Gypsy Water
Brand book field note.
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I dream of the day I can have a mirrored tray covered corner to corner in bottles of perfume sourced from around the world. Needless to say, I’m a scent person. A candle to a perfume’s ability to transport, for me, is up there with sound and sight.
And as I embark on day one of research for a brand book, I’m including a few field notes on signature scents — the later of the two I claim for myself.
Le Labo's Santal 33:
Imagine sitting in solitude on the rugged, wide plains of the American West, firelight on your face, indigo-blue night skies above. There is nothing around save for the soft, desert wind. You. Are. Free.
From this defining vision was born SANTAL 33: a perfume that touches the vast and wild universality of this dream... that intoxicates... It combines a mix of cardamom and notes of iris and violet, which crackle in the formula. Added to this smoking wood alloy (Australian sandalwood, cedarwood) are some spicy, leathery, musky notes, giving this perfume its signature and addictive comforting scent.
Here is, in a few words, what SANTAL 33 is... An open fire... The soft drift of smoke... Where sensuality rises after the light has gone.
Shop here
Gypsy Water:
Gypsy Water is an ode to the beauty of Romani culture, its unique customs, intimate beliefs and distinguished way of living. The scent wakens a dream of a colorful lifestyle made of innate nomadism. Woody notes of pine needle and sandalwood associated to intense amber and fresh citrus evoke the fever of gypsy nights spent in the forest.
Shop here.
Both scents have cult followings. I don’t care. If I had to wear one scent for the rest of my days it would be Gypsy Water. If I had to bet on a house candle purely off of description, I’d choose Summer Rain, also by byredo:
An olfactive interpretation of a rainy parenthesis on a hot day, Summer Rain signals a reset – channeling a particular sense of freedom, the magic of summer.
Opening notes of basil and spearmint announce a sudden release, like a fresh breeze cutting through the oppressive humidity. Cool, grass-like scents of green fig and sparkling ginger follow, bringing down the smell of leaves and wet trees in an image of vibrant greenery. The sweetness of tonka beans and sandalwood provide an energetic finish.
A dash through the downpour. Falling raindrops warmed by the sun. The restorative power of nature. Summer Rain is a slate wiped clean, ready for a new day.
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Day one’s write-up was inspired by Diane Keaton’s Hudson + Grace house candle:
The House candle is a sleek, black design with notes of cardamom, blue sage, and olive tree bark and finishes with warm vetiver and golden amber. AD, April 2024
Future reading: Inside Byredo founder Ben Gorham’s inspiring coastal retreat, set in the Swedish island of Gotland
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(Image credit: @SHESELLSJEWELS)