Pulcinella & Teresina

[QueenFae]

Labdanum, cedar, teak and red rose.

Whoa! This is a strong, sharp scent. At first sniff I immediately notice the strong cedar note and the backdrop of the rose. I'm not sure what labdanum and teak smell like, but I don't think I like them! This reminds me of a chemical smell; like something you would cure wood with. It's very strong and has a lot of throw, so I think people that like strong woodsy scents would like this. Definitely not for me, oh well. I loved almost all the other CD scents, so I'm still glad I bought the series.

[slave1]

In Bottle: Sharp cedar and sour rose

 

On Skin: Wow, cedar is the front here without a doubt. Very pungent, woody and sharp. The labdanum offers a sweet resinous smoky feel and the teak adds to the strength of the woods. The rose is very sour, tart and sharp, not my favorite note. If you like rose and woody notes, this one should be up your alley. This blend doesn’t seem to work on me at all sadly. It is so sour it just turns me off, but there is a sickly sweetness underneathe it all that also turns my stomach. Sorry Beth, you know I love your blends but this one doesn’t love me back. Very strong throw and long wearlength.

[Miss Lynx]

This one didn't catch my attention at all in the original descriptions -- my skin usually amps rose so severely that I can't really wear most rose scents, and woody notes are kind of hit and miss on me. Labdanum's the only note in this one that is reliably good on me.

 

But as the reviews came in, it started sounding interesting to me -- a lot of people compared it to Desire, which is one of the few scents with rose in them that actually works on me, so I had to give it a try. And fortunately the decant circle I was in ended up with a few extra spots for this scent, so I was able to get it added to my order at the last minute before it shipped.

 

And I'm quite glad I did. I can now add another to the very short list of rose scents that actually work on my floral-amping skin. It really doesn't smell much like Desire to me -- I'd call it more like an improved Rakshasa (a scent I really wanted to love but couldn't), with a slight similarity to Burial and Magdalene as well, but it's really distinct from any of those.

 

The woods in it are quite strong and assertive, as a number of people have commented. For some, that means the wood is all they can smell, but on my skin, that just means that the rose can't completely drown them out, and remains well-balanced. It does come across as a very much a rose scent to me, but it's a rose scent I can actually wear, because the woods keep it from turning into death by roses. It comes on a bit strong at first, the rose and woods both, but eventually they settle down into a really lovely, harmonious, well-balanced mix, and the labdanum, which wasn't evident at all at the start, gradually kicks in to add a lush incensey depth to it. The eventual drydown is a warm, woodsy rose-incense scent.

 

So, definitely a keeper. I don't think I need a bottle, as it's not a scent I'd wear all that often, but I will enjoy using up the imp.

 

Grade: B+

Edited September 30, 2006 by Miss Lynx

[aimeceleste]

Oh, I can't say anything good about P&T...except that it lasts and lasts and lasts...

 

I generally don't like wood scents, and rose is something I appreciate in moderation, but not overwhelmingly.

 

So when I realized P&T was mostly a wood scent, lightly rose-y (from sniffing the bottle), I thought I would give it a try.

 

On my skin, it turned my stomach, it was so strongly sour - almost rotten, cedary, but not in a nice way. And it stayed that way forEVER.

 

I feel sad to give it away, but I definitely will put this up for sale or trade!

[juniperus]

Bottle: rose (complete with thorn) and teak. I need to periodically oil all of the damn scandinavian-design teak desks and bookcases and whatnot at work, teak oil...gah.

Wet: much the same.. even sharper, actually. the rose in 2,4 & 7 did this, too - ouchie.

Dry: this is still so sharp, the woodiness less present except for a sort of damp wood feel.

Later: this was the one that I thought was closest to a sure-thing....and it's heinous. I can't even describe the way it's twisted and malformed once touching my skin, but I'm bummed.

[eggplant]

I smell like the inside of a wooden chest of drawers, but somehow it's starting to grow on me.

[Meg]

In the bottle: Labdanum, wood and faint red rose.

 

Wet: Cedar and labdanum mingling, with rose whispering behind them, and teak somewhere in there too. Something in there is strong and musky. It veers towards Play-doh land, at some point, oops...

 

Drydown: Hmm, I get very strong fragrant resins and woods, it smells nearly like lacquered woods which I'm pretty sure is exactly the point of the blend. The rose is extremely subdued, it's hiding in there with the labdanum, giving it a faintly floral scent. It has a bit of a sour smell to it, I can't tell from where.

 

Overall: Labdanum completely dominates this blend, which is a bit of a pity because it's such a heavy perfmy scent that the other components don't get a chance to peek through. It's obvious that there's wood in this blend, rich strong wood, but it's all hidden under the resins. It's very elegant, but a bit too classical perfumy to me.

[wolfie13]

In the imp: Mmmmmmmm - polished wood.

 

Wearing: The rose comes out. I agree with whoever said it is a "green" rose - I smell a nice true rose with the addition of the leaves and stems perhaps. The strength of the the teak keeps this from becoming truly "floral".

 

Late drydown: This goes through a bit of a soapy phase on me as some roses are wont to do, but not in a major way (and it's a nice expensive soap). Then the rose gets a bit powdery and softer as does the wood. It ends up smelling like when I open the drawers of my antique dresser in which my vintage clothes are stored.

 

Verdict: I like it, it's interesting and well-crafted but I won't be needing a bottle. (I think my favorite "polished wood" scents are still Red Queen and Shadow - I guess I prefer my wood with fruit instead of flowers!)

Edited October 5, 2006 by wolfie13

[hepkitten]

I had the same stomach-turning reaction as many here...rotting wood, possibly with bodily effluvia. If I didn't know better, I'd think that my nemesis vetiver was in here; the only BPALs that have been this bad on me have all had it.

 

I really wanted to like this, but I couldn't wash it off fast enough.

[silver_dollar]

I thought this would be the Carnaval scent I'd like the least, but it's actually very good (uh, at least on my skin, anyway). It's mostly sharp, spicy wood. I don't smell like my cedar trunk so I guess that's teak. I don't get much rose, but that's fine with me 'cause rose is not my favorite. It's almost a traditional type of perfume, and it fits the puppet show theme very well, IMO. It also reminds me of a haunted house, kind of. It's pretty bitter so I can see how that wouldn't turn out great on a lot of people. The drydown is this sickly-sweet, cloying rose that I'm not fond of, but I really like the initial stage and it lasts a long time, so overall I like it.

Edited October 7, 2006 by silver_dollar

[pkthunder]

This is a lovely scent. This is how I want my home to smell one day... of oiled wood; on the bannisters and trim, wainscoting and hardwood floors. For now I'll just have to deal with musty carpet and boring plaster walls. I'm not sure this is how I want to smell. It does turn into a nice "walking through the woods" scent, but once again, better as a room fragrance than a perfume.

 

I sampled this on my left hand and Melsande on my right, and not surprisingly, when put together, the puppet mistress and her puppets blend together well.

[nightbird]

I definitely smell wood in this one - soft and warm. there's just a hint of rose in the background too. this is very light and very pretty.

[herbhealer]

This one didn't work for me. There was a sharp note that kept me from applying, I couldn't get past it. Still, I have high hopes for others in this series after falling in love with Madame Moriarty.

[forspecial_plate]

This sort of clashed and jangled on my skin...it probably doesn't help that I had a really bad headache when I tried it. All I could smell was cedar or wood, and a rose that didn't work for me at all. Now I'm afraid to try it again, because I feel like it might make me have a bad headache again just from the memory of trying it. Not a good feeling at all and now it's associated with P&T.

 

edit: To be fair, I let this age for a couple months and tried it again. It's not as bad this time. Dry, woody, something kind of peppery, which I think is the labdanum. I can smell the rose, too. I'm not loving this, but there's something intrigueing here that's making me want to hold onto it, so I will, and I'll update again if my opinion changes drastically.

Edited December 11, 2006 by Forspecial Plate

[emzebel]

Rose and wood.

 

A nice blend really - there is a hint of something else that reminds me a bit of Sol in here as well, but one I probably will not get a lot of use out of.

[PilotKitten]

The puppets hate me. >_< I was *so* intrigued by the descriptions of the loveliest rose but all I get is horrible wood. < sigh > Off to be swapped/sold to someone more loving....

[sookster]

straight sniff from bottle is sharp... wet rose petals and cedar...

once applied the rose scent fades slightly and the labdamum and cedar swirl

together...extremely interesting blend ... this may work in a scent locket or

layered over something else sweeter

[sophia_helix]

This was the first scent that jumped out in my CD decant set package. Then and on my skin, I think I'm mostly getting that sharp, sweet labdanum, with a hint of spicy teak and the woodiness of cedar. The rose is almost entirely absent, which is good because BPAL rose and I don't play nice.

 

It's really reminding me of something else -- Ouija, I think, because of the teak -- but I can't quite put my finger on it. It's a strong, long-lasting scent that makes me think of spices and imported furniture, with a strident something beneath that's a little unnerving. If it were just a little sweeter it would be exactly my type of scent, so I might consider layering it with something like Rose Red.

 

ETA: It also reminds me of my only pre-BPAL scent, the Sandalwood Rose scent that I think the Bath and Bodyworks has discontinued. I love that oil, so it's a good thing.

Edited October 27, 2006 by sophia_helix

[sofiaviolet]

I don't smell much rose at all. I do smell what I suppose it teak and labdanum, because it's not cedar. It kind of makes my nose itch. Meh, I had higher hopes for this.

[supremegoddessofall]

Pure cedar and teak. Not getting the labdanum or the rose at all. This is very masculine and I think I would like it on Lee.

[grrrlennyl]

at first: mostly cedar and a bit of labdanum.

on: a salty wood scent.

1 hour later: a sweet wood and rose scent. very nice.

4 hours later: a little sweet, a little sour, a little woodsy, and a little soapy.

5 hours later: this has a definite tartness.

overall: this ended up being a lot more playful on me than i thought it would be. i'm glad the salty/sour scent went away.

[euterpe414]

Whoever compared this scent to an ornate wood box was completely dead on. This scent gives me a very strong image of an ornate box with dried rose petals in it. Very beautiful, very old, a bit dusty, with a little bit of light shining on it.

 

I am so thrilled that the roses do not go sharp and acetone-y on me, like most roses do. I remember trying Rose Cross, hoping to smell something similar to this, but getting this sharp smell of chemicals instead Well, now I finally have the scent I have been looking for...yay! This also lasts a very long time on my skin and has a great amount of throw.

[everanything]

Rose hates me so much. Anything with a drop of rose in it, my skin amps into a rotting, wet, floral scent, like spoiled fresh roses. It's horrid. I do not like woods. I like labdanum, as my skin turns any resin in the world in beautiful, sexy smoke scents.

 

The only reason I had anything to do with the puppts is because Melisande drug them along inside my decant set, the wench.

 

I tried the tiniest bit of P&T on the backs of my hands, because I didn't want the rose to amp too much. It still did. My hands smelled like I'd been cutting wood and had gotten the sap all over my skin, and then tried to wash it off with some waxy rose soap.

 

 

Hopefully, the puppets can go along to a better home, whilst I keep Melisande all to myself.

[Natch]

in the bottle: sweet. A resiny rose, that is slightly wooden.

 

wet: Strong throw - a heavily flowered forest. Very rich and deep. Reminds me of something that might be found in an ornate box on a grandmother's dresser.

 

dry: I didn't really make it through much of the dry down because something awkward happens as it morphs. Perhaps this is just not a good skin chemistry day, as this is the second scent gone medicinal and odd on me, and the 3rd that didn't work. Half of my brain wants to like this as an old, but nice, sort of potpourri, the other half thinks it is too heady and confusing too handle.

 

overall impression: After sticking it out a little longer, it is less heady and medicinal, and more wood/rose/potpourri. But it's still not for me. I feel like it belongs on the furniture of an old woman's house... in a mostly good way though. It's funny, as I add this to my swap pile, I noticed that everything that didn't work on me (recently) is somewhat red/darker in color. Coincidence? I don't know.

[edenssixthday]

Pulcinella & Teresina - This blend is very surprising. Somehow, the notes all combine together to create a very myrrh-like scent, despite there being no myrrh in the blend at all. It's slightly incensey, sweet, and a touch husky. None of the individual notes (labdanum, cedar, teak, rose) are distinctly identifiable -- they just smell like myrrh when combined, only perhaps a touch sweeter. The sweetness is very strong initially, but around the 60-90 minute point, it softens significantly and becomes more of a "powdery" sweetness. This is one of those "a little goes a long way" blends, and I only need the tiniest drop on my pulse points -- if I were to slather this one, I would probably asphyxiate myself and highly offend everyone around me. The staying power is phenomenal. Around the 3 hour point, it's just as strong as it was when I first applied it, and it doesn't need to be reapplied for 7-8 hours after in itial application. It's a really nice scent, and I look forward to enjoying it again very soon!