Berenice

[sookster]

Misery is manifold. The wretchedness of earth is multiform. Overreaching the wide horizon as the rainbow, its hues are as various as the hues of that arch, — as distinct too, yet as intimately blended. Overreaching the wide horizon as the rainbow! How is it that from beauty I have derived a type of unloveliness? — from the covenant of peace a simile of sorrow? But as, in ethics, evil is a consequence of good, so, in fact, out of joy is sorrow born. Either the memory of past bliss is the anguish of to-day, or the agonies which are have their origin in the ecstasies which might have been.

A cerebral scent, dry, and white. This is a perfume of thought, not heart, and of unforeseen pain and sudden obsession, touched with uncertain twilight and ambiguous horror. Stargazer lily, white musk, clear aloe, blonde amber and winding-cloth linen.

straight sniff from the bottle is very clean and aquatic....

upon application the musk takes over ..... followed by what i think is the aloe, amber and the linen.....really, really pretty

too bad this does not last nearly long enough .... i suppose i will have to slather
liberally.....or wear it in summer as it is rather subdued......and lovely....

[Brienze]

Berenice is my favorite of the Maelstroms, and the review I most regret losing.

 

In vial and on, wet: My first impression was "it's like walking past a department store perfume counter" and I gave a sort of mental flinch, but slowly realized that I wasn't hit with that "eww, yuck, hold your breath and hurry past" impulse that happens in actual department stores. I don't know if it's the lack of alcohol in BPAL, or the lack of chemicals the commercial perfumes use to stabilize the scent no matter the skin chemistry it's applied to, but Berenice has the scent of department store perfume without the feel. I like it at this stage, but I think I would be hesitant to wear it out in public where I might subject other people to the same instinctive flinch.

 

On, 3 hrs: Aside from the moderate throw tapering off a bit, and the sharpness receeding, this didn't change much at all over the first few hours. I think the lily and white musk are probably what I got as top notes; while I never got something I'd call "amber", the sharp edges of "commercial perfume" smell softened... blonde amber must be a whole different critter from regular amber, because this isn't the least bit powdery. Linen is really at the forefront now. It smells exactly like crawling into bed at my grandparents' house when I was a kid. I even went so far as to ask my Mom if she knew what laundry detergent they used, and after a side-trip to sniffing Downy at the grocery store, we concluded that it's probably just the smell of freshly-washed sheets hung out on a line to dry in the fresh air. It's a really powerful scent memory for me, and I love it.

 

Before the board ate reviews I saw Berenice compared to classic coture perfume (a reviewer with a happier relationship with non-BPAL perfumes than my department-store negativity; I presume we were talking about the same thing from different points of view), and also compared to Antique Lace but without the vanilla. I don't like vanilla scents but I do like linen, so it's nice to have a form of Antique Lace that I can appreciate. I'll definitely be ordering a bottle at Peony Moon.

 

Category: floral/musk/fresh

 

Throw: moderate

 

Longevity: really good, 6 hrs+, but with diminishing throw

 

Bottle: yes, definitely

 

Rating: 5 of 5; one of my new favorites, though probably not for daily wear

[blueroses]

The reviews saying that Berenice is Antique Lace without the Lace are spot-on.

 

In the bottle, Berenice is all aloe and smells very green. On, I can smell the linen and the same floral-y smell that is in Antique Lace. I'ma fan of AL, so I love this. It's a fresh green version of AL.

 

It also reminds me of CKOne, which I wore to death in the eighth grade. I don't know if that's because they have similar ingredients, or if Berenice is evoking some perfume nostalgia in me.

[hologhost]

If the board hadn't eaten all the reviews for this, I wouldn't be posting. I'm not nearly educated enough. But I wanted to help.

 

I bought this because the description reminded me of Zephyr, which I love and there are similarities. I find it more similar to Zephyr than Antique Lace which was really sweet.

 

I have to say I echo the "commercial perfume" quality - but I don't view that as a bad thing. There is an aquatic edge, but I do smell the amber as well. It doesn't morph much, it just fades a bit. I think what I'm smelling that reminds me of Zephyr is white musk. There also a slight green note.

 

I wish I were better at describing this. But I really like it. No chance I'll trade this one off!

[LittleGreyKitten]

Berenice is nice, but I feel like she's playing hard to get. In the bottle, the scent smells like one that should blossom on the skin and just... do something more. Many BPAL florals do that on me; Berenice, though, smells identical to the bottle scent. I want to tell her, "Don't just sit there, DO something!" That being said, Berenice is a cool floral, not overwhelming or deadly sweet or anything, just a nice quiet scent with a bit of Beth's "linen" tossed in there for fun. I'm not really getting amber... oh! Maybe I am. You know what Berenice reminds me of? House of Mirrors. It's not identical or anything, but it's the same variety of bland, generic-perfumey scent. I'm not saying it's not pretty- I probably sound harsher on it than I mean to. I just expect a lot out of BPAL scents. I don't really get any Antique Lace of of this, but then, I don't smell linen in Antique Lace, just vanilla, and I do get linen out of Berenice. Berenice gets a 3.5 out of 5 for me. I'll want an imp but will probably trade my bottle.

[zenvodunista]

Clean and pure. I hesitate to say even that, because it gives a sense that perhaps this is soapy, and it's not. But it's not anyhthing I can describe either. This isn't gender neutral -- but androgynous instead. It's cool, almost cold. It's got something in ti that reminds me of Snow White -- like a masculine Snow White, if you can follow that. Where Snow White is "creamy", Berenice is "watery".

 

its very lovely. if you're an aquatics lover, i think you'll enjoy this one very much. as for me, there is only one aquatic i like on me enough to wear, and even that fades fast and furiously. though interestingly enough, it's another Poe scent, the City in the Sea (way saltier than this, and with the bruised violets and seaweed. mmmmm). but, back to the review, there's no similarity between these two scents.

 

now i'm just babbling because i'm overtired.

 

if you like aquatic-types scents, give this baby a try

 

n.

[yeahbutnobut]

Berenice

 

In the bottle: green? Slightly aquatic/fresh? That may be the aloe. This reminds me of a perfume I smelt somewhere-I think it was an Egyptian musk-based one, or a waterlily one? I know that's not what this is, but it smells similar, at first.

Wet on skin: yup, still that fresh, tangy, almost citrus-y light musk and green aloe scent. I can see why people compare this to commercial perfume-but this is nicer…

Dry on skin: mmm, this is nice…it's now become different to that perfume I mentioned earlier, as now I can smell something floral and soft, perhaps the lily note (it doesn't smell like stargazer lily to me, more of a white lily), along with tangy, sharp green aloe. The scent does have a slight similarity to something I've probably smelt in a department store, but that's not a bad thing-this is one of the more 'perfumey' BPAL scents which smell similar to designer perfumes, but have that special Beth touch that make them so much more interesting. The more I smell this, I can detect something underneath which is the linen-musk base of Antique Lace, but instead of vanilla, this has the refreshing scent of aloe (I think that's what that tart green note is anyway) and there's something aquatic/ozone like about this scent as well.

After a while: this reminds me so much of a perfume I've smelt before, but I can't for the life of me remember which one! It's a lovely fresh scent now, the aloe has mellowed out and merged with the lily to form a nice green-floral scent resting on that linen-musk base.

Verdict: here is another example of a BPAL which smells like a traditional or commercial perfume, but it has that special magic touch that only Beth can do. The surprisingly tart scent of something which I think is aloe, fresh and green, rests nicely on a layer of gentle lily (which to me is more of a white lily than a stargazer) and the same musk and clean linen combination from Antique Lace. This, to me, is a fresher, brighter AL without any sweetness-this is tangy, refreshing, and clean, but not soapy at all. It also reminds me of a perfume I've smelt before but I can't remember which one. I really like it though, it reminds me of the perfumes I used to wear, the fresh-tangy-light floral scents that suited me so well in the past-and still do. I am glad to have a bottle, as this scent is great for everyday, and will be very nice for the warmer months. I also recommend this to people who are weaning themselves off the designer scents and into the more unusual world of BPAL scents, as Berenice ( along with a few other BPAL scents) is the bridge between the two perfume types.

[ancilla_morte]

VERY aquatic. gentle, fruity, clean.

A fruity feminine version of House of Mirrors! I am won! It is much gentler than HoM.

It is hard for me to tell between the lily and the aloe?

 

my favorite Maelstrom thus far!

[Shollin]

First sniff: Beautifully pale, wispy and watery and sorrowful. I need to read Berenice’s story. At the moment, I keep thinking Rusalka would also be a very fitting name for this scent.

 

Wearing: On my skin, it loses every trace of aquaticness. It’s just a pretty, pale, fresh scent. Just lovely.

[mandragora]

This is my favorite Maelstrom!

 

In the bottle: Wonderfully aquatic and fresh smelling.

Wet on me: Faint traces of citrus blending with the green aloe. I can see why Berenice would remind people of the traditional, department store perfume. It kinda does in a way, but different enough to know it's Beth's blend, you know?

Drydown: Linen takes center stage, subtly cloaked by the light florals and aloe.

Verdict: This is Maelstrom's runaway winner for me. I'm glad I got a bottle (and will be getting a spare or 2) .

Edited March 13, 2006 by mandragora

[jewelbug]

A decant from Brienze's perverse circle!!! Thank you!

 

Imp: A soft, clean, sparkling white floral. It has a subtle creamy sweetness, and is absolutely beautiful.

 

Wet: Wow. This is like the perfect summer day. Laundry hung out to dry, fresh green lawns, white garden flowers in full bloom. Slightly sweet and breathtakingly gorgeous. It remains this wonderful clean natural smell for the duration of 5 hours.

 

Overall: A barefooted flounce outside while your mom's hanging the sheets up to dry. The musk in this is practically not there. It just lends a subtle glimmer to the scent. I think I get mostly aloe and lily, cuz its this fresh, green floral--sweet and pretty. I LOVE this, and I'm not typically a floral/clean scent kind of gal. I like 'em, I just don't usually gravitate toward them. Nevertheless, I think this will be a bottle investment. Thank you Beth!

[Blood onmy hands]

Berenice was the Maelstrom blend that I was least enthused about... lily usually goes soapy on me, amber usually goes to baby powder, and white musk tends to smell like cheap hair spray. So this is full of notes that my skin chemistry tends to butcher. Still, when I first opened my package, I sniffed each of the Maelstrom blends from the bottles; and Berenice and Usher were the ones that smelled the best to me initially.

 

On my skin, this smells pale, clean, and sweet. The white musk is dominating, and actually not turning on me. Yay! Over a few minutes the lily picks up and offers a sweet floral note behind the white musk. It actually smells like real lilies and not dish soap. That might be a first for me.

 

Gods, this is beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. Have you ever smelled something so good and so perfect that you couldn’t really talk about it or describe it? That’s kind of how I feel about Berenice.

 

This is very feminine... but not in a childish or overly sweet way. This smells like the scent of a beautiful young woman who is still innocent, but haunted by some tragedy or affliction. Great staying power and throw as well.

 

I am not a poet or even a very good writer, so I’ll just say that Berenice is excellent and that you should all definitely buy a bottle, even if lilies and whatnot usually do not smell so good on you.

 

And I really really love this one. Berenice is hands-down my favorite of the Maelstrom.

 

[Aredhel]

Rating (on skin): 5/5

Summarised in a word or two: Beautiful.

 

Preconceived notions: I'm hoping for a lovely aloe and amber with a bit of musk. It sounds like something that might be great for spring.

 

In the imp: Aloe and musk! No amber or linen, and thankfully, no lily (yet).

 

On skin, wet: Oh, divine, this. Soft amber, aloe, white musk and linen.

 

On skin, dry: Fresh and beautiful and watery, without reeking of salt water. I don't catch a trace of the stargazer lily, which is wonderful, as I'm not much of a lily fan.

 

Conclusion: I adore Berenice. It's bright and green, and perfect for spring. My only issue? It's got no throw on me, and it doesn't last long at all. All the same, I think I'm going to need a bottle of this one. And as apparently with others, this is my favourite of the Maelström.

Edited March 27, 2006 by Aredhel

[Abbie]

In the bottle: A very light and clean floral, without the overpowering funereal smell I typically associate with lily. Totally not what I was expecting, as the story of Berenice is not all delicate and romantic, but a profoundly unpleasant story of the bad crazy. A lovely green aquatic.

 

First on: My skin amps the lily, but it's still not too much. These are very fresh florals... not even picked. The scent reminds me of the easter lilies in a pot we would give to my mom every year when we were kids. It's maybe a little sweeter and less green.

 

Dry: Unfortunately this is a pretty quick fader on me and leaves only a lingering sweetness... I'll try it in my hair. But overall SO GOOD!

[Meg]

In the bottle: White... Clean linen, lily and something rich. It smells very soft.

 

Wet: hmm, musk, doesn't smell like much yet. Then aloe and lily come out gently. There's something slightly bitter in there, I think...

 

Drydown: a very soft, dry scent. I can smell lily, linen and I think it's aloe. There's a warmth to it, probably from amber and musk. There's a slightly metallic tang to it, possibly from ozone. It becomes pretty discreet, but has quite a staying power and goes very sweet.

 

Overall: It's white, it smells of clean flowery linen, yet it doesn't remind me of Dirty at all. This is Dirty's warm and dry little sister. There's a creamy quality to it, but no soap, which is a surprise (white musk and lily tend to go to soap on me). It's pleasant and homey, but it's nothing too special. To me it smells more like some kind of cosmetic lotion than anything else.

[aidenraine]

Berenice is really strong on my skin. It immediately radiates clean laundry all over the place. The smell of this is truly that of.. well, dryer sheets. Most perfumes with ozone in them do this on me, so I'm curious if the linen aroma is represented by ozone.

 

I can certainly smell the white musk too. The amber and lily are virtually non-existent, sadly. I love amber.

 

As time passes this takes on the aroma of a hotel soap I tried once. It was iris scented. I'd forgotten about it, but alas, it's not something I enjoyed particularly much.

[medvssa]

Very elegant, even more elegant than Usher, polite, contained, austere, intelligent, tasteful, like a perfectly dressed lady with an elegant updo and an inquisitive look in her eyes. It reminds me more of the character of Ligeia though!

 

And beautiful too, an understated kind of beauty... hmh, I really, really like it, and I will be getting a bottle.

[isyche]

I loved the "cerebral, white, dry" description and was thinking I would really like Berenice. It's watery, white, and pretty in the vial, but it sadly turns to some kind of shampoo or lotion-esque scent on my skin...generic and sweet in the wrong way. I blame the aloe and lily.

It's okay, though, because Usher on me is what I thought Berenice would be like.

[furygrrl]

In the imp: A soft, barely detectable fragrance - the first word that springs to mind to describe it is 'clean'.

 

On wet: Interesting blend of notes I'm picking up - definitely lily in the forefront, something pale, watery, and greenish just underneath (the aloe?), followed by a vaguely unpleasant sour sliver (the linen note? the amber? I'm guessing amber, 'cause it usually smells funny to me), and finally, the sweetness of the white musk.

 

Drydown: Mmmm.... Wow, this fragrance has really come together. The source of that initial sour tang I was first able to detect (and was scared would ruin the whole blend for me), has either dissipated or been overpowered by its better-smelling buddies. Now all I can smell is a gorgeous combination of white musk, lily, and whatever's providing that faintly greenish/aquatic "freshness" - again, I'm assuming it's the aloe.

 

Overall: This scent scared me for the first 5 minutes - I was *sure* that weird stab of sourness was going to stick around and screw me over. Thankfully, that didn't happen, and now I've got yet another bottle to add to my next order - and order I must. This is just the kind of fragrance I know I'll be wearing often during the warm summer nights that are just around the corner: fresh, soft, and skin-huggingly sexy.

 

Edit for gooder spelling.

Edited March 31, 2006 by furygrrl

[arabella]

First Impression: A fresh, crisp floral. I'm pretty sure there's lilac in here.

 

Dries down to: Stays much the same.

 

Additional Comments: It's not lilac after all (I really must get better at picking out notes) - it's stargazer lily, which I've recently come to realize is usually a great note on me. Aloe gives this freshness and I've always liked white musk and amber. The linen is pretty new to me and I like the dry feel it seems to give it - keeps the lily from becoming cloying. This is just in time for spring - it smells gorgeous and it lasts on me - what more could I ask. I'm definitely going to order a bottle shortly.

 

Lasted: Overnight.

 

Rating: 5 out of 5

[porcelain_doll]

I'm rather fond of Berenice--she's a mighty nice gal! In the bottle, it's shockingly clean--not at all what I expected. Upon initial app, it's very much indeed a "white" scent--and then the musk and aloe come out and play, all up and down and all around, chasing and laughing and giggling, and then they get their friend linen to come out, too! This is quite a nice scent. Got compliments galore at work, and am now eagerly awaiting next pay day so that I may order my bad self a couple more bottles! Just an aside--Beth, this un h'yar's a keeper. Please-please-please make it "permanent"! I probably could live without it--I just don't WANT TO! Oh, sweet addicition! Thy name is Berenice!

[blu°]

I tested this on my left arm after having applied Usher on the right about an hour earlier. This might have influenced my perception of the scent, so I thought I should state that.

 

Freshly applied:

Berenice is sharper, brighter than Usher. Against it, it's almost luminous, despite there being that rough structure of linen/ozone.

It reminds me of something. Something from my childhood.

Maybe some dish washing liquid, or children's bubblebath inside a rubber duck, or maybe something in the perfume of my mother... not sure.

 

I recently discovered that I like stargazer lily, and so far I'm ok with it in Berenice, too.

 

She is really shining with shades of white... a bit sharp/adstringent in the nostrils. Almost menthol-y. A bit of a green house smell, or rather a florist's, maybe.

Quite heady and feminine.

 

A bit later:

Uh...ehm, yes...it's got a lot of throw there, mainly from the lily. It might be my skin amping the lily. It's turned really heady and almost exaggeratingly feminine. And a bit like skin musk, or a musky skin like floral, or something.. sorry, I'm lacking words again. Close to the skin there's a soft sweetness, probably from the white musk and amber.

 

I think it really reminds me of my mother. It's like her perfume, her shower stuff and her skin scent mixed up in an imp.

 

Not quite me. If it wasn't as heavy on the stargazer lily when on my skin, I'd keep the imp.

[sophia_helix]

Fresh and sweet like new-washed linen in the bottle; on me, it's instantly, piercingly sweet and makes me a little sick. An overwhelmingly white scent.

 

It fades pretty quickly over the next few hours, and then I'm getting that vanilla-type white musk that everyone else loves and I always find to be too cloying. The aloe/linen uplifts it a bit from the queasy-sweetness of Dorian or Lick It, but this is still not my favorite kind of scent. Off to someone whose it is.

[harmonyfb]

The description may claim it's a 'cerebral' perfume, but I think the word that describes it is heady.

 

Wet, the scent of lilies is overwhelming, but they're not cloyingly sweet. The musk deepens it, and the aloe (which I can just catch hints of) gives it a fresh note that balances the lilies very well. As it dries, the linen smell moves to the forefront.

 

Final analysis: This smells clean, that just-been-washed-and-dried smell. Not exactly what I would have associated with a short story about digging up one's dead love to steal their teeth, but hey...what do I know?

[Diana]

This is my Maestrom shocking surprise. I bought the whole series, because I couldn't decide on anything. This is one of the ones I thought I'd dislike & have to unload on someone later.

 

Lilies are usually something that I dislike wearing. They're usually too floral for my tastes, and sometimes remind me of funerary flowers (yes, take my goth card away).

 

Putting this on, though, it is light, clean, refreshing, pretty, and totally awesome. It reminds me of some washing detergent that people use in Europe (which sounds like a totally weird correlation, but I always loved the smell of peoples' laundry when visiting abroad... I'm a freak).

 

It is like a clean, sweet hug. It lasts very nicely too, with good throw. I may also have to say that so far this has been my favorite in the set. Backups definitely required.