Red Lantern

[savage_rose]

A tribute to the opium den cum bawdyhouses of Shanghai in the 1930’s. Golden amber, blonde tobacco, Sudanese black coconut, rich caramel, black currant, white opium and delphinium laced with a sensual blend of Asian spice.

I tried this last year when I first got into BPAL and was not impressed as a skin scent, only as a locket or room scent. So I am trying it again, and reviewing my decant imp of this year's version .

Red Lantern 2007: This is how I remember somewhat fresh RL smelling: coconut caramel drying down to this bizarre stale air smell. It doesn't smell bad, just...off. Like an unsweetened, non-alcoholic Pina Colada mix--kinda there, not altogether pleasant, and there's something lacking.

Red Lantern 2006: Trying it again, there's a big, big difference. More of the coconut remains, and it's deepened into this...sweet, slightly perfumed substantial scent. Sort of a smoky coconut...it stays really close to the skin, but in that "ooh, he has to get closer to smell it!" way. My husband's ever-brief comments were "Woodsy. Sweet". Yeah, that too. I like it a lot better aged!

[jasmine]

In the first application, this is a heavy initial sugar/caramel blast, with just the faintest trace of floral above it. The sugar is overwhelming. The caramelish note from Midway and Miskatonic is here, and I hope it doesn’t strangle me with ashtray nastiness again... especially considering how very, very long that note stays on my skin.

 

After a bit of wear, something fruity came through, which I found very interesting. The caramel is still exceedingly heavy, and it’s definitely overlaid with smokiness (ugh), but the dark red fruit smell is appealing. I only wish I could detect more dark red fruit and less smoky caramel. The fruit is interesting -- it’s like cherry, but without that almond quality that so often accompanies a BPAL cherry.

 

Looking back at the notes, I realize that part of what I am picking up as fruit is the coconut -- it fills in the gap between the cherry (which is probably currant) and the caramel. Interesting. I would be very happy to have more of the fruit aspect in here; I wonder if my skin amps the caramel beyond what it does for other people.

 

This entire scent is very characteristically BPAL. If I smelled it without knowing that it was by the Lab, I might very well guess at it. It’s a little of this, a little of that, and a whole blend as a result... yet I don’t think it will stand out to me, because it lacks an individual personality. It’s just another Miskatonic-style scent -- this one with added fruit. I can tell it’s much more than that in the scent notes, but I can’t tell it on my skin. Although I like it for the fruit, it’s a pity that it’s not more distinctive among its sisters.

[spring]

I am in love.

 

On my skin I get amber, coconut and caramel. Throughout the day the scents take turns stepping forward or back - but always combining sweetly with just a touch of smokiness.

[n1k1ta]

My first thought when I put Red Lantern on was "YOWZA!" I smelled sexy and coconuty. There is a deep, smooth caramel note that makes my mouth water.

 

The coconut faded a little after an hour and the sweet tobacco/opium really came though. I really don't know what delphinium smells like, but it must be the floral note here. The spices and amber are really light and lovely. I'm glad that the spices didn't overwhelm all the other gorgeous notes.

 

The throw is juuuust right too. I don't want my perfume to enter the room before I do. Red Lantern's strong enough though that it lingers in the air around me so I continue to catch whiffs of it.

 

If this is what an opium den smells like, I'd like to find one now.

[lightgatherer]

(This is the 2006 version.)

 

This is one of my new favorite scents. The amber and caramel are dominant for most of the wear, and together they're an incredibly rich and warm scent. The coconut and the spices peek out a little bit here and there to add some interest to the warm richness. This has pretty good throw and long wear length. I couldn't stop sniffing myself while wearing this; I've already bought a bottle, but I may need a second....

[SultryWolf]

This review is for the 2007 version.

in the decant: Caramel and coconut.

on: Much the same.

[edenssixthday]

The Red Lantern 2007 - The 2006 version smelled like carmel and coconut with a touch of currant and was a nice, foody scent. This year’s smells like lots and lots of dusty wood with a touch of carmel. It’s way too dry, woody, and dusty for my taste. It has low throw and fades after about 2 hours.

[slave1]

RED LANTERN

 

In Bottle: Nutty Kaluha

 

On Skin: This is one of my favorite LE scents. It is so sweet and yummy. My husband thinks I smell like a Mudslide when I wear it. It’s a bit more resinous than the 2006 version. The 2006 was more foody and full of caramel. This one I can really smell the tobacco , amber and opium. Also the spices come through very nicely. It is so sexy. Dripping with sweetness but also blanketed by velvety resins and incense with the delicious coconut shining through. There is also that boozy note that it had last year, but again there is no booze in the description… The black currant is thankfully not noticable (Black currant and blackberry usually go to cat pee on me). This scent is freaking beautiful and I love wearing it. I have 3 bottles already though. Medium throw and short to average wearlength.

[Ahania]

In the bottle, it's all sweet, playful coconutty caramel- it reminds me a lot of Creepy, without the apple. As it dries, the tobacco comes out to tone down the sweetness and make it richer and deeper. I'm not really getting the currant or spice at all, but there is a hint of floral and some amber creaminess.

[laslibres]

I loooove Red Lantern. It smells like something I would eat, although I know the oil itself wouldn't taste very good.

 

In the bottle, it's a lot like Misk U, but where Misk U developed a thick layer of library dust over it as soon as I got it on my skin, Red Lantern does no such thing. It's purely caramel vanilla cookies, with coconut too - I tried Attar Bazaar's Sudanese Coconut too, and between that and this it's quickly becoming one of my favorite notes, it's a great toasted coconut smell here. And thankfully, I detect no tobacco anywhere (I knew if there was too much tobacco it could be a deal-breaker for me, although I tried the scent anyway). Perfect foody scent. Love!

[bulletslc]

Mine's a decant and I think its 2006 version.

 

In bottle-caramel/boozy

 

Wet--warm, rummy, caramel, coconut and tobacco--almost too sweet though..

Drying down--more tobacco smell and something whitish beneath...maybe the white in the white opium? A crispness beneath the heady spice/caramel

 

Dry for awhile (4 hours?) Nice! Not so boozy....the caramel has blended nicely with the tobacco and coconut to produce a warm, soft, comforting smell. I think the amber is helping out there as well. There is an undertone of fruit...Yum!

 

Throw-strong

 

I don't know if I want this in a big bottle, but it will definitly find its way back on my pulse points when I need a naughty, spicey smell!

[PurringPulsar]

Red Lantern 07

 

In the imp: creamy caramel with hints of flowers and currant.

Wet on skin: this reminds me of the crème caramel note of Underpants with a huge hit of incense smoke now! Very nice!

Dry: soft white floral incense with a sprinkling of sugar. This one has a less heavy caramel than last year’s, and is heavier on the floral notes, the opium seems more like poppy and I think the delphinium may be stronger. There’s also a little currant, some exotic spicy incense which reminds me of sandalwood, and a tiny bit of coconut as well. Oddly, it’s also a tiny bit soapy, but not in a bad way, it’s almost like a fresh linen note has crept into the scent.

After a while: now it’s turned to soapy white floral incense. Why? Where is the wonderful caramelised amber tobacco opium spicy incense I got last year? Where is the soapy flowery scent coming from? Why am I getting washing powder here? This isn’t working as nicely on me as last year’s did when it was fresh…and that one’s become even better with age. A little bit of coconut pops out after some time but the scent isn’t losing it’s oddly soapy note. It does smell a bit nicer but not as nice as last year’s. The soapy scent does disappear though, and the coconut becomes the most dominant note at drydown, along with tobacco. It now reminds me of a drier version of Elegba with a touch of Port Royal.

Verdict: I adored last year’s Red Lantern, and I love more now that it’s aged a little. This one is not as nice on me. There’s an odd soap note to this-maybe a floral note-which smells white and powdery and almost like washing powder mixed with sweet incense. The gorgeous opium incense and tobaccoare still there, along with a subtler caramel, but I’m not sure about the soapy note I’m picking up, I also don’t get as much amber in here either. After a while this does fade to leave a lovely coconut-tobacco-spice-caramel scent, still with a touch of clean floral to it. That’s my favourite part of the scent. I do like the way the caramel is more low-key in this version (my old RL is a little too heavy to wear sometimes) and if it weren’t for the soapiness, I’d get a bottle. Maybe this needs a little aging to get rid of that odd note, but I think I’ll pass this one on.

Emoticon rating:

Is it a keeper? It’s not bad but last year’s is better on me.

If you like this, try: Tiresias, Arrival at the Sabbath, Sugar Skull, Arachnina, Opium Poppy, Elegba, Perversion

[habuchan]

There are no words to acurately describe the wonderland my sense of smell is frolicking through right now. This is pure decadence in a bottle. Even sniffing the bottle made me moan in a way normally only reserved for more *intimate* encounters.

 

In the Bottle: This is all wet, thick rich caramel and coconut. These two smells are literally embracing each other and are nearly indistinguishable. I wanted to drink the bottle. It's very very strong though.

 

On Me: Initially, the coconut and caramel continued their vertical tango across my skin. Let me note that I'm very happy I'm at home right now. *laughs* I don't know if I could trust myself in public with this on.

 

Dry Down: The tobacco note has shouldered its way to the front, joining the coconut and caramel in a menage a trois that seems to be a truly "shifting" pattern. The throw on this is very heady, and I feel like I should, in fact, be lounging in an opium den, chasing the dragon...and feeling everything. The currant shows up here and there, just a light hint underneath the rest of it all. Adding a smoky berry undertone that is quite pleasant and not overpowering at all. There's a touch of the spice wafting through...just enough to tie it all together without fighting for attention, and the amber is adding the dusty-powdery-ness to it, I think.

 

Overall a truly fabulous scent. One that I will be wearing quite often because it's so...yummy! And yet, somehow manages to be sophisticated sexy goodness in a bottle. 5/5

[Rchll]

Oh how I wish I'd gotten a second bottle.

 

Caramel right off the bat that mellows into exotic.....I don't know but just exotic...and now I go find fiancee for some loving.

 

Edit: upon reading the above review I have to say I agree with most of what was said. On me it finished more towards caramel than tobacco but the notes were all still there.

Edited March 29, 2007 by Rchll

[glass_cat]

I was initially a little nervous about ordering Red Lantern because of the coconut note... coconut and I have a 50/50 chance at best when it comes to really getting along... but ultimately I couldn't resist giving it a try and tossed a bottle in a cart just before the Lupercalia scents came down. I figured at worst I could trade it for something I like better at some point down the line.

 

However, upon actually making this the "perfume of the day" so I could test it properly (since today is my anniversary and I knew my boyfriend would love this on me) I can tell you that Red Lantern won't be going anywhere. This actually smells to me like the exotic lovechild of Miskatonic University and Perversion, if scent comparisons to other BPALs are in order. The buttery caramel foody notes that I liked in Misk U are still very much present in Red Lantern, but the woody dustiness is replaced by that beautiful smoky opium note I love so much in some of my other blends, and the coffee note is replaced by something much headier and boozier. On me, I get only a hint of the coconut, so it actually enhances the scent for me instead of ruining it as it might have if it were more prominent.

 

Lantern as a whole experience is very seductive, very exotic, and very comforting all at once. It does summon to mind images of an opium den full of intoxicated, barely conscious gentlemen reclining on sofas and exotic, scantily clad beauties drifting about the room like shadowy ghosts. Very nice! Definitely a keeper.

Edited April 1, 2007 by glass_cat

[dorothy humbird]

Got this in a swap from cybra111 -- thanks, lady!

 

Initially on my skin this was all buttery caramel. My roommate took one sniff of my wrist and said, "Ooh, that's good." (I suspect she might be a bit of a foody, as she also adores Dorian.) Not necessarily being a hardcore foody person myself, I'm waiting to see what happens as it dries down.

 

Shortly afterwards my nose is picking up on things that remind me of Lyonesse and Bastet -- I have to assume it's the amber. This particular smell that Bastet and Lyonesse and now Red Lantern have all shared doesn't really... make me swoon. It smells too mature for me, somehow.

 

Nevertheless, I can also smell the tobacco a little bit, giving the blend a distinct, almost nutty sweetness. The caramel is still coating everything in creamy-butter-stickiness, and there is a bit of a floral fringe, which I suppose is the delphinium.

 

As this has dried down, I am noticing the caramel more. I'm not sure if that's just my nose desensitizing itself to the other notes, or if it's part of the actual notes drydown. Either way, I like it. It's definitely growing on me... I may just age the imp a while and see how I like it in a few months.

[Silverstrike]

This review is for the 2007 version.

 

Caveat: I'm a foodie person. If it's sweet, I'm much more likely to like it--my favorite scents include Midway, Candy Butcher and Hungry Ghost Moon. However, I'm also trying to branch out of straight foodie scents--one of my favorite scents is also Jacob's Ladder, so I thought I'd try Red Lantern, since both have amber (and GC ambers that I've tried so far, do not work for whatever reason).

 

Straight from the Lab I had instant buyer's remorse because this smelled awful to me--to my nose, very similar to Sugar Skull and Devil's Night, neither of which worked for me even after I'd tried aging them. It's a similar sweet burnt Worsterchire (sp) sauce scent that disagrees with my nose.

 

After a month of two, it was basically the same. But now, after maybe three months, it's starting to grow on me. It's starting to smell kind of sweet and smoky, and if you wait awhile, a little perfumey kind of the way Jacob's Ladder is on me (which is what I like), possibly the amber? It does smell a little naughty, and it isn't a scent I think I'd feel like wearing everyday necessarily, but it's become beautiful to my nose, and I'm glad. Makes me wonder what it'll be like in a few more months.

[kitsunenotsuki]

I bought this on E-bay as an impulse buy, and I'm glad I did.

 

In Bottle: I smell strong caramel, and coconut. I also smell a little something else, but I can't quite identify it.

 

Wet: Lost the caramel, gained more coconut and some tobacco.

 

Dry: the caramel came back only subdued. I'm still getting some coconut, and I think I'm getting a little of the opium.

 

 

I never got any of the black current, and that makes me sad. Because I really like that scent. I could smell the amber in the background all the way through, and it really makes the scent very warm. I'm really glad that I bought this scent. It may become one of my favorites.

[captainoats]

In the imp: Spicy and golden. Definitely a bit of the caramel and tiny bit of coconut, as well as some of the tobacco. For some reason, this reminds me of Queen Alice. I hope the amber doesn't go powdery on me. *fingers crossed*

 

Wet: Mmm, dark spices and caramel, something sweet and somehow sinister at the same time. I'm glad the tobacco isn't more prominent - it's just enough to give the scent a bit of smoke without smelling like I smoke three packs a day . I'm suprised at how much I like this.

 

Drying: Sweeter and softer now, and a bit lighter too - I think the amber is making it lighter without getting powdery. I can still smell the caramel, but it's like caramel that's behind abunch of other stuff, so that you can smell it and it sweetens the scent, but it doesn't overpower anything or get too sweet.

 

Dry: Arg, there's definitely some powder now, and the tobacco is more noticable, but it's still nice overall. I wish the caramel and the spices had stuck around more obviously.

 

Final Verdict: A bit incensey for my tastes, without actually smelling like incense . I'll use my imp, but even if it wasn't LE I don't think I'd buy more.

 

 

Edited because I can't spell. At all.

Edited May 16, 2007 by captainoats

[DangerInRed]

Mmm, this is really nice! I can smell the coconut, something sweet for a base- the caramel I'm guessing- and soft, perfumey spices, most likely the amber. The different notes are very well blended, and it's not all that easy to pick out the distinct scents. When I first applied this, I could smell a hint of something almost green, but I think it faded away. Very nice, I'm glad I have a decant of this!

[Akurarei]

Red Lantern 2007:

 

First off - I had no idea that tobacco notes smelled so good on me!

When I saw the tobacco mentioned, my first thought was "cigarettes? PASS!" I was sooooo wrong.

Sorry to ever doubt you, BPAL.

 

In the Bottle:

I get mostly tobacco but also something sweet which I will guess is the caramel.

 

On my Skin, Wet:

Oh.My.Goodness.

The tobacco has subsided somewhat but the caramel comes out to play & Tangoes with the Opium and the delphinium.

I can't really pin down the coconut though.

I assume it's bringing the creaminess feel to the overall experience.

 

On my Skin, Dry:

A softer version of the dance from the wet stage.

All the notes seem to be taking turns and just swaying back and forth between each other...

much like a breezy day outside the Opium Den ^_~

 

Verdict:

9 of 10!

Even the fiance kept nuzzling my neck!

Extra Bonus!!

I suppose next year I'll buy 2 or more Red Lantern 2008!! (PLEASE BPAL?!)

 

P.S. I happened to wear this the same day as going to see '300' at the movies.

from now on I always associate Red Lantern 2007 with excessive exposed flesh.

I suppose it's fitting since it was a Valentine's scent!

LOL!!

Edited June 5, 2007 by Akurarei

[naeelah]

Wet and on the initial dry down this one is caramel like woah. I think that I smell the coconut and amber (and maybe a little tobacco) in that wave, but the predominant character is CARAMEL! Thick, syrupy, warm, and sweet.

 

When it's almost finished drying I can smell the amber, but I kind of have to look for it. It blends very well with the other notes and basically just serves to ground everything, I think.

 

Then it's dry and... where did it go? All I smell is a light, dusty, very faintly smoky wood sort of note on my skin, and I have to sniff pretty hard to find it.

 

After another 15 minutes or so, suddenly it's sweet again. (This is typical of my skin chemistry. I can't explain it.) It's still extremely faint and a little bit musty, like a room that people have been smoking in, but the caramel note has returned.

 

I had high hopes for this one, but I don't think it's going to work for me. I got a partial bottle from someone, figuring I'd like it enough to want a few imps but not enough to have a whole 5ml. I like it ok, but it's totally unremarkable on my skin (I can't even smell it!), so off to swaps it goes.

[MurderOfCrows]

In The Vial: Sweet, sugary -- I get a lot of caramel; I think that's the blended notes of tobacco and amber with it.

 

In Wet: I have just slathered caramel on my wrist... I have this urge to lick myself, and must resist. I love the smell of caramel, and the taste that much more.

 

Drydown: This -- evens out into ... into something with spice behind it. Amber, and tobacco lay behind the caramel; opium and spices keep it -- well, not lively, but from being just another food scent. I'm not sure if I like this or not. It'll probably take a couple more wears for me to figure out.

 

I do know -- this smells golden-brown, though.

[Rouge]

This is a scent that makes me want to throw on a cheongsam and go wandering through the back streets singing "The Year of the Cat".

 

In the vial - Incredibly rich and complex. I smell almost all of the major notes, with caramel, tobacco and blackcurrant taking precedence. The delphinium and spice flit gently around the edges of the scent, almost like the perfume of one of the infamous Shanghai "flower girls" themselves; it's like a beautiful woman in a red silk wrapper, half hidden in the shadows.

 

Wet on the skin - Warm and woody, shrouded in tobacco smoke and rich, deep incense. The blackcurrant note is unexpected but very noticeable. Lazy, warm and sensual.

 

Dry down - The patrons of the Red Lantern evidently like their cigars; tobacco becomes very prevalent after a few minutes but it's a rich, sweet smoke of an expatriate southern gentleman rather than having any harsh cigarette-like notes.

 

Some time later the caramel and coconut notes edge to the forefront, blending into a rounded and well-balanced scent that has a perfect mixture of sweet and dry notes.

 

Sophisticated and dangerously seductive, The Red Lantern is evidently a high-class establishment full of darkness and beauty, danger and addiction; frequented by crime lords, exiled aristocrats... and me, it would seem.

[Mixxi]

In the imp: Caramel features heavily. Smells foody & sweet with a hint of something sexy in the background. Can definately smell the blackcurrant too.

 

Wet on skin: Caramel still really strong & now the coconut is coming out a lot & can smell amber behind it.

 

Dry on skin: I can now smell the amber & hint of sweet tabacco blended beautifully with the foodyness of the caramel, black coconut & blackcurrant & the opium & spice behind it. The notes can be easily picked out but they are blended gorgeously.

 

Overall: This is one of those scents I put in the 'sexy & foody' category. I recieved this as a frimp & i'm not sure how hard it'll be to get a 5ml but I will try! I think it's lovely & definately my kind of scent.