My lovely friend Josie, occasionally indulges my passion of all things aromatic and brings me intriguing items back from her travels. This time aromatics from India. Unfortunately many oils can be adulterated or you could be sold a fragrance oil instead of a pure, natural aromatic so many a time it is a case of 'caveat emptor'.
So, I am in receipt of two genuinely purchased 'aromatics' one is the Khus - a rather 'Fairy Liquid' green, and to my nose does not smell of any kind of Vetiver I've known. It does smell sweet, rather like incense, a little cloying and pungent. It does not seem to evolve or dry down on the skin.
The second is a more as nature intended, a light golden Champa 'oil'. It is sweet, heady, narcotic, floral - like having the lushest garland around your neck, comprising of Orange blossom, Ylang ylang, Tuberose and Magnolia's ... a va va voom concoction indeed!! However, it's just quite full on and everything hits you at once - like a 'molecular slapping', there is no unfolding, which I find is a usual marker in natural compositions and extracts.
<Sigh>, I shall have to get a second opinion on these. I find them rather overwhelming to wear as a fragrance. Champa flowers are traditionally used in many devotional rituals and garlands - perhaps I shall use them as an anointing oil, to bless my feet or something - or perhaps a very tiny amount diluted in a burner !?