Best Smoke & Mirrors by Alkemia Perfumes Alternatives & Similar Perfumes

A pile-up of contrasts: cinnamon along with tropical florals frangipani and ylang ylang, against the earthy bitterness of artichoke and leather. This almost-gingerbread, almost-cement perfume confuses the senses with its animal/vegetable/mineral mystery.

Inspired by the dream of chasing something just out of reach — a shimmer, a smile, a sunbeam. This scent glows with golden vanilla, the sweet’n’sour sparkle of tamarind, and the dusty warmth of an antique wooden trunk.

You will always want more of this fragrance. The fleeting animality of cumin merges with the warm and powerful cinnamon, and the intense syrupy trail of rum reveals itself to be a fleeting pleasure.

The spicy and generous matriarch, vanilla, in search of vital euphoria, duplicates itself to the point of paroxysm. In its insatiable quest, it drags davana, whose fruity aromatic bipolarity is completed by the warm tones of cistus. Despite all this, it is not enough, the feeling of unfulfillment persists, like the woody ardor of chestnut and the biting character of vetiver. There is still desire, a desire conveyed through the vibrations of amber woods and the technology of Vinyl Gaiacol.

Perfumer: MATHILDE BIJAOUI

A rich, smoky blend of honey, tar, vanilla and incense.

The perfumer leaves the perfume plot sketchy - to be completed by your imagination. Are you in your autumn apiary watching honey trickle into jars, smoke lingering in the air from bonfires of fallen leaves? Are you on the well-tarred deck of a merchant ship carrying huge barrels of honey? This beautiful, smoky fragrance will definitely take you somewhere.

Starring

(these fragrant materials reanacted the Honey and Tar story):

castoreum tinctura
benzoin absolute
birch tar essential oil
Himalayan cedarwood essential oil
sweet myrrh essential oil
vetiver essential oil
guayak wood
agarwood essential oil
Atlas cedarwood  essential oil
jasmin sambac absolute
hops CO2
lavender absolute
patchouli essential oil
cardamom absolute
tonka bean absolute
vanilla CO2 extract
orris root CO2 extract
Vanuatu sandalwood essential oil
Royal Hawaiian  sandalwood essential oil

Important notice:

Anna Zworykina’s blends are olfactive smellscapes (but neither aromatherapy, nor ‘spray-and-go’ perfumes). Her blends are sensory experiences, closer to works of art created in the scented plane (rather than, say, visual or audio).

Certain essential oils and absolutes that are used in her 100% natural perfumes may potentially cause allergies in some people. Please spray Anna Zworykina’s blends on fabric (on sleeves, scarves, etc.). This said, Anna Zworykina has acquired a huge fan base over many years and people interacted with her blends for quite a while now. We are not aware of any reports of any skin reactions so far.

However, Anna advises that those who are prone to allergic reactions, pregnant and nursing women, as well as people with chronic illnesses to be extra careful. Before trying natural blends, study the list of ingredients and consult with a doctor if you are not sure or a had a history of allergies. If you do decide to put these blends on your skin (unable to resist the temptation) always test the blend on the inside part of your elbow first and wait.

Do not spray these blends liberally as a cloud in the way you would spray a conventional perfume. Anna’s smellscapes need to be… carefully applied and experienced. Be mindful that some oils can also make your skin hyper-sensitive to UV.

Spiritually, four symbolizes the wholeness of the universe, four elements, four seasons, four cardinal points, connecting us all. Kajal IV spirits us to the wilderness of the African savannah, drawing a straight line between the dawn of humans to our ever-expanding world. The undulating golden panorama caressed by sultry heat is expressed by date-sweetened leather, studded with cardamom and brushed with rum. Vanilla and musk softens and beckons.

Perfumer: Kevin Mathys

Lü Bu is a formidable Chinese warlord, tiger-fierce but volatile. At the end of his last battle he is a folded shadow. The once most-feared man of the Empire, son of iron and fire, is devoured by his own legend. This olfactory scar of a perfume opens with vivid, tannic clove, like the acridity of blood on a still-warm blade. On a forgotten altar smoulders the benzoin beauty of papier d'Arménie, while iris, noble and powdery, whispers the hero's solitude. More than glory and power, Lü Bu speaks of sacrifice and memory. Loyal to all those who wear their shadows with pride.

An olfactory interpretation of a Saharan oasis at twilight. This fragrance opens with rich tart notes of North African karkade (an hibiscus infusion/tea) blended with opulent pomegranate jam and minty buchu (South Africa). At its heart, floral hibiscus petals bloom alongside creamy vanilla (Madagascar) and rich floral ylang-ylang (Comoros). The base of cedarwood Atlas (Morocco) and wisps of oud smoke leaves a seductive trail that's spellbinding.

Réserve en Afrique eaux de parfum feature responsibly sourced naturals, and are free from parabens, phthalates, UV filters and colorants. Their natural alcohol base is derived from beetroots, and they are a PETA-listed vegan & cruelty-free brand.

A sultry heat wafts across the land, lapped up greedily by the abundant flora that thrives in its midst. Trees soar to majestic heights and plants flower for the first time, their petals spreading to give birth to a world rich in diversity. The Cretaceous period comes of age against a backdrop scorched by wildfire and lightning strikes. Over this turbulent landscape, a massive predator looms. Giants rule the earth, but even giants can be cut down within the powerful jaws of the fearsome tyrannosaur. Standing tall, the terrifying beast fears nothing, until that pivotal moment when a fire in the sky signals the end of their deadly reign.

Zoologist Tyrannosaurus Rex is a gargantuan scent that sinks its teeth into the world of delicate fragrances and rips it wide open. Primitive woods and florals seize you and snatch you away to an ancient era. Smoky, charred wood warns of the danger of smouldering fire, setting your senses on edge, while droplets of metallic rose oxide offer a chilling premonition of blood-lust. The mighty Tyrannosaurus Rex is sometimes menacing, sometimes fascinating, but never, ever ordinary.

A kinky take on vanilla that laminates the complexity of no less than three different Madagascan vanillas with a slick pleather coating. “Carbone” is French for “carbon”, and here the black stuff is conjured with leathery labdanum and the vanilla vinyl of styrax. Vibrant, dynamic and beautifully weird.

Perfumer: Natalie Gracia Cetto

Mysterious and elegant, this amber rose fragrance evokes the pure indulgence of silk against bare skin. This woody, ambery scent is infused with roasted almond, rose petals and black amber.

This is the Balanced & Expressive version of Velvet, with a noticeable projection that’ll make a mark, not a scene. Also try Velvet | Personal and Velvet | Bold.