gets. These are regal fragrances, fit for royalty". ‪

Film Noir Bar Featured in EauMG 2013 Gift Guide for Natural Beauties

Film Noir Bar (3-in-1 moisturizing bar for bathing, shaving & shampoo) is featured in EauMG 2013 Gift Guide for Natural Beauties.
The bar was created in collaboration with Open Source Soap, a Eugene Oregon based artisan custom soapmaker.
Film Noir Bar is made of the "usual" awesome formula of rich-lather soap, with the addition of moisturizing jojoba and castor oils, and nourishing cocoa butter. Perfect for travel, as it will save space in your suitcase, and weigh you down less, and will save you time if you need to go through airport security...

To The Ends of the Earth: Ten Fragrances That Will Transport

It is no secret that we are huge advocates for travel. There is nothing more enriching, exciting, or educating than bursting outside of your own familiar, cultural bubble and traveling somewhere far outside your country and possibly comfort zone. Summer is one of the best times to travel because most people get a little more time off and it usually means that the weather is going to be nice wherever you go. Even if you’re operating on a busy schedule and/or tight budgets don’t allow for summer travel this year - there is no excuse for not experiencing the cultures of countries far, far away this summer: Books, restaurants, recipes, movies, and of course, perfume will transport you to the desired destination fast and effortlessly!

Espionage – Destination: London, England

A subtly sexy scent that blends seamlessly with the scent of one’s natural skin, Espionage is a captivating and elusive blend of precious woods, classic florals and edgy leathery notes. With tonka bean, vanilla absolute, cedar wood, and nuances of cigar smoke and leather, you will find yourself transported o a mysterious London bar in the dead of night. 

Recipe idea: Lavender Ice Cream

  Film Noir – Destination: Hollywood, California

 

The golden age of Hollywood, the captivating thirties and forties, was a time of drama, intrigue, unadulterated luxury and true mystery – something that seems to be all but lost in today’s over-exposed culture. Film Noir’s decadent cacao, myrrh, and patchouli fragrance will help you channel Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich and the effortless power and unapologetic femininity that these femme-fatales conveyed.

Etrog - Destination: Israel 

Etrog is the Hebrew name for citrus medica, a truly rare citrus fruit that is prized for it’s delicate floral aroma and flavor. Etrog is one of the four species in Sukkot and symbolizes the heart while representing a whole and complete person, one who has wisdom and knowledge but also compassion and who commits good deeds. This fragrance is composed of ingredients that are reminiscent of Israel such as olive tree resin, opoponax (sweet myrrh), frankincense, petitgrain cedrat (leaves and twigs from the citron tree), and crisp green myrtle. A truly captivating fragrance with rare Mediterranean  ingredients.

Pales Atena – Destination: Greece 

Named after the Greek goddess of Wisdom,  Pales Atena combines spices like cinnamon with a base of patchouli, amber and sandalwood, which sets the warm tone for the fragrance. These warm base notes form a powerful foundation for lavender, sweet orange, vibrant jasmine grandiflorum, and the exotic and rounded flowers of champaca (a tropical golden-coloured magnolia).

 Sabotage – Destination: Acores, Portugal 

The beauty of the Portuguese islands is incomparable in its tranquility. There is something about the vast azure sea, rolling green hills, and sharp cliffs that have captured my heart since visiting my family there in 2009. The streets lined with hydrangeas and the fragrant aroma of “maracuja” (passionfruit) and sun-baked grass and earth are what I remember most about my summer spent in Sao Miguel and Terceira.  Sabotage’s citrusy notes of orange flower, lemon zest and lemon leaf combine with earthy Haitian vetiver, pimento berry (a spice often used in Portuguese cooking) and pungent green give a little spicy twist to this scent, reminiscent of Portugal’s invigorating coast and islands.

Recipe idea: Queijadas (Portuguese Custard Tarts)

Rainforest – Destination: British Columbia

British Columbia is renowned for its breath-taking natural scenery. It’s majestic mountains, calm seas, and abundant forests define B.C as a province and make it a beloved home to its locals and a thrilling and truly stunning destination for travellers. Rainforest is a coniferous, woody, chypre fragrance that encapsulates the fragrance and feeling of walking through the rain-kissed forest, inhaling the damp moss, pine needles and soft wild flowers. Cedar-wood, oakmoss, juniper berry, violet leaf and spruce are some of the notes that compose this refreshing, very west-coast fragrance.

Recipe idea: Fresh Rhubarb Compote

Cabaret – Destination : Caribbean

With creamy vanilla absolute, tropical magnolia, dark coconut, orris root and Turkish rose, Cabaret evokes images of nights spent on Caribbean beaches with the azure waves frothing against the sandy shore. It’s a sexy, sweet, and subtle gourmand, perfect for your sensory tropical vacation.

Recipe idea: Raw Coconut Macaroons

New Orleans – Destination: New Orleans, Louisiana

For those who have always dreamt of going to a Mardi Gras but have never gotten the chance to go, New Orleans is a fragrance that celebrates the Louisiana coast with oceanic seaweed and ambergris supported by uplifting notes of Meyer lemon, Murcott mandarin, osmanthus, rosemary, vetiver Haiti, tea rose and white magnolia. It’s a fresh soft scent that captures the lively and irrepressible spirit of New Orleans.

Recipe idea: Rosewater Lemonade

 Finjan – Destination: Turkey

 Finjan is a darkly sweet, oriental gourmand fragrance that celebrates the fragrant flavor and aroma of Turkish coffee with coffee absolute, clove, cardamom, blood orange, rose maroc, and balsam tolu. It’s a spicy unisex fragrance that will take your heart and senses to the fragrant Middle East.

Bon Zai – Destination: Japan

Japan is an island of delicate yet striking natural and historical beauty. Bon Zai, inspired by the art of miniature bonsai trees, captures the tranquility of a Japanese garden with it’s its simple and minimalistic composition of agarwood, juniper berry, lemon verbena, Virginia cedarwood and sandalwood. The fragrance is characterized by shiso (perilla), a an herb often used as a garnish in Japanese cooking and has a striking aroma that transcends seasons.

Whether you are able to physically leave your home city, province, state or country this summer or not, we hope that you enjoy your sensory travels this summer! 

Monkey Monday: Smelly Detectives

Sock Monkey - Sherlock Holmes, a photo by siansburys on Flickr.

Real-life investigators as well as fictional detectives often times use their sense of smell to solve murder mysteries. Police officers need very little skill to detect alcohol on a drunk driver's breath, and collect scent evidence from a crime scene which is as important as fingerprints - since each individual has a unique body odour - "By definition, scent is the 'bacterial, cellular, and vaporous debris enshrouding the individual' known collectively as 'raft', this debris consists primarily of dead or dying skin cells, which the body sheds at a rate of approximately 40,000 each minute. Air currents project the raft upward and away from the body, much like a plume. The debris becomes deposited in the environment in a conically shaped pattern known as the scent trail"...

Sherlock Holmes used his sense of smell on more than one occasion, being able to identify the 75 perfumes of his time (he surely will have harder time now!) and detect other odours in the crime scene, which helped him solve several murder mysteries. When losing his eyesight temporarily, Monk manages to solve the case in the episode “Mr. Monk Goes to the Firehouse”; and when there is a garbage strike, he can't concentrate on the case. Agata Christie "killed" more than one of her "victims" with cyanide, leaving a trail of bitter almonds and marzipan as a clue to the cause of death. And in Denise Hamilton's several Noir novels, there is a significance to the sense of smell; but particularly in her latest "Damage Control", where the central character is a perfumista and in which a perfume serves as a key clue.

"...anyone "with a nose for" crime should be able to sniff out culprits from their tweed, India ink, talcum powder, Italian leather shoes, and countless other scented paraphernalia. Not to mention the odors, radiant and nameless, which we decipher without even knowing it. The brain is a good stagehand. It gets on with its work while we're busy acting out our scenes. Though most people will swear they couldn't possibly do such a thing, studies show that both children and adults, just by smelling, are able to determine whether a piece of clothing was worn by a male or a female." (Diane Ackerman, A Natural History of the Sense).

Even in our mundane lives, we act as detectives using our noses to find out if our date is a smoker or not; if our kids have dipped into the chocolate chip cookie jar or bothered to brush their teeth; and amuse ourselves by guessing which soap or shampoo our friends use. Our sense of smell is keener and far more important to our ongoing gathering of information than most of us would ever care to admit...

What about you? Have you ever used your sense of smell to solve "crimes" around your house or to clue in on something that your friends, coworkers or family members have been plotting behind your back?

Share your stories by leaving a comments below, and enter to win a mini of Film Noir.

Septimus Piesse, Potpourri and Film Noir

Today was a potpourri experimentation day for me. The trigger was an email from one of my students with an electronic version of Piesse's book “The Art of Perfumery and Method of Obtaining the Odors of Plants” has inspired me to re-visit my perfume collection and search for ideas for various “dry perfumes” – something I meant to do for quite some time. Unfortunately, this electronic edition (www.craftsebooks.com edition by Maria Wilkes) is full of misleading typos that could confuse the reader who is not already familiar with some of the materials (and in some cases the translation of names and terms is not too accurate either); but overall it’s a great resource and an interesting portal to Western perfumery in the mid 19th century.

The book is a well of information, including perfume formulas - many of which are flower replicas that rely on almond oil (bitter almond I presume) to do the trick of transforming the floral bouquet into lily of the valley, sweet pea or what not.

Some of the recipes there for potpourri and sachets are quite simple. For example: a patchouli sachet includes nothing more than 1lb of dry and ground patchouli leaves and 1 dram of patchouli essential oil; and than there are more sophisticated recipes evoking the scent of heliotrope (pounds of powdered orris roots, rose petals, tonka beans, vanilla pods and musk pods with a few drops of almond essential oil - the only case in which the almond actually makes perfect sense for the flower’s odour profile.

I’ve spent the entire morning in my little lab experimenting with my dry herbs and I’ve came up with 3 potpourri/sachets that are not half bad, all of which are based on my existing perfumes, The whole ritual of stuffing a little bag and placing it in between the clothes set me in a completely different pace and state of mind; it set me in that very old-fashioned, Imperialist mind frame of using exotic botanicals sourced elsewhere in little lady-like mousseline bags and so on. Perhaps I should have seen the warning signs when I became smitten with Pashmina scarves... Now I’m officially old: wrapped up in my silk Pashmina I look for secret places to hide my Film Noir potpourri/sachets made of dried patchouli leaves soaked in dollops of vintage patchouli oil and cocoa absolute… It's deliciously old fashioned and modern at the same time. Does this make any sense?

News from the Nose: Get Cozy with Roses et Chocolat

Dear Fragrant Friends,

In this newsletter:
* New Packaging
* New Perfume Launches – Roses et Chocolat
* Romantic Gift Sets for Valentine’s Day
* Limited Editions & Discontinued Fragrances - announcement/update
* Liquidation Sale Reminder and Update
* New Packaging (Boxes)
* New Gemstone Colours for Pendants!

This winter has been extremely fruitful, thus extremely busy, dedicating my time to launching 4 new perfumes this fall and winter, maintaining an active blog and enjoying the wind and snow storms in Vancouver. So I am very pleased to announce that in the dead of winter, we have yet some more goodies in store for you for the upcoming romantic occasion of Valentine’s Day. This time it's a limited edition, so you better get it in your loving hands before everybody else does - the quantities are extremely limited!

Our new perfume has the best of all worlds – Romance, pleasure and chocolate. Though I firmly believe that those blissful treats should be enjoyed all year around (by yourself or with your honey-bunny) I have decided to join all these forces and create a perfume that is particularly suitable for the occasion.

NEW PACKAGING!
We are going to have new packaging as of January 18th. The bottles are the same – but the boxes are custom made, with a lovely and subtle pattern of our logo, and designed by renowned graphic designer Terry Sunderland (who also did an amazing job on all the packaging solutions and re-branding of Ayala Moriel and has been the in-house designer at AdBusters and The Corporation). You’ll be able to see it when you order next from us – or tune in to SmellyBlog to view it when it comes in! They are classy and pretty and exactly what we needed to move on to the next level in customizing our packaging to represent what we truly are.

NEW GEMSTONE COLOURS FOR PENDANTS!
Next week, we are expecting to have 6 new exciting drop-shaped gemstones:
- Carnelian (deep orange)
- Labradorite (from Canada - brown with blue light)
- Opalite (a synthetic yet lovely milky-opalescent stone)
- Moon Stone (pale white with some rainbow-like reflections)
- White Opal (with hues of orange, pink and yellow - see image to the left)
- Mother of Pearl

We are producing only two pendants of each colour, so these are very limited quantities. We highly recommend placing an order in advance, as we may not be able to get these gemstone again in the future. I'll post photos here when they arrive...

LIMITED EDITION for VALENTINE'S DAY: ROSES et CHOCOLAT
I would like to present to you ROSES et CHOCOLAT – a perfume that delivers three pleasures in one elegant bottle:

Roses...

Chocolate...

And…. Perfume!

ROSES et CHOCOLAT is a bouquet of plush, velvety dark red roses (yet unlike most stem-cut roses, possessing a voluptuous scent); set against a melt-in-your-mouth chocolate truffles. The perfume part is what ties everything together, yet without taking away from either experience: my handcrafted, complex amber accord, made of rich resins and balsams, and a sparkling dusting of sexy spices: the fruitiness of pink peppercorns and the sublime aphrodisiac dry warmth of nutmeg and mace, creating an overall impression of a full-bodied red wine.
Kisses not included, so you’ll need to get your own...


ROSES et CHOCOLAT is offered as a limited edition. We only made 7 bottles, and a small number of samples - and will be happy to hold one for you, which can be shipped to you and arrive in time for Valentine’s Day. See image of the perfume and packaging in an earlier post here on SmellyBlog.
- And it is also available as a solid parfum in our signature Perfumed Pendant.

* Like all of our limited edition fragrances, the fragrance is available until quantities last, but can be also made on-request when special-ordered. If the demand will exceed our expectations, we may add it to our permanent collection. All of our limited edition scents are located on this page of our website.

VALENTINE’S DAY GIFT SETS
Like a box of chocolates of the finest qualities and varieties, we would like to suggest two unique gift sets of love and passion for Valentine’s Day, both of which can be purchased for the 45% OFF rate that we offer on all our Perfume Wardrobes:
http://ayalamoriel.com/perfumes.cfm?view=PRODUCT&cata_id=11&product_id=85
http://ayalamoriel.com/perfumes.cfm?view=PRODUCT&cata_id=11&product_id=85

1) CHOCOLATE BON-BON SET
A collection of all our 3 chocolate perfumes:

ROSES et CHOCOLAT – the most romantic gift of passion – chocolate, roses and perfumes. Best served with a kiss and a bottle of red wine…

FILM NOIR – our heatless and topless perfume, composed of the richest base notes of chocolate, patchouli and myrrh.

GUILT– our all-time favourite chocolate perfume, balanced by ornage blossom, orange peel, amber and mimosa.


2) LOVE POTION GIFT SET
This set includes three of our love potions:

RAZALA – a passionate love poem for the desert and the veiled women who dwell in it. With notes of ambergris, oudh, roses, saffron and myrrh.

WHITE POTION – intoxicating and night-blooming white florals on a backdrop of creamy sandalwood and tonka bean

ROSES et CHOCOLAT – our newest, limited edition love potion

* You may also order a combination of 4 fragrances as a Miniature Wardrobe

LIMITED EDITION/DISCONTINUED FRAGRANCES
We have created a new category on our website for scents that were not so popular, yet are a favourite of selected special customers.

We don't want to truly discontinue any fragrance if we can help it (a terrible habit of too many perfume houses!). So, as long as we have the building blocks available for constructing the fragrance and retain its original characteristics, we will be offering these rarities on our special webpage.

So what's the difference between the "discontinued" or "Ltd. Editions" and the rest of our collection?
Only two things, really:
1) We may not be able to offer samples of these in the near future (we'll offer them only as long as supplies last).
2) If you want to order these, you will have to order a full bottle, and there may be a waiting time of up to six (6) weeks, to allow for the perfume to mature.

***LIQUIDATION CONTINUES at AYALA MORIEL PARFUMS***
Don't miss this opportunity to buy larger amount of your favourite scent at a significantly discounted price! This packaging is being discontinued, as it was replaced by 8ml French Flacon with ground glass stopper. All of our perfumes are now sold only in pure parfum or parfum oil concentrations, for $100 a piece regular price.

Another clearance item is a silver compact (not the pendant, but they look the same except for the chain, with our signature logo of fairy and a drop, and a matching gemstone masquerading as a drop). Regular price is $150, but they are now on special for only $100. The two scents we have are:
Cabaret
White Potion

All of the spray and roll-on bottles are hand painted with our signature Fairy and the Drop logo, and the name of the perfume.

Visit my “BLOWOUT SALE” page on SmellyBlog for the most updated list of perfumes and sizes available

Scented regards from snowy Vancouver,

Ayala Sender, Perfumer
Ayala Moriel Parfums
Signature Perfumes ~ Perfumed Jewelery ~ Fragrance Consultant On-Line

New Perfume: Film Noir

Ayala Moriel is proud to announce the debut of our new perfume this winter, the

Topless...

Heartless...

FILM NOIR

This perfume is as dark as a Film Noir plot. It’s as dark as a dim-lit alley in Chinatown and musty as the sewer in The Third Man where the ambivalent heroes and heroines find their inevitable death, over and over again… Film Noir is as dark as the soul of the genre’s script writers, directors, actors and… viewers. In fact, it is so dark that it includes only the darkest base notes: cruelly luscious dark cacao absolute, musty-sweet patchouli and the mysterious bitterness of myrrh. The result is a smooth, rich, dark, bitter-sweet chocolate elixir that glides on the skin and is as flawless as the black&white skin of a Film Noir actress.

Film Noir was initially inspired by the multi-layered mustiness of patchouli, yet was designed to impart a rich, warm, enveloping sensation that is a departure from the headshop stigma that stuck to patchouli since the 60's. To break that stereotype, we used five different types of patchouli, including a stunning Vintage Patchouli - patchouli that was aged for several years. Age and oxidation add sweetness and an almost powdery feel to the otherwise earthy and dry note.

The addition of cocoa absolute, with it's full-bodied caramel richness adds a sensational sensuality. Myrrh, with it's bitter-sweet medicinal and aphrodisiac qualities adds sophistication and mystical allure. This precious resinous oil was used for thousands of years for beautifying the skin and for its alluring and seductive qualities. The overall impression is a multi-layered, spicy, hot and naughty dark chocolate. Think Mayan chocolate elixir, rather than the sweet, North American rendition of the beverage.

GOOD NEWS for those who pre-ordered Film Noir: The tags for the perfume (which incldue the story behind Film Noir) are back from the printer, and your Film Noir will be shipped to you today!

Order your Film Noir today, as it is getting sold out fast!!!

You can also read & add your own reviews of Film Noir on MakeUpAlley and Basenotes, or visit Perfume Shrine for a feature review of Film Nonir by Helg.

Images: Above - Fay Danaway in Chinatown (courtesy of IMDB.com)
Below - less known actors in production stills from the dark short film "Rondo" by David Griffith

Film Noir reviewed on Perfume Shrine!

Visit Perfume Shrine to read a review of Ayala Moriel's upcoming new release, the topless, heartless Film Noir.

Film Noir is made of base notes only - dark chocolate, patchouli and myrrh.

Film Noir will be released this winter, and is now available for pre-ordering.

Image from IMDB.com

Organic Chemistry

Cow Dung. Varanasi, originally uploaded by Claude Renault.

My experimentations with patchouli continued. I decided that for now I was not happy with the rose and the patchouli. I separated the rose and mixed it with chocolate. Still not happy. The chocolate creates an amber-like effect. And though pleasant on its own, it’s not what I wanted. Not distinctive enough. Too similar to other perfumes I made already with amber and rose. I want to make something new.

Third trial with this dark theme comes – and now it’s pathcouli and chocolate all by themselves. All the patchoulis you can think of, making for an in-depth patchouli study. But not a hippie one. I really loved this!

But sometimes, the curiousity wins. And nasty things happen. One drop of dark, syrupy Vetiver from Indonesia did it. The earthy, dark chocolate turned at once into nothing but… a waft from distant cow-barn… Wait, it’s actually cattle dung! The same dung we used to fertilize our gardens and trees in my little agri-cultural (it was more culture than agri, and hence the separation). I would do my best to not get the dusty dung in my hair, and not to smell like it. But today, as I was wearing my mysterious concoction I was constantly drawn to smell my wrist, and it’s… cow dung again! Strange how out of context a scent may smell pleasing, thanks to its simple ability to bring back a memory so vividly. And we all know how memories feel and smell so much better from afar… I am positively certain that I prefer to mix patchouli, Vetiver and cocoa absolute rather than fertilize my garden with cow dung.