Brisingamen

[blackenedsoul]

The amber necklace of Freyja, Norse Goddess of Love, Sex, Attraction and Fruitfulness. Her magnificent necklace was bought from four Dwarves [Alfrik, Berling, Dvalin and Grer] at the price of four nights of her passion. When Brisingamen graces your throat, no man can resist your charms. A glittering mantle of rich golden notes: five ambers, soft myrtle and apple blossom, myrtle, and carnation.

This one started out ambery in the bottle and wet on me, then dried to reflect more of the carnation. I like it...sort of... my mom hates it!

[dorothy humbird]

This surprised me with how much I've liked wearing it over the past two days. I guess I was expecting something to go awry with the amber, or else the myrtle. Instead....

 

It starts off pretty warm with the amber, but there's also a strong green note that reminds me a little bit of Rose Red and some other greenish blends I've tried. I want to say possibly Cordelia? But now that I've looked up the myrtle note, I can see the connection with The Passionate Shepherd to His Love, also.

 

Anyway. The green myrtle note doesn't dominate for very long. It's overtaken by the spicy creaminess of the carnation in short order, and the apple blossom kind of hangs out at the edges, sweetening things up a bit with a delicate petal-floral simper. For a blend with a relatively short note list, this smells surprisingly complex. Plus, it sticks around on my skin for a good while -- always a bonus!

 

Update a few days later: This infused itself in the satiny (acetate?) scarf I was wearing one day, and remained as the most intoxicating spiced vanilla-ish scent. I was delighted. I'm definintely keeping this imp. (Frimp from the lab! This is the first Lab frimp I've ever received that was on my wishlist, amazingly.)

[ankhfangirl72]

Wow, this smells so much better after it's aged a bit. I tried my imp a few months ago and I didn't like it but now it's so much better! I get powdery amber at first, then the carnation shows up and mixes with the amber to make a really lovely warm, spicy scent. It's a little sexy but in a sophisticated way. It's perfumey but it has the feel of a classic high-end perfume. It's great but it's probably not one I'll wear often. I don't think I'm ready to smell that sophisticated yet

[thomasblackthorne]

 

I got this is as a frimp with my most recent order.

 

Not knowing anything about it, I applied, and wow. It smelled like a much better version of Old Spice on me. Which, given my name is fine...

 

I did detect alot of amber on the dry down, and then I opened the review here...

Never did I think that this was a feminine angled fragrance...

For some strange and awesome reason, my skin chemistry makes this one hell of a masculine scent.

 

I will be keeping it and test again in a few weeks and see if I get the same result, but how freakin' wierd...

[Indigo78]

This is a spicy & really soapy Omega male who's striving to be worldly. Ugh. I get something like cassia in the background, but it's subtle enough that I have to smell my arm up close to get it. I really wish that I could report something other than that, but this blend doesn't do a lot on me. Just... Irish Spring and some kind of pastry.

 

The throw is modest, wearlength is average. It is not a bad scent to my nose- but other than being decidedly masculine, it is pretty forgettable.

Edited October 30, 2008 by Indig0

[shannahc]

I had a bad reaction to my BPAL of the Day yesterday (Bayou - gave me a migraine ) so I wanted to wear something softer today. Went with Brisingamen, and I think it was a good choice! In the imp it smelled very floral, almost generically so. Upon first application it retained its floral scent but dried down to a lovely, soft fragrance - kind of a "my skin but better" deal. The previous poster who said it was "glowing" hit it right on the mark! The amber is a big component of the dried down scent for me, and I can see me wearing this as an every day fragrance.

[silvertarna]

I bought a full 5ml of this untried in my very first order from the Lab - I just had a good feeling about it! And luckily my instinct was so right. The amber is beautiful, soft and warm, and the apple blossom and myrtle give it a lovely hint of floral, without it ever really becoming a floral perfume. It lasts very well and has a good throw without beating people over the head with scent.

 

This is one I always get at least one 'oh, that smells amazing!' every time I wear it. It's the one I'll turn to on feminine, girlie days.

[crebbsgirl]

This was a really golden scent on my. The drydown was beautiful with the ambers and apple blossom combining to give a soft, lightly floral scent. The myrtle adds a touch of tang, and only a couple hours in does the carnation become apparent. This is truly beautiful and "glittering" very aptly describes this blend. I usually like my scents a little darker, but I may keep this one.

[kjirstiben]

Initially on, this is flowery and herbal with an earthy underlay. No, wait, maybe that's flowers and incense, not flowers and herbs.

 

Drying, it becomes more and more pretty, sweeter, and pleasant.

 

Then apple blossom takes over. This is (sadly) one of the florals that amps to high heavens on me, and for several hours I endure an apple blossom white-floral EXPLOSION while anything that I liked is relegated to a (very faint) background role.

 

After the all-apple-blossom show, however, myrrh starts to show up, with a certain sweetness that tempers the sharpness of the floral I've been getting for several hours.

 

Then... ahhh, then. Amber shows up and turns into its beautiful, gorgeous deliciousness. I love amber, and amber loves me. It's sweet and almost vanilla-like without being foody and... well. Just heavenly. Might almost be worth the Apple Blossom Party to get to this stage. Maybe.

[lothien]

I was prepared for this one to go bad. I've had beautiful luck so far, but if BPAL amber is going to go powdery on me, this will be it.

 

In the imp I get myrtle and carnation. Mm! I used to own a myrtlewood perfume bottle holder in Oregon, and I remember this is what it smelled like. No amber jumps at me.

The amber comes up warmly once on the skin, but I still get significant myrtle, carnation. The apple blossom may be lost in the initial intensity of the others.

After 10 minutes this is more beautiful than I could have guessed. The amber stays beautiful, and the myrtle and carnation are balanced in a way that I really like. It doesn't change much as it fades (yay!) and never becomes a real floral (also yay!) but I never got any apple blossom, either, on these tries. I can live with that though, everything else about it is lovely. Apple blossoms may show their heads on later wearings. Been known to happen.

 

I am in love with this, and totally did not expect to be. I will have to make sure the couple of tests I've done aren't a fluke, but I think I may be wearing this a lot. And adding it to the bottle list...

 

ETA - I finally bought a bottle of this from the Lab (I like the new GC labels!), and fresh is as wonderful - but a little different - as the imp I have of it that was a year or two old. The carnation and apple blossom are crisper and more distinct and the carnation smells more fresh and green in the new bottle. It almost smells rosy at first, which is a happy new aspect of Brisingamen. The myrtle I enjoy must develop later - it's very backgroundy to start with.

I'm glad I don't have to wait around for it to age. I love it at all its ages! ^^

Edited December 24, 2008 by dragonsidhe

[odalisque]

I received this as a frimp in a swap and sniffed it without looking at the description.

 

In the vial: something appley? I seem to recall someone on the boards saying Brisingamen had apples. And something kind of oaky. A combination that reminds me a little of The Hesperides, only ... not. The combination of appley-oaky has an effect more cidery than fresh-fruity. And yet, not screaming BARREL OF APPLE CIDER!! There's other stuff in here I don't recognize that turns into into something more subtle and intriguing, the cidery bit is only a small part of the whole.

 

Drying down: something boozy? And some very ephemeral, non-flowery florals are coming out. The booziness passes away.

 

Dry: a very golden scent. Now that I've read the description I can totally see how this represents amber, the gem. Amber, the accord, in this scent is behaving really well on me. Usually it becomes baby powder, but Brisingamen has just a little pleasant powdery softness around the edges of a warm, resiny amber. The faintest suggestion of those non-sweet florals -- apple blossom, ha, that's where my brain said apples -- is still there, mostly in the throw, and there's a light woodiness that must be the myrtle. As it dries down even more, the faintest wisp of carnation peeks out. Yay carnation!

 

It's kind of The Hesperides and Alecto put in a blender. If you like either of those and/or Athens, give this a try. Nice, and definitely one I'll at least use up the imp on.

[Caerphilly]

In the imp: Some sort of resin and apple blossom faintly in the background. I'm not sure about this, because I don't like resin scents. But it it very golden, and bright. And it's heavy.

 

Wet: I smell wood and resin. No apple blossom anymore. It's very light, though. Usually resins and woods amp, take over, don't wash off, etc... on my skin. But for some reason, this isn't.

 

Dry:Complete change from bottle and wet stage! I love this! I get rose, and more rose, and it's as if I layered Helena and Jezebel, and this is what is smelled like. Not golden anymore, but white, maybe a little pink. Except a lot softer, with a lot less throw.

 

Overall: Never has a scent morphed on me so much. I've learned from this scent that Amber does turn to powder on me. And I don't mind! I really like this scent. But since I already have bottles of Helena and Jezebel, I think I'll wait a while before buying more of this.

[Nimthiriel]

Initial impression:

A fruity sort of floral. Pleasant, cool, friendly.

 

First on:

Amber, carnation and apple blossom. Very lovely!

 

Dry:

After about 10 mins, thescent smells oddly dry and herbal – the myrtle, perhaps?

 

The apple blossom andamber returns after another half an hour, but it still has a dry feelto it, not the initially fruity one.

 

Finally:

A playful, warm andfriendly scent – but not for me.

[toomuch]

This is a darker amber than the others I have tried - I'm talking scent-wise, not color of the perfume. I'm such a fan of amber now I'd like it in all its shades. This is mostly amber, with the florals as a light backdrop.

[ravenfeathers]

in the bottle gorgeous almost fruity amber

wet on skin floooowwwwwerrrrs

dry on skin this settles into a powdery floral on me that smells a bit like lily of the valley and a bit like carnation. a huge morph on my skin and sadly not at all the sort of scent that appeals to me.

[rayvn1]

Fruity, floral amber. This is like liquid gold on my skin - started to turn a bit powdery as it dried, but it recovered nicely. Very confidently feminine. Quite different on the wrist from the inner arm - almost a Midnight Mass incense on the wrist when fully dry. Good stuff, but not sure how often I'll wear it.

[CynicalPink]

Imp: More herbs than amber

 

Wet: Okay there it is! The amber I'd been hoping for

 

Drydown: Amber is still the star of the show, but there are more players now. It still has the herbal edge that I guess comes from the myrtle. Once apple blossom rises there's a sweetness that keeps the amber from getting too pungent. Can't find the carnation (a note I *love*), but this is a very beautiful scent.

 

Overall: If you really love amber, I bet you'd love this scent even more. It's an amber showcase. As for me, I'm a fan of amber so I'm all for this oil. Thing is, I don't really see myself wearing it much. Amber is really powerful and can get powdery, which is a recipe for sneezing with a lot of people I know. But if you're the type that likes a good, smooth amber, definitely give this a try

[femmefatale]

I'm normally a little hesitant with amber. When it's good, it's goooood, but when it's bad it's just awful. And unfortunately, amber many times goes a bit pungent on me, or powdery.

 

This one doesn't do either (well, maybe just a touch powdery, but in a soft, pretty way). It's beautiful amber (strikes me as a darker amber blends perhaps) with a touch of creamy florals and a hint of spice. Very pretty!

 

I am definitely keeping my imp, but could actually see getting a bottle down the road.

[magikalbrownies]

i love amber. I DO REALLY but this one, is smelling like a MANBER than shamber on me. its like something id throw at my dad or something and im OHKAY with manly scents but this is not one of them for me.

 

drydown is a powdery amber but nonethless amber to epic proportions.

 

overall: not a fan, ill stick to the imp and frimp it.

[anna1850]

A bit amber-y and something funny smelling in there.

 

2.5/5 I'm not really into amber.

[tinyvulture]

soft and charming, Brisingamen is mostly amber, similar to Haunted, but with gentle whispers of carnation. warm, golden, sweet, and powdery, very classy and feminine. it’s not one of those over-the-top scents that turns heads when you walk into a room, but it smells heavenly up close.

[melrose]

Very strong, sharp herbs when first on, with just a hint of the amber underneath - I'm a big amber fan and excited for the drydown . . .

. . . which never came. It disappeared entirely within 20 minutes.

[caitilarkin]

In the imp: Apple blossom and light amber

 

Wet on skin: The amber notes are melding with the apple blossom and a tiny hint of carnation to produce a warm, resinous floral.

 

Dry on skin: After an hour or so, this is warm, rich amber with a hint of sweetness from the apple blossom and a touch of spicy carnation.

 

I love BPAL's amber, and this is the most amber-y blend I've tried yet so it will be in heavy rotation.

[March]

Usually I'm a fan of ambers. In Brisingamen, as in Black Forest, the fresh and sharp florals make the ambers feel dusty. Is this what people mean with 'smells like baby powder'? Because it doesn't really *smell* like baby powder, it *feels* like baby powder if you accidentally inhale it. And, in hindsight, amber always feels that way, it's just that it's not a problem - actually, it's a big advantage! - if it's mixed with similarly-feeling scents.

 

So, unfortunately, this imp will go off to swaps.

[Argentwolf]

I really wanted to like this one -- and it was pleasant, no doubt about it. I get amber, pretty much, with the apple blossom and myrtle adding something sweet around the edges...and then it goes away. Just doesn't stand out enough for me, alas.