Olfactarama review of Sensual Embrace

Sensual Embrace: Perfumer – JoAnne Bassett

This one reminds me of classic vintage perfume. The top notes are listed as citrus, but it doesn’t smell like tart fruit. It has an impression of coolness, like marble, which lasts all the way through.

There is an ethereal quality to this blend, and it seems somehow more transparent, more water-like, than any of the others I’ve tried. That is not to say it’s not musky, though. The perfumer states in her letter that she wanted to make a perfume to “throw a punch,” and this one does, once it gets to the bottom accords. Prior to that, I’d say it was more luminous than aggressive.

The list of “notes” is not complete, but the ones listed are: green mandarin and clementine (for a playful lift, the perfumer says) ; vintage jasmine sambac, tobacco, vintage Mysore sandalwood, amber accord, rose de mai, violet, orange blossom and tuberose. I think this would be a wonderful summer fragrance. It is an EDP (eau de parfum) in strength.

For the painting, I chose to use a pastel blue-green for the background, because of the cool and luminous quality the fragrance has, with floral colors in the center and all of it descending into a smoky base. The mediums are watercolor and gouache.

Mimi Gardenia – Basenotes review of Sensual Embrace Mystery of Musk

Sensual Embrace- Sexy Poetic Perfumer – JoAnne Bassett
( Eau de Parfum concentration )

I received my labeled sample with a lovely introductory letter and a business card. It’s truly good and appreciated to receive letters describing the perfumer’s inspiration for their fragrant creations.

Notes listed : Clementine, Rose de Mai, vintage jasmine sambac, tuberose, orange blossoms, ambrette seed, an amber accord, tobacco, vintage Mysore sandalwood, violet, green mandarin, patchouli and some other mystery notes ! In total 16 ingredients infused in grape alcohol from wine grapes. 100 % botanical goodness!

JoAnne’s creation is a deep yellow colored scent and quite potent. Only a few drops of this is needed for a olfactory ride.

Upon application, the fragrance blooms, all lush, mixed floral – rose, jasmine and tuberose with a hint of citrus which pulls it back from being over the top ,keeps it elegant . It is extravagantly beautiful to begin with .That vintage jasmine, the rose de mai and tuberose are a fanfare – a treat for the nose! Sensual Embrace seems classical and romantic – all those warmly melded flowers.

Perfectly blended -the difference between this natural perfume and many commercial fragrances is vast .The former being a whole lot better! Sensual Embrace is a perfume of quality and memorable.

I found the top notes remained prominent for longer than I thought they would, slowly making their exit as the scent began to turn more powdery and amber-y. This is when the orange notes entered strongly with patchouli and the dry down became a festival of gold orange musk. ( I did not perceive the tobacco note .)

I would describe this fragrance as a symphony of deeply floral and musk notes – accordant, poetic and elegant. The richly musk dry down, still a little powdery, is also a little wicked and completely in tune with the whole scent.

Sensual Embrace goes from being a romantic, indulgent floral to a sexy , dark musk on my skin .It makes me think of a worldly woman whom after passionate love making, dressed quickly , put on her diamonds and gold, sprayed her exclusive perfume but mixed with that ; it is the musky sex scent of “une affaire d’amour” !

Longevity is quite good and I got decent sillage for close to an hour before the scent became much softer . Really it is a fairly potent mama .
JoAnne said in her letter, that she wanted this musk perfume to ’ throw a punch’– it does. Saucy, dramatic but oh, so chic!

Indieperfumes review of Sensual Embrace

Natural Musk-Part Three-Joanne-Bassett’s Sensual Embrace by JoAnne Bassett

JAB’s Sensual Embrace surprises me. I am surprised at how often the same or similar ingredients, in the same structure, even built on the same basic idea, which is – high soprano top notes of citrus blended with a floral middle notes of rose and jasmine with various minor floral notes, over a dark base, in this case a musk accord of course, results in something so individual and particular. As the personality of the musician interprets a classical piece, the perfumer imparts their personality into a classic structure. After the first five seconds of gathering its powers, this perfume bursts forth into a gorgeous, close to the body, private experience of something like smooth brushed hair dressed with fresh flowers, on a body of healthy skin rubbed with creamy sandalwood and rose essences. This stuff is so delicious, I want to find a way to cover myself with it or eat it, like a feline having a catnip ecstasy. This is a tightly blended perfume, the individual notes poke out for only a second or two from time to time. All notes seem to hit the olfactory nerve deep in the mind/brain at the same time. There is no sweetness but there is the smell-consistency of caramel, without the sweetness. JAB has used a couple of vintage materials, vintage jasmine sambac and vintage Mysore sandalwood, and I believe this must be the reason for the depth and richness of this fragrance. After some time, the contemplative sandalwood dominates, lightly tinted with the other elements.

This perfume comes in two strengths. The 16% eau de parfum is the one I have tried (which sends me right away) and a 32% parfum (I can only imagine what that strength would do…probably narcotic – NSFW). I know if this perfume were not made with completely natural ingredients, to reach this level of strength and depth via chemical ingredients would probably result in a giant sillage and possibly headaches for those nearby, rather than the peaceful sensuality that this completely natural one does, as it is strong but holds itself very close to the skin.

Notes: citrus notes of clementine and green mandarin, floral notes of Rose de Mai oil, vintage jasmine sambac, tuberose, violet, orange blossoms, musky notes of ambrette seed and angelica, amber accord, smoky notes of tobacco, sensuous woody notes of smooth vintage Mysore sandalwood, dark patchouli, and others.

Above details of Rosetti’s Portrait of Jane Morris as Beatrice, 1872.

Visit the other sites participating in the natural Musk project:

Yahoo Natural Perfumery group
I Smell Therefore I Am – Abigail Levin
Perfume Shrine – Elena Vosnaki
The Non Blonde – Gaia Fishler
Indieperfumes – here, me, Lucy Raubertas
Bitter Grace Notes – Maria Browning
CaFleureBon - Michelyn Camen, Mark Behnke, Ida Meister, Skye Miller, Marlene Goldsmith
Olfactarama – Pat Borow
First Nerve – Avery Gilbert
Olfactory Rescue Service – Ross Urrere
Grain de Musc – Denyse Beaulieu
Basenotes

Sensual Embrace reviewed by Blossoming Tree

Sensual Embrace Eau de Parfum by JoAnne Bassett of JoAnne Bassett Perfume

My, my, my…she’s a captivating little thing. Sensual Embrace is a temptress on a mission and in all likelihood will succeed. She teases you with her beautiful scent. From the very beginning the citrus of clementine & orange blossoms and floral of jasmine, tuberose and rose de mai hold each other as they dance ’round and ’round. Sensual Embrace is warm and enchanting lifting the spirit while calming the soul. Ambrette seed & patchouli contribute to the muskiness, tobacco to the smokiness, sandalwood and an amber accord to the sweet warmth. There’s also a faint spiciness to this composition. The citruses from the top seem to linger a little longer than I expect of citruses before fading, making way for intoxicating florals to dance with a glowing base. This is a good thing in my opinion as I love citruses but most often they are fleeting. It’s very well blended moving from top to bottom with ease. Sensual Embrace is a classy, “grown up” fragrance.

one word: seduction

Joie Botanicals review of Sensual Embrace

Sensual Embrace Eau de Parfum by JoAnne Basset

Notes: Clementine, Rose de Mai, Jasmine, Tuberose, Orange Blossoms, Ambrette Seed, Amber accord, Tobacco, Vintage Mysore Sandalwood, Pathouli and others…

Without reading the perfumer’s notes beforehand, my first impression of this wonderful perfume was of Oranges and Gardenias.  I wasn’t far off!  It was actually the clementine and tuberose!

This is an elegant, feminine fragrance.  It speaks the language of attraction and desire. I was instantly taken by it.  It is sweet and sultry…  like a cool breeze on a warm evening.  The word I would use to describe its initial impact would be “juicy.”  As the evening progresses, it dries down to the more earthy, sensual notes of musk, wood and amber.  A special fragrance for a special evening…