Les Fleurs du Mal

[tinyvulture]

The scents of the blossoms of darkness, condensed into one perfume. Features a rose base, softened with lilac and wisteria.

this is a very soft, whispery, delicate rose with a hint of lilac, just as the description reads. it's not something i'll wear very often; it's not really “me.” but i'll save it for days when i'm feeling especially wistful and romantic. it feels awfully victorian, like how an old parlor full of lace and dried flowers might smell.

[theseagrows]

i normally like rose, but didn't like this one for some reason. floral, but not in the kind of floral way that i enjoy. i think maybe it's the lilac, as i usually like rose and wisteria.

 

i found this to be sickly sweet in a way, like flowers dying, which is funny because that's what the name means, but i guess i don't like to smell like that.

Edited August 12, 2005 by theseagrows

[OriginalWacky]

Bottle (Imp): Smells quite flowery.

 

Just On: Oh yeah, that's all flowers.

 

An hour or two later: Soap. Ack!

 

Around 6 hours: Soapity soap.

 

12 hours: No more soap, no more smell.

 

Overall: It's flowery, and my skin wrecks it.

 

After reading other reviews: Absolutely floral, and unfortunately not something I can wear. I guess it's good that I don't like many flowers, or I'd have to be really sad.

[Blood onmy hands]

I love lilac, wisteria and rose, but don't smell any of them here.
Les Fleurs is a sharp, musky, nondescript white floral smell with a powdery drydown.
Very bland and generic.

Edited September 27, 2016 by Little Bird

[jewelbug]

For the record, I stink at identifying florals.

 

Bottle: This is definitely floral, but there is something underneath, slightly sweet and green, almost like a melon covered in grass clippings--ah, just read the description, I think this is the wisteria, really sweet, but green.

On, wet: Still floral, with a light, almost citrus & melon in the background, slightly soapy. Smells clean but also something slightly bitter.

 

Drying: Flowers and more cut grass. There is something biting maybe some dirt or ozone? I really don't know what that would be, since the three listed notes are lilac, wisteria and rose.

 

Dry: Floral floral floral. I am bad at discerning, but I think I smell mostly lilac now, with a rose underneath. I like lilac and could do without the rose, but it's nice. Not me, but nice. Unfortunately, the rose later turns soapy, like it has for me in some past experiences. This ends up smelling like lilac soap, and the wisteria is long gone. Still, it’s a pretty soap!

Overall: this lasted for quite a while on me, good for 4-6 hours. For me, that is long lasting, and it was a pretty floral, despite being soapy. Very well blended, and very clean smelling. This isn't for me, but I have a friend who adores florals, and I think this will find it's way to her.

[~AmusedMuse~]

My Impression:

The rose note is not overwhelming in this one (Thank goodness) and the lilac and wisteria even it out into a really lovely blend. Although it does not have a lot of throw to it and I certainly wish it were a bit stronger and longer lasting, it truly is lovely. My scale from 1-5 ... 3

[niter]

  This isn't for me, but I have a friend who adores florals, and I think this will find it's way to her. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

It did manage to find its way to me, and I really do adore it!

 

Bottle: The Lilac scent is the first that flows out of the bottle. It is very well defined, and reminds me of my white lilac that refuses to bloom (perhaps because I have not coddled it lately). It is just as savory as if I plunged my face into the flowers it used to bloom.

 

Wet: The lilac persists and I think of how my mother would love this scent as she trained me to identify her favorite flower. When I press my wrists together, I can smell crushed rose petals slightly.

 

Dry: The lilac smell settled down, the rose amped, and the wisteria melted between them. I am really loving this.

 

Overall: A lovely choice if you are seeking an elegant floral.

Edited September 13, 2005 by niter

[herongale]

pre-conceived notion: Because of Twilight, which is also in the Funereal Oils line, I am looking forward to this one. Also, look.... rose! But no lavender! And lilac! Lilac is one of my favourite springtime plants. We have a lilac tree at my parent's house, and lilacs bloom all over my hometown. Once, when I was in high school, I went with my friend Doug to some party with his Youth Group friends. He drove, so I don't remember how we got there... but the road approaching the house was lined all along its length with lilacs, all in bloom. Windows down, the scent was indescribable and now, in memory, it haunts me... because I no longer remember where that place was, even though it is so close... and because I can't describe the event very well to Doug (I don't remember anything about the party except that we all ran around in the dark playing stupid kid games for hours and hours), he can't tell me where it is either.

 

Anyway, the point of all this reminiscence is that I am very much disposed to approve of a scent that smells authentically of lilac.

 

in the bottle: yellow coloured oil with just the faintest greenish tinge. I am becoming quite the expert recognizer of rose tones, and that is what comes at me first... this is a crushed rosebud, with a chlorophyll scent that makes it more green than most roses I'm used to. I smell something else that is floral, which I'm guessing is the wisteria... sadly, I do not detect any lilac at all.

 

wet: green floral, primarily rose. Like every other rose scent, this seems to work great on my skin... but I do have to say that this is probably not my favourite. I don't get where the "du mal" bit comes in... this is not an evil scent. It is merely fragrant.

 

drydown: continued faint fading of the rose. Not any detectable lilac at any moment; I guess that makes sense, if I consider the fact that lilac is such a delicate scent that is likely to be overwhelmed by any other competing fragrance. *sighs* Oh well. It's pretty but not really grabbing me, I guess.

 

verdict: there is no shame in wearing this, but I will not get more. Other rose blends work better for me.

 

post-conceived notion: I feel inspired to find the perfect pure lilac. Time to go back to the Lab and search the website for a likely scent.

[pekeana]

I definitely smell the lilac, and I feel the extreme flushing bite of the rose (and have the welt to go with it), but I could swear there's some kind of wood in here, too.

 

All in all, swap pile for the skin allergy factor.

[hangingfire]

Freebie imp from an ebayer.

 

In the bottle: FLORALS. LOTS AND LOTS OF FLORALS. IN YOUR FACE!

 

On, wet: The rose is predominant; the lilac barely there. Something about it reminds me strongly of a perfume I had when I was a child -- smelling it summons up powerful childhood associations, although I couldn't tell you what that perfume was.

 

Drydown: It's pretty much all about the roses.

 

It's a good, mellow rose, very pretty, but I'm not really sure that it's my style at all.

[aidenraine]

Wet: Roses, I smell strong roses and not a lot else. It's almost as though there is a touch of cinnamon in here. I have been really off roses lately, so I am wrinkling my nose at this.

 

 

Drying: The lilac comes out a bit and rounds the bouquet out some, but it's still too...floral. What did I expect? It' s a floral perfume! The lilac and the rose slowly balance out, but I smell nothing else.

 

It's very... potpourri. Swaggy restaurant or hotel bathroom potpourri. It is somewhat old ladish.

 

Dry: it remains the same. No real change to the balance of sent. It fades away gradually, like real flowers.

 

Fate of the imp: Swap!

[maewitch]

Very very pretty blend of rose and lilac, neither of which dominates on me. The lilac softens and sweetens the rose, and the rose gives the lilac a bit of sensual depth.

 

This is definately "old-school" perfume. It feels classically feminine and pretty, and I'm surprised by how much I like it. This feels like perfume I would wear to church or to an Easter picnic, and for some reason that does not put me off at all. It is simple, lady-like, subtle. I quite like it, almost despite myself.

[urraca]

I should like this since I love everything Beth does with rose. But as many have said, the rose note is not all that strong here, though it is detectable. I don't get anything I can identify as lilac and I'm not familiar with wisteria so I'm not being very helpful. Overall it does smell like flowers on the edge of being overripe. It also reminds me of the kind of perfume used to scent dolls --- a little too strong and a hint of plastic undermeath.

I can't believe I am saying such awful things about one of Beth's wonderful creations --- stupid chemistry. Hits self with stick: Hits self with trout for good measure:

[Sistinas]

a review of Les Fleurs du Mal

 

Vial ~ the description says it all, roses,lilac and wisteria. Actually

mostly what I am smelling is the rose and wisteria.

 

Wet ~ the scent stays true to what it smelled like in the vial.

 

Drying ~ the rose is taking over as it dries and the wisteria is settling

down as the lilac picks up a bit.

 

Dry ~ The wisteria has really faded and the rose and lilac really stand out

together. It is a truly beautiful floral and for me not to overly sweet.

 

Fade ~ It seems to have a quite a throw and does not fade away that

quickly.

 

Final thoughts ~ This scent is truly strong on me and seems to be lasting

on my skin. The rose and the lilac make a truly beautiful combination

together. On a scale of 1 to 5, I give it a 4.5

[BlackDahlia]

From the Imp:

 

Roses, roses and roses... Lovely.

 

Wet on skin:

 

The scent of wisteria makes an appearance and combines nicely with the rose. I do not smell lilac at all...

 

On the Dry Down:

 

Roses and talc. Very pretty. My chemistry, however, is gobbling this up ~ two hours later I can only smell very faint roses and talc.

 

In closing:

I don't imagine I will be keeping this as it just doesn't have much throw on my skin. Lovely, beautiful fragrance, though...

[LiberAmoris]

Well, these flowers don't smell *evil* to me, but they sure are pretty. I love lilac, so it's difficult for me to dislike a blend that uses them as an element. Les Fleurs du Mal isn't a distinctive floral to me, but as per usual, Beth's florals are very true to life and teem with a kind of life force that's hard for me to deny.

 

The drydown is a like a finely milled soap and very Victorian, as others have mentioned. This is a very demure blend.

[coulrophobe]

This one is mostly rose on me, both wet and dried down. Not too surprising, as my skin amps up roses like crazy... unfortunately, rose is not the best note for me.

 

Les Fleurs du Mal starts out with roses combined with something that smells vaguely soapy, much like lily of the valley - maybe that's the wisteria? I'm never able to smell the lilac which is unfortunate. It's not horrible on me, but this blend turns into yet another rose-dominated floral on my skin.

[Phaedra]

Wet this smells like lily of the valley or maybe gardenia. When first on this is sweet gardenia. A very clean, white floral and would probably be great for springtime. It has the same mossy wet note as Delirium does. After several minutes it becomes powdery, like old, dusty potpourri. At this stage a rose note comes out. This is a very light scent and fades after about three hours. Nice but don’t need to keep this one.

[AngellicMystique]

Night flowers, sweet and pervasive. I like the rose. The smell is strong and stays with me.

[Voleuse]

On first application, this is lilac and wilting rose. I'm not familiar with the scent of wisteria, so I'm not sure if I detect it. There is something a little more complex than the first two notes, though.

 

Over time, however, this becomes all rose petals, just a step beyond moldering. It's a gloomy scent to my nose, but I don't think I would label it dark, necessarily.

 

On me, this is a generic floral scent. Nice enough, but not remarkable.

[slave1]

In Bottle: Heavy floral.

 

On Skin: This is SO strong it almost knocks me over. I would say you only need a little drip of this one unless you want to make people pass out. The lilac seems strongest to me. The rose has a sharp note but is still overshadowed by both the lilac and wisteria. Very feminine as most florals I smell are. I don’t think this scent is dark though… heavy yes, but not dark.

[Scarlettfish]

This is a very heavy, very deep and very dark floral. Be warned, it is strong! You only need a dab. But it is so beautiful that it's worth a try. The lilac is the strongest note on me, but underneath you can smell the wisteria and rose floating along, and it's just gorgeous. This is a very feminine, almost Victorian, floral scent.

[blu°]

I applied this twice today and wore it throughout the day. First I feared it would turn soapy or old ladyish, but I have to say, I really like Les Fleurs du Mal.

 

To me it's a creamy and very slightly spicy deep floral. Wilting flowers, warm purple, pale pink or dark violet colours.

 

It has an antique, Victorian feel and I think it is quite sinister in that way. It's warm though and has a heart.

 

I can see how this is rather not the scent of a young woman. Now, there are some old lady scents for me that i absolutely cannot stand on my skin, but somehow I feel alright with LFdM.

 

I like the creaminess of it, and that underneath there's this delicate flowery sweetness. This feels very intimate and second skin to me.

[merebrillante]

In the vial: Gardenia? Something white and exotic.

 

Wet: Rose and white flowers -- must be the wisteria, which I'm not familiar with.

 

Drydown: There's the lilac. Humid early summer nights in an overgrown garden. The rose reaches back up to remind you of its presence, but doesn't overpower the other florals. The breeze wafts the scents even as it blows the rose branch, with its thorns, closer to your bare skin.

 

Dry: That rose is getting pushier now. Rose always seems to do that with me. Alas, I fear for the safety of my wrist.

 

Later: Gone in six hours.

[harmonyfb]

In the imp, there was that sharp, 'commercial perfume' scent which I usually identify with blends I won't like.

 

Wet: Sweet lilac.

 

Dry: Lilac, with a slightly sharper undertone. Whew! I smell like an old lady's sachet. So very not for me.