Pontarlier

[tindome]

The legendary birthplace of the Green Fairy. Swiss ferns, lilac, blackcurrant, Gallic rose and lavender with a dollop of sugar and absinthe.

a first review. I'll try my best but I still have some problems with notes.

imp: Some kind of herb I think is fern and something mildly bittersweet that could be the absinthe.

wet: For a second this reminded me of Anne Bonny without the patchouli, but I'm not sure why since it has none of the same notes. Perhaps it is a similar feel I about it. After a second or two I get the lavender coming out and the herbs are still there but in the backround but not as prominent as in the first sniff.

Drydown: As it dries it becomes similar to la fee verte is on me but more herby and less sweet. Like I'd taken some fresh herbs crushed them up and then sprinkled just enough sugar to keep them from being bitter.

dry: This is all bittersweet herbs on me and has the absinithe smell I associate with la fee verte but I prefer the sweeter smell of la fee. The rose cropped up a bit in the backround but not as stong as I'd feared.

All in all not for me. Edited September 15, 2007 by Shollin

[AliBabble]

ooh - ferns! i love ferns. and something slightly fungal..like mushrooms growing on a forest floor (not dirt-like, tho). this smells exactly like a florist shop - lush, frechly-cut leaves and flowers. i get a lot of the lilac - very present and "real" smelling. luckily, the rose is not too strong - this is well-blended. i do get a sugar-y sweetness, but not too much of the classic anise absinthe smell, this is more along the lines of la fee verte's absinthe. upon re-application, i'm getting more lavender, and maybe a touch of black currant - but it is like berries growing in the wild, rather than a real fruity, juicy smell. this is just very fresh and wild, like the french countryside.

i like it a lot.

[sarahmarie]

Wet on my skin, this reminds me very strongly of Chiroptera...which is odd, since I don't know that they share a lot of notes. As it dries, it changes to a more...traditionally floral perfume. It's pretty, sweet and floral with lilac dominating. I can also detect the rose. I can't really identify any greenery specifically.

 

This is pretty - very pretty. I don't know how "me" it is, but I do love lilac and will probably at least keep an imp of this bottle, if not the whole thing.

[LiberAmoris]

This was maybe my most-anticipated blend out of my last order, and although it smells nothing like I thought it might, it's still one of my faves from this last batch. The description reads like a who's who of notes I can't say no to. Lilac in particular is such a favorite of mine because it's just so gloriously heady, and Beth's lilac note is absolutely divine.

 

Happily, lilac dominates Pontarlier on me, along with the green fern, lavender, and sugar. The absinthe, rose, and blackcurrant round out the blend but stay out of the way. I get loads and loads of sugared lilacs and greenery with every sniff. It's just wonderful. So pretty.

 

I have a feeling I'll be wearing this one often.

[filigree_shadow]

In the imp, it smells sweet, green, and tangy.

 

On, it smells strongly of lavender. At first it keeps that sweet green-ness, that absinthe-like scent, but the lavender scent pervades. As time goes by the lavender fades out and what's left is a sweet, herby, purple-flower scent. I'm trying to recall the exact scent of lilac, and I'm pretty sure that's what I'm smelling here when it's dry.

 

This is really nice -- not at all like the rose and lavender scent I was afraid it would be. I love the sweet tanginess of it. I think this would be great to wear in the spring.

[olympia301]

 

I am getting jonquils out of this one. Very pretty and vernal. There is a lavender like backdrop to it to keep it from getting too frilly. I can smell greenery and lilac. This one is long lasting and well worth investigating. A real hit.

 

The icon is the landmark from the real village of Pontarlier.

[bristlecone]

This is so pretty and I'm glad I ordered a bottle unsniffed (out of all the new GC scents that came out in the Chrysanthemum Moon update, this one just screamed "buy me"). Wet, it's very green- at first I thought I could only smell the greens, but I think I detect a bit of the absinthe in there as well, plus maybe the rose. On the skin, the greens continue to dominate for a minute or two, but suddenly I can smell the blackcurrant peeking through as well. As it continues to dry, the lilac makes a strong appearance, but I can still smell everything else as well. It's extremely well-blended... I can imagine it would have been easy for a less-skilled perfumer to allow one note (the lilac or the rose, maybe) to completely dominate this blend, but thankfully that did not happen here.

 

If you like your florals on the light, fresh side, this might be for you.

[slave1]

On Bottle: Sharb herbs and floral

 

On Skin: This is a very green scent and is is extremely sharp. There is a strong ozone feel and the ferns are very dominant and herbal. The lilac comes out second, not shy at all. It is very pretty and feminine but far too floral and herbal for me. I don’t smell the black currant oddly, and the rose is there but softer than the lilac and fern. The absinthe gives a nice contrast and I can feel a little note of La Fee Verte in there with the beautiful sugar giving the lighest dash of sweetness. The sharpness is still dominant though and it tears up my eyes a little, I’d apply this sparingly. I get a very green and lavender feel from this scent. A light to average throw but when you do catch the scent it is sharp which is why I wouldn’t slather this. Nice long wearlength.

[sofiaviolet]

Hardcore hoping I finally have found an absinthe-themed scent that actually smells like something I'd want to wear.

 

Very strong lavender and fern. I may send my mother an imp of this, for she loves lavender. The lilac comes through only slightly on my skin. I don't smell rose, or blackcurrant, or sugar, or absinthe.

 

I am a happy camper, ooh yes.

[sookster]

straight sniff from imp is very green with some lavender...

 

once applied i get some rose which fades quickly followed by lilac...i think i

get a touch of the absinthe swirling around faintly as well...

 

very pretty and i will cherish my imp of this delightful blend

[edenssixthday]

Pontarlier - Swiss ferns, lilac, blackcurrant, Gallic rose and lavender with a dollop of sugar and absinthe. - This is a strange scent. It has a few notes in it I like and a few I dislike, so I was curious to see how it turned out. Unfortunately, it doesn't work on me. The lilac becomes to green and bitter as a result of the fern note. I don't smell the rose at all, and the lavendar note has the strange scent on my skin that most BPAL lavendar gets -- a sort of "gamey" essence about it. The sugar and absinthe notes remind me a lot of La Fee Verte, but I'd rather wear LFV than this blend. Sadly, it's not for me. The throw and staying power are both very strong.

[storme]

In the imp: mrf, absinthe, lavender, and a mulchy leafy fern scent.

 

On me, wet: fern and absinthe and sharp lavender. Sort of overpowering, in that after a couple of sniffs my nose gets deadened to the scent, but I don't think I can detect the rose or lilac at all when wet.

 

On me, dry: hmm, a weird powdery rose-lilac-lavender-fern scent, kind of faint and somewhat unsettling. This smells like talcum powder, actually - no wetness or sharpness left at all.

 

Verdict: I'm not sure what I was expecting this to be, but alas, no lilac goodness, just powdery faint florals. Maybe my skin chemistry is being weird. Not my style, anyway.

[Blood onmy hands]

Pontarlier is a pleasant enough scent, though one that I probably won't ever really wear. I mainly get an herbal greenery smell from it, with what's like a hint of black pepper on my skin, and a very powdery rose floral. The overall feel is like I've been wandering around in a field picking herbs and wildflowers. It has a very natural scent to it. The absinthe is just a tiny hint of something black licorice-like deep down under the other notes.

 

As it dries down, this winds up being a bit too powdery on my skin, and I'm not a huge fan of green scents anyhow, but still... I think I'd like this on someone else.

Edited August 13, 2011 by Little Bird

[TrailerTrashPrincess]

everything with lavender in it, that is always all i can sniff from the imp...

 

skinsniff: something very clean and ozone-y, with the healthy green of fern and a bit of lilac.

there's probably some sugar in here, cuz the bitter notes that always come with the green aren't showing up

 

after about an hour or so, this winds up being a very clear image-scent:

of an absinthe spoon loaded down with sugar, absinthe being poured onto the sugarcubes and a huge potted plant, with possibly a few lilacs in a cracked jar on the table.

 

if you've no idea what i'm talking about with the absinthe, that's okay. just sniff the villainess soap - somehow the bitter soap scent adds something more real to it.

(yes, BPAL Absinthe is alllmost. but not quite. the same thing)

 

i really really like this!

[buzz23666]

OH MY GOD!

 

This is the lilac scent I have been searching for.

 

Wet - lilacs and fresh greenery

 

Dry - LILACS, the greenery and some moss - which must be the ferns. There is also just a hint of foody sweetness. Thank goodness I don't get any of the absinthe or the lavender. I was really afraid the the lavender would amp up - but it just never reared its head.

 

Big bottle please!

[rhubarbbear]

somehow, i got smokey from this. herbal and smokey. and then floral, herbal and smokey. i'm not a fan of the campfire smell, so this one really didn't work for me.

[Meg]

In the bottle: Ferns, very green, fresh and a bit bittersweet.

 

Wet: Lavender, a hint of lilac, some rose and still ferns, hmm! As it dries, lilac really comes forward, which is lovely.

 

Drydown: It's a quasi-aquatic grass scent, very fresh and green, with beautiful lilac - absolutely spot on - and other soft florals. The lavender seems to evaporate instantly, or maybe just sits in the back, lurking and giving the scent depth. It's a constant whirlwind of lilac and fern and grasses, which is just fine by me.

 

Overall: Pontarlier isn't so far from where I live, and it's close to where my Swiss family comes from. I don't know the place, but the scent itself evokes lots of images of the Jura in the spring, with lilac and ferns that are still wet with dew. I don't get the absinthe, possibly because I have no clue as to how it smells. For me this is a happy green scent, springlike, shiny and beautiful. And it smells like a subdued and subtler version of a perfume my mother and grandmother wore, "Vent Vert".

[Alchemy21599]

In the imp: lavender and greens, must be the ferns.

 

Wet: When I first applied the oil I got a surprising aquatic note. The fragrance then transforms in to a lovely blend of fern, lavender, lilac, sugar and a smidge of absinthe.

 

Dry: I was afraid that the rose would transform this fragrance to powder, but happily, that did not happen. This is a fantastic fresh green floral scent. I don't usually wear florals, but this is fantastic. I will order a big bottle and possibly enable me Mum with the imp

[yeahbutnobut]

Pontarlier

 

In the imp: a green note that may be fern, lilac and herbal lavender…an almost grassy herbal scent.

Wet on skin: so pretty! This is a ‘wet springtime greenery’ scent, and another one of those scents that reminds me of florist’s shops.

Dry: now the roses and sugared absinthe (very pretty and definitely reminiscent of La Fee Verte) come out with a fruity tart scent of blackcurrant underneath, and the wet greenery, lavender and lilac in the middle. This is a gorgeously springy scent of flowers, herbs and leaves with a fresh clear and cool note running through it like a mountain stream.

After a while: the lilac note becomes stronger now, but something about it now smells a little off on my skin, like wilted lilacs. The greenery isn’t as fresh as it was before as well. The absinthe hasn’t turned soapy yet, which is good. The odd thing about this is that the lilac and green notes don’t smell too pleasant when my wrist is far away from my nose, but close up the lilac smells very pretty, with sugared absinthe and rose.

Eventually the scent becomes a dry lilac scent and wilted flowers scent, not as gorgeous as the wet stage. And it’s faint.

Verdict: the wet/just dry stage of this scent is so lovely, a fresh spring scent of greenery and watery freshness with lilacs, lavender, roses, currants and even a little hint of the green fairy flitting through the scent trailing her sugared absinthe scented fairy dust…but it’s not as nice after an hour when the lilac note smells a little bit wilted and not as fresh and lively as before. I think lilac has to be well grounded by richer, deeper notes (like amber, musk, wood etc) in order for it to work in BPAL, on me, and in here the green notes turn sour and the scent fades fast after that. This could be one I might use in a scent locket for the gorgeous and evocative wet stage, but I think I might swap this.

Emoticon rating: at first, then

Is it a keeper? Not for my skin, but maybe a potential ‘locket scent’.

If you like this, try: La Fee Verte, Absinthe, Les Fleurs Du Mal

[PilotKitten]

This smells like a very green herbal at first. After the initial drydown more of the rose comes out and lends it a hint of seduction. The lavender also peeks out, but it's lovingly muted and not at all spicy like I normally get. Sugary floral with green herbal, this is a very nice smelling blend but just not my type o' oil.

[Aredhel]

Rating (on skin): 0/5

Summarised in a few words/smilie: Sour flowers.

 

In the imp: This is... weird. Very bitter, and something here really smells like isopropyl alcohol — the absinthe, maybe?

 

On skin, wet: Lilac, rose, and lavender. I get nothing approaching absinthe, blackcurrant, ferns, or sugar. Have I mentioned that I really don't like rose and lavender?

 

On skin, dry: A very strong, sour floral. The sour quality is likely due to the rose, which has a habit of turning sour.

 

Conclusion/Notes: I'm not a floral kind of girl, so this is definitely not something that I'd ever wear, sour quality aside.

[jasmine]

The fern is most evident on the wand. This is initially a dark green scent, like broken plant stalks.

 

Given some time, it remains that way. However this is supposed to smell, it’s plainly not doing it on me. This is such a “plant” scent that I really would have expected it to be from Rappacini’s Garden. Rose, lilac, sugar -- nothing. Very odd. I don’t know what absinthe smells like, so it may be the absinthe overwhelming the scent -- I just know that I have no desire to smell like this.

 

After a bit, it turned into non-noteworthy florals and faded out. I was duly unimpressed.

[lookingglass]

Ga-reeeenn, green, green! Even the lavender smells green while wet. Drying down, the green thankfully tones down, and Beth's beautiful lilac emerges (as I love so dearly in Dragon's Eye). The sugar is close behind, candy coating everything, including the tiny bitter lick of absinthe. Not too sour on me, which is very suprising. I'll be holding onto this one for summer, when I want that nice clean feeling.

[tempestteapot]

Green and wet. Oh wow I'm in love with this scent. It reminds me taking nature walks right after the rain. Everything brings its scent to the pot with a lovely watery overlay of green.

[Rheliwen]

My heart sank when I put this on at first. All I got was astringent ferns. I was looking for the perfect lilac as it's my favorite floral.

 

BUT!...

 

As I was walking down the stairs I smelled it again and stopped in my tracks...I smelled lilac, sweet, delicious lilac! It's a little subdued, but I love it now...yay!