Sophia

[laforetnoire]

The Gnostic goddess of Wisdom. A solemn, deeply profound draught of lavender, soft musks, star jasmine, black rose, delphinium, and gentle spice.

In the bottle, lavender and spices,... and lemon (?!). When applied, it's lemon and lavender with a little bit of rose and spice. I think it's a delicious fresh scent!

[butcherbaby]

wow...this scent is *amazing*! i haven't tried one yet that morphed through so many stages as this.

 

my first sniff of the imp was a little disconcerting...i could swear i smelled something minty and astringent. i don't like the smell of mint at all, and i wondered where it came from. perhaps my nose is just badly misinterpreting the lavender?

 

first impression on the skin was the same- mediciney mint. but i was getting small whiffs of something that was definately sweeter so i hung in there with it.

a few minutes later the astringent smell was turning into something very green...still not a favorite but definately better than before. and the sweet smell was becoming stronger. to my utter delight, the green then morphed into something resembling...root beer! in the best way possible...this is not a cheap sugar laden canned soda root beer, but something home brewed from real roots, potent and inviting.

i've had it on for about forty minutes, and i just love it. it's gorgeously floral and heady with sweet incensy smells, yet i still get that delicious root beer flavour, with the lavender peeking it's head out to say hi every now and then before it goes back to quietly blending with the other scents.

 

the throw is powerful on this, but that's good, it means my skin's not sucking it up. if the staying power is anything like i think it will be, it'll be going on the big bottle list for sure.

 

beth is a genius! this scent is unusual and gorgeous and i can't stop sniffing my wrists....a definate winner!

Edited March 9, 2008 by Shollin

[DarkClarissa]

In imp: Ewww!!! TCP! Horrible disinfectant TCP smell

 

Wet: Still just smells like concentrated TCP.

 

Dry: Its getting stronger, it hurts my nose to smell it, I'm so disappointed!

 

Verdict: I'm so sad, I can't get any of the lovely notes listed for this perfume. I've had to wash it off. Its not that its a headachy smell like some of the incensy/spicy fragrances, but it smells so strongly of disinfectant that I remember when I was a kid that I can't bear to smell it any more. I'm pleased that this works on some people, because the listed notes sound so nice!

 

Marks out of 10: 0

[Pika]

In imp: OMG, medicinal chemical ickiness.

 

Wet on skin: Lemony, with an edge of sweet. Almost like lemon cake! Seriously, I'm looking at the list of notes, and I can't confirm anything that's on there. I know I amp lemon badly, but how can I amp it if it's not on the list?

 

Drying: Getting lightly herbally now, like lavender, but still lemony. And actually it's fading really fast.

 

There's hardly a need for an entry about later drydown. It's almost gone. A trace of light musk and lemon. Kind of reminds me of what Phantasm did on my skin. Super-lemon (where is this coming from?!?) and then nothing. So strange. Well, I guess Sophia and I don't get along. Pity.

[greenranger]

A frimp from the lab.

 

In the imp, sweet floral and what on earth is that? That must be the medicinal smell that others have gotten, and I have no idea what that might be. I can't identify it.

 

Wet on me, there's still that something I can't identify, but, it is no longer hitting me over the head at least. The floral is gone or covered.

 

Now it is fading, and I find myself somewhat relieved.

 

Some roses are peeking out.

 

The scent is fading still. It is more floral now, and there's more there now than just roses. Every time I sniff a different flower is in the forefront, now, though the roses push to the front of the line more than the others.

 

Even after washing it off, the rose is being persistent. Heh.

Edited April 20, 2008 by Aerinha

[savage_rose]

Did someone put Nyquil in this? It smells like medicine. And the longer it stays on, the more faded it gets. But ew.

[alicia_stardust]

This is a beautiful lavender blend! It is worth trying on your skin if you are offput by the fragrance of it in the bottle. It has a very sweet, wise floral quality to it that is softened greatly by the musks and the calming lavender. Really, the musks are what make this because it's not a typical floral mix. It has a feminine strength to it and is very lovely.

[taramarie]

On me, Sophia is lavender and jasmine over what I think it white musk. It's really soft and light, very feminine.

[diamondstars]

To me this smells just like Eden Camp, a World War 2 museum in Malton, England. Smoke, dust and..weirdness! Not something I'd like to smell on myself..

[nightchild80]

In the Imp (wet): All floral and while I can imagine some might not like it for its lavender notes (traditionally associated with 'old lady'), I find myself smiling at the soft bouquet that wraps itself in a comforting blanket of distinction.

 

On facial cotton (dry): This scent has a completely different personality now. It is harder and far more demanding of your attention than when in the imp. But the musks still pronounce her a lady and one who is due respect. Sweet, but not coy. Traditional, but not stiff. Feminine and alluring.

 

On me: The jasmine lends its sweetness to the scent, but the musks in combination remind me of old vintage clothes which have been packed carefully in tissue with a sprig of lavender to keep them smelling fresh... but have been forgotten, so the scent is old and coying. If it was a little lighter, I might find myself soothed by the scent, but alas. It is not so.

[Suu4LC]

Geh. Ok, I am a fan of lavender, but this blend is pretty painful to sniff in the imp. It smells very medicinal...kind of like Afrin, that stuff you snort up your nose when your sinuses are clogged you know?

 

While it definitely smells better on the skin (more like a weird lavender-menthol throat lozenge, than Afrin), this is still a huge no go for me. The menthol-y medicinal note does dissipate when the blend completely dries, but then it's just a meh herbal lavender and totally not worth the wet/drying phases.

Edited June 4, 2008 by Suu4LC

[mgrazulis]

In the imp: spicy clean herbal lavender and delphinium

 

Wet on skin: star jasmine, bloom of rose awash in delicate musk

 

Dry: jasmine and rose fade into the background, the lavender never overpowers. Very dignified, a bit mysterious

 

Verdict: All in all this is a very soothing scent, yet potent scent. Lavender has therapeutic effects on me--very relaxing. All the spices are gentle and light. I think that I would like a scent with a bit more substance to it than this one for wearing during the day. But this would be a nice one to wear at bedtime to help Mr.Sandman along!

 

 

2 hours later: Wow! This really changed into a lovely light floral. The musk finally kicked in and wed with the star jasmine. Wonderful aroma. I keep sniffing the wrists.

[megank4]

This smells really medicinal in the imp to me. I don't know why. And I can't think of which medicine in particular it reminds me of. A couch syrup? Pepto bismol? No idea. Anyway, it doesn't get much better once on for me.

[jwhxtna]

IN THE IMP: Different notes stand out more the longer you sniff it. I can smell sharp lavender, something that's almost salty, maybe the musks, florals, sweet mint, and a spiciness similar to cinnamon.

 

WET: Sharp, almost salty lavender. It's sweet, spicy, and floral with a hint of soapiness.

 

DRY: A soft lemony floral with a hint of that salty note again. What is it? The lavender comes out intermittently. Not my type of scent.

[filigree_shadow]

Lavender + jasmine = sharp floral. To me, anyway.

Not altogether bad, however. Which is weird, because I usually don't like those two notes at all. But this smells like a blue, sort of sweet jasmine. I like it better than most other jasmine blends, which are far too heady for me.

 

It's not the sort of scent I'd wear as perfume, but it's the type I'd like as a linen spray. It's smells pretty and crisp.

[Anthemyst]

Had the same medicinal reaction for some reason. It's a strange mix of my Nana's house and pepto bismal. Shame.

[Emera]

Some really unpleasantly strong jasmine and sharp, fake mint. Really, really unpleasant. Honestly. It smells like a Port-a-Potty.

Sigh.

[crebbsgirl]

Light. The lavender and soft musk predominate this blend. I can smell the rose and I am assuming the delphinium in the background. The spice floats throughout. A beautiful blend. Not overtly sexual like some of the others. This would work in an office setting or somewhere you needed to be a little more "buttoned-up".

[Iceblink]

Wet: this lavender is waaaaaaaaaaaay too strong. Medicinal. Astringent. Sharp. Stabby.

Dry: now all I smell is jasmine and powder. Sorry, Sophia!

[jehrichardson]

In the imp this is a strong strong lavender with a floral orchestra behind! Quite nice - especially since I don't often care for the BPAL lavender note, even though I generally adore lavender.

 

On the skin and as it dries down it starts with a antiseptic tinge of clove, which rapidly gives way to a softish sort of jasmine.

 

After a while a longer I'd have to say it settles into a primarily jasmine perfume, with clove and just a teeny bit of musk.

 

Upshot? Nice and pretty, but I'm not really a florals gal so I doubt I'll dig this one out of the stash very often.

[CynicalPink]

Imp: The bad side of lavender. I like lavender but this is so medicinal

 

Wet: BLARG! Lavender, why have you turned on me like this? I thought we were friends ...

 

Drydown: Is there anise in this? That can't be lavender...Alright it's calming down now. The further away from my skin I get, the more of the citrus-y floral I can pick out. Get too close and it's this kind of scary plastic smell. At first I thought there was leather in this. And of course there's hella throw on this one...

 

Overall: On drydown it's like a wet version of Onierois. The latter is a nice little imp I keep around for when I have a hard time getting to sleep. This never loses its lavender bite on me. It's just not working out...

[waternight]

In the imp: Strong herbal lavender and mint.

Wet: Still very much strong, strong lavender with a minty tone. After a bit, a deep, dark rose creeps in, as well as the jasmine. No spice or musk, and I really couldn't tell you what deliphinium smells like, but this is a rich swirl of rose and jasmine, underneath a fine blanket of dry, herbal lavender. This scent is very evocative and appropriate to its inspiration.

Dry: Goes a bit sweet for my taste.

[mazikeen]

Woah, chemical. Not even "medicinal" (which I sometimes like) but harsh chemical sanitizer. The kind they'd use to clean in hospitals. Not good. Whew-- it sure does wake me up, though!

 

I'll try and see how long I can stand to keep this on, just in case it changes... but I do not have high hopes. Pass!!

 

Added--

30 minutes later and it's just lemon-- the awful astringency is gone. Ultra-sonic lemon... it's like lemon-scented dish detergent, which is a huge improvement over chemical port-a-potty cleaner, but still not something I'd ever want to smell like purposefully.

Edited January 11, 2009 by mazikeen

[Bluestocking]

In the imp: Fresh, herbal (but NOT astringent) lavender, softened with the jasmine and rose. There's a suggestion of spice, but it is very subtle.

On, wet: Still lavender, but now there's more jasmine and dark rose… and something else tangy and floral that must be delphinium. More spice, too, and the musk is coming out nicely. I'd call this feminine and graceful, but not "girly"—it's lovely but on the unsentimental side, poised and assertive. Solemn, but not grim, and not without a sensual aspect, courtesy of the musk.

On, dry: This is really melding very well. The lavender has moved to the background, and now I'm getting more rose and soft musk and plenty of witty spice, with an occasional peep from the jasmine. It's deep and complex, but the elements play really nicely together.

Later: Mmm, this just gets lovelier and lovelier as it goes on, with all the elements blending into one harmonious whole: softly sweet, gently spicy, tied together by the powdery musk. At this point, it's difficult to pin down a single note.

Overall: I really like this one—it is a scent of "wisdom" to me, but it's a holistic, spiritual sort of wisdom that transcends books (although this is plenty intelligent). It's an elegant, accomplished gentlewoman's scent, the sort of thing that I can easily imagine Rowena Ravenclaw wearing. I didn't think the lavender was strident at all, but your mileage may vary.

 

 

[sophie221b]

Sophia: My Namesake

 

In Bottle:

I was surprised that the scent wave of ingredients gave off an impression of licorice, wintergreen, musk’s and spice inside the bottle.

 

First Dab:

Sweet and tart to start like candy hearts.

Then deepens into a heavy rose/white musk richness, which is generally a powdery scent, but in this case is luxuriant.

There is some lavender blended with the rose.

Not getting too much of the spice.

Child Sweet and Evolving into a Mature Feminine.

 

1.5 hour later:

Powder Rose and Musk: Baby Powder

 

Same Later ON...

 

Just like Baby Powder on my skin. Not for me unfortunately!

Edited February 9, 2009 by bakerstreetgirl