In Brightness and In Joy

[hlemonds]

“Grandmother!” cried the little one. “Oh, take me with you! You go away when the match burns out; you vanish like the warm stove, like the delicious roast goose, and like the magnificent Christmas tree!” And she rubbed the whole bundle of matches quickly against the wall, for she wanted to be quite sure of keeping her grandmother near her. And the matches gave such a brilliant light that it was brighter than at noon-day: never formerly had the grandmother been so beautiful and so tall. She took the little maiden, on her arm, and both flew in brightness and in joy so high, so very high, and then above was neither cold, nor hunger, nor anxiety–they were with God.

Divine mercy: sweet winter berry, orange blossom, frankincense, golden sandalwood, angel’s trumpet, and red rose.

Wow, another first!

I'm a bit unsure of this one. The intial wet stage is almost too much for my nose. That's a lot of berries and rose. Mostly berries, but I can for sure smell a sweet, bright rose there. Sometimes the backs of my wrists tend to amp brighter, fruitier notes though, and I have this on the backs of my wrists. When I have a chance I want to test in on the insides of my wrists, and that's where I usually wear my perfume, and I think I will get more of the frankincense and sandalwood to balance the sweet berry-rose. And I just realized there's orange blossom in here too, which is probably adding to that sweet, fruity, floral hit in the early stages. I am able to get a hint of the underlying dandalwood and frankincense now that it has been dry for an hour or two, but it has also faded sonsiderably overall....so. I'm just not sure. I'm gonna give it some time and see how it develops.

[Caper]

i wasn't sure if winter berry would be something like raspberry/blackberry or something a little more bitter and red, like holly berries.

i'm glad that this one is the sweeter berry rather than a bitter one!

 

in the bottle: berries. rather sweet and yummy, but not a lot of nuance.

 

wet: berries. with a bit of rose. i had just about sworn off of roses since i seem to amp them but they are just AMAZING combined with the berry.

 

dry: still berry and rose. i'm not getting the frankincense (which i love!) or the sandalwood. i was really hoping for a strong frankincense note but i can't seem to find it?

 

after rereading the description i have tears in my eyes. this scent is really perfect for the concept. it is full of brightness and joy. i hate to re-use the name of the oil, but i can't really think of how else to describe it. it's the moment when the cares of the world fall away and you are wrapped in a bright joyful place where reality doesn't matter. stunning.

[wishingwell]

In the bottle: Candy. Some kind of pink chewy berry candy.

 

Wet, on skin: Still very candy-like, but as it warms up the floral notes come out and it becomes a seamless, sweet fragrance. It isn't like a bowl of berries next to a vase of roses.. it's like crushed berries and orange blossom dribbled over lush red rose petals. Throw is strong at this point.

 

Drying: Not really morphing but the throw mellows out. No sandalwood or frankincense in the throw.. there is a bare hint of something deeper when sniffed nose-to-skin. Very vibrant and youthful.

 

Full drydown: Well-blended berries, rose, and orange blossom with a hint of something rich behind it.. guessing that is the frankincense and sandalwood, but it is faint. Slight powdery feel, but it's the comforting kind of powdery. Sweetness is still going strong -- still reminding me of candy in a way, but I wouldn't consider it foody. Throw is a little more than I prefer, but I generally like scents that stick close to the skin.

 

Verdict: True to the inspiration -- it really is bright, joyful, and hints at both youth (the girl) and comfort (the grandmother/angel) with just the barest reminder of Earthly life (that faint frankincense and sandalwood). On me, it's in the same category as Titania, but where Titania is ethereal this one is fuller, richer. Think I am keeping this one.. I look forward to seeing how it ages with the sandalwood.

[JLH]

This is very fruity when wet; lots of berries and rich, fruity rose. I can also smell a green scent that I think might be the angel's trumpet or the orange blossom? As it dries I do get more sandalwood and frankincense.

[edenssixthday]

In Brightness And In Joy - One of my Yule 2011 faves. It's mostly berry and warm sandalwood. The berries are red, sweet, and juicy -- maybe currant? pomegranate? both? There's the fainest trace of florals behind the sweet, juicy berry. The sandalwood keeps the scent grounded, as berry scents often tend to waft into the ether on me. This one sticks. In fact 24 hours after I put a bit on my hair, I could still smell it swirling around my head. It's a phenomenal winterberry scent and I'm so very, very glad I decided to get some!

[mollyfatale]

i LOVE this!

 

Wet there is definitely a fruity note. I wouldn't say it is a bubblegum fruity but perhaps a green fruitiness. It kind of reminds me of the fruity note in Lush's "Dia De Los Muertos" perfume. Once applied on skin the fruitiness is still there but it dies down a little bit and turns into something a bit greener. It becomes lovely mix of the fruity and the green. The fruity, I should mention is not cloying or overly sweet but is counterbalanced by the green notes. I think that this will be a perfect Christmas Day or perhaps a New Years Eve perfume because it is just so lovely..it really does suggest brightness and joy! Not top ten but definitely top 15 for sure.

[angelicruin]

This is divine on my skin. Very soft, feminine. It's this lovely blend of soft sandalwood, frankincense, pale rose, and orange blossom, sweetened with berry. I told myself I wasn't going to purchase anymore Yules, but I think I might need a bottle of this.

[Invidiana]

This took me totally by surprise because I was expecting rose overload but instead got a lovely glowing winter berry scent backed by the golden feel of the frankincense and sandalwood with just a brush of soft florals. This is like a warm version of the winter berry notes in blends like Skadi, The Snow Maiden and Snow Moon if that makes any sense. It still has that distinctive red "holiday" berry quality about it but no snow surrounding it as several other BPALs with winter berries do. There is a touch of red rose but it's the velvety smooth kind that turns out lovely on my skin which makes me think there is at least some Damascus rose in here. Another one I need a bottle of.

Edited December 25, 2011 by Invidiana

[Soniadevi]

Divine mercy: sweet winter berry, orange blossom, frankincense, golden sandalwood, angel’s trumpet, and red rose.

 

I tried this blend the other day, along with all my other blends, and just thought hmmf...dunno.

 

My nose must have been overloaded.

 

Tried it again today: All the notes listed above blend perfectly together. The frankincense and sandalwood are most prominent on my skin at first, then the flowers emerge, followed by the sweetness of the berries. The whole effect is of a swirling of different notes, like the skirts of the lovely grandmother , offering solace and joy to the little girl as she sweeps her up in her arms. There is nothing but love and beauty in this blend, and I am so very pleased to have purchased a bottle!

 

I can see myself wearing this blend a lot, as I love it's warm woodiness, it's feminine floral edge, and brilliant fruitiness!

Another five star rating from me!

Edited December 26, 2011 by Soniadevi

[elka_knits]

No. Just No. Oh okay in an effort to review for others:

 

 

All berry and rose on me. Mainly berry. Pom or something like that.... sharp and juicy red fruit.

 

editing to add: it mellows down from the acid berry rather quickly into a mellow one but becomes so faint that I literally need to have my nose against my wrist to sniff it. So from screaming jarring Berry Hear me Roar to nearly nothing. Very very quickly. I could be nice and say that frankincense and or sandalwood tame the berries and give it a nice round edge... ground them or something but by the time it is mellow it is so faint I cannot really pick out one note over the other.

Edited December 28, 2011 by elka

[yeahbutnobut]

In Brightness and in Joy

 

In the vial: syrupy fruit and florals and a touch of orange blossom.

Wet on skin: red berry jam with orange blossom and other flowers.

Dry on skin: not bad! The berries in here are very nice, but there’s the risk that they could become oversweet, as they remind me of the jammy yet unidentifiable red berry scent of Mason and Jenkin’s Port Jelly. The orange blossom contrasts the sweet berries with a surprisingly sharp scent, more like petitgrain than delicate orange blossom. Maybe the angel’s trumpet is sharpening it up? Sometimes that happens with white pungent floral notes. I can’t smell the rose, frankincense or sandalwood but I’m sure they’re in there.

After a while: still sweet, maybe a bit too sweet, fruit jam, with a hint of Turkish Delight to it-I think that’s the rose. It seems to be turning into an orange blossom tinged rose petal and berry jam. Still no sign of the frankincense or sandalwood, but this is pretty.

The scent doesn’t last long on me, and I never got the more incense-y scents from here, which is a shame. But the rose petal and berry jam drydown with a hint of orange blossom water is so nice. Not as sweet, and the orange blossom has lost its sharpness.

Verdict: I do wish this scent were a little stronger and with more prominent rose and incense notes because it’s very evocative of the concept. The sweet berry and zingy orange blossom, once they settle down, evoke a feeling of joy-it's hard not to smile when you smell of Turkish delight...the berry has an almost jelly-like scent that along with a bit of rose, it smells like some kind of squishy pink confection. It’s really pleasant and uplifting, but perhaps a little too sweet, and ultimately it didn’t last long on my skin.

Is it a keeper? unfortunately not but I enjoyed trying it.

If you like this, try: Changing the Shadows, Mason and Jenkin’s Port Jelly, Dance of the Mirlitons, Seraglio

Edited December 30, 2011 by yeahbutnobut

[zankoku_zen]

Berries, rose and frankincense. This is a warm, resinous berry-rose blend. There's joy, and yes brightness, and sweetness. The berry is definitely 'jammy'.

[stellamaris]

Fruity and pretty, the floral is light for me. This is bright, but not too glaring.

[coldandsleepy]

I'm surprised by how much I like this. It's berries-- sweet, red, bordering at first on bubble gum-- and golden resins. Frankincense and sandalwood, neither overpowering. I get a breath of florals, but only just a whiff, and I can't pick out the rose.

 

Overall, it's quite beautiful on me.

[lunaticana]

oh my

this is PURE orangeblossom on my skin, with a touch of winterberry on top

I travelled through Morocoo for a month and there was perfume verywhere, so I bought

I bought jasmin.. pieces of amber and also ornageblossom oil, this is all gone by now

I have used it up, I wanted to go again this december, but there was no money and no time, I am sooooooooo happy

I found it in my In Brightness and Joy bottle

it amazing how much orangeblossom I can smell right now!

BTW, it also reminds me a lot of the Alqvimia one, from Spain

this takes me back to where my is, I am stunned, simply beautiful.

[Blood onmy hands]

This starts off very fruity, with the orange blossom and berry smelling like fruity hard candy. As it dries down, the berry fades and I'm getting more of the floral. I don't smell any rose, but there's a humid, creamy, almost tropical white floral sort of smell that must be the angel's trumpet. I might have guessed that there was a gardenia note in this if I didn't know what the listed notes are.

 

Angel's trumpet with a hint of orange blossom. It makes for a creamy, sweet, lightly soapy floral that's not unpleasant, but also isn't very complex smelling on me. I don't get any incense, sandalwood, or rose from this blend.

[milo]

Initially, this has a 'bite' to it, a note that's kind of bitter in a way and seems to overpower everything. Dryer the berry comes out, and now this is very similar to Miller vs. California on me, minus the paperbag note. The bitter note is gone and we're left with a juicy winter berry with a touch of orange blossom, I think. This is nice to try, but I'm not into many berry blends at this stage of my bpal evolution. I really want a tall glass of cold juice now.

[Lethran]

In bottle: The berry is strong, dominant, lovely, and unusual. The florals are complex and make a lovely frame for the berries. The incense is soft and well blended with the florals. Really, this is all about the berries. No skin test, rose.

[Spork]

was hoping that winter berries were different from other berries, but alas! strong, super sweet, high pitched berries all the way with a very very slight hint of rose a very long lasting scent, still going strong after almost 12 hours.

[Ghost of a Rose]

In the imp: Oil is clear and a light, bright yellow color. The fragrance is berry and a gorgeous true orange blossom.

 

On me, wet: Right at first, it's the same as in the imp. After a few moments, the berry takes charge, and I can also detect a note of the other florals. The rose is not a strong presence - it's there, but it blends in rather than being a specific note like the orange blossom is. This is more berry than floral, but the florals are strong enough to keep it from being foody.

 

After 10 minutes: The berry continues to strengthen, and is turning a little plastic-y. Berry scents always do that on my skin. The florals are fading, but there is still an undertone of realistic fresh petals.

 

After 30 minutes: Alas, now pretty much all (slightly pastic-y) berry. Nice enough, but it's the vanished florals I really love. They haven't disappeared completely, but almost.

 

After 1 hour: Same as above.

 

After 2 hours: All berry.

 

After 4 hours: A whiff of berry remains, with faint spicy undertones of frankincense and sandalwood.

 

After 5 hours: Almost gone.

 

Verdict: I'm in ecstasy for the first 10 minutes, but then it turns foody (berry.) Based on the skin test, I won't be needing a full vial, although I will keep and use the imp. I'm going to try it in my perfume locket to see if the initial gorgeous orange-blossom-with-other-florals note will last longer.

 

 

In the perfume locket: At first, it's a beautiful fragrance of the mingled flowers, more equally balanced than in the imp or on my skin. The orange blossom can be detected, but to my disappointment, it isn't the leading note that it was in the imp and wet on my skin. Maybe it will come out more with time. Berry is present, but behaves itself as a discreet background note.

 

After 30 minutes: Yay, the orange blossom is indeed now the main note, and as gorgeously realistic as it was in the imp!

 

After 1 hour: Orange blossom still holding strong . . . this is convincing me that I do "need" a bottle after all . . .

 

After 4 hours: Same as above.

 

After 6 hours: Now a lovely mix of all three floral notes, with a hint of the berry.

 

After 24 hours: The same, but now with the addition of the incense notes.

 

In the locket, this is beautiful at all times. The berry is there to add accent, but doesn't overwhelm the other scents. Apparently it was my skin that amped the berry.

 

 

My rating: 3 stars on my skin

5 stars in the perfume locket

[countessmouse]

In the imp - candy. On my skin - orange fizzy candy. Meh.

[thekittenkat]

In the bottle: One whiff of the cap and I'm getting all the notes. Very powerful.

 

Wet: Sweet berries and a nice medium rose.

 

The dry-down: The incense notes are rising through the blend, but the berries and the florals are still lovely in their presence. I like this a lot.

Edited February 3, 2012 by thekittenkat

[Sateki]

This is a very sweet, candy-berry on me, with something green in the background. It reminds me of a sweet version of Moon of Horses. The green grass/hay smell keeps it from being overly sweet. Definitely joyful. I'm really enjoying wearing it!

[ami226]

On the skin: Sweet berry with a hint of tartness, a tiny bit of greenness, and rose. This is actually very pleasant. I could definitely see a similarity between this one and Moon of Horses.

 

Pleasant, but not for me.

[mymymai]

ITB: It's sweeter, like in a candy-type way, than I had anticipated. I think it's the winter berry, but it reads as those red berry hard candies that used to be readily available about 15 years ago. I can pick up a little orange blossom and faint rose, but the berry takes the cake.

 

Wet: Artificial berries, orange blossom, red rose, and a bit of sandalwood and angel's trumpet. It's nice, but a little too sweet at the moment.

 

Dry: After 12 hours, the scent is faint, but the berry has settled down, is less artificial, and now that the resin has had time to develop, is much more well-rounded.