I took a day off, or better: I switched Sunday for Friday and went for a two day hike. The first day was a bit strenuous, though. We did a calculation error of the kind: 6+3= 7.  This calculation error resulted in a 9 hours hike to the hotel on the Chasseron. We got there, to the hotel sitting on the top of the mountain, in time with a smile. A smile, because after 9 hours on your feet you sort of feel tired. The picture to the left, taken the next morning, after 5 minutes walking from the hotel, gives you an idea of the surroundings.

And the picture below gives you an idea of the sunset. Absolutely stunning.

  On the way up there we passed through a most wonderful valley, with bridges and a spectacular view.

I wanted to have a break because I felt like I need one. And there is nothing more relaxing for brain and body than moving your body and thinking while doing so. Strange, but true. Now we are in full speed mode again and shortly, I will move my body towards filtering some scents and packing scents later to prepare shipments that need to go out before I leave for the US.

While hiking I got the confirmation that all essential oils and absolutes that I wanted to get quotes for and delivery times are on stock with my supplier of raw materials. And for reasonable prices. I asked for Mysore Sandalwood, rose absolute, lavender, patchouli, petitgrain, lemon oil, lemongrass, clary sage and a few others.

Basically, I ordered some of the naturals for the Cologne du Maghreb (Maghreb= the area of Northwest of Africa, west of Egypt), the cologne that I made last year and gave it away in my blog and to friends and family and to clients ordering three scents at once as gift.

Anyhow, I decided to make a bit more of it for the upcoming X-mas season.

While hiking I was seriously thinking about it. About what to do next. The Cologne du Maghreb is an all natural and all botanical scent. It contains only essential oils, absolutes and resins. No isolated molecules of natural origin, thus it is a true botanical fragrance.  The same is true for a composition that I made a while ago, a construction between an eau frais and an eau de toilette, depending on your gusto. It is a rather masculine eau,with a distinct lavender-cologne opening,  featuring notes of marjoram, cinnamon leaves, a bit of a spicy rose, on a soft and gentle woody ambra background. Independent of how it smells: It is an all natural, all botanical scent and in order to answer the question  “WHY?”: Because the addition of synthetics here was not necessary.

I am thinking since months about what to do with them. I would love to present the colognes and the eaux fraîches , but I cannot in my pentagonal 50 ml flacon. The volume is too small and the flacon too expensive. To get another 100 ml pentagonal flacon is sort of super expensive. I am considering getting a standard 75- 100 ml flacon for these, branded by print but not by their form.  And putting these eau de colognes and eaux fraîches into a different line within tauerville. To make sure that they are special. Sort of.

Even after 9 hours hiking, I have still no solution yet. Time will tell, I guess. What would you do?

Anyhow: First things first: I will order some lemon oils etc. to make sure that I have my gifts for the advent season.

Enjoy your Sunday!