Al-Araaf

[coulrophobe]

Young flowers were whispering in melody
To happy flowers that night - and tree to tree;
Fountains were gushing music as they fell
In many a star-lit grove, or moon-lit dell;
Yet silence came upon material things -
Fair flowers, bright waterfalls and angel wings -
And sound alone that from the spirit sprang
Bore burthen to the charm the maiden sang:

'Neath the blue-bell or streamer -
Or tufted wild spray
That keeps, from the dreamer,
The moonbeam away -
Bright beings! that ponder,
With half closing eyes,
On the stars which your wonder
Hath drawn from the skies,
Till they glance thro' the shade, and
Come down to your brow
Like - eyes of the maiden
Who calls on you now -
Arise! from your dreaming
In violet bowers,
To duty beseeming
These star-litten hours -
And shake from your tresses
Encumber'd with dew
The breath of those kisses
That cumber them too -
(O! how, without you, Love!
Could angels be blest?)
Those kisses of true Love
That lull'd ye to rest!
Up! - shake from your wing
Each hindering thing:
The dew of the night -
It would weigh down your flight
And true love caresses -
O, leave them apart!
They are light on the tresses,
But lead on the heart.

Honeyed lilies, dry lotus root and fae flowers.

Am I the first? Eeek, the pressure!

As I went through quickly sniffing the Hideous Throng when I first opened my package, Al-Araaf was one of the stand-outs. In the bottle, it smells cool and clean, yet musky. Not too sweet, and the tiniest bit masculine - these are all good things to my nose. Then I read the description and was very confused - a honey/floral scent? This? Hmmm.

On, the clean, musky scent persists for about ten minutes - then the honey emerges. Honey is a difficult note for me, as my chemistry tends to sweeten anything I put on it, so the already-sweet scents can be a little overbearing. I definitely like the initial stage more, but the drydown is pleasant, and fans of honey scents should be very pleased. I think I'll try wearing a bit in my hair, where my uber-sweet chemistry can't mess with it!

[gingersnapp]

This is a sweet, delicate floral. I would say that the lilies are the strongest on my skin, but not overwhelmingly so as in some other blends. It's a clean, innocent, and delicate blend. As the first one in the series that I'm trying, I've been very pleasantly surprised.

[UltraViolet]

 

In the bottle

A light fresh floral.

 

On

This is as pretty as "Fae", and "Titania" and all the other blends that have these same kind of florals. This is so lightly sweet and vaguely herbal, it's like a whispy breeze of fresh subtley sweet air.

After about 2 minutes the lotus starts to turn as lotusy as it wants to be apparently. I hope this "phase" disappears as it sometimes does with lotus, if I'm lucky.

 

30 minutes

The mushroomy lotus smell on me is still there but it's not a heinous thing scent wise. I'm just frutrated because I can't keep smelling that beautiful fresh air floral that was there for a moment...and I'm taking it out on the lotus.

 

Throw:

average

 

Scent category:

floral/herbal

 

Summary

This is right up there with Amsterdam, Chuparosa as a fresh, light floral initially when wet. And while in the bottle. It also reminds me a bit of white light, but not that there's any melon or honeysuckle like scent in here it's just that same kind of blend.

Then during the dry down it gets a bit muddier with the earthy lotus.

And then ultimately my skin just sucks up all the scent. I slathered this on and it's so light to my nose.

 

Purchase again?

Yes an imp, I'm not sure about a bottle.

 

1-5 rating (5 being best)

3

[shelldoo]

in the bottle: fruity? hmmm must be the lotus

 

wet: this is juicy, fruity, and floral

 

as it dries, it is sweet, definitely "fae" lily sometimes has a tendancy to go to soap on me, this does not. it is fruity, and light florals, sweet, yet not foody i agree w/ ultraviolet it is a whispy scent. i believe this part of the prose sums up this scent

Fair flowers, bright waterfalls and angel wings

 

yup that encapsulates this scent

[arpeggiated]

This smells like there should be a wisp of white smoke coming out when you open the bottle. Or at least that was my impression.

 

It's very floral, but not overpoweringly so. I don't think I need any more bottles of it.

[Nightgaunt]

Al Araaf takes the theme of Tiger Lily and expands on it. It's a purple-and-gold scent, warm and lush and exotic without being cloyingly strong or sweet. I can really believe that these are the flowers of Paradise.

[Loligo]

On me, this is a very light and elegant floral. The lilies are pronounced, but not sneeze-inducing OMG LILIES the way the flowers themselves can sometimes be. It also develops a very pleasant, rounded powdery note (could that be the lotus root?). But an hour after applying, I can barely find it on my arm. Too bad, because this had a lot of character; it wasn't just "Yep, them's some flowers," the way a lot of floral blends are.

 

ETA: But I should add, that the little bit that *did* linger on my arm stayed there for hours, so I'm hoping that if I slather this (like, an hour before I have to go anywhere!) the gentle drydown stage will be nicely sniffable all day. There's something so clear and simple and polished about this scent, which is not an impression I usually get from sweetish florals.

Edited October 29, 2005 by Loligo

[cupide430]

Al Araaf

 

This smells how I wanted Bearded Lady to smell. On me it is a lovely medium strength lily scent at first which dries down into a sweet honey-vanilla with lily. A bit like the lily in Asphodel, but not as strong, and mixed with a very gentle soothing vanilla scent. It isn't too foody or cloying which is often a problem I have with vanilla and foody scents.

[Little Bird]

Honey and florals are not really my thing, but Al-Araaf is actually very nice. It doesn't go soapy and it's not overpoweringly floral at all.

 

This starts out smelling slightly wet and almost pear-like, if the pear were to be very watery. Watery pears and white flowers. It has a clean, delicate smell in this stage.

 

In the drydown this takes on a more powdery edge. It's very floral, but it's such a light scent that it's not bothering me at all. There's a yummy sweetness underneath the flowers too. The description of 'honeyed lilies' is proving very accurate for me. It's a soft honey that's lingering in the background. Maybe also a creamy vanilla coming through.

 

As for staying power... I kept thinking that this one had disappeared on me, but then I would catch surprising whiffs of it over the 5 hours that I wore it.

 

I'll actually keep my bottle and be wearing this one when I want a subtle floral perfume. It's so rare that florals don't give me a headache, so I have to appreciate this one

Edited June 5, 2008 by Tania

[tempete]

Given my track record with lilies (they generally turn to soap on me) and honey (scents that are too sweet tend to make me queasy), I wasn't expecting much from Al-Araaf. Imagine how surprised I was when Al-Araaf turned out to be a very pretty, subtle floral scent, not at all soapy although veering a bit too close to nausea-inducing sweetness at times. I'm not sure that I will get a bottle, but I will definitely hold onto my decant.

[aidenraine]

My first thought on this was that it smelled a bit like a peach lollypop I'd just had (because it's Halloween!)

 

But it became really strongly floral very quickly- A sweet, honeyed floral, very sweet.

Then it turns highly generic. I am not picking up on anything in here but just...

"florals". Uninspiring, florals.

 

It also seems to be sinking into my skin really quickly.

I only applied it ten minutes ago and it's already really light.

 

I'm having to really SNnnnniiifff to try and tell you what it's doing on drydown.

Disappearing?

 

The sweetness is nice, but not enough magic for me.

[Heavenlyrabbit]

Opens with slightly sweet florals immediately touched by some spicey but well behaved floral note.

 

Well blended and refined florals gently harmonize.

 

An ambient, ethereal quality. Ozone?

 

A discrete but enticing scent.

 

Perfect for luncheons, springtime, work (where major statements aren't apropos) mixing into lotion and linen spray.

[siriusstar]

This is quite pretty. A delicate spring floral that lasts a lot longer than most soft and delicate florals. I can still smell it on my sleeve many hours after putting it on. It is pleasant and inoffensive. It would absolutely make a great work scent.

 

It's a little too generic for me to buy a bottle, but is a lovely addition to my imp horde.

[sixthsentinel]

I got to try this scent courtesy of the lovely aidenraine, and it was one that I never would have thought to order when the DiMV scents went up. So I was pleasantly surprised to find the I absolutely loved it! It is a very sweet scent, & not one that I would have described as floral, myself, if only because oftentimes floral scents give me a raging headache. That aside, I still don't think "floral" when I get a whiff of the scent. Oddly enough (and I hope this doesn't turn anyone off, but) it kind of reminds me of the handsoap that seems to be present in so many public restrooms. I think it's that pink handsoap, if I remember correctly. Anyway, I really like that scent, & I am definitely going to be ordering a big bottle. The boyfriend thinks it smells like coconut...but he's weird like that.

 

Edited to add: it is now over twenty-four hours later, & I can still smell this on my wrist, though it is pretty faint by now.

Edited November 10, 2005 by sixthsentinel

[PurringPulsar]

Al Araaf

 

In the imp: a sweet, gentle, lily fragrance.

Wet on skin: a gorgeous soft honeyed lotus-lily scent.

Dry: this is so pretty! The honey note in this reminds me of Alice or Dana O’Shee’s milky honey scent, a gentle, creamy, almost marshmallow like, honeyed scent. This is quite different to Tiger Lily, the honeyed lilies in this scent are very different-they are lighter, softer, sweeter. I think it’s also the lotus that adds it’s distinctive candy-sweet touch to the scent-which is a very good thing. This is a beautiful and delightful floral scent.

After a while: the lovely ‘marshmallow’ scent in this reminds me of the drydown of Snow White which I adore. This, to me, is like the springtime equivalent of SW, with it’s dainty flowery scent. This scent is so girlie-but that’s a good thing. And the description of ‘fae flowers’ is spot on. It’s the scent of a pastel coloured childhood of scented fairy gardens, gentle laughter, and pure untainted innocence. I’m also wondering-does this have white musk and vanilla too?

Verdict: Beth is on a roll with these Poe scents! This is a wonderful, gentle, sweet, light and airy floral scent that reminds me of marshmallows! There’s a lovely milky-honey scent to it, with soft floral notes which give this scent a powdery, downy feel, and an almost candy like sweetness without being ‘foody’. I was expecting this to be like Tiger Lily, but it in fact reminds me somewhat of Alice, Dana O’Shee, and Snow White’s drydown. This is a beautiful and youthfully feminine scent, a downy-soft and pastel coloured scent reminiscent of glorious girlie childhoods, with a delicacy as ethereal as the wings of fairies and as fragile as the petals of spring flowers. I am so glad I ordered a bottle.

[Northernminx]

The red fruitiness of lotus with a touch of honey - this was a lot deeper, richer, and more musky than I anticipated. I wished vainly for more lillies and whatever fae flowers are but to no avail. Longing like a Poe poem... my chemistry and this series are just not getting along.

[AlaskaSnows]

Wet: Peaches and champagne??? WTF? There may be some honey in there but there is DEFINITELY fruit and alcohol.

 

Dry: It's spicy now, and there is honey. A LOT of delicious honey. There sometimes seems to be a little peach left, or a little floral, but it fades and changes with the moment. There is little throw.

[aedes]

This is definitely my favorite of the Poe line, and I'm very glad I bought a bottle of it unsniffed.

I actually don't get a strong sweetness, just a very well-blended lilly scent. If I didn't know any better, I'd say this was a single note of an exceptionally beautiful and complex flower. In color terms, I'd call it pink and white with a dusting of brown pollen. It's a little heady at first but it does mellow out. I'm definitely holding on to this for spring.

[Duck Mountain]

Lovely! Remains light and sweet from start to finish, though initial application is a bit cloying.

 

As it dries, it turns into a very sexy, mature scent--not overly sweet, and absolutely lush. A surprise hit, for me, and I'll definitely be stockpiling.

[k00kaburra]

In bottle: Ooo, pretty!

It reminds me of honey candy. Bright and sparkling like a warm spring day. On second whiff, the blend turns a little more golden. The blend is slightly apple blossom-like to me.

 

On me: It's kind've like honeysuckle, but so. much. better. Honeyed lilies is actually a nearly perfect description! Another way to describe the blend would be to say that it is rich dripping golden honey, combined with all the flowers that went into the making of it. Everything except the bees, anyway. It's light and perfect for spring; it's not a 'clean' fragrance but it's an excellent blend for an office environment, because it's still unique and it isn't in-your-face the way a heavier floral might be.

[Fefferbella]

Al-Araaf is gorgeous. Sadly I would need to bathe in this scent for it to last more than a few glorious but fleeting moments.

 

The gentle florals remind me of a field full of spring wildflowers with honeybees buzzing around. Sweet, crisp, fresh and clean.

[zenvodunista]

intoxicating honey and lily -- and a honey that doesn't smell like sex musk. i could actually wear this out of the house! usually BPAL honey just smells like sex, but whoa, not this.

 

lickable.

 

n.

[SevenSins]

In the bottle: A little fruity, a lot floral, light!

 

Wet: Love this one when it goes on! Very light, very floral. Very nice!

 

Drydown: Stays light and floral with an undertone of something sweet and fruity.

 

Hour later: Doesn't change much at all.

 

I like this one! I was surprised to find out it had honey in it. Honey and I generally don't get along. But here it's just enough to lend a sweetness to the blend while allowing the florals to shine through. Bright, strong without being overpowering, sweet without being cloying. Almost bubbly.

 

This one's a keeper!

[LushNatty]

In the bottle: Hard to pin down, but I would say… like green tea with honey.

Applied: I can tell this is going to be a favorite. This smells a LOT like this oil I got years ago called Milk and Honey and for which I’ve never been able to find a duplicate---this is close. It’s very subtle, but so yummy. If this was a bit stronger and a little more honey it would be the duplicate of the mystery oil. Wow. I need a bottle of this one for sure.

With time, it just gets better and better. I have to get a bottle of this, maybe two bottles.

On a scale of 1 to 5: 5!

[Em-]

Interesting...to me, Al-Araaf is a warm, ambery, musky almost spicy scent...like a sweet moist version of what I had hoped that Sherezade might be. It reminds me of curling up in a booth at a Middle Eastern cafe with a cup of strong coffee or tea and honeyed yoghurt and dolmas (not that these are the notes, but it is where the scent takes me, just to clarify that I am *not* smelling coffee and grape leaves!)...

 

It is a very close warm comforting skin scent for me. I do not get fae florals at all, but I definitely want more than the decant I have...