A thick carpet of silver envelops the landscape, untouched but for the dazzling reflection of the sun. Snow stretches as far as the eye can see, while a bitter wind rolls silently across the sky, its hush barely broken by the powerful beat of an ivory wing...
Thus we are introduced to Snowy Owl, the newest perfume from independent fragrance brand Zoologist. A real-life snowy owl (Bubo scandiacus), I've learned from the National Audubon Society, is a "large, powerful owl of the high Arctic tundra, colored for camouflage during northern winters." Its namesake fragrance was developed for Zoologist by Dawn Spencer Hurwitz and includes top notes of snow accord, lily of the valley, mint and coconut; heart notes of iris, snowdrop, white rose, mate, frankincense and galbanum; and base notes of ambrette, cedar, civet, musks, oakmoss, tonka and vanilla.
I have to confess I read that description and purchased a travel-size atomizer of Snowy Owl unsniffed, based on my past experiences with Zoologist and Dawn's work for her own brand. I'm happy to say that Snowy Owl lived up to my hopes. It's not a gourmand vanilla-peppermint bonbon, nor is it a squeaky-clean "fresh air" fragrance. Instead, it's a sophisticated, gently layered take on cold air and wintry sunlight that might fall loosely into a category with Frédéric Malle L'eau d'hiver, Olfactive Studio Lumière Blanche, or Dawn Spencer Hurwitz's own Shimotsuki.
Snowy Owl opens with an aldehydic intro that gives the effect of a chilly breeze and cold earth. It's ozonic, but not in a "sport" way. It's slightly mineral, and it has an additional greenish bite that feels closer to green tea than to mint. (If you were wondering about the mint or the coconut making this fragrance feel too foody or tropical, never fear.) Snowy Owl's white-floral notes are delicate and restrained, still surrounded by the "cool" outdoorsy notes, like pre-spring flowers threatened by a late-winter snowstorm. (I recently encountered some small patches of snowdrops growing in a park in my own neighborhood and I'm hoping for them to flourish!) The vanilla note is there in the heart, too, but it's very understated. Overall, Snowy Owl feels semi-transparent, like frost — and soft as a feather, to get back to the owl!
If this fragrance is a carpet of silvery snow in the sun, its traces of incense and sheer woods play out like shadows flitting over the snow's surface. Everything is smoothly blended into the whole. Eight hours later, I'm left with a subtle "skin scent" of tonka and musk. I've worn Snow Owl several days in a row and it suits my current "are-we-there-yet" mood, oscillating between melancholy and hopeful. It has low-to-medium sillage and above-average longevity on my skin. (It's in Extrait de Parfum concentration.) It's also, despite the flowery- and sweet-looking list of notes, completely gender-neutral.
One last note about actual snowy owls: they "feed almost exclusively on lemmings," according to the National Audubon Society. How appropriate for this perfume and my impulsive purchase! Snowy Owl is now tied with Bee and another ethereal beauty, Dragonfly, as my favorite Zoologist fragrance. I know I shouldn't recommend buying anything unsniffed, but do try to sample Snowy Owl if you share my tastes and you just can't resist.
Zoologist Snowy Owl Extrait de Parfum is $165 for 60 ml or $45 for a 10 ml travel spray.
I think I share your taste and I will very likely love this. (I love my Bee too!) 😉 I cannot wait till my store start stocking up on Snowy Owl and getting my hands on a bottle…
I was waiting for it to be in stock at the Zoologist website! It was risky, maybe…but I’ve enjoyed Dawn’s other “cold air” perfumes and I like Zoologist’s line in general.
I gave Snowy Owl a test-drive last week and it strongly reminded me of CB I Hate Perfume’s Black March — geosmin heavy and chilly and damp-earth-mouldering-leaves-y. I liked it but was surprised to not be able to detect any of the purported other notes; I’ll have to try it again.
Adore Bee, and have yet to try Dragonfly, but it’s on the list!
It definitely has a cool, damp earth feeling under the frosty topnotes! and you’re right, it does not come across as floral, woody, etc. despite many of the listed notes.
Dragonfly is quirky (watery but powdery-sweet) and I have to be in the right mood for it, but I’ve used up more than one sample so that will be my next Zoologist purchase!
Ohhhh this sounds gorgeous. Great review!
I hope you’ll have a chance to sample it, ringthing! 🙂
Well it just warms the cockles of my heart to learn that Ms. Jessica did a blind buy!! With all admiration, I think of you as one of the capital “R” reviewers, able to test and report without having to bag your quarry. Me, not so much 😉 In the case of Zoologist, I’ve tested, never been repulsed, sometimes quite taken aback – meaning Hyrax and Sloth – but have no FBs. Thanks for an excellent description. I’d say the bottle icon is one of their best, too. The lemming connection: ha, ha, etc.
Hah! We all succumb from time to time! This seemed like a fairly safe gamble, given everyone involved… but it actually is my first Zoolgist FB! I’ve gone through multiple samples of Bee and Dragonfly but somehow didn’t know about the travel sizes for a long time. 🙂
I ordered a sample immediately when they became available in the Zoologist website, but I am still waiting for it because international mail is so horribly slow nowadays (I am from Finland). Sounds like it will be worthy of waiting:)
Bee is my favorite Zoologist too. My kids also love it, and daughter thinks I should buy all other Zoologists because she wants the bottles…
Bee makes me feel happy! and it lasts *so* long on my skin. 🙂
The bottles are so wonderful. I can see why your daughter feels that way!
Wow, your description makes me want to try it way more than their ad copy does! I’ll definitely try to sample it, but Zoologist and I are super hit-or-miss, so no blind buy for me 🙂 but I really hope I end up liking it, because owls are my friends.
Owls are fascinating, right? I really enjoyed reading about this species for a few minutes.
snowy owl is terrific… Transparent yet long lasting and incredibly versatile. I think this one will even work in warm weather. I bought a full bottle but I think 90 percent of Zoologist’s scents are excellent and I notice something different about them with each wearing. They never seem to bore me. I do feel Snowy Owl has a similar vibe to the much maligned Secretions Magnifique by Eldo however…. Yet I can’t find anyone else who seems to notice it.
I agree — despite its “cool” side, it should be really wearable in the summer because of its sheerness and its earthy notes! I need to catch up on some other Zoologist scents. I still haven’t tried them all. I’ve enjoyed smelling the ones I’ve sampled so far. They’re interesting even when they’re not “me.”