Darkness

[Tulliver]

Bottled gloom; the essence of oblivion. Blackest opium and narcissus deepened by myrrh.

In the Vial: I smell myrrh. I think that's ALL I smell. It's certainly all I'm certain of. There's a sweetness that's not the myrrh, but it's definitely not floral either. Perhaps it's the opium, I wouldn't know. It's lovely, though. And a slight smokiness to it, too.

On the skin: Wet - Oh, nice! Understated and elegant. Definitely have the myrrh scent. I'm still not sure on the others, but the sweetness is definitely there.

Dry: Hmmm. Fades as it dries. I'm hoping the myrrh might be able to turn it round like it seems to have done with other scents for me. Ironic as it may seem, I am thinking this would be a perfect scent for funerals, but not in any morbid way. It has an elegance as I've already said, but it doesn't leap out and grab you. It's far too well behaved for that. SOMBRE! That's the word I was looking for. Sombre, but not in a bad way. I do like this scent a great deal.

After 1 hour: I am distraught! This stunningly beautiful, highly evocative scent does not seem to have any staying power. I keep thinking I'm getting wafts of it, and perhaps I am and I just can't pick it up from my skin. I hope so anyway. But it's so gorgeous. The narcissus is perfect. The myrrh is wonderful and what MUST be the opium might very well become an addiction.

After 3 hours: It simply didn't last. It was all but gone by the time the two hour mark came round, which is upsetting. However, it's a scent I simply have to have in my collection, always. It's that beautiful, and I don't mind that I'll have to replace it fairly frequently.

Then again, what are perfume lockets for? *grin*

BUT! My scoring system.

Scent: Wet - 2/5, Dry - 4.5/5
Durability: 1/5
Bottle? Oh yes. ALWAYS! Edited September 12, 2007 by quantum spice

[filigree_shadow]

Opium has been going funky on me lately and I used to love it. But recently perfume with opium has been developing a distinct band-aid-like scent on my skin, which is really irritating. So let's see how this one does.

 

OK, so far it smells like the usual kind of stinging opium scent, perfumey, maybe a touch of myrrh, and.... NO NO NO NO!!! No band-aids! Don't do it! Awwww, dammit. Stupid skin.

 

Well, crap. So much for that one. I know I liked Darkness a year ago, but right now it's not so good. Maybe at some point in the future my skin chemistry will stop being a jerk and I can update my review.

[mudspinr]

I was kind of worried about this scent working for me because I don't usually do well with florals. I was hoping the myrrh and opium would keep the narcissus in check.

 

In imp: narcissus, whole fields of them with me in the middle.

 

Wet on skin: narcissus over something like incense, probably the myrrh, this is better.

 

Drydown: narcissus fades leaving soft incense smell, slightly powdery. The opium note shows a little, but mostly blends into the overall scent. I can't tell if it has throw or not. I can smell it when I sniff my wrist and it doesn't seem strong, but I'm also getting little bits of scent as I move my hands to type.

 

Later: never seems strong, but hangs around on my skin for quite a while.

 

Verdict: as soon as the drydown starts this becomes a very wearable scent for me. I may eventually get a bottle, my partner said he liked it He doesn't usually comment unless I wave it under his nose and ask.

[Torrain]

...well, apparently black opium smells like shaving lather on me. Not the kind you get out of a can. Proper shaving lather that you get by applying a shaving brush and water to whip up a lather off the shaving cream that comes in a solid cake in a round wooden box.

 

Something comes out a bit--I think it's the myrrh? pretty sure it's not the narcissus--and anchors the shaving lather smell down into something a little drier, and the whole thing it turns into something dimly flowered and warm. It's not a bad scent, and I'd probably wear it if the shaving lather did not remind me so much of my dad{1}; as is, it's not for me.

 

Love and coffee,

Frances

---

{1} Whom I loved very much, but who has died and so constantly smelling something that reminds me of hugging him is unsettling.

[starwild]

I'm not sure what I was thinking getting an imp of this when I've been scared off by the really dark scents such as Malediction, etc. ...but I did anyway! Here we go.

 

Bottle: Strong and sharp, sort of generic perfume.

 

Wet: This reminds me of the roots of a huge old oak tree, buried deep in black loam.

 

Drying: Wow, this..this isn't as scary as I thought I would be. Am I perhaps NOT afraid of the Darkness? LOL!

 

This is thick, rich, and will bowl you over with its strength on application. I get mostly myrrh, almost to the point that it's a single note, but after a while--boom, there's the opium and narcissus to give it a grain of sweetness.

 

Wow, a dark BPAL scent I can actually wear!

[Lunaratu]

This is very much a traditional perfumey scent when this is first on—smelling a tad bit like alcohol and everything. After it dries creamy florals surface, dark in persona, but still a tad perfumey for my tastes.

Rating: 2.5/5

[FallDaze]

On first sniff I get dark, deep, and smoky. What I'm guessing is the opium coming out to my nose.

 

On my skin the myrrh starts coming out and blending with the opium, softening everything a little, still a really strong smoky smell though.

 

After a while the softening continues, but it's still a bit too smoky and masculine for me, and it's developed a little bit of a clinical undertone to it Not really the scent I was hoping for. Damn you skin! Damn you!

[hkhm]

imp: that is some serious opium! very strong.

 

wet: it's like i've fallen into the plane of pure opium. this is so intense and strong i should have put on only the tiniest dot.

 

dry: this dries to a sweet, smoky opium that is quite mysterious. lovely.

[Deiicide]

I smell both of them together in this darkness, the Myrrh and the Opium. But every-time I do sniff, I get more dizzy. I guess this means it's a no go huh? If you really like a resinous feel to your opium blends, then try this one blend out.

[savage_rose]

Quite the morpher. It keeps vacillating between this shrill sweeteness and this smoky, dark resiny smell that's quite lovely. I don't know if the good is worth the bad though...the shrill sweetness is giving me a headache.

 

ETA: And 10 minutes later, it morphs into the ocean! Sweet, salty, cleansing, beautiful. SO nice.

Edited March 30, 2008 by savage_rose

[donnatron]

Imp: Soft myrrh tempered by a familiar scent I realize is opium when I boot up the scent description.

 

Wet: This is a very dark scent. It smells disorienting and the opium brings to mind my beloved Event Horizon.

 

Dry: The narcissus goes almost soapy on my skin, but the whole scent holds it together to create this creeping, sweet, wonderful scent. It's mostly opium, but the myrrh happy to show up every now and again, and the narcissus will grace us with its presence at times.

 

Throw: Strong.

 

Overall: I popped this on because I depleted my Twilight imp and thought this had lavender. It is lovely anyway and while I'm not gunning for it to put me to sleep, it's a beautiful scent and I will definitely run through this imp in anticipation of receiving a bottle.

[FandF]

Smells like vibrating purple, the color.

 

Strong, pungent, floral but not sharp. Actually quite nice and probably great on men too. This is a nice unisex blend.

[brsis]

Frimped to me by Tartchef!

 

Initial thoughts: Whoo, my first myrrh scent! I love myrrh. Ever since when, after having to sit through one primary school Nativity rehearsal too many, I asked my mother what the hell frankincense and myrrh were, anyways. I was lucky enough to have a mother who actually knew ^.^ Gold for a king, frankincense for a god, myrrh for the dead. Myrrh and I have had a distant love affair ever since.

 

More specifically on the subject of Darkness, I wasn't particularly moved by the copy - actually, I found it slightly intimidating - but with my love of myrrh, my particular fascination with opium (Petrol and wildflowers! Petrol and wildflowers! C'mon!) and my recent OMG *flail* moment over the narcissus note in Hades, I'm really glad I have this scent.

 

Enough talk! In the imp: Wildflowers. Wildflowers and, oh my, not petrol but something dark and bleak and old. Something - and this is going to sound weird because here I go with the synesthesia again - small and dry, almost mummified, but soft like a dessicated moth, hidden away in a dark little sarcophagus. This is the most tantalising and interesting 'in the imp' I've smelt so far.

 

On the wrist, wet: Same kind of scent, but murky, only semi-floral, an odd scent in the throw which I think is the narcissus - not as sweet as the black narcissus in Hades - and right up close the funeral-wrapping musk of myrrh. The opium is giving it a weird, unsettling edge - otherwise it would be a lovely soft, sleepy perfume, but I think it's that slightly acrid opium kick that's broadcasting 'you are not safe in the dark'

 

Ten minutes later (Ish): It's softened now - the bristly defensive opium has calmed down and the narcissus is starting to bloom properly - as I'm beginning to find narcissus does on my skin. It's still not 'safe' - there's something edgy in the softness, like being in pitch black. I'm liking this.

 

Half an hour later: I know what this reminds me of. My mother's Opium perfume, except not so sharp and pungent.

 

An hour later: This has softened right down until it's literally hugging my skin - absolutely zero throw. The opium has slunk out so now I get sleepy funeral myrrh and not a lot else. It's still lovely - I'm really impressed by how richly evocative this is, it's reminded me of so many things, not least a picture book I had when I was a kid. This book was a classic I can never remember the name of, about a dark, dark house with a dark, dark room and so on and so forth, and at the very end there was a tiny little mouse in a tiny little box. Darkness is what that picture book would have smelt like. But it does fade into nothingness far too quickly on me, which is dissapointing. I'm going to have to test this one on either my hair or a handkerchief or something, because it's not no staying power on my skin. Or I might just scent my stuffed rabbit with it ^.^

 

The verdict: Love it, doesn't love me too much. I can sense a potential bottle in the future if I can get it to work in some form other than as a strait scent.

 

Tl;Dr: Soft, sleepy myrrh that lasts about an hour and a half with a dangerous opium edge that fades more quickly. Delicious skin hugging scent, shame it doesn't last that long.

[FelinePulse]

On me this is a moody floral.

 

In the initial 10 minutes after applying it there is an unsettling scent that really does evoke an image of being in a pit of darkness. It smells like black holes. It's a scent that settles in my solar plexus.

But then it just turns floral.

 

It's okay, but much too flowery for my tastes.

Not exactly the darkness I was seeking.

[Indigo78]

In the imp this is a nose-turner - in the wrong way.

 

I loved the sound of this, and was attracted to the descriptions of extinguished candles and earth. That simply isn't what this is to my nose. I get a distinct, pervasive sharpness and bitterness from Darkness. I don't wanna try it on, but here goes...

 

Wet, I just can't get past the imagery of 1930s costume jewelery and garrish artificial plants (yeah, I know..what?)...And that old Cashmere soap.

 

Drying down she becomes more aquatic. I get a nautical feel from this, but it isn't me at all. Swapping, and hopefully to someone whose chemistry dances with Darkness better than my own.

[grashopper8]

When I opened the imp and smelled the warm myrrh, I got excited and slathered the wand on my wrist, something I don't typically do without confirming true lurve with a drop-on-the-finger test.

 

 

Oops.

 

Looking at the notes, I fully expected to be blown away, but I'm actually not digging the narcissus here at all. It smells spicy rather than powdery, and reminds me of carnation, which I totally hate. Also, the opium isn't resinous, it's floral like in Opium Poppy, and I'm bummed.

 

And stinky. Gotta get this off....

 

Not for me.

 

 

2.4 out of 5

[sadtomato]

unlike most people in this thread, i don't think darkness is aptly named.

this doesn't strike me as a dark, despairing scent at all.

i think it's quite warm, sweet and lovely, actually.

this kind of reminds me of a more floral dragon's blood...has the same resinous sweetness and warmth to it.

gorgeous, gorgeous myrrh.

 

my overall impressions of darkness are a light, lovely sweetness that's not at all foody or overpowering. a musky, ambery sweetness, not a food sweetness.

perhaps a bit of a dirt or loam note, but it's in the background and not prominent.

light florals mixed in with the musky, ambery sweetness to give it a little kick different than dragon's blood.

 

this scent, to me, is warm and gorgeous.

based on the description i wouldn't have tried this because it sounds cold, dark and menacing, but it's not at all.

it's not overly floral either so don't be scared away by the florals.

i got this as a frimp with an ebay bottle purchase and am glad i did 'cause i totally love it and wouldn't have tried it otherwise.

it's yummy goodness!

[alexandra]

Darkness first sits me at my Nana's dressing-table, with ornate hairbrushes, powder puffs and antique bottles of Chanel and Yves St Laurent. I almost choke on the face powder. This ismakes me sad, mournful: my nana died two years ago and I miss her.

 

And then Darkness does something very interesting. The myrrh, a mourning scent, recedes and the opium takes over to try and ease my hurt. I want to give into the smoke, lean back, Dorian Gray style, and let it transport me to oblivion with its sickly-sweetness. It doesn't smell dark at all, it is swirling sweetness supported by myrrh, but the effect it has on me is dark, dark, dark. Not black, but a blank, dark brown. There is something sensual, exhilarating and libidinous about this stage. Inhibitions are exhibited and released. Very powerful.

 

The imp is enough for now but I turn to it when I want to remember, keep perspective and when I want to feel powerful and release inhibitions, both creatively and socially.

[Iceblink]

Powdery (that would be the narcissus) and myrrhlicious. This could easily go old-lady perfume but that myrrh keeps it in line, mostly. Not what I'd think darkness would smell like! It's pretty and womanly but not overly sexy like some myrrh blends. Nice.

[stillalive]

I want to say it smells like pure jasmine with a bit of cinnamon, but apparently there's no jasmine in it... Maybe that's the neroli? I have no idea. But it does smell a little too much like my aromatherapy treatment for seizures and that's not something I enjoy smelling like, so I might be finding this one a new home. >_< hehe.

[maika]

In the imp, and on my first sniff, I thought my nose had broken, because I couldn't smell anything. On second sniff, I found the myrrh, but that was still an interesting first reaction.

 

Wet on me, still the myrrh, but it's mellow, but the opium is here too...this is dark and smoky in the best possible way, even if the narcissus doesn't make an appearance, I'm still going to be loving this.

 

Drydown, about half an hour in, the narcissus arrives, and the whole thing pulls together spectacularly. What was gorgeous, but essentially masculine has now got the narcissus weaving sinuously in and out in a now you smell me, now you don't manner, and it's nothing short of spectacular. This is so far beyond gorgeous there aren't words for it. I think this has just placed itself very firmly at the top of my favourites list! With that said though, I don't think I could wear it every day, but there are times when I want to surround myself in darkness, and I think this will definitely aid that process.

[greenranger]

Myrrh and opium like me...it's just too bad that I don't like narcissus as much. The opium and the myrrh support the narcissus very well. It's a very well blended scent, and I am sure if I liked Narcissus that I'd love this.

 

Unfortunately, not.

[mgrazulis]

In the imp: heavy narcissus

 

Wet on skin: opium and myrrh, the narcissus goes in to hiding

 

Drydown: The oil stays wet for the better part of hour before it soaks into my skin. Once it absorbs, the narcissus comes back rounded down by the myrrh with a smoky haze of opium. It stays close to the skin, almost an afterglow. The opium is rich, not sharp. Myrrh is mysterious with a sense of foreboding. Incredibly sultry and somber.

 

I think Beth just captured the essence of an opium den...dark, sticky and smoldering in a haze of soporific gloom! I am especially fond of the balance of myrrh and opium. The sweet smokiness clouds close to the skin is like a protective veil. Darkness gets high marks from me. It is one of my favorite dark resinous scents.

[isisonearth]

Hypnotic, dark and thick. The opium drags down the resinous myrrh. Here and there I get a wet whiff of narcissus. Overall it has a smoky quality that is both enticing and foreboding.

 

It dries down to a soft blanket of darkness. Sober but peaceful.

[angelicruin]

Imp: definitely myrrh

 

Wet: I'm not sure if it's the combination of notes or a specific one, but it gives me a headache

 

Dry: Not much change and I need to wash this off NOW.