La Mariposa and other butterflies

"Oh carry me wind where ever you blow, to far away places I wish to go" 

La Mariposa is one of Midnight Gypsy's new spring scents. Its description sounded so good I bought a bottle of it without testing a sample first and I was not disappointed.

A perfume ode to springtime, new beginnings, change and butterflies in the meadow. A blend of delicate florals, a hint of green grass and sweet nectar. A beautiful blend of blue lotus and vanilla absolute, labdanum resin, essential oils in basil and grapefruit infused with grapefruit peels, basil leaves, vanilla beans and blue lotus petals. An aroma created to have your heart take flight on wings of spring time bliss. 

It is well blended, I can only guess that the grapefruit and basil are there. I do pick out the lotus (I think), vanilla and labdanum, but grapefruit and basil only add their light hearted energy without dominating the blend.  It is a light scent, light as a butterfly I would say and indeed one that lightens the heart.


It is interesting that one of the perfumes of The Perfume Garden has the name Butterfly. Butterfly has in common with La Mariposa that it is less concentrated than the perfumes of Black Phoenix. Other than that it is very different. Butterfly, like all of The Perfume Garden's perfumes, is a more subdued kind of scent, while La Mariposa is a more wild kind of scent. I would say it is like the difference between the citizen and the gypsy. 

Like the flight of a graceful butterfly, this light floral fragrance is delicate and feminine, and perfect as a reminder of sunny spring days.

Main Notes: Lavender Absolute, Neroli, Geranium, Rose, Jasmine, Bergamot and Clary Sage.

For me this perfume is mainly lavender, because my skin seems to amplify lavender. Any scent that carries lavender will refuse to allow me to smell anything else.


Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab too is under the spell of butterflies with their annual Metamorphosis release. As usual they have a number of perfumes that were inspired each by their own butterfly. I have ordered some decants of the new ones, and I may write about some of last year's release in the days to come. That is, if I can pull myself free from the magic of La Mariposa.