When I discovered that Lush had bought out a whole volume of new perfumes at the recent Creative Showcase, I was devastated to learn that these exclusive beauties might never see an official release for the public. Fragrances are on par with showers gels as my favourite part of Lush's catalogue, not to mention the fact that as a collector the idea of not being able to get these altogether was a seriously low blow. Incredibly, I was able to acquire a handful of these liquid limited editions through the community's generosity and I couldn't wait to experience them in all of their glory.
First to hit the stage is Amelie Mae - a perfume that received a very high level of glowing feedback at the event and ultimately one of two that, those privileged enough to have experienced it, generated a lot of enthusiasm about a future public release. If any of these perfumes are going to be made, I would assume that this one (perhaps the most personal of the bunch) would be at the top of the pile.
This particular perfume was created by Simon Constantine for his youngest daughter Amelie Mae and features notes of lavender, ylang ylang and rose, that come together to form a perfume like nothing you've ever experienced before. If you think you can envisage what this perfume smells like, it is likely that you are very very wrong.Containing lavender as the key ingredient, you'd be mistaken for thinking it is anything like the lavender-scented products we have seen so far from Lush. No, it is nothing like Twilight or Golden Slumbers; as far away from French Kiss as it could possibly be, or indeed any other of the products that boast the flower as its key ingredient. This is a brand new fragrance and an aroma that you'd never expect to come from a perfume with lavender so high up in the mix.
Alongside the lavender is both ylang ylang and rose absolute and it is the former ingredient that takes the lead in this perfume. From the bottle, you get a heavy (but not potent), sweet, slightly fruity floral scent. Although the floral components dictate the overall smell of this, there is a fruity element that reminds me a little of powdered raspberries.
Lush describe this fragrance as having a jammy rose smell and I completely agree with this sentiment. In fact, I think it is this component that gives it the fruity note that I mentioned above. The rose absolute adds a cloying, rather honeyed layer to the overall perfume and encases the other ingredients in a blanket of sweetness. I should point out however that, while the rose element does remind me very slightly of Rose Jam perfume after it's been left to settle on the skin, the two fragrances are very different.
In a way, the smell of the perfume is reminiscent of apricots very slightly, but more the taste of apricots than the generic smell you can imagine getting from cheap, high street brands. That compacted, peachy tartness that you experience when biting into a dried apricot might give you an inkling of what to expect with this perfume. While the floral components are the driving force behind this fragrance, it's easy to imagine the rose and ylang ylang getting drunk on apricot liquor, and the saturated aroma of the three ingredients combined is the driving force behind the smell.
What I love about this perfume is that, on the skin, the lavender comes through a little more and the whole aroma seems to develop on the body to create a much more warming, well-rounded smell. Known for relieving stress and acting as an anti-anxietal, the ylang ylang really did help to comfort me and elevate my mood while wearing the product, and I found myself missing the smell when it had dispersed from my skin.
On the downside, I discovered that this didn't last on my skin for as long as I was hoping - given that it's such a robust perfume in the bottle I was expecting it to last all day. After a couple of hours, I found that I needed to top up a little because my nose was no longer able to detect it. However, the fact that it's such a strong perfume means that I didn't need more than a single spritz to top myself back up again.
Overall, this is a lovely new addition to Lush's collection of perfumes and I know it's going to be a big seller (and one of the most popular fragrances) if Lush choose to release this to the general public. Fans of 1000 Kisses and Cocktail might appreciate this one, as although the scents are very different, there is something about Amelie Mae that breeds familiarity. Perhaps it is the strange, alluring concoction of floral and fruity, or maybe just the wonderful stories of love that went into making them to begin with.
Quantitative Ingredients: DRF Alcohol, Perfume, Lavender Oil, Ylang Ylang Oil, Rose Absolute, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Cinnamate, Benzyl Salycilate, Cinnamon, Citral, Citronellol, Coumarin, Eugenol, Farnesol, Geraniol, Isoeugenol, Limone, Lianlool.
Vegan?: Yes.
2016 Price: £32 for 30ml.
Year Of Original Release: 2016.
