Surrender to Chance: Surrender & Coldwater Canyon by La Via del Profumo

by: Elena Vosnaki

Stemming from the combined forces of the purveyors of decants par excellence, the ladies from Surrender to Chance, and the creative genius of Abdes Salaam, aka niche artisanl perfumer La Via del Profumo, the two new fragrances issued after the Surrender to Chance label are gorgeous. It's not hard to imagine that having an excellent perfumer at the helm, such as the acclaimed Dominique Dubrana (who goes by the Sufi alias Abdes Salaam and is based in Rimini in fragrant Italy), is the first step in the right direction. But it's probably the experience of seasoned collectors such as Patty and Lisa over at the decanting business who have demanded specific things and knew how their audience would lap up the gorgeousness presented.

The two fragrances produced, Surrender and Coldwater Canyon, surpass their original goal into resonating with the perfume community.

Surrender is a rich jasmine floral that blends different jasmine absolutes with licorice, carrot, myrrh, gourmand notes and hyraceum. "When we approached Dominique Dubrana," divulges the team, "we wanted to create a beautiful wedding scent and we were inspired by brides. Jasmine is used often as a wedding flower because of its narcotic and indolent qualities. After some testing of the fragrance, it was suggested that we add hyraceum to add a subliminal eroticism."

It is also important to note that it is an ethical and sustainable source of animal pheromone which does not hurt the animal in any way as hyraceum is the crystallized and petrified form of Hyrax urine. Because of the nature of the ingredients in Surrender and for its function as a sensual aphrodisiac fragrance, animal pheromones have a sense and a place in it. While created as a wedding perfume, it is perfect for those who appreciate a glorious jasmine. One of the testers stated: “I am not generally a jasmine fan, but this is superb. It is soft and almost milky.  A jasmine fragrance for a non-jasmine fan!” 

Coldwater Canyon was suggested to Lisa and Patty by a friend and long-time customer who asked for a fragrance inspired by the scent of a summer canyon full of sage, pine and mountain plants, with sweetly scented night-blooming jasmine perfuming the night air. Coldwater Canyon is a perfect balance between a green perfume and a floral.

Of the two it was almost a foregone conclusion that I would be deeply attracted and moved by Surrender. The French have an adjective—capiteux—and it denotes perfectly what this jasmine floral is: heady, intoxicating, enveloping, moving ... It takes your head due to its pervasive scent but lands on your heart. The inclusion of an at once powdery and earthy note is what makes the jasmine behave, because the synergy of its narcotic use, its bubble-gum natural sweetness enhanced by the other notes and the animalic background putting the oopmh on wheels and letting it roll around, well, they're pure sex magik. One can imagine that a wedding scent with such a gorgeous and lush profile would have prospective husband and wife having a hard time restraining themselves!

But beyond the erotic nature of the essences, there's sheer poetry in the scent of a good jasmine. The verdant vines exuding their sweet scent into the warm summer night are tentacles of beauty engulfing you, eclipsing every petty, sordid thing, sublimating existence into beauty. To live in beauty and breathe in beauty. 

Without competing with Surrender, Coldwater Canyon is beautiful in its own right and on its own merits. There is more of the vegetal quality of natural essences, creating a drier (as in not as sweet) ambience which surrounds the jasmine the way a canyon is surrounded by forests and aromatic bushes roasting in the sun, cooling in the wintertime. You can feel the earth, but you can also smell the far-off beat of civilization at the same time. 

Both perfumes are available in eau de parfum concentration fromSurrenderToChance.com and can be purchased in full bottles as well as samples and/or decants.

I have TWO 5 ML DECANTS from Surrender to Chance, one of each scent, ("Surrender" and "Cold Water Canyon"), to be sent to TWO LUCKY READERS anywhere in the world. Please enter a comment below to be eligible!

The draw will be conducted by me using random.org and I will personally take care of shipping the fragrances to the winners.  

The end date of submissions is Wednesday, February 4, 2015. Good luck everyone!