If you are looking for a scent that captures the damp, wild earthiness of early spring, or the sweet, girlish fragrance of a May Day bouquet, then don't bother with Madini's Spring. Exuberant and unsubtle, Spring is simply the greenest of green florals. The opening is a blast of citron and galbanum--imagine a glass of wheat grass juice with a twist--and it takes a good five minutes for the flowers in the heart to emerge. I detect freeesia primarily, with hints of lily and perhaps stephanotis. The bracing bitterness of the top quiets down a little, but continues to dominate the floral notes. There are no softening musk or resinous notes in the base--in fact, there really is no base that I can discern. Spring remains its unsweetened self to the end, which is a long time coming. This has to be one of the most tenacious fresh green scents I've ever encountered. I count that as a plus, but only confirmed fans of cut leaves are likely to enjoy this one.
Feriha strikes me as a calmer, more unisex version of Spring. It's got the same green citrus opening, though there's a touch of lemony sweetness that Spring lacks. The heart is also a bit sweeter, with subdued floral notes. Talisman's description makes a point of mentioning "essence of rose," and I'm not going to argue with them, but I wouldn't call Feriha a particularly rosy scent. What I notice most as the top fades is a light oakmoss note, very clean and pleasant--emphasis on "clean." Feriha is soapy in a good way, with a real "shower under a forest waterfall" quality.
Fruittee is yet another green Madini, but there's no grown-up bitterness here. As the name suggests, it's all about fruitiness, the fruit in question being green apple. If you love the smell of a just-cut Granny Smith, you'll probably like Fruittee, at least for sniffing. Personally, I can't imagine wearing this one on its own. It does blend well with Spring, and I imagine that fans of fruity florals would enjoy it with any of the Madini soliflores.Photo of freesia from Wikimedia Commons, and apple pic likewise.
4 comments:
I can find tenacious cut leaves??? Point toward the Madinis...I need to try Spring...
Tenacious it is, though I have to admit that the evolution of Spring varies a little for me with each wearing. Some days it's all green all the time, other days the florals assert themselves more. But anyone who likes green frags should give it a try.
For an unadulterated bitter green experience, get a sample of Dawn Spencer Hurwitz's Galbanum oil--it's in her "Essence Oils" collection. It lasts, too.
Bring me some Spring!!
I agree with the DSH Galbanum idea- also try her Viridian, it is the greenest thing I have ever smelled and is a little on the weird side, but for Green lovers it could be an HG.
Viridian sounds promising. I like green and weird.
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