Saturday, May 09, 2009

perfume review: indalo

indalo - the scent of africa

a couple of years ago on my first trip to cape town, i grabbed this cologne called indalo in the airport on my way out. it used to have a really neat little beady thing around the lid, but sabin appropriated it long ago for some doll or other. it's actually a men's cologne, but i loved the deep, naturey, woodsiness of it and it has a spicy, nearly cinnamony warm undertone. although i ostensibly bought it for husband, i keep it on my shelf so he forgets about it, because i love it.

i save it for occasions when i have a meeting or other occasion for which i want to feel strong, capable, invincible and perhaps just a tad masculine. so i've been wearing it all week to psyche up for that interview at my old workplace (i'm interviewing someone, i'm not trying to go back there, let's be clear on that!). i've also been known to wear it to occasions where husband's ex-wife will be present, because i always feel i need a little extra strength on those occasions.

i don't think it smells masculine on me at all, it's warm and spicy and doesn't at all give one visions of cleft chins and strong male jawlines that classic men's colognes tend to do. i think that psychologically, knowing it's a man's cologne is what does it for me. if i didn't know that, i would probably think it was just fine for women, tho' it's not a girly perfume in the least.

it's actually exactly the right balance as a unisex perfume--not at all flowery or powdery, more to the spicy side, not too heavy-handed with the musk and definitely not bright. it lingers well and mellows in a good way as you wear it throughout the day. by evening, just the warmest woody cinnamon lingers on your skin, reminding you of the strength it gave you when you needed it.

they say that the name, indalo, is a xhosa word meaning "natural" or "of the earth." and i learned as well that there is a symbol of a man holding a rainbow from a petroglyph (we know i love those) in a cave in spain that's called the indalo man as well. that indalo is a good luck charm and i guess that's a bit how i look upon this cologne--using it to give me strength and luck on occasions when i feel i need a bit of extra, but i love the notion that it's natural and of the earth as well.

i don't know if it's available outside of africa, but if you're passing through the duty free in capetown, i do recommend picking up a bottle. you can pretend it's for the man in your life like i did, but you can wear it with confidence yourself. i find it goes very well with my hugo boss suit.

15 comments:

will said...

I'm impressed that you can go into such detail about a perfume.

I'm one of those totally indifferent to perfume and the thought using it on myself is laughable.

None the less, I have bought many bottles of the stuff for my wife - and I found a comprehensive website store that sells it at discount.

http://www.fragrancenet.com/

Mliqi said...

I do not know much about the perfume but the word "Indalo" means "nature" in a few Nguni (Zulu, Xhosa, Venda, etc) in South Africa! So it should be a South African company that produces that perfume!

Nice Blog by the way! Oh I am a South African!

Pattern and Perspective said...

Sounds like a great perfume.

Kind of weird you have to interview someone at a place you don't even work anymore, isn't it?

Innerspace Yoga said...

have you ever seen the petroglyphs in new mexico?

Laura Doyle said...

Sounds perfect...I started leaning more heavily on essential oils and less on perfumes because they've just become so obnoxious lately! Like ten thousand flowers that have been soaked in rubbing alcohol right in your face. I've probably just been smelling the cheap perfume on people that pass me by.

I like a mellow, natural smell that softly lingers...not one that forces its way into my nostrils. : D

Optimistic Pessimist said...

sigh...I just hope to one day make it to Africa, perfume or no perfume!

Anonymous said...

sounds great! now i only have to go to africa to get it :)

Unknown said...

I kinda wish you had scratch and sniff on your web site. You describe it beautifully.

Extranjera said...

Damn.
Just passed through two different African airports yesterday and all I got for the hubby were Haribo candy and some after eights (very unselfish of me I though. Surprising.)
Will give it a smell on my way back though!

SH -ic said...

i love your kind of blogging as we are ..thanks
its strange for people who dont be in this atmosphere... but as a friend wrote blogging opens one heart and shows us we are all unit with some differences .. have a good weekend ..love andrea

Seaside Girl said...

Could use some today I think...

Liz Fulcher, The Fragrant Muse said...

Scents have complex, etheral qualities making them difficult to describe, but you've done an ace job of depicting the masculine characteristics of Indalo. I'd love to know what's in it! There is a subtle energetic element to aromatics that many people don't pick up, but you have really tuned into it with this cologne. I googled Indalo but found nada. Who makes it?

Bee said...

I'm interested in the way that this scent provides you with psychological armour. My husband is a cologne junkie . . . I might just try some of his one day when I need a bit of extra courage.

p.s. would, voyeuristically I realize, like to know more about the ex-wife and her role in your life/psyche

also: do all family members know about your blog?

Memories Of Mine said...

I too like the smell of men’s cologne so I don't think you are strange.

Although I have never bought it for myself in fear of getting high on it.

Hit 40 said...

I also put on a little perfume to smell something nice all day :-)

I am surprised your little one has not used it all !!