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Showing results for tags 'Lupercalia 2015'.
Found 76 results
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PLEASANT EMBRACE Lemon-silvered musk and white pear. In the bottle: Whoa PEAR! Wet: Still pear... The words that came to mind were "glittering pear." Something is coming off as almost "sharp" like glass. I'm not digging this right now. The sharpness and pear are kind of harsh. It's like the pear is a big bully and musk is trying to stand up for itself by turning into shards of glass. Dry down: Just when I was about to give up on this, magic happened. The white musk and pear decided they really were meant to be friends. The musk starts to deepen and calm the pear. My nose interprets this as "spiced" pear. I know there aren't any spices, but that stunning musk really gives me the vibe of an autumnal pear. I get no lemon in this this. This is going to be stunning in the fall when I want fruit but not bright fruit. This might be good for those who feel most fruits give a "too young" vibe but really like the actual scents.
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Creeper Dragon Musk: daemonorops, green leather, and red musk with dribbles of honey and white cream. I love dragon's blood and red musk so I figured I would be happy with this. It is indeed mostly those two notes. If I really inhale I think I get a little leather, but it's barely there. Honey and cream (is there another sort of cream that isn't white, I wonder?) are barely there as well. It may age into something more complex but even if it doesn't I'll wear it, along with Blood Amber & Blood Kiss. It's definitely got the same vibe. Lovely incensy dragon's blood and red musk.
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A tribute to the opium den cum bawdyhouses of Shanghai in the 1930's. Golden amber, blonde tobacco, Sudanese black coconut, rich caramel, black currant, white opium and delphinium laced with a sensual blend of Asian spice. I'm reviewing VERY early, just so people can have a chance to make a decision on this while it's still possible to do something about it. In the bottle: sweet ”” the caramel is a much stronger primary note than I would have expected. There is also a faint hint of what I would think was a sweet orange blossom. On skin, wet: Oh goodness. Yeah, this IS the stuff. The sweetness dies off almost immediately, leaving a haze of amber layered over spice and a gentle tobacco (which to my nose ends up smelling like really good incense rather than tobacco.) There's something slightly astringent, but it's not unpleasant. Red Lantern is passing the first test, which is that I have my wrist glued to my nose while I inhale deeply (let me tell you, that makes it hard to type.) This is a hard scent to review honestly. It's difficult to verbalize why I love it so much, except to say, you know "it's pretty." What the hell: it's pretty! Update: 4 hours later, this has turned into a slightly sweet and very exotic incense. Gorgeous.
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SERVING TEA AFTER COITUS Green tea, heady honey, white plum, ambergris accord, and vanilla flower. Fresh out of the mailbox! I tried this lovely oil first because I love the image so much. This is a very light and delicate perfume that evokes a satisfied sigh and sunlight coming through sheer curtains in early spring. The scent hugs the skin and reminds me of honeyed vanilla green tea. Very lovely!
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What a great freakin' word. BPAL LOVES TEH SMUT! Three swarthy, smutty musks sweetened with sugar and woozy with dark booze notes. BPAL loves teh smut! I know Beth warned us about this one, that it'd smell a bit aggressive in the bottle but is positively wonderful once on. I haven't smelt Sed Non Satiata yet, which is the scent Beth said this is a lot like, so I have no basis for comparison there. Sorry, guys? In the bottle, yes, it's definitely aggressive. It almost smells like Robitussin cough syrup - that same boozy, quasi-fruity medicinal quality. It has the potential to be sexy, though, I can definitely see/smell that. Smut immediately sweetens when it hits my skin. It's pretty much musky sugar sweetness after a few drinks, precisely what the description says. There's no more medicinal smell to be had, but it's definitely warmer - do I smell vanilla? Very sophisticated and womanly, almost reminiscent of Jean-Paul Gaultier, only without the headache J-P gives me. A seductive, sophisticated, heady, little-black-dress-and-stilettos, 'take me now' scent. I love teh smut. If you haven't already, GET SOME. 9/10. P.S. Throw is amazingly good.
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Love always finds shelter in the gentle heart. Dolce Stil Nuovo is a 13th & 14th century Florentine literary style that celebrates love and womanhood through heartfelt, delicate, and melodious sonnets, ballate, and canzones. This is fin'amor, Courtly Love, in its most moving form, and the emotions that these words express reflect love that both spiritual and idealized. Within this literary movement, earthly love reaches for the Divine. Who is she coming, whom all gaze upon, Who makes the air tremulous with light, And at whose side is Love himself? that none Dare speak, but each man's sighs are infinite. Ah me! how she looks round from left to right, Let Love discourse: I may not speak thereon. Lady she seems of such high benison As makes all others graceless in men's sight. The honor which is hers cannot be said; To whom are subject all things virtuous, While all things beauteous own her deity. Ne'er was the mind of man so nobly led Nor yet was such redemption granted us That we should ever know her perfectly. Our interpretation of Dolce Stil Nuovo is a blend of rose otto, carnation, vanilla flower, lavender and jasmine with the clarity of crystalline white musk and the warmth of golden amber. In the bottle: A very clean floral. On my wrist, wet: Sweet and floral with an almost candy-like muskiness. After 20 minutes: Creamy, subtle floral with the amber providing a little warm powderiness. This doesn't smell like flowers as much as it smells like the ghosts of flowers. After 40 minutes: Dolce Stil Nuovo is primarily a subdued floral, but there is also a warm creaminess to the blend that adds an entirely different dimension to it in all stages of drydown. The choice of muted floral components is complimented by the subtle musk and amber notes. This is a blend that suits a woman who is feminine, understated and confident. Lovely!
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Choice soul, in whom, as in a glass, we see, Mirrored in thy pure form and delicate, What beauties heaven and nature can create, The paragon of all their works to be! Fair soul, in whom love, pity, piety, Have found a home, as from thy outward state We clearly read, and are so rare and great That they adorn none other like to thee! Love takes me captive; beauty binds my soul; Pity and mercy with their gentle eyes Wake in my heart a hope that cannot cheat. What law, what destiny, what fell control, What cruelty, or late or soon, denies That death should spare perfection so complete? - Michelangelo Buonarroti An opulent, bittersweet Renaissance-inspired fragrance: Hungary water, parma violets, and roseated oil. Totally not what I was expecting! The overall effect is a very herbal, slightly floral (but mostly green, herby herbs) aroma. The violet is not strong at all, but does lend a subtle powderiness to the overall blend. Goes on sharp, with a strong almost oregano-like note, with lavender, reminds me of... herbes de Provence? Drydown is again herbal, without much in terms of flowers or petals. From wikipedia: "The oldest surviving recipes call for distilling fresh rosemary (and possibly thyme) with strong brandy, while later formulations contain lavender, mint, sage, marjoram, costus, orange blossom and lemon." Oh, no wonder! Tons of rosemary here. This reminds me of the now discontinued LUSH 13 Soap: Unlucky for Dirt.
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With the faintest hint of opium smoke. This smells like Winchesters, for those in the Supernatural fandom. The musk makes it sweeter than you might expect, but it is definitely a saloon-esque scent. I keep expecting leather to be in there, but it's more the idea of it. I sort of love this one a whole lot and I'm very glad I bought a bottle unsniffed! 10/10
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Vibrant red and white rose petals, thorny boughs, and gnarled roots. Dried rich rose petals with woody stems and leaves. The rose scent is the focus with the roots and leaves supporting it adding a bit of earthiness. Love this! Average throw/wear length.
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Poppy leaves, tobacco leaves, mandrake root, and dried ivy. Always hard to be first....I will do my best since I really don't know what poppy leaves or mandrake really smell like! In decant: Sniffing this....I detect the ivy, which is a little sharp, but not eye watering. There is also that leaf smell. It is pleasant and herbal. In damp hair: At first, I almost got a hint of some floral....it was almost "old lady" smelling (if that makes sense?) but then it softened up quickly (good thing!). It turned into an almost sweet herbal leafy type scent. I do not get any tobacco anything out of this. After a few: It ended up being real nice! Kept the sweetness (maybe the poppy?) and a pleasant herbal-ness to it. I am one to not like green type scents but I really like this one. It surprisingly has a low throw and the scent seems to fade pretty quick, but this is nice for those who might have to work close with people and don't want to offend anyone! Also perfect for Spring/Summer!
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MARS COROTIACUS Mars of the Cavalry A dark leather chypre with white sage and juniper berry. I'm finding I really love the Lab's chypre and fougère blends. This is a perfectly clean, and yet a cool green scent! Imagine a dashing cavalryman wearing this on his days off. I found this to be a perfect conglomeration of what I love in the two fragrances of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Henry Jekyll. Now I visualize these characters crossing over literature; and meeting at the Diogenes Club to talk about puzzling matters (no Hyde or hair to be seen). There is that clean, refined leather note I get in Holmes. Then it goes a bit to the greenery side with the juniper (and possibly bergamot) I get in Jekyll's blend. Unlike Jekyll though it doesn't go powdery or sharp in its dry down, as I think that may occur from the use of cumin or basil there. Luckily, there is no cumin or basil noted here. On application, this lasted pretty consistently for me at work for around 6-7 hours (though longer in a scent locket).
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VENUS MURCIA Venus of the Myrtle Crushed grass, honey myrtle, and dew-touched green musk. I love, love, LOVE this. To me, it is a combination of The Laughter of Loki and Pale Without Name or Number. The green musk takes the lead in this one, for sure. There is a grassy, herbal quality which adds a complexity that goes above and beyond the listed notes.
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STARTLED TOAD Golden amber and coconut with frankincense, frothy vanilla, carnation, sweet aged patchouli, and lemongrass. I looooooooove this. Startled Toad is like a who's who of notes I adore: coconut, lemongrass, amber, patchouli...I get all of those (and they blend together beautifully), along with just a touch of frankincense's bite and maybe a hint of vanilla. The carnation is just adding some spicy sweetness. This is really lovely, not too sweet, and smells like classic Shunga to me. I am so glad I bought a bottle.
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SIGNIOR DILDO With thanks to Sir John Wilmot. This signior is sound, safe, ready, and dumb As ever was candle, carrot, or thumb; Then away with these nasty devices, and show How you rate the just merit of Signior Dildo. Count Cazzo, who carries his nose very high, In passion he swore his rival should die; Then shut himself up to let the world know Flesh and blood could not bear it from Signior Dildo. A rabble of pricks who were welcome before, Now finding the porter denied them the door, Maliciously waited his coming below And inhumanly fell on Signior Dildo. Nigh wearied out, the poor stranger did fly, And along the Pall Mall they followed full cry; The women concerned from every window Cried, 'For heaven's sake, save Signior Dildo.' The good Lady Sandys burst into a laughter To see how the ballocks came wobbling after, And had not their weight retarded the foe, Indeed't had gone hard with Signior Dildo. A scent of pearls and ivory: orris, violet leaf, narcissus, and Madagascar vanilla. This is a soft gorgeous violet scent. The orris root is not too dry as a matter of fact it keeps the violet from becoming too sweet and too floral. By no means is this a comparison to faith-sugared violets. I don't smell any narcissus either. This is straight up Madagascar vanilla, with hints of orris and violet. Just lovely. If you love vanilla and violet...this one is for you.
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LENUS MARS Mars the Healer Roman chamomile, white musk, and ambergris. Lenus Mars scared me at first. During the wet phase it smelled like herbal cough drops. Not to worry because once this dries down its a really nice balance of all three notes. The Chamomile has such a soothing feel to it and gives the Musk a powdery vibe. Then there is the Ambergris which is present but not too strong. Simple, beautiful, unisex with a medium throw.
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Sapphire-blue musk alight with a white fire of chamomile, styrax, iced honey, saffron, and castoreum accord. Starts off smelling a little bit of a sweet, sugary musk, with a small hint of something almost a bit caramelized. This turns out to be somewhat darker around the edges as the castoreum accord brings in a little grittiness. It's overall a sweet, slightly honey scent (!) with only a touch of shadow from the castoreum.
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MARS ULTOR Mars the Avenger Black amber and smoky vanilla with cistus, benzoin, caramelized tobacco, and blackened nutmeg. For those that are curious: the label art shows his torso. The text covers the lower half of his body. In the bottle: When this first arrived, I was mostly getting all the blackened things! Now that I have let it settle for a few days, I can say that the tobacco is quite prominent, and though I still get the black amber and blackened nutmeg, the nutmeg is not as prominent in the bottle as it was a few days ago. I can smell more of the benzoin now, the cistus, and a bit of smoky vanilla. This mainly smells like smoky resins to me. Wet: Benzoin and black amber dominate. I am also getting the rockrose (cistus) and nutmeg. I can smell the tobacco, but it isn't as strong as it was in the bottle. If I inhale really deeply, I can smell the smoky vanilla note, but it is in the background. After sitting on my skin for a while, the rockrose note has become more prominent, and the smoky vanilla note is helping to sweeten the scent a bit. However, I would still describe this as a smoky resin blend. Dry: Mostly soft benzoin sweetened by the smoky vanilla and caramelized tobacco. Verdict: I like this, but I don't love it. That said, I am going to hold onto my bottle, because I think this one will age well.
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COMPARISON OF CELEBRATED BEAUTIES Vanilla cream, mimosa, and almond blossom. In The Bottle: Mostly almond. A tiny, tiny hint of cream. Tiny. Wet On Skin: More almond, a bit more cream. Almost as an afterthought, the mimosa. but it's literally as I move my hand away from my nose that I get a small whiff. Noting more. Dry Down: Oh THERE you are, mimosa! Wow, that certainly morphed. The mimosa has gone quite powdery on me, a thing that's happened between me and this note before. It *is* held in check by the appearance of the vanilla cream, giving it some density and toning down the floral so it's not quite so baby powder-y. At this point, the almond has disappeared from my skin entirely. In All: Low to medium throw- go easy, I could see this becoming too much if you slather. A sweet, soft springtime scent. I'm personally on the fence about how much I'll wear it, but the vanilla cream is really making me consider. I will wait to see how I feel once it's warmed up outside- this might be the perfect thing for an evening spring stroll.
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VENUS OBSEQUENS Venus the Gracious Pink apple and blackcurrant with honey and cardamom. I love, love, love apple so I was very excited for this one. In the bottle, it's all APPLE! with cardamom/blackcurrant/honey mixing into a sweet, warm background--very pretty! Wet, the cardamom comes out full force against the apple, the blackcurrant (cassis) comes out as well, giving the warmth of the cardamom a slight pungence, almost smokiness. Dry, this is all cardamom and blackcurrant--spice and smoke--sweetened with just a bit of honey on me, with just the faintest hint of apple is the background. A really beautiful scent that epitomizes the kind of layered, complexity Beth is so good at capturing, but ultimately not something I personally would regularly reach for--though I would love it on a guy! So disappointing that the apple in this doesn't agree with my chemistry!
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MOUNT FUJI REFLECTED IN LAKE MISAICA An oakmoss chypre with black cypress, wild mint, labdanum, pine needles, white sandalwood, and white cedar. I'm reviewing Mount Fuji Reflected in Lake Misaica because I'm a little worried that it will be lost in the shuffle amongst the other Shungas this year, and I think it deserves a shoutout. This blend is like the palate cleanser to all the sweets and florals in the Lupercalia release. The best way I can describe this is green, as the most prominent notes when wet are oakmoss, black cypress, mint, and pine. The labdanum (which smells a bit like green-brown ambergris here), white sandalwood, and white cedar anchor this blend and come forward on the drydown. Wet, this is a cavalcade of mouthy greens, a little tingly due to the mint and the camphorous spangle of evergreens. As it dries, the oakmoss pushes forward like a marathoner. Fully dry, this is oakmoss chypre with white sandalwood and white cedar—pale woods and oakmoss. The mint and cedar do not amp on me in the slightest—the mint burns off early and the cedar is held in check by the oakmoss. If you love oakmoss...definitely try this one! It's like the cologne version of walking through the woods in early, early spring, when a cold snap is still possible and the evergreens are still bleating their song of survival over the trepidatious spring herbals. I'm going to put this bottle with my husband's collection, and convince him to wear it on our next evening out...and wear it myself, from time to time.
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ALMA VENUS Mother Venus Amber-infused blood orange with Italian neroli, ambergris, orange flower absolute, French beeswax, tuberose, Himalayan cedar, and honey. In The Bottle: The blood orange, sweetly tart, comes out first, proving itself to be everything I hoped for. Hot on the tail of that comes equal measures of neroli and beeswax. *Fingers crossed* This might be perfection. Wet On Skin: The beeswax is coming to the fore and now the orange has mellowed considerably. I don't detect the neroli at this stage, but tuberose has entered the picture and it mixing well with the wax. Dry Down: The neroli has returned, and, with the beeswax, is the dominant note. The tuberose is following close behind and the blood orange is there but is now way in the background. In All: A lovely food-and-floral scent without actually being either. This scent reminds me of descriptions of old Italian perfumes, like from the Renaissance period. Low throw this scent stays close and soft to the skin, almost the way a musk would. It's like an update of a traditional floral water recipe. I'm rather picky about floral, but this one is gentle enough that I could see wearing this on a hot summer night and it being just lovely. ETA: I detect NO cedar, which is usually a death note for me. So if you're worried, don't be!
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A COMMENTARY Ripe apricots and neroli-tinged red musk with bergamot, bitter clove, and vetiver. This is really delicious. The vetiver is sort of like an "earthy " or dirt note, but it's tamed by the red musk. The apricot is sharp in the best way. The clove is there but very tempered also. This is fascinating, very different from anything I have but I really like it. Very lush. Not foody.happy to report the vetivert takes a hike pretty quickly, and the apricot remains with a gentle but present red musk. I love the drydown.
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A big bud of moon hangs out of the twilight, Star-spiders spinning their thread Hang high suspended, withouten respite Watching us overhead. Come then under the trees, where the leaf-cloths Curtain us in so dark That here we’re safe from even the ermin-moth’s Flitting remark. Here in this swarthy, secret tent, Where black boughs flap the ground, You shall draw the thorn from my discontent, Surgeon me sound. This rare, rich night! For in here Under the yew-tree tent The darkness is loveliest where I could sear You like frankincense into scent. Here not even the stars can spy us, Not even the white moths write With their little pale signs on the wall, to try us And set us affright. Kiss but then the dust from off my lips, But draw the turgid pain From my breast to your bosom, eclipse My soul again. Waste me not, I beg you, waste Not the inner night: Taste, oh taste and let me taste The core of delight. - DH Lawrence The loveliest darkness, the core of delight: Moroccan black musk, white tea leaf, Indonesian black sandalwood, frankincense, honeycomb, jonquil, and clove. in the bottle: musk and clove, yet this somehow feels MUCH lighter than other scents with those notes. kind of odd. wet on my skin: baby powder. all baby powder. dry on my skin: no change, just baby powder. i had someone else confirm that it wasn't just my nose...damn my skin chemistry! i am so sad...based on the notes this should be amazing on me. perhaps it's the honey/clove combination?
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VENUS CAELESTIS Celestial Venus Blue lotus absolute, grey amber, white myrrh, frankincense, and sugared lemon peel. Venus Caelestis is skillfully blended. I can pick out each note but the overall effect as a whole is so well balanced. Very very lovely scent that evokes a feminine softness, a silvery blue color and a coolness coupled with a tinge of warmth. This does not morph from the bottle to my skin, the throw is fairly light on me, but I didn't slather. The first thing I notice is the blue lotus absolute. I love lotus notes and this one has a cool sophisticated aura to it, it's not overly sweet or bubble gummy to my nose. The amber and myrrh intertwine to give this blend its warm softness without going powdery which plays nicely off of the cool lotus. This is so pretty! The frankincense lends a subtle sweetness that pairs with the sugared lemon peel. The sugared lemon peel is the only note that I have to search out, but it is there - shining in the background. Overall, this is beautiful and womanly. I imagine I will want to wear this a lot in the spring and summer because it's more cool than warm. It's got a cool aquatic vibe from the blue lotus but the resins keep it grounded and rich. It's unlike anything else in my collection, I'm not sure how I would classify it - a resiny aquatic floral with a touch of sugared fruitiness? Maybe I'll just stick to simple and classify it under GORGEOUS.
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White coconut, thick wildflower honey, and threads of saffron. this starts off with something a bit rubbery and sweet smelling, then out comes the coconut and honey. the saffron is sweet bordering on fruity. it smells like a pina colada to me. the honey seems to be just hanging in the background adding richness. this scent is very, very sweet on me, but i tend to amp sweet/fruity notes, so maybe that's why. it takes awhile but after about maybe 45 minutes the sweetness is tempered some and it's getting a little more honeyish, which improves the scent on my skin. it smells very tropical, honestly. not really what i was expecting, but my skin chemistry does strange things sometimes.
