John William Waterhouse, Nymphs Finding The Head of Orpheus, 1900
In folklore and fantasy, an elemental spirit is one that embodies one of the four alchemical elements that make up all matter: fire, air, earth or water. These magical creatures are charged with protecting their natural element and have more specific names depending on their environment, such as wood nymphs or water sprites. (Think of Ariel from Shakespeare’s The Tempest and you’ll get the idea.) Two new fragrances, Tundra and Silhouette from the Provenance Tales collection from Rouge Bunny Rouge, (a fabulous British beauty company with two fragrance lines Provenance Tales and Fragrant Confections), perfectly embody the enchantment one feels when encountering an elemental.
John Williams Waterhouse The Mystic Wood 1914-1917
According to Alexandra de Montfort, creative director of Rouge Bunny Rouge, Provenance Tales were inspired by an enchanted garden, but for me they bring to mind wild woods with more than a hint of magic. Created by the exceptionally talented perfumer Nathalie Lorson of Firmenich, (who also composed Lalique Encre Noire (2006), Dita Von Teese (2011), Olfactive Studio AutoPortrait (2011) and Le Labo Cuir 28 -Dubai City Exclusive (2013) to name just a few); these two scents are intended for lovers of opulent yet modern woody fragrances. Named Tundra and Silhouette, they create a dream landscape where anything is possible.
John Williams Waterhouse Boreas 1902
Tundra presents the glittering wintry version of the landscape, where all seems to be ice but there is lots of life, both plant and animal, under the surface. The cool spicy opening with notes of bergamot, pink pepper, laurel leaves and juniper feels like a chill breeze and is beautifully refreshing on a hot summer day without any of the harsh synthetic notes that usually communicate “fresh” that I find very troubling, such as calone. Tundra’s heart is a green floral without doing away with the coolness of the opening; nutmeg, elemi, patchouli and violet are a tender shoot trying to poke its way through the snow, reminding us that life itself is miraculous. When it dries down to base notes of musk, moss and vetiver, Tundra becomes velvety; winter has melted, plants are budding and animals are coming out of hibernation. If Elsa from the movie Frozen had a fragrance, it would be Rouge Bunny Rouge Tundra.
John Williams Waterhouse Magic Circle 1886
Silhouette is the same landscape during Indian summer. A piquant spicy opening of coriander, pimento and nutmeg brings to mind leaves that are just beginning to change color creating a canopy shadowing the forest floor. Heart notes of rose and juniper mix with cedar and vetiver; I picture the sun shining beams on wood nymphs who are braiding grasses and petals into each other’s hair in preparation for a celebration. Base notes of leather, musk, amber and guiaic wood bring an animalic quality reminiscent of natural oud into their cauldron.
Rouge Bunny Rouge Provenance Tales Tundra & Silhouette, 2014
Both fragrances are intended to be and present themselves as unisex, and both feature one of the loveliest vetiver notes I’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing. Sillage on the scents is moderate, but they both provide excellent longevity (12+ hours). Adding to their appeal, they come in exceptionally chic and unique square etched glass bottles that look perfect for whipping up potions. With so many niche fragrance releases each year, a line like this sometimes goes under the radar, but Rouge Bunny Rouge has all the essential elements to make magic.
Disclosure: Samples provided by Twisted Lily. The complete Rouge Bunny Rouge Beauty and Perfume Collection is available instore at Twisted Lily located at 360 Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn. The Rouge Bunny Rouge Fragrances are online and Tundra and Silhouette are availiable 50ml/$169.
— Nancy Knows, Sr. Editor and Beauty Editor
Art Direction: Michelyn Camen Editor in Chief (I chose the paintings of John Williams Waterhouse, the English Pre-Raphaelite artist as they reallly brought Nancy's perfume reviews to life for me)
Thanks to the generosity of Eric and Stamatis of Twisted Lily we have five sample sets of Rouge Bunny Rouge Provenance Tales Tundra & Silhouette for five US readers. To be eligible, please leave a comment with which fragrance appeals to you the most and why by July 14, 2014. If you have a favorite Rouge Bunny Rouge Perfume, leave that in your comment as well.
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