David Jourquin Paris: Cuir Mandarine Eau de Parfum

We think that a scent can immediately change your mood, bringing good memories back or creating new and exciting ones. Finding that one and only fragrance that encompasses your style, personality and suits each season - is a case of trial and error. This is why at The Amazing Blog we love exploring new olfactory experiences. Meet David Jourquin with and his inventive range of fragrance, today we are reviewing the delicious Cuir Mandarine.

David Jourquin created his fragrance company in 2011  after a lifetime of being surrounded by all sorts of olfactory inspiration. His mother always went to work wearing her famous leather coat and loved sprinkling tiny drops of perfume on the cushion pillows. His father smoked cigars and took David to the market in Pointe-à-Pitre,Guadeloupe, where he revelled in all the spices’ sweet, robust aromas. For David, these memories have shaped who he is today, and inspired him to recreate them in the form of his unique fragrances. Motivated by intense passion, each of his fragrances expresses a different facet of his intimate universe. Inspired by seasons and places he has created a core collection with Vendômen offering seven different Eau de Parfum where these scents are characterised by their personality and emotional impact. The Opéra collection are the refill flacons ready to be slipped into the leather coverings of the Vendôme Collection, or left bare, according to one’s desires and budget. For Jourquin, fragrances are emotional touchstones: "They speak the truth in a language that is invisible yet essential, intimate yet universal. My greatest joy is to share these fragrances with you, to create secret paths that bring us closer to ourselves so that in turn, we can get closer to others." We were excited to experience this magic.

We couldn’t wait to try one of his first launch fragrances with the much talked about  Cuir Mandarine which was a recent Gold winner with Best New Premium Fragrance at the 2020 Pure Beauty Awards.  it emits a very soft and slightly sweet unique mix of mandarin and leather. The square bottle itself is clad in hand-stitched calfskin with a solid wood grain top to accentuate its masculinity. The vibrant top notes of mandarin, pepper and lavender are very evident and immediately greet you. However, what makes this so unusual is the middle notes of leather and patchouli. The five different varieties of patchouli used originate from the mint family and are cultivated in tropical Asia. Here the patchouli has subtle musk that enhances the other fragrance notes. The base notes are the rich blond Virginian tobacco and amber which add a dimension to the sweet and earthy notes, holding everything in balance. Although Cuir Mandarin luxurious fragrance that is aimed at the male market with its timeless and classic scent and modern twist; we loved the sensual, rich, warm and sweet aroma which conjured up the change of seasons, taking us swiftly from autumn to winter.  It ‘s certainly a scent we’d recommend spritzing to uplift spirits and transport you to warmer climes even on a grey and wet English day! You can purchase Cuir Mandarin in 100 ml for €230 in 5 ml for €8.90 here. 

The Health & Beauty Botanical Handbook by Pip Waller

Now that we’re all working from home, at The Amazing Blog regular walks in the countryside and gardening have become even more precious, as we get back to nature and using our kitchens as never before.  Herbal lore and remedies have been used by humans over the centuries.  In London there are a number of wonderful apothecary’s gardens growing medicinal plants, The Chelsea Physic Garden is only a ten-minute walk for us and has over 5,000 different varieties of edible and medicinal plants.  We have found ourselves inspired by this Health and Beauty Botanical Handbook which is full of information and recipes.

The Health and Beauty Botanical Handbook is written by Pip Waller who is an experienced medical herbalist and plant spirit practitioner. She has taught at the Academy of Natural Health in London and was a clinical supervisor for the UK-based National Institute of Medical Herbalists Training Clinic.  Pip is also the author of Holistic Anatomy - An Integrative Guide to the Human Body (North Atlantic Books, 2011) and The Domestic Alchemist. She has successfully taught anatomy, physiology and pathology to students of natural medicine since 1991. Her teaching style, which is informal yet extremely informative, comes across well in this book.  Pip Waller shares her invaluable herbal know-how for natural wellbeing.

The book helps to turn the kitchen into a pharmacy providing plant-powered health and beauty recipes. From making tinctures and tonics to syrups and creams, this world-renowned herbalist shares over 350 recipes for pure well-being and holistic health.   An introduction to the power of plants is followed by growing tips and profiles; guidelines on how to set up your kitchen to make the recipes, and techniques for making everything from tinctures to tonics.  It starts with some information about herbs and making herbal recipes, then the recipes themselves and a herb dictionary. Although this book doesn't have any photographs, it's illustrated beautifully. Each recipe has a little blurb and there are extra notes and cautions throughout the book too. The ingredient dictionary at the end is helpful for anyone inexperienced in making herbal remedies. One of the best things about this book is that each recipe lists tell us how long it keeps for, and instructions on how to store, which is great for peace of mind so you know you're only consuming/using fresh and safe products. 

This book has inspired us to try out some of the recipes and read up about herbs and their healing properties.  This is the perfect time of year for the Soothing Sloe C Syrup as sloes are now in the hedgerows (the fruit of the blackthorn) this can help with bronchial conditions, colds, catarrh and inflammation of the throat.  The Weight Loss Spice Tea is also good to try with ginger, cardamom, turmeric and cayenne pepper to help burn fat. The Rosemary Vinegar Hair Rinse can be used in multiple ways, as a rinse to increase shine and restore the hair’s protective acid pH or as a drink to improve circulation.  Totally fitting into our way of life now. You too can buy the book a here from Quarto Books, the price is good value at £12.99. We think that this book is a great introduction to gaining a better understanding of plants and herbs and their uses.  Now we have it, we’ll be dipping into it as we go foraging! 

Incensum Fragrance – Sanctifino Perfume Oil

These past few months, the COVID 19 pandemic has forced us all to reconsider our place on this earth. During the lock-down, nature began to take back this place that we call home: Plants were able to finally grow freely and animals started coming out fearlessly to live their happy and simple lives. And while each and every one of us at The Amazing Blog has had time to reflect about the endangered state of our planet Earth, a new fragrance that we’ve received from Incensum has helped to uplift our spirits, and reconnect us back with nature.

Sanctifino is a unisex perfume oil from the LA-based brand Incensum Fragrance, which is created by designer and founder of the brand Jeannine Clark. With its completely vegan, synthetic-free, and hand-crafted formulas, the brand celebrates the origins of perfumery by honouring the reverie that the ancestors avowed to nature. Through its all organic perfume oil, the brand aims to calm the senses, helping the wearer find peace and embark on a spiritual journey to commune with nature and the universe. When talking about their alchemy and olfactory process, they told us: “Both human and non-human creatures are known to communicate their emotional states through the scents they emit. A fragrance may complement or intensify one's own natural pheromones which can evoke subconscious effects.” Intriguing! This may only be their debut perfume oil, and if Sanctifino is anything to go by, we feel sure that their next one will be even more alluring! 

This perfume oil Sanctifino is supernatural – in every sense of the word – an elixir trapped in a luxurious hand-crafted bottle, that reflects the mystical and heavenly ambience that emanates from the bottle. It comes in two sizes 50ml and 5ml, we received the 5ml with a roll-on top, making it the perfect size to fit into even the smallest bag.  With strong top notes of incense and a piquant of very intense green scent from the galbanum green resin fighting for dominance, it oozes autumn.  We think it’s reminiscent of the wafting smoke from sweet autumn leaves left to smoulder. It gently caresses and with its oily finish makes for a longer-lasting scent release on the skin, unlike its cousin Eau de Parfum. When the organic jojoba base oil warms up, the middle notes become more apparent as they liberate softer aromatic and more comforting notes of clary sage, silver fir. The sweet orange here also lingers, helping to create a warmth and sense of wellbeing. If describing it as a smoky scent sound surprising for a fragrance, we want to point out that it is nonetheless deliciously original, and works well with the other essential oils, to create a perfect balance of a smoky-sweet-earthy scent. When we close our eyes and inhale, we can almost imagine being transported to an ancient temple, surrounded by wild plants, where the incense burn and the sunlight cast shadows on the gold-carved statues of gods. We recommend anointing the wrists, rub a little to warm the perfume oil, and then taking deep breaths; it helps to soothe the mind giving you your own little piece of calm throughout the day.  Again, they say that it is a: “Multidimensional experience as well as shedding light into the nature of reality by fusing the mind, body and spirit through aromatic essential oils.” And, we couldn’t have said it better! If we’ve managed to intrigue you with this Sanctifino Perfume Oil, you too can purchase their 5ml here for $35. 

Les Parfums de Rosine - Ballerina No 5

As spring has sprung, the birds are chirping and we at The Amazing Blog cannot resist spring’s bucolic charms. With brighter skies and our gardens radiating colour - it’s hope! When this frustrating #stayathome self-isolation is lifted, we hope it will be perfect timing for us to spend more time outside to enjoy the sunshine. Which brings us swiftly on to thinking about changing our winter fragrance for something lighter that will suit the spring mood. We were kindly got sent a new scent launch from the French perfume house Les Parfums de Rosine with their Ballerina N°5.

We’re been fans of the brand and have previously written about their Bois Fuchsia here. The founder and creator of Les Parfums de Rosine is Marie-Helen Rogeon who was born into a family of perfumers, with her great grandfather Louis Panafieu creating Eau de Cologne for Emperor Napoleon III. Her inspiration for her collections comes from her garden, from which she has developed a collection of perfumes around the rose, this ‘queen of flowers’. From bush to shrub, the rose has many varieties as well as unique subtle variants in fragrance. The Ballerina collection stems from the special variety ‘Rosier Ballerina’ whose small hydrangea-like flowerheads Rogeon compares to a delicate tutu of a young ballerina. With five individual fragrances in the Ballerina collection, each relates to a particular story i.e. “she is an enigmatic woman…” or “she is a desirable woman… both pure and innocent”. 

it is Ballerina N°5, from the range we are talking about today. Inspired by the famous ballet La Bayadère, which recounts the frustrated loves of the sacred Hindu dancer Nikiya. This fresh and delicate perfume works so well for the spring. It is feminine and exotic and seduces us with its heady and warm notes. This Ballerina N°5 has got a slight sweetness with a floral and wood finish. The top notes are from the rose, tangerine, Indian fig and orange blossom. The heart (or middle) notes are from Turkish rose essence, crystallized violet, lychee, almond blossom and heliotrope. Finishing with the base notes of sandalwood, tonka bean, patchouli and cedarwood. Despite the depth of its woodiness, it’s light and subtle and gives sensual and captivating aromas of the orient. We also love the pretty gold bottle with its very own organza tutu adorning the bottle’s neck.  Why not let yourself be tempted by the subtle and irresistible charm of Ballerina N°5, to purchase see here for the 100ml at 140€ or the 50ml bottle at 108€.

The Other Art Fair 2020

The Other Art Fair is making its return to London later this month, with the first of three fairs here in the capital. This is a date always marked in the diary for  The Amazing Blog as we’re always thrilled to check out the new and emerging artists coming out of London’s art scene. The fair is presented by Saatchi Art and will be held at The Old Truman Brewery in Shoreditch from 19-22 March 2020.

The art fair features 129 independent artists whose works were handpicked by a selection committee of art world experts. Mediums such as paintings, photography, drawings and sculptures were judged on ability, potential, and accessibility by the committee, ensuring buyers receive value and quality in their investment pieces.

“Meadow Chaos” - Lee Herring, 2019

One of the artists featured in this year’s fair is Lee Herring. Herring uses a mixture of oils, spray paints, varnishes and acrylics to produce memory-based landscapes captured from travelling by rail up and down the country. Each piece is painted solely from memory to create pieces that are abstract and expressional.  His contemporary landscapes are colourful, textured and full of life. He captures snippets of colour and details as the scene is fleeting while on the rail. He describes his technique as an ‘evolution of a free-flowing, spontaneous process.’

“Single-use planet” Photography by Lexi Lane

Another featured artist is Lexi Laine. Laine is a freediving photographer who likes to create melancholic underwater images. The series of images on display at the fair are from a whimsical project she has been working on for the last year. She has created a visual narrative for the woman in the photos. In some scenes, she is swimming towards the light, suggesting she is travelling from one world to the next. In other images, she’s consumed in darkness as a representation ‘of vulnerability and a reminder of the incredible force of the water,’ said Laine. Laine does not use scuba equipment while photographing her subjects. She says she feels the most alive and in touch with herself as an artist when she is freediving.

The fair also features a various number of art-related programmes. One of those programmes being ‘The Calm Collective,’ an art-making session that brings artists and art lovers together to explore life issues, well-being and mental health through different mediums. Other programmes include a Kids Create art space, a tattoo booth by Sticks Not Stones and DJs from Soho Space playing music in the fair. Tickets for The Other Art Fair can be purchased ahead of time here for Friday-Sunday for £11.00. Tickets will also be sold at the door for £14.00. There are two Other Art Fairs in July and October so keep an eye open here for further details of dates and venues.