Fire Eater

[roesmoker]

A glowing red and flickering scent: warm, lurid, seductive.

Another scent from Carnaval Noir - I got an imp of this, but I haven't tried it again yet (I did swipe my wrist yesterday but I had about 50 other scents on my hand & arm, so it's hard to remember much about any individual scent). Plus I am crap at identifying notes. So this is not so much a "review" as a starting point for discussion. I will come back and post more in a little bit.

Anyway, I got a pretty, slightly perfume-y floral, kind of along the lines of Endymion or Zephyr. Kind of ironic with a name like Fire Eater.

Lovely but I don't think it's my type.

ETA I tried it again yesterday, and wet on me it was citrus/clean, then eventually dried down to floral. Edited September 13, 2007 by Shollin

[VorpalBunny]

This scent is only a prototype, so the final scent may vary slightly.

(copy 'n' pasted from my comment in the BPAL Chatter thread)

 

Fire Eater is like a slightly spicy, slightly sweet floral, in the way that carnations are spicy. It is a beautiful scent, it's not a girlie floral or white floral at all, so you still might like it even if you aren't a floral person. Maybe I smell carnation, and a hint of some spice but very faint, it does seem like the teeniest bit of cinnamon. I'm thinking this will be a divine scent for summer, a floral you can wear even if you aren't in a particularly floral mood. And now that I am wearing it by itself and not layered on top of Pink Moon and who knows what else, on me it gets a bit spicier over time, but it's not a spicy cinnamon scent like Hamadryad. It just has a bit of a kick.

 

Absolutely lovely.

[wickedgoddess]

Origin - purchased from roesmoker

 

Argh…I need someone else to smell this, because I know what it is but I can't name it!

 

In the imp - it smells pink!

 

Wet - sweet, soapy and very pink. I think there are carnations in this, but it's not the primary note. It's got a very sweet, almost bubblegumy floral note that makes me think of both lotus and ylang ylang, but I don't think it's either of them.

 

Dry - It becomes ever so slightly spicy, but I think it's just the carnation, as oppposed to cinnamon or other spices. It doesn't last long on me at all, after about an hour it's completely gone.

 

This is very floral, somewhat soapy, and not at all what I expected from something called Fire Eater.

 

I know this is a prototype and may very well change in the final process. I will be passing this imp on so that more people have a change to try it.

 

On the wickedgoddess scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being best, this rates a 2.

Edited June 14, 2005 by wickedgoddess

[Red_Hot_Mama]

Although I only smelled this from Beth's bottle at the NYC Mad Tea Party, I do recall that it was floral. That was my first & foremost impression. Now, if it was a white floral, I couldn't say for sure but it didn't "hit" me one. Fire Eater was more red/pink/orangey....IMO.

[Gin]

Lurid and seductive? Are you sure? Mine smells a bit light-soapy-floral with a kind of ozone tinge. I imagine it's the smell of white-hot metal, but... it's not at all what I would have expected from the description. It's almost get a "dryer sheet" sort of smell.

As it dries, it deepens. It goes from white-hot to red, and it's getting sexier every second. It's spicier now.... and hot. Though I'm kind of thrown by the initial floral phase, the drydown redeems it. I will almost certainly be buying a bottle of this.

[ivyandpeony]

The lovely cupide430 organized a circular sniff on the LushNA forum of some Carnaval Noir prototype imps she was gifted with, and I am lucky enough to be a participant. Of the scents she has, I have most been looking forward to trying Fire Eater, and my frenzied anticipation did not lead to disappointment. It is a beautiful, beautiful blend, but very difficult for me to describe - I am going to try my very best, since it's such a privilege to get to try this one early and I want to give the clearest picture possible to anyone who's still wondering if this one is for them or not.

 

Fire Eater is very floral. So floral, that to me any hint of other notes like citrus and spice almost seem to be derived from the florals - the way that carnations and pinks smell spicy or the way orange blossoms reflect the scent of their fruit. My nose doesn't pick up any cinnamon, or cardamom, or any spice in that sense of the word.

 

I think there are carnations in there, their spiciness tempered with a sweeter floral. There's a hint of something very juicy in there as well, but it too is tempered and doesn't become as dominant, nor as lush and fruity as the note it reminds me of that's in The Living Flame. Overall the effect is clean, balanced and light. I do wonder how this one would change if I had enough to freely slather, instead of just dabbing a tiny spot on my wrist - I can't wait to find out.

 

If Fire Eater was a color, to me it would be in the fuschia, hot pink and coral family - very summery, as warm as can be without being uncomfortably hot, and intensely feminine. After all, the Fire Eater has consumed the flames, so there isn't a huge fire ablaze here - this is the heat she is giving off and the glow that emanates from her.

Edited July 10, 2005 by ivyandpeony

[Aredhel]

Rating (on skin): 1/5

Summarised in a word or two: Floral soap.

 

In the imp/bottle: Spicy, flowery red... soap.

 

On skin, wet: Floral soap indeed. It's a spicy floral (carnation, maybe?), and a very red scent, but very soapy.

 

On skin, dry: Indistinct floral soap. Beyond perhaps carnation, I can't pick out any specific note.

 

Conclusion: Not crazy about this at all.

 

ETA: I originally reviewed the prototype. The final version is a bit musky, deeper and sweeter, but it turns into soap as well.

Edited December 18, 2005 by Aredhel

[Laurel the Woodfairy]

I got a decant from the lovely VorpalBunny; I am very excited, as this is the first CN scent I've tried (Gypsy Queen is on order...).

 

Fire Eater has a sharp, aldehyde top note--like you'd find in high-end perfumes of the Coco Chanel era. There's floral underneath; carnation and jasmine, I think. I'm not crazy about jasmine, but this is a really interesting way to do it--it's like a bonfire of red/pink flowers, and you've just tossed pure alcohol on top to make a BIG flame. The aldehyde "burns off" pretty quickly and spice creeps out and licks the edges of the scent. A very interesting, evocative blend.

 

ETA: Not to be off topic, but Olympia's review made me shriek with laughter. I would say that, yes, Woodfae have similar noses to humans.

Edited August 2, 2005 by Laurel the Woodfairy

[Chaos the Crazy]

in the bottle it's kinda ozoney, some cinnamon and a sharp crush of something fascinating. On my skin the cinnamon note comes out a bit more, and there's definitely something hot in there, some warmer resiny tones come out in my skin - maybe amber? Fire dancers come to mind when I sniff this. It's quieted down somewhat on my skin now, but still a nice warmth to it, and a hint of metallic note - very interesting. Probably will test this once more before making the final call on it. After 30 minutes a bit of an incensy note comes out on my skin (this happens on a number of scents) and the picture in my mind is now of glowing coals. Scratch my earlier thought, I believe this is a keeper.

[Rheliwen]

In the vial this smells like a very potent floral.

 

Wet: I am definitely getting jasmine from this. It's mingling with something hot and strong. This stage is a bit soapy...but spicey soap. Now, I'm not too keen on the soapy jasmine smells, but for some reason, Fire Eater is really working. Both this and Peitho are making me re-evaluate my dislike for jasmine.

 

Dry: The soap is gone! Now it smells like red hots and a soft undercurrent of jasmine. It really smells fiery without having noticeable cinnamon in it. It's definitely a floral blend but with a nice kick. Believe it or not, it really reminds me of a fiery Alice. Alice is pink, Fire Eater is red...but they both smell similar to me. I suspect this must have carnation in it, but who really knows.

 

Verdict: A surprise victory! Please don't let this go just because of the jasmine reviews. If you like spicey florals, try this one out. It really is a beautiful blend!

[telesilla]

This is the result of being in the "Fire Eater's Honey Moon" swap circle.

 

In bottle and wet: I'm getting dragon's blood and something sweet.

 

Drying down: Still sweet and a little florid. I was expecting cinnamon in this and I'm not smelling it much.

 

Dry: It's gone a little powdery on me and I think I can smell the cinnamon now, and another faint spiciness that might be carnation. It's also faintly soapy; I suspect there's some rose in it. It's not as militantly soapy as some rose scents go on me, but it's still not something I need to own.

[lemurcatta85]

The only way this reminded me of the name "Fire Eater" was in that it burned my nose to sniff. Smelled very soapy, like the soaps people lay around the house to make it smell.

[olympia301]

I am at a loss for words about Fire Eater. I can't pick out any of the notes in it at all! I think Laurel the Wood Fairy explained it as well as a human can, even if she is a Wood Fairy. I just don't have as finely tuned a nose as she does.

 

Damn it, Laurel (the wood fairy)---you are so RIGHT!!!!! You have given me the words: this is a Hollow Aldehyde!

 

I bet you a peanut this is nothing but topnote mixed with fixative. OK, maybe it has a bit of middle note floral thrown in, but basically it's all highs and lows. That's what makes it so daring. Fire eater defies the ancient recipe of top-middle-bottom and just starts hard and then gives out a long term "whoosh". It takes some real guts to come out with something like this. Actually it does end up with a subtle but persistent bass note which lasts for hours.

 

This one will take you a while to get it wrapped around your head, you are utterly lost without the progression you are used to in a perfume, but this is really quite a courageous accomplishment.

 

If you have a bottle of Fire Eater, give it another try. No wonder everyone has been so confused about it. Thank you Laurel!

 

Please Note: I am just taking a wild guess at all this, but it's the most sensible explanation I can come up with for this amazing scent.

Edited August 3, 2005 by olympia301

[LunaSea]

Well, Fire Eater is a strange one. In the bottle, I can't smell anything. Weird. I apply a bit, and still really don't smell anything. Sniff harder - wait, I'm getting a bit of a soft floral with something warm underneath it. Ok, that's promising. Apply a bit more. Nope - damn, it's gone to powder.

 

Reading the reviews, I see mention of rose and carnation, both of which don't work for me. Sigh. I hope someone whose chemistry plays well with those florals will be able to give it a good home.

[UltraViolet]

In the bottle

At first I sniff I thought "Oh lord, this isn't going to be fun" but when I continued to hold my nose over the bottle it began to smell nice. On the skin next, this should be good.

 

On

Oh gosh I thought this was going to be a strong floral. There's a strange note in the background, but it's nothing gross or anything, it actually does add interest to this otherwise angelic floral. Is there pepper in here?

 

30 minutes

It's turning a little bit bitter. I think I'm all sniffed out for a while. I'm trying to compare and contrast now ...it's like Havisham with Queen but not quite maybe Havisham with Loviatar, I dunno. Maybe I'll let me nose take a break and edit later.

 

Throw:

average

 

Scent category:

spicy/floral

 

Summary

All I can say is I don't know why I like this as much as I do but it totally works for me. I think it's the soft powdery scent of it is what makes that spicy note work with the floral notes.

 

Purchase again?

Not sure...I think yes.

 

1-5 rating (5 being best)

3.5

[Brianne]

In bottle:

Spicey floral

 

On me:

This is pretty straightforward and simple on me. It's a soft, slightly spicey and powdery floral with a touch of warmth. It's pretty girly and feminine. If Fire Eater had a color, it would be soft pink. There's really nothing about this scent that stands out too much to me, it's not bad at all, it's just not really my thing. Soft, girly floral.

 

Final note:

If you like soft florals, this would probably be your cup of tea. I have to say that this faded REAL fast on me too.

 

EDIT: I actually wrote this review earlier before I hit submit, and at this time, the scent has grown on me a bit. It's more of a comfort scent than anything. I can see myself wearing this on a rainy day in the house, or on days when I'm feeling rather youthful and girly.

Edited August 7, 2005 by Brianne

[Lorencita]

This is a very light scent. It is floral, I think there is gardenia in it... at least that is what I smell on me. I love gardenia, so this is good. It is definately a skin scent. I thought this scent would be more in your face, but it's very shy. I like it alot, and I will keep it for nights that I stay in.

[elphaba]

I have been known to, on occasion, dance with fire, so I was more excited about Fire Eater than just about anything else in Carnaval Noir.

 

Putting it on for the first time, it smelled like...fuel. Seriously, wet, it's the smell of the liquid paraffin I use on my fire toys, maybe with a little bit of residual soot mixed in.

 

As it dries, the fuel "burns" off and the scent becomes sweeter and sweeter. I don't get any spiciness until the final drydown, but it definitely is a warm scent. It's quite possibly a floral blend, but it doesn't trip my allergies like many florals do.

 

The first time I wore this, I was ready to reluctantly put it up for swaps. On my second wearing, I'm now thinking that I'll keep most of it, maybe sharing an imp or two. By my third wearing...well, who knows. I think this one grows on you.

[LiberAmoris]

At the center of a throng of onlookers was the Fire Eater, stripped to the waist and glistening with oils and sweat. From his huge chest, like a gigantic bellows, he breathed in and filled his lungs with air while his arm raised the torch high. All at once, his head went back and the torch was dipped into his open mouth while the flames seemed to lick high into the air from his lungs themselves. Then the torch was out, and as he removed it the crowd began to cheer and throw coins…

 

Like ivyandpeony, this also reminds me a bit of The Living Flame. I’m getting a bit of dragon’s blood from this, a sliver of cinnamon, and a lot of white flowers although I have no idea which one(s). It’s one of the few BPAL blends that is faint on me when first applied and then amps up to be a tremendously bold perfume with a lot of throw. There’s something about it that reminds me of some of the perfumes from the 1940s that my great-grandmother used to collect. Very unusual and I think it might be a great blender!

[Ina Garten Davita]

Fire Eater is drop dead gorgeous, but very unlike the prototype that I sampled in the circle. I can't stop sniffing my wrist and I'm having a heck of a time trying to pin down the words for a review.

 

There is a passing resemblance to The Living Flame, but Fire Eater is slightly more masculine by comparison. A warm, red floral but so much more. There is some type of light musk lurking here. And something that is reminding me of fresh, green cardamom pods and/or fresh coconut juice underneath the warmth and musk.

 

Fire Eater is going to be a perfect "cool autumn night" fragrance. If you didn't order it, you should. If you love The Living Flame, you must try this. It's one of the best of the collection.

[divajen]

LOVE THIS! LOVE LOVE LOVE IT! I now understand what people mean by soapy and I am a fan of the soap scent! It smells like clean cotton to me, too; something you could put on to comfort you like a freshly-washed, warm, fluffy towel.

[Northernminx]

I barely smelled anything in the bottle, but on it went, thick and viscous. This reminded me of what I assumed Djinn would smell like but never did - rich, smokey spice, a warm banked, glowing fire waiting to roar to life. This dries down into not so much floral as a peculiar scent I usually associate with sandalwood with my chemistry, even though I do not believe it IS sandalwood. Soft, a little floral but mostly just that soft powder scent as this fades. It's gorgeous, warm, and understated but not quite me.

[Diana]

This is really difficult for me to review. I've worn it twice now, and it's hard to pick out individual notes.

 

In the bottle it has really sharp, overly perfumey notes. Like that smell that wafts out of department stores. This perfumey, slightly soapy aroma lasts for a few minutes after application.

 

After about 10 minutes or so, it's still perfumey, but nothing like the initial application. Here it reminds me of when I first apply Scherezade.

 

Another 20-30 minutes pass, and throughout the day, it turns into a floral. I can't pick out any specific flowers, though. Someone said Jasmine, and I can actually see that, though it's just a mishmash of flowers. However, there's more to it. It's got a musk note in it, no doubt. I also detect small wafts of coconut from time to time, but I don't know if that's my nose playing tricks on me. I do detect some similarities to Scherezade as far as base notes, but everything else is beyond me.

 

Though I'm not too huge on unspecific floral blends, this one is warm and pretty, and definitely something I, with my finicky tastes, can wear.

[Little Bird]

I never would have tried Fire Eater on my own (I know to stay away from perfumey floral blends) but my bottle was a gift.

 

When I first dabbed on some Fire Eater, it was an oddly soapy jasmine scent. Almost a sharp, bitter laundry detergent sort of soapy. After a few minutes, the soapy fades and I think that I'm smelling dragon's blood (which tends to make me ill).

 

I might be smelling jasmine, dragon's blood, and musk. It is very perfumey. It does have a sort of warm and glowing quality to it, but I just can't seem to love it. To me this feels like 'just another floral blend'. My mother, however, loves this one... so it looks like Fire Eater is going to be regifted.

[Sistinas]

a review of Fire Eater

 

Vial ~ soapy, not much scent I have been able to detect

 

Wet ~ not much different than what i was trying to sniff from the bottle

 

Drying ~ ah eventually I am picking up cinnamon I think, spicy and faintly

floral, but i really have to look for it with my nose, this is not giving

off much throw

 

Dry ~ the spicy scent is picking up even more now, still not throwing much, but

it is a spicier, I think this one will need some slathering for a second

try and to form a better opinion.

 

Fade ~ For me, I did not pick up much of the scent to begin with, so there

was not much to it's lasting power. This scent is not going to work for me.

 

Final thoughts ~ I definitely will need to give this a second try and with

more slathering, as my skin is soaking up the scent leaving not much behind.

But at this point I would have to say this has been a disappointment for

me. But maybe I am not seeing what Beth's vision for this scent is suppose

to be. On a scale of 1 to 5, I am giving it a 2.

Edited October 20, 2005 by Sistinas