The alchemical trinity of Chaparral

The perfume Chaparral is not a reference to the creosote bush, Larrea tridentata, which sometimes goes by many name chaparral, as well as greasewood and la gobernadora. I named the fragrance after the California biome distinguished by wet winters, hot summers and drought-tolerant shrub land. This biome is also found in the Mediterranean, South America, Australia and South Africa. The word chaparral comes from the Portuguese and Spanish word “chaparro" meaning evergreen oak shrub land.

Back in 2006, when Chaparral was conceived and launched, my intention was to bring awareness to this community of plants which are very undervalued in Los Angeles where residents opt for pesticide and water hungry lawns and non native palm trees, rather than the local sages, artemisias, oaks, etc. 

In creating the perfume Chaparral®, I weaved together my love and commitment to the indigenous plants of California with skills in aromatic plant preparation and the artistry of perfume formulation.

“Art arises when the secret vision of the artist

and the manifestation of nature

agree to find new shapes.”

~ Kahlil Gibran

My husband, Greg Spalenka states that there are three main components of great art which applies to the full spectrum of the sensory realm including visual, auditory, culinary and olfactory orchestrations.

He adheres to these three components as a trinity of "Mind, Body and Spirit":

Mind; the idea and/or concept

Body; representing the materials

Spirit; the love, passion, integrity and/or soul nature

In alchemy the trinity is Sulfur, Mercury, and Salt, code words for what is also referred to as "Soul, Spirit, and Body"

Sulfur = Soul = Consciousness 

Mercury = Spirit  = Mind

Salt = Body  = Mineral

So if we go back to Greg's trinity, I have overlayed Greg's trinity with that of alchemy in this way, substituting Greg's word Spirit for Soul/Love.

Mind; the idea and/or concept / Mercury = Spirit

Body; representing the materials / Salt = Body

Soul/Love, passion, integrity and/or soul nature / Sulfur = Soul, Consciousness

All these components, working together at a high level of sophistication and awareness, create a synergy, where each component becomes more than the sum of its parts.

In perfume the mind aspect (Mercury) is the concept that the fragrance is built on, encompassing much more than a scent based on a fragrance family or type. The body aspect (Salt) is made of the materials contained within the perfume, the artist’s palette. Soul (Sulphur) is the burning passion of your creation, this is where the true artist weaves their own authenticity into the constructed artwork using their consciousness. Each is important and is required for the finished art to transcend the ordinary, to reach the heights of the sublime.

Over the last twenty years I have come to keen realizations regarding California natives and their value. The journey beginning with guided instructional walks led by herbalist David Crow back in the 90's when he would lead nature walks in the Santa Monica Mountains. Davids introduction than deepened with lessons from communicating with the mighty Oaks on my property and its surroundings, when we lived in the Santa Monica Mountains.

The California native Coastal live oak was the one who spoke to me and revealed the value of native plants just as I began organizing my community to protect four large trees on an lot next to us. In an attempt to secure the safety of the trees I created a perfume devoted to them. The perfume is called “Q” for Quercus agrifolia and was the first in a series titled Californica.

The second perfume in the series, Chaparral® was birthed in October 2006 when I was researching incense. Incense was used by a variety of cultures depending on the plant material in their particular region. The indigenous people of California use the sacred white sage, Salvia apiana, to clear a space or fumigate an individual. I chose to create an incense themed perfume devoted to the California indigenous people based on the plants of the area.

The trinity mentioned above works in Chaparral like this:

Mind/Concept | Mercury/Spirit: The native plants of California, the chaparral.

Soul/Love: The soul nature of this perfume is expressed through the mindful harvesting and preparation of the plant material. The fragrance is created by hand with an intention to expand awareness of native plants.

Body/Material: actual, vital plant material used in tinctures and essential oils to represent an “authentic” fragrance of the regions native plants.

California native plants add tremendous value to a California garden including: authenticity to a landscape design, low water needs, benefits to wildlife habitat, increased biodiversity, and the ability of these plants, particularly the Coastal Live oak, to sequester carbon. Learn more about the chaparral at the website for the California Chaparral Institute.

Related links here at the journal:

Restoring the Woodland

California Dreaming

The Shadow

Medicine Wheel

Oak Tree Circle

Yesterday, just as I was about to head off to the perfumery a gardener with a chain saw almost starting going at the oaks on the neighboring lot. We were able to fend off the fellow by taking photos and calling the police. Since I'm not sure if this method of protection will be sustainable I am asking each of you to encircle the seven trees in love and protection. If you have some Q Perfume than please anoint yourselves with this elixir devoted to the California oak.

Q
Fragrance family: WOOD, CHYPRE
Main notes: Resin, wood chord/accord, Italian bergamot, tinctured Coastal Live Oak leaves

Return of the Light
A New Green Cloak
Q Queurcus agrifolia - Reviews
+Q Perfume - Review
Celtic Lunar Month Oak - Reviews & Links
Ode to Trees
Celtic Lunar Month: Oak
Q Review - Review
The Green Man
A Secret in the Forest
The Duir Way
Save the Oaks
Scent of the Day: Oak
Spirit of Nature
Medicine Wheel

Branch Out

"The creation of a thousand forests are in one acorn."
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

The rain from the last few days has caused quite a bit of challenges here in the wood lands. Many non-native trees, like the Pink Pepper Berry, have landed in the street. This morning one of the neighbors conifers was blocking the street on one side. It's still laying there, like a large corpse.

Los Angeles residents still haven't made the connection that the trees that continue to fall during these heavy rain storms are generally non native trees. Since Oaks are very deep rooted it is rare for them to fall, when this does occur it is usually because of grass, requiring regular watering, or cement/asphalt is at the base of the tree.

Speaking of Oaks, Q liquid is completely out of stock at the moment. I am not sure when this amber-licious botanical perfume will return, most likely sooner than later.

A New Green Cloak for Spring

The last batch of the solid perfume synergy for Q ran out. As I pondered the formula and moved to make more I choose to reassemble the composition with an intention of creating a few subtle shifts. Sometimes when a fragrance formula gets translated from a liquid to a solid state the fragrance will shifts. Mind you, this doesn't always happen, only sometimes. For example Lyra and Aurora have the same ingredients in the solid and liquid synergy bases and the expression in aroma is almost exact. There is also the added element of the beeswax aroma in the solid embodiment.

Sierra Solid Gold is the only one that has a different formula from the liquid, not hugely different but the prosperity chord contained within really shifts the aroma into a much more gourmand space.


When I first made Q solid I was bothered by the difference between the liquid and the solid. I much preferred the liquid. The aroma in the solid was a little too smokey and heavy for my taste and didn't have some of the beauty and subtle qualities that the liquid possessed. Thus, in making more of the synergy I altered a few things and am super happy with the results!


The original Q solid natural perfume contained a complex wood chord that I first constructed in 2001 and fifteen other botanical essences. In the new synergy I decreased the amount of two of the heavy, smokier ingredients and added a sixteenth. Since the base is now lighter some of the beautiful heart notes have more space to breath and express themselves, this has also triggered more sillage of the fragrance.


As you can see I follow my nose with my product line, despite the fact that sales for Q solid were just fine I choose to shift it because of my own preference. This is the main difference that you will find with a uber niche perfumer who has no investors to answer, only a very lively art spirit with a zest for aromatic perfection. Although must say investor funding does sound appealing but not if it at the expense of authentic expression and integrity.

I am thrilled with the results and look forward to the feedback from the fan base. Enjoy the new green cloak of Q for Quercus agrifolia. How auspicious, the other native oak Quercus lobata, a deciduous tree, has lost all its leaves and is about to debut it's new cloak for the Spring.

For further reading about Q perfume and it's construction here is a list hosted on this blog with reviews and related features.

All photos ©Roxana Villa, Q illumination has been created by Greg Spalenka and is ©Greg Spalenka and Roxana Villa

O is for Oak

Q stands for Quercus agrifolia the botanical name for the coastal live oak of California. At this time of the year the oaks are very heavy with acorns, proving a very busy time for the local squirrels. I've been dutifully gathering both acorns and acorn caps daily from the Quercus agrifolia on my property. The caps are for a upcoming project while the acorns are for perfume packages and photo shoots. As of yet there are no acorns from the Quercus lobata, a deciduous native oak. Those acorns are much larger than the ones from the agrifolia, hope they manifest soon as I'd like to get a photo with lots of varieties of acorns and leaves.


Yesterday as I photographed a bottle of Q liquid organic perfume I saw the stack of wood type letters that Ben had brought over the weekend. It occurred to me that yes "Q is for Quercus" BUT "O is for Oak" and there were lots of O's in the pile. Perhaps they are zeros, in either case, they like like O's and will suffice. Here's one...more to come soon.


I just listed the honey pot tub of Q solid natural perfume in the E-shop. The actual amount by weight in these tubs is between 3.6 and 4.7 grams. The solid compact version contains about 5.3 grams. Each one varies slightly because I pour each and every solid perfume myself. There's no machine or robot making them with an exact measuring devise...at least not yet.


Photos: Q organic, botanical perfume, Acorn caps, Acorns on wood type and the new 5 gram Q natural perfume all ©RoxanaVilla

The Giving Tree

Once there were four large oak trees and three smaller ones in a grove and they loved a girl. And everyday the girl looked out at the trees but didn't really see them. Until one day, the girl learned about the value of native plants and old growth oak trees.

The girl learned that the trees grow very slowly from the fruit of the trees, acorns. Once a long, long time ago before man came to the wooded hills there was a vast forest of oaks in the village where the girl now lives.

As the girl learned about the trees they began to talk with her and share their secrets. The trees were happy that the girl would listen to them. The girl was happy that the trees spoke to her. She promised to create a beautiful native garden in their honor.

Then one day a contractor came and said he would cut down the trees and build a huge mansion in their place. The girl began to cry and didn't know what to do.

Looking out at the trees the girl had an idea. On the high Celtic holiday known as Beltane she asked the trees permission and gathered some leaves. She cleaned each leaf by hand and put them into her organic grain alcohol with the intention that her new tree friends would be saved.

The girl asked her best friend to join her in the mission and together they asked more friends to form a circle around the trees to protect them. The high council listened to the concern and the petition from the villagers.

In the meantime, the girl, took her tinctured oak leaves and created a botanical perfume devoted to the California native oaks.

The high council has deemed that the trees add distinction to their location and the trees remain in tact. And the girl was happy.

The End

The above is a true story reconstructed in a similar manner to Shel Silverstein children's book The Giving Tree. As a student in high school I was a member of the Speech Club and told the story of The Giving Tree in competitions.

The perfume is titled "Q" for Quercus agrifolia, the botanical name of the oak. The girl shares profits from each 7 gram flacon and solid perfume compact that is sold with the California Oak Foundation.

Plant the seed of truth, and watch it grow
and when it spreads it's branches,
come with us, and sit under the blossoms.

There, your eyes will open to the secret of truth.

~ Rumi

Inch by Inch

The fruit of the California live oak, the acorn, matures between August and October. From there, if conditions are right, a little sprout will eventually emerge. That little sprout, inch by inch, over many years will develop into a gorgeous tree.

Like the California live oak, my perfume company continues to grow, inch by inch. I owe much gratitude to those who have supported me with patronage and the writers who have helped get the word out. One such writer is Beth Schreibman Gehring, who has written a piece for the Examiner about the botanical perfume "Q", devoted to the California live oak, Quercus agrifolia. Here is the link for your reading pleasure: The Examiner.

Much gratitude to the oaks, each of you and to Beth!

Q, Quercus agrifolia

Here on this page you will find of links to my writings relating to the perfume known as Q, which includes a few reviews, in no particular order. Enjoy.

"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."

~Wendy Froud

Heather Ettlinger of Perfume Tourist

Perfume Smellin' Things, Beth
Sprig: BEST Natural & Organic Perfumes
Perfume Shrine
Perfume Smellin' Things, Tom

The Non-Blonde

Posts here at this journal:
The Duirway
The Origins of Quercus, now Q
Beltane Perfume
The Heart Note

Q perfume at the the Illuminated Perfume website

Illuminated Image for our perfume has been created by Greg Spalenka, ©Splaenka

The Duir Way

"I am the Lorax,

I speak for the trees,
for the trees have no tongues."

- Dr. Suess

The latest issue of Sniffapalooza Magazine, March 23, 2008, contains a contribution titled "The Duir Way" detailing the inspiration for the perfume "Q", formerly known as Quercus.

The word Duir means Oak, the letter D corresponds to the seventh letter in the Ogham tree alphabet.* The Oak is the most important of all the trees to the Druids and the Celts. The word Duir may have come from the sanscrit word dwr meaning door and is considered a gateway between the Worlds.
*source: Omens, Oghams & Oracles - Richard Webster


Sniffapalooza Magazine
Roxana Illuminated Perfume™

The Duir Way

"I am the Lorax, I speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues."

~ Dr. Suess

Have you ever tracked what you love, what inspires you, makes your soul sing? Recently I discovered a deep reverence for the mighty Oak, which unknowingly opened the portal to a series of botanical perfumes. Since purchasing our home in Spring 2000, my partner and I patiently awaited the right moment to buy the empty lot next to us. To our horror the neighbor turned around and sold the tiny, substandard lot to a developer. Our intention was to preserve the oak trees and create an indigenous garden. The intention of the developer was to take out all the trees and construct a 3500 square foot palace. We had always been told that oak trees were protected. Indeed, Los Angeles has something called "The Protected Tree Ordinance",

however, the ordinance means basically nothing when it comes to a developer wanting to build.

In the same parallel universe, I had begun a perfume based on Beltane. Beltane is an ancient Celtic/Druid holy day occurring on May 1st. On the eve of Beltane, I went out and gathered leaves from a large coastal live oak with the intention that the trees would stay firmly rooted and thrive. I mindfully cleaned the leaves and tinctured them as the perfume base. While the tincture marinated I created a wood chord of sixteen different essential oils, absolutes and C02 extractions. After filtering the tinctured leaves I began building the perfume, first with the wood chord and then adding other notes until the fragrance was complete. Pondering what to call the perfume I settled on “Q” for Quercus, which is the botanical name for Oak.

As I write this the four large oaks and several other small ones on the lot are still standing. We have gone before our local Specific Plan Board several times insisting that the trees must not be endangered or cut down. Each time we have won. In the meantime I have gotten involved with several local community groups, our neighborhood has been united and we have all learned a great deal. I now look at our native Oaks and the surrounding landscape with new eyes. I have learned the value of an authentic landscape. Did you know that all those palm trees that have become symbolic of LA are non-native?

I bow to the mighty oak and all they continue to teach me. If the challenge with the neighbor had never presented itself I may not have become an active proponent of Oaks and native plants. Sometimes our nemesis can facilitate a clear path to what we love and are here to do.

Q was the first botanical perfume in the series titled "Californica, honoring the aromatic landscape of the State of California.

Formerly known as Quercus

We decided to change the name
of the California Live Oak inspired Perfume.
Thank you to all the friends, colleagues and family who provided their input on the potential names. After pondering long and hard we chose the letter "Q" as the new name. It was a very difficult decision, but, in the end we liked the enigmatic reference to the botanical name, Quercus agrifolia. Greg has created a lovely animation on the Illuminated Perfume homepage.
www.IlluminatedPerfume.com
Read the story of how this perfume was birthed here.

Images© Greg Spalenka and Roxana Villa

The Origins of Quercus, now Q

“For mine is an old belief ... there is a soul in every leaf.” ~ M.M. Ballou

In late 2005 we were just about to purchase the empty lot next to our little 1950 ranch style home in the Santa Monica Mountains. We had been patiently waiting for the opportunity since first purchasing our home in May 2000. To our horror the neighbor turned around and sold the tiny, substandard lot to a developer. Our intention with the lot was to preserve the four gigantic oak trees and create an indigenous garden. The intention of the developer was to take out all the trees and construct a 3500 square foot palace.
We had always been told that oak trees were protected. Indeed, Los Angeles has something called "The Protected Tree Ordinance", however, the ordinance means basically nothing when it comes to a developer wanting to build.
In the same parallel universe, the blending group I belong to was to make a perfume with the idea of Beltane. Beltane, like the upcoming Samhain, is one of the eight Celtic holidays. An ancient Druid holy day occurring on May 1st. Thus, on Beltane eve, I went out and gathered leaves from a large coastal live oak with the intention that the four trees would stay firmly rooted and thrive. I carefully cleaned the leaves and tinctured them as the base for my Beltane perfume contribution. While the tincture marinated I created a wood chord of sixteen different essential oils, absolutes and C02 extractions from the wood family. After filtering the tinctured leaves I began building the perfume, first with the wood chord and then adding other notes until the fragrance was complete. Pondering what to call the perfume I settled on Quercus, which is the botanical name for Oak. The reviewers in my group raved about the fragrance. One of them mentioned the following to me privately: "I cannot stop sniffing your newest which you call quercus. It is the same name as a Penhaligon cologne (not nearly as beautiful as yours) but I thought you should be familiar with it." At the time I thought, okay...well...we will see what transpires with this Quercus of mine.Today, a friend sent me a note with a little soap enclosed. I gasped when I opened it, on the white paper of the little round, carefully wrapped soap was the word QUERCUS. So, is this a challenge or not? They certainly share nothing similar in the fragrance department, although the Penhaligon description works for our Quercus: Citrus, Amber and Wood. How interesting and so synchronistic. From what I can see on their website the Penhaligon cologne does not appear to have a direct link to Oaks, rather, perhaps they liked the name? After all, Oaks are strongly connected to the Druids. Many of their perfumes are named after botanical nomenclature. My understanding is that one cannot copyright a word like Quercus.
As I write this the four large oaks and several other small ones on the lot are still standing. We have gone before our local Specific Plan Board several times insisting that the trees must not be endangered or cut down. Each time we have won. In the meantime I have gotten involved with several local community groups, our neighborhood has been united and we have all learned a great deal. I now look at our native Oaks and the surrounding landscape with new eyes. I have learned the value of an authentic landscape. Did you know that all those palm trees that have become symbolic of LA are non-native?
I bow to the mighty oak and all they continue to teach me. A portion of the proceeds from the purchase a 1/4 oz bottle of our Quercus perfume goes to the California Oak Foundation.

"I am the Lorax, I speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues."
- Dr. Suess

Tree People

Penhaligon
Save Oak Savannah
The California Oak Foundation

Ojai Lavender Festival in Review

The Ojai Lavender Festival on Saturday, June 16th, 2007 was a joy to participate in. This was the 4th year of this celebration of Lavender, the 1st in 2004 with illustrious presenters including Suzanne Catty and Michael Scholes.

The air was permeated with the herbaceous, fruity scent of lavender at Libbey Park when we arrived at 8:30 am. Sandy and Roland Messori of Rivendell Aromatics, had already set up most of their extensive booth and I suspect the majority of the glorious vapors were wafting from their beautiful lavender bouquets and plants.

At 1pm I delivered the keynote presentation on The Art Spirit in Aromatic and Visual Art at the outdoor stage, under a large canopy of coastal live oak trees. It was quite an honor to speak out for the oaks with their presence surrounding us all. I had momentarily flashes of Treebeard and the Ents from the Lord of the Rings trilogy by JRR Tolkien.

The talk began with a personal history as an artist working in the mediums of paint and essential oils. I gave an example of how the creation of a visual image and a perfume share the same process, although the tools of the trade vary, in the end you are left with a constructed artwork.

I also shared how the Quercus perfume manifested through a series of synchronistic events, inspired by four oak trees. Quercus was the first perfume of the Californica line with a portion of proceeds supporting the California Oak Foundation

We explored a few elements from the history of aromatherapy and ended with a reminder by Joseph Campbell to "Follow Your Bliss!"

The day was very full with a constant stream of visitors at the booth, recognizing the artwork from various publications and wanting to experience the perfumes. All the perfumes were very well received. Vera, the fragrance created specifically for the festival, and Quercus were the favorites at this event. Visitors included fans, friends, students, clients and Robert Tisserand, shown in the photo above. It was a treat to finally meet him in person and share our perfumes.

My gratitude to Greg, Martha and all my friends for your support as well as Brad and Chiara for the photos!