Privilege

[Martini]

PRIVILEGE

 

Polished party-girl sleaze. This is a shameless scent, devoid of caution, regret, or introspection. This perfume reeks of tabloid glamour, and has no substance whatsoever. Armoise, tuberose, white citrus, rose absolute, oakmoss, tiare, tuberose, vanilla, linden, and lemon tree blossom.

 

Although this scent originated with fine plants and the pure essences, the final result is a grotesque, eerily empty caricature of a debauched, narcissistic would-be debutante.

 

This is more of a "classic" perfume scent to me ala the "glamour".

It's lightly floral and watery. It seems to float on my skin per the lack of substance, I assume.

This disappeared on me rather quickly.

 

Like the party girl this represents, this is a very nice, light floral that is appealing, but extremely fleeting in it's glory.

 

Great job capturing the fleeting feeling of beauty without substance.

[filigree_shadow]

When I opened the bottle I thought, "That smells like 70s glam-style perfume." On, it smells very traditional. A classic floral perfumey perfume. It has an odd weedy sort of smell at the very beginning when it's wet, but it dries down into being a dark floral. The oakmoss is a really nice touch in it. It's not heady or white or green or lush, it's ... perfumey. Apparently I'm unable to come up with a better word to describe it.

 

It's not strong, though. I was afraid it would be knock-you-over strong, and it's not. Not at all. It sticks very close to my skin.

 

I really wanted to hate this perfume because of the person who "inspired" it, but I don't. As a rule florals aren't my favorite kinds of perfumes, but I do like this one. It smells mature and womanly.

Edited June 23, 2007 by filigree_shadow

[bookandbroom]

I bought this out of sheer amusement and didn't entirely expect to like it ... but I do! My feller thinks something in it "smells like the stalks of lettuce," and I kind of think he's right; there's a growing green under the florals that makes this scent ring like a bell.

 

It is somewhat classically perfumey, but what amazes me most is how precisely it matches Beth's description, especially the words "eerily empty." It's a scent that floats around a hollow space; it's beautiful and rich, but somehow slight and wispy. It's all glamour, with nothing underneath.

 

It's utterly perfect for what it is. And all that aside, there's something glitzy and flashy that makes it fun to wear. I don't generally wear florals, but this one makes me giggle somehow, and the non-floral notes (mmm, citrus!) turn the flowers on their heads.

 

I may have to edit this review to make it make more sense ...

Edited June 23, 2007 by bookandbroom

[alicia_stardust]

This is a glitzy little floral blend!

 

In the bottle: I smell a mishmash of florals, and it comes across as a very traditional sort of perfume. The only note I can distinctly pick out is the white citrus. The rest sort of blend together.

 

On my skin: Immediately after application I smell that soft tuberose scent and it sort of sits as a soft fluff of floral on top of the rest of the notes. Add in a dash of lemon blossom to just barely lend a bright note. After about 10 minutes, though, those blend with all the other notes to create an overall floral perfume. In some ways it's very unique, in other ways it calls to mind Beth's description of being shameless and lacking substance. It's as if all the florals are all there for the attention but there's not a strong base to fall back on for depth.

Final thoughts: This is a perfectly executed piece. It's a lovely floral and it definitely captures everything from the description. Lovely pink label, too! It is so Paris.

[shelldoo]

NEWSFLASH: low speed chase, papparazzi in tow.

 

in vehicle one we have overated, glammed up, soon to be crotch shot photography, a clean, fresh...not what the press was expecting folks, i was expecting something a bit more...i dunno fishy?

 

we have stopped at a redlight and someone has rolled the window down to daintily flip me off...is that any way to treat the press i ask? after all we made you famous, didn't we? the culprit smells very, very, green, possibly like linden & hint of roses. clean slightly citrus. i am sure these girls are upto no good, what is it they are smoking back there.

 

as the debutantes emerge, flashing smiles (and bits of nether regions) we can tell who the true blondes are and who the real fire crotch is, we also can smell the lovely scent of spoiled brats, it is classic florals my friends, soft, clean florals, trying to deceive us into believeing their on screen innocence i believe, i am not buying it though as i have seen those video tapes...you know the ones. so don't let the sweetsie, cutesie smiles and nice smelling perfume fool ya, these girls are debauchery personified...if only they didn't smell so good.

[savage_rose]

It smells like a more "typical" perfume than most BPAL...perfuminess with a heavy note that almost smelled like patchouli-vetiver to me. Honestly, it smells like a drunken socialite...insubstantial, pretty, but with a drunken heaviness. It's languid. And despite all that, or dare I say it, because of all that, it's really kind of sexy and lovely. It surprised me how much I liked this. And how long it lasted!

[Rheliwen]

People who like Stardust will likely like this.

 

I smell a lot of oakmoss and it's lending a woody, earthy, mossy feel to the blend and creates a bitter edge against the sharp florals and citrus. I smell the rose absolute as the top floral but somehow it doesn't smell rosey to me unless I define it that way when I sniff it. There's a bunch of tiare in here as well. Really, if I tried, I can smell almost each component but when sniffing as a whole, they all blend together well.

 

It's funny, when I first put this on I thought of hairspray and cigarette butts...but in a good way, the same way Stardust is fantastic.

[hipslike___cinderella]

When I first opened my bottle of Privilege, my first thought was, "Wow, this is... womanly". This is a celebrity's commercial designer perfume... well, I mean, more exquisite, because Beth made it. I'm having a confusing back-and-forth, because this simultaneously reminds me of scents both my mother AND father wore as I was growing up (father = oakmoss). Oakmoss is the first thing that's really recognizable, out of the bottle. Anything after that is a light touch of citrus and just a hint of floral.

 

On my skin... phew, this is light. The oakmoss chills out and I can now catch whiffs of tuberose and rose absolute. Further down the road this only gets prettier, the oakmoss lifting and different florals showing. This ends on a vanilla note with a swirl of citrus. I must admit, this is my very first BPAL blend with vanilla that I actually like,,, vanilla is a death note to me (I know, weird) and I didn't expect to like this one a whole lot (purchased based on charity and novelty, yes), and I am extremely surprised. I... really, really, like it! I wish I could illustrate similarities between the perpetrator and the perfume, but you know, I don't find this oil empty and callow at all. Just lovely.

Edited June 27, 2007 by hipslike___cinderella

[RaTheCat]

In the bottle: It’s a light floral, but my first thought was “wow, it smells green!”

 

Wet: A fresh green scent, and light citrus. It’s definitely floral, but not a heavy floral. It's lovely.

 

Dry: Still a light floral, but it sticks closely to the skin. It is very wearable, especially for summer, and I love it!

[euterpe414]

I was very surprised how green this one is. The strongest note I detect in this blend is a green stem note- like that of freshly cut flowers. Behind the greenery there lies a bit of creamy sweetness which is a bit reminiscent of Pele on my skin. There is also a tiny hint of the citrus that keeps the blend feeling very fresh. Privilege is not at all strong or overpowering, in fact it is quite light and breezy; it lasts quite a few hours on my skin before I need to reapply it, which is nice b/c most lighter florals don't tend to stick around for long.

 

I was hesitant at first about ordering this one, but I am glad that I caved and got it, b/c I am really enjoying it, lack of substance and all!

[mooncityminx]

In the bottle: aquatic with white flowers and a weird note that I can't identify

 

Wet: Ooo. I am getting that green stem that others are talking about but to me it's like a wilted white flower's stem. Those white florals that can sometimes go soapy are behaving and staying light. It's at once very fresh and unexpectedly sweet. The sweetness is a green plant-like sweet that almost gets too sweet and then backs down again. This reminds me of White Moon's little sister. It's lighter and more playful but with similar characteristics.

 

Dry: The notes have begun to blend in a way that makes it difficult to discern one from another. Very fresh and green with a slight sweet kick. I'm detecting a hint of white musk. It's very clean smelling but not at all soapy. If this were a big brand perfume and not a boutique blend, it would have a commercial featuring little girls running through a wildflower field and a model with her hair pinned up walking slowly in a romanesque or modern white gown. Then she'd look up into the sky as rain fell on her face she'd smile and close her eyes.

 

This blends so well with itself that it reminds me of 51, not because it's similar in smell, this one lacks the fruitiness, but because they both are so well balanced.

[Thaleia]

First of all, I love the label art. Very apropos.

 

It starts out very sharp and green, light and rather empty ITB and initially on, but that thankfully fades away quickly, as I think I'd have gotten a headache if it'd stayed like that any longer. It blooms into a sweet, light, creamy floral that's quite lovely. The vanilla both sweetens and warms the floral, and that's what I think makes this blend.

 

This scent is - dare I say it - so hott.

[Chrysantza]

I find this to be (as others have noted) more of a "perfume" than most BPALs. It smells like department store-designer perfume to me.

 

The first note I get is very green and wet, like a crushed stem. This then dries down to an aquatic floral which is a bit harsh and soapy on my skin.

 

I think this is going off to the swaps.

[zenvodunista]

Wow.

 

This is really.... vapid. Wow.

 

That's impressive. To make a perfume that smells like a vapid whore.

 

I'm sort of overwhelmed at the accurateness of this scent. I'll never wear it. But, wow, is it ever accurate.

 

It's ... empty. But not in a zen way, just a ....

 

Wow.

 

I'm sorry I can't say more. Its just.... It's so totally Paris Hilton that it's almost creepy. In fact, it is creepy. I'm sort of bowled over. I can't say what exactly it smells like other than an empty headed bitch who thinks she's hotter than she really is. It smells like... it smells like 15 minutes of fame and an empty head and a clogged nostril full of cocaine. It smells like expensive soap and a lack of vocabulary. I think sniffing brought my IQ down by 10 points.

 

I really am impressed. But I won't be wearing it because it creeps me out!

N.

[oedipa]

Jesus, Mary MOTHER OF GOD this is the worst smelling BPAL I have ever come across.

 

It smells like old, rotten perfume - I get a hint of roses if I hold my wrist up real close-like to my nose, but I am also starting to develop a splitting headache.

 

Back in the bubble wrap!

Back in the box!

 

This can't go in the swap pile fast enough.

[Gale]

Privilege

 

Wet: I get florals with a sharp bite --I think that's the oakmoss, though.

 

Dry: The oakmoss behaves and it turns into a very light, bright classic floral. I'm awful about picking out separate floral notes (except carnations ). *ahem* Yes, but this doesn't have carnations. This is a warm weather scent, and not one I would wear as an everyday perfume, it's rather more formal.

 

I must say, Beth has created something much nicer than the person who served as its inspiration.

[zankoku_zen]

I got to try this from jewelbug's bottle. Thanks doll!

 

In the bottle: Floral and cheap

 

On Skin: Floral and something that smells like lettuce. Is it the tuberose?

 

Drydown: Chick floral.

 

Verdict: I agree that it's got the same vibe as Stardust and it has that vacuous sort of feel to it, glitzy and seductive and while it's all flash and glam, it seems like the florals lack something to sustain them. It's a pretty thing though.

[janelle_hell]

i've been holding off on writing a review of this, because it reminded me of something i'd smelled before, and couldn't remember what it was.

 

i've finally placed it, though.

 

This smells pretty much exactly like Oh! De London by Yardley. For those not in the know: Oh! De London was a perfume manufactured in the mid 1960s, that has been discontinued for a looooooong time, and has a cult following; it always gets bid up to *ridiculous* sums of $ on Ebay, on the rare occasion that someone wants to part with theirs.

 

The main component that stands out (to me, anyway) is the oakmoss. However, it's not a "heavy" scent at all...it's bright and cheery and somehow "green", but there's an underlying hint of "corruption". So, it fits the Lab's description/mood perfectly.

[supremegoddessofall]

In bottle: Heavy, heady florals...very traditional perfume...

 

On me: Generic perfume, fairly uninteresting.

[dixiehellcat]

In bottle--very light, green...yall may think I'm crazy, but it smells the way my hands used to when I was a kid and caught lightning bugs.

 

On arm--beh. Kinda boring, actually. Which may just be me, since its more-or-less namesake bores the crap out of me too. lol

 

I was so hoping it really would remind me of Stardust 'cuz I love Stardust. But not so, sadly.

Edited July 4, 2007 by dixiehellcat

[phantasmmysteria]

I dabbed this on my wrist the evening I received it, so I'm writing this based on those impressions. I definitely need to pull it back out and wear it again, because it is a pretty -- if insubstantial -- scent.

 

In the bottle: OMGFLOWERS. I am not afraid of a little floral, so I wasn't put off by the smell of this scent, but I was a bit suprised at how commercial this smelled.

 

Wearing: This still smelled very commercial, but it was in a very good way. It is a pretty, cool, slightly creamy floral, and it had a good staying power. There's not a lot of depth to it... but that wasn't it's intention now, was it?

 

I think I might track down a spare bottle of this to keep as a backup.

 

ETA: I pulled this back out this morning and tried it again -- I definitely does smell very herbal in the bottle, but now (after several hours of wear), all the flowers have vacated and all that's left is vanilla.

Edited July 5, 2007 by PhantasmMysteria

[alhbooks]

Interestingly, I get more of the herbs than the floral in the bottle, and that's how it went on. But the first night I tried it the temperatures here were hot and it had been warming in the mail box while I was away at Will-Call--as the scent (and I) heated up, it became overpowering and almost unbearable.

 

Today, in cooler weather, back to an interesting herbal with a floral undertone...just keep this girl out of the hot lights and she can control herself.

[Shannihilation]

In the bottle this is very sweet with a sharp bite lurking at the edges. Which of course fits with the tabloid references. They're often supposedly sweet stories but really they're veiled insults. Once I put it on it becomes a fluffy sort of scent. Pink. It reminds me of a body powder that my grandma used to get at The Jones Store. I loved using it after a bath. Grabbing the huge fluffy puff... Clouds of this fabulous scent would follow me through the house for hours.

 

After it's been on for a bit though it mellows out alot. I get almost a foody feel from it which I am guessing is because of the vanilla. Vanilla loves me. It still feels like a very pale and girly pink. The florals aren't as sharp and the vanilla is definitely a dominant note along with the lemon blossom. I don't like this as much as Pruno, but I do like it alot. It's very feminine. A girly girl with a femme fatale edge.

 

My skin seems to eat it pretty quickly though. Which of course fits the empty and fleeting feel it was meant to have.

[eanewsom]

This scent manages to be both delicate and pushy at the same time. There's a strong green note to it that really demands your attention, while the florals kind of hang back and wait to waft gently towards you. I don't get any vanilla in here at all, nothing to ground the scent as a whole. It's beautiful but hollow. It also smells very expensive, and kind of bitchy.

I'm not sure if I'm going to keep the bottle, even though I like it, because it doesn't seem like something I'd wear much. I may have to keep a decant if I swap, though, for those special occasions where I need a boost of snottiness to balance out my shyness!

[copyshopclerk]

*grin* Shameless and without substance? I wonder what it says about me that I actually kind of like this one! I wasn't expecting to - I thought it would be all floral, especially with that rose in there, and the lemon blossom had me worried since I usually don't care for lemon. Turns out I can't pick out either from the blend.

 

In the bottle: It's damp! Not aquatic, which I usually associate with ozone or salt, but this is more like a stream in a field or the woods. Pleasantly surprising, and all the florals are nowhere to be found.

 

On: Keeps that damp feeling (is that the oakmoss?) Again, I thought this would be flowery but instead it's more watery - NOT the salt of aquatic, but it really puts in my mind the image of a stream flowing through lush greenery. Didn't expect this!

 

Dry: When dry, there's a little bit of floral spice, almost, and that watery feeling is still lingering. I actually like it as far as florals go since it's more wet than floral, but I'm not sure it's one that I want a whole bottle of since I don't know how often I'd be reaching for it. I noticed some people said this is very commercial, but I don't think it's commercial at all - I think it's unique and very pretty.

 

(edited to add description)

Edited December 30, 2007 by Shollin