The Moon & the Stars Around Your Neck: a New Scent and New Lockets from Velvet & Sweet Pea's Purrfumery

by: Jodi Battershell

Velvet & Sweet Pea's Purrfumery released its newest scent, The Moon & the Stars, in the last quarter of 2015. Many of the house's fragrances are offered across multiple media (parfum, eau de parfum, crème parfum, body care products) but The Moon & the Stars is available exclusively in the crème parfum format. However, even with the medium settled, additional choices are in order. The Purrfumery offers this gorgeous natural fragrance in a scent locket adorned with a beautiful Victorian-era woman gazing dreamily at the night sky, in small or medium sizes (above). The scent is also available in two crème parfum compacts, with brocade or tiny flower patterns (below), as well as a series of vintage-inspired brass lockets on matching chains (the Swirl Oval locket below is just one of four designs available). 

Vintage-style scent compacts in Brocade and Tiny Flowers designs

I love solid scents and have extolled their virtues in several articles and on multiple threads in our forum. I have a sizable collection of solids and in some cases, I even prefer the solid format of a fragrance to its liquid counterpart. Solids are ideal travel companions that are perfect for the purse or pocket. Solid scents housed in the form of rings, braclets or necklaces that can be worn as beautiful jewelry offer additional appeal, of course. When you need to refresh your fragrance, you're already wearing the means to do so, in an attractive piece of jewelry that complements your ensemble.

Solid scents also deserve consideration for reasons other than practicality and portability. They're perfect for when you want to keep your scent "aura" close to you. If you work in close quarters with a lot of people or work with people who are sensitive to fragrances, you can often fly under the radar with a solid scent and still enjoy your own pleasant aroma. Notes that might be quite loud and overpowering in an alcohol-based format are often tamed by the oils and waxes of a solid. Those oils and waxes are another great thing about solids, too. Their skin-softening properties make every application of a solid perfume feel like a calming mini-ritual of self-care.

Vintage-style Swirl Oval Scent Locket, clasped and unclasped

The Moon & the Stars contains some powerhouse florals—jasmine and tuberose—which dominate this fragrance. Their indoles are still noticeable, for those who appreciate this aspect of white florals (which I do), but they're subdued in this solid format and those who normally find them off-putting will not be distracted by them. Topped with warm cinnamon and red mandarin, these delicate white blossoms are firmly rooted in an earthy base of sandalwood, frankincense and cacao. At once spicy and floral, The Moon & the Stars becomes warmer and woodier as it dries down.

Another feature unique to solids is the opportunity for the medium to contribute to the overall scent experience. In The Moon & the Stars, a balsamy vanilla note is imparted by the vanilla-infused organic jojoba oil. Solid perfumes made with natural beeswax—in this case, from the Purrfumery's very own bees—also have a delicious natural honeyed aspect that is simply not possible in an oil-based or alcohol-based liquid perfume. The consistency of The Moon & the Stars crème parfum is perfect: firm and substantial, but when warmed by a fingertip brushed across its surface, it softens and spreads easily across the back of my wrists and the base of my throat. The sillage is close, as is characteristic of a solid, but the longevity is good, with the base notes still detectable three hours later, at which time I opted to reapply. You really can't overdo this one.

Cat charm necklaces in three sizes, filled with Honey crème parfum

The Purrfumery has long made several of its classic scents available in the crème parfum format, but in 2016, the offering has been expanded with the addition of a new series of lockets. An adorable cat charm necklace (above), inspired by perfumerLaurie Stern's collection of vintage cat-themed Valentines, is available in three sizes and filled with the house's delectable Honey fragrance. (The Honey scent is also available in a romantic heart-shaped charm locket adorned with roses from an 18th-century Flemish painting.)

The house's sexy spicy/floral Songbird perfume is available in a delightful and wholly appropriate pigeon-themed charm necklace. The handsome fellow on the locket, Kingpin, was painted by artist Ashley Dietrich, and all profits from the Songbird scent locket go to the San Francisco Bay Area Palomacy Pigeon & Dove Adoptions.

Kingpin portrait charm necklaces, in three sizes, filled with Songbird crème parfum 
(Artwork by Ashley Dietrich)

The new scent lockets start at just $24 and are a great way to try a new fragrance from the Purrfumery or carry a beloved scent with you. Like all items from the Purrfumery, they are beautifully packaged in specially designed bags and boxes and would make a wonderful Valentine's gift or a special treat for yourself. Velvet & Sweet Pea's Purrfumery is offering free shipping on orders over $50 through February 28, 2016, with code ValentineKitty.

Thank you to Laurie Stern and the Purrfumery for the opportunity to try The Moon & the Stars and share its beauty with our readers! 

All images:  Velvet & Sweet Pea's Purrfumery