ForStrangeWomen

Oil perfumes:

• Top notes easily escape when smelling straight from the bottle and when it is first applied. This creates a vibrant opening to the perfume, but you also must wear it for at least 5 minutes before the true scent settles in.
• These are better sealed inside their bottles, making the perfume able to be stored for a much longer time than the solids.

Solid perfumes:
• Top notes are muted since they are trapped in the beeswax, which releases the scent more slowly (less silage), but the base notes last a little longer on the skin during the dry down.
• Scent is stronger in warm weather and on warm skin, as heat is needed to make the scent evaporate from beeswax

The silage and overall tenacity of each perfume is based more on the specific plant essences in a blend, not the carrier base. Earthy woods, roots, and spices tend to last much longer than delicate florals, herbs, and citrus.

The Moongarden perfumes are twice as concentrated as all the other perfumes so that the delicate floral essences can be as powerful as the other blends.

Our culture tells us that sweet and floral scents are feminine in gender and that woodsy, spicy, musky scents are masculine. I believe that men can wear any scent they are comfortable in, as can women, and plant essences should not be limited by gender. However, if you are looking for a scent that is a bit more woodsy and traditionally masculine, we recommend trying Coyote, Horse, Tarantula, and Fireside Story.

These perfume oils are in a jojoba wax base, and solids are in a beeswax base, so they will not turn rancid. The light floral, citrus, and other delicate top notes may begin to fade within the first year, and often the earthier components will become stronger over several years. Although the scent may change slightly after the first year, it will not expire.

The Lip Embellishments are best if used within 2 years, but they are still safe to use after this. Sometimes if exposed to fluctuating temperatures, the shea butter in these will fractionate, causing a bumpy texture. This does not mean the balm has gone bad, and it is still useable, as the bumps go away when warmed up.

The Rosehip Elixir Oil and Solid both must be stored very carefully (away from heat, sunlight, and oxygen exposure) and used within 6-8 months. The oils in these are fragile and oxidation will occur naturally because we do not put any harsh preservatives in it. The scent will drastically change if the oils go rancid, so this is the best way to determine their expiration.

• To prolong the life of the plant oils, store products in a cool (50-75 degrees F), dry place away from sunlight.
• All FSW products are free of water, which mold and bacteria need in order to grow, so this type of concern is not an issue.
• All perfume oils are in a liquid or solid wax base (not actually oil), so rancidity is also not an issue.

All of our orders are carefully wrapped with beautiful details, and sending a package directly to a gift recipient will be appropriate. If your order is a gift, you may let us know in the notes at checkout to include a short note or to leave out the receipt.