The Sun

[fallow deer]

I just received The Sun as part of a swap, and I've had a big jolt of recognition!

 

A good few months ago, before The Lion was released, I bought a rollerball of what I (and the seller) believed to be The Lion prototype. I was confused when I read the reviews for the prototype of The Lion, since I could not detect any cinnamon in my rollerball and it just didn't seem to match other people's descriptions.

 

I have since bought and enjoyed The Lion.

 

When opening The Sun today, I immediately recognised what was in my rollerball: warm, orangey amber. The citrus is not sharp in any way, but round and full and the amber rounds it out and smooths it further. I still can't detect any cinnamon!

 

I'm sure whoever sold me the rollerball did so in good faith - I'm just pleased that this little mystery has been solved!

[tempete]

Tarot: The Sun is a wonderfully warm, ambery resin that has been gently spiced. Occasionally, the gentle spice vanishes and a cleaner, sweeter smelling phase takes over. In comparison to Sol, Tarot: The Sun feels like a representation of the sun as the giver of life since it lacks the scorching energy of Sol.

[sarada]

The Sun is pure, glistening heliotrope -- one of my favorite notes, and very similar to the drydown of Leo. It is a hard-to-describe scent, but unmistakeable once you've come across it a couple of times. Although it is a floral it doesn't smell like a flower -- it reminds me more than anything of a thin coating of sparkling golden dust. Slightly sweet, like powdered amber resin. There might be something else in this but I really can't sense anything except that amazing heliotrope smell, which is unlike anything else. I was afraid of this scent a little because I thought it would be citrusy (it lacks any kind of citrus tang as far as I can tell) or spicey (no spice either except its natural warmth) but it's coming through all heliotrope to me. I can see where it can come across as a variety of things, from an unsweet/nontropical coconut, to a glimmering honeysuckle powder, to amber. Those all suggest the sun to me as well! It dries down to what I would equate with a hazy summer day, the light diffused through a powdery veil of clouds.

 

Since I'll probably never catch another glimpse of Leo, I will be getting some of The Sun if I can, for that shimmering golden halo that I love so much. It also reminds me of the golden glimmer around the edge of Greed without its darker layers and without that strong cherry smell in the beginning (also indicative of heliotrope, though not in this blend so much).

 

This is glorious. I hope I can get a bottle before summer's over, but it might be nice to have The Sun to warm me in the autumn and winter as well.

Edited July 9, 2005 by sarada

[yeahbutnobut]

The Sun

 

In the imp: a sweet, warm, lightly spiced, maybe fruity smell. Reminds me of the Stations of the Sun.

Wet on skin: mmm, this is a warm, fuzzy smell that reminds me of sweeties! There's also a bit of liquorice, which is unusual.

Dry on skin: this is really nice! It's a very sweet, laid back smell, it feels comforting and warming. It's hard to describe, but it reminds me of sherbet, and has a slight fruity-spicy thing going on. There might also be a slight hint of herbs or maybe some frankincense, but it's not very apparent. And maybe there could be peach or apricot here, possibly some citrus fruits.

After a while: there's a sweet smell that is either amber or apricot, it's halfway between fruity and resinous. It reminds me of Ahatoor and Ra mixed together, but more muted and gentle. There could be heliotrope in this, as something about this scent is slightly Eclipse-ish, but warmer, lighter and more 'glowy'. The only problem is that it seems to fade quickly.

This really does fade fast, after half an hour I need to really sniff my wrist to smell it, but leaves a lovely amber-heliotrope glow of scent close to the skin.

And then, about an hour or so later, something amazing happens. The scent is still there, I thought it would fade completely, but it doesnt-and it leaves a lovely soft scent of amber/fruit/heliotrope and...musk. This smells just like sun warmed skin. Wow. This blend really lives up to it's name.

Verdict: this is a lovely, comforting scent. This is not the fierce and harsh heat of the sun, this is the warmth of summer, the optimism that comes with a sunny day, and feels laid back, like a lazy sunny afternoon, this scent is full of light and it glows. When I wear this, I feel like a cat basking in the sunshine. It's hard to describe exactly what it smells like but it reminds me of fruit sherbet, it's very sweet with some spicy or resinous scents to make it more interesting. Eventually it fades and leaves a scent eerily reminiscent of sun warmed skin. This is a gorgeous blend of complex scents that merge to form a scent that encompasses the most positive aspects of the sun. I'm not sure if I'd like a whole bottle as this one fades a bit fast, but I'm keeping the imp because I really like this.

I thought I'd also add that the weather today was very appropriate for this particular blend.

Edited June 23, 2005 by yeahbutnobut

[coulrophobe]

I get orange and amber out of this... and something else that's soft, sweet, and blends in nicely - vaguely floral - is that the heliotrope? I can't for the life of me remember what heliotrope smells like! Anyway... I don't get any spices, but this blend is perfect as is.

 

To me, it's very innocent smelling. And a bit unexpected. The image it conjured up in my weird little noggin is a blonde child playing, on a day that's sunny but not hot - then he's called over by his mother, one of those impossibly elegant ladies who are always dressed in hats, Jackie-O shades and black silk dresses (and you know she smells just as expensive as she looks) - she appears austere, but she has those orange-slice shaped gummy candies - the ones covered in sugar - tucked away in her purse.

 

Uh... I ramble. But yeah. I really like this one.

[OriginalWacky]

Bottle (Imp): Sweet, dry, and bright yellow.

 

Just On: Oohhh this is beautiful. It's sweet, with a tinge of dryness. Color is bright yellow, with hints of orange swirling through it.

 

An hour or two later: Okay, it's not nearly as sweet. It's much more dry, and a vivid orange like the sun.

 

Around 6 hours: Oh so dry, and parched. Sandy orange color.

 

12 hours: A last whiff of sandy dry sun.

 

Overall: I really like this one. I am probably going to have to order a bottle somehow.

 

After reading other reviews: I didn't really get the citrus specifically out of this one. Some oils produce a vivid color association, and this is one of them.

[wickedgoddess]

Wet - this smells warm. There something citrusy and what I presume is heliotrope. So far it's very light.

 

Dry - As it dries the scent matures and puts out a bit of throw, but it's still on the light side. Orange, helioptrope and just the tiniest bit of cinnamon. The Moon is one of my all time favorite scents, and this is definitely it's compliment. If this was a bit bolder, I would be loving this too, but it's a bit too light for me.

 

On the wickedgoddess scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being best, this rates a 3.

[Penance]

Origin:

 

Lagniappe from BPTP.

 

First sniff:

 

Warm and citrusy. The second I opened the imp to sniff this I got an instant mental image of warm sunlight so intensely that I could almost feel it. I don't normally like citrus scents (unless it's grapefruit), but something about this is speaking to me. I smell lemon and what could be orange and amber. This scent is positively golden.

 

Wet on skin:

 

So warm and comforting smelling. I don't think I've ever had a mental reaction this strong before - I definitely wasn't expecting this. Wearing this, I feel like I'm wrapped in sunshine, like there's nothing to worry about and that all I have to do is just lay back and let life take its course (something that is a huge comfor to me right now). The Sun, in its wet stage, smells like amber (thankfully it's not turning into sour milk) and lemon drops. This is miles away from my normal scent choices, but I'm really loving this!

 

Dry down:

 

This smells like bottled sunshine to me. Warm, golden amber and bright, soft, sunny lemon. I normally hate lemon and have a tumultuous relationship with amber, but this is working beautifully. I'm not sure I'd need an entire bottle, but this is so beautiful and so warm in a way that I link with physical and emotional comfort.

 

The bottom line:

 

I don't remember what The Sun represents off the top of my head, so I can't say whether this captures its namesake's meaning, but I can say that I'm very happily surprised by this one.

[quimerula]

This is a bright scent indeed.

I get a touch of orange and a bit of honey, and a green bottom line when dry.

It's very optimistic.

[Shollin]

First sniff: Searingly bright citrus over warm wood.

 

Wearing: This is The. Perfect. sun scent. It’s bright, it’s warm, it’s very yellow. It does fade pretty quickly, but the base is a fantastic soft warm red sandalwood that sticks around.

[grrrlennyl]

at first: very bright. citrus and spice.

on: very warm and rich. interesting.

1 hour later: warm, but i can't pick anything out.

2 hours later: very faint, but still warm.

overall: this isn't really "me", but i like it. i'll be using it for meditation.

[Savannah]

I knew from the reviews that I had to have this scent, and I finally got my hands on a sample.

 

It's everything I'd hoped it would be. Bright and warm and strong without being blaring, hot or overpowering. I get bright but not too-sweet citrus, definite heliotrope, warm frankincense, delicious golden amber, and I think just possibly a touch of cinnamon. This smells just like Ra minus the green herbal note I disliked so much in Ra. It's PERFECT. I've already ordered my 10ml!

[Blood onmy hands]

The Sun was very hard for me to place. First on it smelled very citrussy, but a citrus with a dirty edge... reminded me of the way that grapefruit usually turns on my skin. But there was something warm, golden, and slightly powdery underneath that. Perhaps amber?

 

It gets more resinous and powdery as I wear it. And every once in a while I think I'm catching a whiff of jasmine, but it's a highly sugared sort of floral smell.

 

Very odd. The Sun only lasted about an hour on my skin... it disappears pretty fast. I probably won't get a full bottle of this one. It's a rather unremarkable citrus on me.

[aidenraine]

Apparently the Sun is a big ol' orange (er, at least when it's wet.)

 

I always suspected it was an orange.

I am getting straight, virgin mandarin orange with this when it's wet.

Let me sit with it for a little bit

 

(with my SPF 60)

 

This is becoming somewhat rosey-floral underneath the mandarin. It's definitely an orangey-red fragrance.

 

It dries down to something pink, floral, and pretty faint. Hmmmmm, not a winner for me.

[alicia_stardust]

Initial sniff: I was disappointed. It smelled citrus to me, in a way that reminded me of cleaning products and lemon pledge.

 

BUT THEN!

 

Dry: as this dried down I suddenly got a light floral, very uplifting and warm, and I kept thinking of the words warm, golden, sparkling, and sun. It definitely fits.

 

A keeper!

[Hawke]

In the vial, this is lemon Jolly Rancher candies to me, clear and hard and bright yellow.

 

Wet, the lemon is immediately muted by a musky vanilla that softens it and makes more a scent and less like candy. It is cheerful, though. It's a very confident, shoulders back sort of scent.

 

And then, as it dries, the lemon all but disappeares beneath the mustier scent and it warms up, actually smellng warm. Like warm skin with just a little sweetness left behind. Definitely reminds me of summer and bright days.

 

Dry, it's a very *dry* scent, in every sense. It's still warm, musty skin, but musty in a good way. This is a cheerful ego boost in an imp.

[mdargen]

The Sun is the perfect beach scent.

 

It is warm, comforting, and I swear you can feel the sun on your shoulders when you wear it. The first time I wore it I could close my eyes and see my perfect beach on Bali. It is a golden sunset.

 

I will be buying a bottle of this.

[sophia_helix]

This is really a lovely oil. It's very sweet at first (I thought it was honeysuckle, but now I read the reviews and realize it was heliotrope), and then citrus notes come in. I'm usually not a fan of citrus (lemon = ick on me), but instead this is more like a sweet orange, a satsuma or something. It's all quite creamy and sweet, with maybe a touch of amber.

 

An hour in, the spices do show up, and I think I detect cinnamon. It's definitely a second-skin scent.

 

I feel like I'm echoing everyone else, but I'm actually just pleased I had the same reaction, since I often don't like popular oils. But this is really just a lovely mix of sweet floral, juicy/sweet fruit, and that bit of spice and resin. I wore it on a freezing cold, cloudy day, and I swear to god, five minutes after I got to the bus stop the sun broke through, shining warmth onto my face, and all the clouds have disappeared.

[eleniangel]

In the bottle, it's grassy citrus that smells a lot better to me further away. When I put it on, the heliotrope and the citrus bloom into a wonderful orange/flower scent. It gets sweeter as it dries down, bright and not over whelming. I'm definitely putting this in the order pile.

[LittleGreyKitten]

The Sun is lovely. I wasn't thinking I would like it at all- heliotrope? Cinnamon? Both usually are Teh Suck on me. Instead, I get a wonderful bright, honey-amber-barelycitrus scent. It's phenomenal, and is extremely sunny, yet not overwhelming. I love it. I'd get a 10mL, and probably will eventually. This is very, very similar to Haunted Palace from the Demon in my View series. Like REALLY similar. Not identical, but if I ever use my Haunted Palace 5mL up The Sun will definitely be a great substitute, enough that I really won't have to hunt up a new bottle.

 

I'd give it a 5 out of 5.

Edited February 6, 2006 by LittleGreyKitten

[filigree_shadow]

In the imp, it smells bright and cheery. On my skin it also smells bright and cheery. Maybe there's some orange blossom in there. Sweet and pretty. Sparkly. Very fitting for The Sun card.

[maijasu]

On me, this scent is very warm and subtle. The only note I can detect for sure is the amber, and maybe some sort of spice. I don't smell any citrus. It's lovely and I will keep my imp, not sure about a full bottle yet.

[juniperus]

First sniff: Orange Crush. Second sniff: no... baby aspirin - there is a bitterness here. Bitterness increases on my skin, a bitter green/ floral under the citrus. Bottom note that I can't identify can't compete with the bitter quality to whatever note dislikes me so. Just grows increasingly sharp.

[nightbird]

In the bottle, this smelled lemony and bright, very cheerful. I put it on with some trepidation (remembering how Embalming Fluid turned into lemony Pledge furniture polish on me). The scent quieted down so much that I can't even smell it an hour later. my husband thinks it smells a bit like the bug repellant Off, but I definitely don't get that scent at all!

 

I like it very much, but it doesn't last very long. The problem may be that I'm testing Wheel of Fortune on my other arm, and maybe the scent from that is interfering with my ability to enjoy The Sun. I'm definitely going to test it again.

 

rating: 4/5

Edited July 13, 2006 by Nightbird

[m13]

I didn't get any of the scents most everyone notes in their reviews above. On my skin, a bright shot of heliotrope (no citrus, no spices, no honey) quickly dried down to sun-dried plastic. Obviously not for me, but I liked it in the bottle -- even though I can't pick out any specific notes when I whiff the imp. So I plan to celebrate the Sun turning up in the "coming soon" or "final outcome" ipositions in tarot layouts by using this oil as a room scent.