Sundew

[metaldog32]

A carnivorous enchantress: diverse, lovely and graceful, emitting a sticky, glowing golden, sweet and terminally inviting scent. Its dew is believed to grant eternal beauty and longevity, and restore vitality and vigor to the magician.

I had bought a 5 ml unsniffed for my sister and surprisingly..it found its way back to me..apparently she wasn’t enthralled with it so it was promptly placed in the sale pile until I had a chance to perhaps try it.

I then received a decant of it from a generous forumite..so I figured I have nothing to lose..might as well try it and see if it flies. Tonight is the night.

I have to say..I am kind of confused as to why this wouldn’t have worked on my sis..she definitely likes sweet scents…and the whole “glowing/golden” description definitely has even my interest piqued..so without further ado:

Initial sniff from decant: Hmmm….a bit dewy…there is a smidgen of something sweet…kind of in the back…smells pretty. Different though from other pretty floral scents that I have tried like Black Hellebore…it’s kind of has a bit of a soft grassy note too???

Applied wet on skin: Floral..not anything I can discern distinctly either..but I can safely say no roses..or lilacs or peonies..nope….smells like a spring/summer bouquet though..and its definitely has sweetness to it that almost seems like honey with the moist dew glistening..there does seem to be a freshness here..again..I thought it was a soft grassy note..and now..I get a really soft tinge of something citrus too..as other reviewers noted. Definitely a yellow/white bouguet…I can totally relate to that visual.

Couple of minutes on skin: It’s still got that waft of floral with honey/dewy sweetness kind of coming out on me in lazy soft waves..and that really soft tinge of citrus is still way in the back. I can’t quite decide if this is indeed daffodil or honeysuckle..but it’s really very pretty. It kind of does have that “clothes dried out in the sun” note weaving in and out…a very clean floral..but not one that screams detergent or anything like that..it has a lazy vibe to it..the sweet dewy flowers dancing in the breeze under bright skies…it’s the visual I get. I think though that the wisp of citrus…it kind of also makes me think that it might be tinged a bit with ozone..for some reason there is something in here that has a similar feel to it as Sea of Glass..meh..maybe I am just grasping at staws here..

Ten minutes on skin: Same mélange of notes..but it does seem to stay close to the skin.

Drydown:Still the touch of sticky sweetness of floral….and a sunny happy one at that..no more glistening dewy vibe..it’s all just the sunshine sweet floral..with a wisp of the clean laundry vibe going on in the back.

This does really stay close on the skin with me…with the throw soft. Lasting power on me is about 2-3 hours.
Bottom Line: Sundew is definitely an interesting floral..I do find it happy and appropriate for spring/summer..and definitely different than the florals I do have in my collection. Am not one hundred percent sure I want to keep the discarded bottle that sis threw at me..not literally of course..but I will keep the imp and try it again over the next month or so..and see how it stacks up. Sweet and clean and dewy…one that kind of fascinates me…and I don’t know why…hmmm…

[Phaedra]

This was a frimp from the Lab in a recent order. Wet this is sweet, soapy, maybe some cinnamon and a hint of citrus. It smells golden. When first on it's a bright floral and a bit mossy. Daffodils maybe and lilies too? Very springlike. This softens and develops a slight earth/dirt undertone. This is a very happy, joyful, yellow springtime scent. A great pick me up scent. Very nice but not really me so I'll pass this one along.

[Lari]

Wow. I am impressed that the smell of this so completely fits the name. It's sweet, sunshine-y, but not hot sun. Honey and honeysuckle and sweetness. Flowers. Maybe even a little honeydew melon. As it dries it gets more floral. I think I like it but I'm not sure what to do with all of this sweetness... I may try to dilute this into a spray of some sort.

[grifyn_whiffs]

This is a beautiful, bright and yellow floral. There's just the right amount of sweetness to keep it from going to green-herbally (which I personally don't care for). WOW. It is airy and gorgeous, and it's nothing I would've picked up for myself EVER. What a perfect blend for summertime!

 

Seems to have quite the staying power too. I could douse myself in this!

[Jilara]

A bright spring flora, very definitely yellow flowers of spring. It would be delicate, if not for that strange (but not unpleasant) sticky note that adds more body. But there is enough of a green note and hinting of citrus that it keeps it from being cloying.

 

I like this one a lot. It's definitely a spring scent, and makes you think of blooming fields of wildflowers. But sticky wildflowers.

[Browneyes]

Imp: Detergent...

Wet: Warming up, getting sweeter, and slowly losing the detergent smell

Dry: Quite pretty. Definately a yellow floral. Sweet and sunny. Not very strong throw.

[KassiK]

This is a great floral scent - if you like florals, which I don't. It is delicate, well blended, and has great staying power. I'd compare it to a stronger "hanging gardens". I would describe it as a spring/summer scent, definitely and it casts off a sort of yellow color. Another thing about this is that it is perfumey, which is another thing I don't like in bpal scents. I like to wear scents that aren't typically perfumey because I've found I like them better and because I get more compliments on them. Unfortunately, as much as I wanted to like this scent, it's not right for my body chemestry/nose. Another thing is that for someone who doesn't like florals, it actually hasn't given me a headache like the other floral scents do, so that does say something. Not on the big bottle list, though. I'll either pass it on to a friend or add it to my swap list.

[radishbaby]

imp : Very bright and wet. I agree with everyone who's related this to sunshine and dew.

 

wet : Nothing's changed - this scent has managed to keep its scent from imp to skin remarkably well.

 

dry : This is like going out in the early morning to a flower field when everything's still wet and fresh and watching the sun shine through the dew, turning it sweet and golden. I know that might sound strange but that's exactly how this smells. There's absolutely no hidden dark notes lurking beneath this scent - just pure golden notes that are incredibly light weight.

 

over all : Very nice and light this would be an excellent morning scent for when I just get up.

[bombus]

It is a very bright and sunny smell, very clean. I get a bit of dryer sheet smell, but a really nice dryer sheet. I guess I really like the clean ones because this one is going on my wishlist.

[anshara]

From The Lab:

Sundew

 

In the Imp: This one's complex, I get an aquatic floral, I'm predominantly smelling Lillies of The Valley in a deeper basenote, I think it's maybe a musk of some variation. I just can't pin this one down, but, I am loving it so far.

 

Wet on skin: Instantly this has gotten headier, almost as heady as Honeysuckle single note. The brightness is rapidly fading to something faintly reminiscent of Talc.

Dry: This dries fairly quickly and I'm beginning to detect a whisper of fruit, I think it's a hint of Apple. The Lilly of The Valley has made way for the much headier Heliotrope. The aquatic note is still there, but, thanks to the musk, this scent feels dry.... Like I said earlier, very complex. This is a strong scent with strong throw. I would apply sparingly. That said, this is absolutely beautiful, I love Heliotrope, and this is a Heliotrope that has you repeatedly sniffing your arm trying to figure it out. Perfume that makes you think.... Gods, I LOVE BPAL!

[storme]

In the imp: fresh bright summery florals, with a tinge of sweetness.

 

On me, wet: sweet green florals - like crushed fresh grass and dandelions

 

On me, dry: there's sort of an aquatic citrusiness under the yellow florals. And still that greenness and summeriness.

 

Verdict: This has very little throw on me, so I'll pass - but mark me down as pleasantly surprised by how nice this was.

[neuilly]

Yellow and bright! Unfortunately there's also a soapy/dryer sheet smell that lasts for a good half hour after initially applying. Then it's back to being a very bright yet soft floral.

[CrazyPretzel]

Whoa! This stuff is STRONG! Strong and rather dangerous-smelling. There's a definite spiciness to it and it feels -- not like it's burning, but like it's thinking about beginning to.

 

While it's drying, there's an odd chemical/soap note, but there's also a juiciness to it that means I can't stop sniffing my wrist. Electric tropical flowers that zap you when you sniff them. That sort of thing. This is just too compelling to give away; I'm going to hang onto my imp.

[terrenity]

Sundew is a hard scent to pin down for me... it's more of a 'feeling' than a combination of specific notes (at least to my inexperienced nose).. but then again, I think that's kind of what BPAL is about.

 

In the bottle Sundew is sharp, green and yellow. Almost too sharp.. I guess this is where the 'carnivorous' part comes in. On, and drying on my skin, it rapidly loses that sharp edge, becoming a soft yellow floral. It reminds me of a gift shop in the summer, for some reason. Sometimes I can catch a whiff of that sweet, almost melon-y scent... it's like the floral hits immediately, but the sweetness sticks in the back of your throat, almost like an aftertaste. On me it has very little throw - I have to get right up to my skin to smell it. It seems to be fading rapidly, too.. I don't think this will last very long on me. Over half an hour, Sundew settles into a very clean, floral scent, almost a little soapy, like someone that's just gotten out of the bath. The sweet note is still there, but barely, clinging onto the end. It's very springy and airy, perfect for summer. This is an everyday pretty sort of scent. Definitely one that I could get addicted to! My only issue with Sundew is that is has a very short life on my skin - after an hour I have to have my nose to my wrist to smell it, and it's gone by lunchtime. That said, I'd be more than content to slather it, even bathe in it! Overall, I'd describe Sundew as a sweet, pale yellow floral.. a nice, clean skin scent. If it were clothing, it'd be a yellow checkered sundress, hanging out to dry in the breeze. Very pretty!

 

Edit: Sundew is tied for my all-time favorite BPAL. It really does smell like sunshine, and reminds me of Bear's name for me, which translates to "the sound of sun shining on water". While I may love a lot of scents, Sundew is completely and undoubtedly me.

 

Color association: Yellow!

Edited April 28, 2008 by terrenity

[LadyBug]

Smells like sweet sunshine! Reminds me of running through a field on a warm sunny spring day. I bought a bottle of this without smelling it and I'm very pleased! I love the name, lable, and scent! It's very clean and fresh. It didn't last very long on my skin but while it's there it's great!

[Delirium1009]

In bottle: Green, grassy, and sharp.

 

Immediately on skin: Very green scent with a light musk undertone. There is a sweet floral tone over the whole scent as well. Very strong and sharp.

 

After a few minutes: the scent turns from green to golden. A sweet scent with a green and almost musky undertone. Almost like honey, sweet grass, and light musk. Tangy and sticky-sweet at the same time. There's a small bit of very sweet floral coming through now as well.

 

Later on: This blend has softened quite a bit now. It’s very fresh, green, and sweet and I think there’s a touch of powder and a tiny bit of florals as well. It’s a very nice bright scent on me.

Edited August 5, 2007 by Delirium1009

[taramarie]

Sundew is a very light, bright floral. It's a little too light and simple for me but I'm glad I got to try it. I'll keep this imp but I won't get a bottle.

[Eemia]

I think this is one of my most happy scents. If I need some mellow cheerfulness, I pick this.

 

This is unsweetened, bright, and floral. But not a bouquet-like floral, or even a garden-like floral. It feels like it could be a green floral. Something along the crisp and vaguely bitter lines. Although it doesn't have a soapy smell, it does have a clean fragrance. Maybe something musky or amber underneath everything as it dries. I keep thinking there's an earth scent in there somewhere....reminds me of a tangle of roots.

 

I was obsessed with this when I smelled it at a will call a while back, and have been wearing out my bottle ever since.

[greencat03]

in imp: This is a vaguely poisonous, yet sunny looking yellow. Very sweet-smelling, but with an undertone of licorice-y spice.

 

on me: smells like sticking my head in a bowl of Jolly Ranchers, mixed with a lil bit of thickened honey and some crushed flowers.

 

after a few mins: wow, this changes a fair amount on me. Now it just smells very soft and warm.

 

Overall: Odd, the first time I tried this it was overpoweringly sweet. This time I rather like it. Oh skin chemistry, you're usually a rock of reliability, but every now and then you taunt me.

[YoakeNoKami]

ooh, another frimp *feels spoiled*

 

In imp: Very golden and green, like crushed flower petals. A "plant" kind of smell

 

On/wet: Still very golden, but more crushed flower petal. I'm not certain why--Sundew, if I'm not mistaken, is actually a carnivorous plant. The flower is a little acidic, a little sweet, but very golden. The green in it seems to give it a bite, like danger offset by beauty.

 

Drydown: After a bit, this rolls up into a more full, warm floral. The floral is not as full on me as the odd rose hint I get out of Thanatos, though, but it's still very lovely. It stays golden and light, with an edge of bitter green that keeps it interesting. The more floral note in it, though, is a bit powdery on me, so it softens the bitter green "plant stem" bit out nicely.

[daiconharuko]

I smell a hint of lemon in this, amongst the flowers. It kinda reminds me of fresh laundry. I'm not too keen on this kinda of floral, even if it is light and inviting.

 

It is a very happy scent. And I'll be happy to pass it on to someone else.

[Styx]

Sundew (Very yellow oil)

 

Imp: Smells a bit sour and soapy.

 

Skin: This blooms on skin. Not sour at all!! While wet, yes it did have a sour tinge to it...but when the oil dries, its a happy bouquet of yellow.

Smells very clean and floral. Like stepping out of the shower after using those small yellow, creamy bars of soap wrapped in thin white paper.

Sadly for me, there must be a type of Lily in it because I got powder in the end. But till then, it was very pretty.

 

Middle weight, sunshine warm, Spring and Summer scent. Same sunshine as Et Lux Fuit and Jacobs Ladder.

[JenM]

Sundew

 

In the imp: I’m hit by warmth and then a pause, and then a department-store perfume kind of smell.

 

On the wrist: I get warmth , a little bit of resin, and a sort of wine, with a hint of grass. Dries down into an airy grass scent with a hint of resin and maybe something citrus-y like tangerine. After ten minutes, it morphs into a floral—sweet on the right wrist, spicy on the left.

 

Oh dear. Now it’s making we sneeze. It is nice, but I’ll have to wash it off.

[styro]

Such glowing reviews for Sundew! I was so excited about trying this one, but sadly my experience of the scent was very different. Sundew was a mildly pleasant wake-up morning scent on me at first, but then went a little funky on the drydown. I gave it a 3 ouf 6 (neutral/meh).

 

Also out of 6...

My foodie friend gave Sundew a 1 (strong dislike).

My woodsy/clean/spicy friend gave it a 3.

My rose/patchouli/spicy friend gave it a 2 initially, then a 0 (it was perky shampoo on her at first, then she had to wash it off).

A guest enablee gave it a 3.5...so she got the imp.

[tartchef]

Another lovely Lab frimp, and another exception to my no-florals rule... Wet, there's a touchy moment of soapiness & the threat of the whole thing exploding with migraine-inducing narcissus & daffodils. Thankfully, that stage passes quickly, and the drydown is a lovely combination of tart lemon sweeties, gentle amber & a breezy, sunshiny day. It is indeed a very inviting, comforting scent, like a freshly scrubbed kitchen on a warm spring day. There's a bunch of daisies on the table, and a bowl of lemons on the bench... Not one I'd have selected unsniffed, certainly, but this will be lovely when the weather turns warm again...