Kalahantarika

[korshka]

She regrets her harsh words, spoken thoughtlessly, which caused a quarrel that divided her from her lover: hyssop, lavender, balsam of Peru, jonquil, and elemi.

Eep - first review? *goes and looks again* I guess so. I really went back and forth on rather to review this or not. In the end, obviously, I decided to go for it. I'm sorry if this isn't a great review, I'm not used to scents of this type.

This is a nice enough blend, just not my style. I can't say too much about particular notes because the lavender is the only note on the list that I actually know.

When I first put it on, I get a very green and sharp scent. As it dries, the sharpness mellows a little, but in end it is a very green, herbal scent. I don't tend to wear these very much, so I can really say much more than that. I do smell the lavender, but it isn't strong to me. It is something on the fringe of the scent.

[hepkitten]

I agree with the above review. This is very green and sharp, and the lavender is very much on the fringe. However, with all of this said, I really can't figure out why in the world this almost reminds me of nag champa. Is there a common note I don't know of?

 

It would be a lovely warm-weather perfume, as long as you like the sharpness.

[Little Bird]

Kalantarika is a sharp, herbal, lavender fragrance on my skin. It's not the smooth, slightly sweet lavender that I love... it's herbal lavender, which is almost bitter and medicinal on me.

 

The other reviews have summed this up pretty well. A sharp, bitter, herbal scent. Slightly green for some reason... and with lots of herbal lavender that amps up for me even more in the drydown.

 

Not something I'd wear as a perfume, but perhaps as an aromatherapy blend in an oil burner.

[maribouquet]

Lavender is the note I am most familar with here, and Kalahantarika begins as a strong lavender with an unknown, pungent edge - maybe the balsam?

 

Hyssop I've heard of but do not know, and the others? I put this on before bed last night, and dreamed I was a goddess asleep on the ocean floor for a hundred and fifty years. Jonquil and elemi were the names of great sea birds that had disappeared to extinction while I was gone, and when I resurfaced I cried and cried.

 

I don't like the way Kalahantarika smells on me as it dries - I smell something almost urine-like (!) and sharp like salt flats or a tidal bed. I'm sorry this doesn't work on me as a fragrance, because I'm enchanted by it and everything it seems to stir up in me.

[LiberAmoris]

Kalahantarika is really unusual---there's that astringent lavender, unmitigated in this context, and it is sharp---much like the inspiration for the blend, in which harsh words are spoken. But as the lavender cools down, it also seems to regret its sharpness and the other notes come forward like a chorus of repentent thoughts---and they are such lovely herbal-resins, plus the jonquil (narcissus).

 

The result at the drydown is a really pretty, mellow lavendered resin with just a hint of the floral narcissus, and it's so gorgeous. It's the kind of thing I'd definitely reach for as a sleep scent, or if I needed to wind down after a long day. Definitely worth the wait for the sharpness to recede.

[Katinka]

I really like this...on me, it's a soft, sweet lavendar that reminds me of my flowerbeds in summer. I detect a resemblance to Ode on Meloncholy, but Kalahantarika has more of an herbal edge. I agree that this would make a nice sleep scent.

[Inanna9]

I like my lavender as astringent as I can get it, and it certainly starts out that way in Kalahantarika. It starts to remind me of Baku, but it mellows pretty quickly as the other notes come out to play. I wouldn't recognize some of these notes, like the elemi and balsam of Peru (?), but I detect the light, creamy floral that must be jonquil and the sharpness that's probably due to the hyssop.

 

I agree that this smells almost medicinal, but very much in a panacean sense. It's sharp but strangely soothing - I feel the same way about Kalahantarika as I do about Somnus. I don't know if I'll need more than a decant though, because Somnus works even better in that regard.

Edited February 28, 2007 by Inanna9

[sarada]

Kalahantarika might be my favorite of this series, because it is so unique among the BPAL that I have tried and so very very herbal and resiny. Its closest cousin in the GC might be Arcana, but this is slightly more complex and multilayered, with a different scent on the skin than it has in the bottle...and a different scent still in the air as it hangs around me.

 

The scent of lavender is strong, but it is as if lavender were a deep, dark green instead of a pale violet color. Medicinal, but then it takes a slightly sweeter, resiny turn. It is an apothecary shop scent; what might greet you in a dark room full of wooden shelves and murky glass bottles; bunches of leafy greens hanging from the rafters, dusty but pungent.

 

There are not a lot of BPAL blends that are this purely herbal so I think I really want a bottle of this, so I have something for those herbal moods. It smells as though it should be used in ritual or magick or aromatherapy or healing but I don't know exactly what for...I just think I want to have it around...

[indicolite]

This is quite lavender, but indeed, I understand what one reviewer said about salt flats - it seems a little animalistic and musky and salty in one note on the drydown.

 

Overall, Kalahantarika is pretty nice. I will hang on to my decant imp, but I do not think I will order a bottle.

[savage_rose]

This is all lavendar and balsam on me: it smells like a really, really lovely shampoo. Lovely and comforting, sweet and feminine without being too girly. And actually, not very sorry for anything...it doesn't really embody this Heroine aspect to me, but it's gorgeous all the same.

[supremegoddessofall]

In bottle: Lush florals and balsam.

 

On me: Sharp lavender and white florals that are tickling my nose. Not really working for me.

[slave1]

KALAHANTARIKA

 

In Bottle: Herbal!

 

On Skin: This scent is very sharp and herbal. Wow! Clears the sinuses! I smell the lavender right away… which generally doesn’t work on me. This scent has a green feel, bright at first, but then slowly shaded. It becomes a filtered light. It is quite strong and it does have a soft calming feeling after some of the sharpness wears off. Sadly I am not a fan of lavender, balsam or herbal scents so I don’t think I’d wear it. It seems more suitable for aromatherapy. Strong throw and long wearlength.

[SultryWolf]

in the decant: Piercing and intoxicating; lavender and something that reminds me of lily.

on: No one note dominates, like a fresh-picked bouquet: florals over light herbals. Weak throw and staying power.

[Keslynn]

And to think, I almost didn't put this on...

 

In the imp, this smelled strange and offputting. It smelled cloying but with an antiseptic edge. Almost like cologne that has gone slightly bad? I really wish I could describe it better.

 

After dubiously placing some on my skin, the scent morphed into something I love! Now it's mostly a delicious floral standing in a bed of rich herbals. There's also an almost honeyed sweetness to it. The antiseptic scent has blended into the background and actually works very well with the sweet herbal.

 

I think this fits the description very well. At first we quarreled, but this Heroine won me back.

 

Verdict: My surprise love of this series. I think I might be getting a big bottle before she leaves town.

[PurringPulsar]

Kalahantarika

 

In the imp: very herbal lavender.

Wet on skin: herbal, almost incense like lavender.

Dry: mmm, this isn’t bad. It’s heavy on the lavender, but this seems to have an incense like base to it-maybe the elemi? The hyssop makes this smell more herbal, but I also get a scent of Indian incense behind it, like saffron or sandalwood-I have no idea what this is though. It also reminds me of one of the tarot/chakra/panacea scents which has lavender in it, but I can’t remember which one. It also reminds me of Gaueko, maybe Somnus too as it has a ‘knock you down lavender’ scent to it.

After a while: oh wow, this sweetens beautifully! Now it smells like sweet herbal lavender over incense. What is causing this sweetness? Is it the Peru balsam? It now smells very soft and soothing, this, like Viparlabda, is very much a calming and healing herbal scent. I could definitely use this as a sleep scent. It becomes more ‘herbal incense’ as the lavender disappears, and I swear I get a little champaca here too, and something sandalwood/peppery as well.

This does, however, become very sweet over time. A little too sweet, in fact. It smells like champaca, but this note isn’t listed…I don’t know what this sweet, almost cloying note is but it’s a little much. I do really like the incense and herbal scents that weave through the scent. The sweet note and the incense do seem to take it in turns to be the strongest notes in the scent. There are also times when I smell a slight hint of parchment or paper to the scent, similar to that of Clio and Dee, and I really like that-a nostalgic and stirring touch. It dries down to a soft herbal incense, very similar to the incense base that seems to run through the Lupercalia scents as a common theme, but this one is less woodsy-sweet, and smells a bit like patchouli. It now reminds me of a less masculine Clio. This strikes me as being a studious, serious scent.

Verdict: at first this reminds me strongly of Gaueko, that soporific lavender incense, a heady purple haze that definitely seems to want to knock me out. Very herbal, almost therapeutic, it then gains a soft sweet incense scent, like a background of sweet Indian incense burning over lavender. Soft and herbal and dry and slightly smoky-ashy, very fragrant. I don’t know why but I also get a very strong and heavy sweetness behind it, almost hypnotic, it’s like tonka and/or champaca, but those notes aren’t listed. It has a softly papery drydown which is almost melancholic, it almost gives the impression of love letters on old paper, or letters of apology and reconciliation…but with a hint of incense to it. I like this scent a great deal and it certainly fits the theme and description. I’m not sure I’d wear it much-sometimes it is a little too sweet for me, but this could definitely be one scent to de-stress or fall asleep with, with its soft, herbal, sleepy lavender incense scent.

Emoticon rating:

Is it a keeper? Maybe just the decant.

If you like this, try: Gaueko, Somnus, Old Scratch, Ace of Swords, Vishuddha, Clio, Arcana, Vipralabda

[edenssixthday]

Kalahantarinka - I postponed reviewing this for a while because it’s really difficult to describe this scent. Also, I wasn’t sure if I liked it or not. It’s just kind of a weird one for me. When I first apply it, I definitely don’t like it because the lavender is the strongest note and I find it really overwhelming. However, as the scent dries down, the lavender dissipates, and the rest of the notes create a scent that’s very warm, herbal, and viscous. I don’t know what most of the notes in this blend are, so it’s very difficult to describe how they interact within the blend. It’s got quite a woody-floral and bitter-sweet scent to it. After trying it two more times, I finally decided it’s not for me. The throw and staying power are moderate.

[moon_lemming]

Hey, this really fits the description -- sharp and almost argumentative at first, drying to a more mournful dark green herbal muddle. Really, really not for me, but an interesting scent experience. The lavender just gives me too much of a headache at first to make it worth holding through til it calms down.

[Em-]

Green and, well, lavendar. Very herbal with a definite floral pinge - this is very pretty, very light, a tad almost dusty.

[jade_starlight]

Wet, this is a very sharp green, herbal scent and there's something sort of lurking in the background that just smells sort of weird. I have no idea what it is, or what it smells like, but it's really odd and I don't really care for it, especially mixed in with the sharp green herbal-ness. Off to the swaps.

[nikkoblue]

I'm a big fan of lavender plants and lavender EO, so I swapped for a bottle of this.

 

The first hting that strikes me is the lavender form teh bottle, of course, and lavender has a way of kicking everything else's ass.

 

After a few minutes, this becomes a very deep, sweet lavender on a backdrop of smokey herbs....I'm getting the incense quality as well. I don't get green from this, I get a dark, smokey blue gray.

 

With further wear, this becomes even sweeter and though the lavender is still apparent, it becomes just another part of the whole. I find this to be nice and calming, but it would never put me to sleep; the other elements make it more of a perfume than a sleep aid. It's pretty; I wouldn't buy a second bottle but I will definitely use this one.

[filigree_shadow]

Jeepers. Very herbal and green, and more than a little sharp. This isn't the gentle lavender that's in some blends, it's the in-your-face kind. Luckily the lavender fades out pretty fast, and what's left is a soft, almost bitter herby scent. Not my kind of scent at all, really. It smells kind of angry to me.

[stellans]

Imp: First impression is of lavender, but not the go-to-sleep kind of lavender scent, at least not to me. This is a bit harsh, astringent, and not entirely nice -- though lovely to smell. Wasn't hyssop one of the bitter herbs Esau had to eat after he sold his birthright? That bitterness is definitely in this blend, but not unpleasantly so. It's quite a pleasing blend to my nose, and I look forward to the way it smells on me.

 

Wet: Now I get a slightly wooden note under the bitter green and the purple lavender notes. This is a refreshing, bracing lavender rather than a soothing, night-night blend (I think I said that already, but it bears repeating). There's also a softness underneath (the apology part of the story, I guess) which can only be the jonquil. I love the scent of jonquil, it's one of my favorite spring scents, and it fits into this blend in an almost achingly beautiful way.

 

Dry: The bitterness almost disappears completely upon drydown, leaving behind the slightly woody lavender and the slightly green jonquil to delight the nose. The throw was average, and the scent didn't last as long as I'd hoped. Lavender usually bears up very well on my skin, so maybe when the bitter green evaporated it took some of the staying power with it. I had to reapply more often during the day more than I'd like, but I sure enjoyed wearing this.

 

Verdict: This is a very nice blend, and one I enjoyed wearing today, and will wear it again soon, I imagine.

Edited May 2, 2008 by stellans

[CrazyPretzel]

A very sharp, bitter herbal blend on me. The lavender softens and becomes powdery when it dries completely, but it's still just not that pleasant on my skin

[fairnymph]

In the bottle: Deep golden honey colour. Whoa. Strongly green, astringent, pungent. Hyssop and lavender are very herbal and a bit medicinal, balsam has a piney edge, elemi's a bit sourly citrusy, and jonquil is a sharp floral. Masculine.

 

Wet: The jonquil totally reminds me of lily of the valley and lilac, so it's a softer, fresher note on my skin, but it's also more cloying. The green and herbal notes have backed down majorly. It's a jonquil party, with elemi and lavender faintly playing along.

 

Dry: This is turning sweet, and becoming even more of a jonquil single note. It's a bit - uriney though? Like civet or black currant can somehow go. Very strange and unpleasant at times. Hint of elemi.

 

Later: Okay, it morphed again. The jonquil has lost the urine aspect, and the balsam has reappeared majorly, with a lovely piney resiny base that ground this and gives it warmth. Lavender and hyssop (sort of hay like and grassy) have returned too, just lightly herbal. Elemi holds.

 

Summary: Warm, deep, resiny balsam leads the way with with musk, light, fresh jonquil, grassy hyssop, soft herbal lavender, and a spike of lemony elemi. Really well balanced once it evolves after a couple of hours. Masculine. Great throw and lasting power.

 

Too masculine for me, but this is surprisingly lovely on the skin, and reminds me a fair deal of Galvanic Goggles.

[zankoku_zen]

This one is an odd one. I do get the 'pine resin' and the lilies, and something lemony. There's something almost bitter about this blend and yet, it smells oddly familiar. Growing up, in middle school, one of my best friends was from India and this kinda reminds me to her mother. I think it's the incense + spices + something definitely Indian.