Secret Garden

Yes, to the morphing mentioned by previous poster! This is a first for me. Fascinating to get this far in life and find a perfume that does something I've never encountered. The spray version was like a mini olfactory movie for me: the scent kept shifting scenes, smoothly but dramatically, for at least 20 minutes. Going through almost all the scent doors was enjoyable (except one but it passed quickly) and the surprise was part of the fun. The non-spray form is more linear but has breadth, as it contains all the layers. I've tried a dozen or so samples of Aftelier's scents and found them all interesting, useful as lessons in what could be done. There are themes but they aren't all bitter and astringent: try her Jasmine, the Cuir Gardenia, or my favorite, Orchid, for more simplicity, sweetness and light. This is my second favorite of hers, for it's complexity and the drydown -- spicy, sweet, dry and compelling. Special note to those who have perfume sensitivities: these are the first I found, even among the naturals, that don't trigger any problems, such as nausea or headaches. (Since then, the sampls of Strange Invisible Perfume and Vered didn't either. I'm looking for more, so if it's on my love list, and it's a natural, it's worth a try.) Nice to be able to finally get beyond just wearing essential oils all the time and back to actual perfume!

219) Secret (buried)pet garden - Fleur de Torpeur SG is in opening an elegant rosewood, very sweet ,paired with powdery rose and syrupy jasmine. This is heady and sensual in association with a jammy exotic fruit, a note that Aftelier called "raspberry isolate". Raspberry transforms jasmine and rose in something that is so disconcerting that one keeps getting sniffing. A metamorphosis of heady flowers in one fantasy flower The base is just another piece of bravery. A pair of civet / castoreum on earthy patchouli. The floral composition is placed on the skin of a animal secretly buried in the garden and freshly unearthed. This is ultimately a terribly deep pollen or honey, with the introduction of something completely shifted, but very attractive.

Mandy Aftel has made it on my list of things I love in 2016! Her perfumes tell me stories that I find in books/movies! Perfume needs to speak to me, tell me stories and hers does!

Beautiful rosewood fragrance that cleverly blends animal notes of civet and castoreum to where they are present but not seperate from the rosewood

Aftelier does a great job of creating long-lasting natural perfumes that actually smell like perfume, and not just some simple earthy hodgepodge of lavender and patchouli. This perfume lasts on my skin nearly all day, and my skin amps it to the max, but without being cloying. I can keep sniffing my wrist over-and-over, and I always find it's still there. Also, it doesn't give me a headache, even though it's strong. That's a huge benefit of natural perfumes for me. Secret Garden is a wonderful creation. It has a very addictive powdery vintage quality to it that would probably frighten folks who are into fresh, "young" perfumes. Nothing about it smells literally like a garden, but it does remind me of the book and movie Secret Garden. I can imagine Colin standing up from his wheelchair, and the world that the characters live in smelling like Secret Garden.