House of Mirrors

[Fefferbella]

Antique amber frames a series of distorted, eternally warping clear crystal and glass notes.

Wow House of Mirrors is lovely. This is the cleanest, freshest BPAL I have ever tried.

I love this blend. It's hard to describe, crisp and clean are the only things that come to mind. It smells fresh and wet.

[ancilla_morte]

My 5ml is mislabeled as Snake Charmer. I was excited to get this in a swap because I thought it was Snake Charmer. But holy mother of lucifer this stuff is GORGEOUS.

 

I have fallen deeply in love with House of Mirrors.

 

It is hard however for me to dissect it. It smells alot like Moon Rose (one of my favorites) but it has an aquatic note and is also citrussy.

it is so fresh and clean, but not overpoweringly sharp and dry like some clean scents. it does make me think of mirrors. it's a very 'blue' scent. mmmmm

 

this is so lovely. so so lovely. is it possible to have a crush on a scent?

Edited August 15, 2006 by Shollin

[ktesedale]

In the bottle, this smells very sharp and clean. Very sharp.

 

Wet, this is still that 'sharp and clean' scent, but there's something warmer in the background, too. The amber?

 

Dry, still that sharp scent, but it's even stronger now - it actually leaves a taste in my mouth, heh. There's still that warm note in the background, stronger now.

 

Very long lasting, with pretty good throw on me. A very refreshing scent.

 

On me, it smells exactly like Sunwater by Lancaster, one of only three perfumes I've ever liked, back when I could still wear perfume. I've missed this scent! I'll be carefully rationing this bottle, I think, and I wish I had been into BPAL when it first came out.

 

Overall, a 4/5.

[ChupaChup]

On me, House of Mirrors is another clean laundry scent, along the lines of Dirty and Szpasszony. I really don't get any amber at all from this scent. It goes a tiny bit aquatic on me after the initial citrus burst wears off but all in all, it's a nice scent.

[undream]

In the imp: soap & orange. I love fruity scents, so the orange had me thinking, "Ooh, this has promise!"

 

On, the orange melts away; the clean, soapy scent is still there, but it has warmed into a musky perfume - it was driving me crazy trying to figure out what it reminded me of, but I think this one really does actually smell like Jovan White Musk, which was a favourite perfume of mine all throughout high school. HoM is a very nostalgic scent for me, for this reason.

 

Overall, a very lovely, warm oil.

[jewelbug]

Imp: This actually smells like clean grapefruit to me. Very tart citrus edge.

 

Wet: A very aquatic citrus mix. Light and breezy.

 

Drying: As it dries, its going it bit powder, as amber often does. Never fear, the powder dies down after its dry.

 

Dry: A light citrusy aquatic. This smells very much like dept store perfume to me. Don't get me wrong, it's better than that, cuz it doesn't have the nasty alcohol. This is what those dept store perfumes WANT to be.

Kinda sweet and clean. This has amazing throw, even though it’s a light scent. I keep getting whiffs of it from my keyboard arms. The scent stays true, and lasts about 5 hrs.

 

Overall: A very clean, light and airy smell. Sophisticated, but not me. I generally prefer the earthier spicy/foody smells. I'm passing this decant onto a friend who has been desperately seeking it.

[nancybridget]

A nice aquatic blend, laced with a warm amber. Interesting, but not my style.

[LittleGreyKitten]

Now, why did I sell this again? Oh, because... I psychically knew Beth would resurrect it, right? Well, no. Frankly I'm not sure why. I broke out my imp of it today while trying to decide what I neeeeeded, and I was shocked at now much I liked this. I remember finding it really bland.

 

No, it's actually a gorgeous light silvery blend. It's not very ambery an any way- and I vaguely recall being quite disappointed with that- but it has that sort of brilliant, bright scent which actually is very like a mirror. It stays close to the skin, but it is quite lovely. It reminds me some of Evening Star. Both I wouldn't hesitate to wear in any situation, nobody would find them offensive.

 

So glad to be able to replace this during the resurrection of the CNs. And I hope my last bottle found a good home!

 

4.5 out of 5.

[blu°]

Now, why did I sell this again? Oh, because... I psychically knew Beth would resurrect it, right? Well, no. Frankly I'm not sure why. I broke out my imp of it today while trying to decide what I neeeeeded, and I was shocked at now much I liked this. I remember finding it really bland.

 

That's EXACTLY what happened to me. I swapped my bottle of House of Mirrors just a few days ago, decanted half an imp for myself, re-tried it on my skin, and ended up asking myself that very same question.

 

Good thing it's coming back, and I got a bottle of Hexennacht in that swap, which I love, too.

 

I think House of Mirrors must have gotten better with age. It's a gorgeous crystalline, yet soft and even, blend. It's not sharp or masculine or cologney or any other nasty thing often connected with ozone/crystal scents.

 

It's very much like antique glass, really. Soft sheen. With antique (blackened) silver framing. Very evocative and works fab on my skin, too.

 

It actually smells really Art Nouveau and brings to mind the city centre of Prague.

[Neely]

LOL, I am the one who bought this from LittleGreyKitten, and it did get a good home! I love this! Thanks LittleGrey! This is '05 version FYI.

 

In the bottle: fresh, creamy, clean goodness. Reminds me of Dirty, but I like this better.

 

Wet: a touch, faint, breah of lemon? Or maybe it is grapefruit. Whatever it is, it hasn't taken over as citrus and my chemistry seem to like to do. This is fresh clean and aquatic. I am in love already.

 

Dry down: clean, creamy, aquatic. I really can see the house of mirrors in a creepy carnival from the 30's. LOL, I know Beth releases this in the Summer, but I keep seeing this as the House of Mirrors for Dark's carnival in Ray Bradbury's "Something Wicked This Way Comes." I can see gas lights reflected off the mirrors in their wooden frames at night.

 

30 minutes: this is a bright sparkling lovely scent. This is so fresh and clean, I am going to wear this all Summer long to stay cool in the already oppressive Texas heat. I want another bottle. I know I have to try all the aquatics Beth offers, they do so well with my skin. Any suggestions?

Conclusion: love, LOVE, LOVE!!!!! Not only is it clean, fresh, and creamy, but it has great throw and lasts and lasts.

 

Rating 1-5, on my skin this is a 5.

[theseagrows]

hm house of mirrors is interesting. i wasn't sure i liked it when i first put it on my skin. once it tones down a bit, it smells like soft roses + maybe some other floral? and soft aquatic and herbal notes. this isn't something i'd want a bottle of, but something i would want to wear from time to time. it's soft and garden-y to me, and softer and prettier than i imagined it would be.

[zankoku_zen]

I would be jewelbug's desperate friend she was talking about in her review.

 

In the imp: light and breezy, smells of the sea and soap and oranges. It's very clean, despite the odd mix of smells I get from it.

 

On Skin: Lily explosion! It's the same lily note that I get from Tempest and Sea of Glass and I think its the calla lily note, since it reminds me to Juliet.

 

It's a very soft floral, very clean.

 

Verdict: I like this, because I like Tempest, SoG and Juliet. But to me, it smells too similar to the other three scents. I don't want to say I was disappointed but I sort of expected a more amber, and a more golden vibe from it.

 

The throw on this is long and calla lily likes to monopolize the entire scent on my skin. It's a good thing I don't mind her smell, the dominatrix that she is.

[falcon in the dive]

This is a review of the 05 scent

 

In the bottle: this smelled dark and almost lightly woody with a sharp, clean overnote that I couldn't place

 

Wet: I put this on and was literally floored. I had ordered it, foolishly, mistaking "Hall of Mirrors" for the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles. I instantly thought, upon wearing that "If this is Versailles, it's Versailles meets the Masque of the Red Death or a macabre fete distorted through a funhouse mirror." It is the scent of a house of mirrors, but not a cheap and dingy county fair funhouse. It's a perfect scent for carnival noir.

 

30 minutes: It's still going strong, very tangy and the amber is blending with the glass notes. It's not as fragmented anymore but still warm enough that it's very intriguing and not flat.

 

Dry: this scent is actually still going strong after nearly an hour and a half. It's garnered compliments and has yet to mellow, the glass and amber still sharp and reflecting off one another.

 

Overall: I think I like it, but the disappointment that this was not the "hall of mirrors" I had intended is difficult to get over. Still it's a very interesting scent. I'd probably reccommend it, though I don't know if I'd buy it.

[juniperus]

Bottle: a citrus-y aquatic - grapefruit is the only note I can clearly pick out.

Wet: grapefruit with warm hints of amber behind, the aquatic-feel is receding some.

Dry: back to aquatic, and amber. interesting.

Later: it's almost a summery amber...usually aquatics mess with me, but this is juuust shy of causing havoc with my sinuses - I hope it remains that way, I'd like an aquatic, just one. Pleaaase?

[cameroncrazed]

Won't try to dissect what I smelled in the imp, wet, and dry, because really, I don't know what the notes are. I'm getting a very clean creamy aquatic vaguely reminiscent of fabric softener. It's a gorgeous light scent, very aquatic. Really lovely, and now I'm kicking myself for not buying a bottle when it was re-available a few weeks ago. Doh! Definitely a 10/10 for me.

[Eunice]

This is very clean, slightly green and all white floral on me. I don't get the citrus at all. House of Mirrors is clean and sharp. This is so amazing!

[edenssixthday]

House of Mirrors This review is for the 2005 version. In the vial, this smells crisp and clean, with the tang of citrus fruit without being fruity. When applied to my skin, it initially reminds of a department store fragrance, as it comes off a touch “perfumey,” but that “perfumey” aspect fades almost immediately, and what is left on my skin is something that is clear, sharp, and crisp. I’m finding it hard to believe this doesn’t have grapefruit in it – it’s like it’s got the essence of grapefruit without being grapefruit. It’s very hard to explain, but when I read the scent description and I see that “clear crystal” and “glass notes” are the “ingredients,” I can believe it. If shattered glass and the sparkle of crystal goblets were to be captured in a bottle of scent, this really is what it would smell like. It’s a very soft scent, and on my skin, I don’t detect the amber at all, which is fairly strange, as amber usually warms right up to my skin. After about 20-30 minutes, the scent starts to become powdery, but not in an in-your-face kind of way (think Numb); rather, it’s very subtly powdery – a “barely there” powder that adds to the beauty of what is otherwise a clear, sharp scent. This is a gorgeous blend, although it’s very light and sticks really close to my skin. I doubt I’ll ever use a full bottle, but I will use enough that I’m going to hang on to my bottle.

[Tess]

(Original '05 version) I hear there's citrus in here to be had and where's there's citrus, there I am. :B

 

In the vial - Orange, bitter orange if my nose is right. Some floral in there, too, I think.

 

Wet - Yeah, bitter orange. Floral. Hmm...

 

Drying - Oh, guh! Lilac! There's still some of the orange, but my skin is amping the lilac per usual and I've got a streak on my wrist where I swiped the wand. Owie.

 

Dry (20 minutes) - Well, the lilac doesn't have much of a throw at least and there's still some orange there, but no amber and goodness, but it's giving me a headache.

 

Overall - Darned lilac notes... Big old "no" for me.

[Elrianra]

In the bottle, very... perfume-y; the crystal and glass notes are high and sharp and extremely resonant of shattered champagne flutes in my mind while the amber is a husky aged tone. Wet on me, the amber tones up to a darkish thick red/gold hue and the glass notes turn that bizarre sweet-glass scent they do on me while the crystal stays cold and cracked. Oh, I'm not sure of this one at all. Drying, the amber fades, but proportionally as the entire scent tones down from that original "BAM" to a subtle wisp of amber over crystals. This is coming together nicely as it begins to warm, no longer sharp and disjointed; the glass and crystal are melding into one cool tangy note while the amber lays muted beneath - and above, oddly - to add a faint rich color to this. This has a very "classic" perfume smell to it and reminds me strongly of an old ladies perfume and a boys cologne all at once - it's refined but misinterpreted. Absolutely lovely but a bit too strong and vague for my tastes.

[BrightRedScream]

In the bottle: Grapefruit? Soapy grapefruit? Grapefruit dish washing liquid? It's kind of aquatic..it's very clear and clean smelling..it clears my head.

 

Wet on the skin: Grapefruit. Or orange peel?

 

Dry down: This has gone very aquatic and creamy..it's smooth, and I am now detecting what I think is amber. The dry down sadly though on me is soapy, and I'm not loving it. This is really pretty - but I couldn't handle smelling like this - it makes my throat itch and I have the urge to sneeze.

 

Oh well!

 

Swap or selling this one, unless my sister likes it.

[karengypsy]

In the vial: Sharp, clean, ozone.

 

On me: It really does remind me of a House of Mirrors at a carnival. The kinds of mirrors that make you look fat, skinny, weird, etc. This is a very crisp aquatic/ozone type scent. I like it. It reminds me of Danube, but without the florals.

 

Verdict: Interesting scent. I'm keeping it. I like it, but I don't need a bottle.

 

Rating: 3/5

[RavenVelith]

In the bottle: Kinda like...a light lemony-grapefruit smell? It's really clear.

 

Wet: Ugh it's so perfumey and...ow. Headache...

 

Not for me. At all.

[selkielass]

This is Aquatic? It has a high, sharp feel to it, but I wouldn't have guessed citrus.

I get no Amber from this, just lots of what I suppose are the bright 'aquatic' notes, and they don't blend well with my body chemistry at all.

Ah well, I'll swap this off for someone else to try.

[Naamah_Darling]

This is high and sharp in the bottle, very citric and clean.

 

On, it becomes a very traditional almost cologne-y perfume, all citrus and aquatics with faint florals. There is a sudden shift in its scent about ten minutes in, when it becomes this flat, clean mineral scent, rather like Black Opal sans the delightful softness in that scent. If there is amber in this, I'll hang looking for it – I can't smell a whiff of it anywhere. It's rather soapy on long wear, which I don't care for.

 

This is a very chic, unyielding, high-pitched perfume with a great deal of distinction and poise, but it's not very animal, not very soft, not very warm, and not very me. It's very interesting, though, as it goes through its two very distinct yet similar phases. House of Mirrrors is the sort of sharp, bright scent that can cause headaches in susceptible people, so wear it with caution.

[eggplant]

I purchased this on ebay so I'm not sure if it's from '05 or '06.

 

In the bottle: When I received this a few days ago, I sniffed it from the bottle and thought it smelled very masculine. But today it smells aquatic and fruity. I smell apple? Definitely gender neutral

 

First applied: Very aquatic, very pretty and fresh.

 

It gets very salty as it dries, and turns into a gorgeous aquatic scent. It definitely reminds me of a cool day at the beach. Then the amber takes over and I get a hint of powder and just a touch of salt. It smells a little bit like men's cologne.

 

Overall this is my favorite BPAL aquatic scent. It's not something I'd wear every day, as it's too masculine for my taste, but it's perfect for when the mood strikes.