Death on a Pale Horse

[hologhost]

The End of All Things: empty white musk and mint seeped with solemn lavender, doleful patchouli and vetiver, scythe-sharp yuzu and lime, with geranium bourbon, white sandalwood and calla lily.

This was extremely hard to place for me - especially since my skin eats it. Definately herbal. It also brings me one of those scent memories where you're suddenly somewhere else. This says "hotel" to me, although I don't know why. Edited April 27, 2006 by Shollin

[ViolentKitten]

Cool mint, cut grass and a cold floral, all pulled together beautifully by white musk and white sandalwood. I can smell just a touch of yuzu and lime. It’s a very cooling scent, softly brushed by freshly crushed herbs. As it starts to dry down, a sort of toothpastey/light powder smell comes out from the mint and white musk, with just a little earthy patchouli and a dry leathery note underneath it all. I really like it! It reminds me a little of a Comme des Garcons scent, but I can’t think of which one. Possibly No. 2 mixed with a bit of CdG White. The final drydown is the softest powder, dusted over warm, musky skin. Unexpectedly lovely!

[Abbie]

In the bottle: Oh, honestly, I just shouldn't bother with reviews when I'm going to smell something completely different from everyone else. This, to me, is mint and patchouli, which is a combination I don't think I've ever smelled before, and is really quite nice. If I really sit and think about it I can convince myself there's a bit of green in there too.

 

First on: This is a pretty masculine scent to me, but now I'm picking up some lighter tones. Still no florals, but there's a good citrus from the yuzu, and the patchouli's got some more sandalwoody depth.

 

Dry: The sandalwood's a bit stronger than I like as the rest of the oils dry down, but overall? This is good!

[cupide430]

This one seems to be a fairly quick morpher on me. It started out as a moderate patchouli scent with lavender. As it dries, the musk and a light powdery note is coming out with a hint of floral. This is awfully faint on me, but nice so far.

[feline.by.design]

Death on a Pale Horse is one of those, like the Bow of Conquest, that I took a chance on and bought the bottle before fussing with an imp. Like the Bow of Conquest, I think I made the right decision.

 

White musk reigns supreme on my skin when Death on a Pale Horse is wet. I love it. This is a very light unisex fragrance that smells of musk-soaked light plants.

 

As the oil dries on my skin, the fragrance seems to get a little darker, but only a leeeettle. This... I could be way off, but this seems a little similar to the Hermit in maintaining a sort of bookish feel, but drier, dustier, and it's got more of a tang. It could also be similar to Whitechapel, though the lime isn't as prominent on me, and again, it's drier and dustier. The yuzu and lime combo makes itself more noticable after the three-minute mark, but the oil is still so well-blended it's hard to pick out notes. Your brain thinks it's picking up something, but once you think about it, the elusive scent undulates and you can't find the note you're trying to pinpoint.

 

It seems to become more masculine-oriented once it dries down further after ten more minutes. It smells like very nice soap, which might be cause to stop reading right now, but I like soap-like, clean fragrances (see my love for Numb). Still maintaining a soft, dried herbs feel, which is very comforting.

 

I really like this, and can see myself wearing Death on a Pale Horse ridiculously often. It's a very clean and pleasant scent. The Lab never ceases to amaze me in what wonders it puts out.

 

-doreen

[PurringPulsar]

Death on a Pale Horse

 

In the imp: silvery citrus (yes, it does seem 'silver' to me) with a hint of sandalwood and fresh mint.

Wet on skin: whoa, this is sharp! Must be the yuzu, which to me is like uber-grapefruit. I also smell a background of pale woods.

Dry on skin: now some deeper notes come forth-the lavender is there now but isn't very strong, I get a tinge of patchouli and possibly geranium too. This dark depth is under the silvery, almost sparkling scent of citrus and musk and grey woods and the flashes of mint on top. This scent is ghostly yet very intriguing and complex…it smells fresh yet empty, there are definite layers of dark and light here. At times it smells masculine but not too much. The citrus tones down over time but still hangs around to add it's tart brightness to the scent.

After a while: the sharpness this scent has is indeed like that of a scythe blade-it's bright and cutting and whilst it doesn't smell blatantly metallic, the scent seems to evoke that. It does smell a bit more masculine now (at times the sandalwood has a cedar like feel to it), but I'm getting more musk now…I love white musk, and it seems to go very nicely with the lingering citrus. The vetiver in here isn't the heavy, intense stuff that lasts for ages on my skin, but a gentler one, it's merged with the patchouli to form a shadowy scent under the tangy, lighter notes.

Eventually, this scent becomes a very lovely, if slightly manly, fresh white musk with the last remains of citrus, a hint of sandalwood and vetiver. This white musk reminds me very slightly of the fresh white musk in Oisin. I didn't get any lily in this scent at all. This scent is very subtle but occasionally I get these wafts of it even when I'm not smelling my wrist, and they do take me by surprise!

And then, the final stage, my favourite bit of the scent. A subtle, tangy white musk on a bed of sandalwood and smoke. I love these light musk-sandalwood-smoke combinations-I've smelt something similar in a few other BPALs, and I'm very fond of them. It's a very close to the skin scent but so nice, it's a peaceful scent, quite meditative and oddly comforting.

Verdict: this is a very intriguing blend indeed. It's a scent of contrasts-sharp, bright notes over a layer of dark notes. It's very silver, to me-a shimmering silver citrus-musk with pale sandalwood over the deeper notes of lavender, patchouli and a gentle vetiver. It's a scent that's slightly alive at times, yet also evocative of the image/symbolism of death (the shining silver sharp scythe, for instance). It's empty and sorrowful, mournful even, yet it's also peaceful, serene, there's a sense of hope to this scent-a glimmering light above the dark. The soft musk-sandalwood-smoke drydown is beautiful. This scent is, to me, quite a contemplative one, very complex, definitely unisex verging on masculine. I like it enough to keep the imp though-it's a unique, well-crafted, and fascinating scent to get to know.

Emoticon rating:

Edited May 13, 2006 by yeahbutnobut

[Tesseljoan]

Death on a pale horse smells much earthier out of the vial then on the skin. On me, it smells pale and fresh. It's light musk with fruit twirled in. It's not light and and summery per se, it does have some body to it.

[Eunice]

Green patchouli! This reminds me a bit of Irish Spring bath soap but more perfumy and masculine. Death on a Pale Horse is a very clean scent. I took a chance on this and bought a bottle without ever smelling it. So glad I did! This may be my perfect summer scent!

[Naamah_Darling]

Good lord, this one's a puzzler. In the bottle, it's pale, chill, and perfumey. Very clean, a feather-light citrus with a dry musk and just a hint of floral. It's so well blended that I cannot pick out individual notes.

 

This goes on very floral and classically perfumey; the geranium/lily is right out front, backed by the lime and vetiver. Ah, dammit. There's the lavender. Vetiver, too, though, like hewn grass. I'm not getting bourbon or patchouli, sadly. The sandalwood is a dryness way underneath.

 

At the risk of making a terrible pun, this is a very grave scent, austere but complicated, sober but very deep.

 

This is a really interesting smell, and I can tell that on someone else it'd be lovely, but sadly, the lavender and gardenia just won't shut up. Ack. Nothing ruins a blend on me faster than rancid flowers. After only a few minutes, when it should be at its most beautiful, all I'm getting is used makeup sponges.

 

Bugger this. I'm washing it off.

[Shollin]

First sniff: Wow. This scent is cold, hollow, and freaky. It’s vaguely fruit, but ice-cold fruit, and fruit that probably isn’t particularly good for you. It smells menacing.

 

Wearing: I don’t think I’ve had this kind of visceral reaction to a scent since Havisham. That one made me all melancholy; this one seriously creeps me out. Verdict: I'll find it another home where it can creep someone else out.

[indicolite]

This is a very clear scent (probably the pale horse) but it seems to be giving me nudge-nudge wink-winks - "Just be careful now, in a few minutes I will show you...INCENSE!" Death, that is. Oh, darling, I thought there was no incense in you.

 

Patchouli should behave nicely on my skin, and vetiver was all right in Fallen. Is it the yuzu? Since I don't know what yuzu is.

 

Clear, and then smoky. Quite a puzzling scent. It does remind me of Eastern Orthodox church incense (ladan, as opposed to the Indian and dojo kind) without actually smelling like it.

 

I may give the imp a chance just because it is so interesting, but I do not see many occasions for it. It may grow on me, though, this thrill of almost-but-not-quite incense. I thought Nyarlathotep provided that, though.

 

ETA: After giving it some thought and letting it sit on my hand for a while, I've decided Death on a Pale Horse is a good meditation blend. One to wear to ponder the meaning of life and memento mori and all that. If Beth has wrought a memento mori blend, this is it. My decision may be influenced by the fact that, though I have nothing against Eastern Orthodox churches, my hours spent in them have never been full of uprooarious good cheer.

Edited June 28, 2006 by indicolite

[Meg]

In the bottle: Cool, green patchouli.

 

Wet: White musk, patchouli and geranium, it feels like there are many other things brooding in the background, waiting to come out. Yuzu starts to seep out, as well as a very green a little buttery mint.

 

Drydown: Lime and yuzu finally dominate the blend, with geranium insistently sticking around, and mint adding an icy touch. I can smell the bony white sandalwood and dark patchouli in the background. Lavender hovers in the background, somberly.

 

Overall: I get the scythe of yuzu, lime and mint the most, with very persistent geranium and a woody base. It's a weird little blend, I completely understand the imagery of the dark/white/sharp scents that really remind you of a grim reaper. It's also a very sophisticated blend from its patchouli/sandalwood base. But it's too masculine for me, ultimately, with the soapy white musk.

[The_Merf]

In the imp: Like many have said, this one's tricky to pin down. There's a jumble of notes involved and this is one of those oils where you catch a different thing with each sniff. If I had to pick out consistent notes, I'd say patchouli and lavender.

 

Wet: The patchouli and lavender come to the fore, which is an interesting combination. I've tried this and Great Sword, and it seems like all the Come and See scents are perfectly composed 'chaotic' oils. They're quietly impressive.

 

Drydown and wear: Nothing really seems to be able to move ahead of the patchouli and lavender. My skin must amp lavender, because it really is the dominant note. I'm sad that the array of notes that are clearly present in the imp are not coming out on my skin. I think I'll have to swap this one--it is unique and interesting, but not for me.

[sofiaviolet]

In the imp: I smell sandalwood and white musk. Also a smidge of mint, maybe some lavender and lime. No sign of vetiver or patchouli, yay!

 

On me. wet: The patchouli and vetiver are coming out. My skin amps them both. The lime/lavender/mint is still present.

 

On me, dry: On the bright side, the notes I loathe have died. But so have the good ones. I can barely smell it!

[edenssixthday]

Death on a Pale Horse - When I first apply this, I don’t like it at all. It has too many notes in it that I don’t normally care for (yuzu, mint, lavender, patch, vetiver, bourbon); however, once it dries, it mellows significantly and the dominant notes on me are the white musk, lavender and calla lily, and they blend together gorgeously. This isn’t going to be one I’d wear often, but it really did turn out a lot nicer than I expected initially. The throw is light and the staying power seems to be about 2.5 – 3 hours on my skin.

[sookster]

straight sniff from imp is all about lavender, patchouli and vetiver.....lovely!!!

 

once applied a bit of lime comes shining through....quite sharp yet gorgeous!!

after a few more minutes the sandalwood is prominent...this mellows into a

dizzying concoction that is positively astounding!!!!

 

i love this to pieces!!!!! problee more of a dude like scent but so precisely "me"!!!!!

[Torrilin]

I don't detect most of the notes in this. That's ok, even if it makes me slightly sad. I love lavander and vetiver, and them not showing up in this is sad-making.

 

I get an intensely fruity citrus, backed by a powdery musk. No real hint of green or woodsiness. Just something akin to how an orange blossom scent *ought* to smell and never does because orange blossom wants to keeeeeeeell me.

 

It also smells amazing on the creature. Good unisex scent, and he rather likes it.

 

Kalli

[labmaven]

I was hoping to love this one; I guess that's a disapppointing strategy in many things, not just BPAL.

 

When I first opened my imp I didn't know what to think. Puzzling, definitely. I didn't love it. I couldn't identify anything & didn't remember the components that made me want to try it.

 

I looked it up & remembered why I wanted to love it so much. I love lavender, vetiver, lime, geranium, and cally lily. As I tried it on it immediately smelled better. I don't know if that was because of my body heat or my imagination.

 

As it dried I could smell more of the individual notes, but none very strongly except for the patchouli. I'm not a big fan of patchouli, but I don't dislike it. I couldn't smell anything without sniffing my wrist, but my body eats up most of the ones I try on, sadly.

 

I'll keep trying it, hoping it stays longer as my body chemistry morphs. This is a difficult scent to describe, but I do like it. It's cool and sharp and it makes me feel slightly wicked.

[ND¢]

In the bottle: Musk, maybe a sort of dirt-like patchouli.

 

On me: No patchouli beyond the first couple of minutes, when there's a more green or dirt-ish scent. The musk is crisp, the sandalwood is subtle; I'd say about equal. The flowers don't come out on me. Nice and dry and somewhat imposing, for some reason.

[TrailerTrashPrincess]

empty white musk and mint seeped with solemn lavender, doleful patchouli and vetiver, scythe-sharp yuzu and lime, with geranium bourbon, white sandalwood and calla lily.

 

we loveses the lily and patchouli

we likeses the lime, geranium and yuzu

we tolerateses the white musk, lavender and sandalwood

we hateses the vetiver and mint

 

impsniff: mint and vetiver

skinsniff, wet: vetiver, sandalwood, patchouli, mint, lavender

skinsniff, dry: lovely blend of patchouli-lavender-geranium-lily with an overbearing hint of vetiver.

were it not for the vetiver, this would be another bottle-hoarding scent. but as it is, this imp will go live with someone else for awhile.

[flyingpizza]

This scent really surprised me! After trying The Bow and Crown of Conquest, I imagined that this would be an equally dark, masculine scent. And true enough, when I first applied it, I smelled vetiver, patchouli, and musk. As it developed over the day, it became very floral--it smelled very clean and fresh, like lavender and herbs. It was such an amazing scent turn around! On me, this becomes a very sophistcated, clear scent with powerful throw. Very elgant and feminine. What a surprise!

[supremegoddessofall]

Barely there. It's a greenish-white scent. Not getting the lavender or patchouli at all, and barely getting the sandalwood. Mostly I get a hint of sharpness from the vetiver, florals, and a touch of lime. It's kind of a "meh" scent, and will probably get traded/sold.

 

ETA: I tried this again, and here was my reaction:

 

Pretty! Mostly geranium and lily. The patchouli and sandalwood are there, but barely. This is a soft, delicate floral scent.

Edited October 13, 2006 by supremegoddessofall

[steffanina]

Death on a Pale Horse-

 

In Bottle: Something aquatic and cologne-y, and also a little of that wood-and-chocolate smell. Very masculine.

 

Wet: Still very masculine and cologne-y. A little cloyingly sweet. It's desert-dry and cruel-smelling.

 

Dry: This one's vicious, ooh. I mean, I have been waiting through this scent a few hours, now, to see if the cruel note in this will morph down to something nice, and it just won't. Do you know what this scent is? This is not the power-trippy musk of Dracul or the delicious you'll-never-tie-me-down-to-one-woman bad boy musk of Torture King. This is the guy you think is cute, but halfway through the date you're getting nervous, and you'd better get the hell home now because this scent is date rape and domestic violence. This scent is pure danger, and I don't say this lightly. It's a scent that scares me. It's fascinating that a scent can evoke so much for me, and I will not temper the above description by getting giggly or saying I love it. I don't. It's too scary.

 

Overall: Remarkably evocative. So much so that it scares me.

[Nepthys]

This was an extra, certainly nothing I'd have ordered on my own. I don't know how I overlooked it - this has got to be one of the best sandalwood scents I've ever tried from the Lab. It is just to die for. Dominating is sandalwood and vetivert with some faint lavender and mint - this is a chilly, clean, faintly naughty scent, like a gin and tonic on a hot summer day. It reminds me of something I love, but I can't identify. Definitely big bottle for me.

[SheriffJoe]

Death on a Pale Horse-

 

In the imp: white musk and sandalwood mostly...no lavender, no citrus, some patchouli but no vertiver, calla lily or lime. Bourbon? Maybe...

 

Wet: Pretty much the same...the patchouli and white musk come out more, mixed with sandalwood, this has a very powdery, feminine aura on my skin.

 

Dry: Johnson's Baby Powder. I can almost FEEL the grittiness of the powder when I smell this on my arm. The white musk and patchouli dominate now, sandalwood just underneath to give it some texture.

 

This is too feminine for me and reminds me of hot, wet, muggy days and the need to keep the spaces between my toes dry...

 

Edited November 14, 2006 by SheriffJoe