Marquise de Merteuil

[neuilly]

Stately, bold, aristocratic and cruel. Opulent galbanum and amber, glistening peach, and a bouquet of French florals, with a merciless undertone of jonquil and heartless vetiver.

 

This peach is certainly not glistening to me. It's a peach that has been throw on the grown and covered in a layer of dirt. Not that it's rotting or anything but the vetivert comes out rather strong on me. There is a glimpse of fruit underneath but this is much more earthy than I was expecting (but then again my review seems to line up with no one else's so perhaps it's just my skin chemistry!).

[edenssixthday]

Marquise de Merteuil - In the vial, it smells like a rich, heady, slightly-sweet floral, and when I breath in deeply, I can detect the tiniest hint of what smells like jasmine, and that scares me, for jasmine and I don’t get along too well. When applied, my skin instantly amps up whatever tiny bit of jasmine is in this blend, and that is pretty much all I can smell. Then, suddenly, the peach blasts through and I can smell the sweet, juicy scent of peach, and it’s actually stronger than the jasmine. Unfortunately, I can still smell the jasmine, and I can’t really say I like the blend of jasmine and peach at all. Upon full dry-down, the jasmine fades into the background, and becomes soft and subtle and actually pretty (as jasmine should be!) and the peach stands in the spotlight and takes all the glory. On my skin, this smells distinctly like Georgia Peach Single Note with just the tiniest drop of jasmine tossed in for kicks. I am very surprised that the vetiver, galbanum, and amber are completely indiscernible, as those are notes I’m usually very sensitive to and which have great staying power on my skin. In the end, I think I might actually like this scent.

Edited August 14, 2006 by edenssixthday

[Naamah_Darling]

Oh, wow. Wow. This is ravishing in the bottle, and I am terrified that the flowers I smell will turn it foul on my skin. Then again, I've yet to meet the BPAL peach blend I dislike, so. . . .

 

This is a smooth, refined, ultra-female scent in the bottle. Deceptively soft, peach and incense notes merge above a bed of damp florals making for a sweet blend with a great deal of subtlety. I'm half in love already!

 

On, the incense steps up and the peach steps back. There's an aggressive back-and-forth with the florals for a while. The throw is arrogant and refined, incense and a faint ripeness of flowers or fruit peel. It's very much a traditional fruit/floral perfume. The distinction comes with the vetiver, which is so, so subtle, but gives it a faint knife-edge. It plays a little rough, and comes across as ever-so-slightly sharp, but it's simply beautiful.

 

Different notes of this keep wafting out. One moment it's florals, then peaches, then incense. Remarkable! Its extreme drydown is a tart, incensey floral with a hint of grassy rasp from the vetiver.

 

This is a far more complex blend than it appears at first scent. It's very intelligent, and quite poised, and it would be innocent if it were not for that relentless keening vetiver note that is subtle but oh so present. Like a woman whose company is at first refined, pleasant, and genteel, but who proceeds to reveal her cruelty in the most disturbing ways as the acquaintance progresses.

 

I really can't say more than wow. As a perfume, it's very nice. As a concept scent, it is unparalleled. This is the very essence of the Marquise. I am very, very impressed.

[Dinerdulcinea]

imp: sour, rotten fruit

 

wet: synthetic spoiled fruit

 

dry: a sour, cheap perfume quality on me (the jonquil?).

 

Not for me. Oh well.

[sarahj]

Marquise de Merteuil

 

received in a swap

 

in imp: very soapy

 

wet: peach soap

 

dry: peach has disappeared, now all I smell is dusty amber soap

 

verdict: too much soap...will probably swap

[Toby]

This is mostly amber at the beginning (at least, I think that's amber), which was upsetting to me because I, erm, hate amber. It starts out very sharp and haughty, but after a few minutes, the peach overwhelms the amber and it is sweet and fruity with just a hint of the amber shining through. Oddly, I can't seem to smell this blend directly -- rather, I have to inhale really, really deeply, wait a second, and then I can smell it at the back of my throat. Very strange.

 

I'm trying to decide whether I want to keep this, since the minute it hits that lovely peach stage, it disappears from my skin. But that peach stage is lovely (and I think I may be smelling it better when I don't bury my nose in it. Odd).

[sofiaviolet]

This one was a frimp from someone, because I never would have bought it myself. Amber is my nemesis!

 

The peach is very prominent. While I'm not a huge peach fan, this is better than the Magical Vanishing Amber Effect, in which blends containing amber are hard to smell in the vial and disappear within seconds of touching my skin. The florals aren't overly floral, they're just powdery. If there existed peach dusting powder, this would be what it smelled like.

[Vampy]

Dude, this smells nothing like a cruel aristocrat. This smells like an evil, tow-headed little girl, in a poofy pink-and-white confection of a dress, licking a lolly and staring at you with big creepy eyes. It's a poisonous candy smell.

 

That said, it's kind of... neat.

 

ETA: I think it's starting to give me a headache, though. :\

Edited September 28, 2006 by Vampy

[blackfelicula]

In the bottle: Marquise de Merteuil hits me with sweet, almost fruity, florals.

 

Wet: There is an herbal undertone to it that comes out more when I put it on. I get an occasional waft of peach.

 

Drying down: I usually do not get along well with florals, but so far this blend is behaving nicely. It is not as quiet as Zorya, but it has a darkness that is similar. The vetiver is not strong on me. Scents seem to both warm and sweeten on my skin. This one is no exception.

 

Dry: Taking a sniff up close, this floral is just a touch on the strong side for me: my skin makes it push into the realm of soapiness. However, the scent that’s wafting up around me is sweeter and more intriguing. It feels expensive and confident.

 

Later: I will have to try this one again. On the one hand, the soapiness and my shyness make it not for me. On the other hand, the confidence boost and sweetness bring me back to it.

[Chrysantza]

I got this as a frimp from the Lab, and the notes (except for the peach) appealed to me.

 

Alas, the peach amped up and smelled like narsty week-old been-sitting-on-the-kitchen-counter fruit preserves. No flowers, no amber, just cloying fruit. Too bad, as I really wanted to like this one.

[steffanina]

Marquise de Merteuil-

 

In Bottle: A very light smell of apricots.

 

Wet: Oh, pretty! Floral to set off the apricot smell.

 

Dry: What I get from this is apricot with an underlie of amber. Makes it rich without cloying. Very pretty!

 

Overall: I like!

[Thacerine]

If I try really, really hard I can imagine some peach in this...other than that, this is another scent to toss into my "smells like department store perfume counter" pile...just a bunch of random florals and things I don't recognize or particularly like Pity, peach blends always get my hopes up...

[MoonlightGdess]

When I opened my envelope to 6 new imps, a faint but beautiful and fresh scent hit me, and I wanted to find out which one it was. It was this one.

 

Vial: Wow. It's very pretty, no peaches though. This perfume in vial reminds me of my Granny a lot, in a good way. I loved her smell, a sophisticated floral.

 

Wet: God what is that smell? Floral in a very pretty way. I hope this mellows nicely and doesn't get bitter or too flowery.

 

Dry: LOVE IT. Still floral, a thick, rich floral that you'd expect from rich perfume. I get a smile smelling it. I can smell a *little* amber and very little peach. Reminds me of a perfume I used to put on as a kid, a generic perfume but this one has a much richer smell to it (monetarily and note wise). This is a "dancing golden-haired and chiffon dress in early spring while the chill is still around" kinda smell

 

Keeper. Keeper keeper keeper.

Edited October 24, 2006 by MoonlightGdess

[euterpe414]

This, on me, is not at all what I expected. It seems to be a light peachy fragrance with a hint of amber and floral. I can't smell the vetiver, no matter how hard I try! I wanted this to be a little bit more twisted and evil on me , but sadly it is far too sweet and innocent smelling . Thankfully, it does not go to complete soap or anything, so it may be of good use in the bath or in a lotion, or something of that sort.

 

Well, I can't love 'em all, that's for sure!

Edited October 29, 2006 by euterpe414

[niobe]

In Imp: Wow! Smells almost exactly like Tabu. Well, maybe it will mellow in the wearing ...

 

On skin (wet, dry and next morning): Nope, still Tabu. Not for me.

[supremegoddessofall]

Very strange combination. I'm getting a spicy peach, but something about the peach smells...off...Touch of florals, but they are subtle and overwhelmed by the peach. I'm not sure about this one.

[swilde]

Amber and peach.

 

Everyone thinks this smells great on me, it's very girly and sweet, but I just couldn't get past the peach.

[Browneyes]

Imp + Wet: Peach and amber

Dry: It does settle down, warm up, and gain in depth. Some florals emerge, but not the vetiver (at least not clearly). It's nice but it doesn't wow me.

 

ETA: the amber is not as sharp in this one as in Bastet, which is good for me.

Edited February 12, 2007 by Browneyes

[bombus]

It is a peachy and flowery scent that has some maturity to it. It isn’t a girly scent it is all woman. It is going on my ever growing wish list.

[Musamea]

frimp

In the imp: peach and the sharp dirt note of vetiver

 

Wet: the florals bloom a bit… something akin to jasmine as the topnote, the peach fades back while the vetiver remains prevalent

 

Dry: all vetiver, all the time. A bit too strong and earthy for my tastes.

[EauQue]

In The Imp:

Peaches! Like a peach liquor placed in front of a lovely bouquet of summer flowers! I hope this works on me - I WANT it to work on me ( me = not such great luck with florals/fruities)

 

On Me Wet:

Mmmmmm some amber peaking thru. OOOO there is an old-skool parfum by Rochas called "Femme", which my mother has worn on and off since the dawn of time. It smells a LOT like that! Vetiver can be a sexy bitch, and she's doing a GREAT job of that!

 

Dry-Down Over Three Hours:

Truly I love this one. Truly. The similarity to my mother's parfum faded, and I am left with this resinous warm soft amber that makes me wanna don a lovely Cashmere sweater, pearls, neat up-do and classic makeup: this is ALL WOMAN. Not hardcore lusty sex beast. This is ALL LADY, ALL WOMAN, 100% CLASS

 

... but of course I'd still like some action

Edited April 1, 2007 by EauQue

[Victoria]

hmmmm, i like this one, but i don't love it. to me, it was missing something - maybe just this side of too light. i wanted it to be a deeper, darker, richer scent.

so i added a little black phoenix to it and it was almost there and then just went kinda soapy on me. i decided the marquise is too much of a tease, and i could never be truly happy with her.

[dreadeddragon]

In the bottle: A not-so-sweet version of Tamora. Very peach with a hint of something darker over florals.

 

First on: It's very faint, but the peach and vetiver mesh well, which I wasn't expecting. I think I smell lilac?

 

Drydown: Hasn't changed much, although I'm getting a slight vanilla scent. It's mostly the peach, vetiver and what I think is lilac.

 

Overall: I'll definitely use the imp, but probably won't get a bottle. It is definitely a good representation of the Marquise, someone who looks very lady like on the outside but has a cruel heart.

[Kimocean]

When wet the Marquise is all heady french perfume. Confident, floral and rich with a slight herbal undertone from the vetiver. As she dries on my skin the peach comes out to play-and it's not in a little girl sweet summer peach kind of way. She quickly dominates the heady perfume smell and forces it into a submissive pose. It's not gone, but it is kneeling at the feet of the ripe succulent peach. The vetiver flirts around the edges hinting at it's naughty nature while allowing the Mistress Peach to do the dirty work.

[wikkidraven]

almost booze-like in intensity, this is a decadent and strong blend. loads of throw, but the fruit is so powerful it almost smells rotten.