Thursday, August 11, 2011

Rhymes with door hinge

Orange and amber. Can you really go wrong with this combination? I think not.  I'm quite fond of most citrus fruits, both as a snack and as a fragrance and there are very few I will turn my nose up at (I'm looking at you, grapefruit). Orange and lime happen to be two of my favourite non-exotic citrus scents, and I passionately adore the scent of amber.  I happened to be browsing The Morbid The Merrier's site a while back looking for another perfume and came across this:
"DHANYA
Key notes:
orange blossom, blackened amber, blood orange, whiskey, and a most decadent Indian white amber
."

Orange! Amber! Is there a downside to this? I think not! Obviously I snapped it right up. I mean, even the name sounds exotic and heady: Dhanya- like some Hindu goddess. Being a complete geek, I looked it up. Dhanya is a Sanskrit name, which, depending on the source you use, means 'most glorious', 'virtuous', 'thankful', 'blessed'. It may also be a Tamil name for the goddess Lakshmi.

So, anyway, Dhanya is part of TMTM's Odditoria line, which tend to be even darker and more exotic than the standard TMTM fare. A little slice of heaven. I want to try all the scents in that line, but this is the one that caught my eye that day.

Dhanya doesn't smell Indian to me. The first note I catch is a burst of orange - true orange, not orange candy or Bayer Baby Aspirin orange. After a little wear and warming on the skin, the blood orange - which I can only describe as somewhere between orange and tangerine scented - surfaces, cushioned by a rich, creamy layer of amber. You sort of float in this sweet but citrussy mixture for a long time, dreaming of Morrocan orange groves or the gardens of Alhambra, when the wicked whiskey undertones sneak up on you. They're delicate, but at the same time sharp and just a little bit naughty, like a little girl taking a sip of Daddy's gin while he's not looking. There's not enough whiskey to make the scent boozy, just a little bite beneath the juicyness of the richer notes.

I love this scent, it's simple without being simplistic, it's a wonderful layering of like upon like that blends complimentary aromas together without sacrificing their individual virtues. The final touch of whiskey is the perfect contrast to top it off. If you don't care for the main notes, you won't like this perfume, but if you do, you'll be astonished at how breathtaking and intricate such a simple mixture can be. It's so easy to make an orange-scented perfume that's a basic, safe, Florida sunshine smell. Which is fine and has it's place. But add just a few variants and you find yourself a world away, someplace much more exotic and fantastical, with just a hint of hidden danger; a cafe in Casablanca, or strolling down the streets of Granada as the sun sets.

image courtesy of TMTM

Odditoria perfumes come in a 5ml roll-on bottle, which I just love. I'm hella clumsy, so anything I can't accidentally spill is a big plus for me. It's $12 per bottle, which is a great price for so much scent packed into one little container. This scent lasts all day on me, and if I put it on late enough, I still get a hint of it in the morning.

To add to the wonder that is all things TMTM, Lysa has announced the upcoming Fall line and a big sale this Sunday, August 14:
"I am holding a special pre-Halloween sale for Saucy Jack and The Saw is Family. I have a VERY limited supply of fragrance components for both of these, so I will make as many bottles as possible and place them for sale THIS SUNDAY @ 4PM PST - MIDNIGHT in the Etsy shop. I really don't like doing it this way, but Halloween is going to be pretty intense this year, and I wanted to get these out of the way before listing all the seasonal stuff. Should I have any bottles left after the pre-sale, they will return to the vault (aka my perfume cabinet - ha ha) and I will list them with the rest of Halloween until they're gone. I feel very sad, because these will never return, and The Saw is Family is one of my personal favorites EVER. "

I'll be lurking to grab my bottle of the Saw Is Family. See my review of Saucy Jack here. You probably need a bottle of at least one of these. Be there or be square.

All products were purchased by me for my own use. My opinions are my own and always will be. Your mileage may vary.

2 comments:

  1. It IS a lovely scent!
    It's one of the samples I purchased, and I need a bottle of it :) I love the way you're so descriptive!

    I'd run to go put more on right now, but I'm wearing Natali! Trying not to lick my arm... LOL

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