Maiden

[misfitroxy]

A gentle vision of purity, goodness and virtue: white tea, carnation and Damask Rose.

Lots of carnation from the start with Maiden. It's super clean and just a touch powdery and white.

I love the tea in the background, adding depth, along with the wet sweetness of the rose. And there's a slight tinge of sharp green in the background, like the smell of a bud before it blooms, or a new leaf.

I nabbed Maiden in an attempt at finding a light summer floral, despite the fact that carnation is always a hit or miss for me. I'd say that this blend is exactly what I'd hoped Alice would be on me. I love it to bits and need a bottle for certain.

I think this would make a glorious linen/clothing spray as well since it's so airy and refreshing. Thoroughly angelic, and a nice balance to my heavier resin and smoky scents.

[lookingglass]

This is Alice's sharp-tongued twin sister.

 

They share carnation and rose,and the tea is a bit citrusy, quite like the bergamot in Alice, which makes them very similar. The white tea in Maiden, though, is much more dominant. It is very fresh, bright, and clean, making this a more "yellow scent" (to Alice's "dusty rose" color, IMO). The biggest difference to me is that Maiden is missing the deep creaminess of Alice's milk and honey, and doesn't have much of a base note to hold it all together.

 

This would be a great Spring or Summer scent, but Alice really does it for me already; I am passing it on to my younger sister.

Edited June 25, 2006 by lookingglass

[alishathekitten]

Very clean, crisp and pretty. I really do smell all the notes - they smell great when blended together. I think I'll really enjoy this one during the warmer months, although I bet it would smell nice in the fall, too. This one reminds me of some perfume that I had when I was a lot younger...I can't remember what it was called, though. I might eventually repurchase this one in a larger bottle.

[Taniwha]

Wet, this was pure tea and lemongrass to me - very vivid and sharp. As it dried, the florals wafted up, blending perfectly with the tea. Before BPAL, my signature scent was L'Occitane's Green Tea Eau de Cologne - this will replace that. The rose adds such a depth and sense of nostalgia, it's just heartbreakingly sweet and lovely. A perfect summer fragrance, and I'll be getting a big bottle of this with my next order.

[edenssixthday]

Maiden - When I first apply Maiden, the tea is the dominant note. I don’t like tea scents, so I thought, “Ick. Another tea.” And almost wrote it off. Then, as it dried down, the tea faded far into the background, and a spicy carnation scent burst forth, softened and rounded out by a lovely rose. This has turned out to be an absolutely gorgeous scent, after all! It distinctly reminds me of Alice, only about 100 times better! It stays fairly close to my skin, but it’s an absolutely stunning scent.

[Cariad]

My first bpal experience!

In the bottle, Maiden smells almost citrussy, very clean, not at all what I was expecting... I suppose that must be the green tea, with the flowers gently mingling in the background. On, it retains that clean tea scent but with a sort of creamy softness from the carnation which turns to cloves every time I'm out in the sun. I couldn't smell the rose, though I guess that must have been what was providing the lovely floral depth to the perfume. Overall it developed into a very gentle, not-very-floral floral which is lovely to wear

 

I love the way this perfume makes me feel. It's a self-sufficient scent, if that makes any sense. It doesn't feel as if it's trying to appeal to anyone other than yourself. It's beautiful, sophisticated and very innocent. I hope all bpal pefumes are as good as this!

Edited September 15, 2006 by Cariad

[juniperus]

Bottle: beautiful and delicate tea with a dash of carnation

Wet: I can detect a little rose behind, but it's bashful, comes through like a scent on the wind as it changes direction on a summer's night.

Dry: delicate, the rose barely making more of an appearance, this is a very translucent scent.

Later: fleeting. really, really short-lived.

[Phaedra]

Wet this is green tea and bergamont or some other sharp citrus. When first on it is fresh roses mixed with green tea. Not a very strong scent but it's very spring like. After a couple of minutes it becomes powdery and a bit spicy which I think is carnation. Throughout the day I would catch wafts of the rose note. This one is only so-so for me. It's a soft, powdery and slightly spicy blend but not a stand out one.

[hologhost]

This is my best rose yet. Not overpowering, just soft, beautiful, and innocent.

[jenleigh]

Maiden is what I wanted Alice to be on me. It's all soft florals, with the tea to tone them down. I haven't yet met a BPAL rose I didn't like, and Maiden's another one of those gorgeous roses. This one's definitely a keeper.

[Trish]

I like carnation but I do not like roses, plus they have a tendency to amp on me a bit. I do however like Lush's Potion.

 

In the imp: rose and carnation. I'm getting both quite clearly.

 

Wet: Wow this carnation is really spicy! Combined with the rose it's a very spicy floral. I don't get tea at all.

 

Drydown: Pretty much the same.

 

Dry: Bah! It's nearly all rose now, with just a hint of the spicy carnation. Still no tea. Mind you for a rose it's pretty good, but it's so not me. It's too feminine and pure. I'll give it a go with Potion though.

 

I think I might like this better in a bath or lotion.

[copyshopclerk]

In the imp: Rose and carnation

 

Wet: Carnation (similar to Alice) and tea

 

Dry: Spicy carnation, which I like, but it's too heavy on the rose for my taste. It's similar to Alice, but Alice has sweet undertones whereas this one has rosy undertones. Between the two, I prefer Alice. I sent this one along!

[dierne]

In the bottle - Light and citrusy. A nice way to start the morning.

 

Wet on skin - Citrus is becoming more like lemon tea .... very subtle.

 

Dry on skin - Still sharp but with a softness coming through and just a hint of something warmer and darker emerging.

 

Later - The florals are really blooming now but it's still morning and the dew keeps them fresh and sharp. I love this.

[mooncityminx]

In the Bottle: Overpowering floral with a little spice.

 

Wet: Carnations (perfect) with Rose a tad spicy, and a very fresh organic smell that fools me into thinking there is a real flower here somewhere.

 

After Dry Down: Spicy rose and very little carnation

 

Later: This scent really fades fast. All that is left is a heavy rose note. It's nice for rose, but needs reapplication.

 

Overall I have to say this is the perfect scent for a shampoo or lotion that you want to enjoy the fragrance when you use it, but don't want it to linger or perhaps clash with other scents. It is lovely, but doesn't have enough staying power to be a regular personal scent. I may try mixing it with other oils that are similar to get more long-term enjoyment.

[eleventhousand]

Baby powder, sweet tea with lemon, and Potion lotion from LUSH.

 

Very faint and delicate.

[buzz23666]

I think it is pretty safe to say that Carnation and I don't get along. The bitch takes control and will not release the kung-fu grip.

 

Wet - very peppery carnation with a hint of rose.

 

Dry - there is a battle going on here between the carnation and the rose. They keep alternating dominance. But alas the carnation wins out in the end. By knockout.

 

In the end the carnation was so strong that it made my sinus headache unbearable.

 

In the swap pile this goes. And I had such high hopes...

[theseagrows]

maiden smells just like i expected it to, simply carnation and rose. it reminds me a lot of lush's potion, except the rose is more prominent here, whereas in potion, the carnation is more prominent. this is definitely the scent of dried roses as well. very soft and sweet with a little bit of spice from the carnation. this is a beautiful scent, and i will definitely add it to my big bottle list!

[Concupiscentia]

This one smelled very pleasant in the bottle, but turned to pure soap om my skin.

[kunoichi]

In the vial, this smells of the florals (mostly the carnations) with a light, bright tea-scented kick behind it. On my skin this becomes a tangy floral that starts to become creamy for some reason, though there is nothing to suggest creaminess in the blend’s notes! After a few hours on my skin this smells like an almost creamy sweetness which is both light and beautiful. This is quite a pretty blend.

[TrueStar]

In the imp, I could smell mostly carnation with a bit of rose. I could not detect any tea scent.

 

Soon after putting this on, it still very floral and mostly carnation. As it dried, I could pick some of the rose, but carnation stayed throughout.

 

I never could pick up any tea.

 

This is a scent that I would wear to feel more girly or innocent. It's nice and I'll use my imp, but I wouldn't care for a bottle of it.

[MidgetCoconut]

On me this is a light, innocent white floral scent. Mostly a whispery, gentle rose with just a hint of carnation and a suggestion of white tea.

 

When I first took a deep whiff of it it made me feel awfully nostalgic...it reminds me of something...but I can't put my finger on what it is exactly.

 

Will probably order this in the 5 mL bottle when I next place an order.

[blackfelicula]

Strong florals are not my friends, so I am uncertain what I will find in this imp.

 

In the bottle: In Maiden, I smell carnation first and foremost, reminding me of Valentine’s Day in an all-girl school where the flowers exchanged were for friendship. Rose seems to be hiding behind the carnation.

 

Wet: Wow, the rose is quiet in this blend. It is there; I can tell it is there. This is the antithesis of the cloying roses I am used to smelling. Even the carnation has settled a bit now that it is on my skin. And again, wow. The white tea really seems to be the main note so far.

 

Drying down: Beth is making an understatement when she calls this blend gentle. It has moderate throw, but is not nose-wrenching in any way.

 

Dry: The tea melds with the carnation and rose to produce a subtle, gentle spiciness on my skin. It is, quite frankly, beautiful. I laughed outright when I saw that the Lab had sent me Maiden: I am not pure or virtuous, nor do I get along with flowers. I was stupid. This is the most gorgeous simple floral blend I have encountered. Thank you, white tea! Thank you Lab for sending a frimp of Maiden to encourage me to try it.

 

Later: The throw fades rather quickly on my skin. Wait! Come back! I want to sniff you some more! Edit: OK, so it faded from what it was after drydown, but now there's this sweetened, lingering, light scent that makes me happy to smell it still hanging on where I applied it. I'd need a reapplication if I wanted anyone not hugging me to notice it, but it is lovely anyway. I need to edit my wishlist; this blend has me hooked. Beth is a genius. This is such a lovely on me even though I am usually a resin, honey, earthy, incense, spice, and wood girl.

 

Even if you detest rose, try Maiden anyway. Its youthful sophistication is worth it.

Edited October 5, 2006 by blackfelicula

[empi girl]

I love carnation, tea and occassionally rose, so had hopes that this would work for me. On me it is a very sharp, citrus tea scent, with the barest barest hint of rose, and none of carnation. It reminds me of Kumiho, actually. I was hoping the carnation and rose would be more prominent, with the tea as a base. I may try this once more, just to be sure, but at the moment, I'm thinking swap pile.

[SultryWolf]

Imp: Greeny florals, and a hint of tea.

On: Much the same, with a light spiciness from the carnation. Gentle and feminine.

[maijasu]

A rose blend that doesn't turn to soap on my skin!!!

 

Ahem. This is a gorgeous soft floral, sweet and with a hint of spice from the carnation. It's gorgeous! I'll be keeping my imp and may need a bottle in the future.