Glowing Vulva at Ryogoku Bridge

[Loligo]

Cream accord, amber, teak, and lotus blossom.

Outstanding and absolutely unique. The way the sweet cream plays off the dry, spicy wood is unexpected and wonderful. I pick up very little amber and lotus here -- they just add sweetnees and smoothness.

[hepkitten]

Spiced cream with sandalwood...and if I didn't know better, I'd think there was saffron here. It's like what I had wished MB: Underpants had been on me. Delicious, but not too foody; I can't stop sniffing myself!

[perclexed]

I wish I could rave about this one along with most of the other posters in this thread, but sadly I cannot. I had incredible hopes for this one after reading the description, and I just got my order yesterday. Unfortunately, the heavy foody scent in the bottle morphed into something that smells exactly like old school, in the glass tub CARMEX on me. Thankfully, it only lasted about 30 min before it went poof entirely. This is probably a good thing, as I was having flashbacks to junior high school gym class, which doesn't exactly jive with the inspiration for this scent.

 

So sad! To the swap pile it goes.

[suileach]

This presents me with a bit of a conundrum. In the vial, it is truly glorious and smells like creme brulee! On my skin, though, my sweet amping quality goes to town, and turns it into sugared orange. Tooth-achingly sweet sugared orange, at that. It is creamy and bright but, at this stage, way too sweet for me.

 

Then I start getting the same sawdust sensation that I got from Haloes. It's not a scent, but rather a feeling in the back of my throat and sinuses that makes me feel as though I've inhaled sawdust or paint fumes. Very odd indeed.

[velvet]

i only sniffed the bottle, but this is very unique.

it smells warm, and yes... it glows!

The idea of wearing something called glowing vulva has its appeal and recoil. lol

trying to extract my memory from the St.L meet and sniff, the bottle did not smell sweet to me, i could see how it might smell carmex-like to someone (or sadly turn that way on their skin) but of course it was much more complex.

dry wood, spice and the glowing element is my best description from only sniffing.

[blu°]

Oh my, I was hoping not to love any of the 27,50-dollars-bottles, lol.

 

However, I put this on and before I even noticed myself how beautiful it is, my friend at who's place I had been, without having watched me putting on perfume, said: Hey, that one is nice! It's really pleasant.

 

So, I guess it does have a good throw as she was entering the door on the other side of the room.

 

Close to the skin, it is fleeing my nose when I want to catch it, just like has been described by others above.

 

But I'll start again:

 

In the vial it is promising. Ambery, slightly sweet and woodsy.

 

On the skin I first get the cream note and a moment later am reminded of my beloved Midway. At that moment I thought, that I might not need a bottle, because I have enough of that one left.

 

Then I noticed the lotus, which works in here. It is slightly bubblegum, if you want so, but it's perfectly ok, as the woods have also just appeared - on silent feet, sort of sneaking in. Their dryness mingles with the juicy sweetness of the lotus and makes it feel refined and elegant instead of bubble gum.

 

As the scent develops, the lotus and cream recede a bit. The cream loses its foodiness with the smooth structure the teak note lends to the blend. Slowly, slowly the amber takes over the central position, keeping the other players in their place.

 

After several hours weartime, GV still goes on strong. Although it's difficult to find her if I look for her, she really envelops me in a warm, glowing, ambery cloud. It smells very Arabian/oriental (this word doesn't have any negative connotation in German, although you might say it does depict a kind of stereotype of the cultural range from North Africa via Middle East up to India: 1001 nights, belly dance, snake charmers, fakirs, etc.) It reminds me vaguely of an Egyptian lose incense I sometimes buy at a local bellydance shop. It feels sexy and inviting, but keeps an elegant notion, so that I could pull it off as a daytime scent, depending on my mood and the situation.

[Brianne]

Right off the bat, I get what I am expecting out of this blend. It is strongly woody with a very soft cream note. Sweet and creamy the same way that MB Underpants is. It's very woody though - sharp and potent and pairs beautifully with the softer note. This is mature and sophisticated - makes me think of something I would wear out to dinner, but not "at the office". Very nice!

[arabella]

First Impression: Soft creamy amber.

 

Dries down to: This one stays soft and slightly powdery with a hint of cream and lotus blossom. The teak anchors this blend and gives it a tiny bit of an edge.

 

Additional Comments: This is the aftermath of love in the afternoon - a very quiet, peaceful scent but one with promise of more to come.

 

Lasted: 1-2 hours.

 

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

[ImperatrixMundi]

When Lupercalia came out I really wished for a teak and cream blend. And hey, there it was! So I got all excited. Sigh.

 

In the imp the cream is almost buttery.

On my skin this morphs all the time, going through all the notes. Sometimes I get caramel, than it reminds me of Al Azif (safron? huh?), next minute I get strong and spicy wood notes and then lotus comes out and a little bit of the usual bubblegum appears. So one minute I like it, half an hour later I dont. Unfortunately both times I tried this the cream note sooner or later smelled very artificial and a bit like plastic over sharp wood with a caramel-like almost but not quite foody sweetness. Somethig about it is still compelling and my boyfriend says it "smells very nice" which is as good as his comments get. But there is something about the combination of cream and lotus that bothers me, both notes are troublesome for me anyways.

 

After reading all these reviews here I regret selling my decant a little bit and feel very heartbroken. I think I never was so sad about a blend not working for me before because I was so looking forward to this and almost everyone else loves it.

[Juushika]

Of the whole Lupercalia update, this was the blend that most interested me. I waited for reviews to go up before purchasing, and the descriptions of the blend sounded perfect—even though lotus blossom is new to me, and I'm generally wary of florals.

 

In bottle: I get primarily teakwood, rich, polished, a bit spicy. But I can pick out all of the notes, which is rare for me—I usually have a hard time picking out anything in the bottle. It's a very unique scent, warm and smooth at the heart and accented by spice and sweetness. I've never smelled lotus blossom, but it's distinct here: not precisely floral or foody, but a little sharp and fairly sweet. I'm actually quite fond of the in-bottle smell, which is also unusual for me, but I wish the teak and lotus were a bit softer.

 

On me: The unique and particular character of this blend doesn't change much from vial to skin, but it does rebalance itself a bit. As I was hoping for, the spicy and sweet tone down, and the amber (which my skin often loves) comes into itself. What I notice most now is the rich, smooth, polished heart of the scent, and the spice of the teak and sweetness of the lotus blossom are accents, although the lotus is still a little bit sweeter than I'd like. I wear a lot of amber, but this smell completely different from anything else I own—there's something indescribable about it. The core of the scent is like exotic, polished, skin-warmed wood: it's rich, smooth, reminds me a bit of a skin scent, and has an unusual edge to it. I agree with others that it's very sensual, like the scent of satiated warm skin. The amber is light enough, and the sweetness brightens it, so I expect this will work well for warmer weather. The lotus doesn't make this blend "floral" to me, which I'm glad for. This blend stands out—it's unlike any other BPAL I've smelled.

 

Verdict: I'm really glad that this scent doesn't morph too much from bottle to skin—in fact, the changes are minor and all for the best. The unique quality of the blend is just too lovely to lose, so I'm glad that it sticks around unchanged. It is so pleasurably, so subtly unusual: it stands out while still being sexy and very wearable. The cream (alongside the teak) gives it a wonderful rich smoothness, the amber is warm, and the teak and lotus play on top of them to give this scent lovely character. In a way, this is a cousin to the warm/smooth/spicy amber-based blends that I love: it has the same basic construct, but an entirely different character. That difference will make it a great addition to my collection, and I'm quite happy with it. Plus, the boy loves it on me, and it's a great match to the painting. What a lovely scent!

[savage_rose]

It smells sweet enough, but too sweet/rich like a generic brand "toffee candy", like a knock-off Werther's. I tend to like foody scents, but this one's a little nauseating on me. Ew.

[steelxrose]

Glowing Vulva at Ryogoku Bridge

 

Of all the Novel Ideas scents, this is the one that scared me the most. Cream hardly ever works out on me. That said, Vulva wasn't that bad. It was sweet. I could have sworn there was vanilla in it, and was the closest I ever got to vanilla actually working on my skin without becoming too much of a deodorizer, but I'm not sure what to attribute that soft sweetness to. It wasn't floral in any way, but rather a foodie.

 

I'm undecided on Vulva. It's the closest I've come to actually liking a cream, so that's a good sign.

[diamondstars]

I really like this one, even though it's one I tend to wear more when I'm having an angry day..! I found it to be quite a masculine scent which I don't usually like, but this one seems..different in some way. I can't describe it.

 

A bit awkward when someone asks what I'm wearing though!

[bookofblues]

This is an odd one on me. I get primarily teak and sweet cream. Maybe amber is giving it the teensy bit of delicate spice I get from it? It warms nicely too. This is a very comforting scent. The husband likes it as well. My only complaint is that it doesn't last very long at all. In an hour...gone. Quite nice though. Might have to hunt some of this down.

[twilighteyes]

In the bottle it's lovely lovely soft creamy glowing amber with a teeny teak bottom.

 

On my skin it remains lovely and creamy. The teak and amber blend together as the bottom and the lotus comes out as part of the top creamy note.

 

Yum. This will be a multiple bottle order.

[Miss Lynx]

Wow -- at first sniff, this smells surprisingly... edible. The amber in it has a very vanilla-y feel, unless maybe that's the cream accord. It's a very warm, creamy scent, with a bit of a dark undertone from the teak. The lotus, thankfully, is very soft and doesn't overpower it at all.

 

Unfortunately, as it settles in, it takes on a bit of that Play-Doh-like feel that vanilla sometimes can on me. There's something in it that just smells a bit... plastic. Which is too bad because the rest of the scent is very nice. It's just that one element that throws it off for me.

 

Grade: B-

[QueenFae]

Oh how wonderful this one is!!

 

First Impressions: Smooth, yummy cream with a glorious spattering of amber and a sweet note that smells like vanilla. This is that same glorious cream note that is in The Perilous Parlor and Love's Philosophy; it's just beautiful. This blend is slightly lighter and more floral than Love's Philosophy, but is very similar. Its only down fall is that it doesn't last long; it stays very close to the skin. But that's ok, because this is one of those super sexy scents that you really just want people to smell when they are close up anyway.

 

On the dry down, the cream note chills out a little and the lotus shows itself. Very, very pretty.

 

LOVE it

[lainevierge]

This is a grown up and more sophisticated version of Love's Philosophy. The vanilla has mellowed and there's a creamy quality to it. This is one of those rare BPAL oils that smells like a blend of perfumey notes, without having one too many sickening sweet ingredients that spoil most department store scents.

 

I got a bottle. How could I resist?

[tinyvulture]

oh. my. god. no exaggeration -- at first sniff, this became one of my all-time favorites. it goes perfectly with my skin chemistry. the amber is so warm and gorgeous, and the velvety cream accord is a perfect match for the bright, fruity lotus. the teak adds a dry, resiny woodsiness without smelling like pencil shavings (note to self – seek out more teak blends.) it’s one of the sexiest bpal scents, right up there with my beloved O. i agree with other reviewers who say it’s the scent of contented afterglow. gorgeous.

[enderfem]

Imp: Creamy amber. Nice.

 

Wet: tons more of the teak and lotus blossom. Very little of the cream.

 

Drydown: Oh man. The amber comes back out and this is just gorgeous. Smells more like a commercial perfume than most things I pick, but it is soooo pretty. But so faint. Damn. I'm going to have to get a bottle, I think. Well, it'll be interesting when someone asks me what I'm wearing!

 

ETA: Never mind on that bottle. I slathered it on the next day and it completely disappeared two hours later. Drat.

[tziporra]

So, I bought a bottle unsniffed. Because I LOVE amber and teak and lotus blossom. And I shut out all those pesky reviews that mentioned vanilla like some kid with my hands over my ears shouting "I'm not listening, I'm not listening, la, la, la".

 

Sadly, after one moment of pure bliss in which I can catch whiffs of teak and lotus and the cream accord (smelling like cream instead of vanilla) the whole thing dries down to generic vanilla candle scent on my skin. Due, no doubt to evil skin chemistry which amps vanilla.

 

But that instant of ectasy when the scent is wet is haunting me and I'm hoping against hope that if I keep the bottle awhile the vanilla will settle and the teak will be able to stand up to it a little bit. I'm not ready to abandon this one just yet. I'll update later if things improve. If not, I guess this one will have to be swapped (sob).

 

Best,

 

Tzi

[Blupest]

I agree with lainevierge..this is a more sophisticated relative of Love's Philosophy. Its wonderful!

[MaeKitty]

In the bottle: This smells exactly like Cream of Earl Grey tea from The Tea Party here in Ottawa. Immediately, I smell the cream accord, the teak and the amber. It seems very warm and lovely

On me: Very warm. The cream tones down a bit and the teak comes out, making it a bit more woody. The Lotus Blossom makes it a bit green and, strangely, musky. Very very faint.

[Eemia]

I love this! It smells like a creamy sweet wood. But complex. It's very sexy without being overly feminine or obvious. Just a smooth, almost earthy fragrance that stays close to my skin but still manages to have a nice throw. I guess that warm creaminess is what makes this seem like a skin scent to me. In truth it really does have a nice, strong impact. It reminds me a little of Haloes, which is one of my favorite scents of all time (in my top ten). So I was bound to love this. It makes me feel like I'm leaving this sexy trail behind me when I walk aound.

 

The amber really is perfect here. It dries into a soft musk that doesn't turn to powder at all. It's still beautiful after a few hours. I can still smell it on my scarf that I wore this morning so I'll have to wear this perfume whenever I pick up that scarf because it's too tempting to resist.

[ClareN]

Whenever I smell this in the bottle (I tested a friend's bottle) it reminds me of Love's Philosophy, although when I smell them side by side they're not the same; Glowing Vulva is more woodsy, almost spicy. I am sure that at least the cream note is the same, though.

 

Love's Philosophy is a favorite of mine. But there is something in Glowing Vulva that keeps me from falling in love with it. It's giving me scent-flashbacks to an e-tailer order I made where some roll-on perfume oils leaked all over the package and although they smelled pretty, it was a little overwhelming. Apart from that bad association, I think I'd like Glowing Vulva. It's sort of a thinner, paler vanilla/cream scent instead of a strong vanilla like Love's Philosophy, but I might buy it if it were GC; at $27.50 a bottle, though, it's outside my price range, and I'm glad I haven't fallen in love with it.

Edited April 7, 2008 by ClareN