California-based IBI has launched Virtue, the "world's first spiritual perfume".
Company executives Rick Larimore and Vicki Pratt "...turned to the Bible and let Spirit guide us through the process of picking and choosing the right elements to include in the fragrance."
The notes for Virtue include apricot, pomegranate, fig, iris, frankincense, myrrh, aloe, spikenard, cinnamon and cassia.
Virtue is an Eau de Parfum, and is $80 for 50 ml. (via send2press & virtueperfume)
Using scared matters to sell a scent? A little tacky and probably sacrilegious, no? The price is a little…ungodly as well.
Anything for a sell… Somehow the whole thing comes across as not very sincere to me. No names, just IBI the company. Oh well.
it was of course meant to be “sacred” not “scared” *sigh*
M, I know you meant sacred but had to laugh at scared 🙂
Somebody actually beat them to this concept, and yes, at a cheaper price:
http://www.nhimco.com/virtuous.html
I cannot say if they are sincere…they certainly seem so on their website though! Regardless, I would think there is a huge market for this sort of perfume at Christian trade shows and the like. The “Virtuous Woman” perfume (see link in comment above) notes that “Images of sexuality or sensuality dominate the industry’s focus” and that is absolutely right — if you are offended by that focus for religious or cultural reasons, you've got little enough choice in today's mainstream market.
Indeed…There goes that darned mainstream culture again, tempting the good Christian woman with such wordly evils as fragrances which are far too dangerous and provocative to desecrate her pure skin!
Beware, for the road to Hell is paved with Tabac Blond!
Sorry…I just felt like being a little facetious. 😉
LOL — but it is not entirely facetious, is it — I mean, Tabac Blond is the perfect example, I would think, of a perfume that doesn't even smell like “virtue”. I haven't smelled the Virtue perfume, but I can only assume it is considerably more demure!
Hmmm, wasn't that TaoBuddhistSufiChristianJew or whatever it was called the first spiritual scent?
Well, yes but I think it is wrong to target a religious market with any product. It is, in my opinion, very bad taste and offensive to other religions. What next? A scent especially for Jewish mothers in law : “Eau de Guilty Feelings cos you married my son”? *lol*
There are so many brands who do not sell with sex, e.g. Creed, Jo Malone, Maitre Parfumeur just to mention a few.
I would like to know if the naturals come from botanicals grown in fields allowed to lie fallow every seventh year, and whether it will come in an oil appropriate for anointing.
I have seen that one referred to as a “unifaith fragrance” or an “unfaith fragrance” — so not hitting the same market by any means, LOL 🙂
I don't have any strong opinion on this subject; if it is wrong to target a religious market with any product, then there is a lot of wrong going on already. The Christian market is huge in this country, and they seem to very much want to be marketed to — I'll leave it to others to decide if that is in bad taste or not.
LOL — you'll have to write them and ask 🙂
I really need to get me some of this – it'll help me a better person. *rolls eyes*
Wow. This really got my attention. The thing is this *could* be done well — doesn't Anya have a Song of Solomon perfume? I was just re-reading Diane Ackerman's chapter on Smell and she says that ancient Islam texts describe roses as saying “Allah” to us when we lean over to breathe in their scent…
On the other hand, from their website:
“Initial product testing in 2005 at Barney’s New York in Beverly Hills showed that 95% of those tested – male and female – loved the fragrance. Typically, 30% or better “likeability” is considered a success. Initial users of Virtue® report that the fragrance is not only a great reminder of God, but layers beautifully with other fragrances.”
So they love it at Barney's, its great reminder of God *and* layers beautifully! Well, then!
And also:
“Orange County, CA-based IBI was formed in 2005 as a niche fragrance company. It will introduce a Biblically based moisturizing lotion in the Spring.”
God Bless Orange County —
A.
Scripture is just replete with references to perfumes and anointing oils. For instance, the romantic and sensual Song of Solomon talks of the use of perfume among lovers:
“Beloved…
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth—
for your love is more delightful than wine.
Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfumes;
your name is like perfume poured out.
No wonder the maidens love you!
Take me away with you—let us hurry!
Let the king bring me into his chambers.
The other one that springs to mind, though there are so many, concerns Jesus:
“Another time we read about perfume is in Mark 14. On this occasion, Jesus is talking with his disciples when a woman enters the room. She has a container of very expensive perfume. How expensive? It would take everything a person could earn in one year to buy this perfume! The woman took the expensive perfume and anointed Jesus. Some who were present thought it was a waste of good money, but Jesus saw the love of the woman. He was pleased with her gift.”
There are numerous companies online with biblically inspired perfumes, oils, candles, perfume bottles inspired by Holy Land archaelogical sites, etc., etc.
Like old King Solomon said himself..”There's nothing new under the sun!”
Oh, so this thing is actually, kinda.. sincere? Sincerely marketed to Christians, at least? I just assumed that it was tongue-in-cheek naughty and thought ooo, that sounds like fun…
That's coming from someone who layers Angel and Messe de Minuit, though. Now I don't know if I should be disappointed or tickled. 🙂
That there are perfumes that are inspired by biblical references I would not question and there are many companys that produce them.
But that this one claims that the Holy Spirit guided them in formulating them?? Come on.
Does the Holy Spirit get a percentage of the profits? Somehow I don't think that's part of His agenda!
I don't know — not in her new collection, she doesn't, but maybe she did before?
I love that quote from Ackerman. Need to re-read that book — have only skimmed it, and that quite some time ago.
Nice quotes, thanks!
Oh no, it is perfectly serious.
I understand there can be an intense spirituality in fragrance inspiration, but (as you've all mentioned before) for something so specifically religious, it almost seems ironic that this release is profit generating and not charitable. Sort of a conflict of interest, I'd say. Kind of reminds me of this Christian/Catholic parable about peddlers selling goods in front of a temple…
However, as absurd as the marketing campaign and aim of “Virtue” is, there's also something very alluring about a recreation of any scent or note combinations from history. Even though climate changes and genetics can effect the scent of things, fragrance recreation is almost like virtual time travel or the conjuring of spirits. The notes in “Virtue” are what would've wafted throughout wealthy homes in Middle Eastern lands–as well as in Africa and Eastern places. Sacred or not, the fragrances' premise is interesting enough.
I also think modern audiences would really appreciate the freshness of the spikenard/cassia/cinnamon combo. Fig would add sweetness, but not of the modern nectar-drenched kind; more of a velvety jamminess. While many people think of frankincense and myrrh as a very strong combo (it was once used to annoint and prepare the dead, afterall) it's actually a deeply quiet combo, that hums in the nose rather than screams (perfect effect for burials and for the comfort of the living around unpreserved bodies. Yes, I'm sure that will prompt a pleasant association–I should be marketing this stuff!). I almost don't know what to expect, except now I'm feeling like the devout party-pooper, saying to the rest of the congregation “Now, now, we should always look for the good side of things. Give this poor fragrance a chance! Shame on every last one of you!” ;D
“However, as absurd as the marketing campaign and aim of “Virtue” is,…”
Ok, maybe I was being a bit excessive in labling the marketing “absurd”…I think it's great to create a product that would remind people of God and scripture, or perhaps another religious deity or idea—Lord knows (;D) incense lines have depended upon their claims to invoke spirituality for as long as the stuff has existed. However, why yet another “good person/bad person” message? Is it a sure way to sell something, by claiming the alternate option is sinful and harmful to afterlife aspirations?
Advertisements aside, how is spikenard any less sinful than vanilla? How would we have explained the “pure vs.sinful essences” debate to ancient royal mistresses; those who upon being rubbed with spikenard/cassia ungents, would take their places beside royalty, their status absent of religious legitimacy? I suppose “spiritual” fragrances are expected to be accepted without question.
Virtue?? Everything about this revolts me. It reminds me of businesses we have around here that have big signs and fish emblems on the sides of their vans (plumbing, electric work, etc.) that claim they are Christian businesses. Please!! Siince when was Christ into marketing like that? I'd hire someone from another state before I'd hire someone w/ that sort of advertising. OK…stepping (grudgingly) off my soap box now. The notes actually sound rather interesting, but, as I said, there's no way I'd buy anything marketed like that.
I am so with you on this one Elle! Bravo!
This to me is not in the true Christian spirit. It smacks of commercialism at its worst. Also, not so long ago one could buy papal dispensations from sind at the local church near you. That they got rid off, now there is the fragrance 🙂
I assume it is not that spikenard is less sinful than vanilla, but that there is some biblical association with spikenard — but we are WAY outside of my very limited area of expertise here! Totally agree with “something very alluring about a recreation of any scent or note combinations from history” — I find that compelling also, although have not read enough about this particular scent to know how the individual notes were chosen other than via prayer, which is less interesting to me personally.
Both of you are welcome to stand on your soapboxes as much as you like — I love a good rant! — but I am hampered from answering by my desire not to discuss my own religious beliefs or offend anyone else's, so I'm just going to stay out of it 🙂
Lol, Robyn, I admire your restraint 🙂 Well done!
You're welcome!! 🙂
I think that pefumes that take their clue from biblical references should definitely be worth exploring. Scripture mentions mirrh, rose, jasmine, lily of the valley, and Frankincense to just name a very few.
But for most Christians who refer to inspiration from the Holy Spirit, it's in connection with spiritual matters, not commercial enterprises.
There are numerous companies that produce products inspired by biblical references, but this one wants to claim their products are created by divine inspiration. Please.
That's okay. It scared me, too.
Depends on what you consider worthy of anointing.
Hmm..their marketing leaves me a little un-inspired but the concept is intriguing. Apricot sounds appealing…..has anyone been able to try it?
Unless I missed it, they don't have a sampling program, so not likely that I'll ever try it myself (not going to pay $80 for the privilege, LOL!)