I have perfume samples that I forget that I have. I think if sniffing perfumes is your hobby, then you can relate. It makes me a bit embarrassed to admit this. First, it makes me feel a hoarder. Secondly, it makes me feel ungrateful for people giving me things to sniff and then I don’t. Neither is true, well, don’t mention the hoarding thing to anyone that has ever lived with me. Anyway, I’ve had samples of Tambela (AKA Bellyflowers but is currently AKA Tambela) natural perfumes and I’ve realized that I’ve never even opened them.
Here’s review of two of the perfumes:
Wild Chypre
Wile Chypre is inspired by the South of France. I’m still in my chypre mood and I’ve been “shopping” my samples for my mossy fix. Wild Chypre has an unusually addictive opening of sweet, dried orange peel and cooling peppermint. I wear this and I think of an remote cabin surrounded by snow. It’s cool and the orange peel adds warmth like a fireplace. As the fragrance wears, it becomes a cool but balsamic evergreen fragrance. It smells like Christmas trees and evergreen tar. This effect also makes me think of a remote cabin. One with walls covered in hides, iron tools and a bit of kerosene. It’s green and balsamic but it is leathery in a “botanical animalic” way. Bundles of dried herbs hang from the low ceilings. The heart becomes more floral. Wildflowers are pressed in heavy leather-bound books. The dry-down is like smoky moss.
Nothing about it brings to mind the South of France for me, but that doesn’t matter. It’s a rustic evergreen chypre that takes me to a place that I’d love to escape to.
Notes of orange, lavender, peppermint, silver fir, ylang ylang, jasmine, wild carrot, oakmoss, myrrh, vetiver, Peru balsam and fossilized amber. PERFUMER – Elise Pearlstine
Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Rustic cabin surrounded by snow. It’s like a Christmas tree chypre.
Verdigris
Verdigris is a green take on musk. It opens with a bitter, green freshly cut grass with a piquant pepper. With fir and herbaceous notes, it smells like Pacific Northwest forests in the summer. It’s green with camphoric qualities. The heart of the perfume is a musky sage with lavender buds.Since it reminds me of lavender sachets and cleansing sage bundles, I find this heart really meditative. The dry-down is a rich amber incense haze.
Notes of clary sage, lavender, ylang ylang, violet leaf, hyraceum, ambergris, labdanum, opoponax, patchouli and fir. PERFUMER – Elise Pearlstine
Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Meditative amber musk. With the green grassy opening, I was so surprised to see this perfume turn into a rich, warm, animalic amber.
Give either of these perfumes a try if you like natural chypres or natural balsamic/woodsy scents. Or if you like perfumes like Aftelier Bergamoss, Hiram Green Shangri-La, Providence Perfume Co. Moss Gown and/or Alchemologie Sol de la Foret.
Projection is average but longevity for both of these perfumes are above average, especially Wild Chypre.
Tambela perfumes come in a few sizes and concentrations. The 1/2 oz EDP retails for $60 at Tambela. Samples are also available for purchase.
Want more reviews? Try…
Ça Fleure Bon – Interview with the perfumer.
Perfume-Smellin Things – Review of Wild Chypre and a highlight on carrot perfumes.
Basenotes – Mimi Gardenia’s review of Verdigris
*Disclaimer – Samples provided in a FRAGments swag bag. I am not financially compensated for my reviews. My opinions are my own. Product pic from the brand. Cabin pic from freeimages.com.