Absinthe

[elfmaiden]

Fall under the spell of our Green Fairy! An intoxicating blend containing wormwood essence, light mints, cardamom, anise, hyssop, and the barest hint of lemon.

From the imp I get a very lemony rounded scent, very fresh and strong with maybe a small hint of the wormwood or a more solid note in the background.

On my skin the lemon dies and the anise comes out really strong. I'm not normally a fan of the smell but the complete mixture is intoxicating! I wore it to work today because it just seemed that light, sweet, with something alittle different lingering around.

Love this scent!

Jenn Edited September 30, 2007 by Shollin

[edenssixthday]

Absinthe - I love Absinthe!!! It smells just like the homemade absinthe an ex-bf and I used to make when we were young and silly. It's strange because it's very powerful (i.e., a little goes a very long way), but not in the least cloying. I really smell the mint in it, and while I don't usually like mint-scented things, this blend is just lovely. Very fresh and refreshing. The folks at work, however, followed the trail of licorice scent they were smelling, and it led right to my office, so apparently to others, it's more licorice-ey and less minty. I am getting a second imp of this, and at that point, I'll decide if I will wear it enough to warrant the purchase of a full bottle. But I could really see myself potentially wearing a lot of this in the spring/summer months especially/

[provocateur]

In bottle: Sugary anise

 

On skin, wet: Lemon, sugar and mint.

 

On skin, dry: Anise!

Conclusion: Anise hates me.

Rating: 0/5

[HennaFairy]

bottle:

green bitter herb (wormwood)

 

wet:

same, with anise/licorice as well

 

dry:

wormwood and anise - luckily for this licorice hater, the anise is subdued and not gagging me.

 

overall:

I don't hate it like I expected (because of the anise) but it's not something I'd really wear

 

rating: 6/10

[mockturtle]

In the bottle: Sweet mint, with a hint of bitter herbs.

 

Wet: Lemony mint -- more like lemongrass than lemon to my nose.

 

On the drydown: This is becoming more sweet and lemony on me -- reminds me of the lemon sticks I used to get at carnivals (half a slice lemon w/ old fashioned peppermint stick in the middle for a straw, for those of you who've never had the summer deliciousness), but still has a pleasant herby green scent that calls for my attention.

 

About 30 min later, dry: Now it's become what I imagined Absinthe would be like. The lemony sweet mint has just about faded away, leaving a green, herby (anise is strong now), and bitter scent. Interesting, maybe there is a bit of mint left there! My nose is intrigued by this blend's transitions.

[Eunice]

This smells way better than the glass of absinthe I had in New Orleans. This is slightly lemon-scented and then I get the anise and mints. I wasn't sure I'd like this scent as a perfume but Absinthe surprised me! Two thumbs up!

[gangstaknitta]

I have had actual absinthe, and this smells just like it. I'm not a big fan of wormwood or anise, but I was so curious about it. It smells like an herbal pile of licorice on my skin and lasts a pretty long time.

[whitecrow0]

In the bottle: Sweet, with an underlying sour or bitter tang; the dark essence of licorice oozing over tart lemon. I find the scent thick and yet elusive. It's pleasant but not pretty; more obsessive and interesting.

 

Wet: Today the lemon is really coming out on me, which I don't mind at all, as I really like citrus scents. I think the lemon is what makes the scent so teasing and ethereal. I can't really detect the licorice, which I usually smell, nor any of the other notes in the mix.

 

Drying: Ah. I think I'm beginning to smell the licorice. I can't stand the taste of licorice, but the smell is rather pleasant, particularly when one is in a mood to be a bit dark and ... oh, what's the word I'm thinking of? I'm seeing a Mona Lisa smile, but instead of a simple "Is she smiling or isn't she?" it's a definite smirk. The question becomes, why is she smirking? Is it because she is knowledgeable and competent and can take you - although it amuses her to humor you for now, or is it because she's playing with you, and she's dangerous? [EDIT: I think the word I was looking for was something similar to "enigmatic."]

I strongly associate this oil with my Greyhaven character Anise. Anise is a vampire who has been around several centuries. She was a completely different person when she was a human being. Going through what she did, combined with a latent weakness, turned her into something cruel and insane. She's wily, and she follows some rules, but she's out for her own pleasure, and her pleasure is pretty twisted. (However, I don't find her an unsympathetic villian; I find her seductive and fascinating.) Absinthe makes me feel her delicate brashness, her confidence, her mad embrace of darkness and hedonism.

 

The scent's coming into full bloom now, enveloping me in a thick blanket, like the opium and occult incenses she tends to burn to fill up her space. It's heady; it's intoxicating. It makes me feel as befuddled and disoriented as Kage was when he first tripped into her lair; I can understand why he just let her have her way. It's like a drug. It's also something of an aphrodisiac. I'm not certain I am open enough to describe what this is doing to my nether regions; suffice it to say I don't want to walk; I want to recline and stretch like a cat. I want to roll, and if I have to stand upright to move, I will do so with a calculated swing of the hips. My pulse points are vibrating.

I feel very physical and naughty - which brings me back to that smirk. I think the smirk is a warning of darkness.

 

Afternotes: Ah! An all-too-brief period in which the notes swirled around each other and I wasn't certain about what I was smelling. Sweetness with a bite. The scent rolled like smoke, like grumbling thunder, oozing around me and gaining power. I felt as though I was slick and dripping, warm and absolutely satisfied to be in myself.

 

It seems to have the perfect throw; very intense just at my skin, but moving out just a foot or two, it becomes something to draw you in. Holding my wrist out at arm's length, I can't really sense it (though I must admit my nose has been terribly assualted by me drawing in huge breaths, because mmm!!!) - I don't think it's overpowering, and it may be akin to the "second skin" effect described on the forums.

 

The licorice is definitely layered with other scents now. I think I am detecting the wormwood, which is quite subtle on me - and oh! I'm pretty sure that's the cardamom! (Which is also just a deeply layered hint.) I'm not detecting any mint or greenness. I'm trying hard to categorize this; it's certainly not floral. It's not really foody, even with the strong licorice scent that is brought out by my skin. It's not incensy / spicy, or musky, or watery. It is not a pink, light, girly-girl feminine; it has a dark, seductive and almost solid bite to it. It therefore may not be entirely work safe. ;} [EDIT: It's a powerful scent, and strong. Not in the "hit your nose" sense, but in the visceral reaction it creates. I got up and moved around the house and was struck by how it seemed to fit. The smell of the oil mingled perfectly with my lunch (homemade fried rice with bacon and green onions, an orange, and hot black tea) - so perhaps it is foody - and just worked in the darkness of my bedroom as well as the bright living room. It's a bit gothic, a bit esoteric, but it's aggressive and alive rather than gloomy, and physical rather than spiritual.

Further notes: As always, the smell seems to fade on me within two to three hours, but in trying to wash it off to try another imp, it just won't part from my skin! It has more staying power than I gave it credit for; it just shrinks to me, rather than the air I inhabit.]

I am in absolute heaven. This is a definite mood-altering scent.

 

Scott-sniff: "I like it."

 

Verdict: I am entranced by this imp. I don't want to take the smell off! It is one of the BPAL scents that have made a huge impact on me. I'm sure I'd be despondent should I run out; I'd consider a second imp, but I fear I'd worry about running out of that. Therefore, I feel justified in considering a bottle. I just wish it wasn't a whole $12.50 for 5 ml. I certainly can't afford the 10.

[sofiaviolet]

This was all lemon and mint (and maybe anise, I don't know what that smells like). It was pretty interesting, but definitely not something I would want to wear as a perfume.

 

 

The scent was remarkably consistant from imp to skin. Unfortunately, it was just too sharp for my tastes.

[ereuyi]

Sadly, this smelled way too much like licorice jellybeans (which constantly challenge swedish fish for my least favorite candy ever) for me to look for more of the sublteties in the scent. If only it would smell like one of the anise-free absinthes... but then I knew I didn't like anise and had to try this anyways, so I guess it serves me right.

[PixieSkull]

Imp: Bitter and sweet at the same time with an obvious herbal undertone. The anise definately pops out at me. I can't pick out cardamom or wormwood or hyssop normally and this is the first blend I've tried them in. It's pleasantly unpleasant, seems to be an aquired taste.

Wet: Sweet licorice and herbs. It reminds me of the herbal mix in Tarot: The Star. I've got a little bit of lemon, like lemon pledge but it's not too unpleasant.

Dry: All that's left seems to be mint and anise and maybe some wormwood or hyssop. The lemon pledge is not quite there anymore. It's similar to some other blend I've tried but I don't remember.

 

Category: Herbal

Rating: 4/5; Unique enough to catch my eye and wear it. Think it'd be an aquired taste for anyone sniffing me though.

Overall: I like it more than I thought it would be. The herbal edge is a bit softer than I expected and the lemon disappeared almost entirely. I would wear it again and again.

[urbanruralferal]

oooh this gave me a headache, and I haven't ever had an actual headache from a scent before. It started off with anise, and some very high pitched menthe, and it smelled like a penetrating liniment a bit as well, but it was so high-pitched (for lack of a better description) that I could sniff my wrist to analyze it. The fumes made my brain squint and wince.

I think I smelled plastic too.

Not a winner. I had to wash it off.

Disappointing night for scents.

[fairy]

In the bottle I smell spearmint gum. I knew this one would be hit or miss. When first applied it was delightfully refreshing. But after about 10 minutes it turned to black licorice, which I can't stand. Off to the swap pile with ye :/

[MrsSoup67]

In the imp: Spearmint I am not happy spearmint give me a headache I decide to give it a whirl anyway.

 

wet: citrusy mint with a bite but no spearmint

 

dry down: licorice or anise

 

dry: good and plenty with a kicker

 

I like it as a unique scent for special occasions but to minty for me everyday.

[WidgetAlley]

This Imp isn't mine, so it'll be a quickie review:

 

In the Imp this smells like some kind of awesome candy to me-- lemon and anise and other things, sweet-minty-tart. The anise and mint are strongest on, clean and sweet and herbal, with touches of lemon and spice and other, more mysterious things, including a slight bitterness that must be the wormwood. It's very green and pleasant, but still mysterious. I love this, but I don't think it's going to last very long on my skin-- nonetheless, I very well might snag an Imp of my own.

[Miseraya]

In the imp: Anise and citrus with something medicinally herbal ( or herbally medicinal) lurking in the background.

 

On the wrist, wet: Same as in the imp, at first. Anise and citrus with a medicinal sharpness to it. The citrus is lemon to my nose, not discernible until now. The lemon begins to get very strong, briefly eclipsing the anise, but then they balance out again. I can imagine Absinthe smelling like this.

 

On the wrist, dry: The herbal medicinal something is struggling to make it's presence known now, and though the anise and citrus remain dominant the herbal note is now much more prominent.

 

Final Analysis: I like this. Despite my dislike of anise as a flavor I am discovering that I enjoy it as a scent on my skin. Over all, Absinthe is that clean, fresh and crisp sort of scent that I prefer. I will at least use the imp.

[ND¢]

In the bottle: Lemongrass with some other herbs I can't identify.

 

On me: Anise starts peeking out from under the lemongrass. This smell, the lemony not-quite-lemon with sweetness underneath is associated with corporate bathroom cleaning solutions in my mind. It's an almost -perfect replication of the auto-squirt air freshener in the bathroom of the place I quit a few months ago. Oh NO. I can force myself to objectively see the appeal of this scent (it really is a pleasant smell, and largely as described by other reviewers, but I don't get a lot of anise) but I'll have to trade it, because other people love it, and this association just kills it for me. I hope I don't bring this up in anyone else's mind (sorry in advance if I did.)

[faifai]

Wow! I really don't like the taste of anise, but it smells so good on as a perfume. I get a bit of mint, a lot of anise and something citrusy, reminds me very much of a licorice-spiked Detox. I'm kind of kicking myself for buying a big bottle of Detox when I could've gotten this for much less, it is more complex than Detox because of the added notes, and just as refreshing and, dare I say it, zingy!

[Tess]

I've never had the chance to drink Absinthe, but it's on my list of things to do. I really hope the lemon in this isn't buried in the anise.

 

In the vial - This smells lovely! The lemon and the anise aren't overly strong, with the wormwood being nice and dry.

 

Wet - The lemon and wormwood are more to the foreground than any other scent here.

 

Drying - Lemon. LEMON. There's so much lemon in here, with just the spice of anise and the dry feeling of the wormwood. Ah, hyssop in there, too, giving it just that hint of floral. There doesn't seem to be any mint for me nor is this at all herby.

 

Dry (30 minutes) - The anise is seriously out in force. The lemon is still there and there's the barest touch of mint. It's not at all boozy, though.

 

Overall - I really liked this up to the dry stage, but after that the anise is a little too strong. I'll continue to try it out, see if it'll work over time. It's very nice, I just wish there was more lemon. (I know, I'm strange.)

[bloody sore]

I have to disagree with quite a few people that have posted about this scent and say, it doesn't smell exactly like the real thing. I even went downstairs and smelled the bottle vs. my arm.

It does, however, give you the same feeling when you smell it (if that makes any sense). It has a ton of anise, like the real stuff, but has an added lemonyness that I've yet to encounter in a bottle of absinthe. The perfume also seems to have toned down the raw herb smell that reminds me of Vic's, making it much more suitable for a perfume.

I love this perfume, though it is not anything that I wear on a regular basis, I enjoy smelling it on others.

[ShadowAngel]

I had some reservations about this blend, but I tried it anyway. It was nice in the bottle, but quickly after applying it, my skin amped up the anise/licorice/herbally part of it, and not in a good way. I'm not terribly fond of anise to begin with, so perhaps it was just my own perception, but I just could not deal with this. It's a shame too, because it is a very skillfully blended scent, but just not very "me."

[Vampy]

LICORICE.

 

I unexpectedly have two scents that are very licorice to me (the other one being nanshe.) Well, absinthe wasn't unexpected, I just didn't expect to have two that smelled like it. I don't dislike the smell of licorice, but... Weird.

 

In the bottle, licorice with an undertone of something woody and a dash of lemon. On me, it grows sweeter, and the woody notes gradually strengthen and turn it slightly masculine. A greenish-yellow smell.

 

Overall? I'm not really sure yet. I don't dislike it, but I'm not wild about it either. I'll have to try it a few more times and see if it grows on me. If it does, I'll edit my review to say so.

Edited September 11, 2006 by Vampy

[absinthetics]

Well...I have to review this one. However, it's very simple to pick out.

 

This is a sweetened, and for some reason lemony anise. For me, the lemon is much more strong than anything 'absinthe' about it. On the dry down, the anise all but fades away to this ghosty undertone. To me, this seems more like the scent of a little green fairy who may exude anise from her little pores.

[Deiicide]

In the imp: A slightly boozy mint and licorice concoction.

 

Upon the skin: Licorice amped a bit upon the skin while the citrus and the mints played nice with each other. There was a electric boozy undertone within the blend that mingled the strengths of each individual note together. It reminds me of a distant kin to Shattered where Shattered is more crystalline and this is just a bit more shockingly freshing.

 

5 minutes later: The licorice is dying down somewhat as well as the citrus. They are still there but have allowed the other essences to come upwards.

 

20 minutes later: More about the same, a tad more coying.

 

I will echo that the throw is quite good. A little does go a long way and in my attempt to reaquint myself with a new love I slathered the sucker. I ended up coughing for a bit due to the strength. whoops. This blend seems absolutely perfect to make a first impression during a dance, or raudy get together. It's nothing that I've ever smelled before and I'm glad that it's available all year round. Definately a bottle purchase.

[sophia_helix]

This was a lab frimp, and I doubt I would have bought it for myself. However, in the tradition of surprising lab frimps, I ended up really liking this.

 

It's perfectly balanced. The lemon doesn't overwhelm like it usually does, and the anise, which I thought I wouldn't like, just adds this really intoxicating, interesting note, along with the mint. There's the herbal scent of wormwood and hyssop, not too bitter, but there's nothing too sweet about this either. Wet, it's so juicy-minty-herbal that I'm almost reminded of a mint julep, but dry it reminds me of another BPAL scent that I can't quite place.*

 

I definitely think this is one of the Lab's better and more unusual scents, even though it's not a "favorite" yet. I'm curious as to whether I reach for this in the future, but I'll keep the imp...and maybe think about trying some absinthe myself.

 

*It came to me -- the creamy herbal scent is very similar to White Light, minus the white floral scent. Maybe it's the hyssop?

Edited September 25, 2006 by sophia_helix