The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Death of Winter Into Spring arrived in 2019 as a limited release, which means it vanished before most people could find it. That scarcity is not accidental. Sharra Lamoureaux designed this one for a specific moment, not a permanent shelf. The name says it all: not winter, not spring, but the tense breath between them. This scent pulls in a different direction, botanical, restrained, more earth than air. It asks what happens when a perfumer turns attention to moss, powder, and the quiet warmth of beeswax. The composition unfolds in layers, beginning with cool herbal notes that gradually give way to a warm, waxy heart. There is a powdery softness in the drydown, a hint of violet from the iris, balanced against green oakmoss and the resinous depth of labdanum. That is the story here.
The heart of this composition is beeswax, a warm and animalic material that carries the composition in a way it rarely does elsewhere. Paired with orris root, iris's dusty, violet-tinged cousin, the beeswax does not smell sweet so much as warm in the way real wax does, with a honeyed richness that feels almost edible at times. Oakmoss and labdanum anchor the whole thing in cool, green earth, providing a mossy foundation that keeps the composition grounded rather than floating into the air. The tarragon and winterberry add a slight herbal bitterness that keeps the warmth from becoming cozy.
The evolution
The opening hits cold. Flint and citrus arrive together, mineral, sharp, slightly astringent, like biting into a piece of citrus peel outdoors in February. That cool edge doesn't linger long. Within twenty minutes, the beeswax begins to bloom, sweet and waxy, pushing the citrus toward the background. The herbal heart follows: tarragon's green bite, winterberry's dark fruit, oakmoss damp and alive. The orris rises last, slow and powdery, filling the spaces the citrus left behind. By hour two, the drydown is all benzoin and amber, warm and slightly resinous with clove's quiet spice underneath. The oakmoss never fully disappears, it stays close to skin for the remaining hours, a cool echo beneath the warmth. On fabric, the beeswax lingers into the next day.
Cultural impact
As a 2019 limited release, Death of Winter Into Spring occupies a specific niche: the fragrance for someone who already owns more dramatic work from this house and wants something quieter. The people who found it tend to talk about it with a particular kind of insistence, the kind reserved for scents that feel like they were made for a specific person, and somehow happened to be made for them.
The House
Alkemia PerfumesAlkemia Perfumes is an indie fragrance house that emerged in 2009 with a focus on vegan, cruelty‑free creations. The brand blends essential oils, absolutes, CO₂ extracts and carrier oils to craft scents that avoid common irritants such as parabens, phthalates and DPGs. Its catalogue leans toward amber, incense and aromatic profiles, offering options that feel both natural and distinctive while staying affordable for niche‑fragrance enthusiasts.
The Creator
Sharra LamoureauxLamoureaux favors a methodical build‑up, starting with a clear base and adding heart and top layers in measured increments. She leans on woody anchors such as sandalwood and cedar, then introduces spice—cardamom or pink pepper—to add depth.
