Written by Kyra Collins
Edited by CHIQIO
After smelling the sample for Mountain Rain and sharing it with others, I can paint a picture in my mind of what the fragrance helps experience. Mountain Rain represents the scents and ideas that CHIQIO hopes to share with its inspiration story. The perfume draws inspiration from Chinese Taoist temples and sandalwood, creating a scene of mountain woods after the rain. This perfume does just that, by creating a scene straight from mountain thunderstorms and deep wet wood.
What does Mountain Rain look like?
Upon first scent, Mountain Rain resembles the color of a deep and dark purple. It is strong and dark from the cedar wood but presents floral notes bringing in a warm mix. Thus, I imagine a dark purple when thinking about this fragrance and the color of the scent with the imagery of rain on wood. It is not green because the oriental notes resemble orange or brown colors, but it is also not blue because of the imagery with wood. Therefore, I think of a cool tone color like purple that has warmth from top notes such as mandarin and grapefruit. The scent also appears romantic throughout the day, bringing in a red, pink, or purple image.
Other than color, Mountain Rain also paints imagery of a full curated scene in nature. This scent brings an individual into a forest walk through a mountain, specifically after the rain. The scent of wood is strong and comes first. Because of this, the image looks like a forest of trees and stumps after a rainfall, having it smell of wet oak.
What does Mountain Rain feel like?
I do think that the woody tones with floral and romantic notes makes this a unisex perfume as advertised, but I imagine this fragrance used more for women and in professional settings. It is a neutral scent that is bold and not overly manly or feminine but gives a strong female character feel through a whimsical storm. The freshness makes it feel like one is within nature on this walk through a misty mountain. It almost feels like one is in the scene because of the subtle but constant lingering scent, reminding the user of the wood and ash tones. The under tones of amber and musk reveal thoughts of cloudy and lush mountain landscapes. This makes it seem like one can feel the rain, fog, and mist that comes from the after-rain dew in the mountains. The scene created by this fragrance shows the cloudy after math of rain over a mountain, making the user feel the slight humidity and clear air. This detailed experience of seeing a natural scene and feeling the weather of it in vivid imagery represents the impact of these notes.
Who does Mountain Rain represent?
This fragrance allows the user to be immersed into nature but with luxury. This piece is curated artistically with nature inspirations but to be used for confidence, individuality, and complex personalities. This perfume represents a unique and artistic person who is bold in their choices of clothes, lifestyle, and career aspirations. The depth of scent through top, mid, and base notes represent a complex personality wanting to showcase a high taste profile. It is suited to show extravagance in a professional meeting, formal event, and social gathering of high luxury, but in everyday use. This fragrance can represent luxury and complex taste for regular settings, attire, and personalities. The bottle design represents chic simplicity with modern textures and lines to encase luxurious fragrances.
Someone wearing Mountain Rain is very successful, whether that be in life’s pleasures of family and love or in a career. This fragrance merges class with nature to bring Earthy notes to elegant lifestyles. Those who wear this scent have an artistic and established style or exude higher fashion with the confidence from this perfume. This perfume represents someone who seeks to showcase extravagance and artistic expression. The packaging for the sample perfume is also artistic with the box saying, “Be a unique character with chiqio”, embracing the true individuality and original experience Mountain Rain brings. This fragrance represents complex design and complexity of self growth in art, fashion, and lifestyle of an individual. This fragrance immediately makes a statement and is worn by those who want to succeed. Mountain Rain represents those who want to create, improve, and make an impact.
What do others feel when they smell Mountain Rain?
I asked friends and family close to me how they felt about this fragrance because this is a diverse set of people who are already successful and sophisticated in different ways. They said various things about what they experience off the first scent. Most mentioned the immediate wood and ashy tones, but everyone agreed that it was specifically a scent of wood after the addition of water. One stated that the refreshing feel of the fragrance reminded them of a beach and the brisk mist in the air, while the wood notes were of the wet boardwalk across the ocean. Another mentioned the wooden benches along a neighborhood forest stroll and the vivid scent of wet oak after a storm. Each mentioned wood, nature scenes, and a crisp air feel. They agreed with my color choice of deep purple or crimson. Some said they sense tones of blue and associate with rain or water itself, but that it was only a cool toned color and not warm or neutral toned. Each person experienced something different, but all had detailed descriptions, showcasing the depth of this fragrance and what it can mean to various users.
Photo expression of Mountain Rain
Because of the difference in nature scenes that can be experienced with this fragrance, I captured various artistic expressions of the sample perfume. Ultimately, I would capture the perfume in a mountain or forest scene to encapsulate the authentic impression I feel with this fragrance. I chose to express the perfume and inspiration of art in the packaging with backdrops that resemble the scent. Wood, grass, and water are used to make the bottle the focal point and create an aesthetically darker, natural mood. The various interpretations of this scent even through imaginative scenes resembles the artistic thought that CHIQIO hopes to create through each product.
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