Sea of Glass

[Spring Snow]

Upon the Sea of Glass, glowing with the perfection of spiritual union and the radiance of true wisdom, rests the throne of God. A scent of inimitable purity, crystalline grace, and limitless light.

 

I'm absolutely in love with this scent. I remember reading reviews of R'lyeh that said it was "evil grapefruit." Well, Sea of Glass must be heavenly grapefruit. It's light, sweet, slightly tart and very refreshing I imagine myself on a veranda surrounded by trees with small white blossoms, eating a heavenly grapefruit and looking out over the sea of glass (which is calm and beautiful, NOT mingled with fire) when I wear this one.

This is going to be my calming scent, as it is so much more peaceful than the in-your-face violets of Water of Notre Dame. I could wear it every day, and I might just do that while the imp lasts. I may need a bottle of this one.

 

ETA: added description

Edited May 21, 2007 by Spring Snow

[Tal Shachar]

Somewhat as I would imagine the edge of the sea in Narnia with Reepicheep sailing away. "Where the waves grow sweet...There is utter east."

 

YES, that's just what I thought of, and why I like this. I also think of Easter morning at church when the smell of the lilies can be so overwhelming that my eyes used to water. This does not quite have that effect on my tear ducts, but it's much more present than I thought a white aquatic floral like this would be (I was concerned about throw--no worries there). It's truly a celestial smell, serene and sweet but in an austere way, very pure and thus a bit fiercer than other white floral scents I've tried.

 

I got almost no morphing--it softened a bit, but retained its integrity, as one would expect.

[jasmine]

Initially, this scent is a pale yellow blend of citrus and frankincense. It’s complex, yet light, and distinctly refreshing. I’m not sure there’s actually lemon in it -- this really isn’t the strong Pledge-like lemon that appears from time to time. I think the components are more likely to be near relatives such as lemon verbena or benzoin.

 

The frankincense promptly vanishes. I may have imagined it in the first place -- or it may be a different mint. There’s nothing quite high-pitched enough in the scent to be frankincense now, although there’s a deep cleanliness about it that definitely suggests some sort of mint in addition to the citrus. Despite this, it doesn’t smell like a detergent -- it’s too complicated to do so. This is quite lovely.

 

In fact, this is reminding me a little bit of The Unicorn (one of my all-time favorites) and I find myself wondering the overlap might be. Without a note list for Sea of Glass, and with such a vague one for The Unicorn (“linden blossoms, white flowers, and a touch of sweet herbs”) I really have no hope of picking the two out, but I think the lemon-like scent present in Sea of Glass is also present to a much smaller degree in The Unicorn. I go off to snuffle my Unicorn, but the verdict is inconclusive; I don’t want to occupy my testing elbow with a scent I already know and love, considering that I’m just going to wash it off, and The Unicorn smells different in the bottle than on the skin (like most Lab scents.) Ah, well.

 

As Sea of Glass fades, it changes to become thin, dry, and hollow, which saddens me. It was so attractive at first that I would have joyously worn it. Now it smells terribly familiar, but placing the scent is difficult -- there’s an ever-so-delicate ghost of floral above the lemoniness, and under it, there’s something like... well... (There was a pause here while I went off to sniff various things and try to find an appropriate analogy.)

 

The light abruptly dawns, prompted by my roommate -- Sea of Glass is an aquatic. (Apparently, the name didn’t give it away to me, though I’m sure that it did to the rest of the universe.) Until this point, I’ve been too awed by the light, complex citrus to notice, but the aquatic note has come out, and it’s flat instead of full. There’s a saltiness to it that seems off when placed against the rest of the scent.

 

Still, there are enough strengths to this scent to make up for its weaknesses. I should remember it for the future.

[rockchickie]

Wet: Wet. Rainy. California in the early morning.

Dry: Um, that was about it. Fades *very* fast on me even with moisturized skin.

 

Could be fun as a room scent if it lasts long enough.

[willowtreeling]

in the imp, it smells gorgeous...fresh..a wee bit salty...and a little white flowery, but not cloying at all...the freshness of the aquatics tempers that I think.

 

On me, the saltiness goes away--pity because I LOVED that part of it, but it still leaves a lovely, fresh sky blue and grassy green scent that makes me clean and happy. It is a very pretty scent and perfect for summer.

 

It also, for obvious reasons, reminds me of sea glass--all blue and green and white and sort of ethereal but earthy, clean but mysterious.

 

Though I can't say it smells like my beloved ocean, the Pacific....it does remind me of a fantasy ocean---a Narnian ocean, at the end of the world, where all the waterlilies were blooming and the scary mermaids appeared...

[mspixieears]

A very fresh, gender neutral scent. There’s something like a hint of spice in it – not too sure, but it’s very nice. It feels like it’ll stay fresh and uplifting but once on skin it becomes a warm fragrance. The hint of spice reminds me of saffron or turmeric though. I think it could more likely be saffron. It’s an okay scent to have tried but not one of my favourites. I think I’d prefer this on a make though it is suitable on everyone. It reminds me of a spicier, warmer, unsweetened version of Aeval. There is also something slightly aquatic about this blend. About half an hour or so later I get something like rose in this blend, amidst the spice. It loses the aquatic quality and becomes a bit more floral.

[impadua@aol.com]

I just got this beauty from an Ebay purchase.

Rolling the bottle in my hand to combine contents, opening the bottle.

 

First sniff; Wow. Clean, clear, not ozone-y, has depth, kind of wet but not damp, more like a fresh breath of washed air. Nothing irritates or heightens emotions here. Very calm and soothing. Lets try it on.

 

On skin; So clean and just washed smelling. I really can't identify anything in particular (not unusual for me), definitely aquatic, but not yucky like some other aquatics smell for me. It is light as in not strong, but long lasting and not powdery at all.

It's a keeper!

[prettybird]

A freebie from the lab.

 

It doesn't smell any different in the bottle than on my skin, so I won't go through both of them. I don't usually say or like this, but it makes me smell really pretty. I feel like a pretty girl, and that's sometimes enjoyable.

 

I can't think of another BPAL scent that evokes such a strong sense of peace. It's complex, but not complicated. Really, it does what it says on the tin- it's like walking across a sea of glass, perfectly at peace.

 

A definite favorite.

[ClareN]

With aquatic notes and white flowers, I sort of expected this to smell like Issey Miyake's L'Eau d'Issey, which was the first perfume I fell in love with. It doesn't smell anything like Issey, but it is nice. I find that white flowers can either be rich and sweet, or dry and powdery. This one is on the dry, powdery side. It's elegant and reserved. It wears close to the skin but the lasting power is astonishing - I put it on at noon and could still detect it when I went to bed. The next morning, believe it or not, I could still smell a trace of white flowers after I had a shower. I hadn't even put much on!

 

Overall, it's pleasant, but not something I need a bottle of. It's not really me.

Edited June 29, 2007 by ClareN

[modernsaints]

Incredibly sweet, white floral-y powder. This is kinda calming, I guess, but I was expecting something in the vein of Szepasszony or Shattered, and I'm just kind of... disappointed. White florals are really hit-or-miss with me, though.

[starwild]

I cannot possibly get any closer to describing this scent than the description does! But I'll try.

 

In the bottle: Something bright, sweet, wet.

 

Wet: Like sun shining on a...darn it, I have to say it...sea of glass.

 

Drydown/wearing: I can tell there is a major aquatic note here, but it's almost reminiscent of a strangely acid-less citrus. It doesn't really smell like lemon, but it has the high-pitched tang of it. I also get Easter lilies. This scent is like stained glass windows in a church on Easter Sunday.

 

It also reminds me of the farthest sea in "Voyage of the Dawn Treader," one of the Chronicles of Narnia. I think this is what they might have smelled at the end of their journey.

 

Gosh I love this. It's not my usual kind of fragrance, but it's enthralling. This is what I'd put on before bed, or early in the morning. It's very gentle and refreshing but not pungent or sharp. If you want something like lemon that isn't lemon, this would be a great choice.

 

 

Edited to add:

 

Ok, I'm going back through this thread and am SHOCKED at how many people had the exact same thought about Narnia and the Easter lilies. Wow, you know a perfume is great when so many different people can wear it and get the same exact imagery.

 

Edited yet again:

 

I actually find myself wearing THIS scent more than any other. It's calming and tranquil, bottled happiness. I am going through this imp so fast, I HAVE to get a bottle. It doesn't have a lot of throw on me, but I wear it just for me, not for anyone else.

Edited July 24, 2007 by starwild

[evilbee]

I've been looking forward to trying Sea of Glass since forever, but always chickened out on ordering it until recently in a forum purchase. However, I'm disappointed. I've discovered that in fact I do not like aquatics on my skin. Maybe I'm salty enough already?

 

This is salty with bitter citrus (like lemon peel) and some softness of vanilla. There is also something green about it, like snapped stems. I understand why others love it, but it's salty bitter with clashing creamy sweetness on my skin.

 

Off to swaps with you!

[waternight]

In the imp: Very light. First whiff reminds me a lot of Tempest, but underneath that sweet aquatic is a surprisingly fresh herbal note, almost like basil.

Wet/Drydown: First on, very similar to Tempest, but without Tempest’s saltiness. It’s a light, sweet aquatic, but again, there’s a fresh herbal note underneath the dominant aquatic. It’s almost… anise? If it is anise, it’s incredibly light and unobtrusive. There’s also a light grassy note underneath the aquatic as well, and the barest hint of salt. Huh, now there’s a tangy citrus note, but it’s not a sweet citrus…grapefruit rind, perhaps. And the salt is a bit stronger now. I have to say, I’m liking it more the longer it’s on my skin. Thank God this isn’t going too sweet. As it dries, it’s taking on a dusty, dusky quality that is rather nice, even if the strength is fading a bit.

Dry: The tang and salt have gentled, leaving this a soft, dusty aquatic with edges of salty citrus. I enjoy this blend, but it does seem to be more of a mood scent rather than an everyday scent. I do like that it doesn’t go crazy sweet on me as so many blends do, though. I’ll keep it around, but I don’t know how often I’ll reach for it.

[somnambular]

This is probably the most beautiful scent of all the BPAL blends I've tried. I have other favorites, but this is just gorgeous.

 

It's very difficult to pick out any notes, but it smells... radiant. Very light and fresh... slightly lemony. Not straight lemons, something herbal like lemongrass or lemon verbena. This is everything I hoped Dirty would be and more. This is next on my big bottle purchase list.

[MissLily]

I see that Gaidig beat me to the Reepicheep poem. That was my first thought too:

 

"Where sky and water meet, Where the waves grow sweet, Doubt not, Reepicheep, To find all you seek, There is the utter east."

 

I will make an earthier comparison.

 

When I was a girl, when you went out with your friends to some place where desirable young men could be found in abundance, you doused your proto-gothy self with the small bottle of China Rain that someone had probably shoplifted from the store on Telegraph.

 

Sea of Glass smells like what we thought we smelled like then.

[Babylon]

Light floral grapefruit! The grapefruit is tart as usual, but is softened by those helpful flowers. It is somewhat sharp, like geranium, immediately upon application, but that burns off after about 10 minutes.

[lilacea]

Wet: this reminds me some what of champagne. Perhaps that's the grapefruit?

 

Wearing: Initially I'm getting rose and the faintest trace of jasmine. It warms just slightly to release a lemongrass smell, and maybe a touch of eucalyptus? Behind these are floral notes I can't pick.

 

This is a cool scent; high, bright and clear.

[jewelbug]

Imp: a really light, clean sort of scent. definitely worthy of a description wiht light, crystal and purity in it. THere is perhaps a twinge of lime?

 

Wet: This goes on pretty powerful for such a light, clean scent. I still smell what i think is lime, maybe even a hint of mint. And there is something ozoneish, too.

 

Dry: I get a clean ozoney citrus scent with a hint of herbal florals, and it has a throw for MILES. Further into drydown, the citrus and ozone back off, and the clean herby florals are more evident. They are clean white florals, and I'd hazard a guess that there is even a bit of pale rose in this blend (think moon rose). After about 3 hrs, this is a faint clean scent.

 

Overall: This is really pretty, but simply not in my genre of scents. I'm more a spice gal. Ziggga-zig-ahhhhh.

[Iceblink]

I love the description of this and wanted to love the oil, but...Sea of Glass is a scent of inimitable nausea and limitless headaches for me. Which annoyed me because what I did smell was very fresh, light, and pretty. But "clean" scents and anything remotely aquatic just are not my thing.

[daiconharuko]

This is sooo light and pretty! I love it. It reminds me of the beach on the east coast and in the Caribbean. So nice and fresh.

 

And you know... there is a slightest hint of floral, but it works. It makes me happy. I love this. My only regret is that it goes on strong and fades to almost nothing.

[grifyn_whiffs]

Sea of Glass has been on my BPAL imp wishlist almost since I got into BPAL, and one fascination or another bumped it down the list whenever the time came. There were no notes, nothing to beguile me... just a name that sends a lightning bold of imagery into my brain. It doesn't hurt that I'm a sucker for a good aquatic blend. I'm a Pisces, after all.

 

It smells EXACTLY like the name. I mean, I never thought, "Sea of Glass will smell like _______", but once I had smelled it, it was an "of course" moment. A bright, clean, still and calm aquatic. It reminds me of Olokun without the salt and brine. There is something A LITTLE floral playing here, and I keep thinking I smell something pale and bubbly like grapefruit, but then it's gone again. I just can't peg it down.

 

This one doesn't fade on me so much as it seems to absorb in. From there, the throw is random. I think it's gone, but I will get a calming whiff of it again. It's incredibly peaceful. I could see using this blend to help with meditation or maybe a little spritzed into a child's room at bedtime (note to self: buy a good spray base for this). I'm going to put some in a locket for stressful days.

 

I can already tell the imp isn't going to last as long as I thought! This goes on my bottle wishlist.

[Trish]

In the imp: Umm.. flowers. At least one of them is very familiar but what it is I'm not sure. There's a touch of citrus too.

 

Wet: Mega white flowers with some citrus.

 

Drydown: This is giving me an instant headache, it's just way too aggressively floral for me. Although it's not suffocating like Pele, thanks to the citrus which definitely improves it for me. Grapefruit?

 

Dry: Well thankfully the florals have subsided a bit! There's a little salty tang now also. It's definitely a cool, clear scent. Peaceful.

 

This isn't bad once it's been on a while, but it's too much floral in the early stages for me. I'm also not a fan of salty aquatics - or the headache I still have. I do like the grapefruit though. Needless to say this is going to swaps.

[fireflower]

Oh God, I love this. The second I smelled the bit that got on my index finger when I opened the imp, I knew I loved it. It's just... so pretty. Aquatically floral. I picture being two fathoms underneath a beautiful, clear ocean and looking up at the bright, sparkling light the sun is making on the surface of the water. It's also like those pretty, shining crystals you see that sometimes wash up on the sand. Just completely glowing. I'm in love.

[Kimbernunk]

This is a major bottle MUST HAVE for me. It's unbelievable. I can't pick out any single notes because it's well blended (and because I'm still pretty new and training my nose somewhat). All I can say is that it reminds me of sitting outside on a gorgeous day with some sun and some clouds and watching light play off of a rippling pool of water - be it a lake, pond, pool or whatever. It sort of reminds me of where I got engaged (minus the 110 degree heat), which may be some of the pull. It makes me really calm and happy. LOVE.

[Elizabethm]

This smells like a dead on ringer for the Rain scent at Pier One. Exactly. I'm smelling the rain candle now. It's identical. Very weird.. but good! If you like the Pier One Rain scent in their candles and homesprays you will adore this. And vice versa.

 

That said.. it's clean and pretty. I like it lots but I associate it with more of a room scent than a personal one.

 

If I would hazard a guess it's tangerine mixed with grapefruit and lilac and maybe a touch of lavender & lime.

Edited October 28, 2007 by Elizabethm