Despite my complaints about boring fragrances in general and boring niche fragrances in particular, I'm generally not all that eager to try new and unknown indie lines. It's true that you might just smell something fabulous, something entirely outside of the proverbial box, something that you can no longer find in mainstream or niche. But to get there, you're going to kiss a lot of frogs, right? And by frogs, I mean fragrances that are not just boring, but awful — scrubbers, perhaps, or worse.1
Providence Perfume Co, which has garnered some attention on the blogs & forums, turned out to be a pleasant surprise. I tried 8 of the line's 9 offerings, and didn't reach for the liquid Tide even once. Charna Ethier is a relative newcomer to the indie natural scene; she's been marketing her own perfumes for about a year or so. Her line caught my eye primarily because she makes a fragrance called Osmanthus Oolong which sounded nearly custom-made for me: black, green and red teas, osmanthus, beeswax. As it turned out, I didn't like Osmanthus Oolong. It was too heavy and sweet, and maybe just too far away from the Osmanthus Oolong of my imagination (I drink real osmanthus oolong tea regularly, and have yet to see it satisfactorily translated into perfume).2 But I did like several others in the line, and so here are brief reviews:
I'll start with Tabac Citron (shown above) because it's so likable. It's a bright cheerful citrus with tobacco and lavender, two notes that I don't always love — I thought it would annoy me so I tested it last, and was immediately charmed. It's an easy-to-wear unisex with just the right amount of bite, and it's perfect for summer. As you'd expect with a natural citrus, this is not a powerhouse of longevity, but the lasting power is reasonable enough (maybe a few hours). A must try for lemon lovers, especially those looking for natural alternatives to standard summer Eau de Cologne.
Indolice is at the other end of the spectrum, perhaps: it's not exactly easy to wear, and it's moody rather than cheerful. The notes are basil, cilantro, jasmine, mushroom and oakmoss. The mushrooms come out fighting in the top notes, but if you hang on, after 15 minutes you've got a lovely deep jasmine, beautifully earthy — and by earthy, I mean it smells like dirt. You know who you are: if that sounds disgusting, you're probably not going to like it; if you like a bit of skank, this one is very worth a shot. I found it dirty but not overly indolic or animalic, but as I've said before, my indole-o-meter is probably off, and I should note that Marina at Perfume Smellin' Things found it "breathtakingly indolic". So consider yourself warned. The lasting power is quite good.
If you love the smell of chocolate but generally dislike sweet gourmands, you might want to give Cocoa Tuberose a shot. It's heavier on the cocoa than the tuberose (other notes include wormwood, pink grapefruit, tonka bean, vetiver, pipe tobacco), and it's dark and smooth with only minimal sweetness. The dry down is woody-earthy and rich, and while it isn't really heavy, it's probably better suited to cool rather than hot weather. I found the lasting power quite good for this one too.
If you've tried any from the line (and especially the one I didn't get to try, Lei Flower), do comment!
The Providence Perfume Co fragrances are sold in 15 ml Eau de Parfum Roll-on ($62), 5 ml Splash Eau de Parfum ($25, or a coffret of six for $125), 6 ($26) or 30 ml Eau de Parfum Spray ($115). Samples are also sold (1.5 ml, $11). You can purchase via the website or Etsy shop, but do note that they have slightly different offerings.
1. And what is worse than a scrubber? A scrubber that still makes you shudder with disgust a week later.
2. Trish over at Scent Hive loved Osmanthus Oolong though, and you can read her review here.
Very interesting reviews, Robin. Thanks! I’ve never even heard of this brand until now! The Indolice sounds right up my alley, though.
Let me know if you try them, I’ve very curious to hear more opinions.
While these don’t sound exactly up my alley (well, maybe the Tabac Citron…) I enjoyed reading about them, and hearing about creative scents that are reasonably priced and fun! I’m wearing Ilaria from Indiescents right now and it’s love, pure love for this oil. Yet I’ve tried some niche fragrances lately that were….hmmm, tactful word for awful…um, just “not me.” That’s why I appreciate those houses that offer samples!
Some of these brands are so bad it’s hard to be tactful. So don’t ask me which ones 😉
Thanks for the reviews Robin- Tabac Citron sounds like my sorta thing 🙂 I would love to hear what is still giving you a shudder!
It is too mean to say what indie perfumes made me shudder…I have never cared at all for the “only talk about what you like” approach (to each his own, but I have no desire to read perfume reviews by someone who can’t say anything bad about a perfume), but when it comes to some of the tiny DIY brands, it just seems better not to mention them at all than to be brutally honest. Yes, I’m a wimp!
You’re not a wimp. Writing nasty comments on the internet is apparently about the easiest thing in the world. What you do is harder, and that’s a good reason to read your blog.
That’s kind of you, but I don’t know…you can be critical without being nasty, right? But it’s one thing to say something by Versace is yuckola, it’s another thing to say the same about something by some tiny little indie brand that’s putting their whole heart into their business, and who just isn’t really that good at it.
Nice way to put it.
I agree wholeheartedly with your approach….doesn’t mean I am not curious!
Thanks for the review and for reminding me about this brand. I do remember seeing Marina’s posts on mushroom used in perfumes (I love Cepes & Tuberose), and I thought I would like to try Indolice but never got around to tracking it down. I just ordered samples of that, the Cocoa Tuberose, and the musk one.
Cepes & Tuberose is lovely. Let me know what you think of Indolice. I don’t think this perfumer is yet at Mandy Aftel’s level, if you know what I mean, but she’s doing nice work.
Oh shoot, I hadn’t even heard of this line yet, and now you have me craving more things to try! Especially the Tabac Citron since I am desiring warm weather and the scents to go with it like a mad woman.
I am going crazy with this cold gray weather. Ugh. I would give up perfume altogether (ok, not really) if it would just WARM UP ALREADY.
I don’t like to complain about rain – but when it’s COLD and rainy, it chills me to the bone and I’m miserable. And we’re having an awful lot of those days.
I join you in your weather related misery. 🙁
sunshine , now please….
I’m sorry to say it, but I’ve been in a similar camp – avoiding little-known indie (and often naturals) lines. I’m sure there are many, many wonderful fragrance offerings from these solo perfumers, but I don’t have the patience (or $) to wade through them all. I’ve received random samples of these types of fragrances from fellow perfumistas, but I rarely give them a chance. For the most part, I’ve kept the door closed. I mean, DSH probably has some amazing scents, but the sheer number of them scares me away! Just can’t do it. Which reminds me – there’s even a shop here in Portand, ME called Two Note Perfumery that carries their own line of scents. I’ve lived here for over 6 years, and still have not ventured into their shop!!!! Terrible, I know…
I know what you mean about the cost of samples…boy does that add up! Turns out it isn’t just the money for me, because I’m not even always interested when the samples are offered to me for free.
I did try a few of the Two Note scents, and they were an “almost” brand for me…some of them were interesting but just not quite there yet.
Oh now that’s just not right K! I’ll tell you what – how about I come for a visit and we can venture into that little shop together? That would be fun, dontcha think?
Come on up to Maine, V!!!! Thing is, that’s the ONLY perfume shop in town…in the whole state of Maine for that matter. Of course, there’s also Macy’s and Sephora. I think I may need to open a shop. 😉
Rustic and I will come help you open a shop….we can call it something cute like The Three Amigas …and we’d have a blast.
That will be a store I’ll have to visit. Please sell chocolate too.
Absolutely! starting with 60% cocoa with cayenne pepper, cinnamon, cloves, a dash of mace…and sea salt….. I’m tired of wimpy chocolate! I want something with BITE!
It always seems to me that flavored or embellished chocolate bars don’t ever have “enough” of what ever the flavor is….I want flavored chocolate Extreme… yeah.
and there’d be a few little tables off to one side so you could sit and enjoy your chocolate with some nice hot tea or coffee….
Dark chocolate, unfortunately, triggers migraines for me. Any chance you could have some lovely pastries to go with my coffee? :p
They could be strong-tasting, non-wimpy pastries!
well, I have been known to do some fine things with almond paste and lemon zest…..so sure! pastries and cookies as well! 🙂
Oh yes indeed – perfect plan. Perfume, artisan chocolates and I’ll bake cupcakes!
Oh! I’m really warming to this plan! Have you seen stories about those little artisan-type cookie and cupcake shops that do just adorable decorating for special events, holidays etc…we’d have the coolest shop in all of Maine!!
Let me know when opening day is, and I’ll buy my plane tickets! 🙂
Ooooh! Let’s do it!
So glad to see you review these as I ordered some samps some weeks ago, tried the Osmanthus Oolong first, gave it away, and haven’t had the nerve to try the rest since. Will muster up the courage now.
A, I liked almost all of them more than OO, oddly enough. Ginger Lily is quite pleasant, and so is Divine. But the 3 above were the ones I liked best. Do report back, maybe you’ll hate them all.
Always the optimist, R. LOL
🙂
Tabac Citron sounds interesting to me….the others, not so much. I always wish for more longevity with citrus notes but we all know that’s not going to happen. I may need to look into these. (well, the one, anyways)
Long lasting citrus scents rarely please me…they’re usually too blunt.
exactly….like they boost it with lemon lysol or something. 🙁
I ordered the Cocoa Tuberose sample (on your say so) because, wow, I adore the possibility that my social values might end up (even for a moment) in the same room with my increasingly demanding nose.
I am just now laboring (in the sweaty, baby-birthing sense) over a possible Carnal Flower purchase and thrilled about any and all (less expensive, more justifiable) tuberose explorations that stand between me and that inevitability.
Ha, this will not prevent you from buying Carnal Flower, no.
But how will it match your social values?
Buying from an Etsy perfume entrepreneur allows me to pretend I’m not indulging myself so much as, you know, supporting an independent artist. No such satisfaction handing over a big wad ‘o cash to Bergdorf Goodman.
Oh, gotcha!!
I’m sorry to say that nothing is going to oust Carnal Flower from that top spot. Once your lemmings have their teeth in that one….well, resistance really IS futile…..I suppose I shouldn’t tell you that the CF Body Butter is TO DIE FOR.
Olive, you might want to try Dawn Spencer Hurwitz’s Tubereuse before you buy the Carnal Flower. It is not the same thing–warm and sunny and ever so slightly creamy to Carnal Flower’s chilly splendor–but it is indie and less expensive and fabulous in its own right.
Love lemon and tobacco notes although I would never have thought of putting them together. Still, I don’t own any other tobacco scents that would work in the heat of a TX summer so this sounds like a must try for me. At $11 for a sample I doubt I’ll rush to check it out. There are just too many other scents already competing for my paycheck.
Fellow Texan here. I always think when anyone talks about a fragrance as being good for “summer” or “winter”, they need to be more specific. Our spring here is as warm (80’s) as the summers in a lot of other places.
Sorry. You could probably wear this now then! I have a long wait until 80s.
We actually have about five seasons here. They are early summer (mid-March to late May), midsummer (June to mid-July), hotter-than-you-know-where-words-cannot-describe-it-summer (mid-July to mid-September), late summer (mid-September to mid-November), and notsummer (mid-November to mid-March).
Seriously, I could live with that.
Perfect description of TX weather!
I discovered Providence Perfume company recently and I have to say that I am impressed. My favorite scent is Gypsy, my least favorite is Indolice. I just ordered the Orange Blossom body oil and i absolutely love it!
Orange Blossom body oil does sound nice!
I won a little bottle of the Cocoa Tuberose and was pretty impressed. Definitely a cooler-weather scent, but very nice and quite sexy, even. It is an elegant gourmand, and the chocolate is not sweet.
Oh, nice win!
Robin, I didn’t even know about these … we can’t keep up, eh?
Nice to see something at this price point.
Yes, and she has so many smaller sizes, that’s esp. nice.
We will NEVER catch up.
I bought Gypsy unsniffed because of a review, and I wasn’t disappointed. It is really lovely, on par with a lot of the much more expensive scents I’ve smelled. I do wish I had received a few samples of other scents to test, because they sound nice, but I don’t think I want to risk another unsniffed purchase. I would like to try the Cocoa Tuberose sometime – very interesting combination!
It’s true — it’s the next unsniffed purchase that always turns out to be a disaster! (works that way for me, anyway)
I have tried most of Charna’s blends. I adore Cocoa Tuberose, though, not at first. It took a few times for me to appreciate the Tonka weaved throughout. I now wear it on a regular basis along with her Musk Nouveau and Gypsy. I think Musk Nouveau is my absolute favorite now. Charna is creative and makes bold statements with her blends. That is what I like in perfumes. I find her blends last quite a while on my skin too which makes it doubly lovely.
I’m a newcomer to Charna’s world – and Cocoa Tuberose was the first one I tested properly as I immediately fell for it. It’s more savoury than gourmand, which is a refreshing twist to the overdone chocolate theme. And tuberose plays a very minor role, although it plays beautifully along the tonka, tobacco and vetiver notes. One of the sexiest perfume I’ve smelled in a while – and I think it would smell gorgeous on a man!