Aureum Botanica is an all-natural perfume brand based in Los Angeles, California. This brand was created by Mike Sivrican and Linda Sivrican. Linda is the perfumer for all of the brand’s handmade scents.
According to their website, Aureum Botanica “celebrates the luminescence of plants.” The fragrances are created using natural botanical essences to be rich, lush, and natural-smelling.
AUREUM BOTANICA INFORMATION
Aureum Botanica’s fragrances are made using only natural fragrance oils, with absolutely no synthetic aromachemicals. The fragrances are created using the highest quality essential oils, absolutes, CO2 extracts, resins, attars, and distillates sourced from around the world, along with perfumer Linda Sivrican’s own tinctures and infusions. She blends the fragrances by hand in organic sugarcane alcohol. They are presented in unfiltered form to retain their natural depth and beauty.
Aureum Botanica currently has three scents in their catalog, and I will review all three here.
HANAE FRAGRANCE REVIEW
Hanae is described as “an homage to the mystery and magic of the Japanese mountains.”
Hanae opens with juicy yuzu, just a hint of tart and herbal juniper berry, and what may be the most sublime bergamot I’ve ever encountered. There are also bright but subtle notes of lemon and grapefruit. After a few minutes, chamomile and green tea emerge, with a heart of apricot and geranium. There are also some other sheer florals, mainly a woody, green jasmine, but the tea, yuzu, and juniper berries are the stars of the show.
After about 30 minutes, the base begins to rise into the composition. It is mostly copal incense and tonka, along with sandalwood and resins.The sharp juniper berry and yuzu float above this swirling, creamy base. The scent is light and meditative, but not “thin” in any way. It smells rich and luxe. It is what I imagine that a posh Japanese spa would smell like — a restrained elegance that is serene, revitalizing, and seamlessly interwoven with nature.
After two hours, a warm and spicy frankincense radiates like the embers of a slow-burning fire, while incense billows above.
Hanae is both invigorating and introspective, and would be suitable for both men and women. It has low-moderate projection, and lasts for about 7 hours on my skin.
GAJRA FRAGRANCE REVIEW
Gajra is described as “the scent with the spice of an ancient land and its sacred traditions.”
A gajra is a flower garland worn in the hair by South Asian women during weddings and other festive occasions. A gajra is traditionally made with jasmine, although other flowers may be used.
Gajra begins with an aromatic and striking blend of jasmine, benzoin, and exotic woods. It smells spicy and exotic, not sexy, but powerfully feminine. Soon I can also smell rubbery tuberose and ylang, along with subtle pineapple and coconut.
As Gajra dries down, the earthy spiciness of turmeric becomes apparent, as well as the silky sandalwood and spicy frankincense that I smelled in Hanae. The fruits become sweeter and more prominent, and have a remarkably natural quality to their scent. Gajra is a full-bodied and confident fragrance, but it also carries an air of innocence.
Gajra is transportive and uplifting. It leans toward the feminine but could be worn by a man. Although it certainly wouldn’t be wrong to call this fragrance a “fruity floral,” it’s nothing like most of the syrupy scents typically associated with that description. It is spicy, earthy, sophisticated, complex, and very, very natural. It has medium projection and lasts for about 6 hours on skin.
RUZHA FRAGRANCE REVIEW
Ruzha is described as “inspired by the story of a free spirit, a nomadic woman who drifts from town to town, unfettered by the rules of society.”
Ruzha starts off with mandarin and blood orange, and tart hibiscus tea, with a fleeting note of linden blossom, and just a suggestion of Bulgarian rose. Heady bergamot in the opening gives way to smoky black tea and tobacco, along with cinnamon, and spicy, floral pink peppercorns.
After about 15 minutes, a very balsamic vanilla begins to appear, as well as earthy, powdery patchouli. At 30 minutes, the vanilla is perfectly resonating with myrrh, and the result is spectacular, like a teasing, trailing kiss. After an hour, the slightly dirty patchouli, smoky tea, and tobacco ground the fragrance beautifully, with that beautiful, buzzy vanilla and myrrh encircling the smell of geranium.
Ruzha smells soulful and passionate. It is very much a fragrance of the earth. It was my favorite of the three, particularly in the stunning drydown. Ruzha is feminine but not girly, and strong but not loud or imposing. Projection was low-moderate, and it lasted about 8 hours.
AUREUM BOTANICA DETAILS
Aureum Botanica is a wonderful example of what natural perfumery can be. I certainly don’t exclusively seek out natural fragrance for myself, and most of the perfumes that I wear are not all-natural. But some of my favorite scents happen to be all-natural, and some of my favorite perfumers are people who make stunning, long-lasting, profoundly creative, all-natural perfumes.
I love the smells of earth and nature, of live plants and flowers, and Aureum Botanica captures these beautifully in three fragrances that have distinct points of view, captivating scents, and impressive longevity. I hope that they will continue to grow and expand this line. The demand for all-natural fragrances is growing all the time, and I am always happy to be able to recommend scents that are not just natural, but also beautiful and long-lasting.
For more information about Aureum Botanica and their fragrance line, see aureumbotanica.com.
