CaFleureBon Profiles in American Perfumery: Dawn Spencer Hurwitz of DSH Perfumes + American Beauty Draw

We know there are many fans of Dawn Spencer Hurwitz, the muli talented muli media artist. Dawn is very special to all the members of  CaFleurebon; Ida remembers her  from her Boston days and awarded Natural Perfumers Guild member, Dawn Spencer Hurwitz, Perfumer of the Year 2010. (DSH as she is known to all -worked side by side with another American Perfumer- Sarah Horowitz Thran in Boston), Mark has carried her on his shoulders and has gone Behind the Bottle with her Bancha Extreme, a natual fragrance.  I  have had the honor of interviewing  DSH when we were a baby blog, and  being both a muse for  CaFleureBon's Birthday fragrance Lautrec . DSH is also an avid Sniffapalooza fan.( Ps  MC named Lautrec and Cyan).

DSH PROFILE:another melting pot- on my Dad's side: German, Dutch and English ancestry (and even a story of a Mohawk Indian wedding in there homeplace) since the early Dutch and English settlement of NY state; late 19th & early 20th Century immigration From Ireland, Switzerland  and Northern Italy on my Mom's side. I grew up in  upstate New York  went college in Boston and moved finally to Boulder Colorado.

 

On American Perfumery:

Like so much of American Art, Perfumery in America has it's roots in  the classic European (French / Italian) traditions, but has also had  a long history of self starters / the self taught. I love this about the American ethic: to get out there and 'do it'. This DIY / entrepreneurial spirit is something that has the ability to foster great adventure and risk taking that I feel pushes American perfumery to the cutting edge of design as well as creativity and innovation. As America is the great melting pot we can take inspiration from everywhere in our world to give it voice and new cultural significance. I believe we are currently experiencing a new Renaissance of niche perfumery and American perfumery simultaneously. It is very exciting.
 

 Dawn Spencer Hurwitz's American Beauty, "My initial inspiration was the lovely American Beauty rose itself, with it's crimson lusciousness; however when I saw that gorgeous scene in the film 'American Beauty', with the floating rose petals, it all came together. That image spoke to the ephemeral nature of the true rose essence. Infusing that inspiration into a hand made perfume, with the rose notes counted drop by drop (like the floating petals into the bottle) is like infusing true love and passion into a hand written love letter. There is nothing else like it."- Dawn Spencer Hurwitz

For our draw  please name your favorite DSHperfume or  one you would like to try. Please list three ingredients from the one you would like to try or own and you are eligible for one ounce of American Beauty spray. Draw ends  July 14, 2011

Michelyn Camen, Editor-In Chief

I chose American Artist Peter Max For DSH: As his expressionistic style evolved, becoming more sensuous and painterly, Max’s unique symbolism and vibrant palette have continued to inspire new generations of Americans. He has celebrated our nation's principles of freedom and democracy with his famous paintings of American icons

Max BB L

Peter Max’s many important commissions include a painting of each of the 50 states

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31 comments

  • I love Dawns creations, she creates some fabulous fragrances and American Beauty is an awesome Rose fragrance…one of the nicest i have tried. My favorite DSH is Verte Madame at this time only because its sooooo wearable during the hot weather and layered with the body butter its out of this world.
    Galbanum, Hyacinth, White Peach are three of the notes found in Verte pour Madame.

  • My choice and not an easy one, faced with many facets of myself On DSH’s website!
    Gelsomino (Jasmine: Italian Journey No. 5)
    Who wouldn’t want to be called…Warm. Subtle. Mysterious. Love the idea of Broom, Neroli and Moss. My wintery vista has just started to glow!

  • It’s nice getting to know more about Dawn. I agree with janelc – well deserved recognition. Bancha Extreme is my choice of a DSH perfume to try. It sounds like I’d absolutely love it.

    Notes: Himalayan Cedar, Indian Patchouli, Indonesian Vetiver

  • I had alot of trouble narrowing this one down. There are so mnay that I wasnt to try. But the two that stuck out the most were Gourmand. That in itself is surprising to me I am not usually attracted to that type of scet but I think that Dawns description was so vivid and it painted the picture for me so well I began to salivate a little.
    Marzipan. I want to smell the almond layers with the Morroccan Rose Absolute blended with white cococa and cocoa. It sounds great.
    Fall is my favorite time of the year the crisp apples and popped crisp shirt collars, football, crispy chips and sweet crispy air. The season has balance and as a libra, its essential to me. So halloween, better than witches brew! intrigues me very much. It has all of the ingredients of a winning cocktail so I know it must smell like the cats pajamas. The intriuging aspects were the notes of licorice,pumpkin and carnation. loving this.
    PS the cotton candy creation that was a farewell item sounded excellent I am burning a cotton candy candle as I am typing this:)

  • I nicknamed DSH the luckscent of indie
    Verte pour Madame is one of the few green scents I can wear DSH kindly let us review first
    Current infatuations with Italian splendor and a yet to be announced botanical

  • Well, now that I’ve read Claudia’s comment, I really would love to try DSH Verte pour Madame! Very nice description!

    I am intrigued by DSH Chypre, but I understand it is being discontinued. I did try Minuit and went from uncertainty to serenity. Some of the notes are: Cassis bud, tuberose absolute and brown oak moss.

  • Viridian – angelica, artemisia, bergamot – this one caught my attention immediately. It must be perfect, speaking of my fragrance preferences. Thank you for this opportunity.

  • ololiuqui says:

    I would like to try all of her creations but may be I would be most interested in Hinoki,Chinoise,Oude Arabique,Prana,Inner Sanctum,Dirty Rose,Minuit,they all include Oud.I would love to try her interpretation of this incredable,traditionaly eastern ingerdient.Thanks for this great draw!

  • I love many of Dawn’s perfumes but I especially love her Menthe Moderne during the summer: spearmint, peppermint and Virginia cedar make it a winner when wanting to cool down.

  • Queen Cupcake says:

    I love just about everything of Dawn’s that I’ve tried. My favorite one to date is Ashram! Three notes: nag champa, amber, Australian sandalwood. I have several more of her perfumes in sample form just waiting for me to indulge.

  • I love a lot of DSH scents, but my favorite is Lumiere. It is comforting with its gourmand notes of almond, hazelnut, and coffee, but it’s not sweet and smells much more complex than a simple gourmand comfort scent. I also love her color series scents, particularly the green ones.

    American Beauty is one I’ve been meaning to try, as I also love a good rose scent. Please enter me in the draw!

  • My fav DSH scent is Cimabue. What is not to love with notes like these: cardamom, clementine, benzoin. It is yummy without ever getting too sweet. Love the spice notes in this so much!

    Would also love to try American Beauty – have read nothing but excellent reviews of this scent. Thanks!

  • I love so many! But one beautiful DSH perfume is Parfum de Luxe, with so many ingredients, but among them are neroli, rose and benzoin.

  • Michellle Hunt says:

    I would love to someday try Vanille – Heliotrope, Vanilla, Sandalwood…sounds soft and warm and yummy (and it would be a sentimental choice because it was at Essence in Boston that I first smelled a heliotrope perfume!)
    Would also love to try American Beauty 🙂

  • I’m compiling a list of DSH fragrances to sample. I especially want to Oeillet Rouges (Top notes: Bergamot, Green Peppercorn, Nutmeg Middle notes: Carnation Absolute, French Red Carnation, Honey Beeswax Base notes: Amber, Ambergris, Myrrh Gum, Vanilla), as well as the well-known Cimabue. But I’d also love to try one or more of her roses, because that is also one of my favorite notes, and I’ve yet to find my perfect rose.

  • I’ve heard amazing things about American Beauty and would love to try it! Another one of Dawn’s creations that I’d love to personally experience is Cuir et Champignon. Cepes (mushroom absolute), leather, tobacco… my interest is piqued!

  • Dawn truly embodies the entrepreneurial spirit of the American perfumer. How many would have the guts and passion to open a perfume store in their early 20’s? In the decades since, her legend has just grown apace with her prodigious output of perfume collections, special editions, and a natural line. Nice to read she’s about as ethnically diverse as me, too 😉 I don’t’ need to be in the draw, I have samples of most of her perfumes.

  • I adore Dawn’s creations…..it would be hard for me to choose a favorite, but one is Cimabue. The rose/saffron/carnation blend is stunning. American Beauty has been on my wishlist for a while now so it would be the perfect prize for me:) Thanks for offering it.

  • I’ve read so many wonderful things about DSH line and it’s a shame that I haven’t tried any of her perfumes yet. I have to URGENTLY try some of them!.

  • I would certainly be happy to receive American Beauty. As for other DSH fragrances, I would love to have her homage to the 70’s/80’s green floral chypres, Vert Pour Madame. Three of its notes that are especially appealing (and give me the sense that it will really feel like a classic I’d love) are galbanum, lily of the valley and the very essential moss.
    Thanks to CaFleureBon and Dawn Spencer Hurwitz for this very generous draw opportunity.

  • ElizabethN says:

    My favorite DSH scent at the moment is Mata Hari, of which I love benzoin, ciste absolute, and oakmoss. I hope to buy a bottle someday! I love my Dirty Rose, too, which I own.

  • As an ardent rose lover, I’m dying to try DSH’s La Rose Fleurette but alas, it’s been discontinued. It’s a concoction of roses: Centifolia Rose Absolute, Damask Rose Absolute, Egyptian Rose Geranium …

  • At the top of my to try list is Vert POur Madame-bergamot,galbanum,peach,violet leaf,tonka bean,and American Beauty!!Thanks for the wonderful illustrations,had never heard of Max before,what a discovery!

  • It’s very difficult for me to try just one DSH perfume, given that I haven’t tried any and I would love to try all of them 🙂
    It’s a big responsibility to choose a perfume unsniffed, but I pick June Bride because I got married last June and I love roses, and this one has Bulgarian Rose Absolute, Centifollia Rose Absolute and White Rose Accord in it.

    Thanks for this wonderful draw!

  • Tourbillion says:

    I really like the fragrance in this Draw, American Beauty, but the one that I would like to try is her version of Aphrodesia.

    This is because the original is my boyfriend’s grandmother’s favorite scent, now discontinued. The base notes are Ambergris, Vetiver, Moss and Musk.

  • Wow…My heart is just fluttering…

    Well, we all know, beautiful fragrance make the moment totally different. Like magic. And, perfectly harmonized fragrance by real talented artist’s nose is take us somewhere, some fantastic place we never been.

    DSH fragrances and the world of her, always take me somewhere unknown but full of marvel things.

    I heard that American beauty by DSH is ‘the ultimate rose fragrance’. I feel strong curiosity almost overwhelming.
    As someone who typically mad about perfume, I always dreamed the perfect rose perfume and this one sounds very close to my deep rose fantasy.

    What most captivating notes to me in the American beauty are Bulgarian rose ottoe, Egyptian Rose Geranium and Centifolia Rose Absolute.

    Strange…Just imagine this exquisite fragrance, enough to make me entrancing.

  • Thank you, Michelyn and everyone at CFB for this incredible series and the opportunity to be a part of it. I am honored beyond measure.
    And thank you everyone for your wonderful comments and thoughts; it is a fascinating read! 🙂

  • sara levy says:

    Love everything I’ve tried by DSH–lovely interview of a wonderful perfumer! My favorite is Cimabue–saffron, carnation, cardamon, benzoin–lots of my fave notes. Please enter me into the drawing and I wish for two things–one that I win 🙂 and two–Dawn’s continued creativity and success!

  • I haven’t tried any of DSH perfumes yet but the first one I really want to try is Mimosa (it has several notes that I really enjoy in perfumes – french lime blossom, mimosa, iris and sandalwood).