Ask the Perfumer - Sunday, August 19, - until 10 PM EST
You can ask your perfumery questions until 10PM EST today, and I'll be happy to help you. In the meantime, I want to share my renewed interest in natural botanical architecture. I first saw photos in the magazine Co-Evolution Quarterly in the 70s. As I recall, the photos showed specially-manipulated trees growing in pools of sun, rising up from an underground cave type setting. The photos I'm showing here are from a website that documents the botanical architecture of Axel Erlandson on this website. Erlandson was a visionary who created what became known as the 'tree circus'. Very inspiring, quirky and now, sadly the trees no longer exist. If you search botanical architecture on google, and scan the images section, you'll see some modern examples. If you ever come across the original images from Co-Evolution Quarterly, please let me know. I'd love to view them again.
UPDATE: I did a google search, and the results indicate that Mark Primack, the architect who has the website that I got the images from is the author of the Co-Evo article. So, I must be remembering another article in Co-Evo that featured the underground trees in pools of light.
Primack's article is the first place I ever saw the term pleaching, which is the word for the manipulation of the tree form by humans. Wondrously beautiful works of art.
UPDATE: I did a google search, and the results indicate that Mark Primack, the architect who has the website that I got the images from is the author of the Co-Evo article. So, I must be remembering another article in Co-Evo that featured the underground trees in pools of light.
Primack's article is the first place I ever saw the term pleaching, which is the word for the manipulation of the tree form by humans. Wondrously beautiful works of art.
Hi
ReplyDeleteI just got some jasmine sambac concrete and it stinks like rubber! What is this?
Nyssa
Hi Anya,
ReplyDeleteI posted this to the Yahoo NP group, to no real response, hope you don't mind my asking you. What is your view on using a low dilution of costus in perfumes? In something I wouldn't be marketing on a very large scale at all? Also, note that I don't live in the States so getting sued wouldn't be as much of a risk. Thanks in advance for your input.
Francesca
Hi Nyssa:
ReplyDeleteI'll bet you go the sambac from India. Sometimes there extraction practices are a bit spotty, and that stink is typically from incomplete recovery of the solvent. Try leaving the top off the jar or bottle for a few hours, and stir the concrete occasionally.. Recap overnight and sniff again in the mornign. Repeat if necessary. Hopefully, the remaining solvent will evaporate.
HTH,
Anya
Dear Francesca:
ReplyDeleteI was going to answer it on the group, but I am putting so much time into the computer fix and catching up, I'll admit I forgot.
There is a perspective I have that perhaps nobody else has about costus, because I am the first to ever make goat hair tincture, and it smells just like costus! What a revelation that was. Now, I haven't used costus, so I don't know if it performs in a blend the way GHT does, but I'm just saying if you want that scent, you might consider GHT.
About using costus - it's the IFRA guidelines that you're citing, and their science is very suspect. Also, if you're not a member of IFRA, you don't have to go by their guidelines. And, don't forget, the Guild is moving strongly towards transparent labeling, and a warning label, to boot.
Warning: if a rash or redness occurs, discontinue use.
That wording has been in effect for many decades, and relies on the common sense of the consumer. If they ignore it, and get a rash, and keep using it, well, that seems to let the manufacturer off the hook. I'm not a lawyer, but if you want, run this logic and phrase past one in your country.
xoxo,
Anya
Thanks Anya,
ReplyDeleteI guess I will have to keep an eye out for any goats that might wander up my street... until then, great advice about the labelling, thanks!
F
Hi Anya,
ReplyDeleteI recently fall in love with Tolu balm. When I wanted to source it, one of my supplier told me there is no more natural tolu balm available on the market, all are synthetic reconstitution. What do you know about this? Is it endangered specie?
Thank you,
Clemence
Dear Clemence:
ReplyDeleteYour supplier is incorrect. There are a number of suppliers of tolu balsam, and they may offer the resin or the essential oil. You can ask for recommendations on the Guild Yahoo group. You may google tolu balsam essential oil and find lots of retail sellers. I am supposing you may wish to get it from French houses. The EO is the easiest to work with, and it has a slightly different scent from the resin. Try to sample as many as you can and experiment with them in your products to see the results. The aromatic may cause some skin irritation in some people, so be aware of that. You'll need to read up on the medicinal uses of it and any cautions.
HTH,
Anya
These are such powerful images, Anya. Thanks for posting, you made my day. I had no idea plants could do these things. Amazing.
ReplyDeleteHi Maggie:
ReplyDeleteI wish I could stumble upon the other images I mentioned, also. They were in Co-Evolution Quarterly and even more incredible. Hopefully, my mentioning them in the blog may help if someone who has them ever sees my query about them.
xoxo,
Anya
Maggie, everyone - I just updated the blog: UPDATE: I did a google search, and the results indicate that Mark Primack, the architect who has the website that I got the images from is the author of the Co-Evo article. So, I must be remembering another article in Co-Evo that featured the underground trees in pools of light.
ReplyDeletePrimack's article is the first place I ever saw the term pleaching, which is the word for the manipulation of the tree form by humans. Wondrously beautiful works of art.