Otra Solid Cologne | Contains Prickly Pear Oil | Mystical, Mythical, Whimsical, Festive!
Otra is a True Cult Classic!
{a scent w/ intent}
Scent Profile: French Lavender, Bergamot, White Trefoil, Petitgrain, Rose Geranium, Tonka Bean, Clary Sage, Fir Needle, Pine, Juniper, Chamomile, Bamboo, Cedarwood, Haitian Vetiver, Rosewood, Purple Sandalwood, Rose Absolute, Hay Absolute, Oakmoss Absolute.
Find the ENTIRE OTRA Collection Here!
Otra or “Other”, in English, is Al Fin's imprisoned Twin sister, held against her will in a windy, mystic river. How she got there and who imprisoned her will be revealed at a later date. Until then I encourage you all to get lost in this sublime, whimsical & wondrous fragrance!
Otra is built on a fougere base that I constructed from the ground up, note for note and drop by drop. I could have just stopped there but I chose to go further and build on top of this very green foundation, imagining it to be the mossy green wrappings around the riverbed. Next comes the sandalwood and rosewood trees that populate the forest, swaying in the warm winds that rustle their perfumed branches. next I sprinkled the fertile forest bed with white clover and watched it shoot to life, full & four leafed! Then the river itself; reeds and water plants were created with the addition of white sage hydrosol, rose water, and organic seaweed extract, not overpowering but in the background, you wouldn't notice them sitting on the banks but you might if it was absent. Lastly our star player, Centaurea Cyanus or in plain english, CornFlower. There was something very familiar about this scent, a definite family resemblance with Al Fin. This could be attributed to the Leitmotif running through both, being White Clover...but I prefer to think it magic. Judge for yourself & Enjoy in good fall cheer!
A Note On The New, Epic Art (& new drastic turn of events)
Forever seeming to live in the shadow of Al Fin, Otra’s Jealousy & resentment began to manifest in her dammed prison river. No longer was she a victim to her situation but now a thick-skinned lava queen in full command of the fever dream! The shadow she lived in was now her direct source of power!
Being the guy who regretfully, made the call to originally discontinue Otra so many years back I feel a little guilty if not completely responsible for such a sudden & dramatic shift in what was once a sweet & shy natured river nymph. But heck, it is the spooky season, no? And the circumstances certainly make for a most epic origin story... & never wanting to be accused of not taking advantage of a toaster oven not in use...um... Sorry, lost my train of thought.
The fact is, Otra is at heart, a baddass scent, her own scent, who doesn’t need anything from anyone, even her perfect sprite of a sister!
Original Listing From Many, Many Years Ago:
Otra: The Saga Continues...
For those who have fallen in love with Al Fin, Otra is for you. The muse is a funny thing, be you a poet, or perfumer; she will strike when you least expect it or are prepared to drop everything and go cut up the rug with her. But you will, for you must. In one of these moments Otra was born.
I lay in bed that night staring at the ceiling, letting my mind wander as it so often does when i'm am having a creative spell...most call this insomnia. Al Fin kept popping into my head and I had to keep pushing her out. Was she jealous? Off and on all night, I didn't really get too far conceptually with my new "Centaurea" scent. The next day in the lab I pushed and pulled at the scent yet still couldn't bring it to life. That night again I was visited by Al Fin while I mentally tried to build a recipe, it was futile to resist...I gave in.
Al Fin wasn't jealous at all. She was reaching out to help. This was no new competing scent but her sister scent! Of course, they were both born out of similar experiences! Otra or Other in English, is Al Fin's imprisoned sister, held against her will in a windy, mystic river (my mind?). How she got there and who captured her will be revealed at a later date. Until then I encourage you all to get lost in this sublime, whimsical & wondrous fragrance, Otra.
The End...for now. (Happy Halloween!)
I must confess, I was not a believer in Solid Colognes until recently! Many times when asked if I would ever consider doing one, my default answer was always:
"Solid Colognes are for hippies and little girls."
I really believed this. I mean, I vividly remember my little sister getting some that came with a doll of hers when she was 5! I also remember seeing the stuff on offer in many a new age store on the shelf next to the incense in intricately carved soapstone compacts, lol.
I assure you dear reader, my answer wasn't meant to be hurtful or mean spirited, and I admit I was simply wrong and uneducated in the ways of this magical stuff!
So what changed my mind you ask? Quite simply, it was the history. It turns out I actually owned a book on solid perfumes! I know, how is this possible? But it does happen.
Whenever I delve into anything I go full tilt and many years back, when I began working on honing my skills as a perfumer, I ordered every book out there! Some books were even in French! And one, as I mentioned, was on Solid Perfumes... totally didn't read the subtitle when ordering it, all I read was "Perfume". When it arrived, uninterested, I tossed it to the side, only to stumble upon it once more, years later, while transferring books to a new shelf.
And after the many requests from people over the years I did become more curious as to what all the hoopla was about in regards to the balm. So I put the tome on my bed and promised to take a quick gander at it before I fell asleep that night. That gander turned into a marathon session, a real page turner!
I am embarrassed to say I was way wrong, my previous exposure to the stuff was very limited, and I really had no right making up my mind to write it off so quickly. Solid Perfumes & Colognes were born out of a rich history and are totally different animals when it comes to scent carriers. I was looking at them completely wrong.
Fact is, a Solid Cologne is a much more personal, intimate, and tactile creation when compared to say, an Eau De Parfum, Cologne, or Aftershave. It is not meant for everyone in the room to smell but rather those closest to you, as well as yourself. It isn't meant to live on the shelf in your bathroom, but more as a travel companion tucked in your backpack, briefcase, gym bag or carry on!
This is part of the history! Back in the day, solid perfumes were kept close, often on the body, hidden in the secret compartment of a ring, or worn close to the heart in a locket or metal ball called a Pomander. It was always there for a quick whiff or application to the hot spots or facial hair.
Many men and women even carried scent boxes with them back in the day for inhaling while walking the fowl streets of medieval cities! Some of these boxes and compacts held multiple scents to be enjoyed one at a time or all at once or in different combinations. The sniffer could turn on or off the different scents of the accord...That's just AWESOME! Like playing your own composition on a musical instrument. Scent for scents sake!
Even plague doctors got in on the act and kept solid perfume on themselves as well. Many now know that doctors of that time wore curious bird like masks, the beak of which was stuffed with aromatic herbs. These herbs were thought to prevent the spread of the plague, and they were also used to eclipse the stench coming off the patients.
What you may not know is these doctors also came outfitted with a cane that hid a secret flip lid in the handle. This compartment held a blended, solid perfume that could be accessed in a pinch and smeared under the nose. Brilliant!
In Ancient Egypt, solid perfumes were a large part of the culture. An Egyptian woman often wore what was called an unguent, or scent cone, containing the perfume, on the top of her head. Unlike modern solid perfumes, which are mixed with wax and oils, these ancient fragrances were blended with animal fat, and during the course of the hot day it would melt and anoint the wearer...that's pretty epic!
I could go on, but instead, I encourage you to do your own research. I promise you it is fascinating and will give you a greater appreciation of Solid Cologne and Perfumes!
So, with the weight of history dancing in my head I went to work on creating my own Solid Cologne, and it came out wonderful! Rather than dissolving absolutes, resins, and balsams into alcohol as I typically would for an alcohol based perfume, I carefully heated them, and along with the scent oils, blended them into the Beeswax, Shea Oil, Jojoba oil, Prickly Pear Oil matrix.
I find that, as the perfumer, the scent stays truer longer to the original shape I was going for. Meaning, volatile top notes last longer and heart notes fade slower too! Base notes will last much, much longer as they mix and mingle more organically with your own body chemistry and natural oils seamlessly.
Solid Cologne is a total and complete departure from the chemical reaction one experiences with an alcohol based product. It is more like a harmonious alchemical marriage, than a quick burn and evaporate dry down effect. Very different energetics when compared, and don't misunderstand me, they are both wonderful, but again, unique from each other, and that's what I didn't understand before.
Even the mechanics of application are different. Apply it once or revisit it many times during the day as a pick me up, no one will even notice when you do. There's a very sensual element at play here, like a secret with yourself.
I really have to say, this whole process enriched me as a perfumer, I truly felt part of a greater work. Ok, it's getting a little woo woo, but I think you are picking up what I'm putting down, no?
It's true, I really misunderstood solid perfumes in the past and dismissed them way too soon in my arrogance. If you are like I was, I encourage you to become humble and check them out, otherwise you are doing yourself a great disservice.
Now...How DO I Use Solid Cologne?
Rub a finger across the top of the solid cologne and apply it to the pulse points & hot spots: wrists, neck, inside of elbow, behind the ears, and heart. You can also use in the beard, moustache or hair. Reapply through the day or whenever yo need a pick me up!
1.5 Oz Heavy Duty Glass Jar & Bakelite Cap
Beeswax, Shea Oil Jojoba oil, Prickly Pear Oil, Fragrance & Rosemary Extract
Handmade in Arizona, USA