Showing posts with label justine crane. Show all posts
Showing posts with label justine crane. Show all posts

22 July 2010

Khodum Eau de Parfum

Beauty in the hand of wickedness . . .

This is how natural botanical perfumer Justine Crane of The Scented Djinn describes her creation Khodum Eau de Parfum. Khodum opens with the sweet spiciness of anise that takes you right into and blends with a smooth powdery musky floral middle. Tuberose is in this composition but without the headiness. A warm floral that adds depth and a little freshness. I like tuberose but my skin seems to drown it out. It's there I can tell, just very mild. It comes through gorgeously on a scent strip though. The florals blend well together. One doesn't overpower another. Ambrette adds muskiness while there is a slight dampness to Khodum that I attribute to the oakmoss. With all the florals and citruses you'd think this was a light fresh summery type perfume. It is quite the opposite. The spice adds a heat that keeps this from being a skip-through-the-flower-garden-on-a-warm-spring-day type of scent. It's more like a walk in the shadows without being afraid. The wickedness is present but tamed by the beauty.

Khodum was inspired by a brief written by one of Justine's natural botanical perfumery students, Dimitrios, of Sorcery of Scent. Justine set out to produce a perfume that is deep and dark. The key notes of Khodum are badiane, ambrette, tuberose, spiced florals and apple blossom. This composition also includes note of petitgrain bigarade, neroli, cinnamon bark, lemon petitgrain, rose petal tincture, hyacinth evulsion, blue lotus, jasmine grandiflorum, black currant bud, vanilla, almond, cognac, and a rare, vintage oakmoss resin.

If you're a fan of spicy fragrances you'll like this. The spicy notes of Khodum hold through from top to bottom.

Justine's blogs

Photo: from The Scented Djinn on Etsy

06 June 2010

Scent, You Say?: The Scented Djinn

I was the lucky recipient in a recent blog giveaway of two new perfumes by natural botanical perfumer Justine Crane, of The Scented Djinn. Having sampled several of Justine's perfumes I'm not surprised that I liked these two as well. Jameel Eau de Parfum is a fresh, summery, citrus perfume with notes of neroli (yum!) & petit grain, gardenia and an added richness from labdanum & oudh. Jameel is a light and fresh fragrance perfect for spring and summer. It takes me outside on a lazy day to a place that is warm and tranquil. To put it simply, Jameel is relaxing while inhaling a fresh sweet citrus-scented summer breeze.

Sahar Eau de Parfum is the other I received. This one opens warm & effervescent with a sweet/tart note that reminds me of Pixie Stix candy. But this is not a sweet candy-like fragrance. It's a nicely balanced soft woody (Australian sandalwood & Himalayan cedar) sweet (honey) floral (jasmine grandiflorum & champa) perfume. I love wood perfumes and to me this is a feel good type of scent. Sahar is the kind of fragrance that (at least on me) draws one in closer to get a good whiff.

In addition to selling perfume and body care loveliness from her shop, The Scented Djinn, on Etsy Justine is also a blogger and teacher/course developer for Natures Nexus Academy of Perfuming Arts. Follow along with Justine's perfumed adventures on her blog Oh, True Apothecary!

Make sure to look for next Sunday's Scent, You Say? perfume experience!