Lampades

[tart]

The Lampades are the darkly beautiful nymphs of the underworld, also called the Lethe Nymphae Avernales. They are the daughters of the Gods that govern the many rivers of Hades. The Lampades are Hecate’s torch-bearers and accompany the Goddess on her hunts, quests and revels. Their scent is the crisp, inviting bittersweet tang of cranberry with smoky dark lilies, heady, sensual musk, a tingle of ginger and a brush of Mediterranean spices. (Gender neutral)

Wet: Oh goodness, this is so...! I didn't know I could wear cranberry. It's mostly just tart, not too much spice or floral coming through.

Drying: An earthly scent starts emerging. The scent seems to be swirling in a way, with cranberry being interrupted by the other notes. I think I can smell the ginger, and perhaps it's the musk grounding this scent.

As for a color, Lampades is like a clean rooster red. Not heavy, not overbearing. Perfect for fall.

I find that this scent lasts a very long time, and doesn't fade or morph too much on me. I've been layering a bit of Dana O'shee over it, to give it a softer feel. Edited September 17, 2007 by clover

[kittysquared]

Definitely smell the cranberry right off. I do not detect any floral scent that should be coming from the ginger and lily. There is a beautiful undertone of warm spices. Think of walking into a small, boutique candle shop (not the olafactory horror that is Yankee Candle Co., or as my husband refers to it, "Yucky Candle"), and that is something like how Lampades smells. It seems to be an autumn scent to me.

 

I am loving this scent. It gives me a feeling like comfort food.

[Salice]

Okay. On first sniff, both out of the bottle and on my skin, this is screaming to be in an oil burner, filling a room with its scent. I'm not sure I can handle wearing it as a fragrance, as it's very fruity. Very. The cranberry is delightful and reminds me of cooler weather, which I really enjoy thinking about this time of year.

 

The spice, if it's here, is sweet and hiding beneath the bright fruit and sticky flowers. Even as it dries down, though, it seems to linger with the sweetness that I just can't abide by on my skin, with nothing to balance it out. The musk is appearing, but slight, and the spice is dancing into view, but still not enough for me.

 

Don't get me wrong. I love the scent. On someone else, or in a room. Or darkened up with something else, maybe. I'll play around.

 

In the end, the drydown went very, very soft. Tygher says it smells like Bordello does on me, so that may help people out in a slight comparisson. I can barely smell the remnants, 3 hours after I put it on. My skin must love it, to be so selfish.

Edited August 22, 2004 by Salice

[TygherRayn]

I was inordinately excited when I read about this scent, and to have it show up as a freebie just made my night lastnight! But I was testing too many scents to be able to give this one a go then. but tonight ... it's time for Hades' nymphs to get a moment in the spotlight. Er ... torchlight?

 

In the bottle: Sweet. Cloyingly sweet almost. Almost like a deep red wine, but somehow without all of the tartness that comes with them. I belive that's the cranberry I'm smelling .. and I do hope that note shows up in other things, as it's lovely. I do get a bit of a floral tone from this too .. but it's again like too-ripe something. Flowers just past their peak, that the heat is wilting and baking and the scent fills and surrounds you.

 

Wet: Still the heady, winey fruitines, but it's not as thick or sugary once I apply it. I play a game. Age of Mythology. I have the Titans expansion. When you play one of the Gods, you get Lampades to defend your city. I love them, because they sound all mystical and spooky. In the game, their blood is caustic. That's what this smells like to me. This is the blood of the Lampades .. so sweet but deadly when spilled. It warms too, on me. more spiciness comes out, where it didn't on Jason.

 

Wearing: I like this. No. nono, I LOVE this. "Loves it." It's Bordello and Old Morocco and something new all blended in one for me, just a bit of spice with the sweetness of the cranberry, and it's heavenly. Defintiely a fall scent .. though I could wear this year-round.

[pekeana]

In the vial: cranberry, cranberry, sweet & spicy.

 

On me: sweet, sweet, sweet... then the lilies kick in and it all fades to nothing. I never got the musk, ginger, or spice.

 

I'm so disappointed! I really wanted to love this one, as I adore cranberry. But, alas... *siiiiiigh*

[babykitty]

Cranberries?

 

Smells like tropical fruit juice--mango & passion fruit! Very tart & makes my mouth pucker & water! I'm serious! I love it. Reminds me of summer or the tropics rather than anything autumnal.

 

Now I'm thirsty.

[diabolique]

in the bottle, i couldn't decide if i liked this one. it was on the "this is good, but oooh look at the other goodies!" list, basically. well, since neo-tokyo has completely faded from my skin, i decided to try it.

 

mmmmm! i barely smell the cranberry. in fact, i had no idea it was in here, but now that i do, i get whiffs of it every now and then. my impression of the lampades is a darkened peach color, but not "country" peach. it's more of a tropical peach that's almost red in some spots. it's very smooth. the ginger and mediterranean spices are probably what makes me think, "oh my exotic gods!"

 

this reminds me of titania a lot, only more sophisticated. it seems much more earthy than titania, like the lampades could be titania's mother. they're both very floaty and exotic, fleeting and untouchable. i would imagine kali being the lampades best friend.

Edited February 2, 2005 by diabolique

[lucymoonstar]

This is the first Imp I tried out of my second order and fell in love immediately!!

Initially wet - I smelled more sweet strawberry than tangy cranberry - with a mixture of sweet vanilla and a little spice.

After this was on my skin - I could still smell more like sweet strawberry with a touch of spice and vanilla - more like sweet incense. I may be smelling a little of the musk but I don't smell any floral lily fragrance to this at all.

This was actually a freebie that came with my order and I loved it so much it was the lucky #1 scent chosen.

This is on my list for 5ml!!

[lorajc]

I just got a sample of this and was so excited as it sounds like something I'd really like. This is definitely one of those scents that doesn't "get going" until the dry down. If you try this, you must wait at least an hour before judging it. When wet and for about the first hour, this is very tangy with a hint of something bitter that smells sort of like garlic, but I think it must be the ginger I'm smelling. That goes away as it dries down and as it dries, the tang of the cranberry eases off just a bit and the spices and ginger surface and soften the tang. This dries down lovely and is really long lasting. I've only had it on for a few hours this morning, but I tested it on my arm last night and I could still smell it in the crook of my elbow this morning before I showered. I'm glad I have a large bottle on order. This is beautiful.

[Northernminx]

Oh dear.

Oh dear.

Oh dear.

 

I put this on before bed last night on a whim and spent half the night wondering what that unearthly gorgeous smell was.

 

Cranberry, sharp and tart and fruity and a stunning counterpoint to an underlying spiced muskiness. This is reminiscent of Titania, but the tartness and jusicness are so different that there's no possible way I could pick. I get very little floral, mainly on the last stages of drydown where some of the lighter flowery scent peeks in juuust a bit.

 

Keeper. Definitly a keeper.

[Astarte]

This is absolutely divine, all the tartness and juiciness of cranberry tempered by a low spicy note, tinged by a luscious musk. Very fruity and is akin to Titiana as mentioned in the juiciness stakes but the spices and musk give it a good grounding to keep one of Lampades delicate feet definitely in the earth.

 

Very glad I have a 5ml of this.

[SilverGarland]

In the bottle: Jackfruit. I see colors, and I'm not even using any drug at the moment.

 

On the skin: Smells like jackfruit but that goes away quick. Those Japanese gumballs that come in boxes of 4. Smells very grape-y, apple-y, sweet yet very magical.

 

30 seconds later: Smells the same as mentioned above, but is now lighter and has aquatic florals (if such things exist) coming in. Makes me think of shimmering, sparkling crystal-clear blue-green lake in the middle of a green forest with beautiful and fantasy flowers floating in it.

 

Drydown: It's still the same. This perfume smells like what one would smell if one is suddenly transported into an enchanted forest where there is a beautiful lake.

 

This is something that scents made by Escada (Sexy Graffiti, Ibiza Hippie, Island Kiss) and Bora Bora tried to be, but failed.

 

The final verdict: I'll keep this imp to wear it, but I probably will not purchase. Of course, this is only because I'm so crazy about Alice. If I'm ever sick of it, Lampades is probably what I will purchase.

 

UPDATE: I am so getting a 5ml of this when the imp is used up.

Edited September 10, 2004 by SilverGarland

[Reinaluna]

Lampades reminds me a lot of Hollywood Babylon. Its a deep, sweet , spicy and kind of syrupy scent. I have a large bottle of this on the way and im sure I will be real satisfied. Lampades is very mystical and exotic and not to fruity. A good choice!

Edited September 14, 2004 by Reinaluna

[TheDarkMother]

This was another freebie in my last order.

 

In the Bottle: A nice fruity cranberry with just a hint of musk. I love this smell already. I hope that it stays true on me!

 

On Me: I can smell the cranberries as long as my nose isn't to my wrist. Otherwise there is this citrus smell backed by a fantastic mustiness. Almost the smell of tangerines that have fallen from the tree and ripened on the ground.

 

I imagine a woman, beautiful, sexy, flirty standing in an orchard with a come hither look on her face. The young man pauses, obviously enraptured by her playful eyes. She motions him towards her and he follows the simple grace of her twirling fingers. Onward he comes, oblivious to the cracking of the leaves and twigs at his feet, the dry crunching noises beneath his boots. He comes to her, and she opens her arms wide for him to enter her embrace. He steps into that sacred circle and takes her into his arms, thier lips meeting, bruising against one another. Her lips are warm, moist...then dry like paper.

 

He looks up, startled, and find that her eyes are pitch black, like the darkest obliette. He steps back as she begins to smile, her lips peeling back like the petals of a dead onion, her teeth sharp and jagged like rocky peaks surrounded by a red, spongy sea. His feet crunch once more and he looks down in horror. It was not leaves that he walked across, but bones...human bones.

 

He looks into those dead eyes and tries to scream, but no scream comes. The scent of the orchard is still in the air, tantalizingly sweet, but the lingering scent of a tomb just beyond his full comprehension. The creature steps towards him, her once delicate fingers now like sharp branches and hitches in a breath for the final keen.

 

And then...she shall feed.

[hypothermya]

First Impression

 

Tart, tart, tart. Yummy. (I actually put this down to go get myself a glass of cranberry juice before I realized that we didn't have any left. Put cranberry juice on shopping list, and went back to sniffing at the imp.) Just the slightest undertone of spice and flowers.

 

Wearing It

 

This is one of the few times when I wish musk didn't have such a dominant love relationship with my skin. Most of the time, it's alright, but with Lampades and Bewitched, it just knocks the fruits out of action. The first couple of minutes I could smell cranberries (how similar to Swank it smells!) and lily and spice and musk; after about ten minutes I smell musk and lily and a small amount of spice and juicyness. (still makes me want cranberry juice, damnit.) It's delicious smelling, but I'd love to have more juicyness.

 

Lasting Power

 

The scent itself lasts for a good long while, but once again the fruit scents dissapear too quickly. Still a good scent, though...

 

 

This one reminds me a ton of Swank -- but with more of a feminine, dark, spicy quality to it. And like Swank, I enjoy it, but I'm still trying to figure out whether it's a keeper or not. Chances are I'll hang onto the imp until I've gotten thoroughly addicted. And perhaps I'll try mixing the two and seeing what comes out of that...

[Nepthys]

I never thought anything with cranberry in it would smell good on me, so I was hoping the other notes would trump it. I was wrong; this is a pure floral-cranberry on me and it is gorgeous. I don't get any of the musk, ginger or spices but they must be doing their work behind the scenes because this is just so fresh and pretty. It's sophisticated and light at the same time. Definitely something to wear on a fall night.

[Ina Garten Davita]

First Impression: Whoa, knock your socks off tangy cranberry.

 

Second Impression: This is strong. Sharp and tangy cranberry is all I can smell. This may be way too fruity for me.

 

Final Analysis: Me and fruit, we just don't play well together most of the time. I don't get any of the lovely lillies, musks or spices. Just sharp and tangy berries. A bit much for me.

[alizarin]

Wet, Lampades is a splendid tart, tangy cranberry.

 

Dry on me it fades to a soft vaguely sweet floral, the cranberry pretty much disappears and the lilies take over. It's pretty but too soft for me.

[omly]

In the bottle & Dry Down: Wow cranberry! I love cranberry so much, can you tell I grew up in bog country? I don't get much else at first but I wish I can have

 

On my wrist: The musk started to come out at first but within 20 minutes this was just a faint floral.... nothing else

 

On my upper arm: On a lark I also applied this on my upper arm since this disappeared so quickly on my wrist. I can pick out the ginger now. Like TheDarkMother I get a sharp citrus note, but mine isn't tangerine it is more of a grapefruity smell. Then the musk rises up a little bit pushing aside the cranberry.

 

Interesting, but in the end not something that I can apparenty wear on my skin. I will try it in a scent locket, but if it doesn't work out I may have to swap it.

Edited September 27, 2004 by omly

[Larila]

Lampades: from bewitching Brews, I had no trouble at all with this oil, It was a freebie from the lab and I thank! the lab for that because it's awesome.

 

Going on wet perfect! smelling the cranberries mostly and ginger, these two notes together unbelieveable, I can't stress enough about this cranberry note.

I had no idea how beautiful the cranberry was.

 

Drying down the cranberry and ginger still ahead, I got a musk scent behind that was a bit of a smokey spice, It lasted on me over fourteen hours,I kept on sniffing and It's not a heavy scent , I can't say enough about lampades, I love it I've got to get a 10ml bottle or maybe two or maybeeee!

 

[feline.by.design]

I agree with Reinaluna, this smells a lot like Hollywood Babylon to me. And seeing as how I've recently put in an order for a 5 ml bottle of Miss Holly Babs, this is a good thing.

 

An even better thing is that I was sent two imps ears of Lampades. Goody for me, as I love this fragrance. I'm getting a sweet cranberry lick mumbled with a bit of spice to keep it sassy. This seems like Hollywood Babylon's more mature cousin.

 

Great staying power, too. Once I use up one of the imps I'll likely get a bigger bottle, since it doesn't smell too similar to Hollywood Babylon, and I could always use some more sniffs that make me feel like a sexpot. I'm deliberating if I should give away Lampades or if I should keep it to myself.

 

Oh, and a final note: the boy likes the fragrance. So much so the bugger bit me!

 

-doreen

 

Edited to add that my skin seems to naturally exude a cinnamon oil, as Lampades' spice is starting to smell like a mild cinnamon stick on me. Weird, but delicious!

Edited September 27, 2004 by feline.by.design

[leslie260]

Fruit scents usually end up too sweet on me...but Lampades stays tart and rich on my skin! The initial smell is a bit medicinal and strong, but it really settles into a deep, red smell that lasts for quite a while. This was a freebie in my last order and it will probably end up being a purchase for me.

[fullmoondanz]

Tart, creamy, fruity, deep and heady. After about 30 minutes, the lilies peek out a bit, to sweeten up the tartness of the berries. And underneath it all, a bit of spice (there's the ginger), and I swear I'm getting citrus, too. Lime, maybe?

 

Anyway, at Christmas my grandma always made cranberry relish. Fresh cranberries, raisins, celery, walnuts, with just a touch of sugar added to cut the puckery tartness of the berries. Plus, she always served the relish in an elegant cut glass bowl. So it looked as good as it tasted. That memory, to me, is how this oil smells.

Every time I catch a whiff of this scent, I'm taken back 15 years to those Christmas dinners. <sniff. my eyes are getting misty.> Wow, talk about a walk down memory lane. In a good way!

 

Love this, and it's on my "big bottle purchase" list.

 

claire G.

[xoe]

There's really not much to add here. It is cranberry! And then lightly flora, spicy light musk. In her review, lorajc said to give it an hour before judging. But on me, after an hour it is gone. I guess my skin really loved it!

[ChupaChup]

Most fruits don't work too well on me so it shouldn't have surprised me that Lampades and I wouldn't get along, but I just had to try it, it sounded so good. I definitely get the strong cranberry smell, it's very tart. I kept wishing it would mellow out but it never did and somehow, it made the spices smell kind of yucky on me Off to swaps.