London

[LyndaM]

Venerable Victorian Tea Rose… twisted, blackened and emboldened with wickedness.

On me, London is a perfect pure rose, but slightly powdery on the dry down. I don't get any spices at all, but that's just fine with me. I've begun layering it under other scents (most notably Maiden) to amp up faint or missing rose notes, and it works like a charm. Definitely a must have bottle for me; as I think a little touch of rose improves almost any floral. I'm jealous of those whose chemistry amps up rose, I can never get enough!

[Medici]

Mmmm, what a perfect scent for spring!

 

It's a very light, white, almost sharp floral that lacks the bite of the "red" blends (Florence, New Orleans).

 

In the initial dry-down London softens into a tranquil tea rose - which, sadly for me, my skin sucks up and lends to it an almost sterile edge.

 

I would totally cram this into a scent locket, though. It's very fresh-smelling.

[Blood onmy hands]

Rose works on me in very rare instances (Alice, Beatrice, & Whip). I love when the roses smell green, fresh, and wet, while still being slightly sweet and a little bit spicy. That's a good rose, in my opinion. More often it goes soapy, powdery, or sickeningly acidic and sharp on me.

 

London starts out sharp and burning. It's enough to make my eyes water. Given a few minutes to dry down though, I see what others mean by describing it as a dried rose petals scent. It smells so dry on me that it has a dusty quality. It's stifling. I keep imagining dead yellow roses for some reason.

 

After an hour or so, this is *very* powdery on me. It smells like a dish of rose potpourri that has been sprinkled liberally with baby powder .

 

London is just too dry and powdery on me... I prefer a more lively dark rose. I think that my mum would like this one though, so at least the imp won't be going to waste.

[selkie_dido]

well, I was hesitant about this because M. has such a rose aversion.

In the bottle, I smelled something fruity underneath all that rose. It was cherry-ish, like a bakery in the back of a flower shop.

As soon as it got on my skin, the fruity flavor was lost. I was left with rose.

And after 15 mins, the rose was still there, but the whole thing had gone harsh and smelled like cheap perfume.

I wanted to leave it on, but it was giving me a nose-ache. I can still smell it lingering....

 

Basically, I was transported back to a suburban summer, about 10 years old, playing "beauty" with a friend. Or, as a co-worker said, "It reminds me of my babysitter's house."

 

Since this one was an out-and-out gift, I will give it away...quickly.

[paradoxicaljlb]

Wet on skin: London starts out VERY strong on me; pure dried tea rose. The image of a rose pressed between pages of an old book comes to mind, as it has for a lot of people who've tried it.

 

Dry on skin: After 20 minutes, London began to fade fast. I can smell something purple, maybe violets--I'm guessing this is the wicked side. There's also a little TINY bit of a dry-woodsy smell, sandalwood, maybe? I must say I enjoyed the faded version a bit more; my nose and eyes aren't burning.

 

Final impression: London is a simple rose scent, and I tend to like morphing, complex blends. I think this might be good for someone who's looking for an everyday-wear scent, but I don't think I'll buy a bigger bottle.

[cupcake]

This is my very first review, so I have no idea what i'm doing, but here goes:

 

Wow! Perfect, sweet rose. Not cloying or old ladyish. I don't get any wicked undertones, but instead I smell something earthy/ woodsy, which I love.

[Wench457]

London: A lovely soft rose.

 

On: Oh dear. The rose has gone decidedly sour. But I am determined to wait it out.

 

Dry: A pretty, soft rose on me. Whatever wickedness should be there has been completely vanquished by the rose. Lovely. I shall have to compare this side-by-side with Zombi to see which rose I prefer.

 

ETA: This also lasted quite well on me, still going strong after six hours.

Edited November 27, 2005 by Wench457

[malanna]

This smells just like one of those French-milled soaps, the oval-shaped ones that come in those boxes with the floral designs over them. That's tea rose for you. However, after an hour, there's something that makes the tea rose a bit black and a little bitter, like a rotting rose.

 

I really liked this the first time I tried it, because it made me think of my time in London, but this application, my second, just isn't the same. I'm not sure if it's because the novelty wore off or that it's because it smells different.

[AlaskaSnows]

Wet: Sweet bud roses.

 

Dry: Dried roses with a touch of lavender? The rose is a lovely nice rose but whatever is overlying it adds a bite and a touch of rot. Doesn't work on me.

[CapricornSister]

This is one of the first 5ml's I ordered, unsniffed. When I first got it, I liked it a lot but it didn't *wow* me. Now, nine months later, I can't get enough! It is a sweet, dry rose on me and it has tons of staying power and throw. I smell it through the cabinet door, beckoning me to slather! I don't know if aging it has made it heartier, but I will have to get another bottle ready for when the first one is finished

[aedes]

Oooh, this is definitely a cruel, heartless rose. Not cackling malevolence, more slick negotiator. It's sexy, clean, and feminine smelling, but also distant and cold, with a soft, dark base.

 

I picture a platinum blonde with an impeccable Cambridge accent, dressed in a dark, designer skirt suit saying "By the way, I've had the diamonds all along. Your wife gave them to me. Never mind, she's dead now. Boys, kill him."

 

But I do have a rather active imagination.

Edited December 18, 2005 by aedes

[Musamea]

Mainly dry rose petals, yet London also has compelling depth that's usually only associated with wetter scents. It's slightly sharper than most of the Lab's rose blends, but it never grows astringent. Beth's description is spot on in this case--this is a darkly wicked rose, which one might find trampled into the cobblestones underfoot or scattered into the gutters of Victorian London.

[sookster]

bright, vivacious, thick, velvety smooth roses.....stunningly sophisticated

and sexy; this is an enormous bouquet of tea roses at their finest.... this warms

up beautifully and is wonderfully long lasting...a true creation from the master

perfumer.....

[BlackWingedRoses]

On Christmas Eve I wore London, I was very strong tea rose scent. The boy didn't like it, he said it was too much. I kinda agree. Like my 1st grade teacher would say when it came to Elmer's Glue, "A little dab'll do ya"

London-use it sparingly unless you want to smell like you were attacked by a giant tea rose monster.

still a great rose scent, don't get me wrong. I'll just have to go easy next time.

[The_Merf]

In the imp:--I smell tea more than tea rose--Dorian, is this your cousin?

 

Wet: It still smells like Dorian, but dustier and less sweet. I'm quite fond of it, so far.

 

Dry-down and wear: I don't have the aversion to rose that others have--Rose Cross was one of the first imps I ordered. This scent is nowhere near as strong--or as feminine--as RC. I could imagine this on a man. There is a "don't mess with me" edge to this perfume, and it does strike me as rather "British." Thanks to the Lab for gifting me with this one, as I would never have selected it on my own. The imp will be used with care, and this may even move up to the bottle list, depending on the consistency of its throw.

[hypatia]

In the imp: Demure tea roses.

 

Just applied: Rose, with a strange, almost ... briny undercurrent. The first thought that popped into my head was "Hmm, is that supposed to be the Thames in the background?" But the mystery note disappeared after a few minutes, before I could identify it.

 

A while later: Roses, and nothing but roses.

 

Hours later: Roses. Very pretty, but too rosey for my taste.

[Shollin]

First sniff: An oddly clean-smelling, fresh-air rose scent.

 

Wearing: Pale watery rose. It actually works on me, and there are few rose scents that do, but I really only need one because I so rarely feel like smelling like rose… and Rose Red reigns supreme.

[GemmaCat]

Another surprise, I bought this one for the name alone, not the description. ^^;

 

In the bottle it's sweet and flowery. On my skin it's the freshest rose. It's distinctly reminiscent of rubbing rose petels across my skin; it has that pale, fresh scent. On the drydown it's incredibly sweet and pretty.

 

I do like it, but it's not really a "me" scent. I'll either keep it as a room scent, or throw it in as a frimp on my next sale.

[rhubarbbear]

i love london! it's one of the rose scents that doesn't go soapy on me, and it's just beautiful. i'm not sure what is particularly wicked about it, but that's probably my own short coming lovely tea roses, may be a big bottle contender!

[Rhowan]

Yet another rose note that doesn't work on me.

 

In the bottle this smells like fresh roses but as soon as it hits my skin, it goes to a fakey rose smell. Now, usually, rose goes either to powder or sometimes playdough on my skin. This time was unusual. It went to soap!

 

When I was a little girl, my mom had these rose shaped soaps in the bathroom and they were there in the "guest" soap dish for YEARS. That is what London reminds me of, 12 yr old rose soap - not good.

 

I'll pass on this one...

[batsy]

Reminds me very much of little old ladies in tea houses. Very heavy rose scent, like walking through a garden of tons of blooming roses in mid-summer. Pretty much like I imagined when I was at Hampton Court in the dead of winter... Warm, heady, almost with a tang. A little goes a long way!

 

The longer I wore it, the more it seemed to grow, scent-wise. Kind of got annoying -- tended to stick in the back of my throat. I only put it on my wrists and rubbed it in. It carried through my hooded sweatshirt sleeves. Which is pretty good, since most scents soak into the sleeves and get lost.

 

I'd recommend it if you like strong scents, of roses and tea or like making a bold statement.

[storme]

In the bottle: soft, powdery roses.

 

On me: Oh, my, word. Big, juicy, delicious, ripe yellow roses, in full bloom. Utterly gorgeous. Warm and rich and heavy, but in a glorious way.

 

The downside? When I'm wearing this, I walk around with my nose glued to my wrist, drinking in the yumminess - and it's not exactly a subtle scent. Definitely one to order a big bottle of.

[Missmoonlight]

liquid: Victorian rose!! So light, delicate and nice antique rose!

 

on my skin: I can feel less rose...and there is an oily note, I can't recognize what it is. Mom says: it's like baby perfume. I can smell something grass too.

Not the right perfume for me, but perfect for a minute delicate girl!

[Laurel the Woodfairy]

(recreating a review lost during the recent crash)

 

It is ridiculous that I've only just now gotten some London--I think it was so overdetermined that it slipped past my radar. Let's see, will a Victorianist who loves rose blends above all other BPALs like a Victorian tea-rose blend named for London? Duh. I absolutely love London. It smells, not just of tea-rose, but also of tea itself--like Dormouse with rose instead of peony. It will also be a quite passable GC replacement when my beloved Havisham runs out (rue the day). I wish it were still called "Old London"--I love the city as it is now, but this is the scent of afternoon tea in a Victorian parlor, poured out for you by a lady who has chosen the gentle tea-rose as her scent. Beautiful and winsome; I just love it!

 

[MissMorbus]

London

 

Received a a frimp from the lab

 

In bottle: Wow....roses.

 

On skin: This is the best rose scent I have ever smelled. It is perfectly victorian, and it perfectly portrays the idea it is supposed to. It stays true to its rose scent. It has a little bit of something else, but it just enhances the rose, so I can't pick out what it is. Unfortunately, rose just isn't something I want to wear. If you love rose, then this is definately for you. I may send this over to my MIL because she loves rose.

Edited August 3, 2006 by Shollin