The Girl

[Blood onmy hands]

A seductive, serpentine white scent, elusive, crystalline, and spellbinding: white amber, silver birch, immortelle, davana, pale musk, star jasmine, and ylang ylang.

In the bottle, this smells like a clean, clear, crystalline, sweet musk with a touch of powder. I also get a dry floral smell that reminds me very strongly of Chrysanthemum Moon.

On my skin, this smells like dry, incensey flowers dipped in gold with a vanilla-musky sweetness and handful of dry leaves tossed in for good measure. It's like Chrysanthemum Moon and Antique Lace had a very autumn-appropriate baby.

The Girl is lovely, and the amber here isn't even going powdery on my skin. It's a soft, sweet, delicate fall scent that smells sort of mysterious on me. I'm surprised at how much this smells like Chrysanthemum Moon on my skin. It's like Mum Moon, but better .

[Dark Alice]

I see what all of the hype is about. This is light...definitively crystalline...and gorgeous. The amber is light...the jasmine is non-existent and it is simply lovely. I think I will stick to my decant...or try to find a partial of this...but a full bottle will not be necessary.

 

ETA: Jasmine just doesn't do well with me. In any form. As pretty as this is....a decant will definite do.

Edited September 23, 2009 by Dark Alice

[satinworship]

Ah, this is an out of the park smash hit! The halloween scents have been such a roller coaster of surprises.

 

I'm always searching for pale+floral that doesn't turn my skin into a flower shop and give me a headache. So I thought I'd try this one, even though I had low expectation. But wow, this is really nice. None of the florals in this amp too much, and the musk doesn't turn nasty at all. This blends into a really nice powder, slight pale musk, and some captivating creepy flowers.

 

I've tried most of these notes in other blends with no success, but somehow everything here is just the right blend to give off a really nice scent without being overwhelming.

 

When I first put The Girl on, it seemed pretty flat, just kind of a nice, wounded innocent kind of smell. But then it really started to swell and get more complex. This has kind of a sad quality to it, but it remains very clear. After about 6 hours it started to lose some of the complexity, and powdered out into a very soft sweet scent.

 

I could go for a couple bottles of this!

[milo]

I'm probably one of the few that is not Wowed by this blend. A soft, musk with a bit of dried flowers of the delicate kind. However, the musk or birch smells a bit like skin musk to me, a note that I do not like. This is quite 'cologney' on me, like most skin musks become, but not to the extreme, as in say, The Illustrated Woman. There is some caramel sweetness along for the ride here, with the musk that I'm not liking either. I've heard that there is such a thing as Birch Tree Syrup, and is extracted like Maple Syprup, so maybe this is what's causing the sweetness. Kind of translates into a vague acrid bitterness to this blend that I'm also not enjoying. Thankfully, it fades pretty fast on me. The decant is more than sufficient here.

[opticnerd]

At first, the Girl was love at first sniff to me, and could do no wrong. I was all ready to go and get many bottles of it as soon as finances would allow, but then something happened. In later testings of it it started getting just a bit too cologny with the musks and what may or not be the birch. I still like it, but I wonder if its threatening to turn into a masculine scent on me the way mossy scents often can.

 

My first application of it was just a knockout win. I got crystalline notes similar to champagne without the boozy/sour/fruity tone. Just sparkling crisp airy goodness, and ethereal swirls of silvery shimmery *can't put my finger on it* loveliness. The florals and ambers I feared so much didn't show themselves at all, but something sweet and delicate and absolutely intoxicating did. Maybe that was silver birch? No idea but it was just gorgeous. LOVE.

 

Later applications were similar, but the crispness and delicate woods (probably the birch) started feeling hard and musky and possibly masculine on me.

 

I'm very confused by this blend, but part of me just wants to have it as it was so beautiful at one time on my skin.

 

I'm almost thinking this is one of those blends that wants to be ever so lightly dabbed on to the skin, as too much can become harsh? Must experiment further.

[skylarkza]

In the bottle: A slight sweetness, a very gentle floral and just a breath of musk.

 

Wet: The floral is stronger, with a slight sweetness behind it. Very innocent smelling.

 

Dry: Ooooh. Something almost dusty has crept in. So sweetness, faint florals and dust. But not bad "I am going to sneeze dust", more dealing with something old and untouched dust. Which is intriguing in this otherwise innocent scent.

 

A while later: Dusty sweetness. Not quite powder, but walking just this side of that line. A slight hint of florals. This is a beautiful scent. Unique and intriguing. I love it.

 

 

[fairnymph]

Sniffed: Pale yellow oil. Perfumey, musky, sweet, feminine. Stronger/more intense than anticipated. I definitely get the heavier floral notes, white amber, and sweet-soda quality of the birch. But it's not overwhelming.

 

Wet: More davana (rather 'pink' and almost like lotus, almost fruity here) and more birch; sweeter. Less of the perfumey heavy florals. I also get a lot of white amber which freshens this, gives it a more 'cologney' feel as well as more depth and certain richness/heaviness. The birch is slightly mentholic in a gorgeous, almost wintry way - it's almost bubbly, and really shines here. There's an almost candy (almost, but not quite) feel, but soft. The immortelle adds a bit of sharpness, a pleasant almost-herbal edge that cuts the sweeter and heavier elements.

 

Dry: This is reminding me strongly of something, and I can't place it. I am, unfortunately, a little more aware now of the ylang ylang and jasmine notes, which though bearable, do make this slightly heady and IMO, make this an 'older' feeling scent.

 

Later: The birch is holding strongly - after Talvikuu, this has the strongest birch note I've noticed - but unfortunately those heady florals have amped further, to the point that they are almost bothering me, especially with the amping of the musk too which makes this a more heavy scent overall.

 

Summary: Musk, musk, delicious musk dominates by miles after a few hours, with birch and white amber just below. Pretty much everything else has faded to the point that I cannot pick the notes out individually, happily in the case of those nemesis florals. It's a sweet, slightly rich, skin/musk blend but still somewhat 'bubbly' feeling, very feminine, and I can see why it's so popular. Very strong throw and longevity.

 

It's not *quite* me....but I find it oddly mesmerising and may need a bottle.

[crebbsgirl]

Okay, first off, this is in the same family on my skin as Sapphics, Life & Death Completed, The Penitent Magdalene, and Judith & Holofernes. A soft, and glowing scent, ethereal even. This was sweet, almost vanillic. Light musks and soft florals. Very pretty, but not much me.

[Xanon]

In the imp: clear and fresh with a touch of floral and mintyness. Weird, but pretty.

 

Wet: I get the jasmine and ylang ylang and birch. It's nice. Not too floral, and the mint went away.

 

After about 3 minutes: WHERE DID THE GIRL GO!?! Nothing.

 

15 Minutes: I guess she doesn't like me that much seeing as she has not returned. Lame, I thought that we were going to get along really well.

 

Swap pile.

 

10/8 - I tried her again this morning and she LIKES ME! She is pretty, but not gross girlie. OH! I knew that we were meant to be friends!

Edited October 8, 2009 by Xanon

[devilot]

The Girl

In the Vial: Not sure which note(s) I'm smelling, but it's a non-sharp, non-perfumey white floral. It's incredibly mysterious and aloof.

 

Wet: Still so aloof, so subtle. Can't really figure anything out. Wonder if my nose is totally broken. I can't really smell anything.

 

Drydown: Slightly sweet, which I'll attribute to the pale musk as I feel like musks sometimes have a different sort of 'sweetness' on my skin.

 

Verdict: My first try, I loved it, told myself I'd need a full bottle. 2nd and 3rd tests? Now I'm not so convinced. It's just so damned light on my skin. Argh. I guess I shouldn't, I mean, Beth will always come out with a quadrillion other amazing blends, right? I love this, but I really wish it had more throw and that the musk were stronger and/or came out sooner. I luuurve musks!

[obsidienne]

After all of the "eeeeeeeee The Girl is so great" reviews, I was so excited for this one! And y'know, it is beautiful. Very. But... it's also true to the description: elusive. I have to hunt to find this scent -- even while wet! I know that I don't have the strongest nose in the world, and tend to prefer the darker, intense blends to counteract that, but. Booerns. I want this to work for me! *stomps foot*

 

Anyway, when I can catch it, I get a gorgeous white amber/floral/musk. It's totally crystalline, and yes, totally elusive (see above). I freaking love jasmine (I went from hate to love, as my older reviews evidence), and this is a lovely jasmine, with the ylang ylang offering a sweet bright tang to offset it. I'm torn about getting a bottle. If I get a bottle, I get to wear it, but to wear it, I need to smell it, and to smell it, well... that bottle would be over before I knew it. Errrr... I need to end this review before it gets more ridiculous.

 

Edit: The jasmine, amber and ylang ylang amp in this a bit as it wears, and I love that. I am sitting next to my blooming jasmine plant right now and they complement each other very well!

 

1/2 hr later edit: It has gotten a bit chemically and sharp on me, and the florals took a siesta. The scent is now barely there. I'm movin' on.

Edited October 1, 2009 by obsidienne

[ellebelle]

in the bottle: musk, and … amber maybe? And a little jasmine.

 

Wet: it is … gone? I can't even find it. After huffing my wrist (and probably getting some on my nose), I can kind of smell it. It's musky still, for me, and I get the ylang ylang as a bit of tang. But it's a wee bit powdery as florals often are for me. I actually wish I got a little more of the jasmine because that might balance out the musky tangyness.

 

Drydown: Okay, now I can smell it and the jasmine is amping up a little to complement the rest of it. I also get a kind of plastic-y smell off of this.

 

Verdict: I MIGHT keep the decant, but I don't need a bottle.

 

EDIT: I think I might have gotten the lingering scents of the previous perfume I tried. On second trying, this is awesome. I love the soft, full scent. It kind of reminds me of Bulgari perfume. I am definitely buying a bottle.

Edited October 1, 2009 by Ellebelle

[zankoku_zen]

This one is a very 'white' and ghostly blend. The jasmine is well behaved, and along with the ylang ylang it gives this a very ethereal floral feel. Very crystalline, very clear.

 

There's a certain bit of sharpness however to it that while apropos (as this no ordinary girl, in fact she's dangerous to your health) doesn't sit right to me.

[FelinePulse]

When I first saw the description for The Girl, I knew I would love her. I had to have her! And I was not disappointed.

 

On me, she is ethereal, pale, haunting... something so perfectly blended that all I can say is it smells amazing.

This is exactly what I was searching for in a 'white, pale' scent.

No headache inducing, overly sweet florals. Nothing that seems too girly.

 

It's a mysterious, white scent.

And on me, The Girl lasts for hours.

Perfect.

 

[Firewaver]

Oh dear lord. This is absolutely luminous and amazing.

It reminds me oh so mildly of hypnotic poison...but so much more elegant and subdued.

I took one sniff of the dab on my arm and immediately sat back and said "ohhhhh my yes".

Pretty strong reaction for me. Love it. 5 out of 5.

[amandette]

The Girl is definitely a cousin to Antique Lace on me. The Girl is a little less warm and a little more floral, but the soft vanilla is identical. I liked it, but it disappeared after a few hours. I'll keep the imp, but I don't think I'll get a bottle.

[Lycanthrope]

This is truly a radiant white floral, but I think the davana or some honey-sweet amber aspect of The Girl goes too strong on me, because it's doing what The Lotus Tree did on me - the honey-syrupy glowing sweetness is turning quite potent and magnified on me, to the point where I get a nice tickle of pretty flowers all gathered in a row, with a giant monstery honey amber monster lurking protectively behind them.

[Halloqueen2]

I went out on a limb and ordered this one...I'm not much of a floral person but the other reviews got me to wondering. I'm SO glad I did, because this has zoomed up into my top 10. I can't get enough of this...Firstly, I get no floral at all...nada. This turns to a warm musky ambery, almost buttery scent that lasts forever and has great throw. It's very warm...must be something with my skin chemistry, because it does not have a "crystalline" quality on me...more like dark golden velvet. No baby powder, either. It's very strange...the result seems like it has nothing to do with it's ingredients. This really is very lovely, and for once, I can rejoice in a skin chemistry that amps must and amber.

[inkaddict]

I wouldn't have ordered this if it hadn't been for the WillCall reviews, but I'm so glad I did.

 

In the bottle: A cool, gentle sweet scent. A lot of people described it as luminous and I have to agree. Faint flowers in the background

 

Wet: It's such a unique scent. Usually sweet scents feel warm to me but this is pale and cold. Could it be the birch and musk that make it so? The flowers are stronger on my skin, but nothing is amped and they stay in the background. Very well blended.

 

Dry: This lasts a good while on me, without morphing much. It's a sad, soft scent behind the sweetness. Beautiful. Pale flowers reflecting a fait moonlight, glowing defiantly in the black night but getting fainter and fainter untill they fade away in the darkness. It makes me think of a plant we call "Bella di Notte" (Night Beauty, but also a sort of wordplay for prostitute) with its sweet little white flowers.

 

Verdict: After some meditation this is bottle worthy, mostly because of the unique spin the girl puts on sweetness. Gorgeous and refined.

[writergal969]

Um. Awesome. Soft on my skin with a femininity but not overly perfumey. I like it quite a bit though it backs off in drydown and I can't get much throw...but it's definitely bottleworthy...oooh

 

In Imp: wet floral, white musks

 

Wet: sweet but soft floral, and warmer than cold

 

Dry: lovely and soft and lingering but not a huge throw.

 

Verdict: yes please 5/5

Edited October 5, 2009 by writergal969

[Venneh]

Oh, this is elusive, all right. Elusive in that when I smell my bottle, I get really pale florals for a few seconds, then nothing. ...That's not a good sign.

 

Wet, on my skin, again, I get really pale florals, and I have to smell really close to be able to get anything, and I put on a fairly generous amount. This does not bode well.

 

It starts to bloom, though, after the first few seconds of wet, into this pale, delicate, vanilla, almost crystalline smell that everyone's ranted and raved about. And I think the white musk is coming out, too, with the birch? All I know is that this is turning into a beautiful thing; not a lot of throw, but throw isn't needed with this scent, I think. So glad I got a 5mL of this unsniffed. This might not be something I'll wear regularly, but it'll be nice to have in the drawer.

Edited October 9, 2009 by Venneh

[gingiemay]

This scent is gorgeous. Usually I amp jasmine to cat pee high heaven, but I get nary a mention of it in my bottle. Instead, there is this pale, crystalline white musk, amber and a tiny hint of something sweet, a vanilla musk. This is an extremely well-blended floral, it is gorgeous, sophisticated and intriguing. I'm so glad I sprung for a bottle unsniffed!

[medvssa]

I ordered one decant of each of the Literary Vampires, and I am glad I did because if I had waited to read the reviews, with all the mentions to vanilla, I wouldn't have tried this one as I can only take vanilla in the smallest of doses.

 

Well, I do not get vanilla, although the blend is certainly sweet, but I do not find the sweetness to be foody at all, but instead floral (in the way of lilies or lotus) and a bit resiny (from the amber I guess). In fact, to me the most remarkable aspect of this scent is the paleness of the resin. It certainly is white, the scent itself is immaculately white. Not a blindingly bright white, but pale rays of light through the darkness.

The jasmine/ylang-ylang are very soft, not sharp at all.

 

It doesn't feel cold or even cool to me though. Not warm either, due to this white hue, but, well lets say lukewarm at skin temperature, and for me the subdued musk stays behind as in a backdrop.

 

I wouldn't describe it as crystalline (but perhaps opalescent, since it has an almost creamy feel to it) on me there is no sparkle to it. I think if the birch would be more noticeable, perhaps I could call it crystalline. The birch is there though, and although it is difficult for me to tell it apart from the other notes, I have to take a deep breath and concentrate, I still suspect that the very subtle "mintiness" of it balances the blend out, and actually makes me really like this blend... this is so not the kind of scent I normally like! I like dark and warm scents, but this one is fascinating in its own way.

 

It is what I hoped "Brides of Dracula" to be. Pale, at the same time heady and transparent, and hypnotising.

 

And I wanted to add: this one is powerful. Funny how big a difference chemistry can make, because several people remarked that it dissapears on them. Well, I often have scents being swallowed up by my dry skin, but this one is quite potent, with a decent throw (which is almost always very reduced for me), and a very long wearlenght.

Edited October 9, 2009 by Medvssa

[Schmoozy]

 

Wispy, ethereal & absolutely gorgeous. Amber, birch and pale musks. I can not detect any star jasmine, but if it's there it is incrediably well blended. The girl seems to have a certain coolness to her, but yet she lasts forever. This is definitely bottle worthy.

[aquazoo]

The flowers come up first. It's a pale light scent. It's complex and hangs in there. Unfortunately for me it gets an edge after a while, a bit soapy.