One Note At A Time: Sixteen92 (a selection from the Spring 2020 and Fall 2019 collections)6/25/2020
Leave it to Sixteen92 to present a gorgeous reeling of atmospheric fragrances that makes me want to dress up in all my historical finery and pretend I'm in another era in entirely as I recite iconic lines in front my vanity table. The following are ramblings about a handful of scent potions from the Fall 2019 and Spring 2020 collections inspired by horror film/books and The Golden Age of Hollywood. These various vials and ampule have been patiently waiting for months and now they are ready for their close-ups! One Note At A Time: Redrum (inspired by Stephen King's The Shining (1977)) (Description and Notes- The muffled din of a ghostly masquerade party - faint clink of champagne flutes, a ticking ebony clock, expensive furs, hazy hallways, and specters moving through shadow) On opening there is a distinct mixture of something cloying and chemical-like almost akin to polished dark shellacked wood with mothballs (maybe even tire spray?) and yet fuzzy childhood memories of exploring forgotten closets are slowly resurfacing as I sit back. I can hear the sound of the closet door rustling and resisting to completely reveal its contained secrets against the grain of a thick arsenic-green carpet as Redrum takes me back, there's disturbed dust on plastic bags in the dim light and I can definitely detect the expensive furs and sweetness of alcohol from the champagne. It's eerie and unsettling as promised and yet a little like a personal homecoming for me as I can smell a familiar beautiful vintage perfume materializing just under the strong wood and chemical aromas. I never learned the names of the bottles that adorned my Baba's vanity table but I can clearly remember the label designs and the one I'm wanting to compare Redrum to had a gold label with a red border and was in a frosted glass tall slender bottle. If only that wood and cloying chemical combination would release me and let me enjoy a revisit to the fragrant ghosts of my childhood but alas it refuses to settle and I can get an unpleasant pinching headache with Redrum. I'm still keeping this vial for future costume ideas and a bit of personal nostalgia. Darkness Was Enough (inspired by Stephen King's 'Salem's Lot (1975)) (Notes- Ancient woods, beeswax candles, spiced honey, charred amber, saffron crocus) 'Salem's Lot, the book and the movie respectively are iconic horror treats and how I wish to smell like a seductive vampire hiding deep in an abandoned house with Darkness Was Enough, but alas I smell I'm enjoying spiced tomato soup next to a guttering candle. Reading the notes this tomato soup fragrance doesn't make sense and I have been racking my brain trying to figure what this blend reminds of in my museum-sized perfume collection and it finally hit me the other morning- Pyromancy. Darkness Was Enough smells like Pyromancy only more acidic if that makes sense and has a melting candle note versus a hot metal with pepper under the tomato soup aroma. Since I already have Pyromancy in a larger size (somedays I just want to smell like a piping bowl of creepy soup!), I don't honestly know the future for Darkness Was Enough. I may put it some whipped soap or pass it along to a coworker who is still exploring Sixteen92's amazing scent artistry. Bette (inspired by Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis/Bette Davis, April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989; some of her films include: What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, All About Eve, The Little Foxes and All This And Heaven Too) (Notes-Angel food cake, floral honey, marshmallow, pistachio, French vanilla, loose black tea) The long wait was worth it when it comes to The Golden Age collection and, in particular, this fantastic marshmallow fragrance. Bette makes her entrance with promised realistic angel food cake (heavy on the sweet almond) and crumbled pistachio on top then divine french vanilla rolls in and completely elevates this perfume from delicious to très chic! The floral honey is a drizzling over the almond cake for those concerned and on me I swear I detect a drop of creamy sandalwood blended in with the Sixteen92's famous marshmallow. Bette lasts throughout a 13 hour shift and she's just marvellous! Jean (inspired by Harlean Harlow Carpenter/Jean Harlow, March 3, 1911 – June 7, 1937; some her films include: Bombshell, China Seas, Hell's Angels and Saratoga) (Notes- White gardenia, Mexican tuberose, sparkling aldehydes, ginger ale, passion fruit, coconut water, silken musks) If you are looking for a dreamy floral-fruit fragrance that harkens back to the glitz and sparkle of Old Hollywood, look no further than Jean. This is class, allure and a bit of playful sass. Right away I get the aldehydes I recognize from Habanera and Ligeia and they meld beautifully with the buttery gardenia and soft coconut. Sixteen92's gardenia is the reason I'm an avid hunter of that note now and I'm going to say it, no one else's compares- it never smells like soap or shampoo or stale hairspray, it's just a silken floral that adds elegance to any blend it touches. The tuberose adds a slight "dirtiness" to this perfume which is just aces and researching it looks like Jean may be also a homage to Jungle Gardenia which was favoured by the elite of Old Hollywood. The passion fruit becomes more apparent on me after a few hours along with a vintage quality that stays until the final notes fade. I received multiple compliments on this perfume and I adore Jean and must have a full bottle next year (I missed the spring collection waiting for my samples to arrive then rest). Thank you to all who recommended this beauty! Marlene (inspired by Marie Magdalene "Marlene" Dietrich/Marlene Dietrich, 27 December 1901 – 6 May 1992; some of her films include: The Scarlet Empress, Witness for the Prosecution, Around the World in 80 Days and Knight Without Armour) (Notes- Alba rose, copal, bearded iris, scarlet lips, flushed cheeks, davana, plum syrup, gin fizz, smoke) I think we can all agree, scent is a suggestive and a personal experience so I hope you will forgive me for getting a bit weepy with Marlene because after a long decade I have been reunited with the exact vintage fragrance of red lipstick my Baba used to don. She wore violets like a timeless queen and I can pick out a creamy powdery floral under the lipstick on me that smells indeed of violets and there is no cough syrup to report (which can occur when violets meet my finicky skin chemistry); what wonderful magic is this?! I don't get any rose or plum for those curious and there is perhaps a wisp of separate smoke in the background, but then again I always thought real vintage lipstick had a smokiness to it. I also can just make out the smallest drop of sweet gin hiding in the long dry down. When I sit down and go through previous offerings with similar notes, Bruise Violet and Mina Harker could be called louder sister scents of Marlene and even Mein Herr Marquis could be a sister blend. I was curious if Marlene would smell like Winifred with the plum and davana, but there is no scent comparison after all these weeks. I love how soft and pretty this perfume is on me. My only lament is I wish Marlene stayed on my skin longer as it fades within two hours on me. I may need to look into a EdP option next year, this is so lovely but fleeting. Louise (inspired by Mary Louise Brooks/Louise Brooks, November 14, 1906 – August 8, 1985; some of her films include: Pandora's Box, Love 'Em and Leave 'Em, The American Venus and God's Gift to Women) (Notes- Sultry amber, red ink, black kohl, night blooms, Tonkin musk (synthetic), wormwood, soft suede, glistening strands of pearls) So Louise is fascinating as it opens similar to Bridget Bishop with the "night blooms" being cold and a bit resinous then this slinky smokey ink and soft suede medley peeks out and turns aquatic and silky. The wormwood smells like cool absinthe droplets and I've stuck my nose into enough antique jewellery cupboards to recognize the scent of old silk strands and saltiness of worn pearls that is evident in Louise on the long dry down. Louise is impressive and I'm over the moon the suede hasn't turned into a leathery chemical-bomb on me (I seem to amplify the wormwood (almost like anise/licorice), a dirty iris and silky/aquatic seductive element of this perfume). I think I finally found a suede blend from Sixteen92 I can wear on my skin versus only in my hair in small measured applications *claps*. This is another bottle I must have when the times comes, in the meantime I can't stop dabbing on this little number and dancing like no one is watching and vamping in the mirror in black lacy garters. What can I say, this Mrs. Grundy is ready to transform into a Sheba! Sixteen92 Comments are closed.
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28th of January 2023) NOTES/COMBINATIONS and Stones CURRENTLY ON THE HUNT FOR: Naughty Licorice/Star Anise Cardamom Cardamom Cake with Roses Smoky Honey & Leather Leather and Florals Pomegranate Colder Tuberose scents Smoked Florals with Cinnamon and Honey Graham Cracker and Incense Double strand of Rose Quartz or Moonstones or Black Tourmaline Chainmaille Jewellery Houses of Fragrance and Interest on the Horizon (shops that contain such temptations): LurkerAndStrange Good Spirit Wolf Rapt In Maille ToadStoolSoaps DSH Perfume Baphomet&Co Harvest Moon Haven Granny Hootenanny's Shop
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