Heya Perfume Junkies,
It’s no secret that I love the SOIVOHLE (pronounced See-Voh) range. It is an acronym Sending Out Inspired Vibrations Of Healthy Loving Energy and I think Liz Zorn a dashing artist genius. We have chatted about her and SOIVOHLE quite a bit on APJ. Right now Liz is selling off the Mixed Media section of the fraghrance business and is going to concentrate on the naturals. It’s a sad day here for me and I have bought back up bottles of two of my favourite SOIVOHLE fragrances, Rosa sur Reuse and Jasmine Summer. Really I do not want to live without them. Tonight we are going to look at another fragrtance I love from the range that is currently at CLEARANCE prices.
Alpha Musc by Liz Zorn for SOIVOHLE
Photo Stolen SOIVOHLE
SOIVOHLE gives these featured accords in one line:
Patchouli, Moss, Vanilla, Pepper, Champaca Leaf, Animalic Musks
MUSC-CHYPRE-ANIMALIC
I get a chocolate vanilla with fabulously freaky green tinge on opening with Alpha Musc, a burning, searing scent that skirts the edges of overkill, never quite reaching the too much level but dangerously close. It has a resinous, thick, treacle-ish quality that feels like the air has become too thick to breathe into my nose and lungs, a sensation only Alpha Musc has ever given me. It’s sweet and sweaty, dry, dusty and dank and though it’s a very full fragrance that demands attention still it is quite sheer, sheer AND dense.
Photo Stolen Flickr
As the initial fireworks subside the whole fragrance dries out and the pepper, cracked and ground, gives the choc/vanilla a savoury edge that makes it zing beautifully. A toasted tobacco note, sweetly honeyed but dry and dessicated rolls in and alongside the pepper is so unusual that it really makes my nose stand to attention to see what’s going to happen next. You know the smell of your dogs paws, that yeasty/urinous/furry scent that is like almost nothing else on earth? Alpha Musc smells nothing like it but there is something that feels as if that scent is being referenced obliquely. As if the idea of dogs feet has been put there, an echo, a nod, a whisper of what the real thing smells like. It may even smell a little like a Musk Deer, but I’ll never know. I have smelled some 60+ year old musk tincture of Jean Kerleo’s that he used while at Patou, there are very faint echoes of it here.
Photo Stolen Wikipedia
I have a motor bike and I leave my helmet in a plastic airtight box on the back. Sometimes if I have been riding a lot and the weather is warm I get a real animal musk scent from it when I first get it from the box. It’s a bed head and healthy sweaty man combination, sweet and very slightly sour, and the musks and vanilla in Alpha Musc remind me very much of this funky scent but ever so soft on deep dry down after I awake next morning. It is tantalisingly human and quite sexy but very, very muted.
Photo Stolen WikiCommons
Where would I wear Alpha Musc? It is a wear anywhere, smell good, slightly feral comfort scent. Only in the first hour need you worry about skunking the severely anti fragrance types but everyone else will bask in your beautiful soft, naked, healthy skin sillage. About 3 hours mildly fragrant before heading towards close skin scent.
SOIVOHLE is clearing out Alpha Musc: Sample $2/ 11ml $25/ 50ml $50
You have to get it before it’s gone.
Which of the SOIVOHLEs do you know?
Portia xx
Australian Perfume Junkies 
Glad you reviewed this one. I ordered a bunch (eight, I think) when she started her sale and haven’t tried but one yet. I actually can’t remember which I sampled but it didn’t do anything for me that day, I remember thinking I wasn’t really in the mood for something different, and I put them all away and haven’t tried any more. I did give Centennial a sniff from the bottle and think I’ll love it but didn’t even open Alpha Musc. You’ve inspired me to break it out when I get home.
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NAUGHTY MikasMinion,
Ha Ha ha! We all do that sometimes. Do go try them. I reckon you’ll find a couple at least to love.
Portia xx
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I love Orris Ochre. I wore Rosa Sur Reuse yesterday. I had her fragrance with the name Hummingbird, but gave it away, it had too much Linden for me. It is very sad that we won’t be able to replace these, but she’s very talented and I’m sure I’ll love whatever she as planned.
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Rosa sur reuse!! I can’t believe I won’t be able to buy it anymore Katherine. I have stocked up though.
Orris Ochre is another beauty, Liz is crazy talented.
Portia xx
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Thanks for the review. I have been so interested in Soivohle but got overwhelmed by all the reviews lately. My resolution is to be more organized with my purchases this year and try to get back to my original list, which is where Soivohle is.
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Hey Lillian,
It ios hard to keep focused, so much to try and too many new releases. Don’t sweat it, we all fall for the lure of the new.
I hope you enjoy SOIVOHLE when you try them,
Portia xx
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Is that a musk deer in the photo? I pictured something much bigger and butcher, more like the deer equivalent of that last picture.
I’ve only tried Rosa Sur Reuse, that I won a sample of (thanks!), but if there’s anything left next month when my finances recover from Christmas, I may have to take a flyer on a few things.
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That is a Musk Deer LaurelS, no they are a small deer, good eating with a couple of smelly sacs.
Good luck with the Christmas recovery.
Portia xx
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Hi Portia, Thank you so much for your support with Soivohle and this recap on Alpha Musc.
It is true that Soivohle will be moving back to an all natural brand, but I do plan to relaunch the mixed media collection under another name at a later date. It will be a much smaller collection. I have not decided how many, or if any of the current offerings (Clearance Scents) will be brought back. I am really looking to create a new collection building on past work but making it better. Best, Liz Zorn
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Hey Liz,
You’re welcome.
How lovely to have you drop in and say hi.
A new range sounds very exciting, I love the idea of a rebranding and a new direction. Please keep us posted.
Portia xx
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Is it just me Portia? Or do they not ship outside the US? I can’t seem to place an order, but I may be tripping over my tech?
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No, you need to email them Gavin and they will send you a Paypal invoice.
You also get a personal hello from Liz, which is nice.
Portia xx
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I had gone ahead and done this and was super excited for the personalised reply from Liz! Great attention to detail on the customer service side indeed! In the process of placing my order now! Thanks Portia!
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