Sagittarius 2007

[yeahbutnobut]

Mutable Fire: the essence of striving.
Sage, clove, dandelion, balm of gilead, fig, and chamomile.

Sagittarius

In the imp: smooth herbs and fig with a balmy softness.
Wet on skin: the dandelion blooms on my skin, backed by fig and sage.
Dry on skin: this one is lovely! I was put off dandelion by One to Tie but I love this. It's mainly dandelion, for sure, but the slightly bitter scent of this weed is smoothed out by sweeter, softer notes, including one of the loveliest fig notes I've smelt in BPAL. It's like the sweet sticky brown fig in Strangler Fig, a sweet dry earthy fruit. I also smell the sage and the camomile, warm gentle herbs, and the clove is probably what adds that lovely sweet warmth to the scent, that hint of spice. This is a mellow scent of summer.
After a while: something in here, probably the dandelion, threatens to turn to soap. But apart from that, this is a very pretty scent-I still smell the clove and fig and camomile. It also reminds me a little bit of Virgo at this point, a similar green-floral feel, but warmer and less earthy. It's outdoorsy and carefree.
The scent veers between soapy dandelion to glorious spiced fig with herbal nuances-now it's at it's figgy stage. There's something smooth and balmy over the whole scent. After a while this smells grassy, like One to Tie, but sweeter and smoother, there's none of that bitter sharpness, it smells a little bit creamy as well…maybe the clove note is slightly creamy.
Sadly this scent doesn't last very long on me-about 4 hours later and only a faint trace of herbal sweetness remains.
Verdict: this is a really nice scent, especially at the beginning, when it’s a gorgeous spicy-herbal fig scent I love the fig note in here, it smells like dried figs, all sweet and mushy and brown as opposed to the sharper green fig note in most BPALs. I think the creamy clove enhances it a bit too. It’s warm and inviting and summery, especially with that hint of dandelion. This note, sadly, does make this turn a bit soapy at drydown, which is a shame…and the scent fades away fast. But even so, this is such a unique fragrance and one of the nicest fig scents. I’d love to see more scents with this fig note. But when it comes to dandelion, I much prefer Fairy Wine to this. I’ll have to see if my mum, a Sag, likes this…I don’t think it’s her style of scent (she’s more of a Stella McCartney person), but you never know!
Emoticon rating:
Is it a keeper? yes-one bottle.
If you like this, try: One To Tie, Roadhouse, Strangler Fig, Hetairae, Virgo 07, Fairy Wine

[suileach]

Sage out the wazoo, and dry, brown evergreen needles. Bittersweet dandelion. I want to be a Sagittarius now so that I can pretend this scent is me. And...what's that...? Burning candles. Flame. Dry brush and the scent of a hot summer day fading into evening.

 

Never before has a scent brought me to tears, but this one's done it. It smells like something beautiful and fleeting - summer nights, love, thunder in the distance.

 

Wow.

[dreadeddragon]

In the bottle: Sweet & clove-y, it reminds me of Gingerbread Poppett, only not as sweet and buttery

 

First on: Chamomile, clove, and then sage, it's a really nice light spice. Me likey.

 

Drydown: Lots of chamomile and sweetness, not so much with the spice anymore. This one did a total 180 and went sweet and innocent.

 

Overall: While it doesn't stay with the personalities of any male Sag I know, I can definitely see it fitting with the women. It's a bit firey, but deep down just sweet and simple.

[kirakira]

I believe that I'm smelling the balm of Gilead since I'm not familiar with the dominant note. I know this sounds strange but Sagittarius smells similar to Zymol car wax. That isn't a negative, it is just how Sagittarius smells to me. Sagittarius evokes a color to me - I see a golden amber when I smell it. I will wear this on days when I feel mellow.

[agnusdei]

In the imp Sagittarius is a little spicy, a little sage-y, and a lot of dandelion. It's a bright and fresh sort of smell, not at all sharp or too strongly herbal. After some wear the fig comes out; a very soft, ripe fig rather than one of the more earthy kinds. I'm not sure if I'm too familiar with balm of gilead, but I have the feeling it's working with the fig to create the smooth and slightly buttery backing to the other notes that is making itself known now. The chamomile seems to be what is unifying everything and making it work so nicely together, there's a wonderful sense of roundness and harmony within this blend that I wouldn't have necessarily been able to imagine from just the scent description alone. The balance of the notes shifts again after about an hour or so, the creaminess tones down and the dandelion and clove are back, just as green and spicy as before.

 

I was really hoping Sagittarius would turn into some sort of magical dandelion single note on me since some of the other reviewers got strong dandelion from it, but instead of being as bitter and grassy as real dandelion this is a much rounder and more comprehensive version of it. While Sag doesn't quite fill the niche I was expecting it to, it's a striking and distinctive blend that I'm sure will see a lot of wear from me, especially in the coming spring.

Edited January 29, 2008 by agnusdei

[waternight]

In the bottle: Warm clove and fresh dandelion. Tiny bit of dry sage.

Wet: First on, this is a true, pure dandelion. After a minute, chamomile shows up, and a few minutes later, sage and clove make an appearance. This is certainly a unique and interesting blend. However, the dandelion commands the room and the other notes just courtiers. Underneath everything, I keep getting whiffs of something dry and resinous, probably the balm of gilead. This is a very calm, fresh scent.

Dry: A very pretty clove/dandelion blend. I was hoping the fig would be a big part of this, but I never get it. Alas.

[hkhm]

bottle: chamomile and sage.

 

wet: the clove makes this feel warm without being spicy. mainly, this is a spicy dandelion and chamomile acent.

 

dry: the clove stays put and gets a bit spicier and clovier as it dries. a very clovey chamomile.

[steelxrose]

Sagittarius

 

This was my first oil with dandelion in it, and I wasn't prepared for how awesome it can smell.. I must amp some of the fig as well, because it's a sweet scent. I was not completely sure I would like this one just because of the notes in it, but it's a definite keeper!

Edited March 8, 2008 by steelxrose

[edenssixthday]

Sagittarius 2008 – Dandelion is usually so sharp and bitter and intensely green on me that I was surprised at how subtle this blend is and that I could barely smell the dandelion. It’s a green scent, but very soft and subtly so. This is predominantly a fig, sage, and chamomile blend. It’s very subtle, stays incredibly close to the skin, and is a very calm, and relaxing blend. It doesn’t really strike me as Sagitarrian, but that could just be due to how it works with my skin chemistry. There’s almost no throw and it fades quickly.

[FandF]

dandelion, with a hint of sweetness.

 

As it dries it is more of the bitterness of dandelion, tinge of sage. Green, herby. Nice.

[evanescence]

Sagittarius is nice. Just nice. I find it very difficult to review since I can't really pick out one note over another... it's a bit herbally and light. In fact, I seem to slather it and don't get much throw at all. I'm glad to have a bottle but 1 is plenty.

[zankoku_zen]

Sage is a trouble note for me. And indeed here it's a bit overwhelming. The dandelion smells sharp and bitter to me. It started out herby and fresh, and now its kinda smouldering. Ever burned sage? That's kinda what this reminds me to.

 

Sad. Since this is my astrological blend, I really wanted to like it!

[Salsa Shark]

I passed up on this when it was first released, because as much as I love dandelion I don't get on so well with clove, but enough people mentioned that the dandelion really stood out for me to cave in and hunt down a decant.

 

Unfortunately, my first instinct was right. The only real hint of dandelion I get from this is a faint peppery bitterness well into the drydown, where it ties the other ingredients together and gives it a more perfumey feel. Before and aside from that, it's a very buttery sweet herbal. The clove and fig give it a sort of juicy warmth, while the sage gives it a clean edge. I've never come across balm of gilead before, but I'm assuming that's where the weird buttery note is coming from.

 

As others have said, it's a warm, clean comforting scent and I could see it being a great body lotion or soap. As a perfume it's just very much not my thing. I'm glad I got a chance to try it though.

[mgrazulis]

In the bottle: herbally sage, dandelion and chamomile

 

Wet: sweet clove and an aromatic, presumably the balm of gilead

Dry: This one goes through several stages. At first it is a very light herbal scent, very clean. The dandelion is a soft, freshly picked blossom, delicate and light. The green note is never grassy or weed-like. Here there is great throw, fragrantly herbal.

After a few minutes, the sage fully emerges and the clove blooms. I get a minute fig--just a bit of its sweetness. The clove plays nicely, never sharp! So well balanced...even with the eucalyptus aroma of the balm.

 

Finally, a wonderful sweet fragrance. A delightful blend of herbs, spice and floral. Very uplifting and soothing. Wow! Another winner fragrance from the BPAL zodiac series.

Edited September 6, 2008 by mineralfairy

[themerrybaker]

I wasn't expecting much from the zodiac series, since it seemed to be heavy on the concept and thereby limited with respect to ingredients.

 

Sagittarius is a wonderful surprise that works as a perfume for me. It evokes dark days, and dark but warm smells: the sage, clove, and fig. The sage or dandelion reminds me of dry winter grasses. Such a happy surprise that Sag will be able to go on me instead of in the oil burner.

[rayvn1]

This is a very dry, golden, spicy scent on me. Dries and fades quickly, but I'm left with the sage and the Balm of Gilead, I think. Mellow and warm and finishes slightly powdery. Nice, but may not be a keeper - I'll have to try it on the husband since he's a Sag and I've finally gotten him to try some BPAL

[ralenth]

Bottle: Creamy greens.

 

Wet: Green, but not grassy. Very soft and clean.

 

Drydown: Alternates between that soft, creamy green and a spikyness. Not sure what's coming to the fore here, but it's interesting.

 

Dry: Little bit pungent still over the original soft scent that I liked so much.

 

Overall: I'm not getting any sage, which is a real shame. It's green, and interesting, but I'm not sure if I'd wear this much at all.

[djsiberia]

sharp & herbal - definitely sage and something else green.

 

[surlygurl]

In the bottle it smells very light to non-existent.

 

On my skin, I first get chamomile & dandelion, which would normally scare me, especially the dandelion. But this is sweeter and not nearly as sharp. Still a little too sharp for my tastes. But as it dries, the sharpness recedes and a sweetness comes into the mix. I'm guessing that it's sage/fig. The individual scents are hard to pick out.

 

Overall, it's a soft, clean, slightly sweet, gently herbal blend. It feels 'clear'. It has aged beautifully and I'm glad I kept the bottle. This will get lots of summer wear.

[tartchef]

Oh yes. This was entertainingly difficult to track down, but was sooo worth the wait

 

On me, Sagittarius is a lovely hybrid of Litha '09 & Tzadikim Nistarim - sweet & herby with a trace of something faintly coconutty & a slash of fresh green. The clove & fig add a gorgeous roundness, and once it dries I can almost feel the nubbly centers of the chamomile flowers.

 

Beautiful.

[stellans]

Green! Green, green, green...and then sweet...then gone. This is a lovely blend which reminds me of One to Tie, Two to Win though sweeter and 'juicier.' I wish it had longer staying power though, because I have to apply it again in less than 20 minutes to be able to smell it on my skin again. It also doesn't have a lot of throw, as I need to bury my nose in my wrist to really smell it. However, it does last quite well in a scent locket and it smells really great layered with a dirt blend, like Deep in Earth. One star out of 5 for this blend, due to the lack of stay power and low throw (I know there's a correct term for this, is it sillage? I'm never sure).

Edited June 12, 2011 by stellans

[tajana]

Wet: The first impression I get is yellow-orange, light and tasty, almost like sweet citrus. As I take a deeper whiff, it's easier to decipher. Bright, sweet, creamy fruitiness with an herbal and grassy overtone. Dandelion, sage, and fig are definitely here.

 

Dry: This is so well blended. The sage, dandelion, and chamomile are all distinguishable if I huff, but they're just this great garden-y scent that floats over the spicy fig. This smells pretty much like the same fig in Strangler Fig: the creamy, sticky green-brown fig that lends itself well both to the dry spiciness of clove and the grassy, herbal notes. The dandelion in particular is delightfully true to life. I have no idea what balm of gilead smells like, but maybe that's adding to the character of the fig. After a longer while, it's just sunlit fig spiced with clove.

 

Overall: This comes off as a more complex rendition of Strangler Fig. Also, where Strangler Fig has a tendency to go powdery, this one remains juicy. I love this and will cherish my decant. I wouldn't mind acquiring more of this, either.

[DifferentDances]

Bottle: Sage, soap, green, with yes, a weird coconut fringe.

Wet: Dandelion and soap.

Drydown: Warmth. With a strong coconut throw.

Dry: Weird coconut amber. I was so hoping for another scent similar to my One to Tie, but this is just going all wrong on me.

 

My rating: 1/5

[Delirium1009]

In bottle/imp: Dried flowers and plants and light spices.

 

Immediately on skin: This smells like the dried flowers/plants section of a craft store. It’s slightly spicy and sweet, but also powdery, herbal, and dry. This blend is very grounded; it smells earthy and solid.

 

After a few minutes: This hasn’t morphed much… it’s still a dry, slightly spicy, earthy scent. It has a slightly cool feel from the chamomile, and the sage lends a dry, herbal feel, but I really can’t pick out any other notes.

[imaginepageant]

In the Vial: I would never have thought Sagittarius would smell green, seeing as it's a fire sign, but this is very green. Very dandelion! I can pick out the fig (mainly in the sweetness it's giving the blend), and I think the chamomile as well. Surprisingly, the clove and sage missing in action.

 

Wet: Gets quite warm, and a little watery... like dandelions and other greens and herbs floating in a bowl of warm water. After a minute or so, the clove finally starts to emerge, but it's really soft and light.

 

Dry: I'm not at all familiar with balm of gilead, but I know that's what I'm smelling now, probably because it's bringing No. 93 Engine very strongly to mind (and it is, apparently, the only other blend with balm of gilead listed as a note). It's got that soft, waxy, herbal smell. Very warm and comforting. It smells less green and more herbal now, but in a dry way - that watery quality is completely gone. The dandelion has faded, the fig has strengthened, and the clove remains soft and very slightly spicy. I am really loving this stage!

 

An Hour Later: It's gotten pretty faint and lost some of its complexity, sadly. It's now just hints balm of gilead, fig, and clove.

 

Overall: I was wary of this blend because of the green notes, which I don't usually care for, and the clove, which is usually way too strong for my liking... but I was very pleasantly surprised! Everything is beautifully balanced and well-blended. And that balm of gildead - wow. I hope it turns up in more blends. This starts out as a spring scent, but ends up as a warm and comforting autumn scent, in my opinion. Still not exactly what I'd imagine for a Sagittarius, but it works. The only minus is that it doesn't last! I will treasure my decant, and snatch up a bottle if I ever get the chance.

 

Later: After about two hours, it gets the "clean" smell I associate with ozone. And which I don't like. Huh.