Pure amber, which is distilled from tree resin, can smell "almost slightly pissy", in Christopher's words--but he insists that when it's used correctly it is quite alluring. "Americans have this idea that everything needs to smell clean, clean, clean", he laments, with a shake of his head. He counters the trend for sanitised fragrances with creations like Wild Hunt, which is full of delightful earthy notes, including (according to his literature) "torn leaves, crushed twigs, flowing sap, fallen branches, old leaves, green moss, fir, pine and tiny mushrooms".
— From He Hates Perfume, a profile of Christopher Brosius of CB I Hate Perfume, in More Intelligent Life. Thanks to Pia for the link!
Wait… what? “Pure amber, which is distilled from tree resin…”
I was under the impression that “amber” in perfume was the name of an accord, usually based on labdanum, and also the misnomer and/or name for approximations of ambergris. Amber the jewel is petrified tree resin. Is there really a distillation of tree resin called amber? And if so, what tree?
Well, here's the thing. Labdanum is a resin. It comes from a plant that is, strictly speaking, a bush, but could be called a tree. It is NOT related to the amber used to make jewelry, and in and of itself is not called “amber”, but you know. Explaining all of this to a reporter might not be worth your while. But I do think it's confusing, since an “amber” note need not contain labdanum to begin with.
Hmm, thanks for this reminder — I fell in love with the CB line when I first started this “hobby,” but still haven't bought a single bottle. I think I need to correct that soon. Love some of his creations.
Well thanks for confirming this, Robin. The whole “tree resin” thing is very persistent, I've seen it show up on blogs and even in a perfume guide I picked up, and I am always both very irritated by the mistake and then immediately overcome by self-doubt, LOL.
It would be very difficult to mistake a rock rose/cistus bush for a tree…I do think the confusion is about the jewelry.
I just have to say that “tiny mushrooms” made me laugh.
I think CB should have been more adventurous and gone with giant mushrooms 😉
Actually, you can make an “amber” from fossilized amber. There's a good article on this at Perfume Shrine ( http://perfumeshrine.fortunecity.com/blog/entry76.html )
I have to agree about Americans and cleanliness. I've pretty much given up giving my sister perfume as a present. She and/or her husband seem to hate anything interesting. The only perfume that's ever worked for them is En Passant. Next Christmas I'm just going to give them a lifetime supply of Ivory Soap.
But it is not used in perfumes, so seems besides the point, maybe?
I do too, and have several on my “to buy” list. I do wish he'd do 30 ml water perfumes!
LOL!
I've never seen a cistus bush, so I'd probably have no problem mistaking it for a tree 😉
Wonder how Wild Hunt compares to Black March? I love Black March, but it eventually turns into a mild little floral on me, so I've made do with my sample and never bought a bottle. I really want something that smells like moist leaves and dirt and stays that way…
Thank you (and Pia) for the link–I would never have seen the article.
It stays very forest-y on me, but it doesn't last very long on my skin–longer than Fir Tree, which I am lucky to smell for 20-minutes before it fades to nothing (I have only tried these two in the oils). In fact the two are pretty magnificent layered.
I haven't tried Black March, so can't compare, but Wild Hunt is too piney to ever be too floral. At least, not exclusively, since the pine is pretty persistent. My entire family loves this one. Growing up, I used to play in a pine forest across the road from my parents' house, and it smelled just like this in the early spring, when the snow melts were running down off the hills, making little streams through the long grass.
I have to 2nd Robin's wish for 30ml size though, if only so I could buy a lot more. 🙂 Such a fun line!
Damselfly, Black March really does smell like spring to me, and Wild Hunt — summer. Same forest, now there are mushrooms growing. Less floral, more earthy. BUT, I'm out of Black March so all that is going on memory, and mine is bad.
De nada!
Fir tree was oddly faint on me — was wondering if I was anosmic to some of the ingredients.
Thank you all for the input. I may yet buy a bottle of Black March, but Wild Hunt sounds like something I'd like to try, too. CB's line is so interesting.
Try Demeter's Earthworm. Total wet loamy dirt. You could layer it with Wet Garden for the leaves.