La Fée Verte

[wickedgoddess]

A variant on the absinthe theme. Sugared wormwood, hyssop and melissa with calamus, angelica and Dittany of Crete, blended with a Bohemian perfume of vanilla musk, honey absolute and Moroccan spices.

I saw Balthazar and Seamus at last month's will call. I fell in love a little. I was so thrilled when I learned they would eventually be for sale, and even more thrilled when I read the description of Le Fee Verte. I collect Absinthe related memorabillia, and it sounded divine. I knew I just had to own this.

Wet - Fresh out of the bottle there is this sharp scent, almost alcholic. I smell a common note with Absinthe, which I think is the wormwood. It starts sweetening up as it hits my skin; it reminds me now of someone pouring their Absinthe over a sugar cube.

Dry - Oh but dry this changes completely. The sweetness evaporates and it's all about white musk. Or is that honey musk? Mmm, I see from the description it's vanilla musk and honey absolute, which makes sense to me. It smells like honeyed white musk and balsam. I am not the biggest white musk fan, but this is just amazing. Soft, sweet and lovely, with moderate throw. This reminds me of a sweeter, stronger, more complex Embalming Fluid, but it's so much better than that.

On the wickedgoddess scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being best, this rates a 5.

[blueroses]

In the bottle/Wet: This definitely reminds me of Absinthe. We had some from Europe around during the holidays, and I can smell the resemblance. I suppose it's the wormwood.

 

Dry: The recognizably Absinthe note fades, and I'm left with vanilla musk and lemon(? or is that the melissa?). I can smell a bright green herb. Very faintly, in the background, are spices reminiscent of Snake Oil.

 

After an hour, La Fee Verte has faded to herbs smothered in vanilla and honey.

 

It's great! I'm very glad to have this.

[allidavie]

Oy. I'm so bad at reviews, I always hate it when I'm near the top.

 

LFV is AMAZING. Has instantly gone on my top 10 list, perhaps my top 5. It's like Dorian with a little less vanilla, with the lime note from Leo, plus some honey single note and a good douse of the white musk from Oisin. Has a good but not overwhelming throw. It kind of morphs between notes and I detect a baby oil note occasionally (but I like that). This is just wonderful stuff. There aren't too many BPAL's that I think, hey, I could wear that everyday, but this is one of them. It is sweet, without being too sweet, and i just gives me memories of warm summer days.

 

Interestingly, though I've tried Absinthe a number of times (the real stuff ), it doesn't really remind me of that.

 

ETA: This one, weirdly, gets MUCH stronger during drydown. Still gorgeous, but it's a bit much and I only put on a drop. I think this bottle will last a good long time.

 

ETAA: Hot damn! I just figured out what that note I couldn't detect was and now I feel dumb, because Wickedgoddess already said it. This one is reminding me of summer so much because of the balsam - I didn't consciously know what balsam smelled like, but all of a sudden it just hit me - flex balsam and protein shampoo! Not that that's what it smells like entirely, but that's definitely the note I couldn't figure out and was identifying as baby oil. Noses are weird.

Edited January 10, 2006 by allidavie

[Nadirah]

#18 of 300

I'm in love, This is a beautiful perfume! The picture on the bottle is stunning. This reminds me of sweet sugared anisette(without so much anise). It does smell like absinthe, but this seems to last so much longer with the vanilla holding all up. I've gotten a few complements and people asking what it is. Apparently it smells like Vanilla musk most to others who get a whiff of it off me. It is light, but has good throw. I find myself applying again during the day about midday. Its really beautiful, perfect for any season, its warm, but its also cool. Its is very comforting, I even went to sleep with it on and I slept very well. It has that *perfume* scent, but you can really get the vanilla absinthe in it as well as the hours go by. I wanted to add that this smells incredible with a tiny bit of Lick It thrown in. Super yummy vanilla musk sex. Just Beautfiul and really hard to put into words. Just wonderful!

 

Its up at my top ten!

Edited January 14, 2006 by Nadirah

[astrid]

Wow! I was expecting something quite different! This is soft and gentle, yet has such a throw! It reminds me a lot of Antique Lace and Morocco. It has a gentle lemon to it at first and then settles down to a powdery spice. Again, I wish the lemon (or whatever it is) would stand out a bit more, but I am glad I got this. It will take be forever to use the 10mls especially since it seems like a little goes a long way. I'll be curious to smell it in a few hours.

 

Love the bottle image, though the lady is green, I'm not too sure about the Fee Verte aspect of it as it looks like a tied up Roman or Greek babe.

 

Balthy (36/300) is cute as the dickens and I'm wondering if he's lonely without Seamus? I might have to rectify that in the near future....

 

Oh...it's funny...when I have my wrists away from me, I get more of the wormwood/anise/alchoholic qualities! Neat!

Edited January 14, 2006 by astrid

[blackheartedangel]

my equation for this perfume oil ...

 

absinthe - anise + vanilla musk + light spice and a drop of honey = la fee verte

 

i'm very glad this was a *variant* on absinthe (all the herbs used to make absinthe except anise) because i detest anise. i have a bottle of absinthe here, and the anise smell is overwhelming

out of the bottle this oil smells very green, with a citrus note (i think this is the melissa, AKA lemon balm)

initially on the skin it smells basically the same as in the bottle, but as it starts drying it becomes softer, and slowly the melissa backs off.

hours later, when dry, la fee verte smells like lightly honeyed vanilla musk, just a hint of spice in the background.

 

overall, i love this blend! definatly one to hoard

thank you beth, labbies, and the trading post! i balthazar & la fee verte

[Northernminx]

Sharp, a bit citrusy and green in the vial with a touch of herbs. I was hoping for a bit more anise but this is refreshing yet somewhat slinky, drying into a soft white musk with an herbal undertone. Really glad I invested in this one!

[Blood onmy hands]

La Fée Verte isn't anything like what I had been expecting, perhaps because I wasn't sure what most of the notes in this were even supposed to smell like, so I made up my own little interpretation in my fantasy world, lol. I was expecting something very smooth and sweet (more green tea-ish), so this was more musky, powdery, and 'jagged' than I had anticipated. I was also expecting anise, and I don't find any of that here.

 

In the bottle and on my skin this does smell very green. It smells rather herbal in the bottle, but with a definite edge of sugary sweetness. I like it more in the bottle than I do on my skin at first.

 

I was surprised when I first put this on because it was much more musky than I thought it would be, and it goes rather powdery on me as well. It's all powdery musk at first, and I was feeling pretty disappointed. After a few minutes, this then gets very lemony. I don't care for lemon either. This stage is the 'jagged' stage that I mentioned. Lemon usually smells rather harsh to me, and powdery lemon is about as bad as it gets, in my opinion. There was also a strangely burnt, spicy smell lingering in the background.

 

Thankfully, after fifteen minutes, this completely settles and morphs on my skin (though I still don't love it). The powdery edge and the citrus completely disappear, leaving behind a silky musk and sweetness. It makes me think of sugar cubes, creamy vanilla, and creamy white musk. A sort of metallic honey scent comes out after about an hour. It's light and edible. I love it in this stage right before it disappears, but it's hardly noticeable at this point.

 

La Fée Verte fades pretty fast on me and doesn't have a lot of throw (Hellion is stronger on me)... I wore it to a doctor's appointment and, 2 hours later, could barely smell a slight sweetness clinging to my wrists. I like it, especially after the first hour of wear, but I don't really *love* it. I'll probably end up decanting away most of my bottle.

[sarada]

While I like the lab's regular Absinthe, the anise does me in and makes me smell like Licorice All-Sorts, which are delicious but not so good to smell like. Ahh, this gives me the strangely twisted greenery of absinthe, the splash of herb and citrus, without the licoricey scent. It's predominantly strikes me as a very very clear green scent, with a strong but sugar-sweet citrus (lemon) component and a pleasant, pale mixture of slightly musky herbs.

 

Although I don't care for vanilla typically I really like the vanilla musk combos from the lab, there's something....fuzzy about them. Combined with this scent of a lemon dusted in sugar (and a couple of slices of lime) it's really quite marvelous, and that's not even the type of scent I go for. I don't know anything about what real absinthe would smell or taste like (I'm a teetotaler...and I just spent five minutes checking to see if that was the correct spelling, so I'm also a complete nerd) but I like this, whatever it is!

 

I like things that smell like fresh greenery in the sun and this definitely fits the bill -- with a glass of lemonade on the side, the perfect balance of tart lemon and crystalline sugar. It dries down very faint on me, and I don't know what it smells like to anyone that doesn't have their nose pressed to my wrist, but I'm really glad I got to try this. I think one imp is all I would need, since I can't wear light scents like this except for my own amusement (they have no staying power and no throw on me at all) but it's brilliant!

 

Oh and p.s., the drydown really reminds me of Antique Lace.

Edited January 18, 2006 by sarada

[Rheliwen]

Proud owner of #30/300

 

Out of the bottle this is definitely medicinal smelling. It was a little sharp for me.

 

On, it really reminded me of Hemlock and Wolfsbane. That green, herby quality. But Le Fee is definitely a little more complex.

 

As it dried the greenery started to settle down into a fuzzy, powdery covering over vanilla. And dry, this is a green version of Antique Lace. I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks that!

 

My first impression as it was nice, but I didn't think I needed a 10mL, but the progression of it really is beautiful and I'm so glad I have it now.

[AliBabble]

yay! i got it! (i've been excited about this one..)

out of the bottle i smell more of a variety of notes than i smell when it hits my skin..it smells slightly more medicinal in the bottle, but still soft and sweet.

wearing this, i do lose some of the "wet" notes; this smells very nostalgic for me...sugared lemons at first...reminds me of a perfume from my childhood: "love's fresh lemon.."...then the musky vanilla comes out...the comparisons to antique lace are understandable...i get a lemony antique lace with a bit of herbs, just a bit green. fresh, but soft and honeyed, and sort of "pillowy".

it is quite a switch from the "other" absinthe, which i'm a big fan of...nothing could be too dark, black or licorice-y for me...so this is a real departure. i like it though, it's definitely more sweet and feminine than i was expecting...lighter, and almost summery to my nose. but i am really enjoying it - it's pretty and sort of..floaty. i love the label too - very beautiful.

[UltraViolet]

Here's a pic of La Fée Verte w/ Balthazar (#68/300)

http://pic7.picturetrail.com/VOL202/154131...8/126354260.jpg

 

 

In the bottle

Mmm...La Fée Verte (which means "The Green Fairy" in French and Absinthe-speak) smells like a more complex, earthy, more citrussy and less licorice-y absinthe scent. It smells like wormwood, musk, herbs or roots, and the smell of sugared lemons underneath it all.

On

Mmm...more citrussy on my skin. Now it smells exactly like sugared limes to me with some lovely incensey note and the vague scent of absinthe but with less licorice or anisette notes.

30 minutes

I'm smelling an earthy mushroomy scent like Lotus maybe or something I've smelled before in alot of blends. And the lemon or lime is quite strong now, almost piercing. The herbiness has moved to the background now. It still has that lovely, teeny bit of sweetness to it though in the back. Lovely.

Throw:

A bit. Not like the throw that Hellion has though.

Scent category:

fruity/herby/woody/incensey (maybe?)

Summary

Phase 1 is sugared lemons.

Phase 2 is piercing lime with herbal, earthy and woody notes.

Phase 3 More rounded and almost powdery now, it's lemony and herbal with a slight note of earthiness and a slight sweetness in the background. This is the phase where it might hook some folks who try it. When I catch a whiff of the dried down scent....Ohhh. It's quite lovely. The piercing quality is completely gone now and what's left is pretty, foody, but sensual.

This is a medium strong scent with a minute amount of throw, that I think will last for a lot longer time than the average blend on the skin. Bu tnot as much as Hellion I don't think.

Lemon or Lime primary, then some earthy and herby notes, then a light sweetness in the background, just underneath. Nothing comes to mind to compare this too really.

Purchase again?

Yes, I think so. I still like Absinthe just as much as La Fée Verte though, they're different but in the same family I guess you could say. This one is warmer, less licorice, deeper, more musky or incensey than BPAL's "Absinthe".

1-5 rating (5 being best)

4

Edited January 19, 2006 by UltraViolet

[coulrophobe]

In the bottle: Very green and pungently herbal... I'm a little worried!

 

On: Ah, no need to worry - the pungency tones down almost immediately on my skin. At first it's a very fresh, clean pale green scent, herbally in the same way some of the lunar blends are. Then there's a hint of anise, but not too much - just the tiniest suggestion of licoricey absinthe (I don't care for absinthe because of the licorice taste, so I'm glad I can't smell it strongly). Then there's something naggingly familiar that I just can't place for a few minutes, before the blend settles down into...

 

MUSK! A really light, sweet musk, at that.

 

I was really more excited about Hellion, but La Fée Verte turns out to be even more to my liking.

[gingersnapp]

Mmmmm.... honey honey honey honey honey honey honey.

 

That is all that I smelled when I applied to my skin. And I'm not complaining because I LOVE honey.

 

As it dried, it became more herbal and a bit creamier. That vanilla musk was a gorgeous addition to the blend.

 

This is a fun, sweet blend. I'm so glad I tried it.

[Diana]

#2/300

 

In the bottle & wet, I think the first thing I notice is the smell of Melissa. Very sharp lemony herbal smell. I love. There is an overlayer of sugar to this, it's almost like lemon wedges dipped in sugar, or like the wet stage of Spirits of the Dead: a very powdery lemon tea mix. There are a few herbal notes, which probably comprises the Dittany & angelica. I'm not getting any wormwood that I can tell. There is a soft underlayer of vanilla musk which reminds me greatly of Antique Lace/Morocco.

 

As it dries, the melissa becomes a little less evident, and there is more of a generic herbal undertone mixed with a vague honey smell. Now it smells like a triplet to Antique Lace & Morocco. The vanilla musk is really taking off at this point and it's hard not to see the resemblance. At least for me.

 

This is really quite lovely. Of course, I'd always say I wish the melissa/lemon note lasted longer, but that's the nature of a top note.

[Heavenlyrabbit]

#63

 

A beautiful herbal bouquet entwined with a gentle sweetness. It's perfume hovers around me, subtle yet long lasting.

 

I do not really get the literal Anise/Absinthe but easily conjur an image of a Green Fairy

who offers her own special concotion making me feel relaxed and perhaps even a bit sleepy.

 

Energetic properties also strike me as cool and dry. Perfect antidote to summer humidity.

 

The citric qualities other BPAL'ers note seems to me more herbal and not so much from fruit.

 

It will be interesting to note differences as this ages.

Edited January 24, 2006 by Heavenlyrabbit

[cuervosueno]

Thanks to ultraviolet for posting the pic. of the bottle above....I got this in a swap and thus didn't get to see the bottle.

 

I didn't buy this because I was really worried it WOULD smell like absinthe....which in my mind was going to be like anise which is an awful note for me. I should have read the ingredients more carefully, because while hyssop and angelica can both have slightly licorice notes, neither of them overwhelm with it.

 

I say that because I absolutely adore Le Fee Verte, and I'm so glad I was able to swap the not so good Fee for 5 ml. of it.

 

In the bottle it is very green and almost acquatic to my nose....like a lakeside in early summer--the cool smell of water, the waterplants still green and fresh at this time of the year, and the early-summer herbs growing in the cool shaded areas around the lakes. It smells very green, and I can't indentify any single notes except to say that there is an herbal quality to this that is not medicinal. It is also sweet from the vanilla and honey, but I don't get those as individual notes, just as a sweetness.

 

On, I get the sugared citrus-like note others were mentioning. It is very familiar, and I know it is an herb. Ok, after a quick check I discovered that melissa is also called lemon balm! No wonder it is so familiar--I have a ton of this growing in my herb garden! (on other notes, ditany of crete is a type of oregano, and hyssop is in the anise family). That top note fades quickly as others noted, and then the other herbs start coming in: while I don't pick out individual notes anymore, I get a scent very similiar to walking in an herb garden, though it is always tempered with the sweetness of vanilla and honey. The musk is very subtle to me--it adds a base of sweetness, but doesn't overwhelm. In fact, unless I had the list of notes in front of me, I doubt I'd know it was in there.

 

Overall, this is an incredibly complex blend. The refreshing green stage only lasts about an hour or so on me, and after that I'm left with something that is like Dorian but better--better because to me it is sweeter and more complex, more sophisticated and somehow, more feminine. When I smell it, I feel like I'm smelling a very complex, haunting perfume, and I'm aware of the overall experience rather than thinking oh, now I smell the vanilla or the musk or whatever. And it lasts! I tried it last night about 8 pm, and now, 14+ hours later, I can still smell a faint powdery green sweetness on the back of my hand--as if all that was left of my encounter with the green fairy was fairy dust.

 

This is gorgeous, and for me, an entirely unexpected pleasure. I like Hellion, and the notes are more "me" but it fades quickly on me. Though this is slightly reminiscent of Dorian in some notes, it is different enough to be unlike anything else I have, and I'm so glad I was able to get part of a bottle. I'll treasure it, and I am happy to be in La Fee Verte's thrall.

[Laurel the Woodfairy]

Woo-hoo! I have two imps, one for me and one for my sister; we are both a bit crazed for Moulin Rouge--I half-expect Kylie Minogue to pop out of my imp going, "I'm the Green Fairy! hehehe!" I have to love this--they had me at "Bohemian perfume". I've explained my Bohemian allegiances elsewhere, so I'll get on with the review--

 

Oo, there's a lot going on in the topnotes--honey is dominant, along with anise and some spice. The mainly-warm topnotes quickly cool into a flash of citrus and a gorgeous touch of musk and vanilla. The honey/spice is still there, just moving slightly to the background. This is just marvelous--sexy in an "O" way, but refreshing, too, because of the citrus; lemon, I think it is. Complex and just magickal. I never would have thought these notes could stay in balance, but they do. This one defies categorization; it's equally fresh and musky. Innocence struggling with debauchery, maybe?

 

I can't resist: This is a scent about Truth, Beauty, Freedom, but above all this is a scent about Love. *does can-can*

Edited January 25, 2006 by Laurel the Woodfairy

[LiberAmoris]

I have been so impressed with the BPTP blends so far, and La Fée Verte is another stunner. In the bottle it's a tumult of notes, I'm not even sure I could describe what they are, as so many of the listed notes are ones that are new to me. But I can definitely smell musk, honey, and a gorgeous mix of herbal notes. It's a pale green kind of blend.

 

On, La Fée Verte becomes a wispy (but not light), beautiful herbal/musk. The throw is incredible. The honey is subdued and serves to sweeten but does not overpower. The spices are ones I recognize from Morocco, and they are gooood. I can see the Dorian comparisons, as the musk is similar in my opinion, as is the overall feel. But I just adore the herbal notes here that really balance out the musky sweetness and make this blend sing.

 

And bonus, La Fée Verte reminds me of the absinthe drinking scene in From Hell where Johnny Depp chases the green fairy. Mmmm, Johnny Depp.

[sophia_helix]

In the bottle:

 

This is just a heavenly scent. There's a strong, sophisticated sweetness, and something else herbal that isn't either sweet or bitter.

 

Wet:

 

Whoa! It suddenly because that fresh, sweet citrus everyone is talking about. I don't normally like this type of scent, but it's really beautiful here. I agree with the comparisons to sugared lemons, but there is an indefinable, watery freshness, something like Danube, that goes with this.

 

Drydown:

 

Here's where my skin chemistry turns on me. I start getting hints of honey, maybe a bit of spice, and them BAM, vanilla musk. Heavy, heavy vanilla musk. It's absolutely nothing like the earlier scent, which is really interesting, but also disappointing. Plus the throw drops to nothing.

 

However, the initial scent was so lovely, and at least lasted for 15-20 minutes, so I'll hang onto this just for that.

[laochodia]

In the imp- sweet and astringent.

Wet- Sharp and astringent. This is what I imagine absinthe tastes like.

Dry- Good lord, where did this amazing musky sugar vanilla come from? This scent makes me want to find money and buy a 10ml. Waaaaant. This is amazing stuff. The green is gone; just vanilla musk and a touch of flowers.

[jewelbug]

Imp: Very green, bright and almost citrusy.

 

Wet: As soon as this hit my skin, i felt something familiar. It completely changed from what it was in the imp--no more citrus. It took me a few moments, but then it hit--Snow White! I don't know why or how, but these two scents are REALLY similar to me.

 

Dry: Yes, I put snow white on the other wrist to compare. My skin chem makes them quite similar. La Fee is like a colder snow white. A hint greener, a bit edgier, with less warm creaminess, slightly more floral. The differences are there (but subtle), and the two scents share a common core/attitude.

 

Overtime, La Fee sweetens up (though not in the vanilla way), and they start to differentiate a bit. La Fee gets a little powdery-er, more floral, kinda spicy. I"m typically not the floral type, but these florals are fresh, clean, herbal. L:ate drydown and I can finally feel the spices and vanilla musk with the herbal notes. Its very lovely.

Overall: I like it. I will hold onto my imp so i can think on it. I cannot begin to explain why this would share a feeling with snow white, since I don't really know the snow white notes. Perhaps I'm just nuts, but I'm quite enjoying my insanity!

 

Considering how much I came to like snow white, I'm a bit tempted by dear balthazaar. I will think on it....he IS awful cute:

Edited February 1, 2006 by jewelbug

[girlmadasbirds]

this is so pretty! there's a light..and i mean light.. anise note to it, but it's primarily vanilla, honey, and sugared lemons on me. there's also a very faint floral to it. i have a feeling i'm going to go through this imp rather quickly.

 

i need mass quantities of this scent!!! i think it's my most favorite ever.

Edited February 1, 2006 by angel sixgun

[niter]

Imp

The notes out of the imp have a strong, astringent "bite" to them. It is evervescent and clean, but nippy!

 

Wet

Upon my skin, the sharpness is a bit mellowed and the blend smells alcoholic. I do not know enough of absinthe to say, "hey that's it," so this could be it. This is very fresh and tangy! It tickles my nose and makes me smile!

 

As this dries, it begins to dance on my wrist mixing itself. It is herbal. It is zesty. It has a sugar sweet side. There is a light musk aspect to it. Way deep in the blend is a subtle, but rich, creamy note.

 

Dry

As this dries, the herbal, woodsy note dominates and I finally smell some anise. The creamy note is still hiding in the bottom and I really wished it got strong. This is a sublime blend, even if not for me (but the only reason it is not for me is because I know of other BPALs I love more).

 

Ooh rephrase that. The creamy note is getting stronger and it is very reminscent of Antique Lace. Wow.

 

Now, a few hours in, it is becoming quite soft. I am torn...this end up even prettier than I expected just when I was about to hit "post." Do I keep, do I swap....??

[Aredhel]

#119/300

 

Rating (on skin): 5/5

Summarised in a word or two: Antique Lace + Absinthe + Spice.

 

In the imp: Wormwood! Definitely similar in smell to real Absinthe in taste.

 

On skin, wet: Oh. Green and herbally, then musky and a bit spicy, with my beloved vanilla. Still very distinctly Absinthe-esque, but not as sharp as in the imp.

 

On skin, dry: As it has to others, the drydown really reminds me of Antique Lace. AL meets Absinthe (the scent) with just a bit of spice, maybe. Whatever it may be, it's divine.

 

Conclusion: I really hoped not to fall for LFV, I really did. But, I fell. Hard.

Edited November 13, 2006 by Aredhel