Tiresias, the Androgyne

[euterpe414]

Dark, moody, and bittersweet: black currant, patchouli, tobacco, cinnamon leaf, caramel, muguet, and red sandalwood.

Tobacco is such an iffy note for me, but when it works it WORKS. That being said, Tiresias is simply a dream blend for me- a woodsy caramel that is not in any way buttery- just sugary, rich, sexy..MM. Actually, the drydown reminds me a lot fo Anaconda, but without the Snake Oil.
As Tiresias wears on the caramel fades some and it becomes a much more woodsy blend. Very gorgeous, and indeed a tad similar to Luperci as mentioned before. I am glad this blend exists because I really wanted to love Red Lantern which ahs similar notes, but it sadly didn't work for me at all.

This blend is one for hoarding. I didn't expect to like this as much as I do...but I really can't get enough. I foresee some stockpiling in the future!

[jessiesquash]

I took one look at the notes on this and thought, ooh it's as if Red Lantern and Mme Moriarty had little androginous babies! In the bottle, I was still getting that lovely smoky caramel that I love in Red Lantern. On me though, sweet sticky mess. Ick. I don't know what is about this scent but it made my stomach roll and it would not come off!! I could still smell it on my wrists 24 hours later. It figures the only scent that lingers that long be one I can't wait to get off. Blech

[Electra]

Tiresias

 

Bottle - I swear, I feel as though I could get drunk just from sniffing this. It is THAT thick, rich, decadent, and dark. In the bottle, it is a seamless blend of caramel and tobacco. I do not like foody scents, nor do I like sugary or super-sweet ones. Caramel would normally make me run away screaming. The tobacco grounds the caramel here and makes it sultry and gorgeous rather than edible (and thus wearable for me). It smells like an incredibly well-blended, high-class, expensive tobacco that would be smoked in a dark mysterious library with deep leather chairs and floor-to-ceiling shelves full of books that you're not allowed to read. *swoon*

 

On, wet - more of the same, at first.

 

On, about an hour in - straight tobacco.

 

On, about four hours in - straight sandalwood, and very, very dry. This is my least favorite stage.

 

On, final drydown, six to eight hours in - we're back to tobacco.

 

I do wish that it had stayed the way it smells in the bottle, because that scent is just . If I wore a scent locket, this scent would be the perfect candidate for it. I don't, though, so I'll just deal with the not-quite-as-awesome drydown. It's a very nice tobacco scent, anyway . I just miss the depth and richness it had when it was wet. (I could do without that dry woodsy sandalwood stage.)

 

The other notes -- black currant, patchouli, cinnamon leaf, and muguet -- never make an appearance on me, or at least, they don't make a flashy enough appearance that I'm aware of their presence. All I ever smell is tobacco, caramel, and sandalwood.

[em_h]

Starts off as smokey caramel, but fairly quickly dries down into a sweet pipe tobacco scent. It's rather pleasant, though I'm always a bit iffy about smelling like tobacco. This is a nice tobacco, though, and definitely pipe rather than any other kind, with a little extra sweetness.

[slave1]

TIRESIAS THE ANDROGYNE

 

In Bottle: Caramel

 

On Skin: The caramel is strongest on me, so sweet and thick. The black currant then comes out and is actually quite a true berry and doesn’t turn to cat pee on me like it generally does. The woods make a very dry and powdery background, earthy and dark. The patchouli is also earthy but the sweetness of the caramel keeps it in line and evens out the patchoulis bitterness. The cinnamon breaks up the sweetness with a fine spice, quite light though. The tobacco has a lovely smoky quality and compliments the other notes perfectly. This scent has so many levels! Sweet, smoke, spice, fruit, wood, earth… wow. It’s very interesting and I love how it started out so caramely but turned into a much more refined scent… not foody at all. This is unisex for sure. It has a great strong throw and long wearlength.

[AmyAngel]

I was SO looking forward to Tiresias - I love Red Lantern, and really like the sound of Luperci, and all the notes sounded great, so I was thrilled to get a frimp of it from the Carousel decant circle I participated in, and tried it on first!

 

It went on as caramel, similar to Red Lantern but somehow not quite as sweet. As it dried down a hint of something deeper began to emerge. Then... something... vegetable-like? As the caramel started to fade, it got spicier and started reminding me of food - not a dessert, but something savory. Something I'd smelled in my mom's kitchen repeatedly. But what? I kept sniffing, trying to figure it out.

 

Then it hit me. Celery salt. When this dried completely on my skin it smelled EXACTLY like celery salt, and nothing but celery salt, and it STAYED celery salt. Which I like on potato salad (which is one of the few things I can cook), but not on my skin.

 

This is LASTING, though. For hours my wrist smelled very strongly of celery salt, as if I'd stuck my nose in the little jar of it. It took two serious scrubbings and a cover-up with lavender scented lotion to tame it before bed.

 

I'm sad that my skin decided to take something that started so great, and turn it into potato salad seasoning. I hope I can figure out what note that was! This one went right in the "to be swapped" baggie.

[PurringPulsar]

Tiresias

 

In the imp: caramel! The caramel is the dominant note, reminiscent of Red Lantern and Mitzvah, but the tobacco makes it more like RL.

Wet on skin: sweet spiced caramel, tobacco and cinnamon come out, as do the sandalwood and currant!

Dry: oh, this is good! This is the lovechild of Arrival at the Sabbath and Red Lantern! The caramel has toned down now, letting the tart currant (now the strongest note) and spicy notes through, the delicious cinnamon and dry sandalwood. It is also highly reminiscent of Trick #2 with the berry-like currant, tobacco and patchouli, but sweetened with just the perfect amount of caramel. I don’t even smell the muguet, which is good as it often turns to soap.

After a while: the caramel makes a return some time later. It is just like the caramel-sandalwood-patchouli combination in Arrival at the Sabbath, in that the caramel is less buttery and more treacle like, like the darkest brown sugar, and it also reminds me of Sugar Skull now. However, the raisin-like currant adds a nice edge and prevents the scent from veering into cloying territory. Then the currant makes a comeback and becomes dominant once more, with that warm and exotic sandalwood always in the background. The scent seems split into two distinct sides, sweet spiced caramel and dark tart currant, opposing yet united as one, not conflicting, but harmonising. So apt. The scent moves between caramel and currant until it finally decides to end as a scent of darkly spiced smoky treacle.

Verdict: this is another wonderful caramel scent, rich, deep and tempting. Caramel is one of those notes which can overwhelm, or dominate but mingle nicely with other notes, or be very subtle. This fits into the ‘dominates but mingles nicely’ category in that it is dominant, but I can smell everything else around it, and this caramel isn’t the buttery stuff, but one made with the darkest brown sugar and a splash of treacle. There’s a nice contrast with the caramel and currant going on here…indeed, it seems the scent is double sided. Sweet, sugary and dusky caramel, soulful and syrupy, enrobed in spices and the barest hint of floral, contrasting with the equally dark but sharper, more confident and gutsy and upfront currant and tobacco, with patchouli and sandalwood uniting these two sides. How fitting for such a character! As with most caramel scents, there may be days when this is too heavy to wear, and this is more of a winter scent. But it’s one of the nicer caramel scents and has enough complexity to stop it becoming too foody. It’s a good Red Lantern substitute, and once my decant is used up I might get a bottle.

Emoticon rating:

Is it a keeper? Yes! I might get a bottle-not now but definitely before he/she disappears.

If you like this, try: Red Lantern, Arrival at the Sabbath and Homage to the Devil, Trick #2, Alone, Cockaigne, Sin, Sugar Skull

[Miss Lynx]

I wanted to love this, despite the caramel. I don't do terribly well with foody notes, especially not the buttery/cake/candy variety. They go all nasty and cloying and fake-smelling on my skin, like synthetically flavoured plastic or something. But everything else in it sounded so good...

 

So I was really hoping there woudn't be too much caramel, but anyone who's smelled this or read the other reviews knows how vain a hope that was! Death by caramel!

 

And yet... The caramel does fade a bit as it dries down, just enough to make it not awful. The other ntoes begin to come out, and I can just about smell how wonderful this scent would have been without the damn caramel, or at least with much less of it. So it's kind of a tease that way.

 

It certainly does evoke the androgyne - this scent is very much masculine and feminine at the same time, which is kind of neat. And I would really like that... Were it not for the caramel. Oh well.

 

Grade: C+/B-

[akw]

In the bottle and wet on my skin, Tiresias was strong caramel. However, it faded really quickly, and morphed into a constantly changing and complex scent. I spent an evening with it and felt that it was more of a journey than a perfume.

 

In the beginning it was like everything I love about Red Lantern and none of what doesn't work. I adore Red Lantern in the bottle, but there is something in it that does nasty things with my skin these days. Tiresias has none of that.

 

The tobacco comes out next and blends really nicely with the fading caramel. Not getting any currant at this point.

 

After a couple of hours I begin to get the cinnamon and red currant. I'm thrilled with this cinnamon because I usually can't wear it. It usually overpowers whatever else is in a blend. In this, it just adds spice.

 

At the end I get the black currant. I'm glad I didn't look up "muguet" before I ordered this because I probably would have passed on it had I known it's Lily of the Valley. Somehow this lily works!!

 

This is a long review, but as I said, it was a journey more than a perfume. I love it, and I'm glad I took a chance with some of the notes.

[theseagrows]

wow this one smells weird on me. in the imp it's very foody-cakey. once it hits my skin that soon disappears and i get a strange spicy-wood scent that sort of smells like pickles. i am thinking it may be the patchouli + cinnamon leaf combination? i can sense the caramel in the background too. i generally dont like foody scents and this one turns wonky on me, so i will swap it.

[space girl lost]

i've been hearing about the caramel in this one and it was a bit of a selling point for me. i was hoping for not sticky overbearing like in creepy, but something would be nice. in the vial i can smell it a bit. it is sweet and delicately foody without being sickening at all. however, once it hits my skin ... BOOM! i get NONE. nothing. not a DROP. instead it is my mortal enemy - sandalwood. it's all about the sandalwood. it's only made bearable by the sweetness of the currant. wtf. how disappointing. sandalwood... you win again. i hate you.

[supremegoddessofall]

Foody and delicious. Lots of caramel, with everything else balanced in nicely. I can definitely see me wearing this.

[filigree_shadow]

Ah, this smells lovely! This is what I wanted Red Lantern to smell like. The caramel is there but it's not overpowering the rest of the scent. The patchouli, tobacco, and sandalwood are great. It smells a little bit woody and warm, but creamy at the same time.

 

This is very well done, and I know I will want to buy a bottle of it.

[valentina]

In the bottle, Tiresias is like... wow. Ummm... that rich, deep caramel. This isn't a simple caramel, there's so much more happening, but what I get at first is a sweet, buttery smell. When I first apply it on my skin, it's a sweet-yet-sharp smell, mainly of tobacco and caramel. Maybe the sandalwood is sharpening it up a bit, also. A juxtaposition to be certain, but one that certainly works. As it dries down and I wear it longer, I get a bit more of the cinnamon leaf, and maybe somewhere underneath that, some patchouli. But for the sandalwood or patchouli-adverse, I think they are very muted in this scent. I think they "layer" the scent and gives it more dimension, but overall, I get a not-too-sweet caramel with bits of cinnamon and tobacco. It's utterly unlike anything else that I wear, but I do want more bottles of this, because it's a beautifully-blended and fascinating scent. Where the idea for this blend came from, I don't know, but kudos to Beth and the Lab for creating something really wonderful!

[Naamah_Darling]

This oil is a lovely orange color, and smells strongly of caramel, sandalwood, and something sweetish and fruity.

 

Under that, as it warms, is cinnamon and tobacco. This is, indeed, dark and bittersweet, and reminds me not a little of Miskatonic University.

 

The cinnamon isn't a dominant note for most of its life. Mostly it's caramel, sandalwood, tobacco, a little of patchouli's rich dirt. It stays this way through most of its life, smooth, sweet, and a little dirty.

 

I like this very much. Very much.

[Keslynn]

Ohhhhh yum! I know I just spoiled my review, but still...

 

In the imp, Tiresias is all delicious gooey caramel. I know I'm not supposed to eat perfume, but it's hard not to.

 

On my skin, it's still luscious sticky caramel. For a while, I only get caramel, but then this gorgeous lower note sneaks in to ground the food scent. I honestly can't tell what note this is - maybe it's a combo of the others? I think it might be the tobacco I notice most in the grounding note. Whatever it is, it's a perfect complement.

 

Verdict: A warm, delicious and oddly comforting scent. I definitely want a full bottle!

Edited April 11, 2007 by Keslynn

[lushlovely]

All the comparisons to Red Lantern couldn't be more spot on! I mean it's not exactly like RL, but they definitely fell from the same tree, so to say.

 

In the bottle: Mmmmmmmm, deep boozy caramel swirling with red currant.

 

Wet on skin: More of the same but with the tobacco trying to shove it's way to the spotlight and the cinnamon leaf and red sandalwood singing back-up.

 

Drydown: The caramel is still there and still boozy, but much more toned down and definitely taking a little bit of back-seat to the tobacco and red sandalwood.

 

I'm still on the fence about keeping my bottle or not. I tried it on me and the boy, he didn't care for it so much on himself because he said it smelled too girly, and I think it smells more masculine. So I guess Beth did a perfect job describing an adrogyne via a bpal blend. At times I almost can't stomach it though, because I get an almost sacchriney/ fake sweetener undertone and I'm suspecting that's the tobacco.

[roxyhead]

Definitely lots of throw with this one, I walk into the kitchen and my dad wonders what's smelling like caramel, but I swear I don't remember putting any more than normal on. Almost a little to the buttery side of the caramel, especially in the bottle. As it dries, though, the currant comes out to share the spotlight, and I start smelling so much while eating breakfast like I've already had dessert that I feel too full to finish, which is odd for me at McDonalds. The tobacco shows up behind the main caramel and currant notes just enough to give them some company, but not enough to be entirely sure that what I was smelling was tobacco until I got home and checked the description. I'm not getting any sandalwood, cinnamon, or patchouli from this at all. I think this'll do quite nicely when I want foody and throw.

[Browneyes]

Imp: Spicy cake batter. Or caramel frosting on a spicy cake. Spicy christmas cake? Oh I don't know, but you get the picture. It's Foody.

Wet: Alot more smoky and woody! The tobacco is in the forefront at this stage, combining with the patchouli and sandalwood. And I do also get both the currant and caramel too, sweetening everything.

Dry: The boy didn't like this at all. Thought it smelled like the spice cabinet in the kitchen. I see where he's coming from somehow, although it's a wierd comparison. This is a strange scent. At the same time it also smells familiar to me somehow. Final drydown is mostly chewy caramel, tobacco, wood and a hint of currant. Not sure that this is *me*, but maybe it will grow on me.

 

Eta: this has a serious throw!

Edited May 11, 2007 by Browneyes

[sookster]

straight sniff from the bottle is lots of caramel & a touch of wood...must

be the sandalwood

 

once applied the cinnamon leaf amps up and combines with the tobacco and caramel making

this an olfactory dream-come-true

 

this has some serious staying power as well...i have been wearing it for several hours

now and i keep getting sniffs of cinnamon, caramel and patchouli with the slightest touch

of lily of the valley...

 

i just adore this blend to pieces!!

 

bravo beth!!

[Meg]

In the bottle: very spicy patchouli and caramel

 

Wet: patchouli patchouli patchouli, over caramel, which promptly turns to burnt sugar on me.

 

Drydown: this is SPICY, it makes me think of curry, but there's not good explanation for that, except perhaps the patchouli/sandalwood mix and maybe the cinnamon leaf. It's a really burning blend. After a long while the burnt sugar becomes a teense sweeter and less bitter and the muguet pokes out from time to time, but very faintly.

 

Overall: It's really woody and spicy on me, and not so much else. An intriguing mix, but rather monodimensional on me, actually, fiery and burning. A scorching blend, really for the spice lovers, really not for me. It's fascinatingly multifaceted, though, and represents Tiresias perfectly.

[eponai]

everybody get down, it's my first ever review! i've been waiting until my nose had a little experience, so my review would have more substance than "i like this!"

 

tiresias the androgyne is definitely a shapeshifting blend.

 

in the bottle - wet and sweet, almost cloying, with a hint of smoke.

wet on skin - still sweet with a strong caramel note, but starts to have a bite of darkness in there. sweet tobacco like fruity pipe tobacco comes out, maybe currant flavored pipe tobacco. yum.

dry on skin - mellows into a more masculine smokey sandalwood.

 

the patchouli does not stand out too much here, and i think the cinnamon leaf is only adding a spiciness to the sandalwood. i can't speak to the muguet as i do not know what that smells like.

 

i am liking this alot. i definitely feel like i've been hanging out with men drinking brandy and smoking pipes, but the lady of the house is present too, and it wasn't just to bring us tea!

 

~epona

 

ETA: this is also the longest lasting bpal i have found yet. most fade on me in 2 hours, tiresias was with me still the following morning...

Edited June 1, 2007 by eponai

[windzswept]

From the bottle: Cinnamon and caramel with a fading whiff of black currant.

 

At First: Oooh... cinnamon, caramel and tobacco, this actually smells good.

 

Later: Behind the bike sheds, the ash from the forbidden cigarettes swirls in the wind and the goth girl is leaving after getting off with her boyfriend. The combination of the smells swirl together and combine with the discarded carton of blackcurrant juice.

 

Overall: I don't like smelling like behind the bike sheds. Tiresias is getting firmly put into the swaps box. It's giving me a headache.

[Extispex]

Oh Tiresias, how I love thee.

 

In the bottle, s/he is a rich sultry caramel. Sweetness that masques a lurid edge. A gentle-faced villain.

 

Wet, on my skin, it only gets more evil (in a good way). Sticky caramel is grounded by patchouli, and thickened by tobacco and sandalwood. I don't get much of the currant, other than a vague tartness that lingers on the skin like a stolen kiss.

 

It dries down to a strange, sweet spice that I found hard to place. I thought it might be cardamom, then I read this:

 

 

Then it hit me. Celery salt.

 

It really IS a lot like celery salt. Fortunately, on me, its not a bad thing at all. Its as if the celery put on lots of eye-shadow, slicked back his/her hair, donned a tuxedo and went out for an evening of debauchery. I can detect the celery that AmyAngel speaks of, but for me, its the sexiest celery on the face of the planet. Very unusual, a wickedly voluptuous fragrance.

 

I do believe I'm going to try aging this one - I think aged, it will be a deadly beauty.

 

ETA: For those who fear the celery, after a mere month of aging the celery effect has fled and Tiresias has - if possible - become even sultrier. This is quick becoming one of my most-worn fragrances. Its rich, sexy, dark and beautiful.

Edited July 26, 2007 by Extispex

[Salsa Shark]

Almost entirely caramel. And since caramel hates me, that should be 'almost entirely stale toffee popcorn'.

 

There's a hint of something fruity and dark underneath; the currant and the patchouli attempting to peek through and make themselves known, and if I sniff deeply there really is a complex and beautiful scent trying to get out. The caramel doesn't give in though, and I have to wash this off in the end.