Arachne

[theseagrows]

...A gossamer scent, as light as a spider’s footfall, touched with sighing mists: pallid flowers, dusty woods and soft herbs.

i got arachne as a frimp with my last order. i had to try it twice before i could decide if i liked it or not. at first i really liked it- it's not offensive or overpowering, sort of a soft floral but with a sweet bite to it. the second time i tried it, i still liked it, but realized that it's not a "me" scent. and got a tinge of 'old lady perfume' feeling when i sniffed it the second time.

i like stuffy victorian florals or spicy florals, and this one is just too sweet for me. Edited October 19, 2005 by Shollin

[Faerykin]

Arachne

 

Swiped across wrists and along collarbone.

 

Initial Wet (7:30-8am): This goes on light & sweet. At first I thought it was fruity – cherry perhaps – then as it calmed, I recognize this, but I can’t quite place my finger on it. Some type of floral? Whatever it is, I like it.

 

Initial Dry (8-10am): This continues to be a softly-sweet scent. I still can’t identify what that familiar sweetness is, but I still like it.

 

Throughout the Day (10am-on): Wow, this fades fast. I can only barely detect it unless I actually hold my arm to my nose. Otherwise, it is truly as light as it claims to be. Still, very nice.

 

Slowly dissipating throughout the day, I catch a faint whiff here and there. Very reminiscent of a spider’s web … very nice.

[melrose]

I now know that spiderwebs have a scent, and Beth has nailed it.

 

The different notes don't meld into one on me, but I smell, in turns, woods, flowers, an aquatic note (but something next to a lake or river, not an ocean), and spices. All these scents are very delicate, almost elusive at times.

 

Simply magic - just like a spiderweb sparkling in the sun.

[LushNatty]

In the bottle/ Initial application: apples, pears, and something a bit juicier: maybe some sort of berry? True that this is a delicate scent—light throw. This is something I would wear to feel delicate and girly, but not to overtly transmit to others. Before bed would be good because it’s relaxing and subtle. Fruity, fruity, fruity.

Oh God, I want to eat my arm. I’m thinking that this would be a good before-sex scent because I smell so good that I literally want to lick my skin. Too bad that, at present, I do not have a way of testing this theory. :-(

As it develops: Apple wine! Oh wow, this is incredible! I like it a lot better than I thought I would. Like Delphi, I think it smells exactly like things that don’t show up in the description at all—I don’t smell any herbs, woods or flowers—just fruits.

Only complaint? Too little throw. I wish more people could tell that I am this yum. Will definitely buy a bottle, though.

On a scale of 1 to 5: 4.

[feline.by.design]

Arachne is fruity-sweet upon first application on my skin. Not what I was expecting. I don't recall "juicy fruits" in the oil's description, but hey, Beth and Co are allowed to be full of surprises.

 

In this case, however, I think Arachne is a little too juicy-sweet for me. I'm finicky with sweet scents; I prefer sweetness with a bit of darkness or depth. Arachne smells like a fresh-cut sweet summer fruit, sweeter than a pear or an apple in my experience; tangerine maybe? It's almost like almond oil, but I don't get the "eeeew!" reaction I normally have.

 

The juicy fruit fragrance eventually calms down to reveal a clean, delicate fragrance I think is all right. Yet, is it all right enough for me to buy a bottle or even keep my imp? Hmm... I'll keep my imp. I reapplied the oil on another part of my arm, and I think, once that juicy-fruit stage goes through its courses, Arachne is wearable.

 

It's strange, as I'm normally fond of soft, subtle florals, woods and herbs. This doesn't smell like that to me; Arachne is more of a curious "oil" fragrance. It's like something from the natural world. Maybe this is merely the smell of liquidated spider webs? Arachne is pale, a touch sweet, gentle and subtle. This is something that may likely will creep its way into my regular wear, eventually.

 

-doreen

[aedes]

Like other reviewers, I loved the concept for the scent and had high hopes for it, but it just smelled too candy-sweet and light in the end. It wasn't P.U. but just sort of an innocuous, girly floral. Hopefully someone else will love it more!

[coulrophobe]

In the imp: Is this even the right oil? Sharp with a slightly decayed smell, but still dry-smelling.

 

On: This smells like a combination of jasmine, lotus and herbs to me. Lotus works on me if it's mixed with fruit or some other florals - but mixed with herbs, it has a tendency to produce a "rotting" smell to my nose. And jasmine is just not a note that works for me.

 

After the herbs start to fade, this isn't quite as bad - but the initial smell is just too unpleasant for me to suffer through. Really not a blend that works with my chemistry - and the mere thought of spiders makes me scratch compulsively.

 

Arachne, it just wasn't meant to be. It's me, not you. Really.

[girlmadasbirds]

light, dusty floral with an herbal kick... not really agreeing with me so far

[Voleuse]

On first application, this is an aquatic floral, soft and sweet. There's something fruity behind it as well, a juicy note that makes my mouth water. It's cool and delicate on me.

 

I can discern a wood note in this as well, but it's barely detectible. After a while, in fact, the sweetness just becomes stronger--not cloying at all, but it's pervasive. I really like this scent.

[rinoastar]

I got this one as a frimp, and it really reminds me of something quite different than its description: hairspray. There's some sort of hairspray out now (I want to say it's Herbal Essences, but anyway), and this one smells a great deal like it. It reminds me strongly of commercially scented shampoo. I'm not sure I like it, as it reminds me of being in the dressing room before opening night as the divas teased their hair and everyone prepared to go on stage.

 

Later: There's still a lot of hairspray smell, but it has calmed a bit. Not really enough, though, as it is still giving me a headache. Ow, and ew. For hairspray, it smells really good, but at the end of the day, it's still hairspray.

[Meg]

In the bottle: Light and very sweet flowers and herbs. Actually it smells a tad fruity, as if there was pear in there.

 

Wet: Similar than in the bottle, but with some dust. It's a weird combination of really juicy and gritty.

 

Drydown: I can't describe this very well... it smells clear and sweet, nearly like a fruity dew. I still think there's some kind of pear-like component. But at the same time, it smells of dust, very much like in an attic. It's a strange combination of scents, both indoorsy and outdoorsy. There's a scent of soft herbs, similar to those in "The Unicorn". I still don't get flowers, weird. There's clearly an aquatic note, which bothers me to some extent, but it goes away quite fast and gets replaced with the scent of clean linen - ozone?! This is unbelievably complex!

 

Overall: A weird mix, wet and dry, dusty and fruity, dirty and clean. I really was expecting florals, but I can't seem to find them - actually now I think of it, it must be *lotus*, of course! I think this is probably the first time I don't dislike it. I imagine this scent in shades of transparent grey, very much like a spider's web. It's aquatic, ethereal, and yes, gossamer. Also, very pretty. Not sure it's me, but I like it.

[rhubarbbear]

this was a frimp from the lab- thank you! i never would have tried this myself, based on the description.

 

"soft" is a very good description of this scent. it's not in your face, and it's blended expertly. it smells to me like soft outdoors- gentle weather, new flowers, the cool of the evening. it gives me a mellow, earth mama vibe.

 

very nice!!!

[brownbear]

This is just as light as I thought it would be. It is soft, light, breezy, floral and a bit fruity. It is barely there, but very nice. I think I'll wear this when I want to wear a perfume that is more background.

[Wench457]

Arachne: sweet and almost alcoholic.

 

On: sharper, like cleaning fluid. The throw is still very sweet though.

 

Dry: Very odd, I was sniffing it, and it morphed mid-sniff from sweet to pencil shavings. The fastest transition I've ever noticed in a scent - pallid flowers to dusty woods in .05 second. I don't wish to smell like pencil shavings, so this one's off to swaps.

[Brianne]

In the bottle:

This is a pale green, bouyant scent with a slight citrus tang to it

 

On me:

Wow this is LOVELY. It's very herbally fresh and a light floral at the same time. It's like standing in someone's herb garden after a light rain - all those smells wafting up to you with the cool rain smell. There is a slight citrus smell to this as well which offers up a slight fruity sweetness, but a slight bitterness too - like the rind of a grapefruit. It's very subtle though.

 

I would call Arachne the sister of The Apothecary. Both are similar in vibe and both have a lovely herbal quality to them. However, Arachne is more feminine and sophiscated I think.

 

After about 15 minutes, this becomes a very classy, high society perfume. It seems like something that a wealthy woman would wear - it's soft, feminine, but classic. It is something that is clean and slightly floral but could be worn in or out of work instances.

 

Final note:

 

I like this a lot more than I expected to. It's a really interesting, and very pretty blend. It's not TOO floral, which is what keeps me from not liking it. I don't think that it's the type of scent I'd wear often, but I will definitely use my imp and I could definitely see floral lovers adoring this!

[Thaleia]

I'd have loved to see Arachne portrayed as the overly self-confident woman who thought herself better at her craft than even the gods ... but this embodiment of her fate - soft and sweet, yet also sad and mournful, with a green, herby sharpness in the back somewhere that calls to mind her previous hubris. Arachne dries down to a soapy floral, but soapy in a good way. I'm normally terrified of spiders, but this one I can definitely live with. 8.5/10.

[gangstaknitta]

Arachne is so light and soft and faintly sweet. The scent hits you hard right out of the bottle, then fades to just a hint...

It didn't last long on my skin, but it will be in my oil burner the first warm day of spring.

[Sheila]

This smells exactly like the description: soft, gossamer, and sighing. It smells like a light floral with a slight herbal edge. There's a touch of sweetness, and a touch of something woodsy as well. It's nice, but a bit "generic floral" on my skin, unfortunately. It's a very complex scent, which I love, but it's so soft that some of the layers are lost. However, this would be perfect if you're looking for something non-evasive and wistful.

Edited February 15, 2006 by Sheila

[yeahbutnobut]

Arachne

 

In the imp: melon? Yup, that’s what I get-sweet, sweet, watery fruit and juice. Maybe some florals too but…melon.

Wet on skin: no, that’s not melon, that’s lotus. What was my nose thinking? I now get lotus, sweet, sugared and watery with a hint of something fruity, almost like cherry. Maybe there’s cherry blossom in here?

Dry: hmm, interesting. It now does smell dusty and pallid, yet also watery and sweetly floral. I get the dusty wood note, I’m guessing it’s sandalwood, or perhaps rosewood. I also get floral notes, I think lotus is the most recognisable, but I also get some blossom like notes, I think cherry blossom is in here. I also get the crisp, tangy green herbs creeping into the scent.

After a while: over time, the scent moves away from sugared florals to dry woods and tangy herbs-the herbs in here are crisp, sharp, pale green, they remind me of Verdandi’s herbs, only more tangy. They seem to have taken over now, and the scent is a sharp green scent now with just a faint hint of the sweetness before.

The scent seems to stay in that sharp gritty green stage for a long time. I want my lotus back…I much preferred the sweetness I had before. This sharp green scent may be a tea note? It reminds me a bit of something in Silk Road, and I like that note in that blend, but in here it’s a bit too tart for me. This scent has real bite to it-much like a spider’s bite, perhaps.

Verdict: at first, this seemed really promising, a melon like lotus note, sweet and sugary, with hints of other blossoms, and dry dusty woods. But then the herbs creep in-and these are sharp, tangy, biting herbs, an astringent greenness, and the perfume’s tone changes dramatically from sweet and feminine to dry, gritty and biting, yet also somewhat slightly sad-an unwilling transformation. Like Arachne’s transformation into a spider. And I don’t like spiders...however I do prefer this scent to spiders, but not enough to keep it-I’d rather it kept the floral sweetness. I think this will be swapped.

[QueenMabsDaughter]

I like this one, and I usually don't like "soft" perfumes...they go all powdery on me. I wish I could figure out what Arachne, Thanatopsis, and Mystic Gryphon's 7 Strengths oil have in common, because it's what I like about all of them.

[grrrlennyl]

at first: very, very sweet. like cherries.

on: there's a hint of sweetness, but it's mostly herbal and woody. i can definitely smell it, but there's a lightness to it, too.

2 hours later: much lighter and a bit soapy.

overall: this just ended up disappearing on me. no fun.

[themerrybaker]

This is another scent that considers patience a virtue. ( Bottle full of little spiders patiently spinning away)

 

In the bottle, it is very, very, unpleasant. When wet, it is mostly herbal and not so nice. But when it dries down it becomes soft, dry (dusty), and incensy/spicy rather than floral. I think this is similar to a “dry white” recent LE. Not a lot of throw, and needs a lunchtime reapplication. For me, definitely a keeper.

[Alchemy21599]

In the vial: soft floral and herbs.

 

Wet: Oh, now there is some lovely spiciness mixing with the floral note and the herbs.

 

Dry: This oil blends together so well that it is difficult for me to pick out individual notes. Subtle, unique, and very beautiful. I really like this and have added it to my Top Ten. A definite big bottle purchase for me!

[Nekomata]

Nice and powdery. Very light and airy both wet and dry. Unfortuantely it doesn't seem to last terribly long.

[em_h]

In the vial: Kind of ... dusty fruit? Not promising.

 

Wet: Yes. It is fruit gum covered with dust. This is another of Beth's extraordinary mimetic feats which I don't necessarily want to wear as perfume, I think. I don't know which of the notes is coming across as fruit.

 

Dry: Stays much the same, with maybe some additional sourness. This is just not a good one for me.