Magdalene

[hangingfire]

A stirring yet gentle perfume. The scent of love and devotion mingled with an undercurrent of heart-rending sorrow. A bouquet of white roses, labdanum, and wild orchid.

In the imp: spicy, almost incense-like. I guess that's the labdanum. Not getting ANY rose at all, at least not as far as I can tell.

On, wet: Still incense-like. A little more floral now; I guess that's the orchid coming out. There's an odd, coconut-like note in there too.

Drydown: Ah, there's the rose -- a lighter, sweeter rose than tea rose, I think. The orchid and labdanum recede somewhat; now it's pretty much all about the rose.

I like this one. It's kind of intense, actually -- sniffing it for too long makes me a little dizzy. It seems to be more my style than the other rose blend I've tried (Fleurs du Mal), so I'll hang on to this imp for the time being.

[urraca]

The drydown of this is a lovely mix of white rose and labdanum, two of my favourite notes of all time. The only thing that would delay a big bottle for me is that the orchid is slightly sharp on me at first, as orchid sometimes can be.

[herongale]

preconceived notion: You know, it occurs to me that with all the holy scents I've tried and liked through BPAL, there is a whole line that I would really love to see them do. Namely, Old Testament Jewish women of faith. Like Ruth, or Delilah. But for now, I'm going to throughly enjoy what the lab does have to offer: lotsa Marys and Jezebels. I am, after all, a total Roman Catholic slut.

 

in the bottle: wow... this comes off like a honeyed lavender to me. These are not notes it really contains, but the mix gives me this impression. Maybe also a floral wine. Very sweet, strong, feminine, and bracing. Lovely.

 

wet: Something about this reminds me of my grandmother and my great aunts from Malta. Although this is in some ways an old-fashioned, antique scent, it doesn't strike me as dowdy at all... this is how incredibly beautiful women smell like in their 50s and 60s. It's honey and hazelnuts, briar roses and cultivated wildflowers. This is a grandmother at the height of her powers; someone to adore and respect beyond measure. It's not how I feel about my maternal grandmother now that I feel when smelling this, but the way I felt about her when I was three. The sweet cuddlesome grandmother who loves you just the way you are, who is lively and fun, and who you just cannot imagine living without.

 

drydown: far too personal to describe clearly. This scent brings me to tears; both of my grandmothers have been dead for a while now, but this is what it would be like if I found a chest containing old clothes belonging to one of them, with that distant vivid fragrance that reminds me so strongly of what I've lost.

 

verdict: perhaps too nostalgic to wear. But definitely too beautiful to give away. I will save this for when I'm feeling pensive and needing of a good hug.

 

postconceived notion: ♥

Edited October 20, 2005 by herongale

[Monster]

First sniff out of the vial, very herbal. I can almost smell...tomato. Strange, I know, but it smells a little bit like old pizza to me.

 

On my skin this morps to an old man aftershave. It's sharp and medicinal smelling with quite a bit of flowers in the backround.

 

Sadly, this one just isn't for me.

[Wench457]

In the imp, Magdalene had a bitter scent which seems very familiar, but I just can't quite place it.

 

On, the roses come out a bit, but only very briefly. I was so hoping for this to be my rose scent.

 

Dry: Alas, the roses are gone now, and what is left is not unpleasant, but smells more like hand lotion than perfume. Faded very fast, within ten minutes, although I slathered.

 

ETA: Okay, so a half-hour after I post my review, I'm talking on the phone and thinking, "What is that lovely rose smell?" It's my wrist - egads! Magdalene just moved from the swap pile into the "try it again" pile.

Edited October 28, 2005 by Wench457

[lookingglass]

The orchid is piercing in this blend. I LOVE white rose (fresh, crisp and regal) and labdanum (for its creamy warmth), but they are so overshadowed by the orchid my heart weaps...

[dcmo]

When first applied it has quite a green herbally scent, like greenery. It dries down much nicer though to be a blend of the rose and orchid and a touch of powder underneath. It's very pretty, soft, feminine and for me a very calming scent. Seems to be very long lasting as well, but it doesn't have a lot of throw..very close to the skin sort of scent. I really like it

[kourika]

When I first sniffed Magdalene, I wasn't convinced there was much scent at all coming from my imp, but I lightly swathed a little oil on. While wet I got a strong floral blend that was a little overwhelming for my sinuses and nose, but it dries down to a lovely light smell that I can easily use for an everyday perfume.

[Brianne]

In the bottle:

I had a very specific initial thought when I first smelled Magdalene in the vial. It was something like, "Oh God, Oh God please make it stop!". It's like very dirty gym socks.

 

On me:

Thankfully, the smell I got from the vial does not represent this as a scent for the most part. I have to admit though, I just don't dig this scent at all. It's got a really wierd thing going on that I can't pinpoint. It's incensey and perfumey and yet strongly floral too. I don't know that I can identify the smell of orchid by itself. But if that's what I'm smelling, I don't like it. It's a floral smell but it's piercing and stringent. The rose is in there too, and it's softer and generally more pleasant, but it's not doing much to keep that other astringent smell at bay.

 

Final note:

Eh. I don't like this. The rose in this is soft and pleasant, but I don't like that orchid smell and the overall vibe of this scent.

[slave1]

In Bottle: Dirty pickles (yes, you read that right)

 

On Skin: It still smells like dirty pickles. There is a “dirt” note, very earthy. And then there is a sour note that reminds me of pickles. Ok, after a few minutes the sour note appears to be rose I think and it sweetens up slightly. The orchid and the rose are pretty strong florals that compete for a while but I think the rose is winning. The labdanum creates the darker, herby and earthy note. Mixed together, they create quite a unique scent. Not me really, but fun to sit and review. They do contradict and confuse me, kind of like love and sorrow… and in the end go hand in hand. A scent worth checking out for sure if you enjoy florals.

[AlaskaSnows]

I have NO idea why, but I get a bitter herbal and musky peanut butter. Weird, but true.

[arabella]

First Impression: Honeyed Floral.

 

Dries down to: Doesn't change much, just loses some of the sweetness.

 

Additional Comments: I guess the sweetness comes from the labdanum - I don't know what other note is sweet, unless it's the orchid. The rose is well-controlled and the orchid is delicate and perfect. Another nice but not particularly special scent that will work very well for everyday wear.

 

Lasted: A few hours.

 

Rating: 3 out of 5

[anomie]

In bottle: Wet, astringent herbal.

 

Wet: Still very green and herbal, stinging the nose, with a faint undertone of purple and sweetness.

 

Dry: More of that purple scent. Must be the orchid coming out to play. I'm only getting the very faintest whiff of rose, though, and it's all powder.

 

Verdict: Not a keeper. I love rose scents, but it's too drowned out for me.

[juniperus]

Bottle: high sharpness, not quite sweet, but grabs me in the same way.

Wet: much the same, with orchid surfacing

Dry: the rose has stepped up, and the sharpness has receded. light, very floral, and melancholy.

Later: it's fading quickly, nearly all-rose at this point with a hint of orchid. pretty, but not very complex.

[Voleuse]

On first sniff, this strikes me as an old-fashioned sort of floral. The rose is strong and green, and actually quite dignified. There's a bit of resin (or something like that) rounding the scent, but the scent is a very womanly one. As the scent dries, the orchid starts to sneak in and out, lending a sharper note to the mix. On the whole, however, this stays a solemn rose on me.

[kuanyin]

Like others, I'm not actually familiar with labdanum...but in the bottle I get less floral and more...something wonderful. I know I love the orchid...but it is beautifully blended and no one note is striking. On, I get more rose, but it is coming from the background and there is still the something wonderful that I get from the bottle. I can't quit sniffing my wrist....in about an hour I put more on...not because it has faded, because I can't stop myself from needing MORE.

 

I get cool white, wait, marble white with streaks of light grey. That's it, cool marble...a crypt? No, that's not it. I've got it: cool marble walls and floor and a courtesan who lives in these halls and rooms. An aging woman... beautiful, but not as in the glory of her youth. A courtesan, still kept, and waiting for he who seldom comes now...She has no family, just her empty life and the love within her that has no voice now...she walks the marble in her bare feet lanquidly. She has made her choices without regrets and now lives with them, each day longer than the last.

[sophia_helix]

The rose is strongest note, naturally. Rose is usually sickly-sweet on me, but this is a little better, more like Parlement of Foules -- not the true rose of Rose Red, but at least bearable. I'm not crazy about the astringent herbal scent beneath, though, since it's kind of painful in the nose.

[BrightRedScream]

In the vial: Very, very floral...I get tons of rose. This may not go well...I am not a rose scent person *sighs*

 

Wet on skin: Now as I don't know what orchids or labdanum smells like - I will just say that this is a very strong rose smell, with something kind of herbal underneath...not STRONG herbal, just a smidge herbal.

 

Dry down: The rose dies down a little, but this is still FAR too floral for me, and it's starting to get a bit of a soapy edge to it. So not for me.

[elfmaiden]

Straight from the Imp: A waif of something very like incense, no hint of rose, but there is tiny bit of something floral.

 

Wet: The incense smell is getting alot stronger and more round, the floral I can't smell at all any more.

 

Dry: After about 20 minutes I still can't smell the rose but I'm getting a lovely mix of spicy and I think the orchid is blooming quietly in the background.

 

I really like the smell I'm getting from this!

 

Jenn

[cranberry]

Initially Magdalene smells herbal to me, a bit dry and dusty. Then the rose comes out, but it’s a subdued rose, a quiet rose unlike the brash rose in Peacock Queen or the forthright rose of Rose Red. The herbs and rose remain and interplay, I can’t name what that herb is – maybe sage? It’s dry, a bit sharp and sucks all the life out of the roses. As it wears on, it smells like there’s a bit of honey in here. It’s reminding me of the honeyed apricots/oranges of Thaleia. Maybe there’s apricot in here? Wow – this is turning into Thaleia – that is so weird! Not what I expected at all based on the notes.

 

Anyway, so far, this has not been a scent for me.

[nerdcraft]

in the vial:

A very reserved, clean, slightly-atringent floral.

 

wet:

This is really pretty. It has a soapy sharpness to it, as well as a musky dry background.

 

dry:

It's smelling more and more dry - like dried roses. I can smell just a touch of the sweet orchid.

 

season: I'd like this in fall, I think.

office-friendly? Yes.

overall:

This is a unique floral that combines a sharp topnote with a dry basenote, and the overall effect is a lovely, soft, and reserved scent. It has a wistful, sweet quality that reminds me a little bit of Ophelia.

[RavenVelith]

In the bottle: ... ::.sniffs it again.:: ...what...the.... ::.sniiiiff.:: ...I think I smell the...rose....and...orchid. This is weird!

 

Wet: ::.dab.:: ....powdery...flowers. It's like someone took a bowl of potpurri and stepped on it. A lot. Oh man this is SO floraly. Maybe it'll calm down.

 

Dry: ...I smell like my grandma sometimes. No. Too much floral. Not me. Maybe someone else. It's not horrible, like...the scent is nice, just VERY much not me.

[audesapere]

In the bottle: Sharp, green, incense like. No rose, no orchid. Not bad, but strong.

 

Wet: Sharp, almost biting green. The floral begins to come through. Primarily rose at this point, although as someone else mentioned, the word creamy comes to mind; maybe the orchid asserting itself?

 

Dry: I was listening to "Jesus Christ, Superstar" when I tried this, and towards the end, Magdalene smells like the song "Everything's alright". I could smell the spicy, rare ointment she was using, and the smell of the woman herself: sweet, soft, but not afraid to be assertive if she had to.

 

Later: It doesn't exactly disappear, but it gets very, very faint on me. I only did my wrist, however. I think I'll keep it, because I love the whole image, but I prefer a stronger perfume. **Sigh**

[edenssixthday]

Magdalene - When I first opened the imp of Magdalene, I was disgusted. It smelled like something had died in the bottle. But, I've tried enough BPAL to know that just because it smells bad in the bottle doesn't mean it'll smell bad on my skin (or just because it smells luscious in the bottle doesn't mean I won't end up smelling like a bum's toe cheese when I put it on!) So I tried it. And wow, am I ever glad it did. As soon as it dried down, it turned into a really lovely, white floral that is just so delicate and soft. As I went about my day, I would occasionally catch the scent wafting around me, but it wasn't overwhelming or powerful. It was soft, subtle, and really ... well, dainty. Just a lovely scent. I loved it enough to buy a 5 ml bottle.

[Miss Lynx]

As with Persephone, this was a frimp that I didn't really have high hopes for, given my skin's tendency to amp most florals beyond all reason, but I had to try anyway. And it was actually kind of a pleasant surprise.

 

Initially, it's fairly heavily floral, but the labdanum does tone it down a bit, giving it a warm earthy base, to the point where it *almost* works on me -- though mind you, I only put on the tiniest dab (I fear florals). The balance of dark and light in it is nice, and after settling in for an hour or so, the floral component fades down nicely so that it's more like a floral-tinged musky incense (labdanum is a resin that's used in some plant-based musk bouquets).

 

If I didn't already have as large a collection as I do, I'd be inclined to keep it, but as it stands I probably wouldn't get around to wearing it. It's a little too close to being in the same ballpark as Gypsy Queen and the Masque, both of which I have 5 mLs of, but it's less complex.

 

Still, could be a good option for someone else who usually can't wear florals. The labdanum really does bring it down to earth nicely.

 

Grade: B