Impermanence

“The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough.” ― Rabindranath Tagore Have you ever stopped to wonder if you'll live to see another cycle of seasons? Or what it might be like to know that you're years are numbered, either from old age or illness? What we may do with that awareness is that each new day we live is a truly a gift of beauty and wonder for all that we experience with our senses and that we feel in our hearts. I noticed probably more than any other year in my life the budding, blossoming and decay of every flower this springtime. There is something immensely profound about noticing this and knowing that it is a reflection of our own mortality. I noticed my first monarch butterfly today as he was scoping flowers in a neighbor's garden. My tears started to well, knowing how fragile and brief his life is, but how full he was with life in each frenzied flutter and flap. Sometimes I see these encounters as messengers, especially as I thought of a young soul whom I befriended who was full of life suddenly passed recently. I wore Impermanence and noticed how bittersweet it felt. A sparkle of bergamot leading to green and sour edges, the lemony-geranium and grassy tang of palmarosa. This is accented with vegetal and herbaceous elements and the appearance of ginger oil, resulting in something that reminds me of sensation of schisandra berries and Rhodiola rosea, two herbal supplements that I have taken for years as adaptogens for stress relief and mental clarity. As the heart wanes, a woodier, serene effect is left behind. It's the kind of scent I want to wear one day when reclining with the sun in my face and to just feel thankful, eyes closed and noticing it with full attention. They say there is "spray and go"—this is "spray and stay (for awhile, at least)." There is something to be said for noticing the changes, especially the fading away and the gentle acceptance of that inevitability. Pondering evanescence through experiencing a perfume is probably the most poetic "full circle" one can achieve.

Christele's fragrances might not appeal to everyone, but it's hard to imagine that any true fragrance nut would overlook each fragrance's quality of composition. At least one full bottle is on the horizon due to the reasonable price point and uniqueness and beauty of each of Christele's fragrances (IMO, there's not really anything out there like them). I'm not one of those fragrance connoisseurs that can identify every note in a fragrance (other than the obvious amber, vanilla, tobacco, or patchouli notes), however, I can tell you that each of Christele's scents makes me happy - from each glorious spray to the interesting dry down. At least try the discovery set.

This is gorgeous & evocative, alive with natural oils, and the best use of palmarosa I can imagine (it’s a tricky one to blend)- here palmarosa is highlighted & magically transformed- pulled in one direction towards deep, woody but citrusy hinoki, & in the other direction towards its floral aspect. This fragrance does change over time to suit the name. I love a perfume name that is a concept.

The Impermanence perfume is part of the initial collection of photographer and perfumer Christèle Jacquemin, who launched three fragrances in 2019 and, right away, was nominated for the Art and Olfaction Awards 2020, in the artisan category. And it is precisely this fragrance that is competing for the prize! The term Impermanence means what does not last, which is unstable. It would be easy to think only about the fragrance and its constant evolution. But it is difficult not to think about the context experienced during this year, which has been proving to be mutant and which proves to us, every day, how important it is to remain adapted. The inspiration to create the fragrance was born through the collection of photographs that the artist took in Jin Ze, a village in the suburbs of Shanghai, where she lived for a month. Impermanence has notes of bergamot, blue ginger, and hinoki leaves, on top; Rose, rosemary and palmarosa, in the body; Vetiver and yerba mate, in the base. As soon as it is sprayed on the skin, the fragrance brings the citrus and luminous facet of bergamot, here with an extremely natural aspect. The sensation is almost organic, like squeezing the fruit and smelling the peel and juice on your hands. At the same time, the presence of green and refreshing nuances become bigger, as if they are behind the curtains, ready to enter the stage. Applause for the use of hinoki, a cypress of Japanese origin, with a lemony and woody scent. Until then, you notice the quality of the raw materials, but you are not surprised by the innovation and you think: “it’s just another green and fresh fragrance with vivid natural tones”. But, as the name says, everything can change in a matter of minutes. And even though the evolution does not occur quickly, at a certain moment (approximately, after 30 minutes of application) a bouquet of roses appears, full of blazing and wild nuances. That's because palmarosa is a type of grass from India (also called Indian geranium), whose essential oil is more floral than herbal, resembling the scent of roses. Impermanence remains fresh, but it is no longer the same citrusy scent as before. Now, it has become a floral-aromatic with more challenging characteristics and, therefore, it caught my attention. To improve, as time goes by, the vetiver brings its woody signature - without that earthy aspect that scares many people - and the mate note gives it a calming aspect of tea, here full of herbal facets. For those who are unaware of the creative and authorial universe of niche perfumery, but would like to venture out and discover new fragrances, I would say that Impermanence is an evolution of what L'Eau D'Issey Pour Homme brought in the 90’s. I dare say that it has everything to be a sales success in hot places, like Brazil. On my skin, the fragrance proved to be vibrant, with excellent projection and great performance, although its olfactory path leads us to believe that it will not last long. I did not feel relaxation, but a feeling of tranquility and, above all, optimism. With Impermanence, the invisible is at work.

It is SO much Hinoki. A breath of citrus with it at first, then an unpleasant sour stage, now diluted with green tea. No roses made an appearance for me.