Mouse's Long and Sad Tale

[Delirium1009]

Vanilla, two ambers, sweet pea and white sandalwood.

The notes in this blend really nicely together. The sweet pea gives this a very sweet and almost fruity floral scent, while the ambers and sandalwood add a light earthiness. As this fades, it becomes this pleasant sweet earthy scent with just the lightest touch of florals. I absolutely love this!

[Catmint]

IMP: fresh, fruity sweet pea

 

WET: sweet pea and vanilla; very VERY sweet and somewhat powdery

 

DRY: the freshness of the sweetpea disappears almost immediately, and it smells like a very sweet, vaguely floral vanilla. After about 15 minutes the sweet pea is gone altogether, and it's just an ambery, sandalwoody scent with a smidge of vanilla. Warm and sweet, but fairly faint and nothing special on me. This mouse's tale will end in the swap pile, methinks.

 

ETA: The first time I tried this I was looking for sweet pea and was disappointed by how quickly it evaporated. But as I've tried more and more BPAL blends I've started to appreciate vanilla and amber a lot more. I usually avoid sandalwood because I amp it like crazy, but this one is very well behaved. I like this more and more; in fact I'm beginning to like it better than Antique Lace and I'm thinking of swapping my bottle of AL and getting this instead.

 

It also smells gorgeous layered with Sudha Segara

Edited May 20, 2008 by Catmint

[meredevachon]

When I first started wandering around the BPAL site, I came across the description for MLaST and had to have it. It just seemed so perfectly me. There was never any question whether or not I was going to order this one, only whether to get a bottle unsniffed or start out with the imp. Caution prevailed and I just got the imp. I should have been bolder.

 

On me, Mouse is a creamy, warm, golden vanilla that isn't foody - my favorite kind of vanilla. The amber & sandalwood perk up more during drydown, and the balance is perfect. I never really get the sweetpea as sweetpea (which I would have liked if I hadn't fallen so in love with what I do get), but from time to time there's a hint of sweetness that isn't from the vanilla. When I put it on, it's like coming home or being more me than I already am (if that makes any sense). It stays relatively close to the skin, which I like because I'm not comfortable drawing a lot of attention to myself or my perfume, and it lasts a long time.

 

I'm a BPAL newbie, but until/unless something absolutely knocks me off my feet, Mouse is my perfect everyday scent. I can't believe how lucky I was to have my first pick be so exactly what I wanted it to be.

[metaldog32]

Okay…so I bought the 5ml outright because of the following:

 

Amber-love it.

Sandalwood-like it

Sweet Pea-my sister’s nickname for me and yes..I like it as a fragrance.

Initial sniff from bottle:Sweet vanilla and amber..I think I smell the sweetpea but I can’t be sure. Very very sweet. Almost a tad cloying but I am ready to dig in.

 

Applied wet on skin:Mmmmm..amber. Yes…the vanilla is cheek to cheek with amber…and sweet pea is looking for some room on the dance floor. Sandalwood?? Sandalwood is at the bar..having a drink..smoking a cigarette..just waiting and watching the scene.

 

Couple of minutes on skin:Okay…vanilla has switched partners..it’s now with sweetpea; amber has met sandalwood at the bar for a drink..they are very close with eachother.

 

Ten minutes later:I can’t figure out if it’s the vanilla, sweetpea or amber leading..but they are all here and the mélange is round and sweet. On th edge is the sandalwood..wispy dryness here and there. I quite like this.

 

Twenty minutes later:Still going strong..the sweet pea, the vanilla, the amber..and yes the wispy sandalwood.

 

Thirty minutes later: You know..it’s still going strong…this scent doesn’t fade softly into the night. It’s not screaming in your face either..it just keeps wafting out. It’s sweet and round and just…girly. Cuddly. The type of fragrance I would wear if I wanted to feel feminine and flirty in an innocent sort of way. The kind of scent I would wear cuddling with my SO..it seems a bit comforting. Interestingly enough..at the very tail end of this while I am whiffing at my wrists I swear it sort of smells like the drydown of Black Opal. Something here..maybe it’s the vanilla with the sandalwood…it makes me think of that scent. That’s a good thing folks..because I LOVE Black Opal.

 

Drydown-Dry sweetness.

 

Lasting power 4 hours with throw average.

 

Bottom Line: MSaLT is a girly and cuddly sweet floral. I can thank the vanilla and sweet pea for that; the amber and sandalwood make it wearable for me and restrain it from being almost cloying. Surprisingly it has decent wear length and throw-I think it works all year long but I especially would like to wear it for days when I want to feel snuggly and safe.

[Honeygirl]

I have Mouse burning in my tart burner. Unfortunately, I poured the whole imp in. Which I am regretting now that I smell how beautiful it really is.

 

Bottle: I get a orangey vanilly sweet scent. I'm not really sure what those notes are, but they smell alright.

 

In the tart burner: Why did I pour the whole thing in? Perhaps the amber is where I'm getting the orange from? It's truly a beautiful scent that has taught me a lesson. Until you test it, don't assume it's not for you. I will eventually get a bigger bottle of this, but I have some greater loves.

[girlygirl]

Wet, vanilla & Sweet Pea. As it dries the sandalwood and amber come out but the soft floral of the sweet pea remains in the background.

 

This is so soft, warm, and delightful. All the notes meld together nicely.

[taramarie]

Wet on my skin, Mouse's Long and Sad Tale is vanilla and sweet pea. Almost too sweet. Dry, it's much more subtle. Still strong but not as sweet. I like this a lot.

[fireflower]

In the imp: The vanilla and white sandalwood are popping out the most. I can smell sweet pea underneath it. This is a very sweet smell. My brother's girlfriend said it smelled like candy. Not in an artificial or foody way, because I wouldn't be able to tell you which candy it smelled like. Suffice it to say that the vanilla is making it very sweet and light.

 

First applied: Mmmmm. I immediately like this. Very delicate and sweet. The vanilla is the most dominant note. The sweet pea is what's making it a more well-rounded and well-blended scent. I can't really detect the amber. That part is in the far background. The sandalwood is giving it a smokey yet sweet quality. I really like this.

 

Drydown: It's been on me for about an hour and I can still smell it. It's not as strong as before, but it's definitely still there. For some reason, it strikes me as a very "innocent" scent.

 

Verdict: 9/10. Getting a big bottle. Possibly two, since it's my mom's favorite out of all the imps I just ordered, and I know she will attempt to steal mine if I only get one.

Edited October 16, 2007 by Queen Mab

[LadyMedb]

OK, Mouse. You morph a lot, you wriggly little thing! This started out almost aquatic on me, then settled into a beautiful sweet pea vanilla. Unfortunately, the final drydown amped the amber for me, and I love amber, but the whole thing just got a little bit too sweet and powdery with the sandalwood and all. These are all notes I love, but they're just a tiny bit off-balance all together like this. It's a super-pretty blend - don't get me wrong - but I have a lot of imps lying around and I can't see my way clear to keeping this one.

[Myotis]

I have to say, next to Snow Bunny, Mouse's Tale is my absolute 2nd favourite of all time BPAL I've tried.

This is the one I refer to as my "safe scent" because I can wear it anytime, anywhere and know it still smells great on me as well as it isn't overpowering for work.

 

The amber really comes through on me with a hint of sweet pea and perhaps a bit of vanilla behind it.

Luckily for me, it remains exactly the same on my skin as it smells in the bottle.

 

I had originally received this as an imp and that imp was empty in about 2 weeks.

 

I managed to whiz through at least 3/4 of a bottle in about 10 weeks of this one so I had to order another bottle recently!

 

I wish they made this one in bodywash, soap, shampoo, conditioner, lotion......you get the picture.

[erraticprophet]

Oh, how I love this scent! It's almost as good as Dorian (and that's saying a lot)!

 

Initial Impression: soft sweet, slightly floral

 

On Wet: vanilla, amber, softer floral

 

On Dry: sweet pea, vanilla, amber undertones

 

Final Impression: Gorgeous!

 

Rating (on a scale of 1-5): 5. I will definitely be getting a big bottle of this!

[mspixieears]

I’m hoping the amber won’t run off and take over this blend – and it doesn’t! I get instant vanilla mixed equally with sweet pea (I adore sweet pea in BPAL blends on my skin!). Tested this before bedtime and was very fitting – it’s a very dreamy, soporific blend. I get the smallest hint of the white sandalwood which is fast becoming a preferred note in BPAL fragrances. There is something slightly sad and wistful about this fragrance – it’s breathtaking. Must see if I can get a bottle.

[topazphoenix]

Mouse is sweet and sharp at the same time - must be the sweetpea? After a while, it becomes a faint, wistful vanilla. Reminds me of Antique Lace. Certain vanilla and floral combinations smell really wrong to me.

Edited July 10, 2009 by AmandaKay

[porcelina]

this mouse is very soft, sweet and pleasant. the sweet pea sugars up the vanilla and amber. it wears very close to the skin and is just cozy and warm and nice.

[nightchild80]

In the Imp (wet): The amber and sandalwood. All of it. Very heady.

 

On me: The amber and scandalwood are the first notes, but it's the vanilla with the staying power. It is the rich thick fresh vanilla scent you get straight of a pod and reduce down with syrup, not the chemical essence nonsense you get at a baking shop. Very yummy. It reduces down to the sweet pea and the headiness of the sandalwood, but very sweet without being headache-inducing.

[Zeljana]

very lovely, very frail, very sweet but this one really makes me think and contemplate. I like the way vanilla is warmed up with amber in this one and sweet pea just makes it gorgeous altogether. as it dries down sandalwood becomes more prominent and the scent becomes a little somber.. and sad.

[lilirose]

Oh no. I should have read the reviews of this before I randomly chose this as Imp Of The Day. I swore off of vanilla weeks ago. It Just Doesn't Work with my skin chemistry.

 

Anyway. Yes, vanilla. Vanilla soap, in fact. Why did this turn to soap on me when it hasn't turned to soap on any of the other reviewers? And it's not just a little bit of soap, either; it's the "washed my mouth out with soap" feeling that I haven't had since I tried Come to Me, which is freaky because the two don't even smell remotely alike.

 

I am very sad about Mouse's Long and Sad Tale.

[persephanise]

Mouse's Long and Sad Tale is, quite simply, the fragrance I've been looking for all my adult life.

 

I adore vanilla, but I find it's difficult to come across a vanilla that doesn't smell cheap, or plastic, or like a candle. And while there are times I love to smell like cake batter, it isn't the scent I want for my signature.

 

When I first opened the imp, it was vanilla and sweet pea, and I thought to myself, "Hmm, this could be nice." My first impression was positive, but not overwhelmingly so. In fact, I put the imp down to try some of the others in my order. When I finally tried it on, my first impression continued to be, "Wow, this is quite pleasant" but I still wasn't blown away.

 

It wasn't until later that day that I realized it was The Scent. This fragrance morphs a lot on me--it goes from vanilla and flowers to plain old amber (which i also love) to a heady blend that just smells like Beauty on me. I'm a dark haired, golden skinned person, and I like a smell that matches my coloring--warm, a bit sweet.

 

I wear this every day. It's my absolute, hands-down, all-time favorite perfume and I can't imagine loving anything else the way I love this scent (though that doesn't stop me from looking!). I feel centered and confident and beautiful when I wear this. It isn't sexy or powerful--but its feminine, and makes me feel like I *own* my body and my space. It makes me feel *good*. Isn't that what perfume should do?

Edited November 26, 2007 by Persephanise

[alexandra]

In the vial: very vanilla, the amber is there but there is a cloying scent (sweetpea?) that I'm not keen on.

 

Wet: Sweet and comforting but again there is something that floats on the top making me gag.

 

Dry: Huzzah! The disquieting note has vanished and I am left with a beautiful, creamy vanilla with soothing amber holding my hand. Lovely.

 

And?...: I love it after half an hour - truly comforting. I find myself drifting towards the imp at bedtime, popping it on my shoulder as I get ready. By the time I snuggle up in bed I get cuddly drifts of vanilla that soothe me into sleep. Beautiful little rodent.

[TrailerTrashPrincess]

i had tried this over a year ago and i remember thinking i didn't like it.

so i've tried it again and... it really is lovely.

reminds me a bit of Dorian, but with the pinkness of sweet pea instead of the pale yellow of lemon.

 

must remember to add a bottle of this to my next order!

[MaidMirawyn]

Tonight was my first BPAL-wearing experience. After a visit to Whole Foods in Roswell, Georgia, I am wearing Mouse on one wrist and Parsifal on the other. (And I OWN PARSIFAL! Woo!)

 

In the bottle: I loved, loved, loved Mouse. I can't remember it too clearly (drat...should have taken notes), but I remember it was sweet but not overpowering. I didn't really notice the amber and sandalwood.

 

On my wrist: It quickly got strong, and kind of sharp? Astringent? It smelled very strong in the car...maybe it's the amber. (I remember I had to be careful with Bath and Body Works' amber fragrances.) Or it could be the sandalwood; it is a touch more incense-like than I usually like. No floral or vanilla I can smell.

 

After an hour: It's mellowing a bit. I can detect the fragrance I liked originally. I'm starting to pick up the sweet pea, I think, and maybe just a touch of the vanilla. The amber and sandalwood appear to be fading a bit.

 

We'll see how it smells in a couple more hours. Mouse was really my top pick from the bottle, even over the Parsifal that I ended up buying. After fifteen minutes of browsing and letting the scents set on my skin, though, Parsifal suited me better. Plus it made my beloved husband happy.

 

Edited to add: I think the problem is the sandalwood, or perhaps the blending of sandalwood and amber. Kuang Shi was a big no for me, and it had white sandalwood... I'll try a couple of other sandalwood scents to find out.

 

However, I'm considering an imp of Mouse anyway; I intend to buy a perfume locket very soon (yay for Christmas money), and I think it will work wonderfully in that.

Edited December 19, 2007 by MaidMirawyn

[hipslike___cinderella]

I have a little crush on sweet pea. It reminds me of my mom, for she went through a sweet pea-wearing stage in my youth. I was actually frimped this, although this was on my To Try list.

This is very, very creamy vanilla, a little woodsy. This is one of the lightest amber notes I've tried, also. A sweet, innocent, creamy, woodsy vanilla. That's about what I have to say about it. It wears on me as mostly vanilla and sandalwood. This isn't really my thing in the end, but I've always wanted to try it anyways.

[Christine Daae]

In the imp, this is faintly floral-vanilla-sweet.

 

Wet, on my skin, it's...it's not soapy death! It's sweet, a little fruity-floral, with an undertone of the amber and a creamy vanilla. Very pretty!

 

As it dries, it's a very faint slightly-soapy, slightly-creamy sweetness. This is what I wished Desdemona had done on me, instead of turning strictly to floral soap. And then I get the sandalwood, which dries it out considerably, but is still very nice. I think the ambers and the sandalwood are what keep the sweet pea from turning into soap on me this time.

 

As it dries, it reminds me a little of...Death Cap? I think it might be the sandalwood and vanilla that's doing that. This is, thankfully, the vanilla that likes me. This is light, clean, and pink - sweet, but not cloying. It's in the same family as Maiden, to me, a sweet pink floral.

 

This is very pretty - I will keep the imp, but I'll have to try it more than once to know if I'll need a bottle of it.

[lmaunu]

Based on the descriptions of this, I ordered a bottle before trying it first in an imp, and I'm so glad that I went ahead and bought the actual bottle!

 

It's a light, lovely floral scent, with nice throw and staying power. The vanilla and powdery notes that are showing up on other people don't come through as strongly on me. Instead, I get soft, subtle amber; a hint of sandalwood; and soft notes of sweet pea. If you like floral scents that are subtle and sweet, this is a wonderful one to try!

[YoakeNoKami]

Imp: Vanilla and sweet pea.

 

On: Vanilla--rich, deep, velvety vanilla, with wonderfully smooth amber--it's sweet, but oddly enough, it's tempered just enough by the fruityness of the sweet pea (if that makes any sense at all)

 

Drydown: This dries down to sweetpea +sandalwood on me for the most part, with this light wash of that amber warming it. It's not overtly floral on me, or foody--just a lovely warm scent all around.