Ashes

Pretty and very melancholy. Wet concrete, wet dirt, wet grass, wet flowers. The humid breeze of a rainy day in front of an open air flower shop. I get a sense of the water buckets that the cut stems have been sitting in all day. Not to be too macabre, but I spent a lot of my childhood visiting loved ones in cemeteries, and this takes me right back to that (a calming, nostalgic presence for me). Gardenia here is a bit distracting. It's a bit old-school perfume-y, like someone is wearing Jungle Gardenia right next to me. Thankfully, that wet dirt note carries throughout. Settles into a pure gardenia fragrance after a few hours. Bright, musky vetiver at the very end. Sillage, according to the people around me, is pretty great, even though I think it sits very very close to my skin. Lasts through the entire day though. Like another reviewer mentioned below, this does come close to Silver Linings by the long-gone Mirus Fine Fragrance—a masterpiece, of which I have half a 15ml bottle that I'm trying desperately to make last for the rest of my life. It's the only fragrance that has brought me to tears (in a good way). Ashes is a lot airier than Silver Linings, which makes it a lot more intimate, and creamy-floral in the drydown, which makes it more wearable imo. Ashes also doesn't seem like the right name for this. There is no smoke or incense here, although perhaps the association for the perfumer is a columbarium? I don't wear this beyond sombre occasions, but I will say when I wear it out people have only had positive reactions to it, no association with death.

I’ve gone through half a bottle of this stuff. With a large library of scents like most of us Fragrantica members have, you’ll understand what an accomplishment that is in the space of a single season. Others will have better, more thorough reviews than mine. I’ll say that it reminds me of a grassier(or at least less floral) version of the brilliant but discontinued Silver Linings by Mirus. This has a more sheer, luminous airiness that can be perceived at first as having an almost mainstream quality but I think that’s a reductive way to view this perfume, especially in light of how truly unlike anything in the mainstream this is. I’d say it’s more of a technical marvel, worthy of a group of highly trained professionals, than a crowd pleaser. Though, from my experience, this one does actually get positive attention. Well, my girlfriend lights up everytime I wear this. Though that may speak more to the challenging stuff that I often prefer. This is fantastic stuff. Everyone should sample the Clandestine Laboratories line.

Damp soil and wilting floral bouquet. The soil is the most present accord for a majority of the wear and the florals are peeking out from underneath. This is mainly a scent of melancholy, but I can see how they intend it to be hopeful as well. It's reminiscent of gardening but also a freshly dug grave in damp earth—catching occasional whiffs of the floral spray atop the coffin before it is lowered into the ground. It's a moderate wear for sure, only about 4 hours before it's a skin scent but it's a really nice 4 hours if you love the smell of it!

This perfume is a wonder - an incredible accomplishment. It smells earthy - like green pea shoots bursting out of black dirt enriched by volcanic rocks and ash. It also smells clean and fresh, with just a touch of jasmine floral. It's beautifully balanced and unusual - yet still good for the office. The earth doesn't disappear, either. It lingers nicely. I found this perfume at Stele, a store in Brooklyn, and bought the last bottle in stock. I regret nothing!

Oh, this is gorgeous! A strong soil accord (for those of you to whom this means anything, think BPAL) gives way to an airy but fascinating floral heart. Gardenia is the star, but clover is very much on the scene. And just when you think the soil has disappeared, it creeps up again. The whole scent has a slightly moist, cool, green quality. I’m actually regretting putting it on this chilly morning even though I can recognize how beautiful it is !