Fragrance Review: Suzy Larsen Perfumes First Breath + The Scent of Unconditional Love Draw

doula-painting

Dula painting

Suzy Larsen’s First Breath is inspired by the Dula, or midwife. A  role requiring great fortitude and gentleness, the Dula helps bring new life into the world, to take the very first breath. What perfume or rancid xenophobia exists in this moment, or is the smell of the world the norm by the time an infant is aware of the variation in each inhalation? First Breath opens with white spruce and citrus, made new with green pepper with motherly lavender absolute, a lung expanding freshness worthy of the perfume’s name.

mother and child

Mother and Child Alfio Presotto 1940 Italian surrealist painter

Regardless, newborns have an estimated 100 billion neurons at birth (as many stars as the milky way), multiplying to some 3 trillion by age three. How many connections will be inadvertently (and if willing, intentionally) be sealed by scent? It is widely known the infant is quickly forming bonds with the mother, the majority by scent and milk. (Fathers would be wise to be aware of the aromas they are subjecting their children to as well as the long term associations possible.) What keen observations could the newborn nose tell us, and would we listen? Do they smell the artifice of our perfumed endeavors? Do they remember a perfume from Paradise? Perhaps something like the heart of First breath, unconditional floral love from neroli, rose and jasmine.

 

Baby_Painting_Sleeping_Baby

Sleeping Baby Irina Sztukowsk

Kabbalist lore tells us the angel Laila touches an infant on the upper lip before or at the moment of birth causing the child to forget everything they know of the universe; similarly, Christian lore tells us of Adam turning back for one last gaze at the Garden of Eden, whereupon the flaming sword of the angel Michael causes the same philtrum. Either way, we’ll never know and the babies aren’t telling.

dreamy sensual woman Yigal Ozeri.

Sensous Woman Dreaming by  Israeli born Artist Yigal Ozeri

Make no mistake, this is not a perfume FOR babies, nor should it be confused with something only for the maternity ward- there are strangers with candy and notes which may seem rather dubious hanging near the monkey bars. Armoise, clary sage and oakmoss give piquant, warm green and black currant, sage and hyrax keep First Breath for adults only. Drying down into the sweetness of benzoin and rose, a fresh baby blanket type bolstering aroma, First Breath makes every breath so much more sweeter for its secret keeping.

Notes: Lime, Lavender, Sage, Orange, Green Pepper, Armoise, Clary Sage, Rose, Neroli, Jasmine, Lavender Absolute, Black Currant Bud, White Spruce, Vetiver, Vanilla, Patchouli, Oakmoss, Hyrax, Benzoin.

-Einsof, Natural Perfume Editor

suzy larsen perfumer 1

Suzy Larsen Canadian Natural Perfumer for Suzy Larsen Perfumes (formerly Naked Leaf)

Disclosure: sample sent by Suzy Larsen, opiions my own

suzy larsen first breath perfume

Thanks  to Suzy Larsen All Natural Perfumes we have a draw for TWO registered ÇaFleureBon readers in the US or Canadian reader for 5ml of First Breath. To be eligible please leave a comment about what you enjoyed about Einsof’s review and what a baby’s head smells like to you. Draw ends July 4, 2015

We announce the winners on our site and on our Facebook page, so Like Cafleurebon and use our RSS option…or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume

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20 comments

  • Madeleine Gallay says:

    Lime, lavender, oakmoss and innocence. Fresh visions of just pressed white linens and a lazy ceiling fan. Maybe a bowl of oranges. In the U.S. And would love this.

  • Well I sure did not know that “newborns have an estimated 100 billion neurons at birth (as many stars as the milky way), multiplying to some 3 trillion by age three. ” Thank you Einsof for that wonderful pice of information.I can see that coming out of my mouth at a dinner party. A new borns head to me smells like warm milk with a touch of honey and a small dose of poplar.Thank you for the draw and this review.I am in the US.

  • fazalcheema says:

    I really liked Einsof mentions a baby’s brain has 100 billion neuron which is also the number of stars in our Milky Way Galaxy…this reminds me of Carl Sagan quote who said there is universe within each of us…When i think about the smell of a baby’s head, it is just pure clean musk, not the dirty musk but the kind that would be close to natural human smell.. thanks so much for the draw. I am in the US

  • You know, when I had my son a year ago everyone marveled at the baby had smell but I couldn’t really smell it. I guess it smelled too much like myself? But maybe if I have another I’ll recognize it better… Ithink really enjoyed the story of the angel touching the baby’s lip, I’ve never heard it. I’d love to try this! Thanks for the draw, I’m in the US.

  • I enjoyed the portion about Adam, the Garden of Eden and the angel’s sword. A baby’s head smells like a baby’s head. You smell certain things in life and say, “that smells like a baby’s head”. You never smell a baby’s head and say, “that smells like such and such”. USA

  • “Kabbalist lore tells us the angel Laila touches an infant on the upper lip before or at the moment of birth causing the child to forget everything they know of the universe”. I love that image and hope it’s true. Imagery such as this make me very curious about First Breath. The smell of a baby’s head is somehow magical. My daughter’s head smelled of love – again, magical. USA

  • I was caught up the words, “…a fresh baby blanket type bolstering aroma”. Baby head smell reminds me of clean, line hung laundry. Fresh and unspoiled. 🙂 U.S.A.

  • Donna Spiegel says:

    ahhh, considering I am absolutely in love with my very first granddaughter, a baby’s head smells like heaven! it’s the most wonderful gift of all – precious, beautiful, sweet life. full of love, full of wonder, spirit, grace and warmth and just so full of everything hearts can imagine! Each day brings more delight. Love the beautiful review, beautiful artwork – perfect timing!
    I’m registered. Would love to see how this fits with my journey now. 🙂 in the US.

  • I loved this bit “there are strangers with candy and notes which may seem rather dubious hanging near the monkey bars.” And a babies head smells like innocence and possibility. I’m in the US.

  • bunchofpants says:

    Oops, I left the above comment before I realized how to be a registered user, so now I am leaving it again as a registered used to be legit:

    I loved this bit “there are strangers with candy and notes which may seem rather dubious hanging near the monkey bars.” And a babies head smells like innocence and possibility. I’m in the US.

  • Lillian Holloway says:

    Suzy makes marvelous fragrances. This one I have had the pleasure of sampling and it is beautiful. My children all had a different smell about them. But the one thing the scents had in common is love. Babies smell like miracles and love. Us here.

  • Not a perfume for the maternity ward;) Loved this comment.. A sweet lung expanding wafting for keeping of secrets… To me all babies come in with their own uniques head smell… one that sticks in my mind is when I witnessed the birth of my niece and held her before she had even been cleaned up… totally unpolluted the smell of purity. I am in the US.

  • The opening notes of this scent just sound remarkable and inventive to me. My son is now nearly 13, but I remember pressing my face to his scalp and inhaling deeply as I fed him as a baby: a smell like beeswax and milk. I’d love to try this perfume. Thanks for the chance. I live in the U.S.

  • I’ve been trying to replicate the smell of a just born baby for years. Something very human-animal. a very interesting scent.
    I loved the sentence “Do they smell the artifice of our perfumed endeavors?” I will be quoting this one.
    Hemla

  • rodelinda says:

    I never knew about the angel Laila making babies forget. What a wonderful story! My daughter’s head didn’t smell much different than the rest of her to me: human oils, baby powder, something lightly fruity like a hint of apricot, a little sour milk. I could have picked her out of a line-up blindfolded, by scent alone. For the first few months of her life, we were both incredibly soothed by being skin to skin, breathing in one another’s odors and warmth. It’s one of the most visceral sensations I’ve ever experienced. I’m in the US. Thanks!

  • JazzBelle says:

    Another fascinating review! I loved learning about how babies have 100 billion neurons at birth. It’s great how I’m learning new things everyday, in a perfume review of all places, about anatomy of babies!

    A baby’s head to me smells like clean soft musk mixed with some muguet. Strange right? Maybe it’s because I associate clean innocence with these notes.

    I would love to win First Breath. I love neroli, vanilla, jasmine, and lavender. I’m in the USA. Thank you!

  • To me eau de bebe smells fresh, warm and delicious. After reading this evocative review (with a twist at the end), I’d really like to wear First Breath.

  • I love how this fragrance sounds. I did not know babies have 100 billion neurons at birth! To me, a baby’s head smells like soft lavender, with a touch of powdery tones mixed in as well. I’m in Canada

  • Fantastic review as always. Babies are truly gifts from heaven. They’re so pure and cheer anyone’s day up

    I would imagine a baby’s head to smell like fresh flowers and that incredibly clean laundry smell

    Canada