Three Gorgons

[edenssixthday]

 

Three Gorgons, Gustav Klimt.

Detail of the Beethoven Frieze. Egyptian amber, mandarin, tangerine, black pepper, tobacco, and vetiver.

 

 

Three Gorgons - The very first note I detect is the strong, sharp, sweet scent of citrus spray - tangerine, in particular. It's interesting that two scents so similar can be distinguished in this blend – the mandarin is the sweeter of the two and the tangerine is the stronger, tangier of the two citrus scents. Immediately behind them is the drop-dead gorgeous scent of warm Egyptian amber. It's mind-blowing how good the amber and citrus notes blend together, and then it just gets better as the black pepper note begins to unfold, lending a scratchy sharpness to the blend. Beneath that, and much more subtle, is the tiniest drop of gritty tobacco and vetiver that serve to tone down the bright splash of the citrus and make this an earthy fruit scent. I knew when I first sniffed this vial that I was going to like this scent, I just had no idea how much I was going to like it. I am delighted that this scent seems to stay on my skin longer than most citrus blends (thanks to the vetiver grounding it, I'm guessing) and has a moderate level of throw, which is also surprising for a Salon blend. I'm in love with it!

Edited September 15, 2007 by Shollin

[filigree_shadow]

In the imp: Mandarin/tangerine.

 

Wet: Pepper, tobacco, amber... wow.

 

Dry: Ding ding ding, we have a winner!! I had no idea this would smell this good. I looked at those notes when Exhibit II was first introduced and didn't think it sounded particularly intriguing. Ha! That shows what I know.

 

I don't even know how to describe this in a way that will make it sound as good as it smells. Tobacco is almost always a comfort scent to me, so there's that. And there's the deep pretty amber. No powdery amber here -- this one's perfect. The mandarin and tangerine seem to be not nearly as noticeable in this as they are in other blends, but they're giving this kind of a sweetness. The tangerine in particular is great because it gives it a little bit of tanginess. And I know that some people recoil in horror at the mention of vetiver, but believe me, this is not one of those kinds of scents. This is the kind where the vetiver kind of rumbles along at the very bottom and gives the whole scent a good grounding. And the pepper makes the whole shebang smell sexy. That's right, I said sexy.

 

Egad. I need a bottle of this one as soon as possible. I would wear this all the time. Perfect throw, too -- not going to knock anyone over, but I can smell it without having to put my nose right next to my wrist.

[Heavenlyrabbit]

This scent smells like Klimt's beautiful mosaic print that you see in Three Gorgons' background. Golden orange-ambers punctuated with black.

 

It's an interested combination of notes with a surprising result. Warm, shining notes combined with thicker and more earthy.

 

On me, the warmth wins out as the vetiver and tobacco are very restrained.

 

This is one of my favorite Salon II scents. It reminds me of Bengal but not as sweet but deeper and longer lasting.

Edited January 11, 2007 by Heavenlyrabbit

[nineveh]

When I tried this at will call, I thought that the tangerine was too strong for the first hour or so of the scent. After that, I really liked it, and ordered a bottle with the hope that the tangerine would fade with aging.

 

Happily, my bottle turned out to be weaker on the tangerine, so all the other notes come through right away. The amber, which is nice and dark, mixes well with the damp, sweet aspect of the fruit notes. Under that, the pepper, tobacco, and vetiver join together to provide a suitably deep, smoky base.

 

Overall, this reminds me of a citrusy Ambre Sultan, or a darker and more sultry Jacob's Ladder. Very golden and sexy!

Edited January 11, 2007 by nineveh

[supremegoddessofall]

The citrus notes are staying blessedly silent. I'm getting a mild tobacco with a soft amber. Touch of the vetiver, but it's not overpowering here. My main complaint with this one is that it's too subtle. Ten minutes after putting it on, I can barely smell it.

[Little Bird]

I knew that the Three Gorgons would smell awful on me. I'm not fond of BPAL's tobacco fragrances and I can't wear Egyptian Amber at all (it smells like lemony, BO-infused baby powder).

 

On me... nasty, soiled baby powder and a blur of sharp citrus notes. In the drydown I'm getting the golden sweetness of tobacco (which is a smell that I kinda like, but don't want to smell like or sniff for too long) mingling with hints of a smoky, earthy vetiver. Lighter than I was expecting, but just as bad as I was expecting.

 

This isn't a smell that I would ever warm up to, even if it were on someone else. Something about the tobacco, amber, and vetiver is just a very dirty smelling combination to me.

[Em-]

Wow...this is just an amazingly beautiful fragrance - the amber and the vetiver and tobacco blend in a beautiful soft husky sensual simmer, shot through with bright vibrant citrus, which I just adore. This is an absolutely luscious blend which is definitely going to deserve a bottle.

[indicolite]

In a locket, this is an exquisitely lovely blend (having learned that vetiver does not always behave itself on my skin, I reserve Three Gorgons for the locket). Over the course of nearly 20 hours, it was at first sweet orange (don't ask me to tell apart mandarin and tangerine) which I considered lovely - but then the sandalwood began to peek through the orange, in woody brown notes, the next day. Now I am getting hints of what i think is black pepper, and also maybe tobacco - I was reluctant to try blends with tobacco, because I thought it would lead me to smell like a smoke-clouded bar (back before my province banned smoking in bars). But in Three Gorgons, I think the tobacco and vetiver just add an elegant grounding to the rest of the notes, and are not prominent in themselves. There, vetiver, you are doing your job, the way you are supposed to - now why didn't you shut up and do it in some other blends?

 

I think this may be a lovely replacement for Sol Invictus once my bottle runs low - it is pricier, but available year-round rather than having to hunt for it. Especially if layered with Ra, this may be a beautiful Sol-imitation.

[PurringPulsar]

Three Gorgons

 

In the imp: tangerine and mandarin…orangey citrus! A little hint of pepper…it's like Kunstkammer.

Wet on skin: now the smoky tobacco comes out, but it's still tangerine/mandarin dominated.

Dry on skin: a fantastic combination of peppered oranges, dry tobacco leaves, and a beautiful amber base. No evil vetiver to be smelt so far-I think this vetiver is of the nice variety. For now I get lots of citrus fruit covered with pepper, the mandarin and tangerine are bright and effervescent, like buck's fizz, the pepper adds warmth and sparkle, and the tobacco adds a hint of dry smoke. I can't wait for the amber to really show off.

After a while: eventually the zing of the citrus tones down a little and the mandarin/tangerine merges beautifully into the amber…now it smells like a creamy orange-amber scent with a hint of peppered smoke. It also smells remarkably similar to Kunstkammer, but without the 'cherry ice lollies' note I got from that scent. The citrus notes seem to cancel out the amber's sweetness for now, but all the resinous depth is there. I love Beth's Egyptian amber note.

After about an hour, it seems the citrus note seems to have latched on to the amber and thus, it lasts an incredibly long time in here. It has a 'sherbet powder' feel to it, but the amber is starting to show itself a little more, becoming deeper and sweeter. The pepper isn't as strong, the tobacco just adds a hint of dryness…and there's hardly any vetiver. The end drydown of this scent is very much like Three Brides, that same mandarin amber but without the flowers, and I smell an almost moss-labdanum or ambergris type nuance to the amber, and it starts to remind me of Jacob's Ladder. It's gorgeous. The amber is really shining now. The vetiver adds just the right amount of grit and earth to the scent without taking over or even showing itself too much.

Verdict: this is a delightful orange-amber scent. I was a little bit scared of the vetiver but thankfully, this is the kind of vetiver I like-discreet, respectful, and not maniacally taking over the scent, in fact, I can hardly smell it most of the time. This scent is ruled over by citrus and peppered tobacco at first, the mandarin and tangerine fizzing away happily with their bright zingy scent, before calming down and letting the amber come through. It's not long before Egyptian amber becomes the star of the scent, a radiant and golden amber which melds wonderfully with the citrus and then really sings on my skin at the end, where the scent is like a slightly tangier version of Jacob's Ladder. Rich amber, orange and glittering gold are the colours of this scent, fitting with the colours of the scent's painting. This is gorgeous and I also find it to be a good substitute for Kunstkammer, and it's worth waiting for the amber drydown. I'm definitely keeping my imp and maybe one day I'll get a bottle. I love those amber-dominated scents.

Emoticon rating:

Is it a keeper? the imp, for sure. Maybe a bottle later.

If you like this, try: Jacob's Ladder, The Lion, Three Brides, Carceri D'Invenzione, Kunstkammer

[Emma2403]

Tobacco and vetiver!! I’m shaking in advance… but maybe mandarin and tangerine will make it wonderful. Time to try it on.

 

In the bottle: ooh lovely citrus and warm, golden amber. Not a trace of the dreaded tobacco/vetiver combo!

 

On my skin: yep, mandarin mostly, and something that spices it up… some pepper maybe and still amber. I’m a happy bunny!!

 

After a couple of hours: my skin seems to eat it quite quickly, there’s only some amber left.

 

Verdict: nice but it doesn’t last long enough.

[maijasu]

This is a gorgeous blend. I smell citrus and amber and tobacco, and the vetiver stays in the background where it belongs. I only wish it had more throw and lasting power, because then it would be perfect. I'll hang onto my imp but don't know if it's bottle worthy, since I don't like to have to reapply too often.

[Ajila]

In the bottle - The tangerine stands out against a gingery backdrop.

 

Wet on me - A hard smoky backbone fleshed out by the fruit.

 

Dry on me - Sweet florals made faint by a heart of smoky musk.

 

Overall - I liked the dry down, but the overall affect was very faint.

[siddal]

In the imp, this is rich and "brown." The tobacco gives it usually spicy sweetness, but it's not as strong as in some scents I have tried. The amber lends it a softness that is really nice. This stays the same on me, with almost no distinct citrus (although I suspect that freshens and mellows the headier notes) through all stages, ending with slightly more sweetness. There is almost a sense of woods but that is probably just the darker notes masquerading as woods on me.

[forspecial_plate]

Three Gorgons is captivating, with a light throw. I was expecting the amber to be stronger than it is. The pepper is much stronger than I was expecting, unless that's the vetiver chipping in to make it seem very spicy and herbal. The citrus is emphatic at first, then backs off quickly as citrus usually does for me. Reminds me of a hazy, hot, dry day...bronze skin glistening with oil.

 

Overall, I do like the smell of this. The pepper is reminiscent of White Rabbit, although I did not like that scent. Other than that, this is very unique.

[Cariad]

First impression: Sex! That's really what it smells like to my nose. Sex.

 

I knew I wanted a bottle of this as soon as I saw the perfume notes, but my god, I never imagined it would smell this good on me. The amber blends beautifully with the citrus, making it a glowing, golden blend, much less sharp than I expected. The pepper gives a sexy kick, and the vetiver stays in the background, rounding out the blend with a hint of depth and darkness. But this blend is so much more than the sum of all its parts.

This is a silk-and-killer-heels perfume, and to my impressionable nose, there is something of the crone about it...

My first head-over-heels true BPAL love

 

eta: having gone back to look at the painting, I have even more respect for Beth's artistry in this blend - it somehow manages to capture both the beautiful, sexual, alluring side of the gorgons before they were cursed (the side that got them into all this trouble in the first place), and the shadow of the 'monsters' they became.

Edited June 19, 2007 by Cariad

[euterpe414]

This is lovely! On me a get a very dry resinous, peppery backdrop with tangerine in the forefront. This is, as others have said, a unique resinous scent in the BPAL catalogue. It is bright and smoky at the same time, and absolutely captivating. I can't stop sniffing myself! This one does not have a lot of throw, but stays for a long while on the skin. I can see this scent being perfect for all seasons, since it is not too heavy due to the citrus yet also contains resin so it works well for winter. Lovely, and as soon as my imp runs out I am ordering a bottle.

[lookingglass]

A pepper blend that is really peppery! LOOOOOOVVE!

 

Arcana had a scent last year that was pepper and vanilla...Haint; it went all strawberry on me (yeah, I know...where did that come from), and I was so sad to have to swap it away cuz it just wasn't want I wanted. THIS is what I wanted.

 

Not a lot of citrus (thank the gods!), just a little lift for the pepper. The amber is sweet and rich and just delicious like always. Pepper is one of those things that I want to dominate a blend...it is one of my favorite spices. I put pepper on my toast, rice, everything. I want to be crusted in pepper but sweet at the same time.

 

On the drydown this turns all smokey and lovely. A sexy, smoldering scent...deep, with a kick.

 

I MUST have a bottle of this. MUST.

Edited April 30, 2007 by lookingglass

[solcita]

Wet, this is all pepper and mandarin. No vetiver at this stage, thankfully, though as it dries it starts to come out a little more. Once dry, it's sort of powdery -- must be the amber, though I usually have good luck with that note -- and takes on a bit of a tart citrus tone. It's not really unpleasant, but is not a scent I could see myself wearing for long periods of time.

[Aredhel]

Rating (on skin): 3/5

Summarised in a few words/smilie: Clean.

 

Pre-Review Thoughts: Vetiver and black pepper together, on my skin? I see nothing good coming of this combination.

 

In the imp: Pepper! Behind that, tangerine and a green vetiver.

 

On skin, wet: Peppery, bitter vetiver (true to form), and a soapy tangerine. It does remind me vaguely of Arcana's Haint, but only in their shared peppery, crisp, slightly soapy qualities.

 

On skin, dry: A very light scent, Three Gorgons stays quite close to the skin. After a while, I can't pick out anything individually, and can simply pick up a benign, oddly clean sort of scent.

 

Conclusion: Nice enough, aside from the soapy quality I can't shake, but I tend to gravitate towards stronger scents.

[jiggahava]

Interesting. This is a very peppery blend, and with the fruit and amber, makes it utterly unique, unlike anything else I have sniffed before. it's very light, with almost no throw. Amazingly, I don't smell the vetiver at all! It must be grounding the rest of the notes, but it can't be smelled, which I am grateful for as it is one of my least favorite notes. This is soft and comforting, but the pepper gives it an engergizing kick as well. It's softly fruity and a teensy bit musky. I like it, I just wish it had more throw and staying power. It fades rather fast as well.

Edited June 3, 2007 by Hava

[Silverstrike]

Wet it smelled kind of interesting. After I put it on, it morphed into something VERY powdery, now that I've read the description, I think it's the amber. I initially smelled like "old lady" or at least old lady perfume, and then it mellowed out to something that smelled very feminine but not necessarily anything I liked about feminitiy. Now that it's really mellowed out (like, after two hours) it smells kind of nice, but I'm still a little wary because there's something about it that still smells wrong on me. I like Jacob's Ladder, but this is not my cup of tea.

[Miss Lynx]

This was the instant winner of all the Exhibit II scents I got to try at the recent meet'n'sniff. I knew anything with orange, amber and spices could not be bad on me (at least, not unless it included something evil like cherry blossom, like *sigh* Bakeneko did), and it definitely did not disappoint.

 

In fact, I think my eyes rolled back in my head when I first sniffed it on me, and I distinctly recall saying something like "Oh Gods, I need a bottle of this now. Now!"

 

It's a rich, heady, intoxicating spicy citrus-incense blend, with dark undertones... everything that Al-Shairan and Bakeneko both should have been but weren't (at least not on me). Absolutely, devastatingly gorgeous.

 

I did find, though, that as it dried down, the depth and beauty of it faded a certain amount... It's funny, some scents take some time to come into their full greatness, but others, like this one, start off fabulous and then diminish. But still... Even in its faded state, it was pretty nice, and when fresh it's indescribably great. So yes, I think there's a bottle of this in my future.

 

Grade: A

Edited July 1, 2007 by Miss Lynx

[storme]

In the imp: whoosh, sweet sharp citrus and soft sweet amber.

 

On me, wet: mm, that's rather nice - sort of warm and foody and sweet but balanced between powdery and sharpness.

 

On me, dry: hunh, fading fast. But still rather nice, warm and soft and slightly foody. It almost feels musky, to me.

 

Verdict: rather nice, but it does fade awful fast. Mrm.

[Ohmaude]

You know the golden flecks and background present in so many Klimt paintings? Three Gorgons is what the glowing sex-infused gold of Klimt paintings smells like. It was the first thougtht I had when I dabbed some of this beautiful oil on my inner arm and took a whiff. Spot on.

 

This is golden, sweet yet slighty bitter citrus: citrus with a slightness of zest and the candied floral joy of tangerine. It is all pure golden amber together with the citrus, and it is all made feathery light, dry and soft by the pepper, tobacco and vetiver. The vetiver is so faint, its almost as if there is just a drop of it in the whole bottle, but it is perfect.

 

This doesn't have a ton of throw, it hovers close to the skin and smells of clean sexy nakedness, and it lingers softly for hours.

 

Anyone lucky enough to be in my presence wouldn't be aware of the scent outright, but would be driven by some hint of it to lean in closer to get a stronger sniif. Then they would be mine! I smell that good. Now to go find a, ahem, victim.

 

This is going on the most loved list.

[maribouquet]

imp: pepper!

wet: mmm, pepper pepper pepper and warm citrus

dry: this is totes pepper and mandarin for about 10 minutes, and then something starts to smell weird, like dead leaves - I'm guessing that's the vetiver, though I've never gotten this reaction from it...maybe it's the vetiver/tobacco combination? The amber comes up after about 20 min, but I'm still smelling that strange dry funk.

 

Sorry to say this one's just not working on me. I like the pepper, but it's overwhelming me and the vetiver/tobacco/? is being weird and ruining my Gorgons. Wah.