Kataniya, the Clockwork Woman

[JenM]

Gentle flowers over hot metal, shocked to life with electricity.

In the Imp: very perfume-y. Flowers not particularly gentle.

On the wrist: oh dear, this is an LE I think I’m going to like. A very complex floral, with overtones of really posh nights out.

An hour in: I get a tiny bit of the metal, but really, this is like all the posh perfumes I can’t wear because I’m allergic to them. And I’m not allergic to this! Sigh. And my mother would love it. I’m going to have to haunt ebay. I can tell.

Three hours in: still good last. And the vague metal has faded, leaving just a gorgeous, complex, rich floral. Edited September 24, 2007 by CrazyDiamond

[Torrain]

Only for Whippoorwill or Theodosius, I think.

 

I got this 5ml in an auction, pretty much for the whole feminist steampunk horror thing (also, because I love lightning). This review is... going to use a slightly odd visual analogy.

 

Starts as a very crisp floral--it smells almost like Tempest, but without any identifiable grapefruit. On my skin, there's a definite electric (ozone) undertone showing up, but it's still mostly floral.

 

~25 minutes in: alright, this description is about to get weird. The flowers have faded to taking up perhaps half the scent, and something I can't quite smell has taken their place. It does smell like hot metal, except my brain inssits I'm not smelling it, since that is not the sort of thing you smell. I am sure my brain is wrong, and it's just very faint, a very hard smell to pick up, but it's an odd impression. It's like looking at a painting where you can't see half the colours--makes me think of Ambrose Bierce's short short story, "The Damned Thing".

 

It's nice, and very subtle--it's basically a floral with a very slight warm metallic undertone--but it is a hella odd way of getting to that end result.

 

1 hr, 1.5 hrs: Flowers getting stronger, but still that faint hot metal space. Husband likes it. Nice. Worth keeping around.

 

Love and coffee,

Frances

[Tulliver]

I got this as a frimp from the wonderful - and scarily psychic - Wren08.

 

I'm actually in the act of getting my Carnival Diabolique wishlist together since I'm determined to concentrate on that next year. This is on my list, but it's been moved up towards the top.

 

In the vial I couldn't actually smell much but I THINK I finally realised what people mean by "aquatic" or "ozone".

 

Fresh on though, it was a totally different matter. I SWEAR I can smell even the oil that's used to keep Kataniya's clockwork components lubricated. And it's hot AND cold. I CAN smell the spark that gives her life. It's hard to explain, but it's there. The florals are lovely, but they're definitely no more than the merest hint of softness. This is NOT a soft, girly scent. This has strength and attitude and a harsh element which is only slightly rounded by the florals. It's most definitely a unisex blend.

 

This is SO different to a lot of the stuff I've smelled so far, but it's definitely a GOOD different. I love this. I haven't tried it out in public yet, but I know this will get comments and I really don't care whether they're good or bad.

 

I've oooooohed, ummmmmed and aaaaaaahed over SO many blends since finally succumbing to the BPAL Siren song back in August, and there are blends I prefer in general, but this one actually has me excited! This one I GET. And I loveloveLOVE it.

[Baru]

What i smell - Smells kind of like a normal, store-bought perfume. I can smell the very sharp florals but i can't make out much of anything else. Not sure i'll like it but i do enjoy some florals sooo, on it goes!

 

Wet on skin - Wow. It's so crisp and floral. I can smell some ozone and the flowers in this are grade A. It smells so good. Kind of fresh as well.

 

Dry - The floral scents come out pretty strongly. The flowers are definitely not "gentle" with me. I can't smell any metal but i still have the smell of something sharp which keeps this smell from getting too "old lady-ish" for me. It has almost a nostalgic smell as well.

 

Overall - I actually really really like the floral smell. It's not gentle with me but it definitely sticks and smells sooo good. Altho i'm biased to floral scents, this one is totally something everyone should try. I'm exceptionally happy that this smell sticks onto my skin for a while and i'm not the only one that smells it. Some of the other scents i've tried, i'm the only one that can smell it. It helps that the people who can smell Kataniya says it smells really good. I'm totally buying a big bottle of this!

[maribouquet]

I definitely smell the blood-tang of metal, but also a bright, almost detergent-like, bracing citrus/ozone smell, and this dries down a bit green, which I like. It ends up as a shocking, bright, ominously juicy floral. This girl will fuck your shit up. I like it.

[SarahScent44]

In the imp, this is flowers with a touch of an ozone-y, electric smell - like a garden during a storm.

 

Wet, on the skin, it's very light - still flowers post-storm (no metal at all!).

 

Dry, this really lives up to the description of "gentle flowers"; it's very light, with no metal scent at all. I was very apprehensive about trying this, but it's actually really nice. I'll be passing it along, because this isn't a "wow!" scent, but it would work great for someone else.

[steelxrose]

Kataniya

 

I admit I got this just for the artwork. Kataniya's artwork is my favorite of the Ladies of the Carnaval.

 

As with Mechanical Phoenix, I get the impression of men's cologne upon first whiff. But, because it says there's flowers in there somewhere, I have to try this. Kataniya is much lighter on my skin than Mech Phoenix, which is a relief. It's still very ozone-y, but not overbearingly so.

 

I'll have to give this one a second try before I make up my mind completely.

[lainevierge]

After trying this one I realized that ozone is not ever going to work on me. It's the note that makes me hate most non-BPAL perfumes. Kataniya definitely has a metallic undertone though. It sort of reminds me of that weird oily smell you sometimes get when you're in an elevator.

 

It's not enough to make me want to keep my decant though.

[LadyLuckDoubt]

I was seriously excited about this one... early on I'd sworn I wouldn't buy CD blends because I couldn't afford them, but upon seeing the description for Kataniya, my mind changed pretty quickly there. The concept is just made of win-- I could seriously blather on about it all day but onto the actual perfume.

 

In the Bottle

It smells flowery and greasy, like someone's sprayed airfreshener around a garage. Personally, I love "chemical" smells-- oil and petrol and that stuff used to do acrylic nails-- but I'm wondering how well it's going to work on my skin.

 

On Me

Initially, it goes to florals, and I'm left thinking, "What makes this so different from mainstream perfumes?" I mean, it's pretty, but not particularly stand-outish. Then the florals (lily, some type of rose, sweetpea?, heather?) die down a little and this ozonic, yet greasy tinge starts making itself known and I'm getting the hot metal description... and wondering just how the hell Beth does that.

 

Eventually, I'm left with an ozonic, reality-scented floral that reminds me of Mechanical Phoenix (which I also love) but it's a tad more subtle. I'm digging Kataniya because I can wear this anywhere. It's not so strange or "hippieish" that it's going to freak out people, and it's not recognisable to most people so it's an indiviudual. It isn't too strong, yet it stands its ground and still hangs around after a few hours.

 

A total winner, IMHO.

[iiinterstate]

This is another one of those blends that the lab just NAILED.

 

Flowers and hot metal, yes. I keep sniffing because its so dead on. I'm not sure sure if I like it enough to buy a bottle, but I think I'll keep my decant. Kataniya is too interesting to pass on just yet.

[Suu4LC]

Mmm. I love this in the imp. A bit cologne-y, but still feminine...a badass floral. Girly but powerful. A little tangy, a little seductive, a little mysterious...I really like this. I hope it goes well on my skin...

 

Ahhh. Wonderful! I think this is one of the sexiest bpals ever.

 

Gets a bit more metallic as it dries, but not unpleasantly so-I never thought I would enjoy a metallic so much. Makes me even more excited to try the Steampunks.

 

I will definitely need a bottle of this before CD goes away. I don't imagine I would wear it that much-it's definitely too strong for work or daytime as an everyday scent, but when I want to feel intense and tough and sexy, I will reach for it

[arabella]

First Impression: Lemon.

 

Dries down to: Creamy, lemon flowers.

 

Additional Comments: This is barely there, lemon foam.

 

Rating: 2.5 out of 5.

[fairnymph]

In the bottle: Very pale yellow oil. White flowers, ozone. A bit sweet and spicy and woody. Cologney, unisex to masculine.

 

Wet: Less sweet, a bit more floral. The metallic notes are light, kind of like ozone, but don't tingle my nose quite the way ozone does. Still, very evocatively metallic. Less sweet, but spicier and woodier. Lilies?

 

Dry: Yes, I think one of the floral notes (there seem to be multiple and they merge together) is the lily from Black Lily, and I think it may be providing the light sweetness. Even though this is still spicy, it has a clean, light feel to it.

 

Later: A slightly soapy, heady floral has emerged - jasmine, I think, but it's very light. I think the spice is pepper, though I'm not sure of white or black, I'm tempted to say the latter because it reminds me of the peppery note in Crypt Queen. I love the fresh lily which I seem to amp. There's some woody heat and soft amber, too.

 

Summary: Initially this is pretty strong, very cologne-y, but it fades very quickly. It's zingy-metallic notes, warm, deep wood, with touches of powdery amber and almost foody sweetness - creamy and peppery. Then there is a bit of sweet lily and soapy jasmine from within a blend of cologney white florals. In the end it turns a bit more feminine, but still not strongly sex-specific. Low throw, good lasting power.

 

Really bizarre blend and in addition to it having a few notes I dislike (amber, jasmine, pepper), it's just not my style, and is too 'warm'. Well-crafted and utterly unique, though.

[motdakasha]

In the bottle:

Rating: 5

Notes: flowers, electricity, metal

Comment: Definitely fits its description.

Wet on skin:

Rating: 5

Notes: flowers, electricity

Comment: Metal not easily detectable but still very pleasant.

Dry on skin:

Rating: 4

Notes: flowers

Scent Intensity: 1

Comment: Only flower notes remain and very faint. Faded fast.

Misc:

Duration: 1-2 Hrs.

Keyword(s): floral

Color: blue-gray

Smells like: N/A

Edited July 2, 2008 by Akasha Tsang
Removed Lab description --Shollin

[carrickfergus]

I get sharp florals from this and nothing else, but a pleasant-floral, not overwhelming but a bit generic.

[Happicuppa]

I have never been more sad! I was dying to try this...and now I want it far, far away from me!

 

In the vial it smells soft, floral and very clean and ozone. On my wrist, the floral is much stronger than the lightning and metal scent...and shortly into drydown a brain piercing, omgwtfbbq headache appeared. Ow. Ow ow.

 

So disappointed, I wanted to love and horde this scent! *POUTS!*

 

In all fairness, it does smell beautiful. Soft thrown, and I don't really know how long it lasts because I had to wash it off. So on that scale I give it a 4/5

 

But on wearability...and broken heartedness...2/5...*sigh*

 

Off to the swaps with thee! *chokes back tears* I'm going to go love on The Torture Queen instead.

[nekogrrl]

In imp: metallic florals

 

Wet on skin: STRONG metallic florals

 

Dry on skin: The florals have toned down some, the metallics/electricity and florals are mixing much more nicely.

 

I'm kind of torn on whether to get a big bottle of this. It's very similar to Torture Queen and Thunder Moon, metallic/electrically speaking, and I'm not sure if I really like it /that/ much. It's good, I'm just not sure if it's /that/ good.

[flco]

If you are like me and love metallic/ozone notes, but don't always want something that smells masculine, then pick this up while it's still available! In the bottle, I did not smell anything sharp, I smelled metal made soft by flowers. When I put it on, the brassy, sharp edge of the metallic notes came out to say hello, but it died down within a minute or two, leaving my wrists and neck to smell like a gentle floral perfume with a metallic/ozone underbelly that lurks beneath it--For seven hours. I was a little skeptical about this one because I amp some floral blends to a disgusting degree (like gardenia).

 

It's a keeper.

Edited July 26, 2008 by FlyingCoffin

[gnl]

In the bottle: Sharp and metal. A little ozone-y.

Wet: Tania had described it as "cold, static before the storm sort of scent" and that's what I'm getting. A little flowery under it, but mostly a "it's going to rain soon" smell. Wet smells like that have been turning dryer sheet on me so *crosses fingers*

Dry down: There's a little dryer sheet smell happening every once in a while that worries me me, but the storm comes through to do away with it. There's a warmness to it now, though, instead of the cold when it was wet.

Verdict: Ends up a little more flowery and a little less metallic than I was looking for. I don't like it enough to get a bottle, but I think I'll keep the imp.

 

3/5

Edited October 18, 2008 by gnl

[Dark Alice]

hot house flowers with sharp metal.....

 

Reminds of me CK1 with hot house flowers.

 

Not a fan.

[brsis]

Initial thoughts: Eh... this isn't thrilling me. I'm expecting something like Thunder Moon crossed with Mechanical Phoenix, which is a big lot of 'nuffin on my skin. Ah well.

 

In the bottle: Sharp, metallic ozone perfume.

 

On the wrist, wet: Metallic ozone - it's not turned into the soapy stuff that turns my stomach yet, but I'm not sure I like it. I'm not sure I DISLIKE it, I'm just ambivilent and expecting the worst.

 

Drydown: Unexpectedly, I'm not sure there's ozone in this. It's sort of a metallic floral - heavy on the sharp, pungent notes which I associate with 'perfume' and a very strong metallic vibe, and thus not exactly my thing, but definately much more wearable than I anticipated. Shiny!

[stellans]

I love the Lab's mechanized notes, and even the ozone was kind to me in this blend. This particular mechanical type blend doesn't have the 'hot metal' note that some of the Phoenix Steamworks blends do; rather, this metal is cool, maybe a bit shiny but not too much. It dries down to a very nice slightly watery floral/metallic blend which seemed very suitable to the gray rainy day I wore it. I would classify this scent is a gender-neutral.

Edited February 24, 2011 by stellans

[milo]

I was frimped a sniffie by a generous forumite, very much appreciated! This one is very STRONG. I only had a tiny bit on the imp wand, and it is going strong an hour later. I get ozone and a bit of floral, overall very perfumey, I high end perfume, but a bit too much for my tastes. Yes, another that thinks this is a typical CK perfume, most notable, CK1, which I loved 15 years ago, but not now.

[TheOnliest]

I love the simplicity and contrast of the notes. I get the gentle florals, and I get the metal but the metal smells cold to me. Maybe it's so hot it seems cold? It does have a unisex cologne-like quality but I don't find it at all overwhelming or offensive. In the bottle and after initial application this smells almost identical to Torture Queen (I did one on each wrist) but the differences are easy to pick out as it dries down, the main one being that it's missing the sweet creaminess I get from TQ upon dry-down. If you already have one you might not feel the need to get the other but TQ's sweet creamy aspect makes them different enough for me to keep both.

 

 

[Andrea912]

This is one of those scents that doesn't have specific notes listed but instead evocative imagery, so I really didn't know what to expect...

 

Wow. This is Davidoff Cool Waters! No joke! Fantastic man scent; I so wish The Boy would bathe in this...