March Hare

[Sierona]

From Mad Tea Party:

 

A twisted teatime tart: apricot and sweet clove.

 

This is extremely "Mad" scent! The juicy sweetness of apricot which alot of chaotic spiciness to it... For some odd reason this reminds of of a candle i used to burn for the Yule holidays. But this is a very unique and much loved scent which wears quiet a while ... hasnt needed a touch up in hours. This has got to be an amazing room scent cant wait to try it out!

[Sarah]

Category

Mad Tea Party

 

Review

I've worn this twice so far. In my second order I picked out Katarina for my younger sister, who adores peach/apricot scents, so I was slighly surprised to see that I was given a bunch of peach/apricot-themed samples. It's too bad my sister brushed off BPAL (she claims they're too strong-smelling for her tastes).

 

But I digress... March Hare was the first sample I tried. The first time I wore it, I didn't know what oils were used. On me it was a subtle sweet vanilla, mixed with something else I can't quite put my finger on, possibly a hint of floral. In any case, I thought it was lovely

 

Today I'm wearing it again. This time the apricot is dominant, and it's probably the clove I was smelling the other day. While it's still nice, I still prefer the scent of the first time I wear it. I like it enough to use up my sample, but not to buy a bottle.

 

EDIT: There was already a March Hare topic, so I merged this one into it. --Shollin

[autumn24]

Soft, round, and fleshy apricot blended with a hidden sweet clove bud produces the effect of sticking your nose in a jar of spiced jam. On drydown, the fruit mellows, and the clove remains-- lending a sweet spiciness to the skin and the pale shadow of apricot.

[antimony]

Oh, I love love love this one...

 

I didn't realize how much I loved apricot until I tried Depraved, and now I'm thinking this might even be better.

 

It smells like ripping open a real fresh apricot, and the clove just smells spicy, not dentist-y.

 

And the best part is it lasts all day. Every time I turn my head I catch a whiff coming up off my neck. yum.

[Confection]

This scent is way too strong and it ended up smelling like an apple-cinnamon candle on me. It definately has staying power but might best be used as a room scent!

[bloodlotus]

I must say, though I understand people who object to "strong" scents, I quite love them. Smelling "normal" perfumes (which all of us of course order from BPAL just for this reason, that we hate the weak-heartedness of most perfumes) just pales in comparison to the strength, lasting-power and complexity of these oils.

 

Again, no disrespect to those who find some scents too strong--just wanted to chime in to say that I love bold scents.

 

That being said, I don't find March Hare overpowerintg at all though. It is a very "candle-like" scent. It is so delicious, it makes my mouth water! The tangy, apricot is balanced nicely with the spicy clove. On me, the clove fades in the dry-down but ah, it's good while it lasts!

 

I am in love with this one.

[Belladonnastrap]

March Hare smells like a lovely warm fruity pie baked by you and your best friends on a blustery October afternoon. The apricot is very strong but I had showered with Lush's Skinny Dip so that really brought out the cloves in this. Very spicy and sweet at the same time it's a scent that makes you want to have tea. It very much smells like a candle and has really long staying power but again that might be the influence of the Skinny Dip.

 

 

Not really sure if I'd buy a bottle of this but I'd wear it again.

[Sistinas]

I wore this scent last night and was amazed at how much I enjoyed it. If Elizabeth had not sent this to me as an extra I doubt I would have ever ordered it and it would have been my loss. Opening the vial you smell the apricot foremost. After a bit you smell the clove (i was thinking it might be honey). The spice brings something to the fruit smell to make it more than just another fruity smell imo. This is a nice scent to have for the upcoming warmer months.

[Nadirah]

Its what the description says apricot and clove!! Very sweet and candy like. Which I don't care for too much. I'd rather eat it then wear it, so maybe this is a good thing?? I guess it would depend on who and where you put it!

[darkling]

I tried this scent for the first time this morning.

 

It was a lot stronger than I expected. The apricot scent was somewhat overpowering, with a hint of artificiality that didn't appeal to me. Fortunately, it quieted down in the first half hour. The apricot mingled with the spicy clove and it genuinely smelled like a tart. It reminded me of pastries from one of my favorite restaurants in England. Unfortunately, the scent did not last long after it dried. I had trouble catching a whiff of it after an hour or so.

[jj_j]

I really like the apricot Beth's been using. It's sweet, like a dried apricot, and definitely a bit fuzzy. Combined with just a drop of sweet clove, this has an unexpected strength of character.

 

The clove is so light, and so well chosen to complement the apricot, that I don't get a headache and I really enjoy this.

 

Definitely a purchase.

[blackrayne]

Yummy apricot smell from the bottle! Didn't notice the clove on the first sniff, but now I can smell it alot.

 

I do have to say that I haven't yet tried this on my skin, nor will I, as I am far from a fan of clove, but it is a very unique scent, and the apricot works great with the clove. Time to go search for other apricot based scents that I can wear!

[Becky]

I'm loving this scent! on me its a very warm, ripe apricot. not too spicy with the clove, but definatly not a bright sparkly fruit. its a very warm, encompassing scent. has lasted longer on me than almost any other perfume. I think it would be great in the fall, but also on a hot summer night. I think I may have to buy a bottle for the fall.

 

my sister said I smelled like Christmas. I'm not sure about that, but hey, different noses.

 

[Ina Garten Davita]

First Impression: Apricots soaked in spiced honey. Which in turn reminded me of my favorite scene in Notting Hill...

William: Would you like something to eat? Something to nibble? Apricots, soaked in honey? Quite why, no one knows, because it stops them tasting like apricots and makes them taste like honey... and if you wanted honey, you could just... buy honey. Instead of apricots. But nevertheless they're yours if you want them.

 

Second Impression: Potent, very potent, almost that I couldn't sniff it until it had dried completely and faded a bit (which took quite awhile).

 

Final Analysis: I really like this, I can't wait to try it as a room fragrance.

But it's sweetness and potency would prevent me from choosing this as a personal fragrance.

 

Edited to add: This made a wonderful linen spray/room fragrance. My bed and bedroom smells just like Walt Disney World's Grand Floridian at Christmas. And there is no lovlier smell than that!

Edited April 15, 2004 by andrabell

[any_old_actress]

first sniff: definitely ripe apricots, and i love apricots so it's really working for me

 

on the drydown: the clove (and i smell cinnamon) takes over and leaves the apricot fainting in the background. it almost reminds me of christmas, until you notice the apricot again.

 

final verdict: it has staying power and a little goes a long way. it's more of a grown-up three witches in my opinion, with the apricot thrown in. and even though i wish the apricot was more dominant on the drydown, i'm a sucker, and will be getting a larger bottle of this i think.

[astrid]

Oh my! This smells wonderful! Elizabeth added this sample in my last order and I wore it today. I totally have to buy a 5ml of it! DEEEELISH! Just like an apricot tart!

[Shollin]

First sniff: I AM FRUIT HEAR ME ROAR! If there’s anything else in March Hare, I can’t smell it – this is very bright juicy apricot. Almost liqueur-like in its intensity, as if the flavor has been condensed.

 

Wearing: Juicy! Yum. After a few minutes I can smell the clove on my wrist, tending more toward sweet than spicy. It faded quickly enough that I didn’t feel like I was blasting apricot at work but still has a very faint bakery smell, though the fruitiness is gone, more than twelve hours later.

[quinkel]

Another favourite!

 

After liking Katharina so much, I put March hare on my wishlist and a lovely swap make the wish come through.

 

The abricot is strong in this one but it has a more masculine backtone with the clove. I would call it the male version of Katharina. When I say male i mean it fits also to the male side of a woman. Those days when you feel more manly comming out.

 

It smells like candles too, as my colleques remarked

[paperdoll]

Initial sniff: Holy Crap that's apricot!!!! Very candle-y, very food-y. Very yummy!!!

 

Wearing: Holy Crap that's apricot!!!!! The clove never peeks its head out. I smell like jam.

 

Final impressions: I don't think I like smelling like jam. Maybe I'd like my house to smell like jam? Or perhaps you'd like to smell like jam and I'll swap this to you. I'm not sure yet.

[Reinaluna]

March Hare to me smells like for someone really young. I like it though I use the Imp I have for after I give my I year old daughter a bath I put some on her.

[Donnababe]

Please excuse this very brief review but if you read on you'll understand why...

 

I really wanted to like this, before I received it I was hoping dearly for a wicked version of Burt's Bees Apricot Baby Oil. I apricot jam too.

 

Sadly all I got was a queasy stomach, this made me feel really

 

But going by the 'You Never Know Until You Try' thang I dabbed a teeny bit on my wrist.

 

There is fruit there (very tart) but mostly what I get is CLOVES. It's so strong I have to wash this off right away, this does not agree with me at all.

 

I thought I liked the smell of cloves but this and my similar reaction to Jack is making me think otherwise I didn't even try Jack as it smells much stronger than MH in the vial.

[with coffee spoons]

Wow. This one is strong. A good thing, except that it doesn't agree with me as well as I'd hoped. On me, it goes on smellig exactly like dried apricot, but after ten seconds it goes into full bakery-shop mode. The cloves smell more spicy than like putting my nose to a spice jar, and the overall effect on me is spicy apricot tart, complete with the brown pastry smell. It smells good--it's just that it makes me slightly ill to smell it wafting off my skin, and waft it does. It's been on a couple hours and is still going strong--I think I'll wash it off, simply because I find myself avoiding bringing that wrist anywhere near my face, but I will try it again in a few days to see whether the bakery is a function of chemistry.

[Ms. MSGirl]

Wow, I am really taken with this. It's unlike anything I've ever worn before. At first, it's sheer apricot, but with something making it stronger than the single note oil. I really like it, and I smeared it all over myself.

 

Then it goes through this light, almost lemony phase that is really beautiful, and now finally it is a very candle-y spicy scent, though I can still smell the apricot and the lemon. It's not as foody as I expected it to be, somehow, more like a sensual room/home scent, but I adore it! It has great staying power and is so much stronger and more complex than any of its single elements would indicate. I layered it over honey-scented body cream and that worked great; this is a very adaptable, easygoing, sweet-tempered scent. I never dreamed I would love it so much. I would even like to add it to my big bottle list, if it weren't so damn long already. I know I will use my imp really fast, though, it's already half gone!!

[merveilleuse]

meeh. this one is totally and utterly play-doh! even after waiting a bit for a nice scent to arise. meeeh.

[hypothermya]

I know I shouldn't be so shocked about how wonderful and sweet the people on this forum are, but I am... I got this imp in a swap, not because I swapped for it, but because the person I swapped with threw it in just for fun. Ever since I discovered how yummy the apricot in Katharina is, I've been dying to give March Hare a try.

 

In the Bottle

 

The aprioct and cloves are about in equal parts, and they smell great. In Katharina, when I sniff it in the bottle the apricot is so sharp that it almost makes me feel queasy. This apricot smells sweeter, and more subdued. The cloves are distinct, and smell not like ground cloves but like whole cloves still in the spice jar. I used to smoke clove cigarettes because I loved the smell of the cloves, the smoke, and the vanilla taste on the filter. This smells similar, but better...It doesn't have the sweetness of the vanilla, and it doesn't have the heaviness of the smoke. This is a straight kick of spice.

 

Wearing It

 

This smells yummy. Drying off, the apricot is still strong, but once it dries down the clove takes over the scent. With Katharina, the white musk acts as the backdrop for the apricot, making a sweet, clean backing for the spirited apricot; in March Hare, the apricot is the sweet, clean backing for the clove. The clove isn't so much spirited, as, well, mad. It's like a weasel popping out of a box, in the middle of a middle class livingroom.

 

My boyfriend commented that it smelled a lot like a candle, which I think is due to the heavy clove with the sweet background. I'm reminded of the candles the sell in Hallmark stores that smell nice, but don't have a particular scent. But really, this is better than that, because the apricot smells sweeter, and more *real* than a scented candle.

 

This is a nice, strong scent. It's feminine, with a really spirited kick. It's note the sweet, clean scent that Katharina is, but it's perfect for a day when I'm not feeling quite so comformist as all of that. And it isn't so feminine that I couldn't see a guy wearing this. Actually, I think that it would smell quite yummy on a guy, since the clove is so strong. Mmm... Anyhow, this one is definitely a keeper. I'm not sure I'll be getting a bigger bottle (especially since there are so many other scents that I'll be getting a bigger bottle of), but I'll definitely be using up the imp, and maybe ordering a second imp.