Kether

[siriusstar]

The Supreme Crown, Rashith ha-Gilgalim, the Primordial Ether, Primum Mobile, the Source of All, the Origin of Will that radiates 620 pillars of light.

Oooh, the first review of a scent with no ingredient description... I'll do my best.

Very changable. There was a sharp cinnamon note when I first sniffed it, mixed with something I can't place... almost leather like, but not the leather in Highwayman, more a dry crumbling sort of leather. An hour later it's very much what I expected it to be- a high, clear fresh air and light aquatic backed up by a trace of spice.

It's lovely and unique, with a lofty, ethereal quality. Very nice!

[Lorencita]

This is very interesting. I cant really place any notes at all, I know that helps you as much as me saying it smells like oil. This made me feel very different than any other oil I have worn before. This made me feel calm & serene. I love it, it smells sort of woodsy as well. Sorry that I could not be of anymore help, this scent is very etheral, & really cant be described in my mind.

[clover]

Kether

 

Snifffing from imp: Yum. Almond and some sort of light floral.

 

Upon application: Seems like a very complex blend...the only scents that jump out at me are almond and oakmoss, since I love both of them. It's really sweet though...like an almond and oakmoss custard. Which I guess sounds kind of gross, but smells really really wonderful.

 

After a few minutes: The almonds backs down and Kether turns earthier, but still sweet.

 

Conclusion: Kether is radiant, indeed. I'm sort of sad that I have to sacrifice my little imp to the Sephiroth circle...but I'll just have to get on the ball and order a bottle!

[saoirse]

In the bottle: Very light but substantial at the same time. No note jumps out at me; its sweet and serene with a hint of spice. I already know I'm going to love this, even if I can't pick out individual notes in it!

 

Wet: Wow - the spiciness picks up. Not sure what it is ... doesn't smell strongly enough (to me) to be clove but it could be cinnamon ... either way, its a lovely spice; not a kick-you-in-the-face spice like some scents ... still very mellow

 

Dry: Oh - this is beautiful! I picture calm, golden light all around me. The creamy sweetness comes out and harmonizes with the spice perfectly. I get a tiny bit of a baby powder smell off of it but - for once - that's okay with me, because it smells just lovely that way!

 

Verdict: Already ordered a 10ml. LOL I LOVE this scent; might be right up there as #2 on my favorites list . I tried this scent out three times before reviewing it - once a week to see if it would turn icky with my body chemistry at certain times of the month and - nope, its lovely no matter when I put it on. This scent is so calming, I think it's replacing Tushnamatay as my new yoga blend!

[ipb]

opened it up: ALMONDS. once i put it on, the almonds calmed down and it became a creamy almond scent. hm. not sure if i like it, but it's definitely warm.

[harlequin]

In the imp, this one smelled to me like a earthy almond. I wouldn't call what I smelled radiant, "really". more like "warm". Unfortunately, I didn't think it was a good idea to put it on, as almond can do weird things to me. It did however, manage to leak it all over the desk because it has one of those wimpy tops on the poor little imp. It's a pretty scent, but again, the almond just jumps out and screams "hello, I'm almond... smell me!!!!" to me.

 

Update: 6/28/05 - Got to sniff another imp of this with the oblation caravan.. obviously this one is a bit more aged than the brand new one i tried before.. the almond is less noticible in this one than i remember it being in the first one, and I can pick out cherry this time. don't think i got any of it before.

Edited June 29, 2005 by harlequin

[fallow deer]

My experience agrees mainly with saorise's review above.

 

Kether has a pleasantly sweet note that blends with the cinnamon and the deeper woods and resins. It's the kind of scent that I can't breathe enough in of at once!

 

It reminds me of an aureveydic herbal/spice tea that is really well blended. As with Tiphareth, I'm really glad I bought a 10ml of Kether straight off.

 

ETA: I'm testing it on my knee, and as I sniff it, I'm (pleasantly) reminded of the smell of antiseptic ointment that would be put on grazed knees when I was little. It's definately got a medicinal quality.

Edited May 7, 2005 by fallow deer

[slave1]

In Bottle: Almond

 

On Skin: Almond, honey and something spicy… maybe cinnamon? Very lght yet tasty… I love it but it is so faint! I wish this scent had some power because it would be a favorite for sure, but it seems to just soak in and vanish…

[helarctos]

Almond and floral, yes. This is lovely and very sweet. If Dana O'Shee is marzipan, then Kether is a delicate almond tea, with a complex and delightful bouquet.

[lixolux]

Kether is the smell of my baby nephews head.

 

almond, honey, barest of floral, sweet and light.

 

 

edited to add: 5 hours later the spicyness comes out - still sweet but a little spicy like ginger.

Edited May 17, 2005 by lixolux

[scourgeotheseas]

Kether - Included in the Oblation Caravan circular swap.

 

In the bottle: Astringent and medicinal. I do catch the hint of almond, though. Dry and spicy.

 

On me: Mmmm...almonds. Somehow, this smells "golden" to me. It reminds me of the spicy quality in Ahathoor.

 

Drydown: The astringent quality is slow to leave, but does disappear. The scent morphs into an almost creamy note, with a slight hint of baby powder. It's actually very nice, although it's starting to itch. Boo!

[tempete]

The Oblation Caravan brought Kether my way.

 

Initially, Kether is a sweet floral that is backed by a resin. I must confess that I don't smell almonds at all, although there's an elusive note that my nose can't quite identify properly. In any case, Kether transforms during the drydown into a creamy floral that is ethereal and radiant (to steal adjectives from other reviewers). Eventually, the resin re-emerges and brings that creamy floral back to earth.

 

I wanted to post the image that Kether conjured in my head, but since I have not studied Kabbalah in any way, I don't want to sound naive or to offend. Suffice it to say that the combination of re-reading the description and smelling the evolution of Kether as it dried on my skin did evoke a specific visual metaphor for me, which is always a fascinating experience.

[Galen]

Woah! I got such a strong mental image from this...

 

It's devout Middle Eastern worship, resinous, holy and masculine.

 

As I continue to smell, I realise that this is a pious man; he's mature but still too vigorous to be considered old. Charming, well-dressed, well-spoken, an intelligent man - I think he's a doctor, given the suggestion of a slightly medicinal, clean undertone. Well loved, he embodies the best manners with everyone he meets, and the most sincere worship when he's alone.

 

Thank you, Beth, for such a clear image.

[JazzieCazzie]

BOTTLE: Pure sweet almonds, but though I usually don't like "almond scent" it didn't make me run screaming. Just the opposite ... almond soap.

 

WET: Cinnamon-sweet almonds, like the 'Hot Nuts" stands at the craft fairs. But there is also something I can't put my finger on that makes it very clean and fresh, maybe the same herb that is in Goatmilk soap? Divinely yummy. It's a really CLEAN smell but not soapy.

 

DRYDOWN: The only thing that keeps me from putting this on my fall "big bottle" list is something slightly funky in the drydown that is just barely salty and sweaty. I'd be afraid to slather this too much and be in close quarters because of that ...

 

On a scale of 1-5, I'd give this a strong 4 and will definitely use up my imp.

 

REVISITED AND RE-REVIEWED JUNE 2013:

 

Bought a bottle of the vintage scent from the BPAL Etsy and so glad I did ... this is one scent that age has made even better!!!

 

IN THE IMP: Much less "in your face" almond and much more of the clean slightly herbal and slightly sweet scent.

 

Applied pretty lavishly ... both wrists, both crooks of arms, pulse points and cleavage.

 

WET: Maybe it's the aging, maybe it's my chemistry, maybe it's my nose but to me this is much more of a definitive blend of the herbal scent that made me think of Goats Milk (I actually think it could be lavender but not sure) and cinnamon and the almond takes a back seat. It's not the HOT HOT HOT scent I remember but rather a warm and cool balance.

 

DRYDOWN: Light, clean, lovely ... I would no longer call this a foody blend but rather a really meditative and calming one.

 

OVERALL: I am SO glad I bought this. I absolutely love it.

 

ON a scale of 1-5, a 5.

Edited June 6, 2013 by JazzieCazzie

[Obesa_Cantavit]

I didn't get any woody or resinous notes from this, it's nice warm foody almond on me with something else sweet lurking in the background. It took me ages to work out what the scent reminded me of and it's Paris Brest cream cakes . A very warm, calming comforting blend.

[sookster]

quite mild in comparison to other bpal scents but gorgeous nonetheless.....

 

i get a bunch of scents going on at once.....spice, almond, cinnamon but oh so extremely subtle that i think this is great scent for summer nights

 

i also get a touch of buttery toast and baby powder even.........

 

i am sooooooooo digging Kether.....

 

Goodness, Beth makes some amazingly beautiful blends.....

[yeahbutnobut]

Kether

 

In the imp: slightly almondy, but with a hint of something mysterious and resinous behind it.

Wet on skin: still slightly almond like, but this fades. There's a nice, deep, resinous note now. Someone mentioned oak moss? Maybe there is some in this-there's a slight 'green' aspect to the scent. I think there might be myrrh and possibly frankincense too.

Dry on skin: whoa, this is really interesting and quite complex! There's a slightly powdery aspect to this scent bad-however it does remind me of the smell of make up, which is very bizarre, but it also has a greenness which could be a moss note. There's also a slight creaminess, which is unusual, I'm sure there are resins in here too. But to be honest, I can't really guess what this contains-but it does remind me of something I've smelt before, like a perfume I've smelt somewhere.

After a while: ah, now I've finally realised what BPAL this reminds me of-it reminds me of one of the notes in Cathode, but with none of the electric ozone or mintiness of that scent. I wonder if this scent has oak moss or even ambergris in it. It has a smooth, powdery quality that makes me think of a soft cloud, or of one of those feathery downy powder puffs used for make up, the ones that feel oh so soft against your skin…that's what this scent reminds me of. There's something green or golden teasing the edges of the scent, and a slight bit of floral in the centre. It's very unusual but oddly comforting.

Verdict: another complex and enigmatic blend. In the imp, it is an almondy-resin combination. But on the skin it turns into a powdery scent that reminds me of a perfume or cosmetic smell I've smelt somewhere else. It also has a greenish, possibly mossy or herbal aspect, but overall, it smells very clean, and quite pure and creamy white. It also has a slight milky or creamy scent to it, which adds to the powdery scent. There may also be a slight hint of floral in there too. Something about it seems strangely comforting. The only problem is that I wish it had stayed at the resinous scent it had when wet. I think this is a scent that may grow on me.

 

EDIT: omg. After about an hour or so, a smell remains on my skin that reminds me of...my kitty! No, it's not animalistic, but it reminds me of that warm, fuzzy scent of my cat's fur, I can almost her her purring when I smell this...

Edited July 13, 2005 by yeahbutnobut

[OriginalWacky]

Bottle (Imp): Woodsy and herby.

 

Just On: Herby and woodsy.

 

An hour or two later: Sweet herbs and woods, and quite faded.

 

Around 6 hours: Barely there herbs and wood.

 

12 hours: Nothing left.

 

Overall: This is pretty pleasant all in all.

 

After reading other reviews: Hm, I didn't get the cinnamon out of this one. I like it muchly, and got more wood and herbs out of it.

[grrrlennyl]

at first: juicy and bright. very nice.

on: really lovely. there's sweet almonds and some other, deeper notes, possibly woods.

overall: this is pretty, but not something i'd wear.

[inkstone]

Hmm, I'm having a hard time picking apart these Sephiroth blends. I smell almonds and some woody notes. Definitely some spices, maybe some nutmeg? It doesn't smell quite like cinnamon to me, but I'm not sure. There's a floral in here, but I totally can't identify it.

[shelldoo]

in the bottle: almond and astringent

 

wet: almonds and nutmeg w/ a hint of green astringency

 

as it dries it softens and there is a hint of oakmoss, but it is a soft almondy spice.

 

comforting, nice, cozy all these describe this scent to me

[kakiphony]

In the imp: This is a rich scent, and I can smell vanilla, nutmeg and some underlying spiciness that might be patchouli or sandalwood. It's pleasant.

 

Wet: The spiciness comes through stronger than in the imp, and I can see why this might be a gender neutral scent. It's a resinous spice and I like it. It's more subtle than vixen, but has the same kind of sweetness with spicy depth to it.

 

Early dry down: I'm getting hit with nutmeg so much I feel like I'm in grandma's kitchen. It's a nice scent, but very wintry. Not really a scent for the tail end of July, but pleasant. The boyfriend pronounces it "Nice, but not as nice as the stuff yesterday" (which was Vixen).

 

Late dry down: This scent changed wildly over time on me. It started out sweet spicy and has ended up powdery and vaguely floral. It's much more like a traditional perfume than I expected it to be from either the imp or the early stages on my skin. I don't hate it, but neither would I wear it regularly.

[coulrophobe]

This imp crossed my path quite unexpectedly - and I admit, I probably would have avoided it like the plague, given my intense hatred of almonds (which seem to be mentioned in almost every review). But, I try every BPAL I can get my hands on, despite any preconceived notions.

 

In the imp: I *do* smell the almond, but it's extremely faint and clean - not the hideous cloying cyanide-sweetness I get from most almond blends. This is like my imp of aged Dana O'Shee - there's a milky sweetness, rather than a suffocating one.

 

Wet on skin: Still a vague hint of almond, which evaporates quickly into the telltale warm baby-powder sweetness of... AMBER!

 

Drydown: Yep, this is all warm resiny goodness on me - no almond in sight, thankfully! Very sweet and a bit powdery, but not in a bad way.

[quimerula]

A soft touch of almonds over a creamy floral.

 

This one is a very soft and beautiful perfume... if you like almonds.

[k00kaburra]

In bottle: It is a complicated blend that I don't think I'll be able to do much in the way of identification. It reminds me a bit of watery cherries and leather. Sugary Maraschino cherries, at that. That possibly means almonds.

 

On me: Pleasantly sweet. It's very light on the skin, but it's a delicate almond.