I recently had the opportunity to sample a few perfumes from Twyla Perfumes and apothecary. I ordered 3 samples and received one free. They got here quickly and everything was packed nicely.
The samples were Milk Flower, Migraineur , and Honekakala and my free sample was Santisima Muerte. Twyla is a member of a FB group I frequent, so I was excited to try these new scents.
The first thing I did was check with her to see if the blend included lavender. So many headache/insomnia/relaxation blends do, which means that I can't use them. Luckily, Twyla is not a lavender fan either, so this is a blend I can use. I haven't tried it yet, because, ironically, I haven't had a migraine since my order got here. Several other people in the FB group have tried it though, and declared it remarkably effective. I'll have to keep you posted on it. She also has a joint/muscle pain blend, which I want to try, both for myself (TMJ, fibro) and my mother (osteoarthritis).
On to the scents!
Honekakala (say THAT 10 times fast) is a honeysuckle blend - Honeysuckle Absolute, Pikake, Tuberose Absolute, Massoia Bark, Monoi de Tahiti and a dribble of aged sweet Patchouli - and it is sweet! Very sweet and very exotic smelling, with a hint of patchouli to ground it. With this one, a little goes a long way, so if you're sensitive to very sweet, floral blends, approach with caution! If you want to smell like a flower shop burgeoning with fresh, delicious, heady blossoms on a summer afternoon, you'll want this one. It's quite lovely.
Santisima Muerte - Sandalwood Absolute, Golden Champaka, Rose Absolute, Blood-Orange, Benzoin, sweet Patchouli. This one smells a bit odd and camphor-like in the bottle, but that fades almost immediately on the skin into a deep, dark creamy blend. It's got a rich, heady bottom of spices and a sweet flowery-overlay that blend beautifully. The rose note smells more like an antique rose, rather than a tea rose type, and doesn't stand out sharply against the other notes. The blend smells like you've opened an antique box to discover a dried corsage or bouquet with scent still clinging to it. It reminds me of some of the perfumes TMTM used to make, a similar sort of dark warmth and floral overlay. It's wickedly delectable, and right now it's on sale.
Milk Flower - this was the most unique blend of the bunch, in fact, one of the most unique blends I've smelled in awhile. Lilac, Carnation Absolute, Tuberose and White Rose drenched in Vanilla, Amber and Cream with the faintest breath of Mint. The description sounds like it might smell like a powdery old-lady blend, but it doesn't. The mint is light but distinct and adds a wonderful, unexpected note. The vanilla and amber mix everything together into an amazing fluffy confection of fragrance. If this blend were a colour, it would be Tiffany Blue - if it were a candy, it would be Seafoam or Divinity. It's got that same sort of uncanny blend of lightness and rich intensity. It's one of those fragrances that you just can't stop sniffing once it's on your skin.
If the quality of these three scents bears out in all of her blends - and I don't see why they wouldn't - Twyla is well on her way to becoming a force to be reckoned with in the indie-perfume business. I highly recommend her shop to anyone looking for another perfumery to add to their shopping list.
As always, all products were purchased by me for my own use. My opinions are my own and always will be. Your mileage may vary.
