Virtue & Valor

I can't remember how I stumbled upon this particular scent - probably on one of the message boards I frequent - but I was intrigued by the company's Web site and their mission statement.

Established in 2003, we at Virtue & Valor inc. are dedicated to bringing you unique and inspired fine fragrance products.

We are motivated by the virtuous women of the Bible and want the women of today to see themselves in them as they triumphantly faced their fears, endured their hardships with valor, walked in the strength of God, and embodied virtue. "Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a women who fears the Lord, she shall be praised" (Proverbs 31:30).

We want to counter the mainstream cosmetic products promoting immodesty, rebellion, selfishness, materialism, and so on. Granted, there are some beautiful perfumes on the market today, but many of the names make one blush. With our products, you can be proud to tell people who you are wearing.

Our exclusive Virtuessence® line is designed to put you in the mind and place of those whose physical beauty we have never seen, but whose actions and heart created a legacy - each in their own way.

We capture the mood and essence of each woman we feature. Our flagship product, Virtuessence of Esther®, takes in the scene of Ancient Persia with the flower gardens, sweet incense, and rich oils. Walk with Esther as she bravely strides the halls of the palace to approach the King in order to save her people.

Virtuessence of Esther
Notes: lily, orange, ylang ylang, cinnamon, ginger, jasmine, clove, vanilla, amber, musk, patchouli, frankincense, sandalwood

It's refreshing to find a perfume that contains such powerful floral notes as lily, ylang, and jasmine, yet doesn't smother you with any of them. The orange note is there, but is equally subtle and blends beautifully with the lily and ylang. The spices too, are present but not overpowering. I can detect the cinnamon and ginger right away, but not the clove. Yet, the spices with the orange give the impression of a pomander, but one sitting in a bowl of white flowers.  And all so light and subtle as to be almost ethereal, yet not wimpy or weak in the least.

The musk note comes out earlier than the drydown, almost at the beginning of the composition, and I think it's part of what keeps the floral notes in check. The frankincense is the most prominent of the rest of the basenotes, and I can also detect the vanilla and a tiny bit of patchouli. There's still a bit of tangyness around too, and cinnamon.

Esther is a gorgeous scent with nice staying power. I'm not usually a fan of oil-based scents, partly because of the, well, oiliness of them. But the oil base used by Virtue & Valor is a dry oil - it sank into my skin immediately and did not leave a slick on the surface.

As far as I can tell, Virtuessence of Esther is only available from Virtue & Valor online, at the price of $70 for 12ml. Samples are free, for $2.50 postage.  And isn't the bottle gorgeous?