Lyonesse

[blacklacestatic]

Golden vanilla and gilded musk, stargazer lily, white sandalwood, grey amber, elemi, orris root, ambergris and sea moss.

In the imp: gorgeous woody-oriental blend

Wet on skin: immediately I smell the vanilla, but it's very soft, very subtle. It reminds me of a softer version of Black Lace. There is a period in which the sandalwood presents itslef strongly as well. It's beautiful.

Drydown: This actually gets stronger with wear. It turns to a creamy soft vanilla. It reminds me of the drydown phase of one of my favorite commercial perfumes, Hypnotic Poison. It's stunning.

Overall: My two favorite Bpals are Black Lace and Lilith Victoria. This is the most closely related GC scent I have tried. It's absoultely beautiful and perfect for any occasion. Bottle-worthy. Edited January 14, 2009 by BlackLace

[WidgetAlley]

Ordered in my most recent batch of Imps. Ambergris is one of THOSE notes on me, the kind that take a really good blend and turn it into an AWESOME one.

 

Imp: This smells almost foody in the imp, almost all a swirl of golden vanilla and something crisply lemony (presumably the elemi.) The ambergris and musk provide a rich, almost buttery background. The moss and the grey amber provide a slightly salty, sea-fresh sort of layer to it as well. Very unusual-- foody without being FOODY, aquatic without being ozone-ish or overpowering. I really don't think this combo would work without the pine-and-lemon freshness of the elemi-- it's the note that brings it all together.

 

Wet: At first, salt. Then, vanilla. Then, smooth musk, amber and ambergris, a little spice, a little floral. Individual elements become very hard to pick out. Like Poisoned Apple, this one is extremely hard to classify. Foody? Aquatic? Incense? It's not really any of these, but rather a sophisticated enigma. It's very much a perfume scent, while not smelling commercial at all. The ambergris is quite strong, on me at least, giving it that wonderful musky-soft base. Soft, subtle, but still there.

 

Dry: This actually gets stronger as it dries, which is unusual. The whole thing has blended even further, settling into a spicy-powdery melange. With its elegant, perfumey sensibility, Lyonesse reminds me of nothing so much as a more unisex Morocco-- likewise creamy, sweet, and rich without actually smelling at all the same. I think this is destined to become a VERY popular blend, although, like Morocco, I will have to see how much I reach for it before investing in anything other than my Imp.

[rayvn1]

OMG this is gorgeous Beautiful! Rich, golden notes that are vaguely floral, but a bit amberish and musky as well. Not alot of throw, but it's such a warm, langorous scent that I don't care - I'll just keep reapplying Mmmmm I think I like golden musk and grey amber!

Edited January 25, 2009 by rayvn1

[underwaterlily]

This scent is absolutely divine on me! <3

 

In the bottle: At first sniff, I smelled slightly pungent sea water. (Uh oh!) As soon as I smelled the vanilla, however, I knew I would fall in love with this scent! What can I say? I'm a vanilla sort of girl.

 

Wet on skin: Delicious! On me, Lyonesse smells like waves crashing against mossy rocks, with a slight tinge of vanilla, lily, and amber. (The other notes aren't as dominant on me.) It's a very "breezy" scent.

 

Dry on skin: It smells just like a vanilla cupcake! Very sweet and feminine, but still "mysterious" enough to wear at night.

[vegasblueblood]

An aquatic spicy vanilla. The spicy sweetness of this blend is mingled with the wateriness of the sea moss. I find that ambergris always smells like vanilla and is rather sweet. This is nice, reminds me of, say, the Cornwall coast. It's not really a vanilla blend and not really a floral and is blended well so it's not that easy to pick out individual notes. This one lasts a while and becomes sweeter as it dries. Interesting.

[alissss]

 

I don't think I am a good judge of what I like when it comes to notes as evidenced by recently getting some BPALs that didn't sound all that "me" but ended up in the LOVE category like Opuhi and Brown Jenkins... and then Lyonesse.

 

I do love vanilla intensely when it's just right for me, absolutely hate it otherwise... This is perfect.

 

The vanilla is not easy to detect as a single note on my skin, rather well-balanced by amber and musk.

 

Yes it is amber, vanilla, musk with a bit of sea... But words just do not do justice to Lyonesse. Cozy but elegant. Mysterious but powerful. I feel very feminine and warm but also confident and energetic wearing this. Brilliant!

[Bluestocking]

In the bottle: Ohhhh, so pretty! It's so beautifully blended that it's hard to pick out notes, but right away, I get golden, glowing vanilla and musk, with a touch of maybe the lily, ambergris and amber—it's almost-but-not-quite like Kubla Khan. I can't pick out anything lorris, and the sea moss is a faint, ghostly, slightly briny note that keeps the sweetness in check. It's a beautiful, warm, burnished scent, like the sunset turning everything to gold.

On, wet: A gilded city by the sea. This is less sweet and warm now, and there's some lily and dry white sandalwood and more of that briny moss, making this really complex. I still smell the vanilla and golden musk, but they're more of a golden aura now, rather than the main show. This is incredibly difficult to describe—it's watery, but not an aquatic, it's very sweet, smooth and mellow, and yet quite deep. It has incredible throw for such a light scent.

On, dry: That wonderful sweet, golden quality from the vanilla and musk is stronger now, but it doesn't overshadow the beachy combination of the sea moss and white sandalwood, and the amber is down below, adding a different sweetness of its own. I can smell the lily and orris, but they're incredibly subtle here—actually, everything is. It's just perfectly blended, and it makes me feel like I'm staring out at the sea, surrounded by that amazing golden aura.

Later: Amber, vanilla, golden musk and lilies, with a very light touch of white sandalwood. Beautiful to the point that I keep sniffing my arm like a weirdo.

Overall: Gorgeous, smooth, classy and very golden—a little bit aquatic, a little bit floral, a little bit foody, a little resinous, but it doesn't fit cleanly into any of those categories. This definitely has an air of the beach and the ocean, but that sweet, complex vanilla/musk/amber makes the whole scent just glow with warmth—like a beach at sunset, maybe. I've had unsolicited compliments about it all day, so I'm very glad that I have a whole bottle of it. This will be worn often.

 

 

[MisterShrapnel]

I keep getting followed around by this one (I've amassed three frimps from the Lab!) so I probably should learn to like it. For the longest time, though, I didn't, but my nose is finally starting to turn around.

Sweet aquatic (really my first aquatic, I think!) vanilla, though it feels a lot less foody for me and more like a "serious" perfume thanks to a very gentle floral tone. I'm so happy that this is never soapy on my skin despite its freshness (really does make me think of the sea), and it has a resilient wear length. I always associate this scent with a very pale gold color; it positively shines.

This blend is quite beautiful, and I'm sorry it took so long for me to appreciate it. Now I'm glad I have a lot already, otherwise I'd have to go looking for more!

 

 

[vanillaskwirl]

In the imp: Sweet and uh oh... LILY! *officially nervous as florals don't really work for me and lilies make me sneeze*

 

Wet: Hmm... still sweet, but more musky, amber rather than flowers and this is a good thing.

 

Drydown: I appear to amp the musk note to high heaven, but it blends so well with the sandalwood that it never truly overpowers any other note. The lily is there, but faintly and I can't detect the sea moss at all.

 

Over 5 hours later: This scent is still very much around (I applied sparingly) and has mellowed into a sensual vanilla musk that is sexy, yet understated. I doubt it will replace Mouse's Long and Sad Tale, but I will definitely be getting a bottle in the near future. It will replace my only commercial perfume that I have been wearing for years as the scent becomes very similar. What's that you say? Why Calvin Klein's Obsession. All in all, an amazing blend that I'm glad I got to try and will enjoy for a long time.

 

Good throw and long wear for me. Complete for this one.

Edited March 11, 2009 by vanillaskwirl

[Banyangirl]

Oh, vanilla! Oh, amber! Oh, musk! Oh, lily! Oh, sandalwood!

 

It's wonderful. It's slightly powdery on me but the smells, man, the smells!

 

Definitely keeping this one (as I bounce off the walls with joy).

 

Re-test: 3/14: Holy crap, am I glad I gave this one another shot. On Thursday, when I first reviewed it, my skin ate it and that accounted for the powder, but this is strong as anything on me now. I can smell the vanilla and sandalwood and lilies, but now I can also smell the sea moss and orris. It's complex and golden and sexy. This may become my first 5 ml purchase.

Edited March 15, 2009 by Banyangirl

[savage_rose]

This smells delicious in the imp...golden, sugared vanilla. It reminds me a bit of Snake Oil. And then on me, it fades a bit, and I'm amping something (is it the orris?). It's sharp and not unpleasant, but it is a bit jarring. This scent is really nice, but not what it could be with my skin chemistry. Sigh.

[diamondstars]

This is absolutely gorgeous; it's like a combination of Black Lace and Lilith Victoria.

So glad I found it and it's a GC!

[hkhm]

imp: soft vanilla musk.

 

wet: i'm finding that i love orris more and more everytime i smell it and this is no exception. the orris and amber and musk and vanilla are incredible here.

 

dry: i'm getting the lightest touch of sea moss here but it's mostly amber and musk with a nice vanilla creaminess that sets of thie wonderful orris. i may need a bottle of this.

[revinn]

Initial Sniff from Imp: This reminds me a LOT of L de Lolita Lempicka in the imp. It has that same funky aquatic tone. It definitely smells salty, and maybe a little soapy.

 

Wet: I don't smell much vanilla, but it's there, way in the background. Mostly I smell overripe fruit and that briney ocean air smell you get at the beach. Still a little bit of soap clinging on as well.

 

Dry: Not terrible, but not me. Something in it is reminding me of Cockaigne. If you like complex aquatics, this would be right up your alley.

 

Out of 10: 4

[fairnymph]

Sniffed: Golden oil. Very sweet, almost buttery, foody vanilla. Some powdery amber and boozy musk, too.

 

Wet: Same. Verrrrry sweet and foody. Syrupy/cakey. I fear this is the vanilla that goes crazy on me. Lots of perfumey sandalwood, too.

 

Dry: Horrible cloying fake vanilla amping, yup. And some nasty orris. Sink.

 

[caitilarkin]

In the imp: Very faint floral, with a buttery/aquatic tang as previous reviewers have mentioned

 

Wet on skin: Antique Lace, is that you? Because it sure smells like you...

 

Dry on skin: Ah, here's that transformation that everyone's been talking about. Now it's mostly a non-foody vanilla, with a distant ocean/floral/buttery scent that I've never experienced before. The blend is also much stronger dry than wet.

 

This lasted about 10 hours on me and garnered a compliment last night, so it's going into the Pile of Win.

[binkin]

I wish I could give a more coherent review but this just smells like heaven to me. Plus I adore the name (maiden name + Arthuriana/Scotland = yay!). This is one of my top 10 and was from the second I opened the imp. It has amazing staying power on me and I don't have much to add to anyone else's review except it's like lightly floral vanilla amber ocean love. To me it's really evocative of the place it's named for.

[Veronica]

This is gorgeous on me, possibly one of the best BPAL I've ever tried! It starts off a slightly fruity, very warm, rich vanilla (but yet so much more!) To me, this smells like a luxurious life on a tropical paradise. Mmmmmmmm! Definitely want a bottle someday!

 

EDIT: 5 years later, still loving this, still no bottle! This will have to change very soon. Super creamy, sweet but not foodie vanilla with a hint of sandalwood in the background. Similar to Dorian, but lacking the musk/amber note making it sweeter overall.

Edited February 9, 2015 by delighted

[bubblefish]

This is a pleasing and light scent that is the exactly right color for the smell I get from it. It's so lovely and well-blended that I get more of a composite effect rather than individual notes. Mostly there's vanilla and sandalwood, but with far more complexity to it than just those two ingredients.

[donnatron]

Imp: Sticky vanilla with a little touch of floral and a faint aquatic.

 

Wet: Amped up vanilla and lily. The aquatics disappear for the time being.

 

Dry: The vanilla is the primary note with a faint hint of floral support. The aquatic notes and the oakmoss kind of add a really interesting... interestingness. The more I smell it the more I think I like it. At first it's really dischordant and the contrast is a little weird. Then it sort of melds together and the aquatics and oakmoss give it a sort of commercial perfume feeling. The final drydown is a really beautiful sweet vanilla tempered by a clean, oceanic floral. I can't reallhy discern the different notes but this just melds together into a beautiful blend.

 

Throw: Moderate.

 

Overall: I've always thought this is a weird combination of notes but it really comes together into an incredbly beautiful and elegant scent. Lyonesse is a perfect, non-foody, unusual vanilla and I'm definitely excited to see how this imp will fair.

[Kimbernunk]

I got this as a frimp from the lab, since I never would have ordered it on my own (even with the Arthurian name). Vanilla is *awful* on me!

 

Or so I thought. Foody vanilla is AWFUL on me - really foody vanilla blends tend to go way plastic on me. But BPAL is nothing if not forever making me re-evaluate my preconceived notions, and this is another case of that happening.

 

Like others have mentioned, this is a very non-foody vanilla. On me, it's vanilla with a floral/sandalwood undertone; the marine and musk notes are hiding slightly under that. It lasted all day, with a nice throw - not too overpowering, but strong enough that I noticed it. I honestly really love it and can see the imp making it into heavy rotation - this may end up being a bottle purchase.

 

So to sum up, I'm shocked and impressed - there is a vanilla that works on my wonky skin!

[hlemonds]

Lyonesse is freakishly gorgeous. On me the dry down is a glowing, golden vanilla-musk and amber. I get hints of the other elements, but only in so far as they enhance the lovely smooth base notes, rather than fighting to stand out. I absolutely recommend this if you like Inez, L'Estate, or the vanilla musk in Torture Queen. IMO this scent is even more beautiful than those, and its GC!!!!

[pseedie]

I received this as a frimp from the lab, and by the name (frou frou sounding, which to me = floral) and the description with lily in it, I thought it would go straight into the swap pile. Not quite. This is a blend that is really worthy of consideration. My nose first picked up the Vanilla musk and Sandalwood...then I smelled the ambergris...hey!! This is really nice!! I couldn't smell the dreaded lily, which usually amps on me, so I'm not what kept it at bey, but something did. It's a very very pretty, deep and gentle fragrance that should be tried by all. Lovely.

[Lethran]

In bottle: As this has orris, I’m not skin testing it, so this too is inside the imp only. This is deeply appealing. It’s a surprisingly decadent pale scent. It turns out vanilla, incense, and lily is an amazingly cool blend, each element seamlessly edging into the next to make something absolutely wonderful. I wish I could wear it, especially as the orris is barely noticable, but despite the temptation, I’m not chancing it.

[HamletsKeeper]

Bottle Sniff Mens cologne which I've come to realise is Ambergris & Moss. So this is a predominantly ambergris blend.

 

Wet More cologne that smells very much like Aramis or something similar. At this point it is a 100% male scent for me. Nothing slightly androgynous about it.

 

Drydown I like this, but I'd love it on a man. It's a beautiful scent just far too masculine for me to wear. Very clean, silver-green scent for me. I smell no vanilla whatsover and it's a strongly sea-misty type of scent. This scent makes me think of velvety dry grey-green moss on beach pebbles. It's all elegant greys and silver-greens. Perfect for any man who doesn't like BPAL as I think it smells very mainstream and beautiful. I think it's a perfectly elegant scent and safe gift for a man. I would permanently plant my nose into the neck of any man who wore this. Gorgeous.

 

Note - on extreme drydown the vanilla is making an appearance slightly warming this up but it's still predominantly silver-grey velvet to me.