A few weeks ago I had Shawn, the delightful founder of Chatillon Lux in the studio for a headshot session. When I get to know my clients prior to a session I like to ask about what they do, and how the images we shoot will be used. Shawn explained that his company creates luxury fragrance and personal care items, all inspired by people and events in St. Louis history. As something of a scent junkie and someone who loves all things hyper-local, I was immediately enchanted with the entire concept. What a fun and romantic thing—learning and knowing more about the city and having a fragrance that purposefully evokes scenes from St. Louis’s past? Yes. I am into it.
I asked if Shawn could bring me some samples to sniff, and he surprised me by bringing me a huge box with many of Chatillon Lux’s signature scents. I was overwhelmed in the nicest of ways! So much so that I am going to be holding a giveaway, so you will have a chance to try some of these scents for yourself! Giveaway will take place over on my Instagram, keep reading for how to enter.
The Chatillon Lux Concept
Chatillon Lux is named after Henri Chatillon, a resident of St. Louis in the mid to late 1800s, who built the first of the structure that would later become our beloved Chatillon-DeMenil Mansion. He led a long and storied life in and around the area, first marrying Sioux woman Bear Robe and, after her death, marrying wealthy widow Odile Delor Lux (I see what you did there) who was also his cousin. Keeping it in the family! Chatillon was described as a tall and honorable man, who possessed a “natural refinement and delicacy of mind.” and was much sought after as a hunter and guide in the St. Louis area.
While Chatillon seems to be the primary catalyst for the line, Shawn also draws from many other St. Louis historical figures, places and events to inspire his products. References include the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair, Taum Sauk Mountain, Ulysses S Grant, lavender growing on St. Louis prairies, Henry Shaw, and Clement Delor de Treget—founder of South St. Louis.
I took a few weeks to really live with these scents – each is layered and complex, revealing notes you don’t expect, with most preserving a soft, constant scent throughout the day. I would say that each of these could be considered a unisex fragrance, but most contain some heavier notes that are more closely associated with men’s scents, traditionally. It really depends on what your jam is when it comes to personal scent – I like a musky, deep and layered scent, I frequently buy and wear “men’s” fragrances, and I do not usually care for a pretty floral, so if you’re the opposite this may not be the line for you.
All of these scents are available through the company’s website, which sells parfum, eau de toilette, aftershave and other personal care/home scent items. Unfortunately there is no local store St. Louis that carries the fragrances, so you can’t give them an in-person sniff, but the company will send out samples for those who are interested. (Anyone have a recommendation for the perfect shop to carry these items? Hit me up if you’re interested in carrying this line, because it’s a shame people can’t easily smell these in person.)
Reviews
Unconditional Surrender
This fragrance—with scent notes of amber, tonka bean, amyris, cedarwood, agarwood, vetiver, cigar tobacco, black tea, jasmine and geranium—was inspired by Ulysses S. Grant.
This is my personal favorite of all the Chatillon Lux scents I tried. It has a gorgeous, warm feel and it evokes for me the book-lined shelves of a fabulous home library, with the windows open to let in the last of the late summer breeze. It’s somehow both warm and fresh at the same time, and I love the way it wears on my skin.
Lavande Poivre
I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this scent on me, I am typical not a lady who is into lavender as a personal scent. To me lavender is at its best as a home fragrance. But, as with many of these scents, this one really surprised me. While the lavender is quite evident, it’s also warmed up considerably by the pepper and patchouli in the mix, and it makes me feel as if I had gotten into my charming old grandfather’s shaving soap. (If I had a charming old straight-razor shaving grandpa, which I decidedly did not. If my grandpa wielded a straight razor at any time it was probably against one of the patrons in his taverns, TBH.)
From the website:
Scent notes: lavender, ylang ylang, eucalyptus, rose, bergamot, rosemary, black pepper, cumin, musk and patchouli
Omnostre
Ugh, I just love the STORY behind this one. I am a big old Meet Me in St. Louis/World’s Fair junkie. My mom and I saw the delightful Muny performance of MMiSL this summer and it was spectacular. I would so dearly have loved to have seen St. Louis at that time, or just any kind of decent video of what that was really like to attend the fair. So I was prepared to love this scent no matter what. This eau de toilette captures the myriad scents that would have been brought to our city for the first time. From the website:
This scent is so delicious. I love a certain mustiness in my scents. (One of my favorite scents of the moment I describe as smelling like a really fashionable witch who stores all her clothes in a dank basement. So.) I have a weakness for scents that bring to mind attics full of antiques, old books, and happy memories. This scent does that for me. When I was young, growing up in Florissant, there was a yearly book sale held at an historic one-room schoolhouse, and there’s a note of that book sale in this fragrance. A better description I can’t provide, only say that there’s an air of mystery and a whiff of the exotic, mixed with the comforting and familiar.
Eau de Treget
OK, so here’s a story (and person) I had never heard of before (isn’t this FUN?) apparently French native Clement Delor de Treget was the founder of what is now known as South St. Louis (which is the part of STL that I live in.) I knew we had a street named “Delor” but I had no idea why. What we now know as Carondolet was originally known as “Delor’s Village” based on his settling and building a stone house there. The community later became known as or Vide Poche or “Empty Pockets” which may have referred to the poverty of its residents or their tendency to fleece visitors with games of chance.
Scent notes: Fresh citrus (orange, peach, grapefruit), clean florals (lily of the valley, rose, lavender), rustic woods (cedarwood and vetiver), and deep undertones (labdanum and vetiver)
This one feels warm and light and comforting to me, like a big bear hug from someone who you feel safe with. It has a delightful lightness to it, with a really rich and masculine undertone. Big love for this one. Read about the making of Eau de Treget here
Parfums are a new venture for the brand. From Shawn:
Lamplight Penance
Scent notes include berries, peaches, daffodils, orange blossoms, lamp oil, burning wick, bourbon, red cedar, mahogany, brown liquor and musk
This scent has a very strong and earthy top note, with a fruity sweetness buried underneath. After wearing and warming to the body, the more woodsy notes begin to emerge. If you love a multi-layered scent with many new things to discover as it wears, this is the scent for you!
Santal Auster
Notes: sustainably harvested mysore sandalwood, oud, opoponax, styrax, dark-aged patchouli and castoreum.
Giveaway Time!
So, here are the terms of the giveaway. The first and most important is that this particular giveaway is open to residents of the continental US only (it’s difficult to ship fragrance internationally.)
The giveaway will run for a week on my Instagram account. (from Friday 12/14/18 to Friday 12/21/18)
I am giving away four fragrances, so you have four chances to win! One 30 ml Santal Auster Parfum, one 30 ml Lamplight Penance Parfum, one 2 oz bottle of Rose Santal Eau de Toilette, and one 2 oz bottle of Yuzu/Rose/Patchouli Eau de Toilette (click through to the Chatillon Lux site to read more about these last two.) I will have a photo of each product on my Instagram account. You need to:
- Follow me on Instagram
- Like and comment on the photo of the scent you’d like to win. The comment should be what place/historical figure you think would be a good inspiration for Shawn’s next scent. (Feel free to like/comment on all if you’re interested in them!)
That’s it. Next Friday at noon Central Time I will use software to randomly choose a winner for each bottle from those who follow me on Instagram AND who have liked/commented on the post for the scent they want to win. I will then be in touch via PM on Instagram to arrange delivery.
Let me know if you have any questions, and good luck!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BrXw9FRjhoS/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet
https://www.instagram.com/p/BrXxMTCjMhQ/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet
https://www.instagram.com/p/BrXxVTfDF2U/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet
https://www.instagram.com/p/BrXxeU6Dbrc/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet
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