Sunrise With Sea-Monsters

[shelldoo]

 

Sunrise With Sea-Monsters, Joseph Mallord William Turner.

Ocean mist, kelp, ambergris, amber, white pear, osmanthus, freesia, and seafoam accord.

 

in the bottle: seafoam is right, and a hint of springy florals w/ a pear thrown in for good measure. this also has a green note almost reminding me of bamboo, although i don't see that listed.

 

wet: pear and seafoam. fresh almost as if i were on the front of a ship w/ the ocean breezes blowing in my face.

 

as it dries the florals come out a bit more, although the seafoam is still the most noticible note, it is a good balance of freesia and seafoam i think. i also occassionally get the barest whiff of ambergris but it runs almost as soon as i detect it.

[Jilara]

Wow, this one is well on its way to becoming a favorite. I think that's because it reminds me of Innis, one of my favorite commercial perfumes, an Irish scent that is supposed to evoke the essence of islands. But it's just enough different that it captures me.

 

Wet, it's almost all salt spray and kelp. Not slightly rotting kelp, which is what I get in Innis, but more a low-tide scent that's slightly sweet and doesn't overwhelm you.

 

As it dries down, it goes golden, with a slight fruity note that must be the pear. A friend says it makes him think of a field of orange flowers in summer. The ocean qualities are still there, but now they've backed off and are the supporting cast to the florals, which are nicely rounded out with amber.

 

I like Jolly Roger, which has a slight resemblence, but this is even better!

[Heavenlyrabbit]

Well, the Pear/Freesia combination begs for comparison to Agony of Longing.

 

Maybe this is a perfume soaked kerchief carried by a sailor out at sea to remind him of his sweetheart.

 

The aquatic/ozone is quite strong and combines with the pear/freesia to produce a blend that hits some very high notes.

 

It's too much for me, as lovely as it is, but then I'm Aquatic/Ozone challenged.

[vylit]

Wet: Seafoam! and freesia.

 

Dry: It's seafoam, freesia, and pear. This is a bright yellow scent -- attention getting, the kind of scent that would put you in a good mood after you put it on.

[bibliophile]

The prospect of a freesia and seafoam (and sea-monsters!) oil led me to buy a bottle of this unsniffed, and I am so glad I did. Much to my delight, the seafoam and freesia notes are indeed dominant on me. The pear adds a bit of sweetness, with either the ambergris or amber -- I can't tell which -- grounding the blend. The throw is decent, but the delicate feel of the blend keeps it from being overwhelming. This is such a soft, sweet, beautiful blend!

[clover]

This scent is *just* like the painting - piercing white & yellow. It virtually screams white & yellow.

 

It settles down after a while, but it's still strongly aquatic and floral.

 

Not really my thing, I'm afraid.

[supremegoddessofall]

Strongly aquatic. Not getting the pear or freesia.

[dawndie]

Wet: clean fruit

 

On skin: nice blast of pear, then some clean salty sea air

 

Half-hour later: still very aquatic, but balanced with pear and freesia

 

In conclusion: I don't get on well with most aquatics, they end up like detergent on me. But this blend has the extra pear and freesia -- I have an imp of the Freesia SN and it's a very breezy clean floral which goes well with the sea air in this blend. This one's very refreshing.

[empi girl]

Just got this in a swap (thanks clover!). I love Turner, and was excited to see a scent after one of his paintings, but wasn't quite confident enough about the notes to buy the bottle straight off. I should have....I love this! It has the touch of pear in the beginning, and teeters on the edge of soapy for a moment or two, before it becomes this lovely, salty, slightly sweet aquatic. A great scent for summer. It's beautiful, it lasts, and I want a bottle, now!

[Lunaratu]

Definitely salty ocean smell but also warm as if watching the sun touch the ocean waves at that exact moment it refracts across the surface to create this golden nimbus of light.

 

This sweetens a bit as it dries and exudes this lovely waft of scent that I can’t help but love. It’s salty, clean, but sweet. Like fresh fruit rinds are off to the side while you’re enjoying the view on the ocean.

 

It then quiets down even further to become practically a skin scent with just a gentle waft of scent that is that salty, clean, but subtly fruity sweet aroma. This is truly lovely and I will certainly be holding onto my imp.

 

Rating: 4/5

Edited October 9, 2007 by Lunaratu

[Eemia]

I picture a golden colored ocean horizon line when I wear this. It smells the way the ocean looks when the sun is setting on it and the water turns bright gold and yellow.

 

This is like a warm, amber-aquatic with glimpses of sweet pear. I truly am addicted to Beth's aquatic fragrances, but this is so much different from the aquatics I have tried. The ambergris is really a fantastic base for the salty/misty ocean water notes. It warms up water notes that I always associate as being cool. The kelp adds a touch of green, but it isn't very strong and it stays pretty much in the background. Basically (at least for me) it really is like a warmed up ocean breeze.

 

I think this is an inspired scent, and it completely took me by surprise. I love the ripe, sweet white pear and the tiny touch of floral. It wears very well, and dries down to a beautiful warm, soft musk with a touch of ocean. Like others have said, it lasts a long time too....I only reapplied this once throughout the day and that was only because I like that initial glow of the "golden ocean" as I insist on calling it to myself.

[jasmine]

I was ridiculously excited about this scent, but I confess I’m not certain why. Reading the notes just convinced me that this would be a great scent for me, even though I don’t think of myself as an aquatics lover. So... this will be interesting. I hope I’m not disappointed.

 

It is interesting, and it’s enchanting as well. It’s a bright, clean, scent that has a planty presence without being earthy. It’s definitely an aquatic, but not an overwhelmingly salty one. I can pick up the pear, but it isn’t at all fruity -- I would be willing to believe this was pear blossom instead of pear itself, because the floral aura is so strong.

 

This is a fresh, refreshing, gorgeous summer scent, equally floral and watery. It isn’t sophisticated, but it has a simple loveliness to it that is perfect for a casual day in the park or an afternoon with friends. I’m a happy winner.

[edenssixthday]

Sunrise with Sea-Monster - Oooh! What a terrific aquatic blend! It's got a very light-green scent and despite the depth and warmth provided by both the ambergris and amber, it's not a deep-sea scent. Rather, it reminds me more of splashing in warm, light blue waters of the Caribbean. The pear isn't evident in this blend at all, but the florals lend a really nice airy touch that maintains a balance between the feeling of ocean and air. This is just wonderful and I think it'll make it's way into my repertoire of favorite aquatic scents, especially those I wear in the summer time.

[forspecial_plate]

I think I've made more Kingsport comparisons than any other bpal scent.....and I'm afraid I'm about to do it again. But this really does remind me of Kingsport. It's like a brighter, lighter, slightly more feminine counterpart to Kingsport. This has less ozone and more 'yellow-ness', which I guess is pretty obvious looking at the painting and reading the notes. But there ya go.

 

Really I can't describe it any better than the other reviews. I pick up a bracing sort of sea spray, bright and sweet, and a little fruity. Not so sweet that I can't wear it, and not too feminine, either, even with the breezy floral notes. I could definitely wear this, and will!

 

Edit to add.....this scent lasts and lasts, for hours. I'm going on hour 8 now, and it's still going. I keep getting this warm, slightly sweet note or notes that reminds me of vanilla. I suppose that could be the amber and/or pear coming out. Really good stuff.

Edited December 21, 2007 by Forspecial Plate

[Miseraya]

In the imp: Mmm, this smells wonderful but I know this isn't going to work. In the imp I get pear, sweet and fruity ocean breeze....

 

On the wrist: Yep, pear and light florals, this is wonderful... but it's not going to work...

 

Drydown: Yep, not working. Osmanthus, amber and ambergris doomed this from the start for me, alas. Powder. To the swaps.

[Blood onmy hands]

Strangely, Sunrise with Sea-Monsters smells a lot like the soapy/powdery Numb on me. It's like Numb with more of a breezy floral note, and then turns to a chilly baby powder on me in the drydown. Amber really hates me, and I have trouble wearing aquatics - they are not good news when they're combined on my skin.

[sookster]

straight sniff from bottle is thick, ocean seafoam...

an incredible aquatic and IMHO the best creation from our resident enchantress yet

me being the ptown sea queen i am always on the continual search for such blends,

this is hands down, a blend i can love and cherish forever...excellent throw and perfectly

balanced...thanks beth!

[alicia_stardust]

Thick, salty seafoam.

 

Then comes a kick of pear to add to the seafoam, but it's only lightly there. Overall the freesia dominates this blend. It is so refreshing and cool. The seafoam and amber complement it well, and the rest of the notes seem to blend together. I know they're there, but I can't pick them out individually.

 

A very nice aquatic!

[yeahbutnobut]

Sunrise with Sea Monsters

 

In the imp: the familiar detergent-like scent of oceanic notes mixed with flowers. Almost like Selkie.

Wet on skin: washing powder! Oh no…I also smell the pear and freesia.

Dry on skin: very, very powdery and clean. Yes, it's the dreaded washing powder reaction I get with sea scents. This one is especially powdery, it smells like detergent powder, clean and white. I also smell pear and freesia, a combination I remember from Agony of Longing, and the powerful, piercing floral that is osmanthus surging through the powder. I smell the green salty scent of kelp, but none of the amber or ambergris, which was what I was hoping to get from this scent.

After a while: ozone? What the? I have no idea why I'm getting the 'electric' reaction here but this now reminds me of that crackling thundery scent that makes me smell like 'office ozone and drier sheets'. This is supposed to be a sunrise with gentle ocean mist, not a thunderstorm over the sea! It reminds me of Pool of Tears now, also not a stormy scent, but which did the dreaded electric ozone thing on me. The osmanthus is very ballsy in this scent, competing with the ozone to see which note should take over the fragrance, whilst all the other notes-freesia, pear, etc-still no sign of amber-hide away.

There's just a hint of freesia after a few hours but the overwhelming scent of crackling dryer sheet ozone and perfumey osmanthus are the main players now.

Verdict: I knew this would go either way, it had the potential to turn into a washing powder-fest, but was hoping this would be somewhat like Lyonesse thanks to the combination of amber and sea notes with florals. Sadly, this does what many other marine aquatics do and turns to a total soap and ozone attack once it hits skin. First it smells like washing powder (though the pear and freesia are very pleasant), and then it smells like electrified washing powder. It does the dreaded 'stormy' reaction on my skin, a lightning-laced dryer sheet scent, harsh and biting and boosted by the sharp, perfumey osmanthus. All the other notes run for cover when the innocuous ocean mist turns to a raging thunderstorm of scary ozone and soapy detergent as the sea monster rears up, and I never get the amber I hoped for. Not for me. This one is being sent to a new and loving home.

Emoticon rating:

Is it a keeper? no.

If you like this, try: Selkie, Thalassa, Cancer, Dirty, Pool of Tears, Brides of Dracula, Kelly Pool

[zankoku_zen]

In the imp: Juicy pear

 

On Skin: Juicy pear and a whiff of the ocean. Definitely very beach like.

 

On Drydown: I get more of the ambergris which I think accounts for the musky smell, and I smell a sharp floral. Perhaps the osmathus? I don't recall if that's what it is (and have no clue what osmanthus really smells like anyway).

 

Verdict: The wet stage reminds me of Bat combined with something like Thalassa, very fruity and beach like. The drydown I'm not so fond of.

[Ajila]

In the bottle – Dry aftershave, with just a hint of the pear in the background

 

Wet on me – The sea breeze with a pale watery pear behind it

 

Dry on me – Clean, crisp ozone

 

Overall – Pleasant enough, but not my sort of blend

[moon_lemming]

I'm wary when it comes to ocean scents, because, as I've noted before, they and ozone scents tend to turn to men's soap on me. At first, when I put Sea-Monsters on, I thought that it reminded me of a good fruity/herbal shampoo. Then the oceannnn came on out and now I smell like Irish Spring.

 

But a pretty, light version of Irish Spring. The freesia and pear are still kicking, but they just can't overcome the Soap Curse. It's kind of like Irish Spring for Pretty Ladies.

[n3m3sis42]

In the imp:

Very strong citrus.

 

Wet:

Oops, wait... what I thought was citrus is actually some sort of aquatic. At first, that's all I can smell, but then I begin to be able to pick out the pear as well. Finally, the freesia also makes an appearance.

 

Dry:

Aquatics and freesia with a hint of pear. This is a little overpowering for my tastes, but I'm going to try wearing it for a day sometime and then see what I think.

Edited August 19, 2007 by n3m3sis42

[Miss Lynx]

I so wanted to love this, just for the name! I mean, who doesn't want to be able to tell random strangers who compliment you on your scent that it's called Sunrise with Sea-Monsters? But I wasn't too optimistic... Aquatics have a way of not working very well on me, and this one has some very sweet florals added as well. Recipe for badness, on my skin. But at the same time... There's amber! And pear. So who knows...

 

Well, my initial instinct was right, sadly. This one really doesn't work on me. It's a pretty enough scent, in its own way, but it's far too sweet and perfumey for me. It is indeed very, very aquatic, and maybe if I didn't have part of a bottle of Thalassa left from my CD III decant circle, I'd keep it for doing ritual work with water. It's also got a slightly sunny feel, probably from the amber. So it does evoke the art in question very well... it smells like the painting looks, and expresses the concept nicely. But alas, it's not for me.

 

Grade: C

Edited August 27, 2007 by Miss Lynx

[Nightgaunt]

If anybody is looking for the perfect mermaid scent, this is it-- the purest sea breeze with a touch of golden sweetness in the backround.