A Cheerfulness of Herbs

[Boudicca]

Possets description: Like a healing balm for the soul, this potion contains citrus paradisii, spikenard, Australian sandalwood, lambs' ear, and frankincense. It is an intense and yet subtle blend of sharp ingredients which go to your head and clear it out in a delightful way. I would call this a resinous blend in the final analysis and one which really lifted my mood considerably when I finished making it and put a bit on for the skin test.

It had been a dark day with the constant threat of more snow and the real presence of lots of ice. The arctic weather has continued here for weeks with little respite and I have to confess a bit of depression and wish to see the sun. When I put on A Cheerfulness of Herbs I immediately cheered up! Just what I needed, a tonic for the soul to let me know that winter is more than half over, and that we will be smelling the awakening vegetable world in a few weeks.

The title is a sort of name for a bouquet of mood-brightening aromatic plants

[Maya]

Did anyone get this one at all? I really want to know what it smells like.

[hill78]

I did. I'll see if I can test it again tonight. I remember it being refreshing and slightly masculine from the first test.

[Maya]

I did. I'll see if I can test it again tonight. I remember it being refreshing and slightly masculine from the first test.

Wooohooo! Thank you so much!

[hill78]

In the bottle I get the citrus paradisii, spikenard, and a tiny hint of the sandalwood. As it dries I am getting primarily a light, clean, herbal scent. It is soft, nothing harsh about it. It strikes me as a slightly floral-ish and grassy fragrance. And it does maintain just a hint of a citrus feel, but not citrus. As it dries further I get a bit more of the woodiness of the sandalwood. This is a dry fragrance, and unisex. Very soothing.

[warriortwo]

This is fascinating. I avoided this initially due to the sandalwood, but I'm not detecting it. Wet on the skin, I'm getting something like a dry (as opposed to fruity) pipe tobacco...but lurking beneath that is a camphorous note. This must be the "head-clearing" aspect Fabienne mentions. It is putting me in mind of Sherlock Holmes! I can see myself in the drawing room, laden with books and papers, pipe smoke, violin rosin, and the faint scent of a chemistry set. This is a unisex blend that is going to take more testing for me to get a sense if it's something I would enjoy wearing out and about, but it's very pleasing and fun so far.