Question:
Am starting A Week of Opulentals (Annette's descriptive new name for her line of naturals) having received new samples of her "old" fragrances - Avicenna, (in both perfume and EDP) Madagascar, Choconilla and Absolue de Vanille plus a new (to me) entry Narcissus Poeticus in which I am currently aswoon!! (Have I invented another word??!!)
After the familiar bright and peppery opening note I think of as her "signature" (trumpet without the mute!!) a rounded mellow narcissus rolls forth upheld by ambery musk and a hint of ... smoky leather!!! This has nothing of the greeny sharpness of Narcisse Noir - but has a slumbering voluptuous quality - desert night, lamp-lit silken tent, damask pillows, incense smoke wafting upward - (fill in the blanks!)
Another winner from this fabulously talented lady!

Answer:
Oh my that sounds divine! I feel like I'm on Let's Make A Deal of old, waiting to see behind door #3. I ordered only a bit ago, and Annette said she'd include some goodies! Will it be Narcissus Poeticus???? I have an urge to rock back and forth in my chair--the suspense is killing me. Man. I'm really nuts.

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I'll be joining you for this one. I don't have Narcissus but I have a nice selection of others to try. So far so good!

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Can't wait to read your review Indiscreet one - and Shycat. Especially if either of you have received Damascena which so far I have not. But it's inevitable!!
Today it's the initial offering Avicenna in the EDP. I'm with Lady in Black on this one - you just can't get enough.
Here's the notes from the site: Head:Black Pepper, Cinnamon Bark, Cardamom, Ginger, Macis, Mandarin, Bergamot, Tunisian Neroli. Heart Saffron Absolute, Tunisian Orange Blossom absolute, Turkish and Bulgarian Rose Otto and absolute, Moroccan Rose Absolute, Russian Rose Absolute, Jasminum Grandiflorum Egypt, Acacia Farnesiana, Indian Tuberose, Broom Absolute. Base Beeswax Absolute Supérieur, Somalian Myrrh, Oppoponax, Elemi, Labdanum, Benzoin, Vanilla Absolute, Mysore Sandalwood, Copaiva Balsam, Hibiscus Abelmoschus.
A formidable array of quality ingredients - but just listing them doesn't convey the effect (we know! It never does!!) For me the opening is deeply spicy/citrus with only a hint of the pepper, and the roses and jasmine already hovering in the background. The myrrh and labdanum translate as smoky incense. This doesn't do it justice - as Lady in Black said - you've really got to experience Avicenna for yourself. Mysterious - haunting - an opulent oriental to the max!!

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I got my package from Anette on Monday; took the advice on letting the juice calm down a couple of days before spritzing it on, as this is natural perfume.
But today is the day! After two days of waiting I could finally spray on Avicenna in perfume. This smells like nothing I have smelled before; it's something completely different from the department store scents that until a few months ago was the only kind of scent I had smelled.
I'm not good at describing notes, but others have done that wery well on this tread; so I'll just say that I smell roses and spice; and that I like very much what I am smelling. It's goood!

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I'm wearing it today, myself. What I like about it is that it smells really organic. A lot of department store scents, and even the niche scents, smell, not synthetic, exactly, but highly polished. This is dirtier, earthier, and, consequently, warmer.
My little tester of Avicenna is almost depleted (fortunately I have some parfum and EDT). I must say I am sorely tempted to invest in some more.
Has anyone got around to asking for Annette's scents to be added to the database?

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Originally Posted by Indiscreet Has anyone got around to asking for Annette's scents to be added to the database? What a great idea!! Who knows the criteria? And how then does one go about it?? We should ask Tigs.
Today it's the yummy Choconilla for me (I have changed my commitment name to A Week of Opulentals - don't you love "Opulentals" ????!!! ) Annette labeled this sample "new batch" and it is different to the last one I tried a few months ago. Not so chocolate-y, with a bit more roses - and the vanilla subdued too. I've only had it on for an hour so it's not fully developed but it has that warm, smoky earthy tinge Indiscreet speaks of and that is so Neuffer. This one sits close to the skin and on me needs re-apps.
I haven't decided yet which ones are going to join the stable, but compared to other artisanals her prices are so reasonable I think I can handle more than one!!

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As I said on the SOTD thread, I had the pleasure of trying out the prototype Damascena. It is based on the same ingredients as the Absolue de Rose, but in different quantities, and on my skin seems rosier and more tenacious than the original. I like it very much...but then I also like Avicenna and Madagascar!
Annette is a talented lady indeed.

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Sorry it took me so long to hook onto this thread.
Welcome jazztweety, and thank you Lady In Black for introducing us to this line.
I'm always in support of natural perfumes, combining what is best about fragrance with what is best for our safety and the health of the environment.
Opulentals has been duly bookmarked in my web browser for future sample purchase.

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Although I am late to Taoladys' Week of Opulentals, how could I not join you, sweeties?
Tonight I am wearing Avicenna in extrait. If you loved the EdP, the perfume is heavenly....imagine the spices deeper but softer, the rose so luscious you envision it as being almost black, intoxicated by an embrace of saffron and beeswax....
Anybody besides me loving those new crystal extrait bottles? -swoon-