Description
“The collective essence of the group Facebook Fragrance Friends (the mother of all online fragrance communities) this perfume was blended live, unplanned and intuitively from a list of notes the members of the group desired to smell in their collaborative creation.
Incredible, vintage 1950’s vintage Mysore sandalwood anchors the blend in a so noble wood foundation while cardamom, rose petal, orange blossom and patchouli absolutes dance with an exotic are.
Sandalwood corresponds with the tone F# in qabalistic pathworking – and Aria was suggested as the name for the perfume by a member of the group. ARIA in F# rang true as the name the moment it emerged. F stands for Fragrance – F stands for Friends – but F also stands for FAMILY – and this fragrance is the essence of something that feels like family to so many of us who make this community a part of our daily world.
This work of High Perfumery is dedicated to each member of the group – most especially it’s matriarch – Charlotte Scheuer. “Aria in F# is a perfume which embodies the “Oriental” fragrance family in it’s purest and fullest expression.” – a note from the brand.
Aria in F# was launched in 2017. The nose behind this fragrance is Christi Meshell.
petrucho82 – :
I was sent this as an additional large sample with my HOM order which does not influence my review. Christi Meshell sent a note along with it saying it was “controversial”!
Naturally, I looked up all the reviews! I thought about a blind sniff, but then, “controversial” had me a bit concerned and interested and I wanted to prepare for the negative reviews/experience that would be sure to follow.
Nah.
This is a lovely, quite beautiful perfume. In fact, I was almost let down by the lack of “controversy” my nose has been experiencing with this perfume.
Because I’m anosmic to some accords up close, when I’m “really testing” a perfume I waste a little: I spritz into a warm bath, and walk in a few minutes later–yes, top notes are probably gone, but in the room, I get a sense of the perfume at a distance, warmed up–a woody, anisette, ethereal Rose greeted me when I stepped in.
Most of the great classic perfumes had close to or well over 100 ingredients. This is not new. What’s new are the simpler scents produced, professing to be comprised of 5 ingredients (which is usually not true). So the idea that a random “everything but the kitchen sink” went into this is uninformed in terms of the negative comments. Look up Shalimar (vintage PLEASE!)–it really does have more than just bergamot, lavender, tonka. It is a delicate balance of dozens of ingredients.
Hereto, the balance is quite nice, and now I’m thinking of a full bottle since it is going to be discontinued, or, already is.
I was not part of the Facebook group that created this, so I really do not know “what all” went in it, but sandalwood yes, and ROSE yes, and a bit of herbal tobacco with some honey. Cardamom is a mere whiff here–and frankly–I was looking forward to some super-dosing on that because I’m addicted to it, and, if you’re a patch head like me, the patch is a bit of a let down–delicately there, but not dirty, not hippie, not earthy but perhaps lightly mentholated because I am picking up some kind of artemisia or anisette (I’m surprised to see some of the comments below because I was hoping for a SL Borneo type of patch).
This is a lightly spicy yet floral-tobacco scent that most reminds me of “Woo” (same house, of which I purchased a FB). Possibly there is ambergris, and if there are orange flowers, they are not indolic. Actually, I really don’t pick up some of the more common flowers like Jasmine, Gardenia, or Tuberose. So I don’t know what went into it, but my nose smells a predominant Rose-sandalwood, followed by an artemisia and/or anisette/fennel, buttressed by tobacco and honey, a bit of hay, some ambrette and that “apothecary” base Christi uses.
Over time, my nose becomes anosmic to some notes, and the perfume wafts in and out, ghosting a bit, and that may be due to musk (I cannot smell a lot of musk notes).
I really enjoy it and find it’s actually one of the more wearable and versatile perfumes. Some HOM scents ARE herbal and minty and woody and all that and take some time to fully appreciate. This is easy to wear. Maybe my batch mellowed over time. It is definitely FB worthy.
Thank you Christi!
дед Мазай – :
A Facebook Fragrance Friends custom scent for the forum. It reflects its personality perfectly.
jej696Unlogrere – :
Cardamom, patchouli, woody
It’s a cool woodsy scent. On me I don’t get floral.
I don’t like it, nor hate it. It’s just meh. I do agree with a few things said in the other reviews. I do agree with the individual saying it does not smell like bug spray or lip balm. I get more of a pinsol vibe. This is not a warm scent. It’s very cold. The impression I get is redwood forest in a cool mist. I can see how some would get a minty vibe from it. With the woods , patch, and cardamom it can give that type of impression. I’d say it’s not soft, not feminine or sexy. My opinion it’s suited better for a man. I would not suggest blind buying this scent. Test it first. It’s a fragrance which may acquire and appreciate different and unique. It’s out of the ordinary. Not for everyone. Last, body chemistry plays a huge part on how a scent may project or perform on each person. Not everyone is the same, therefore each person’s perspective may be different. As it may smell one way on you, it may not on another. If your into woody fresh cold scents you may like it.
kubrik – :
Starts off with a mix of florals, to me it’s more of a white floral mix, I get a big note of cardamom which starts off quite cooling, cardamom is much more of a cooling spice than a hot one! I am not quite sure how you mistake cardamom for menthol / mint… It takes about 10 to 15 minutes to tone down a little from the aromatic cooling / floral opening. The texture of the florals is very much petal like, imagine thick dense white petals, you can feel the texture to it, I get a hint of rose, but mainly white floral combination. The cardamom is incredibly smooth, non of the harsh sharpness of the essential oil, this is cardamom absolute, it lasts a long time through the mid unlike the essential oil which burns off as a top note. As it dries down I am given the illusion of a white blonde suede, like a very high quality luxury white suede.. it’s very smooth, I only get a hint of Patchouli, nothing like the reviews bellow. The patchouli adds just a tiny bit of earthiness and depth in the base, but to my nose it’s subtle, and I am personally not a fan of patchouli, but I barely smell it here. It’s combined with an obvious sandalwood that’s very smooth. The combination as it dries down create the illusion of a beautiful creamy suede on my skin.
I like it!! It smells nothing remotely like bug spray or chap stick… I am not sure what’s going on with the ratings and reviews here! It’s getting a lot of praise on the Facebook groups!
regauposter777 – :
I’m going to make this short.
What the !#@@@&$ is this?
Smh. The above is not a reference to something good.
Slim84 – :
Where to start? First, I am part of this group on Facebook. Many notes of my suggestion went into this perfume along with others from other members. I also was the person whom suggested the name for this perfume. Over-whelmingly , it was voted on by the members as the name for the perfume. Aria, a symphony of notes, not just one voice but a group of voices. Perfume notes harmonize with one another and play out like an orchestra.
I think it’s a very nice gesture for perfumers to be giving back to the fragcomm community, by making these bestoke fragrances for us. First, EAU MY SOUL facebook group, and then Fracebook Fragrance Friends. A very nice concept for we the ever so loving fragrance fanatics.
Alright, let me get started here…. unfortunately for me, as I played a huge part in its conception, I will not be keeping this fragrance. It either will find a home with my husbands collection, or it will be given to my mother as a gift. At the hefty price tag of $160 dollars, I am out on this one. This scent was and is made with quality ingredients. However, this is something I would not wear. Not my cup of tea at all. It’s a VERY woody scent. IMO! Way to much. I feel like I’m in a Forest , running through a patch of eucalyptus. The menthol type note is way over-powering. BUT HEY! It’s sure to clear up the sinuses. The fragrance gives off a very medicinal type vibe. Reminds me much of campho-phenique. Not kidding, I was like I know this smell. Yep, campho-phenique. I detect the spicy notes. Much of the spice I get is like a clove note. Very heavy clove. I really dislike clove immensely. I don’t get much floral, I don’t get much patchouli. Another thing the smell reminds me of is carmex lip balm. I don’t want to smell like medicated chapstick. There is no real feminine quality to the fragrance. I believe that fragrance is for all, with no gender preference, but I’m leaning toward saying this is more for a man.
I had high hopes for this fragrance. The anticipation was high. With great sadness, it is not what I expected at all.
We all have different noses, and different opinions. In the end, I guess it is what your preference is. This one, it just isn’t for me.