Solstice Scents: Gardenia Enfleurage by Solstice Scents: Process, Pictures & Application Instructions

GARDENIA ENFLEURAGE .25 ml PREMIUM PERFUME SAMPLE
100% Pure Gardenia Absolute In Perfumer's Alcohol

Purchase natural gardenia perfume sample here: http://www.solsticescents.com/GARDENIA-ENFLEURAGE-25-ml-PREMIUM-SAMPLE_p_472.html

Solstice Scents is proud to offer gardenia essence from our homegrown pesticide-free gardenia flowers. Only a limited quantity of .25 ml premium perfume samples will be available. See diagram below for fill level. Three different gardenia varieties (Gardenia jasminoides, Gardenia brighamii and Gardenia radicans) were used to create this 100% natural essence. Utilizing the principles of the centuries-old practice of enfleurage, we developed a unique technique to capture the fragrance of creamy white gardenia flowers in full bloom.

Enfleurage requires thousands upon thousands of gardenia petals to be infused in fat (vegetable source). Each tray takes multiple infusions and the petals must be replaced frequently. It is a very laborious process and this first step mandates a minimum of 6 weeks of dedication during the gardenia blooming season, which occurs mid-April to the beginning of June. The flowers are hand-harvested each morning for maximum potency. The premium samples offered on this listing are from our 2012 batch of flowers. We are currently working on enfleuraging the gardenias that are now blooming and the 2013 batch will be available in the future.

Due to the amount of time, effort and dedication required in this process, enfleurage is rarely practiced today. Processing thousands of petals only yields a very small amount of precious absolute, making it impractical for the commercial market. It is a true labor of love. Solstice Scents is one of only a few companies in the world to offer this rare fragrance.

This highly concentrated perfume is milky white in color and presented in perfumer's alcohol. You'll experience a strong burst of gardenia on initial application. The aroma of the gardenia flower is unable to be extracted through the process of steam distillation meaning that there is no such thing as gardenia essential oil. In the rare instances gardenia is offered in the marketplace, it is a solvent extracted absolute or concrete that does not capture the true aroma of the flower. The solvent extraction process degrades the delicate fragrance and yields a product that does resemble a gardenia aroma with much heavier green notes but is nowhere near as realistic as the gardenia aroma produced via enfleurage. Our process captures the character of the flower as closely as possible, exuding the sweetness of the velvety white petals with a very delicate and subtle green note.

This perfume is for natural essence enthusiasts who have wished for a true-smelling gardenia fragrance. It does not have the longevity and sillage of its synthetic counterparts and after 15 to 30 minutes its profile tends to hug closer to the skin. Most people should experience 2+ hours of wear when following these steps:

1. This sample yields several uses. Settling will occur. Shake vial before application.

2. Apply liberally to posterior of arm/wrist, as opposed to pulse point of wrist, for maximum longevity.

3. Application to skin directly from vial is more effective than multiple swipes of wand applicator and will give you a stronger, longer lasting fragrance. Applying directly to the spot of choice and gently rubbing into skin with finger is highly recommended instead of applying to a spot and rubbing wrists/arms together. This method allows for the gardenia essence to be highly concentrated in one spot and it will last much longer with this application technique.

This fragrance may solidify in very very cold temperatures. Should this occur, you may hold the vial vertically in a hot water bath for approximately 5 to 6 seconds and perfume will liquify quickly. Make sure water does not come near cap or get into the vial. You may also wish to liquify your essence when you have used most of it up so that you can capture any of the remaining floral wax that clings to the side of the glass. An image of the room temperature versus liquified essence has been added to the listing for reference. It is NOT necessary or recommended to liquify your essence for every use.