Taurus 2007

[mermaidrage]

Fixed Earth: the essence of possession.
Rose, daisy, apple blossom, violet, poppy, columbine, thyme, and mint.

I was really nervous about the violet at first -- it's one of those notes that I love in theory and hate on me. It always smells like being five-years-old and Barbie bubble bath.

In the bottle: MINT! And violets and something that smells like fresh-turned earth. There's... something under there. Probably the thyme. It's a bit disconcerting but interesting.

On skin: Oh, this is interesting! I barely get any rose for which I'm grateful -- I tend to amp it and I really wanted to smell something other than rose for once, as much as I love it. This is all heady violets kept crisp by the mint and what I can now tell is definitely thyme. There are other creamy florals there which I think must be the daisy and maybe the columbine.

Dry: After an hour, I can still catch a light whiff of it. This isn't a strong scent, but it blends nicely into the skin. It's more like a barefoot walk in a dewy garden before the sun's gone too hot, followed by a lovely cup of mint tea.

[ivyandpeony]

I love rose in nearly every incarnation that leaves the Lab, same for violet. But apple blossom can ruin things that sound phenomenal to me, poppy is absolutely unpredictable, I usually don't like mint unless it's accompanied with lots of sugar, and thyme? Am I going to smell like au gratin potatoes or a mushroom tart?

 

So imagine how surprised I am that Taurus is the romping, stomping winner of the three floral blends from the Milk Moon & 13 updates. On me, it's a gorgeous creamy bouquet of roses and violets with some wildflowers and greenery to give them depth and dimension, and it knocks the socks off Poisson d'Avril & Lady Luck Blues, both of which have descriptions that read like a list of favorite notes. But by now I should be used to these surprises, where the whole turns out to be greater than the sum of its parts - it's definitely not the first time this has happened to me as I went through those little bottles in the Priority Mail box.

 

My only complaint is that Taurus doesn't last long enough on me, and I've been around long enough to know what to do there, too - carry it in a rollerball for touch ups or make an eau de parfum - so I guess I really have no complaints.

[Alchemy21599]

In the vial: sweet floral and mint.

 

Wet: this didn't really morph much from the vial.

 

Dry: the violet became more pronounced, which is good. This is a pretty scent that I will try as a room scent.

[slave1]

TAURUS 07

 

In Bottle: Crisp fresh floral

 

On Skin: What a pretty scent! This floral is so fresh and not overly sweet at all. It has tartness from the rose, crisp mints, and sweet apple blossom and violet. All combined it makes a grogeous floral scent. It has a bit of an aquatic feel, almost like a spring shower on a garden just starting to bloom. If you think normal florals are too heavy or cloying, try this scent for sure. I wish I had ordered a bottle. This is the perfect scent fo March/April. Beth hit it on the nose. It has a light throw and a short wearlength.

[purplemoonshoes]

The mint adds an edge that turns it almost citrusy, especially on my skin. It reminds me a little of satsuma from The Body Shop, which is a sweet orange with floral notes, but Taurus is minty-er. Yes, I know there's no orange in Taurus, but I think the blend somehow fools my nose. I love this in the imp and wet- but it dries and disappears, sadly.

[storme]

In the imp: rose and violet and mint.

 

On me, wet: violet and mint and some other light florals. It's very light and cold-feeling.

 

On me, dry: The violet isn't quite going mad on me, but it's lurking on the edge of powderiness. The rest of the florals and the mint are very cold and airy-feeling.

 

Verdict: Rather pretty, but the violet makes me uneasy (like it could explode at any moment!) so I'll probably just pass the imp on.

[theseagrows]

ooh i like this. it's a fresh, light spring floral. very clear and a bit sweet. the violet is subtle and adds a slight powdery touch, the apple blossom adds a touch of sweetness, but it's not TOO sweet. i dont get much rose, if any at all. this floral is very well blended, i cant really pick out the notes that well.

[Concupiscentia]

I'm a Taurus, so I got a decant in spite of it containing dangerous notes like rose and apple. I do love mint and thyme. In the bottle, it contains a candyish note, which sticks when I first apply, very nice. Then is enters a slightly sharp stage before turning into a beautiful smooth delicate floral. It disappears rather soon. I'm thinking of a bottle but am not sure if I'd wear this often.

[Nidaba]

I ordered a decant of this for a friend who is a Taurus, but it arrived too late for me to send it. So I decided to try it myself.

 

I'm glad I tried it!

 

In the imp: very floral, but soft with a hint of fruit.

 

wet: Tart apple? Lots of flowers

 

Dry: Mainly florals, but the mint is out now too. It is a very nice spring scent. I think I will keep the decant myself. ^^;

[asciident]

Wet: Mint, apple blossom, daisies. Unexpectedly herbal.

 

First on: This is just so pretty, and not as floral as I was expecting. The herbal notes really bring it down to earth, and I'm getting a nice light rose, a big daisy, and plenty of apple blossom.

 

Dry: Pretty and subtle, like flowers on a misty spring day. I really like this scent, it's making me smile.

[yeahbutnobut]

Taurus 07

 

In the bottle: a herbal-spicy rose and mint scent with violet.

Wet on skin: minty thyme and rosy violets. It smells very herbal and fresh and flowery.

Dry on skin: mint and thyme. This smells like the herb patch in a sunny spring garden on a warm day in May…much like today. It's mainly mint, thyme and violet now, a warm and green scent, almost traditional and demure thanks to the violet and rose but with a fresh lightness. I make out hints of apple blossom too. I do smell something almost woodsy grounding the scent-it is a very earthy floral, like flowers on wood-chip soil with herbs. Something about it also hints at gardenia, even though it doesn't have that sharpness to it.

After a while: as the mint fades off and the thyme becomes a little more discreet, the rose shows off a little bit more, mixing with the violet. Now this reminds me of Ephemera or Ouija, maybe one of the old Victorian themed scents with rose and/or violet in it. A very traditional scent, I think. But it still has that freshness and that outdoorsy scent to it, it's not a dusty, stuffy violet-rose like some can be. And there's still that scent of dry earth or woods to it.

The scent then turns to a dusty violet-rose powder with an almost old fashioned herbal potpourri, stored in a wooden box. Apple blossom is one of those notes that can be really pretty, like a floral-fruity scent, or smell of dry petals, and the blossom here smells dry. There's something to this strongly reminiscent of camomile-the daisy perhaps? I also smell some poppy, a wispy and dry mild opium scent. it becomes drier and more old-fashioned smelling as time passes, reminding me of a faded bouquet.

Verdict: at first, I really like this. it's an earthy floral scent-the mint scent at the start is strange but not unpleasant, and then I get a lovely herbal rose with a posy of wild spring flowers resting on soil and damp woods and tree bark. It does seem apt for Taurus, it is earthy but also smells a little bit like the Venus oil, with it's rose and mint, only with a more complex herbal mix. The scent does turn a bit old fashioned over time though, as the violet takes over. Sometimes violet is lovely and can add a pleasant powdery and aged feel to a scent but sometimes it's too much and the scent smells musty and old, like a 'granny' perfume. sadly, the violet overtakes this scent and it becomes too old and faded and with a powdery aspect I'm not keen on. The rose note isn't as strong as hoped despite it's appearance at the start. I'll keep a decant because I have Mars in Taurus and this could be used for a purpose somehow, but I don't need a bottle.

Emoticon rating:

Is it a keeper? not sure. I like the first hour of wear but not so keen on the drydown. Will keep a decant.

If you like this, try: Ephemera, Marie, Ouija, Despair, Lucy's Kiss

Edited June 9, 2007 by yeahbutnobut

[impadua@aol.com]

Normally, anything with Rose as the first ingredient sets off a big "ruh row!". So I decided to just get a decant of this "just to try". After all, it IS named for the time frame I was born!

What a pleasant surprise! I don't even smell any rose!

Wet on skin; Mint is wonderfully apparent, I smell poppies, and thyme.

Drydown; Still has mint, and all the other ones I smell when wet; now I smell white daisies too, and a sweetness, must be the apple blossom. I have never smelled a fresh violet that had a scent, nor a columbine, so I don't know about those, but the others I know well.

 

Fresh, feminine, a clean floral, I wish I had a big bottle of this.

Good Stuff, Beth!

 

[girl_android]

This was a decant I picked because ... I don't like making other decants in a circle feel unloved? I think I've said that about a couple of the decants in this group, but I might just be a little weird *grin* Besides, there wasn't anything that made picking this an outright no for me, so I figured I should just take a chance.

 

In the imp, I smell ... apple blossom, something herbally (thyme?), and a dash of mint. It's a very ... rounded scent. I keep using this description because I can't figure out any other way to say it's not spiky in my nose when I take a sniff *grin*

 

Wet on skin, it's minty-apple blossom-rose, with a kind of sweet base.

 

Once it's dry, the mint isn't so prominent anymore, but I don't think I could go wearing this in warmer weather. Good thing it's winter here (: Overall, I'm glad I got a decant of this.

[Miseraya]

As a Taurus I just had to try this one, but the notes... well I love violet and apple blossom but rose and mint never work, and I was unsure of the other notes....

 

In the imp: Hmm, sweet light floral. Getting the violet and rose the most.

 

On the wrist: Violets! Luckily not getting the mint or thyme thus far. Maybe this will work.

 

Drydown: YIKES! This turned... very strong and in yo' face. It kept the violet note but something else in it amped up to the point where it gave me a crashing headache. Not so good. Teh swapzors.

[metaldog32]

Initial sniff from the bottle: Soft mint..and not candy sweet either…with some sort of floral. It sort of reminds me of Shattered..sans the grapefruit and champagne???

 

Applied wet on skin: Amazing; the mint and thyme play so nicely..and there right behind coming up and blooming softly are the florals. Rose isn’t dominating; everyone is playing nicely. It really is an atypical floral with a slight herbal edge that still remains pretty and spring-like. I love this blend.

 

Quick digression: The reason why I bought Taurus is because I like Taurus people; I was involved with a Taurus many years back..and it was a an experience. It was really hard on me when we parted; but I do remain friends with him and to be honest, I wanted to have something in my collection that reminded me of him.

 

Couple of minutes on skinMint and thyme softened but still present; florals still wafting softly.

 

Ten minutes later:Same mélange still going…I can’t get over how different this is from other floral blends that I have.

 

Twenty minutes later:Mint is gone..and the florals and thyme are barely there..but there is a trace of them sticking close to my skin.

 

Drydown:Wouldn’t you know..the mint still peeked a bit here and there..and I am left with that nice little trace of it on my skin.

 

I think that the most apparent floral on me emerging from this was actually the apple blossom and a bit of rose. Violet/columbine/daisy..they didn’t assert themselves too too much but I have to assume that they lended themselves to the overall mélange and the effect actually for me was like inhaling a spring bouquet that had just been through a spring shower with fresh thyme and mint thrown into the mix.

 

Bottom Line: I absolutely loved Taurus and think it is one of the best BPAL florals I have in my collection. Am so glad I snagged a bottle and I think it is absolutely stunning for spring.

[edenssixthday]

Taurus 2007 - I have a really bad time with apple, apple blossom, and mint, but I love rose, violet, and poppy, so I was completely unsure how this would work on me. When I apply it, the apple blossom is the strongest note and really doesn't smell all that bad -- like powdery apple. There's an herbal note to it, too, which I think must be the thyme. I don't smell the mint at all. The other florals somehow blend together to create what I can only describe as the appalling scent of halitosis. My skin chemistry really throws this blend off. It's so pretty on the surface, but right underneath is a really bad scent. I washed it off the first time I tried it. The second time I tried it, I was able to keep the oil on my skin, and it died down after about 30-40 minutes to such a low level of throw that I could cope with wearing it. Unfortunately, despite the presence of some of my favorite florals, this one and my skin most definitely don't agree with one another.

[hackess]

Imp: Wow! If someone asked me what spring smelled like, this might be my answer. Sniffing it calls to mind green hills with tiny yellow flowers popping up in clusters. The herbs (thyme, mint) are the last thing I smell, or what lingers the longest. Starts out with tons of fresh white apple blossoms, none of the darkness of violet and no headiness of rose.

 

Wet: Ah, there's the violet. It's less sweet now, but still makes me think of springtime blooms. I'm no longer detecting the green bite of fresh mint and thyme. I don't know what columbine flowers smell like, so I can't speak to their scent contribution.

 

Dry: Much more violet than anything else. Turns sort of darker - the transition into hazy summer?

[alicia_stardust]

I LOVE that Taurus is earthy but doesn't smell like dirt or heavy patchouli. Instead I get a soft, springlike scent that is full of florals and green garden scents. This scent makes me feel strong and grounded. I give this 5 out of 5 stars because not only is it beautiful, but it doesn't morph or start to smell funny after it's been on my skin. It stays true and wears well.

[DifferentDances]

In bottle: Eau de flowers.

Wet: Mulchy mess of flowers. The apple blossom is not my favorite smell, and it's clashing rather powerfully with the violet.

Drydown: Same mess with the mint peeking through. Great, the irony --the one mint that seems to stay minty on my skin is combined with a lot of other things that don't seem to work.

Dry: Soap. GAH.

 

My rating: 2/5. It's not awful, but it smells like generic soap. Phooey.

[djnevermore]

I don't really get floral from this. I get fresh sweet springy herbals and an undertone of sandalwood??? that reminds me of the woodiness of Honey Moon. In fact, if not for the fact it disappears into nothingness within an hour, I'd hunt down a bottle and substitute it for the lovely Honey Moon. If this sticks around on you and you like Honey Moon, I say it's one of the more lovely new scents I've sniffed in a long time!

[inurbanus]

On my skin, this is soft flowers, juicy fruit, and toilet cleaner. It's one of those scents that demands to be worn in warm weather. I like this okay, but can't see myself wearing it that often. There's just something in this one that does not cooperate with my body chemistry. Because of the violet and rose, it reminds me a little bit of Anna Sui perfume, so if you like that you might want to check this one out.

 

3/5

[aquazoo]

Starts as hair spray. Luckily the violet is coming through. Pretty, very slightly spicy. I can just see Ferdinand the bull traipsing through a field of flowers. :-)

[fairnymph]

In the bottle: Slightly sweet, fresh minty green rose. Almost citrusy in its freshness.

 

Wet: Mintier, more herbal-green - definitely thyme, and slightly soapy. There's something spicy-peppery too, maybe poppy? I can smell the rose, violet, and apple blossom all clearly, and some other florals I don't recognize, but that smell like wildflowers. It's really well balanced, in terms of the florals - no one note is dominating. And nicely, this is barely sweet on me.

 

Dry: My rosacea is unhappy. The florals have faded somewhat but the mint and thyme are still going strong. The spicy note has emerged further, and that powdery soapiness is a bit stronger.

 

Summary: Soft, powdery, spicy-floral thyme with lingering mint.

 

In retrospect, I think the poppy ruined this for me, and the violet was the powdery sort (violet can be powdery or it can be pleasant, totally depends on me).

[gingiemay]

Wet in imp - Roses, apple blossom, thyme and mint. A sweetly fresh floral.

 

Wet on skin - Minty soap. Bleargh.

 

Dry on skin - Thankfully the soap has calmed down, and it’s a rosy floral, with the violet, daisy and columbine. No apple blossom or mint, sadly. Swap pile, ho!

[Dark Alice]

Floral Mint. Soft floral mint. Some apple blossom mint, some violet mint, with a hint of rose mint. This is the most unusual scent I have ever tried...but alas...off to the swaps pile.