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Showing results for tags 'Lupercalia 2015'.
Found 76 results
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A tribute to the opium den cum bawdyhouses of Shanghai in the 1930's. Golden amber, blonde tobacco, Sudanese black coconut, rich caramel, black currant, white opium and delphinium laced with a sensual blend of Asian spice. I'm reviewing VERY early, just so people can have a chance to make a decision on this while it's still possible to do something about it. In the bottle: sweet ”” the caramel is a much stronger primary note than I would have expected. There is also a faint hint of what I would think was a sweet orange blossom. On skin, wet: Oh goodness. Yeah, this IS the stuff. The sweetness dies off almost immediately, leaving a haze of amber layered over spice and a gentle tobacco (which to my nose ends up smelling like really good incense rather than tobacco.) There's something slightly astringent, but it's not unpleasant. Red Lantern is passing the first test, which is that I have my wrist glued to my nose while I inhale deeply (let me tell you, that makes it hard to type.) This is a hard scent to review honestly. It's difficult to verbalize why I love it so much, except to say, you know "it's pretty." What the hell: it's pretty! Update: 4 hours later, this has turned into a slightly sweet and very exotic incense. Gorgeous.
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VENUS VERTICORDIA Venus the Changer of Hearts Fickle dandelion florets dancing through honey-drenched wildflowers. I love the Lab's Wild Dandelion single note like whoa. It's one of my 'happy' scents. I associate the scent with hope and innocent days gone by. I also adore sugary floral scents. Needless to say, I was really looking forward to this one. It did not disappoint. In the bottle: It smells exactly like the description. The green dandelion note is the strongest, followed by the honeyed wildflowers. Wet: On my skin, the honey note is stronger than it was in the bottle, but the florals still reign (with the dandelion note being the most prominent). I can't identify which flowers comprise the wildflower note, but I will say that this really does make me think of being in a meadow in the spring, and smelling it brought tears to my eyes. Dry: Sweet dandelions and wildflowers. Verdict: I am so happy that I have a bottle of this. I will need a second bottle of this one before it goes away.
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VENUS CLOACINA Venus the Purifier A magnificent white gardenia in full bloom, gilded by frankincense, sheer musk, and vanilla orchid. The throw on this oil is phenomenal! When first applied, this was a musky gardenia with a strong, woody, resiny frankincense. At this point, it smelled how I imagine Billie Holiday would smell- feminine and powerful (and too powerful to suit me, alas), with a gardenia tucked behind her ear. Eventually the frankincense backed off and now I'm getting a lush and juicy gardenia-- as if I'd rubbed fresh blossoms all over my wrists. The scent is wafting all around me and is absolutely divine. I love gardenia, and this scent is gardenia perfection.
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VENUS MURCIA Venus of the Myrtle Crushed grass, honey myrtle, and dew-touched green musk. I love, love, LOVE this. To me, it is a combination of The Laughter of Loki and Pale Without Name or Number. The green musk takes the lead in this one, for sure. There is a grassy, herbal quality which adds a complexity that goes above and beyond the listed notes.
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Choice soul, in whom, as in a glass, we see, Mirrored in thy pure form and delicate, What beauties heaven and nature can create, The paragon of all their works to be! Fair soul, in whom love, pity, piety, Have found a home, as from thy outward state We clearly read, and are so rare and great That they adorn none other like to thee! Love takes me captive; beauty binds my soul; Pity and mercy with their gentle eyes Wake in my heart a hope that cannot cheat. What law, what destiny, what fell control, What cruelty, or late or soon, denies That death should spare perfection so complete? - Michelangelo Buonarroti An opulent, bittersweet Renaissance-inspired fragrance: Hungary water, parma violets, and roseated oil. Totally not what I was expecting! The overall effect is a very herbal, slightly floral (but mostly green, herby herbs) aroma. The violet is not strong at all, but does lend a subtle powderiness to the overall blend. Goes on sharp, with a strong almost oregano-like note, with lavender, reminds me of... herbes de Provence? Drydown is again herbal, without much in terms of flowers or petals. From wikipedia: "The oldest surviving recipes call for distilling fresh rosemary (and possibly thyme) with strong brandy, while later formulations contain lavender, mint, sage, marjoram, costus, orange blossom and lemon." Oh, no wonder! Tons of rosemary here. This reminds me of the now discontinued LUSH 13 Soap: Unlucky for Dirt.
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JOYFUL ROMP Plum blossoms and white sandalwood with indigo, tuberose, plum musk, and a drop of vetiver. I have been looking forward to testing this and it arrived today! Disclaimer: i don't like vetiver. I *almost* didn't get a decant because of it but i love plum so very much that i crossed my fingers that it would behave. If there's a way that vetiver could improve a blend, i would say it does here. I can smell it, but the way it supports the plum is exquisite...just lends a smooth bitter/reedy quality to the blend. It smells like the plum musk is infused with vetiver, if that makes sense. After 10 minutes, the tuberose comes through and the vetiver remains and the plum takes a backseat to the tuberose. Dry? Well, to be honest, i am still sniffing my hand in disbelief that i love it so much and it has vetiver and i can smell it and it isn't killing the blend! This is stunning, almost breathtaking but comfortable...and i need a bottle. The drydown of this reminds me so much of the Evening on the Veranda atmo spray...they don't really smell that similar, but the vibe is the same to me...i love this!!!
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COMPARISON OF CELEBRATED BEAUTIES Vanilla cream, mimosa, and almond blossom. In The Bottle: Mostly almond. A tiny, tiny hint of cream. Tiny. Wet On Skin: More almond, a bit more cream. Almost as an afterthought, the mimosa. but it's literally as I move my hand away from my nose that I get a small whiff. Noting more. Dry Down: Oh THERE you are, mimosa! Wow, that certainly morphed. The mimosa has gone quite powdery on me, a thing that's happened between me and this note before. It *is* held in check by the appearance of the vanilla cream, giving it some density and toning down the floral so it's not quite so baby powder-y. At this point, the almond has disappeared from my skin entirely. In All: Low to medium throw- go easy, I could see this becoming too much if you slather. A sweet, soft springtime scent. I'm personally on the fence about how much I'll wear it, but the vanilla cream is really making me consider. I will wait to see how I feel once it's warmed up outside- this might be the perfect thing for an evening spring stroll.
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What a great freakin' word. BPAL LOVES TEH SMUT! Three swarthy, smutty musks sweetened with sugar and woozy with dark booze notes. BPAL loves teh smut! I know Beth warned us about this one, that it'd smell a bit aggressive in the bottle but is positively wonderful once on. I haven't smelt Sed Non Satiata yet, which is the scent Beth said this is a lot like, so I have no basis for comparison there. Sorry, guys? In the bottle, yes, it's definitely aggressive. It almost smells like Robitussin cough syrup - that same boozy, quasi-fruity medicinal quality. It has the potential to be sexy, though, I can definitely see/smell that. Smut immediately sweetens when it hits my skin. It's pretty much musky sugar sweetness after a few drinks, precisely what the description says. There's no more medicinal smell to be had, but it's definitely warmer - do I smell vanilla? Very sophisticated and womanly, almost reminiscent of Jean-Paul Gaultier, only without the headache J-P gives me. A seductive, sophisticated, heady, little-black-dress-and-stilettos, 'take me now' scent. I love teh smut. If you haven't already, GET SOME. 9/10. P.S. Throw is amazingly good.
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VENUS CAELESTIS Celestial Venus Blue lotus absolute, grey amber, white myrrh, frankincense, and sugared lemon peel. Venus Caelestis is skillfully blended. I can pick out each note but the overall effect as a whole is so well balanced. Very very lovely scent that evokes a feminine softness, a silvery blue color and a coolness coupled with a tinge of warmth. This does not morph from the bottle to my skin, the throw is fairly light on me, but I didn't slather. The first thing I notice is the blue lotus absolute. I love lotus notes and this one has a cool sophisticated aura to it, it's not overly sweet or bubble gummy to my nose. The amber and myrrh intertwine to give this blend its warm softness without going powdery which plays nicely off of the cool lotus. This is so pretty! The frankincense lends a subtle sweetness that pairs with the sugared lemon peel. The sugared lemon peel is the only note that I have to search out, but it is there - shining in the background. Overall, this is beautiful and womanly. I imagine I will want to wear this a lot in the spring and summer because it's more cool than warm. It's got a cool aquatic vibe from the blue lotus but the resins keep it grounded and rich. It's unlike anything else in my collection, I'm not sure how I would classify it - a resiny aquatic floral with a touch of sugared fruitiness? Maybe I'll just stick to simple and classify it under GORGEOUS.
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Creeper Dragon Musk: daemonorops, green leather, and red musk with dribbles of honey and white cream. I love dragon's blood and red musk so I figured I would be happy with this. It is indeed mostly those two notes. If I really inhale I think I get a little leather, but it's barely there. Honey and cream (is there another sort of cream that isn't white, I wonder?) are barely there as well. It may age into something more complex but even if it doesn't I'll wear it, along with Blood Amber & Blood Kiss. It's definitely got the same vibe. Lovely incensy dragon's blood and red musk.
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VENUS ERYCINA Venus of the Prostitutes Honeysuckle absolute with white gardenia, red patchouli, red amber, and crushed diamond accord. The Lab's honeysuckle note smells just like the real thing to me. It's really pretty, but it's a sweet flower and I have to be in the right mood for it. This morning I was! Wet, Venus Erycina is primarily honeysuckle on me with gardenia making it even richer and sweeter. I can smell the red patchouli and red amber bringing the florals a bit to heel, and there's something slightly sparkly or effervescent that I imagine to be the crushed diamond accord. Dry, this remains a heady, broadcasting floral with a 'red bottom' and a diamond crown. I can see myself wearing this in the summer, and it pairs beautifully with Chorion hair gloss.
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VENUS LIBITINA Venus of the Undertakers Rose water, black cherry, cream accord, bourbon, and orris root. In The Bottle: Light but strong rosewater (definitely not rose- this is the water for sure) with cream and a little black cherry giving it some bite. Wet On Skin: The black cherry has faded. At this stage, it's reminding me quite a bit of Victorian Rose Milk- which is a GOOD thing, because that scent is really beautiful. Dry Down: Yes, this is straight up rosewater and cream on my skin. Orris tends to go a bit powdery on me and I detect none of that. I'm a bit sad to not get any of the bourbon, but the combination od those two main notes is really really lovely. In All: Medium throw. If you loved Victorian Rose Milk- or were sorry you missed out on it- get this while you can. It does not disappoint <3
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STARTLED TOAD Golden amber and coconut with frankincense, frothy vanilla, carnation, sweet aged patchouli, and lemongrass. I looooooooove this. Startled Toad is like a who's who of notes I adore: coconut, lemongrass, amber, patchouli...I get all of those (and they blend together beautifully), along with just a touch of frankincense's bite and maybe a hint of vanilla. The carnation is just adding some spicy sweetness. This is really lovely, not too sweet, and smells like classic Shunga to me. I am so glad I bought a bottle.
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A COMMENTARY Ripe apricots and neroli-tinged red musk with bergamot, bitter clove, and vetiver. This is really delicious. The vetiver is sort of like an "earthy " or dirt note, but it's tamed by the red musk. The apricot is sharp in the best way. The clove is there but very tempered also. This is fascinating, very different from anything I have but I really like it. Very lush. Not foody.happy to report the vetivert takes a hike pretty quickly, and the apricot remains with a gentle but present red musk. I love the drydown.
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THE WET NURSE AND THE OLD MONK Red sandalwood, peach, white tea, and champaca. Ok this gets my vote for Name Which Inspires Most Horrifying Images... But I had to buy it because it sounded so delicious, and yes, it is. Very fruity and lush at the top, peachy but grounded, I guess that is the red sandalwood, champaca is present in the background but not aggressive. I can't smell the White Tea yet, but I didn't wear it that long. Fresh, lush, not cloying.
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PROSPEROUS FLOWERS OF THE ELEGANT TWELVE SEASONS Patchouli and honeyed saffron with labdanum, leather accord, and wood vanilla. In Vitro A very rich honey and resin kind of scent. I should mention that I have not checked the notes list recently and all I remembered going into the test was patchouli, honey, and saffron. Wet The oil is light orange-brown. Freshly applied it was slightly less intense but gained and almost creamy sweetness. This subsided after a minute or two and and the overall scent was more spicy. Drying It became less sweet and hinted at a woody or even musty quality, but was not at all unpleasant. ETA: Two hours after application, the leather is prominent but not harsh, with underlying sweetness. This is both lovely and sexy.
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MARS ULTOR Mars the Avenger Black amber and smoky vanilla with cistus, benzoin, caramelized tobacco, and blackened nutmeg. For those that are curious: the label art shows his torso. The text covers the lower half of his body. In the bottle: When this first arrived, I was mostly getting all the blackened things! Now that I have let it settle for a few days, I can say that the tobacco is quite prominent, and though I still get the black amber and blackened nutmeg, the nutmeg is not as prominent in the bottle as it was a few days ago. I can smell more of the benzoin now, the cistus, and a bit of smoky vanilla. This mainly smells like smoky resins to me. Wet: Benzoin and black amber dominate. I am also getting the rockrose (cistus) and nutmeg. I can smell the tobacco, but it isn't as strong as it was in the bottle. If I inhale really deeply, I can smell the smoky vanilla note, but it is in the background. After sitting on my skin for a while, the rockrose note has become more prominent, and the smoky vanilla note is helping to sweeten the scent a bit. However, I would still describe this as a smoky resin blend. Dry: Mostly soft benzoin sweetened by the smoky vanilla and caramelized tobacco. Verdict: I like this, but I don't love it. That said, I am going to hold onto my bottle, because I think this one will age well.
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PLEASANT EMBRACE Lemon-silvered musk and white pear. In the bottle: Whoa PEAR! Wet: Still pear... The words that came to mind were "glittering pear." Something is coming off as almost "sharp" like glass. I'm not digging this right now. The sharpness and pear are kind of harsh. It's like the pear is a big bully and musk is trying to stand up for itself by turning into shards of glass. Dry down: Just when I was about to give up on this, magic happened. The white musk and pear decided they really were meant to be friends. The musk starts to deepen and calm the pear. My nose interprets this as "spiced" pear. I know there aren't any spices, but that stunning musk really gives me the vibe of an autumnal pear. I get no lemon in this this. This is going to be stunning in the fall when I want fruit but not bright fruit. This might be good for those who feel most fruits give a "too young" vibe but really like the actual scents.
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ARISTOCRATIC COUPLE Bourbon vanilla, preserved apricot, and cardamom. In the bottle, this smells like an juicy apricot floating over a spicy vanilla base, with a tickle of cardamom taking over at the end. Creamy and sweet with the nutty warmth of cardamom--absolutely lovely in the bottle. Wet, the cardamom comes out full force and this is all spice over a vanilla base. On dry down, the caradamom loses its edge and settles down into a barely discernable background note as the apricot takes center stage and I'm left with light, sweet apricot over musky vanilla. This scent hangs very close to the skin and dries down faintly on me (but I'm also not a slatherer). Really lovely, but the apricot note turns ever so slightly plastick-y on me, so I might have to give this one a pass after all.
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SEATED COUPLE LEANING ON HIPS Sake, skin musk, and ambrette seed. I love this! In the bottle it's a super strong blast of sake, it's insanely boozy and way more upfront than other sake blends from the lab. Wet on the skin the sake stays dominant but it's now supported by gorgeous musk that almost goes along the lines of floral. It has a tiny tiny second of smelling a little soapy but it fades the more it dries and when it begins to completely dry it is a lovely softened floral musk with a touch of sweetness. I think this would be great for a hot Summer day and I am very glad to have a bottle of it.
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HAUNTED BONBON Dark chocolate with thick golden amber and murky black musk. This was the only bonbon from this year's bonbon box that I picked up—I can't resist Haunted. I have a 10ml from 2004 or early 2005 that I'm still working on, and it's only gotten better with time. There's just something about the combo of the amber and black musk that's so straightforward and yet so...haunting? Wet, Haunted Bonbon is chocolate-forward, with the amber and black musk in the background and a very faint, almost citrusy tang. As it dries, the chocolate recedes until what's left on me is a richer Haunted—a little darker, a little more bready, with a slight molasses-y note adding complexity. A half hour after applying, the chocolate is almost gone but I can smell it informing the other notes, and I mostly get a marriage of dark, rich supermusk and golden amber.
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VENUS GENETRIX Venus the Progenitor Black amber and jasmine tea with 7-year aged vanilla bourbon absolute. Beautiful. I smell the same jasmine tea note from The Mysterious Warning, and a similar vanilla to the one from Signior Dildo...i don't get much amber yet but would assume it will become more prominent with aging. No throw but a beautiful skin scent. I am glad i bought a bottle, it is lovely. ETA: i put this on early this morning and it has changed a bit...the amber reminds me of the amber from Hesiod's Phoenix but not sweet at all. The jasmine tea gives the amber a slightly bitter/astringent sweetness. No vanilla this morning. I cannot wait to smell this when it is settled in at the end of Spring...very nice blend. Funny, i don't get the licorice from BPAL's black tea note so i am thinking this is more of a Darjeeling? Quite nice. :-)
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Coconut, white jasmine, and mint-green moss with honeysuckle, tuberose, and white amber. I honestly didn't pay much attention to this one when the Lupers were posted because I don't like mint notes and thought it would be too out of my element since I mostly wear foody scents, but I am very pleasantly surprised and am so happy I received a decant of this! Firstly, I smell no mint at all (yay!). The Jasmine is the most prominent note, followed by honeysuckle, moss, and the amber. I loveeee the jasmine, it's just gorgeous, fresh and sweet. The honeysuckle and amber create this beautiful soft golden halo around the jasmine, and the moss is very subtle, adding freshness to the blend. I love this and can't wait to get my hands on a full bottle. If you love jasmine, you'll want to invest in a few bottles. Just save some for me.
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VENUS OBSEQUENS Venus the Gracious Pink apple and blackcurrant with honey and cardamom. I love, love, love apple so I was very excited for this one. In the bottle, it's all APPLE! with cardamom/blackcurrant/honey mixing into a sweet, warm background--very pretty! Wet, the cardamom comes out full force against the apple, the blackcurrant (cassis) comes out as well, giving the warmth of the cardamom a slight pungence, almost smokiness. Dry, this is all cardamom and blackcurrant--spice and smoke--sweetened with just a bit of honey on me, with just the faintest hint of apple is the background. A really beautiful scent that epitomizes the kind of layered, complexity Beth is so good at capturing, but ultimately not something I personally would regularly reach for--though I would love it on a guy! So disappointing that the apple in this doesn't agree with my chemistry!
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FOR EACH ECSTATIC INSTANT For each ecstatic instant We must an anguish pay In keen and quivering ratio To the ecstasy. For each beloved hour Sharp pittances of years, Bitter contested farthings And coffers heaped with tears. – Emily Dickinson Equal parts joy and grief, lust and regret, pain and pleasure: velvet-red roses and sensual aged patchouli with night-blooming jasmine, caramelized bourbon vanilla, labdanum, black amber, and oudh. In the imp: Wet, slightly incensed rose petals. Wet on my skin: Much the same as in the imp, but more incense and less rose. It's slightly boozy, as well. Dry: This is the first scent I've tried that has called to mind the word "sexy." This scent is lush, deep red, and velvety. It's the deepest red rose, darkened further by resins and incense, and topped off by a hint of rummy vanilla. The patchouli and oudh combine to soften it in an almost musky sort of manner. The rose is not overpowering at all as rose can sometimes be, instead blending beautifully with the rest of the notes. The jasmine is also starting to come out as my skin warms the scent, which rounds the scent from lush red into deep burgundy. It may sound odd to describe a scent in terms of colour, but in my mind, it looks like this:
