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PRURIENCE (GC, Ars Amatoria)
This scent smoulders with a lust that singes the edge of your nerves and leaves your soul chilled: red amber and scorched musk with voluptuous carnation, charred vetiver, sensuous tonka, and orris.
( Review. )
Verdict: Despite my intital swoon for the amber and tonka, Prurience isn't perfect. The carnation doesn't quite rise to meet the strength of the vetiver, and so the scent is a imbalanced towards dry smoke instead of universal heat and fire. That's too bad, because with more carnation this could be lovely. However, I like it enough to hold on to my imp—we'll see how much I wear it, and how it ages over time.
ETA: Five months after ordering it, and that bit of aging has already done wonders for this scent. The vetiver has calmed and tamed significantly, losing its harshness and becoming smoother smoke. There's still not a lot of spice, but a touch more overall warmth. The carnation isn't as overt as I prefer, but it's more distinct now that the vetiver has calmed. All over the scent is warmer, redder, less harsh. This has become much closer to what it's intended to be: warm, smoldering, but not yet scorched. And it is oh so beautiful. Aging can only improve this blend.
KHRYSEÊ (LE, Lupercalia 2009: Ode to Aphrodite)
Vanilla amber and orange blossom.
( Review. )
Verdict: I was expecting the orange blossom to be more distinct, and yet I completely adore Khryseê for everything that she is. If you like amber, you must try this—because amber is the heart and soul of this blend, and the other components provide nuance and warmth. The result is like sun-warmed skin, sensuous and glowing and smooth and simply so beautiful. I get none of the comparisons to Snake Oil; rather, this is like Jacob's Ladder with a soft citrus glow. I am glad to have a bottle, though it shall be interesting to see how this ages (since amber ages so well, but citrus often breaks down). All in all, thank goodness I bought this.
SNOW, GLASS, APPLES (LE)
In Neil's words, 'It smells like green apples and like sex and vampires, all at the same time. (Actually, it smells like sexy vampire apples.)'
( Review. )
Verdict: This is not at all what I was expecting (which was something more along the lines of a tart, crisp green apple), but it's a pleasant surprise. I have Verdandi for crisp green apple; Snow, Glass, Apples is a deeper, darker, almost threatening take on green apple, and I quite like it. I'm not sure how often I wear it, but I suppose I'll find out—I'm certainly keeping my decant.
ETA: Later on in wear time, the scent became heady, nearing cloying, and made me feel a bit nauseous. Perhaps the throw increased, or maybe the ozone/snow returned with a vengeance. I'll have to wear it more to see if it happens again, but the late cloying stage may make this unwearable.
GREED (GC, Sin & Salvation)
Base and earthy, yet glittering with golden notes: patchouli, heliotrope, copal and oakmoss.
( Review. )
Verdict: Resin and dirt are fine together, and may be lovely gilded as well, but Greed's off note, the heliotrope or whatever it is that reminds me of playdoh, isn't to my liking. While quite distinctive and not entirely unpleasant, this is just plain odd—and so, not something I want to wear or plan to keep.
VOYEURS AMONG THE CHERRY BLOSSOMS (LE, Lupercalia 2009: Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements II)
Soft moss, vanilla musk, and cherry blossom.
( Review. )
Verdict: As with many of the Lupercalia releases: I'm not quite sure what I think. It's more pleasant than I expected from the vial scent—the drydown does wonders for making it less department store and more, well, BPAL. The airy cherry blossom is lovely with the sweetness and slight body of the vanilla musk. Yet the scent doesn't capture me. Perhaps spring florals aren't to my taste, no matter how well done; perhaps the scent lacks a little character. In the end I have no strong opinions either way, and may trade away my decant just because I don't think I'll wear it much.
This scent smoulders with a lust that singes the edge of your nerves and leaves your soul chilled: red amber and scorched musk with voluptuous carnation, charred vetiver, sensuous tonka, and orris.
( Review. )
Verdict: Despite my intital swoon for the amber and tonka, Prurience isn't perfect. The carnation doesn't quite rise to meet the strength of the vetiver, and so the scent is a imbalanced towards dry smoke instead of universal heat and fire. That's too bad, because with more carnation this could be lovely. However, I like it enough to hold on to my imp—we'll see how much I wear it, and how it ages over time.
ETA: Five months after ordering it, and that bit of aging has already done wonders for this scent. The vetiver has calmed and tamed significantly, losing its harshness and becoming smoother smoke. There's still not a lot of spice, but a touch more overall warmth. The carnation isn't as overt as I prefer, but it's more distinct now that the vetiver has calmed. All over the scent is warmer, redder, less harsh. This has become much closer to what it's intended to be: warm, smoldering, but not yet scorched. And it is oh so beautiful. Aging can only improve this blend.
KHRYSEÊ (LE, Lupercalia 2009: Ode to Aphrodite)
Vanilla amber and orange blossom.
( Review. )
Verdict: I was expecting the orange blossom to be more distinct, and yet I completely adore Khryseê for everything that she is. If you like amber, you must try this—because amber is the heart and soul of this blend, and the other components provide nuance and warmth. The result is like sun-warmed skin, sensuous and glowing and smooth and simply so beautiful. I get none of the comparisons to Snake Oil; rather, this is like Jacob's Ladder with a soft citrus glow. I am glad to have a bottle, though it shall be interesting to see how this ages (since amber ages so well, but citrus often breaks down). All in all, thank goodness I bought this.
SNOW, GLASS, APPLES (LE)
In Neil's words, 'It smells like green apples and like sex and vampires, all at the same time. (Actually, it smells like sexy vampire apples.)'
( Review. )
Verdict: This is not at all what I was expecting (which was something more along the lines of a tart, crisp green apple), but it's a pleasant surprise. I have Verdandi for crisp green apple; Snow, Glass, Apples is a deeper, darker, almost threatening take on green apple, and I quite like it. I'm not sure how often I wear it, but I suppose I'll find out—I'm certainly keeping my decant.
ETA: Later on in wear time, the scent became heady, nearing cloying, and made me feel a bit nauseous. Perhaps the throw increased, or maybe the ozone/snow returned with a vengeance. I'll have to wear it more to see if it happens again, but the late cloying stage may make this unwearable.
GREED (GC, Sin & Salvation)
Base and earthy, yet glittering with golden notes: patchouli, heliotrope, copal and oakmoss.
( Review. )
Verdict: Resin and dirt are fine together, and may be lovely gilded as well, but Greed's off note, the heliotrope or whatever it is that reminds me of playdoh, isn't to my liking. While quite distinctive and not entirely unpleasant, this is just plain odd—and so, not something I want to wear or plan to keep.
VOYEURS AMONG THE CHERRY BLOSSOMS (LE, Lupercalia 2009: Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements II)
Soft moss, vanilla musk, and cherry blossom.
( Review. )
Verdict: As with many of the Lupercalia releases: I'm not quite sure what I think. It's more pleasant than I expected from the vial scent—the drydown does wonders for making it less department store and more, well, BPAL. The airy cherry blossom is lovely with the sweetness and slight body of the vanilla musk. Yet the scent doesn't capture me. Perhaps spring florals aren't to my taste, no matter how well done; perhaps the scent lacks a little character. In the end I have no strong opinions either way, and may trade away my decant just because I don't think I'll wear it much.
