the.scentinel

This is no regular boutique. Completely different from anything you’ve ever seen because the products sold here are authentic, not the easiest to find in some cases, and quality is number one. 

You can find fragrances, hair products, skin and bath products (you name it!) in their apothecary. The boutique is just divine, the way I’ve always pictured my future one to be. The scent of wood captures you as soon as you walk in. A small space with an effortless expanse. Brick, shelves, leather couches. Comfortable, chic and inviting. It feels like there is history in the room. (They even sell antiques!)

The one thing that really sunk in was when one of the associates there (I don’t remember his name, shoot. He’s tall, Australian and a total hoot, very hard to miss) introduced Carner Barcelona. This line is fairly new and very impressive. D600 was my favourite. It was refined, with the perfect amount of spice. The vetiver was really well done and set the mood for the fragrance. Authentically Mediterranean. 

Oh yes, going back to what he said: “The world doesn’t need more products, it needs better products” - referring to both Carner Barcelona and the boutique itself. 

A curator of global niche products, that is how MiN New York is described. How amazing is that? It is a niche nursery of sorts. He made sure we understood that the process of showcasing the products was no fluke, they are hand picked, carefully, with a focus on the fact that they can’t be found everywhere. They also work with clients one-on-one, which again, brings perfumery back to a personal level.

Let’s not forget Cire Trudon, a collection of candles from France. The candles are made with vegetal wax. A family tradition that has stood the test of time.
                              

They are quite eclectic with their selection, which was slightly confusing for me. In the sense that, there are many candles inspired by French history, understandably so, but a few did not correspond to the overall theme of the brand. For example, Abd El Kader, an Arabic name, evoking African Mint Tea. I can’t deny that it was well-done, it was my favourite, but I just truly did not understand the correlation, same with Pondichery. Overall, a great collection. We all know how difficult it is to make candles sometimes. 

If you are ever in New York, this place is totally worth the visit. 
(They also have a couple of Lubin fragrances, woooo!) They also have Parfums d’Empire, Keiko Mecheri, Dr. Vranges (ambient sprays) and many more!

Let me tell you something about Yosh, she is a perfumer from California and she is one of a kind. She’s gentle, welcoming, and always polite. She’s also remarkably talented. Her creations are clean, honest and very fulfilling.

What’s great about Yosh and what she does, is that she makes every perfume personal. By making custom-made compositions she reads a person’s aura and feels one’s vibrations. She can also find something in her collection that fits the person seeking the experience. She feels her creations, and she feels the person who wants to wear it.

Her philosophy is so layered; she believes in simplicity (she mentioned how she prefers to have a smaller collection instead of giving us too many things to choose from.) She believes in the power of scent, and it’s ability to evoke memories and finally, finding a way to understanding the self through the psychological, physical and emotional process that scent entails. Each perfume has a numerical value matched by the fragrance family it fits in to.

I instantly felt better when I sat down with her in Florence, she was open and gracious and left me with a lasting impression. Her perfumes capture mood and have the ability to alter how you are feeling for the better.They take you somewhere else, somehow helping you understand your surroundings, and they enlighten you.

A perfumer who is invested in making her clients feel special, and makes excellent perfumes, in the smartest and most nurturing way. What more could you ask for?

My favourites include White Flowers 1.41 (I knew it was meant for me instantly, she did too.) U4EAHH! 2.43 (this is fun and breezy, aquatic too) and Omniscent 0.96 (heavy, opulent, dark and beautifully rich.) These are all part of the Evanescent Collection. Here she combines perfumery with aromachology, as well as Chakra and numerology.

Ooh ooh! One more; Trompeur. I love this. It feels like a dance. It has a primal character that I cannot explain, all I know is that it is strong (in its tenacity and its message). It has such wonderful layers that when I smell it, I react instantly. I feel like I need to move. There is a great fig note that seems to move around the sandalwood. The sweetness of the vanilla gives it a wonderful warmth, like a bonfire almost. There is a delicious bitterness to it that stays in place, almost giving all of these ingredients a base to move around on. On my skin, I smell a damp earthiness that I really enjoy because it reminds me of the skin of almost-aged figs.

Oh and p.s..She’s made a (No.1) for the Untitled Collection on Luckyscent!

Please read more about her here:

http://www.eaudeyosh.com/

http://www.luxist.com/2010/04/05/yosh-han-the-magic-of-custom-scents/