Soft Tension and Dual are the two latest releases from Andrea Maack, an Icelandic multimedia artist who established an independent perfume line in 2011. Both are inspired by Icelandic landscapes. Soft Tension is a “sensual white musk inspired by a thick mysterious fog,” and Dual is “inspired by the calming water of the natural hot springs in the Icelandic highlands” and “mimics the feeling of fresh water on the skin and the intense color spectrum surrounding the hot spring lagoons.”

I’ve never traveled to Iceland, but I’ve heard fascinating accounts from friends who’ve been there. Would Soft Tension and Dual provide an olfactory substitute for a Nordic getaway? I tried Soft Tension first…

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