Night Queen: The Mysterious Power of Scent

Perfume is the key to our memories.   

― Kate Lord Brown, The Perfume Garden

"Queen of the Night" by Ignace Henri Jean Fantin-Latour

And hail their Queen, fair regent of the night. 

―Erasmus Darwin

Welcome sistar, please enter. 

As you pass through the curtained doorway into my inner sanctum, a fragrance mysterious and ancient encircles you with a warmth reminiscent of exotic nights, erotic moods, and something seductively akin to sovereignty.

Come, I will share one of my secrets* with you... 

* 'My Secrets' are insights into the personal sanctum of Leesa Wilson.

As far back as I can remember, I have enjoyed beautiful fragrance. As a very little girl, I would stand in awe before the lovely collection of perfume bottles on my grandmothers dresser. She carefully arranged every bottle on a mirrored tray edged with delicate metal that looked just like golden lace. Each glass bottle was unique in size and shape. Each contained some mysterious dark liquid that filled the room with a heady aroma when opened. I watched in wonder as she daubed a small amount of the chosen bouquet behind her ear and let her fingers trail the arch of her neck. Politely, I extended my upturned wrist so she might daub her scent upon my pale skin. She would knowingly smile and lean toward me to whisper: "Now, rub your wrists together.".

With this simple ritual act, I felt that I was initiated into her grown-up world, and would find every excuse throughout the day to lift my wrist to my nose, just so I could breathe in the magick anew.

Perfume is magic. It’s mystery. 

We recreate the smell of a flower. Of wood. Of grass. 

We capture the essence of life. Liquefy it.

We store memories. We make dreams.

― M.J. Rose, Seduction

Since that time, I always feel beautiful, and somehow elevated in spirit and stature, when I wear fragrance.... Perhaps, it's not by accident that my first memories of perfume are of my grandmother. The love of sweet smelling fragrance must be in my DNA, as is likely true of all women. 

Our ancient mothers, the temple priestesses and the Goddess, herself, adorned their bodies and hair with perfumed oils. It was written long ago that Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love was bathed by the Graces with heavenly scented oil. The cat Goddess Bast was so closely associated with perfume that even the hieroglyph of her name includes a perfume jar. And, the Goddess known as 'The Great One of Many Names':  Hathor, daily anointed her body with the feminine essence of Myrrh.

I can't over-emphasize how important an exquisite perfume is, 

to be wrapped and cradled in an enchanting scent upon your skin 

is a magic all on its own! The notes in that precious liquid 

will remind you that you love yourself and will tell other people that they ought to love you because you know that you're worth it. The love affair created by a good perfume between you 

and other people, you and nature, you and yourself, 

you and your memories and anticipations and hopes and dreams; 

it is all too beautiful a thing!

― C. JoyBell C.

My Fragrant History:

Long ago, I was utterly enamored with three sensual scents: Memoire Cherie by Elizabeth Arden, No Regrets by Alexandra De Markoff, and Savannah Gardens by Crabtree & Evelyn. Unexpectedly, as I came to rely on each of my 'signature' fragrances, they were in turn, discontinued. This unforeseen, and inevitable source of disappointment began my search for a fragrance that would stand the test of time... 

Imagine my delight one evening while at work, seventeen years ago, when I opened a box of temple-quality perfume oils from Song of India. As I priced and placed each hand-carved soapstone jar on the counter, I became enchanted with one particular scent, which seduced my olfactories with its hypnotic essence. It whispered memories from ancient lifetimes ago.

The name of the solid perfume that captured my heart that evening, and countless evenings since, as you might have guessed, is Night Queen. Soon afterward, I found it in concentrated perfume oil form, packaged in a small glass vial. (The boxes they come in are also lovely.). To this day, I still prefer the liquid oil form because it seemingly lasts forever.

As you may imagine, this discovery was such a blessing. First, because I had finally found a scent that I could claim as my own, without fear that it would be discontinued or taken off the market. Second, is the true beauty of the product, itself. Due to its ancient history, it is comprised of the purest ingredients. What I didn't realize then, was the fact that most perfumes on the market contain alcohol and synthetic aromas which have that over-powering, pushy habit of preceding one into a room and lingering long after one has departed. Perfume oils do not. Instead, they are alcohol free and are blended with pure essential oils extracted from flowers, leaves, spices, resins, gums, roots, and wood. I especially love that one must be invited into my personal space in order to breathe me in... The effect is truly feminine, sexy, intimate. It leaves one wanting more. I cherish this authentic representation of sacredness, as I want only natural, organic compounds on my skin and in my body. 

My favorite fragrances are perfume oils:

Night Queen - by Song of India  

Tunisian Opium - by Kuumba Made
Myrrh - by Triloka

As with all perfume oils, only the smallest drop is required. They have been used since antiquity; the recipes of which have not changed in thousands of years. They also have a unique quality of maturing over the passage of time (5-10 years). As the perfume oil ages, it becomes thicker, darker and even more pleasant in fragrance. I adore the way they seem to merge with my body chemistry, leaving a warmth upon my skin that waifs its intoxicating scent subtly for countless hours. Sometimes, I wake in the morning, still sleepy with dreams and catch a fleeting but beautiful odor, and instantly delight knowing that I am still embraced by fragrance...

Though I adore Tunisian Opium and Myrrh, and wear them often, Night Queen is my absolute favorite. It honors my divine feminine energy and reminds me to embody the infinite essence of the Goddess, no matter my age.

Nothing conceals a woman's age like musky perfume. 

It makes her smell as ancient as Persia. 

― Bauvard, The Prince Of Plungers

Descriptive Notes:

Night Queen is a passionate, sensual and bewitching scent. 
It's earthy, mildly spicy and floral. 
Tunisian Opium is a mysterious, spicy and complex scent. 
With a hint of patchouli, it's woodsy and floral.
Myrrh is exotic, sweet, smoky, warm and utterly beguiling. 
It's earthy, with a hint of bitter amber.

A woman's perfume tells more about her than her handwriting.

― Christian Dior

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What secrets are your favorite fragrances revealing about you?

Remember, all perfume oils whisper passages from the ancient and mysterious tome:
Fragrant Seduction is the Secret Power of a Woman.