La Petite Mort

[malanna]

Seduction, sensuality, the Act, and the aftermath all in one. The scent of warm, damp skin flushed with the glow of passion, touched by the luxuriant potency of ylang ylang and myrrh.

A musky, slightly stale scent—not that it means that scent is unpleasant. This smells like the skin of a woman wearing some classic perfume after she had some languorous sex. Actually, it isn’t that musky, so I guess it would be more like the woman’s perfume lingering on the sheets after a sensual romp. After an hour, this makes me think of cotton, perhaps because this smells like powder your grandmother might have used, not that that is unpleasant. This gets sharper after a few hours. In its fifth hour, this reverts to old lady powder that’s slightly stale.

[Scylla]

The lovely and talented kimmer sent me an imp of La Petit Mort in a surprise package of imps. (Isn't she great?)

 

So, then...I should probably start by saying that I am not a floral kind of gal. And I should also say that most perfumes with amber in them turn icky smelling on me.

 

It started out as a straightforward floral with lots of ylang ylang, but ended up getting powdery very fast. Must be the amber, I think. Unfortunately it became the stale, grandmotherly powder that malanna mentioned above. Not BAD, but not my thing.

 

I decided to continue the trend and send La Petit Mort on its merry way as a surprise extra imp in a swap package.

[nevermore]

La Petite Mort is nearly straight ylang ylang in the bottle, but morphs on my skin. I think there may be some amber, and maybe a bit of something sweet - honey or vanilla perhaps. Also something a bit spicy, but I have no idea what it could be. This one is quite potent on me, and doesn't take alot to be quite strong.

 

The comparisons to O and Snake Oil are apt, though the ylang ylang in this one is quite prominent, and those blends don't contain anything like it. I quite like this one.

Edited January 4, 2005 by nevermore

[e_miche]

I also find it very subtle, but wonderful. It really really reminds me of the early days with my boyfriend- long periods of time in warm places with lots of love, lust, and satisfaction. In those days, I wore 1000 by Jean Patou, and this oil smells just like I did at the end of those afternoons. Every time I wear it, the smell brings me back to those days- the memories and emotions just hit me like a ton of bricks. I'm sure he'll have the same reaction when I wear it around him.... For me, the name is absolutely perfect! I'm just amazed with how it bring up the memories so well.

 

 

 

Whee... first review!

Edited January 12, 2005 by e_miche

[Kotori]

Finally, first review! I would have more, because I've had my box for 2 days now, but this is the only one I've worn, I don't want to put anything else on!

 

I don't have a refined nose or a nose for all of the plants mentioned yet, so when I smell this in its imp, it smells like a very airy, sweet, floral powder.

 

After a few minutes this goes very floral and less powdery on my skin and not sweet at all. I absolutely love it! Its very light on my skin and just the right amoung of zing. It doesn't last very long for some reason though, and I will definitely be buying a big bottle of it so I have enough to go around.

Edited January 13, 2005 by Kotori

[Lit Chick]

This started out really promising. Warm, sensual, very nice.

But alas, that was only when still damp on my skin. As soon as it dried, it turned to soap - very astringent. Well, that's my funky chemistry. However, I'm kind of glad to have a nice, fresh, popular imp to swap! Or perhaps use it to draw another poor soul into my world of obessive imping. Mwhahahaha.

[sagitare]

Ylang ylang and I just don't get along, I've decided. I had my suspicions when I tried Lust, which started out so beautifully on me but then was hijacked by the ylang ylang. It's just far too sharp and pungent a floral for my nose, and with this blend it's just all ylang ylang, all the time. "Astringent" and "detergent" are two good words to describe how this one worked on me. Also, honey is not a scent I like, and there's a touch of that in here as well. The little bit of softer, more powdery aspects of this blend are few and far between, and not enough to make up for the rest of it. Alas. Off to swaps this one will go.

[TheDarkMother]

I got this from the contest that allidavie ran a while back:)

 

In the Bottle: Very light, like honey and vanilla.

 

On Me: Very baby powderish, but sweet, like honey and vanilla as well. This smells like when I used to use a lot of baby powder in high school, or powdering your body before putting on PVC or leather dresses.

 

To tell you the truth, this isn't what I thought "The Little Death" would smell like at all, but I can sort of see the sensuality in the innocence of this oil. Either way, I love the light, baby powder scent of this with the slight sweetness behind it. This is a keeper and a possible big bottle in the making. I think the hubby will really like this one, considering that he tends to like baby powder.

[wolfie13]

On the one hand - I have to agree with many other folks - this is like a lighter more baby-powdery version of O.

 

On the other hand - I have to disagree with the association that others have made with Snake Oil - it smells NOTHING at all like it to me.

 

While O is totally unwearable for me - way too sickly sweet - and Le Petit Mort is wearable, it's still just not really my kind of thing.

[Theravada]

Ack, I can't believe I haven't revied this yet!

 

I love, love, love LPM. It's like sex in a bottle. Smooth, creamy, sweet and a little bit naughty.

 

LPM has a cherry/red fruit note, a creamy vanilla/honey note, and a sensual myrrh note. It is somewhat foody, but not overwhelmingly so like Hellcat or Gluttony or Jack.

 

This is so much better than O! The heavy honey note in O really didn't agree with me. Luckily, LPM is everything that I had hoped O would be and has a much softer, less cloying honey note.

 

I neeeeeeeed a bottle.

[Witch's Dagger]

La Petite Mort

 

(yes, “petite” should also be feminine)

 

This was a gift from the lab, but originally part of the Mythic French Order that always seems right around the corner, but which I’ve never placed.

 

Preconceived notions: I had to get this on name alone. I’ve written a short prose poem with that title, and I think it’s one of the sexiest things the French have ever come up with (and we all know how many sexy things the French have come up with). Then, the description. O and Snake Oil? Both of their reviews had me languishing on the ground in bliss, though I haven’t tried either. In other words, I have high expectations for this imp.

 

In the vial: This is a lovely, sensual, warm, spicy scent that reminds me, for some reason, vaguely of Alice.

 

On me: This is heavenly. Or sinful. I’m not sure which. I can’t pick out many individual notes, although I do catch amber, honey, and a good deal of spice. Oh, wait, oh no... It’s quickly drying to baby powder. It still has all those notes, but it’s like someone has taken the oil and scented some baby powder with it. I’m going to wait to see how it develops.

 

I’ve pretty much decided so far that it’s actually not as bad as I feared. Yes, I detect a “baby powder” type smell in there, but it’s not very prominent, and adds a sense of “skin”. Instead of smelling like baby powder, if I don’t pay attention, it simply smells like skin.

 

Overall: This fades very quickly into spicy, sensual, skin. It’s not something I can smell at all, except when I put my nose to my wrist, but it’s there. This is a very intimate, sensual scent. I’ll be keeping mine. More? Perhaps, but I’d like it more if it wasn’t quite so understated.

 

Edit (1 hour after writing the review):

 

I did some other reviews, and then, though, "I want more La Petite Mort". So, on I go, slathering a *lot* more than the first time, and I must admit - mmmmm!

 

I think I've solved the problem. I just need more! I didn't put enough on the first time. This is extremely sensual, spicy, and in general, luxurious. It lives up to all my expectations and exceeds them . . . so long as I put enough on.

 

Guess what that means? Yeah, I think I'm gonna need a bottle of this one. Maybe even a 10 ml.

Edited February 7, 2005 by Witch's Dagger

[reina]

this has the same baby powder type thing Queen and a non-BPAL blend called Kus-Kus. Myabe putting more on will solve that thing, but since I smell myrrh and amber, then... well I'll have to see about this.

It's nice for what it is, but I'm not sure it's really me.

 

oh, um... just wanted to say...

For some reason, I don't know if it's related to this blend being on my wrist all day, I found some serious fascination in thoughts of doing a certain guy I know up the bum.... Might be just coincidental, but I've never thought of him this way before...

[requieminblack]

First sniff from the bottle- Is there amber in this?

 

After 10 minutes- I really love ylang-ylang but I don't smell it in this at all. Once it hit my skin all I can detect is amber and myrrh. It is very faint on me...I can hardly smell anything after the first 10 minutes.

 

After 30 minutes- Play doh city.

 

Summey- This one did not mix well with my skin chemistry. Off to swaps it goes.

[ianastar]

I tend to love the sweeter scents...but I am enjoying this one...its warm but almost herby and earthy.

Defintely the mrryh comes out quite a bit. I might have to buy this in a bigger bottle soon.

 

**edited to add an updated review**

 

11-2-17

Out of the bottle and wet this is a deep incensy, resin like fragrance. Definitely has some depth to it.

 

On the dry down there is more sweetness coming out and it is very reminiscent of my beloved Snake Oil.

 

After a few hours, final thoughts are that is super similar to Snake Oil. As I'm running out of Snake Oil, I think Ill keep this and maybe switch over until this is gone.

Edited November 2, 2017 by ianastar

[helarctos]

It's... maple syrup on me. Again. I ordered a whole bunch of the ylang-ylang blends at one fell swoop, expecting them to be good on me as Bath and Body Works' ylang-ylang is, and it just didn't work out. Every one of 'em made me into the International House of Pancakes. BUT it could be either the ylang-ylang or the myrrh that does this to me, as I got this effect with one blend that had myrrh but no ylang-ylang. Either way, La Petite Morte struck out for me, as it contains both. An inexplicable and unfortunate morph.

[Gemini noir]

If O screams "sex," La Petite Mort softly moans it. This is a softer, sweeter version of O on me ... It still smells like sex, but it's a bit more polite about it. It's still very sexy, which is perhaps why I've used some variation of the word "sex" four times in three sentences. Okay, so to summarize: it smells like afterglow and quite lovely.

[dcmo]

Freaking awesome!! Smells like you only better. Like wearing a second skin, drizzled in baby powder. Soft but long lasting.

[Pixie-elf]

La Petit Mort:

 

In the Vial: I can smell the Ylang Ylang and Myrrh in the vial. Nice.

 

Wet: Mmm, sweet almost, deep, floral, without being "too much" anything... It's very nice.

 

Dry: Drydown is a bit sweet, a bit floral (ylang ylang) and a tiny bit myrrhish.... it's very beautiful, it makes me feel SO sexy, like a prowess, very yummy....

 

Conclusion: I like it, I'll use the imp and consider getting another one because it's just so pretty... Well that and because of how sexy it makes me feel ;;

[voodoobaby]

In the bottle: Erm. Smells like soda? My friend says it smells like Tom's of Maine toothpaste due to the myrrh, so obviously, this is the strongest note here. Also, I could have sworn I reviewed this before...odd. Anyway...

 

Wearing: Oh goodness, this stinks! I really hate to say it, but it does. It smells rotten. I think it's the ylang-ylang, considering I've had trouble with it before.

 

5 minutes later: OK, big change. Very big change. Now it's spicy as all heck. Spicy and strong and...yikes. Not yikes in a bad way at all--I quite like it now--just yikes in a "meep" way. I smell a major honey note, but then again, my skin loves honey.

 

45 minutes and on: Still spicy, still honey-ish, but now...wow, this is like a skin scent. I want to say it's a light, feminine musk, but it's not even really musky. Just a warm skin scent. Very interesting. I've never smelled anything like it, and I don't know how Beth did it.

 

Overall: Hmm. I'm still not sure what to think of this. I wouldn't call this sexual, per se, just passionate in general. I'm not sure how often I will wear this, but I'll keep it just because it's such an intriguing blend.

[Aredhel]

Rating (on skin): 5/5

Summarised in a word or two: Sex!

 

In the imp/bottle: Frozen flowers, with the sting of something else... it doesn't remind me of sex (before, during or after!), but I like this nonetheless.

 

On skin, wet: Oh, this is quite nice. Something about it vaguely reminds me of Snake Oil, though a bit floral, and much, much colder. This is starting to remind me of something vaguely sexual.

 

On skin, dry: Wow. Vanilla? So far, it's like a cross between O and Snake Oil with flowers.

 

Conclusion: Lovely! I don't know if I'll be ordering a 5ml, because it *is* very similar to both Snake Oil and O, but I very well may.

Edited February 11, 2006 by Aredhel

[wickedgoddess]

Origins - Free imp from Black Broom

 

In the bottle - almondy.

 

Wet - nope not almond, ylang-ylang, a little sweetness and no myrrh at all.

 

Dry - very soft and light. I still smell the ylang-ylang, but it's becoming a little powdery now. And sweeter. The sweetness fades quickly and I am left with a skin scent mixed with a dusting of ylang-ylang. What happened to the myrrh? I never got the myrrh

 

After a few hours it has turned to a sweet powder, similiar to O. This is light and pretty, but it's really not anything I would wear. Off to the swap pile.

 

On the wickedgoddess scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being best, this rates a 2.

[loveandprozak]

In the bottle: This smells nice enough. It smells a lot like BPAL's honey note, with just a hint of musky darkness lurking under it. This reminds me a bit of O's drydown.

 

Wet: The honey has all but completely faded from my nose, and the myrrh has come swirling in. The ylang ylang makes a slight, complemantary appearance. This is a nice scent, if a wee bit sharp for my tastes.

 

10 minutes: The sharpness has faded, fortunately, and in its wake is a very musky sweetened myrrh. At this stage, I'm beginning to question if this is a somewhat less complex version of Creed's Angelique Encens.

 

30 minutes: Wow. This is another one of Beth's scents that doesn't come into its own until it has settled onto my skin, but when it does, it is simply *amazing*. This takes a fragrance of BPAL's I already love, namely O, and changes anything about it that I'm slightly uncertain of. Yes, I am /in love/. Little O has grown up into something vampy and powerful. The myrrh has backed off enough so the scent is a dusky, musk-laced honey fragrance that is laced with incense. There is nothing coy or sweet about this honey-resin-musk scent, though, it's charged with sexual power, seduction games, and siren's calls.

 

Overall, this is a beautiful scent that doesn't quite come into its own until the drydown. I consider this in a family of several scents that I commonly refer to as 'mood scents' -- for me, these are fragrances that can actually change the way you are feeling about yourself at a given moment. And wow, does this smell and make you feel sexual..

[Muppetk]

Oh wow. This lives up to its name.

 

First impression: yum plus a pinch of daffodil (fresh, green, floral)

 

After five mintes the daffodil goes away. But it's still gorgeous, and then stays gorgeous for a good while. At least a couple of hours, and the scent is fairly consistant and unwavering. Sweet in a way that makes me feel like a long-haired cat has curled up in my belly and is purring loudly. No, not like I have hairballs. But delicious. *snicker* It's a relatively feminine scent, but I've got to try this on my boy. It smells so good on me that I practically want to nibble on my own wrist, and *not* in the food way.

 

Overall impression: *swoon*

 

Edit: Okay, this blend is proving to me how much skin chemistry affects these scents. The day I wrote this review, it was the nectar of the gods. I tried it again, 2 days later, the day I got my period, and it went to pure baby powder. I wanted to cry. Tried it again today, end of my period, and it was babypowder for an hour, and then morphed into something near to the original gorgeous. It's gorgeous now, but not the live-up-to-its-name curl up in your belly and PURR gorgeous of the first time. I now have to try Black Phoenix again because who knows where in my cycle I tried it the first time? From now on I'll have to try things like 4 times throughout the month befor I make a decision on any oil from now on. Sheesh. This is going to make swapping tougher.

Edited May 8, 2005 by Muppetk

[Chimera]

In the bottle: Hard to identify. Smells warm, with an undertone of something I want to call spicy, but not food spice -- earthy spice, resiny spice.

 

On, wet: Very similar to the bottle, but warmer.

 

On, dry: Wow. I've encountered very few BPAL scents so far, but still, this is the first one that retains the same feeling wearing that it did wet in the bottle (for me). The warmth really blooms once it dries down. I can't think of any other way to describe it except ... bottled warmth. This really appeals to me.

 

Later: The scent has gotten spicier and earthier over time. Still very nice. Still amazingly warm. An element of creaminess has appeared. The whole scent has gotten somehow smoother, rounder.

 

Let me sum up: This is good for me. It strikes me that it could seem very sophisticated, but it doesn't have to be. This would seem right to me whether dressed for the opera or in my standard jeans and white t-shirt. It's a very skin-like scent. It stayed close, which I always like. I'm too picky to give in and call this a signature scent, but it's the first scent I've tried (ever, in my life) that doesn't make me feel like I'm wearing someone else's clothes.

[Eros]

Lovely upon opening the imp! A warm, spicy, almost cinnamon...Hint of myrrh as it dries. Ends up smelling very soapy and threatens to make me sneeze, but not quite. And there's a touch of what almost strikes me as patchouli, or rather, patchouli-like

Doesn't stick around long at all.

I like this enough wet that I'll try it again in a few days and hope I get a better result