Monday 5 January 2015

Puredistance Black, and other colours


     First things first: Happy New Year. 


I haven't posted anything for a while, a fact for which I can partly blame an over indulgence in all things Christmas and Kuscheligkeit. But my absence from perfume and the blog was also for another, rather different and  unpleasant reason. After trying out a new scent I had developed a severe skin rash. Both arms and hands were covered in itchy little bumps. My skin is always super sensitive in winter, but this was something new and unexpected. And also worrying. Not wanting to risk a full blown perfume allergy, I decided not to try any new fragrances for a while, sprayed any old favourites only sparingly on scarves and clothes, and kept the cortisone creme nearby. I'm glad that it went away and everything seems to be fine now, but I will probably be a bit weary about new perfumes and use less delicate areas of my skin for testing. The last scent I did test (not the one which gave me the rash) and wanted to write about was Puredistance Black, of which I had won a sample from the lovely Vanessa of bonkers about perfume
Puredistance, a Dutch fragrance house, had released the scent in 2013 with some rather unusual marketing. "Do not try to pick out notes and dissect, just emerge and enjoy." Not their exact words, but in essence that was what they wanted us to do. Needless to say, it annoyed a few people. Nobody likes to be told how to enjoy a perfume, me included, but for two reasons this didn't bother me all that much. 1.) It was a gift, 2.) Sometimes I like to create an image for a perfume but can't find an interesting angle for writing about it. Black is one of those perfumes. The idea for the image was there right from the beginning, but I failed when I tried to put it into words. And since it's the New Year, and all things New are allowed: I have decided that image only post are fine from now on. You might see quite a few of those in the future. I also want to introduce something like the Colour of the Day, which might not actually be linked to any perfume but just an image to illustrate my mood and thoughts. This is, after all, a blog about perfume AND colour. 
Today this colour happens to be Black:

My visualisation of Black by Puredistance
The inspiration for the image came from something I learned in primary school many, many years ago: Use waxy crayons and randomly fill your entire page. Then paint a thick layer of black ink top top. Once the ink has dried, use a sharp, pointy tool to draw and scratch away the black layer. The lines will make the underlaying colours appear. Good fun. This simply technique feels like a suitable way to visualise this perfume, which is a bit mysterious, warm and deep. It stays very close to skin and lasts forever. When I scratched at the layer of Black I got sour cherry and whiskey, with a hint of chocolate. (Cheating now, I know...) What you will get might be, no, will be totally different. 


How and where to wear:
Skin scents don't get much deeper than this, surprise those who will get close enough to smell you.





8 comments:

  1. Sorry to hear about your perfume related skin rash, Sabine. Very worrying. I'm glad it's gone but can understand your desire to be wary when testing anythng new. Full blown perfume allergy is something we all want to avoid, to put it mildly.

    I like the idea of image only posts. They will make me focus and think about what the image conveys and not be lazy and rely on your explanation. This one for Black is perfect.

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    1. HI Tara, I will be a bit cautious, indeed. I hope that image only will work, will have to write a little bit, otherwise it won't attract enough people.

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  2. Echoing Tara's comment about your skin rash - so glad it has subsided and you can enjoy the hobby fully again. Really like the image you have chosen to illustrate BLACK and you have reminded me that I did do the same thing with crayons at primary school and had completely forgotten about it. Do remember splatter painting though, and making piggy banks made from Papier mache with cut off egg box 'cups' for trotters.

    Happy New Year and I look forward to more arresting imagery!

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    1. Hi Vanessa, Did you also do the "hammering at a copper foil plate to create a half relief, then fill it up with plaster and give it to a loving grandparent"?

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    2. No, and I think this means I officially had a deprived childhood.

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    3. Let's discuss that in person my dear...)

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  3. You had a very wise response to the rash as contact dermatitis to a particular irritant can develop further and make you sensitive to a whole host of other things.
    Love the image (and quite content to visit for image-only posts). I too learned this technique in primary school and had been thinking a lot about it recently.

    -- Lindaloo

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    1. Hi Lindaloo,
      Thank you for your comments. The prospect of suddenly being allergic to all perfume was scary enough, but if that then gets out of hand and develops further, life could be very very difficult, indedd. Glad that you will come for wordless posts :)

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