Yuki-Onna

[jj_j]

The Lady of the Snow, Winter Ghost, Snow Queen. A chilling, haunted blend of bergamot, lemon verbena, sandalwood and jasmine.

When this first went on, all I got was Lemon Pledge. Mind you, I love lemon, and even Lemon Pledge pleases me to a degree, but Lemon Pledge is reserved for cleaning house. Within five minutes, though, the jasmine was peeking through, and Lemon Pledge with jasmine is a winner, believe it or not. Yuki-Onna wasn't finished, though, and the bergamot crept into the picture, really rounding it out to a bright, heady scent.

I can imagine that the sandalwood with these really gives Yuki-Onna a surreal anchor and completes the picture. Unfortunately, the sandalwood never made it to the surface on me, so it seemed like the scent was lacking completion. I'll wear this as it is, but think it will have more to offer someone witha different chemistry.

[Koumori]

I don't think this one worked with my chemistry, either, as I got the same sort of synthetic "Lemon Pledge" scent, without enough of the other notes to really alleviate the effect. I do love citrus scents, but I'm afraid that they just don't "take" on me. Neither the jasmine nor the sandalwood was really prominent enough to mellow this scent into something else for me.

[allamanda]

Jasmine hit me as soon as I opened the bottle. On applying the Jasmine is still strong, but now I am very aware that it is cut with lemon, enough to make my nose tingle but smells gloriously like sherbet lemons with Jasmine.

 

I'm devastated, this dried to smell like cheap soap on my skin, it now smells horrible. I guess my body chemistry doesn't fit either.

[Nadirah]

Oh how lovely this one is on me!! I thought for sure it had to have some lavender in it! But from the discription there isnt. Its similiar to Oneiroi, but with a crisp clean feel to it. I will definatly get my hands on a bigger bottle of this!

[friendthegirl]

Very lemony at first smell, but there is something lingering underneath, I think it might be the sandalwood. Makes it a little eerie. I haven't tried it on my skin yet though.

[Ina Garten Davita]

First Impression: I smell it too, that lemon Pledge smell. Very sharp and biting.

 

Second Impression: It takes awhile for the jasmine to show herself, but when she does, she's a beauty. This mellows into a lovely scent.

 

Final Analysis: It's nice but not enough to reorder. Poor staying power on my skin.

[Vaniclion]

This is one of the scents that originally caught my eye and made me think 'Oooh, I bet that smells good!'... and it doesn't dissapoint. However, it doesn't do good on me at all.

 

Wet, the lemon verbena is the most powerful note. It's nice, with a dark green undernote which plays around. I can't say I ever picked up the jasmine.

 

On my skin, it very quickly turned to Lemon Pledge... in a bad way. About 30 minutes in, the lemon leaves and is replaced by that dark green scent which, although it isn't unpleasent in and of itself, doesn't do it for me.

 

Gonna try this one on TygherRayn and Salice and see how it does on them... maybe it'll work out better.

Edited June 5, 2004 by Vaniclion

[Scylla]

This one sure is lemony in a lemon Pledge sort of way. However, on drydown it started smelling more like a citronella candle. I like the smell of citronella candles, but I don't want to personally smell like one!

 

I didn't get any mosquito bites yesterday while wearing it, so maybe that's a good thing!

[any_old_actress]

FIRST SNIFF: lemons

 

WEARING IT: lemons, jasmine. this scent is very close to what citronella candles smell like. as it wears on, i smell a little bit of the bergamot and it tones down the lemon just a tad...

 

VERDICT: too lemony for me, i'll pass it along to someone else who may like it better

[Shollin]

First sniff: *sings soprano* LEMON! Chilly, windy, frozen lemon. I remember reading in a science book about a zillion years ago that farmers would spray their groves with water when frost threatened, to give the fruit a protective coating of ice… that’s what Yuki-Onna smells like, thick ice wrapped around a lemon still on the tree.

 

Wearing: The lemon in this is more sharply defined than in my lemon-standard Phantasm, but it’s still very much a lemon-tree scent rather than a lemon-Pledge scent. It doesn’t last very long, but lemon usually doesn’t. I like it – it’s colder than Phantasm, but I’m not sure it’s different enough – I’ll wear and compare one of these days.

[Astra]

At first,Yuki-Onna is all sharp lemon and bergamot, snowy and ice-encrusted rather than fresh and citrusy. This deepens and eventually the richness of jasmine emerges, wispy and lingering beneath the cold.

 

The overall effect is incredibly haunting. It evokes the terrible beauty and terrible cruelty of its namesake in its chilly indifference.

 

Though it is a beautiful blend, it seems to me somewhat generic like some citrus scents end up. This could just be my preferences speaking, though, because I usually like richer, more robust scents. It might not be compelling, but at the very least, Yuki-Onna is worth a try.

[hypothermya]

I have some sort of obsession with Japanese ghost stories and folklore. Yeah, my first order had Kitsune-Tsuki, and I've been lusting after both Yuki-Onna and Hakkotsu for a while, but... Sadly, I don't typically get along with jasmine or sandalwood, but... I had to give this one a try anyhow.

 

First Impression

 

Hm. I don't remember the individual notes right away, but what I get from sniffing the vial is sweet lemon with the slightest bitterness. And...mint! Not a strong mint, but when I get a whiff of it, it seems like a soft sinus clearing sort of mint. It's kind of like inhaling cold, crisp air and feeling it hit the back of your throat. I get the hint of jasmine, but really the floral smell and the resiny smell of sandalwood are hiding here.

 

Wearing It

 

Wet, the sandalwood and jasmine show up. The sandalwood is stronger, and the jasmine is almost an afterthought. This isn't like the heavy, sticky floral in Old New Orleans. And this is softer and lighter than Muse, which goes on as a heavy floral with lime that kicks you in the face. The lemon here is keeping sweet and gentle, and the mintiness gives it just the slightest touch of winter. (although it's so faint, I really have to search for it!) It actually reminds me of the mintiness in Snow White, except not as strong... And, for once, the sandalwood smells good on me, and the jasmine doesn't give me a headache. They're both so light and unobtrusive. The lemon and mint alone would be a bit harsh, but the jasmine and sandalwood help to soothe it, and make it seem less threatening than it really is. And as it dries out more, the lemon smell gains a bit more bitter sourness.

 

 

Ya know, I didn't think I'd like this? Turns out I do. I'm not sure whether this will be an addition to my wishlist for larger bottles, but I'll definitely use up the imp.

Edited August 4, 2004 by hypothermya

[heartbeast]

I got the initial lemon pledge scent in a very nice fresh way, then during the drydown there is a very nice lemon drop phase. Those really nice, old-fashioned lemon drops that are very tart on the inside but have a nice frosty coat of sugar on the outside. Made me think of my grandfather, since those were his favorite candies and he loved to share them with me. That was nice.

 

This straightforward lemony scent hung around for awhile, and then I got an oh-so-brief peek at what I think Beth actually intended: All of the notes were present and in balance; it came out to a sweet-spicy-jasmine-lemon scent that was gorgeous...for about 5 minutes. Then, bang! it settled down to soap. Very fresh, pleasant soap; but soap nonetheless. And within an hour or two: gone.

 

I'd say this is nice for days when I have that "not so fresh" feeling, but if I want that invigorating lemon burst I prefer Storm. However, I will definitely give Yukki-Onna another chance some time, at another point in my cycle and, also, when I'm not having allergy issues. I mean, I can smell--I wouldn't have reviewed if I couldn't smell at all; that wouldn't be fair!--but I'm not up to 100% sniffing capacity.

[Lady_Ell]

Another vote for Lemon Pledge. Then the jasmine comes out in fits and starts. And then it goes Dial soap. This one gives me a raging headache, to be honest.

 

It's more synthetic smelling than the other lemon blends. I much prefer Severin and Old Shanghai and Embalming Fluid.

[k00kaburra]

In bottle: I can barely detect it, but I can definitely make out lemon.

 

On me: Jasmine and lemon; I'm surprised how well they work together. I'm not getting the same 'artificial/synthetic' vibe some of the other reviewers have mentioned, and the scent is somewhat ethereal, just as you'd imagine a ghost to be. It's definitely fleeting, and seems to fade in and out. Funny, I've never had a perfume do that before. The jasmine mellows the lemon so this is never sharp, just a sweet gentle lemon.

[chin]

Yuki-Onna

 

At first it's a bit sharply lemony - it is chilly, "whiter" than the other lemony scents I've tried. It's softly citrusy after drydown, and the jasmine is more pronounced. This is one of my favourites for putting in bath salts - really lovely.

 

In comparison with my other citrusy faves, this is chillier than Phantasm, sharper, not as round. It doesn't have the musk that Phobos does, which I like. It's less sweet than Lobban, and a whole different beast than Aizen-Myoo (which is round and orangey and happy and warm, to my nose).

[yellowrose]

Jasmine. All I get is jasmine and more jasmine. Where's the lemon? And what happened to the promised bergamot?

 

What's more, Yuki-Onna vanishes *poof* within an hour.

 

Since I'm trying this while under the weather, I'll try again another day and post those results.

 

Much, much later ... almost forgot to post the results. Yuki-Onna and all that jasmine just didn't work on me. It went to a good home.

 

yr

 

p.s. did i mention that this is my first encounter with bpal even after two orders? it's also my first review. -- yr

Edited November 19, 2004 by yellowrose

[Gin]

Oh dear. There's an initial whiff of lemon, but this is all jasmine on me. I had hoped the other components would play down the jasmine, but alas, that's not the case.

For Lushies, if you like Flying Fox, I'd wager you'd like Yuki-Onna. Sadly, it's not for me.

 

Edit: After trying it again, I've had completely opposite results.

The lemon and bergamot pop out right away, the jasmine makes a brief cameo, but the sandalwood seems to have missed its cue entirely. I'm left with a simple lemony scent.

[NoirRosaleen]

This is really...weird on me. I get lemon, lemon, lemon, lemon, and after a few hours...there*s the sandalwood. I get a distinct image of sandalwood on one end of the room, and lemon on the other, and they*re not exactly good buddies, but they are uneasy partners...I almost like it. Enough to try it again, at any rate, and I*m starting to realize I HATE lemon as a scent on me, so that*s a little bizarre. We*ll see later, I guess...

[omly]

Nadirah was kind enough to give me an imp of Yuki-Onna in my swap faery package. Without reading any descriptions my first impression was of tea. I am a heavy Earl Grey drinker so I guess that makes sense. Then there was just a hint of lemon and sweetness (from the jasmine I suspect), but no sandlewood. Which is just as well because the three notes I like were the ones the showed up. I really like this, it is a more springtime scent to my June Gloom. It reminds me of drizzly cold days, as opposed to intermittant thundershowers.

[grrrlennyl]

at first: this smells cold, almost icy.

on: lots of lemon and something else sharp. very nice.

1 hour later: very pretty. it reminds me of sweet pea a little.

2.5 hours later: still nice. abit fruity and sweet.

overall: i really like this. i think it will be a good, light oil for the summer.

[shelldoo]

in the vial it was sharp, biting, and not my thing

 

wet: lmeon pledge

 

as it dries it mellows and becomes not loathsome it is still citrussy, but the jasmine (which usually hates me btw) makes it bearable.

 

i didn't have high hopes for this as i am not a lemon fan, and am even less of a jasmine fan but considering the components this was not bad at all

[rainbow]

In bottle and wet on skin- lemon, with something leathery underneath.

 

Wearing- fresh lemon candies with sandalwood. It's a shame sandalwood and I don't get along better, because I love the lemon component of this scent. It's soft, and just a tiny bit sweet- brilliant. Unfortunately sandalwood smells earthy and sweaty on me. As the scent develops the jasmine does temper the sandalwood somewhat, but not quite enough for my tastes.

 

Like all citrus scents this disappeared quickly on me.

[zankoku_zen]

Given the recent experiment with Phantasm, I wonder if I will smell like fizzy lemonade because of this. The cap also seems welded shut... I'm crossing my fingers against spillage.

 

In the Bottle: Smells very sharp. Very clean.

 

On Skin: Still sharp. Still clean. The lemon verbena is very prevalent but not like it was in Phantasm. The jasmine is starting to come out. Mmm...

 

On Drydown: This strikes me as a very delicate scent. Very ethereal. It's very refreshing. This is smelling more like jasmine with a sharp citrus tang but with a spark of warmth from the sandalwood. It fades a bit fast but that's perhaps I used the teeniest amount I could.

 

Verdict: The combination is very haunting and very fresh. It doesn't turn cloying like Phantasm did. I am keeping this one. I don't know if I would ever order more of this necessarily but it make a great summer scent for keeping cool.

[OriginalWacky]

Bottle (Imp): Sultry and fairly smooth.

 

Just On: Quite sultry.

 

An hour or two later: It starts to get a touch soapy, so I'm wondering if there are flowers in it for my skin to wreck.

 

Around 6 hours: A touch soapy, something else.

 

12 hours: <cough> Soap.

 

Overall: My skin chemistry totally screws this one up, so it's a no go for me.

 

After reading other reviews: Okay the sandalwood part was great, but it's becoming apparent to me that for the most part, jasmine just won't work on me. I'm not so sad about that, I'm not much of a floral person anyhow.