Leo 2007

[spiralmissy]

Fixed Fire: the essence of pride.
Egyptian amber, walnut bark, chamomile, frankincense, and saffron.

Tested and reviewed on 11/13/07
I would define this scent as orange - not just the flavor/scent of citrus orange, but it evokes in me a golden orange feeling of summer.

In the bottle
Sweet honey orange amber

Wet on skin
The chamomile comes out to soften the mouthwatering citrus.

Dry on skin
The complexity in this grows, so that I can feel the warmth of the saffron and franckincense. It reminded me of trips to the beach in high school, not the oceans, waves, sand and surf, but the smell of shopping at the beach.

Not being a Leo, and not knowing many, this is still what I think of when I think of Leo. In bottle is a young Leo child, playful and fearless. As the smell grows, and as a Leo grows, they start being more and more complex, but still proud and bold.

Good throw on me, and pretty long lasting. I love it! Almost makes this Scorpio want to be a Leo. Almost. But I might be interested in another bottle.
(9/10) Edited November 21, 2007 by Shollin

[Schnax]

Hello amber! Nutty, warm amber. I can't detect any chamomile, frankincense or saffron. No morphing to speak of, it's very long-lasting on me, and it's a regal golden scent.

[grashopper8]

Ummmm...This is interesting, but not really something I want in my BPAL box as a wearable fragrance.

 

It's got a weird nutty sweetness to it, hovering over herbal notes. It's an interesting combination, but it doesn't really suit me. I think I would like the walnut bark note better if it was complemented by something else - to my nose (which is not all that sophisticated), I feel like something's clashing here.

 

It's more palatable when it dries down for a few minutes, but it's still weird to have foody notes combined with green herbal notes. I think that this is a fascinating scent, but it is a little over my head. Maybe someone with a bit more of an adventurous and discerning nose will love this more than I can.

 

2.9 out of 5

[cranberry]

When first applied this smells of amber and saffron. Frankincense too – ohh this is gorgeous. The combination of saffron and frankincense is the most compelling thing about this scent. The amber is gorgeous of course – this is one of my absolute favorite types – warm, glowing, rich and sensual. But it’s all about the saffron. The frankincense adds a resiny warmth to the saffron. This is a very bright, shining scent. The saffron is almost piercing but not obnoxiously so – the other notes hold it back just enough. There’s a dryness too here to this scent. To me, this is very much a golden scent. Just lovely and reminds me of the sun.

[Lethran]

In bottle; surprisingly soft and sweet, more herbal tea and incense than anything else. Wet: my skin really sucks this in. It almost disappears at first, until my skin heats it up. At that point it as a delicate incenseything, with a surprisingly seductive herbal edge. I really like it, though it isn’t even vaguely me. Even though I love it. Seriously, this is stunning. Dry: it develops a fascinating edge as the amber blends more strongly with the other elements. I know I can’t wear this, but I’m going to have a hard time parting with it.

[ifinena]

Leo is an interesting blend but somehow I can't see myself wearing it.

I get a soft bed of "foody" smell with a kind of "green" and dry sharpness. This combination is not something that I would like to smell of. I know I don't like the way chamomile smells maybe this is what ruins it for me, although I cannot detect it in the blend.

After about an hour, the "green" sharp overtone has disappeared and now it is a soft warm blend. Alas, still not something I can wear.

Edited April 9, 2008 by ifinena

[goth_huntress]

This smells like the warm light of the sun. It is the perfect Leo scent. It is so beautiful and arrogant like a great lion rolling on the Savannah.

[MaeKitty]

In the bottle: Amber, chamomile and frankincense. Mmmm, I'm going to like this.

On me: Amber, sweetened by the chamomile and saffron, but made deeper and earth by the bark and frankincense. I LOVE this. It's a confident warm blend that reminds me of a lion's mane. An instant favourite. Reminds me of my sister <3

[rachel2205]

This is ONE CRAZY SMELL. I have never had something morph so much. In the vial it's incredibly sweet, and wet on I smell bright amber and something FRUITY. Almost BANANA. Which seems very unlikely! Then it dries down into something with quite a heavy musky incense with a touch of floral. Finally, when it's been on a while, some of the heaviness goes and it becomes a sweeter scent! Woah. I think I'll have to try this on again at another point, as I just don't know what to think of it. *sniffs arm again* Hm, some creaminess is coming out... Madness.

[Lycanthrope]

I have no idea what I'm really supposed to be, but I was born a Leo (although I was six or so weeks premature, so I think I was supposed to be a Virgo - though I tried that one and it was decidedly Not Me and I ended up frottling the thing to my friend, a true Virgo, who adores how fieldy and fresh it is. But I digress.)

 

This is a beautiful bottle, with a ferocious lion reared up and pawin' on the front, done in a beautiful graphic design style.

 

Sniffing from the bottle, the note is decidedly woodsy, and reminds me very much of that initial sweet nutmeat scent I got from Cerberus, a kind of sticky sweet. Wet on me it's initially still very light, and now I've dabbed it around on my knuckle some with my fingers. The scent immediately richens, the color I get is a definitely russet-brownish gold, and this is now exotic musk, spicy, not quite as sweet as The Lion but complex and sparkling, gilded with gold. The components of the blend meld together very smoothly, and I think what is giving me the sweetness is the frankincense, as it adds a swirly white smoke element to the ambery base. Over time it dries down to a peaceful, skin scent, light against the skin. This I'd classify more as 'personal perfume experience' rather than something I'd wear to attract attention to myself or as a perfume perfume.

 

Gold kitty, yes, my very own gold kitty. I think it complements me well, as truly deep down I have a diva cat, although I'm quiet and unassuming on the outside (save the cloud of perfume). Like described upthread quite nicely as a 'Leo Child' developing over time, the scent starts off simply, sweetly, and as it dries the components make themselves known without any of them dominating. If our true astrologic signs were defined by BPAL, I'm most certainly a Leo fan moreso than a Virgo. So perhaps I really am a lion. Mew? No, ROAR!!!

[anardana]

I love this blend!! Even though I usually find blends too sweet, this one is just right. A bit sweet, a bit nutty, warm, calming, beautiful.

Edited May 23, 2008 by anardana

[Wwindy]

Awwwww, phooey. I'm a Leo and I adore amber and frankincense, but this blend doesn't work at all for me. You'd never know from sniffing it on my skin what the notes are supposed to be -- what I get is a weirdly strong cherry smell mixed with something sharp and herbal.

 

I'll retest another time, but I'm not optimistic this one will ever play nice with my chemistry. Woe!

[noumenon]

I just tried this on again after a few months of being captivated by newer scents. Leo had me drooling at Will Call back when it was new and it's got me purring now. The amber is candy like, very much like the kind I think they use in L'Estate, and the gentle saffron gives it a maturity that makes me feel like I'm wearing something a little more sophisticated than toffee.

 

I can't specifically pick up the nuttiness that comes from the walnut bark, but the frankinsence does give it a delectable orangey undertone, just like in Sol Invictus.

 

I still love this one!

[marared]

This is a lovely warm nutty smell - it's almost like really good maple syrup over walnuts, or maybe candied walnuts - just not quite so *sweet*. I can't quite call it a favorite, but it's definitely a keeper for the time being, as it's a warm scent that's a little different from my usual.

[hlinspjalda]

In the vial: Bright, piercing, and golden to the smell, like a cordial. I get chamomile and amber, with something else.

 

Wet: Heady! This isn't like any other BPAL scent I've tried. I can't make out any individual notes. It's sharp, bitter, aggressive, but in the most amazingly pleasant way.

 

Half an hour: Amber and frankincense with something sweet. I like this one a lot, but it's a little thinner now.

 

Two hours: It's still a little thin, but warm and sweet. I like this one, but it might be too gentle.

 

Three hours: Still warm and sweet. It would make a good daytime scent.

 

Six hours: Nothing much left but gentle amber.

[metaldog32]

I bought this because my Dad was a Leo..and I wanted something to represent him in my collection. Didn’t hurt that there was that wonderful amber and frankincense and saffron..nah..that was just icing on the cake. Hehe.

 

I’ve been wearing this off and on..for almost a couple of months now. Not making enough time to write a review; then again..maybe I just needed some time to formulate what I thought and still think I’m smelling. Maybe I just wanted more time with this little cat..because it smelled so good.

 

Sigh.

 

Initial sniff from the bottle:Yummy amber and saffron..with a tail wisp of that frankincense..almost indiscernible really..but for now..it smells golden and regal.

 

Applied wet on skin:It’s that amber and saffron duo all right..dancing up a storm..with frankincense muted but still bringing up the rear. I think muddled in there is the graceful chamomile but I can’t be sure.

 

Couple of minutes on skin:Yep..I can see the comparisons to Bastet and/or Pumpkin Queen..it has that vibe that must be coming from the Egyptian amber and saffron. Definitely golden but not overtly sweet..I don’t know if the chamomile is lending a bit of dry sweetness but there is a degree of that in here. I have been and continue to enjoy this.

 

10 minutes later:I never got any “orange” vibe..no on me it’s all the golden amber and saffron with the frankincense muted on the tail end…just a wisp of it.Chamomile is also on the end giving me a breath of herbal in the back of my throat when I breathe in the fragrance. It’s definitely a lazy languid lion in the hot sun..and I love it.

 

Half an hour later: Still going strong…golden dry warmth.

 

Lasting power on me isn’t bad; 3-4 hours with average throw.

 

Bottom Line: Leo 2007 for me is a definite winner. I like it for late summer and early fall and it totally represents to me the Leo personality. I wear it when I want to remember my dad and when I want to come across as a larger than life presence..definite keeper and one that I would consider getting a 2nd bottle.

[Juushika]

In the vial: Warm, yellow, and ... bitter? Don't mind me, I never like the bottle scent.

 

On me: The bitterness has long fled and there's a very slight floral edge. I can't pick out notes, and the scent is faint; this is more of an atmosphere, an evocation, than it is a scent—but it's glorious. Golden warm, glowing like sunbeams, this is the scent of reflected sunlight. It's what I wished Sportive Sun would be: a pure, langarous solar oil. The color is the glowing pale yellow gold of sunbeams.

 

Verdict: I adore it. I won't wear this for the sake of perfume, but instead for the sake of an experience akin to stretching catlike in the sunrays on a hardwood floor. Therefore, the lone imp I have will be enough—but I am very glad to have it.

[themerrybaker]

I have always been surprised that some of the Lab's oils start out smelling dreadful and develop into something wonderful if you can overcome the urge to wash them the hell OFF.

 

Leo is one of these culprits. He starts out smelling like a hot, horny, tomcat having gamy sex in the baby powder he's knocked off your vanity (hyssop often does me wrong this way). After about 15 minutes he completes his postcoital grooming session he settles down into salty warm saffron and clear amber. The overall impression is the resin translucence of a cat's eye.

 

Good kitty.

[zankoku_zen]

This one is like a citrusy amber --- golden, citrus light. Warm amber. I get a teeny hint of chamomile in it, which adds a pleasant, cat rubbing sort of sleepiness to it.

 

This is a very pleasant amber. Mmmm.

[pinkstardust420]

In the words of Austin Powers: "It's a bit nutty!"

 

This is a very unique blend. Initially goes on sweet (saffron & chamomile) & nutty, then dries down to be woodsy, golden, a bit sweet yet a little bitter. I kinda like it!

[donnatron]

Bottle: Dusty amber. It reminds me a lot of Hymn to Proserpine minus the fruity aspect. The walnut bark is present in a sweet, wooden manner. I get a hint of sharp chamomile. I have a love affair with chamomile so this is okay.

 

Wet: Syrup. The walnut bark and I think the saffron combine with the amber to create this heavy, foody syrupy scent. It's one of those things that I sniff, make a face, let dry down a bit more, sniff again, and then repeat. The walnut and the chamomile are definitely the dominant notes.

 

Dry: This has a lo-ooooo-ooo-ooong dry down period to where it passes from tolerable to pleasant. It's a dry, spicy, slightly woody amber. Golden is definitely a colour association and I can easily see this working with the traits of Leo. The chamomile does a disappearing act which is a bit of a disappointment for me. The frankincense adds a really lovely spicy/incensey quality.

 

Throw: Wet it screams for miles. Dry it's more polite and skin close.

 

Overall: I don't know. I like Leo but I don't like Leo. I feel compelled to wear it every once in a while and it's usually when I'm lounging around the house by myself. I find the drydown fascinating but I'm not sure I'm ready to subject other people to it.

[GardenCat]

Got this as a gift, since I'm a leo and my perfume-pimp isn't. Strange in the bottle - not too strong, nothing really stands out to me. On, again, soft and unassuming. I smell the amber in it (that and the frankincense are my [so far] favorite notes in this blend). Now I'm getting a bit of the nuttiness of the walnut. Interesting scent. We'll see how it goes durning the day.

 

8-6-09 - now I get walnut soap. hm.

Edited August 6, 2009 by GardenCat

[strawberry_star]

In the vial: It smells like a mixture of amber and oddly enough lemon. There's no lemon in this though, so I think it may be the chamomile, because chamomile sometimes gives off a lemon scent to me.

 

On me - Wet: Amber gets to amping up and then something not so great is in there too. It must be the walnut bark, because there's nothing else in here that smells close to this.

 

On me - Dry: Okay that weird smell is gone and it's turning into a lighter smell of amber which is reminding me of Lionness (I have not yet tried The Lion) in a way. Also the chamomile is settling into not so much lemon but the lovely scent of a sweet, light tea. It has a decent throw to it as well.

 

Hours later: Still there 9 hours later. It smells like chamomile now with a hint of amber. Makes an almost vanilla-like impression that reminds me of Dorian.

 

Overall: I really like it! It's Dorian and Lionness' love child!

 

 

[Luhtarian]

I bought this for my other half, who is a Leo, and not only does she really like it, I must say it's quite a sexy scent indeed. Lots of amber and spices, and it has a lot of staying power- every time I catch a whiff I go weak at the knees!

[Aldercy]

Dusty chamomile buds, hay, aged amber, spices, and a dash of peppery citrus... yep, Leo is delicious. It's the quirky, hyper sister of The Lion (who, by comparison, is a square-jawed, straightforward fellow).

 

Yeah, "quirky" is definitely the main adjective I'm coming up with for this. A tiny bit of walnut (definitely wood, though, not nut) starts to come out as it dries, and the citrus has even more of a bite to it. Very nice.