Mrs. Valentine

[Invidiana]

The house at No. 157 is kept by Mrs Valentine, who has four ladies in attendance and ready to receive gentlemen into their tender arms. This is a second class house.

Lacy white vanilla, mallow flower, white sandalwood, sweet oudh, and a drop of red musk.

I might be a fan of everything dark and unholy, but I love this ethereal white scent. Clouds of fluffy vanilla and mallow amp on me, like a more sophisticated version of vanilla marshmallows. White sandalwood is an iffy note for my skin but thankfully this one behaved on my chemistry and acted more as a hint of a something sultry along with the oudh and tinge of red musk rather than a screeching white sandalwood banshee. Mrs. Valentine is somehow innocent and sexy all at once, even for a proprietress of a house of ill repute.

 

 

[tuvili]

Well, I guess I just learned that I amp red musk. It's almost all I can smell! I'm going to wait a while to see if this smooths out.

[Balame]

I'm typically not a red musk fan, but thought I'd give this a go due to how much I love all the other notes.

While not my thing, it turned out nice. After Valentine dries I can pick out sweet vanilla and mallow behind the red musk, which is definitely the "leading" note, but smooth enough that it's not obnoxious.

Hours later and I still can't find the sandalwood or oudh, however.

 

It certainly smells like something a well-dressed Victorian lady would wear, voluptuous but riding the line between taboo and propriety.

In that sense I give it an A+ for theme, but unfortunately the "drop" of red musk was enough for it to dominate, and I'm not so big a fan to feel right wearing it.

Too powdery and typically "perfumey" as a whole for me.

 

If you're a red musk lover, this is definitely a must-have, otherwise I'd recommend those on the fence to avoid.

 

[LizziesLuck]

Wet: That's a lot of red musk. And sandalwood. Where's the vanilla? Not that I'm really complaining. I love me some red musk. But I wanted VANILLA with red musk. Instead, red musk is slapping me repeatedly in the face. Hoping more sweetness comes out as it dries. I love red musk when it's paired with something sweet.

 

 

Dry: I can catch hints of the vanilla, under the red musk. Tiny glimmers of sandalwood. I am going to try aging this, and hope that it will even out a bit with time. Currently I like it, but don't LOVE it. But it has potential.

[zankoku_zen]

Vanilla, sandalwood, and red musk. This one is a musky sophisticated vanilla. If you're into red musk and/or vanilla, give this a whirl. Sultry and sexy. Medium throw and wear length.

[Blood onmy hands]

As with most blends with red musk in them, this amps up to epic red musk on my skin, even though it's supposed to just be "a drop of" musk, lol. It's tons of warm, sweet, sultry red musk, which always reminds me of wine and incense. The only other note that I can pick out is the sandalwood, and it's unfortunately very baby powdery on me here.
There are definitely red musk blends that I like more than this one, and I was hoping for vanilla and mallow, but they never show up to the party.

[writergal969]

That must be one big drop of red musk, guys! Good thing I like red musk for the most part

Wet: RED MUSK CORN CHIP PARTY! Red musk always initially smells like Fritos to me, or puppy toes! This persists into initial drydown which isn't usual. I'm a bit worried.

 

Dry: I'm getting the white sandalwood, vanilla, and either the mallow flower or sweet oudh (possibly both, but my smeller ain't that good with the sniffles.) I still get red musk, but it's calmed the eff down and is relaxing with the others. This is about an hour into wearing it at this point, but it's lovely and sweet and definitely sexy thanks to the red musk. The sandalwood is grounding it for me, and it's not --on me at least--a foodie vanilla at all.

 

Overall: I like this after about an hour. It's a little obnoxious when wet and hoo boy, a dab will do. Strong throw. But it is SO WORTH IT to let it dry and become this beautiful sexy scent.

 

I've got one bottle, and I think one bottle will do me on this lady.

Edited December 21, 2016 by Happicuppa

[whisperstilled]

Sweet, almost medicinal vanilla floral and strong red musk in the decant.

 

Wet: Whoa! Something here smells like mint cough syrup. WTF?

 

Drying: My nose has no idea what is going on here. I definitely smell the mallow, and I think it's the sharp sandalwood mingling with the red musk that's giving this one such a weird and funky tang. And maybe the oudh? I've never been able to pick oudh out as a note, but I think it's what's bringing the vetiver-like earthiness to this. Not for me.

[celestia]

♔ Mrs. Valentine

 

In the Bottle: Dry vanilla musk, hints of sweet marshmallow

 

Wet: Huh…? Ok. fruity red wine that dissipates almost immediately into full blown red musk. The vanilla has turned somewhat medicinal on me but I can still manage to detect a sweet sugared mallow underneath, along with a husky-dry, white, and powdery vanilla…the vanilla is not sweet.

 

Drydown: The dry white vanilla note comes out a bit more toward the early drydown phase, and seems to have absorbed a little of the sugar sweet mallow. It’s still quite powdery, though a little too sharp to be mistaken for the powdery scent marshmallows usually present when popping open a bag. They remain very separate components. The medicinal note carries a somewhat sterile element which I feel doesn't belong, almost out of character. Red musk always fades quickly, but for some reason it’s lingering this time, and smells a bit like red wine incense. By the drydown stage, I’m still left with faint traces of it which I feel stomps all over my experience of an otherwise incredible scent. I generally can’t cope with any amounts of red musk which I don’t like smelling. I’m quite nose-sensitive to it and can sniff it out easily. I was hoping a drop to be a drop, but alas I have amped it beyond so. I can’t say I love it now, but it does show promise. I’ll have to retest this when my chemistry is back to its usual self where red musk does burn off quickly into a more wearable musk.

 

TL;DR: Dry white vanilla musk and hints of sugary sweet marshmallow – blanketed over red wine incense

Edited April 24, 2017 by celestia