Neptune

[Ehann]

Abstract Ideas - Dreams - Scandal - Glamour - Idealism - Hallucinations - Imagination - Mediumistic Power - Poetry - Receptivity - Spirituality - Visionaries - Weirdness - Seduction - Prophecy - Fantasy - Perception

This is going to sound crazy, but I can't identify one aspect of this fragrance at all. That said, I feel like I've been waiting forever for this one. It's perfect on my skin, medium throw and lasts forever. I absolutely adore it.

(Wish this was a more scientific review, but it's not, so I'll just settle for visceral.)

[NanookPurple]

While bending slowly

In and out of downward dog

I caught a light whiff

 

Shoreline and seaweed

Tainted by Neroli, sex

A mermaid's perfume

 

ADDED 9/20/08:

 

Neptune is lovely, light and sweet, but with a certain murky depth. Definitely it recalls the Sea King more than the planet.

 

I smell neroli very strongly, tempered with something like cedar, and something aquatic. At first whiff, there is damp, powdery breath of lotus, but that fades on drydown. A very nice man's scent, I would think, but my man insists it's too sweet for him.

[slave1]

In Bottle: Soapy

 

On Skin: Sweet aquatic. It has that sharp fresh note, quite soapy. Clean but also warm. This is a warm aquatic as oposed to a bright green/blue… I’m thinking more the crystal clear blue of warm shallow tropical waters. It is pretty but a little sharp for my nose. I get a little lotus, but not enough to give the bubblegum feel, just enough to sweeten it up a bit. I am eager to try it out for it’s intended purposes. I see it fitting some of them well: glamour, spirituality, fantasy. It does spark some energy in me and I feel more motivated than I did a few minutes ago. This would be nice to wear to a Reiki session… to see if abstract ideas, mediumistic power, receptivity, spirituality, visionaries and percetion would be increased or helped. Light throw and short wear length.

[Meg]

In the bottle: Neroli! Oooh, lovely!!

 

Wet: Spicy neroli, sweetening with something else, a bit perfumy.

 

Drydown: I think this is neroli and lavender, they smell fresh and aquatic without having the actual aquatic notes that make me want to sneeze. There may be a little bit of heliotrope in there, it smells a little bit plasticky. It becomes rather warm and spicy after a while, I think from ylang-ylang. After a while, the blend becomes too complex for me to be able to pick out any notes in particular. All I know is that it's a pretty floral.

 

Overall: I was expecting lotus, and there is none that I can smell, which is a huge bonus for me, as I loathe it. It's a beguiling scent, it makes me think of the "mirage" side of Neptune, the one that wraps you up in sweet beautiful dreams and confuses you in its mists. Of course if you see Neptune as a planet of art and poetry, it also works well with this scent. There's a cool heart to the blend, lavender I think (or possibly mint), that reminds you that Neptune can be a cold-hearted enchantress that will trap you in a web of your own dreams and delusions. It certainly has me in deep thought about Neptune, because I have issues with it in my chart, and somehow this blend helps me reflect about the planet. Although I don't adore the scent itself, it smells familiar, a bit like going home, back into my element - which makes sense, as it's my ruling planet. Wow. A wonderful blend, kudos to Beth for grasping this very slippery planet.

[QueenFae]

Definitely a masculine scent, most appropriate for Neptune. There are some deep aquatic notes in there, smeared over with some sort of darkly cologney tones. It is a dark green scent for me. Smells really sexy on my man, who immediately claimed the bottle. Fine with me, I like it on him, but not on me.

[columbus]

There's a bit of soapiness to this when it's in the bottle, but the entire scent is so subtle that it's hard to pick anything out until it's actually on the skin.

 

And what then? Forgive my BPAL nose in training, but here goes. Overall there's definitely an aquatic nature to this scent (of course!), with floral and citrus notes. I think I've pinned down the floral as lotus, but the citrus could really go either way. I'm not entirely sure. The two together create a tang that's almost sour.

 

Once it dries, the sharp, tanginess of the citrus and salt is a little subdued, and there's a hint of smoothness, perhaps a powder or even something a little sweet?

 

Over all, I can't say I'm a big fan. It actually smells almost identical to a non-BPAL essential oil I have called Pisces (although *that* oil is far too strong and is actually quite icky), which gives me headaches just thinking about it (the only reason I keep it is because the bottle is almost the same size as a 5mL, so I use it for measuring storage devices. ;p). This scent is just a little too sour on me for me to enjoy, but I'm sure that there are plently of aquatic-loving people out there who would smell lovely while wearing this.

[chapatti]

First whiff: soap. Not "soapy", as in, "reminds me of soap", it is actual, pure, concentrated, bigger-than-life soap.

 

Drydown: the soap actually strengthens at first, lasts for at least half an hour, then slowly leaves the scene, to be replaced by something paradoxically warm, feminine, delicate and which totally evokes a... peach/salmon pink color to my nose. It's slightly powdery, and it doesn't smell aquatic at all to me. And no citrus, no sir.

- Why, yes, it is Neptune I'm talking about, why are you asking?

Overall, it's delicately floral/fruity and, again, very "peach/pink", but I'm incapable of identifying what's in the blend exactly. I would venture there is lotus, though - but "fruity" lotus?

...now is this a helpful review or what? ;p

 

Verdict: OK, so either my nose is on crack, or Neptune morphed in my own imp into being something I personally would like, considering my experience with it is so drastically different from everybody else

Anyway, I quite like it as it is, and it fits the way I perceive Neptune, another prominent influence in my chart.

 

7/10

[yeahbutnobut]

Neptune

 

In the bottle: orange blossom/neroli! Yup, nothing but that for now. It reminds me of Naiad without the lavender.

Wet on skin: still orange blossom, but it’s a little bit tangier now.

Dry: this is pretty…this smells very much like Naiad, only a little more complex. I get something almost like lavender now (it may be something else, but it brings the colour of lavender-purple to my mind), and a soft pale fresh floral behind the neroli, I’m guessing a waterlily note…I also get a little bit of something aquatic-a soft sea breeze note, I think. Very appropriate for Neptune.

After a while: this has just become much more exotic and beautiful! Gone is the neroli and the ‘lavender’ note. I now get deep sweetness to the scent…almost like sugar or vanilla, but I don’t know if that’s what I’m smelling. Maybe it’s an amber variant (it’s not the usual BPAL amber, that’s for sure), or even benzoin? It’s also quite musk-like. But it really does remind me of Bourbon vanilla extract. I also get a deep, rich floral scent-I think that may be the source of the sweetness. I think I’m smelling a blend of orchids and lotus here, along with some frangipani! The scent of tropical island blooms. Yup, I think it’s vanilla with orchid (or maybe vanilla orchid) and frangipani/plumeria and a little bit of lotus/waterlily, a little benzoin resin at the base with musk. This is a stunning scent, and very grown up as well, it actually reminds me of perfume one of my old science teachers used to wear!

The drydown after a few hours is…a wonderful, ethereal white musk! No…it’s not just white musk. I think it’s Egyptian musk! It has that airy, fresh, ‘amplified skin scent’ to it. And I love EM. I think there’s a hint of sweetness clinging to the musk.

Verdict: yet another beautiful and well made planetary scent. This and Venus are my new favourites out of the scented solar system. This scent does seem to encompass Neptune’s attributes in scent-it’s a dreamy, ethereal, mysterious scent, the scent of mermaids and faerie glamour. It has neroli and a little hint of aquatic at first before transforming into a bewitching sweet floral scent with a sweet, rich note underneath which I can’t place but it reminds me of vanilla and sweet sticky resins bound with sophisticated musk, with heady tropical blooms above it. It's a scent almost like posh perfume but much more interesting, and a wonderful Egyptian musk drydown lingering on the skin, shimmering like an intangible mirage. It seems to evoke illusory glamour, an otherworldly scent which seems so beautiful that it can’t be real, can it? It seems to arise from the world of fantasy, of dreams…and it’s no coincidence that Beth, a Pisces, can make Neptune’s scent so incredibly evocative of her ruling planet! This is a stunning scent for perfume, and I bet if used ritually or purposefully it will work wonders. (Although I don't get why I love it so-my natal Neptune is not well aspected, and I have very little water in my chart…)

Emoticon rating:

[edenssixthday]

Neptune - I didn't know what to expect with this one, and when I opened my decant, I instantly wished I had more. The scent arising from the vial was a bubblegum-sweet floral that was simultaneously watery and very, very calming. I put some on before bed, and found it perfect for relaxation. I'd had an extremely stressful evening, and after I put on Neptune, the worries of the day went away, and I was able to relax and smile. The scent is like a cross between Cthulhu, Thunderbird, Lotus Moon, and maybe even a bit of Sleepy Moon in there. It's highly aquatic and sweet-floral with the soft scent of woods wafting into the blend upon drydown. I am also about 80% certain that there is black poppy in this oil due to the soporific effect it seemed to have on me. The scent has incredible throw when first applied, but the throw decreases steadily with time. At the 4 hour point, I can still smell it on my skin, but just barely -- and I have to have my nose pressed against my wrist to detect it. I wish I'd bought a bottle of this. It's really lovely.

[jarvenpa]

I smiled as I tried Neptune, remembering that Beth is well acquainted with the planet.

 

This one is pure beauty, glamour, fascination.

 

The first sniff was a bit sharp--maybe lavender? (*again wishes nose were more intelligent*) but then a complex and lovely dark bloom opened. This reminds me of a stage in The Sleeper that just caught my soul and heart--so maybe poppy? (remembering that that was a Sleeper note, and would be very appropriate for Neptune, who can lure us to the sweet and addictive)

It's almost "this is the soul of the perfect perfume".

The first hour the throw seems good (at least I find myself sniffing the air, not my wrists) and then--a different, almost powdery sweetness. Perhaps a musk--this is the beloved effect I associate with a number of my musk-enhanced favorites.

 

Extremely beautiful.

[Inanna9]

This has a lot in common with Lotus Moon. I can pick up the lotus and the opium for sure, notes both highly in keeping with the Neptune vibe. There is a really, really faint either citrus or aquatic element that clearly sets it apart from Lotus Moon and gives it a lighter feel. But overall, this is much more powdery than I was expecting--I pictured this as an in-your-face aquatic, but this is very soft and pretty. Dreamy. Very Neptune, very lovely.

[Alchemy21599]

In the bottle: dark, aquatic and very sexay.

 

Wet: I really don't know how to describe this. I think that there is opium poppy in this, but I am guessing. Perhaps there is civet or skin musk, because this is also really grrrr sexay.

 

Dry: Love this! It strikes me as somewhat masculine, but I will wear it anyway. So happy that I snagged a bottle

[strangemusic]

This one doesn't exactly sit well with my nose-- it went straight up my right nostril and sat in the most inconvenient spot. Imagine the sensation you'd have, were someone picking your nose, and you'll have the best description I can give of the nasal effect.

 

Another pale, withdrawn scent-- fitting enough, for these outer planets. As I inhale, the nasal equivalent of blancmange; then fruits-- a little strawberry, a bit of syrupy fruit cocktail, hefty doses of empty, lifeless, sub-zero ozone.

 

Wet: broad swathes of that ozone, splayed over fruity syrup... and a great deal less of that non-consensual nose picking feeling. The scent spins counterclockwise, lazily and with not much interest in its surroundings... definitely no throw. It's as though this scent did not exist-- I have to put my nose right up to it in order to smell what's going on. I swear, this is the Michael Knight* of BPAL scents.

 

Dry: at first, ozone and sweet water; then, ozone and hair spray. Aqua-Net™ hair spray. Put me right back in the girls' bathroom at my junior high, watching the girls spray their claws in place with the entirety of those wee stubby purse-sized cans of EXTRA HOLD Aqua-Net.

 

 

* ...of Knight Rider fame, o' course

 

 

C&P from my LJ

[storme]

In the imp: soapy, neroli-ish aquatics.

 

On me, wet: soap! Soap! Neroli soap! There's something sweet behind the soapiness and the neroli, but it's pretty swamped.

 

On me, dry: light, sweet, aquatic neroli-and soap. Sigh. Whatever aquatic this is, it just isn't going to work on me.

 

Verdict: Off to the swap pile it goes.

[supremegoddessofall]

It smells good, but I can't really pick out anything specific other than a generic light floral impression. But it doesn't smell like "flowers."

[steffanina]

Neptune-

 

In Bottle: Strongly aquatic and cologne-y.

 

Wet: Very cologne-like. Might be a little eye-watering; I'll watch.

 

Dry: No, not eyewatering, but I can't really find a name for what this does other than act cologne-y, and at least it fades without too much drama.

 

Overall: Not for me.

[azhure]

In the bottle: Aquatic, but only just so to my nose. I can't really isolate any notes.

 

Wet: There are florals in here somewhere - they smell "blue" to me, obviously appropriate. It's quite a soft scent, and I suspect there are some resins hiding in there as well.

 

Drydown: Neptune goes a bit powdery on me - but a lovely soothing powdery scent. There's definitely a resin in the background, maybe a musk of some kind, and a very soft floral. Very calming scent.

[asciident]

Wet: Strong and aquatic. Not heavy, though. Not pinning anything down.

 

First on: Whoa. Sharply floral. Kind of jumps out to slap you in the face. I don't like this part...but I'll wait to see if it settles down.

 

Dry: Oh, wow. It did settle down, and I'm glad I didn't go wash it off. Bergamot/orangey for sure. There's a little hint of musk and something else that I can't identify. I love it dry.

 

ETA: Tried it again, and as it ages it just gets more floral and sharp.

Edited March 13, 2007 by Melissa Della

[emzebel]

Definite aquatic base notes with swiftly swimming undertows of citrus and bergamont. This is absolutely perfect for Neptune. And I loke it on a lot of levels, but I'm on the fence about whether it is wearable for me.

[batsy]

In the vial: A freshly opened box of Fruit Loops. Seriously!

 

On the skin: Oh my god, Beth bottled Fruit Loops! This is hiliarious! It's that sugary-sweet fake-fruit smell! Awesome! I can't believe it! Now I can smell like Fruit Loops when ever I want!

[Carmencita]

In the bottle: dandelions and black pepper

 

On my skin: The above and also a masculine aquatic smell

 

Later: When I first tried this, I put too much on and it made my nose itch and seemed floral. Upon the second testing (in which I used a smaller dab) it's aquatic and peppery, and salty.

 

Verdict: I don't know. I don't love it, so probably it goes to the swap pile. But it is mysterious and murky, the way I'd imagine Neptune to smell.

[tinyvulture]

on me, this comes across as an odd blend of soapy aquatic and candle smoke. there’s a faintly sweet floral in the background. i’m picky about my aquatic blends and this one’s not right for me, but i do think it is interesting. a cooling, calming scent for a hot summer day.

[AliBabble]

neptune smells very familiar to me...i eventually identify it as neroli, as others have noted. something else in there strikes me as woody...like driftwood or teakwood. and i agree that citrus or lavendar could be in there as well, but it's so well-blended it's hard to tell. the combination though, gives an impression of juiciness and dryness at the same time, which is unusual. this has a fresh, uplifting quality; at the same time, it strikes me as dreamy and meditative. the longer it wears, there's a touch of sharpness - maybe that is the lavendar? but it settles into a gentle, clean scent on my skin. i'd like to try this while meditating.

[Shannihilation]

In the bottle this is a very sweet, cloying, floral. Not my kind of scent at all. There's an underlying spice too but it's not very dominant.

 

On my skin for the first half hour or so it stays a really strong, sweet floral. I can pick up a green, mossy sort of note as well. But it doesn't last long.

 

Dry, it's still dominantly floral but spicier. Almost a men's cologne kind of feel to it. I actually like it, but I'm not sure if I like it enough to suffer through the initial overpowering floral period.

[Lycanthrope]

Hrumph! Petitgrain and Neroli team up together to create a potent opening that turns... into a mildly spiced aquatic. Like a cup of spiced, hot ocean. I loved the initial floral blast but now the scent is clinging to my skin quite softly. Not very obtrusive. A soft oceanic.