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Post by Azar
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Hello APJ Pals,
As long as I can remember perfumes wafting excessive orrisroot, iris, violet and/or heliotrope have been, at best, cloying and at worst nauseating. Powdery purple florals, components of so many vintage and modern fragrances, are almost impossible to avoid. Their sweet, almond-y, cherry or vanillic odors rise from drugstores, department stores, boutiques and specialty shops everywhere.
Over the years I have developed a sort of Heliotropophobia, (Orrisophobia, Violettaphobia), a confused and unpredictable fear of the sweet and powdery. Heliotrope in certain fragrances, Dior Poison for example, presents no problem for me. Perhaps Poison works because the heliotrope has been transformed into a toxic berry? When powdery orris root serves as background noise or modulation (Chanel No.19) it works too, but when the powder passes my personal threshold of tolerance any perfume becomes a scrubber. Prada’s Infusion d’Iris is intolerable. Lolita Lempicka is lovely at first but not for long…
Determined to face this phobia I began searching my samples for possible offenders. Bravely I decided to spritz anything containing iris, violet or heliotrope and make a serious effort to concentrate on the development of the scent, disregarding any gag reflex. I knew there had to be something redeeming beneath the icky and the sweet. The first vial that I pulled forever changed my take on powder in perfume.
Mate, Heliotrope & Patchouli by Dame Perfumery Scottsdale 2014
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Mate, lime peel, aldehydes
Heart: Heliotrope, iris, rose, tiare flower
Base: Patchouli, amber
The first sniff revealed the usual dreaded heliotrope and iris, but not for long! A sparkling, airy lightness, provided by mate and lime, immediately saved the composition. Mr. Dame’s heliotrope was refreshing and invigorating, almost a cologne. As Mate, Heliotrope & Patchouli developed and dried into the cherry-almond aspect of heliotrope the aldehydes kept the gooey dessert element under control allowing the fragrance to finish with a rich and comforting combination of tiare and amber. A wispy, vague reference to pale patchouli lingered from start to finish.
Photo Stolen DeviantArt
I love Mate, Heliotrope &Patchouli. I wear and enjoy this fragrance and am convinced that it has opened my nose to the possibilities of carefully controlled and modified purple flowers. With that in mind I plan to return to the Prada mentioned above and hopefully find something new to love.
If you would like to receive a free sample of Mate, Heliotrope& Patchouli or any of Dame Perfumery’s current fragrances check out the website’s picture postcard/sample exchange. If you like a scent but are not ready to commit to a full bottle the website offers 7ml trial sizes for only $8.50 and $10.00!
Photo Stolen Pixabay
Thanks to Mate, Heliotrope & Patchouli I may have conquered my Heliotropophobia. Have you tried any of the Dame Perfumery fragrances? Do you have any fragrance phobias? Are there perfumes you cannot wear but wish you could?
Be Brave
Azar xx
Australian Perfume Junkies 
So interesting that you picked this Dame perfumery scent today. I was talking to Jeffrey day before yesterday because he makes Tuvache Gardenia and I read that the current one is amazing. It’s available at FragranceNet. It’s one you like right?
Portia xx
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Hi Portia,
Yes, I have his Tuvache Gardenia 1933 and love it. It is very close to the old Jungle Gardenia, not quite the depth but much more affordable and easier to find. I also have his gorgeous Duality, a remake of Anne klein II.
Jeffrey is so generous with his samples. Just the other day, totally out of the blue, I received several samples from Dame Perfumery Scottsdale. His new Desert Rose is a rosy/peachy stunner! I’ve been pondering Desert Rose, imaging a review but haven’t got my nose totally around it quite yet.
Azar xx
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WOW! Can’t wait to read your take Azar. Jeffrey is sweet, very nice man.
Portia xx
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Jeffrey is the nicest! He is SO generous.
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Your post captured my imagination so I decided I’d try your postcard/sample suggestion but it’s USA only. So disappointing as I live in Australia. On a positive note, I loved the picture of heliotrope you posted, they are such pretty flowers. Regards, Carolyn
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Hi Carolyn,
I’m sorry that the postcard sample service is US only. When I review another Dame Perfumery fragrance, and that will be soon I hope, perhaps there will be a draw for a sample that I can send out anywhere…stay tuned.
Azar xx
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I absolutely LOVE the Pear, Waterlily, and Amber fragrance from that house! I’ve also tried the Mexican Vanilla as well. I didn’t know I could buy the fragrances in a smaller size. Thanks so much for posting that! I haven’t been able to save up for a FB yet and I think that will be the solution in the meantime. Great news and a lovely review!
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Hi Kandice,
If you want to buy a trial size just click the woman’s (or man’s) tab at the top and the link to the trial sizes is on the far right. If believe there is no shipping charge for these trial sizes to US addresses. A really great deal. I love the PW&A too.
Azar xx
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Found it and ordered! Thanks, Azar.
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How nice is this? Thank you Azar, how lovely for you to take the time to write some words, and how especially nice that my DPS Mate, Heliotrope & Patchouli broke through your “Heliotropophobia”. It is wonderful. There are six DPS eau de toilettes for women, each with a distinct top, middle and base note defining the character [although there are more than three ingredients of course]. And its interesting that they all sell roughly equally and each has their devotees who sing praises, but this one scent, the DPS Mate, Heliotrope & Patchouli stands out though and sells are a much higher rater than the others…which make it I guess the breakout sleeper. Tara Swords of Olfactif said the DPS Mate, Heliotrope & Patchouli “completes me” love that. This spring there are two more brand new eau de toilettes for women – the 7th and 8th, a DPS Lime, Gardenia & Benzoin and a DPS Mandarin, Neroli & Cedar. Can’t wait. In the meantime I thank you again for your words, and am so thrilled to hear all the nice comments about Dame Perfumery Scottsdale creations. I not need to figure out how to set up shop in Australia! J.
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Hi Jeffrey!
Thank you for stopping by APJ. I am really looking forward to your new EdTs. BTW I sent a thank you note for the the surprise samples I received recently to Ted in your customer service department. Ted looks like a great guy and pretty laid back too!
Azar xx
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Rooty iris makes me run for the hills. Ugh. That’s my phobia.
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Yes, Poodle! I totally understand. I may have overcome my Heliotropophobia, but the Orrisophobia is still with me. I say I will try Infusion d’Iris again but I hesitate. There is also a shampoo/salon note in some older fragrances that really bothers me. Some call it hairspray. Yuck.
Azar xx
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Yes, I get the Heliotropophobia, did someone at Perfume Posse call it “Baby Wipes Accord”? I know March and Patty had a ruder name for it! But Mr. Dame has worked with retro perfumes for years and he really is a master at a lot of things perfumers have forgotten. I think I may have to order a sample!
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Hi Masha,
I really appreciate Mr. Dame’s work in retro and contemporary fragrances. He really knows his way around perfumeland and has a wealth of experience and information to draw from when he creates a fragrance. BTW I so enjoy your reports from the sand dune!
Azar xx
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Masha what is interesting with the perfumery I do is they break in two different directions – two different hats. There is no middle ground or mix really. Some of the fragrances in my portfolio such as the Tuvache collection and those in longlostperfume are classical in nature. Beautiful, but structured in a certain way and technical, with certain ingredients. They are hard to do right and keep them that way, but they have a form to follow. And it is much the same with the scents I make with Parfums Rétro such as Grand Cuir, Sous Bois, Santal Superbe and Ambre Authentique [and the new one for dirty dirty dirty boys coming up]. Even though they are indeed “classics made contemporary” as Ida Meister wrote, they are still formulas with a nod to the past. By contrast, all the perfumes in the Dame Perfumery Scottsdale collection are forward-looking, Modern American Perfumery. In many ways I throw away all that depth of perfumery knowledge and that type of ingredient pallet and start fresh and anew; which is why all the Dame Perfumery Scottsdale scents are so uplifting and bring a smile to your face as you look to the future. J.
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Thank you for a fascinating look at how you work, Jeffrey! Now I am even more intrigued.
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Beautiful review, Azar! This is the one of Jeffrey’s that I am most wanting to try next, such a brilliant perfumer! I fell hard for his Black Flower Mexican Vanilla.
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Thank you Tresor,
Yes, Black Flower is gorgeous, distinctly different from mainstream vanillas and somewhat addictive too. I think I need a spritz right now!
Azar xx
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Hi Mom –
Very interesting post… I don’t think I have the same fear you do:)! Although I’m not always a fan of sweet vanilla scents, I don’t mind sweet cherry or sweet in general. That being said my fear is mostly of spice and sometimes musk bothers me too. I guess I don’t want my perfume to smell warm… not sure why.
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Hi Azar,
I have a sample of this (from the lovely lovely Jeffrey) but I’ve been reluctant to try this one – I don’t have the best track record with iris, patchouli or amber. But, reading your review reminds me that I need to be open minded! You never know where love will find you. 🙂
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