Haloes

[BohemianWeasel]

Oak, tonka, vanilla, white sandalwood, lily of the valley, white ginger, amber, and apricot.

Initially: very sweet fudge wrapped around sugary apple-sauce with hints of clean linen and christmas cake.

After an hour or so, apple-caramel wrapped in hot-ironed linen (seriously) with a yankee-candle aftertaste.

Fades to a soft caramel afterglow.

Interesting, but I'm not a foody weasel, so swappy time.

[copyshopclerk]

In the decant: Tonka, something "perfumy"

 

On: The sparkle/spice of ginger over tonka. This is a bit too heavy on the ginger for me, and I don't like how it pairs with the tonka - they just don't blend well together on my skin.

 

Dry: Once the ginger fades off, this is almost straightforward tonka, and I can smell the benzoin as well, which I've noticed usually takes a while to develop on my skin. I don't notice any of the other notes, which is a little disappointing as I really like apricot and was hoping it'd be more prominent in here. I like the dry stage of this more than the wet stage as the ginger was a bit much for me, but it's quite lovely when dry.

[Aredhel]

Rating (on skin): 2/5

Summarised in a few words/smilie: Frustrating!

 

Preconceived notions/pre-review thoughts: Someone on the LJ comm described Haloes as "sexy vanilla oak." That was more than enough for me to want to try this!

 

In the imp: Clean white ginger, apricot, and white sandalwood. I'm not sure about this yet.

 

On skin, wet: At first, there is the faintest hint of vanilla, buried beneath thick lily of the valley and ginger. Not great. After a few minutes, the oak is just barely discernible, and it is wonderful. Unfortunately, it's no match for the lily of the valley and ginger.

 

On skin, dry: When dry, this is like wearing the most wonderful, slightly spicy oaken vanilla and trying to sniff it while wearing a generous dollop of lily of the valley/ginger perfume applied under your nose. Every so often I catch tantalizingly fantastic whiffs of the oak and vanilla, but then the floral and ginger reappear.

 

Conclusion: This is most certainly a sexy oaken vanilla. Unfortunately, it's buried beneath a pleasant-but-soapy floral ginger. No matter how hard I sniff or how long it lingers, it's frustratingly pointless to get what I want out of this scent.

[anardana]

I really liked this one at first, but then something just wasn't right.. I blame the lily of the valley. Something a bit too.. pwerfume-y? I prefer Lyonesse for gentle vanilla or Opuhi for ginger-vanilla.

Edited November 8, 2008 by anardana

[simpsonmeredith]

Pure heaven. It's the perfect combination of fresh cut wood and vanilla. And by fresh cut wood, I don't mean a green smell. It's that smell of autumn and someone chopping dried wood to store up for the winter. It's a real, honest to goodness, dried oak wook. Wearing this is like taking yourself to a romantic, luxury cabin in the woods.

 

Haloes cemented my addictiom to BPAL. It's definitely in my top 5. I want to say it's #1, but I don't want hurt the other bottles' feelings.

[grashopper8]

Gorgeous.

 

Creamy woods, with a hint of zest from the most gorgeous ginger note Ever. Perfectly blended, every note blends into a symphony of perfection. It's so lovely, so beautiful, so perfect. I love this scent sooooo much! So much that it broke my inner thesaurus.

 

Try Haloes if you like Glowing Vulva at Ryogoku Bridge or the Antikythera Mechanism. It's in the same gorgeous family.

 

This is the kind of scent that makes me love BPAL even more! Is that even possible??

[iiinterstate]

This certainly does remind me of The Antikythera Mechanism. I'm sure its the oak, but in Haloes it is INFINITELY smoother and more blended with the vanilla.

 

I get a little bit of spice from the ginger, but it behaves and stays in the background. Overall, this is a very very nice woody vanilla blend. After a couple of hours I can detect the amber a little more. I never get any lily of the valley which is kind of weird... I usually amp it.

 

I like this a lot, but I'm not sure whether I prefer the Antikythera Mechanism yet. At any rate I am glad to have a chance to try it!

[MeiLin]

In the imp, the first thing I smell is sugar, like a candy apple. It's very, very sweet, almost too sweet. I think it's the apricot and vanilla together.

 

Wet: It's still very sweet. It keep shifting from caramel to candy apple. Not sure about this; I have lots of caramel-type smells and I'm not sure I want another.

 

Dry: In a word, superb. My skin amps vanilla and amber, and those are the main hits, with the tonka, sandalwood and oak as foundation. I can't smell any of the lily of the valley, which is a pity because I love it, and the caramel/candy apple smell is completely gone. I get a little sparkle of the ginger, but not much. Way in the back there's the apricot. Mostly this is the woods, the tonka, the amber and the vanilla, and it's an effort not to sniff my wrist. On me, this is perfectly blended. Sir said, "Yep, a keeper." Somehow I must obtain a bottle.

[donnatron]

Bottle courtesy of the lovely ND(cent sign. Eventually I will learn how to make one).

 

Bottle: Smooth and vanilla. Touched with wood. Very, very sweet.

 

Wet: Antikythera Mechanism. I'm prepping an order and spent last night with AM and Great Sword of War on either wrist sniffing to see which I want a bottle of. I think this definitely has the same vanilla as AM, as well as a lot of similar notes. It's a whole lot stronger, though.

 

Dry: Floral, smooth woody vanilla. Really pretty and very soft and feminine. The wood note is really nice in here--it's blends in to an almost creamy finish.

 

Throw: Intense. I applied a drop from the lid and it is POTENT.

 

Overall: I like what I have. It's lovely and will probably see storage until the winter months, but it's very pretty and soft and so feminine and cuddly. Try it if you can.

[Andrea912]

I am surprised at how gorgeous this is! The vanilla and tonka are sweet without being cloying; the oak is woodsey without being a forest; really nice!

 

ADDED April 14:

 

Oh my goodness...this is so beautiful! the oak and tonka give it the perfect touch of woods without green or bark...the lily and the sandalwood is so soft, so it's not too flowery or powdery...the vanilla mellows it all out...

 

This is what I imagine the foot of an angel smells like...

 

UPDATE: TEN MINUTES LATER....something smells like bandaids....?

[Czarina]

The woody note in Haloes smells to me not like sandalwood but teak, and the creamy vanilla means that this scent smells to me like a close sister to....Glowing Vulva, my Holy Grail of totally unavailable scents.

 

Absolutely gorgeous. Stays consistent throughout the hours.

[Christine Daae]

…oh my God. This is just absolutely gorgeous, and I think I need 10983102832 bottles right now, which is next to impossible (or so I have heard).

 

Right out of the imp, it’s tonka-vanilla goodness. On my skin, it blooms to this gorgeous, golden scent that just defies description. The apricot starts to come out a bit, with the oak and sandalwood just underneath the surface, grounding it.

 

THIS IS BEAUTIFUL AND I KNEW I SHOULDN’T HAVE EVER TRIED IT BECAUSE NOW I NEED MOAR.

[PinkoCommie]

Haloes is what taught me that I like the Lab's Lily of the Valley -- which does not go even vaguely soapy on me.

 

This is soft and deep, not at all foody and just extremely classic. There's a nice, solid oaken base that upholds the whole. On that lovely base is a vanilla silk drape, thin and elegant and set above that, in a fine amber vase are the lilies, crowning and drawing together the whole picture. The sandalwood peeps through from time to time as a nice accent to the base, kind of counterpoint to the oak.

 

I love, love, love Haloes and hope it will be around for ages. (Speaking of "ages," it appears to do that well, by the way.) I bought only one bottle because it's not something to wear in the summer months. The piercing winds of autumn and winter highlight the delicate nature of this scent. (By "delicate," I in no way mean "weak." This is a scent that announces its presence -- but in a ladylike, if firm, way.)

[the_cat_goddess]

In the vial: Bright lime, glittering tart and sweet with a rich foodiness blended in

 

Wet: Assuming this doesn't morph, I am totally in love with this scent! It's sweet citrus headed by lime with a cheesecakiness to it.

Reading over the notes, I'm crushed to find lime not there, nor any other citrus. I'm thinking it's a combination of the white ginger, apricot, and lily of the valley. The vanilla and tonka provide the sweet cheesecake part, with sandlewood smoothing everything over. Absolutely delicious!

 

Drydown: Funny that no one else smells any citrus in the reviews I just read over. Now that this is drying, I am definitely getting the references to Underpants. The citrus is gone and I'm left with a vanilla, tonka, sandlewood party that is gorgeous! Nice throw, not foody, definitely lasting power.

 

Overall: I was never a sandlewood person until I meant Underpants. I initially rejected it, but then picked up an imp later, tried it again and realized sandlewood, with the right blend, can be AMAZING. Haloes is definitely the right blend to make me remember this. Love Love Love

 

Edited: I'm now getting what someone said about it smelling like a snuffed candle. An expensive vanilla candle snuffed out.

Edited September 21, 2008 by the_cat_goddess

[vikitty]

Wet in imp: A bright vanilla and lily for me, with what I think is the apricot. It's something fruity.

 

Wet on skin: Similar to the imp. The tonka is now rolling in, changing it to something deeper.

 

Drying: Tonka and vanilla battling for center stage. The apricot is gone gone gone. Wow, this one is a morpher!

[inurbanus]

Haloes is...hard to describe. It's definitely a glowing scent, along the lines of L'Estate and La Primavera. Peach-colored, with little flashes of gold. The most prominent component is the vanilla, but the apricot and ginger are also there, supporting it. It took me a while to figure out if I liked Haloes or not, but I've decided I really do. It's a scent that's strange, yet familiar. I've been racking my brain since the first time I smelled this, trying to figure out what Haloes reminds me of. I still haven't figured it out. My only problem with Haloes is that it doesn't have a lot of throw. I guess I'll be the only one here who gets to enjoy it, then.

 

4.5/5

[puck_nc]

Origin: Bought at the Chapel Hill, NC, Whole Foods

 

Initial Thoughts: This one wasn't even on my radar because of the amber and apricot. But when I was trying on several of the Retail Salons in the store--I couldn't remember the exact notes but knew there were at least two I wanted to try specially--I tried this one and was instantly charmed enough to buy the bottle.

 

In the Bottle: A light, gentle, warm spice. It's almost like a dainty version of some spicier BPAL blends. I think I can pick out the oak, sandalwood, ginger and lily.

 

Wet: The amber comes forward, as it always does on me, but it is not amping unbearably. I'm still getting that delicate, sparkling impression, like sunwarmed spun gold.

 

Drydown: The amber gets a little stronger, damping down the ginger somewhat, and that shifting, sparkling dimension isn't as strong. The apricot is finally making an impression as well with just a hint of darkish fruitiness.

 

Verdict: A warm spicy scent for winter...a comforting scent. I just wish it continued the gorgeous wet stage, but amber just isn't a very friendly note to me.

[caitilarkin]

In the imp: Oak and amber softened by vanilla and florals, very smooth and creamy

 

Wet on skin: The oak is still at the forefront but is supported by the notes mentioned above. I think I'm not detecting sandalwood as well.

 

Dry on skin: This definitely reminds me of my beloved Antikythera Mechanism, only more feminine due to the presence of the florals. This did not morph on me at all, had decent throw and fantastic staying power--nearly 12 hours--probably due to the presence of amber, which sticks to me until I wash it off.

 

I never did detect any ginger or apricot, but I do still love this. Maybe I can track down a fresh bottle somehow...

[milo]

This is really, really good, which means that I must acquire a bottle. Wet, I thought this may be a bit too masculine, but it quickly dried into a beautiful, oaky vanilla, which are the only two notes that I really get. I do wish the other notes would come out to play, but still this blend is fantastic. I would describe this somewhere in between Antikythera Mechanism and Glowing Vulva. Not as masculine as AM, but not as sweet/foody/feminine as GV. I would say this is a "warm" scent, something great for this time of year when you want to be wrapped in a comforting blanket

[Schmoozy]

Oh this is absolutely beautiful. On first sniff it is a woodsy, vanilla sandalwood, with hints of ginger and apricot. Lily of Valley is present, but once on my skin it stays firmly planted in the background. Amber is also in the blend, but only to give it softness and light. I love how amber can be so deliously golden and sunny, and offer a sexy, but innocent glow. Mainly this is a slightly sugared vanilla and combined with the oak and sandalwood, becomes very woody and helps the tonka and vanilla stay grounded and not become cloying sweet and plastic on my skin. Ginger gives Haloes a spicy kick and apricot, delivers it's own sweetness, together with the other notes, makes this a comforting, soothing yet sexy scent.

[Miss Lynx]

Hmmm -- a very interesting scent! At first sniff, it smells a lot more masculine than I would have expected something with lily of the valley and apricot in it to smell. Like a very nice, high end men's cologne. It's very hard to pick out any individual notes - they just blend together into an overall "perfumey" feel.

 

As it settles in, though, it gets a bit sweeter -- less overtly masculine and more androgynous. That may be my skin amping the floral element a little bit, though lily of the valley isn't one of the ones I usually amp too badly. The oak gives it a slightly funky undertone -- it's one of the wood notes that usually isn't too good on me, though here it's thankfully not all that strong.

 

The scent has an intriguingly multilayered feel, with a dry and slightly dark woody base, but an airy lightness overtop, from the lily of the valley and ginger I think. And middle notes like sandalwood and amber balancing it and rounding it out. It's just a touch reminiscent of Lyonesse, another exquisitely well-crafted, complex scent, but less feminine -- this one could work on either gender.

 

Overall, it's quite nice and very well-crafted, but not really "me". I think it's partly the oak note not working on my skin. But it would be very much recommended for anyone of either gender who can wear oak and is looking for a really unique, sophisticated scent.

 

Grade: B

[TheOneTheyCallLuna]

At first this smells just like Hand of Glory, and I was so confused because that is not what I was expecting from Haloes at all! Fortunately, almost immediately some other notes come out and mingle...softer, more flowery aspects which lend this blend some grace and its glowing quality. This is heavenly delicious and heady...innocent and decadent at the same time!

A real light golden flowery blend! I like this very much!

[cinnamonster]

I received this in a bundle of imps as a freebie (thank you!), and it was the first thing I tested out.

 

IN BOTTLE: wow, the only thing I think is "beautiful"

 

WET: ooh vanilla, very strong vanilla

 

DRY: still vanilla with a hint(and nothing more than the slightest whisp) of something floral, feels very familiar

 

 

I tried this again today and it is TOTALLY different!

 

WET: still strong vanilla

DRY:strong vanilla, slightly more flowers, until BAM! 2 hours later I wonder what the nice perfume smell is suddenly, and it was me-not only got stronger suddenly but it was different, warmer, woodier and still totally lovely...mmm...sigh

 

I LOVE this!

[ljaylh]

 

I totally took a chance on this, because I was scared about the lily of the valley.. but every other note sounded perfect so I grabbed a bottle from a sale here on the forum - so glad I did!!

 

The ginger is definitely sparkly at first, but the apricot is stopping it from being too spicy - together, they're the perfect combination of warm loveliness. Then the vanilla shows up, and ohhh my this is a lovely creamy vanilla. The oak and tonka seem to ground all that sweetness perfectly - yes, this is a "sweet" blend but I wouldn't class it as foody because it definitely has an organic feel to it.

 

It wore down quite a bit after about half an hour on my skin, leaving me with mostly a gorgeous soft woody vanilla but I can definitely still smell the other notes there, particularly the sandalwood which made a late appearance. I'm not sure that the lily of the valley ever showed up.. it's obviously in there somewhere but thankfully it's not pushing itself in front of all the others. This stayed good for about 3 hours, but I only put a tiny dab on so I think that's a good wear time out of one dab.

 

This is only my second experience with the Travelling Salons (the other being Wezwanie/Hold) - are they all this beautiful? Haloes is really something special - it's kinda like bits of all my favourite BPALs mixed in together, very multi-layered and complex. I am definitely going hunting for more!

[catatonic1242]

In the bottle: Kind of like a light men's cologne scent. Is that the tonka? Maybe.

 

On, wet: Oak and sandalwood. This is a lot more masculine than I'd anticipated, but not in a bad way.

 

On, dry: I wish I was getting more of the apricot, but instead I'm amping the lilies (will florals *ever* give me a break?). Then it goes to powder on me. It was nice while it was wet, but my skin makes this into men's baby powder. Stupid skin!!