Amanda Feeley of Esscentual Alchemy organized a scent event to celebrate summer, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Sixteen perfumers participated in this event, creating natural perfumes based on Shakespearean characters. Individual handmade creations were distributed to fragrance lovers/writers. Two natural perfumes were sent to me. This is my impression of “Act I”, Ane Walsh of Artesã Perfumista’s Robin, a jasmine tea fruity-floral.
Arriving in my post from the distant land of Brazil, a little “antique” bottle of blonde liquid, some of the juice leaked in the package. As I carried the package inside, I was trailed by the most beautiful jasmine I had ever smelled. How I hoped that there was still enough inside of the bottle for me to dab on my pulse points! The fragrance gods were happy with me, there was plenty. Inside this package, Ane Walsh’s creation, Robin, with a note:
Robin
Opening notes of bergamot and Kaffir lime petit grain.
Heart notes of jasmine grandiflorum and sambac, plus night queen with a touch of myrrh.
Grounding with vetiver, agarwood and sandalwood, bathed in a frankincense tincture, with night breezes of ambrette with a tropical blow of pitanga, to make that summer night different.
Ane went on to explain that she was inspired by the gnome, Robin. She imagined herself making his love potion. She felt herself “in the wet, warm starry darkness”.
The perfume, Robin is beautiful. It is a warm fragrance, romantic, and it really does remind me of summer nights and of the mischievous Puck/Robin . Robin opens up with a sheer bergamot enhancing the warm, grassy jasmine. This jasmine reminds me exactly of jasmine tea. This is the best jasmine tea fragrance. Ever. It’s warm, honeyed, grassy, and floral. It’s “hazy”, foggy, intoxicating. The dry-down of Robin is just as beautiful. It is also sheer, the entire fragrance is sheer, like a summer breeze at night, but a little “stuffy” because of the heady quality of jasmine. But, still sheer. The dry-down is sheer woods with the beautiful buttery, vegetal musk, ambrette seed. But, there is an interesting fruitiness. I assume this is “pitanga” or the “Brazilian cherry”. The fruitiness in the base is like blood orange with it’s natural quality of citrus and red berries. This tropical fruity base is unexpected and works perfectly. It adds some energy, waking one out of the haze, while keeping the perfume sultry.
I love the scent Robin. It’s a passionate but sheer fruity jasmine with summer warmth. Robin is the perfect “love potion”. My husband adores it 😉 The ingredients are high quality and the fragrance is well constructed. I love it in the way that I love Vero Profumo Rubj. These are the type of fruity-florals that make me feel va-va-voom. Ane Walsh’s style is elegant and refined, reminding me somewhat of Vero Profumo and Ormonde Jayne but botanical/natural.
More info on Ane Walsh on her website that is in Portuguese. I really hope to sniff more from this line. I’ll post my Act II tomorrow. It’s another beauty, but very different.
Others participating in A Midsummer Night’s Dream Perfume Event include:
Fragrance Belles-Lettres: The Magazine
Isn’t Robin just lovely? I did not know what to expect at all, but I adore it! So ethereal and mysterious, bringing honor back to the fruity-floral genre for sure!
I really enjoyed your take on this. The pitanga fruit is certainly a new player in perfumery and I hope to see more of it! 🙂
Flora (Donna from Perfume-Smellin’ Things)
One shouldn’t give up on the fruity-floral genre 🙂
The pitanga fruit is really interesting. I do hope to see more of it in perfumery. And now I’m on a quest to find it. Want to taste it!
Oh, I love a good fruity-floral, I just hate what has been done to a perfectly good style of perfume by all the celebutante scent horrors and other junk that gives it a bad name. Good ones are some of my favorites!
For years I thought I hated fruity-florals, but I realized my only experience were with awful celeb-scents and mainstream messes. When I finally found a good fruity-floral, I was shocked. And they are some of my favorites too. I love Vero Profumo Rubj, so sultry, and all of the Ormonde Jayne florals make me swoon.
What a lovely review. I’ve had the pleasure of sampling several of Ane’s perfumes and can’t wait to sample this one. I’m starting to get into tea fragrances these days so Robin sounds like one I must try.
This fragrance really plays up the “grassiness” of dried jasmine. It’s beautiful.
WOW this sounds incredibly gorgeous! You really must have lucked out receiving such a beautiful perfume. Enjoy it!
This was a good match for me. Totally something than I’d love, can’t wait to wear this in the summer. And you know I’m nice and I always share 🙂
You are pretty darn nice like that, it’s true. 🙂 I love that Monica is giving us perfumes from the PLAP project to give away for draws, too- I’m psyched about that.
It looks like the one in my giveaway is one in my top 3 too. How ironic!
I needed to stop by and tell you how much I have enjoyed reading all of these reviews 😀
Robin sounds so delightful and fresh, just perfect for hot days!
Thank you so much for participating!
Thank you so much for coordinating this event! I’ve loved being apart of it.
Dear All,
Sorry about my delay in giving notice.This review was a test for my emotions. I am so glad you liked Robin. It makes me more courageous to create more.
My personal email is anewalsh@gmail.com and I’be very glad to talk to you.
Hi Ane,
Robin is a beautiful fragrance and very well-done. I know that many people are interested in trying it. They are “scouting” your website for more perfumes.
Thanks for creating such an interesting fragrance.
Ane is my teacher and I can hardly wait to try Robin!!! I want because I LOVE pitanga… its green juicyness… and have no doubt about Ane’s talent!!! She is so sweet!!! 🙂
Very cool! Hope to smell your creations one day 🙂
I’m loving all of the indie Brazilian perfumes. They’ve introduced me to exotic fruits and florals, pitanga being one. I used to think I disliked fruity fragrances. I don’t. I dislike synthetic, boring fruity stuff.
Thanks for commenting!
Yeah… I think there are lots of brazilian perfumers going out there!!!
Well… I love pitanga… the fruit!!! It’s a kind of passion I have… but with no idea of where it comes from!!!
I love the whole plant… the fruit… the leaves!!! The leaves reminds so much the fruits!!! The fruit is very sweet sometimes… but usually, it is a little tangy… with green touches… ah… I love it!!!
It smells like happiness!!! Hahaha
You can even put a few leaves in a lemonade… fresh and delicious!!!
I hope I’m able to send a good creation for you one day!!! Hahaha
Happy Easter!!! 😉
Xoxo
I have been so impressed with the indie perfumes and natural perfumes I’m smelling coming out of Brazil. Keep ’em coming! Can’t wait to sniff yours 🙂 I think the Brazilian perfumes that I have tried have been so great with bringing in natural elements to create non-cloying, fresh, and yes, even happy perfumes! The use of fruit is brilliant and unlike the heavy fruity stuff that I’m used to.
I hope I get to try pitanga and the lemonade someday. I actually hope I can make it to Brazil someday.