Horreur Sympathique

[Leopard403]

The perfume of a hellbound soul, gleefully lost to iniquity: blood musk, golden honey, thick black wine, champagne grapes, tobacco flower, plum blossom, tonka bean, oakmoss, carnation, benzoin, opoponax, and sugar cane.

This is very heavy and grape-y; I think that's the blood and wine. I get more plum *fruit* than plum *blossom*, too, and that's generally a R/O note for me. This is tempered a bit by the florals, but overall is too heady for me to get away with wearing.

[SophieCedar]

This is my first with blood musk. I can see why it's labeled such. Iron/metallic-like and red. The fruit comes out as a natural grape smell instead of a candy like artificial one. The carnation and opoponax are a nice spicy and floral addition. I really like this one! Very indulgent, dark, and sensual.

Edited January 16, 2010 by SophieCedar

[MamaMoth]

I LOVE the honeyed-dark-wine vibe of this. BPAL's grapey and honey notes always work rather beautifully on me. There's a lot of resiny goodness coming out here too. I *almost* really like this scent... BUT It has a strong floral headiness to it that is a little headache-inducing and oppressive to me. I adore plum and tobacco, but I guess I'm not too terribly fond of their flowers.

 

Tis making me headachey, will have to wash off. Very sad about this one.

Edited January 23, 2010 by MamaMoth

[changeling]

Another frimp from the Lab!

 

In the bottle: Musk and sweet and something richer, more fruity *checks description* Ah, that would probably be the wine. Well, this is interesting. I admit I feel a little uncertain about wearing a scent inspired by the essence of a "gleefullly hellbound soul". Here we go!

 

Wet: Yum. Wine and honey, but not too sweet or strong.

 

Dry: This scent grows more complex as it dries, but from a short distance remains largely a dark, sweet scent. Up close, the tobacco and musk peek out and keep it well rounded. I'm glad I got this as a freebie--I never would have ordered it myself, but it's really rather fun. Thanks, Lab!

 

[reena1]

This is such a wonderful blend!

 

Wet: well it was a bit strong. A dark sweet wine

 

Dried: Now we are talking. The tobacco mellows it out. The throw is perfect for me (i tend to like scents that stick closer to the skin mind you) I just love how it all came together. A womanly scent...a raven haired woman in a dark purple dress drinking red wine, to be exact.

[norskette]

I love this dark heavy scent. Upon first sniff I get benzoin gum, merlot, and bubbly goodness. Upon application I get rich opoponax and tobacco flower, with the benzoin still laying a thick base note. Within 10 minutes this scent dries down to a beautiful foody blend - must be the honey, sugar and plums - yum! This one has staying power and in the morning when I woke up I still smelled sweet like vanilla-tonka. The oakmoss stayed hidden the whole time and I don't mind! I need a big bottle of this baby.

Edited February 9, 2010 by norskette

[gingiemay]

In the imp this is a thick, languid, fruit and honey scent. On skin the honey takes priority along with blood musk, plum blossom and benzoin giving it a high sweetness. Very pretty and sexy, unexpectedly so for me!

[moon_lemming]

I am not too sure about this one. Horreur Sympathique (which takes me an hour to type, heh) starts off with a sweet fruity bang. The musk is strong in the imp but the grapes take over on my skin. It's actually so sweet I thought it might have strawberry in it before I checked the notes.

 

Normally I'm not a fan of musks, but red musk is the exception. Is "blood musk" red musk or a different animal? Whatever it is, it's working in this one.

 

As it dries, the honey note strengthens. Yum. This is an unexpectedly good blend. It's honey and wine with the musk -- which softens as the blend dries -- quietly tying it down. My only issue is the wine: the Lab's wine scents are always waaaay too grapey on me, and Horreur Sympathique is proving that rule. That might be why I thought of strawberries, because the wine is reminding me of the champagne note in Bon Vivant. If the wine was just a hair less sweet, I'd be snapping up a bottle of this.

[doublehelix]

in the imp: very fruity wine

 

wet on skin: strong fruit and red wine.

 

dry on skin: smokey wine! the tobacco note is starting to come out. there are some florals too which i'm not to fond of, I can definitely see the potpuri comparison some have mentioned.

[boxinghelena]

I was going through a drawer filled with imps when I came across Horreur Sypathique. What a treat! I just read a review mentioning Hellion. It does resemble Hellion, which has me very excited!!! The throw isn't as strong unfortunately. In fact, I need to re-apply often. I must get a bottle of this asap! Besides Eat Me, I think Horreur Sypathique is going to be one of my top GC scents.

[musichappens]

Upon initial application I'm hit with a unique mix of wine, tobacco and grapes; which proved to be quite yummy. The wine slowly disappears the more the oil dries on my skin and tonka emerges to make the blend a little more creamy. Once completely dry the blend becomes pure incense with just a hint of fruitiness. It's a lovely scent, but I'm unsure on whether I need a full bottle or not.

[hmelt004]

This is a deep, true wine grape, backed up with blood and honey. Very sweet and sexy. Good for a night out in a little black dress. Opoponax is a kind of myrrh, apparently, and is usually a death note on me, but it stays out of the way in this blend. Drydown is sweet, wine-like floral. Possibly this is the sugar cane and plum blossom.

[ModderRhu]

Horreur Sympathique

Oh my. I got giddy when I smelled this one.
The honey note is SO REALISTIC! Mmm!!
The wine isn't boozy, but cushy and indulgent. I like!
This is bottled opulence.
This is what I imagine Hedonism Bot smells like!
Or maybe Winnie the Pooh...

4.8 out of 5

[Ryvre]

I've been looking for something in the GC to pinch hit for Hellion. This isn't quite as nice as Hellion, but it's similar enough.

 

In the imp: Super fruity!

 

Wet: Still all fruit. There's a bit of artificiality to it, like bubblegum.

 

Dry: Smokey and incensey, with fruit notes. This is gorgeous dry!

 

This is going on my bottle list.

[ajansuz]

There was something in the imp that smelled really sour, a very unpleasant note. However, I've told myself to give anything I buy a chance on my skin before saying yes or no. With this one, I'm really glad I made that decision. I didn't catch so much as a trace of whatever bothered me in the bottle on my skin, either wet or after the dry down. I've seen a lot of people mention sweet notes with this blend. It didn't come out super sweet on me. Wet, the tobacco scent came on strong with something dark and almost smoky under it. I'm assuming that's the musk.

 

After about five minutes there was a pretty strong incense effect. It was difficult to pick out any specific note during this phase for me. I liked it, but it also reminded me of a couple of metaphysical book stores I used to frequent. I wasn't too sure I wanted to run around smelling like a bookstore. Within an hour, that was gone. The honey and wine started to amp up a little and stayed grounded with the musk.

 

Seven hours later, I'm left with a pleasant, sweet scent. The tobacco seems to have come back to say a little hello. The throw is still medium on me. I keep catching whiffs of this without bringing my wrist close to my nose. I was sparing in application to begin with, because this had a very strong scent on me. I liked the way it morphed over time. I'm not sure I'll go for a whole bottle, but I'm going to enjoy using up this imp.

 

ETA: After just a couple of months of aging in the imp, this has gotten even more lovely. It's one of the most sophisticated BPAL scents I've tried to date, complex, heady, and beautiful. Lots of resin, sweet-ish tobacco. I'm loving it more with a bit of age to it.

Edited August 27, 2010 by DarkSinestra

[MinxyMinou]

Oh wow. Honey, wine, plum, tonka - what an intoxicating blend. Big bottle required! I also think this would be gorgeous on my boy.

[sunlitgarden]

Horreur Sympathetique

 

Wine! And honey! And some grapeyness, though in a good way, not in a fake-grape-flavoring way. Wow, this is really nice! It's very sweet, but rich and dark at the same time. This is a possible bottle purchase.

Edited July 15, 2010 by sunlitgarden

[Gold Dust Kitten]

I read the notes before I tried this because it smelled scary-sweet in the imp. I gave this a chance because I love honey, but the wine/grape notes dominate the whole blend. I can't smell anything but grape kool aid and plasticky strawberry. I just tested 2 grapey scents in a row now, and I need to shower.

[terriblethrills]

This one started out all musk and honey on me...unlike other reviewers, I don't get the wine or grapes at all! It was a bit too strong-smelling for me at first, but after about an hour I just smell a slightly musky sweetness with a tiny hint of florals. I can't pick out any specific flowery note, but there's a little of at least one of them coming through. It's barely detectable at times, though. Overall, this blend is more musky and heady even once it has mellowed to a more manageable sweetness. Sexy enough to keep, I do believe.

[cherrycherry]

I bought a bottle of this a year and a half ago (during my GC buying frenzy) and upon re-testing it, well-aged and now very plumptious, I find this to be an absolute and total treasure. In the bottle and wet on my wrist, it is incredibly heady and dense with wine notes, deep berries and incense. It reminds me, during the drydown, of visiting hippy shops with my Mother when I was a little girl, but in the most delightful and nostalgic way.

 

When the oil settles and the base notes claim dominance, it becomes sweet and very sexy. I absolutely love this. I'm putting in a group order with my two best friends and another girl I work with next week and at first I was wondering what I should buy. I didn't think that I needed any back-ups until I re-tested this beauty and now I can see myself ordering at least a couple of bottles. Gorgeous, ripe and moreish. This is just sinful and lovely.

Edited October 15, 2011 by cherrycherry

[ah Pook]

My first review... ooo ooo ooo!

 

I have so far only tried a few BPALS, but Horreur Sympathique was one of my first, and it was one of the most memerable scents I have ever sniffed! I recieved this imp as a gift, and the smell was so wonderfully crafted and intriguing it drew me to the website where I was able to find its accompanying description. I was blown away at how perfectly "the perfume of a hellbound soul, gleefully lost to iniquity" embodied its description.

 

Horreur Sympathique is ever so sweetly sinister - fizzy, frenzied and sugary on top, with a thick threatening base - i presume the blood musk. The sent itself is a bit deceptive, the sweetness makes you want to think simple, but there is some serious funk marbled in there.

There is something so electric about this scent... its like sort of frisky and and over excited. It conjures the image of a sexy girl who is really really bad news, and everyone who she comes in to contact with is screwed because she is supernaturally manipulative, has all the power, but still wants more, has no soul, but loves to play. This would be a great scent to wear to a naughty get together or while engaging in anything criminal.

Edited November 22, 2011 by ah Pook

[Kayah]

This is golden syrupy honey with sugar cane and lots of complexity to boot: it's sweet and so so nice.

 

Actually reminds me a bit of Tum, a scent I am incredibly sad I never got to have a bottle of - but this may just replace it.

 

I won't bother trying to pick out the individual notes, really, there's just too many of them.

 

However, I will say this: this is a gently fruity, not overpoweringly sweet, incredibly complex and beautiful scent.

 

If this is a gleeful cloud of oblivion, let me in!

[undream]

oh my god. for me, this is all honey at first, but then goes very winey and grapey and honeyish, all these notes i love, and all in the perfect amounts; not too much honey as to be too foody for my tummy, not too grapey as to be too sweet. someone said this conjures the image of "a sexy girl who is really really bad news," and yes. i had not had that thought, but yes, it's perfect. just an all around plump, thick, heady, sweet, somewhat smokey/incensey scent. absolutely gorgeous. love.

[lohengrin]

In the imp: Wine, with an extra grapey note, and maybe a little carnation.

 

On skin, wet: Much the same as in the imp, with a touch of florals as well.

 

On skin, dry: This is weird. One sniff it'll be grape and tonka/benzoin, the next sniff it's floral and tonka/benzoin. The two are quite different, and never really MIX... it's one or the other. Really bizarre!

 

After an hour: Much the same as the initial drydown. Alas, I only really like the grape version, not the floral version, so it's only 50% a winner for me. That's not enough to warrant a bottle purchase.

[Gateau]

Plummy, winey, honeyed, grapey. It's sweet and sort of heavy, swirling together andcwith a darkness. I see the appeal but it's not for me.