Little Flowers

Sometimes you meet someone on the internet who you take an instant liking toward. You can kind of feel their vibe and you think they're pretty cool, and you also think it might be nice to meet them in real life. Then you meet their 'stuff' via a little box in the mail, and everything shifts. You no longer think you want to meet them, you know you do.

Little Flowers aka Nicole R. (or Nicole M., according to her blog) is a blooming natural perfumer with the 'touch'. Like my friend T. likes to say, "There are those who are made and those who are born." Well, Nicole is of the born variety, though I won't totally discount her efforts as easy because I know she busted her tail blending her version of Rain for the LPR Yahoo! Group's 'Rain Challenge'.

After the challenge submissions are sent off to the reviewer, we challengers swap samples with one another so we can get a feel for which direction the others went. Mine, as I've stated before, went the way of the sea with a base of seaweed tincture, and patchouli playing driftwood. Nicole's scuttled off toward ancient trade routes, meandering through desert sandstorms, lush tropical jungles, high mountain meadows, and still, quiet ponds, to end under a silk tent in the darkest night surrounded by incense and warm skin and strong arms. This rain is seductive and sensual, floral and resinous. The initial hit from the bottle is labdanumy, but applied to skin it mellows to floral, then grows more floral with a hint of incense, then more floral and more incense, then sweeter floral, more incense, and pretty much stays here until it fades away completely -- hours later. Lush deliciousness. My new favorite.

Nicole also sent me a little tin of Moisture Body Balm. Sweet! Note to T. -- remember Aroha Takaro? This is it, babe. All vanilla rich and patchouli dark with just a hint of sandalwood -- damn! I've been using it on the backs of my hands because, stupid me, it was the only place I DIDN'T apply sunscreen when I went motorcycle riding a few days ago. The Moisture Body Balm is so soothing on the burn. Also in the little package I received a solid perfume called 'Apricot Creme Perfume'. Well, I don't think there are any apricots in it, actually (haven't asked N). What it does have is a heavy floral hand with a soft, musky background and fruit weaving throughout. It doesn't last nearly as long as the Rain Challenge perfume, but it is really, really beautiful. Nicole sent one more item, a facial serum, which I haven't tried yet. If it's as wonderful as everything else she sent, I'll be sure to report it here.

Nicole's Etsy Store.