Ostara

[juniperus]

Our springtime celebratory perfume is crafted with orris root, bergamot, frankincense, daffodil, orange pulp, attar of rose, jonquil, strawberry leaf, benzoin, violet leaf, copal, honey cakes, sweet cream, and the blossoms of springtime.

bottle: very sweet florals
wet: the same
dry: and growing sweeter...cloying blooms, very heady
later: eventually it calms and I can detect a little of the resins, but this is very sweet and very flowery (in all of the worst ways) on me, alas.

[Pepperminx]

I don't know if the bottle I swapped for might've contained something else, because on me Ostara turned to pure lemon all purpose cleaning liquid. Nothing else stood out and after a half hour I just had to wash it off.

 

Thankfully someone else wanted to give it a go too, and hopefully it will get more appreciation a third time around.

[ladybird]

Ostara cheers me up every time I wear it. It smells bright-yellow and happy - daffodils, buttercups, all kinds of other lovely yellow spring flowers, and sweet bright lemon.

 

I'm losing a lot of the complexity of this scent, but that's really OK. Cream usually turns to icky-sweet syrup on me, so whatever is in this that balances out the cream, it's doing a great job of it.

 

It's gray and gloomy and rainy here today, but Ostara is doing its part to bring back the spring sunshine

[hallospaceboy]

Hmm...this is a verra diffucult scent to pinpoint, a morpher. Honey? Resins? Florals? A warm golden-yellow scent, this is what I'd imagine you'd get if you threw a handful of buttercups and daffodils into a pot, added a shot of frankincense and a liberal dousing of honey. Foody-but-not-foody.

 

I like it, I just don't think I'll wear it that much, and for now, an imp is enough.

[zeebrat]

In the bottle: This smelt like citrussy wet earth? How does that work I am not sure but that's what it smelt like to me..

 

Wet on skin: This definitely morphed! Suddenly it turned kinda creamy and florally. Really really strange (I am new to BPAL and all the morphing is quite well.. fun!) It's a subtle sweet fragrance that I know I can wear

 

Dry down: Morphed again! It turned spicy and I like it! No more floral but the citrus came back with a big bang - Spicy + citrus is a good combination to me!

 

It lasted about 4+ hours which is quite good seeing that I only work about 5hrs a day.

 

Conclusion - I'm keeping the bottle! This will be yummy for my Monday blues

[Ajila]

In the bottle – The orange pulp and bright green florals

 

Wet on me – Predominantly soap with a slight edge of pepper

 

Dry on me – Sweet soft florals drying down to coffee flavoured sponge cake

 

Overall – I like this, but I’m not crazy about it and my skin did make it soapy initially. One to contemplate think

[Jheya]

In the vial: Light, fresh floral with warm undertones.

 

On skin: At first I smell light floral notes, but then a fruitiness swells and adds to the mix. This is still predominantly a floral, but the orange pulp adds a citrus tang to the blend. After a couple of minutes it takes a back seat to the attar of rose, which is beginning to amp up and dominate the blend.

 

~10 minutes: The rose is the main note I can pick out, and it's taken on a slightly soapy tone. There's a lovely well-rounded fruitiness in the background, but unfortunately it's very faint and not the easiest to pick out.

 

~40 minutes: The rose has mellowed out a bit, and as a whole this is a fairly non-descript warm, slightly soapy floral with a fruity undertone. It's an okay blend, but not one that really wows me.

[LadyBug]

Deep, but bright. Floral, but sweet! Complicated scent that seems to blend oh so well! I think the best time for ME to wear this is in the winter. It is supposed to be for spring but it takes me to the time right before spring when everything is still frozen but just starting to thaw.

[alicia_stardust]

Ostara is a perfect sabbat scent. It is balanced between light and dark, yin and yang. There are many resins in here that are neither too sweet or too dry. I especially love the benzoin. Those mingle well with the orris and other florals.

 

I find that I tend to reach for this on dark, stormy mornings and anytime around Ostara. It wears really nicely on my skin but I actually prefer using this as a room scent. It's simply gorgeous.

[neversatisfied]

In the bottle: Ostara smelled musky to me.

 

Wet: I smell like Sunday morning service at a Baptist church which is strangely calming to me. It's a very sweet floral and very strong.

 

Dry: The same as it was wet. Just stronger if that's possible.

 

In the end: It's a lovely scent, very calming and very spiritual. I probably won't wear it often but when I do I know my mood will pick up with just a simple sniff.

[azhriaz]

I love this. I wasn't expecting to, but maybe that's because I couldn't really tell what it would smell like from the description.

 

I can't pick out a lot of individual notes, but it really is the perfect spring scent. It has greenery, sweet creaminess, florals, and they all balance wonderfully. The florals are like fresh outdoorsy florals, not the usual perfume floral at all. I don't actually know what a daffodil smells like, but this what I would have imagined. There's a really "sunny" aspect to it, and the cream and honey notes round out the more plant-like aspects. (when I say honey note, it's not like the usual "BPAL Honey" note, it's a more subtle sweetness that I'm guessing is meant to be the honey cake)

 

It has quite good staying power considering it's a relatively light scent (well, usually it does, today it actually disappeared fairly quickly..)

 

I will keep wearing this regularly since it's spring in Australia at the moment. It really makes me feel at one with the season!

[zankoku_zen]

This is a very yellow kinda scent and yes, it does put me in mind of Easter. Yellow daffodils and heady flowers but with a touch of something more. It does have a slight sweetness to it, probably coming from the cakes. Somehow, it also makes me think of the South and going to mass.

 

Interesting and beautiful, but it's not something I would personally wear.

[delicate_fangs]

Alas, I tested Ostara again today to see whether my initial response when I got the bottle was correct, and it was: my skin chemistry and the roses do not agree, for they go soapy. Also, something goes peppery and weird-herbal-sharp, almost like bug spray. Silly skin chemistry.

 

This will probably be saved for swaps or Switch Witchery, or used to enable a friend, because it just doesn't work on me. Oh, well.

[LupaWulf]

I felt like being festive today, so I dabbed on Ostara.

The scent is very floral on me with something underneath the flowers to give them a bit of body. It is almost a musky or rooty scent that sticks in your nose. This is a very rich and full scent with decent throw. It was male approved on the way to work this morning, as I was asked "What are you wearing? That smells good!"

 

I am well and truly reminded of later spring by this scent, as it smells like blooming spring flowers but without the wet earth mud scent.

[sadtomato]

i bought this one on ebay never having smelled a sample of it before, but loving the mix of things in it and wondering what all of them together would end up smelling like on me.

i'm not at all disappointed.

the smiles start with the gorgeous label and just keep on coming.

i think the label kind of sums it all up, actually...a sunny, spring fragrance, but not a warm kind of a sunny, a cooling kind of sunny.

like the early days of spring when the remnants of winter chills still linger in the air but you're so happy the snow has melted and the sun is out you don't care and go running outside in t-shirts and sandals anyway.

this scent is spring to me.

i'm not getting much of the fruity, just a tiny hint of citrus which gives it more of a sunny zing than a fruity feeling.

when i breathe this one in i feel like i'm driving through the freshly budding countryside with my windows down, and sure i'm sneezing, but who cares, spring breezes of florals, greens and long awaited sun are blowing through my hair and nothing can bring me down.

[bryghtrose]

It's so very soft, but very green. Like a spring rain. Thankfully I don't smell any of the food. It dries to almost nothing.

[cranberry]

This is such a soft and gentle scent. On the skin, it smells so innocent I can’t even believe it. I can’t even assign notes, just young, innocent and pure. Soft. Sweet. This reminds me of a big fluffy white cloud, or a big fluffy white towel so luxurious you just sink right in. There’s also a creaminess about this scent. This is such a unique scent and so skillfully blended. I’m glad I have a bottle.

[Indigo78]

I get bright, sweet petals from the bottle. The Orange and Daffodil are at the forefront, with a sticky sweetness lying just beneath. Wet on the skin Violet barges in, and I almost get sad, since lately I am starting to suspect that my skin turns Violet acrid sometimes.

 

The Violet fades rapidly, and within five minutes the Strawberry Leaf and Cream each become prominent top notes. They are held in place by Rose Attar, Frankincense and Benzoin. The Honey Cakes rest delicately in the midst of all of this - it is a veritable olfactory parade of YuM.

 

So, it's love. Wish this weren't an LE. I have a bottle, but it is sure to disappear quickly. I'm off in search of a close match and/or stray backups!

Edited June 1, 2008 by Indig0

[gchris]

In vial: strong and perfumey

 

Wet: Smells old

 

Dry: This fades to a berry scent

[jewelbug]

Bottle: A very generically “perfume” scent. Bitterish florals, maybe some greenness, but mostly smells like a dept store perfume.

 

Wet: Oh, much better. That bottle scent had me sqared. Now its sorta a light, vaguely fruity tea scent with a hint of a lemony citrus. Reminds me a bit of litha in that golden scent, but this is more…green.

 

Drying: A citrus zinged floral. There is some bitter green leafiness, which makes sense with the blend. I don’t get any of the foody notes that are listed. It’s a citrus zested bitter greenery/sweet spring florals.

 

Dry: less bitter greenery now. Its sweeter and more rounded. I think the honey is contributing to this—so, lightly citrus (not as strong as before) gentle slightly honeyed spring florals. Honey/cream comes out a bit a few hours in, but its still predom a light tea/floral.

 

Overall: Pretty, but not "me" so I think I'll pass it on.

Edited July 2, 2009 by jewelbug

[Shollin]

First sniff: Spring flowers and greenery plus… soap and incense. Bah!

 

Wearing: It’s just too darn soapy. Sweetpea is usually the culprit when otherwise-good scents turn to soap, but it’s not listed here and I can’t figure out what’s making it not work. Dangit. I can smell enough of the good stuff underneath that I know it would be awesome if it weren’t for the soap.

[alissss]

Bottle: Bright. Less floral and more green than I expected and don't smell any of the sweet elements yet.

 

Wet: This takes on an unexpectedly strong burst or a punch on my skin. Zinggggg!!! All I am getting is a strong, sneezy soap. Don't get individual flowers and certainly not anything sweet. Believe it or not my nostrils are itchy as if I got actual soap in there...

 

About 30 minutes: Husband spontaneously says I smell of soap.

 

Next few hours: None of the honey or incense develops on my skin. Continues on as soap, getting less zingy over time.

 

Verdict: Sadly, my skin turns this into a sneezy soap. I shall be looking for another spring scent...

 

 

[Tess]

In the bottle - This is a very calm floral scent, with copal creating a steady base for it. There's a bit of power from the frankincense in here, added to by the orris root, but it's a very... yellow floral. It's like Et Lux Fuit's floral cousin

 

Wet - Citrus florals with just a little incense.

 

Drying - This is very, very light and very sunny. The florals are the only thing really making any sort of presence, although even that's soft as heck. It's clinging to me with a lovely, yellow aura. Almost only felt and not smelt.

 

Dry (3 hours) - This is really light and powdery, but floral. Just... generic and not interesting anymore.

 

Overall - No, not for me. My skin ate it up way too quickly.

[cinderfallen]

It goes on like orange citrus, a little floral, but nothing too special. A light pretty scent. It's steadily getting a bit deeper, though, not as light and cheerful and actually getting a bit aggressive--in a good way, if this scent had a personality. The sweet orange turns smoother, more integrated with the resins? Which are smooth and creamy, and sophisticated. A huge morph! And yet even as it turns more sophisticated, more light, pretty, sweet aspects turn up in the top notes which are undercut by the sharper orange pulp, and the spicer resins. It really does do a balancing act between two sides as it constantly evolves. I haven't had a BPAL do this before at all! Now I'm getting more spiced orange juice cake.... Wow, I love this. Very pretty scent throughout.

 

It dries down as the adult orange creamsicle scent I've been longing for, where it doesn't smell like candy, but there's a muted orange, there're the sophisticated resins pulling it down, there's a creamy skin musk undertone, and a wonderful complexity of the hint of flowers at the edges. Recommended for those whose skin digs the resins--it'll really rein in the other notes!

Edited May 4, 2009 by cinderfallen

[donnatron]

Bottle: Sweet, yellow florals. And a very light, slight touch of honey.

 

Wet: Whooboy. I like florals. I am a fan of almost every floral there is. But this is like, "HI FLORAL SO MUCH FREAKING HIGH PITCHED CRAZY FLORAL!!!" It's backed by a weird green note that I think is eminating from the strawberry leaf that makes it just too... loud. If it was a person it would probably be Shrieky from Care Bears.

 

Dry: So I put this on to test and then had to run out to run some errands. For the first twenty-thirty minutes I was frowny because this was one of those blends that I thought was so very, very up my alley and so far it wasn't exactly working out. And that is why you should always let borderline blends dry down completely. Because you know what scent I adore? King Cobra. However, King Cobra gets very little wear from me in the summer months because I find the frankincense/copal combo overpowering with the Snake Oil. However, Ostara dries down to a beautiful, warm floral with a dose of honey sweetness and that amazing frankincense/copal combo. It's so light and pretty but with a bit of gravitas and interest. Love it.

 

Throw: Mild.

 

Overall: Man oh man. This is even better than I imagined it could be. Too bad I will probably never see more of this after I run through this bottle.