L'Eau de Jatamansi (L'Artisan Parfumeur)

By Dane

Concerns over the environment are something that you can no longer ignore. The press has flooded us (and it's about time) with horror stories of what is to come of our planet, and terms like "renewable resource" and "alternative energy" are something that pop up in normal conversation.

With all of these concerns come environmentally sensitive products for those of us interested in alternatives to harmful, un-"eco" merchandise. I'll admit that natural, organic perfumes were not high on my list when I made the decision to change my ignorant ways. I mean, everyone knows that all natural perfumes smell like your local health food store, right? Not necessarily. L'Artisan's L'Eau de Jatamansi is a certified organic, all natural eau de toilette derived from the Jatamansi plant, a supposedly rare member of the Valerian family, known for its sedative powers.

Combined with citrus, spices and woods, LdJ is quite pleasant, and probably not something you could pick out as smelling "natural". It's simple, linear, and light, like many in the L'Artisan line. While many natural perfumes are known for smelling a bit harsh, Jatamansi is very elegant and demure. Citrus opening, spiced heart, and woody drydown basically sums up the progression. Lasting power is as expected, not great, but not bad.

LdJ is something I admittedly ignored at first. I figured it would be yet another fad/limited edition and wasn't worth the effort. I have a feeling natural perfumery is on the rise, and I look forward to smelling what's next in the advancement of the art.

Year: 2007
Perfumer: Karine Vinchon
Notes: Grapefruit, Bergamot, Cardamom, Sage, Jatamansi, Rose, Ylang-Ylang, Incense, Gaiac wood, Indian Papyrus, Australian Sandalwood