Pacifica has a great many fans, which comes as no surprise: Fabulous, high quality and (most importantly) safe candles as well as layer-able, very affordable spray fragrances in extremely visually pleasing presentations and ever since last spring, wonderful little tins of joy – Pacifica’s solid scents – all make the brand not only popular, but also much loved.As promised, today we take a look at Pacifica’s brand new solids for fall. Let me start by saying that the presentations, in the usual Pacifica style are simply amazing: The only word to describe them is adorable! So adorable in fact, that I promise you, once you have one, it will be impossible to stop there – you’ll want to have more of these beauties handy. The matchbox-sized boxes are gorgeously designed and the attention to detail is evident - each one bears the following quote by writer Stanislas Jean de Bouffler on its side: “Pleasure is the flower that passes remembrance, the lasting perfume”. The darling, wonderfully tactile tins found within, each contain 10 grams of organic coconut and soy wax solid perfume. If you, like me, take pleasure out of finding little things to give as presents to your friends out of the blue, these will make the perfect little gift idea and are sure to delight. Given their compact size, these are also perfect to toss into your bag (or even evening clutch!) to refresh your perfume during the day. Needless to say, their size, weight and solid nature also make them the ideal travel companion. As is most often the case with solid fragrances, the scents stay quite close to the skin; you will be able to enjoy them on yourself for hours, but only those that sit close to you will be able to detect them, which means that these are also perfect for work and other occasions when you do not wish your scent to overpower those around you.
· Avalon Juniper: This one has a juicy,
edible, orange-fruit opening, which soon turns fresh and then slowly progresses to an earthy, spicy sweetness as it blends with light cinnamon and juniper. The aromatic scent of juniper berries brings to mind the warming properties of Jenever, the Dutch juniper berry liquor. As such, Avalon Juniper seems like the perfect scent to provide the sweet, warming sensation needed to fight the late Autumn frost.· Madagascar Spice: Oh my! For those of you of Greek descent, this gorgeous oriental scent is going to strike a chord: It smells exactly like the absolutely yummy delicacies the Greeks favor during Christmas time, called Melomakarona. These are syrupy macaroons that ideally have a crunchy exterior and a soft interior and are sprinkled with crushed walnuts. Their most defining flavor is clove, which is also the star of this fragrance as the name indicates (Madagascar being the major producer of this wonderful spice). Aromatic orange rind, clove and a hint of crushed black pepper make this probably the most evocative fragrance of the quintet for me!
· Spanish Amber: This lovely bittersweet fragrance is inspired by a scent Pacifica co-founder Brook Harvey Taylor discovered in an old apothecary in Madrid. Especially when sniffed straight from the tin, the scent reminds me a good bit of Westwood’s Let it Rock. Once gently massaged into the skin the scent first blooms into a beautiful resinous earthiness with hints of dusty, rosy geranium and subsequently reveals an even warmer core of creamy sandalwood, dry patchouli and if I’m not mistaken, green cardamom.
· Tibetan Mountain Temple: Smoky vetiver and dark patchouli snake around the glowing core of exhilarating ginger and cloved orange like incense smoke before stained glass. This beautiful scent juxtaposes darkness against the intricate play of light in a rhythmic, absolutely comforting manner. After a while, we’re left with a smooth, velvety sweetness that is the scented equivalent of a cashmere sweater.
· Mexican Cocoa: This absolutely scrumptious gourmand is my favorite of the new Pacifica solids, and the only one with a traditional (albeit rather rapid) development. The opening is a blast of warm bitter almond that combines the delicious smooth sweetness of the paste with the intense bitter fragrance of the essence. It literarily makes me want to nibble on my arm! In the heart notes the warmth becomes spicy, fusing nutmeg with cinnamon and delightful, pearlescent hints of coconut cream. Finally, the delicious base notes are filled with the luscious darkness of chocolate smoothed over with the comforting sweetness of vanilla. I absolutely love this scent – it’s pure goodness!
Pacifica’s Fall Solid Perfumes retail for 8.95$ each and can be purchased directly from the official website, Anthropologie stores as well as select department stores and boutiques which carry the line.
Images: www.pacificacandles.com
