Natural stuff

[MadDoctor]

With a bit of encouragement from DrSmellThis a while back, I started messing around with various natural essences which contain pheromones or pheromone-like substances.

I have to admit, it\'s pretty amazing how *effective* they can be for both sexes, while smelling absolutely wonderful. I now understand why most of the world\'s greatest (and most expensive) perfumes are centered around natural rose and jasmine essences. High quality musk, sandalwood and patchouli blend in really well too. Just be careful with the top notes, it\'s easy to put in a bit too much of something penetrating like ylang ylang in and throw the balance of the whole thing way off.

Natural essences are totally different from synthetics, and should not even be compared to them unless the natural form has become unavailable by any ethical means (e.g. Tibetan musk). Synthetics also may have little or no pheromone-like activity. You should expect to be laying out some cash -- while many essences aren\'t too expensive, some ingredients have become quite rare, and the best pure, natural essences can cost $5 per millilitre or more. If they\'re cheap and not synthetic, read the fine print, they may have been watered down with something like jojoba or grapeseed oil. Most rose and jasmine oils out there are like that (85% inert), since the pure essences are so damned expensive.

Although I haven\'t sent off for any Amouage samples yet, I now understand what all the hoopla\'s about. While the guy who created it is undoubtedly a creative genius with encyclopaedic knowledge of his subject, the range of material quality out there is far greater than I\'d imagined. I\'m not sure whether I\'ll ever wear a commercial cologne again, because of the way most of them cut corners. The stuff which I can blend, even as a total novice, smells better to me and seems to work far better(in the pheromone sense). If it doesn\'t suit me perfectly, I can change it. And I\'ll never smell like anyone else.

This site is a good place to look if you want to try a few first-rate essences out, they have a nice selection and will send you 5 samples for $10 (plus $5 shipping, unless you order over $50 of stuff). I\'d recommend the rose, jasmine, at least one of the musks, and maybe the sandalwood since those are always relatively expensive. While it\'s not the place I\'d recommend shopping for everything, it will at least give you an idea of what sort of quality (and effectiveness!) I\'m talking about.
http://madini.com

Oh, and do learn the basics before throwing things together randomly. While clary sage, ylang ylang, valerian and cumin all contain pheromone-like components, one part of each will make a really stinky mess.

[oscar]

MadDoctor,

I\'ve ordered Madini perfume oils from the Talisman site a couple of times. Both times I got a 5-pack sampler which is a great deal. I guess I have about 16 of their fragrances in all. My favorites are their \"Ambargris\" and \"Musk Gazelle\".

Many of their fragrances have something mysterious about them, taking one to far-away places through scent. I\'m now considering getting some genuine animal scents (ambergris, castoreum, civet, and musk) to add to them to give them even more mystery, depth, and tenacity.

Oscar [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[MadDoctor]

Yeah, the ambergris is good, and great as a fixitive. Both it and the gazelle musk are genuine animal scents, and the musk is a real favorite of mine. I like that the ambergris allegedly does not involve killing any whales, and the making of gazelle musk is also innocuous.

As for civet and Asian musks... *sigh* Wild civet cats are captured in Ethiopia to produce almost all of the world\'s civet supply. They are treated badly enough that many of them die after the first collection of civet. Since they are also becoming scarce, I\'d feel weird about using natural civet unless I knew absolutely for a fact that it came from domesticated civet cats. Almost no commercial perfumers are using it anymore, the World Society for the Protection of Animals and other groups have talked them out of it.

With deer musk, the deer are killed to collect the musk, they are close to extinction in most areas, and entirely extinct across most of their former range. They may be holding out in some of the remoter Siberian/Chinese areas, but the good stuff always came from Tibet, where they lived on a naturally pheromone-rich diet -- and are almost totally wiped out. Adulteration has been a problem for centuries, so who knows what you\'d be getting for your hefty expenditure (hundreds of dollars an ounce). Under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna, you can\'t even legally buy it in most countries (France and Japan were exceptions, and may still be).

I\'m not anybody else\'s conscience, by all means do what you like... I\'m just not comfortable with those items myself.

Castoreum and other musks from non-endangered species (muskrats, etc.) are easy to get, you can even buy them from supply houses for trappers( http://trap-supply.hypermart.net/lure.htm for example). Buying the glands themselves seems like the way to go, since who knows WHAT might be in an oil, tincture or essence made as bait. While they may not smell much like Tibetan deer musk, it seems like their pheromonal activity should still be decent. At about 1/100 the price of deer musk, I\'ll be giving them a try. And there are always the African musks, like we already use. [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[EXIT63]

http://www.server2.love-scent.com/ubbthreads/showthreaded.php?Cat=&Board=UBB5&Number=33 147&page=&view=&sb=&o=

[MadDoctor]

I can answer a couple of those questions.

Most of what they sell is blends made from a number of essential oils. They can therefore only be called perfume essences. It\'s not because they\'re synthetic. One whiff will tell you that, if you\'ve smelled both real and artificial. There\'s no faking roses or sandalwood.

If you order from them, you get a confirmation email within 5 minutes. They aren\'t down or anything, but the US agent may not be able to answer any technical questions.

I didn\'t know anyone had brought the company up last year, hadn\'t searched for it here.

\"Echo,\" as they say.

[frenchie]

hi Oscar,
I totally agree with MadDoctor about animal protection. We have fought, and still have to fight, to stop using animal experimentation (cosmetics and most washing powders: Loreal and too many others) and fur trade (remember baby seals in the 70s ?).
I\'ve seen strange stuffs in Asia, snakes in bottles, tiger teeth or penises in strange liquids... all of them supposed to be aphrodisiacs or good for strength. Nobody knows if it\'s true or if it\'s just legend. So...
If I met someone (even just as a friend) who used that kind of stuff, I would immediately run away and he\'d never see me again...

[DrSmellThis]

It is possible to get PC versions of animal products, but not everyone could find these things.

No offense intended, but start running now, because an awful lot of forum members are trying Amouage.

I myself have quite enjoyed the fragrant, green Chinese penis liquer.

[MadDoctor]

> It is possible to get PC versions of animal products, but not everyone could find these things.

I\'ve only been able to find a few, is there a place you could recommend?

[DrSmellThis]

pm me.