Priala, the Human Phoenix (2006)

[Kittenmorag]

Three deep, dark myrrhs, smoke, and cinnamon bark.

I picked Priala up to give to a friend to try... and ended up keeping her myself!

In the bottle- I don't know how to describe it better, but there are DEFINATELY three different myrrh notes in there. There's the slightest fire of the cinnamon over the top, but this is most certainly a myrrh base

On the wrist- Ah, THERE'S the cinnamon bark- not sweet, foodie cinnamon, but actual cinnamon. It comes floating out, with the smoke underneath. All of the notes in this become fully realised on the drydown.

Overview- It's a glorious, sensual scent, that lasts a while. Most smells end up powdering out on me, but this maintains its strong, original notes. This is definately one of my favourites, and will certainly require another bottle!

=^..^=

[crebbsgirl]

Hellooo SMOKE! In the bottle and wet on skin this is all smoke. Black, oppressive, choking smoke. Not pretty in the slightest. After about five minutes the smoke clears a little and the myrrh come out. This is beautiful! The smoke wafts rather lazily through the blend, mingling with the myrrh, adding a nice depth. After about 15 minutes, the cinnamon bark can be detected. This is not the spicy in your face cinnamon of Chimera, but rather, a softer, subtler woodsy spice. All of the notes remain steadily present on the dry down for me. I'm having real trouble picking a favourite for the Carnival scents.

[rayvn1]

Hmmm I was afraid the cinnamon would amp on me and be a deal breaker. Unfortunately that's how this one played out and though I do enjoy the warmth of Priala and I join the club that has a girl crush on the artwork, I just don't think I'll be holding onto this one since the cinnamon is so foody on me.

[Nimthiriel]

Initial impression:

This is an earthy, almost chocolate-like myrrh scent. Gorgeous!

 

First on:

Earthy, almost like pure vetiver.

 

Dry:

After about 10 mins, this is a dry cinnamon mixed with warm sweet myrrh - lovely!

 

Finally:

Beautiful scent. Keeping for the time being.

[goblinshark]

in the imp I can smell the cinnamon bark and myrrh, but once it's on my skin it becomes totally indistinguishable from Djinn.

[kjirstiben]

Going on, this oil had a smoky, spicy scent to it. It actually made my skin where I'd applied it feel a little hot, even tingly. It dries to a resinous, slightly smoke-touched scent, very pleasant and warm, and its end is a mix of pure resins.

 

I liked this scent a lot, and it stayed relatively true to form, except that the almost-barbequey smoke scent from the beginning toned down more and more over the time that I wore it. This is a warm scent, something that reminded me of sitting in front of a wood-burning fire in a fireplace in the depths of winter.

[odalisque]

Priala is just lovely! I bought a bottle unsniffed and it was the right thing to do.

 

I love Athens in its completely dry stage, with that golden myrrh. But I really don't enjoy having to go through up to half an hour of eau de cheap wine to get to that stage. Priala is the solution to that problem!

 

I think myrrh on me, in general, goes through a not-as-attractive stage before it dries. Priala too is a little rough around the edges, a little harsh, initially on the skin -- if I sniffed with my nose to my wrist, I didn't like her, and I was afraid that meant she would be a no go (Maybe the smoke note contributed to that harshness. I didn't get any smoke otherwise, to be honest. But I could see the rough edges on the myrrh being a scorched or charred, ashy note.) ETA: Yup! That's smoke, all right.

 

As long as my wrists were away from my face, though, the most gorgeous, ethereal sweet, resiny scent wafted up from them and threw around like there was no tomorrow. It had me wrapped around its pinky finger and kept me from giving up on Priala prematurely. As it dried down more some very gentle, warm cinnamon emerged, not as in your face as Clemence. And still that sweetness in the background, sweet enough to make me wonder if there was honey in the blend that I'd forgotten about. It must have been a very sweet myrrh, I guess?

 

Eventually the cinnamon faded and smooth, rich myrrh was left. And like Athens it stayed, and stayed, and stayed. I put Priala on late last night and I'm still getting a faint myrrh throw; it was on my pillow when I woke up this morning. And my wrists still have plenty of scent up close.

 

So, if you love Athens, or if you don't like Athens because of the wine notes -- and if you love Clemence, or don't like Clemence so much because she's a little over-the-top spicy, Priala is one to try. This is Clemence taking a vacation to Athens and mellowing way out.

 

ETA: I found out I can't apply Priala on the isnides of my elbows. I got big red blotches that itched, but fortunately went away very quickly once I washed the oil off. Sensitive skins beware! She's still fine on my wrists, my scalp, behind my ears and my collarbones.

 

ETA2: Eventually I did become enough sensitized to the cinnamon leaf that I couldn't wear Priala anywhere without a rash. I remember her fondly and miss her so much. I might even get another bottle to heat as room scent, which is something I never do.

Edited May 3, 2010 by odalisque

[TheOneTheyCallLuna]

I'm so ecstatic to be reviewing this blend! I've had it on the top of my "must try" list for quite some time and was finally able to swap for a half decant. In the imp, this smells of thick, heavy, oppressive smoke and myrrh. I'm intrigued...

 

Wet, a touch more of the spices come out to play, which I am very excited about, along with some delicious resins. This one is a morpher - each time I sniff it, it seems to have changed since the last time. It's at once smoky, and tarnished gold, with syrupy resins and the lightest brush of spice. I really love the heavy smoke in this blend, and find it to be totally unique and captivating. Dark and mysterious, smoke-a-licious! A definite winner!

 

My one word review: Sultry!

 

 

ETA: the more that I smell this, the more I become convinced that I must have more NOW!!!

Edited February 4, 2009 by TheOneTheyCallLuna

[theseagrows]

yep, myrrh and cinnamon. i get more cinnamon at the beginning, but once it's been on my skin for awhile, i am getting merely a cinnamon-tinged myrrh. this is alright on me, but nothing spectacular, so i think i'll swap it.

[catatonic1242]

In the bottle: Deep and smoky. I'm certainly detecting the myrrhs, although I don't think that my nose is refined enough to distinguish between the three different kinds.

 

On, wet: Smoke! This is all a very dominant smoke smell on me, with the myrrh just behind it. I get absolutely no cinnamon at all, though that could be what's keeping this from smelling too much like incense.

 

On, dry: Still really smokey, but with almost a sweet tinge. No cinnamon. It's almost the smell of just-extinguished candles in a church. Odd, but I think I could like it.

[CynicalPink]

Finally got my hands on some! I really just love the imagery and the name. No idea how it'll turn out...hopefully not like cinnamon gum. This imp looks to be about two years, old, so let that color your impression of the review

 

Imp: A cool kinda smokey. Cinnamon is just a light background player

 

Wet: Smooth, smokey myrrh. A note I'm not usually fond of, but with the cinnamon bark it's actually quite fun!

 

Drydown: It's sweet and smooth with just a bit of bite. I'm shocked at how much I like this. Normally I can't take a smokey smell but this is very spicy and appealing

 

Overall: I love a BPAL surprise!I would have expected this to be a cinnamon disaster, but it smooth and sultry with just a little cinnamon bite. I'll be hanging on to the decant and I wouldn't be surprised if a bottle turned up at some point.

[Seismogenic]

This marks my first actual purchase of a Carnaval scent. It was inevitable! Ohhh noes! I actually decided on this one at the Will Call right after the release of St. John's Eve. I figured I should give a bunch of big conflagration-y scents a sniff before opting for the most limited of the lot, and from first sniff, I immediately knew Priala was a winner. Also, I love the bottle art. Not gonna lie, that was a factor here.

 

In the bottle: Cinnamon and myrrh, warm and a bit sweet.

 

Wet on skin: More myrrh than cinnamon now, though both are still there. They're joined by a rich dark smoke, slightly acrid, but not enough to overcome the bit of sweetness from before.

 

Drydown: Freshly dry, it's rich smoke and sweet myrrh with some of the dryness of cinnamon. The smoke is less bitter than when the oil was wet. By one hour, it seems to have settled at a point pretty close to where it was when it was freshly dry - a good blend of sweetish myrrh and dryish cinnamon, overlaid with rich smoke.

 

Five hours later: The smoke has backed off quite a lot, but the overall scent hasn't faded particularly much. The balance now is primarily myrrh with some cinnamon for spice, and a wisp of smoke.

 

End of the day: Myrrh - dark, sweet, and still very present.

 

Overall: In accordance with my impression from Will Call, and from the skin test I did in June and failed to write up as a review at the time, Priala is a gorgeous fire scent. It's perhaps more metaphorical fire than literal, in that it doesn't smell actually charred and devastated, but the heat and smoke are still plenty clear. It's like this supernatural fire is sweeter and gentler than the real thing, or perhaps more like this scent shows off the beautiful and entrancing aspect of flame rather than the destructive part. It also doesn't morph much and has a very long wearlength, which are both good things in this case. Much love for this one, and I'm glad I have a bottle!

[tajana]

Wet it's a lot of myrrh. Myrrh, myrrh, smoldering myrrh, with cinnamon spice. A bit like Chimera plus smokiness, minus whatever made that one smell like a baked dessert. When it dries down the cinnamon bark (definitely makes me think more of rolled up sticks of cinnamon bark rather than any other form) strengthens and I swoon a bit. The smoke rises, and it's blackened and dark and vetiver-y, it adds a bit of woodsmoke-esque edginess to the resinous dark myrrh, which is quite dry and less sweet than many of the other myrrhs I've smelled in BPAL. I'm sure a lot of people around me would read this as "powdery" (grumble, grumble) but I'm enamored with this, to me it smells like smoky incense studded with dry cinnamon sticks, with a lovely smoke and gold throw. The cinnamon eventually becomes just a whisper, but the effect of that dry cinnamon bark aspect on the myrrh lingers and keeps what would otherwise come off as a single note interesting. I have only a little bit of a partial decant to play with, and I think I really need to look into getting more! It's so warm and smoky and purr-worthy.

 

ETA: I think I will wear this a lot during the colder months. It's great to have a spice perfume that's NOT foody or very sweet. The myrrhs are really intoxicating here, and every time I dab this scent on I have to fight to stop gluing my nose to my wrist. It goes through a not-so-awesome moment soon after it's wet, but after it is dry it is just too good. The waft is subtle, but warm and enveloping, and I don't get powder from this at all, just a smoldering, ridiculously compelling dark incense scent with the tantalizing suggestion of woody cinnamon bark. Awesome lasting power, too.

Edited December 1, 2009 by tajana

[angelicruin]

Inside the imp, all I get is smoke.

 

Wet on the skin, it's myrrh and smoke to begin with. Smoke being a bit stronger than the myrrh. Within a few minutes after application, the smoke has tamed down considerably, though definitely still there. I begin to pick up the cinnamon bark the more the oil dries on my skin.

 

Dries down to faint smoke and cinnamon.

 

[Dominique]

In the vial: It’s hard to judge the color through the dark brown of the bottle, but it seems to be a lighter, clearer tint. The myrrh and smoke are immediately evident, while the cinnamon is fainter. The combination of scents is similar to sandalwood at times. It’s a dark, full scent.

 

On me: Applied to inner wrists. Wet, it’s very similar to the smell in the bottle – dark, thick, heavily incensed smoke. There’s an edge of myrrh to it that makes me smile. If it stays as it is when fresh, I wouldn’t be able to handle it – it’s too strong. It mellows slowly over time, thankfully.

 

After a while: It’s been about 5 hours since I applied it, and I can still smell it if I hold my wrist up. There’s very little smoke or cinnamon left – what remains is a soft myrrh. At this stage, it’s a very gentle scent, and for all that I rarely wear myrrh, it sits well on my skin. I’d prefer if it was the cinnamon that lasted, but I can’t have everything.

 

Verdict: Priala is a smooth, strong scent. I like the Phoenix imagery, and enjoy the scent, but I don’t like it enough to wear it regularly. If you’re a fan of myrrh, in particular, I’d recommend the scent. If resins don’t sit well on you, I’d give it a pass. Even so, there’s something to be said for the embrace of the Phoenix.

 

(I’ve found that getting the perfume on a cottonball or rag, then tucking that into a clothes drawer is a very nice way of wearing the scent without having to deal with the overpowering strength of Priala.)

 

[Aldercy]

Priala is like the glowing embers from a mountain of myrrh incense. Sweet myrrh, dark myrrh, all kinds of myrrh (mostly sweet though, I think... opoponax?) The smoke note is wispy and warm-- not a sharp, black vetiver smoke (unless this decant is super aged, in which case it could be a really mellowed vetiver). The cinnamon is almost non-existent, but it's definitely more of a rusty cinnamon bark than a hot cinnamon candy. No Red Hots here!

 

Mm. I like it. Not sure if I need a bottle, but this is a lovely, very wearable blend. It actually does not have a huge throw on me, which is good because this is not something you'd want to assault people with. But up close it's dead sexy.

Edited September 9, 2009 by Aldercy

[voodoocatwoman]

This smelled like burnt plastic when wet and dried down to a smoky fire that has been doused with old time root beer. DO NOT LIKE.

[strahlend]

First sniff – I'm getting the myrrh, bit of cinnamon... I think the smoke is vetiver.

 

On my skin – I'm getting my first understanding of what people call the burnt plastic or rubber type smell. Oh, but it only lasted for a second...that was NOT vetiver. This is changing into the most interesting cinnamon I've ever smelled. It's not craft store like, it's not medicinal, it's not red hots.... this is a whole other kind of cinnamon. I can't really say it's a favorite, but it is interesting. Well, I have to say I'm willing to give this one room to grow on me.

 

After some dry down time - Pretty much staying the same as it was minutes after application. I think it may be turning slightly powdery with time but this warm, gentle cinnamon is just sticking it out getting warmer and softer as time goes on.

 

Summary - not a smash hit or instant success but it does have all the things I like about cinnamon and none of the things I dislike... it is warm and a bit woodsy without feeling too soapy or synthetic. The more I ponder and sniff the more I like it.

 

 

[jrk1857]

First applied, this was a blast of vetiver. I had a bad flashback to Highwayman. Mercifully, in this case the blast was short before the vetiver drifts back to the background. Priala quickly dries down to a beautiful, resinous spice. The cinnamon here isn't burning--Inferno left huge red blotches on me--but rather warm and gentle. Since I can't wear blends with clove, I'm very happy to have something spicy that doesn't burn. This is amazingly pretty.

[Amaranthus]

Ahhhhh....

 

This oil is all smoke and cinnamon in the bottle.

 

On the skin, it is an smouldering blend of cinnamon and myrrh.

 

Late in the dry down a there is a whisper of smoke.

 

Priala stays close to the skin and lingers for about four hours.

 

I read a review early in this thread that said that this perfume is more like glowing embers than like a full blown conflagration, and that is an excellent description.

 

This smell reminds me of the archetype of the femme fatale of film noir, a gorgeous raven haired woman dressed in red silk!

 

Or it's something to keep you warm on a cold, wet day.

[surf-tormented]

First impression upon putting on skin: "I'm on fire!"

 

The smoke and cassia amp up on me like a funeral pyre. Lovely. It's a completely dry cassia too, no red hots or cinnamon candy here.

 

I was frimped this and suddenly I think I may have to put this on my wish list. I am not sure if it will last very long, but it is a very nice firey scent for at least an hour.

 

The myrrh stays to the back on this one, without giving me the hairspray note in sometimes does.

 

It smells of everything I like: smoke, fire, wood, resins, cassia...yum!

[Deiicide]

Now Cassia, Cinnamon Bark, Myrrh? You might of just slapped me hard when I mentioned to get a bottle because all three of these notes are definite killers for me. I was a sucker for the art, and well after even when first given as well as after a few years, the oil has treated me well. Sultry, warm, and soft. Smells like Cinnamon Incense. It has aged wonderfully, and will continue to age well too as it gets older and older. Definitely if you are a fan of Myrrhs or don't like them very much just give this bottle a try. It will age well I can attest to.

[Geminirubyshoes]

Mmmmmm, smoky and soft. The cinnamon gives it a little kick when inhaled deeply. I smell like a burning pile of...old wooden embers. I'm usually not a big fan of myrrh but it's pretty awsome in this blend. Of course, this bottle is new so I await anxiously to see what will happen in a couple of months.

[riflmom]

When I first tried Priala three months ago I was a little overwhelmed by the cinnamon. It was dry and smoky and not great. So I put the bottle away to age.

 

What a difference! Now it's cinnamon and smoke and sweet myrrh -- smooth and warm. This is a great scent for the cooler months. I wonder if it will be even better next fall?

[Shollin]

First sniff: Flame and shadow. Priala smells like the Balrog’s wings.

 

Wearing: Hugely spicy and very very dark. Red on black.