Contact Us

Use the form on the right to contact January Scent.

250 Esten Avenue
Pawtucket, RI
United States

Independent artisan made perfumes.

Blog

January Scent Project thoughts and musings.

 

New Release for October: Vaporocindro

John Biebel

It's been in the works for a few months, but I'm happy to report that the newest perfume is finally here, Vaporocindro:

Vaporocindro5.jpg

This perfume made a debut earlier this year in July at the Trunk Show at Tigerlily Perfumery in San Francisco, but it was a rather different creature at that time. I was giving out samples of the perfume then, but also received some rather important feedback in the process. As with all creations, it's a matter of process, refining, testing, adjusting. It's really rewarding to look back and see how something has evolved.

My initial idea with Vaporocindro was to combine three primary elements: lilac, spices, and wood. As soon as that idea made itself know, I began working but soon new questions arose. What kind of wood? That investigation alone began exploration into the many faces of each of these elements. I was searching out a particularly dry texture to wood smells. Then, when it came to spice elements, I was drawn to the particularly dry character of turmeric. This, paired with the vaporousness of lilacs revealed itself in the name, a fantasy word of two elements in the artificial language Esperanto, "vapor" and "ash".


Vaporocindro Notes: Lilac, green leaves, apple, turmeric, black pepper, jonquil, mahogany, cedar, agar, davana, black currant, cumin, coffee, sandalwood, ambergris


This was also a perfume that required investigation into the making of lilac. As many know, it's difficult (near impossible) to capture lilac in its natural state, but it can be recreated with some accuracy. This process, however, can take many forms, from simple concoctions to much more complex ones. I spent about a month working on a lilac accord that had authenticity and an ability to last. Lilac can be a very fleeting note, so to preserve it on the skin is a challenge.

In the end, putting together an idea of pairings does not itself make a perfume - it's inspired by a bigger idea; in this case, it was built from the notion hypnosis or hypnotic scents. I usually think of this quality when smelling tuberose or gardenia, but lilac spoke most strongly to me. What is the spell that we are put under from the effect of lilac?

The illustration I made to accompany the scent depicts this notion of hypnosis in a vintage style: 

VaporoRetroAd.png

The perfume will have its official release on Saturday, 7 October, with some samples going out beforehand. I am looking forward to hearing your response to the new scent, and hope that January has now placed another pinpoint in its olfactive map.