Cleopatra Testing Poisons on Those Condemned to Death

[shelldoo]

 

Cleopatra Testing Poisons on Those Condemned to Death, Alexandre Cabanel.

Accords of peach kernel, hemlock, aconite, and belladonna, with bitter almond, saffron, honey, myrrh, hyssop, frankincense, and palm.

 

in the bottle: honey and frankincense.

 

wet: it almost smells chocolatey w/ a resinous background and a splash of honey. i am wondering where the chocolate like scent is coming from. it must be a combination of something in this blend confusing my nose

 

as it dries i am still getting a chocolatey or cocoa type vibe from this and of course the honey is still there, although i now detect saffron and a faint floral i am assuming is the belladonna. i wasn't really expecting to like this scent, but it is one of my favorites from this new exhibit. very very nice!

[Heavenlyrabbit]

Funny, I get chocolate too. And I'm not reading components while trying these either.

 

Maybe it's the bitter almond (which I usually abhor) with the sweet honey and palm?

 

The incense resins are definately here.

 

And stuff that doesn't seem at all familiar.

 

This is a deep, dark scent I can definately imagine wearing around. I can also imagine this getting some strong reactions from others around me.

 

Untraditional perfume in the modern sense. But somehow it does fit the ancient subject matter quite well.

 

On complete dry down, I get Honey. Single note honey. It lasts and lasts. So pretty.

 

Edit to enthuse over this a bit. In between the wet "chocolate" stage and the dry "honey" I get a gorgeous light floral. Sad I sold my Imp. Doubt I'd ever use an entire bottle.

 

And on further consideration, to compare this with a BPAL scent, I'd have to go for Love Lies Bleeding.

Edited June 6, 2007 by Heavenlyrabbit

[tamburlaine]

I've never purchased a bottle from The Salon collection before, but I went crazy for the items in Exhibit III. After long consideration, I chose to get Cleopatra Testing Poisons because of my extensive academic work in toxicology and general devotion to the study of poisonous substances. (Don't ask.) I was eager to see how Beth would artistically interpret the things I study scientifically. Hemlock? Aconite? Belladonna? The cyanide fragrance of bitter almond? Too cool. I thought I'd give it a whirl.

 

In the bottle: Immediately I'm confronted with the bitterness of this blend's alkaloid ingredients. The scent is sweet and bitter -- a subtle reminder of the flowering plants in the blend whose sweet fragrances conceal nasty poisons. I can also smell the myrrh very clearly.

 

On my skin: Wet, the blend evolves into a sexy herbal resin. It's very weird and alien -- not something that department store perfumes would dare. I think my nose is sharp enough to detect the lingering breathy peach kernel and a touch of the masculine hyssop. I'm not 100% sure what saffron oil smells like, but there's a weird component in Cleopatra Testing Poisons that reminds me of saffron's pungent hay flavor. The bitter almond component is definitely the strongest here, and in the drydown the myrrh and honey make this scent eerily sweet. There is not a lot of morphing; the oil is very professional.

 

Cleopatra Testing Poisons is so thorough in its illustration, the bitter scent components actually stick in the back of your throat and give the impression of swallowing toxins! It's such an uncanny sensation that I can't hold it against the stuff -- it's just the creation I dreamt BPAL would deliver.

 

This blend is extremely evocative and profound. If I were to classify it, it would be a herbal soft oriental. The GC it reminds me of is Al Azif, but with bitter almond. It's sweet and darkly bitter at the same time; it illustrates the deceptive nature of poisonous flowering plants and the sexuality and desperation in Cabanel's painting.

Edited June 8, 2007 by tamburlaine

[clover]

I have to say I *loved* the concept of this perfume when I first saw it described on the site. I wanna smell like all those poisons!

 

And the first thing that I notice when I put this on my skin is that it does not smell like a classically composed perfume. It's definitely one of Beth's creations that is meant to be evocative more than anything else. Which is not to say it doesn't smell good, because it does. The strongest notes on me are the almond and honey. And something that smells slightly grainy or grassy, although I'm not sure what that is. It's almost edible, really.

 

After a while I start to get a touch of the resins - the scent dries out a bit - but the overhwelming impression, to me, is grains and nuts baked in oil and dried in the sun, and then drizzled with honey. It's warmed and dried a bit past golden. There's definitely an oiliness to the scent as well - like coconut oil or cocoa butter. I wonder if that's the chocolate scent that previous reviewers were picking up on.

 

Although I really like the scent of this, it's probably a bit more subtle than I usually like to wear.

[supremegoddessofall]

Mostly honey on me, but with some spiciness underneath that's quite nice.

[cuervosueno]

In the imp, this is hyssop and honey with a touch of dusty saffron. I like BPAL honey notes, but I'm not crazy about hyssop, and in the imp this ends up smelling, well, sweaty.

 

But on, it becomes creamy and complex. I get the sweetness of frankincense, but frankincense itself is not really standing out. Nor are any of the other notes. Instead, it is like a a layer of honey and cream over herbs, if that makes any sense. And that's not really right either--it's more like an exotic honeyed dessert that is going to be both sweet and savory.

 

Really, it is like nothing I've ever smelled, and I'm very intrigued. It's a golden scent, with a bitter herb note underneath. Rather like something sweet that barely masks the taste of poison.

[Lunaratu]

I can detect that chocolate type nut quality right off that people were talking about with the herbal/floral behind it. This scent reminds me a bit of the latest 13 formulation actually even though they don’t have a lot of ingredients in common. Except this is more honey with spices and less herbal and I’m liking this one quite a bit more.

 

This dries into a spiced honey cake with some herbs. It is perfect for the painting with the honey portraying the golden light, the spices the gorgeous colors that pop in the foreground, and the light herbal qualities that waft in the background much like the condemned which are off to the side and background. I am definitely holding onto this scent!

 

Rating: 4/5

Edited October 9, 2007 by Lunaratu

[jenrandom]

On my skin, this is a light dusting of cocoa over yummy yummy resins. It sticks very close to my skin.

 

Edit: I just figured out what this smells like to me... those Bearclaw pastries.

Edited June 7, 2007 by scotchbonnet

[dawndie]

Wet: light honey

 

On skin: sweet honey with some mellow resins

 

Half-hour later: the honey is still the strongest, but with a creamy mellow base of peach and resins

 

In conclusion: I was expecting more herbs with the belladonna and hemlock, but this is a very smooth resiny blend, beautiful with the strong honey. Almond will amp on me, and peach will sometimes go plastic and fake, but not in this one -- the creamy base is so well-blended. Very nice!

[sarada]

I sniffed this on my wrist for hours throughout the day as it just seemed to get better and better, and then I'd refresh it with another swipe to enjoy it from the beginning all over again, like putting a favorite song on repeat.

 

There are so many "yay me!" notes in this, that have tremendous throw and staying power on me, even if they don't jump out on the initial sniff. Honey and frankincense, primarily, can keep a scent going all day, constantly glistening and sweet and sensual. But the dominant scent through all of it is a gentle peach. It reminds me mainly of the peach blossom note I've come to love in many many scents recently. After that, the hint of bitter almond, which I recognize from King of Clubs. They are gentle and natural and never smell like pie or anything like that. However I DO get a hint of that "chocolate" scent that others have described. Faint but definitely present.

 

In the later stages, honey and frankincense reach their most soft and golden glow, warm and throbbing, gently nudging the last remnants of peach into the air. Languid and haughty, sensual and decadent. I have way too much perfume right now to contemplate a bottle, but this is one of my favorites from this Salon installment, and a bit of a surprise since I wasn't sure how these ingredients would all play together.

[gwynethr]

In the later stages, honey and frankincense reach their most soft and golden glow, warm and throbbing, gently nudging the last remnants of peach into the air. Languid and haughty, sensual and decadent. I have way too much perfume right now to contemplate a bottle, but this is one of my favorites from this Salon installment, and a bit of a surprise since I wasn't sure how these ingredients would all play together.

 

I feel like Sarada said it all better than I could. This is just incredible, and one of the highlights of the new Exhibition. It morphs throughout the day on me, and finally ends with beautiful honey that lingers and lingers. I couldn't imagine what to expect, but it wasn't such a wonderful blend. What a happy surprise!

[edenssixthday]

Cleopatra Testing Poisons on Those Condemned to Death - What a rich, thick, heavy, viscous, sticky, syrupy scent! This is predominantly honey, saffron, myrrh, and frankincense on my skin -- but mostly honey. It's incredibly exotic and reminds me of something more Middle Eastern than Egyptian, actually. The throw is amazing and when I first apply just a tiny bit, I feel very self-conscious around other people, because it's such a heavy scent with so much throw that I'm concerned people who smell it (and who don't like it) may feel socked in by it. After about 20-30 minutes, it calms down significantly, leaving a honey-smeared resinous scent on my skin. Very pretty, but probably too heavy for me to wear regularly.

[Jilara]

I really like this one, but looking at the notes makes me wonder if I should really be putting this on my skin! That's one impressive list of plant poisons! I've also been putting off reviewing this because it's so hard to characterize. But I'll give it a try.

 

Wet: bitter and slightly resinous. There is an acridness with a strange sweet undertone, poisoned syrup...

Drying down, it gets sweeter, and almost herbal, still with a bitter edge. The frankincense and myrrh start coming up in background.

 

Dry...it's really hard to classify this. It's very evocative of the ancient world. There is something almost nutty, and I can smell saffron, and frankincense and myrrh, with a slight sweetness of honey, but there is still an edge of bitter herbs under it. Just a little musty, too. Like old desert tombs, full of mummified flowers. Very complex. Very thematic. I like it but can't see it as something for regular wearing.

[yeahbutnobut]

Cleopatra Testing Poisons on Those Condemned to Death

 

In the bottle: mmm, delicious! I see what others mean by chocolate, though to me it smells more like dates and figs mixed with almonds and honey and spices, a Mediterranean/Middle Eastern dessert.

Wet on skin: gorgeous honey and saffron come out now with the hyssop and almond following.

Dry on skin: mmm! Now I smell what could be the poisons, a dark herbal undercurrent of either belladonna or hemlock, with a floral note which I can't identify. Something about this honeyed scent reminds me of Penitent Magdalene, there's a feel of flowers and golden pollen to it-not sure where that's from in here. I smell honey and saffron mainly, with almonds and myrrh, a hint of herbs too, it is a very smooth, warm, exotic scent, it smells almost foody and enticing at first, but there's a darker undercurrent. It is also on very similar lines to Bastet. The peach kernel note is intriguing in that it smells a little peachy but not juicy, it's husky and nutty, and works well with the almond.

After a while: the throw far from my wrist is an alluring and summery golden-brown honeyed nut scent, almost like coconut oil at times but not quite, it reminds me of almonds and figs soaked in honey. It makes me think of a luxurious body oil from ancient times. Close up however, the smell is a little more floral-herbal, I think one of the poisons showing up a lot more, along with a myrrh note which seems almost golden and reedy. I also smell the dry green scent of palm. There's still that sweet exotic oily scent sensually veiling the poisons.

The scent then turns to a smooth but unexpected fragrance-a bright golden honeyed floral with a dry sandy almond backdrop. It's a sunny scent, which is dry and light, very much like the immortelle in Penitent Magdalene, or the honeyed almond lily in Bilquis. I have no idea why it's turned floral but it's very pretty. There's an undertone of very subtle vetiver which may be part of the belladonna accord (I smelt vetiver in the RG Belladonna scent) and there's still that sweet, exotic, oily feel to it, the nuts and resins and spices, golden brown and glimmering. It also reminds me of Bastet without amber and musk and with honey in it's place…not furry like Bastet, this makes me think of smooth, dusky brown skin with a hint of sand-almost beachy but not quite.

Verdict: I knew this would be fabulous and it's even better than expected! I was worried that the poisonous notes would turn too herbal and dirty on me like they did in their respective RG scents, but they were very pleasant here. The scent is a wonderful, decadent and exotic mix of golden oriental notes, the honey, almond, saffron and peach kernel being strongest. I get the impression of a gorgeous honeyed-nut-spicy dessert, something I'd imagine Egyptian queens feasting on, with ancient anointing oils applied to royal skin after a good long milk bath. However I also get an unexpected yellow flower note, like a pollen-y spring floral, maybe it's the aconite? It is very pretty and not soapy at all, whilst the hemlock and belladonna and palm add a dry, earthy greenness at the back. But overall, it's a glossy honeyed oil scent, rich and mysterious and very fitting for a queen. I also think the resins will get richer and stronger with age. It's a very unusual, complex but well mixed scent with aspects of gourmand, oriental, herbal and floral, and not surprisingly, I love it.

Emoticon rating:

Is it a keeper? Of course! How could I not refuse this asp-kicking scent?

If you like this, try: Bastet, Great Cry in Egypt, Bilquis, Queen of Sheba, Penitent Magdalene, Hemlock, Belladonna

[taramarie]

In the bottle and wet on my skin, Cleopatra Testing Poisons smelled like chocolate and herbs, like a weaker April '07 13. Dry, it smells like slightly bitter flowers. I like it and I'll keep the bottle, but I don't think I'll wear it often.

[for_the_nonce]

The most prominent notes, on me, are peach and almond. However, this is not a very sweet scent. In fact, it's what I imagine bread would smell like if you made it with peaches instead of, say, bananas. I don't get any bitterness or resins. This is a very pleasant, comforting, warm, slightly foody scent on me. I like it alot.

[Gale]

This is gorgeous!

 

Wet: I also get a dark, chocolate-like (but not sweet) scent. Almost immediately, this mixes with a woody herbal scent. Even this early on, it is really stunning.

 

Dry: Very spicy, dark, and sweet. This must be the saffron, which for once is behaving for me, but I smell something almost edible--and probably poisonous!

 

I really love this one. The beauty and complexity of all of the Salons amazes me.

[AliBabble]

in the bottle this smells dark, rich and bitter/sweet in a way that really draws me in and intrigues me. it does smell dangerous, which i wasn't expecting. like smelling it might be hazardous, but i can't stop. on my skin, this is hard to describe...almost like dark honey and opium smoke. i get the feeling of a dark, fragrant wood cabinet - this scent has a direct effect on my senses, although notes are hard to name ... woody, dark, bitter and smoky-sweet, and somehow forbidden. i can't say it smells like anything else i've encountered - i'm really not getting almond or peach per se...the closest comparison i can make is dia de los muertos (04) in feeling - as far as the intense atmosphere that it evokes - almost druggy, which is what i had hoped for. this scent is so out of the ordinary, i really love it for the feeling it gives me.

[wikkidraven]

honeyed peaches and herbs...i'm on the fence with this one. i can't tell whether i love it or hate it.

 

probably means i need another test run!

[Blood onmy hands]

I've worn this a few times now, trying to figure out exactly how I feel about this blend and what it's doing on my skin. This is primarily a spiced honey on my skin, thick and sticky sweet, but with that strangely funky, metallic twist that BPAL's honey takes on me. There are a few resins lingering in the background as well, but they're slightly sharp rather than smooth. Every once in a while, some other note pops out at me and then melts back into the honey. I don't really like the flashes of bitterness and dry, sharp herbals that I get from this one.

 

This is an interesting scent more than a wearable one for me. I'm not even sure if I find it interesting in much of a good way. It's sort of like poisoned honey on my skin, with the sharp, poisonous bits accidentally falling out at random points. I don't smell any of the chocolate or peachy-ness that others have mentioned.

[alicia_stardust]

I love BPAL surprises, where you don't expect to like something and then it sneaks up on you from behind and wins you over. This one did that to me.

 

Wet, I smell a strong vein of thick, heady, viscous resins and honey... and something that reminds me of chocolate and figs and dates. Really, I have no idea where my nose is getting that since it's not listed in the description.

 

As it dries, I get a lot more honey, a touch of floral, and at that point I think I can pick out the bitter almond. I think that plus the honey might be what's making this smell so very rich and exotic to me. I love that the almond doesn't take over too much. It's just right.

 

This has a very strong throw, but OH it is so gorgeous. It's one of my favorite Salons so far!

[Ajila]

In the bottle – Almond and something soapy

 

Wet on me – Coconut and soft spices

 

Dry on me – Hot dry spices that conjure images of the desert

 

Overall – Warm and evocative, I’ll definitely keep my imp, with an eye to picking up a bottle later

[moon_lemming]

Okay, for once I'll leave out all the stuff about how much I dig the art, where it came from, etc., etc. Mostly because I'm about to leave work and I want to get this done.

 

This is a really... offputting blend? No. Unsettling? No... Okay, it's intriguing with an edge that makes you wary. Close enough. The bitter almond combines with something else -- maybe the honey? -- to sort of smell like a mock nutty cocoa. As Cleopatra... dries a bunch of herbs start to pop out, then settle back in. The honey amps up and takes over the almond, and it smells really, really lovely. Almost pure honey.

 

WOE, once about twenty minutes has passed, it picks up this horrible almost-cinnamon-but-more-like-new-carpet smell and now I'm going to have to scrub it off. I'm not sure what that is; I wish I knew so I could avoid it in the future.

 

Well, the art's gorgeous! Heh.

[vegasblueblood]

This is just gorgeous! In the bottle, which is lab fresh, it was a lot more green and herbal than I had expected which kind of freaked me out. I chalked it up to the freshness of the bottle. On applying, it was still pretty herbal but the honey and resin-y notes started to emerge into a creamy, incense-y delicious scent. This is totally a 'mmmmmm' scent and I've been sniffing my wrist pretty obsessively. The frankincense and honey are prominent with a creamy slightly sweet yet still herbal-y background. Exactly what an interpretation of the painting should be!

[Miss Lynx]

My first impression of this one is that it's a lot like Bastet, which seems odd because they don't have that many ingredients in common. But it's got quite a similar feel, that sort of sweet warm floral-incense impression.

 

It's a bit lighter, though -- less incensey despite the frankincense and myrrh, and with a bit more of a sharp, bittersweet herbal edge. There's something fairly floral in it too, though I'm not sure what given the listed notes.

 

It's a fairly gentle scent -- even 5-10 minutes after applying, I have to put my nose right to my wrist to smell it much. The throw is pretty minimal, though that's not necessarily a bad thing, particularly considering how sweet it is. It could easily be overwhelming if it were stronger.

 

Grade: B+