Theodosius, The Legerdemain

[theshapeshifter]

Earl Grey tea leaves, a white fougere, jasmine leaf, pearlescent white musk, and vanilla bean.

 

Oh my! *fans self*

 

In the bottle: Fresh and masculine and lovely. (Actually, my first reaction was that this was a scent I could envision my favourite sexy celebrity/imaginary boyfriend wearing. Hee. )

 

Wet on skin: Lemony-citrusy-musk at first, quite sharp and fresh.

 

Drydown: OHMAHGAWD. FINALLY A TEA SCENT THAT WORKS ON ME. It's primarily Earl Grey and luscious vanilla on me, with the musk and fougere just giving it that sexy, slightly masculine edge.

 

It's amazing that a scent could be this light and clean, and this sexy at one time!

Edited September 24, 2006 by Shollin

[gaai]

Ah yes

Musky lemon tea! This is Dorian's older, more manly, I've-been-around-and-seen-it-all brother

 

As much as I love this, I don't know if I'll wear it much myself.......I might pass some on to the husband....I *know* this will be über-sexy on him!

Half the bottle stays with me though......'cos

[yeahbutnobut]

Theodosius, the Legerdemain

 

In the imp: yup, it's like Dorian, but with more bergamot and tea, and less vanilla.

Wet on skin: mmm, like a more citrussy Dorian!

Dry on skin: if Dorian was just plain vanilla tea, then Theodosius is earl grey vanilla tea, even more so than D. The bergamot and stronger tea scent adds a tangy citrus scent to it all-this is a lot more cologne like than D-whilst the vanilla and musk tone the scent down. For now it's stronger on the tea than on the vanilla-musk, and this earl grey scent reminds me of Severin without leather.

After a while: there's a time when this scent goes through an odd grey and dusty phase, which may be due to oak moss (possibly in the fougere) reacting with black tea? It does pass though and though the scent does retain a slight feel of dust and smoke, it's quite pleasant. I find it quite comforting and familiar, but can't say why. And the vanilla musk has got stronger now. This is a more grown up Dorian now, with less citrus, and less creamy musk.

Ah, now I've realised what the dusty smell reminds me of now…paper and old books! Yes! I love that bookish smell. And it's so nice when teamed up with tea and vanilla-musk. the throw this has is amazing-I keep getting a delicious creamy-powdery-vanilla scent all around me.

Verdict: I'm a huge fan of Dorian, so it's no surprise that I love this, which is very similar, but different enough to set it apart from D and also to warrant a bottle purchase. At first, it seems much more of an earl grey scent with added creamy vanilla, much more citrus than D. But this fades and the scent develops a note which is unusual and unexpected…it may be the fougere, I'm not sure, but it smells like dusty old books on me, which is a good thing. So this smells like a sexy librarian sipping tea on my skin. Oh yeah. It also smells quite smoky, mysterious, and classy. This scent isn't too masculine either-like Dorian, it's very unisex and has a vanilla-musk which is to die for. Another one to get a bottle of.

Emoticon rating:

If you like this, try: Dorian (of course), Severin

Edited September 28, 2006 by yeahbutnobut

[nineveh]

I wanted to try this, thinking it would be a variation of Dorian (which, on me, is a light musk scent with a bit of cool vanilla).

 

On my skin, this is sweet. It smells like cotton candy with some lemon in the background.

 

After a few hours, the lemon's faded, and I'm left with a faint sugary scent and a little musk.

 

Unfortunately, I'm one of those freaks who don't want to smell like cotton candy. This is a very nice dessert-type scent, but so extremely not "me."

[TrailerTrashPrincess]

first let me say : i hate jasmine. haaaate.

and i don't much care for lemon, although i tolerate it in Dorian.

 

this is all the things i love about Dorian without any of the things i don't like. and then some more yumminess thrown in for good measure.

 

----------

the above is my original review of this scent.

 

i still like it, don't get me wrong, but either as it ages it is doing something new... or it doesn't work as well with my skin chemistry anymore, because the last few times i wore it..... after a while it stopped being the lovely slightly-more-masculine Dorian that i loved, and starts having a very.....jarring metallic or rubbery scent mixed in. like it should be in the steamworks category, almost.

 

that being said, it still smells fantastic on my husband, and i can't tell that it smells different on him than it used to. so i'm thinking the problem is with me, and not the oil. which makes me very sad.

Edited January 21, 2009 by TrailerTrashPrincess

[pekeana]

To me, Theodosius only bears a superficial resemblance to Dorian. It has the same fougere, and a breath of the same musk, but that's where the resemblance stops and Theodosius becomes its own scent.

 

The tea is strong and blends with the musk and jasmine leaf to create a deep, sparkling river of clean green waters -- it almost smells like a version of China Musk + the smell of the beginning of a calm rain. Once it settles on my skin and melds with my chemistry, it smells like the cleanest spring shower over a meadow. And yet, somehow, it retains a thread of threatening malevolence that leads me to dub it "Satan's Shower" -- step up and take your chances with this rain, because it's going to drown you in it.

 

I LOVE IT.

[Alchemy21599]

I've only recently discovered Dorian (I know, the shame, it should have been in my first order) so I was trememdously excited when I heard that Theodosius was similar to Dorian.

They were wrong. Theodosius is Dorian's tres sexay mysterious older brother who's been away for awhile having amazing adventures that astound those who hear his tales, however the real stories are those that are entwined in his soul, those he won't discuss. In the vial this scent is masculine and brooding. Wet, I thought this scent was too manly for me to wear. Once dry however, the vanilla tames the musk and the scent is suitable for a man or a woman. Must acquire a bottle ASAP.

[Aredhel]

Rating (on skin): 5/5

Summarised in a word or two: Dorian on steroids!

 

Pre-review thoughts: Theo sounds perfectly divine, but for the iffy jasmine leaf.

 

In the imp: Beloved white musk! and a bit of vanilla and tea leaves.

 

On skin, wet: Oh, damn it all. Jasmine. Beyond that, however, lies a very tempting mixture of citrusy Earl Grey, white musk, and vanilla. This may yet turn out well.

 

On skin, dry: I agree absolutely with LiberAmoris' "Dorian. On. Steroids" comment. This is indeed a stronger, less sweet, darker and more "masculine" version of my e'er-beloved Dorian. Where Dorian boasts sugared darker (to my nose) tea and lemon, Theo's got Earl Grey (and thus bergamot) sex-appeal in spades. A waft of jasmine here and there, but nothing close to the overpowering Jasmine Show I normally encounter with jasmine notes. Theo is citrusy, vanilla-laden tea-covered sex-in-a-bottle, and I am most definitely a fan.

 

Conclusion/Notes: Fan, yes; wearer? Perhaps not. Dorian's more my own style, as far as scents I wear myself go. Doesn't mean I don't positively adore Theo, though, of course. This would be pefect on the Boy I'm half-dating, so I'll be picking up a bottle of this post haste, to bathe him in force him to wear.

Edited September 20, 2006 by Aredhel

[gypsybaby1]

Theodosius makes me want to cry...

 

In the bottle he's gorgeous and makes you love him - well, makes me, at least... but once he's on my skin, he spins away into nothingness. I get the tinge of citrus, I get the tinge of strong Earl Grey tea and then poofta - gone. If I happen to catch a whiff, it's faint, very very faint. and yes, I slathered this morning.

 

I'm weighing whether or not to keep him and make him into a lotion in hopes he'll stick around longer that way.

[storme]

In the imp: pale tea and musk and vanilla and more musk. Wow.

 

On me, wet: sweet citrus tea and musk and vanilla. It's not quite all blended yet, and it may be a bit over-sweet, but it's sexy nonetheless. Mmmm.

 

On me, dry: Everything finally meshes and ohhh. I do see the resemblance to Dorian - the sweet citrus tea - but this is *much* sexier than Dorian was, and not as sugary. Want to lick my wrist.

 

Verdict: Dorian's far handsomer, older, wiser and sexier brother, without Usher's hint of vulnerability and madness. Another one to sneak onto my SO when he's not looking, but even if this doesn't work on him it totally works on me...

[LittleGreyKitten]

Theodosius is one of the awesome Carnaval scents on me. (Joining Mme Moriarty, Candy Butcher and Xanthe). I wouldn't have guessed it. I like Beth's fougere base a lot, in Dorian too, and the vanilla and musk make it even better. I get no tea or jasmine, yay. I mostly get vanilla, musk and...? something light, crisp and almost citrusy but not really. Very nice. Probably also will work on The Boy. But it's one I'm keeping for myself- I think this is truly a unisex scent more than most. The vanilla warms it up nicely. Will probably get a 2nd bottle sometime.

 

4.5 out of 5, for the fact that it evaporates pretty fast (for now, it might get better in a month or so).

[mandragora]

Musky tea scent with the barest hint of citrus. Dorian on steroids, like Aredhel said. It goes on sexy, crisp and masculine. Vanilla bean comes out on the drydown lending it sweetness, which rounds out the scent. Further drydown, the musk mellows while the vanilla bean comes to fore, making the scent a bit androgynous. It's gorgeous on me and I bet this would be sexy on my hubby.

 

this. Definitely getting more bottles. Great job Beth!

Edited September 23, 2006 by mandragora

[smallvoice]

Huh. Is there lavender in this?

 

I love this one, but... it's like Dorian with some lavender thrown in, on my skin. As it dries, the lavender scent becomes stronger and the sweetness fades some. I'm still trying to sort out how well I like Theodosius as compares to Dorian. The tea is a bit blacker, stronger. I think my husband would be more likely to wear this than he would ever be likely to even consider Dorian. As for me? I think I prefer the sticky sweetness of Dorian.

 

I do wish I got Nineveh's cotton candy from this! I will let it warm on my skin for a bit and see how things develop.

[QueenFae]

This smells wonderful in the bottle; ultra yummy vanilla. It doesn't smell quite as good on my skin. I could've sworn there was a leather note in here, weird, huh? I don't know what white fogere is, maybe that's what is creating the musky weird note. The vanilla is still there, and creates a subtle, creamy undertone. The tea leaves gives this blend a little bit of an herbally feel. This would probably work best on a guy, the boy wears vanilla well, maybe he'll like it.

[Blood onmy hands]

In the bottle... this smells like a more crisp and less sweet version of Dorian. I agree with those who have said that Theodosius is like Dorian's older brother. A refreshing men's cologne, sweet vanilla, and an almost sharp sort of floral something. I'm kind of worried that the "jasmine leaf" will be too sharp and ruin this for me.

 

On me... this doesn't have Dorian's crisp vanilla sweetness, and I'm kind of missing that. This is more clean perfumey musk and a sharp floral on me (it doesn't remind me of jasmine, it's more of a sharp and spicy floral smell). I also keep thinking that I smell a hint of smoky leather in here somewhere.

 

Theodosius is too sharp and biting for me or the boy... it's just not as smooth and creamy as I was hoping for. I'll stick with Dorian for my tea and vanilla, lol.

[maijasu]

I agree with other who say this is similar to Dorian, but it's much heavier on the musk and lighter on the beautiful, creamy vanilla. I like it, but Dorian is just more my style.

[themerrybaker]

I wore "Ted" yesterday. It started out sugary, sweet, interestingly herbal citrus tea. It was fine. The drydown, however, was even better. It was the most intense vanilla kept from becoming cloying by the citrus. Although I like tea scents a lot, and am not so fond of vanilla, I just loved the way this scent developed throughout the day.

 

"Ted" is sufficiently different from the other tea scents to warrant consideration of a bottle.

[ocicat]

ARJKFJKD.

 

The only thing I get from this is Lemon Pledge. Dammit. The same thing happened with Dorian

 

There was a brief, fleeting moment when I could smell lovely sugared tea, but then...Lemons again.

 

My body just LOVES to amp lemon, in absolute exclusion of anything else in the blend.

 

Boo.

[ajcj213499]

This is a bit too masculine on me, although I think it would smell WONDERFUL on a boy.

I see the similarity to Dorian, although this is sharper than Dorian and less foodie.

 

This would be a great intro to BPAL gift for a man.

[ND¢]

I can see how this initially resembles an amped-up version of Dorian-- it is sharper, and I'm not sure what is causing that (perhaps a combination of the musk, jasmine leaf and fougere.) Jasmine isn't my favorite thing to have in a fragrance, but it's not the overly sweet jasmine flower smell. This also has an acquaintance with Severin, probably my favorite everyday scent.

[batsy]

In the bottle: minty Earl Grey! It smells almost exactly like the aching muscle oil they used on my cruise to Alaska! Yay!

 

On the skin: Mmm delicious Earl Grey! With just a hint of vanilla bean! I'm excited, because usually anything with jasmine disagrees with me, but I can barely detect it! God I want to just roll in a bath of this! Will probably have to break down and order a bottle!

[velvet]

the scent was lovely but very masculine on me. it was deep and dark with an edge. so i thought, "hey i'll try it on the boy"

 

i put it on him.... he's all vanilla creme and tea with a spot of lemon, which would be great if he wanted to smell sweet, but unfortunately he does not.

i say its a bit backwards from what we were wanting lol.

[joseybird]

I get earl grey tea, vanilla bean, and lemon...very nice! Very much a "souped-up Dorian." However, I get floral soap undertones during drydown, which ruins the effect =( I prefer regular ole' Dorian.

[cuervosueno]

In imp: glorious lemony tea. Very much like a more citrusy Dorian.

 

On: at first it is pure lemon tea, which is glorious, but kind of like Spirits of the Dead. Now the lemon is getting sugary, and slightly artificial. uh oh. No, that’s the bergamot in Earl Grey tea. Ok, so now it is a mix of Spirits of the Dead and Dorian. It's nice, but not knocking me out, esp. since I have both SotD and Dorian.

 

I think I’ll keep the imp but likely won’t need more.

[sarada]

I really love Dorian, which is a bit of a surprise since I really dislike vanilla and sweet scents in general, but there's just something very special about that blend. So, I had high hopes for this blend too! And it is very similar indeed at first.

 

There is a very crisp, glittering freshness to this, a bit closer to Black Opal perhaps but very sugary. Very much like the sugar in La Fee Verte actually, and a touch of that lemony sparkle that must be the bergamot in Earl Grey.

 

I think Theodosius is ultimately a little too sugary though --- someone trying to spoon sugar into their tea accidentally dumped in the whole sugar bowl and the lemons too! I'm not getting the musk that anchors Dorian and I'm really surprised that the fougere isn't taking off on my skin like lavender incense.

 

A friend had said this has a woodsmoke stage on her after awhile and i do get a bit of a smoky wisp after a halfhour or so...perhaps that is the fougere, which has a very smoky quality on me. But it's not quite doing it. I think I'll play around with the few drops that I have, but Dorian is the winner and still champ in the sugared tea battle!