Getting Dirty

Before my friend and muse, Mona Lewis, arrived in Santa Fe for the Poetry of Scent & Color workshops, I had been foraging for dirt, rocks and plants to run some tests. The dirt and rocks were to be used for creating pigments and the plants for eco printing onto fabric, as shown below.

Heading out to find these materials heightened my connection to the land and enabled a new way of seeing, a heightened perception of the colored soils and plants that grow in and around my work and home environment. I started to see the subtle variations in the hues of the earth and detect whether the reds were warm or cool.

I also started driving more consciously so that observing the plants growing by the roadside and soil colors were easier to perceive. In the process I discovered and new way to connect with the land and the sense of this place. This is now become a new mindfulness practice which is resulting in much more awareness, its like my eyes have expanded their capacity, as if they were lungs inhaling triple the amount of oxygen than before.

Although I have very little background in chemistry and none at all in geology, in the last few weeks I have noticed that at the core of the relationship between plants and minerals is that all matter is composed of chemicals.  Matter is defined as a mass that occupies space, for example plants, rocks, mountains, humans and animals. The chemicals that form matter are tiny particles which are invisible to our eyes.

In alchemy we refer to matter as our "prima materia", the first matter, the ouroboros, where everything begins and ends. Ancient texts mention the symbol of the ouroboros appearing in Egypt circa1690 BC. The serpentine image later appears in Greece where we get the origins of the word “oura” meaning “tail” and “bόros” meaning “eating”.  In many alchemical texts the image depicts a serpent or dragon, or both, eating its own tail. The circular image reminds us of how nature is cyclical, the "eternal return” and primordial unity.

The alchemical illustration above depicts the omnipresence of philosophical matter, with the cubes representing the prima materia.

"The Stone that is Mercury, is cast upon the Earth, exalted on Mountains,
resides in the Air, and is nourished in the Waters."[1]

As a visual and aromatic artist I've come to realize that I strive toward illuminating this "omnipresence" whether it is through a painting, photograph or fragrance.

Creating eco-dyes and grinding down soil for pigments has become a deepening experience, not only as a way to bond with the land and plants but also with my self. I've started to become aware how the colors of the land here in New Mexico are as diverse as the skin pigments of those who dwell here, from the very fair northern Europeans to the darker pigments from Africa. Our skin tones are a reflection of Mother Earth and she a reflection of us.

"As Above So Below,

As Within So Without"

Jennifer Butler, the visionary stylist from Los Angeles, teaches that humans have specific tonalities to their skin, such as violet, pink, gold and peach. The main underlying color of my skin is violet, which is the foundation of the color palette my essence resonates with (see photo above), where as my daughter Eve has peach as her undertone.

Learning how to hunt for rocks, soils and plants that will pigment for paint or imprint on clothe has been tremendously rewarding, opening new pathways of thinking. How this adventure will evolve and integrate with plant perfume is still unfolding as I continue to see and sense the subtle connections that unite scent and color while working continuing to work harmoniously with the Earth.

Images & Text

Photos & text ©RoxanaVilla

Alchemical Emblem "Atalanta Fugiens" 1617 by Michael Maier enhanced and collaged by Roxana Villa

[1]  Michael Maier (1568–1622) A German physician and counsellor to Rudolf II Habsburg in Prague.

Oakmoss

"A rolling stone gathers no moss."

In my palette as an authentic nature perfumer, oakmoss is one of my most cherished base notes. The damp, forest floor quality of this lichen lends a rich, full bodied, earthiness that reminds me of Demeter. As you may recall, she is the ancient Greek Goddess of the harvest and agriculture who governs over the fertility of the Earth and the mother of Persephone.

Oakmoss is also known as tree moss or Mousse de Chene, and goes by the latin Evernia prunastri. Although the name can be deceiving, it is a species of lichen from temperate forests in Northern Hemispheres. The fragrance note is a key component in the composition of historical Chypre and Fougère type of perfumes. I tend to use it in small amounts paired with complimentary resins and woods in chords which are then added to the final orchestration of the fragrance. 

Oakmoss has been used to construct many of my perfumes but is most obvious in Hedera helix, Q, Figure 1: Noir, Terrestre, Figure 5: Bois and GreenWitch. She is quite robust and requires a delicate hand, but, rewards those who can cultivate patience. 

I consider this very dark and viscous material a scent ally for me, especially since moving to the desert. The scent profile has agrestic notes of decaying earth but also a lyrical component which harkens the dwelling where you find the elves of Middle Earth from the Tolkien series. It's no wonder Wendy Froud wrote this after receiving her compact at the San Diego Comic Con.

"I love fragrances and everything that my favorite ones evoke but I was truly captivated by Roxana's Q perfume the first time I experienced it. It evokes something ancient and at the same time very intimate and personal. To me it's a "remembered" fragrance that taps into the green world of Faerie in the same way that a painting or sculpted image can. When I wear it, which is often, I feel closer to that elusive and magical world."

Photos ©Roxana Villa

Elves image from Movie Magic

New Mexico Plant Feature: Osha Root

Keeping in the vein of last weeks post, I thought I'd share a bit about a local root that I have been cultivating a relationship with. It's called oshá root, Ligusticum porteri, a perennial herb that grows at high elevations in rich, moist soils. Common names include: Porter's Lovage, Wild Lovage, Indian Parsley, Mountain Carrot, Empress of the Dark Forest, Colorado Cough Root, Chuchupate, "Indian Parsley", mountain ginseng, and Bear Medicine. 1.

I had avoided it for years because it is threatened due to over harvesting. Here in northern New Mexico osha is native and is fairly easy to find at the Santa Fe farmers market by growers who are respectful of the plant. Osha has a co-dependent relationship with the mycorrhizal fungi, which is the main reason the plant won't grow outside of its native habitat.

In January I contacted the respiratory infection that was going around, besides my usual regime of eating lots of garlic & ginger, taking baths with essential oils and salts, fasting, consuming specific herbs and tinctures, I picked up some osha cough syrup—that's when the love (lovage) affair began and has been building ever since. I've heard osha referred to as the ginseng of New Mexico.

"Osha root contains anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties and therefore supports health or healing for respiratory conditions (coughs, colds, tonsillitis, flu, and other types of viral infections). Its antiviral properties are well recognized today, and as an alternative medicine, it's often prescribed at the first signals of the common cold or flu. Osha can also be taken when traveling to higher altitudes or for long-distance hiking to promote easy breathing.

A decoction (essentially a long, slow simmer) will extract the medicinal properties of the root into a flavorful, dark tea, which can be sipped purely, or mixed into any variety of tea-lattes or broths.

To make a decoction, simply add a handful of dried root to several cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a gentle simmer and allow to reduce for at least thirty minutes - though five to six hours is preferable as the longer the roots simmer, the stronger, and more beneficial the decoction.

When finished, the water will be a translucent, grey-brown tint, reflective of the root's color, and rich in beneficial plant-properties."2.

Osha tastes and smells warm, earthy and wonderful—the rather strong fragrance contains creamy, syrup-like anise, tonka and pepper notes. I have an essential oil of lovage that I plan to revisit, especially for my New Mexico pure fume series.

The indigenous people consider the root sacred and used it for respiratory conditions and as an incense or strung for purifying the air.

1. Taos Herb
2. The Alchemists Kitchen

Rooted

"Deep in their roots, all flowers keep the light."

~ Theodore Roethke

It's root vegetable season, very evident at the Santa Fe farmers market. In California, where the growing season is all year long for the most part, you don't witness the shift that occurs in the plants as much, a shift which humans also experience on a much more subtle level.

Roots are very dense in nutrients since they absorb lots of beneficial earth based components as they grow underground. These nutrients are then turned into antioxidants, vitamins and iron that help support and cleanse our systems. Other benefits include slow-burning carbohydrates and fiber, good for nourishing our interior life during the cold winter months.

It's as if roots are fuel to keep our inner light flickering. This idea reminds me of other concepts, related to the opening quote by Theodore Roethke, a perfect illustration of how plants are great symbols for us of how to live and thrive in the world.

We begin our lives as tiny seedlings, nestled in a dark, watery womb where we are nourished via a root-like cord. After emerging into the world, we first receive nutrients from our mother milk and eventually get teeth so that we can chew our own food and begin to embody/in body our own self as an independent being.

The light from the sun (Fire) helps us to blossom, to push through the earthly (Earth) mantel, into the open expanse (Air) and receive those drops of life force from the heaven above (Water). Through this constant, repeating pattern, we grow and hopefully learn, keeping that inner light—the spark of life, alive and constantly tended.

As you may have noticed, at this journal I highlight our connection to the plants, how we are like the different representatives whether the flowers, the trees, the elementals and how by getting back to those roots we can perceive the light.

Talking Dirty: Goût de Terroir at Fragrantica

Aligned with the energetics of Venus and her guardian Aphrodite, I am thrilled to share my first piece as a contributing writer on Fragrantica. Talking Dirty: Goût de Terroir. The french term, Goût de Terroir, refers to the flavors imparted by the earth to wine.

Many thanks to Elena Knezevic, the founder of Fragrantica, and Marlen Elliot Harrison, the executive editor, for bringing me on board. I had the pleasure to meet and get to know Marlen in 2007 at a Sniffapalooza event in Los Angeles just before officially launching my brand. Elena, and her handsome husband Zoran when they arrived on the perfume scene with their comprehensive site Fragrantica and then in person at the Fragments Event in LA a few years ago.

 Please check it out and leave a comment if inspired. The intention is to contribute a piece each week, if you have something specific you would like me to write about please leave a comment or send me a note, I love hearing from each of you.

Image is via Fragrantica.

Do It in the Dark

Thanks to one of my local fan Peggy, who reminded that today is EarthHour, that once a year happening where we deepen our awareness of the planet we collectively reside on and refrain from lights (including computers and cell phones!) for one hour.

It's pretty interesting that as a species this is so difficult for us to do. This collective, simple action provides a great opportunity to sit in candlelight with a glass of wine, as Peggy suggested to me, and enjoy sixty sacred moments.

The scent related to this experience is Terrestre, crafted in 2009 as an act of honoring Earth. Read more about this earthy, blossoming earth fragrance at this link here at the journal. The illumination that accompanies this aromatic potion was originally created for the Vespertina music album by the Maestro.

HAPPY EARTH DAY!

Wishing each of you a very happy EARTH day! The earthiest of our perfumes are Terrestre, created on Earth Day and Figure 1: Noir. Read more about elemental earth here.

For a bit of validation on just how magnificent Mother Earth is, check out this video. As you may have heard, I will be a presenter as this Autumns Aromatherapy Conference up in Seattle. My talk is titled "The Tree of Life: A Mystical Approach to the Art of Aromatherapy", this video gives you a clue as to why I choose the tree as my archetype.

I Feel the Earth Move

All the ducks are getting lined up for the Figure 1: Noir release for Earth Day. There are still a few items to take care of like more photos, writing the press release and sending samples to my favorite bloggers. In the meantime I have been wearing both versions and getting feedback from the fandom. 

At the moment the solid version that has gone out to folks and showcased at the San Francisco Salon is much more dense and earthy than the liquid. Some of you have expressed that you like them as they are and use them together, while others are in admiration of the liquid but not the solid. Thus, I have made another mod of the fragrance, shifting the solid to be a bit more like the liquid with the fruit note slightly more in the foreground.

Here is a quote about Figure 1: Noir solid, mod 1:

"It reminds me of being in a cool, dim cellar with damp wood, mossy earth and a tantalizing drift of stored fruit from some distant corner."
                                                              ~ Linda

Photograph is by Lucy Snowe, one of the many she did for me.

Talking Dirty

In French Goût de Terroir means Taste of the Earth. It is a term referring to wine and the flavors imparted by the earth in which the vines grow. The term originated in the 1700's and used for marketing later in the 1800's. Although the term appears to be specifically related to the taste of the dirt absorbed by the roots of the vine, other it is more a reference to the flavors of the terrain imparted on the vine. For example if you grow the same exact plant in two different parts of the world the wine from the two vines will have different flavors. This is due to the earth as well as the other three elements fire (sun), air (wind) and water (rain).


I came to this knowledge, not through wine but through the study of essential oils in aromatherapy courses. A lavender essential oil of the same species and variety grown in France will have a different aromatic make-up than one grown in Southern California. The 400 or more chemicals that make up the oil shift according the the conditions where it is grown, thus impacting the aroma.


For years I have been using an Oud from Cambodia for my perfumes. It is most prominent in Chaparral® and Rosa as well as featured in other perfumes and accords. This little Cambodia gem that I have been using is just about out and thus I will be switching to a different Oud obtained last year by way of Laos. Since the aromas are so varied between the two, the fragrance of the perfumes will be altered. This is one of the variables that exist in the land of natural perfume. In fact it is one of the reasons the large perfume houses prefer synthetics, not only because they are substantially less expensive and have extreme longevity but the aroma is consistent.


Nature is not consistent and although I work to have some consistency in my line sometimes mother nature has an altered plan. Cheers to our aromatic adventure and all those twists and turns that keeps us on our toes while still planted here on Earth.

Photos ©Roxana Villa, taken during a trip to Ecuador in 2009

Gift Guide: The EARTH Girl

Rusty Earthy Cup by TierraSky in New Jersey

A new Gift Guide featuring all things earthy.



Bison Buffalo Art Print by Lucy Snowe in Oregon
Flower Earrings with Earthy Brown Blooms by Didem in the USA
Milkweed Pod Archival Print by Amber Alexander in Vermont
Felted Gloves with Silk flowers by AureliaLT in Lithuania

For her I've selected Terrestre, For the Earth, solid natural perfume in a round compact. This perfume was begun during Earth hour and then released on Earth Day. I used essences that embody the rich aroma of the earth and are considered grounding in aromatherapy.

The image that illuminates Terrestre is by my husband Greg. It was originally created for the Vespertina music CD and featured in the limited edition booklet.

Keywords for Terrestre: Grounded, Here and Now, Strength. Elemental: EARTH.

Summoning Earth

Elemental earth is grounding and supportive. In contrast to the other elementals like air, fire and water the earth is stable. The external associations are found in dirt, rocks, caves and the ground which we walk on. The aroma is most prevalent in such pure plant essences as Patchouli, a polarizing fragrance that has become emblematic with the 1960's.



I was born in the 1960's in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Thus I have none of the smell associations that many attribute to Patchouli. My introduction to it came in the nineties, I wasn't fully conscious or much appreciative of it until aromatherapy entered my life. During my induction into aromatherapy, I was surprised to learn that patchouli essential oil is derived from leaves, due to its musky aroma and ability to ground mental energy I had been convinced that it came from roots.

The perennial is native to Asia where the leaves were placed with fabric as an insect repellent with the added benefit of scent. The essential oil is is distilled from the scalded, dried leaves of Pogostemon cablin. Viscous and amber in color the aroma has a rich fragrance, sweet herbal notes weaved with wood, spice, musk and earth. The essence "ages" spectacularly, softening edges and revealing deep balsamic, floral notes.

In aromatherapy as well as natural botanical perfume patchouli is an important essence to have in an aromatic palette. For aromatherapy work the essential oil works on several systems of the body, most importantly offering considerable value for psychological balancing. As our culture has moved into cyber space and places huge worth on mental performance patchouli brings us back to elemental earth, to the here and now. The fragrance not only grounds us but also uplifts and arouses our creative energies.



Although patchouli was part of the Asian pharmacopoeia (defined as a book of medicinal preparations) the distilled herb did not enter into the west until the mid 1800's. In perfume work, the essence is particularly important to the genre of spicy oriental formulas. The aroma of patchouli provides a valuable affect on other floral essences within a composition and excellent fixative properties.

The natural perfumer is fortunate to now have a variety of patchouli essences to work with. In addition to numerous varieties of the essential oil, we now also have an absolute, a C02 extract and beautiful vintage bouquets featuring a floral note.

Now, just about fifteen years since I was introduced to patchouli, I use the essential oil almost daily in my face oil and under my arms as a deodorant. This vital plant distillate has become a staple in my beauty routine and perfumers palette. I've also come to realize, during custom perfume consultations, that if an individual experiences the aroma without "knowing" what it is, they are more apt to not have objections. This is especially true of the aged essential oil.

Patchouli is one of the many earthy elemental essences that were utilized for constructing the natural perfume Terrestre. The journey began with the construction of a "dirt" accord for a client requesting a custom perfume. The accord was further developed during the three hours between the East and West coast of Earth hour with the perfume finally released on Earth day. The word Terrestre is French for "of the Earth".



Elemental Earth is the home of our connection to the here & now. It is related to the base chakra, the place of manifestation, control & restraint and grounded in experience. Home of the Male, strength and ability to create magic. The spirit medicine of Snake dwells here with the ability to move swiftly, above and below the ground, to shed what no longer serves and be born anew. The lesson of earth requires us to let go and break free of constraints and the compulsion to control. We are asked to be present here within our bodies, feeling our feet upon the ground.

Three hundred sixty five days have brought us back to the day we celebrate Mother Earth. What have the two legged humans learned in that space of time? Have we deepened our awareness of our selves and this planet on which we dwell, or do we still wander in darkness?

Remember, always, the debt we owe to the Earth. Without her we have no home to dwell upon, whether that is the ground beneath us or the physical body that houses our spirit.

Bee Inspired

Yesterday I was reading about propolis, spurred on by a conversation with my neighbor regarding honey bees. I learned that the bee gathers propolis from tree resin and that all propolis is unique depending on where it is gathered, the time of year, etc. Some propolis will be high in one chemical component while the sticky resinous substance gathered from the same location at a different time of the year will vary in its chemical blueprint.

If the resin is collected from conifer trees the propolis may have upwards of fifty chemical components derived from waxes, balsam, pollen and even essential oils. Propolis in the hive is used to seal cracks and even mummify unwanted substances and artifacts.

This led me to believe that the Egyptian mummification process began by their observations of the honey bee. After all the bee was revered in ancient Egyptian culture.

All this speculation was going on in my brain when early this morning fellow Backwards Beekeeper Max Wong posted this article from the Guardian titled Honeybees 'entomb' hive to protect from pesticides say scientists. The honey bee is so smart, meanwhile fellow humans continue to use harmful pesticides which are the plague of Mother Earth.

I hold tight to the intention that one day soon the two legged homosapien will wake up in a graceful manner. In the meantime I'll infuse extra doses of awareness into my natural botanical perfumes to facilitate the process and continue to support the honey bee in all her magnificence.

Earth Day occurs on April 22nd, learn about events happening worldwide at the Earth Day Network.

Image: Honeybee college ©Roxana Villa

Terra on Mercury Day

It's Wednesday, which is ruled by the planet Mercury, and I've got my contribution to the Aromatic Journey series up at the Lillyella blog. This month I share a simple, yet effective DIY clay mask, enjoy!

Elemental Earth at the Lillyella Blog

Photo by Roxana Villa

Perfume Illuminated: Earth

"The poetry of the earth is never dead."
~ John Keats

Fertile Earth, where we dwell and plant our seeds, is the topic of this installment of Perfume Illuminated. The crust of the Earth is rock composed of oxygen, silicon, aluminum and iron. In some parts of the world the ratio of this divine cocktail will be slightly different. For example if you ever visit Puerto Iguazú in the province of Misiones, Argentina you will notice that the earth there has an intense orange red cast to it. This is due to the decomposition of iron-rich rocks.

Earth is one of the four classic elements in Greek philosophy and one of the four basic elements in Alchemy. The most used symbol to denote elemental earth is the quartered circle. The alchemical symbol is a downward-pointing triangle, bisected by a horizontal line.


Elemental earth is connected to the mineral kingdom and our sensory experience of this world through touch. Associated with the North, elemental EARTH, is home to our connection to the here & now. Located in the base chakra, this is the place of manifestation, control & restraint and grounded in experience. Home of the Male, strength and ability to create magic. The spirit medicine of Snake dwells here with the ability to move swiftly, above and below the ground, to shed what no longer serves and be born anew. Read more about elemental earth here at the journal by following this link and here for the real dirt.

Aligned with the energetics of this post today I choose to cut my hair. It was a bold decision on my part which required a great amount of courage and leap of faith into the recreation of myself.

"Shall I not have intelligence with the earth?
Am I not partly leaves and vegetable mould myself."
~ Henry David Thoreau

FRAGRANCE

The notes in perfume with the strongest fixation, least volatile, are those classified as basenotes. These dark, viscous raw materials are the foundation of a well structured botanical perfume, without them the fragrance would be fleeting and have little depth.

Within our palette of magnificent essences those most often characterized as "earthy" reside in the base note domain. The aromatic profile of these fragrances is dank and musky with a vegetative element. Some of these include Vetiver, Patchouli and Oud. Depending how you perceive Earthy others in this group might include: Hay, Labdanum, Angelica Root, Oakmoss and Galbanum.


For an Earth perfume, how about beginning with a bit of earth—literally! At the Whole Child, Whole Parent Expo a few years back one of the attending biodynamic farmers gave me a packet of biodynamic earth. I decided to tincture this material to use in the future edition of Terrestre as a liquid. A very dirty tincture to be sure. Since salt is associated with earth in alchemy I will be adding a bit to the pure fume.

An earth accord can be made simply by combining any of the ingredients listed above. Before you begin consider going out and sitting on the Earth. Close your eyes and experience the ground quality of Earth, how she supports and feeds you. FEEL yourself on the earth, let going of the mind and come into your body. From this place of the here and now begin considering which notes to use. Consider including mushroom absolute and essences from roots since these firmly contain a strong imprint of the earth.

FLAVOR: Beth Schreibman Gehring

Aren't you curious how Earth manifests itself as a food flavoring? I sure am! Meet me at Beth's table to sample a bit of epicurean Earth at the Windesphere Witch blog

Images:
Opening painting: Earth Mother by Sir Edward Burne-Jones, 1882
Other images created using old engravings by Roxana Villa

Peace on Earth

“Ask yourself whether the dream of heaven and greatness
should be waiting for us in our graves - or whether it should be ours here and now
and on this earth.”
~ Ayn Rand

Peace + Earth = Peace on Earth

The scent for this day celebrating the Earth is a little alchemy, an aromatic equation. I have layered Terrestre solid over the the liquid perfume devoted to Peace, thus producing Peace on Earth!

"No occupation is so delightful to me as the culture of the earth,
and no culture comparable to that of the garden."
~ Thomas Jefferson

Seems extra fitting on this day to wear a perfume constructed from the organic, natural materials of the earth. The grounding affect of the aromatherapy essences contained within Terrestre facilitate the "here and now" while the perfume devoted to Peace imparts elevation and serenity. Layered together a synergy is born with the whole being far greater than the sum of it's parts.

"Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet
and the winds long to play with your hair." ~ Kahlil Gibran

Earth Day was the brain child of Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson forty years ago. Thanks to visionaries, 40 years later, Earth Day is a prominent event across the planet. What are you doing today? Take at the very least a moment to be in the garden or park and experience the beauty and bounty of the Earth. Perhaps, beginning today, that intention will manifest for more citizens of the Earth and we can truly begin stirring our beloved Spaceship to greener pastures.

"Even the smallest person can change the course of the future."
~ Galadriel from Lord of the Rings

Images:
Peace Perfume bottle ©Roxana Villa
Tombstone photo ©Greg Spalenka
All other photos © Eve Neuhart

Elemental Earth

While we here in the City of Angels are experiencing force of the Water elementals, on our little patch of hillside elemental of Earth is also quite dominant. Living in the wooded hills seems to have its series of challenges with drainage and oak tree issues. The drainage troubles are compounded by neighbors.

Sigh...so while part of the hillside continues to move its way into our driveway and our new neighbors above us ignore the challenge, I'm contemplating elemental Earth.

Earth element provides stability and a sense of knowing where you stand, literally. Grounding, fertile and abundant she offers herself to us unselfishly. The flip side is that we must not get too comfortable for you might turn into stone, become rigid, large and lethargic. If the negative side takes hold then there is always an earthquake or mudslide to bring you back down to Earth. Ha!

While we were in Ecuador this summer teaching we heard stories about the several of the volcanos in the region. In fact, when we drove to the Amazon through Banos I read in the tour book how this region is often closed due to the activity of the volcano. Well, a couple days ago our friend and host in Ecuador, Eduardo, sent me this picture of the volcano in Banos. She seems to be active again, gulp.


Associated with the North, elemental EARTH, is home to our connection to the here & now. Located in the base chakra, this is the place of manifestation, control & restraint and grounded in experience. Home of the Male, strength and ability to create magic. The spirit medicine of Snake dwells here with the ability to move swiftly, above and below the ground, to shed what no longer serves and be born anew.


In natural perfume we have many different botanical essences that are considered earth. The ones that come to mind immediately are Patchouli and Vetiver. Where Patchouli contains more of a musky note Vetiver gets down and dirty with dark and damp qualities. The aromatic qualities of both of these essences will vary dependent on where they are from and the extraction methods utilized.


Yesterday I noticed that I was almost out of Terrestre solid perfume, thus I made more. The earthy aroma instantly grounded me. This perfume was created during Earth hour and released on Earth day. Terrestre, French for "of the Earth" contains over ten different essences including:
Labdanum, Cedar, Precious Oud, Vetiver, Patchouli, Indian Rose and Bergamot.

Read more about the creations and formulation about Terrestre natural perfume, Earth element and related essences this link to the original post.

Opening image ©Greg Spalenka titled Fountainhead, prints available at his website.