The Masque

[urraca]

... Honey and carnation, rich incense and rose accord, myrtle, red sandalwood, amber, jonquil and clove propel you through the revel, finally seating itself in the final, patchouli, tobacco and labdanum drenched darkness of the blood-tinged western chamber.

This reminds me very much of Gypsy Queen, which I love. I think the carnation in both come to the fore on me. Gypsy is more floral at the outset, while in Masque the patchouli and honey are prominent at the beginning though fortunately (for me) the patchouli doesn't last long, and retreats to provide a base for the scent. Gypsy, though "lighter," has more throw while Masque is much more of a warm skin scent. I love them both.

[falcon in the dive]

in the bottle: It's a very complex, potent blend that's kind of red, sharp, and a little overpowering.

 

wet: it came out a strong red musk, very spicy, very powerful.

 

after 30 minutes: It's still the strong red scent. Kind of a spicy carnation, but a woodier scent is coming out now.

 

dry: This scent does extraordinary things as it matures. Almost progressing through colors. It goes from the sharp pungent red settling in another room, the first time I wore it, I believe I caught it lingering around an indigo, cooler the carnation fading to something else but

 

Overall: It's a very distinctive scent, almost isolating and dominant. I felt more like the figure of the Red Death than the masquerade itself. I'm unsure if I'd buy it, though I will use my imp. I keep telling myself I don't like it and then proceed to wear it again.

 

Side note: The first time I tried this was a particular part of my lunar cycle (if you catch my drift) there was a beautiful irony to that--the opposite of dramatic irony, where the character and not audience knows--but I found I preferred it more then. Today it's much woodier and greener than spicy.

[Eunice]

This is total tobacco on me and reminds me of a honey cigarette I smoked once. The Masque is sweet like honeyed beeswax with an undercurrant of cigarette tobacco straight from the pack. The patchouli keeps this from being too too sweet on my skin. The Masque is totally amazing. I will be wearing this tonight!

[gwyllgi]

In the imp and wet on my skin, this is honey and rose, sweet and sharp. As it dries, it evolves drastically; I can suddenly pick up the clove and carnation, with the others swirling madly in the background. It lingers in this stage for quite a while, lovely and complex and heady. Slowly, the patchouli creeps through - rather like a stalking Death - trailing tobacco in its wake. The labdanum adds a veneer of mystery that fades away quickly under the press of the patchouli.

 

This is the perfect scent for its namesake, revelry underscored by tragedy. This is perhaps my favorite of the Maelström scents, giving Berenice a run for its money. I'm only sorry that I didn't get more bottles of it.

[moon_lemming]

Incense and spicy carnations wet, The Masque dries into a lovely complex scent. None of the usual amp-to-death culprits are amping, and the honey and tobacco come to the forefront as the florals fade back. It gets a little headshoppy as time goes on, but not in a bad way.

 

I like this one a lot. I really didn't expect to, but isn't that usually how it goes?

[tinyvulture]

on application, the tobacco stands out as the strongest note. i also get incense, honey, something that smells like candle wax, and a hinty of spicy florals. it’s such a rush of different notes, i am having a hard time picking them out. i can’t smell the clove at all, for sure. this scent seems masculine to me. if i close my eyes i could imagine being in some rich old lord’s study, surrounded by plush furniture and decadent tapestries and statues, cigar smoke lingering in the air, leafing through manuscripts by candlelight.

[mirutai]

Hmm. While this is a rich, complex scent, I don't get the morphing effects that other people have described. On me, The Masque is pretty much the same from first application to the moment when it finally waves goodbye - sweet golden honey, a hint of candlewax, powdery amber and a hint of spicy incense. While the sweetness of the honey is dominant, there's something giving it a sharp edge - I'm guessing the tobacco.

 

The Masque is appropriately heady and decadent - fitting to the subject matter, but ultimately not my thing!

[grrrlennyl]

at first: something sweet and dark...almost chocolatey.

on: tons of carnation. nice, fresh carnation. there are other sweet and floral notes swirling around, too.

1.5 hours later: tons of honey. sweet and heavy.

overall: this lasted really, really well. it was sweet and gorgeous. i'll have to decide whether i want to get a bottle.

[storme]

In the imp: sweet, slightly spicy woods and resin.

 

On me, wet: whoa, patchouli and sandalwood and resin. I can't smell much else at all. Man, this makes my nose twitch.

 

On me, dry: powdery honey and tobacco, and the faintest whiff of carnation. Meh. At least the patchouli has calmed down.

 

Verdict: Those notes looked like they might just be awesome on me, but nope. At least it's fading swiftly.

[edenssixthday]

The Masque is one of the most complex and gorgeous blends I've tried. When first applied, the spiciness of the carnation is evident, and I can't smell any patchouli for the life of me. It's a predominantly spicy scent when wet, as the carnation, incense, and clove stand out above the other notes. It is highly sweet when wet, and the honey note weaves itself around the spicy notes giving it a thick, heady sweetness. As it begins to dry down it becomes richer, deeper, and darker, yet remains very sweet. Upon dry-down, the scent of patchouli becomes evident and the sweetness of the honey and the darkness of the patchouli blend together to create a scent highly reminiscent of Hetairae, yet without the "strangeness" I find in Hetairae. As time goes on, the patchouli fades a bit and a more resinous amber-like scent softly and subtly takes the place of the patch. This is a complex blend, and but I can’t decide if I like the honey note very much. I like it more than most honeys, but I’m not sure I would wear it often. I find it incredibly dark and sinister despite the sweet touch of honey. This is a nighttime scent, and definitely one that will be noticed. I may just keep an imp and pass on the rest of the bottle.

[karengypsy]

In the vial: This is mostly all incense, labdanum, and a hint of rose.

 

On me: This scent is very nice at the beginning. I like this blend a lot, but sadly, it turns to powder on me.

 

Verdict: Selling my bottle.

 

Rating: 2/5

[themerrybaker]

The Masque is very sweet, powdery, heavy, and humid on me. It's well blended with recognizable honey but no one note predominating. Masque doesn't seem to have a lot of throw and will probably be better in cooler weather. I think the description of sweaty revelry is apt.

[Naamah_Darling]

Honey and carnation twine in the glass, combined with sweet sandalwood, a hint of patchouli, and a swirl of amber and clove. Sweet, with promise of great depth to come.

 

On, the incense boils out, along with the clove and florals. Again, a note there that I can barely lay hands on: the labdanum, which is sweet, round, and throaty. This is gorgeous and deep, all incense and wilting florals. The amber and honey are detectable, but not overpowering, giving it a golden warmth. There's a rosiness in here, and a woodiness, that reminds me a little of Old Scratch.

 

I can smell the carnation trying to go bad. I really hate how it ruins everything it's in once it hits my skin. Here, though, it's kept in check for a long time by the amber and honey and clove, so while the scent is, indeed, very dry, it's not the rancid and foul old-makeup smell I usually get from carnation.

 

I don't think it's quite lovely enough on me to warrant a bottle, but someone who can wear florals and likes incense might do well to try this one. It's subtle, sophisticated, and very rich. Sweetness and dry rot, the hollow smell of debauchery. I really wish I was getting full mileage out of it because I think on the right person this would be a stunner but alas, the florals do this one in for me.

Edited July 4, 2006 by Naamah_Darling

[hologhost]

In the bottle: chocolate, fruit, and patchouli.

 

On me much, much more complex. Clove comes to the forground, and tobacco. Spicy and sweet. I'm sorry I missed a chance to pick this up in bottle form.

[Orodemniades]

Hmm, this is dry, oriental sweetness, lemon and...sweet lemon, but not bitter or acidic, maybe lemon with honey? And stuff?

 

Dry: omg! This is a light version of Delphi!! There's little wine in this, though, none of that grapeyness that can be a bit overwhelming in Delphi.

 

Overall: My absolute favorite out of the entire Maelstrom set.

 

eta: One of my favorite oils evah. Sultry, sexy, hot. Perfect for what we imagine the power of the odalisque to be, all rich silks and honey skin, doe eyed and dewy-lipped. Yeah, me likee.

Oro

Edited July 20, 2006 by Orodemniades

[Bagfish]

On me this is a very complex scent - I can't pick out any single over-riding note as it seems really well blended. I get the sweetness of honey and a definite resin-y earthyness. The tobacco and patchouli come to the fore on drydown.

 

But no matter how well it is blended, this oil doesn't "sing" on my skin - if I didn't have loads of other similar oils that smelled better on me, The Masque would be a keeper, but this one stays too earthy and close to my skin for me to want to keep it. On the right person, this would be a masterpiece, but its just not happy on me.

[Shannihilation]

The Masque is tied with The Premature Burial as my favorite of the Maelstrom scents. Although to be honest, I love them all. This is a very "incensey" blend on me. It's rich and smooth and very sexy. I don't really get many of the floral notes at all. On me this is all honey and spice which I'm assuming is the sandalwood, amber, and clove. And the patchouli makes a nice background. It's there but manages to blend with the other notes without overwhelming them.

[Dinerdulcinea]

In bottle:

Very incense-y with something sticky-sweet-smelling. Not sure about this one...also a strong floral.

 

On wet:

OK, immediately the distasteful notes I smelled in the bottle are peeled away, but now there is a powdery sticky-sweetness left. Kinda soapy. Not sure I like this one on me.

 

Dry: Now I am getting baby powder, soap and DEET. ALAS!

 

SUMMARY: AAAAAAAAA!!! I did SO want this one to work on me. It sounded so neat in the description. Very disappointed my skin hates this one. Oh well. One to trade.

[BrightRedScream]

I scored this bottle off of Ebay, here's hoping that it's for me.

 

In the bottle: Honey carnations...with some rose. I think I get a wiff of the tobacco as well.

 

Wet on the skin: Clove, sandalwood..incense...that sweetness that I'm getting from the bottle isn't existing at all on my skin.

 

Dry down: No honey, no more carnation...it's all gone..I'm getting mostly the darker, woodier scents.

I'm not sure what I think of this now. I don't like it, but I don't dislike it.

This might go back up on Ebay..It's going to take some thinking.

 

Edit: About 25 minutes after dry down, this became a spicey, carnation rose.

 

I hate rose, but I'm not minding it still.

I'm still very undecided about if I'm going to keep this.

 

Edit again: After about two hours - this scent on me was straight patchouli and rose.

Not exactly a blend that's for me.

If my sister doesn't like this one - it's going back up for grabs.

Edited August 4, 2006 by BrightRedScream

[luna65]

Thanks to bloodpoppies for the decant.

 

Vial: The florals are the most apparent, along with the amber and the honey.

 

Skin: The incense takes precedence, and accentuates the sandalwood. The amber remains a prevalent note upon application.

 

Drydown: Its' final evolution has a powdery quality, which I imagine is the combination of the tobacco and the labdanum, and tempers the patchouli - giving it a resinous quality - though not as pungent as it's generally known to be. The honey is brought forth by my chemistry at the end, a thin, high note above the others, just a suggestion of sweetness.

 

There's something decadent and disturbing about this blend, as I imagine it's meant to be - a gathering which has gone from gentile pleasantries to wild revelry and finally dissolute collapse. Heady and mysterious, indeed.

[kraken]

In the Bottle: The scent is sharp with no sweetness at all. Carnation and incense with a hint of rose. Perhaps the sharpness is clove.

 

Initial Wet: That sharpness carries over to my skin, but the throw is all honey. The sharpness fades to florals, mostly carnation. It's so very different from the throw that it's startling. Wrist away from nose = warm fresh honey, like a jar picked up from a farmers' market in the midde of summer. Wrist near nose = florals, like from flowers that are almost too old to hold scent, so not sweet at all.

 

Initial Dry: The florals fade and the woodsy-musty sandalwood, tobacco, and labdanum come in. The amber and honey settle into the background. The throw now reminds me of honey mead--not as pure honey before, but with a slight sharp note, which could be the clove or the amber.

 

Drier Dry: After many hours, it still has a strong honey throw and is a soft, spiced honey on my wrist. The amber and the honey is lovely together and there is just a hint of tobacco and sandalwood.

 

This is quite the morphing scent. It really did feel like walking from one part of a large manor to another. To me it's like Luperci meets Velvet, but without the myrrh. I loves it!

Edited September 29, 2006 by kraken

[lookingglass]

HOOOONEY covered carnations. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm! Drying down the darkness of the incense, spices and patchouli all do a slow dance behind the honey. Glorious!

 

I was worried about the rose accord...does that mean it is not really rose? It is not very rosey at all, though. Mostly honey and carnations on me. Love, love, love!

[nancybridget]

This is a delicious herb and spice blend, swirrling with incense. It's both simple and complex - utterly mysterious.

[sarahj]

The Masque

 

in bottle: rose, carnation, and sandalwood...a lot drier than I expected it would be

 

wet: same, but a little sweeter and warmer...I can start to smell the honey and clove

 

dry: a wonderful blend of honey, carnation, rose, clove, and sandalwood

 

verdict:

[sofiaviolet]

Mmm, I smell red sandalwood. And incense. Me likey. It's a miracle I can smell anything; usually I can only just smell a scent containing amber or honey in the imp, and it vanishes completely on my skin. Not the Masque, though, and it has both.