Dark Shadows

Rajesh and I are back at it, and this time we went dark. Dark Shadows is our second collaboration together, and it takes the powder accord we spent so long perfecting for Pan's Labyrinth and drags it somewhere completely different.

It opens with blood orange and neroli, bright and juicy at first glance, but ambergris is already there underneath, wrapping that brightness in something salty and oceanic. Lychee rose otto adds a juicy, fruited floral edge, to give the scent lift and diffusion.

The heart is where the powder accord starts to show its new, darker side. Bulgarian rose and osmanthus build an apricot-tinged floral core, while jade wood and blue cypress bring a smooth woodiness that keeps things from tipping too floral. Fir needle cuts through with a resinous, forest-fresh snap. Then finally your hit with the Pan's Labyrinth's DNA, the same soft, elegant powder is the entire carrier of this fragrance and softens all the dark sharp edges.

Then the base takes over completely. Papua and Merauke oud build a dark, resinous woody foundation, patchouli and labdanum thicken everything into something dense and amber-rich, and oakmoss and vetiver ground it with mossy depth. Tobacco adds a warm, slightly sweet smokiness, and cacao stays on theme with a dark, almost bitter-chocolate richness.

Dark Shadows is ambergris, patchouli, labdanum, woods, and florals all leaning into their darker side, built by two people who clearly weren't satisfied leaving powder where we found it. This is what happens when you take something beautiful and turn it dark!