De Profundis Spanish Double Exposure Surreal artist Antonio Mora

A technical term in phenomenology which is “the philosophical study of the structures of experience and consciousness,” stands for the object or content of a thought, judgment, or perception. It derives from the Greek word “νόημα meaning thought or what is thought about”. In rhetoric “the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing” Noema is a “figure of speech whereby something stated obscurely is nevertheless intended to be understood or worked out.”

 

Octavio Ocampo (Mexican Surrealist Artist living in San Francisco) Ecstacy of the Lilies

A noema then “only yields meaning upon detailed reflection.” And much like these intellectual pursuits Noema the perfume by Lalun Naturals the all botanical perfume and skincare collection developed by Maggie Mahboubian takes a lot of contemplation to explore its depths. It is a beautifully complex and layered composition that is not easily divided into the sum of its parts. With listed notes of gardenia, black leather and incense this is the darker earthier side of gardenia. 

Antonio Mora Dancing in the Moonlight

“Dark, dense, abstract and turgid, twisting and turning, NOEMA dances like smoke from the fire of our desire.”

Sunlight Kiss Octavio Ocampo

There is the sweetness and fattiness of the intoxicating white floral that one associates with gardenia but upon the first spray one notices that the green overly sweet aspects have fallen to the wayside while the darker notes of the surrounding earth have been pulled to the forefront. I suspect vanilla may have helped wrap this gardenia in a soft embrace to protect it from the rich layered base that surrounds it.  Incense provides a romantic softness and a ritualistic contemplativeness that grounds the sweetness of the gardenia and helps guide this safely toward niche unisex territory. The leather here doesn’t reach animalic proportions but it does help coax gardenia out of the garden and into the night. All of this dries down to a sweet lactonic and softly spicy oriental base highlighted by very high quality sandalwood. Notes: Gardenia, Sandalwood, Vanilla, Incense, Leather, soft spice.

Disclosure: I received my sample of Noema from Maggie Mahboubian, opinions my own.

–Zee Boudreaux, Natural Perfumery Contributor

Editor’s Note: Please welcome Zee to our CaFleureBon team. Since our inception we have always had a dedicated writer for natural perfumery which we continue to spotlight weekly. Zee is a reader and a burgeoning perfumer who was influenced by Mandy Aftel. I chose art  from Octavio Ocampo and Antonio Mora, which  evokes  Zee's reviews of Noema,  a perfume that is one of contemplation but also  illusions and for me echoes Maggie's background as an architect MC

 

Thanks to Maggie Mahboubian of LaLun Naturals we have a bottle of Noema for a US registered reader

and

a sample for any registered reader worldwide. To be eligible, please welcome Zee, leave a comment with why you would like to win Noema from Zee’s review and where you live. Draw closes 2/18/2016

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