Rituals (2010): A New Collection of 8 Signed Fragrances that Dare You to Smell Them {New Perfumes} {Men's Colognes}
Dutch beauty brand Rituals have introduced a collection of 8 new Eaux de Parfum based on the concept of creating harmonies resting on two main materials of perfumery. What is more immediately noteworthy is to see that Raymond Cloosterman, founder and CEO of Rituals has decided to follow a policy of transparent and authoritative authorship by inscribing the names of the perfumers who created the juices on the flanks of the bottles...
Frédéric Malle of Editions de Parfums is credited for having first inaugurated this authorial approach in 2000.
The fragrance industry is notoriously retentive about fragrance authorship due to several factors. One is that perfumes usually serve as vehicles for fashion labels, hence a conflict of interests. Two is the fact that perfume creation is still debated to be just that and not craftsmanship which involves a greater degree of copying. Three is also the fact that oftentimes fragrances are composed by several perfumers, excluding the behind-the-scenes teams and support.
There are 5 women's perfumes and 3 men's colognes in the Rituals library which are said to be the results of a credo: "Scent is a powerful sense that can conjure deep pleasure in unexpected ways. Perfume is the perfect instrument to reaching this state of mind with minimal effort. Crafted by the best perfumers on the planet; we dare you to smell their masterpieces."
The feminines are:
No.01 Ginger Essence & White Tea is signed by Jean-Pierre Béthouart.
"Imagine the soft shades of light in the morning, the skin is wrapped into a fresh, transparent and slightly aphrodisiac scented mist. A pure delight of White Tea combined with the powerful character of Ginger.'"
No. 04 Violet & White Lily, a fruity-floral, was composed by Vincent Schaller.
"'Think of a bouquet of freshly cut wild flowers after a gentle spring rain. Violets and White Lilies create an elusive scent that's decidedly feminine and slightly nostalgic.'
No. 07 White Patchouli & Cedar, a woody, watery and sparkling jus is by Catherine Selig.
'My inspiration is to blend the soul of the woman with the soul of the woods. Imagine the innocent purity of white patchouli and the mysterious warm notes of cedar.'
No. 09 Vanilla Drops & Sweet Orange, an oriental, fruity, sensual scent is by Jean-Michel Zenhausem.
"'Imagine a warm, starry night in magnificent Marrakech...where sparkling facets of the Orange tree contrast with the sensuality of precious Vanilla Drops.'
No. 18 Sandalwood & Wild Rose is the work of François-Raphaël Balestra.
'The intense floral notes of Wild Rose and the rich, creamy, earthy notes of Sandalwood evoke sensuality and romance. A flirtatious blend to inspire passion every day.'
The masculines are:
No. 06 Green Vetiver & Bergamot, a citrusy, woody and elegant interpretation by Vincent Schaller.
"'The citrusy fresh top notes of bergamot meet with the deep mysterious woody aromas of green vetiver. It reminds me of the fresh earthy tones of a mountain forest.'
No. 14 Fresh Cypress & Tangerine, an aromatic, green and inspiring jus by Christiane Plos.
'Fresh Cypress has long been treasured for its ability to focus the mind. Blended with the vibrant notes of Tangerine, I made an innovative scent especially for creative minds.'
No. 19 Sandalwood & Patchouli is by Fabrice Pellegrin.
"'I blended the rich balsamic notes of patchouli with the noble dark tones of sandalwood, resulting in a sophisticated bohemian fragrance composed of natural woody essences.'
All the perfumes are priced at 39,90€ for 50 ml, a very democratic price point these days, although recently a number of brands have made efforts to propose smaller containers to encourage wider fragrance consumption.
