Queen of the Night

At the last minute before heading out the door I chose to wear pure Jasmine sambac absolute as my perfume to the film screening in Hollywood. It seemed an appropriate way to honor the small little fragrant flowers that have been strewning themselves in the walkways around our home.

Whither dost thou hide from the magic of my flute-call In what moonlight-tangled meshes of perfume, Where the clustering keovas guard the squirrel's slumber, Where the deep woods glimmer with the jasmine's bloom?

~ The Golden Threshold by Naidu

Jasmine sambac, the sibling of Jasmine grandiflorum, has a heady floral quality which moves into intensely green notes, somewhat animalic. Its origins began in eastern India and the southern Himalayas, finding their way to China. In fact some source China as the point of origin. The small, waxy florets are found in the fragrant gardens of royalty: sultans, emperors and kings both past and current.

Jasmine is a white floral note found in oriental perfumes classified as florientals. Synthetic Jasmine was perfected in the early nineteen hundreds and continues to be an important floral note in main stream perfume. The botanical perfumer utilizes the essence from the actual plant in a variety of forms, sourced from many parts of the world. Often referred to as sweet, floral, heavy, fruity and herbaceous. Jasmine sambac, however, has an added green note.

I adore this heavenly fragrance, much more so than the other available Jasmines. Most of my custom perfume clients opt for the traditional Jasmine note of the grandiflorum. The luscious green fairy of the sambac makes an appearance in the sweetest and most floral of our perfumes. She is also prominent in a series of signature floral accords in my perfumers palette.

In aromatherapy Jasmine is considered a euphoric with applications for treating depression, anxiety, sexual challenges and facilitating greater creativity. Within magical circles Jasmine is associated with the moon, the feminine and elemental water.

For promoting prophetic dreams:

• Use a dab of a botanical perfume containing Jasmine or a dilution of the pure extract just before sleep.
• Place a few of the little Jasmine sambac flowers on you nightstand.
• Use a few drops of an essential oil synergy containing Jasmine in a warm bath.
  
• Create a small herbal with dried Jasmine flowers.
  

I have used Jasmine sambac hydrosol at festivities for invoking higher states of consciousness and uniting us with our joy filled heart.

The photograph above is a closeup of our little Buddha in front of our front door with Jasmine sambac flowers in his hands, ©RoxanaVilla.