Flickering Lantern

[The Forest Floor]

Beeswax, tobacco leaf, a whiff of smoke, and purple rose petals.

Ok I so I told myself I wasn't going to come on here and write some ramble-y, amateurish review but never mind that... I this scent and I want to share my love.

 

It is mainly beeswax to me/on me, with a creamy antique rose melded to it, a very very faint whisper of smoke (that seems to come and go) and what seems to be a background of tobacco. Well, honestly, I'm not really even sure I can quite distinguish the tobacco from the beeswax, I usually amp honey and beeswax, and tobacco tends to do some sort of comforting golden grounding thing on me so I think they are mingling into one sofly-gilded-beeswax thing in my nose. I'm reminded a bit of The Lights of Men's Lives, and a bit more of the the beeswax I smell The Gambols of Ghosts, which seems a thicker and more opaque wax to me. Flickering Lantern is a fairly sweet scent on me, but softly so, and the rose is doing some kind of creamy almost-edible thing that I find most delightful! It's romantic, sort of maternal, maybe, and just lovely.

To me this scent is a creamy, softly-glowing, peachy-mauve. I'm not getting purple, my experience of this is romantic evening mauve.

Edited March 15, 2017 by The Forest Floor

[Bassmastadroog]

SUPER BEESWAX.

 

Very prominent. Single note beeswax in bottle. Beeswax on my skin usually turns into Parmesan cheese. ?

 

On skin: very thick wax, with a tinge of purple smoke. Only when I waft, however. It wears rather close to the skin. I think I'm smelling some sort of rose, but it's very hidden beneath the wax. It's a golden, flickering sort of scent. It provokes a scene rightly named. The smoke is so barely there, or maybe just blends so well naturally with the smell of wax that I hardly notice it. Really, it's better in my skin than Light of Men's Lives, the only other blend I've experienced with wax because of this growing, purple, creamy and sweet rose scent! It's absolutely flickering in and out of the overall blend, but when I do catch it it's interesting! I don't get any tobacco at this point, but I'm hoping it'll peek out more as it ages.

 

So purply sweet beeswax. With a hint of smoke. It's pretty. Sadly no tobacco for meeee

Edited February 21, 2017 by Bassmastadroog

[Jenjin]

Not so long ago, candles were the only source of light in the dark night. This beautiful scent, brings to mind these magical places with their flickering light of paper lanterns, bringing warmth and sweetness into a lover's dark, and secret room.

Simple yet refined, as soon as it hits the skin i'm getting the lab's transformative beeswax note: sweet and creamy mixed with the bewitching purple rose. It brings to mind the traditional Japanese paper lantern, burning with soft, diffused light; ever altering the ambience the night has to offer while creating a seductive space.

The wax and the rose are the main notes on my skin, along with tiny wiffs of spicy tobacco and silver smoke in the background. Overall, it's cozy and wearable -- warm, nostalgic and intoxicating. I already have a bottle of The Light of Men's Lives, but Flickering Lantern is a mysterious, feminine version, with it's delicate and creamy purple note that I'm guessing is created with a drop of either violet or lavendar.

OF NOTE: I ordered a second bottle of this just before the Lupers came down and it was VERY different. No purple rose, no wax, just sour dirt.

Edited July 15, 2017 by Jenjin

[Janel Kisner]

I adore this one. It's very light and delicate, creamy with a slight rose and wax scent. This would be a great spring or summer scent, one you wear close to you with not a lot of throw.

[ramblingrambler]

The first of the Lupers I received, Flickering Lantern is a soft, delicate, low-throw, low-sillage scent that stays close to the body and smells the way rubbing old, well-loved velvet feels to me: it is all softness and fuzz. Each sniff transports me to a dusky scene somewhere in the far East, hurrying along a river through humid heat as I yearn to press myself against my lover's skin in a cozy hut.

 

Though this fragrance is beautiful, when I wore it, I felt it was not for me, as I tend to wear stronger scents, but when my partner came close to whisper an "I love you," it was, instead, "You smell incredible" with big eyes and lots of small kisses along my neck.

 

This is a truly magnificent work of art, and so aptly named.

 

In the bottle: beeswax and rose.

 

Wet on skin: calm beeswax and old pipe tobacco. Five minutes in, tobacco intensifies, and at the fifteen minute mark, rose comes out to temper any masculine-leaning tilt.

 

Drydown: soft, soft, soft beeswax and rose. Glorious.

 

I love the way this smells, but I feel extremely fertile and feminine while wearing this; perhaps this is why I stay away from these scents for the most part. This is a keeper for me, but only because my partner seems to like the fertile femininity it imparts.

[Missa_Moth]

This definitely smells purple; like candlelight, dark roses, and subtle pipe tobacco wafting in the background. This is the witchy scent I've been searching for, when all the others I tried overpowered me with too much red musk or incense. This is subtle, sweet, dark, and very much me. I'm going to need multiple bottles.

Edited March 5, 2017 by Missa_Moth

[LizziesLuck]

This is one of this year's Lupers that I was most excited about (hence the blind bottle)

 

 

Wet: Interesting! The first thing I think of is candied roses. The beeswax and rose combine (and it is a totally different rose note than any I have smelled before!!) to do this sweet, powdery candied thing that is really different, and I am totally digging it. It's soft though, I immediately want to dab on just a little more to get a real good sniff. It's quite lovely! I get a tiny hint of smoke, like a freshly snuffed beeswax candle, but no tobacco at all. Surprising, as I typically amp it, but then again I amp beeswax and rose as well. This really does smell PURPLE. It's almost like there's a hint of grape candy, or my brain thinks there should be grape candy. Or something??

 

 

Dry: This is truly beautiful. Very girly. Sweet, a bit powdery (in a good way - like powdered sugar). The purple rose note somehow reminds me of violets, without smelling like violets (which is good, as I can't stand violets). The beeswax is so rich. The whole scent manages to smell rich and syrups, light and powdery at the same time. Very different. Really glad I snagged a bottle. I can see wearing it a lot of bright sunny days.

[galahad]

In the Bottle:

Wow! Definitely purple. Candy purple. Kind of sweet

On the Skin:

The beeswax is immediately evident and the purple note becomes definitely rose (somewhere between rosewater and full on rose). The tobacco is just in the background

On the Drydown:

The beeswax really amps in the drydown (and I LOVE the lab beeswax note) and a whiff of smoke darkens the rose (which is still purple). Just stunning and such a different rose experience.

[Larinessa]

I write this review with several disclaimers. 1. Rose usually hates me, and turns to high pitched soap on me. 2. Tobacco usually amps, and I smell like an ashtray. 3. I've never tried beeswax before.

 

But for some reason I had to get a decant of this, and holy crap I'm glad I did!

 

This is gorgeous. Smokey, creamy, sweet... Subtle and ethereal, mysterious and sexy. The beeswax is the star, with a smokey purple rose lightly scenting it. It's not overpowering, and for once the rose is behaving on me (only other scent to have rose play nice on me is Pink Lace). This is along that vein, only smokey and purple, rather then pink and sweet. It's really hard to describe, but it's fantastic. If rose usually has you wary, fear not on this blend.

 

Multiple bottle worthy.

[roseus]

A nice creamy, beeswax and light purple incense. The rose almost candied, but it's not an overly sweet scent. I agree with the grape candy feelings that LizzieLuck experienced, it's like the faintest hint of grape candy powder. If it was rosier I'd be all over this, but it was interesting! Purple rose is definitely something I'd like to explore further.

[Casablanca]

On the wand: Smoky incense, beeswax, and antique pinkish-purple roses.

 

Wet on my skin: The same as on the wand, except the roses are softer. I really get an antique mood from this blend that reminds me of Pediophobia, even though the listed notes are different. I think I might be getting a vibe that reminds me of Pediophobia’s “white cognac and vanilla filigree,” but if so, it’s blending well into the beeswax. I’m not sure what it is. Anyway! I quite like this smoky incense and beeswax. Little roses lurk.

 

Dry on my skin: This continues as mainly smoky incense and beeswax with a few mini pinkish-purple roses sewn on. A wisp of tobacco comes and goes with the drafts of this old house.

[DiesMali]

In the bottle: Slightly sour rose-tobacco and beeswax.

 

Wet on my skin: This is so unusual that I'm having a hard time understanding what is what! It's a smoky purple-grey syrupy incene with a bit of powdery...stuff.

 

Dry: I have nothing like this in my collection, not even my other beeswax-and-rose scent (The Library of John Dee). This is like a melty beeswax candle with a few curls of smoke, a bit of sweet pipe tobacco, and powdery rose-flavoured Turkish Delight. It's a fascinating and really enticing scent! Purple-grey and chewy, with a powdered sugar coating. Feminine and hella sexy, too - this is almost Halloweenie in its witchy seduction. I knew this was going to be glorious, and it IS.

[lizabelle]

"Feminine Lights of Men's Lives" and "syrupy incense" are perfect descriptions for this one, and I'm torn in how I feel about it. Wet it's overpoweringly strong and sweet--I can see how this could be a favorite for many people, but for me this stage is just too much. It's reminiscent of wine, somehow, and the throw is huge.

 

The drydown, however, is a favorite for me. The rose does indeed smell purple; it's dark and velvety and blends beautifully with the smoke/incense note to form something sensual and mysterious. The beeswax is exactly like the one in Lights of Men's Lives, and gives the impression of a dark room filled with candles burning low. I may have to try it a few more times before I decide whether to keep it or swap it.

[Stella Hayman]

Woo, my first review, here goes:

 

I love this scent! I hadn't tried any beeswax perfumes before this one and it smells amazing on me, I'll have to keep an eye out for this note. The beeswax is very strong but I can still make out the other notes, though the tobacco leaf is very faint.

 

Brings to mind a paper lantern lit up by a yellow flame on a dark, starry night.

[Elspethdixon]

Wet/in the imp - I can smell the similarity to Lights of Men's Lives (creamy beeswax) before I even crack open the imp (am I the only one who sniffs at imps/decants before opening them? Like shaking a present). Once opened, it's all rose and beeswax.

Freshly applied - creamy beeswax with a hint of fresh/light rose (don't be the bad!rose, don't be the bad!rose) it doesn't smell particularly purple to me, but it does smell nice. I'm not getting any incense/smoke or tobacco leaf that I can single out but they may be what's making the beeswax feel warm/melted like LoML's (though it's not as hyper-realistic burning candle as that scent, which really is an amazing dead-ringer for just-blown-out candle).

Fifteen minutes in - the beeswax remains lovely and the rose keeps flirting with whether it wants to go sour or not, but seems to have settled down to a thick, syrupy scent like rose candy. It's slightly powdery/soft rather than a heady rose-splosion. The throw (a couple of inches) has more rose and when I put my nose close by my skin I get more beeswax.

Several hours in - this just gets softer and better melded (and slightly more beeswax-dominant) over time. And it lasts - I'm at five hours now and the scent has only just begun to fade. Now it is starting to smell kind of mauve-colored, but I think that may just be power of suggestion.

In conclusion: I don't know/can't tell what the difference between purple rose and pink or white rose is, but it goes very nicely with beeswax and if you like Light of Men's Lives, you should like this, because it's essentially Light of Men's Lives plus a subtle rose note. The opening stages are equal parts rose and beeswax, and the late drydown is all soft/creamy beeswax candle time. Warm, glowing, velvety/creamy, and sweet/vanillic without being overtly foody.

[theseagrows]

starts off with that lovely beeswax note i've come to adore. a couple minutes in i get the tobacco and florals, though this doesn't smell like a typical rose to me at all-it's almost sugary, but definitely purple and a bit powdery. there is something slightly sour underlying it all, like roses in the first throes of death. it's a bit funereal. the smoke adds an interesting depth and rounds out the scent. i don't know what this floral is, but it is certainly not any typical rose.

Edited March 2, 2018 by theseagrows

[thegadaboutgirl]

I am here for any blend that has beeswax in it. It is one of my favorite notes of all time. Roses are one of my least favorite because I either amp them to high heaven or turn them into high pitched baby powder. This blend was destined to be a battle royale once applied.

 

It starts out with such a beautiful soft beeswax that's deepened by the tobacco and smoke. Warm. Snuggly. Exactly what I wanted. Yes. Yes this is good.

 

And then from off stage the purple rose comes charging through to pile drive the rest of the notes. Suddenly everything is roses, sharp powdery roses. The beeswax and smoke are trembling in the corner, cowering. The tobacco holds on for a little bit longer but it too succumbs to the intensity that is purple roses.

 

My heart is sad. But my oil diffuser is happy.

Edited April 9, 2017 by thegadaboutgirl

[achildoftime]

Very sweet beeswax to start, but then it gets a little smoky. I'm not a typical rose lover. I like them well enough, but they aren't my favorite and often start to smell the same. I was hoping since this was a purple rose that it would be a bit different, and luckily I was right. It's sitting politely behind a curtain of incense and sweet beeswax. In fact the beeswax is bordering on straight honey on me, but I think the tobacco leaves are keeping it from going there completely. This one is so beautiful. I'm really glad I took a chance with the rose.

[zankoku_zen]

Soft beeswax, soft rose smell, and smoke. This one sticks close to the skin, and is sexy, soft, and rosy. But grown-up roses. Medium throw and wear length.

[freyasfae]

Le sigh. This is mostly powdery rose on me - which often happens with rose scents on my skin, and I don't actually mind, but I was hoping the other ingredients would create a more nuanced rose on me. I adore beeswax and tobacco leaf, but nope it's just powdery rose on me. I am going to go sulk now.

[gloame]

Got what I would've sworn was a whiff of patchuli at first sniff; must be the tobacco leaf, but a fresher, greener tobacco leaf than I was expecting. Starts to smooth out as it dries. Then I start to get some of the beeswax, smoke, and tobacco. Normally, I can sniff a rose a mile away, but this one is hesitant on me. I do get something kind of deep and purple. I think I really like this, and I think it will only get better.

[Shadowdawn]

Wha..what on earth.... . So, I was expecting a damp gothic rose blossoming in my face, enshrouded in breathy parchment-like smoke tendrils, with some evocative dripping wax softly in the background... but alas, I somehow get no rose?! What I do get is dry, powdery violets, like the pressed flower! Or maybe a skin dust made with flour and ancient violets gone slightly off. And then nothing but smoke. And not a pale, incensy, ethereal smoke.. but.. like a dank cupboard cigarette ash smoke. Somehow I also detect a musty musk in this one somewhere.

 

Final drydown: I've seen people post about a scent going "cat-pee" sour on them all the time before, and never quite understood it until this one LOL. But here we have it.. cat pee, if it was in really old musty incense form. Or maybe the old incense is soaked in the cat pee :/ Somewhere way, way deep down when I huff with all might might I get the barest hint of a warm, dry, vanillin curio cabinet that might have stored cigars at one point. And absolutely no hint of rose, purple or otherwise, or any floral really. I guess smoke is another one for the no-fly list. *sigh*

Edited July 9, 2017 by Phox

[Lucchesa]

I amp certain tobaccos, and this is one of them. So when I first put it on, Flickering Lantern was a little beeswax and a LOT of tobacco, and no rose at all. And strong -- I expect scents with names like flickering or ghostly to be very quiet on me, but Flickering Lantern was loud. Two and a half hours later it has calmed down considerably and there is just a trace of rose perceptible. I put on Lights of Men's Lives, which I love, to compare it with, and Lights is quieter and warmer, without the strong dominant tobacco note. So although after drydown they are both lovely, and Lantern seems longer lasting on me, I'm going to stick with Lights as it's easier to come by and lacks that initial blast of tobacco.

[TheresaRedSkull]

I got this as a decant and I'm starting to wonder if it was mislabeled. Provided it wasn't, Flickering Lantern is reminiscent of my mother when she would trim the grass at my childhood home--sweaty/musky and grassy. No rose, no tobacco, but perhaps just a hint of beeswax, though that might just be the power of suggestion.

[Cali]

Beeswax is the first thing that jumps out on me!! This reminds me of a Crimson peak scent but I don't remember which one. This is like sitting in a dark room, trying to read a book by candlelight, that keeps flickering due to a mysterious wind. The windows are closed... odd..

A very faint (purple, not red...! strangely) rose in the background. Interesting. Not for me, but it tells a story!