Press

The excerpts below are from reviews of Sonoma Scent Studio, and the links lead to the full reviews:

Review of Vintage Rose on On The Scent 7/1/10.

"A glamorous, sexy, long-lasting rose."

Review of Champagne de Bois on Il Mondo de Odore 6/24/10.

"Wearing this, I find myself continually sniffing the spot I applied it. Even after the opening is long gone, I can still detect that fuzziness the aldehydes contributed and it's sitting atop the smooth, dense wood accord."

Review of Lieu de Reves on Notes From The Ledge blog 6/9/10.

"In fact, LHB has always been The One for calming at night. Lieu de Reves would work in that capacity not only because of the reminiscence to L'Heure Bleu, but because when it gets to the Bottom (as it were), I'm going to like it there. The drydown not only wouldn't disturb my sleep, it would support pleasant dreams. ."

Review of Tabac Aurea on Il Mondo di Odore blog 6/8/10.

"Tobacco fans should delight in this release. This is smooth, soothing and devoid of any scratchy or disconcerting notes. Yet another winner from Sonoma Scent Studio."

Review of Vintage Rose on Il Mondo di Odore blog 6/2/10.

"Vintage Rose is just that.....a husky rose dominant fragrance that manages to curtail that synthetic aura I find pandemic to these type of creations. Yet again, another release from this House that is bottle worthy and with a very acceptable price point. Kudos to SSS."

Review of Winter Woods on Il Mondo di Odore blog 5/31/10.

"Winter Woods is a very smooth rendition of wood with just the right amount of smoke to make this smell downright sexy. "

Review of Ambre Noir on Il Mondo di Odore blog 5/30/10.

"This is an amber with some very nice guests invited to the party. Not overtly heavy, nor too dark, Noir's rendition of amber would work on both genders and opens with an mildly herbaceous amber that also gives a nod to anamalics. The Olibanum and castoreum work very well astride the labdanum and the result is a thickened, golden amber that has enough balls to be macho, yet never goes testosterone on the wearer. This is a pretty good balance and I tip my hat to Laurie Erickson.

The listed rose, patchouli, vetiver, cedarwood and clove are extremely well proportioned and blended. They seem to add density to the overall composition more than anything else....and it works splendidly. "

Review of Tabac Aurea on the Top 10 List of Tobacco/Smoky Scents on Perfume da Rosa Negra blog 5/31/10.

"Laurie Erickson is one of my favorite artisan perfumers and, one more time, Sonoma Scent features a true seductive and oriental elixir...Absolutely a fragrant addiction!"

Review of Voile de Violette on Hortus Conclusus blog 5/14/10.

"This is a different kind of violet, more modern than old-fashioned and I love it. It is juicy and full, where many violets are consumptive and bone dry, reminding me of little candied dried violets, not something which drinks in the sun and has liquid running through its veins. This fragrance captures a living violet, rounding out the ever-so-delicate scent with something cherry blossom-like and something that smells a bit jammy—not in a potted fruit sort of a way, but more like a freshly made jam that seems more like the fruit than a preserve."

Review of Incense Pure on Katie Puckrik Smells 5/6/10.

"Back on the trail, IP’s dry-to-humid path perfectly complimented our ramblings through Vasquez Rocks: the aromatics of juniper and sage baking in the hot sun, the boulder puddles filled with tadpoles, the shaded canyons threaded with creeks. After passing the mountain lion test (Katie not eaten: check), I can now declare Incense Pure my new favorite incense -- Nature Enhancement Division. "

Review of five scents, including Winter Woods and Tabac Aurea by Elisa on On The Scent column 5/2/10.

On Winter Woods: "It may be the perfect winter fragrance, an incredibly warm-smelling scent that wafts off the skin to wrap you in a virtual blanket of comfort. The strong woody notes with a touch of smoke on a delicious base of amber and labdanum evoke the feeling of sipping whiskey by a crackling fire, wearing an old leather jacket that smells like your dad. A more grownup comfort scent than foody vanilla (as a friend’s mother used to say of booze, it’s “an adult taste”), the scent is slightly sweet and deeply cozy, ideal for cold weather and soothing a bad mood."

And on Tabac Aurea: "Who doesn’t like the smell of tobacco? Tabac Aurea smells, mercifully, not like cigarettes but like a tobacco shop, like pipe tobacco, with a hint of slightly smoky vanilla but no hint of the ashtray. It’s a smooth, grandfatherly smell that reminds me of Christmas and dens lined with leather-bound books. TA is reminiscent of a few scents in the Serge Lutens line (a semi-exclusive niche perfume house based in Paris), which caters to perfume snobs with their love of more “difficult” notes like leather, tobacco, and animalic musks—but in fact this is just as good and more affordable."

Review of Incense Pure by Robin on Now Smell This on 4/29/10.

"Incense Pure, despite being denser than either Incense Extrême or Ouarzazate, likewise smells like the outdoors, and in this case, a specific time and place: it reminds me of early fall in northern New Mexico, a particular smell of woodsmoke (although it is not a smoky fragrance) and piñon pine and sagebrush, although none of these things are in the notes. It is rich but crisp, and not at all too heavy for spring or early summer. There is just enough vanilla to keep it from being bone-dry."

Review of Incense Pure by Abigail on I Smell Therefore I Am on 4/26/10.

"Incense Pure is a clean, dry, refreshing, relaxing and natural world fragrance. It is all about incense yet it is not musty, smoky, dusty or dirty at all. Incense Pure (IP) makes me feel refreshed, as if I'm hiking in a nearby state park smelling fresh air, coniferous trees, bark, and the fresh smells of nature. Like I wrote about Wazamba, there is an inherently peaceful, meditative and self renewing feeling from smelling IP. While IP seems chock-full of dry, resinous incense and woods, I need to impress upon you how utterly airy and wearable it is."

Review of Incense Pure on Suzanne's Perfume Journal, Eiderdown Press, on 4/7/10.

"Incense Pure is not an arid, smoky incense – at least not to my nose. And neither is it the opposite: it doesn’t capture the cool, musty smell of incense spiraling against the stone walls of an ancient church. As such, when I wear Incense Pure, I don’t picture the desert of Arabia (breathtaking as that is) or the cathedrals of Europe (magnificent as they are, too) – but rather, what I stated above: the incense of a natural cathedral – a pristine forest that is sweeping enough to be majestic, and sheltering enough to be intimate. There is a fullness to Incense Pure that is difficult to put into words; it is in large part due to the unstinting amount of precious resins that perfumer Laurie Erickson has endowed this fragrance with, and yet if I told you the fragrance was dense with these resins, that would give the wrong impression too, for that word does not convey the sense of spaciousness that the scent encompasses."

Review of Incense Pure on Nathan Branch blog on 4/5/10.

"a sparse, dry desert of a scent that recalls smoke permeated Bedouin tents more than Catholic church rituals or New Age meditation centers"

Review of Incense Pure on Cafleurebon blog on 4/3/10.

"If you are a fan of incense this middle phase of development of Incense Pure is blissful. The lingering aspects of the frankincense from the top plus the smoky feel of the cistus, and the sweet myrrh is beautiful and especially long lasting on my skin."

Review of Sienna Musk and Vintage Rose on Il Mondo di Odore blog 3/22/10.

"Sienna Musk is one of the nicer musks I've come across lately. While I find a number of well-regarded musks to be too sweet ( Musc Ravaguer ), too powdery ( Muscs Koublai Khan ), or far too heavily animalic ( Ajmal's rather grotesque Musk Gazelle ), Sienna musk goes in a direction I haven't smelled before: dry, woody musk. Sienna Musk completely forgoes animal, powder, sugar, and soap, and instead surrounds a creamy musk note by a curious bone-dry dustiness that reminds me of the smell of a new terracotta pot on a warm day.

....If I may coin a new phrase, Sienna Musk is an earth-toned musk in my mind's eye ( and its name is very apt).

On Vintage Rose: "Here, the brightness of that note is contrasted with dark, rich notes of plum and cedar. In addition, cinnamon and clove to my nose playing in the background, as well as a husky, almost smoky quality, and a certain creaminess as well. It's a poem of soft tones with hard edges, skating the edge of being dissonant while remaining balanced. "

Review of Jour Ensoleille on EiderdownPress blog on 2/17/10.

"...by taking this personal route with her white-floral scent, she created what she calls “a gentle chypre” scent that is much like poetry: uniquely personal, yet with a beauty that makes it universally understood."
and
"While the herbaceous, woodsy base lends a contemplative air to the perfume and keeps the white florals from running riot in their usual erotically-charged way, this perfume is still every bit as sensual as it is thoughtful in spirit. Orange blossom and jasmine do indeed express their indolic nature within Jour Ensoleillé, adding to the lushness of the scent—completing it in a sense—and entreating the wearer to dream not only of afternoon sunlight, but also perhaps of “afternoon delight”: a romantic tryst leisurely taken or perhaps stolen, like kisses, from the golden middle part of the day."

Review of Femme Jolie and Opal on I Smell Therefore I Am blog on 11/13/09.

On Opal: "Wow. It *is* comforting, warm, safe and inoffensive but it's also downright cheerful, delicious and sexy. I find Opal powdery. But it's the sort of powdery quality I love, an illuminated from within sort of gorgeous powdery aspect. It's a vanilla-musk-sandalwood but the vanilla is that sort of fluffy powdery vanilla and not a foody one. "
and
On Femme Jolie: "Ok, seriously, if you love woods and spices you've got to get some Femme Jolie. This is Serge Lutens Bois et Fruits and Feminite de Bois but better. I've said this before and I know it's probably taboo but I find Sonoma Scent Studio's fragrances on par if not better than the big boys. Femme Jolie is an extravaganza of soft woods and zesty spices. I love the undercurrent of ginger, cinnamon and clove. It isn't heavy in the least and swirls about you in a light, yet potent fashion."

Mark's Review of Tabac Aurea on Fragrantica on 8/17/09.

"Tabac Aurea took me back to that drying barn with the poles of tied off bunches of tobacco leaves drying and the sun shining in around the wooden planks of the barn."
and
"The start of this is that sweet, leafy aroma of tobacco in all of its glory. This is followed by the clean woody lines of cedar which add a contrasting arid quality to the rich tobacco at the top. In previous tobacco scents the perfumer has seemed to either choose to amplify the woodiness or the sweetness inherent in tobacco. Ms. Erickson chooses a different path by employing an almost sun-kissed musk to carry her scent forward from the tobacco. I think it is this choice which makes Tabac Aurea my favorite tobacco scent."

Brian's Review of Tabac Aurea on I Smell Therefore I Am blog on 7/17/09.

"That isn't giving what I'd include in my list of the top ten masculines of the last decade much credit, now is it? And yes, Tabac is that good. It's certainly the best tobacco fragrance I've ever smelled, but it's more than that, possessing the kind of magic words fail. Looking at the facts alone--persistence, projection, quality of materials--it blows Sables off the table. Sables is gorgeous, if you have something on hand to apply thirty minutes later, to console you once it has vanished. Tabac Aurea lasts all day on my skin, has the kind of diffusion that makes my presence beg questions from those I come into contact with (what...is that? Are you...is that...cologne? Where did you get that? What is that called? Will you have sex with me? Would you mind doing it right here? Let's get married -- just for the next ten minutes? Actually, can I just have that smell, so we can have sex alone?) and it is abundantly clear, from the moment you first smell it, that Tabac's creator refined and refined again in her effort to achieve such a careful, unlikely balance. "

Voile de Violette makes best of Summer 2009 List on I Smell Therefore I Am blog on 7/16/09.

"Best outdoor party/picnic/BBQ: Sonoma Scent Studio Voile de Violette. Voile de Violette is a plummy, jammy, sweet violet scent. It’s delightfully fun and flirty and perfect for an outdoor soiree. "

Champagne de Bois makes the Top 10 Summer Perfumes list on Perfume Smellin' Things blog on 7/10/09.

"Linda: Champagne de Bois by Sonoma Scent Studio. I find its dry aldehydic sparkle both comforting and refreshing. To my nose, it perfectly represents the scent of orange peels, both green and dried, without a trace of the sweetness that would come from a twist of ripe orange. Supported by soft whispers of clove and sandalwood, and even softer hints of labdanum and vetiver, this works for me for every summertime activity: a sunrise walk on the beach, a hike in the hills, a late-evening dinner party, or a midnight movie. "

Interview about spring scents with Laurie and 4 other perfumers on the Fragantica blog on 6/1/09.

"I usually wear whatever scents I’m working on and don't get to choose scents by mood as often as I'd like, but when I do have a chance to wear spring scents from my wardrobe I enjoy La Chasse Aux Papillons, Creed Fleur de The Rose Bulgare, Patricia de Nicolai Temps d'Une Fete, Frederic Malle Carnal Flower, and my own Voile de Violette and Cameo."

Review of Voile de Violette on the I Smell Therefore I Am blog on 5/23/09.

"SSS Voile de Violette makes me swoon. This isn’t even my usual favorite kind of violet, it’s not dark or edgy but it’s so luscious, ripe and beautiful I can’t help myself. Voile de Violette is fruity, like plum jam blended with larger than life violets. Voile de Violette makes me feel simply joyous when I wear it. Voile de Violette has base notes of cedar, musk and vetiver which I’m guessing manage to perfectly anchor the fragrance and give it depth and interest. It’s sweet but just the right amount, not candy sweet and the longevity is excellent."

Review of Ambre Noir on the Perfume da Rosa Negra blog on 4/15/09 (scroll down for the English translation).

"The affair with Ambre Noir was love at first sniff, the scent fits to the skin as a comfortable coat produced with the softest wool, wearing me and warming me against cold days. A dense aroma but so close to the skin as it was the natural smell of my body in front of a fireplace in a cold and rainy winter evening, where I am reading an excellent book, drinking a tasty warmed cognac."

Review of Tabac Aurea on the Nathan Branch blog on 4/3/09.

"Listed fragrance notes are: cedar, sandalwood, tobacco, leather, vetiver, patchouli, clove, labdanum absolute, tonka bean, amber, vanilla and musk. The first two to three hours hover on the edge of too much leather for my nose (but if you'll see my reviews for Reve en Cuir and Cuir Mauresque, you'll notice that leather is a note my nose is very sensitive towards), but once the initial piss-and-vinegar calms itself down, Tabac Aurea blooms into a startlingly warm and complex interaction of wood, amber and musk notes, with a jammy berry that crops up in the homestretch."

Review of Tabac Aurea on the I Smell Therefore I Am blog on 4/2/09.

"Tabac Aurea is a drop dead gorgeous tobacco fragrance. I think I’m transported to a Bette Davis’ frame of mind because Tabac Aurea is so well done it feels as if it’s vintage, from a time and place when there weren’t unnecessary restrictions on perfume ingredients, when fragrances were created slowly with utmost attention to detail, each one a work of art, each one crafted as if to stand the test of time, each bottle a small luxury to be treasured on a woman’s dresser."

Interview with Laurie on the Fragrantica website on 3/2/09.

"Laurie Erickson’s Sonoma Scent Studio creates exciting blends of nature and science - truly original and yet ultimately familiar, these are perfumes that somehow transcend the barriers of “Classic” and “Modern” to become their own category."

Review of Lieu de Reves on the PerfumeShrine blog on 2/26/09.

"In Lieu de Rêves (Place of Dreams) by Sonoma Scent Studio the composition seems to kickstart such a daydreaming mood, blending the scents of violet petals and fallen leaves, alterating cool roots and warm tonalities, thus evoking a spring-like silvery olfactory veil raised -- the full spectrum of aroma derived from violet, rose and heliotrope, elegantly melding into the anticipation of warmer days of spring."

Five Fragrances for the Holidays on the blog I Smell Therefore I Am 12-6-08

"Sonoma Scent Studio Champagne de Bois is, as the name suggests, another sparkling and effervescent scent. Champagne de Bois is a gorgeous woods & spice scent that is relatively neutral (won’t bother others and easily worn around food) while still being a scent that will have your nose glued to your wrist."

Review of Wood Violet, Vintage Rose, Sienna Musk, and Champagne de Bois on the blog Nathan Branch 11-24-08

"My favorite of the four is probably SIENNA MUSK, but only because it does that spicy, woodsy trip across the musk-rope that I seem genetically predisposed to like. A surprisingly inventive balancing act that teeters on the edge of gourmand yet has the good sense to counterbalance its warm, orangey-sweet spices with a well-chosen combo of cypress and cedar woods. The drydown is a pleasantly sweetened amber-musk that refrains from overdoing it... in any direction."

Review of Fireside Intense and Ambre Noir on the blog Nathan Branch 10-28-08 (Winter Woods and Encens Tranquille are reviewed in the next day's post)

"Ambre Noir: It starts off a bit unimpressive, but after about twenty minutes, the whole thing perks right up and develops into a surprisingly attractive amber, smoke and oakmoss scent. I kept thinking that Ambre Noir is what Neil Morris' Burnt Amber tries to be, but fails. There's just the tiniest bit of rose woven into the incense and a smooth patchouli in the base that adds a hint of dust and dry earth, enhancing the musk and encouraging the warmer side of the oakmoss to reveal itself. There is, however, a powdery-sweet tilt at the drydown (goshdarnit!), but overall, the sugar, smoke and resins are nicely balanced and the fragrance avoids straying into syrupy-sticky territory. I would think this could be a fall/winter favorite for a good number of female incense/amber fans."

"Fireside Intense: this smells exactly like its title, a charred wood and warm smoke fragrance without a hint of flowers or sweetness. There's even a deeply salty quality at its heart -- kind of peaty, as if some of the logs tossed onto the fire were covered in peat moss. Absolutely linear in its composition -- it starts smoky, burnt and peaty and stays that way throughout its healthy lifespan. Could easily be worn on its own, but can also be used as a layering fragrance for when you want to dial down the pitch on something you presently own. Fireside Intense should give Christopher Brosius a run for his money. Apply with a light hand, however, as you could easily smoke out a room with one spritz too many."

Review of Sienna Musk on the blog Perfume Shrine 10-20-08

"The new Sienna Musk by Sonoma Scent Studio is warm and spicy like you're waking up in a retreat in the mountains on a glorious sunny yet pleasantly cool morning and dynamic as if the world seems full of possibilities: the dies is yet to carpe and the credula postero is extending to far beyond. Recalling the homonymous limonite clay used for producing oil paint pigments, Sienna Musk invites us into an impressionistic painting of luminous yellows and golden browns shot through with the fiery timbre of reddish hues."

"Built to be a warm scent that envelops you in the first crisp days of autumn but also well into winter, it recalls culinary spices in a wooden kitchen table ready for the picking and woods that look radiantly red under the rays of the afternoon sun and fill you with optimism and the indulgunt feeling of savouring every day to the maximum."

"The blending of the spice notes is wonderful in that they are clearly identifiable, yet they also fuse into each other, creating harmony. "

Review of Winter Woods on the blog I Smell Therefore I Am 10-12-08

"Laurie Erickson, the perfumer, has perfectly captured the ideal autumn afternoon. The day is sunny yet chilly so you’ve donned your favorite weekend sweater and jeans and taken the dogs for a hike. As you round the last curve of the path towards your house you take a long deep breath of the crystal clear air inhaling all the beautiful scents of autumn, the fallen leaves, woods, bark and chimney smoke in the distance. You see smoke rising up from the chimney and know that your husband has lit the fire. The dogs prance ahead and beat you to the back door because they can smell the aroma of dinner cooking in the oven.

Winter Woods is a gentle, cozy & reflective sort of aroma. It seems perfectly suited for reading while lounging in your favorite chair by the fireplace. Laurie Erickson must use extremely high quality ingredients because she presents you with the most perfect wood and amber notes."

Reviews of Fireside Intense and Ambre Noir on the blog I Smell Therefore I Am 10-2-08

"Every single fragrance I’ve tried from SSS is gorgeous. I’m not exaggerating. A few months ago I fell in love with Champagne de Bois and Wood Violet. This week I tried Fireside, Fireside Intense, Winter Wood and Ambre Noir. All four scents floored me.

Fireside Intense is a smoky woody leathery masterpiece. It is a realistic and linear fragrance. When I put Fireside Intense on my wrists I turn into a freakish huffer. It smells so good. On a chilly autumn or winter day it is the most refreshing, brisk, outdoorsy and natural aroma. The addition of smoke and leather make it nicely butch (or masculine) and dry. I feel like I’m sitting by a smoldering campfire – sifting through the charred wood logs with a stick. I tried both Fireside and Fireside Intense and the leather in Intense makes it kickin’. I love the smell of Fireside for myself but I imagine it would smell amaaaaazing on a guy.

Ambre Noir is a luxurious treat. It is smooth as buttah and the woodsy quality stands out nearly more than the amber itself. For anyone searching for a dry woody amber this is it. "

Review of Opal on The Fragrant Foodie 8-27-08

"One of my absolute favorite independent perfumers is Laurie at Sonoma Scent Studio. Her scents are original, thoughtful, beautiful, and marvelously affordable. One of my "holy grail" fragrances for work is her Opal. Opal is a deliciously light, powdery musk that is clean but interesting, with a slight tinge of sweetness."

Reviews of Vintage Rose and Champagne de Bois and Kathy Patterson's interview wth Laurie on Sniffapalooza Magazine 8-15-08 (scroll down)

"Champagne de Bois is an aldehydic delight, happily effervescent, yet grounded by spice and woods. Aldehydes + clove is really an astoundingly wonderful combination that turns a wintery, warmly spicy note into something less dark and more exhilarating. I feel happy wearing this scent, reveling in the juxtaposition of bright and dark and especially in the bold muskiness of it all.

Vintage Rose is like a glass of strong sweet wine flavored heavily with crushed rose petals. It’s not a powdery, or watery rose, but one that is rich and heady. The plum note not only gives the impression of wine, but also of a dark, unsweetened chocolate. It’s completely delicious and very nearly gourmand.

As the scent dries down, the amber and sandalwood come in to make the scent a little powdery, but no less rich. The scent also becomes quite musky, but only as an enhancement to the dusky rose/plum combo which does fade a bit as the basenotes make their way forward. Hours into the drydown, sandalwood predominates, creating a sexy woody rose aura. Gorgeous stuff.

Although the scent is called Vintage Rose, don’t let that scare you with olfactory visions of dusty, forgotten corsages or anything even remotely “old ladyfish.” Vintage Rose may reminisce a bit, but it is a gorgeous modern scent that is a must-try for rose aficionados."

Review of Wood Violet, Voile de Violette, Velvet Rose on Handmade Finds 8-15-08

"..in fact the notes make this perfume (Voile de Violette) exceptional to sniff, each inhale bringing out something new to enjoy. For those who would like an approachable but not sweet and syrupy violet scent, this would be worth a sample. It evolves gently on the skin, producing a warm halo of scent with a violet-rose aura. Wood Violet has a more traditional violet (like a pastille) note, unmistakable and without the rose note we smelled in Voile. This is a fascinating brew, again a mature (not granny) way to wear violet, without sugar or powder. The notes blend seamlessly –- it’s truly faultless. The violet lovers violet, with a yummy dry down. Praise, praise. Gets better every minute, like Voile. Velvet Rose is a magnificent soliflore , which smells like a real red rose. It’s insane. Not only that, it’s incredibly clean and fresh and the notes dry down into a cozy clean and pleasurable sniffing experience."

Review of Vintage Rose on Now Smell This 8-1-08

"The opening is woody-ambery and rich (notes: rose, plum, labdanum absolute, tonka, amber, cedar, and sandalwood), and think spiced plum wine instead of jam. The dry down is full-bodied but soft, and as much about the woods and amber as it is about rose. It has an appropriately "vintage" feel, but it isn't so skanky or heavy that it wouldn't appeal to modern wearers, in fact, it might be the perfect thing for a fan of Stella McCartney's Stella who was looking for a deeper, sexier alternative."

Review of Champagne de Bois on I Smell Therefore I Am 7-28-08

"My husband actually told me I smelled good today and this is big news! Champagne de Bois is so easy to wear, it has a very natural/organic aroma, and there’s nothing overtly synthetic or “perfumey” about it... I think Champagne de Bois is an absolute gem of a woodsy perfume. CdB is delightfully smoooooth, I could wear this very often."

Review of Opal on Perfume Shrine 7-24-08

"Like its gem-like name, it's silky soft, illuminated as if from within, caressing and smelling like the warm skin of a loved one. Upon testing it I received the most delicious compliments on how wonderful I smelled, not how nice my perfume was."

Review of Velvet Rose shea cream on Now Smell This 6-21-08

"Sonoma Scent Studio’s Velvet Rose Shea Body Cream delivers a rose soliflore in lotion form, with artful simplicity and high-quality ingredients. The Velvet Rose scent gives the impression of a bunch of newly picked pink and red roses, still slightly moist with dew or rain. A top-note of bergamot adds a passing glint of sunlight to the composition, but the other notes (including violet leaf, carnation, and musk) are blended almost imperceptibly into the central rose accord."

Review on PerfumeShrine 12-14-07

"Jour Ensoileillé (sunny day) is a floral jubilation, rich, warm and golden like a ray of sunshine on a lush countryside garden. Orange blossom, a little tuberose and jasmine marry their white synergy over a soft base of labdanum, sandalwood, ambergris, oakmoss and musk. The joy of the fragrance is contagious, as if a smile could be bottled and opened when the mood is grey and weary. The momento of summer into the heart of winter. A beautiful, feminine and exuberant fragrance with very good sillage and easily the prettiest of the bunch."

Ashne interviews Laurie on PerfumeCritic 10-09-07

"Ashne: In my opinion, your Fireside perfume is one of the best interpretations of wood smoke and a blazing fireplace I have ever smelled. It's an authentic, incredible smelling perfume that somehow smells more complete than other fragrances that try to capture wood smoke and fire, like Annick Goutal Eau de Fier and John Galliano's room spray. Sonoma Scent Studio Fireside is a beauty. [Note from Laurie for readers: Fireside Intense is a different formulation than the original Fireside Ashne discusses here.]
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Ashne: Whom would you consider the greatest master perfumer, and what is your Holy Grail fragrance? (You can only choose one!)
Laurie: I can't pick just one "master perfumer," but I can say the two who have made the largest numbers of scents I love are Christopher Sheldrake and Jean Claude Ellena. You know it's impossible for me to pick just one perfume! I think Chanel No. 22 suits my personality very well, so I'll go with it, but a top 10 list would be easier!"

Review of Opal on Noteworthy Fragrances 7-18-07

"Opal has become one of my new favorite fragrances with notes of a delicate musk, vanilla, ambrette, bergamot and sandalwood. This perfume has an excellent sillage and is remarkably long lasting. I normally shy away from many scents with bergamot as this note is not as complementary to my personal chemistry as I wish it were. The vanilla makes for a warm and snugly scent that radiates desire."

Review of Sonoma Scent Studio and Review of Bois Epices and Bois Epices Legere and Review of Opal and Femme Jolie on Savvy Thinker 7-01-07, 7-02-07, and 7-05-07

"Bois Epices and Bois Epices Legere are two of my favorites. The over all feeling to me of Bois Epices is warmth. This is a walk in the woods, sunlight filtering through the changing leaves, while wearing spices. Bois Epices Legere is equally strong (I mean this in a good way — why wear a fragrance if you can’t smell it?) but it is less warm. The mandarin comes through brighter. I couldn’t tell you which one I like better. I like them both."

Review of Champagne de Bois on C'est Chic 6-03-07

"Laurie at Sonoma Scent Studio will soon introduce one of the most wonderful fragrances I've smelled in a while. And I've smelled a lot of fragrance. It's called Champagne de Bois, a sparkily aldehydic bouquet of sandal, cedar, labdanum absolute, jasmine, carnation, frankincense, ambergris, musk. I LOVE IT."

Review of Bois Epices on NowSmellThis 4-18-07

"I can't really define exactly what makes a comfort scent, but I know one when I see one, and Sonoma Scent Studio's Bois Épicés is most surely a comfort scent despite the lack of comfort-food notes. It is, as advertised, mostly woods and musk, and the spices, again as advertised, are subtle. It is lightly sweet, and has a mild creaminess that renders it almost edible (a milky wood pudding?) and the cedar adds a light whiff of pencil shavings in the dry down. The coffee adds a nice warmth to the finish without calling attention to itself. Bois Épicés is undemanding, as any good comfort scent ought to be, and also entirely unisex."

"Indie of the Week" feature review on WickedlyChic 8-8-06

It is my understanding that Cameo is a special edition and I hope this one becomes a permanent scent because it is absolutely beautiful. You can’t go wrong with Sonoma Scent Studio. Reasonable prices, delightful owner, superb fragrances, excellent quality and great customer service will keep you ordering and ordering."