Absinthe

[JazzieCazzie]

<div class="bpal" style="background-color:transparent; border: 1px dotted #000033; color: #000099; padding: 5px; width: 90%; align:center;margin:0 auto 0 auto"><i>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.<!-- bpal scent end --></i></div>

 

ABSINTHE ... ordered as an imp from reviews here on the board but received as a frimp in the interim ...

BOTTLE: Odd and strangely lovely. I can't identify a single note, which is surprising since there are so many to choose from. It's not even remotely familiar but it is marvelous.

WET: NOW it is familiar. It's Dial soap ... but this is NOT to be confused with my negative term "soapy." I LOVE the smell of Dial soap. It is clean and crisp and beautiful ... this is one of the most divine wet scents of a BPAL yet.

DRYDOWN: It was a terrific blend of mint and Dial all day ... I felt clean and energized from it. Admittedly it did not stay as FABOO as it was when wet but that's OK, that would have been too much to ask. I am thrilled I have another imp coming of this one and it is a possible big-bottle buy (it's on my list for now)

 

REVISITING AGAIN IN FEBRUARY 2013:

 

Purchased imp from lab in February 2013 to revisit ...

 

In the imp: VERY sharp and odd with a second-hit of what I first thought was alcohol but is probably the mint. Not soapy at all, but not unpleasant.

 

On my wrist: As soon as it hits my skin I understand my "Dial soap" comps from eight years earlier. Not sure which note(s) make it go soapy on me. It's a really, really NICE fresh, clean and slightly complicated scent but I don't think it works for me as a perfume. I think it would make a GREAT bath oil or body wash, or even a lotion. I think I'll put the imp aside and try mixing it up with some Aveeno and take it on my next road trip in a mini-bottle.

 

Drydown: Now I understood why I may have swapped away my original imp rather than going big-bottle. Once dry, the anise amps up tremendously and all I get is licorice. I'm not a big licorice fan except in my booze.

 

I'd say that, for now, Absinthe and Envy are the two scents that, for whatever reason, I love when wet but go bad on me once they dry down. Not bad-bad like GETTHISOFFOFME (a la Sacred Whore), but change drastically for the not-as-good.

 

I'd give it a 3.5 wet and a 2 dry. Off to the lagniappe pile, my dear Absinthe.

Edited February 18, 2013 by JazzieCazzie

[Falathwen]

This was a gift imp from the lab. I was hesitant about it because alcohol notes tend to bring up bad associations for me, but I thought the other notes sounded intriguing.

Yikes. At first this smells exactly like the preserved fruit in cakes along with mint. Lemon then appears and clears away the other notes entirely. Later the mint comes back, along with a hint of soemthing almost floral which I am guessing might be hyssop. I was hoping the cardamom would come forward, but it remained in the background with the anise. Altogether, this stage was sweet and astringent. It reminded me of the flavor of the fennel and candy mix they offer at the door of Indian restaurants. After this stage, the blend faded quickly to a sweet soap scent.

[Macha]

This imp was sweetly gifted to me from Witch's Dagger, for no other reason than because she felt like it (SO sweet!) I had it on my wishlist as a bit of a lark. Now, I should add that I don't like black licorice. Nope. Not one tiny eeny bitty bit. In fact, I will go so far as to say that nothing will send me screaming from a room quite as quickly as a strong black licorice scent. Licorize altoids? You're joking, right? *shudder*

 

In the Vial: Anise, with a little bit of a citrus kick. And...oh thank heavens. It's not the super strong artificial licorice scent that I've come to loathe. This is the sweet light scent of fresh anise plants, the sort that grew like weeds in the vacant lot down the street from where I grew up. This is more like using a little fennel in your wine sauce, rather than hard black licorice candies.

 

Wet, on skin: This hits my skin and immediately turns to a bright green juicy citrus. Wow. That's actually gorgeous. This isn't lemon cleaner, no sir. The anise in the background keeps it from being too bland, and there are a number of subtle scents (the mints and other ingredients, although I'm never consciously aware of them) that stir this scent in lovely ways. Clean, vibrant, and very nice. If Absinthe had stayed like this (with more staying power) Absinthe would have taken a surprise leap into my top 10. The wet stage is THAT nice.

 

Dry, on skin: As it dries, the anise gains a little more predominance, as I knew it had to when the top-note lemon went away. But this is okay, more than okay. This is rather more like the candy-coated fennel seeds they serve at Indian restaurants. But then...ah hell. A few minutes after this stage, the scent vanishes. If I sniff very closely at my wrists I can smell lingering traces of a very faintly anise-scented, clean, fresh smell. It smells like I just stepped out of the shower after washing up with Villainess's Dirty Laundry soap.

 

Conclusion: I really like this! Such a tragedy that my skin eats it up so quickly. From start to gone was about an hour, and I'm not so fond of reapplying scents quite that quickly. I can't say if this smells just like absinthe or not, but the absolutely amazing thing about this blend is the restrained hand with which it has been crafted. It's not cloying or super sweet, which would have been an easy trap for a licorice/anise blend to fall into. Indeed, the very fact that I like this as a licorice scent is nothing short of miraculous. All hail Beth!

[Renny]

This one was a free imp. Its one of those that didn't turn horrible when it met my skin

 

 

Well... what can I say about it... it smells like licorice, and also fresh and minty. It smells *sort of* like toothpaste or mouthwash. Also some wooden scents in the background. It smells very lethal... I've never smelled or tasted real Absinthe, but this oil smells like it would be very intoxicating.

 

Smells good, nothing I would order a 5ml of, but it's a wild scent.

[k00kaburra]

In bottle: Mysterious and minty! I ought to say straight up that this was a freebie from the lab, and I've never had the pleasure of sampling true absinthe. This definitely makes me curious.

 

On me: This is very herbal. Everything about the scent, from the mints to the wormwood note, scream green. It's all I can think when I smell this. I'm not getting any of the lemon tho'.

[joseybird]

*sigh*

 

Toilet cleaner =( Pure toilet cleaner. I don't think the lemon is the main culprit, as I love the lemon notes in Phantasm and Shanghai. But the astrigency of this blend scrapes at my nose. I really can't describe it better than that...

[ChupaChup]

The Imp Faery slipped Absinthe into my last order . I had had it on my secondary wish list, something I eventually wanted to try, but something about the notes, maybe the lemon, didn't give me any sense of urgency. Wow, from the listed notes, there is no way I could have guessed how lovely this would be. It's such a cool, green, refreshing scent. It's not lemony at all, the lemon just seems to blend everything else together. It's not a strong licorice either, the anise is barely there in the background. This seems like a perfect spring/summer scent, kind of exotic and like nothing I have ever smelled before. Maybe spiced iced tea you would get somewhere in the Middle East (do they drink iced tea over there?). It's not very long-lasting but so nice I'll gladly carry an imp of it with me to top it up .

[laochodia]

in the bottle- wormwood and...belladonna? i can almost feel my pupils enlarging....

wet- licorice and mint

dry- strong wormwood, licorice and a faint herbal astringent. This smells like a bruise poultice that has been soaked in wine (weird freakin reference, i know). This cured my headache but also made me a bit drifty all day. into the swap container for you.

[sh1mm3r]

This seems like a perfect spring/summer scent, kind of exotic and like nothing I have ever smelled before.  Maybe spiced iced tea...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I definitely see the same thing as ChupaChup here.

 

When I first opened the bottle, I smelled a fresh mint smell, like what I would smell walking by the wild beds of it at my mother's house.

 

When I first applied it, it turned a sharp lemon that faded right away, and then the anise came out to play.

 

An hour later, it has all faded into a soapy (good soapy) green feeling, with an anise undercurrent. Fresh anise.

 

This is the smell of freshly laundered sheets on a brisk sunny spring day. I would like to make this into a lotion.

[tigerlust]

Absinthe:

 

This was a freebie from the lab so that makes it even more special!

 

In the bottle it smells boozy and like a man's cologne Iv'e smelled before.

 

On my skin, at first I smell something fruity, like sparkly lemon and pineapple! Weird!

 

But then the anise and lemon come out and really strong, and that's all I smell I don't really know what any of the notes should smell like except mint and I don't get any of that But I'm really liking this more with each stage!

 

As it dries down it mellows quite a bit and the lemon calms down a bit. It's now got a very feminine happy smell!

 

Absinthe is a lovley scent, but there's one flaw with this one, it fades too quickly!!

[kiwiblossoms]

I'm not sure if I'm doing this right... someone tell me if it's not!!

 

Absinthe

At first, this was the most delightful light minty smell with a hint of lemon... very soft and refreshing...

 

After the drydown it was still nice but the anise started to come forward while the lemon and mint faded to the background somewhat... after a couple of hours it was pure anise... on my skin anyway ...

 

It was still soft and light, unfortunately I'm not an anise fan :\

[shelldoo]

this one is herbal, a bit woodsy, and a lot of licorice

 

 

i love black licorice the woodsy base keeps it from being too one demsional, i do not get teh lemon and mint (thank goodness) all in all very likeable and imho great fro warmer weather

[girlmadasbirds]

out of the bottle: this smells like absinthe...in a wearable perfume form. i just hope the anise isn't too much for me.

on skin, wet: the anise is kind of strong

on skin, dry: absolutely wonderful. the anise mellowed out and the other notes came through in a perfect blend.

final thoughts: decadent, sexy. i absolutely adore this scent. this imp isn't gonna last me for very long.

[jett perilous]

I'm still not sure about this one yet. I'm getting a heavy lime popsicle smell when I wear it. I can't discern many other notes, except or mint. I do enjoy the mint, as do my kitties.

I will definitely give this imp another try later on in the month.

[Faerykin]

Absinthe

 

Swiped across wrists and along collarbone … and a little in the cleavage.

 

Initial Wet (8-8:30am): This smells almost exactly like the drink. Quite uncanny. It is bright, spicy and warm. Very nice.

 

Initial Dry (8:30-10am): This tempers just a bit. It remains it warm, spicy, very nummy self. The individual notes blend in such a way that I cannot say one stands above any other. I’m liking it a lot.

 

Throughout the Day (10am-on): I am finding this scent so difficult to describe. It is complex, yet simple. Suffice to say, I like it and I’m keeping it. It is warm, light and comforting. A beautiful scent for spring or autumn when the weather is cool and there is a gentle breeze.

 

It is barely present as I leave for home – but I still catch faint whiffs. Absolutely lovely.

[VorpalBunny]

This scent really does smell like absinthe, although with a bit of a soapy or perfume-y scent. It would be a good gift for someone who likes commercial minty perfumes. It is a very nice scent.

[stardreamer]

This was a Lab freebie in my last order. In the bottle: Green and citrus. This may be nice.

 

Fresh on: The citrus disappears almost immediately. What's left is very green indeed, a soft springlike fragrance that reminds me of iris, lilac, tulips, and forsythia -- the foliage as well as the flowers. I don't get any mint from this at all; the anise may be what's giving me the "bulb flower" associations. R. describes it as "mild floral soap". If I were a churchgoer, I could definitely see this as something to wear for Easter services... or to a funeral. It has the sort of semiformal floral feel which I associate with that sort of occasion.

 

Drydown: This stays very true to its initial scent once the citrus is gone. Holding power is moderate to good; 7 hours later I can still catch whiffs of it as I move around. This is definitely a keeper, something I can put on whenever I'm longing for the fragrance of a Midwestern spring. I may have to try layering it with my Blue Lilac single note and see how they go together!

 

EDIT to add: The second time I wore this, I got smacked in the face by ANISE, and it remained a strong anise scent all day long, but with the "green/bulb flower" note still underneath. Still keeping it, but I thought the difference between the two trials was worth noting. Now I'm wondering how it would layer with India Bouquet, whether it would reinforce the fennel in that or overwhelm it completely.

Edited July 18, 2005 by stardreamer

[any_old_actress]

FIRST SNIFF - bitter lemon, licorice. this smells like absinthe to a T

 

WEARING IT - as it dries it becomes a lot less bitter and a little less licoricey. citrus and sugar come to the foreground with hints of wet herbs.

 

VERDICT - probably not something i'd reach for on a weekly basis, but pretty as a one time novelty scent. glad to have tried it.

[tart]

First sniff of Absinthe: Holy sh*t! This is incredibly strong! My eyes bugged out and I coughed a bit because this smelled so strongly of alcohol.

 

On skin, wet: Okay, now I smell like someone who's been drinking too much. I've never actually tried absinthe before. The mint has come out. I think I smell like Bacardi and Listerine.

 

On skin, dry: Hey, this is pretty pleasant! I smell a fresh, yet warm lemon with mint still hanging around. Maybe I smell some anise, and something soapy (clean) as well. If I inhale deeply, I can pick up the cardamom.

 

Verdict: I may keep this for a friend who showed mild interest in BPAL because I mentioned they make an Absinthe scent. I don't know if I'll ever wear this again, but I'm so happy to have finally tried it! Thanks for the gift, BPAL.

[EvilKitten]

First sniff - Holy minty goodness.. I have not smelled anything with mint that I did not like.

 

on me - The mint and the greener notes mesh perfectly, and as it dries down I can detect the faintest lemony citrus note in the background - just enough to make you go "ooh" but so much that my skin makes it lemony pledge. Mmm.

 

This is a definite keeper.

[empi girl]

I really liked Absinthe...and I wasn't sure I would, even though I've been very curious about it.

 

Wet it is a very strong lemon scent, which fades to a lemon-ginger after 5 minutes, and then becomes a lovely, sweet anise, with maybe a hint of floral. I don't really get any mint at all. No soap, either. (Hooray!) It is light, but it lasts several hours. I am definitly keeping my imp, and will give it a few more wears before I decide on big bottle status.

[slave1]

In Bottle: Herbal and lemon.

 

On Skin: I have yet to try real Absinthe… but this makes me more excited. It smells so good, and is this amazing light toxic green color. The anise is strongest at first, and there is a very soapy note behind it. I’m not sure what all the notes listed above are… but there is a slight mint and the lemon gives an interesting twang to th scent. I am not fond of the super soapiness though… not sure which note is doing that. I do love the anise though… it makes the scent very unique.

[olympia301]

As you might expect, this is a strange little number. Redolent with licorice (like the real thing) the scent doesn't last too long before it turns into a very light herby fragrance. Not bad if you are really in love with absinthe and don't mind the quick evaporation of its lead expectation. I think it's a good novelty, but not something that would keep me awake for a 5ml bottle.

[wickedgoddess]

Origin - imp, fresh from the lab

 

Wet - Absinthe!

 

Dry - yes this smells exactly like Absinthe, or at least the fake Absinthe that I tried in New Orleans. It smells strongly of anise, with the other ingredients blending in way that I really don't notice them. I love Absinthe and wanted to try this, although I really didn't think I would want to smell like this. But I was wrong, I need a big bottle of this! My only complaint would be that this is another scent that doesn't last very long on me.

 

On the wickedgoddess scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being best, this rates a 4.

[summer]

Absinthe is almost pure aniseed on me at first -- that herby, astringent licorice scent! Which, actually, I find quite soothing. It is surrounded by a light, watery lemon scent, the very barest traces of wood, and something fresh and almost cucumbery.

 

This is a lovely light fragrance that doesn't last long, but is nice and refreshing while it's on.