Mme. Moriarty, Misfortune Teller (2006)

[jwhxtna]

Red musk, vanilla bean, pomegranate, patchouli leaf and wild plum.

Hm. This really isn't my kind of scent, but I wanted to see what all the fuss was about.

IMP: Woah, thick and heavy musk and incense. Though I do smell some fruit.

WET: The vanilla's making the blend sweeter now. Hm, and it smells like plastic. Or maybe it's just me. I'm confused; BPAL vanilla has never not worked on me. Oh, now it's more pleasant. A sweet vanilla with a really dark musk and a fruity tinge. And kind of strange, but not unpleasant, but I keep getting a bright, crisp aftersmell (... the olfactory version of the aftertaste?). Almost like mint?

DRY: Dark, smoky, musky vanilla with a bit of the plum and pomegranate. Quite nice, actually. Gives off a mood similar to Black Lace.

[vividdreamer]

So, I bought a bottle of Mme. Moriarty right after she came out, and used it a few times over a period of a few months before deciding to swap her away. There was something too "heavy" about it...the red musk was way too intense for me, the plum was too fruity...it just wasn't all I'd hoped for.

 

Then, last week I decided to buy another bottle from someone to give her another shot.

 

Oh. My. GODDESS. This is SO different from the bottle I had--so rich and *smooth* and sexy--that I almost couldn't believe it was the same oil. I contacted the seller just to ask if it was aged, and it turns out that it's about 9 months old. So THAT'S it! I knew from my first bottle that it would probably age well, but I was in the middle of my "I'm just cleaning out all my BPAL and going back to mainstream perfume" phase (STU.PID. Will never happen again!) so I swapped it. Man, what an idiot I am.

 

This is *gorgeous*. Smooth, mellow, patchouli vanilla loveliness with just the perfect amount of red fruit.

 

*sigh* I'm off to look for another bottle. I WILL have at least three of these before the Carnival leaves town.

[Honeygirl]

Bottle: Musk, patchouli and pom

 

Wet: Pom, red musk and the most prominent with patchouli in the background.

 

Drydown: Same as before. Pom, red musk and patchouli. I don't usually like things with patchouli, but I love this blend!

3.5 outta 5

[vampkat]

In bottle: uhoh. My nose just got raped by patchouli and red musk. I don't know how much I'm gonna regret testing this....

Wet: wait...mint? Where did THAT come from? I swear I smell mint. *scratches head* Not super minty, just like a earthy fresh right off the vine mint.

Dry: ok, Ihave no idea what scent is making the mint smell, but I am thankful. This would be a nice "I have a cold and feel like crap" scent, because while the mint is NOT in there, I smell it. I can also smell the vanilla, but no more patchouli and red musk. This one totally morphed on me. This is me saying..I was wrong.

6 out of 10

[starwild]

Got my much-anticipated imp of this tonight, and dabbed it on my right wrist, with a teeny bit of my sniffie of Snake Charmer on the left, so this is both a review and a comparison.

 

For the first while, the slight bitterness of the patchouli is duking it out with the creaminess of the vanilla, but holy of holies, the vanilla works on me. *faints* I can smell it trying to over-amp, but the patchouli holds it down, the red musk snarls in its face, and then the fruit notes smack it and tell it to behave, darling. It's a warm, creamy scent, but the patchouli keeps it mysterious and interesting, the musk makes it sexy and the fruit is just a sweet little tease of the unknown.

 

In comparison, Snake Charmer lacks the fruit note but seems to have a higher spike of dry sweetness--I'd guess that's the coconut--and the vanilla seems stronger. Mme. Moriarty is more balanced and more thoroughly blended, and spicier. The Misfortune Teller is a snake nobody would wanna tangle with, and perhaps has ties to Medusa. I think I actually prefer this to Snake Charmer. It wears close to my skin.

 

Conclusion: I want to lick myself, I smell so good. Welcome to my top ten, Mme. Moriarty. This is the third blend I've wanted...no, NEEDED...to hoard. I'll be getting multiple bottles of this before the Carnival goes away--and I bet it ages divinely.

[ravenfeathers]

in the bottle whew! strong and quite medicinal!

wet on skin oh, red musk, you are mine. this is heady and heavy and resinous and somewhat unsettling. it's not comfortable scent. it's dark and dangerous, but somehow languid.

dry on skin like a rich incense with smoke so thick it actually falls instead of rising, this is heavy and sweet with a strong opium feel. the fruits are very much in the background, keeping this from being heavy as lead.

 

superb and i think the right guy could totally pull this off, so i'm going to call it unisex. throw is strong, omg, and wear length is close to infinite, i think. it's stronger three hours later than when i put it on.

[damiel42]

Firstly, I couldn't sleep last night because I put it on, and it smelled SO GOOD that I kept sniffing myself!

 

When I put it on my skin, it starts off a little unpleasant - something reminds me a bit of the smell in a dentist's office. But that fades, and goes all round and ... *sighhhH!!* That dentist-officy bit never happens in the scent locket, though, so that's a plus!!

 

I'm not sure how old this is, that I'm obsessively sniffing - at least five or six months - it's an imp decant that I got in a lot on eBay, but OMG, I'm in for a couple of bottles if it ages to smell like this. I sniffed it when I first got it, and didn't really think much of it, it was fruity and not particularly memorable, but now... Just Holy Crap.

 

I thought that it HAD to have at least one or two of the same notes as my beloved Haloa - it smells (in my scent locket) a LOT like how Haloa smells on my skin after the initial OMGCAKE! phase wears down. But nope, nothing. Not ONE. More notes to add to my list of "stuff that works on me!"

 

The Mme. is... smoky, and sweet, and just lovely, lovely, lovely. I can smell the patchouli, now that I'm looking for it - without reading the description, I'd definitely thought I'd smelled frankincense. *shrug* This is GORGEOUS. It's a keeper, hands down.

[Lyrical]

In vial: Wow! Warm red musk and woody, spicy patchouli with a hint of lovely plum!

 

Wet on skin: rich and boozy red musk and patchouli. The fruit is very much in the background.

 

Dry on skin: Musk, fruit and patchouli, but not at all sweet. It's slightly smoky and the vanilla is a faint background note. Gradually, it becomes sweeter, fruitier and smoother. It's a subtle and mysterious earthy scent, and the colour is a rich red brown which gradually becomes more purple. The musk and patchouli notes remind me of Snake Oil, but the overall impression is quite different. After 5-6 hours it fades to vanilla.

[strangemodegirl]

I was scared of this at first because of the patchouli, but red musk, vanilla and pom?? Oh yes.

Lucky for me, the patch really doesn't make an appearance, it's all vanilla musky goodness.

This is just so damn sexy!

I am totally going to be hoarding bottles of this!

Edited March 9, 2008 by strangemodegirl

[fireweaver]

to my nose, this smells like Snake Oil- vanilla + really faint mellow fruit.

I really, really like this and will be buying a bottle soon!

[arabella]

First Impression: Patchouli and musk.

 

Dries down to: Never changes.

 

Additional Comments: I never detect the vanilla bean, pomegranate or wild plum as individual notes. I'm not usually a huge fan of musk but this blend is so sexy and sophisticated that I'll make an exception for it It's got a lot of throw and lasts a long time, which is rare for me. I can also see layering it with other blends to give them richness and depth. I have to get a bottle of this "power scent" before the series disappears.

 

Lasted: All day.

 

Rating: 5 out of 5

[alsatia]

Expectations: Another set of rich, musky fruits with a bit of extra sweetness.

 

In vial: No fruit or vanilla. Very green and leafy, with an undertone of musk and patchouli.

 

On skin, wet: The leafiness is turning spicy, and overall it smells vaguely similar to Snake Oil only not as nice.

 

On skin, dry: Lost the sweetness and it's back to being leafy with a hint of musk.

 

After time: 35 minutes later, it's still slightly leafy, with patchouli being the predominant scent.

 

Conclusion: Meh, not that great. I was hoping more for plum and pomegranate.

[rachel2205]

In imp: HELLO PATCHOULI. It does instantly soften on the skin, but that patchouli note is strong. I'm thinking the vanilla bean is taking the edge off a bit. Very spicy. Often that spiciness would be quite 'masculine' to me, but this is definitely a feminine scent - albeit a tough one! I can just about smell a bit of plum. I wish the patchouli won't slap me around so hard here so I could smell everything else!

[scarletgenesis]

I was really wary of smelling this because the very first note is red musk, which normally means disgusting scary clown vomit (or something else equally as horrible) on my skin. Someone convinced me to just try it and I must say I'm pleasantly surprised.

 

I don't get any of the fruit yet, but the red musk is blended and tempered by the vanilla (really subtle and beautiful) and the patchouli leaf into something kind of relaxing and calm.

 

The more I smell this on me, the more I like it. Could Mme Moriarty be the red musk bottle scent for me? Time will tell, as I need to test it at least one more time before committing to a bottle.

[iiinterstate]

Buuuummmmmed.

 

I was really looking forward to Mme. Moriarty, but all I smell is red musk and heavy patchouli. Its kind of a dusty smelling combination on my skin. No vanilla, no fruit. Boo.

 

I keep sitting here sniffing and waiting for it to get better, but I think I'm out of luck on this blend. Off to swaps with my decant.

 

EDIT: 5-8-09

Okay, so I had to try Mme again, because I am stubborn. I swapped my decant away a long time ago, but I bought a bottle fresh from the lab on an impulse.

 

I'm not sure whether my tastes have evolved or whether my decant was "off", but I smell much more potential in Mme than last time. Still mostly patchouli, but not in a bad way. It smells almost like very very dark tea sweetened with a smidge of fruit juice. I think in a few months, I will like this quite a lot.

 

EDIT AGAIN: 1-17-11

I am persistent, damnit. I want this scent to work on me, and it should!

I got distracted from perfumes for awhile, so I left my previously purchased bottle alone practically since I tested it from the first edit. Now, I can honestly say that I like Mme without any reservations. I gave up on it being fruity and let it be its dark sexy self.

 

Wet: has that medicinal smell that other reviewers mention, but that starts to fade right away.

Drydown: The patchouli is rich and lovely, and blend smoothly with the musk. I don't pick up any fruit but the vanilla is definitely there, just darker than I expected.

 

After a bit: THERE'S the pom and plum. Its quite subtle. I get more of it in the throw than when I sniff closely. Wow, it really adds an interesting edge to the earthiness of this blend.

 

Overall: Dark and sexy, but with a definite feminine edge. Love it! (FINALLY) I will definitely need another bottle or two to age.

Edited January 18, 2011 by iiinterstate

[VioletChaos]

in the bottle: i get what people are saying about the medicinal aspect. strange. it's totally like liniment or something.

 

wet on skin: wow. this is unsettling. it reminds me of Tiger Balm, actually. is it the red musk? it's strong, but it's not unpleasant. just...strange.

 

dry down: holy MOLY has this changed! that red musk is sensual, the fruit is rich like a piece so ripe it's about to go bad and there's a vanilla note that is so dark and sexy it makes my mind boggle.

 

in all: yes, i WILL be getting a few more bottles before this carnival leaves town.

[CreamyJade]

In the imp: Sweet, sweet musk, how I love you..

Wet on skin: I still smell a lot of the musk, the patchouli, it's sweet, not overly fruity. I love it!!

Dry on skin: The smell toned down after a while and the vanilla made an appearance. It lasted a while on me also, which is always appreciated.

Final thoughts: I sniffed it, tried it on and there was only love! :3 I kept smelling my arm all day, so I ordered a bottle of this a few hours after receiving my decant!! <3

[Summerpixy]

I just got a bottle of this fresh from the lab and I had to slather it on - The red musk is too sharp and the plum is hiding behind the pachouli. I'm going to let this age since it has gotten such rave reviews when it has time to grow into itself so to speak.

 

I get a snake-oil like vibe from this, it has lots of sexy potential.

 

Edit: All the hype, it's true. A month later and I am already in love with this and it has become one of the scents I reach for when I want to smell sexy. I'll have to order 2 more bottles before the carnival leaves town.

Edited May 31, 2008 by Summerpixy

[Czarina]

Got a decant in a swap, oil has been aged about nine months.

 

In the imp: p-p-p-atchouli!

Wet: musk, vanilla, patchouli.

Drydown: heavenly sexy vanilla musk incense. I can catch I think a tiny hint of the pomegranate.

 

Dead sexy. A real keeper. Oh, and layers well with Glowing Vulva.

Edited April 29, 2008 by Czarina

[fairnymph]

Sniffed in imp: Sweet, very dark musk and patchouli. Thick and strong.

 

Wet: Smoky, earthy. Tobacco, patchouli, somewhat harsh musk. A bit of sweet, concentrated dark fruit - almost dried, or jammy, beneath. Much lighter on my skin than I'd expected from the bottle.

 

Dry: Not much of a change; it's a bit less smoky and harshly musky, but the patchouli has amped into dirty roots. Things have blended together, the two layers merging into a deeply fruit-earthy blend, but this is barely sweet - the vanilla is not candy or fake, but boozy-gourmand.

 

Later: I can't get over how much less sweet on my skin this is than in the bottle. The wild plum has an herbal-medicinal touch that reminds me of huckleberry or acai, and the very faint pomegranate adds a sour-bright dimension.

 

Summary: Light, somewhat bitter, sour, and medicinal dark fruit over an dark base of rooty, soil-covered patchouli and abrasive, almost plasticky red musk. Faint boozy vanilla adds distant sweetness. Unisex. Decent throw and lasting power.

 

Not my thing at all, but I am surprised by just how much less sweet it is on my skin and the morphing that occurs.

Edited July 28, 2008 by fairnymph

[lefthandmade]

Oh this is a future favorite, I can already tell. It's sultry, smoky, spicy and sexy, and the red musk is a little sharp here but I bet it's gonna be amazing with a little bit of age even if it's gorgeous now.

There's another sharpness that is very strange and it stays and stays. I know it's the patchouli but it gives me visions. It's like burnt wood and suddenly it changes into sweetened turpentine, and then it changes again and I get a fruity side of it. I had this image/feeling/vision, kind of a calmness you can't trust, something like an unsettling shadow in the corner of a cozy room.

after drydown it mellows and it's close to the skin, smooth as silk and still with a little bite. I love it to pieces.

[Lamia]

Notes from first wearing say "complex, soapy". The musk and poemgranite twine, patchouli is barely discernable. Vanilla gives it another layer.

 

Divine, and I drenched myself in it for Easter.

[fireflower]

It's weird, in the bottle I can only smell the patchouli leaf and the red musk.. yet on my skin I get seriously no trace of those whatsoever. On my skin it's yummy vanilla bean, pomegranate, and plum. By some miracle, my skin is amping the notes I love. This is a deep purple scent, dark and fruity. I'm kicking myself for passing it up before just because I only smelled it in the bottle. This is going on the top 10 list now.

[milo]

I just got this today from a swap. In the bottle, I LOVE it, it's like an older, stronger cousin of snake oil. When I put it on, though it goes all masculine on me, not necessarily in a bad way. It's very overpowering (maybe the patchouli?), and my hubbie thought I borrowed his shaving cream (silly man!!) . I'm not very good with picking out different scents in a blend, but I do wish vanilla would make an appearance on this one, as I can't pick it out at all. I think I'm going to have to give this one some time, I'm not sure I can pull off this scent, or maybe I'm not in the right mood?? I do mostly like to smell feminine, but this scent is intriguing and somewhat confusing to me. It is definitely a keeper, but not sure if I'm going to get another bottle.. I'll edit if I notice any changes!!

 

edit1: The vanilla is now making an appearance, and I think that I can pull this one off now! I do think for me that this would be great for a hot summer evening, very mysterious, definitely not day for me. I'll probably reach for this more in the fall/winter.

Edited June 5, 2008 by milo

[zomathesadist]

 

Hmm. This is one that kind of puzzles me. I love EVERYTHING that's in it (well except for the raspberry, but I just hate eating them--I dont mind the smell).

 

When I first put it on, though, a few months ago, it really didn't impress me much. I liked it, but I didn't fall in love with it. And it didn't have that "ZOMG SEXXAY" vibe that Snake Oil, or Loviatar have. So I put it back in my BPAL box, and left it for about 3 months.

 

Wet on skin: Patchouli, and not a whole lot else. I'm not getting a ton of fruit or vanilla, either. No red musk. Just PATCHOULI, which amps on me. Very well, I shall wait.

 

After ten: OW BURNING WELTY HURTYNESS. Weird...

 

After 30: No more burny, thank Goddess. Now the patchouli has sweetened considerably. Maybe the vanilla bean?

 

 

Drydown: the loveliest vanilla possible. Still no fruit. *head scratchy* But that's okay, because this vanilla bean drydown is magnificent.

 

Verdict: I"ll hang onto my bottle. I suspect it was an issue of fresh vs. aged, and the best is yet to come. I wonder if I should get a backup...