Secret Lovers and Sleeping Husband

[elka_knits]

Amber, bergamot, champaca flower, centifolia rose absolute, tolu balsam.

I am not very good with the notes and I haven't really spent today trying to tease out the wet, dry, deep dry down that I do when I plan on reviewing but I cannot resist starting

Gorgeous. I put it on and I felt that it was a bit sharp to begin. Honestly I was a wee bit underwhelmed. The bergamot was really strong I guess and there was something oddly plastic about it BUT THEN

and isn't there almost always a But Then?

I am sitting there minding my own business and my daughter says mom you smell really really good. To which I respond hmmm still trying to decide if I like it which causes an I'll take it. uhhhhh Shunga

Then the Husband comments about how pretty and feminine it is and how much he likes it. So ..

I bring my wrist up to huff and I get a very feminine slightly spicy scent but no clear rose, amber, champaca or bergamot. VERY well blended to present a delicate lushness~ does that sound contrary? Well it is gentle and sensual and warm and rich and creamy and all those other things I look for.

I tend not to smell a lot of stuff after I wear them for a while cus they blend in with me but judging on comments it has decent throw.

I think I need another bottle

crossposting this to ravelry

[razzlecupcake]

This is the bergamot scent I was looking for. The rose is a bit strong for me at first, but then the amber and bergamot (which I'm finding is sort of like St. Germain for me: makes everything better!) Come out to the forefront. It's incensey without being overwhelming, and very feminine to me. To quote myself speaking to dbf: "I smell bloody delicious!" Pretty sure this is a big bottle.

[theseagrows]

damn, i had high hopes for this one, figuring it would most likely work on me, but something is...amiss. there is something a bit cloyingly sweet in this, bordering on fruity. i am guessing maybe it's the tolu balsam? i think i am coming to figure out that it may not work on me, as a note. besides the weird sweetness, i think i can smell amber and bergamot and not much else. maybe a backing hint of champaca, but i can't be sure.

[zankoku_zen]

Champaca, amber, and a hint of rose. Slightly sweet, the bergamot gives it a nice citrus edge,

 

I'm actually pleasantly surprised at how wearable, feminine and pretty this blend is. I am actually considering hunting some more of this down.

 

Pretty, feminine, floral.

[hlinspjalda]

This has several notes I love, plus one that dislikes me.

 

In the vial: Bergamot and a little champaca, but not sharp so I guess I must be getting balsam too.

 

Wet: Amber and a floral, possibly the champaca, possibly the rose, not sure.

 

One hour: I like amber-balsam mixtures, and bergamot goes nicely with them. But this one isn't quite in my zone, and I think it's because of the champaca. The champaca smells like a particular type of Indian incense to me, very blue and sharp, not a happy scent.

 

Six hours: This turned quite nice after the champaca burned off, being a mostly balsam, amber, bergamot scent, clean and not too heavy on the amber. Surprisingly, the rose didn't contribute much for good or ill in this one. But the champaca did it in for me.

Edited March 11, 2013 by hlinspjalda

[Monday]

Oh gods, mothballs! Really?

 

On my skin dry: Can I scrub it off yet? Still mothballs but with a bit of rose behind it.

 

I'm completely stunned by how this smells on my skin.

[Blood onmy hands]

This reminds me a little of The Butterfly (which I guess is the amber & bergamot combo). It has the same baby powdery amber and lemony bergamot, with a little bit of sour, perfumey rose in the drydown. It's light on my skin, but still too perfumey and powdery for me.

[milo]

Sweet heady floral alert! Really strong, tropical flower vibe here. I wish I was getting the amber, but what is is I thnnk is the champaca, as I don't think rose smells quite this sweet. Rather honeysuckle-like, sensual in a way, I guess. This is not my style, but nice to try.

[JazzieCazzie]

Received as an extra giftie imp in a swap and ... how did I not buy this when it was available? I'm guessing that at the time there were notes that I NOW know I love but didn't know then ... *sob* ...

 

IN THE IMP: Oh my dog, hello there champaca. Come to mama.

 

Dabbed on one wrist and in the crook of arm, as I'm double-testing with Dragon's Milk on the other.

 

WET: Oh this is good. This is very very very good. I am getting mostly champaca and amber upon application (two of my favorite notes). I get a tiny bit of rose but not enough to be a note of doom. While wet, not getting any bergamot or balsam.

 

DRYDOWN: This. Is. Fantastic. The bergamot rises just enough to give it a tiny fruity twist. The rose plays nicely as well. Those were my two notes of concern, ones that can often be killers for me. This is an absolutely fascinating and compelling scent on me. Resiny and smoky and delicious, with that tiny bit of fruit and floral.

 

OVERALL: Though the scents are not necessarily similar, the two blends this brings to mind for me are Nemesis and Nephilim, two big favorites. I <3 this and it definitely is going on my wish list now, at the very least for more imps if not a bottle. Now if I can just FIND it.

 

On a scale of 1-5, a 4.8

[aquazoo]

A little bit sour to start, then a bit like disinfectant. It’s not happening for me.

[roseus]

This is hard to describe for me. I get a solid pink rose, but it is made dry and incensy but the amber and champaca. Very soft and warm. The word antiqued comes to mind.