Perfume Review: The Scented Djinn Modhlim + Heart of Darkness Draw

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The Scented Djinn-courtesy of Justine Crane

The Scented Djinn is the aromatic offerings of Justine Crane, her handcrafted collection changing season to season and when something is gone- there is no loss in the falling of petal when summer is gone- and very little gone to waste for even the petals of her gardens find their way into multipurpose, wish-fulfilling products and perfumes. “I'm not into prints.”

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Mae Marsh, Silent screen star  photo  goldensilents.com

Justine explains her seeming disinterest in commercial availability and purposing the premise of her perfume as an original work of art. She is an instant Buddha, extolling the impermanence of material things and long time botanical artist capable of living with allowing her own petals to fall away bottle after bottle until no more.

maude fealy silent screen actress

Silent Screen Maude Fealy Actress

Modhlim is an Arabic word meaning “absence of light”, which is the proper definition of “darkness”. It is said darkness, as such does not even exist; being defined only by what we can measure: light. Quantum physics and Justine suggest light may be all a very dark matter indeed.

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Silent Screen Actress Maude Fealy

Just as getting to the heart of what exactly dark matter is, Modhlim is dark but understandable sambac jasmine with green tea brightness- until like cosmic soil being turned into itself- a strong and foreboding basil modifier darkens the moment… or does the heart light of this phenomenon merely recede? Perhaps dark matter is merely this constant composting of light itself- the folding, churning of possibility. Fertile fruit ripens as basil receeds, a Djinn accord including the sun of chamomile, albeit in its darker German form.

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Theda Bara Salome 1918

The effect is the same as hitting your head. Hard. Everyone knows there is great light and color in that blackness. This swirling Sufi dance is the same kaleidoscopic masala dabba of cardamom, cumin, rosewood then carnation, fruit and tea. The spinning hand passes by, holy spikenard and rose breeze heated with the passion of ambrette and seaweed as human musk.

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Silent Screen Star Gloria Swanson Edward Steichen colorized  MC

The dance is done to infuse a dim world with light, and it is in this vein tracers of bergamot and lemon follow and vanish, follow and vanish as when one stands too close to the lighthouse to understand the import of it's slow overhead turning.

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Anna May Wong  early 1920s

 

Boiling spice intensity, tangible darkness, Modhlim is present, and remains far longer than other harbingers of light, in fact, it is because of this greater darkness even the slightest amount of light, the tiniest drop of skin projects like a great sun.

silent screen star lily elsie

Silent Screen Star Lily Elsie

Overwhelmed in a sub-tropical market and revived by the same said smell, a sort of samara begins, with one deliriously happy to die again and again into the galaxy gulping not-there-everywhere nature of Justine's work. An inherent not-there-nowhere will occur when the last bottle is gone, the impermanent nature of The Scented Djinn, of both light and dark and of the lasting impression all great works of art endow.

Notes: lemon, bergamot, cumin, tulsi, our own sweet fruit accord, roses, carnation accord, orris, santal, jasmine sambac, patchouli, cardamom, rose de mai, rosewood, green tea, musk accord, patchouli, spikenard, labdanum, ambrette, vetyver, siam wood, benzoin, featuring a lovely, lush and rare clove basil and a hint of seaweed

-Einsof, Natural Perfume Editor

Art Director-Michelyn

(my sample was provided by The Scented Djinn for review.)

Editor's Note: Justine Crane, (who is also an illustrator and artist) Scented Djinn's  branding is reminiscent of Art Deco and brings to mind Silent screen movie stars during the early 20th century when lighting was essential  to "color" black and white films

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Thanks to Justine Crane of the Scented Djinn we have a bottle (15mL) of Modhlim for a registered reader (you must be registered) in the continental USA  only. To be eligible please leave a comment with what you enjoyed about Einsof’s review and why you would like to win Modhlim. Draw closes 8/26/2015.

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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15 comments

  • madeleine gallay says:

    The romance and exoticism of the photos are perfect for this lyrical review of a perfume imbued with sensuality and originality. A life of dreams gently veiled … just beyond the imagination.

    USA. Thank you.

  • Linda Peduzzi says:

    Wow, I love the imagery of a spinning dancer, with scent unfurling with every turn! I am very intrigued by Modlhim and would love to sample it.

  • That was a most inviting description of the wearing of this scent. The pictures went well. Yes, I’d love to win this. 🙂 USA

  • I like the perfumer’s seasonal approach, recognizing the impermanence of everything. I’m also a fan of chiaroscuro in both art and perfumery.

    There is also an element of synchronicity here for me — it seems that every single one of my favorite notes is present in this fragrance — and none of my “avoids” are there. How intriguing! I would like to discover whether The Scented Djinn’s Modhlim is fated to be mine.

    I am in the USA, and in my city there is a marvelously talented indie band called “City of Djinn.”

  • I like to monitor the natural/botanical side of perfumery closely. So, whenever something like this comes around, I get a little excited. I enjoyed seeing what materials are used.

    I would like to win Modhlim because I’m interested in seeing the possibilities of natural perfumery.

  • This review was like a head trip. 😉 And that is exactly why I would like to win Modhlim – to sniff what inspired this review.

  • fazalcheema says:

    I think the name Modhlim is good as this one is actually a dark fragrance..also the perfumer acknowledges dark fragrances are not the ones created by those with purely commercial approach and this one is as anti-commercial as Justine could make it. thanks a lot for the lovely draw. I am in the US

  • I’m intrigued by the image of hitting one’s head — light within darkness. And did someone say carnation? Such a hard note to find now, and hard to get right. I have very few natural perfumes and want to learn more about them. Thanks for the chance. I’m in the US.

  • This was a very inspiring review, paired with the photos of such a romantic era. I don’t quite know what to expect from this perfume, but it sounds dark and exotic and I would like to experience it. USA

  • Leathermountain says:

    “The effect is the same as hitting your head. Hard.” That’s my favorite line in einsof’s review, and the reason I want to win Modhlim. I’m registered and in the conUSA. Thank you!

  • I was captivated by the description of this, and I just adore sambac jasmine and green tea…basil is mysterious, delicious and magical.

  • I love learning new words like modhlim, and seeing the different beauty standards in the silent film stars from a century ago always makes me happy. I’d love the chance to try Modhlim before it disappears forever, and I’m in the US. Thanks!

  • I enjoyed Einsof’s review and how he evokes the primal quality to Modhlim that speaks of wild things moving restlessly in the dark. I would like to win this lush green floral fragrance.

  • “it is because of this greater darkness even the slightest amount of light, the tiniest drop of skin projects like a great sun.” I love this description, and would like to try Modhlim especially because this play of light and dark is one aspect of fragrance that really draws me in. I’m in the US, thanks!