Mischievous Spirit

[CiCi]

Chinese peach, bergamot, cranberry, red vegetal musk, carnation, white coconut, and Nepalese amber.

I purchased this because I wanted a carnation scent. Unfortunately, I can't detect the carnation in here at all. The fruits are all one jumble like a fruit drink, not unpleasant at all, but indistinguishable from each other. The musk and bergamot comes in waves which is nice and the amber finally kicks in after half an hour or so. I don't know what the red vegetal musk is made up of but it works. There is an earthiness to this blend that is warm and pleasant. The drydown is very lovely and there is a soft spiciness that finally appears that is worth waiting for. I believe this is one that will be better with some aging.

[fairestrocza]

In the Bottle: Sweet cranberry, a touch of bergamot, maybe a hint of peach and carnation. No musk, coconut or amber are apparent.

 

Wet on Skin: omgwtf?! blarg. choke.

 

While Drying: Thank the gods that initial wet stage only lasted for a few minutes. Now I'm getting mainly the beautiful cranberry note, though the husband thinks the bergamot dominates.

 

After a Little While: I adore the Lab's cranberry note, but too often it gets muddled by competing notes. Here, cranberry is the star of the show, gently supported by notes that temper the sweetness, and maybe warm the scent a bit. Beautiful.

 

Later: I think this may be the cranberry scent that I've been searching for. I am so glad I didn't let the coconut scare me off.

 

In the Hair: Not good. There is a note in here (I'm guessing coconut, or a combination of coconut and vegetal musk) that is apparently burning off on my skin but sticks around on my hair. It reminds me a bit of the When-Snow-White-Goes-Wrong plastic scent. This will definitely be a skin-only bottle for me - no hair application or scent lockets!

 

Throw: Medium

 

Overall Impression: Brilliant cranberry scent. Lighter than I expected. Mischievous Spirit will most likely make it into regular rotation for me. 4/5

 

ETA: I wore this to bed last night, and in the morning, I could detect a faint musky note, but it is fairly gentle. It is definitely not a typical red musk, and I wouldn't really describe it as vegetal either, just a nice gentle musk.

Edited January 31, 2012 by Rocza

[Alia Kaitan]

I was very excited for this one, as all of the notes sound wonderful to me. In my decant it is sweet and warm and all around delectable smelling. Fruity amber.

 

However...

 

Wet, this is pure Eau de Porta-potty. As the previous reviewer said, bleeaaaaarrrrgh. I will be strong, and resist washing it off, and give it a chance to dry down. Must.. not.. run to sink...

 

While drying, sometimes porta-potty, sometimes I get wafts of other things trying to come through. I wonder if the bergamot or peach is acting up on my skin. I've had something like this happen with lime before. After about 5 long minutes the porta-potty seems to have dissipated. What is left is... not bad. I can definitely smell the cranberry on top, and a bit of bergamot. I am also getting something that smells like fresh coconut flesh. The scent, overall, is fading pretty quickly on me.

 

Dry, this has gone very faint. Still cranberry dominating. It's a drier scent, and has that slightly sharp floral I have come to associate with carnation. Warm and almost spicy. This is quite pleasing once it has settled down all the way, though I am still getting the occasional waft of something 'not quite right'.

 

Overall, definitely cranberry, though YMMV with the other notes. I'm guessing citrus-of-doom killed this on my skin (hear my wallet breathing a sigh of relief). I can sometimes smell how this would be a really nice, unique scent on the right person. Alas, that person is not me.

 

Emoticon rating:

[ellebelle]

Sugared fruits? Definitely don't get any carnation or coconut from this. It is mostly a berry scent with a spicy backdrop given by the red musk.

[Invidiana]

This is mostly sweet-tart cranberry and red musk on me, with a bit of peach in the background. It starts off very much like SweetTarts before becoming a more realistic fruit scent on the drydown but still wiht a bit of an uplifting, almost effervescent quality from the cranberry. I can detect the slightest tinge of coconut if I concentrate hard enough. Pretty inoffensive, but I don't think this is going to be a bottle for me.

[Mellifluous]

Well, I think I'm finding a scent twin.. I seem to be agreeing with Invidiana quite a bit, and this scent is no different.

 

I get mainly cranberry, with red musk (no vegetables to be found). I do get a slight flowery peach scent and agree that there is an effervescent or sparkling quality to the scent, I think its getting it from the bergamot though. I also do get a bit of an amber base, that is very very low key. Unfortunately no coconut to be found from my nose. But I do enjoy the scent. I think it would make a nice room spray.

[thezander]

In the imp: Strong bergamot , mmm. And a bit of juicy peach, over a rich background of... other stuff.*

 

On wet: Hm, there's the bergamot. And something strong... oh, that must be red musk. I amp red musk, and I find it too spicy, compared to white or blue musk. There's also something a bit heavy in here that kind of makes me feel sick/headachey - the peach is going a bit air freshener, I'm afraid. I think that happened with Tamora, too. And that spiciness is not my favorite. *Goes to check note list again* Ohh... amber and carnation. There's the smoky spiciness. That kind of thing teds to fail on my skin chemistry. I do better with a more creamy carnation, à la Alice.

 

Initial drydown: Wow, holy spicy carnation. Not altogether bad, and the bergamot is coming to the fore again, which helps with the queasy feeling.

 

Overall - This is still heavier on me than I would have liked - I was hoping for a realistic peach, bergamot and tangy cranberry scent. Not holiday spice potpurri.

 

*Note: I'm recovering from a cold, so my nose is quite possibly not to be trusted today.

[biocarolyn]

Wow, this is a surprise hit of the update for me. I know I like tart berries, but cranberry has disappointed me in the past. There used to be a Body Shop holiday scent that was cranberry years ago and I loved it, so I've always been on the lookout for cranberry scents but they never seem to work. This one is different. I think the bergamot is holding up the tartness in the cranberry. The red musk doesn't get overpowering like it does sometimes, and the amber is beautiful as the scent dries down and warms on my skin. I get the carnation but only if I really concentrate, I don't think I'd find it if you didn't tell me it was there. Coconut is inoffensive here, which is unusual for me, since it's not really my favorite note, usually too suntan lotion for me.

 

Really nice bright fruit scent, but not too sweet. Bottle

[Dark Alice]

This starts out with peach and red musk. Strangely sparkly effervescent peach. This dries down to a flat peach soda and red musk with hints of cranberry. Definite pass.

[lohengrin]

In the imp: Very tart fruit, mostly cranberry.

 

On skin, wet: Cranberry takes over. A hint of something green, but mostly it's cranberry.

 

On skin, dry: Cranberry single note, more or less.

 

After an hour: Same. Not at all what I wanted (coconut and amber, mainly) and I never got much of anything but the cranberry. Looks like I found another note I amp like crazy. :/

[astarinel]

I don't get a ton of identifiable cranberry from this, which was sort of disappointing!

 

Wet, the citrussy bergamot is backed with spicy carnations and some red musk, with a tart fruitiness sort of lurking about the edges. I'm kind of jealous of all the people who get lots of cranberry, because the most prominent note in this for me by far is the bergamot. It has a strong earl grey with carnations vibe, which isn't terrible, but isn't what I was hoping this scent to be at all.

[zankoku_zen]

Coconut, carnation and amber. In some ways, this reminds me to Red Lantern, minus the caramel component.

[pinkstardust420]

This smells like a fruity tropical drink. I get a bunch of luscious fruits and a touch of the coconut. Great summer scent! I get no carnation in this whatsoever. Fine by me!

[Blood onmy hands]

I usually enjoy every note listed for this, but this smells awful on me. I don't know if the 'vegetal' part in the red musk is what is ruining this for me, but this doesn't smell like the usual red musk to me.

Mischievous Spirit is lots of tart cranberry on me with very sour peach, something like chewable vitamins, and a hint of very dry herbs. I don't get any of the carnation, coconut or amber. It's mostly a weird, sour, fruity blend. As it dries down, something starts to smell like cinnamon potpourri on my skin. Very artificial and cheap smelling, and it gives me a headache...

[milo]

This really smells more like a citrus fruit than a peach to me. Maybe the cranberry is making this tart? Either way, I'm pleasantly surprised, as peach is not always good on my skin. Still, the coconut is giving this a slight dusty vibe, which I'm not enjoying. This does smell like something I'd like to gulp down on, but it really isn't my style. Fans of fruity tropicals will love this one though. The red musk is very subdued here..

[ami226]

This one is sweet! Reminds me of sweet tarts with a tiny herbal hint. After a bit, the sweet powder vibe backs off a little. Now I am really getting the peach, amber, and still a bit of bergamot. I think I'll keep my decant, but this one isn't amazing enough on my skin for a bottle purchase.

[tarotgirl99]

In the bottle, this smells like Japanese incense...complex and lightly sweet.

 

Wet: Chinese peach is definitely more soft and more retiring than Beth's typical peach note. I get a hint of the musk, which is also very different and also more subtle than typical musk notes. It does not impact me positively or negatively.

 

Drydown: The cranberry comes out stronger, and the peach disappears completely...the musk remains a subtle constant.

 

Throw: Medium.

 

Result: Underwhelmed.

Edited March 26, 2012 by tarotgirl

[DahliaHayashi]

I expected this to be fruitier. Unfortunately like the other 3 shungas I tried this year this one also turned perfumy on me.

I love bpal because it normally doesnt smell like perfume. Its fruity floral perfume and smells a bit incensy on me strangewise o.O

So a complete shunga pass for me this year ;.;. All 4 shungas i tried gave me a headache

I think Halloween and xmas is more "my time".

[OctoberGwen]

I like this very much: it's crisp and tart with only a slight sweetness, and a hint of musk to ground it. I definitely get cranberry and bergamot, and I think I detect the coconut if I concentrate.

 

It lasts longer on me than many of the light-feeling fruity scents, and I imagine it will be a refreshing thing to wear on sweltering summer days.

[Gin]

I wish I had more positive things to say about Mischievous Spirit. It's not as amazing as I'd expected. It smells tartly fruity, almost carbonated, and then slightly... resinous, maybe? It's much lighter than I thought, and it seems like it's gone before I have a chance to form an opinion.

[Rho]

This one is a morpher on me. It goes through these stages:

 

Peach! Pretty, and eastern smelling. Like another review said, very Japanese incense-esque.

 

Cranberries! Oh, and how. It spends at least ten minutes being cranberry single note. Very believable but very strong.

 

Red musk! Red musk pretty much creeps in from the edges and smushes everybody else together. For awhile, I get strong red musk... of pretty much the regular kind. Nothing "vegetal" about it to me.

 

Finally, I get the potpourri that others have alluded to. Spicy, dry fruit.

 

I wouldn't mind this as an actual potpourri, but as a skin scent, I was hoping for mostly peach and musk. Oh well.

[porcelina]

i did not intend to pick this one up, but i smelled it at will call and couldn't leave it behind. i'm a sucker for red musk, and amber, and the musk pairs beautifully with the peach and cranberry. it doesn't really come across as fruity to me- just an exquisitely well-blended red musk perfume. add a touch of spicy carnation and i am very happy with my mischievous spirit!

[Ghost of a Rose]

In the vial: A fruity floral, but very unusual! Dry, cool, powdery (it doesn't smell like baby powder, it just reminds me of the dry, soft, ethereal texture of powder.) I can distinctly smell most of the notes listed - carnation, bergamot, non-specific fruits, coconut, and musk. The orangey bergamot note combined with the sweetness reminds me too much of Syrup of Ipecac for me to really like this. I enjoy the musky florals and the cool dry powderiness of it, but would prefer less foodiness and a lot less sweetness. I'll see how it goes on my skin.

 

On me, wet: Right at first it is much the same, but a warm note of clove from the carnation quickly develops. The orange is much less evident. The powdery floral/musk is still lovely. It's less foody without the orange, although an undertone of red fruit remains.

 

 

After 10 minutes: I like this far better now than I did in the vial, without the cloying sweetness and the orange. But it's still a bit too much on the foody side for my taste. The cranberry has strengthened and is equal to the powdery floral/musk. This is indeed an exotic fragrance with a somewhat Asian mood although not incensey.

 

After 20 minutes: Same as above. Interesting how this has gone from a cool scent to a warm one while still maintaining a fairly consistent overall character. So far I haven't noticed any peach - does Chinese peach smell different?

 

After 30 minutes: Cloves, flowers, musk, with a little red Lifesavers fruit candy in the background. And I'm finally noticing some peach, which goes great with the other notes, especially the clove.

 

At 1 hour: The fruits and flowers are fading, but still around. They are most noticeable when sniffed from a couple of inches away, and at first. If I keep sniffing, and/or smell my skin up close, the lead players are the clove and musk. Some amber is starting to show up.

 

At 2 hours: The notes are blending together more, with individual notes - even the clove - harder to pick out. Except for the amber, which is now the dominant note. The dry, powdery trait is more evident, and the fruitiness has largely evaporated. The throw is closer to the skin, and the strength when sniffed up close is soft but distinct.

 

At 3 hours: Only a wisp of amber remains.

 

Verdict: Quite nice after the first 10 minutes, and especially after 1 hour. But too sweet and fruity to rate 5 stars for me.

 

My rating: 4 stars

[bellumed]

Oh, this is nice.

 

The dominant notes here for me are the peach and red musk. It's the descriptors that make this blend interesting: Chinese peach is somewhat drier than the juicy peach I might expect. As for " red vegetal musk," it lives up to its name, plant-like or earthy, grounding, I guess. I like Mischievous Spirit because it's a little fruity but doesn't have that have that big, bubbly quality some fruit blends have.

 

In the end, this creates a light, fresh scent that would be well-suited to late spring or early summer IMO.

[brilliantcat]

In bottle, fruity and bit... fizzy? There's also some enticing wafts of coconut. I do so love coconut. On me, I get a muzzy soft coconut blended with fruit. Something is giving me the impression of woodiness, perhaps the vegetal musk. At this point both the peach and vegetal red musk don't smell at all like their "normal" counterparts as others have mentioned. It's more like dried peaches than juicy ripe fruit and the musk is earthy and little herbal without the fruity whomp of regular red musk, which is fine by me as I amp red musk. Once it warms up, it's a soft, warm skin scent with nuances of coconut, cranberry, dry peach, and musk. It's one of those "my skin but better" scents and I'm so glad I bought a bottle unsniffed.