arquiste – This Side of Perfume

Anima Dulcis by Arquiste

October 30, 2014

Notes: cocoa absolute, Mexican vanilla, cinnamon, chilli infusion.

Anima Dulcis stands out as somewhat unique for a gourmand fragrance. There’s an element of sweetness here, just as you’d expect from a scent based around cocoa and vanilla. But Anima Dulcis is also savory, and even a touch bitter. That’s quite a few scent profiles to pack into one composition, but luckily it’s done here with a careful touch (or a careful nose) as Anima Dulcis is never overpowering. I get average sillage from this, which I think is just about right, anything more would be too much.

The immediate opening here is quiet on me. I sense a general bouquet of spices, but no one note stands out. Anima Dulcis takes its time, but I’ve learned it’s worth the wait. After about half an hour, it heats up very nicely. The chilli gives off an aromatic kind of heat, giving you a nice little bit of projection. I also detect a touch of cumin, although it’s not listed as a specific note.

I have to admit the fragrance is a little bit sweaty at this point, but this is where the bitter dark chocolate effect comes in. I absolutely love dark chocolate, so I really enjoy this aspect of the fragrance even though it’s not the typical creamy hot cocoa vibe that gourmand scents usually go for. And a bonus is that the bitterness has a drying effect, keeping the composition from becoming too humid-sweaty and veering into body odor territory. As a result, Anima Dulcis doesn’t read as a hugely animalic fragrance to me. Rather, the dirtiness here comes off as earthy, like rich soil. I suppose it’s the effect of the spicy/savory influences.

The dry down here is typical of sweet gourmands, with rich vanilla coming to the fore of the composition. It’s warm, appealing, and very cozy. Just a tinge of sweat lingers, and it’s a little bit leather-infused (perhaps this is the animalic effect?). Unfortunately for such a packed fragrance, Anima Dulcis doesn’t last much beyond five hours on me. But it’s a delicious journey while it lasts.

Above all, I appreciate the complexity at work in this perfume. You could easily classify Anima Dulcis as part of the Oriental fragrance family, because of the spice and the vanilla base. But there is more going on here, and I admire Anima Dulcis for stretching the boundaries of what we might consider a typical gourmand, and especially for being different than a typical chocolate perfume. I also like the way it takes time to heat up upon contact with the skin, as though Anima Dulcis needs a little time to get to know you before revealing aspects of its personality. It all comes together to make the wearing of this perfume a fascinating, challenging, and intensely personal experience.

Anima Dulcis is available directly from Arquiste and from Aedes de Venustas. Samples are available from The Perfumed Court. I got my sample from Aedes.

Image is from Fragrantica while info on the notes is from Arquiste.

Avant Versailles; Arquiste’s Fleur de Louis

July 24, 2014

Notes: iris, jasmine, African orange flower, Virginia cedar, orris, pine, rose.

Fleur de Louis opens with a wicked sharpness, a blast of cool pine and orange blossom. I initially thought I had applied the wrong perfume, since this wasn’t at all what I expected. Where is the floral? I wondered. If this doesn’t sound appealing, don’t worry, the opening is very short-lived. The harsh greenness melts away as quickly as it arrived, letting iris and jasmine unfold in its wake.

Frankly, I don’t mind the opening. It’s fitting since this fragrance is inspired by royalty: the Sun King, Louis XIV. It’s as though the brashness of the pine serves as a trumpeting signal to wait for the iris, the true star of this show.

A soft powdery floral atmosphere settles in, casting a spell of quiet comfort and lasting for the rest of wear time. This has a luxurious feel, but it’s not the gleaming luxury of Versailles. Fleur de Louis is not about opulence. There are no aldehydes in this composition, so the powdery effect remains subdued throughout wear time. Nothing about this composition is particularly loud or sparkling, and yet it’s not exactly sweet either. There is a bitterness from the orris, and I like the way this functions as a subtle reference to the sharp opening. The cedar and the rose are here to add some depth as wear time goes on, but neither note is particularly dominant. It’s an extremely well-blended composition.

Fleur de Louis is meant to represent the moment Louis and his bride, Maria Teresa, first met before their marriage. At this time, Louis was not yet the Sun King that we know from history. Indeed, the opening of this fragrance perhaps suggests the brashness of a young man, while the softness of the iris might convey a flicker of nerves upon meeting his bride for the first time.

There is a traditional feel to Fleur de Louis – it’s no trendy fruity/floral or rose/patchouli. This classic feel makes it easy to imagine the traditions that come along with royalty. The good thing here is that you don’t have to be a Bourbon king to pull off this fragrance. It’s extremely wearable, even in these dog days of late July.

The real effect of Fleur de Louis is the mood it sets. This fragrance is beautiful, but in a quiet, almost contemplative way. There is nothing boastful here, which makes it interesting that it’s based on Louis XIV. Fleur de Louis is not the fragrance of someone in the full-seat of absolute power, this is Louis before Versailles. Once it settles into the skin, it’s a quietly beautiful perfume that leaves the wearer time to think, to consider. It is a fragrance for someone on the cusp of bigger things.

Full bottles of Fleur de Louis are available from Barney’s. I got my sample with a purchase from Aedes de Venustas.

Image and info on notes is taken from fragrantica