Melpomene

[Neely]

... Her scent is rife with pathos, and inspires us with the ability to express our grief, loss, and the pain in our souls in a cathartic, creative fashion: dark cypress with mint, geranium, Bulgar lavender, orange blossom and passion flower.

In the bottle: peppery floral with a hint of citrus. This is lovely.

Wet: peppery floral with a hint of citrus. Hmmm, I think the peppery part is the lavender, it registers with a pepper note sometimes.

Dry down: the orange blossom and the passion flower or maybe geranium(? I can't tell the flowers apart, no idea what a geranium smells like) are coing to the fore and the peppery lavender is stepping back. This all floats on a nice very subtle base which I can only guess is the cypress. The citrus from the orange blossom is subtle and adds a light happy note.

30 minutes: grounded orange blossom. I don't know if all the other notes faded, or just blended together and made a stage where orange blossom could strut her stuff. But this turns into a well grounded orange blossom. I like this more than I thought I would! Beth never ceases to amaze me.

Conclusion: I like Melopmene alot. It is subtle, summery, and lovely. It doesn't turn into cleaner, powder, or candy. I will definitely use my imp, especially in the summer heat. Big bottle, I am leaning that way.

Rating: 4

[filigree_shadow]

These Muses don't seem to be working for me at all. Melpomene is no exception. It smells like powdery orange blossom and sharp lavender on me, with some sort of dry wood behind it. I guess that's the cypress. It has a significant edge to it that I don't really care for. It's a little medicinal.

 

*sigh*

 

I wish just one of the Muses would work for me.

[euterpe414]

At first wet, this smells strongly of orange blossom and lavendar. A very odd, soapy combo on my skin. I am not getting any cypress at all, strangely This one pretty much stays "nice expensive soap" on me, and lasts for quite a while with little throw. This, for me, is a good scent for body lotion or the like, but not as a perfume.

[CrazyPretzel]

Initially the lavender comes out most strongly on me, and it's quite sharp, probably amped by the geranium and, I'm guessing, the cypress? When it dries the lavender steps down a bit and I can smell orange blossom. That's nicer than the initial stage; unfortunately by that point it's not quite strong enough to be interesting anymore. It reminds me a little of Arcana, but I like Arcana better as the frankincense in that blend sweetens the lavender more.

[grifyn_whiffs]

This was a frimp in my most recent lab order. At first whiff: Holy herbal blast, Batman! At once, I know what it is: it's the same immediate aversion I got when I sniffed my imp of Lolita (that feeling of CLOSE it, now!), which sends me scrambling to see what they have in common.

 

Orange blossom. We meet again. Bleah. There's something about the orange blossom note that just has not been kind to me. Some of the blends that went the worst on me have it in common: Maenad, Hunger, Succubus, Vice (which I desperately wanted to love) and, obviously, Lolita. Orange blossom goes all powdery abrasive cleanser on my skin, each and every time. To the swap pile!

Edited September 27, 2007 by Grifyn

[vegasblueblood]

This has incredible throw. I put a tiny bit on and I'm surrounding by the scent. I was worried that the mint or lavender would overpower but this is a really well blended and beautiful scent. I got it as a frimp from the Lab with my Halloween order and I'm really glad it came because I'm not sure that I would have ordered an imp otherwise. This is a slightly dark blend and the mint is playing around a bit in the background with a touch of the citrus coming through. I love the Lab's orange blossom and this blend is no exception. It's actually difficult to pick out individual notes since this is so perfectly blended. Beth is a genius!

[MaidenGenevive]

Melpomene

 

Cypress and lavender take focus, and with them, a hint of mint. With lavender being from the mint family, I can see how mint would stay close to it. This is cool and commanding; clean and sharp.

 

[3 - Like]

[Gwydion]

This is a clean foresty scent, very pleasant with gentle floral accents. I would like it very much on someone else as it's a pleasing blend, but it doesn't smell like me. Pass, but not the perfume's fault.

[Indefatigable]

In the vial: herbs and coniferous trees.

 

On me: herbal, bitter, grassy, green. There's also some kind of tart floral.

 

Drying down: I'm not getting any of the brighter herbals at all now, like the lavender and mint -- it's all floral/piney, and going soapy. Poo. I really like it in the vial -- maybe I need to wear it in a locket.

[AEris]

Looking at the notes, this seems like a scent that I should be into, but I don't think it likes me.

 

The lavender and pine are clashing with the orange blossom a little bit, and are making the blossom medicinal and soapy rather than soft and springy.

 

This is a clean-scent, and people that are into citrusy, aquatic, soapy scents would really like this, I think.

 

It's interesting, and certainly not one-dimensional, but it's a different side of orange blossom. I lean more toward blends that bring out the flower's shy sweetness, but Melpomene brings out a cold freshness, and is hauntingly sharp.

 

I can't say that I passionately dislike Melpomene; it's just that it's living up to its grief-stricken namesake and there is some sadness in its soapy coolness. I'm glad I tried it, but Succubus will fulfill my orange flower needs.

[QueenFae]

A sharp, straight forward, bright eyed scent. It smells mainly of mint and geranium on me, with a hint of citrusey background. This mint note is clean and sharp, and sort of confuses my senses mixed with citrus and floral. It a contrary scent in the same way Delirium is. An odd combination, but it works somehow.

 

Not quite my thing, but lovely in it's own way.

[maribouquet]

Lavender when whet, but dry this is mostly orange blossom on me, with a hint of cypress underneath I think?

[tehriaz]

help

 

starts off headachey sharp mint

 

dries to wet moldy rug smell

 

why does everything hate my skin

[steelxrose]

Little did I know I had one of the Muses lurking at the bottom of my "try it" box. Damnit.

 

I find Melpomene to be an uplifting scent. She is a light floral with a hint of sweetness that makes be able to wear her without turning soapy. I wish I could have bought a bottle before she was discontinued.

[eyeska]

Bah! I got Melpomene as a frimp, making my first BPAL order a couple of weeks before her discontinuing, and am just getting around to a review.

 

I, too, would have grabbed a 5 mL had I known her at the time. She's definitely uplifting, floral and citrusy with a good (but not overpowering) throw. She'll probably be my default summer smell, and I can give Tragedy a decent treatment before she's all gone. *pats her frimp*

[fairnymph]

In the bottle: Very woodsy-herbal; cypress, mint, geranium, and lavender. Mannish.

 

Wet: Softer; the cypress is less overwhelming, and the lavender and geranium take fore. The mint is there but not as distinctly. I can smell the orange blossom now, and it's quite lovely. There's something sweet here too, maybe the passion flower? This a fresh, bracing scent, but I'd still call it masculine.

 

Dry: Okay, this smells like toilet cleaner to me - at first whiff. Eek. Not LIKE a toilet, but the connection is enough to turn me off. I think it smells like this minty 7th Generation toilet cleaner I once used. It's also faded a lot in potency.

 

Summary: Faint mint, lavender, geranium with hints of cypress and orange blossom in the final drydown. This would be good on a man, I think, but it's not ideal with my feminine skin chemsitry.

[eatingthesea]

once again, i must say that i appreciate the opportunity to try these blends that i know ahead of time will not work because i'm getting to know how certain notes do or do not work with my chemistry. if i had seen the notes for melpomene, i would've probably turned down the opportunity to try it, but i went ahead and learned later that it contains citrus, lavender and geranium -- three of my big no-no's. so, as expected, it ended up smelling kinda B.O.-like/cat pee-like, just too sharp and bitter. the addition of passion flower is very intriguing, since i like it in cottonmouth, but it's not enough to save melpomene for me. and the cypress is completely washed out on my skin. bye bye, melpy.

Edited April 24, 2008 by eatingthesea

[Lamia]

Wet, a generic floral. On skin, a tropical citrus leaps out. This quickly blurs into a solemn, dusty and complex yet subdued floral. Final verdict = smells like bath beads. Interesting but not something I'd want more than an imp's worth of.

[mgrazulis]

In the imp: orange blossom, mint, lavender

 

Wet: cypress, more orange blossom

 

 

 

Dry: orange blossom, passion flower, geramium are foreward with lavender back. Cypress is holding this together well subtly and keeps the sharp herbals from dominating. It gives a layer of silvery cool and peace. The geramium and orange blossom are a bit incensey. I don't get much mint or lavender on me with this.

 

Verdict: I like this Muse. Ultimately, she is very peaceful, a gentle repose after a good cry, the weight of sadness lifted. I like how the oil echoes the process of creative response to a tragedy. It is sharp at first, then the drydown is cathartic. Another discontinued imp that will hold a treasured spot...

[Delirium1009]

In bottle/imp: Sharp and herbal; the geranium and lavender come out the strongest.

 

Immediately on skin: This is a very cool herbal scent. The geranium and lavender are the most identifiable notes, while the mint sits calmly in the background. I can’t feel any of the other notes listed in this blend.

 

After a few minutes: This has turned into a very nice, cool blend of floral and herbal notes. The geranium isn’t as sharp as it usually goes on me, and the lavender has retreated. The mint still lurks in the background, but now the orange blossom or passion flower (maybe both?) come out. The flowers lightly sweeten the blend. It’s very airy and chilly and has a slight powdery feel.

 

Overall Impressions: This starts out as rather sharp, but the drydown surprised me; it was much smoother than I expected. It’s a lightly sweet and cool herbal scent with a subtle base of flowers. It’s calming, but unfortunately this faded VERY fast on me; after only about an hour, I can barely smell it.

[taramarie]

On me, Melpomene is mostly lavender with some other floral in the background. Unfortunately, the lavender smells really medicinal on me, so I'll have to pass this on.

[mhickle]

A little bit woody and a little bit soapy, this is a fresh herbal scent. I don't get much of the mint, and only a little of the lavender. Overall, it's a nice, calm, unassuming choice for those days when I just want something that smells nice up close but I don't want to make a big statement.

[TheOneTheyCallLuna]

Mmmmm...I think this smells yummy! It is a bit earthy, and even a touch bitter, though not in any way that I find offensive. The mint is well-blended but there, and there's a soft sweetness from the florals. I think this blend is very evocative of a certain sweet melancholy and sorrow. Like standing at the top of a tree lined hill alone on the most gorgeous day of the year, surveying the panoramic view below with a tear in your eye because you are about to leave behind something that you love. The sun is warm and sparkles on a body of water in the distance. The breeze is soft and cool and fragrant as it rustles the branches of the trees. You savor the beautiful view and the moment, and then turn and walk away forever. That's what I get anyway! Hehe...

 

I'm going to use this to enhance artistic inspiration in my painting....Lovely!

[CynicalPink]

Imp: Cyprus, mint, and lavender

 

Wet: Still cyprus, mint, and lavender.

 

Dry: Clean and woodsy, but not in a manly way. It's actually pretty nice! I'm really not getting anything fruity from the orange blossom or passion flower, but it's nice

 

Overall: I'll hang on to it for now! It might be one of those scents I come back to every now and again when nothing else will do

[Gaidig]

In the bottle: Cypress takes the stage. I don't really notice anything else.

 

On me: Cypress still predominates, but some of the florals come out, blended together nicely, with just a hint of the mint. This isn't a cypress swamp, it is much drier. This is the cypress lane leading somewhere mysterious. Not dry and dead. Alive, but not dripping with life.

 

1 hour+ later: A quiet, subtle scent. A walk in a wooded lane in autumn. The woods are open below the canopy, with little underbrush to be seen. The trunks soar up tall, orderly and branchless like columns in a cathedral nave, finally reaching out to meet each other near the bright grey sky. The wind is still and the leaves littered across the floor of the wood move to the breeze of your footsteps.

Edited July 12, 2009 by Gaidig