Sanae Intoxicants Hotbox

by: Jodi Battershell

"Pale skin against warm rock, an arched and slender arm curving gracefully around bark, glossy locks of hair mixing with moss and soil. Embracing themes of catharsis and femininity, nature and transcendence, the photographic work of Amanda Charchian manages to be simultaneously epic…and intimate."—Pheromone Hotbox press release

Inspired by the images curated for L.A.-based photographer Charchian’s first monograph, Pheromone Hotbox (published in March 2016 by Hat & Beard Press), perfumer Sanae Barber of Sanae Intoxicants partnered with Charchian to create a signature custom fragrance for limited release. Working collaboratively, the two experimented with a heady mix of delicate, lacey florals, erotic night blooms and earthy resins.

The resulting scent, Hotbox, was created to further enhance the languid, sensual appeal of Charchian’s photos. “Amanda inspired me to make a very feminine perfume,” explains Barber of the collaboration. “It's very pretty, in a divine, spiritual sort of way. I've been really surprised by the reaction from people, especially men. They seem to light up when they smell it.”

Charchian's work has appeared in major international publications, including Vogue, Huffington Post and Interview. The female nude is a predominate focus of her images, with her models (all of them established artists working across a variety of media) posed in a myriad of exotic natural settings. Just as Charchian traveled around the globe to capture imagery for the book, so has Barber sourced scents from many of the same environments, collecting high-quality oils from India, Bulgaria, France, Peru, and Spain for the composition of Hotbox.

Sanae Barber (left) founded Sanae Intoxicants, a natural perfume house featuring "perfumes inspired by music, lovers, naps, dreams and mind altering experiences" in 2010. To date, the house has released six scents, including notable fragrance collaborations with actor/musician WIll Oldham, known professionally as Bonnie 'Prince' Billy (2012 release Bonnie Billy) and American folk musician Father John Misty (Innocence by Misty from 2013).

Of Hotbox, Barber notes, “I wanted to find rare essential oils and resinous materials to use to create a totally unique blend." A distinctively feminine scent, Hotbox flirts and beckons with sensual Rose Edward, Parijata Attar and jasmine. Ambergris, Black Tea Absolute, Vetiver, White Ginger Lily, Linden Blossom, Pink Lotus, Jasmine, Pear, Peru Balsam and Pink Pepper  contribute a complex, mysterious accord. The fragrance is mythic and modern at the same time—primitive sexuality matched with an elegant innocence. Aligned perfectly with the monograph’s seductive imagery, Hotbox is a scent that embodies both power and vulnerability, in a beautifully exquisite balance that further expands the sensual experience of the book.

The Deluxe Edition Pheromone Hotbox includes the book, the buyer's choice of one of two original C-prints by Charchian, and a .5 oz. bottle of Hotbox Eau de Parfum—a custom limited edition scent created by Sanae Intoxicants. Available now for pre-order on the official website of Hat & Beard Press.
 

Source: Press Release. Book image: Hat & Beard Press. Sanae Barber and bottle: Sanae Intoxicants.