Parthenope

[noumenon]

Honeysuckle, orris, moss, musk, benzoin, oakmoss, and star jasmine.

Wow...the scent is so true to the artwork this could be a salon blend! The mosses and honeysuckle give Parthenope a gorgeous green quality - the scent of early spring, when plants are young and sweet. And the jasmine makes the scent aquatic, just like the green-tinged portrait of Parthenope on the label. The trading card that comes with her says, "It is always by way of pain one arrives at pleasure." Parthenope is one of the sirens who tempts sailors to their doom - in the Lab's interpretation, I think she'd tangle a sailor in river reeds and suffocate him with algae.

I don't own any of the Lab's grass scents, so I could be wrong, but I think this would appeal to grass fans, if the jasmine isn't a turnoff. Here, it makes the blend aquatic without actually stealing the stage for itself. It's unlike a lot of the aggressive green scents of the past year, like Allison Gross and the Singing Moon - there are no herbs in this, just the moss, which is a strong, almost masculine green scent and honeysuckle and benzoin, which are sweeter without bringing any trace of foodiness.

[shriekingviolet]

Initial Impression:

A damp earthy fragrance sweetened with honeysuckle.

 

After Wearing It:

Starts out as a powdery musk tempered with moss and a kick of sweet honeysuckle. I can smell the star jasmine in the background, but it's not too aggressive. It just adds a more floral element to the blend as the honeysuckle smells more sweet (like the nectar on the inside, not much like the petals) to my nose than floral. After it dries, the musk and orris really start to get powdery. Not necessarily in a bad way, but it definitely smells like baby powder to my nose with a kick of honeysuckle and oakmoss. It reminds me of an earthier version of Unseelie that way, which I appreciate though Unseelie wasn't really my thing either. It's sort of serene and gentle in a vaguely outdoorsy way, yet still sophisticated. The baby powder quality doesn't keep it from being grown-up. There's something sophisticated and almost classic about it that keeps this powdery fragrance from evoking images of my tween years experimenting with Love's Baby Soft (which is what I usually think about when I smell baby powder on me). I think it's the hint of star jasmine and the earthiness lurking behind it, but I can't be sure.

 

Final Thoughts:

Pretty, but not really me. I might reach for this occasionally, but I don't think it's my style enough to wear regularly.

[savage_rose]

This is very much a morpher on me. In the bottle it smells like a spicy aquatic, but a darker aquatic. The ocean at night. On, the benzoin emerges with the moss and orris, and creates a dry herbal sweetness with an edge. I can barely smell the jasmine or the honeysuckle, but just. And...it's no longer aquatic! The tide has gone out, and all that's left is an herbal incense. Very interesting.

[schackjj]

"Lookit the cool bottle- Oy! Watch where you point that!"

 

She jabbed the trident in my direction again, drifting easily in the current. "The riddle in the bottle. Answer it."

 

"Rotting seaweed first?" I guessed.

 

Her eyes narrowed.

 

"No? Dead clams?"

 

"How did your kind ever evolve?" She said scathingly, swimming several paces away.

 

"Wait, resemblance to Black Lace in the end!" I shouted after her. "That's it, right?" Too late. All I saw was her silvery tail as she flipped into the slipstream and disappeared.

 

"Can too evolve." I mumbled, as I sat on the seafloor stuffing my new bottle with unwilling shrimp. "I can twirl in circles better'n any ol' mermaid."

[alicia_stardust]

Parthenope is mostly moss and oakmoss on me. There's a touch of powder to it at first. Instead of this going too salty and aquatic and high-pitched, the musk sort of deepens everything into a salty, earthy blend that's green and damp. The honeysuckle and jasmine definitely sweeten things up but the mosses and musk really seem to keep center stage through the duration. The orris and benzoin add a nice touch of duskiness and warmth which keep this anchored as a mysteriously murky and sexy blend with an edge of darkness.

[Brianne]

So sad, jasmine strikes again This goes on like baby powder and then becomes very strong jasmine on me and nothing else. After it's on me a while I start to get the spicy green oakmoss a bit, but it's mostly jasmine on my skin!

[samarablackcat]

In the imp: sweet

 

Wet: jasmine and honeysuckle

 

As it dries: the orris comes and joins in

 

Dry: just a beautiful scent. The moss and oakmoss must help to keep it very centered. Herbal is a very precise descriptor for Parthenope, with a little ocean thrown in for good measure.

 

This is not a typical scent for me...too floral, too feminine, and yet...I keep reaching for this to test again and again. A wonderful and light scent, perfect for summer and warm weather, stays close to the skin. Another 'come hither' scent for me. Oh so pretty and would be wonderful to use while drifting off in an ocean of dreams.

[Lycanthrope]

Parthenope... my decanter gave me her trading card - oh my, she's a naked green glowing girl. She escaped from Captain Kirk?

 

P was on my 'secondary list' of CDs to try, along with Marge and Dai, because of several notes in the description that made me balk. This would be star jasmine, as jasmine is one of those notes that enjoys strangling the heck out of everything else and turning into single note lush, yet stark similarity on me. Yet, this is not at all what happens with Parthenope. In fact, it's very fitting to the astral or aquatic, floating green lady of the label.

 

Oil itself is a rusty orange, in the vial I'd call it smelling of mostly the resinous, sappy bite of benzoin, and some night time, smooth, unassuming florals. No smack of jasmine yet. Wet, the jasmine is more apparent. The entire blend is musky powdery sweet, but so far the jasmine is not overtaking anything. I think the honeysuckle/jasmine combination lends the concoction a very sweet, feminine edge. There are no sharp corners on this scent. Underneath this luminous floral creeps the benzoin. The moss does not leap out and give her a gritty edge, it's just a little color (green!) dappled on her cheeks.

 

Overall - this is a very potent oil, of the night floral category.

[slave1]

PARTHENOPE

 

In Bottle: Floral musk

 

On Skin: This is such a sweet delicate scent. Very close to the skin and “come hither”. It’s sexy and feminine but so very innocent. The honeysuckle and jasmine, both normally heavy sticky sweet notes are actually mellow and provide just the perfect amount of floral sweetness, with the jasmine showing a bit of it’s powdery side. The mosses are earthy but clean. The benzoin is deep and resinous and the musk gives it the sexy tone. I love how this blooms on my skin and think I’ll wear it for when I want to feel positively feminine and girly. Light to medium throw, average wearlength.

[sadtomato]

i had high hopes for this one because i love moss scents, but the honeysuckle amps on me and all i get is sweet, sweet, sweet at first.

then the sweetness dies down and i'm left with more of a powdery aquatic that reminds me of fabric softner sheets.

boo hiss.

i wanted to love this but my whacky chemistry has other plans.

[maribouquet]

Soapy jasmine funk hell. I had to try it, but jasmine is a death note for me, and Parthenope is, unfortunately, no exception.

[Shollin]

First sniff: A light, sweet, elegant floral. It’s very airy and floaty and a little bit green, and fits the lovely lady in the absinthe tank perfectly.

 

Wearing: Jasmine explosion! That sudden flurry of white sweetness fades quickly to a lovely wispy greenness.

[mooncityminx]

In the vial: Jasmine and honeysuckle. This is what real jasmine flowers smell like to me, not the same jasmine as BiggerCritters or other bpal jasmines. Sometimes jasmines smell a little like diaper to me, but this does not.

 

Wet: Very sweet and a little bit aquatic. Ooo, I like that aquatic note, whatever it is. I am becoming overwhelmed with sweet. This is reminding me of the incense I used to buy at the asian grocery store where I used to live. It was bright yellow on red sticks and was sold in clear plastic tubes with an unidentified deity on the front. I always liked to pick up some hell money with it, and the clerks would just look at me like I was the weirdest person they'd ever laid eyes on. I guess because it wasn't something blonde teenagers usually buy.

 

Dry: I'm very glad that honeysuckle is getting a starring role in a fragrance. This is really sweet though, and it's really got a lot of throw. I think I need this, because I have a feeling that after it settles and ages a little it is going to be amazing. I love real jasmine and it is so hard to find unless it costs a fortune. Honeysuckle is one of my favorite notes as well. Plus, the label looks a lot like my Aunt, and I sort of resemble my aunt so I feel a little bit of vicarious thrill, even though the portrait doesn't actually look like me.

 

For Lush addicts this sort of reminds me of their Butterfly bomb and the Jasmine Henna Hair treatment. It's not the same but they would go fabulously together.

[ivyandpeony]

I really love this one! Not being any sort of perfume genius myself, I certainly would have never thought of teaming these slightly-spicy green mosses with rich resinous benzoin and topping it with white florals - but wow, the combination's just amazing. On my skin, I'd say this is a dark and twisty cousin to New Orleans if I had to compare to another blend. I love the artwork and the story behind it, too, and I think they add something to the experience. This one's a keeper for me, definitely.

[sookster]

straight sniff from bottle is jasmine and honeysuckle...

 

once applied loads of jasmine yet it gets tempered by the musk...quite pretty indeed

 

after awhile this gets a bit greener...a great perfume

[gecko]

I thought I would like this one but it's really not me. It smells like a generic floral couture perfume in the bottle. Wet on my skin it goes very soapy (ick) before calming down. I never get any jasmine or honeysuckle which are the notes I wanted. An hour later it's dried into a musk with a spicy top note an a bit of a powdery incense kicker. I'm not familiar with oakmoss but I think that's the note I dislike. Whatever it is it's in a lot of mainstream perfume. If you like earthy and spicy, this would be your thing. I got no aquatic ever, and Sea of Glass likes me so I don't get it.

 

I'm finishing my cycle so I'll try it again in a few days to see if I can get any flowers out of it!

[gchris]

In Vial: Sweet and floral

 

Wet: This is floral but something a little darker, richer and mellow. Getting stronger now. More perfumey, probably the jasmine. Jasmine always smells perfumey to me.

 

Dry: This is perfumey but mellow. Strong. Not for me.

[hipslike___cinderella]

Aah! Parthenope is so beautiful, better than I even expected, and a godsend for all jasmine lovers. It flourishes on me, which is relieving because of all jasmine, star jasmine can sometimes go sour and cause me headaches. The moss, oakmoss, and orris all meld to create a "feel", instead of separate notes. I don't find this as woodsy or aquatic, just a smooth, musky, slippery floral. Before BPAL I always swooned over honeysuckle and I've been searching for the perfect jasmine/honeysuckle blend, and this is perfect... just what I was looking for. I need a bottle.

 

Strong throw, medium-strong wear. You must be smitten with jasmine to do this one.

[filigree_shadow]

Powdery soap. What the hell? How in the world does my skin make a powdery soap scent out of Parthenope? But that's honestly what it's doing. I don't seem to be getting moss or musk or oakmoss out of it -- I thought this scent would be much earthier. But, no. Softly scented sweet jasmine soap. The only way it morphs on me is that the floral notes get more heady, which isn't actually a plus for me.

[butcherbaby]

mmmm.....this one's lovely...and quite a morpher too.

 

in the bottle it smells green. a little greener than i usually like, but with something behind it not usually connected with green in my mind. yes, there's a floral tone to it, but something else- a hint of warmth, spice maybe?

 

wet, it retins that light greenness, but the floral is peeking out too. i smell the honeysuckle more than the jsamine. still a little greenish for me, though...and it seems really light.

 

as it dries, the musk & benzoin start to come forward, and give it an exotic, incensy smell. mmmm, i do love me some incense! the florals are still there, very creamy and melding perfectly with the more exotic scents. by this time i can't reqally detect the mossy greens by themselves, but i am sure they are adding some herbal tone that my nose is just not sophisticated enough to grasp.

i'm really amazed at the gentle beauty of this- i normally like my scents strong and in yer face. this has all the musks, resins, and florals i love, yet it's not overpowering at all. most of the lighter scents i've tried -even pretty ones- don't have that musky incense quality at all. this is like smelling a lovely incense that is in another room, and you are getting the lighter wafts that drift in rather than the full smokiness.

 

my initial impressions are that it is too light for me, but i applied a second layer to write the review and it is more noticable now...and it really smells good. it seems to bloom even more as time goes by. not sure of the staying power just yet, but if it lasts this will be a big bottle for sure. i'd like to have an exotic musky scent that is light enough to wear when a heavy one might not be appropriate.

 

8/8/08 ETA gave this a chance to settle and blend and tried it again. it is even more beautiful now! it reminds me of of something old fashioned yet quite exotic- a perfume that theda bara, pola negri, or allla nazimova might have worn. it's more intense now and i LOVE IT. and it lasts a good long while. big bottle? hell yeah...make that two while you're at it.

Edited August 3, 2008 by butcherbaby

[northatlantic]

Dammit.

 

DAMMIT.

 

I totally didn't think I'd like this one. I didn't order or search out a decant. The notes were a cavalcade of NO - moss? Oakmoss? Star jasmine? Yeah, sounds like death soap from hell to me

 

And then a friend got frimped it in a swap and brought it in to the office.

 

Even though I know nothing good comes of morbid curiosity, I tried it. Because the label art was pretty.

 

I should have known there was nothing benzoin couldn't make wearable. It softens the edges of the notes that would otherwise screech on me, letting honeysuckle float delicately to the top. It feels like the artwork for her, the light delicacy of her hair flowing up, pale musk and orris shimmering softly in the green depths.

 

Crap. Now I have to find room in the budget for another bottle.

[fairnymph]

In the bottle: Medium golden honey colour. Fresh, bright, though somewhat heady feminine floral. Lightly sweet. Honeysuckle and jasmine strongest by far, but orris, some other florals, and very faint moss and sweet benzoin.

 

Wet: Honeysuckle! Definitely by far and away the closest to a SN honeysuckle blend I've tried. Very true and strong. Fresh and mildly sweet, but a bit too much, and with a soapy edge. Jasmine is just below and merges with the honeysuckle, also quite heady, with a powdery edge - like the orris, below it. Florals in command.

 

Dry: Very slow drying oil. Amazingly, so far, not much morphing. The florals, with honeysuckle leading, still reign, but are a bit less overwhelming and haven't gone to powder or soap though the hints are still there. The sweet, resiny benzoin and some gentle musk have emerged and balance the flowers nicely. Mosses still faint.

 

Later: I don't think this will ever dry. Sadly, the honeysuckle has faded such that the jasmine is foremost, and the blend on the whole has gone a bit more soapy and powdery. Orris has amped further. Benzoin still strong, but musk remains light, mosses even more so.

 

Summary: Eventually, this did turn to generic floral, soapy powder on me, alas. The oakmoss never really appeared, and the benzoin and woefully light musk are sweet and grounding, but don't save this blend for me. Definitely feminine, and rather traditional perfumey. Lowish throw and lasting power.

 

I'm not sure why I thought anything could save a blend of orris AND jasmine on my skin, and honeysuckle seems to turn to powder/soap often too.

[darkblade]

I find myself staring at the flow of green hair as it rippled in the light current, entranced. Movement at the corner of my eye loosens the trance, and sensation finally permeates--dampness, on the back of my hand. Blinking, I look down and raise it to sniff. Ew! Was that a cat? Did it just PEE at me? I shake it off and frown. Perhaps it was not a cat. Perhaps it was a hallucination from passing the bar earlier.. but no, the liquid has dried and is still quite distinctly cat pee. I briefly consider rinsing my hand in the pond, but her chill look gives me pause. I continue to walk about the carnaval, and two hours pass... finally, it has tapered out to a mere faint hint of cat pee, with a vaguely unpleasant floral mix. Parthenope's pond is not one I will return to.

 

 

------

 

 

 

Seriously. How did this turn to cat pee?

[Delirium1009]

In bottle/imp: Jasmine. Just lots of smoky, strong jasmine.

 

Immediately on skin: This is very soapy on me, with lots of jasmine and touches of violet/orris. It’s a cooler, slightly aquatic soapy scent.

 

After a little while: Hmmm… hasn’t changed much, except that soapiness is gone. This is still primarily jasmine with a hint of orris. The aquatic feel has receded.

 

Overall Impressions: This wasn’t impressive on me, unfortunately. The jasmine definitely ate all the rest of the notes, except for a little of the orris. So this is mostly jasmine with a little violet thrown in. Pretty, but not really memorable on my skin.

[lilirose]

*sigh* High hopes, turned to nothing more than jasmine and a touch of musk with a gentle, almost aquatic background.

 

I could like the "aquatic" bit if it weren't for the jasmine. Why does my least favourite note always amp the hardest?