Possets Spring Update 4/12

Possets released a Sacred Geometry update today! 





From Possets: (Decants by Ajevie)

One of the most delicious bits of secret knowledge is "Sacred Geometry". You don't have to know any math to participate. Sacred Geometry is all about beauty. Long ago the ancients studied what makes us think something is beautiful. One of the answers they came up with is proportion, how the parts of something relate to each other. We see things which have certain proportions as lovelier than those which don't. The ancients decided to try to quantify these "Sacred Proportions" and actually succeeded! Just for the record, the perfect proportion is approximately 1.18*. There, now you know and you can amaze your friends and family with that information.

Some great examples of the perfect proportions of Sacred Geometry are: the Parthenon in Athens, a nautilus shell, Leonardo di Vinci's "Vetruvian Man". People whose facial features are closer to "Sacred Proportion" are seen as better looking, and the same is true of body type.

Because I am a curious type, I decided to run an experiment a couple of months ago and compose perfume based on Sacred Geometry, to have the proportions of the ingredients conform to the rules of Sacred Geometry. I was shocked at how well it turned out! The trick was knowing your ingredients and their characteristics (for instance, you don't want to set something strong as the largest proportion of the perfume and smother the delicate top note). I kept on making perfume based on the Golden Section (another name for Sacred Geometry) and it kept on coming out wonderfully well. So, I am offering them to you as proof that Sacred Geometry is more than just a myth. I had a great deal of fun researching this topic making the perfumes, and naming them. So enjoy it all, I certainly did. After all, what's not to love about secrets. Oh, and in the write up of each of the Perfumes I tell a little secret to you based on their name!

*If you must...take a line and divide it so that the proportion of the longest part to the entire line is the same number (1.18) as the proportion of the shortest part to the longest part of the line (1.18).

Informal bibleography: Based on several books and a lot of experience while getting my painting degree, I have studied Sacred Geometery for many years and wanted to share the joy I have gotten from it with you, and to base perfume on the wonder of certain patterns.The Painter's Secret Geometry by Charles Bouleau is one of the guiding writings in my various explorations. When I studied it, it was out of print and I copied it from the Public Library word for word because it was the definitive work on the subject. Martin Kemp's wonderful treatise The Science of Art has been a continuing inspiration. Lately, the charming little book, Sacred Geometry by Miranda Lundy has delighted me to no end.

The delightfully esoteric beginning to the year, Explore to world of beautiful symbols, ravishing images, and strangely satisfying sights! And smells. 

1) Void--The heart of cold proud springtime. Deceptive simplicity. Sandalwood acts as a seductive and earthy base for a bed of grapefruit and refined grapefruit expressed oil to lie down on. Very cerebral seduction going on here, where foody actually provides the cold logic, and unusual task and aspect. White and pink grapefruit, a concentrate of grapefruit which is meant to make it last longer than the lilt of fleeting topnote. Sharp and insistent but loaded with charm. I constructed Void to mimic the vacuum of deep space where Sacred Geometry begins. Without the void, there can be no geometery. Foody, resinous, dark, almost unbearably sophisticated.

2) 3:5:8- The perfect proportion. The balance is divine. This perfume is also balanced among its many components so that ti could not need anything more. Stately and a sort of "Sofia" perfume. I would have to say that "Secret Knowledge" comes to mind when I tried to word associate after making this one. Characterized as insidious and sultry.
The darkest of all black musks which I have ever used (very special and only obtainable in small quantities (and I have been aging it carefully in my aging cabinet). A gleaming DRY smokey vanilla which almost is something other than vanilla, it is so complex. Finally it is all finished off with a very light dusting of precious jasmine, but the kind I use is not stinky at all*. Finally a light version of night blooming cereus and a wild incense which is like the lovechild of nag champa, high and dark. 
A deep sexual Tantric fragrance.

3) Arabesque- Arabesques are not based on the strict geometric model, they are more an abstract of the vining plant kingdom and their beauty is fantastic. I think that they are more closely related to the beauty of written Arabic in a flowing curvy style. 

A very perfumy Madagascar vanilla pairs up with and ultras smooth Arabian Amber, a hint of bamboo citrus (a very light but present accord). Very pretty and shows what vanilla can be beside the classic foody ingredient, even though its legendary allure survives intact. A very nice seduction blend, even if you are only trying to please yourself.

4) Curve- You have the void, you have the point, you have the line, now bend it into a graceful bow and you have the curve. Beautifully feminine, classic, the perfect celebration of being a woman. Abstract purple lilac essence mingles with the theme-sign for the elegant classic shapes. Grapefruit (pink only) with an extra does of the zest. A drop of Hidecote lavender which has been aged and this becomes a fundamental piece of adornment for your wardrobe. Versatile, yet unique; this gem can stun and delight you alone or as a layering device.

5) DNA- Even the DNA strand follows the Sacred Geometric curve as it rotates around its 4 elements in endless combinations! 

I wanted to make this an unabashed foody with lashings of: toffee, butterscotch, cream, butter, and a tidal wave of vanilla. if you like the foodies, this one is a rare beauty. I also wanted to play with a very very very small tot of coffee plopped in for a bit of depth to it all and that did make it ultra special. Wear it when you are in a hedonistic mood.

6) Dodecahedron-and amazing shape which has 12 separate faces, each one a pentagon! The perfume which bears its name is as unusual and attractive as the dodecahedron itself. A very dry and unusual green vanilla, a touch of nectar, and a bit of smoke from a fragrant wood fire blend perfectly with the lovely citrus paradisii oil for a happily sharper side to all the emollient sweetness. A very likable perfume and serious in an unexpected way. I would say that this is a perfect perfume to dab on when you are in a devil-may-care mood this spring.

7) Fearful Symmetry- The title is from William Blake's poems, Tiger Tiger Burning Bright. Inspired by the beauty of Sacred Geometry and the dynamic symmetry which we all respond to, this blend is the fanciful ode to secret knowledge, without the guile of logic, just the guide from the heart.

Deep crystal and grey musks, combined with an ambergris-like accord which I have developed to have less marine and more astringent edge to it. White oude and comfry, sandalwood, light smoke and black amber. A very mysterious and profoundly beautiful perfume, for when you wish to be seriously desired. Aromatic, strong.

8) Fee- The smallest part of the Golden Section is called Fee. Though it is the smallest, it is essential and quite magical. I see this concept is a very green but not a big simply chlorophyll think but beckoning green. It does contain chlorophyll combined with menthol, and a bit of eucalyptus as a compliment. this rich green base of an ivy essence is there for grounding. A tiny amount of lime is put in for good measure.

Fee explores that warm and familiar side of green grassy foliage in its refreshing aspects. I find that I really enjoy Fee when I am bored and need some inspiration, clears out the cobwebs of inaction and mental sluggishness....makes me downright frolicy!

9) Fibonacci Curve- One of the most important concepts in Sacred Geometry, the Fibonacci Curve is lovely to look at, it is a miracle of elegance. 

A subtle and attractive fragrance, Fibonacci Curve also manages to be supremely creative yet puts the sophistication into a convention. A Japanese incense starts as a base for a green-black musk of particularly haunting quality. A small small amount of vetiver to nail down the basenotes and give that slight beautiful twist that the right amount of vetiver can give. finally a fine veil of violet leaf and rock rose finish this flagship element off just the way it should be, like the final notes of a symphony. Fibonacci Curve is such an important part of the Scared Geometry series that I had to have a special perfume to serve as its centerpiece. This one is it.

10) Golden Section- You really should know what the Golden Section is. The Golden Section was used often in glorious works of art (Leonardo was said to have relied on its perfection in many of his paintings). The concept is simple. The Golden Section is a line divided just where the entire line is the same proportion to the larger division, as the larger division is to the smaller. You should feel very smart now for knowing this, it is one of the most jealously guarded secrets of the Renaissance painters!

On to perfume, which has perfect proportions as well! Golden Section is oddly and pleasantly animalic, unaggressively floral, and tempered with 3 ambers (one honeyed, one dry, and one very sweet and dripping golden). A wonderful perfume for "first flirting" with someone who you don't know well, and need to get a boost to overcome their initial shyness. Delightful and silky. Hard to pin down and hard to forget because you don't want to forget...you just want more.

11) Line- The shortest distance in any case. The way a particle likes to travel in space. More down-to-earth elements are introduced as the fragrances move more into the realm of Nature and away from the pop of pure intellect. Again grapefruit signals that this is a construct of the imagination, counterpoints of sage and cedar lift up the blend and cause it to be somewhat woody and slightly smokey. A delight, herbal and fruity.

12) Mandorla- A mandorla is the intersection of two circles. The shape is like an eye on its side. this lovely boundary can be found atop a great many church portals and if you look in the Cambienne section of this website, you find the Universal Man enclosed by a mandorla. A cherished embellishment found in the most important buildings. 

The freshness of a new spring grass with fern, a hint of spearmint to give coolness to a fleeting top note. a very vernal blend, youthful and not at all tragic. A small tot of bitter galbanum and a bit of one of the coldest African Musks I have ever used. This is an exceptionally original blend, not like anything I have encountered before. great perfume to perk you up if you are flagging or too tired to really do what you have to do. Invigorating and cheery.

13) Phi (Silver Lime)- Phi is a Greek letter which is the symbol of the Golden Section. The perfect wonder of freshest lime and the famous "silver' accord dancing along with a few secret enhancements. Delightful and perfect for spring and summer. Seductive in a fresh but not so innocent way. Suggested by one of the members of the forum.

14) Phyllotaxis- Phyllotaxis is the pattern of sunflower seeds around a central point. It is actually a Fibonacci Curve and it appears so often in Nature that it's almost the universal symbol of the of the Natural World! The elegance of a nautilus shell, the whorl of hair on the back of a baby's head, the ringing of leaves around their stalk, they all follow the rules of the Phyllotaxis.

Black musk and a dark Brown Musk combine iwith a whiff of Chai in a strong arabica blend rather than a Kona blend. A little spike lavender, hyssop, and cassia. A wake up sort of a perfume with somehow manages to become very cozy and hypnotic as if you were watching a swirling Phyllotaxis. I like this one when I am too revved up and need to calm myself.

15) Pi is a lovely thing. 3.1416.... Irrational but not whimsical, orderly. Though you never get to the bottom of it, you never tire of chasing the concept. An uplifting blend and good for clearing away the last shreds of the winter doldrums and letting you prepare for better sunny days. 

Grapefruit zest and a cold and salty aquatic remind you of the first days of spring, combined with a bit of fougere and a good helping of herbaceous accord and a nice bit of rue and a hint of elimi. Outdoorsy and distinct, it's a bit restless and I love it for when I am working out at the gym.

16) Point- The second thing created, the smallest and most simple thing of all. The second thing named and one in number. If Void is 0, Point is 1.

Comforting but singular, seductive from its cool beginning to its warm and skin-like drydown. The theme of pink grapefruit still runs with Point, but its counterpoints are a glorious musk which is like a bright skin musk but directly beautiful by itself, and a small proportion of an incense-like and glowing "cool resin" kind of a special Indian "green oude". Fruity-volatile but with an entrancing and winsome oude. Seductive in its beautiful solitude.

17) Quantum Interconnect means that everything is connected in some way across the universe. In secret Geometry the connection is thought to be the graceful Fibonacci Curve which shows up in so many natural places. A Charming thought and I decided to make one of the perfumes be the product of the influence of this unifying principle. I chose simple darkness to illustrate the point through strength, and longevity. Black amber, black musk, black lavender, black coffee, black oude, black tea. Mmmmmm. Really good.

18) A quatrefoil is a shape like a four leafed clover. It is very popular in church windows and can be used to generate 8,16,32 and more sorts of lovely parts. The rose window on this page shows what a quatrefoil can change into with a bit of ingenuity. 

A stone-like scented accord combined with a melange of spice, a waft of capsicum and the beauty of a bit of love-in-a-mist. Not the usual collection of ingredients, but this is Possets and we like to explore the beauty of the unexpected. More of a mindful perfume. I would wear it for a seduction at close range when you want to project beauty and a certain mystery. Not foody but somehow like a compliment to your appetites.

19) Schrodinger's Mouse- Sweet and smokey, foody and cute. Just like Shrodinger's mouse. It is alive and not alive at the same time? No, it's attractive and sexy at the same time. A foody lover's perfume. Neat, like mouse paws. Coconut dust and sugar and honey and a bit of toasted grain.

20) Spirogyra- Lime, lemon rind, grey musk, and African Musk, a small touch of fir and a few drops of geranium. This is a bright blend which creates an aura of freshness. Great for anyone who has to work with the public or who likes to work out and wants to project freshness without projecting a harsh kind of clean. This is a versatile and winsome perfume. I love the way the musk and citrus played in the final version. Named after a beautiful algae which arranges itself into the neatest spirals and is green.

21) The Arc of Venus- The planet Venus makes an arc around the Earth which results in a tracery of a five petaled rosette once every 8 years! A very neat and beautiful manifestation of Sacred Geometry. In honor of this celestial rotation, I made the Arc of Venus.

Sexy sandalwood base flirts with black lavender, a very small hint of calendula, "abstract" musk, and a bit of sharp grey musk which i seldom use but which goes perfectly in this melange. Very grown up and sophisticated but with a flirty side that can give your encounters a "come hither" edge. there is a very slight animalic side to The arc of Venus and that is what makes the perfume so very unusual and attractive.