Assimbya
-
Content Count
253 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Everything posted by Assimbya
-
The magnolia trees in my area have started blooming, and I've been really intensely craving magnolia scents as a result! And since lilac is another very very favorite note of mine which I don't have that many perfumes that showcase (except my dear Eusapia!), I was really hopeful about this one. As it turns out, it's everything I had hoped for - very balanced magnolia and lilac on me, lush and smooth and cool, with a definite sense (somehow!) of shining black satin in the background. I don't get much that I can discern as from the orris root or ambergris accord, except a soft saltiness which comes through more on drydown lends definition and sophistication to the florals. This is so spectacularly elegant, and it makes me so happy to wear it! The only problem, unfortunately, is that it has quite brief longevity on me, and is pretty much entirely faded within a couple of hours. I envy the person above who got 7+ out of it! Possibly I need to try wearing more of this perfume than I'm used to, or perhaps resting will improve the longevity. Even if it stays short-lived, though, I'll likely want a bottle.
-
Definitely agree with @doomsday_disco that this reads like the Lab's white tea - it reminds me very much of the tea note in Maiden. On me it's quite citrus, but not in a well that feels distinctly identifiable as bergamot. The florals likewise are quite indistinct and very dry on me, mixing with the matcha, and I think also the sandalwood and white musk into something that feels more like dried, powered petals mixed with tea. I don't get any distinguishable blackcurrant. As with Maiden, I think this is a case where my skin chemistry has led me astray - as a whole this is very astringent and powdery, rather than the happy springtime floral I was hoping for, even though these notes are largely ones I adore. I think it would work better on me with some sweetness or a lactonic note to cut through the sharpness, which I'm learning is what I really sort of need with tea scents (and maybe that's fitting, since I always do drink my tea with milk and sugar!). I'll retest my decant a few times as I'm not ready to give up on this quite yet, but unfortunately I don't think it's going to be for me despite loving the idea of it.
-
I have tested this one a couple of times now, and really am not sure what to make of it, though I think I must reluctantly conclude that it doesn't work on me, despite having a lot of notes which really should. It's somehow at once acrid and syrupy - typically honey is lovely on me, but here whatever the honey note is mingles with extremely sharp sandalwood and neroli to make something that's quite unpleasant. I don't get any rose at all; I do get clove, which I often really like, but it's not enough to save this one. As loath as I am to admit that any vampire bride-related scent doesn't work for me, I think it's just the truth here! I can console myself with my other sexy roses and other beautiful female vampire blends. ETA: I got my partner to try this and it was so much better on him - largely honey and neroli, almost edging into gourmand. I've decided that this is actually a scent for Jonathan Harker from the brides' perspective - entrancingly edible. So now I feel better about it not working on me!
-
Hi @Alethia! It looks like you and I have some overlaps in our favorite notes, so I'll definitely be looking at your reviews for recommendations as well. I was going to suggest Katharina, which on me is such a heavenly mildly fruity orange blossom-white musk combination, but it looks like it's already one of your favorites! As far as GC scents I also have found Endymion to have such an absolutely gorgeous white musk, if you haven't tried that one yet. I realize I'm sounding like a broken record here because I bring it up all the time, but My Soul Acquiesced in It from the Carmilla collection is the white musk scent of my dreams; the other notes are also pretty prominent and I don't think it would work unless you like almond (I see you do like rose and vanilla!), but for me the white musk is the heart of that blend and it's just stunning on me. I was fortunate enough to get to try the old Lupercalia The Presence of Love which also has a very beautiful white musk, sharped by amber, grapefruit, and jasmine but very much noticeable as its own note. I have also seen Paladin recommended a lot for white musk, though on me I get a lot of frankincense which makes it tricky to detect - I do need to retest that one, though.
-
Athens was one of the batch of imps I bought in my very first order, for the classical connection, and has turned out to be a strong contender for my favorite GC. I feel like I don't see it often in people's list of favorite or what they regularly wear, and I think it deserves more attention! I experience Athens as somehow at once regal and comforting - it reminds me of the sensibility of the major arcana tarot The Empress; it has this red-gold feeling with its deep, sweet, honeyed wine. The wine note is on me the same one in Blood Rose or the Carmilla collection's Indescribable Solemnity and Fear, but it's sweeter and smoother here, rich but with no distinct alcohol. I definitely do get the myrrh, which is resinous rather than incense-like, and adds a depth and elegant sharpness which tempers the sweetness. There's a floral sensibility, but I couldn't pick out the "sweet flowers" on their own, or make a guess at what they are. This has reasonable throw and longevity (today it's now fading on me about 6 hours in), and makes me feel very capable and feminine in a mature way. As someone who feels very connected to Ancient Greece, it's very special to have a perfume based on one from that time, and to be able to hold that connection in a private, subtle way when I wear it. I love wearing this one to work, or in general to activities for which I want to feel confident.
-
2024 version. To me this perfume is very much like a fantasy of snow - white and fluffy and soft and sparkling. As far as notes, I can pick out a light musk with vanilla, almond, nebulous white florals, and something that if I squint I can call coconut, but they're all very fully blended together into a single picture. I do get a slight plasticky edge on my skin, but somehow this doesn't bother me; it feels like part of the fantasy snow image, like it's inside of a snow globe. I came to this one sort of backwards, seeing people compare other blend to it, primarily My Soul Acquiesced in It from the Carmillas, which is my absolutely favorite BPAL to date. I can see the resemblance to My Soul Acquiesced, but the snow in Snow White is opaque in contrast with My Soul Acquiesced's crystalline clarity. Snow White also feels more youthful - a sweet fantasy, in contrast to My Soul Acquiesced's adult elegance. I enjoy Snow White a lot; it's fun to wear, and I would be pleased to try other blends with this snow note. But the playfulness of it means that I find myself wanting to wear it in more limited settings and moods, and it doesn't feel quite as much 'me' as some other perfumes (that experience of having a perfume feel distinctly 'me' is such an interesting one! I'm so curious to think more about how it works), so I don't think it will become an absolute favorite for me, or fully become part of my regular rotation.
-
Eclipse goes on as a pretty almond/marzipan with some hints of vanilla; almost too foody for me, but I enjoy the almond which is lovely on my skin. As it dries, the cinnamon and frankincense become more and more prominent, along with a pink candy like note which I suppose must be the heliotrope, and they meld into something which feels peculiarly dusty and stale to my nose. I have a sense that the way these particular notes combine on my skin must have some negative association for me that I can't quite pinpoint; the urge to wash this off is stronger than seems logically warranted! It's an odd experience that I'm glad I was able to have, but I probably won't keep this imp around and instead enjoy other almond-centric blends which don't do this on dry down.
-
This is an impressively inoffensive scent - clean, well-blended, reminiscent to me of hand soap or lotion from a fancy hotel. The white musk here smooths out the other notes, rather than adding the depth that it does to many other blends on my skin. I can see why this is so popular, and especially why it would be a good entry point to BPAL for those who might feel more wary of strong or unusual notes, but it's just not what I'm here for. I'll see if I can rehome my frimps to some people in my life who might be otherwise more hesitant about perfume oil.
-
Beautiful smooth golden honey with a sharply dangerous floral undercurrent. My skin loves honey notes, and I appreciate the way that on me the sweetness doesn't overwhelm so I can get the complexities of the blend. This is a simple but lovely perfume on me - I don't know that I'll need any more than my imp, but I'm glad to have that when I'm in the mood for it.
-
Similar to others, I get a sweet, marzipan-like creamy almond at the beginning, and a gently blended musk with it. As it dries, it morphs to become primarily myrrh, with a hint of almond in the background. This has extremely low throw on me, and fades quite fast. It's pleasant, though not particularly Hecate to my sensibilities, and the speed with which it fades makes it one that I'm unlikely to wear often. But I am still glad to have my imp to wear around the house, when I can easily reapply it.
-
This is totally gorgeous on me, and I am so grateful to have received it as a frimp from someone here! It's a beautiful velvety red rose, with a heavenly sweetness from the musk and an edge of sharp powderiness which is how amber often shows up on me. Amber can take over on my skin, but here the musk keeps it in check and it's part of a very balanced whole. Over time, the rose, initially the strongest note, fades into the background of the musk and amber, but I really love it at all its stages. This may be one I end up wanting a bottle of, though I want to spend more time with it before deciding, especially since I have quite a number of rose scents already. But I just love them all so much!
-
I saw the first snowdrops and croci of the season yesterday, so of course I had to wear this today! On me this is a bright, clean, lily scent, lightly fruity in a sort of fleshy-floral type of way, the absolute opposite of indolic. There's a cold sense to it that feels the image of a snowdrop, but it's pretty much purely the lily note. This is very pleasant and fun, and I would like to wear it more, though I don't know where I will need a bottle; I personally prefer wearing the more complex and mature white floral of the Lab's Datura Blossom. Prague also fades quite fast on me, though this may be because my imp is rather old.
-
This really does have such a chilled, melancholy feeling to it! I am enjoying wearing it on this very cold day where I am. This is a lovely aquatic. On me it's predominantly cold river water rushing with bergamot and a very clear, almost herbal jasmine. There's this earthy grittiness beneath which I identify as the moss-covered stones and actually really enjoy; it gives the scent this effective atmospheric feeling. I don't think I can distinctly pick out the water lilies, plum, or carrot seed, though the perfume as a whole has a layered complexity which makes it clear there are other notes there. My only disappointment in it is that the longevity is pretty low - it fades substantially a couple hours into wearing it. Maybe apropos for a misty river, but I would prefer to have it stick around longer!
-
This one has a dry, herbal, bitter quality to it which I find really compelling. On me, the saffron and blood musk are definitely the dominant notes, with a distinct coppery metallic note which I think is from the blood musk. The amber and honey for me are this perfumey undertone, winding through the red-gold of the musk and saffron. This feels like such a good Erinyes scent to me - it's bloody and dark but in classical way, not a traditionally gothic one. The saffron is such a great choice to create that sensibility! I like this one a lot; it goes in the same category for me as Seven Inches of Blood from the Carmillas as another intense metallic blood perfume which is beautiful and scary at the same time. They're not perfumes I want to wear every day, but I really love them as a way to embody a certain mode and side of my self. And it's a delight to now have this one which lets me do that in a more hellenic sensibility!
-
I have been really enjoying this one after getting it as a free imp. I get a rich, juicy, slightly sweet rose, with the dragon's blood and wine blending beautifully together. I think this is the same wine note as the one in Athens, which works really well for me, and it lovely with the rose. I don't know that I'll want a bottle of this one, especially since it's note as good an everyday scent for me as Athens, but I will definitely continue wearing my imp.
-
On me this is predominantly sour-sweet cranberry, with a hint of earthy ginger grounding it. Alas, I really don't get any of the lily, and definitely no smoke. I'm finding that red fruit notes really take over on my skin and end up smelling quite artificial. This isn't for me.
-
I really love this! It's at once sharp and sweet, and complex, layered floral which feels mature and elegant with grounding of the sandalwood and amber. It's a little challenging to pick out specific notes in this one, but I think the pear blossom is the clearest on me, which is a lovely scent I haven't had much experience with previously. My partner and I keep joking about the "ode to delicate femininity" descriptor, but there is something that does feel accurate about it; this is a scent which makes me feel confident and put together within a feminine self-presentation. This is the first hair gloss I've actually gotten into, and it has excellent throw and longevity. I love that it's a way I can enjoy sandalwood and amber without having to worry about them amplifying enormously as they both tend to on my skin.
-
I would second the recommendation for Les Fleurs du Mal! It has a pale, melancholy feel that may be what you're looking for. I have also been loving Eusapia from this year's Yules, which I have found to be a beautiful, true lilac. Perhaps not as funereal, but very lovely.
-
This is a lovely scent! Definitely a sister scent to Alice, as others have suggested above, but in sort of an opposite direction as the GC Maiden; while Maiden takes Alice's notes in a sharper, more astringent direction, Dawn: Maiden is smooth and creamy and gentle. I am not sure I can identify heliotrope yet, but I can distinctly pick out olive blossom, honeysuckle, and tea roses, and combined they give a certain golden luminosity that feels appropriate to the name (I am not familiar with the comics which inspired the scent). With the milk and honey this feels like a more grown up and less sharp tongued Alice. I am so glad I decided to try this one and expect it to easily enter into my rotation of daytime perfumes.
-
This feels very pink and clean and bright. As other reviewers have described, I get mostly pear and sweet pea, a little musk and other florals. There's something very young and girl about it, in a way that doesn't feel romantic or sexual - I'm thinking more of Emily in Our Town than Juliet herself, to be honest. I would have preferred to have the lily and honeysuckle (two of my favorite notes!) show up more strongly, though I do get some more of them on dry down. It's a pretty scent, but I think ultimately it feels too youthful and fruity to be quite right for me.
-
I was given a decant of this by the wonderful paperflowers in her Yule decant circle! I'd never used hair gloss before and so was curious to try, though nervous about the cotton candy note. But I shouldn't have been worried - this is a sweetened, bouncy dragon's blood, It has great longevity and throw in my (very long) hair, and while the scent isn't quite me it's fun and pleasant to use. Taking this as an indication to continue exploring hair gloss!
-
I got a decant of this because I bake a lot and got drawn into the fantasy of a baking fragrance! Unfortunately, I think I wanted it to be something it was not, which was really quite unfair of me. I think I saw the fabric note and unconsciously imagined a sweetened, lavender White Rabbit - but of course they actually have no notes in common! On me, it was much more gourmand than I imagined. It makes me think of a lavender sugar cookie dough - definitely not baked yet, and the lavender maintains its herbal sharpness, but this is something that's going in the oven. I definitely do get a distinctive clean laundry scent, but there's quite a bit of dough stuck to the apron. It's an extraordinarily friendly scent, and very well done - I think a lot of people will love this! But it's not for me.
-
It's intimidating to be the first review on a fragrance without many listed notes! I don't trust my ability to pick out and identify notes yet, but I'll try and eagerly await other reviews. I found this to be an elegant, grown-up floral - a single red rose and a single white lily encased in translucent resin; definitely a substantial amount of amber and possibly other resins too. I also get something dry and woody and pale. The flowers are the brightest in this when it's wet; they get significantly dimmer as it dries, as if I'm seeing them through the resin, and the resin/wood notes become more prominent. After a couple hours of wear they take on a bit of a sour edge, but not unpleasantly so. There's something understated and melancholy about this scent, appropriate to the poem which is its inspiration. I like it, but something about it doesn't totally capture me. Maybe if the floral notes stayed brighter for longer, or if something in it softened the wood and amber. I am glad to have a decant and I expect I will use it, but I don't think I need a bottle.
-
2024 version I found this stunningly beautiful, the truest lilac perfume I have smelled. Somehow the other notes lend it depth and complexity without actually taking away from how purely lilac it feels. The sharpness of the white tea, most apparent when wet, gives it this living greenness, while the beeswax, which comes out more on dry down, gives it a kind of creamy smoothness. It's white and purple and bright. It makes me think of this tiny, extremely expensive bottle of pure lilac essential oil I smelled last year at an essential oil store; the proprietor said it was made with enfleurage and was their last one of the season. The way he described the process made it sound so precious and special. I feel the same way about this perfume, which is like an April afternoon in the botanical garden right here for me in the depth of winter. This made me giddily happy the whole time I was wearing it last night; I love it and will definitely want a bottle.
-
This scent feels very distinctively Victorian to me - there's something formal, dry, and contained, which absolutely fits the odd propriety of inviting a ghost for a cup of tea. On me it's predominantly a jasmine earl grey tea, light on the bergamot, with some subtle wood from the cypress and a hint of amber like a dusty sunbeam. Both the jasmine and the tea are quite sharp notes, with the jasmine feeling almost more herbal than floral. I cannot discern the orris, though it's a note I'm not all that familiar with. This is pleasant and elegant, but the dry sharpness of it doesn't quite win my heart. I tend to amplify sharp/astringent notes, so possibly it would be a mellower scent on someone with different skin chemistry. As it is, I am glad to have my decant and expect I will use it, but it's not my favorite jasmine and I won't need a bottle of it.
