"Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs"

Stuart Miles

William Shakespeare

I love a bit of Shakespeare. That quote seems especially relevant as the word "perfume" comes from the Latin per fumare - "to see through smoke." So it seems to me that romance and scent are intrinsically (not to mention poetically) linked. And that's your etymology lesson for the week. Now onto the perfumes!

With Valentine's Day fast approaching, I've got three perfumes ready to launch inspired by all aspects of love - from the first flush of an innocent crush to the hot and heady lust of a passionate liaison. So hopefully whatever your personal style is, one of these scents will be perfect for you. But what are they, you ask? Well, let me tell you about them...

First Kiss - a sweet and shy blend of vanilla and cherry blossom, touched with a hint of rose and cinnamon. First Kiss starts with a kick and mellows out into a soft, youthful finish.

Dirty Sex - clean cotton sheets splashed with musk and a dash of bay rum, Dirty Sex is finished off with a vanilla cognac tincture that gives it a warm and slightly boozy edge. This tincture is like no vanilla you've tried before, I promise. Vanilla beans are soaked in cognac for four months before the tincture is filtered for use, adding a depth and complexity that removes that "foodie" scent a lot of people associate with vanilla perfumes. This one for the grown-ups.

Petite Mort - a vampy base of caraway and cardamom with lashings of leather and honey and a swirl of cool Russian rose. This is sticky sweet in the bottle, but on my skin the spice notes bubble and pop, and the leather and rose make for a dramatic, ultra-feminine base.

All three will be available sometime next week so keep an eye on the shop! I can't wait for you all to try
them out.

Also coming soon - the Raw Brimstone line will be available before the end of January. I just need a good clear day to take some photos, which is a big ask in January in England...And I already made 10ml rollette bottles available in the shop for my perfume oils, so be sure to choose the right size when you're shopping!

And since I'm here, let's take a quick look at the To-Do List:

Perfume Stuff

Brainstorm next Raw Brimstone line - I plan to release a new line quarterly, if time allows, and I'm torn between a line inspired by poisonous plants or one inspired by goddesses. I think it'll mostly come down to how much information on the subjects I can gather before I need to start blending!

Brainstorm Spring/Summer solid perfumes - Well, I'm actually past the brainstorming phase now - I have enough ideas in my perfume notebook to keep me going for ages! So I need to start experimenting and seeing which ideas work best.

Make-over packaging - New rollette bottles, check. Next step: buy a decent printer.

Other Stuff

Salvatore Vuono

Aromatherapy course - I'm learning about nerves and muscles! It's hard, but very interesting.

Writing - I let my writing slide in 2013 and I'm trying to find a better balance between that and my perfume this year. So you may see new perfumes coming out less regularly, but since I always have a dozen or so in development at a time, I'm confident I can keep giving you unusual, whimsical, and gorgeous perfumes whilst also writing amazing books.

Introducing Raw Brimstone - and a giveaway to boot!

Ladies and gents, I'm delighted to announce that I'll be launching my new perfume line, Raw Brimstone, in late January. Each of the nine scents in this first collection is made with only pure essential oils, absolutes, and CO2 extracts, to create 100% natural, vegan perfumes. They're blended in the same fractionated coconut oil I use in my solid perfumes, guaranteeing a long shelf-life, a skin-nourishing perfume, and a wonderful, vivid scent. I've been working for months on the concepts and blends and I cannot wait to share the results with you!

So I won't - well, sort of.

I'm going to give away a sample set of all nine Raw Brimstone fragrances to one lucky person! All you have to do is a leave comment on this blog, including your email address. The giveaway will run from today (Jan 1st) until Jan 10th, so that's ten days to get your name down and be in with a chance of winning. You'll be the first person (apart from me!) to try out this new range. Want an idea of what you can expect? Check out the catalogue page for a quick glimpse.

Introducing Mal and Coby

I've been lucky enough to be friends and writing buddies with Anne Lyle for a few years now, and indeed was a beta-reader for a very early draft of her historical fantasy The Alchemist of Souls ("historical fantasy gets dirty.") If you haven't read Anne's books yet, but you yearn for tales of political intrigue, swashbuckling swordsmen, and a very unique take on the Elizabethan era, I recommend you start now.

In the mean time, you could try a couple of perfumes inspired by two of the characters from the series. Earlier this year, Anne and I decided we'd have some fun creating fragrances for Mal Catelyn and Coby Hendricks, and after much hard work and sniffing, I'm delighted to unveil the finished products to you.

Maliverny


Imagine a dusty bar in a London touched with strange magicks and filled with wonderous, dangerous travellers from the New World. Imagine you're a swordsman tossed into peril and political intrigue against your will...You're starting to imagine Mal Catelyn's world...Maliverny is a tribute to the Elizabethan era, blending together precious woods, incenses, and spices from the New World. A base of sandalwood and frankincense is topped with warm black pepper and cinnamon. A hint of tobacco ties it all together.

Hendricks

Imagine fleeing your homeland and living in disguise amongst men who cannot know your secrets...Imagine finding yourself thrust into a world of magical and political machinations - and the man you want most believes you're a boy...You're starting to imagine Coby Hendricks' world. A beguilingly unisex blend of herbs and fruits, Hendricks starts with clean, clear notes of juniper and coriander, spiked with exotic cassia and light touches of lemon and bergamot. Winding through it all is just a distant whiff of gunpowder.

To celebrate the launch of these two lovely (and surprisingly Christmassy) scents, Anne is running a competition to win some samples on her blog. Take a look, leave a comment, and be in with a chance of trying Mal and Coby for yourself. And be sure to check out the books while you're there - you can read the first three chapters of The Merchant of Dreams and The Alchemist of Souls for free!

"Christmas, children, is not a date. It is a state of mind."

photokanok

 Mary Ellen Chase

One of the things I believe about perfume is that a scent should tell a story and evoke a mood. So the title quote seems perfect for introducing my winter/Christmas perfume range. I wanted perfumes that evoked a true feeling of winter - icy rivers, frost-rimed trees, open fires, and the hushed excitement of Christmas Eve. But I also wanted to create perfumes you'd want to wear all year round, not just when the nights grow longer and the air turns cold. Perfumes you can indulge in whether it's the height of summer or the depths of midwinter. I hope I've done that, but of course, you guys will be judge. Want a look at what I've come up with? Of course you do!

Chalet Girl

I've always fancied a ski-in holiday. Well, to be accurate, I've always fancied being snuggled up in a chalet in the Alps, watching other people ski while I indulge in hot chocolate by an open fire. With that in mind, I created Chalet Girl - a decadent blend of milk chocolate, hot cocoa, toasted marshmallow, Christmassy candy canes and a dash crisp of peppermint. It's my dream winter holiday, without that pesky exercise business!

Comfort and Joy

My favourite Christmas carol has always been God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - I find it warm, uplifting and joyous. And that's the mood I've created with this seasonal perfume. Starting with the tang of frost-crusted fruit and melting luxuriously into notes of hot buttered rum and creme brulee, this perfume finishes with the solemn and soothing notes of pure frankincense, myrrh, and earthy white amber. 

Frau Holle

Frau Holle, or Mother Hulda, is the star of a German fairy tale where kindness and hard work is rewarded and laziness and greed is punished. So a fairly typical fairy tale...Frau Holle herself was most likely an ancient pagan goddess who became a folkloric figure as Christianity spread through Europe. I've put a seasonal twist on Frau Holle, taking the green notes of holly, ivy, and pine and blending them with the gentle floral scents of rose and carnation. A hint of tart cranberry finishes off this wonderful woman's winter scent. 

La Befana

In Italian folklore, La Befana was an old lady who delivered presents to children on Epiphany Eve. Good children were given honey, dates, and figs, whilst bad children had to make do with a lump of coal. In honour of La Befana, I've created a sweet, warm blend of honeyed figs and red and black cherries, on a bed of hazelnuts and acorns with a dash of sugar. Not a lump of coal in sight.

Special Snowflake

Be unique! Just like everyone else...No, but thanks to the magic of personal skin chemistry, every perfume oil really is unique, different on every different person. And this perfume is particularly playful in that respect. Mixing old lace with white chocolate, adding pale floral notes of wisteria and plumeria, and finishing off with juicy plums and just a suggestion of mint, Special Snowflake is delicate, ever-changing, and very special!

Marcus74id

The Holly King

The Holly King is a folkloric figure who rules the seasons of autumn and winter. I've chosen the same same base, green notes of ivy, holly and pine that you'll find in Frau Holle, but given them a rich masculine bent with deep chestnut, sharp red currant and resinous, creamy peru balsam. This is one for the boys, but women who like a bolder fragrance will love it too.

Of course, you can get sample-sized vials of all six to help you decide which one is the perfect winter scent for you, and don't forget - all these perfumes will be part of my Handmade Monday 20% off sale tomorrow!

Handmade Monday, Black Friday, Happy Days

Handmade Monday is fast approaching! I talked a little last week about why I think it's a great cause to support and a great time to do some shopping; this week I'm going to tell you my plans for the day, and for Black Friday on November 29th.

Handmade Monday

I'll be offering 20% off everything in store at my Etsy and Zibbet shops on 25th November. That's 20% off perfume oils, samples, sample sets, and solid perfumes. That's pretty huge, right?!

I'll also be launching my Christmas/seasonal perfumes - Holly King, Frau Holle, Chalet Girl, Comfort and Joy, Special Snowflake, and La Befana in time for Handmade Monday, so they'll be included in this offer. Stay tuned to the blog this Sunday for a preview of each scent!

Black Friday

I won't be running a sale on Black Friday, but in order to clear some stock I will be adding a "Discontinued" section to my Etsy shop. This will feature a selection of fragrances that just haven't proven popular since their introduction. It'll be the last chance to grab them before they disappear from my catalogue completely, and they will (of course) be discounted in price. So if you see one of your favourites there, snatch it up, because when it's gone, it's gone forever!

These will be my last sales/offers for 2013, and my cut-off dates for Christmas shipping are fast approaching (see here for details), so next week will be the perfect time to treat yourself or someone else to some Common Brimstone perfume. Enjoy!

Handmade Monday - 25th November

If you follow my Facebook page, you'll have seen me share this image already, but I haven't talked much about Handmade Monday, what it is, or why I want to be involved. Simply put, Handmade Monday is the handmade alternative to Black Friday, a day to buy handmade, artisan products and show your support for small businesses, artists, and crafters of all kinds.

Now, I know 25th November is a busy time for plenty of you in the US, with Thanksgiving right around the corner. And I know there are plenty of reasons why Black Friday is awesome - massive discounts are always awesome, after all. I also know that there are good reasons to buy commercial and mass-produced products - convenience, cost, availability, etc. So I want to give you some good reasons to support Handmade Monday and take a little time on the 25th to shop handmade instead of mass-produced.

1. You get something unique. Especially if you buy perfumes! Every person's body chemistry is unique and therefore the way a perfume reacts with every person is completely different. So nobody else in the world is going to smell like you do, even if they're wearing the same artisan scent.

2. You get to support starving artists. Well, okay, hopefully none of us are actually starving. But personally I love buying something know that the profits are going straight to the creator and not getting lost in a chain of bureaucracy. And buying direct from a committed, passionate artist is a great experience, guaranteed to give you something made with real love and care.

3. You know what you're getting. One of the biggest motivators for me in buying handmade bath and beauty products (as well as making my own) is knowing exactly what I'm putting in and on my body. Simple, natural ingredients packed full of skin-friendly bonuses. No man-made chemicals. I really believe that when it comes to my body, Nature knows best. And by buying handmade, you can be sure you're treating yourself right.

4. You can get a head start on your Christmas shopping. I'm going to be offering some great deals all day on Handmade Monday, and I know I won't be the only one (check the Facebook page and the #handmademonday hashtag on Twitter and Facebook to see what other people are doing), so if you're looking for one-of-a-kind Christmas gifts, this is a great starting point.

In the run-up to Handmade Monday, I'll be sharing links to some of the many shops taking part, so if you're keen to share the handcrafted love, keep an eye on my Facebook and Twitter pages to see what's on offer!

"Winter is Coming"

Claire Louise

George RR Martin

Well, who else was I going to quote for this time of year? My! I have been a neglectful blogger lately. In my defense, I spent most of October being ill so I'm giving myself a pass on that. Still, no excuses now; time to get back to business.

Last time I did a proper blog, I said I was going to talk about some of the inspirations for my Christmas/Winter perfumes. Since those are now in development and will be in the shop very soon, I think that's still a good thing to talk about. In the same way that Autumn really got my creative juices flowing this year, the winter season triggered a great rush of inspiration and excitement. There are so many varied and amazing myths and bits of folklore tied to the solstice, it was hard to settle on just a handful of ideas and not try to make a perfume for every single one. How can you resist the lure of Inti Raymi or Wren Day? 

Well, I had to save some inspiration for next year, so I settled on five scents that take inspiration from five very different, seasonal sources. I'm not going to give them all away here (surprises are fun!), but here's a tiny sneak peek at what's in store...

The Holly King. Traditionally seen as ruler of one half of the year, with the Oak King ruling the other, the Holly King is a neopagan figure who gains strength at the Autumn Equinox and is at his height by Midwinter. A perfect starting point for a good, wintery cologne. My Holly King will contain notes of holly (of course), smooth peru balsam and warm chestnut among other things.

La Befana. This old lady is a charming piece of Italian folklore, visiting children on the Feast of Epiphany to deliver gifts of honey, figs, and dates (unless they were bad children. Then they get coal). I've started with figs and honey, but added a few twists...

Chalet Girl. Well, this one doesn't come from any folklore, but rather from my own fantasy Christmas...a

Vichaya Kiatying-Angsulee

ski lodge in the Alps, a mug of cocoa, crisp white snow outside my cosy cabin...Let's just ignore that I've never been ski-ing in my life and would almost certainly break both my ankles the second I tried to do it.

I've also got two new solid perfumes to add to the Autumn/Winter collection and, fingers crossed, they'll be with you in the next week or so! Look out for Nog Nuts and Sticky Toffee Tea.

And of course I'm working on a million other new blends as well, so you can look out for The Expert Dreamer, Waters of Lethe, Capua, and many more over the next few months as we head into 2014. And this seems as good a point as any to check the to-do list...

Perfume Stuff

Brainstorm essential oils-only line - I now have enough ideas to start working with; I just don't seem to have the time! Hopefully over the next couple of weekends, I'll get the preliminary blends for the new line ready.

Brainstorm Spring/Summer solid perfumes - I'm now officially sick of getting up in the dark and coming home from work in the dark, so I'm all about Spring/Summer solids and have more ideas than I can possibly make use of! 

Make-over packaging - Hmm...Still a work-in-progress, but I feel like I'll never be 100% satisfied so I may have to relax a little bit! I am planning to get 10ml roll-on bottles in stock as soon as possible; hopefully before Christmas but no promises at this point!

Other Stuff
Learning anatomy for my aromatherapy course! Science was never my strong point at school, but I think I've just about nailed the fact that we have skeletons and they hold us up, so I feel like I'm learning. A bit.