Purple Phoenix

[marzstar]

Porphyrogenitus, indeed; we worked[/i] for it! Not simply the color of royalty, purple is also the color of sorrow and mourning, reconciliation and forgiveness. A regal, majestic, and somber blend of myrrh, plum blossom, African violet, cognac, fig, orris, lilac, wisteria, black plum, and Burgundy wine grapes.

i love purple phoenix !

(is that enough of a review?)

simply, truly put – it's purple. at first, a bit grape and violet with a bit of something resounous and grounding. binding. not too flowery, but a bit. ultimately, purple all around.
and (best part!) is i've been getting compliments on this scent a lot lately. especially since i've buckled down and actually disciplined myself to wear only this w/o like 12 other bpal's (i just love 'em so) like i usually do ;p

i think it inspired my friend to give me a purple neck last night.
and some boy tonight commented that i smell good (he smelled good too) but couldn't place what it was that i smelled of and when i finally said it's called purple phoenix, he said, 'yes, definitely smells purple.' ...though i said that already, didn't i?
and the friend last night that complimented me used to say i always (while good) smell the same, but when i wore this (and only this) she kept saying ooooh you smell soooo good.

so yes.
like i said. i love purple phoenix. a lot.

love the lab for making it.

love love love

one of my all time bpal favs, for sure.

m*



*edited to add*
and today i visited my acupuncturist and she, for the first time ever, mentioned 'who is that that smells so good?' her office mate piped in thinking it must be her, i knew it must be me. i let her smell me and she asked about it and i possibly ernabled her. ha. purple phoenix + me = yumz Edited November 22, 2007 by Shollin

[ladytaga]

I smell the grape scent right away. The violet seems to come out more after I wear it. Makes it a little sharp and mature for my taste I only got one bottle thank goodness so I think I will do what I have read other people plan to do and age it. I like alot of the notes it is just turned a little powdery on me.

[Miss Lynx]

I had no idea, initially, if this would work on me or not. It has several ingredients that are usually very good on me (myrrh, plum, fig, cognac), a few that are worrisome (orris, lilac) and some that I just wasn't sure about (violet is usually awful on me, but I don't know about African violet; grapes can be good or bad, fruit blossoms are likewise dodgy, and I have no idea what wisteria smells like). So I could see this being either lovely, or going straight to floral hell. And since my decant order wasn't going to be until after the scent came down, I had to decided whether to order a bottle unsniffed.

 

I did end up ordering one, and now I'm glad I did. Because the good notes appear to be winning, and this is actually quite nice. It's a little sweeter than a lot of what I wear, and there is a definite floral component, but the other notes are holding their own. I can definitely see what people mean about it being a very purple scent, too.

 

Interestingly, this is one of those scents that smells very different on different parts of my body. On my wrists the florals are much more in the background, and the foreground scent is more boozy fruity incense (which is a Very Good Thing). In the crooks of my arms, the floral components come out more, and it almost verges on being too floral, but thankfully never quite gets there.

 

Overall it seems to fall into that sort of fruity-floral category that Yerevan, Lampades, Glitter, etc. do, and is pretty likable, though not necessarily likely to become a top favourite. But probably quite good for occasional wear. Only realy down side is that it fades fairly quickly -- within an hour or two, it's mostly gone. But it's pretty nice while it lasts.

 

Grade: B+

[isyche]

I jumped on this one because I love a lot of the purple/dark-fruit-wine-incense scents like Queen of Spades. Alas, on my skin Purple Phoenix is a straight-up powdery sweet floral (violet/orris/wisteria, I think) and stays that way. It's purple, but more of a light pastel feeling than the deep dark purple I wanted.

 

I'll give it another chance, but I might end up swapping it.

[Rheliwen]

This initially goes on as a sticky grape popsicle. As it begins to dry the myrrh really starts to pop making this a deep and sinister little popsicle. The violet is most prominent in the dry stage but all the other notes manage to keep it in check. There's also a woodsy note I detect way down there.

 

This is wonderful. I've had real misses with the wine scents, but this is not one of them.

[nightbird]

I wasn't sure how I'd like this scent because I'm not familiar with many of the notes, so I got a half-imp from a decant circle. I'm glad I did because this scent does not work for me -- I'm overwhelmed by violets! it does settle down after a little while, but it's still very strongly violet.

[Koumori]

Out of the bottle, this hits me as grape Kool-Aid. The grape note vanishes almost as soon as I apply it, and what's left is a heavy wine scent laced with purple florals. After an hour or two, the wine peels away too, and it becomes a powdery violet floral. Not really to my taste, but I'm glad I gave it a try.

 

Rating: 2/5.

[Brianne]

In the bottle:

Iris and cognac, so a sort of boozey purple smell

 

On me:

Goes on GRAPES GRAPES GRAPES! Smells just like grape koolaid at first, and I just love that. It's fun and different Before too long the grape koolaid smell tones down into a softer grape smell with purple floral behind it. The violet shines through most of all with the florals and with the faint fig and plum backing up the grape, it keeps this from going FLORAL even though floral smells are present.

 

This scent couldn't be more purple unless it was actually colored purple too.

 

Final note:

Love it. It's just a fun scent I think, and I've already gotten compliments on it though I've only worn it a few times. It's different from anything else I've smelled in my BPAL catalog and even though the grape keeps it fun and sweet, the florals keep it from smelling like a young girls play perfume. A keeper for sure!

[flyingpizza]

When I applied this, my husband was laying in bed still waking up. He sniffed and said, "that smells like grade school." I guess he thought Purple Phoenix smelled like Bonne Bell or something like that!

 

While it is overpoweringly grapey from the get-go, I have to say it is more sophisticated than that assessment. However, the grapey, wine-iness of it is simply not for me. It would be lovely for those who love Wanda, Bordello, and Frumious Bandersnatch.

[supremegoddessofall]

In bottle: Grape popsicles!

 

On me: Purple isn't even the word! Fruit, fruit, and more fruit! With a touch of soft purple florals. Me love!

[L-z_Empress]

I purchased this scent because I wanted to be boozy and dominating - like my beloved Kali... Wet it smells like sticky, grape candy. After drydown, it blooms into this womanly, sophisticated scent - gone is the candy sweetness and it's replaced with a floral, slightly sweet, very slightly boozy scent. It's mature without smelling like "old lady perfume". Ultimately, it's also not me, but still it's well done.

[wikkidraven]

it smells....purple.

 

headier than i thought it would be, with lots of throw. sweet yet boozy, i can definitely smell the grapes among the violet. another bpal floral has won me over, and i wasn't expecting to like this one nearly this much.

[juniperus]

Bottle: sweet figgy and plum wine

Wet: immediately deepening and the dark purple florals are eclipsing any booziness

Dry: that wet phase was lovely, and much of the freshness of the floral has gone, but the myrrh hovers behind giving it, yes, somberness

Later: I ordered this because the fig and plum were just too enticing to let me worry too long about the orris, booze, and wisteria, but then I read reviews and worried as I waited for the box to arrive. I'm so glad that my worry was for nothing - this has mellowed quite a bit, the florals have come back (not as their wet incarnations, but as haunting memories of those fresh blooms), I'm not getting an uncomfortable sweetness nor insane floral - it's gorgeous purpleness!

[silver_dollar]

This is very different from any other BPAL I've tried. I think it's more of a 'classic' perfume than what I usually wear, but I love it anyway. In the bottle it does a kind of offputting astringent thing, but on it settles down almost immediately into a myrrh-floral-grape type of scent. I get mostly florals - I was thinking wisteria earlier today, but I think it might be violet - I've smelled them both before, but can't really remember what they smell like. Then there's grapes, almost like a grape lollipop, under that. The notes combine to be more than the sum of their parts, though. It's kind of an indescribable, mature (but not too old) soft purple scent.

 

Y'know, before discovering BPAL, I thought I didn't like florals, but it seems like all that's changing...

[cranberry]

In the bottle this smells purple, a floral-fruity with maybe a nudge towards grapes. Once applied the myrrh comes out and adds to the fruity-floral. I have a hard time identifying notes or describing this scent. As it wears it remains a fruity-floral underlain with resins. The myrrh adds a hint of powdery-dryness to the scent. I can discern a bit of the lilac here but it’s well mixed with the other florals and blends well with the fruits.

 

This scent has a dignity about it – it’s not a sexy throw me down kind of scent, it’s much more regal and dignified. This brings to mind a strong, austere, powerful woman with upswept hair, heels, a wrap dress and fur. This is lovely.

[Inanna9]

I've done something terrible to this scent.

 

When I tested it on my arm last night, it was a pretty lilac floral - a la White Moon - and sweet juicy grape concoction. I couldn't have loved it more, so today I slathered it on my wrists and elbows and it immediately turned into a harsh, headache-inducing floral. I genrally like florals, but not this one. Your label is so pretty but I can't keep you, Purple Phoenix

 

There's only the slightest hint of grape peeking through in the crook of my elbow, and sadly my wrist is the one amping all the floral horror. This is tragic.

[mmmitchell]

Like some of the other reviewers I got straight grape Kool-aid from the bottle. Smelled very much like some of the play-perfumes that I used to get with teeny dolls when I was little.

 

On, this scent loses the little-girl smell and grows up some...a few "greenish" notes notes appear, and then the whole business is warmed by the golden myrrh scent making this a true Mardis Gras of an oil. After wearing for a bit, it evolves into a spicy purple rather than the initial sweet purple notes, and that's fine with me.

 

Throw seems average, but staying power on me was short....two hours, and pfft. Pretty much all gone. I'll have no problem re-applying, though.

[grifyn_whiffs]

In the bottle: grape soda

 

On the skin: A crazy cacophony of purple florals and dusky purple fruits. LOVE. Very pretty.

 

After about a half hour: Metallic??? But why? And slightly powdery. Sometimes dusky=powdery on me.

 

On drydown (after about two hours): All that remains is a sharp metallic-smelling note on my skin, sort of sour and powdery. I'm not sure what happened, but I'm going to be suspicious of these purple notes until I isolate which one is acting this way.

 

ETA: I think it's the VIOLET note doing this. Violet... beware! (puts on the NO list next to Neroli and Mimosa)

Edited January 10, 2007 by Grifyn

[bombus]

It just smells purple to me. A sophisticated purple but purple none the less. At first I get the lilac and the wisteria the strongest, but like so many bpal I have tried it morphs into a much more balanced scent within a half hour. I am able to smell the fig and grapes and a bit of the cognac. I am quite pleased with the depth of this scent, the only downfall for me is that it doesn’t seem to last very long on me.

[Celogrl]

Oh so purple! I instantly regretted not acquiring and ordering several bottles when I had the chance (I was going through a short lived "must not spend $" phase...), and I recently received my first bottle in a swap, and I love it so much I have another bottle coming.

 

Wet, this is pure, unadulterated grape popsicles! It's quite strong at first, but then it becomes soft & round, a very ripe 'female-y' fragrance. As it starts to dry, the orris, wisteria and winey accents become more prominent. The fig softens it a bit, and although to me, fig is a sweet scent, it tempers the overly sweet grape while wet. This is truly an exquisite mix. Purple; why yes, it really is!

 

I just wish it lasted longer on me. I don't mind reapplying, but it does leave me fairly quickly. It's beautiful- it's all I've worn for the last week!

[Hikaru]

I absolutely love the complexity of this scent!

 

Fruity and floral, dark and light, happy and sad, and OH SO PURPLE!!!!

My kids are running around smelling like it too since they insisted on having a dab as soon as I opened the bottle.

A winner. You should add it to the permanent selection of scents. I keep sticking my nose down the front of my shirt to get another whiff....irresistable!

[femmefatale]

Yum! Yum! Yum!

 

I love this scent. It's not as grape on me as I expected after reading some of the reviews, which I am happy to say. On me it's a grape incense smell with a floral hint. I can't stop sniffing my wrists because there is something behind it all that I can't quite put my finger on.

I am definately happy that I picked up a bottle of this.

[buzz23666]

wow - everything that I hoped this one would be.

 

wet - grapes, violets and plums

 

dry - it picks up some greenery then turns back into a warm purple. All of the notes seem to blend perfectly together on the dry-down leaving me with not a single one shouting out - all play nice and make PURPLE!!!!

[for_the_nonce]

In the bottle: frighteningly pungent and sweet.

 

Wet: Yum! My fears were unfounded! This was a very subtle scent; I can smell grapes, myrrh, and wine. The notes blend wonderfully and none overpower the others.

 

Dry: Um, where'd you go, Purple Phoenix? This was so very shortlived on me, which is a real shame because it was so lovely.

[lookingglass]

Grrrrrraaaapey . It is very sweet, like grape bubblegum, just like I hate. I don't want to hate Purple Phoenix! I love purple! I love the Phoenix! I love almost every other note listed! Drying down, the dusty, dry floral incense notes come out, but the grape is still there and I really don't like it. I know this will get more love somewhere else.