ERROR:
subscribe to beauty blog via RSSEpic Perfumes From Another Epoch
May 10, 2010 2:22 pm
No offense to Diddy or Usher, but the original divo of scent was really King Louis XV of the House of Bourbon, who had such a fondness for perfume that his court was called “le cour parfumée” (the perfumed court), and he supposedly demanded a different fragrance for his apartment every day. Louis’ aromatic obsession gave birth to the French perfume industry in the eighteenth century, when scent masters mixed raw materials by hand to produce special batches of royal eau. Skip ahead a few centuries and the old-world tradition of carefully concocted scents is still being carried on by modern-day perfumer Eleanor Jane, who launched her Tallulah Jane line of organic, hand-poured fragrances in 2009. As a certified health instructor, Jane had studied the aromatherapeutic benefits of essential oils for years, but really got turned on to natural perfumery after discovering how many toxic chemicals went into the bottles sitting on her vanity. In an homage to the Bourbon masters, she starting experimenting with tinctures, botanicals, and wild-crafted oils in her Brooklyn studio, instead of a lab. Jane only selects ingredients that have been distilled naturally—or by enfleurage, the oldest-known method for extracting the oh-so-delicate aroma of petals and whole flowers. Everything is then combined with organic grape alcohol or jojoba and left to steep in small casks for anywhere between four weeks and six months, depending on the blend.
Quick and efficient, her technique is not. In fact, Jane only produces small quantities of scents each season, and no two “vintages” are exactly alike. Of course, that’s part of the appeal. The distinctive collection includes the signature Tallulah, which is layered with jasmine and tuberose; Gotham, composed of exotic spices and rose, with just a touch of patchouli; 333, made with three different types of chamomile and lavender; and the newest additions, which bow on Spirit Beauty Lounge today and include Misae, a citrus and green floral accord that dries down to a woody and balsam base; and Leotie, a refreshing, subtle whiff of yuzu and violet leaf. Unlike crazy-complex synthetic perfumes, you can actually pick out each note in the bouquet of these scents. Another plus? The entire line is vegan-friendly, completely liberated from preservatives and certified cruelty-free by Leaping Bunny. Those qualities might not have mattered to Louis and his entourage, but to modern-day eco-queens, it’s a pretty big deal.
tags: Fragrance, Spirit Lounge Beauty, Tallulah Jane
