Viola

[carolinachiquita]

Gentle tea rose, lilac, Calla Lily, and Somalian Rose layered over golden Peruvian amber, Spanish moss, red sandalwood, rosewood, and myrrh, with the lightest touch of Mandarin.

I really wanted to like this one, but alas it just didn't go on my skin very well. It smelt yummy in the bottle though so I might keep this one to use as a room scent or a car scent rather than swapping it.

[Eros]

In the imp and first applied, the amber is strongest & absolutely gorgeous. There's a hint of sandalwood & myrrh with the slightest touch of earthiness in the background. Unfortunately, within minutes...ROSE!!! Although the Spanish moss manages to hold it's ground enough that the rose settles down a bit.

This is a gentle, feminine blend. A bit too gentle for me. Lovely nonetheless.

[LyndaM]

I'm in love. I don't know why I hadn't tried this already, it's been in my imp box for weeks. Creamy gorgeous roses and lilies on top, but so much more complex than that. So many layers to this blend. The amber, moss and woods never really assert themselves individually, they just add depth and richness.

 

Definitely an instant favorite, and an absolute gem of a perfume. One of the best florals I have ever had the pleasure of testing, and certainly one of the best suited to both my chemistry and taste. Can you tell yet that it's right up my alley?

 

Viola makes me feel like dressing up in my best dress and high heels, and finding something interesting to do that is worthy of my fabulous scent!

[wingedcorset]

Wow, complex. Every time I smell it, a different note comes through. None of them stay on top. The rose is always pretty present, though.

 

This smells EXACTLY like a cabinet at my grandmother's house.

[sarahj]

Viola

 

in vial: faint rose and lily

 

wet: strong rose with a hint of myrrh

 

dry: a lovely blend, but fades in less than 2 hours

 

verdict: lack of staying power will prevent me from buying a big bottle, but I will use the imp

[Fefferbella]

I really really wanted to love this scent... sadly the rose note was overpowering.

 

At first it's so well blended that it's hard to pick out single notes. I really love the way it smells in the vial. Upon drying down it's nothing but roses on my skin...

 

off to the swap pile.

[Chrysantza]

I thought I was going to be able to wear this because the florals are balanced by resins and sandalwood, and it smelled heavenly in the bottle - a sophisticated, crisp floral with spicy and citrus undertones.

 

Alas, my skin chemistry turned the "touch of Mandarin" sour. My nose loves citrus but my body chemistry does not. And the florals combined with sandalwood somehow managed to turn baby-powdery. Altogether it was too light and dry and powdery a scent for my taste.

 

I'm going to take this to a citrus-loving BPAL-addict I know and swap it, as Viola would be truely lovely on the right person, I think.

[Thaleia]

I just got my order, and I guess I'll be reviewing this one first because I accidentally got some on me while I was trying to close the imp after smelling it.

 

Origin: Frimp from the lab - thank you!

 

In the vial: it's like sticking my nose into a huge floral bouquet, like the ones my mom keeps all over the house. (I also have to learn how not to spill whenever I open the imp.)

 

Wet: it reminds me of that smell when you first walk into a Crabtree & Evelyn, rose and a mixture of florals underneath.

 

Drydown: the rose is magnified over everything else, kind of like a featured soloist with an orchestra backup. Since this is the first BPAL scent I've tried, I've come to the conclusion that my skin likes rose.

 

Dry: not a pure rose, like Rose Red; it's a bit more citrusy now (must be the mandarin) and deeper than a pure floral (must be the woods and myrrh, but I can't smell them very much). I'm still new at picking out notes, so all I can say right now is that it's lovely.

 

Rating: 4; I think I will be getting a 5ml of this in my next-next order.

[lookingglass]

This is a classic type of perfume. The tea rose is definitely the star here. This is somewhat in the same category as Ouija, but darker and a bit more sophisticated...like a red velvet version...at the opera.

[Laurel the Woodfairy]

I've always loved Viola. Spunky little cross-dressing wench. Her scent is soft-spoken, more diplomatic and also more feminine than I expected. I get mainly lilac with a soft touch of rose--a faint sigh of a scent that does not assert itself. I'm glad I got to try this (thanks, lookinglass!), but it doesn't stand out enough to keep.

[Celogrl]

Roses and lilac, roses and lilac! Mmmmm...this is gorgeous. It's light, and even though I am not a major rose fanatic, it works beautifully in this mix. This is subtle, and perfect for wearing when one wants a lighter, less powerful scent.

[grrrlennyl]

at first: lots of flowers. i can't really pick anything out aside from the rose.

on: lots of rosiness and myrrh, with a touch of amber.

1 hour later: super soapy. not good.

2.5 hours later: sharp flowers.

5.5 hours later: a little sweeter. floral.

overall: this isn't a scent for me.

[Precis]

Viola is all baby powder on me. THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED TO ME BEFORE ARGH. In the bottle, it smells like old lady after-bath splash "Jean Naté" but once it's on, it's just baby powder, which was disappointing, considering all the :wub3:s and :yum:s going on in the reviews. I even tried multiple times to make sure it wasn't a fluke. Can't win 'em all, I guess.

[harmonyfb]

On me, this was an acrid, old-lady kind of floral smell. Bleah.

[The_Merf]

In the imp: When I ordered my last imp pack, I had a hard time deciding between Viola and Rosalind. I think I picked the right one, as I really like what's here. I can pick up on the sandalwood, which provides a lovely base for the tea rose and other notes. This is a deceptive blend--it's obviously very complex, while managing to be light as well.

 

Wet: This is creamy--I am somewhat reminded of Morocco (possibly the lilies and sandalwood)--but there is more austerity in this scent. It's just lovely.

 

Drydown and wear: This oil presents me with quite the dilemma, as it doesn't last very long. This is quite sad to me, as I really like it, and would like to put in on my 'A' list of scents to purchase. However, given its lack of strength, I will be putting it in my 'oils to purchase...at some point' category. If you like lighter scents with some base to them, give this one a try.

[jarvenpa]

As seems to be getting to be a normal thing for me, I am astonished and humbled that what I experience from a scent is so different from what is apparently in the magic mixture, and what others experience. Odd skin? Odd nose?

 

So. Viola was a frimp from the dear labbies. Slathered it on this evening (Dorian had filled and fulfilled my morning), and I got

 

ROSES.

 

 

And that's just about all. I read about the multitude of other things deftly intermingled (and I love sandalwood). But what I smell on my skin is delicate and wonderful roses. I would have sworn it was a very elegant and beautifully distilled single note rose. Not a deep red rose, but a small bunched cluster of the smaller tea roses whose colors are dying-away-shades-of-sunset: cream, warm yellow, smudges of pink and coral.

 

And it stays rose. With just a touch of a creamy underpinning. I do not smell lilacs; I do not smell sandalwood. The creaminess might be amber, which is a favorite scent, but it is not quite amber as I know it. And I don't smell lilies in the least, though I love lilies too. I'll try it again, and if I have an entirely different revelation I will inform all and sundry.

 

But for now, a most excellent roseate experience.

[Aredhel]

Rating (on skin): 1/5

Summarised in a word or two: Rose.

 

In the imp: Eeep. Rose. Faintly soapy.

 

On skin, wet: Rose. Nothing but rose. My skin takes every presented chance to amp rose to the nth degree, as it has with Viola.

 

On skin, dry: Rosewood and a bit of sandalwood and moss, but mostly rose. Strong, heavy, warm rose. I don't like rose.

 

Conclusion/Notes: I don't like rose, and the feeling is apparently mutual. I mostly knew this would be a disaster on my skin, but I can't let an imp pass through my hands untested, and I'm glad to have gotten to sniff it regardless.

Edited May 3, 2006 by Aredhel

[angharad]

Such beautiful, beautiful flowers. I get roses and lilies from this very feminine scent. There's also a hint of something much sweeter lurking underneath, what I'm guessing is the mandarin. I can't pick out the rest of the notes, but what I smell I love. This is not an every-day scent for me, but I very well may get a bottle nonetheless.

[desu]

In the imp: Very faint slightly floral/spicy smell. Can't pick out any notes in this one.

 

On my skin: This is still very faint on me, but I think the rose is starting to bloom a bit.

 

A bit later: The rose is definately going soapy on me. :/

[juniperus]

First let me say - I fear the moss.

Bottle: gentle florals, woods; and, yes, moss.

Wet: hint of the myrrh, now, and the moss is gaining in strength.

Dry: I can't pick out any of the floral notes on their own, there is no hint of the amber, and I can barely discern the sandalwood behind the moss-monster. Why, oh why does moss amp on me so?

Later: the moss has calmed some, thank goodness, and while I still get no hint of the amber (or the mandarin for that matter) the florals are still present - and the rose is somewhat more prominent than the lily, surprisingly enough as that is another note I tend to amp to high heaven. Very interesting floral, not dark, per se, but not light and airy, either. It's still sweet, but not that rot-sweet of blooms past their prime that I can get with lily in the mix thankfully. I'm not sure it's me..it's elegant and a little stand-offish in a regal sort of way.

[Natch]

in the bottle: a bit stinging/potent... florals mixed in a very odd way. I can't really pick anything out... except a hint of something citrusy (I guess the mandarin?)

 

wet: oh, there's the moss... and some damp woodsieness... but there's something really nice in there too... gentle florals I guess... really pretty sweet. Maybe a hint or two of amber and sandalwood?

 

dry: a little woodsy... I actually get more of an amber/sandalwood combo in here than anything else. However, I can certainly smell the light florals mixed in. It's very complex, round, warm, and full. There's something underneath that gives a little pang still, and almost makes a warm, sweet, ticklish feeling in the back of my throat... in a mostly good way.

 

overall impression: This is really very nice. It's very full and gives me a feeling of warm and sleepy pleasantness. I'm not really sure what's going on with this one, but smelling it makes me happy... so I know that must be good. I don't know if it merits a large bottle, but the imp is most definitely a keeper.

 

edit: alright, I wore this to graduation today (not mine, I'm a junior and I was ushering and supporting my friends) and I've got to say... Viola isn't just a scent, it's a sensation! I had my nose glued to my wrists and hair through more than half of the very long ceremony. I'm sure I got some weird looks... but it is just so good! Sadly, I think it makes me to relaxed to wear to work or class... ah well, we'll see

Edited June 28, 2006 by Natch

[provocateur]

In bottle: Lily and rose

 

On skin, wet: Mandarin and the rose is still there.

 

On skin, dry: the typical rose and powder combo.

 

Conclusion: I had hoped, with how the rose didn't get soapy while it was wet, would stay that way, instead I get the rose powder that reminds me of grandma.

 

Rating: 0/5

[jenleigh]

I tried this on with a few other things once I got my imp pack with it last week. It didn't stand out amongst the sea of things I've tried, but on its own? Wow.

 

Viola's very feminine - I agree that this is her pre-shipwreck. It went through a bit of a dusty phase a few minutes after I put it on, but it's now settled into a lovely mix of rose, mandarin, and sandalwood. It reminds me of a much stronger version of Lush's Amandopondo scent, actually.

 

My husband got violets when he sniffed me, though I haven't gotten them to my own nose yet.

 

I think this is just a bit much for everyday wear, though - I'm getting lots of throw and scent. I'd like to save this for dress-up occasions.

[portalkat]

I love the combination of the tea rose with the lilac. It fills out the rose for me and even though it's sweet, I do not find it unbearably so. I can smell the mosses and the combination smells like roses just freshly picked from the garden. After about an hour, the amber and sandalwood make an appearance and add a creamy smoothness. After awhile, I can smell the lily mixing with the Mandarin. Every few years I go through a rose phase and this would certainly fit the bill. This is a sweet smelling rose.

[Dandelion]

OMG ROSE!

 

Rose is most definitely the dominant note on me. Then comes a muddle of moss and sandalwood (I didn't get a pinch of amber), and finally a bit of mandarin over the whole scent. Pretty. Not bad. The rose is fresh and dewy and doesn't go soapy. It loves my skin. Unfortunately, although I like florals as a whole, rose isn't my favorite. To me it seems old-fashioned, predictable, and just too well-known a scent to make me happy. I'd rather hear someone say "That's lovely, what is it?" than "Oh, roses", no matter how pretty the roses are. Roses just aren't me.

 

This probably isn't helping you to decide whether you want this scent. Err, well it is pretty, although a bit too much AUGH ROSES! If you don't mind rose, this is a lovely and well-blended scent that I reccomend you try out. If you do mind roses, run awaaaaaay.