Nero

[viciousviolet]

From Sin & Salvation

 

The pinnacle of power, poisoned by sin and indulgence - this is our homage to Classical Roman debauch. Rosemary, bay, pine and a touch of lemon.

 

A stern blend. Certainly the scent of corrupt emperors. It is very masculine and clean, with some notes like bay and rosemary that I always associate with men’s colognes. Too, too male for me, but delightful on my husband.

[AnimeKitten]

First sniff:

Pine. Pine, Pine, Pine.

 

On the skin:

When it first went on it smelt like pine... and then like Vicks Vaporub. Ick- but I persevered.

And, Goddess, am I glad I did. It's faded down into a delicious scent, soft pine and citrus- reminds me of a sicilian orange grove, fresh, herby and alive. This sort of scent will REALLY make you feel awake. Perfect for if you have to be somewhere ealry and you want to smell like summer on a warm island.

 

However, it fades down quite quickly. It's about four hours, and I only get hints of it if I press my nose right into my skin, But other people can still smell it if they're fairly close. You may need to carry this around with you and top up every few hours.

 

It is quite a strong, masculine scent, and it makes me feel happy and confident. It's masculine without being butch. I would call it more of a uni-sex scent.

[Summerpixy]

In the bottle: thought I'd hate it, put it off trying it over and over again, kept thinking ew every time I opened it.

 

Wet: Thick pine, uh oh... I smell like IcyHot's piney brother.

 

Dry: Softened up

 

I ended up keeping this one to study with as the very strong pine and herb scent cleared my head marvelously and helps me to keep my focus.

 

Also.. it ages nicely, at first it was very sharp, now (almost a good year later, with light sun exposure) it's mellowed out (even when a lot is applied)... I may pass this mellow imp off to my bf, who likes 'old spice' type scents.

Edited April 12, 2005 by Summerpixy

[Thanatopsis Azraelis]

This one smells almost exactly like Old Rome to me, but I guess you could imagine they'd smell similar. The difference, however, is that while Old Rome is overpowering and clogs up my sinuses, Nero never does -- I think it's the chamomile in the former which causes the problem.

 

Overall, it's a fresh, masculine scent, sharp and clean, and smells vaguely woody when dry. I wouldn't get a bigger bottle but I'll finish off my imp.

[pekeana]

Mmmm, I love Nero. I have to keep it!

 

In the vial, Nero is overwhelmingly rosemary, with a touch of pine.

 

On me, it's bright, fresh, clean and airy, with just a twist of lemon beneath the surface. It's not really masculine at all on me, just very fresh and sharp.

[Ishtar]

When I first opened the imp of Nero, I wondered what aspect of his personality the Lab had chosen to illustrate: his megalomania or his madness?

 

Well, the answer is both. The rosemary and bay are reminiscent of a traditional, classy men's cologne, but the balance of this blend is corrupted by the pine and lemon that make it a little disjointed, a little mad -like Nero himself.

 

A well done, evocative blend, but not one I would enjoy wearing as it is definitely masculine and also a little unsettling.

[surf-tormented]

When first applied, Nero has the cold metallic buzz of Ultraviolet. A minty medical sting. I know this is most likely the rosemary and pine, but it had the effect on me that Ultraviolet did, both a scent and a feeling from the oil.

 

Then the strong chill of the scent fell away leaving a very strong bay scent. This is the most masculine scent I have smelled yet. It is almost too masculine for me. Nero is like a more spicy Villain to me, without any floral notes.

 

That said, I both like it and not like it. I would most likely love it on a guy, but I don't feel like I would be reaching for this one for my personal scent. It's wild though.

[Penance]

Origin:

 

Lagniappe from the Lab.

 

Preconceived notions:

 

If this didn't have lemon in it, I'm sure I would have tried it already, but Nero does have lemon in it and I'm worried. Lemon and I don't get along.

 

First sniff:

 

So far, so good! I don't smell the lemon in this right out of the imp; instead I get rosemary and pine and a hint of bay. This is very herbal smelling. Not green herbal the way Hemlock was for me, just...herbal. It's hard to explain, but it has more of a "dried herbs" feel to it than a "green herbs" feel if that makes sense.

 

Wet on skin:

 

Still no lemon! Now the rosemary and bay are strong. It's like sticking my nose in a spice rack in the best possible way. The pine is also picking up now that it's on my skin, creating a woodsy backdrop for the dried herbs. Strangely, something in this also smells vaguely like cinnamon to me and while I can't place it, it's beautiful and goes nicely with the other notes.

 

Dry down:

 

I still smell cinnamon and rosemary...I have no idea what the spicy cinnamon note is coming from, but I like it. A lot. The lemon still hasn't made an appearance and that makes me a very happy girl. I really like this belnd a lot! I never thought I'd like this because of the lemon, but I guess I didn't need to worry.

 

The bottom line:

 

Surprisingly reminiscent of a spice rack with not even a hint of lemon. I really like Nero. A lot.

[Splendid Molerat]

Nero -- Rosemary, bay, pine, lemon.

 

I don't see anything in that list that would trigger the feeling of revulsion I have towards this fragrance. It's not a "bad smell" reaction, it's a "get away from me" reaction.

 

In theory - brilliant; in person - I can't deal with it.

[TheDarkMother]

In the Bottle: The thick scent of a pine forest with just a hint of lemon. I'm a little worried about that lemon though!

 

On Me: I shouldn't have worried. The strict pine scent was there for only a few minutes before a gorgeous basil/allspice scent started. Its very masculine, but mellows to a gentle fragrance. I feel like I've been rubbing up against my grandfather's face, which is a smell that I always loved deeply.

 

I'm very, very happy with this, even if its just for the wonderful memories that it brings up! I'm going to want a HUGE bottle of this!!!

[Gin]

This isn't pine exactly, but it but it feels like pine to my nose. This is very masculine, very sharp. Dry, I can't pick out any individual notes except a faint bit of pine. This is not for me at all.

[brownbat]

I love this scent, though I do find it a little too masculine to wear myself. At first the you get the very sharp scent of pine and lemon, but in a short while the bay really blooms. Unfortunately my husband doesn't like to wear perfume, cause this is divine on him.

 

Nero is, however, my favorite room scent. I find it very uplifting and refreshing. The most prominent note that I get from it in the air is the bay, and I LOVE the scent of bay. Also, the scent is potent enough to cut through a lot of funk, if you have smelly-dwelling issues.

[anmorata]

Nero:

 

This is, quite possibly, the least-liked BPAL scent I have tested. It's all super-strong pine on me. No lemon whatsoever. It also manifests a slight ammonia smell with my body chemistry. Eww.

 

I think I'll pass.

[grrrlennyl]

at first: i can mostly smell the rosemary. it's interesting, but i'm not sure if i'll like it.

on: i don't like this. strong and biting. i can't quite place the scent. maybe a very piercing pine.

half an hour later: warmer. almost sweet.

1 hour later: still warmer and much lighter.

1.5 hours later: much fainter. masculine.

overall: i can't picture myself wanting to smell like this, so i'll be getting rid of my imp.

[requieminblack]

First sniff from the bottle-Sharp, herbal and masculine.

 

After 10 minutes- I mostly smell the rosemary and pine in this one. In fact it smells just like a fresh sprig of crushed rosemary.

 

After 30 minutes- The rosemary has faded and now this is all pine. It makes me immediately think of Pine O' Pine floor cleaner.

 

Summery- too masculine for me.

[elphaba]

A gift from the Lab!

 

I finally decided to try Nero on myself because my chances of getting it onto my husband within any reasonable timeframe are looking slim, unless I just attack him from behind with an imp wand. Believe me, I've been tempted.

 

Nero has the distinction of being the only blend that has ever faded more quickly in the protected area under my watch and bracelets than on the wrist that was exposed to the air. I'm not sure what that means, but it was interesting.

 

I had a really hard time picking out notes once this one hit my skin. In the bottle, it was strong pine, but once applied, it became a very well-blended masculine scent. I spent some time with my nose in my spice cabinet, hoping to pick up the bay and rosemary, but everything swirled together in a way that meant I couldn't isolate any one element. There was something dark, something sweet. Once, I caught a whiff of lemon, but it only happened once.

 

What I can't overstate is how very manly this scent was. It felt all-wrong on me, but I think I'd love it on a guy. Because the lemon was so fleeting, it definitely felt like a winter oil. It's a scent that would linger on a guy's heavy wool sweater that you borrowed so you could put it on the next day and smell like him.

[inkstone]

This was a freebie from the Lab!

 

In the imp: Herbal.

 

Wet: Woo, that's some sharp pine right there!

 

Drydown: It reminds me of Vick's Vaporub, complete with the prickling along my skin. It's not painful, but definitely makes its presence known.

 

Final thoughts: This is a very stern, masculine blend. Definitely not for me, but I think this could smell good on a guy.

[Scylla]

In the vial: Rosemary, bay leaf and basil, oh my!

 

Wet, on my skin: Heh. Now that the lemon has popped out, I smell like an Italian marinade!

 

On drydown: The lemon has faded way back and now the pine has come to the forefront with rosemary in the background. Very herbally. There was a men's cologne back in the 80's called Herbissimo, and this kinda reminds me of it.

 

Definitely too manly for me. Honestly, I don't see my husband liking this one either, but I'll have him give it a try. He's surprised me before with which BPAL he likes.

[vyvyan]

This goes on *sharp* - pine, pine, medicinal pine. It calms down reasonably quickly. I'm not sure yet how I feel about the drydown - it's still strong, smells almost like carnation to me. I'm getting the same scent from this I get from Lush's Potion, which is not what I was expecting. That kind of peppery, warm/cool sharp scent. Very clear. Fades fast, and is gone within a few hours.

 

I can't really figure out a season for this, and I can't figure out if I like it or not. ... Very ambivalent scent, eh? Or maybe that's just me...

[Em-]

I tried this on a lark. I tend to like masculine scents, as they tend to smell cleaner than feminine scents and to not have the flowery notes that set off my head-demons. Nero is very very pine at first (cleaner, according to MDH, but what does he know), but on a second sniff, I can smell something else coming through.

 

When I first tried Nero on my skin, it felt like a risk, as I was very afraid that something in it might set off a migraine and I was going to be away from the house all morning...omg, I loveed it. It is not something that I would want to wear every day, be it is something that will become a comfort scent for me, I thin.

 

On dry down, the sharp piney scent fades away into something much more mellow...kind of like a big cozy grandpa chair or something. I find it very comforting in an autumn leaves sort of way - I can definitely see myself keeping an imp of this around to wear on fall and winter days when I just need something warm and comfortable, or on those days when you just know that work is going to be hell...

[oceangirl]

In the imp: Very strong pine and rosemary. One the plus side, it cleared out my sinuses.

 

Wet: Pine pine pine. Did I say pine?

 

Dry: It began as a medicinal, but mellowed into a nice woody scent. The pine softened, thankfully, and the bay came out. No lemon, though, which disappointed me.

 

It's a slightly male scent, but women can wear this too, in my opinion. I like it, and I may begin using this one a lot. It's very refreshing and has a mentally clearing effect.

[Ajila]

Wet on me this was strong pine and rosemary, which came across to me as being very masculine and slightly off putting. Dry I don't know what it smells of, it brings to mind a dark brown/black gloopy liquid seeping somewhere. At first I wasn't too keen on this, but as I've worn it it's become something of a skin scent, which just kept drawing my nose in. I guess I probably wouldn't wear this, but I wish I had a man to put it on .

[Mythos]

I will normally post two different reviews. One for the scent, which I will put on a bit of paper towel so that no personal chemistry gets in the way of the scent. The other review will be on me.

 

Paper Chase

The Paper Review

 

NERO

 

In the Imp;

In a word? Spicy. The rosemary is very evident. Almost a peppery, but smoother. The lemon isn't real strong, but you know it's there.

 

Immediately on the paper - wet;

The rosemary scent smells blended in olive oil. Good ol' Rome. Still extremely spicy, but not so peppery. Good blend out.

 

Immediately on the paper - dry;

Ah, there's the lemon. It's come out now, hiding behind the spices. Is that oregano? No, looking at the description, that has to be the bay. I believe the pine is in there, but it's softer. Rocking the lemon in giant, feathery arms...

 

1/2 an hour dry;

Oh, the spices fade down and the lemon fades up! Very interesting switch there. Very clean, but with no astringency that citrus sometimes brings. At the end of the half hour, the lemon has sweetened slightly.

 

1 hour dry;

The spices have blended back to the surface as the lemon faded. Still clean, but a more masculine feel to the scent.

 

2 hours dry;

The lemon blends out after about an hour and a half. The spices grow ever lighter, but what you end up with is a masculine growl of pine that's hinted at from the other side of the spices and what's left of the lemon.

 

Thoughts;

Ooo, sign me up for the legions! Wait...that's not exactly het...anyway, I very much enjoyed the smell of this one and look forward to seeing how it works on me, which I will write up for the next review, tomorrow. I like the spiciness that faded quickly. Having it so overpowering is a little offputting at first, but since it heads off so quickly, the lemon that comes out is a welcome brightness. On paper, this one fades quietly, like the dust and debris that buried Herculaeneum on that fateful day in 79ad. What is left is a gentle, but strong hand on your shoulder. A mentor of confidence for the occassion you choose to wear it.

 

Small edit; Sorry, forgot to mention that I got this from a lovely imp sent in a package from Elphaba. Thank you, m'lady!

 

Second edit; GAH! Stupid of me...sorry about that...

 

Skin Flick

The Wearing Review

 

NERO

 

In the Imp;

(Same as the Paper review, of course) In a word? Spicy. The rosemary is very evident. Almost a peppery, but smoother. The lemon isn't real strong, but you know it's there.

 

Immediately on the skin - wet;

An astringency comes through right away. Possibly the lemon at work, but the pine also comes right out to the front. The bay and rosemary take an immediate back seat.

 

Immediately on the skin - dry;

The astringency fades and the pine backs off, obviously afraid of something. This leaves the spices to fend for themselves, which softens the lemon and makes for a deep, masculine scent that is at once spicy and also quite mellow.

 

1/2 an hour dry;

Steady and mellow. Still faint and subtle.

 

1 hour dry;

The spices play back and forth with the lemon, rising up and down at different times along the hour. Still subtle. Nice.

 

2 hours dry;

Nuts. I think this one's gone playdough on me...not real sure since it's been a while since I've smelled playdough, but the scent is quite powdery and somewhat sweet. Could be that it's simply run it's course and this is the end of it. After talking with a friend, I've decided that it probably has run it's course.

 

Thoughts;

A heady scent, strong, but steady on the skin. Much more mellow in body than on the paper, something I could very much get used to. I am reminded of the writings of Juvenal where he would comment on the rendevous that the nobility revelled in. This scent takes me to a garden on the outskirts of Rome, heady in a summer night of herbs and lust.

Edited August 25, 2005 by Mythos

[annanda]

I love Rosemary, Pine and Lemon so I was really excited to see this scent. I ordered it in an imp pack but by the time it got there, I was deep into a Honey Moon/O groove. So, today is the first day I've decided to wear it.

 

In the Imp - Herby. I smell Rosemary with a slight overtone of Pine. Odd, but still good.

 

Wet on my skin - Rosemary. It smells like I just rolled in a rosemary bush!

 

Dry down - This one seems to fade pretty quickly on me. I still smell rosemary but now it's got more of a pine and bay turn to it. No lemon yet.

 

Later - It's been about an hour now and the smell is almost completely gone. Very faint rosemary with a hint of pine and bay and a whiff of lemon. Not bad. I wish it had better staying power on me. *pouts*

 

I'm happy with it, not masculine on me at all. Just earthy and herby!

[Little Bird]

This is my least favorite of pine scents that I have tried thus far. Something about this is very medicinal and off on me. It's sharp rather than spicy and earthy.

 

I never get any lemon out of this blend. It stays a sharp and bitter pine for about an hour and then suddenly disappears.

 

After my bad experience, I tried this out on the boy... he didn't like it either, and I don't care for it on him. It's just too astringent.