Gennivre, L’Artiste du Diable

[motdakasha]

Gennivre, L'Artiste du Diable

Hyson tea leaf, pale mint, sugar cane, orange blossom, lemongrass, and honey.

 

In the bottle:

Rating: 4

Notes: Hyson tea leaf, pale mint

Comment: Mostly only smell those two notes. Seems like a very subtle perfume.

Wet on skin:

Rating: 5

Notes: pale mint, Hyson tea leaf, orange blossom

Comment: I like the minty freshness.

Dry on skin:

Rating: 4

Notes: sugar cane, honey

Scent Intensity: 1

Comment: This faded very fast and I'm not sure I like the residual smell left by it. It's not clearly a honey note; more like the smell of honey I smeared on my skin a week ago and never washed off with soap and water. Again, not as gourmand as I was hoping.

Misc:

Duration: <2 Hrs.

Keyword(s): tea, musky

Color: N/A

Smells like: N/A

Edited July 1, 2008 by Shollin
Fixed BPAL tags --Shollin

[LadyLuckless]

As embarrassing as this is to admit, one of the reasons why I had to try this one is that I'm a redheaded artist.

 

I tried a small dab of this the other day, and honestly, it did nothing for me. I tried it on again, and through accidentally splashing it on myself I realized why---Gennivre is a SLATHERER! And man, is she lovely. That's the best word I can come up with to describe her. Utterly lovely.

 

Picture being out in a wild, but well-groomed garden, having afternoon tea. You are sitting at an elegant little white bistro table as the scent of sun-warmed orange blossoms and greenery waft around you. It's the height of summer, but the air is fresh and breezy, and you are completely comfortable and at ease as you sip your honeyed tea- just as you like it with a tiny sprig of mint and small slice of lemon. Perfection. That's Gennivre.

 

It doesn't smell like perfume at all, it smells like a place, a moment. It smells completely real and natural.

 

ETA- I've fallen twice as hard for Gennivre, and WILL be needing another bottle before the Carnival moves out. She's just the perfect summer scent!

Edited July 9, 2008 by LadyLuckless

[madusa]

After a beginning of nondescript sweetness, the drydown is BABY POWDER. Heartbreaking, considering all the lovely notes.

[Iceblink]

I was expecting an all-out mint assault from Gennivre but instead it's a smooth tea leaf and lemongrass on me, with just a hint of mintiness and a lot of sweetness from the sugar cane and honey. It's quite pleasant and refreshing like mint tea is on a hot day, and not overly...well, not overly *anything*, it's nice and subtle. The longer I wear it the more the lemongrass is making its presence known. This won't be bottle-worthy but it's nice.

[Nachtwulf]

Definitely Dorian's prettier, more socially-acceptable sister.

 

It has much in common with Dorian, largely the -definitive- tea note. But it's softened with lemon (though I don't get much in it that's too floral...which is good, 'cause florals = soap on me) and is considerably more gentle and feminine. Not girly, but nowhere near as authoritative. I wish it had Dorian's (insane) staying power, but it's not weak or feeble by any means.

 

If you like that milk-and-tea quality but want something fresher and more 'day-wear', this is it.

[brsis]

Initial thoughts: Oh. My. I was up for a bottle of this unsniffed - tea! mint! sugar cane! There isn't a single bad note in it as far as I'm concerned - unless I get Orange and Lemon City (Unlikely...) this should be yummeh.

 

In the bottle: Tea, a little mint, a hint of lemongrass, the tiniest touch of orange blossom and a definate dash of sweetness.

 

On the wrist, wet: The lemongrass is very strong on my skin - which is a shame. I hope it calms down, because underneath is sweet mint and tea and THAT is gorgeous.

 

Drydown: TEA. For a good addicted Brit like myself, this is DELICIOUS - a good tea with plenty of tannin, sharpened by mint and lemongrass and sweetened by the sugar cane and honey, with the slightest breath of orange blossom. It's quite strong, but because it's so complex and because the main note is the tea, it's quite subtle - someone would probably think they were smelling something nice, but I doubt they'd pick it out as your perfume. I think I need a backup bottle of this!

[jewelbug]

Imp: A sweet citrus mint, almost mojito like.

 

Wet: Very sweet honey and sugar scent, a hint of mint, with clean green tea notes and a citrus twist.

 

Dry: A sweet, bright, gentle tea scent. Clean and green, slightly minty, very sweet.

 

Overall: This is pretty, and i can see how many people enjoy it. Its just not something that would make it into my regular rotation.

Edited October 1, 2008 by jewelbug

[Evilynn]

In the bottle: This is a green scent, underscored by honey.

On: Tea leaf, mint and honey.

Dry down: almost musk-y honey, tea and a bit of sugar.

 

I never really get much lemongrass or orange blossom from this, although I just started a second bottle (this has become my everyday scent and I'll be very sad to see it go!) and it is a bit sharper in the early stages on my skin, so that might very well be the lemongrass that didn't survive the 1+ year aging my older bottle had. I like Dorian too, but Gennivre works even better on my skin, and it is one of my favourite BPALs ever.

[rayvn1]

Oh my oh my oh my!!! This may be the one, ladies and gentlemen!! I put this on today and had the "Eek, this is so me!" feeling. I love so much of my BPAL, but Gennivre is a winner with every single note. In the bottle there is a sweet freshness. On the skin it stayed very true through the wet stage and dry with a citrus/mint and sugar top layer followed by a slightly floral tea finish. So unbelievably refreshing and feminine. It's not foody, just sweetness personified. I think I'll love wearing this in the spring especially.

 

And she's good luck, too!! I got the job I really wanted today after I wore Gennivre to my interview. Made me feel very confident and I would sneakily sniff my wrists when no-one was looking

[plunderparlour]

Wow i wanted this to be more honey but on me its sweet floral with really no distinguishing notes. Orange blossom maybe? Poo on my chemistry. Think i'll try it on something inanimate. I really need to get a locket.

[ealasaid86]

In the Bottle: Lemon and mint.

 

On My Wrist: A cup of honey and lemon tea with a hint of lemon and sweet flower. Light throw and fair lasting power.

 

Verdict: If I wear this too often the amount of tea I drink is going to increase. This is the first big bottle I ever bought! Now I just have to make it last

Edited October 25, 2008 by ealasaid86

[Champagne]

In the imp is mint and honey, on the skin the tea unfolds itself wth a spoon of sugar and a delicate floral background. It`s not overly sweet and more complex than I thought. I find it more on the conforting side than refreshing, mainly for the spectacular duo of mint and honey.

[jencallisto]

In the bottle: Sweet and fresh -- a little honey, a little mint.

Fresh on the skin: Ooh, pretty. Honeyed and lightly floral, in a vaguely oriental way.

20 minutes later: Damn, this is pretty, and extremely consistent.

2 hours later: This is so, so pretty! Delicate, minty-fresh honey-floral, with maybe a little powder at the edges.

5 hours later: Faded, but pretty much exactly the same. Wow.

9 hours later: Whoops, all gone, just the tiny tiny tiniest whiff of honey left.

 

Verdict: So much love! Do I need a second bottle? Decisions, decisions.

 

One word: Pretty!

 

 

[TheOneTheyCallLuna]

I really loved the whole idea of this blend and carnaval character. It's one I've been just dying to try since day one. In the bottle, Gennivre smells exactly like this tea drink that I make using either Moroccan mint green tea or Yogi mint Ginko tea, lemon, and agave syrup. This blend is a dead wringer for that smell. On my skin this doesn't morph too much, though it picks up a little bit more of a sugared-honey element. I can pick out the green tea smell, and the mint floats around in subtle wisps. I really love this one...it smells like my favorite tea (which I probably smell like anyways since I am always carrying it around with me, and consume so much of it I probably sweat it out of my pores...)

 

In any case, I contemplated buying a bottle, but the problem is that this is a little too close to the skin, and that is coming from someone who avoids overly loud and strong fragrance blends. I mean, I consider a long throw on a fragrance to generally be a negative quality, but if I can barely smell it on my own wrist then that is a problem! It also disappears quite quickly. Though I loved the smell, over the course of a few hours I reapplied a few times just so I could enjoy the scent some more. In addition, while this is the best and classiest 'green tea' perfume I have ever smelled, it's not unique enough to warrant a bottle purchase for me, though you will pry my decant from my cold dead hands!

 

ETA: Yeah, I totes bought a bottle after writing this, and I don't regret it!

Edited February 5, 2009 by TheOneTheyCallLuna

[MisterShrapnel]

Green tea and mint! Reminds me of Green Tree Viper, albeit less creamy. The lemongrass is very gentle (I've only smelt it in one other blend, the TAL Concentration). Slightly sweet and even a bare hint musky, so I think of Dorian... though not quite.

I was wary of the orange blossom, but it's more delicate here, and I quite like it.

Refreshing and pretty, but my skin must be thirsty as I drink it up very soon...

This is a great concept and I WANT IT TO WORK but it's so faint. :|

Edited January 26, 2009 by MisterShrapnel

[gingiemay]

Wet in bottle - Mmm, a minty tea lemongrass scent that is tempered with the sweetness of the sugarcane and orange blossom.

 

Wet on skin - Very similar to the bottle, although the mint is lighter and the lemongrass a bit stronger.

 

Dry on skin - I get a lemony/tea note similar to Dorian, but this is a more feminine version with the orange blossom and sugar cane. I get almost no honey; it is well blended with the tea note. I'm glad I got this, it's sweet, sexy and comforting all at the same time.

[milo]

I love tea, lemongrass, mint and honey, so I thought this would be the perfect scent for me. Alas, it is not to be. There is something in here that is sharp and atringent, same note as in Privilege, or something like it that is just wrong on me somehow. After about twenty minutes, this disappears, and a lemon tea remains, but is very fleeting in itself and is gone in half an hour. Dorian or Embalming Fluid can fulfill my tea/lemon loves, and Gennivre is going into my swaps pile.

[CynicalPink]

Sweetened iced white tea! It's so crisp and clean with plenty of sweetness. The lemon isn't overpowering. It feels like the perfect iced beverage for summer. I really need a bottle before the dog days of summer hit. A great companion to The Dormouse, but (like the Mouse) she'll need plenty of slathering to really have a presence.

[odalisque]

In the imp: Sugary lemon, and on second huff, tea.

 

On skin: Tea with orange. Really, it's uncannily like a box of low-end orange-infused Pekoe tea. Oh, mint! Wow, strangely, I think this is one of the foodiest BPAL blends I've ever tried. Tummy growling now. (I don't even like the taste of mint tea, but the scent of it makes me hungry every time.)

 

Now the honey comes out, and a richer tang, maybe the lemongrass; it still smells like mint and tea, but much less.

 

Dry: where'd it go?! All that's left is the faintest breath of sugarcane and orange blossom. Gah. I like the dry scent -- the sugarcane is gorgeous and different, and appeals to my honey-loving sensibilities -- but there's so little of it, and I have to go through the mint-tea phase to get there, so I don't know if it's worth it.

 

ETA: OK, spankings for me for reviewing too soon. A second application and Gennivre is winning my heart, all sugarcane and orange blossom with just enough tea to ground and the mint is behaving now. Yummmmm.

Edited June 12, 2009 by odalisque

[tragedy]

oh wow... I really love this!

 

In the bottle: I smell the same kind of mint in my beloved Ellegua, Its a heavier mint instead of a snappy gum mint.

 

On skin: The mint blends with the tea and a slightbit of the orange blossom.

I dont know if it was the description story but theres something chilling/creepy about this scent, it evokes a feeling that I just love!

Drydown: This fades a little too fast for my liking on the skin (no problem, I'll just put on clothing) I'm suprised I'm not getting more honey, as thats usually an amped note on me... it stays background.

This is gorgeous!

[hlemonds]

This reminds me quite a lot of Jasmine Green Tea i buy from the asian super market. One of my favorite teas, and certainly a lovely scent. Because of the floral feeling (my nose is telling me Jasmine, but from the notes i'm guessing it's the Orange Blossom). And i'm definitely picking up the light sweetness of the honey. This one is PERFECT for summer. The tea is refreshing, the floral note is light and playful, the honey adds a beautiful sweetness that is soft enough for summer.

 

I've already purchased a bottle as i only had an imp to test at first. Thanks so much to my pal Scrangie who sent me the imp and got me hooked on BPAL!

[tajana]

Wow, this one smells really lovely at first. Lightly minty tea, brightened with lemongrass, sweetened with a pinch of sugar. As it dries down, the lemongrass dissipates, the mint slowly fades, but to make up for those losses there's a trickle of pale golden honey, and the orange blossoms begin to bloom. Gorgeous: I could not stop sniffing my wrist! I see that a lot of people complained that this was weak and a quick fade, but I was satisfied with the potency and throw. I thought that I was in trouble, that I'd need to cough up the cash to secure a bottle of this perfume. However, after an hour passes Gennivre stops being so well-behaved. Honey has betrayed me yet again! The glorious tea is nowhere to be seen, and the honey, alas, has turned to powder.

[devilot]

Gennivre

In the Bottle: Mint, all mint, baby.

 

Wet: Still very minty and then the lemongrass appears.

 

Drydown: Whoa, the mint is totally gone! As is the lemongrass. Now I'm getting the warm sweetness of the sugar cane and honey (bet orange blossom, too). And yes, tea. Tea that reminds me of Severin's tea but obviously much more subtle and unobtrusive.

 

Verdict: This is nice, but I don't see myself wearing it often to justify keeping this partial bottle.

[NoinHime]

I love this!!!

 

In the bottle it smells like honey-ed black tea with lemon and mint.

 

Once it dries on my the mint pretty much vanished and the orange blossom comes through. It ends up smelling like a beautiful black floral tea with honey and an a very light touch of lemon.

 

I will be buying a back-up bottle of this!

[emily2531]

Gennivre is sweet grassy tea.

 

Dorian is one of my favorite oils (sweet vanilla with musky mossy undertones), and I thought Gennivre sounded similar enough yet different enough for me to buy a bottle unsniffed. Alas, Gennivre was too shrill for me. I thought the high notes were a little too strident and there wasn't enough of a base to anchor this fragrance.