Magdalene

[Shollin]

Magdalene, from Sin and Salvation:

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.

 

The version I tried is a prototype.

 

First sniff: A very firm floral with a flowing herbal sweetness around the edges. This lady can take care of herself.

 

Wearing: Sweet and strong and totally feminine. Girl power. I really like it. After a few minutes the rose is much more apparent, dominating the scent without screaming. It might be a bit too girly now that it’s dried down a bit – it’s going powdery and the aura is still quite strong.

 

On second try, the lady and I got along much better. Sweet, deep, purple flowers. Still a very determined, standing-firm scent. I'll keep her.

[TygherRayn]

In the bottle: Floral, with a darker, somber overtone. This is a woman who has seen much in her years, and her heart is scarred for it, but not broken. She still seeks the joy in life.

 

Wet: Sorrowful. Soft. Still floral, but thre's a darker tone to this, that remains dark. Like a woman carrying a beautiful bouquet of her departed husband's flowers in the dark to his grave.

 

Wearing: I really like this one, and I wasn't sure if I would. I love when that happens with an oil. This is floral, but in a dark, almost dismal way. It's sorrow, lifted with the promise of joy. A soft, lovely floral that I can wear without it being too overwhelming .. I'll likely buy more of this.

[Ina Garten Davita]

First Impression: Pure of heart, white and pink sorrow.

 

Second Impression: This is sweet, pure and innocent. A soft pink floral that quietly radiates off the skin.

 

Final Analysis: Another beautifully blended floral. Perhaps not a favorite, but a pretty girly scent for spring and summer.

[allamanda]

Magdalene

 

Floral but green as though there are crushed leaves of a type I am not familiar with it giving this a green sharpness.

 

As this dries I can really identify the rose, it is sweetening the overall effect slightly. The greenness is still there but no longer sharp. I can’t stop sniffing this, it is so good.

 

After a while this is still a lovely sweet floral lifted by a tinge of greenness and with a very faint resiny tone in the background giving depth. Totally besotted.

 

I love many of Beth’s masterpieces, but only a handful have evoked such an instant ‘must have’ in me.

 

ETA: It must be the orchid that I love so much as two of my other 'instant loves' were Queen Mab and Kitsune-Tsuki. I couldn't even isolate the orchid in Magdalene.

Edited September 13, 2004 by allamanda

[twistygirl]

When first applied, this had a very, very strong, sharp green note that disappeared almost immediately - could that be the initial whiff of labdanum? It was very unusual and I was most pleased that it disappeared so quickly, because what lies underneath is really quite lovely. A tinge of greenness remains, but a much nicer green than the first-five-seconds punch of green. There's a definite complexity to this one, as there is creaminess (not sure if that's the orchid or the white roses), there is a touch of sweetness, and there is also a woody note hovering in the background that adds the sorrowful dark touch to the sweet creaminess (that woody note comes from the labdanum - not being very familiar with labdanum, I looked it up, and it is a resin). This is one of the more unique florals I have smelled... it is very mellow and yet very mournful at the same time. This is a woman who has experienced pain and grief and has emerged stronger and more beautiful from the experience. Not certain that I'll be buying a larger bottle, but I'll definitely use up the Imp, and will put this on my list of bottles-to-consider.

[pekeana]

In the bottle: Rose and orchid, with a baby powder undertone.

 

On my arm: Orchid, then after about five minute, pure rose -- overpowering pure rose.

 

After six minutes: Floral baby powder. Not unpleasant, but rather --

 

After six and a half minutes: Completely gone.

 

I liked it when it wasn't baby powder or total rose, but with the staying power for my skin... I don't know what to think.

 

Alas, poor Magdalene, I never got to know thee!

[lorajc]

I agree with Twisty that this has a sharp green top note that fades quickly. I really liked this on the drydown (after the top note fades). It is a gorgeous orchid/rose floral tacked down with the labdanum (frankincense like note). This reminds me of Psyche somewhat.

[Tesseljoan]

On intitial application the flowers seem to turn sour, but after a while this becomes more powdery. It's hard to describe, but this is a soft, comforting smell to me.

[Astarte]

This on me is unwittingly like a lighter version of Desire, which I love dearly. I dont know how that comparison comes to me as they dont share any of the notes but there you are! It does turn slightly baby powder on me but I love that type of scent in any shape or form.

 

As a mood I would definitely have to say it is a very sweet sorrow tempered with a darkness skimming the scent as a whole.

 

I can smell the rose initially but then theres a sweetness to it which I just cant place, the incredibly faint resinous note gives it that cohesion and dark edge so that Beth's masterful blending skills shines through.

[tart]

Magdalene was really terrible on me. I think it was the labdanum...

 

While wet, it radiates almost a gingery smell that actually reminded me of Asian style chicken. It calms down a bit, but not nearly enough to enjoy the florals. When dry, it smelled kind of like Tamora with ginger chicken over it.

 

Body chemistry... ::shakes head::

[omly]

I love rose so I was looking forward to Magdalene. Alas, though it was a beautiful sweet floral it was so skillfully blended that the rose note is not as prominent as it often is. I am not sure what labdunum smells like, but there is something that I can only describe as an almost herbal floral note in here (as opposed to just an herbal note). This is feminine, but subdued: a dim, floral keeping to the shadows. If you don't particularly care for rose but like florals I would still give this one a shot.

[Fulltiltredhead]

Another "perfection in a bottle" experience. My first thought at smelling the topnote was not "sharp," but "clean." Rosey, but not too. Also reminded me of Psyche. I get a visualization of a shape like a violin scroll when I inhale it deeply. http://www.vanzandtviolins.com/vn81scroll.htm Fiddlehead fern is what came to mind. The has an elegant base, then it curves wide in the middle, and sings and flourishes at the top notes. Structurally beautiful; emotionally at once comforting and uplifting. Very feminine but not girly.

 

Definite 10ml bottle purchase. And I want it in soap and in a dream pillow.

Edited September 28, 2004 by Fulltiltredhead

[malanna]

At first, I was eh, because upon application, there was this acridic plant smell. The second time I put it on, I loved it, because I thought it smelled like Queen Mab, which I think is from the black orchid. I grew to like it less, though, because the Queen Mab association fades. It's softer and yet, not so soft, because the petals are a bit harsh, they seem very distinct from one another. This does seem holy. I have two associations with it, one of a worn church pew, scattered with white rose petals that are deceptively soft, and another, with the rosaries of a holy woman. This is soft, but lasts at least five hours on me.

[eclecticaurora]

I got this as an extra from the Lab in one of my last two orders. I was very curious about it, because Mary Magdalene intrigues me as a character - plus I LOVE Jesus Christ Superstar (the musical) and Mary Magdalene's song...in fact, that's all I could think of: a woman who doesn't know how to love a man who is pure in heart, because she loves him in a way that she's never ever loved a man before. He is a man that treats her with respect rather than disdain. How can she show her love? Anyways, I'm getting way too bogged down in that comparison. At first I was scared to put it on because it had roses in it, but turns out that I can wear white roses! The scent was a very sweet (almost candy-ish) and pleasant scent that I wore to class and I was amazed that it didn't turn on me at all! (I'm so used to rose smells turning on me that I'm surprised when I find something rosey that works) The scent stayed true all day long! Very long lasting oil!

 

~eclecticaura~

[TheDarkMother]

In the Bottle: Magdalene is crisp white roses and sweet orchid. A very feminie fragrance that just exudes a come-hither nature.

 

On Me: This fades to a light rose scent that is just intoxicating. Sweet, innocent, but the promise of sensuality. This is certainly a dual fragrance that gets the blood quickening.

 

This is highly sexual for me. I LOVE it.

[briteyes]

I ordered this one partly because I liked the idea of roses and orchids (two of my favourite flowers), and partly for the name (my ex-boyfriend went to Magdalene College, Cambridge). It wasn't until just now--when I went back and re-read the description--that I remembered the floral component.

 

That's because when I opened the bottle, I was hit with a smell that was anything but flowery. Instead, it was very strong on musk and incense, which seems a bit odd in retrospect (could it be the labdanum?). Very... bold.

 

When first applied, all I could smell was mold. I figured that must be from musk, since I have the same problem with Katharina (it goes on like mildew). On drydown, though, a floral note started to come through, and now there's a definite rose.

 

In fact, right now it smells heavenly--strong, but feminine. I'm not thrilled with the earlier stages, but now that I know it'll get there in the end, I'll get a lot more wear out of Magdalene!

[sheelanagig]

I got this one as a gift for my mother in law... my own mother begged me to let her try it, so we snuck it out to give it a go.

 

Um, nope. I think this is the first oil that I actively do not like. My mother's first words about it were "this smells like an infection."

 

Maybe our body chemistry is just funky, but I think I'll find another imp to gift my MIL.

[grrrlennyl]

magdalene

 

at first: hmmm...slightly spicy, slightly salty. i don't think i'm going to like this one?

on: uh oh. i think i smell some kind of wood. i think i smell citrus or something, too. i don't like this.

1 hour later: warmer. interesting, but i'm not sure what it smells like.

3 hours later: very odd. maybe i'm smelling the labdanum. i don't like this.

overall: this just doesn't work on me. i'll be swapping this.

[any_old_actress]

FIRST SNIFF: vinegar

 

WEARING IT: musky, overpowering - not me. although i smell something floral, i'm not sure it's the roses and i've never had an orchid smell quite like this. this is very medicinal, very peppery, sour and sharp. it softens slightly as it wears...but it's still not my favourite.

 

VERDICT: i'll pass on this one.

[Eris]

I'm surprised to read about others getting salty effects--there was nothing like that for me in this. I got this as an extra and was pleasantly surprised to find how well it worked on me. Orchid is the predominant scent, which usually I can take or leave. In Magdalene, the orchid is thick and almost incensey with the rose and other notes. It blends beautifully into my skin and lasts a very long time. The overall effect is dark, dreamy, and sexy. Very nice.

[Nepthys]

In the vial, this had a horrid sharp Listerine smell. Then it completely transformed on my wrist with a perfect balance of rose and herbal. I was stunned by the difference- there was not even a ghost of that scent in the vial. It then morphed after about half an hour into a powdery green rose. It's quite feminine and delicate. Not a big bottle for me but I do like it.

[zapevaj]

A very nice, light rose scent, with a good base to it. Very feminine and delicate, it makes me think of white and light purple. Definitely not for people who don't like rose, though.

 

-Rae

[LiberAmoris]

Magdalene started off very green and sharp on me, then slowly mellowed into a balanced combination of rose and orchid. I don't think orchid works well with my skin chemistry because I had the same reaction to Queen Mab---it's lovely, I can see why others love it, but it just doesn't feel right on me. I think I might try burning Magdalene in my oil burner instead.

 

And on a side note: This blend captures beautifully the mysteriousness and suffering of Magdalene.

[jj_j]

I've gotten backlogged on reviews to write, and Magdalene happened to be the one I grabbed today. It wasn't one that interested me much originally, and I think I had it in my head that this would smell like Ave Maria Gratia Plena, for some unknown reason.

 

That was my mistake, because, no pun intended, this is divine.

 

Out of the vial, Magdalene still didn't hold much appeal for me. I try all of Beth's scents, though, and thank goodness I did. The second this went on, I had a delicate cloud of orchid to revel in, with the rose and labdanum combining to make an almost tea-like base. In fact, I feel like I'm floating in a cup of Orchid Oolong combined with Snow Rose from The Republic of Tea - and that's a very good thing.

 

It takes a few minutes for the rose to really come forward, and when it does, the orchid is still around. I'm so impressed with how the base of this scent changes when it does that; same three notes, completely different result. It has much less sweetness than Regan, but doesn't lose the orchid's strength of character that's so well-displayed there.

 

Magdalene is wistful, but not in a sad way. More of the smile you get when remembering something wonderful that you've accepted isn't possible anymore - like flipping through my daughter's baby album, then having her come running up to me to tell me she loves me and knowing it will never be like that album again, without detracting from the beauty of the moment.

 

Flowing, delicate, and soft without being wispy, Magdalene is beautiful. It's ripe and lush and completely feminine, and it's a stunning representation of those moments when I feel absolutely complete and like I have full knowledge of the facets of being a woman.

Edited January 23, 2005 by jj_j

[FireInCairo]

It took me a bit of time to warm up to this blend. It gave me a headache at first- but after a while the fragrance seemed to smooth out a bit. It is very musky...herbaly on my skin. It has an aromatherapy feel to it in my opinion.....