Black Lotus

[Carmencita]

Born in the shadows of a Temple to Set, this corrupted Egyptian scent evokes images of black pyramids, river demons, and bleak, deadly desert sands. Black lotus flower, amber, myrrh and sandalwood.

In bottle: Sweet and young, essence of bubblegum

Wet: Root beer? And a smoky floral coming through.

Dry: Candy flowers, clay, musty mildewed herbs, yucky... mold.

It starts great, but on my skin turns into yech.

[euterpe414]

disclaimer: lotus notes do NOT go bubblegum on my skin, and I rather like them.

 

This is so GORGEOUS on me! The resins really help temper the sweet tendencies of the lotus, making the sweetness just the right amount that I like. The two elements (resin and sweet lotus) meld together so beautifully on my skin- definitely no mustiness with my chemistry (phew!). This is a very mysterious and womanly scent, imo. A scent for someone who is not afraid of their sensuality. I don't really feel the evil in this scent, just more of a dark shadowy beauty. I love this and will always want to have a bottle on hand!

 

[dixiehellcat]

Got this as a frimp...delicious! Like the previous reviewer, I can smell how the sweet and resinous notes balance each other. I hope this lasts and lasts on my skin.

[modernsaints]

Frimp from the lab. Beth > all.

 

However, something in this felt... off to me. Either the amber or the myrrh, I think? The lotus wasn't bubblegum-y, just vaguely sweet, and the other notes balanced it, but it never got past generically nice. I think something about it just didn't click. Shame, as I REALLY liked the lotus in Shattered and wanted more lotus ):

[CiCi]

Black Lotus is very tropical with a little fruit and some lovely spices. The lotus notes stay true on my body chemistry and blend really well with the other notes. I had received an imp and tried it first and loved it so much I ordered a bottle and just received the bottle a few days ago. When I wear this I feel like I am transported to a tropical island.

[LadyCrow]

The resins come out best for me on the drydown, and then they're very nice, giving things a bit more of the incense-y wafty quality I'd hoped for. At first, though, all I can smell on me is the lotus, so dark (true to the scent name) it smells purple, and I can see where people would find it cloying. After that initial WHOOMP of lotus, things are more balanced.

 

Overall, this is just a little bit traditionally perfumey and floral for my taste; I'll probably use up the imp, but not quickly, as this gives me the feeling of an evening dress-up occasion--and contrary to popular belief, the nightlife of an English teacher is not sodden with glamour! I'd wear this with black velvet, for example.

[ariosa]

I received Black Lotus as a frimp in a sale from caramialove. I was very excited once I read the ingredients. Lotus! Amber! Myrrh! Sandalwood! All things I LOVE in great quantities!

 

It initially goes on very bubblegummy, which is okay with me, because I loves me some fruity smells. And then you can get a nice whiff of something smokier in the background. As it dries down, however, I'm not quite sure about it. Not 100%. There's something that seems a little off -- not in a bad way, but not in a 'OMG I LOVE THIS' way either. That only lasts for a few minutes, though, and then it's all lotus and amber, with a wee bit of myrrh. Unfortunately, I don't get a lot of sandalwood from this, but it's okay This really is quite lovely, and I look forward to using up my imp!

 

Thanks, caramialove!

[DifferentDances]

Imp: Fruity candy.

Wet on skin: fruity candy! Huh. Awesome!

Drydown: Oh dear. Less awesome. Dry wood invading the sweet candy!

Dry: Myrrh layered with amber with the faintest candy tone.

 

My rating: 5/5 in the imp, 1/5 on my skin.

[Nia]

My only previous contact with lotus was Paris, with has lavender and lotus and smells like lavender and caramel apples on me. This one is so sweet that I thought it must have been mislabeled: too sweet for a rapaccini blend.

 

After very few minutes, the bubblegum turns into the caramel apples that make me love Paris, so if I ever want to smell like extra sweet Paris, I'll layer both. Otherwise, it's pleasant but too cloying.

[Nimthiriel]

In the vial (initial impression):

It's dark, yet oh so tempting. It's strange, because it reminds me of a certain type of candy that used to be around when I was much younger. I'm hopelessly in love - let's see how long this infatuation lasts!

 

Initially on (wet):

It's bold and mysterious - but there's no sense in my trying to pick out different notes. It's all harmony, all blend, all one!

 

Wearing it (dry):

10 mins later is has gone SO floral. Not at all like it was in the vial or wet on the skin. Darn. I'm hoping for the awesomeness to return again...

 

30 mins after application, the incense-like smells mellow the floral a bit, but it's not nearly as awesome as before. *pout*

 

An hour later, it's better, though not nearly as lush as in the beginning.

 

Finally:

Greatly ambivalent with this one. It started out so good... It's a maybe.

[taramarie]

In the imp, sweet floral and myrrh. Wet on my skin, all I get is bubblegum. Once it's dry, the other notes start to come through, but bubblegum is definitely the strongest. I'll keep this imp for a while to see if it ages well, otherwise I'll pass it on.

[storme]

In the imp: sweet bubblegum lotus.

 

On me, wet: sweet fruity-bubblegum lotus, slightly tinged with plastic.

 

On me, dry: yeah, this is almost entirely lotus on me - I can get a tinge of resin, but it's not making this much less bubblegumish.

 

Verdict: Nah, not one that's to my taste.

[JenM]

In the imp: I get a sweeter, darker honeysuckle, which is probably the lotus.

 

On the wrist: Lotus with a touch of myrrh that stings my eyes a bit. Good throw.

 

Drydown: sandalwood getting progressively stronger, but not quite overpowering the lotus. Amber is starting to kick in, too.

 

Half an hour: My skin appears to be eating scents today. Maybe it’s a hormonal thing. Anyway, it’s a nice floral amber with occasional shouts of sandalwood.

 

Later: Hmmmm…I’m beginning to suspect my skin amps sandalwood, coz that’s mostly all that’s left. This bears investigation.

[sithwitch13]

Fresh on me, there's a minute or two where it smells like smoky, spicy bubble gum. But that doesn't last long and the bubblegum turns into something sweet but not sickeningly so. I don't smell the sandalwood at all, but the myrrh and lotus are sort of softer than I'd expect so the amber and sandalwood are in there somewhere. It's a good scent on me, not too sweet, not too spicy, not too dark or hot. And it lasts for hours, but not overpoweringly so. I put some on yesterday and could still get a hint of it late this morning until I showered. An unlikely favorite of mine, I think.

[bodegaselkie]

Usually BPAL's sandalwood and myrrh resins overpower any scent -- particularly the myrrh -- but when balanced such as in Black Lotus with other resins and potent lotus, they seem not to be competing. However, I'm not sure the sweetness of the lotus works FOR ME with the resins, although I can see how they are supposed to. I love Beth's lotus note but it works better for me in some contexts (Bastet, for instance) than in others.

Edited October 1, 2007 by bodegaselkie

[belenen]

on first sniff: CANDY

on wet: strong cinnamon apple candy

after a few minutes on my skin: still a bit of candy-ness but has quieted down to a rather Christmassy cinnamon, like the scented pine cones some places sell around the holidays. I'll keep this one just for the holiday season. ;-)

[aquazoo]

It started harsh & fruity, but has mellowed into a nice spice. Goes back to being fruity again.

[YoakeNoKami]

Imp: Fruity, almost bubblegum--but more fruity than Shango...

 

On/wet: Still a lovely, almost edible fruit scent, and sweet lotus.

 

Drydown: There's a floral in here, but it's a fruity floral--it's got this lovely sweet lotus and sort of a foody-but-not-foody fruitiness and underlying warm spice to it. Delicious!

[aleciarivas]

Mmmmm.... No bubblegum on me either!! Slightly sharp-smelling but at the same time smooth. Makes about much sense as corners on a ball, I know.... But that's the only way I can think to describe it!!! It must the myrrh that pinches my senses a bit, and puts me off a little. It's a nice scent but I probably won't keep this one....

[maribouquet]

imp: bubblegum sweet

wet: I...have no idea what I'm smelling. :/

dry: sort of a weird sweet-sour smell, kind of chalky

 

How puzzling.

[Ethaisa]

When first applied, there is a sweet fruity note, almost cloying, evoking apricot, or peach on me, but deeper. Then it mellows, its heaviness brightened as the amber warms up. Just a hint of sandalwood and smoke. Benath it all, the myrrh, adding darkness and depth. Liquid indolence, lovely and bold, with moderate last.

[RoseWhite]

In the Imp: Very sweet berries, like undiluted Ribena. Hmmm. Not sure about this.

 

Wet: Still a little sweet, but much more understated. I'm getting a lovely smoky floral in there too.

 

Dry: Oooo, dark smoky incense with a rich dark floral. The floral note fades out gradually with the incense dominating, but not being overpowering. I like this *alot* now. I can still smell it very faintly on my wrists after applying it yesterday, so good staying power. A keeper!

[blacklacestatic]

In the Imp: A very sweet, candy sweet type floral.

 

Wet: Um, Bubblegum? Not traditional bubblegum, but one of those really strong, fruit punch bubblelicious types. Very in your face sweet.

 

Dry: Fruity, cinnamon with a sandalwood base. Odd change if you ask me! As it dries I get a very sweet spiciness.

 

Overall: I was expecting something way more floral than this on me, but I wasn't exactly dissapointed either. It's a good "young" scent. It would be a great gift for a teen girl.

3.5 out of 5

[arcadelane]

I ordered an imp of Blood Lotus but I got Black Lotus.. do I mind? Gosh no! This starts off like a beautiful rounded and sweet Lotus with some soft spice, as it dries down it turns very smokey and dark with the sweetness still there. The morphing reminded me a lot of Hecate but starting with lotus instead of almond. It went a bit weird on me once, but its probably more lack of money and not lack of love for it thats keeping me from buying a big bottle

[filigree_shadow]

I smell some lotus at first (on me lotus doesn't smell just like bubblegum, it smells like bad bubblegum, the kind that's been chewed too long and is now sort of hard and gross). But after about 20 minutes it's not very strong at all. Mostly what I smell is myrrh but it's a little sweeter than usual. The sandalwood is a nice touch. It's a pretty scent.

 

I feel bad saying this, but I wish that this was called something other than Black Lotus. I kinda burned myself out on lotus scents after I got Lotus Moon last year, and when I see this imp sitting in my imp box with the word Lotus on it, I never feel like putting it on. Maybe I should cross out the "Lotus" on my imp label and write "THIS IS THE ONE THAT SMELLS LIKE MYRRH" on it so that I have a chance of wearing it sometime.