Utilizing scents to embolden a composition

[Guest guest]

I've talked recently of the synergistic effect rose and patchouli

have on each other (I discovered it from this list of course) and

how they make for something that really LEAPS off the skin. I had my

girlfriend smell a concoction I made based on rose and patchouli; she

strongly disliked it. Smelling my essences, her favorite was lavender

by far. I wanted, obviously, to make her something based on lavender.

I wondered if I could some how use the patchouli/rose combo to make a

lavender composition more effusive and powerful, but without letting

on too much that the rose/patchouli was in there. I thought of this

in much the same way I do when adding ambergris: I compose something

which uses ambergris as a base for its power and redolence. I don't

really want to smell much of the ambergris in the finished product

(it depends). I'm pleased to say that as far as I'm concerned my

experiment was a success: I made something with the oomph of

patchouli/rose but which isn't like either one. Honestly, this

perfume, called Joni, which also has ambergris in the base, reminds

me very much of something Mandy Aftel might make. I take this as a

very good sign. I had been certain she uses civet mostly; now I'm not

so sure.

[Guest guest]

You could also try sandalwood with the lavender...it's a much softer and

unobtrusive basenote.

If you want to sweeten it all a bit, try orange flower absolute.

Ambrosia