Part two of the Firebird 5 year anniversary celebration is here! Introducing: The Throwback Collection.
As the 5 year milestone approached, I found myself doing a lot of thinking about the past and future of Firebird- where we came from, where we're going, how we got to where we are now, and how we are going to get to where we want to be. While going back over old notes and looking through old photos the idea of recreating some of my oldest scents popped into my head and I instantly knew I had to do it.
It was fun and kind of surreal to rediscover fragrances I created so long ago- most of which I haven't smelled in years. The visceral link between scent and memory is strong and inescapable. As I was making these soaps the house was filled with familiar smells that transported me back to a different time and place. Suddenly it's the summer of 2008. I am newly married and newly unemployed. I'm standing at the counter in the narrow galley kitchen in our tiny one-bedroom apartment, fragrance bottles lined up on the counter, blending and designing and experimenting. I have a plan to turn this soap thing into something real and every day I am more confident that I'm going to make it work. I can feel the breeze from the open window and hear the noise from the street below. For the briefest of moments it's as real to my senses as if it's actually happening right now.
Isn't scent amazing? Now on to the collection:
Black Pepper & Fig- sweet fig, black pepper, raspberry.
Before there was Moroccan Fig, there was Black Pepper & Fig. I ended up going in a floral direction with Moroccan Fig, but the original was fruitier, with the soapy clean and spicy kick of black pepper. (I think I like this one better!)
Bergamot Pear- juicy pear, citrusy bergamot.
This one also falls into the "soapy and clean" category. The sweetness of the pear is tempered by the bitterness of the bergamot. I think "crisp" would be the best word to describe it.
Agave- lime juice, bitter orange, cardamom
Oh hey, Agave. Where have you been hiding? I forgot how much I love this one. I may keep it around for the summer. It's fresh and citrusy but with a sweet and complex undercurrent . Something about this scent makes me think of drinking margaritas on a sunny patio somewhere, with a warm vanilla and cardamom scented breeze blowing by (maybe there's dessert on the table? I don't know- just go with it.)
Rosemary Mint- rosemary, mint, geranium
Quite possibly my favorite rosemary mint combo ever. I use those two notes a lot- they give a cool herbal quality to blends. But this one isn't as heavy on the mint- the rosemary and geranium dominate- so it's less cold and more green.
Russian Tea Cake- sugared walnut, vanilla, butter cookies
Russian Tea Cakes- those little ball-shaped cookies coated in powdered sugar- were a staple around Christmas time when I was growing up. This smells exactly like them and it makes me happy. I need to call my mom and get her recipe.
Applewood- cedar, oakmoss, red apple
This is not identical to the original Applewood- some of the components were discontinued. But this scent was so loved by it's fans, I had to attempt to recreate it. Heady woodsy and spice notes give a masculine, cologne-y sort of vibe, and then there's this fresh apple thing going on. It's not for everyone. But I suspect if it's for you, you know it.
Lavender Cocoa- lavender, vanilla, milk chocolate
Lavender and vanilla is a classic sleepy-time calming blend, and the milk chocolate adds an extra edible dimension. Smelling this makes me think lavender hot chocolate would be a REALLY good idea.
Shop the limited edition Throwback collection HERE
(and remember- 20% off these and all soaps- and lip balms- through midnight on Friday with code CELEBRATE5)
Enjoy!