Mme. Moriarty, Misfortune Teller (2006)

[cam]

Red musk, vanilla bean, pomegranate, patchouli leaf and wild plum.

Thanks to everyone who has recommended Mme. Moriarty to me. She is truly divine.

In the bottle, I get musk, vanilla, maybe a hint of patchouli, and pomegranate. On wet, the musk and vanilla are most prominent, with a stronger patchouli presence and a subtle smokiness. As it dries, the pomegranate returns, the patchouli softens, and it's a lovely, very complex blend (as other have noted). Very nice indeed. I may have to order another bottle of her before the Carnaval leaves town.

[marared]

This obviously is one of those blends that's going to have to sit quietly for a few months to really reach its prime, but it's pretty nice fresh from the lab, too. It's a spicy musk with a bit of not-too-sweet vanilla lying underneath, but there is absolutely no fruit whatsoever in the bottle OR on my skin, and if it hasn't shown up by now, it's not going to.

 

This is kind of what I was expecting from Snake Oil.

 

 

I'm definitely going to have to revisit this in a few months - while I'm disappointed that I can't smell the plum, it still has lots of potential.

 

 

(My card? The Chariot.)

[NatCatz]

Oh this is love

 

Its deep and sexy, and for some reason to my nose smells like samhain without the apple. I need a million bottles

[tehriaz]

this stuff is absolutely disgusting. it's just straight dirty laundry with a bit of fake fruit overtone in the bottle, then on my skin it goes through several disgusting morphs before ending up harsh, headachey bitter within 10 minutes. that bitterness amps out, not a trace of fruit or vanilla or anything nice - it turns to straight fresh wet asphault mixed with crushed vitamins and excrement. this is absolutely horrendous.

 

I've tried a decant, a fresh bottle, a several month aged bottle, and a year aged bottle, and they're all the same, except they smell a little different in the bottle - aged ones are rotting fruit versus cough medicine in fresher bottles.

 

my rating scale doesn't go low enough for this one. 0/5, though DAMN, it's REALLY a lot lower.

 

eta: on TOP of how horrible it is on its own, I get a migraine every time I try to wear this hateful poison.

Edited December 19, 2008 by tehriaz

[hlinspjalda]

In the vial: Sharp, sweet, fruity, pungent. This smells like Pennsic to me! (Maybe the pomegranate?)

 

Wet: Spicy, fruity, pungent. This one is maddening; it reminds me of something and I can't think what.

 

Twenty minutes: I think it's the combination of fruit and the smell of smoke that makes it smell like Pennsic. It's like fruit juice that's been boiled down over a fire. Fascinating; I could have a lengthy relationship with this one!

 

One hour: Still charmed by the elusive, smoky, yet foody character of this one. I just can't get enough of it! Still smells like firepit plus fruit.

 

Two hours: Smoky fruit, but a little sweeter than before.

 

Four hours: There's only a trace of fruit and smoke left now. Finally, I can explicitly catch the musk and patchouli, and even a snippet of vanilla bean. I've liked all the phases of this. Bottle time!

[sideviewhotel]

This is all musky vanilla on me with a TEENSY hint of pomegranate on me. Which means that it doesn't smell like plasticky nasty. \o/ Yum.

[ravenrigan]

 

OK, this is my first published review, so here goes! Be gentle with me!

 

 

In the bottle

It smells RED. Spiced fruit with a faint medicinal tang

 

Wet on skin

Spiced fruits and vanilla

 

Drydown

The vanilla comes out to play, the musk grounding and sweetening what would otherwise be a very sharp blend. The patchouli adds depth, and spice, and it's definitely plummy. I'm starting to get my favourite plum crumble, made from the ripest juiciest plums, with great lumps of softly melting Marzipan and spiced wholemeal brown sugar crumble - served with Ambrosia custard. This is a good thing! It's exactly what I had hoped from this scent.

 

Throw

Strong

Wearlength

Excellent

 

Mood

Confident, Mysterious, Compelling, and very Me.

 

Finish

The fruit has gone, but she's still individual, spicy and delicious 12 hours later.

 

Verdict

Like a very expensive mens aftershave with enough warm animalistic sweetness for a woman to get away with it. Me likey. Me likey lots! Buy bottles!

[maika]

In the imp, I can smell everything! Most predominant though, is the musk, and the patchouli leaf, which gives a tobacco note to it.

 

Wet, the patchouli is most obvious, along with the pomegranate.

 

Dry, it almost dances on me. I get whiffs of everything at different times, although all the notes are working on me. This is definitely not just a keeper, but an I need more!

[porcelina]

reasons i am really dumb:

 

1. i ordered mme moriarty without noticing it contained red musk

2. i ordered mme moriarty without remembering that i had just bought a partial imp from someone and would be able to test it before ordering

 

well, i just tested it and- AMAZINGLY, the red musk plays nicely, the plum and vanilla are delicious and the patchouli is tame. in other words, i will love and adore my bottle and can't wait for it to arrive!

[MisterShrapnel]

I'd been putting off my trial run of Mme Moriarty, mostly because the scent in the bottle didn't particularly grab my attention.

... however....

The first thing I noticed was the "Snake Oil smell," and I was instantly alarmed because, while I love this patchouli stuff as it is when I have my nose very close to my wrist, something about the ingredients in Snake Oil always turn in to an aura of sweet baby powder on me that I can't stand. I waited, prepared for what I thought to be the inevitable.

... And then I forgot I was testing a new scent and continued about my evening, my thoughts periodically interrupted with "what smells good...?" (that being said, this one is quite strong and I didn't have to put on much)...

Mme. Moriarty is a teeny bit medicinal when it's wet, but I like it (it's in Snake Oil too, underneath all that powder...), and after a while a "leafiness" comes out holding hands with the vanilla. I'm not familiar with pomegranate as a note but I was expecting something juicier (not that I would have Mme smell any different though!). Hm. It's odd, but at this stage I get the sudden and undeniable notion in my head that the crook of my arm, judging by the way it smells, must be incredibly smooth and soft, and sort of cool to the touch. I'm not very good at picking out musk as a note yet (still a bit of a noob to perfume in general), but it's probably the red musk that makes the blend all the more inviting without my knowing why. Wearing this, I feel "collected," cool-headed and a bit more clairvoyant.

I recently tried Snake Oil and was rather disappointed (feeling like I was missing out on something), but Mme helped me get over that almost immediately. It's unexpected, but this is one of my favorites! I'll need to stock up (majorly liek woah) before the Carnaval series ends. D: I mean I need a BOX, a separate BOX, just for Mme. Moriarty. So I can smell this way my whole friggin' life.

I wonder how this smells after aging?

Also I love the tarot card that came with her. It's eerily appropriate (the Eight of Pentacles! For someone freaking out about upcoming years in college!) and makes for a highly motivational fortune (hooray!).

[PinkoCommie]

I've smelled the illustrious madame on people whose can wear her. She smells amazing ... on them.

 

Unfortunately, on me she smells exactly like Snake Charmer -- which is to say, "bad." Petroleum and sweat and powder. Ick. I wish I had the magic chemistry that makes snake oil and similar ones smell so amazing, but sadly, I don't. I'll have to comfort myself with my amazing box of workable scents.

[dansemacabre]

Initially the red musk is VERY heavy while wet. It smells almost like Midnight Kiss, that cherry cola kind of smell. As it's starting to dry down but still fairly wet, the vanilla is weaving it's way and wrapping itself around the red musk. I can see why so many compare it to Snake Oil, which admittedly, I don't love. This seems like a better version of Snake Oil at this point. I would wear this over Snake Oil any day. I think it's the patchouli that is keeping this at bay, stifling the red musk and vanilla so that it's not overwhelming. It's starting to get slightly heady but not overbearing. Kind of like being trapped in a tent while getting your tarot read. The incense and sweet flavors of a carnival, intermingling, but not allowing for one scent to overtake another. The vanilla is what really draws me during the final dry down. It's warm, almost dark and inviting, telling me to come closer, see what the future holds. Snake charmer-esque almost. This reminds me so much of snake oil but SO much better. This is what I wanted Snake Oil to be. The final dry down is a waltz of red musk and vanilla bean, one trying to lead, but kind of going around in circles. For a split second you get a stronger whiff of vanilla or red musk but then it fades as they both come together again. The verdict -- LOVE. Why can't this be what I am missing in the original Snake Oil?

[hkhm]

bottle: patchouli, musk and vanilla

 

wet: very strong patchouli and musk with a sweet kint of pomegranate and a nice smooth vanilla back.

 

dry: gorgeous musk and patchouli with a sweet vanilla haze.

[inurbanus]

So, I'm not usually into really musky scents, but I figured that the illustrious Mme. Moriarty deserved a chance. Wet, this is really heavy musk and patchouli. I thought I was doomed, since it was very overwhelming and medicinal smelling, like others have pointed out. Luckily, the musk calmed down a little, and the whole scent transformed into a sultry, dark fruit scent. Very sexy, and still very strong. I don't know if I'm bold enough to wear M.M. in public a lot, since it is such an attention-getting scent, but it smells wonderful and I'm glad I have a bottle of it.

 

4/5

[Persephone76]

This is probably my second favorite BPAL scent of all time, right after my beloved Voodoo Queen.

 

When I took my first sniff of it in the bottle I thought, "No Way!" It smelled sharp and astringent. But once applied, it morphs into the richest, sultriest, most intoxicating and complex scent. This is one of the most complex BPALs I have tried--five minutes after applying I can't even detect the individual notes. Defies categorization. Just gorgeous. Dark and intoxicating.

 

This one is definitely hoard-worthy and oh, do I plan to hoard. I must have at minimum 10 bottles before CD is gone.

 

Believe the hype, folks. Do yourselves a favor and try this before CD ends, cuz I have a feeling it will be very, very prized and hard to get ahold of after.

Edited October 10, 2008 by Persephone76

[plunderparlour]

on wet this reminded me of my dads Old Spice, which is a pleasant memory. dry this is such a rich, sexy scent. This is one of a few scents from the lab that has a long wear length on me. wish i had ordered a few extra bottles before the carnival left town.

[rayvn1]

God, I love this perfume! I had a feeling I would either fall at the Mme.'s feet or be completely turned off. So here I am hanging out on the ground... This smells of strongly of patchouli and spice. A very red scent. Fabulous!! She will join my hoard in bottle form ASAP.

[Angelbaby]

This was the first bottle I ordered unsniffed - but I couldn't resist, judging from reviews. I'm not great at identifying notes, but in the bottle, I thought “Oh yes, that’s nice enough, in the same vein as Scherezade, Lust etc.” On… OMG. It IS sex. It’s red, and instantly hits you over the head with “This scent is for seduction. ” But the creaminess in it gives it a lightness, a sort of luring you in. It’s gorgeous. If I ever met a girl wearing this, I’d immediately become a lesbian. I’m actually turning MYSELF on, a little bit… Can’t wait to try it out on unsuspecting males.

[angelicruin]

Admittedly, I was a bit worried about the patchouli note. My skin is funny with patchouli. Sometime it's okay and other times it kills all other notes...and I really don't like patchouli smell.

 

This, however, has it as a very, very minor note on my skin. The musk blends nicely with plum and vanilla to make it a very pleasant oil on my skin.

[GalaxyLei]

I get an extremely smoky scent--probably the patchouli--with a slight hint of flowers underneath. Mostly I think it smells like burnt incense sticks. Too overwhelming for me.

[NixieCakes]

Snake Oil + Crypt Queen = Mme. Moriarty.

[blacklacestatic]

This is another new favorite. I freaking love this!

 

In the bottle: Deep, rich red musk and patchouli.

 

Wet on skin: Rich, thick, resiny, incensey beauty. The musk and patchouli are in the forefront, while the plum and pomegrante provide a heavy veil of lush intoxication and the vanilla sweetens it up a bit. OMG this is incredible. Dark and sexy. It reminds me of a dark, smoky nightclub filled with pouty, spooky gothic beauties. So sultry and naughty. I want to go out and seduce someone wearing this. This will be my new go-to scent when I'm out dancing. A true femme fatale scent.

 

Drydown: It gets sweeter and richer, but the scent for the most part stays true. The vanilla comes forward a bit more.

 

Overall: If you have not tried this yet, BUY IT NOW! You NEED a bottle, trust me!

[Deidre]

So I finally got my hands on a bottle, aged five months, of this little beauty.

I was afraid of the patchouli, which I'm not exactly fond of. I can smell it in the bottle, it has that sharp tang I dislike, but it disappears very quickly on my skin.

After that, it's all red musk and vanilla and the occasional fruity whiff, smoke and sex and seduction and it's perfect. I feel like I'm never going to need another BPAL after having found this one. I'd love to know what the male population thinks of it - and I'll be testing it soon.

 

ETA : I've been wearing this quite a few times after my review, and it only gets better and better. It is all the best things about perfume rolled together : sweet, musky, spicy, fruity and warm. Oh, dear. I want to smell like that for the rest of my life.

Edited December 20, 2008 by Deidre

[ealasaid86]

In the Bottle: My nose doesn't so much recognize a scent as feel slightly warmer. Its strange, I spent almost a full minute sniffing trying to figure out what it smells like.

 

On the Wrist: Starts out warm, smokey and slightly sweet. Thankfully the patchouli leaf doesn't immediately make my wrist smell like it belongs to a 20 pack a day smoker. Instead the smoke of the patchouli stays softer and I can only smell it if I lift my wrist to my nose. About 4 hours later its faded to a bit of smoke over sweet plum.

 

Verdict: I keep waffling back and forth, I just cannot make up my mind. Since I'm trying to keep my collection of "keep" imps small I think I'm going to put it up for swap. I like it but I don't love it, plus every time I smell the patchouli I panic a little because for so long the smoke smell meant a trip to E.R.

[kohaisama]

In the Imp: pomegranate & plums

 

Wet: Plummy vanilla, no sign of patchouli (yay!) or red musk (yay!). I wonder where the pomegranate went?? Ah, there it is. Stealthy little thing made me sniff hard for it.

 

Dry: Soft patchouli (sigh) and dark, luxurious vanilla with a lurking plum.

 

Now I understand why I keep reading about people saying that this is what they wanted Snake Oil to be. Because it is. Snake Oil was just too sharp on my nose. I can really only handle it young. Mme. has two notes that always work against me, patchouli and musk (white seems to be an exception). I figured this would be a bust, but it turned out great!! Even though I can still smell the patchouli, it's not overwhelming at all and seems to be subdued a lot by the vanilla. The vanilla bean didn't do what I was expecting either. I was expecting it to be like ice cream vanilla, but it's not. It's more complicated than that. I really was surprised by this. I'm definitely getting a bottle. For days when I don't feel like wearing it, it'll be WONDERFUL in a scent locket.