Figure 1: Noir Solid Natural Perfume is back!!

Wishing you all an absolutely splendid new seasonal cycle of the great agricultural wheel, transitioning us from light to dark. Breath in the deep, transformative energetics vibrating through the web of life as we step through the threshold, morphing into our highest and most divine self. Some refer to this as a celebration of the dark, a time to turn inward and balance our shadow or alchemical lead.

I'm so happy the Figure 1: Noir in the solid format is back, it's one of my personal favorites as well as for customers and the perfume bloggers. The scent is a spellbinding, rich, loamy fragrance that is grounding and intoxicating. It’s an earthy ode to patchouli contrasted with notes of the dark skinned, full-bodied red wine berries used for making Syrah.

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Figure 1: Noir REVIEWS

This is the landing page for all Figure 1: Noir reviews.

Perfume Posse #2

The Non-Blonde

Beauty Huile

Examiner

Perfume Shrine

Perfume Posse

CaFleureBon

Té de Violeta

Figure 1: Noir illumination by Greg Spalenka.

Figure 1: Noir

Roxana Illuminated Perfume introduces a curious collection of natural perfume narratives beginning with Figure 1: Noir, a fragrance tailored for those with a passion for patchouli.

From her tool box of artistic disciplines, Roxana illuminates an eccentric curiosity birthed of primordial earth. Figure 1: Noir is an intriguing perfume oddity, deep and resinous with a loamy plume of botanical musk. This first aromatic curiosity features harmonious notes of patchouli, green vetiver, agarwood, Mysore sandalwood, orris and valerian juxtaposed with the pungent tartness of buchu leaf, kewda, black cumin, green cognac and davana. The effect is as intimate and universal as human skin with a wild animalic shadow.

Figure 1: Noir is available as both a liquid and solid perfume in a variety of sizes and formats including a sample set of both for $17.50.

Image 1: Photograph Roxana Villa

Round solid perfume compacts, agarwood, earth and valerian root

Image 2: Photograph Lucy Snowe

Image 3: Illumination Greg Spalenka

Illuminating the dark and mysterious

Figure 1: Noir was introduced at the San Francisco Artisan Fragrance event last month. Although the fragrance has not been formerly launched with the press release samples are already in the shop and reviews from happy noses are sprinkled throughout this post. Most importantly, and the reason for this post today, is the fantastic imagery that has been created for this new botanical perfume. The opening image above is the "official" illumination for Figure 1: Noir created by Greg Spalenka with his exquisite model Jessica Lough.

"A primal, feral animal, searching the blackest night. His fur damp and musky, his paws dirty with earth, dug up roots, and the faint aroma of trodden berries. This is the image that Noir conjured in my mind. Fig. 1: Noir is heavy, earthy, strong and long-lasting. And utterly beautiful. The sweet berry notes that emerge soon after application are subtle, but when under the shadow of this intoxicating patchouli they mingle together so well. This is a true blessing for patchouli lovers."
                             ~ Sam (In reference to the liquid)

The photo shoot took place in Seattle while Greg was up that way doing an Artist as Brand workshop. At some point Greg will be publishing more specifics about it with photos over at the Spalenka blog. Prior to photo session I had given Greg some keywords about the fragrance, informed him that the color harmony would be black and a bit about the feel I was looking to convey.

"I've been wearing the Noir liquid everyday now for a few days as I'm continually drawn to it. I love the deep earthyness and enjoy the liquid on its own for awhile before applying the solid to give it some extra staying power. It has a mystery to it, for me anyway as I can't pin down the botanicals in terms of recognition as I can with your other fragrances (other than the patchouli). So I have surrended to it and find it extremely balancing and grounding"
                             ~ Karen

I also commissioned Lucy Snowe to do some photography after I saw the beautiful still life shots she had added to her E-shop recently. There are still a few more shots to be done which I will get to work on as soon as the coyote skull I ordered arrives.

Figure 1: Noir was first one of the chocolate solid perfumes which originated in December of 2009. The fragrances in this series had simple names beginning with the term Figure and a number as a reference to botanical illustrations.

"It's is a striking fragrance, Unbelievably earthy and musky--very unusual for a pure botanical perfume."  ~ Heather (In reference to the solid)

Greg is offering the Figure 1: Noir illumination as a print for sale at his E-shop.

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.