Wings of Azrael

[Lunaheretic]

Azrael is the Angel of Death, marked as the last being to die in the Apocalypse. Though a harbinger of doom, his duties are an act of mercy: he curtails human life before world-weariness and despair destroys our spirits. Warm myrrh swirled with a bittersweet blend of violet, Lily of the Valley, juniper, cypess and cajeput.

I love love love this so much wet, I love the deep green scent, and the warm floral spiciness, so well blended! I'm not a huge fan of florals, and I was testing a couple of imps out today and one had a lot of throw and I could smell it wafting up to my nose which doesn't happen to me often I wear oils. It's pretty strong and so beautiful but on me it fades pretty quickly to a more traditional perfume smelling floral, it's almost worth constant application, but I have to do one more test to know for sure.

[zankoku_zen]

I think I'm a fan. This one is a sweet, violet and lily of the valley blend. Not too floral, and the juniper and myrrh aren't overwhelming. It's just a very... funeral scent. I would wear this to a funeral because it's regal and somber, but it's not depressing. It very much reminds me to the funeral bouquets, which I always thought smelled pretty.

[stillalive]

kind of a fuzzy floral. It's definitely not my style, but it smells like my Elf Priestess on Perfect World so I'll probably keep it. Maybe my body chemistry is changing or it's just roses that smell badly on me, but I actually really, really like this.

[Czarina]

This smells just amazing on me, but in a different way than I expected.

 

Strangely, I got this as a part of my Quest To Try Every Scent Beth Makes With A Violet Note . I can barely smell the violets in this one, and in fact wouldn't be able to detect them if I didn't know they were there.

 

The initial note of this perfume for me is lilies. As time goes by the juniper and the myrrh emerge, making this, as has been noted, a floral-resin blend. Brilliant.

[voodoocatwoman]

I have one thing to say about Wings of Azrael...

 

VIOLETS!!!

 

Seriously, that is all I smell. Unless I am suddenly amping violet, that is the primary note.

[starcr]

When I first applied it, this one was a deep floral. It reminded me somewhat of New Orleans, lush but with a hint of something else I couldn't define underneath. As it dried down, though, the myrrh started to come out. In the end it was reminiscent of Rose Cross and Hymn, incense mixed with flowers. But with some green beneath it. It's not bumping Rose Cross out of its top-three slot in my own personal ranking, but it's pretty nice.

[Coldfire]

 

 

 

 

Imp: sharp but not harsh. The green of the woods and perhaps the violet

Wet on Me: violet with touches of the lily of the valley. Not as sharp now.

Drying Down: more gentle now. The violet over the lily of the valley and

the barest whispter of the cypress under it all.

Dry: Touches of baby powder over cypress and violet. Very gentle…soft

and not overwhelming.

 

[awesomeoverlord]

Bittersweet is really the right word for this one. It's tough for me to pick individual notes here, but off the top my head, I'd sum it up as a herbal violet. It's nice, but not really what I was looking for. I wish the violets had been the main attraction here, but they sort of just demurely blend into the rest of the herbary. Nice, though. Very well rounded.

Edited February 18, 2009 by awesomeoverlord

[Suu4LC]

Huh-in the imp this pretty much smells as described-myrrh and violet and juniper and cypress. Im not really a myrrh or juniper or cypress fan tbh, but this is an interesting combination. Eh, on my skin it's a bit weird though...kind of a sickly sweet sticky smoky smell.

 

Gah, yes this is so odd-the myrhh fades on drydown and this is SUPER sweet violet and smoke O_o Hints of juniper and cypress. Such an odd scent-very original.

 

This fades rather fast and leaves behind a sweet powdery violet.

 

This isn't for me, but it was a very interesting and unique blend that I am glad I tried!

[septima_pica]

This is pretty enough, but unfortunately the violet and lily-of-the-valley really dominate. I was hoping for more of the cypress note, something like in Rome or Nemesis, but instead I get a strong sweet floral, an old-fashioned sort of perfume, although a lovely one. Not, unfortunately, quite my style.

[ImperatrixMundi]

I have already swapped this but took down notes back then. Wings of Azrael is heavy on the lily of the valley. It is myrrh, lily of the valley and on top of that very woody and herbal notes, cajeput smells a little bit like tea tree (they are botanically related). I could pick out the violet as well but the lily of the valley was more dominant.

It was nice and right now I dont know why I gave it away. Probably frimped it away or figured I would not wear it terribly much but now I miss it a bit.

 

[cleske]

At first this scent was really brash VIOLETS!!!! but after about half an hour it calmed and took on a powdery/floral but clean smell, with the most throw of any oil I've tried so far. I think I get the cajuput and there is a very, very slight hint of myrrh, but only if I sniff hard, and only after about forty minutes. It's very heady and sweet, but I think it's too sweet on me.

[angelicruin]

Inside the imp, violets and lily.

 

Wet on my skin, mostly juniper initially and myrrh. Violets and lily have disappeared.

 

Dry down, sweet spicy juniper. It's strange how this blend on my skin gives me no violets or lily even though that was all I could smell inside the imp. The wonders of skin chemistry, I suppose.

[Laurel the Woodfairy]

This was a generous frimp from the Lab--I'm nervous about the notes; I love violet and lily of the valley, but typically find juniper and cypress too heavy. Still, I'll give it a try! Hm, I get a surprisingly true violet--nothing sweet to turn it into violet candy, just a hint of green as though I had come across violets growing wild. I like it! I don't know that I would wear it often but it's nice and much more wearable than I expected. Very pretty. Violet always makes for an unusual, standout scent.

[annanwater]

Smells exactly like bubblegum on me. It's actually rather nice, but it's making me crave that Fruit Stripe gum with the zebra on it I used to chew as a kid. It reminds me of those warm, sunny childhood scenes that somehow get shuffled into the back of your mind when the busy hustle of the present takes over. Have adored most of the frimps the lab sent, but this is my favorite so far because of the lovely flashbacks it gave me. Not something I would really wear out, but will keep it around so that I can get that carefree ten-year-old back whenever I may need her.

 

Edit: Tried again, and got a very nice floral instead of the bubblegum scent. Both were good scents, still no complaints on this one.

Edited July 9, 2009 by annanwater

[aquazoo]

This one is complicated. I can smell the violet in it. There are other violets I like better, but all in all it's not bad.

 

[tragedy]

Wow!!!

 

I was frimped this, and upon initial sniff in imp I was thinking "meh. its one of those common floral/incensey blends"

But tried it on anyways upon skin initially I was thinking "meh. too floral. Not me"

 

But then, as I was doing housework,, that tiny drop of oil on my outer hand (could you imagine the wrists?? more heat??) BLOOMED!

I keep getting hit with the most creamy, beautiful spicy violet.

I didnt get violets at first and I love violets to the point of tears.

 

So beautiful, I love this one.

*adding to wishlist*

[tajana]

Sweet juniper, softened with the pale suggestions of shivering flowers, including freshly cut muguet. Cypress emerges as it dries down, balanced with the dark juniper. I really like this when it's wet and just as it starts to dry, it's a delicate and elegant take on evergreen. I get whiffs of powdery violet getting stronger after a while, usurping the lily of the valley as the primary floral note. After some time the chilly green tree boughs, dusty violets, and unidentified "herbal" notes become more strongly grounded in a base of warm, smoky-sweet myrrh. After only about an hour of wear, it's gone to mostly myrrh on me, shot through with a piercing chill (juniper, violet, something camphorous, I assume that's the cajeput). It blends together very smoothly and stays distinctive rather than turning into a poofy cloud of generic floral incense as I feared it might based on the notes.

 

This is beautiful, yet I'm torn on whether or not I should keep it around because it has such a somber feel, like something I would only be compelled to wear if I was going to attend a funeral or visit a grave.

[ephemera]

Too floral. I barely smelled anything except the flowers in this, mixed with something that smelled a bit like decay. Not at all my thing.

[Veronica]

Definitely a warm base of myrrh, with floral top notes. Very pretty and warm, not sure if I want to keep this yet--it's very pretty and I like it a lot, but I'm not sure how much I'll be wearing this.

[CiaoBonefish]

Frimp from lab!

 

This smelled rather sharp and acrid almost in the imp. I could vaguely sense some violet but it was very myrrh-ish to me. Not all that appealing yet... I guess we'll have to wait and see.

 

Applied it stays more or less the same and then changes dramatically. The violets are moving more into the background while Juniper is stepping forward. I love juniper but generally in woody blends. Wings of Azrael does not come across as a woody blend or a particularly cold cold one I can't say I like the juniper really. Now The Myrrh shakes its head and woah myrrh and juniper with light violets? I love myrrh, but this getting weird... Now I'm smelling some lily of the valley which I was hoping I wouldn't have to smell... I don't really like lily all too much.

 

In the end this is predominantly a myrrh, lily, and juniper blend with a touch of cypress coming in at the end. The violet sadly has disappeared. It is slightly astringent so I can't say I love it. I think I may need a lighter hand with this one. It's pretty but the lily and its astringent nature make my nose tingle.

 

I can attest that this smells very much like the angel of death, or at least how I envision it to: Bitter sweet. Wondrous depiction but the bitterness is a bit much for me so off to swaps!

 

[gingiemay]

The violet and myrrh are most prominent with the Lily of the Valley giving a floral base. No juniper or cypress. It's sweeter than I thought it would be, but very pretty.

[elinox]

First Sniff: Something sharp and tangy; possibly the amber?

 

Wet: Light and flowery.

 

Dry: I think I can smell the lily or violets or some other type of light flower note in it. It's pleasant and not overpowering.

 

My Reaction: I thought this was a happy scent and, true to the description, shows that death is not always sad and lonely. Unfortunately, it turned powdery after a few minutes like so many other floral scents on me. Later it started to get overpoweringly sugary sweet and I had to wash it off.

 

Rating 1-5: 1.5 (It had potential though!)

Edited May 17, 2010 by elinox

[cherrycherry]

This is the scent that taught me just how much I amp violets. As it happens I really do adore the scent of violets and so it's all in the good. Wings of Azrael is not violets alone on me, but I have to wait for it to dry before the other notes make themselves known. It has a sweet smokiness (rather sexy, not that I expected it) and a really deep, almost mournful undertone. It's gorgeous actually and I think I might be in love

 

Also, the throw is absolutely astounding. I often find myself slathering BPAL on my wrists and throat because the scents fade rather quickly, but Wings of Azrael does not need constant re-application. It's not overpowering either. Instead it is subtle and sweet. I adore it!

[Vega]

In imp: Rich, full and gently sweet, with hints of flowers and greenness.

 

On skin: Initially a bit sharply floral, but this goes away quickly as it dries. Pleasantly sweet, almost fruity; Very round, rich and full-bodied. My nose is not trained, but it seems the sweet deep florals are hovering over a more sombre, solemn base -- possibly from the juniper/cypress/cajeput -- with myrrh holding everything together. It's deep and weighty, but not heavy or too dark. (Unlike On Darkness and Hades, which are much darker and I can't wear them.) Like most BPAL oils on my skin, this has very little throw.

Colour impression: burgundy or dark purple, more red than blue.

 

Verdict: Oh, Wings of Azrael is lovely. A blend that's sombre and deep, yet full and fragrant. Our Archangel of Death is not violent or brutal; he is grave and sorrowful and genteel. One of my favourite scents, I'll definitely have at least an imp of this around.