Theodosius, The Legerdemain

[Penance]

Earl Grey tea leaves, a white fougere, jasmine leaf, pearlescent white musk, and vanilla bean.

Origin:

5mL from the Lab.

Preconceived notions:

Everything but the jasmine sounds good to me. I've seen the comparisons to Dorian, so I'm expecting something similar from Theodosius in spite of the notes sounding different to me.

First sniff:

Dorian, indeed. If you replaced some of the tea in Dorian with a bergamot-heavy Earl Grey and toned down the vanilla, you'd have Theodosius. It's more citrusy and a little brighter and sharper than Dorian, although I imagine that it would soften up the way Dorian does with some age.

Wet on skin:

Vanilla Earl Grey tea, heavy on the bergamot, with a touch of musk. It's very much like Dorian, but Theodosius doesn't quite work for me as well as Dorian does. I think it's the bergamot that makes the difference. I've always wanted a touch more tea from Dorian, but instead of more tea, I'm getting more citrus from Theodosius.

Dry down:

This one's no morpher. It stays virtually the same from bottle to drydown. If you like Dorian and you like citrus scents, then Theodosius will probably be right up your alley.

The bottom line:

I like Theodosius, but I really don't need this and Dorian in my collection. Of the two, I prefer Dorian because I'm not a big bergamot fan (in spite of loving the smell of Earl Grey). Normally, I wouldn't mind having two (or more) similar scents in my collection, but when they're this close and one of them falls short of the other, it's easy to let one go. Theodosius has moved onto a new town, where he'll hopefully find a more enthusiastic audience.

ETA: Added the description. Didn't notice I was the first reviewer on a new page. Edited May 26, 2011 by Penance

[Gin]

This is embarrassing but I had overlooked Theodosius for a long time because I always misread his title. I tend to sort of skim the names, so Theo was always some sort of ledger man. Don't get me wrong, I am all about ledgers, but I figured the oil would be sort of parchmenty. When I finally READ the CD page, I was like, ohhh, that makes a lot more sense!

Anyway, Theodosius is a vanilla-tea-citrus (bergamot?) scent. I think I like it, but I think it's a little masculine for me. It could be great on my husband, though.

[imaginepageant]

In the Vial: Just what I'd been hoping for: a more masculine version of Dorian. The tea and lemon is prominent with the white musk in the background. There's just a hint of vanilla, but this isn't really sweet at all. And there's a dry, green quality to it that I think is the jasmine leaf.

 

Wet: Goes a little floral and powdery, but then the tea and lemon come rushing back in. I don't know what's in the white fougere, but I'm getting something woodsy from this. No wait, leather. Oh, this is like Severin! Yes!

 

Dry: I keep smelling Dorian in the throw (more lemon and vanilla), but up close it's all Severin (more tea and phantom-leather). Theodosius is clearly having an identity crisis and can't decide whose legendary footsteps he wants to follow in.

 

An Hour Later: I've been sniffing my hand throughout the entire hour, and it was going strong the entire time, but all of a sudden it's gotten really faint. The tea is still prominent, and it's sweeter now; I suppose the vanilla finally decided to get in on the action. Because of that, it's edging slightly closer to Dorian. But the phantom-leather is still there.

 

Overall: I'm surprised at how similar to Severin this is; I wasn't expecting that at all. In the end stages, I'd say it's equidistant between Severin and Dorian. I'm not sure if I'd wear this myself, but I will absolutely be slathering it on the boyfriend tonight! Theodosius is fresh, clean, and innocently charming, but there's a definite bad-boy streak hidden beneath the surface.

[damonkitty]

I am in love with Theodosius . I made a bottle purchase before CD went dark and I am so glad I have a bottle until this makes a return. From reading the reviews and looking at the notes I knew this was probably going to work out. The only note that scared me was the jasmine, but I do not get a floral blend from this at all. It is sweet vanilla tea with almost a smoky scent in the background. It is on the lines of Dorain, but I find this to be a little more mysterious and sexy. When my eyes roll in my head after a first sniff I know I have to hoard a scent. Well, that is a picture of me after I smelled this for the first time on my skin. I can not believe it took so long for me to discover this wonderful blend.

[angelamaria]

In decant: tea, quite herbal. There's a touch of vanilla, but overall it's a clean herbal scent. Gender neutral.

 

Wet on skin: tea, quite simply. It's slightly powdery (not sure where that's coming from), but refreshing and clean, as if newly out of the shower. The aforementioned touch of vanilla is there to make it creamy, but not foody in any sense, and it's just a hint. A gender neutral tea scent.

 

Dry: it's almost all gone now, on my skin. If I pull hard I can get at it, an herbal note with slight vanilla.

 

Verdict: a nice skin scent, and probably better for someone with a better skin chemistry than mine for this.

[n3m3sis42]

In the bottle:

Men's aftershave (think Aqua Velva) with maybe a hint of tea. Huh.

 

Wet:

Lemon and tea. We'll see how long that lasts on my skin.

 

Drydown:

Tea with a hint of lemon. When I first purchased this bottle years ago (like in 2007 or 2008), I remember the tea note disappearing after a while. We'll see what happens now.

 

Dry:

Meh. This seems like it would be very nice on me if it weren't so faint. It's a creamy vanilla tea smell, but it's barely there. Probably going to send it off to the swap bucket for someone else to love.

[bpalscentsual]

J. Creezy, hold me. To me, this is Severin's brother. His older, burlier brother. Severin is kind of a dweeb. He stays quiet in his corner, reading his latest biography, and waits until you call him. He doesn't have much stamina, but he's kinda cute and comforting. Severin is the boy next door.

 

Theodosius, on the other hand, engages you in a conversation, dazzles you with his wit and intelligence, gets you to invite him back to your place 'for coffee', and you wake up to him the next morning bringing a steaming cup of Earl Grey to you. Naked. Not exactly a bad boy, but definitely has a much stronger personality.

 

I don't know where I'm getting the leather in here, but I smell something like it. Must be the combination of jasmine leaf and white musk, I think, and the fougere folds in nicely with the tea. The bergamot and Earl Grey are identical to Severin's feel. But there's something absolutely magnetic about Theodosius. These two scents are close cousins for me, and they make me feel good while I wear them. Whereas Severin's drydown is all leather and lasts only a few hours, Theodosius has a very vanilla drydown. Not too foody or sweet, though.

 

No longer searching for a back-up bottle of Severin... but you will pry Theodosius from my most unwilling, snarled-claw hands.

[sunlitgarden]

(Apparently I had already reviewed this and forgot - sorry for the double post!)

 

I'm trying Theo because I love Dorian and have heard the two compared, and wanted to see for myself. I'm not sure how aged this decant is, but I got it secondhand.

In the decant: Huh. This is difficult to describe. I'd call it kind of fresh and a little back-of-the-throat astringent. I can smell the white musk and vanilla, but there's something else a bit sharp and harsh here as well.

On my skin, it's somewhat Dorian like, but a bit more... floral? (Maybe the jasmine leaf? Not sure what the leaf smells like, but I'm not getting the usual super-strong jasmine here.) And a little smoky. There's something bitter that is giving the blend a band-aidy/plasticky tone, unfortunately. =/ I think I'll stick with Dorian.

Edit: After it's entirely dry, the wafts I am getting from the throw are pretty good, but they basically smell like Dorian. And up close, the band-aid/plastic thing is super strong. x.x

Edited September 29, 2015 by sunlitgarden

[catalyst]

Wow. Oh my god. Yes. YES.

 

I spotted this on eBay recently along with some imps, and the price was good, so I checked out the reviews here and got some advice from a friend and took a chance. This is the only bottle I've ever purchased where I haven't tried out an imp of it first. I'm so, so glad I did.

 

I've never tried Dorian, so I can't compare the two. Vanilla is usually a death note, but not always, and I don't like jasmine at all. But I couldn't resist the tea note. Plus I like musk a lot, and was curious about the fougere. And I thought well, it's vanilla bean, and not sugared vanilla, and jasmine leaf, so maybe...

 

God, yes.

 

I want to eat and/or have sex with my arm. Maybe at the same time. I dunno yet, the day is still young.

 

Somehow I'm getting smoky leather in this, and a lot of it, which is freaking perfect for me because I'm nuts about leather, and a little hint of smoke in something is nearly always good. If there's floral in this, it's very very faint in the background. The vanilla is not sweet or sugared at all, which was the note that ruined The Antikdfjsdsda Mechanism for me. But this... freaking wow.

 

Obviously masculine, but not overbearing at all. The brighter notes fade as time goes on, of course, and you get mostly soft musk with some fougere, then at the very end it's mostly musk with a hint of vanilla bean, not sweet sugared vanilla. If I had to pick something to compare it to, I guess it would be Havana when wet, but only about half as intense, and maybe Fenris Wolf or Violens when dry? But comparisons are impossible!

 

This may be way up in my top five now. I think I'm in love.

Edited July 23, 2012 by catalyst

[Mechanical Death]

Win! So much win! If this perfume was the smoldering man it was named for I wouldn't hold back. :swoon:

 

I love earl grey-- my favorite tea. The vanilla adds a beautiful creaminess.

I don't have a ton to say about it, it's just fabulous. It you are a fan of Dorian and get a chance to try this-- do it. It's perfect. Richer and sexier. Dorian is a bit cleaner and citrusy in comparison.

[whitsunweddings]

In the imp: Dorian. This is seriously just Dorian.

Wet: Sweet, manly, earl grey tea. Or, as some like to call it, Dorian.

Dry: Yeah. It's Dorian. There's maybe the slightest hint of jasmine, but that aside, they're virtually identical. I do love the tea note - it's very true. When I was travelling recently, I stood near a lady in an airport who I'm pretty sure was wearing either this or Dorian and I was really jealous of how fresh and clean she smelled. Seriously contemplating buying a bottle for travelling!

[kaberett]

In the imp: definite green - the jasmine leaf? - and generally a lovely crisp white-and-vanilla scent.

 

Wet: Oooh, very green and musky. And the bergamot is being delightfully fizzy! And the vanilla! Nom.

 

Dry: Ooh, turns into a very warm musky vanilla on me (not hugely suprised on that one...), but it is still laced with green - again, the jasmine leaf? - and very, very tasty. Not sure I'm particularly getting the tea; but oh, this is lovely. Kind of like Whitechapel without the smirk, and rather more of a flourish: definitely elegant but simultaneously more inviting and mysterious.

[mymymai]

ITB: Beautiful fougere, tea, musk, and jasmine leaf.

 

Wet: The fougere is a bit citrusy once on my skin. I can start picking up the vanilla, which is softening the tea and jasmine leaf ever so slightly. This would be a great unisex scent, although I'd fight my husband to wear this one myself.

 

Dry: Delightful tea, thick musk, sweet and creamy vanilla bean, and a deliciously sophisticated fougere. *Swoon*.

[ObliqueRed]

On my husband, this is absolutely delicious. The tea and vanilla definitely come through, but it doesn't smell too foody or feminine, but like a crisp, creamy musk. A definite keeper. I want to dip him in it constantly and every time he wears it I just want to cuddle up to him and bury my nose in his neck. So so amazing.

[theredkilt]

Very refined and clean, although on my skin it goes powdery and borders on make-up bag smell. Somehow it reminds me of Tattered Lace .

[DiesMali]

In the bottle: Sharp citrusy tea.

 

Wet on my skin: Sharp, clean citrusy tea.

 

Dry: Other reviews say this is similar to Dorian, and it is, but it's actually far more reminiscent of Jareth due to that white musk and white fougere. Indeed, the notes in it are rather similar, but instead of lilac, this one has jasmine leaf. Don't worry, though - the jasmine leaf isn't strong like jasmine flower, and it effectively blends the Earl Grey tea with jasmine tea. It's a strong, shiny citrus tea, and it is both very clean and somehow mysterious at the same time. This is a unisex scent, bordering on masculine, and if you're a fan of Jareth, you're probably going to like this. This is not as overtly bad-boy sexy as Jareth, however, and in that it's more like the refined gentleman of Dorian. With a bite.

[doomsday_disco]

2015 version.

 

In the bottle: White musk and fougere and the bergamot of the Earl Grey tea leaves. (When it first arrived, the bergamot of the Earl Grey leaves and the vanilla bean were the most prominent notes in the bottle, but the bottle was warm from the mailbox. I usually wait until the day after arrival to test my new bottles, but CARNAVAL.) I cannot detect the jasmine leaf note from the scent in the bottle.

 

Wet: White fougere and the Earl Grey tea leaves (I get more bergamot than anything from the tea leaf note), lightly sweetened by the vanilla bean note. I can see why this has been compared to Dorian, although Dorian (which I am wearing in my hair and on my neck today) is much sweeter than Theodosius. The white musk note is present as well. I'm still not able to pick out any jasmine leaf, but that's okay, as jasmine and I don't always get along! Sometimes the Lab's black tea note is reminiscent of black licorice on my skin, but I'm not getting a black licorice vibe from this Earl Grey note at all. Huzzah!

 

Dry: I still get the fougere, Earl Grey tea leaves, and the white musk more than anything else, but the vanilla bean note has emerged more during the dry phase, adding some more welcome sweetness to the scent.

 

Verdict: Yeah, I would say this is in the same family as scents like Dorian and Jareth, but while I love Dorian, I only like Theodosius. I'm going to hang onto my bottle, but I won't need more of this. I think this would smell amazing on a guy, though!

[SimplySyra]

2015 Version.

 

Wet this is strongly citrusy bergamot. It's tart and bright and reminds me more along the lines of lemon that bergamot to be honest. It's well sweetened by the vanilla and smells like sugary lemony tea to me. The white musk is the next most prominent. A bit fuzzy and warm.

 

Beneath it all is a very recognizable fougere that runs along the same lines as Dorian and Jareth. Hardly surprising given its origins! Overall, though, I'd say this runs much closer to Jareth than Dorian for me. Dorian is warm and sweet with a hint of naughty but Theodosius is danger right from the start. This is colder and flashier. Again, like Jareth. I'd really recommend it to anyone who liked Jareth.

 

Also not picking up any jasmine leaf but I suspect it's hiding in the fougere which is fine by me!

 

Overall, a nice scent that I'll hold on to, but it won't be dethroning Dorian for me any time soon.

[LexieBlom]

Theodosius, The Legerdemain imp

 

Wet/Bottle - White musk, fougere and a hint of tea. Light, sweet and floral.

 

Wet/Skin (5 minutes) - Vanilla, white musk and tea mostly. VERY floral, and the notes seem to muddle together a bit.

 

Dry/Skin (30 minutes) - All white musk and vanilla. The floral is almost gone, but as is the tea and that was my favorite part of this blend.

 

Overall, it's not bad. One of the better white musk blends, for me, but I still don't see myself wearing it much.

[sarandipitee]

Jasmine, why you gotta go and ruin everything for me??

 

I love Dorian, and while I LOVE Labyrinth the movie, Jareth never lost it's sharp edge that made my head wince - more than likely a result of the lilac. Here the fougere and the jasmine leaf are doing the same.

 

I'll keep my decant to age and see if it lessens the sharpness so I can wear it.

[zankoku_zen]

2015 version.

 

Theodosius, you've gotten sexier. Hello, vanilla. So I get early grey tea, a massive amount of vanilla, and a hint of musk. So earl grey tinged vanilla? Who isn't a fan?

 

Jasmine is blessedly MIA. This is just a slightly masculine vanilla musk. And you know, it may be a little "basic bitch" (whatever the fuck that term means), but its super fantastic.

 

Just say YES. Theodosius isn't going to disappoint you.

 

Sexy, vanilla, musk.

[somacat]

This is very refined and more blended and elegant to me, than Dorian. This is a knowing, slick, and swift scent without being at all smarmy or flashy. There are no snags or tells to this magic trick, just fluid grace. Sexy is a way that's not accessable. This is my favorite BPAL Earl Grey thus far, as the tea note is very subdued, the citrus is not too aggressive, and the musk lends a depth that's both comforting and elusive.

[tziporra]

There is a terrible moment in the dry-down of all tea scents on my skin. It's just sour yuck on me, unforgivably strong tea-ness. Theodosius is so good every other second, from the bottle, to the soft vanilla bergamot loveliness after, that I'm considering upgrading to a bottle anyway. I've been craving more "perfumey" scents from the lab, and this one fits the bill. The fougere reads like an upscale men's scent, perfectly blended, warmed with vanilla, sparkling with musk. It's really nice. I'm torn.

 

More testing needed.

 

Tzi

[BoneBone24]

2015

 

This. This is what I’ve been waiting for. This is what the sugar ruined for me in Dorian and what the leather ruined for me in Jareth. This is that oh-so-unf-y-where-has-this-been-all-my-life-good-gods-it’s-beautiful blend of creamy fougere, pale musk, and tea that I was hoping it would be. It’s absolutely perfect. No morphing, no over-amping, no vanishing. Every note intertwines with the next in the loveliest way. The fougere sits on top, softened by white musk and sweetened with vanilla. The tea enhances the bergamot brightness, without ever taking it into the land of high-pitched or sour. It’s just right. The jasmine adds just a subtle floral smokiness at the base of the scent, so softly that it’s barely noticeable. A beautiful masterpiece.

 

 

9.5 out of 10 bones

[ImpImpImp]

2015 version:

 

This is unbelievably beautiful. Arguably even more beautiful than Dorian and Jareth together, and I'm a huge fan of both! This is complex and elegant and welcoming on me, and somehow even more complex and lovely and deep on my partner. Tea, vanilla, sheer musk, fougere. Wafts flirtatiously, disappearing and suddenly reappearing. Impressive stay. This is currently my very favorite scent!