Echo

[fairnymph]

ECHO
Fam'd far and near for knowing things to come,
From him th' enquiring nations sought their doom;
The fair Liriope his answers try'd,
And first th' unerring prophet justify'd.
This nymph the God Cephisus had abus'd,
With all his winding waters circumfus'd,
And on the Nereid got a lovely boy,
Whom the soft maids ev'n then beheld with joy.

The tender dame, sollicitous to know
Whether her child should reach old age or no,
Consults the sage Tiresias, who replies,
"If e'er he knows himself he surely dies."
Long liv'd the dubious mother in suspence,
'Till time unriddled all the prophet's sense.

Narcissus now his sixteenth year began,
Just turn'd of boy, and on the verge of man;
Many a friend the blooming youth caress'd,
Many a love-sick maid her flame confess'd:
Such was his pride, in vain the friend caress'd,
The love-sick maid in vain her flame confess'd.

Once, in the woods, as he pursu'd the chace,
The babbling Echo had descry'd his face;
She, who in others' words her silence breaks,
Nor speaks her self but when another speaks.
Echo was then a maid, of speech bereft,
Of wonted speech; for tho' her voice was left,
Juno a curse did on her tongue impose,
To sport with ev'ry sentence in the close.
Full often when the Goddess might have caught
Jove and her rivals in the very fault,
This nymph with subtle stories would delay
Her coming, 'till the lovers slip'd away.
The Goddess found out the deceit in time,
And then she cry'd, "That tongue, for this thy crime,
Which could so many subtle tales produce,
Shall be hereafter but of little use."
Hence 'tis she prattles in a fainter tone,
With mimick sounds, and accents not her own.

This love-sick virgin, over-joy'd to find The boy alone,
still follow'd him behind:
When glowing warmly at her near approach,
As sulphur blazes at the taper's touch,
She long'd her hidden passion to reveal,
And tell her pains, but had not words to tell:
She can't begin, but waits for the rebound,
To catch his voice, and to return the sound.

The nymph, when nothing could Narcissus move,
Still dash'd with blushes for her slighted love,
Liv'd in the shady covert of the woods,
In solitary caves and dark abodes;
Where pining wander'd the rejected fair,
'Till harrass'd out, and worn away with care,
The sounding skeleton, of blood bereft,
Besides her bones and voice had nothing left.
Her bones are petrify'd, her voice is found
In vaults, where still it doubles ev'ry sound.

A scent shrouded behind a veil: vanilla orchid, amyris, white sandalwood, grey amber, and tuberose.

Sweet - creamy and also a little almost fruity, with bright vanilla, smooth and musky sandalwood, a lovely light, fresh, and springlike tuberose note. Apparently amyris is some sort of resinous balsam/sandalwood. I get quite a bit of sandalwood in this scent, and not the dry sort, but as said, the creamy, rich, sexy and musky sort. There's a slight soapy/cologne note that is probably the grey amber.

Lighter on my skin, and very well-blended - I find it instantly more difficult to pick out notes. It's still quite sweet, perhaps even a little sweeter - the vanilla orchid is lightly floral but really almost syrupy in terms of the vanilla, and the tuberose has a sweet fruitiness to it like the note (probably the same) from the La Primavera - this is not the sharp, soapy type that Beth usually uses, thank god! I think there may be an unlisted fruit as well because this is just a tad more fruity than either of those florals can explain. The sandalwoods are so gloriously musky and golden and warm and deep, and the grey amber remains as in the bottle.

Oh, this is blossoming so very beautifully! It's becoming sweeter and more fruity, to the point that I am CONVINCED there's actual fruit here - white nectarine, I think - juicy, sweet, but a little tart too. The blend of vanilla orchid and tuberose is both sweet and light fragrant - this is not what I'd call a floral blend, at all, but it has that delicate feminine feel that soft, unassuming florals lend to a blend. The sandalwoods too grow more incredible on my skin, unique to my nose, richer than nearly any I've smelled. Deeply musky in a sweet, definitively feminine way.

The feel of this blend - sweet, almost syrupy, musky, fruity and sexily feminine - reminds me a lot of Autumn Moon, but this is less sweet, lighter, brighter, and more musky. But it is quite sweet, and as said, has a syrupy tone that is almost like honey - it's not the same note as in AM, but I do think there is honey here - white honey, light and bright but still with a syrupy edge. The fruit is so similar, too, but I'm pretty sure that the fruit here is white nectarine, and comparing this to Croquet, I feel even more certain. What most amazes me about this blend, though, is how intensely creamy it feels - it must be these amazing sandalwoods, because it is a very musky creaminess.

Delicate, blossom-like, bright and joyful feminine florals with juicy, dripping, ripe white nectarine over intensely musky, creamy, vanilla-sweet sandalwoods. Sweetly fruity - almost sticky - and so, so creamy. This is the ultimate fruit-infused vanilla-sandalwood blend with a dash of lovely florals that couldn't possibly offend event he most die-hard floral hater. The grey amber is nowhere to be found, if it was ever even there to begin with. Great throw and longevity, too.

Stunning and something I will hoard.

I must say...it is ironic something so lovely could be the echo of something so dreadful (see my Narkissos review).

ETA: This is the only blend other than La Primavera with a wearable tuberose - one that smells like the actual flower and doesn't amp into a rampaging soapy mess on my skin. Edited March 20, 2010 by Shollin

[angelicruin]

Yes, this is sweet, creamy floral on my skin. Very soft, feminine. The amber note is very soft on my skin. I imagine this is going to be a popular blend.

 

[ellebelle]

I knew this was going to be made of WIN by the notes, and I was right.

 

When it goes on, there is a burst of vanilla and light florals. As it dries, this turns sweeter with a musky base. I agree with fairnymph - this does smell like there is some kind of fruit in it, although it could be the tuberose. There is a similar sweetness in here as I have smelled in Ded Moroz, which has to be the tuberose. There is a touch of powder from the grey amber, but I would never call this blend powdery.

 

This is a sweet, innocent smelling perfume, perfect for a spring day.

[GypsyRoseRed]

I have Echo on my left wrist, and Narkissos on my right - these two are the perfect counterparts to each other. Echo is quintessentially feminine; a delicate, creamy blossom with a whiff of tuberose, a light touch of sandalwood and amber all blended together to create a scent that is vanilla without being buttery or foody in the least, containing floral notes without being floral.. Eh, I'm screwing this up because the overall effect is so hard to define. There's definitely a light musk there, and the dried down version of Echo on my skin is just beautiful, delicate and pretty.

[cfrancesca]

Initially this reminds me a little of The Harp Cnoc I'Chosgair but instead of tiare, it's tuberose.

 

I'm getting a soft, creamy tuberose (and it's really beautiful, not the cloying tuberose I'm used to smelling). It's very pretty, I actually like the throw it gives more than sniffing it up close on my skin where I get a slightly bitter thing happening, I don't get any bitterness in the throw.

 

Later on this gets more complex, and at times it seems I get a lot of vanilla/sandalwood, other times it's the amber that amps (this amber is almost sparkly on me), and some sniffs it's pure creamy tuberose.

 

I'm glad I got two bottles of this!

 

Note: I tried layering this with Narkissos like recommended, but it didn't work for me on me this way, Narkissos overpowered Echos!

[Leopard403]

Everyone else seems to be calling this a "creamy floral," and it is definitely a creamy-smooth type of scent; but on me there is also something distinctly spicy about it, similar to the spice of a carnation. I was worried the tuberose would be cloying, but it is quite soft, and seems to be very well-grounded by the other scents. This is a very ethereal, pretty blend, not quite delicate enough to be called "dainty" but definitely not the typical feminine perfume, either. I like it very much.

[tawaen]

Echo is a very pretty, gentle scent. It's very well blended and the individual notes are a little hard for me to pick out. I primarily get the vanilla and sandalwood, which makes it quite sweet and a little spicy. There is a floral aspect to it, but it's rather subtle and seems to disappear shortly after application. Then it smells primarily sweet and vanilla-y.

 

After about 4 hours it has gone dusty on me and no longer smells as sweet. My workplace has too many other stong smells and this scent, however lovely, can't really compete. I only get a slight amber/sandalwood smell when I bring my wrist to my nose. Otherwise, it's not showing up anymore. Would definitely need re-application for all-day wear.

[Invidiana]

This is a lovely exotic and velvety floral. The vanilla orchid is the dominant note on me, a not-quite-foody but still silky and sweet vanilla which is given depth by the amber. Amyris is a flowering plant in the citrus family, and while I'm not getting anything citrus, along with the tubersose it's giving the vanilla orchid more body. All this is poured over a bed of white sandalwood, which warms it up and makes it more come-hither. Even though it's not overtly screaming sex, Echo is quietly sensual, and I love it.

Edited April 8, 2010 by Invidiana

[crebbsgirl]

Alright, I'm not sure about this one at all! It starts off syrupy and sticky sweet. There is almost an overripe fruit aspect here that is making me slightly nauseous. As it dries, the over-sweet note starts backing off and it becomes a little more easy on the nose, but it's still too much for me. Its very golden and sticky. I can't think of how else to describe this. Further into the drydown I can actually detect the vanilla orchid and sandalwood, and the grey amber. I can smell something lovely underneath the sticky, syrupy scent that seems to be wafting from my wrist, but I just can't get to it.

[zankoku_zen]

Ah Echo, you are indeed lovely. But too sweet for me. I get really sweet vanilla orchid on wet, but as it tempers down in sweetness as it dries, it also loses that fruity edge that I enjoyed. The grey amber makes its appearance at the drydown, casting a slight resinous vibe to the sweet vanilla. Delicate orchid floral overlay.

 

I don't think layering Echo and Narkissos would work, although its possible that Echo could sweeten Narkissos, but I feel Narkissos would overpower Echo. I love Narkissos as is, so I'm okay with this. <img src="http://www.bpal.org/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/icon_wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="icon_wink.gif" />

 

ETA: When layered, Echo softens Narkissos up, but on my skin chemistry - Narkissos quickly overpowers Echo. It smells like a slightly sweeter version of Narkissos. I like it, but not enough to keep Echo around.

Edited December 13, 2010 by zankoku_zen

[Blood onmy hands]

I thought that I would hate this scent, because tuberose is awful and sharp on me and bpal's amber usually goes to baby powder, but it's actually not so bad.

 

Something about this smells fruity and sweet (perhaps the orchid?), almost like a hint of gummi bears on my skin at first. I get that sweet fruitiness and a smooth, creamy base from the sandalwood. It's really light and subtle on me, but pleasant enough. As it dries down, the sharp, perfumey tuberose takes center stage, but the fruity sweetness and creamy sandalwood keep it in check for a while. The drydown after about 45 minutes does get a little too sharp and perfumey for me (starts making me think of sharp, chemical-heavy hair spray), but I do like the initial stages of wearing this...

 

Echo is like a light, tropical smelling fruity-floral on my skin, with a more aggressive, perfumey floral side in the drydown.

It's not awful, but I doubt that I'll ever wear this scent again. I have a lot of tropical floral scents that I like a lot more than this one...

[Koumori]

Echo is pretty, but much too sweet for me. It's like a more perfumey version of Embalming Fluid on me- a green, perfumey floral with prominent orchid and tuberose. I agree with Little Bird- the drydown after a little while picks up a flavor I too associate with hair spray. I tried layering with Narkissos and found Echo disappeared entirely in the combo.

[milo]

Wet, this does kind of reminds me of The Harp, as a previous poster noted. I don't know if I'm crazy or what, but they are very similar in the dry down to me, though Narkissos is more heady and tropical, while there is a bit of sharp amber in Echo. They are both doing crazy numbers on my skin, and morphing into each other. I kind of like both, but they are so very similar to me, that the two imps are more than enough. My nose (and brain) are so confused right now, I think I'll take a break from both for awhile.

[edenssixthday]

Echo - This scent turned out really different on me than I would have expected. On me, it's mostly a resinous amber scent with a nice backdrop of white sandalwood and a sweet ribbon of vanilla running through it. I don't smell the orchid or the tuberose, which is a disappointment because I love tuberose. This is a pretty scent and with that amber/vanilla thing going on, actually reminds me a lot of Boadicea bath oil and also has similarities to Inez in the CD line of perfume oils. It's pretty, but since I already have a gorgeous sandalwood-vanilla scent that I love, I've passed this one along already.

 

[megank4]

This is a soft powdery scent that makes me think of honey, similar to another GC blend that I can't quite place. It isn't me but makes me want to keep sniffing my wrist. It is something that I think a man would want to come in real close (nose a few inches from skin) to smell.

[devilot]

Echo:

In the Bottle: Erp. Soapy?! Already?!

 

Wet: Super sharp. Very floral. Surprisingly so because I love vanilla orchid. No clue about the "amyris" but I guess the white sandalwood and tuberose could be contributing to what my nose is sensing as "shrieking soapy floral."

 

Drydown: Still a hint of soapiness, but it's now just oddly floral soap with the tiniest hint of tropical sweetness.

 

Verdict: This is nothing like I'd imagined from reading the notes and the other reviews. Mebbe my bottle is a funny bottle? Or mebbe my sniffer is just plain broken. Or mebbe I have really really lame skin chemistry. Whatever the issue, I'm utterly heartbroken by how much fail Echo is on me. I was hoping for something like a grown-up, elegant Velvet Tiki but this was much more strongly floral. Glad this has found a new home.

[Ajila]

In the bottle – A distinctly floral scent that has both sweetness and spice

 

Wet on me – A soft, gentle floral; sweet and powdery. I have to think what this reminds me of

 

Dry on me – A very pretty delicate floral. I’m certain it reminds me of a scent my mum wore when I was younger, but I just can’t place it

 

Overall – Very pretty and girly, not something that I would really wear

[Schmoozy]

Light, gentle florals blended with sandalwood and amber. It's slightly creamy, a little spicy, and very pretty. It sticks close to the skin. During the day I can catch whiffs of dry sandalwood, and it helps temper the sweetness that is ver prevalent. All in all this is a creamy floral sweetened by vanilla orchid, and softened with sandalwood and amber. It is stunning.

[filigree_shadow]

I'll always try anything that has vanilla orchid listed in the notes. This is a good one.

Soft, gentle, feminine floral. Not heady or cloying at all. Just pretty. The amber isn't powdery, and none of the floral notes are obnoxious. It smells rather elegant.

 

I like it.

[KittyHawk]

I've been studying Latin for years, and Narcissus & Echo is one of my favorite Metamorphosis stories; heck, it's one of my favorite stories period. It was the first significant piece of work I ever translated, so it holds a special place in my heart. I even have a tattoo of a passage from this story. Needless to say, I was going to try this regardless of the notes.

 

In the bottle, I got a lot of sweet candied flowers; I can't pick out specific florals. The best way I can describe them is "amber-y."

 

Wet, this becomes more complex. I get a little of the vanilla, and the orchid boosts the florals. As it dries, it gets powdery. I generally hate powdery scents, but somehow this works. It's very mature upon drydown, which doesn't make sense to me. It's still beautiful, though.

 

I don't think this is a particularly "Echo" scent, but it is beautiful nonetheless. I would have loved to have gotten some aquatics and maybe a little oakmoss, but that's the obsessive Latin major talking. It's lovely. I am happy to say that it has good throw and lasts a long time, just like our Echo's calling voice. This is a real keeper.

 

ETA 10/25/12:

If anyone out there is looking for a dupe of Regan, look no further. The sandalwood here makes Echo a little different, but the vanilla orchid is the same beautiful note in both blends.

Edited October 25, 2012 by KittyHawk

[angelamaria]

In bottle: creamy vanilla, sandalwood, and grey amber. There is another scent that I am getting that I'm not sure of, which I guess could very well be the amyris. This is a resinous sweet and creamy scent.

 

Wet on skin: quite lovely! Vanilla, grey amber, and a resinous tuberose comes up warmed on my skin. Very beautiful--a touch floral, but I wouldn't call this a floral specifically, at this stage. It's "present", but not cloying or heavy.

 

Dry: dry, I'm getting a hint of powdery, pleasant and so far it feels quite in tune with the blend. It's resinous and creamy with a sweet tuberose to highlight but not overwhelm. I love this stage; there's an almost-haunting sweetness to it that is feeling, which feels appropriate given the inspiration. About an hour on, however, something has turned to powder on me and I can't get much of the other notes anymore.

 

Verdict: I did a retest of this as I really, really liked it and felt it was a keeper except for that powder in the end, but sad to say my skin doesn't like this. Oh well.

[LizziesLuck]

Wet: Oh this is pretty! Lots of vanilla orchid and amber, light tuberose (not the screechy hair spray kind). Well blended. Tuberose and orchid really balance each other out well. Every time I sniff my arm I think, "Ooooh, pretty". It has a really classic perfume feel without being "old lady" at all.

 

 

Dry: Really pretty. This is my favourite tuberose scent I have so far. It's just so lovely with the orchid. Really happy to have this.