Hymn

[LyndaM]

A paean to true holiness, spiritual purity, and sacred enlightenment. Based on an incense blend sacred to the Virgin Mary: perfect rose absolute and Palestinian Lily of the Valley with olibanum, labdanum, frankincense and myrrh.

I was surprised by the strength of the floral notes in Hymn. I expected the incense to drown out all else, as it usually does to my nose. I don't often seek out scents with incensey notes; but I really enjoy frankincense and myrhh at Christmas/Yule time. I'd hoped Hymn would be a nice one to use in the oil burner this winter, but it was more floral than I would have liked for that purpose.

In the imp and wet, it was all super strong rose and lily. They are both beautiful notes that I usually love, but really really strong together here, and I was flirting with a headache right out of the gate. I normally slather BPAL florals on all exposed skin, but I knew at first sniff that my usual ways wouldn't be prudent with Hymn. I couldn't really smell the incense at all at that point, so the head-achey vibe was from the great strength of the florals alone. Those of you who like this one and use it as perfume probably appreciate it's terrific staying power! Me? Not so much.

I applied sparingly to my wrist, and by late drydown I did like it. The incense came out about an hour after application, and it was pleasant but very understated. It is just too strong when wet for me to use it as perfume, and the frankincense and myrhh were too light for what I'd had in mind. I'll use up the imp in my oil burner, but I won't be ordering a bottle.

Edited for goofy spelling errors. Edited September 30, 2005 by Shollin

[Lori]

I am scenting the room with this, in an oil burner, right now. I had two imps, but one sprung a big leak, and it has been scenting my house for weeks, anyway, so I figured I may as well dribble out the last of the imp and let it do its thing.

 

Now, I am going to test it, the usual way:

 

Sniffing the imp: Mmmm…a perfect Rose scent, and something sweeter alongside of it. Smells a bit like Sweet Pea, but that is not in this. It must be the Lily of the Valley. God, this is gorgeous!!

 

Wet on wrist: The flowers are still predominant. I don’t smell any of the incense, yet. When it has been scenting my house, I would walk in the door to a beautiful smell of white roses and that is the same thing I smell on my wrist.

 

Drier: Still…a pefect rose…heaven sent. I have had visits from angels, since I was a child, and when they come, they leave a scent of roses behind…much…like…this. The fact that one imp burst and was scenting my room happened just as I went to do a workshop called Angel Medicine, with Doreen Virtue. I kind of figure that this was the angels way of letting me know they were going to be around.

 

Dry: Wherever the incense is, it is well hidden! This is still, pure, perfect rose on me. And I couldn’t be happier. While my precious Rose Red is the quintessential long-stemmed red roses given by a lover and placed in a vase of water, Hymn is one perfect white rose, held out by a different lover…one that has wings.

 

Beautiful..absolutely, breathtakingly beautiful! This makes me feel surrounded by beautiful, benevolent spirits just as Water of Notre Dame does. I wore W of ND when I did the workshop and now, these two oils will be the ones that I wear, while doing healing work with my Spirit Guides and the Angels.

 

And that will be happening, tonight. I have been going through a very hard time, lately, and while I have called on my angels for help, I haven't really been present enough to be listening, being caught up in my own well of emotions that come from the ego...frustration and anger and sadness and loneliness and hopelessness. Weighted down by all of that, it was hard to remember to lift my head up and see the light and let it lift me up and take my cares and concerns away.

 

Tonight, I will shut off the ego noise in my head and heart that does not come from Spirit, and work with and only with my Spiritual Guides and Guardian Angels and be thankful that they have been with me, as long as I have been here. I know that they are standing by, arms and wings outstretched, waiting to help me, and that their help comes from the most beautiful Loving Source.

 

And I know I come from that Source, too. I just need reminding, sometimes. Hymn reminded me. Thank you.

[PixieSkull]

In the imp: Watery, almost as if ozone is in the mix. Nice dry husky scent underneath

Wet: The same, but no more ozone-like scent. Dust and old rose

Dry: Fresh floral stems and greenery, old roses with dusty resin.

Overall: It's lovely, soft and sensual. I love it and want to keep it around. I've tried it maybe 4 times now and it's just as lovely every single time. Beautiful scent, the name describes it wonderfully. Grade A fragrance, I recommend it to everyone looking for a church scent, right next to Cathedral.

 

(ETA: I find it blends extremely well with Seance, perfect holy space smell.)

Edited October 25, 2005 by PixieSkull

[BlackDahlia]

In the Imp:

 

Lovely roses. Crisp and seductive... there is a pale, top note of lily that makes the scent "feel" wet. Like walking in a garden in soft rain.

 

Wet on skin:

 

My skin picks up a smoky smell that is very much like incense, when lit. This aroma is divine. It smells a bit like a wedding in a Catholic church (?) The floral scents mix very nicely with the soft waft of incense.

 

On the dry down:

Soft, silky rose aroma and a touch of powder.

 

In closing:

Oh, MY... I love this scent!

It is marvelous for a peaceful, serene feeling and would also make a heavenly fragrance for the home.

 

Many thanks to eartdotprime on LJ who sent this fragrance to me as a bonus Imp when I purchased 3 Imps from her...

*WHEE* She sent me some tea, too!!

[malanna]

Hymn starts out smelling like soap. Rose starts out being the primary scent (it's also why I thought it smelled like soap). The lily comes out so that it melds with rose to become a soft soapy smell. The rose fades after a few hours, and then it's just lily with incense, with the incense getting stronger over time.

[Voleuse]

This is a distinct rose incense on first application--not roses, but a resinous scent with rose overtones. It's pretty, but it also makes me want to sneeze a little bit.

 

This is a clean and sweet floral on me. Over time, I can detect more of the lily note, but it stays predominantly rose and resin. It's nice, but I don't think it's for me.

[MissMermaid]

So....this is the BPAL that devirginizes my nose. Now I am listening to "Playground Love" by Air, because that is how it made me feel. And now "Eleanor Rigby"...this is making me nostalgic somehow. Perhaps because my mom wore Lily of Valley so often when I was growing up. There is soul in this bottle.

Edited December 15, 2005 by MissMermaid

[The_Merf]

In the imp: This smells sweet--it isn't mysterious like the other incense/church-y blends I have tried. This reminds me of the oils that are presented at the Easter Vigil, sweet and lovely. If Penitence and its ilk are the smells of a church in fall or winter, as the leaves are gathering or the snow lies on the ground, Hymn is the smell of the same church in early spring.

 

Wet: A friend said this reminded him of his dentist's office. I wish I had his dentist--this smelled lovely and soft.

 

Dry-down and wear: This did not change much from the wet stage.

 

I haven't decided exactly where to put this yet; I know I want more than an imp, but I don't know if I want this in 5mL or 10mL.

[lookingglass]

Very heavy rose scent, warmed with the resins. The rose stays very strong throughout the drydown. The labdanum warms its heart, but is not as prominant as I would have liked. DH complemented me on it, and he is not generally a rose fan, so I may not be catching the true nature of Hymn's throw.

[Musamea]

In the imp and wet: A beautiful lily of the valley, deepened by rose.

 

Drydown: I don't know why I keep trying scents with incense and thinking they'll work for me. Hymn turns into a blend of mostly lily of the valley tempered with a sharper scent (I'm not sure if it's the olibanum, labdanum, or myrrh), with the frankincense adding a dry note to the mix.

 

Overall, this is a lovely, serene scent, but I think I like the lily in Endymion better than this take on it. However, Hymn would be a great choice for someone who wants their lily of the valley in a less floral setting than Endymion and their incense less dry than Kostnice's or Ouija's.

[yeahbutnobut]

Hymn

 

In the imp: gentle rose with a definite lily of the valley note. This smells lovely.

Wet on skin: fresh and delicate lily of the valley, with resinous rose.

Dry on skin: I really like this. It's similar to Rose Cross, All Saints 05 and Kostnice…I think it's almost like a mix of all of them, but with a pure white, spring like lily of the valley note. The rose adds a bold floral richness to the scent, whereas the frankincense, myrrh and other resins add depth. The dewy lily note makes this almost ethereal and virginal, gives it a sense of purity.

After a while: this settles down nicely, the lily and rose notes are now balanced out with the resinous background adding a nice base to the scent. This is a very nice scent, like a lighter, 'angelic' All Saints.

Verdict: this is another 'flowers and church incense' scent along similar lines as Kostnice, All Saints 05 etc. This has a rich, bold rose scent mixed with resinous notes, but there's lily of the valley in this, which adds a dimension of lightness, freshness, a dewy feel of springtime to the scent. it brings to mind the wings of a dove, it's pure white and ethereal, gentle and virginal, fitting with the scent's theme. At first this lily note is quite strong, but as time passes, it blends in nicely with the other notes as the rose and resins become more apparent. I am very fond of this but I'm not sure if I prefer it to the likes of Rose Cross and All Saints, not sure if it's bottle worthy but I'm keeping the imp.

[silver_springs]

This smelled way too much like strong laundry detergent on me.

 

I could pick up some floral notes, but mostly it's just soapy. Maybe it just didn't agree with my chemistry.

Edited January 11, 2006 by silver_springs

[Sycorax]

The smell of Hymn is certainly appropriate. In the bottle the rose dominates, but upon application there's a better balance between rose and resin.

 

I've seen Hymn compared to Rose Cross, and I can see why. To my mind, however, Hymn is a much drier and more sombre oil. Rose Cross smells fresh, while the rose note in Hymn give off the impression of dried petals. There's a sharpness which I'm guessing is myrrh.

 

Hymn is Rose Cross' more powerful, mature cousin. I'd have to say that I prefer Rose Cross over all. Still, if you like one, you're probably set to like the other! I can see Hymn being used as an oil for ritual, meditation, or rememberance, but I don't know if it would be much good for casual wear.

[Caltha]

Hymn

This is a weird one: pure mosquito repellant on my skin. It has no sweetness whatsoever, only chemical sharpness. The only thing that happens with it is that it gets fainter, too faint to be as repulsive anymore.

[gingersnapp]

Softly spicy rose soap.

 

I think it's the frankincense that does it to me every time. I really wanted to love Rose Cross too, because the Lab's roses are my favorite, but the incense just turns the whole thing sour and soapy on my skin.

[Heretic]

In the vial: Dry, very faint, vaguely floral.

 

On my wrist, wet: Orange blossom and green.

 

After 20 minutes: Polished wood and the air freshener that my stepfather used to spray in his funeral home. I don't smell any of the components as they are listed. Rose? Lily? Any floral in Hymn is very faint on me and definitely doesn't smell like rose or lily of the valley. This is not a sweet smell. I find it very unsettling.

 

After an hour: I have too many bizarre associations with this scent to ever be able to wear it. It makes me very uncomfortable. What I smell is definitely not what other people are smelling in Hymn. There is nothing wrong with the blend itself, but rather with my personal experiences with this scent make it extremely unpleasant for me.

[Laurel the Woodfairy]

A lovely, mild incense blend. The roses didn't really pop on me--more of a general soft floral quality toning down the frankincense/myrrh. Fades quickly. Nice but not very "me".

[blu°]

Freshly applied I immediately smell serios church resins, olibanum, frankincense, myrrh, not sure what labdanum smells like.

The very next moment I get soapiness. Lily of the Valley, I suppose. I think to remember that I've had that same issue with that note before.

Also, the myrrh is a bit sharpish and might be adding to that soapy feeling.

 

Hymn reminds Pit and the Pendulum with regard to how sharp the resins mixture in it. It has a very dense structure as well. Just like frankincense smoke.

 

Over that, or woven into it, that gross soapiness from lily of the valley.

It's a pity, but I think I'll have to add lily of the valley to my no-go list.

 

I'll probably swap my imp, although it's nice to feel how the biting lily of the valley-note is caught, woven through by the resins. They transport it to my nose while typing and when it gets there, the soapiness is almost gone and I do smell real fresh lily of the valley for a moment.

 

I think what's happening is that my skin amps all florals. And in the case of typically light, un-sweet, understated, innocent florals like lily of the valley, it amps them to this kind of sharp soapiness.

 

I wanted to feel holy, goddammit, not like an oldfashioned soap shop. Sniff.

[themerrybaker]

I love lily of the valley. It's just about one of my favorites smells. I love the plant, I love the cool spring weather in which they bloom, I love the woods that I grew them in.

 

 

 

I also love Hymn, but wish the lily of the valley was a bit more pronounced. The rose is definitely discernable, not much incense, and underneath it all my favorite....lily of the valley!

[Leda]

Pre-BPAL, I used to love Joy perfume. In Hymn, I have found an even better replacement. Hymn's rose is very soft (fragrance, though not intensity!) and the resins in this come across gently spicy. Such a comforting, clean, refined scent. If you love Joy, you really need to try Hymn.

 

P.S. Thanks Sookster, you are enabler supreme! Now I have to get a bottle

[abberlaine]

Rose? There's rose in this?

 

Hymn's got the feel of both a fresh, wet cologne and a thin anointing oil. I smell the incense right off the bat, but it's sweet and more wet and dry. There's a touch of orange oil, too. As it dries down, it becomes more faint and warmer.

 

It's an "oil from the past," as would say my grandmother. I feel like a born again virgin!

[Ehann]

Wet--a crisp, clean, and somehow white scent. I smell the florals, especially the rose. Upon drydown, it seems to sharpen a bit on me, and the image that somes to mine is a bright summer day, when you first exit the house and it nearly blinds you because you've been in the dark all morning and your eyes haven't adjusted yet.

 

After awhile, the impression I'm left with is the one I started with. Bright. Crisp. White.

[gwyllgi]

While I like all the notes in this (barring myrrh - we have a mutual antagonism, but it's behaving here), it's so terribly, terribly strong that I can't wear this; having dabbed it on for the purpose of testing, I've got my wrist as far away from my nose as it can be, and I'm still smelling the lily. It's strong enough that it's nauseating me, which is terribly sad as I really like the smell.

 

Since I can't wear this, I put a drop into some paraffin to burn and that worked so marvelously that my initial frustration was completely overwhelmed. As a diffused scent, it's absolutely gorgeous; once it's not so terribly heavy, the florals are really able to shine over the incense notes, and I can focus on them rather than suppressing my gag reflex. I may end up picking up a bottle of this simply for sachets, as this is a perfect scent for those.

[tidesong]

In the Bottle: Strong lily of the valley, kind of soapy.

 

On Application: Again, strong whiff of lily of the valley initially, then it grows very faint. A touch of rose comes through and compliments the lily. The scent is quite faint; I have to have my wrist almost to my nose to smell it.

 

On Drydown: Heady, heady floral. All I smell is florals. It's giving me a headache. It kind of reminds me of the Off bug spray that's in the form of botanical lotion. Not unpleasant, but eehhh.

 

Comments: It's pretty, but really giving me a headache. I was hoping for more of the incensey scents to come out to balance out the florals, but it didn't happen. I don't mind smelling lilles of the valley, but I don't want to smell like them. Definitely not for me.

 

Verdict: Swap!

[edenssixthday]

Hymn - with it’s strong rose and lily notes, Hymn initially reminds me a lot of Sepulcher, but not quite as soft. As it dried down, a definite incense note becomes evident – one that I don’t care for, and as soon as I looked up the Lab description, I realized that’s because it’s not incense but myrrh, which I don't care for. The notes clash on my skin and became nauseating and cloying to the point where I have to wash it off in order to not feel ill. This one isn’t going to work for me at all.