Calliope

[Ina Garten Davita]

The eldest of the Muses, she is Eloquence, and thus, governs heroic and epic poetry, and her eloquence has served to calm quarrels even amongst the surliest of Gods. She is crowned in gold, and holds a roll of parchment or stylus and tablet. Hers is the scent of creative inspiration, and it is a boon to writers, poets and arbitrators: lavender and bright mint with bergamot, verbena, thyme and a touch of sweet orange and warm almond.

First Impression: Calliope is straight up almond and lavender in the vial.

Second Impression: The almond disappears as soon as it's dry and becomes a lavender-mint-bergamot-citrus spa like essential oil blend fragrance.

Final Analysis: Soothing yet invigorating. Not something I'd choose to wear as a perfume, but for a massage oil or spa treament fragrance, this really would suit wonderfully.

[rdeadline]

I love Calliope! My Imp is almost gone so I sniff the vial like it's coke. It smells clean and sunny and like an herb garden.

[grrrlennyl]

calliope - the fair voiced

 

at first: i'm hoping this will help me with nanowrimo this year. i actually ordered it, but the lab threw it in as an extra before i got that order. a sweet, but tart, floral. very nice.

on: odd, but nice. mostly floral, but with something else. possibly herbal.

1 hour later: sweeter now and more fruity. still nice.

3 hours later: i think the "something else" i smelled before was a type of wood, but i'm still not sure. luckily, it isn't getting weird on me. it's much lighter, but still nice.

8 hours later: just the slightest hint of a full, watery, sweet fruit. nice.

overall: this scent really isn't me, but it helped me get a bit of writing done for work, so i'm glad that i have it. i think i'll use it more as a voodoo oil than as a perfume.

[Ishtar]

For the first hour, Calliope was all citrus and mint on me. It immediately reminded me of this oil one uses to keep mosquitoes at bay in summer -not sure what to call it in English, citronella maybe? Anyway, don't let the "bug repellent" comparison put you off, this is all old-fashioned natural herby goodness! It does smell a tad medicinal, but there certainly is nothing chemical smelling here.

 

After a little while, the citrus fades away, as it always does. Sigh. You'll be missed, citrus, but the lavender is now coming through and mingling beautifully with the mint. For a few minutes the blend seems to morph into something soapy, but thankfully this stage doesn't last. This is invigorating and relaxing at the same time.

 

Upon drydown, Calliope becomes more and more rounded without losing its fresh and clean notes. I like it a lot. I am more likely to use it in the evening for a pampering session than during the day when I suspect I would have to reapply often.

[rainbow]

In the bottle and wet on the skin I'm getting red fruits, possibly cherries, and citrus- big ripe oranges. My nose may be confused, however, and what I think is cherries may in fact be almonds. There's a slight bitter note as well. After a few minutes the herbal elements, particularly the lavender, really come through. This goes through a phase where it's quite strongly lavender, nearly a lavender single note. While some lavender scents can be soporific, I find this isn't at all. In fact, it's quite energizing. That must be because the mint's in there, even though I can't smell it at all, because it's so well-blended with the lavender.

 

After that the lavender dissipates and the thyme comes through quite strongly. The thyme phase is definitely the longest phase of this scent. I find that this scent lasts for about 3 hours on me, with the last two hours being nearly pure thyme.

 

I had high hopes for this oil. As a historian, Calliope is "my" muse, and I was hoping she could be of assistance. Overall I'm pleased with the results. This is an energizing blend. I feel like I can wear it and Calliope will help with my dissertation (well, at least I hope she will!) I think this is one of those oils that overall is better for what it does than the inherent beauty of its actual scent. Shame she's been discontinued.

[magikfanfic]

I bought an imp off the forum and have since sent it to a friend. But I thought I'd review her anyway.

 

In the bottle--Pepper! I don't know why, but it smelled very strong and like pepper. I put her away for another day.

 

Wet--Still a slight pepper bit, but it was being overpowered by lemongrass.

 

Drying--The pepper smelled vanished and the lemongrass also faded down leaving a very powdery kind of scent.

 

Dry after a few hours--Powdery with a slight herbal hint.

 

When the pepper finally left, it was very nice but nothing I wanted to wear. I might have kept it to scent dream catchers with but a friend wanted to try it so I sent it on.

[teza]

And I am that friend that magikfanfic mentioned! She complained about it being too peppery: pfah! I could eat this stuff.

 

Opening the package she sent it in, it smelled very yummy-citrus-herby-yum. After reminding myself NOT to eat it, I opened the vial and took a whiff: Wow. Hello, mint. Hello, herbs. Hello, lavendar. I can't figure out where the hell I got the citrus from but I can see why magikfanfic would have called it peppery now. Still, it smells good so on it goes.

 

First there was the standard burst of juicy goodness that all of the scents have been doing lately on my skin, then it starts to settle down. It definately smells peppery on me at first -- it's the only adjective I can think of after having it drilled in my head.

 

That fades slowly to a smoothly blended light citrus-and-herb scent that I just ADORE. It doesn't smell medicinal or like a bug repellent at all once past that initial drydown stage. I might have to try to trade my soul for a bigger bottle of this, with it being discontinued.

 

Mmm. She's so nummy.

[nevermore]

In the vial, Calliope smells exactly like a drink I was recently introduced to - orange juice, sprite and a shot of amaretto. Quite lovely, even if it makes me feel like drinking.

 

On my skin, however, the almond disappears and it turns to a nice herb-y orange. It's quite light, but still pleasant. It's really a shame that I can't get anymore of this, as I find it's a nice subtle scent for wearing to work.

[Pixie-elf]

In the bottle: Kinda sweet, Citrusy...

 

Wet on the skin: Lemony, the sweetness is there but not as strong.... Kinda like countrytime Lemonaide...

 

5 minutes later, Dry: Okay, this smells like fake Lemon, not REAL lemon.... It's the only thing I'm smelling right now!

 

10 minutes later: This is starting to turn into a Herbal Lemon. I don't know how to describe it otherwise... I don't get any almond, nor do I get anything else other than Lemon and a bit of herbs...

 

30 minutes later: Herbs, herbs, herbs, with a bit of lemon in the background....

 

1 Hour: It's mostly Herbal. Can't even smell the Lemon in the background anymore... I just took and rubbed my Lush Fever Massage Bar over the place I put it, I really didn't like the scent that much so I figured maybe I'd see if I could do Herbal + Roses (since it's the predominant note in it...) And I can. lol.

 

End result: Meh. I wish my chemestry had made this a bit sweet, but that's okay... I'm glad I got to try a discontinued, and I'm glad I didn't fall in love with it because it would have broken my heart to lose it!

 

This really goes to show how chemestry effects scent... =)

Edited November 29, 2004 by Pixie-elf

[alston78]

In the bottle: I smelled a lovely lavender floral with a hint of citrus to it.

 

On my wrist: Wow, it changed- I can still smell the lavender, but it's in the background. Lemon and orange are at the forefront, with something a bit more savory-herby- I guess it's the thyme? I don't smell the mint so much as get a slight cool sensation in my nose when I sniff. This is also an exceedingly light fragrance on me- I can barely smell it, even with my nose to my wrist.

 

One hour later: Let's see how it's changed...wait! Where'd it go? My wrist smells like it did pre-Calliope. Shoot, I was looking forward to seeing how this one would develop. My gloves and coat may have eaten all the Calliope, though, so I'll reapply and check in later. I've liked the scent so far- it has a light, gentle, clean smell. It would make a fabulous scent for a lighter day or mood, or a wonderful kitchen soap. I'll definitely use the imp- and quickly, at this rate!

 

ETA: My reapplication of Calliope also disappeared quickly- it was completely gone after 2 hours. I'll probably keep the imp, but I might use it for soap or a spray rather than putting it on myself.

Edited November 30, 2004 by alston78

[darkitysnark]

Calliope

 

In the bottle:

This is hard to make out. It's light, fresh, somewhat floral, a little fruity. The back of my throat is saying "melony-lemon".

 

Wet:

Lemons. Lemon drops coated in Lemon Pledge.

 

Drydown:

Oh no. This smells exactly like Grandma Sloop's farmhouse. It's a combination of old lady and Lemon Pledge and that certain je ne c'est pas (Franglish, I know) of an old house slowly falling into ruin after 80 years of hard use. I can even conjure up the odd mint-green paint that coats every interior wall of that strange little farmhouse. While I have good memories of family gatherings in this place, the smell only conjures up bad ones: freezer-bitten leftover turkey, sleeping on cold sagging mattresses twenty years older than I, no heat in the upstairs rooms in December, crushing stunned wasps as they crawl out of the fireplace while unwrapping gifts. In fact... right now, this smell is evoking the memory of the depression glass bowl filled with twitching half-dead wasp carcasses while Nat King Cole singles "O Tenenbaum" and my niece tears into her next gift.

 

Ugh. I'm going to try to ride this "Grandma Sloop" phase out and see if she'll morph into something less... evocative. Still, I don't think she's going to be with me for very long...

 

Later:

Whew. Now all I'm getting is a soft, lovely lemon with a honeyed almond background. Nothing herbal still.

 

Conclusion:

As pleasant as this is in the bottle and on me four hours later, I just can't get past the Grandma Sloop phase. This is going into the "gift or swap" pile. I'm sure there's someone out there that will give her a good home.

[TheDarkMother]

In the Bottle: There's that sweet almond oil that always turns my stomach, but there is something in the background that is making it a bit easier. I think its peppermint. Maybe just a hint of the lavender as well.

 

On Me: Ugh, the sweet almond oil is still nasty, but it quickly left. In its place is peppermint, orange, and basil, I think. Its a spicey citrus smell that isn't too overpowering, and then once my wrist leaves my nose, I can get a good amount of peppermint as well.

 

Not too strong, and not too light either. It certainly hasn't changed in strength yet, and that's a good sign. In fact, I really like this. Its nice and soothing. It makes me want to curl up in front of a fireplace with a good book and a big mug of peppermint tea.

 

Why do all the ones that I really like have to be discontinued?? No Fair!!!!

[Laurel the Woodfairy]

Calliope is not mine to keep--I got her for my sister, who is indeed Fair Voiced (vocal performance major). But I get to have a little sniff first, right? Right.

 

Ooo! The lavendar, verbena, and thyme are very prominent--this reminds me of Arcana, which I always wear to yoga because it is so relaxing. Calliope is stronger though, with that bright orange and mint peeking through. There *is* something slightly medicinal here, but in a natural way--like a tisane you might drink to clear your vocal cords of a cold or allergy. I shall suggest to Alison that she dab it on before performing.

[hypothermya]

Calliope

 

First Impression

Oooo....Orangey almond mintiness! If I sniff enough, I can get a hint of the herbal lavender and thyme.

 

Wearing It

 

This is definitely one of the blends that changes dramatically on my skin. I'm getting a whole lot of mint, orange and bergamot, and it almost ends up smelling like a particular cough syrup that has a minty/orangey smell. Very syrupy. It makes me wrinkle my nose. There's a bit of this really soothing lavender and thyme smell beneath it which reminds me of a local lavender farm which makes the most luxurious lavender soaps. I'm very touchy with lavender -- too much gives me a headache -- but the amount in this blend is perfect and soothing. I only wish that my skin hadn't mutilated the scent when it found the mint and orange and bergamot...

 

So...this is another scent that is not for me. I'm afraid my skin has quite killed this scent entirely. But I like the scent out of the vial, and the way the lavender and thyme delevop on my skin makes me want to find more blends with lavender and thyme.

[Macha]

"Calliope, may I speak with you?"

She is looking at my computer monitor. Calliope points. "How do you plan to get him on to the island?"

"Excuse me?"

"You made it rather difficult for Mallory to gain clearance to land, and now you have the entire laboratory on lockdown. How in Hades do you plan on having the assassin sneak in afterwards?"

"Well, I..."

"It's a damn good thing you called me, that's all I have to say."

"Calliope..." I sigh. "Actually, I want to talk to you about....well...."

"Yes?"

"It's the way you smell."

Her expression turns flinty. "What's wrong with the way I smell?"

"Nothing, nothing!" I wave my hands in front of my face. "In the vial, your perfume smelled just like syrupy lavender almonds, which was so unpleasantly sweet that I almost didn't try it on at all, and now..."

"Yes, and now?" She raises an eyebrow imperiously.

"You smell just like lemon verbena and bergamot."

"What's wrong with lemon verbena? I happen to be quite fond of it, and I thought you adored bergamot!"

"I do! And when I traded for an imp of your perfume I thought it would smell like tea and mint and orange...instead—" I shrug. "You smell like Lemon Pledge."

"Humph!" She casts her gaze around the room. "Maybe if you dusted more, you wouldn't mind."

"Calliope!"

She swipes an ivory finger across a hooded lantern. "You had these stained glass lamps imported all the way from Marrekesh. The least you can do is keep them clean."

"You're my muse, not my mother. Could you just, maybe, you know? Smell like something else?"

"I could smell like thyme." And indeed, she does.

"What about bergamot, mint and orange?" I say, desperately hoping she doesn't decide to go back to smelling like almonds.

"No. Thyme. Thyme and bergamot, if you're lucky." She returns to looking at the computer screen. She snaps her fingers. "The automated maintenance systems. A beach insertion and deliberate tampering of technical equipment. He could piggy back into the lab on the drone sent out to repair it."

I blink. "That would work!"

"Of course it will work, silly girl. Now I'm off..." She stops and glares. "Lemon Pledge. Humph!"

 

Conclusion: It doesn't STAY lemon pledge, for which I'm thankful, but the bergamot/thyme combination isn't much more wearable for me as a perfume. I would have given serious money to have had the mint/orange combination emerge triumph, but such was not to be. Actually, I should probably be grateful, as it means that I won't cry myself to sleep over the fact this is a discontinued scent.

[friendthegirl]

I hadn't looked at the notes when I first applied this, but I was getting a hint of mint. I also detect a bit of orange, but it's mostly mint, with something that is a little herby. It's an interesting scent, which is why I'm sad that it's gone.

[surf-tormented]

I get cold pizza from this...am I crazy?

 

It smells a bit like cold tomato pizza sauce with herbs, maybe basil? Spicy undertone?

 

Very interest. Will have to try it again and compare notes. This went on really sweet. One wonders why it is now a pizza pie on my wrists.

[diabolique]

macha, your review of calliope was BRILLIANT!

 

i'm not fond of the herbal blends, so this one definitely isn't for me. i love the smell of bergamot in candles, so perhaps as a room scent, but arrrgh. keep it away from my skin! i actually didn't get much of the lemon verbena from this. i suppose it was tempered by the other herbs, because it's normally one of those things that screams from my skin. sorry, calliope. it wasn't meant to be. <3

[Gin]

I smell the lavender right away, and something sharper that I can't identify. Wow, there's mint in this? I never would have picked that out if I hadn't known. Even now, I feel the mint more than I actually smell it. This dries down to a slightly sweet, herbal scent that eventually becomes almost medicinal. This is not for me, so off to swaps it goes.

[misfitroxy]

In the imp, I smell the almond note the most. But once on my wrist, it's very lemony. After I applied a bit, it started off presenting a sweet almond & fuzzy lemonade blend that reminds me of Sprite, oddly enough. Now that I can detect the bergamot, I can understand the Lemon Pledge references that others have made. That being said, the blend avoids smelling synthetic to me.

 

An interesting combination of sharp and mild (meaning when I take a whiff, my eyes brighten - probably from the mint - but I'm not aware of it once I take my wrist away from my face). I don't see myself wearing this one despite the fact that I do find the blend pleasant and rather calming (which I'm sure is the lavender's influence). But it would be lovely to burn in the kitchen or as a general household scent in the summer. Perhaps mixed with the wax from a not-too-intense vanilla candle to give it added depth.

[shelldoo]

hmmm, bergamont, almonds and orange, it was very very cherry wet, but went very citrusy orange as it dried, not surprising as it has bergamont and orange in it, this one is very pretty shame it is disc.

[SoapyRN]

In the imp, I had to seperate it from the rest of the imps. Not for playing mean, but for smelling like almonds. Then I put it on and it was a total change. Brilliant lemon oil. Very sharp. I did get a bit of the herbally past, which I love. Too soon though, it went very.....clean, on me. Like, lemon cleaner.

Perhaps in a room fragrance?

[anmorata]

Calliope:

Wet: Almond goodness. That's all I smell is something akin to amaretto.

Drydown: An herbally kitchen of delights. The thyme really, really stands out.

Longterm wear: This scent makes me want to be a long-haired Pagan kitchen witch. I can't explain it exactly, but that's what comes to mind. I suppose Calliope inspires us all in different ways, though. I love this scent. It's very calm, gentle and herbally-green.

[yellowrose]

From the description of Calliope offered by the Lab I was hoping for much! OK, I could skip the almond ... Orange and some of my favorite aromatic herbs, yum

 

In the bottle: yum.

 

Very room-fresheneresque going on, but very me. Lots of lavendar. Subtle.

 

Sadly, the scent fades instantly. Applied twice within several minutes. Fades to almost nothing. Got a melange of herbs. Never got orange. Pout.

 

I will keep trying. I want Calliope to have more staying power, but it could well be that my chemistry won't allow that. It is a very lovely scent for this writer.

 

yr

 

ETA: Over time, this bottle has matured into a scent that is exclusively lavendar and almond with a scant hint of citrus-herbs. I've been wearing it as a night scent in lieu of the almost-gone Black Cat. It is well-suited for that purpose. Very subtle. Lasting power is not an issue unless you're prone to sleepless nights.

Edited April 19, 2006 by yellowrose

[antimony]

Wow, this one was *sweet*, like heavy, teeth-achingly sweet orange (not like Beth's sugar notes) the herbs are trying to get in, but mostly it's just super sweet orange. The herbs keep morphing, trying to regroup and battle the orange, but it's just too big, they don't stand a chance.