Spellbound

[Scarlettfish]

Perfectly enchanting! An irresistibly sexual, utterly rapturous blend of three roses, radiant amber, and sensual red musk.

This scent confuses me. I am both ambivalent about it, yet sometimes I find myself loving it. The roses aren't as strong for me as the red musk and amber. Sometimes it is very incensey on me, which isn't my thing, but sometimes it is almost pure amber. Other times the red musk pops up to say hello. I probably would have liked it better had it just been amber and rose.

[~AmusedMuse~]

My Impression: Musky roses and amber

I am glad that I got to try this one because it is one that I may not have opted for if I hadn't received it as a gift. The rose note usually doesn't like me but this is a lovely the way the amber and musk dominates this warm and seductive scent.

[miss apple]

Spellbound

 

My gosh, I didn't realize that I hadn't reviewed this before! Spellbound is one of my all time favorite blends. The roses and amber are sexy as hell together and when you add the red musk the scent becomes simply divine. None of the notes dominate - they swirl and mix languidly to become a heady incensey bouquet. This is warm and seductive and absolutely fabulous

[mmcfa2]

I wanted to love this one. I love amber and I love many roses, but this is NOT a rose i can love. The rose is bright and the amber and musk go powdery rather than warm the rose so I end up with bright fake rose and old lady powder. So sad

Edited August 24, 2005 by mmcfa2

[coulrophobe]

My skin loves roses - unfortunately, I don't, unless they're being handed to me by some cute boy (and sadly, they never are).

 

I was hoping that the musk and amber would make this the rose blend I've been looking for - i.e., one that's subtle and realistic, mixed with other notes I like. But on my skin this is pure, screaming artificial rose - I can't even catch the slightest whiff of any other notes. Many of the rose blends have reacted this way with my chemistry, so I was kind of expecting it... this one's not to be, but I'll keep searching for a rose scent I can wear.

[brownbear]

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

 

ROSE. It's a very sexy rose. It's a grown up rose. mmm I want to roll around in a huge pile of rosepetals wearing this scent.

[gangstaknitta]

In bottle: so yummy...earthy, sweet and musky

 

Wet: the roses, as per usual, go powdery on me within seconds. I can smell the musk in the background, but it would seem (from trying other blends) that red musk goes kinda powdery on me as well, so overall it smells like spicy baby powder. Ick.

 

Dry: red musk is far too powdery and pungent for me. Rats. I might try to scent my car with this one because it is just soooo delicious in the bottle.

[Nachtwulf]

In the bottle: I can't really smell the rose as a separate note. It's soft, sweet, both spicy and floral to me, but the actual flowers aren't identifiable. It's a wee little bit sharp around the edges, but not pungent.

 

Wet: It smells.... um. Actually, I'm hard pressed to identify it. What it /reminds/ me of, is the smell of a metaphysical store, all warm resins and spicy wood and dried flowers. It's faintly incensy to me, but it's not the heaviness of ecclesiastical resins. I think I can pick up a hint of nag champa in it somewhere, but it isn't just that. In fact, it may just be an illusion made up of other things.

 

Dry: I can actually pick up a hint of rose, now, sweetening the spice. It's almost entirely all amber and musk, and a much less uber-sweet amber than I'd honestly expected. It's not anything like as rosey on me as I'd been led to believe, but that's all right. I have lots of rose type scents anyway.

 

Final opinion: I got this in my very first-est order, and am just now getting to it. I didn't know what I was missing, no indeed. It's /lovely/. It doesn't dry down to the same incense notes as a lot of things seem to, it's not too sweet, or too harsh, and it doesn't fade too quickly. It still smells like 'high end metaphysical store' to me, but honestly, I -like- that smell. Years of incense and flowers permeating everything until it's mellowed to that perfect scent.

 

I do believe I am, indeed, Spellbound.

[cuervosueno]

so I was getting ready to swap this away, then noticed how absolutely intriguing it looked in the bottle--that lovely deep dark brownish red. so even though I knew I was pretty sure I didn't like it, I decided to swipe some across my arm, where it left a titalating brown-red streak as of blood.

And smelled like....

Ack! Roses! Quick, wash it off! What was I thinking!

So, um....I'm not spellbound.

I don't like roses.

can you tell?

[urraca]

I do like roses but the reason I swapped for this blend was to see whether I could wear red musk. I avoid almost all musks like the plague but I thought maybe red musk would work on me since I found Scherezade was okay on me.

 

When I put this dark brownish-red oil on, I was hit with a strong blast of what must be the red musk. Like all musks on me, it is kind of sharp and soapy. I wish I got something animalistic out of it but I don't. Still, this isn't as sharp as other musks and it softens itself after an hour or so to something much nicer, a hint of musk sweetened with amber. At this point it is pretty faint though and it never has much throw.

 

I get no rose at all and it is an odd perfume, it seems like it is all basenotes and it is like listening to the rhythm of a piece of music without being able to hear the melody. Still, it makes me feel that if there is a scent that has a little red musk in it, I shouldn't be afraid to order it.

[Phaedra]

This one was a freeibe from the Lab. Wet this smells sharp and exotic, just like Scherezade. When first on this smells almost citrusy mixed with light cedar and is cooler than Scherezade. After a couple of minutes this turns floral and dusty/dry- maybe jasmine or gardenia. After an hour this turns sweet and powdery. This dries down to a soft rose. This is quite nice and is like a lighter version of Scherezade.

[Brianne]

In the bottle:

Heady and strong

 

On me:

I really wish I was getting what most other people were getting from this scent. I cannot identify roses, amber, OR musk in this - it's just a very strong, generally perfumey scent.

 

Final note:

Not much else for me to say on this one unfortunately, it's just overwhelmingly perfumey on me.

[Orodemniades]

I'd hoped that aging my bottle would improve Spellbound, but alas, it hasn't happened. On my skin it turns into a soapy mess, one that dries my nose to the extreme. In fact, as I just posted, this has the same notes that are in Rakshasa, only without the orange.

 

Bye bye, bottle!

 

Oro

[wickedgoddess]

Wet - this is thick and dark. It smells primarily of red musk, mmmm, I love red musk. I have high hopes for this.

 

Dry - as soon as it dries the scent changes from glorious red musk to dust. Ah yes, a blend of three roses I see. There are some roses blends that work on me, not many, but some. Unfortunately Spellbound isn't one of them.

 

On the wickedgoddess scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being best, this rates a 2.

[Stumbeline]

Well. Amber doesn't work on me. Rose takes over any blend I wear if it's included. So surprisingly enough, this blend works on me. This was a freebie from the lab in my latest order. It's a sweet incense rose on me. This is a very full, deep, mature scent.

 

I can relate to the 'head shop' comments, this smell is very reminiscent of a new age store I've been visiting every winter in the Poconos since I was a baby. I think that's why I like it so much. It reminds me of a place I adore.

 

I can imagine wearing this to a formal event, when I want to feel confident and assured of myself, and at the same time bring back pleasant memories.

[couscous]

Received as a gifty imp from the lab!

 

Wet: All amber, extra sweet from a floral (you cannot yet tell that the flowers are roses, but you can detect a floral note) and spicy. This smells wonderful.

 

On skin: The rose comes out, sweet and dusty, with musks giving it some sex and the amber keeping it close to the skin. This is one of the first rose blends to not give me a headache in who knows how long. I suspect that the amber takes credit for smoothing out the floral aspects.

 

Dry: Amber, slightly spiced, and the red musk is felt rather than smelled. It's that heated air that comes off of your skin, and the undefined "skin smell".

 

Dry, hours later: All that's left is one rose, very juicy, very fresh. Juicier than Persephone's roses. Very, very bright. Not at all powdery.

 

VERDICT: Well, I must say...I hate, hate, HATE the smell of roses. The fact that I even left spellbound on to bloom is a huge testament to the beauty of this fragrance. With one notable exception, spellbound is the ONLY rose blend I would consider wearing- and, if I weren't already hopelessly and completely in love with Scherezade (which does indeed resemble this in some ways), I'd buy a bottle. The rose hater would buy a bottle of a rose fragrance! That's how good this is!

 

For those of you wondering how it compares to Scherezade, I will try to help in a non-biased way. Both are sexy, womanly orientals, and both are warming and comforting. Spellbound is sexy like red-satin lingerie and smoke-rimmed eyes, however, while Scherezade is more like cocoa lace on flawless skin.

 

Spellbound is more classically feminine, and Scherezade is darker and more aggressive. Try both- you won't be disappointed.

Edited November 17, 2005 by couscous

[Diana]

If you like Scherezade, and roses, this is for you.

 

This has the same warm, dizzyingly beautiful red musk. The spices are all gone, replaced by roses. The roses tend to vary between plastic and dry and juicy and lush, but it's all good. I don't mind them at all. They add a bit of lightness to the red musk, which by itself is a rather deep note.

 

Sadly, the last few blends I've tried with amber are MIA. I cannot detect them at all. I don't know if I just don't amp that particular note, or if it's just so subtle and well-blended that I can't smell it.

 

Either way, this is very beautiful and sexy.

[Lori]

Sniffing the imp: Before I read anyone else's reviews here, I had the same reaction as many. This smells just like the old hippie shops of the 70's, particularly my favourite one, which was in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on Portage Avenue, called Orientique.

 

I visited Winnipeg when our family went in to see my two elder sisters and for Highland Dancing and Piping competitions. After a comp., my Dad would often give us a bit of money to go shopping with and this is where I would head, to get some muslin tops, perfume oils and incense. Very happy memories!!

 

I have been trying to find the "Orientique scent" for years and finally managed to get a perfume oil through my job that smells a lot like it. But, I think this is even better! I did try a bit on, and unfortunately, it goes powdery on me and doesn't smell anywhere near the same, but I want this one for sniffing, anyway, so I can close my eyes and go back to that time, again...a time I have been recreating my entire life. Yes, I am an old hippie. :-)

[Leda]

Spellbound is my all time fave. A little dab will do ya!

 

Yes, I get the hippy shop scent that many do, but I am the one who sniffs all around the hippy shop to find out what makes it smell so wonderful in there. I was overjoyed when I finally found that scent in Spellbound. The fresh, deep red rose blends in perfectly with the musk and amber, I can't quite call this a floral. Even though it smells kind of like a hippy shop, it is a deep-red lipstick and stilettos kind of scent. Sexy as hell.

[zenvodunista]

in the vial: whoa -- AMBER.

 

wet on skin: whoa -- AMBER

 

dry ons skin: faint amber.

 

in case you didn't know, i have a tendency to amp amber. and a tendency to turn red musk into baby powder, which is why the scent later becomes faint amber as the babypowder is making the AMBER become amber.

 

sadly, not for me. i'd love to tell people that i was wearing Spellbound! what a fab name.

 

n.

[herongale]

preconceived notion: Rapturous, eh? You know, I tend to take things over-the-top sometimes, and god knows I'm a sucker for really descriptive ad copy. This might, however, go Too Far.

 

in the imp: whoa, fuck, this is BROWN. This is seriously the darkest oil I've encountered yet, and it smells like... Lampades. Just the way Imp does. The common denominator in all three is musk: Lampades has "sensual musk," Imp has "golden musk," and now there's this: "sensual red musk." Therefore this is making me think that my nose has a serious affinity for musk, so much so that it overpowers pretty much anything else in the blend: here, even roses. I'm glad that I like musk, of course, because in each case I get this delicious berry-like smell that reminds me of grapes and Freya's tigers. But it's a little disappointing because I'd like to be able to differentiate the blends for their unique qualities, and I kind of suspect I won't be able to.

 

wet: Hey, this even goes on with a purple-brown tint (although if you rub it in it disappears readily). And the musky Lampades-Imp connection continues on strong.

 

drydown: This is subtle and pretty and exactly like Lampades.

 

verdict: I only need one Lampades, and I smelled that one first so it's got dibs on my loyalties.

 

post-conceived notion: Sorry, Spellbound, with your overwrought rapturity! Better luck next time.

[Miss Lynx]

Tried this at the Toronto Meet'n'Sniff today. It had originally been high up on my wishlist, back when I didn't know how badly my skin amped rose. I'd taken it off my list once I realized it would probably be rose overkill on me.

 

But having a chance to try it out, I figured I might as well. Initially, it was exactly what I'd expected -- the same kind of excessive rosiness I got from Rakshasa, Rose Cross and Thanatos, with just enough of a hint of other notes to make me wish the rose would settle down so that I could smell the rest of it.

 

After a while, though -- maybe a half an hour to an hour -- it did settle down to the point where the notes seemed to be more in balance, and I could smell the amber and the musk. Then, it was quite nice. I suppose that must be what it smells like on people whose skins don't amp rose. But alas, not on me, or at least not without a long wait.

 

Grade: C+

 

(ETA (July 1/07): Well, I just tried it again, at another meet'n'sniff, and what a difference! This time it was much more in balance, with the musk and amber strong enough that the rose didn't dominate at all. I really like it this way... And I think the difference may be that the imp I tried this time was a fairly old one, the label a bit yellowed and faded. I guess this is one of the scents where aging makes a big difference! So... aged Spellbound gets more like a B+/A- from me.

Edited July 1, 2007 by Miss Lynx

[silverlilac]

Oh how I love this out of the vial and wet on my skin! It's so dark and deep- it has such a dry, earthy almost feral scent to me (must be the red musk). But unfortunately when it works with my chemistry, it turns soapy (must be the rose) and then like baby powder, underneath which I can still smell rose, but that's all. None of what first attracted me upon application.

[little_miss_gogo]

In the bottle and on my skin wet, it smells so good! Musky and cinnamon/amber spicy, and i seem to detect some similarities in the spices to those of snake oil.

Unfortunately, on drydown the roses hi-jack this blend on my skin, and they are all i can smell. None of the complexities i smelled in the bottle remain, just overpowering, sour smelling roses with a hint of lemon?!?! my skin is so weird! crap.

[desu]

In the bottle: Deliciously complex. I can't really pick any single note out. There's supposed to be rose in this? It'll be interesting to see how this one turns out on me then.

 

On my skin: The musk is coming out as it should. I do detect a slight hint of rose in the background although it doesn't seem to be turning soapy yet.

 

Nope, there go the roses going to soap. Sigh, and I was so hoping this one would be different due to the musk.