The story behind the creation of Royal Apothic is as intriguing as the fragrances themselves, and thus I must share it. As the tale goes, Creative Director Sean O'Mara spent the early part of his career as a beauty insider working with an array of beauty industry giants (Estee Lauder, Murad, et al). But it was while on sabbatical in London that he came upon what would be the impetus for the next course of his life.
Tucked high on a shelf in a forgotten Notting Hill antique stall this hidden treasure revealed itself to be an apothecary manual from the 18th century. Formulas for concoctions created for many of the great monarchies of Europe were listed within its pages. Knowing he could tie his own expertise into the formulas, O'Mara returned to the U.S. and began duplicating the fragrances listed within the manual - Royal Apothic was born.
Having infused the world with his now famous home fragrances, interior perfumes and candles, O'Mara gives into requests of his devotees with the creation of The Extracts Collection - personal, perfumed fragrance oils infused with natural plant extracts that can be worn individually or blended to create one's own signature scent.
These roll-on bottled fragrances are perfect for summer in that they are light, refreshing and subtle in scent. The packaging is gift-worthy with each glass fragrance bottle placed in its own colorful, striped box and labeled with old-world themed markings. That the labels are affixed slightly askew on both the outer box and the roll-on bottles adds to the feeling that these treasures were personally hand-made and formulated just for you.
The Extracts Collections consists of seven one-note elixirs:
Green Tea (fresh)
Violette Pastille (floral)
Fig (fruit)
Orange Blossom (fruit)
Marigold (floral)
Iris (floral)
Hydrangea (floral)
I've experienced two from the collection, Green Tea and Iris, and am hard pressed to say which is my favorite. Very distinct in character, both evoke happy memories of childhood, when there wasn't a care in the world, and the outdoor summer air was fresh and inviting. I had my daughter (15 yr old beauty, fashion and fragrance diva in her own right) try them as well to see which she preferred. She loved them both. There we sat, two fragrance-obsessed women, atop my overstuffed white duvet covered bed blending and rolling fragrance on our wrists. One would think I'd have learned my lesson by now about sharing these great little finds with my baby girl, as it ultimately always results in her stealing them away and tucking them in a secret box in her closet or under linen in her drawers (shhhhh ... she thinks I don't know where she stashes them). Mmmmmm, even as I write this post I'm enjoying the fresh, light scent of Green Tea on my wrists. You can't roll on too much ... they're that subtle. Oh my gosh this smells so good!
The convenience of a slim roll-on bottle makes it safe (leakproof) and perfect to throw into your beach bag this summer, your gym bag as extra refreshment from a rigorous workout and warm shower, or your duffle before boarding your next international flight (TSA approved).
Currently, only five of the extracts are available for purchase - Green Tea, Violette Pastille, Orange Blossom, Marigold and Fig - with the others though soon to follow. Royal Apothic The Extracts Collection is available at Anthropologie and b-glowing, each .33 fl oz roll-on bottle retails for $16, which means you can buy a couple or several to wear each on its own merit or blended for a uniquely created scent. Enjoy!
