Last March, we took Lilith to the John Dee exhibit at the Royal College of Physicians in London. She loved it, especially the bits about his cryptography and the video presentation of his life and works. I loved her loving it. Truly, there's little that warms an old occultist's heart quite like holding her daughter's hand while gazing at books salvaged from John Dee's own library, or looking at our reflections together in Dee's scrying mirror. Worn leather bindings, the dry crackle of ancient paper, styrax and onycha, frankincense, a drop of candle wax, and the barest fleck of dried Tudor roses.
I just got this bottle in from the lab, so I'm sure the bottle needs to rest a bit. Here are my first impressions:
Cold sniff: This is a very pretty perfume. Very feminine. I smell some of the candle wax, It has a 1950's powder room vibe to it. Not to say that it is powdery though. But rather the smell of a vintage perfume. The rose note isn't predominant, but there is a floral tone to it.
On wrist: I am getting a bit of the leather and rose scent that would be in Whip, but not in a strong, hit you in the face way. It's mellow, and soft. It is reminiscent of Bear Prince, but much more mellow on the rose note. But it does have a similar background.
After 30 minutes: The Rose and leather are a bit more to the forefront, and the frankincense keeps the rose in check. I smell floral, without it verging into full bright rose territory. The notes have morphed into a bit of a powdery scent.
All in all: This scent has good throw! My husband could smell it across the room, and I had just dabbed some on my wrist. It is a very feminine scent, and very pretty. It's not my typical scent to wear as it is a bit powdery. So I'll wear this only occasionally. This would be a great scent for someone who loves vintage perfumes! Hope this review is helpful!
