The Pearl in the Volcano

[writergal969]

Rice milk, warm myrrh, red currant, red amber cream, and a trickle of vetiver.

Oh dear, I'm first!

Well, this one I'm nervous about because it was a whim of a blind bottle. I'm gonna admit now I usually don't seek out vetiver, and I often outright avoid it. It can be a scent-hog and often drowns out the rest. But here I go!

Fresh-from-the-mail testing:

In the bottle: I am pleasantly surprised. This smells like an expensive, sophisticated unisex perfume/cologne to me in the bottle. I think the vetiver gives it a little push towards cologne but I also get a small sniff of the red currant too.

 

Wet: I'm getting a cacophony of scent! I can't tell what I'm smelling but so far, so good...! My husband has tried to help me but is shaking his head no. He said it he smells powder, I think that's the amber.

Dry down: I'm still having a hard time sniffing the individual notes. I can't really suss anything out other than I think the most dominant scent is myrrh and amber. I am getting the powdery scent too now and something a little creamy which is either the rice milk or amber cream. However, when I huff this for science ...I'm starting to get a little headachey... I can't find the red currants and I got it for that + rice milk. Honestly, there must only be a trickle of vetiver, because i can't find it's earthy astringent self anywhere on my skin.

3.1 RE-TEST:

 

Okay, what a difference a few days make. The headache-inducing high-pitched note is calm, and it's a creamy, red-fruited myrrh scent on me...and now I love it. I need to stop testing fresh!

Edited March 1, 2018 by Happicuppa

[ayelienne]

I love this! Long ago, there was a BPAL called "Lawn Gnome" that had red currant and vanilla cream among its notes; The Pearl in the Volcano is reminiscent of that blend to me, but even better (and sexier!)

 

It smells a little bit sweet, a little "fuzzy" (red currant always smells a bit fuzzy to me), and the myrrh & vetiver ground it in a really subtle, quiet way. The rice milk and red amber cream add soft, creamy roundness. I think this is going to keep on improving with age.

 

Definitely a keeper, and a fairly unique entry in the BPAL catalog.

[Jenjin]

This one is a standout for me and smells like everything that is good and right in the world. Creamy rich and warm, the rice milk here is perfectly blended with a tang of red currant. The myrrh, amber and vetiver are all grounding and really give this a beautifully sensuous tone like blushing, young romance. It's very much like the sticky rice desserts with a dollop of sticky, currant jam in the middle. I'm getting something a bit like blond sugar in the background but it doesn't take this into gourmand territory. It's not a sickly sweet fragrance, with the earthy tones rounding everything out and adding an overall "fresh air and nectar" overtone that doesn't go soapy. For days when I want a lighter fragrance and will be very refreshing in the heat. It's a very relaxing smell to me. Beautiful.

Edited March 31, 2018 by Jenjin

[mmcfa2]

I don't like this one as much, at least not fresh. The Myrrh +Vetiver SCREAM on my skin for quite a while before settling down. I will be letting this one age for a while. Too sharp for the moment.

[Geminirubyshoes]

I had to get this because anything with warm notes and myrrh is something that I want in my life.

It reminds me a lot of Young Pine Saplings from 2012? Or 2013, I cannot remember. Its creamy and alluring while being sweet but I wouldn't call it gourmand. The vetiver comes out at the end in a fresh burst. I adore this one!

[galahad]

In the Bottle:

Myrrh and red currant with a slight creaminess

On the Skin:

The red amber cream is just divine especially with the thick myrrh. There is almost a cardamom spiciness to this at the start. Rich but not heavy

On the Drydown:

This is another really special blend from this year's Lupercalia (and there are a few). It's absolutely delicious and becomes quite dry but not desiccated. The rice milk add a lightness to the rich cream and resin of the myrrh. The vetiver just adds a touch of smokiness. Sublime

[Lucchesa]

The Pearl in the Volcano is super lovely on me. I tested it this morning without glancing at the notes, and I got creamy fruity warm goodness. There's also a rich throaty quality which must be the touch of vetiver; I would not have identified this as a vetiver blend at all, but it does have more depth than I usually associate with shungas. And it passed the yoga test; I applied about half an hour before yoga and it was going strong throughout class, even giving occasional whiffs of gentle throw. It does not remind me of Young Pine Saplings, which my skin curdled. I love the Lab's rice milk and almond milk blends! Potential bottle for sure.

[zankoku_zen]

Rice milk, myrrh, and vetiver. This is a warm, smoky resinous milky blend on me. Very Asian again. Medium throw and average wear length.

[LizziesLuck]

Vetiver and I have not been getting along lately. I used to find my skin swallowed it, now I am having the opposite issue - scents listed as "a drop" or "hint" of vetiver are ending vetiver all day.

 

 

Wet: OMG. Amber cream (which is an utterly gorgeous note that I need more of in my life) with just a hint of smokiness from the vetiver, which is almost caramelized and not at all horrid in this. This is fairly spectacular. Sweet, creamy, smoky, caramelized. Delicious.

 

 

Dry: It's interesting, I am testing Woman Dragging Lover Across Bridge on the other arm, and they have a very similar lovely perfumey quality to them. I like this better though, it's deeper, richer, more sophisticated. The vetiver is so very well behaved, it just adds a touch of woody smoke to the blend. This is all about the sweet amber cream, and that faint hint of caramelized resins that is so alluring. Love this. Bottle!

[Balame]

Lovely!

 

I really enjoy red currant's jammy vibe, but if it's paired with too many other sweet notes it can become cloying. Here it's enriched by the amber cream, but offset by the lemony yet resinous depth of myrrh and the earthy smoke of vetiver. The rice milk overlays everything and lightens the scent up a bit, adding a sugared aspect.

 

Verges on being gourmand, but has enough of a refined edge to keep it in grown-up territory. Creamy fruit and spiced smoke. Hits on just about everything I like in a blend.

[reconditarmonia]

I expected this to be similar to Hojojutsu because of the rice milk and currant, but instead it's Cave of Treasures with what I assume is a myrrh and/or vetiver undertone - smoky, dirty. (I just deathmatched this with Hojojutsu and will try to remember to deathmatch it with Cave later.) I guess I amp amber cream?

Edited April 4, 2018 by reconditarmonia

[SophieCedar]

When I first opened this decant, something made me cringe..like a rotting smell.. and I clapped the cap right back on and pushed it aside. Weiiiirrrddd. I have NO IDEA why... Because a day later I went back to it and didn't smell bad at all! Maybe the vetiver, myrrh & cream notes mingled weirdly until it aired?? Seems its the skin chemistry wild card of the luper set. I see raving reviews and not so good ones. Hmmm.

 

Anyways... on, its pretty good. Warm red amber, rice milk and an earthy grounding from the vetiver. Red currant gives a sweet fruity background. Its accurate on color scheme interpretation. I'd recommend trying it day after popping the cap, if anyone has the same issue I did. Seems its like decanting a wine and needs to breathe for a sec.

[archaesophilia]

This is a gorgeous, chewy (without, somehow, being gourmand) blend! The notes balance wonderfully. The vetiver and myrrh keep the current and cream from being too sweet, which in turn temper the sharpness of the vetiver. Not a ton of throw, but it has decent staying power. I'll keep the bottle, but I don't think I need a spare.

[RedPersimmon]

I got an empty with a few drops in it with my latest order of decants, so I thought that I would try to guess what's in this before I looked at the notes.

 

My guess: (wet) sugared orange and spicy peach blossom and (dry) green tea and sandalwood/frankincense.

 

So I guess the red currant comes out first when wet, then the clean myrrh phase lasts for two hours, and then that blends with amber cream for the next few hours. I get very little vetiver. It's soft, sexy and milky and creamy throughout. It reminds me very much of Narr. I guess it's the combination of milk/cream with the subdued fruit.