Bonsai by House of Matriarch
by Therapeutic FragranceSCORE: 86
Who? I See Wearing the Fragrance
Pat Morita
Where? I Use the Fragrance
Creative
When? The Season I Use the Fragrance
Fall and Winter
What? Occasions or Events I Use Fragrance
Escape
Perfumer:
Christi Meshell
#bonsai
Price Per Millileter
120 16ML
Perfume Classification
Eau De Parfum
Projection
2 Feet or More
/Longevity
Up to 6 Hours
Sillage
Medium
How? I Apply the Fragrance
1 - 3
Memories of Karate Kid. This was one of the first movies I saw in a theatre. Christi Meshell from House of Matriarch. I have covered her many times. I almost skipped this one because so many of her fragrances have the same drydown, but I picked this up because of The Art and Olfaction Awards nomination. I said this was all natural in the unboxing video, but this is not all natural.
This one wears two different ways on me. I wore it a couple times in high heat, drenched myself in it. I wish I could show how much I have used already. It is so good in high heat. Then I wore it in the AC, and that is totally different. It opens with a literal zen garden. It has a Japanese evergreen essence backed by a black copal, which is so unique I ordered some black copal to smell. It smells so magical. It added depth to the resinous base. Alligator juniper is very beautiful. It desreves to be a finalist in The Art and Olfaction Awards. You can smell the high-end naturals, alive, growing on your body. But when I wore it in the AC, the synthetics were obvious, and it became too much for me near the end of the wearing. The linear quality of the synthetics became tiring after several hours; naturals are supposed to shift and fade after a while, but this was too persistent. That is just a little critique. Bonsai is one of the best expressions you can get of a zen garden. This is a great escape, a mood enhancement.
Perfumer's Notes:
Bottle Presentation
| Company: | House of Matriarch |
|---|---|
| Perfumer: | Christi Meshell |
| Fragrance Family: | Aromatic Green |
| Classification: | Eau De Parfum |
| Pricing: | $7.50/fluid ml |
| Country: | Seattle, Usa |
| Year: | 2019 |
| Sex: | Unisex |
| Hashtag: | #bonsai |
| What: | Escape |
| Where: | Creative |
| Projection: | 2 Feet or More |
| Longevity: | Up to 6 Hours |
| Sillage: | Medium |
| Short Description: | Zen Garden |
| Fragrantica Score: | 4.61 out of 5 with 26 votes |
Therapeutic Fragrance Score Chart
Bonsai
& Price per ML
FRAGRANCE
SCORE: 86
I think fragrances that are about 70% natural smell 100% natural usually for me. I'm totally fine with mixed media. And yeah definitely only buy from HoM during one of their many many big sales
Your absolutely right. Mixed media is fine with me which in technicality this is. It's just advertising as all natural was the point I was bringing up. I brought up Areej as they are definitely mixed media showing off really good naturals.
BONSAI BRANDONSUN
Nice one!
Nice green lights to go with this green fragrance.
Well – Thank You!
Would like to hear the difference between white and black copal.
The black copal left your area this morning. Well Van Nuys, but closer to you than me.
Therapeutic Fragrance The description for Copal Azur said copal resin can’t be used in perfume, so they mixed different types of frankincense to match the smell of copal. So if it’s just burned as incense, how are they getting oil? Capturing the smoke? Approximating the smell with other oils? I smelled Copal Azure and Bruja de la Rosa, and those are the only two perfumes I am aware of that were supposed to smell like copal in some way. Not really a fan, but maybe real copal is different?
Tincure real copal. Do you know who Ikram is. He's a good friend over in Africa. He's in most of my lives and is doing really good things in perfume. I know about copal from him. He ordered some white and is tincturing it. It is in a ball park of Frankincence but a lot different. A lot of people in South America use it. I can't give you a reference on black besides this and Pomare's uses it. I ordered some of the best supposedly from a guy down in LA
Therapeutic Fragrance in Piano Tuner?
I guess it's in an unreleased fragrance coming up for Pomare's. Man you know your stuff.
An awesome review Brandon. Sounds like some quality stuff. Love that 'session' moniker.
Appreciate it much. As long as these fragrances are working for us!
Been looking at this.Gonna sell a couple bottles to get this.
LOL and thus the game goes.:)
2021 wont be released until 2021 but I will be releasing rasa smoke this fall and 2021 Rasa will be more similar to 2019 but with additional longevity and the oud bomb will go into the Rasa smoke which I’m making with my aged redwood extractions. Thank you so much for this review!
Wow a lot good stuff going on here. @Philip will need to be trying that tincture:)
@Ryan Nice Pickup
@Therapeutic Fragrance I'll send it over in the near future. It's currently just on its 3rd fold.
@Pomare5 Thanks for the advice, that was super helpful! Looks like I'll have to go foraging for redwood sap =). Given the fires and how little the trees produce oils, it might take a while.
Would appreciate that. I absolutely love what Rachel has done. She has her tincture in Piano Tuner I believe as well.
And here Brandon keeps pouring gasoline onto the burning wreck that is my bank account. All kidding aside, keep the great content coming brother, I just placed an order and can't wait to check it out!
LOL Ryan. I am afraid we are going to look back on this year as the greatest releases from Indie houses ever. As demand grown there is almost no way to keep the quality of materials. Materials will eventually be sacrificed for volume. It's an unfortunate truth.
sounds amazeballs. I finally had to make an instagram just to keep up with these releases to make sure I get the bottles I want!
LOL, I am still fighting creating a personal Facebook account so far I never have.:)
This sounds amazing, would love to talk to her as a winemaking student! Unfortunately I’m allergic to passion fruit :(((
Oooh that sucks on the passion fruit front. She is very easy to talk to and so knowledgeable.
Great review! I agree, it does seem fittingly to close your bottle coverage with this… The purity of what this is, the positivity and realness of your review… Living perfume, no cheating… Thank you for saving the best for last.
Thanks Jason appreciate it.
May skip Kashmir Nuit and hop on this beast instead.
Is Kashmir Nuit still available only asking because I have a ton of people wanting to know. Both are great.
@Therapeutic Fragrance Ill PM you on IG
Thank you much
Can’t wait to get my nose on this one!
I tried a sample of this! I love my indie people but unfortunately it was a major let down. I must have gotten the batch with less passion fruit because I got none. I'm from the Caribbean and very familiar with and love passion fruit but none to be found. The oud was legit but the perfume overall lacks character.. maybe those isolates would have helped ???? would have loved to try the 2019!
Just because I have both I can tell what the passion fruit is doing in the 2020 yes not the same. I don't know if you wear oud or not, but 2020 is like wearing an oud. 2019 undoubtedly you would be able to smell that Caribbean love. What part of the Caribbean I've only been to Trinidad and Tobago. BTW she says 2021 will guarantee to have the passion fruit top back and I'm sure I see a sample being sent your way:)
Thanks for the video – I wasn't aware that the 2020 was going to be such a different perfume. The 2019 is fantastic…
Dear Brandon, just wondered if you had tried any of perfumes from Gather? Would be interested in your feedback if you get the chance to get your hands on some. Thanks The website is: gatherperfumes.com
One of those companies where I go to order and never pull the trigger been about four times now. Eventually will make it back.
2020 is like wearing Oud, beautiful in it's own right. A lot more expensive to make, but yeah I do want that top and then all the oud. I'm greedy I want both:)
@Therapeutic Fragrance sounds like you might get your wish next year