SOLSTICE SCENTS SPRING COLLECTION 2012: FRI 4/27 6 P.M. EST

The Spring release will be held this Friday, April 27th at 6 p.m. EST at solsticescents.com.  Below is a preview of what will be offered.  There are several returning scents from last year, new fragrances, and our new line of 5 ml (half the size of our standard roll ons.  See photo above) Premium Fragrance Collection.  There will also be a few restocks of other products such as Dragon's Blood bar soap, etc. that will occur at the same time as the release.   During a release the traffic on the site can be very heavy which causes the site to be a little slow.  We will be on the phone with our tech team to ensure that this doesn't last long.  We can't prevent it but when it does occur, the tech team can "flush the pipes" so if there are any issues, please be patient and we will have them resolved ASAP!  Thank you so much for your support.  On to the goodies!



SPRING COLLECTION 2012






The returns from last year are:

SPIRIT TREE
Delicate White Flowers, Soft Vanilla & Sandalwood

Spirit Trees, more commonly known as Bottle Trees, are believed to be able to capture evil spirits and are commonly placed outside of the home in an effort to dissuade the evil spirits from entering the home. They're commonly thought to originate in Africa but similar lore has been found in other countries around the world. Bottle Trees are popular in the south, especially in the low country, where they adorn home gardens as folk art pieces and perhaps serve a greater purpose for the superstitious.

Delicate white flowers, soft vanilla and sandalwood. Fans of Spellbound Woods and gentle florals will enjoy this scent as the smooth and subtle woodsy base is comprised of Spellbound, Sandalwood EO, Sandalwood FO and Amyris EO which marries beautifully to the sweet jasmine blooms and elegant lily of the valley that lay in an intoxicating blanket on top.

Perfume, Ganache, Glace & Available for the first time in Whipped Soap

GARDEN GATE
Lilac, Wisteria & Grass Notes

(This is a great scent for Mother's Day gifts!)

Voluptuous Lilac blossoms in the foreground combine with faint traces of cascading wisteria and subtle, fresh, green grass notes. Contains a blend of fragrance oils and African Bluegrass EO to create a sweet, creamy and gorgeous floral. The dry down is an intensely beautiful and very wearable floral that smells true to the light purple flowers that inspired it.

Perfume, Ganache, Glace, Salts & Whipped Soap

 

LINEN & IVY
Fresh Sun-washed Linen & English Ivy

(Also a good neutral choice for Mother's Day)

Fresh sun-washed linens hanging on the clothesline in the spring breeze meets crisp green top notes of English ivy and a touch of new green spring leaves. A perfect choice for those looking for a very fresh and clean scent that is not your typical "clean cotton" fragrance. On cold sniff and initial application, a beautiful green top note emerges. The dry down is crisp, cool-toned and very fresh. Would make an excellent year round scent!

Perfume only

BLACK TEA & BERGAMOT

NOT TO BE USED BY WOMEN WHO ARE PREGNANT OR NURSING.

Black tea and bergamot essential oil (Bergeptene Free) are paired to simulate the scent of Earl Grey tea. Bergamot is what gives Earl Grey its distinct flavor and aroma. Fresh, uplifting, unisex scent. The Salts are topped with black tea.

Whipped Soap and Salts (Too much morphing and too little staying power for leave on scents - sorry!)

WREN
Aromatherapy Bath Soak With Essential Oils of Petitgrain, African Bluegrass, Michelia Alba, Ylang Ylang Extra, Sandalwood & Virginia Cedarwood

NOT TO BE USED BY WOMEN WHO ARE PREGNANT OR NURSING.

The Carolina Wren is the inspiration behind this bright spring scent. A small brown bird with a beautiful white stripe above each eye and light yellow markings on the chest and belly, the Carolina Wren only measures up to 6 inches in adulthood. Wrens are common residents in our home garden and they have the most beautiful song. They are monogamous, inquisitive, playful and frequently nest in garages and hanging plants. The wren is frequently found on our windowsills and can be seen darting around in the jasmine outside of the Solstice Scents workshop. They have no trouble cohabiting near humans and are wonderful companion birds that bring joy to any garden.

Wren is made with essential oils of petitgrain, African bluegrass, michelia alba, ylang ylang extra and a small touch of sandalwood and Virginia cedarwood. 100% pure essential oil blend. The fragrance is primarily tart, citrusy, herbaceous and slightly woodsy petitgrain. Petitgrain oil is extracted from the leaves or branches of the orange tree but smells quite different from orange essential oil. It smells closer to the scent profile of neroli. It has a bright and uplifting aroma and if it were a color, it would be the color of a Wren. Petitgrain is indicated for stress related conditions and insomnia. The other essential oils in the blend are mild and add depth. African bluegrass has an amazing grassy scent, michelia alba is a tangy floral with a green note. Topped with shredded aspen and moss.

Salts only.

DEVIL'S MILLHOPPER
Heather, Oakmoss, Fern & Delicate Wood Notes

NOT TO BE USED BY WOMEN WHO ARE PREGNANT OR NURSING.

Devil's Millhopper is a unique geological formation that is 120 ft. deep and 500 ft. across at the rim. It has over 230 steps descending into its heart. The sinkhole's name comes from its funnel-like shape which resembles a grist mill's hopper in which grain was held. Early settlers found fossilized animal remains and shark's teeth at the bottom and along the craggy walls leading them to believe that this was the place where bodies were fed to the Devil. Devil's Millhopper has a lush primitive environment with fern, moss, lichen, rare plants and a variety of trees. There are several small caves and waterfalls which flow into the basin below. The water then travels to an underground river which leads to the Florida aquifer.
This scent contains notes of heather, oakmoss and an assortment of woods used to interpret the atmosphere of Devil's Millhopper. On cold sniff it smells of fern, new spring leaves, moss and grass with heather and soft woods lurking just below. On initial application, the green top notes quickly subside and the fresh cool-toned floral note of heather and delicate woods emerge. Dry down is soft, fresh and hugs close to the skin. A very unisex scent.

A blend of heather, African bluegrass EO, hinoki wood EO, oakmoss absolute, ho wood EO, sandalwood, rosewood EO, Virginia cedarwood EO & muhuhu EO.

Perfume, Bar Soap

DELLAMORTE
Oak, White Carnation, Oakmoss, Egyptian Musk & Vanilla

NOT TO BE USED BY WOMEN WHO ARE PREGNANT OR NURSING.

White carnations placed upon winter's tomb, sheltered in an oak hammock in which the first signs of spring's new growth has begun to emerge.

A complex blend of fragrance and essential oils, Dellamorte features dominant notes of oak and white carnation with supporting notes of sandalwood, oakmoss, Egyptian musk, vanilla, hyacinth and a small amount of violet absolute, vetiver and bergamot. On initial application, Dellamorte starts out with a bright burst of fresh green notes, dew kissed carnations, delicate creamy woods and a sweet element from the Egyptian musk and vanilla combination. It stays relatively strong for about 15 minutes then smooths out into a sweet, woodsy and velvety scent with the carnation still present, though more gentle, with a subtle green note and a tiny hint of spice.

Perfume only

NEW SCENTS SPRING 2012:

BANANA NUT BREAD

Mouthwatering, warm, comforting banana nut bread loaded with chopped Southern pecans and a subtle spice. This scent smells absolutely delicious and will have you salivating! Rum like boozy note present in jar. In use, this scent is warmer, sweeter and less boozy.

This scent is NOT NEW but is in this section because it has only been offered before in Whipped Soap.

Whipped Soap, Sugared Amber Whipped Cleansing Scrub and Home Fragrance Oil!!

APPLE MALLOW

Crisp green apple combined with sweet gooey marshmallows. Apple Mallow is primarily a fresh apple scent highlighted by a delightful mallow note. The marshmallow note adds a creamy element which helps round out the sharp, tart, green note of the ripe green apple. Very refreshing!

Whipped Soap, Sugared Amber Whipped Cleansing Scrub, Salts & Home Fragrance Oil! (I'm so sorry - this was not working to my liking for perfume and glace. I really wanted to offer it in these formats but it wasn't drying down how I wanted to and Greg agreed. Just not up to par. It's lovely in the wash off and Home Fragrance though. )

CHIFFON
Vanilla, White Amber, White Musk & Lemon Myrtle EO

LEMON MYRTLE MAY CAUSE PHOTOSENSITIVITY AND IS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR APPLICATION PRIOR TO EXTENDED SUN EXPOSURE.

DO NOT APPLY IMMEDIATELY AFTER A HOT SHOWER OR NEAR CUTS OR BROKEN SKIN AS LIKE LEMON JUICE, LEMON MYRTLE MAY STING!

Chiffon is a dual concept fragrance that brings together the airy, sweet and refreshingly tart taste of Lemon Chiffon pie and the elegant, wispy and equally airy beauty of chiffon fabric. A very special top-shelf, perfectly sweet and non-cloying vanilla (one of the vanillas in Nightgown) provides a base for a delicate touch of white amber and white musk. Chiffon is completed with the bright and uplifting scent of pure lemon myrtle essential oil. The lemon myrtle is one of the dominant notes on cold sniff and initial application. It will recede within 5 to 10 minutes and allow the other notes to emerge. Unlike most lemon essential oil top notes that disappear fairly quickly, lemon myrtle EO has a strong lemon-like scent but also a very good staying power. Lemon Myrtle is distilled from the leaves of a native Australian Tree. As it fades and takes a back seat to the other notes a wonderful, sweet, ethereal and beautiful long-lasting scent is left behind. The longer Chiffon is on the skin, the sweeter it gets. The vanilla is the longest lasting note of the blend and takes on a glorious whipped cream and an almost marshmallow note the longer it is on the skin. A really lovely and sophisticated scent! Fans of some of our other scents like Nightgown, Snowshoe Pass and Manor should really enjoy Chiffon.

While Chiffon is overall a scent that smells light and airy like clouds, it also is pretty strong and seems to grow stronger the longer it is on the skin so apply a modest amount on your first try and let it sit for about 45 minutes to gauge how much you will need for future applications.

Do not apply Chiffon Glace after a hot shower and avoid spraying on or near cuts, rashes, wounds or broken skin as the lemon myrtle will sting. If you have sensitive skin you may wish to use Chiffon Glace as a Body Oil only and avoid using it in the bathtub as a Bath Oil.

Perfume, Burnishing Glace

CHANTILLY CREAM
WHIPPED CREAM, VANILLA, PEACH NECTAR & YELLOW MANDARIN EO

Our Chantilly Cream is white fluffy whipped cream sweetened with vanilla and just a touch of peach nectar. A light addition of lovely yellow mandarin essential oil tempers the juicy peach note. The primary notes in this blend are the whipped cream and a blend of vanillas and they are also the longest lasting. The peach nectar and yellow mandarin are more detectable in the cold sniff of the blend and are very subtle on the skin and add a juicy touch to the more dominant scent of the whipped cream accord. This fragrance is best judged not on cold sniff or immediately after application but after about 5 to 7 minutes of morphing before its true scent is revealed. It will become sweeter the longer it wears and the fruit notes will eventually recede completely.

Chantilly Cream has a profile that is very light, sweet and delicate. It hugs very close to the skin and is intended for a gentle skin sweetening treat when you wish to wear something a little lighter and less heady near those sensitive to fragrance, in the work environment or just because you want to indulge in something a little softer in scent and throw. It is a versatile scent that would pair and layer wonderfully with fragrances in your collection that contain notes of coconut, cake, fruit, vanilla or even select floral scents (white florals such as jasmine, tuberose and lily especially). It layers nicely with Chiffon too!

Perfume, Burnishing Glace

PREMIUM 5 ml FRAGRANCES

ABOUT THE NEW PREMIUM FRAGRANCES

Premium Fragrances are a blend of exquisite or rare essential oils, absolutes, exotic authentic Indian attars and/or top shelf fragrance oils blended in either rice bran oil or Perfumer's alcohol as indicated in the listing. Gently agitate your premium fragrance with the cap on by turning it up and down before applying. This will allow oils or absolutes which may have separated due to the varying weights of each oil and carrier to fully reincorporate. Rotate several times to insure thorough mixing. Premium Fragrances are packaged in a gorgeous 5 ml cobalt blue glass roll-on with black cap (see promo image at top of page). For best results, store your fragrances in the upright position away from heat and light. The fragrance will be neatly handwritten in black ink on the label. The premium fragrances are more expensive than our 10 ml blends. However, the components to make these are typically very very pricey and even with these exquisite ingredients, our 5 ml prices are still very competitive. The premium fragrances are also very concentrated.

The perfume roll on bottles are a different manufacturer than our 10ml bottles. The roller ball occasionally needs to be coaxed a little more at the start to encourage the fragrance out. You may do this be gently holding your bottle upside down (with bottom pointing toward ceiling) and running the roller ball on your finger until the fragrance is free flowing.

SAMPLES FOR PREMIUM SCENTS: Due to the high cost of some of the ingredients, our perfume sample vials will remain at $2.50 but will be 1/4 of the way full. This way we will be able to sell them in all of our sample pack listings and won't have to have a separate premium sample only listing at a higher cost. See diagram for example of fill levels:

VANILLA PIPE TOBACCO PREMIUM FRAGRANCE
Vanilla Absolute, Tobacco Absolute & Sweet Clover Absolute - 5ml

NOT TO BE USED BY WOMEN WHO ARE PREGNANT OR NURSING.


Vanilla Pipe Tobacco is an all natural blend of vanilla planifolia absolute, tobacco absolute and sweet clover absolute in Perfumer's alcohol. On cold sniff and initial application the tobacco absolute is dominate but after a short time on the skin, it calms tremendously allowing the sweet divine scent of vanilla absolute and the subtle coumarin hay-like note of sweet clover absolute to commandeer the foreground. The scent is exactly like a sack of moist fresh vanilla flavored pipe tobacco. It is truly exquisite and has amazing staying power and tenacity. The longer Vanilla Pipe Tobacco wears on the skin, the sweeter it becomes. After several hours the vanilla takes on a bit of a marshmallow overtone so this fragrance is a bit of morpher but it smells divine at each stage. It is amazing worn alone or for layering. It layers exceptionally well with our Cocoa Absolute Premium Fragrance (coming in the near future)!

Vanilla may be sensitizing for those with very sensitive skin. You may wish to purchase a sample to test in an inconspicuous for sensitivity before purchasing a full size if you have allergy concerns. (I am sadly allergic to vanilla absolute and therefore all of our blends that have vanilla absolute. I will break out in a rash about 48 hours later though, so it isn't an instantly apparent allergy. It really stinks for me because this, Basilica and Jack & The Devil are some of my all time faves).

I hope to offer this as a part of the General Catalog offerings. It is not listed under the Spring Collection as it is not a part of that, though it will be released on the same day. Look for it under the Perfume category.

~ $17.50

CASCADE OF GOLD PREMIUM FRAGRANCE
Sandalwood, White Sandalwood, Honeysuckle, Champa & White Lotus - 5ml

NOT TO BE USED BY WOMEN WHO ARE PREGNANT OR NURSING.


Cascade of Gold is an utterly amazing, 100% natural and exquisite blend of essential oils, absolutes and Indian attars blended in our rice bran carrier oil. Notes of sandalwood, white sandalwood, honeysuckle, champa and white lotus combine to form a divine and meditative scent that is also very sensual. Cascade of Gold has a base of exotic incensey woods with a very strong amber note that has subtle balsamic undertones. The floral notes are delicately blended so as to add just the right exotic touch to the warm wood and amber notes. It smells like bottled sunset with the last of the days' golden orange rays peeking out mixed with humid deep south air that has been perfumed by a concentration of mid spring blooms. You can almost literally feel a warmth radiating from your skin with this scent on. The champa is the finest quality I've found and it contributes a delicate edge of spice to the blend as well. The florals serenely float at the top of the blend adding a velvety white note for the first 10 minutes. Their voice becomes softer and evolves to a relatively stable blend without morphing that smells warm, sweet, ambery, golden, robust, full bodied, exotic, floral and extremely sexy. Cascade of Gold would make a wonderful blend for yoga, meditation, scrying or just before bed as it has a natural harmony and almost trance inducing properties.

(Added to and originally developed for the Spring Collection, I hope to add this one to the General Catalog. Some of the attars are aged and I got the last of one of them from my supplier for this batch so I will need to ensure that whatever the supplier gets in smells similar if I'm able to continue to carry this scent and have relative consistency. That's the only trouble with naturals - they can vary from batch to batch and the attars become more exquisite as they age)

~ 18.00

COURTYARD PREMIUM FRAGRANCE
Lavender, Oakmoss, Sandalwood, Coriander, Lime, Labdanum, Gardenia & More - 5ml

NOT TO BE USED BY WOMEN WHO ARE PREGNANT OR NURSING.


Courtyard is an all natural elegant sweet fougere blend consisting of the most exquisite Bulgarian Lavender Absolute which smells just like lavender buds and has no astringent or medicinal profile at all. It is blended with oakmoss absolute, organic coriander, fresh lime, white sandalwood, sandalwood, white waxy velvet gardenia petals, woody nagarmotha, sweet balsamic labdanum, peru balsam, yellow mandarin and sweet clover absolute in a rice bran oil base. The lavender absolute has the most incredible natural coumarin notes (reminiscent of sweet fresh hay, tonka beans and vanilla) that is enhanced by the addition of sweet clover absolute which also has a strong coumarin note. The gardenia is not a dominant or individually detectable note but it does enhance the sweetness of the lavender from its waxy-fatty floral scent while adding a green note to enhance the oakmoss' contribution (it is definitely missed if not added to this blend). The lime, coriander and mandarin are carefully and delicately added so that they serve to give a bit of brightness and lift to the blend. The citrus notes are primarily detected at initial application. All of the wood notes add an earthy quality to the fragrance. The result of this note combination is a fragrance that is as cool and foresty as the Cascade of Gold fragrance is warm, humid and sensual. Courtyard is meant to evoke the image of a large stone fountain with water cascading down multiple tiers, in the middle of a splendid garden boasting an abundance of flowering lavender and gardenia bushes, liriope and a variety of ferns edging brick walkways and shaded by Grandaddy oaks heavy with the burden of Spanish moss.

The strongest note in the blend is the lavender absolute but your nose will pick up the soft harmony of other notes holding it up as the crowning jewel of the composition. It is very sweet, cool, creamy and delicately earthy with very soft hints of green, herbs, woods, lime and distant florals. Courtyard has incredible staying power and is strongly recommended if you even remotely enjoy lavender. It is an incredible treat before bed and layers nicely with Devil's Millhopper as well! The lavender used in this blend is not to be confused with the louder and more dominant lavender used in Quiet Night and Lavender Vanilla. This lavender is a demure, classy and elegant aristocrat draped in white flowing fabrics and twirling in the coolest shadows under an oak hammock, just barely missing the cool fountain spray carried on the light spring breeze. 100% pure essential oils, absolutes and attars.

I also hope to offer Courtyard in the General Catalog. Like Cascade of Gold, it is listed under the Spring Collection because it was originally created inspired by spring and I like both so much, I decided that if they were well received, I'd like to add both to the GC.

~ $17.50