Midnight Mass

[fairnymph]

... This perfume is a traditional Roman Catholic sacramental incense, most often used during a Solemn Mass. Traditionally, five tears of this incense, each encased individually in wax that has been fashioned into the shape of a nail, are inserted into the paschal candle. This is, of course, represents the Five Wounds of Our Risen Savior. Symbolically, the burning of the incense signifies spiritual fervor, the fragrance itself inspires virtue, and the rising smoke carries our prayers to God.

 

2009 version

Amber coloured oil. Sour rose (a la Empress, the Miller's Daughter, etc) and sweet piney resins and dark incense. Some balsam or pine pitch, frankincense, and dusty myrrh for sure. This is quite dry and woody too, so I suspect some rosewood at the very least. I do get a bit of smoky candle wax that reminds me a bit of the note in Gypsy Queen, but has a sort of old, dry, staleness to it here.

Much warmer and sweeter, instantly, with the sourness no longer sharp and unpleasant, but more of a balancing tanginess. The warm is so intense and sudden that I definitely suspect rosewood, as well as an amber of some sort, red sandalwood, and possibly a very well behaved and otherwise subtle cedar note. Really complex and very well blended immediately on my skin - amazing! The frankincense jumps out much more and is adding much of the sweetness, as is a slightly honeyed beeswax note that's very lovely and nothing like what I got in the imp. I still get the candle smoke, too, and it's definitely like GQ and quite nice. I'm pretty sure there is balsam (which is light and green and fresh, very smooth and almost a little sweet in a grassy way) in here as well as some sort of pine pitch.

Morphing more; this has faded a lot, and also become even more well-blended. It's also softened, and by that I mean that it literally feels softer as well as having lost most of its sharp, sour, or otherwise off-putting aspects. However, the rose has become sour again - and I really think it's that rose-infused amber combo from The Miller's Daughter - and the frankincense has amped up a lot - it's probably the strongest note now - and is cloying in its dark sweetness. In combo with the sweetness from the beeswax, this blend is just too sweet for me. Also, the incense is going a little soapy in the way that Black Lace's does on me. And this has become much, much dustier and more powdery - from the rosewood, the amber (and I think there is black amber and possibly also black musk, both of which have a too-sweet slightly powdery drydown on me), and the musty myrhh.

This becomes sweeter and sweeter in the later stages, definitely too much for my tastes, and I'm pretty sure due to the black amber and black musk as well as the very prominent frankincense in this blend. Still, and hint of sour rose and some soapiness from the Black Lace style incense remains below these dark, sweet, heavy and cloying top notes. This has definite powder and dust, in a very tactile, velvety sort of way that's objectively nice.The myrrh becomes more musty, almost fungal in smell, and dusty and a little bitter - it amps quite a bit along with the other resin and incense notes. The dry, warm woods are here too, but sort of the backdrop - they don't jump out. This scent is nicer and much less dark/intense than I anticipated, but nothing in this blend appeals to me. Great throw and fantastic longevity.

[mymymai]

Midnight Mass 09

Bottle: I'm smelling myrrh and something sweet that is the top note, not sure if it is a floral scent or woodsy sent right now.

Dry down: heavy resin, frankincense, myrrh.

Dry: More woodsy with frankincense coming to the top.

Lasting time: I put some on this morning around 5am, but I could not smell anything 12 hours later. I'm not sure when the scent stopped throwing, but it was before my workday finished.

[Redillon]

Very thick and amber in the imp. Sweet and resinous. I like it.

 

On skin: I was hoping for more throw and more incense. Smells nice though. I don't get much pine at all. Which is good.

 

Dry down: Very light smelling. Turns to candle wax on my skin. WHY???????

[whisperstilled]

08 Version

 

In imp: Definitely incense, but surprisingly faint. I was expecting something with a little more punch, considering it's supposed to be the scent of incense burning.

 

Wet: Incensey, but again, pretty faint. Maybe my nose is broken? I get a little smoke and what might be myrrh, but not much else.

 

Dry: I get some wood with the incense now, and almost no smoke. Shockingly wispy for a robust religious incense. 2/5

[yamiko]

(2009 Version)

 

I was honestly expecting something a bit more powerful than this. It's very resiny and incensy, but doesn't really have a throw. As it dries, it ends up being mostly waxy pine and not much else. Sadly, I'm not really a pine sort of girl.

[cherrycherry]

2010 version.

 

This is nice. I love incensey perfumes and this one fits the bill perfectly. It's all sweet resins, myrrh and amber. The throw isn't amazing, but I can smell it on myself and that makes me happy enough.

[calivianya]

2010 Version

 

This reminds me a lot of Cathedral, which doesn't surprise me one bit. The main difference in the two, as far as I can tell, is Cathedral's wood note(s) are a lot stronger. This blend is milder and more rounded, and it's my favorite of the two. I may purchase a bottle of this as I love incensey smells.

[Incendiare]

2010: In my decant, I can instantly pick up on something like balsam. Wet, the resins and woods come out, primarily cedar. Actually, after only a few minutes, I smell pretty much nothing but cedar. As much as I like cedar, this isn't something I would want to smell like. It's just a bit too heavy.

[EdenIris]

2010

 

This comes up very sweet, almost fruity, on my skin. After an hour or so, it's mostly sweet candle wax, no smoky incense or wood at all. I will give it another test because usually the resins and I get along fabulously.

[tdiym]

2010 Version

This reminds me a lot of Cathedral

It reminds me a lot of Cathedral, too. I really liked the smokiness of Midnight Mass, but it lasts only about 30 minutes on me and then it's completely gone. I would really love this if only it didn't disappear right away on me.

[starfish327]

2010

 

in the decant: i actually don't get anything in the decant. i thought i had picked up another blend initially.

 

wet: sweet resins, without any incense. i'm actually disappointed because i love heavy, rich incense blends.

 

dry: still predominately sweet resins, but there's smoke lurking in the background. i get a hint of incense/spice as well, but this is still primarily a resin blend on me with a hint of cedar.

[sunshinedaisybliss]

2010 version

 

I had to try this, it's really one of those legendary BPALs and I had never sampled any of the blends from previous years so this was my chance!

 

What I'm getting is a dry, dusky sort of incense blend. I think there's some dark rose in here.. not fresh/live rose but more the smell of rose petals that have been dried. There's also a slightly sweet, slightly waxy/woody thing going on in the background. It does evoke images of old empty churches. It's not unpleasant, but it's not particularly swoon-worthy either - it's a nice blend, but I have other incense-y BPALs that I much prefer.

[thekittenkat]

This review is for the 2010 version.

 

In the bottle: Frankincense and myrrh, maybe some other resins. Cool but not aquatic.

 

Wet: Much the same as when I first sniffed the bottle.

 

The dry-down: Same as above, but now with a hint of smoke, and a very faint creaminess from the beeswax candles, which serves to tie all the other notes together, and help give a depth and roundness to the scent. It reminds me somewhat of the incense in the censer used during Holy Communion in my Episcopal church (when I was a teen) which was High Church for a while because of the then-current priest. That incense had more of a spicy richness to it, and could make me feel like sneezing. This Midnight Mass scent does not, and I think it should layer nicely with the Frankincense & Myrrh soap and bath oil from the Post.

[milo]

This is a review for the 2010 version, and I do have a bottle of the 08 version. To me, this is Christmas in a bottle, there's an incensey evergreen vibe to it, and it's just the most amazing Christmas scent. The aged version is nicer, though, less dusty and stronger with more evergreen. This is the smell of an outdoor shop selling Christmas trees. Love it, and I always wear it around the holiday season.

[captainecchi]

This is the 2010 version.

 

I tried this a few days ago, and here's apparently what I wrote in my spreadsheet: "Patchouli? Is my midnight mass full of hippies? I guess that's actually frankincense, although I think the drydown in No. 93 Engine smells more like church incense. Some pine/balsam/woodsy notes, too."

 

I recall being not terribly impressed. Verdict: 2 out of 5.

[Gold Dust Kitten]

2010 version

 

Imp: Sour wood and resins

Wet: Frankincense and myrrh, but not as sweet and yummy as the BPTP bath oil

Dry: Wet to dry is about the same. It's a resinous blend with not much sweetness. I suspect a bit of dry patchouli in this, but I can't tell.

 

I'm glad this is more resins than incense. It's a little dry with a hint of a cedar sauna but I'd love to see how it ages.

[Vega]

Reviewing the 2005 version.

 

Sniffed: Light, sweet, gentle incense.

 

On skin: This is a "Penitence-class" blend: fragrant, smooth incense, somewhat lighter than Penitence itself, and similar to Philosopher in Meditation. Midnight Mass is perhaps the lightest pure incense blend I've smelled: full-bodied yet gentle, a bit sticky in a resinous way, with a non-resin spicy sweetness possibly from florals or fruit. A very lovely, contemplative blend that doesn't change much on my skin. Colour impression is rich, pure gold with a slight red blush.

Indeed, Midnight Mass is a devout, serene blend. It puts me in mind of quiet, prayerful meditation during a late night Vigil or Matins in a church. The Bible describes prayers as incense, and I imagine the scent of a prayer rising to Heaven would smell just like this blend.

 

Verdict: While Midnight Mass is very similar to Penitence and Philosopher in Meditation, it's still a unique variation on light, pure incense, this time with a gently juicy, sweet heart. I love incense blends, and glad to add this to my collection!

Edited April 3, 2011 by Vega

[naeelah]

Midnight Mass is a rich and well balanced incense blend. Overall, its character is cheerful and golden, but without sacrificing the depth and smokiness of a good incense. It doesn't have the bright, lemony aspects of solar incense, nor is it spicy, so I don't mean golden in that respect. It just has a warm glow.

 

The heart of this warmth might be the beeswax. This incense is well grounded by a rich wax, which is one of the things that makes it distinct, compared to the lab's other incense blends. It has a strong evergreen wood note, which lends a Christmastime character but doesn't overpower the resins. (Compared to Cathedral, it's less woodsy. Compared to Heavenly Love and Earthly Love, it has far less sandalwood and powdery amber.)

 

It's tough to identify the resins. Frankincense and myrrh, of course but I'm not sure what else. Possibly benzoin? Opoponax?

 

So, on the whole, this is a rich incense that isn't too smoky but also isn't too powdery. It isn't a dark blend, but it isn't bright and clean, either. It's very nice and one of the lab's best incenses, I think.

[MiasmaResonance]

I have the 2006 version.

In the bottle it is a deep, slightly smokey pine scent.

On, the pine is more prevalent and gets slightly sweeter with time and seems more complex than before. It becomes very warm. A pretty winter scent.

Edited June 29, 2011 by MiasmaResonance

[yakiguri]

2009 Version.

 

Growing up Catholic, and having gone to many a Midnight Mass, I can say with confidence that this blend smells EXACTLY like it. The incense, the oils, the feelings of awe and glorious birth...all are in here. While my grip on Catholicism at this point may be tenuous at best, I adore the feelings of nostalgia this blend evokes. That said, I don't want to exactly smell it on my person. I'll keep my imp, but doubt seriously I'd ever need/want a bottle.

[Celtic Goddess]

Love this one...I've always liked the smell of church and this one is perfect. It is sweeter than Cathedral and is far more potent (beware, a little goes a long way). My family still follows the Catholic Christmas traditions so this one fits right into the holiday season.

[ResinManiac]

Current 2011 scent:

 

Boy am I glad this isn't quite so astringent as last year's version, last time I tried this it smelled of burning cherries on me. In this I can luxuriate in the wonderful Frank & Myrrh and other great incenses mixed together. Another big win and money well spent.

[bolmasaur]

Midnight Mass 2010

 

In the imp: This smells very astringent, like acetone (nail polish remover). Not getting the incense at all.

 

On, wet: Cedar. Cedar, and acetone. And baby powder. All with a sweet tinge underneath.

 

Dry: If this is a midnight mass, I'd be sitting in a highly-polished cedar pew, near a cut Christmas tree, far far away from the censer.

 

I like this scent, but I was looking for something different, a huge church-incense-in-your-face scent, as though I was the altar boy holding the censer, inhaling the smoke. (In fact, I probably yearn for this so much because I WAS once an altar "boy". So far, no go. No scent I have tried has matched church incense for me. Time to check out Cathedral and Penitence, I think.)

[elka_knits]

2006 version

 

On me beeswax, something woody, something skin musky, and underneath it all the resins. Not smoky incense but resins. The little blobs of myrrh that I used to burn way back when. Sooooo

 

In the bottle it is sharper but almost immediately mellows into something evocative. Yes evocative instead of note after note. Very well blended

 

and mellow.

 

The woods to me seem like a fir tree I recently came across. Like hello where is the piney christmas tree smell? Very faint hint of tree smell that has been worn over the years by many many hands[skin musky], absorbed eons of myrrh which is all buried beneath the beeswax used to polish it all.

 

Coming back to review this I re-read the description: five tears of this incense, each encased individually in wax sums it up pretty well. Throw in hands clasped in prayerful hope over wooden pews and you got it.

 

I am glad I have this bottle and find it silly I only wear it one day a year~ Today Christmas Eve ! I may pull one off the sales page just to have a backup

[porcelina]

i love midnight mass and i try to buy a bottle every year, with a few backups here and there. it is one of those bpal blends i could never do without.

 

this is the 2011 version i am trying, and it is as good as ever, but just a little different from last year's. last year's blend had more dark, resinous sweetness and this year's is a little lighter- it's not as strong and there is maybe more of a wood note than i have noticed before. it's such a gorgeous scent- i can't stop sniffing my arm. one of my all-time favorite bpals.