Douce Amere

Devilishly bitter, then divinely sweet – this eccentric brew is a bundle of contradictions from the moment it touches your skin. The absinthe is cool and the cinnamon is hot. The flowers are ethereal and the wood is strong. The licorice is sharp and the powder is soft and it all melds together in an indescribable way that will having you sneaking off to sniff your arm again and again. Moody and contrary, this is the unexpected lightness of heart at the sight of a gray, rainy day; the decadent thrill of reveling in a bad mood overlong; the sharp stab of melancholy when you hear of someone else being happy. This is dark and troubled and enigmatic, even through the sweetest parts, and at the heart of it all is the aromatic Artemisia absinthum, almost medicinal at first but becoming a warm and glowing narcotic presence as the elixir develops. Edgy and fiendishly attractive, this is the perfect scent to wear when you are looking for trouble. Actually, if you wear it, trouble will probably find you first.

Absinthe (Artemisia absinthum) , cinnamon, anise, lily, jasmine, tiare, tagette, marigold, musk, cedar