We ALREADY have winter vacation on our minds, and what better place to escape than Hawaii!? My trip to Hawaii in 1995 inspired our creation of the Nomaterra Oahu Gardenia perfume oil. I still remember very vividly being able to smell the pungently sweet and balsamic aroma of the exotic nanu gardenia, found in gardens and random locations on the island of Oahu. I also received a leis upon arriving at the airport in Oahu, which was made of mostly plumeria (also found in our Oahu fragrance).
In Hawaii, the gardenia was often used for corsages or leis, particularly traditionally during weddings. It has a romantic meaning, “You are lovely,” and is also a symbol for secret love. The nanu was prized by ancient Hawaiians for its fruit, which was used to produce fade-resistant dyes for kapa (a traditional cloth made of pounded tree bark).
The natural, organic gardenia found in Nomaterra’s Oahu fragrance is extracted through the ancient process of enfleurage, using only organic palm oil and organic alcohol derived from organic sugar cane. This fragile flower exudes a sweet and succulent smell that encapsulates the energy, spirit, and beauty of Hawaii. The rare species of gardenia, Gardenia Manii, also known as “Nanu” in Hawaii, is native to the island of Oahu and can’t be found anywhere else in the world.
Come see Nomaterra this Saturday, October 5th, from 10 am to 6 pm at the Hester Street Fair. Try out our newest scents--Malibu, Oahu, Boston, and Savannah. We'll finally have our candles available for sale for all of you that have started planning your holiday gifts!
I was doing some fall cleaning, and came upon my old fragrance collection, which I started in my early teens. Some are classics, and some I'm slightly embarrassed for even buying, buy hey, I was experimenting! I think I may have even had a Gap fragrance at one point, but I threw that one out a while ago. It's amazing how my taste has evolved from fragrances like CK One and Tommy Girl, to indie perfumes, to creating my own fragrances for Nomaterra. One thing that hasn't changed though, is my joy for exploring different perfumes. There's nothing wrong with trying it all, from completely obscure brands that only ever came out with one scent, to best-sellers. Even with my own brand, I still enjoy exploring what's new, what's out there.
One scent that sticks out in this collection is CK One. CK One debuted in 1994, and was revolutionary for its time due to its forward thinking ad featuring Kate Moss and LGBT activist model Jenny Shimizu, and most importantly, for the fact that is was a unisex eau de toilette, a first of its kind. It now smells like nail polish to me, mostly due to the fact that its been aging in a box for over 10 years. What's interesting though is that CK One really started a movement in the creation of unisex fragrances, that is still very much alive now. You name it, and almost every designer and niche brand has at lease one unisex fragrance.
The last one in these row of oldies is Acqua Di Gio. Another renowned classic that's won its fair share of awards including a Fifi Men's Fragrance of the Year Nouveau Niche in 1998 and had been entered into the Fragrance Hall of Fame last year. This is what my husband used to wear, like many men. He's now moved on to wearing our Brooklyn Violet Leaf Cologne.
What fragrances do you remember experimenting with from your childhood/teens/early years? Do you still wear them? What do you wear now?
We've been hard at work all summer on new city-inspired scents, traveling to these great American cities, and finding out what makes them unique. We've done our research too. Did you know that Gardenia Manii, is a type of gardenia that can only be found on the island of Oahu? Gardenia is a succulently rich, jasmine and vanilla-like scent, and it is found as the key ingredient in one of our newest fragrances, Oahu Gardenia. Plumeria, an exotic Hawaiian tropical flower used to create leis can also be found in the Oahu fragrance. In addition, we are excited to also debut Boston Tobacco Leaf, Savannah Magnolia, and Malibu Honeysuckle (our favorite to wear right now in this beautiful autumn weather). Each of these new scents come in 10ml perfume oil roll-ons. What do you think these great cities should smell like?
You can try out all our scents in the Nomaterra
adventure set. Perhaps they will remind you of your hometown, a place you've been to, or a place you dream of going to.
Happy Adventuring!
Found in our Boston fragrance, tobacco leaf can be used in perfumes to add a gritty smell and feel to the scent. It provides the fragrance with a sweet, slightly smoky, rich aroma. There are a number of types of tobacco, but the New England variety is called shade tobacco, and is grown along the banks of the Connecticut River, which runs from the Long Island Sound, through Massachusetts, to New Hampshire. Cultivating the leaves of shade tobacco is much more labor intensive than its cousin types, and as a result is used as an outer wrapper for some of the world’s finest and rarest cigars. Much of tobacco’s popularity historically stems ironically from it’s purported healing powers, from relieving pain to curing cancer. During the 1600’s, tobacco was so popular that it was frequently used as money. It wasn’t until 1836 that New Englander Samuel Green revealed that tobacco is an insecticide, a poison, and can kill. Tobacco is the most grown plant in the world that is not used for food. Try our Boston scent here, and be sure to follow us on Twitter and Facebook!
Found in our Washington, D.C. fragrance, Cherry Blossoms are an integral part of the history of Washington, D.C. Donated by the Japanese in 1912 to United States as a gesture of friendship, 150 of the initial 3,020 offering, still remain. The first two cherry blossom trees were planted on March 27, 1912 by first lady Helen Taft and the Japanese ambassador’s wife, Viscountess Chinda on the northern bank of D.C.’s Tidal Basin. You can still view these two trees today near the John Paul Jones statue at the south end of 17th Street. The first cherry blossom festival was held in 1935, and now draws in approximately 1.4 million viewers (attendees?) each year. The peak bloom time is on average April 4th and the blooming period lasts only a few days to two weeks at most.
DC’s cherry blossoms are most of the Yoshino variety. Their smell has been described as a very faint and sheer rose-like and cherry blend, with a hint of sweet and spicy.
DC is the perfect fragrance for fall. With a variety of new and changing opportunities, from the return to school to the resurgence in work after summer, DC is assertive and powerful making it your perfect partner for the fall!
Come see Nomaterra this Saturday, September 7th, from 10 am to 6 pm at the Hester Street Fair. Hope to see you all there!
As everyone well knows, maintaining a beauty regimen while traveling has gotten more and more difficult in recent years, to the point where now it's near impossible to bring all of your favorite products unless you're checking a bag. And even then, there's a decent chance that those products won't hold up against the pressure changes associated with flying, leaving you with no product and a soggy suitcase. Fortunately, we have a few tips and product suggestions to combat those issues! Read on for our tips.
First and foremost, if you can't get over the idea of leaving behind all of your favorite liquid and cream products, invest in a variety of travel sized bottles. This set is available from Amazon for about $12, and has a verity of sizes and bottle types. Well worth it, we think!
Another one of the best ways to keep yourself pretty on-the-go is to choose multiple-use products, like Nars The Multiple. This stick is hydrating, which is great for skin when traveling, and can be used as a blush, highlighter, eyeshadow, and lip color! It comes in a variety of shades, so there's sure to be something that works for you and your destination.
If you're anything like us, the hotel-provided shampoos typically don't cut it for you. Enter Lush solid shampoos. They have a variety of formulas for differing hair needs, all with delicious scents! And they now have two solid conditioners available. Added bonus? Lush products are all natural.
Finally, depending on how long you'll be at your destination it may be beneficial to bring your favorite essentials, particularly if they have a higher price tag, and purchase other basics upon arrival. This will cut down on excess bulk and weight in your luggage. Of course, your favorite Nomaterra fragrance can come on board, and won't cause any issues in the security line!
What are your favorite tips for traveling in style? Be sure to let us know and follow us on Twitter and Facebook!
Found in our classic East Hampton fragrance, Atlantic White Cedar originally thrived in swampy, low-elevation wetlands, characteristic of the Hampton and Montauk areas. The swamps were destroyed by rising sea levels, as well as lumbered, drained and cleared for farmland, but a few Atlantic White Cedar stands still remain. Before Long Island’s population boom, cedar swamps formed an almost continuous chain from Brooklyn to Montauk Point.This special cedar is typical of some historic rustic cedar shingles found on many of the waterfront homes in the Hamptons and Montauk. In 2011, tree trunk remains of the Atlantic White Cedar had been exposed on the shore due to extreme erosion from Hurricane Irene, and were found to be dating back about 4500 years ago.
East Hampton is a light, woody floral scent. It is sophisticated and elegant, with a Bohemian twist. East Hampton invites you to experience the feelings of artists and writers past, lured by the promise of golden, wispy dunes, refreshing breezes, and quaint front porches. Try it here.
Hello Nomaterra fans, we've got some exciting news for you! This week we'll be down at Pier 94 at the NY Now Trade Show, where we will be introducing lots of awesome new things: 4 new scents, candles, roll-ons, and our signature collection. All of this is just in time for the holidays! For those of you in the New York area please be sure to stop by our booth and see all the new great products we have to offer, or if you're not in the area be sure to follow us on
Twitter and
Facebook for lots of great pictures! And watch in stores nearby for more amazing Nomaterra newness coming your way this fall!
