Those of you who have been reading this blog for a while know that I am a big fan of Roxana Villa and her works. I think she’s a master at capturing California in smells. Figure 1: Noir is one of those masterpieces.
Figure 1: Noir is based on a ’09 scent in her chocolate series. I liked that one a lot, but sometimes pared-down is even better. Figure 1: Noir is a patchouli-fest- but an excellent one. It’s not one of those oily, head-shoppy patches. It’s a bone-dry one with threads of dark greenness and creamy orris and tart buchu leaf to it and a big slug of botanical musk with a touch of cumin. It’s almost unsettling, in a really delightful way it’s like a walk in a dark woods on a hot day. The woods are cool because of the shade but you know when you hit a clearing you’ll be hot. You also know someone (or something) is following you and you are hoping to make that clearing before looking back to see who or what it is.
Roxana sent me a smidge of both the EDP and Extrait versions of Figure 1: Noir. The EDP blossoms more quickly; I prefer the Extrait which lays purringly close to the skin but has a more concentrated version of the opening that makes me go “squeee”. It’s not a shock that my scent twin feels the same way..
Notes (from her site): botanical musk. patchouli, green vetiver, Mysore sandalwood, orris. valerian, buchu leaf, black cumin, green cognac and davana. Lasting power is excellent for a botanical; I got 6 hours. I know from experience that if you layer it with her solid perfumes it can be even more long lasting.
Available at her Etsy store. I received my samples from the perfumer.
Image: Greg Spelanka for Roxana Illuminated Perfume.
The notes are unusual, but compelling. Your description is very good and tempts me to try the fragrance. A walk in dark woods sounds lovely though a bit unnerving. I hope this doesn’t fall into the gourmand category. Does it?
Hi Martha,
Figure 1: Noir is very earthy with a dominant patchouli/wood note. Here is a nicely composed description “…touches of earthiness and minerality; it’s an acutely resinous scent with a second skin musk that is grows from eccentric touches of Green Vetiver, Sandalwood, Black Cumin and Orris. A wonderfully intriguing Patchouli plays to the counterpoint of this rapturous garden of essences…” Hope this helps, I’m sure Tom will add an answer for you as we’ll.
Roxana
Not gourmand at all. Quite the opposite.
Thank you, Roxana, for further describing this fragrance. And thank you, Tom, for the answer I wanted to hear.
Tom, how wonderful to read your thoughts of Figure 1: Noir here at Perfume Posse! I LOVED how the extrait smelled on you, and how completely different the scent manifested itself on Portia. As a very well educated nose and connoisseur of fine fragrance it’s a delight to see this here, thank you. Wafting sage, oak and newly harvested honey from my woodland abode to you.
I loved how it smelled on me as well.
Hey there Tom.
Such a fabulously beautiful fragrance. And that image by Greg is killer.
Portia xx
Yes on both counts. I need Lotto winnings and a rather good sized vat of several of her scents.