In Which I Swoon Over Smelling Pretty

A long time ago, I mentioned how I can’t wear perfume because I was super picky about fragrance, and on top of that, there is just something about my skin chemistry that turns all perfumes nasty. You may remember how I was really stoked when I found Arcana’s Filthy Viking perfume because it smelled wonderful and I could actually wear it because it also smelled wonderful on me.

Since writing that post nearly three years ago, I have dabbled a lot in the artisan perfume world. I’ve bought samples from various lovely perfumers here and there, but nothing else has worked out for me.

Then I became infatuated with some soaps that we carry at the boutique I work at. I found one soap in particular incredibly intoxicating, and would look forward to smelling it every time I was straightening up around the shop (yes, I’m that dorky). I realized that the soap company name—Faratiffe Oils—sort of insinuated that it might also make perfume oils, so I looked them up to see what I could find out.

It turns out that Faratiffe is a one-woman operation based in Arizona and she indeed makes perfume—and lots of it! So I bought a bottle of Moxie, which was the same scent as the soap I was obsessed with, and hoped for the best. I figured if it didn’t work out, I could always give it to a friend.

To my delight, Moxie ended up smelling delicious on me! It’s a blend of Ylang Ylang, Jasmine, Deep Bourbon Vanilla and Tahitian Vanilla, but it’s not flowery and the vanilla is super subtle. It’s a very warm scent—sort of spicy, but also calming. It’s absolutely incredible!

Christy included a sample of a blend called Mystique in my order, and I gave it a whirl. Now, through all my perfume sampling the past few years, I have learned that anything with sandalwood turns really bad on me. However, Mystique—which is a blend of sandalwood, atlas cedar, and resins—smelled amazing on me! Christy’s description of the scent is spot on: “Complex, Rich, Dark, Smoky, Low, Earthy, Fossilized. Mystique is a cave in the woods waiting for explorers.”

So after trying both fragrances, I emailed Christy, told her she was a wonderful genius,  and ordered samples of Covet, Lady Songbird, and Empress.

Oh. My. Goodness. These scents are incredible! Faratiffe makes the perfumes I have been dreaming about for years. Although Lady Songbird and Empress smell delicious, they don’t quite reflect my personality. Covet, on the other hand, I am totally coveting and plan on buying a full-sized bottle of it very soon.

Covet is described as: “Deep in love’s bliss, wound together forever… the best of the sweetness of passion’s pure ecstasy, this heavenly scent is sure to transfix and bewitch with its rapturous aroma like a sweet-tart.” I gotta say, it is sort of sweet-tart-like, but much softer. It’s sweet, but not overbearingly so. It’s got a little bit of spice in it, but just a dab. It’s not really fruity or flowery in a conventional perfumey way, either. I know I’m not explaining it very well, but believe me when I say it smells extraordinary.

I want to try all of Fartiffe’s perfume oils at some point. They all sound heavenly, and I am completely infatuated with Christy’s perfumery magic—plus I love supporting independent artisans!

[Check out Faratiffe online: Etsy • Blog]