Parlement of Foules

[Thaleia]

For the Valentine's Day purists.

For this was on seynt Volantynys day
Whan euery bryd comyth there to chese his mate.

Medieval romance and courtly love. White rose and soft resins.

As a medievalist and a girl who likes roses, I was especially excited for this one, and am so glad and honoured (!) that I get to be the first to review. I'm doing this really fast for those of you who want to put in a last-minute order, so forgive me if this seems a bit rushed, but I'll edit it later.

In the bottle, heavenly roses warmed by resins. It's exactly what's in the description ... and yet, so much more than that. White roses, I guess, are lighter than those of any other colour, less rich and opulently scented, but softer and more innocent, and yet a bit sharper.

(Macha, wonderful label art on this one. I love it!)

Oh, that white rose is sharp! This scent isn't too floral because of the resins keeping it in check, and it positively blooms on my skin. This is traditional courtship in an English rose garden at the height of rose season with a feudal manor in the distance. Parlement of Foules dries down to a warm, soft rose, unobtrusive, not overly floral, and positively beautiful. This is courtly love at its best, immortalised in the works of Geoffrey Chaucer and John Gower, and now this small amber bottle sitting on my desk.

I love this. I'm so glad I've got another bottle of this on its way to me. I guess this means I'm in love with love. 10/10.

[UltraViolet]

 

On

Just a reminder that rose and my skin chemistry do not get along historically.

The white rose is so sweet and soft spoken compared to the other types of rose. But just as the previous poster rabid pointed out, it's softer and more innocent, yet it is a bit sharper. If I didn't know better I'd swear this had dill or frankincense in here. It does get more fresh and pretty the longer it's on my skin.

30 minutes

It's lightly sweet, just a wee bit and this sharpness too and then the underiding freshness of the rose scent is there at the back end of the sniff so to speak.

Throw:

average

Scent category:

Floral/Resin

Summary

Not as floral or rose-like as I thought it would be. More delicate, which is good. If I could only smell the back end of the sniff it would be perfect, it's this other resin note that is in the way. Maybe I shouldn't have tried this one after Night's Pavilion, dunno.

Purchase again?

Dunno yet. I'm on the fence.

1-5 rating (5 being best)

3.5

Edited January 31, 2006 by UltraViolet

[ivyandpeony]

Based on my first sniffs & swipes of the Lupercalia scents, Parlement of Foules is leading the pack for me. The rose is gorgeous and pure, a cousin to the dewy rose in Rose Red, and my nose didn't detect any of the sharpness that previous reviewers picked up. I can't identify the resins, but they are very warm, soft and smooth. They are somewhere in the middle of the spectrum, not green/herbaceous, not smoky like amber, nor sharp or soapy like frankincense can sometimes be. The rose dominates on me, but the resins are always there providing a lovely, golden base. I love the simplicity of this blend as well as the gorgeous combination of notes.

[spanishviolet]

Anything but sharp on me. These are soft, pretty white roses with warm resins under them. Definitely more approachable than Rose Cross, and softer than All Saints 05, so far as rose/resins go. Liking it so far ... Mmm. (Happy sniffing...)

[paradoxicaljlb]

These white roses are sweet and dry. I get that same sense of sour sharpness that others have mentioned but I'm not sure if I should blame the roses. The tang becomes slightly less noticable as the oil dries down so it's not a big squicky problem for me, but it might be too much for some. Overall PoF is a subtle, (as subtle as you can expect rose to be, anyway) delicate rose. The roses definitely dominate the resins. I echo the sentiment that these are middle of the road resins, as I can't identify for certain which can be found in this blend. Lotsa throw. Pretty and simple.

 

I'm not the biggest rose lover in the world and I tend to favor complexity, so I might downsize this bottle by decanting or just sell it outright.

[LiberAmoris]

Parlement of Foules is a pretty straightforward blend of white rose and resins on my skin. I can see how some people have mentioned that they thought this was sharp, as the resin gives the rose an edge that roses have in some of the penitential blends like Rose Cross or Kostnice. But on me, that element dissipates pretty quickly and I'm left with a rose that has a very slight leather edge (?) and beautiful resins. I think I smell frankincense and maybe myrrh.

 

I'm glad I got a couple of bottles because this strikes me as both reverential and classically romantic. I can see myself reaching for this as a comfort scent on a day when I just want to wear something that makes me feel lovely.

[nineveh]

Huh, I can barely tell that there are roses in here. I'm mostly getting a sharp, dry, somewhat salty wood note. It reminds me of a patchouliless Anne Bonny. That's probably not what it's supposed to smell like, but I like it.

 

You probably shouldn't let my weird chemistry influence any last minute purchase decisions.

[CapricornSister]

This is a very light blend on me, I can barely smell it on my skin. Of course I do have a bit of a cold It is very nice though. I get more resins than rose, the rose seems to just sweeten it up a bit. It is a very innocent scent, not overpowering at all. I will have to edit this review when my cold goes away

[Thorne]

This is gorgeous. Rich, almost spicy rose with lasting power over a soft, warm resiny base. The rose has almost a fruity quality, without being overly sweet. This is like a lovely fresh cut bowl of roses on an antique wooden table - perfectly beautiful in its simplicity.

[Kittyflop]

Not a very strong scent. On wet it's a light, pale rose.

 

As it dries, the rose is enveloped in a base of earth. The resins, whatever they are, are keeping the rose from dominating. Almost woodsy. It's very beautiful, subdued, understated, but alluring. Some roses tickle and turn sharp in my nose - this one doesn't.

 

This is a quiet, romantic, classic scent. I hope it strengthens and lasts - I would love to try this alone (and not shortly after getting a noseful of red lantern!)

[gingersnapp]

MMmmm..... white roses. Very soft and delicate, with a mildly spicy undertone from the resins. This has not gone to powder on me like rose sometimes does. It still smells like a big fat bloom. Not the tiny, closed buds. These roses would be gorgeous when given.

 

Utterly romantic and feminine.

[Blood onmy hands]

I didn't think that I would really need another rose fragrance, but the mention of resins in Parlement of Foules had me sold instantly. I'm glad that I purchased two bottles of this one, it's a very unique and wearable rose.

 

Wet on my skin, this was very sharp/perfumey and I was ready to wash it off. Then it completely morphed after a couple of minutes into a soft, slightly sweet rose with the spice of frankincense in the background.

 

It reminds me a bit of the sweetness that I got from the rose in The Peacock Queen, only softer and with the resinous bite. I love Kittyflop's description of this as a "pale rose" because that is the phrase that kept coming up in my mind as I sniffed this one.

 

After an hour this smells like golden syrupy sweet myrrh with a hint of fresh cut rose. It fades quickly after the one hour mark.

 

Parlement of Foules is romantic and soft on me, very good for a Valentine's Day sort of rose. It would be fitting to wear on a romantic dinner date. I wish that this lasted longer, but it's one that I don't mind reapplying.

[Imptress]

In the bottle, this smelled to me of light rose. My husband said he smelled some patchouli (I never got patchouli, not even on wear... I think the resins are probably something like light myrrh & amber). On, this was pure rose but a soft, real rose... not sickly sweet fake rose smell that amps out of all control. This stayed soft and real-smelling, with just an occasional waft of the resins. This seemed to fade quickly but when I stepped in the shower this morning a cloud of rose and resin scented steam surrounded me. I really love this and hubby thought I smelled great while wearing it. I have just one bottle but I'm not going to feel bad about that... as much as I love this, Beth has plenty of other scents that I love and even more that I still have to discover! All in all, this is a great rose fragrance, and I would definitely recommend it to people who are afraid of rose... this definitely stayed soft and didn't amp at all. Beautiful!

[Heavenlyrabbit]

Pretty, uncomplicated Rose scent perfect for a "first date".

 

Strong enough to leave an impression but not enough to be overwhelming.

 

The Rose does fade a bit, but then towards the end of a first date, it's nice to get closer and cozy up a bit for that "first kiss".

Edited February 10, 2006 by Heavenlyrabbit

[Bard]

Roses have something of an unrequited love for me. When I wear rose scents they lavish me with as much attention as they possibly can, providing a long lasting scent with a very nice throw. Having put it on well over 12 hours ago, the fragrance remains constant in its devotion: a predominantly rose scent with the resins subtley playing beneath it. The scent is gorgeous, and I love her in my own fashion, however I am just not sure I can wear her.

 

Still, this is a beautiful scent and I love it. It gets the Fuchsia Tights Award of 2006.

 

 

Parlement of Foules Haiku,

I hadde suche a dreme!

The bloming rose of her breste

Al tendre whyte mete.

[Scarlettfish]

I love this scent. It's utterly beautiful - very simple and uncomplicated, but strikingly beautiful at the same time. It is a soft rose scent - a little spicy - on a soft resiny base that stays fairly soft throughout dry-down, but is still definitely there. It smells like courtly love, if that is possible. Romantic and old-fashioned and elegant.

[Xiabelle]

On me and my resin-loving skin, this is almost all resins. Seriously, this is one where I thought 'Wow, I smell like tree sap!' then went 'Duh! Resins, nitwit!'

 

Overall they're definitely soft, sweet resins. Very natural smelling, given I felt I was out among seeping trees and fresh-cut plants. The rose is very faint and soft on me, almost to the point where I don't pick it up at all, but it's enough to keep it from being too much resin.

 

I'm going to let this one age a bit to see what it does, because I'm not actually sure that it's me.

[Malista]

I love, love love Beth’s white rose note! It’s one of the ones that doesn’t go bitter on me, and in fact is sweeter than any other rose note Beth uses, on me. And I love most resins – amber, frankincense, copal, oppoponax – yummy! I can even take the super-fruity-and-sweet Dragon’s Blood if it isn’t mixed with anything else too sweet. There is one resin that hates me and wants me dead, though. Myrrh. Myrrh needs to be mixed with super sweet, heavy notes (lotus will do it) if I’m to survive the experience without ending up smelling like marinade for beef, or worse.

 

Well, it seems that one of the “soft resins” in Parlement of Foules is actually loud, rough, abrasive myrrh. Ouch! There is the beautiful white rose, indescribably light, sweet and pure, floating over a faintly spicy (is the other resin here frankincense?) bowl of savory/bitter meat rub. The throw is all rose, but as soon as my nose approaches my skin I get nothing but myrrh. Woe!

 

Dry, the frankincense (or other spicy resin, whatever it may be) comes up a bit more, and the myrrh loses some of its rough edges. The rose has faded too much to save it, though. As an experiment I layered some Two, Five & Seven over the dry Parlement, and it became almost what I think others get from the beginning – cool roses over warm resins, although the extreme unsweetness of the myrrh is still present. Still, I don’t generally wear the blends that require layering to smell good – too much like work, and I’m the poster child for Lazy Libra. I suspect I’ll be looking for a new home for the Parlement of Foules.

[Diana]

For me this is mostly white rose. Just a touch of the resin ever comes through. This lasts all day and has average-good throw. If you're not a fan of rose, this is not for you.

 

The overall effect is that of sitting in an old medieval chapel filled with white, translucent roses in which the smell of incense lingers on every surface and cold stone wall.

 

It is mighty pretty. It's sweet & innocent, much like the concept of courtly love.

[bellis]

Oooooooooh. I LOVE this. The rose is fresh and sweet, and the resin is soft and warm. For the first two hours or so this is a perfect balance of rose and resin on me, but as it fades the resins become the most prominent note. This is rich and almost smoky, and terribly evocative. I can't wait until this summer when I have a RenFair to wear it to!

[sarada]

mmmmMMMMmmmm....

 

I didn't order this initially because I figured I have enough roses and resins around. There aren't many roses I can wear, and I have every single resin scent the lab offers. In the past I've enjoyed layering Cathedral with various rose scents, usually to pretty decent effect but this takes those experiments and perfects them.

 

The rose in Parlement is one that I particularly love. It is a very fresh, green rose, slightly sweet, slightly winey. It makes me think of pinkish green rather than white, but it's beautiful, whatever it is.

 

The resins, which are almost just like those in Cathedral, a little smoky, thick and sweet, just weave in and out of the rosepetals perfectly. It's strong, but not overwhelming. It creates exactly the mood of rose incense smoke that I was hoping for. This works much better than my own layering experiments and it does not give me a headache like Rose Cross did.

 

Thank goodness for swaps! The Valentine scents so far are 3 for 3 for me...and I have a feeling I'll wind up loving all of the other ones too.

Edited February 9, 2006 by sarada

[Galena]

I found this lovely and warm and spicy resin on me, more so than floral.

 

it's absolutely yummy.

[yellowrose]

Expectations: Not sure precisely how white roses differ from others. Unsure how different this might be from the other rose scents in the collection -- Black Cat and Love in the Asylum. (Moon Rose was eclipsed when Black Cat showed up on my doorstep.) I'm satisfied that each of these has its specific place or time for wearing. I hope Parlement of Foules will be distinctive enough not to worry about having made the investment. Purchased because the word "resins" is always intriguing.

 

In the bottle: lovely roses.

 

Wet: Roses. Roses. Roses.

 

Drying: Roses. Where're the promised resins?

 

At least on me, roses trump resins. The resin seems to anchor the rose a smidge, but this is a simple almost ethereal rose very akin to Black Cat. This is the daytime wear version. It's unobtrusive. Lovely.

 

After a couple of testings, it's obvious that slathering will be the only way to keep from having to reapply. Parlement doesn't last as long as two other wonderful roses: Black Cat or LitA. Think of it as a personal rose.

 

Very nice. May try layering with LitA sometime for kicks.

 

ETA: Even-handed slathering does help the staying power. Third time's a charm. More resins detectable and delectable. Really enjoying this scent!

Edited February 15, 2006 by yellowrose

[urraca]

White rose is my favourite rose (I love it in Penthus), I never met a resin I didn't like, *and* I am a medievalist so this was a must buy for me. I was not disappointed. On me it is mostly beautiful, sweet resins (frankincense?) with a little cool white rose at the outset. I haven't tried All Saints'. Cathedral, or Midnight Mass, but I wonder how similar it is to any of those. It won spontaneous praise from friends I saw last night, but it doesn't last all that long. I can see this bottle will be finished quickly.

[malabar]

All I can smell of this one is rose, but that's OK because it smells fantastic on my husband.