Kostnice

[aritei]

A celebration of the Bone Church of Prague. Frankincense, rosewood, lily, and geranium rose.

Though I've never seen the bone church, this is how I'd imagine it to smell. Amazing!

[totalimmoral]

In the bottle: Very nice! The lily immeadiatly jumps out at me.

 

Wet on wrist: Lily? Where are you?

 

Dry: Damn! I smell like Dove soap. I was so excited cause not one has ever gone soapy on me. Off to swap!

[Alice Aforethought]

I'm a convert to florals, but this one's too heavy first off, even for me. There is a bitter, watery note in there that prevents me liking this one.

 

As it mellows it does get a lot more wearable, as the rose influence peeks out a bit more and the frankincense stays nicely in the background this time. The lily note still jars on me, unfortunately, so this is another one for my lovely.

[slave1]

In Bottle: Dill?

 

On Skin: Wow, the mixture does make it smell like dill at first! How odd! I love the description since I’m dying to visit the Bone Church. The rosewood and geranium rose are showing there dominance followed by the frankincense. The lily is sweet in the background. A very pretty scent. After an hour it turns to an almost honeysuckle like scent…

[Little Bird]

Kostnice is a scent that I would have never tried on my own. None of the notes sounded appealing to me at all. Luckily, a lovely swapper included an imp of Kostnice as a freebie... and I'll try anything twice.

 

Oh God, I LOVE Kostnice .

 

When I first dabbed it on my wrist, I immediately thought that it smelled cool. Like the first chilly day in fall when you realize that summer is ending. And it remains hauntingly cool for the long hours that it stays with me. After a few minutes of monitoring Kostnice and repeatedly smelling my wrists, it had transformed into the green herbal scent of my dreams. I've been trying to find a perfect green scent for years, and this is it. It never smells soapy or floral as it does on some users... it just stays green and herbal and perfect. It reminds me of some good memory from my childhood that I cannot quite place, but the happy feeling is there all the same.

 

This may very well be my new favorite scent...

[Muppetk]

Wow does this scent hate me.

 

It sounded so good in the description! On my skin, I swear it turns into rose-scented fantastik. Really. The cleaning spray with a hint of rose. It gets less bad over time, but *man*. Some note or combination of notes in this just does NOT work for me.

[olympia301]

 

This is another "nice" scent I don't think there is anything in the blend which is more than a lily trill. Another one which I would recommend for the timid. It didn't last very long on me, unfortunately, and I traded it to a new home where it will be treated as something special.

Edited May 16, 2005 by olympia301

[lizling]

At first sniff, it’s woody and sort of plant-like (not floral, more like leaves). It’s also got a note that’s reminiscent of soap. As it sits on my skin, it gets soapier at first, but then the frankincense starts to come out, followed by a faintly floral-herby smell. The soapy undertone is still there, but it’s not strong enough to be bothersome; I think it lends a cleanness to the earthiness of the smell.

Edited May 18, 2005 by lizling

[nineveh]

After Anne Bonny and Faustus, I thought that I had frankincense-amplifying skin. I barely get any of it from Kostnice; I only knew it was there when I read the description and sought it out on my skin.

 

This scent is predominantly one of the two florals. I don't know what either of them smells like, but Kostnice is really soapy on me.

 

After time, I can smell the frankincense and/or rosewood more. It smells better, warmer, and less soapy. Hm.

 

I'll have to save my imp for now and test this again.

[evil_laugher]

I don't know what it is, but all I've gotten so far is lemon-fresh floor cleanser. Unfortunate.

[PurringPulsar]

Kostnice

 

In the imp: freshly cut waxy flowers, with a background of green or wood.

Wet on skin: fresh, green, with something bright and a hint of wood. I think I can smell the lily, it's a crisp, moist smell, with the leaves as well as the flowers of the lily.

Dry on skin: sharp and crisp, with hints of green. A bit too sharp, but not off putting just yet, but this sharpness does get tempered quickly. It reminds me of a bouquet of flowers in a church, or white lilies touched by raindrops…I can make out the rose wood underneath. An interesting mix of smells, but it seems to give off a solemn and meditative, perhaps even quite sorrowful feel, but with a lightness and reassuring calmness.

After a while: I think I can just make out the geranium? To me geranium is a 'warm' floral whilst the lily is cool, I think I can make out the frankincense adding a distinct, bright tart resinous note to this, blending with the powdery lily, with geranium and rosewood at the bottom, grounding it and adding a warm depth. There's something calming and peaceful about this scent.

After a few hours this becomes pure lily. Not soapy lily, but freshly cut lily, even the smell of the leaves.

Verdict: this is an intriguing one…it's green, fresh, quite astringent at first, the sharpness was slightly too strong, but it does mellow out, bringing out a woody and incensy depth and soft fresh white florals. It's a contemplative, yet quite mysterious, even melancholy fragrance, yet with a soft warmth and peaceful lightness beneath it all. A lovely, interesting blend. I think it will be one of those scents that will grow on me.

Edited May 26, 2005 by yeahbutnobut

[leslie260]

In the bottle: I distinctly smell incense and geranium...and while it smells a bit strong, I can already tell that this will be a good one for me. The worse they smell in the imp...the better they smell on my skin.

 

On my wrist: The same...maybe a bit muskier. I can pick out the rose and lily now...but the lily has more of a Lily of the Valley scent than I expected. It smells lovely.

 

After a half hour: Very floral. Unfortunately, a lot of the heavier incense smell has gone away and has been replaced by a generic floral scent. That really bums me out.

 

Verdict: Gorgeous at first....too floral by the end. I'm disappointed but I've had worse scent experiences. I'll keep the imp.

[Orodemniades]

Imp: Oo, once again there's a pickle smell in the background...can't quite figure out what it is...the lily, maybe?

 

Wet: Mm, roses! But...not really? I'm not a big fan of frankincense, but I can live with this.

 

Drydown: The frankincense morphs with the rose and I get different whiffs of each everytime I sniff my wrist. The lily adds a high note, and I'm glad to report the pickle smell is gone.

 

Overall: I wasn't too sure of Kostnice at first, but as the hours have passed it morphs yet again into incense, and I would agree that there's something worshipful about it. Don't know if I'll get a big bottle, but I'll certainly use the imp.

 

Oro

[Skyablaze]

This is my first BPAL and at first it is soapy tinged but still pleasant. A little later. I'm getting lily here, lots of lily and geranium. Floral? Oh yes. And it does smell rather holy.

 

What I found great about this scent was how much it smelled like the room in the back of a church where they arranged the flowers - flowers, cleanliness and something else I can't wuite put my finger on. It brings back strong memories of youth and innocence: when I was a child, going to the back of the church (through the flower room) to give a message to the priest and not being sure whether I was supposed to be there.

 

In summary: a comforting floral that is very peaceful. But not a real winner for me. I'll definitely use the imp, but not bottle material on my skin.

 

A final strange note - my mother is convinced this smells like sugar and indian spices. I am indeed confuzzled...

 

ETA: That brief soapiness I mention earlier? Came back with a vengence later, engulfed everything and gave me such a headache I had to wash it off. Darn.

Edited June 6, 2005 by Skyablaze

[k00kaburra]

In bottle: A solemn, venerable fragrance. It is greener than I expected for a bone church. It is like the dust from the bones can be smelt in the air and all around you - in the walls, in the furniture, on your clothes - but inside all of these bones something still grows. Like grass, struggling up in the spaces between a ribcage, or vines tangling out the orifices of skulls.

On me: The geranium rose and rosewood are strong but hold lily in check, so that it is there but not overwhelming. This is another room fragrance, like Cathedral, to be used in your sanctuary. It smells like cathedrals I have visited; the incenses so often burned over hundreds of years they are a permanant fixture, like the alters or the pews; the dustiness of creaky age as you walk over ancient floors and paneled walls; the lilies arranged about the sanctuary and the roses draped upon the graves.

[OriginalWacky]

Bottle (Imp): This smells fresh and crisp.

 

Just On: It gets a sharper side to it as soon as I apply it.

 

An hour or two later: It's almost gone already.

 

Around 6 hours: Another fast fader. This is gone already.

 

12 hours: Probably don't need to say it's gone.

 

Overall: I like this one, but like a few others, it faded really fast on me.

 

After reading other reviews: I couldn't identify any notes in this at all, it was very well blended. I'm rather eh about it in general, so I probably won't buy more of it.

[Dark Seraphim]

Bottle: Light floral. Not rose, rather, I was picturing yellow, like sunflowers and daffodils. Something like that.

 

Worn: It fails as a worn scent as it didn't last long at all, and I got was a lemon powder. Must be me. Oh well.

 

Burner: Here is where Kostnice shines. In the burner, I imagined a countryside filled with yellow flowers and carnations. Starts out subtle, but gains some strength as it stays more in the burner. Very pleasant, and after awhile, the frankenscence and myhrr appear. It seems to become the famed "church" scent after a couple hours. Long lasting in the burner.

 

In the end, I was a little disappointed, but thankfully, I can burn it. I wouldn't get a larger bottle though. 6/10.

[telesilla]

I just had my first serious "yuck" reaction to a BPAL scent.

 

I think the lily in it is turning to soap on me. And not a particularly nice soap but a kind of piney soap. I know it's not the frankincense, because I love Cathederal with a deep abiding passion and it's got frankincense in it.

 

It's probably my body chemistry; reading the reviews, I notice that some people had the same reaction and some people just loved it.

 

To prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that I make wierd mental associations, I kind of wanted to like it because it's named after the Bone Church in Prague, which makes me think of Ewan McGregor who called the Bone Church a "serial killers wet dream."

[bodegaselkie]

I applied Kostnice about 10 minutes ago and, alas, it has already turned soapy on me. It almost smells soapy in the bottle, to my nose. I can't smell any of the proposed notes in it. Very disappointing.

[Lycanthrope]

Starts off very lightly resinous to me, definitely frankincense, but sweeps towards that rather strong and potent rose geranium within moments of touching my skin. However, an undercurrent of dry woods manages to rein in the mad rose geranium before it can achieve that shrillness I associate with the pure essential oil, and the blend settles down into a complicated woodsy floral, with the geranium perfectly suspended between the other notes.

 

Frankly, sweet, soft, and beautiful, but not something I can wear. Glad I had a chance to try it though.

 

ETA: To follow my format. Old review above.

 

In the Bottle or Imp:

Smells sweet, very resinous. Frankincense... With an airy floral topnote. I see white flowers growing in a monastery.

Wet, on Skin:

Um... rose geranium... very blatantly so. It takes over everything and pummels me with its sharp, potent and distinct topnote.

Drying Down:

As the blend dries, the rose geranium steps back and I can smell resins, and warm woods, akin to church pews, a sweeter rose scent draws to the forefront and I'm happy.

Over Time:

Uh oh. Lily... is starting to creep up on me. Very sweet, too many associations with generic drugstore shower gel to be pleasant. The bone church is getting a scrubdown. Hours later, the only thing I can smell on my wrist is lily gone amuck, and I'm not too pleased.

Final Verdict?

Sad that this didn't work out for me. Will give it another shot before putting it in the swap box.

Edited July 8, 2005 by Lycanthrope

[Sistinas]

a review of Kostnice

 

Vial ~ Initially out of the vial there is nothing attractive about this fragrance

unless you like the smell of rotting dirt, which of course I do.

 

Wet ~ not too much has changed

 

Drying ~ As it is drying, some faint flowers are trying to bloom throught the dirt, as if trying to push their way through, it is so faint that it must be a big struggle for them. I belive what I am picking up is the frankinsense and the slight of lily and bergamot rose.

 

Dry ~ It took a while for it to dry, but I think now I can start to make a few conclusions. First off the Frankincense is still there but now in the back ground, the lillies are strong but not overpowering and there is but a whisper of rose.

 

 

Fade ~ Not getting much throw from it, but when I smell the back of my wrist it is still going strong 45 mins after I applied it. For me and "my ever spongy soak up

the scent skin", this is a very good thing.

 

Final thoughts ~ This scent was named after a bone church in Prague and I find it very fitting. I wonder if some people think this would be a scent their grandmother had worn, not sure, but I do know that mine never did. Personally I find it very sophiscated and will be great for nights out. Hmmm, what are those again?

[Undine]

Going on this has a very "high" note which is the primary one I notice. Geranium rose is described as "green", so that's probably the lily. Unfortunately, this takes over and goes very soapy. This scent is actually rather aquatic in nature.

 

It might be very nice otherwise, but with the lily, it's hard to tell. I find it hard to smell the frankincense.

 

Oddly, I seem to sometimes catch a sweet scent floating around me, but when I sniff my wrist, soap-o-matic. As another reviewer said, though, it's not the worst soap. I do notice the greenness. And it lasts much better than many other scents.

[Lilithlefay]

Wet on skin: Lemons? Smells like pledge cleaner. With lily and rose.

 

Drydown: Soapy lemons with some floral. I wish I got something resiny, but I don't at all. Very very very clean. Too clean for me. Feel like someone scrubbed me down with some lemon scented disinfectant. I was soooo looking forward to this too

[QueenFae]

This is an earthy, woody scent for me. The frankincense is definitely the top note, with a creeping of rosewood underneath. It's sort of a generic, cedar chest scent for me, not really notes that suit my skin. Makes me think a bit too much of clean smelling satchels for your sock drawer. I will find him a better home.

[AngelFireHeart]

Kostnice – Out of the vial this is a very woody scent like a deep forest, which as it dries, starts to become a heavy floral possibly with a touch of Lavender. This scent to me is quite a heavy cologne & I think this is more of a mans scent. .