New Perfume Review:  Sigil Scent PROTECKT (Patrick Kelly for ÇaFleureBon Project Talisman) 2017 + Of Tagetes and Talismans Draw

Talismanic painting by Gail Gross ©

March 22, 2017 marked the 7th year Anniversary of ÇaFleureBon. In anticipation of this milestone, ÇaFleureBon founder and Editor-in-Chief Michelyn Camen invited eight American artisan perfumers to participate in “Project Talisman” –  “a multi-perfumer project where each perfumer created a fragrance “parfum de protection” to ward off the evil eye or attract positivity.”  On the Ides of March, most of the perfumers offered their magical potions, specifically designed to function as perfume talismans for safety, positivity and protection to perfumistas and readers; Patrick chose to create Proteckt as a bespoke fragrance.

Patrick Kelly of Sigil Scent

For ÇaFleureBon’s Project Talisman Patrick Kelly of Sigil Scent created Proteckt:  “… a resinous, smoky blend of woods, punctuated by fresh tagetes and bubbling citrus notes…. inspired by the alchemical symbol for “essence.” – Patrick Kelly

To affect an aura of protection, Patrick Kelly’s Proteckt fragrance features some of the strongest and historically important essential oils available to perfumers. The first of these that greets my nose when I spritz Proteckt is tagetes. Tagetes essential oil is extracted from the Southern Marigold (Tagetes minuta), a tall flowering plant with very small yellow flowers that was originally native to South America and is now considered a weed in many parts of the world. The Aztecs used a powder made from the flowers of a related species, Tagetes lucida, to make ritual incense.

Vendors selling Tagetes and incense for the Day of The Dead in Mexico Photo Scripps News Service

In Mexico, Tagetes are associated with the Day of The Dead. Today the bright orange and saffron colored garlands of the larger flowered tagetes species and hybrids are used to drape Indian temples during festivals and celebrations. Oil of tagetes has a very distinct odor  and has been used for centuries as an antiseptic, to dress wounds and to protect people from evil of all sorts. The flowers and the essential oil of tagetes repel insects (and perhaps evil as well) with a strange, tangy, candied metallic scent, at once warm, crisp and powdery with overtones of apple and citrus.

Shachi Srivastava  Dances with Incense©

In Sigil Scent’s Proteckt fragrance, the olfacive profile of tagetes merge with the sharp, fruity qualities of black pepper and the rich, tart, berrylike sweetness of blood orange, creating a focused, pungently refreshing and penetrating opening.  After about a quarter of an hour, this bright and protective shield melds and merges with cedar and frankincense, resulting in a scent akin to a smoky, fruity, nutty incense that lingers for at least an hour before the comforting effect of styrax (benzoin) carries the protection into the dry down.  Like all of the Sigil Scent natural fragrances, Proteckt is very long wearing. This perfume helps me to feel safe for many hours by infusing my mind with positive energy.  Proteckt is truly a talismanic perfume, a rich and serous fragrance that I value not only for its magic but for its relaxing, therapeutic qualities as well.

Notes:  Styrax, pepper, cedar, frankincense, petitgrain, tagetes and blood orange.  

I would like to thank Patrick Kelly of Sigil Scent for the generous sample of Proteckt. Opinions are my own.

Gail Gross, Editor

Art Director, Michelyn Camen, Editor in Chief

This Perfume is not available for sale, and is bespoke, created only for our Seventh Year Multi Perfumer Collaboration: Project Talisman

Thanks to the generosity of Patrick Kelly of Sigil Scent we have one 50 ml of Sigil Scent Proteckt ($90) available to one registered reader  USA. (Be sure to register or your comment will not count). To be eligible for the draw, tell us what appeals to you about Gail’s review of Proteckt, if you are familar with tagetes in perfumes, and if you have been following the Talisman Project. If you would like  Proteckt to be offered for sale, do let us know…it is that good.  Draw closes May 2, 2017

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

  

 

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17 comments

  • doveskylark says:

    I had never heard of tagetes before reading this review. I love fragrances that dry down to benzoin. I can see how this would be a comforting scent.
    I have been following the Talisman Project and I am feeling comforted that it’s not just me who is craving comfort and security at this time in history. I hope Proteckt will be offered for sale.
    I live in the USA.

  • Roger Engelhardt says:

    All the perfumes in this series have sounded wonderful, would love to be the random winner!
    I am in the USA.

  • Gail’s review acquainted me with tagetes as this was something I’d never heard about. I’ve been following this project and the various fragrances which have been produced. It would be great if this were offered for sale. Thanks for the draw. I live in the USA

  • Thanks Gail for helping me learn something new – I didn’t know that the oil of tagetes is antiseptic!

    I had been away from CaFleureBon for a while until a few days ago so I’m not up to speed with Project Taliman’s perfumers and fragrances although I know what the main idea behind the project is/was.

    This one definitely sounds like it should be for sale although the review makes me think that perhaps it does not exactly have a “commercial” profile.

    Thanks for the draw. I am in the US,

  • I enjoy tagetes, and it is not a note I see often in perfume. It is a significant flower in India as well. This is an interesting project, and how each perfumer has such a different take on the subject. I love these sort of things. thank you for the review. USA.

  • fazalcheema says:

    This is intrguing because I have never seen a perfume with Tagetes though I feel I probably have smelled the flower. When i first saw it, I also suspected this is the flower you see in Indian temples, just like the review states. Thanks for the draw. I am in US.

  • While I’m not familiar with tagetes in perfumery, I do know the flower very well. I try to plant them every year and I enjoy their signature ‘bitter’ scent. They’re great companion plants! I love how Gail describes Proteckt – bright astringency to protect, with a comforting and cozy dry down of styrax. Project Talisman is such a neat concept and everyone involved has done a great job! In the US.

  • cardinalmind says:

    If my search around the net is correct, I should have smelt a perfume with tagetes. Who wouldn’t have smelled Obsession for women by CK, or Boss Bottled by Hugo Boss?

    Gail’s review is a nice refresher about a certain note used in perfumery while being giving a fair assessment on a fragrance. I have been reading every single Project talisman post here and while I can’t comment on each one, I’m curious to smell them all. Do please release Proteckt in the wild. Thanks and have a nice day! USA

  • Gail’s review definitely sparked my interest. I now have a huge urge to know what the note of tagetes smells like. I’ve never smelled that note in any of my fragrances. I didn’t follow the Talisman Project because this is the first I’ve heard of it. Sounds really interesting though. From USA. Thanks for the draw!

  • Hi gails review appeals to me because of detail given .I’m not very familiar with tagetes in perfume, I do know the flower tho.This is first time hearing of the talisman project but will be following ,and this should be sold in store,thnx 4 giveaway

  • Hikmat Sher Afridi says:

    I have heard of marigold in perfumery as a note but never of Tagetes (which is one of kind of marigold). Gail’s review of Proteckt is fascinating, infusing mind with positive energy, being truly a talismanic perfume, a rich and serous fragrance for its magic and for its relaxing, therapeutic qualities as well. Yes, I would like Proteckt to be offered for sale.
    Thanks to the generosity of Patrick Kelly of Sigil Scent and Cefleurebon for the opportunity to participate in the draw by letting my relative address in US.

  • Incense and Marigold has been a part of Indian culture forever. The pic ture from Shachi Srivastava Dances with Incense©, really resonates that cultural part with me.

    IN USA.

  • Happy 7th year Anniversary CaFleureBon! It has been about one year that I am with you and I have learned too much during this short period of time.
    I like Combination of citrus and woody notes.
    Thank you for the opportunity. Live in the US.

  • RoseMacaroon says:

    That does sound like a magickal combo, i’m thinking both literally and aesthetically, and i would love to try it. Smoke and woods with tagetes — i’m not yet familuar but can definitely dig medicinal notes, and it jyst sounds cool. I have bern following the project, still need to try the DSH and En Voyage contributions as they sound amazing as well.
    Thanks so much for the draw!

  • ntabassum92 says:

    Mmm, orange and incense sounds heavenly. I love fruity incense. I think I have smelled a few marigold fragrances, but not many – I love the smell of true marigolds. So unique, different from other flowers, almost herbal. I have been following the Talisman project 🙂

  • Christina M says:

    I loved Gail’s review because it painted a very vivid picture in my brain of what the scent is meant to represent. I really enjoy fragrances that “take” me to another realm in my mind. I have not being following the Talisman project previously but am now fascinated. I am not certain if I have encountered Tagetes in a fragrance before but would love to try this as it has many of my other favorite notes. I would like for Proteckt to be released to the general public and would be snapping up a ample immediately!

    I am in the US and would love to be the lucky winner! I would also like to thank Patrick at Sigil scent for the donation of the bottle.

  • i enjoyed Gail’s review of Proteckt and I wonder if, since I live so close to Mexico, I have smelled targetes in fragrances before. We can all use more positive energy and I hope Proteckt will be offered for sale. While I am not familar with tagetes in perfumes, I have been following the Talisman Project.