Penumbra

[scarletgenesis]

Rich purple musk, moonflower, red sandalwood, black amber, oakmoss, copal, lavender, neroli, tobacco, and pomegranate.

In the bottle and immediately upon application, Penumbra is a very dark herbal and woodsy scent. As it dries, though, some of the other notes start to soften it. The pomegranate makes an appearance with a sweet tartness (or maybe a tart sweetness, I can't decide). I am getting the sandalwood, amber, and purple musk all together as a soft, yet complex addition to the herbal base. There is a tiny tiny bit of floral that I can't place (must be the moonflower) which was the note I worried about here, but it's so faint on me that it doesn't bother me at all.

All in all, Penumbra is a beautiful complex blend that, like many people I know seems rather harsh and dark at first, but once you get to know it/them, you find has a softness and sweetness that is completely endearing.

[alicia_stardust]

In the bottle, Penumbra has a sort of dusky quality with a little topnote of neroli.

 

As the oil dries I get a beautiful layer of musky purple over a bed of sandalwood and resins. I really recognize the oakmoss as it mingles with the other prominent notes. As time passes I do pick out tiny hints of lavender and tobacco but for the most part this is really well blended and becomes a very gestalt sort of fragrance. It definitely has a purple vibe to it, and I find it to be feminine, dusky, and empowering. Out of all the other scents from this same update, this is my sneak favorite. I just love it.

[valentina]

This is the story of an unwitting testing. Being in a bit of a hurry this morning, I didn't look closely at what bottle I was grabbing, and put on a lot of Penumbra when I thought I was applying oil from my new bottle of Crawdad Dreams. Oh oops! So this review will be based upon the full-scale application of this scent, not the wee small testing run.

 

My first clue that it wasn't Crawdad Dreams was the sense that what I was applying sure did smell herbal! In fact, Penumbra is at first largely herbal, and mainly oakmossy. Then I got a strong sense I was wearing something with reddish musk in it. For that reason, the fragrance seemed at first to be very musky and marshy and green.

 

The scent then morphed into something that to me seemed much more akin to Mme. Moriarty, with its musk and pomegranate. Mme. Moriarty is one of my favorite BPAL fragrances, no naturally I was pleased! Penubra a greener and perhaps more biting scent than Mme Moriarty, due to the tobacco, herbs, sandalwood and neroli. However, it is well-balanced and never becomes bitter or astringent, the way some herbal scents can morph on me. I like its crispness and edge, especially in the heat of the dog days of summer.

 

A lovely scent, very wearable and timely, especially as the hot summer days drift downward into autumn.

[Dark Alice]

Glorious blueberry with a little spice!!!! And then it dries down to nothing but gentle, but regal purple. The only color I see is purple when I smell this and thats whats on my skin. Pretty purple pomengranate. I do not get the tobacco note, which is what drew me to this scent in the first place, but I do smell the pomegranate, purple musk, and blueberry on my skin. It's very light. Simply Gorgeous!!!

[nightbiscuit]

Mysterious and sexy! Another musk from BPAL which totally makes me drool. This scent, as has been said so accurately, is very very purple. It's so purple, in fact, that I am reminded of huge plump black grapes. Perhaps that would be the pomegranate. In any case, Penumbra is a dark and richly fruity resin-musk.....

[Leopard403]

In the bottle and wet, this is WAY too perfume-y for me. A "geddit away!" reaction if I ever had one. (Ima lookin' at you, resins!) Luckily I was brave enough for a dab on the wrist, because as it dries it mellows into something rather nice and almost totally floral. Damn, I have strange skin.

[Lionesse]

Ok, I'm not so good at describing scents, so please bear with me.

 

This scent is plush purple herby. lol

 

I smell grapes? But not in a grape popsicle way. I think the herbs and musk keep it under control.

 

So glad I got a bottle!

[VioletChaos]

in the bottle: dark and resinous, but with the juicy pommegranite peeking in

 

wet on skin: the juiciness of the pomm becomes more prominent, with the dark notes blending in behind.

 

dry down: it has stayed consistent, thankfully!

 

 

in all: a dark, brooding scent, i imagine i'll be getting plenty of use out of this oil as the days grow shorter and colder and i become more prone to wander hill and dale in long cloaks relentlessly.

[twilighteyes]

Odd. When I sniff this, I don't get purple. I get black and red. (And then I look at the bottle again and the label is black and red too.)

 

I think I am smelling the sandalwood and amber. It's dark with a teeny bit of sweetness but mostly the dark.

 

(Purple is my favorite color. I wanted to smell purple!)

 

I have also sniffed about 15 scents today so I'll come back later on this one.

[kmasden]

I can't believe I almost didn't get this! This is the absolute winner for me out of this update, as a matter of fact, out of this years releases I think! I generally avoid moonflower because it's very perfumey/headachy to me, and I avoid neroli because it tends to turn cloying and plastic on my skin for some reason (like jasmine does for me)...yet i decided what the heck and YAY!

 

This is not very fruity to me, the pomegranate is really just enough to give it a sweet, tart interesting note...I find the lavendar to do it's usual for me..i hate it on it's own, but i find in beths blends or fougueres (sp?) that i love it, it just gives a depth to things without overwhelming them. I would say that this is another musk lovers dream, but i think it's the combination of musk and red sandalwood that throw this over the edge into sexpotville!

 

I think that those that love woodsy, musky, slightly sweet blends that just melt into your skin and make you smell like you are exuding a "come hither and F*** me because I AM SEX" vibe....yep, i'm serious....for me, this is LOVE.

 

My only complaint (if you can call it that, cause baby i got none!) is that it doesn't last super long on me i.e. my skin is eating it up...i think some aging and slathering (or maybe i just need a moisturizer haha) will take care of that! Definately a keeper and a multiple bottle buy!

 

Oh, for the record and to help those of you not knowing if you should buy this or not...i'm a lover of things like devils night and storyville, sed non satiata, that type of thing - for me, this blend fits right in with the "feel" of those....

 

Well done Beth!

Edited August 3, 2008 by kmasden

[Katherynne]

In the bottle this smells very similar to Eshe. It's very herbal and planty, with hardly a hint of fruit at all. When I put it on wet, it smells mostly of planty lavender, with just a hint of patchouli. But on the drydown....

 

POMEGRANATE, wow! This blend dries down to a lush, juicy fruit scent on me, all pomegranate with an undercut of neroli and just a touch of patchouli to keep it from being too sweet. Like the person above me, I can't believe I almost didn't get this! I love it. By far one of the most successful unsniffed LEs I've bought!

[taramarie]

On me, Penumbra is lavender, neroli, pomegranate, and moonflower with a little musk. This is very sexy and a new favorite.

[angharad]

What pomegranate?

 

This is very musky, very herbal, and very generic-perfumey to my nose. As the oil dries it's very sharp and bitter. After completely drying, the bitterness fades, thank God. It turns slightly sweet, but is still very blah to me. I'm not crazy about this one. Luckily it doesn't last long on my skin.

[Athenae]

At first this smelled darkly fruity and purple to me, like sweet grapes, and now the amber and musk and sandalwood for which I purchased it have come out, and it's like a slightly darker Mme. Moriarty.

 

Adore. Winner. Keeping. Mine.

 

A.

[ouch!]

To me this smells very herby and quite perfumey, I would love to be able to smell the purple musk in it but I can't. It smells kind of plain to me and is not anything special. The notes listed were lovely but I can't tell them apart, and it jst smells a bit..meh!

I can't get any pomegranite from this. *pouts*.

I think it's probably the tobacco that is the main note with something very store counter perfume behind. I think this will be going off to swaps...

 

eeek!

[Lyrical]

In bottle: very dark, herbal scent - brown and forest green - that must be the oakmoss. A little incense-y.

 

Wet on skin: dark, masculine cologne. Everyone is saying it's purple, but to me it's brown and green! Slightly vinegary.

 

Dry on skin: very dark and shadowy, unlike the partial eclipse itself, which was on a bright, sunny day here and therefore barely noticeable! The predominant notes seem to be oakmoss and lavender, and I wonder if there's vetiver here somewhere. Lurking underneath are some soft fruity and flowery notes, but they are barely noticeable. It's not unpleasant, but it's not something I think I'd ever wear.

 

Later on: pomegranate, sandalwood and musk make an appearance as the intense greenness gives way to something softer, sweeter and spicier. It's still an outdoor scent, but no longer a deep, dark forest. There's something a little sour and sickly about it, though. The notes don't seem to blend together very well. Perhaps aging will help? I'll try it again when it's recovered from its long journey.

[jessu]

Love this stuff!

 

Most purpley scents work really well on me, and this is dark, spicy, purple resin heaven! I can't single out the pom or lavender, but know that they're in there I can sense their contributions.

 

Its like the missing link between Samhain and Purple Phoenix.

[fairnymph]

In the bottle: Medium golden brown colour. Woody, musky, earthy, herbal. Softly floral, a bit smoky, and lightly sweet, too. Unisex, and a touch soapy from the moonflower. Complex and well blended.

 

Wet: Surprisingly light - fresher, cleaner as the neroli joins moonflower in producing a soapy edge. The pomegranate is now distinct, sweet-tart. Lavender is deliciously herbal, and the amber and sandalwood are soft, warm and sexy without being powdery or dry. Less smoky and earthy.

 

Dry: Dries very rapidly, becoming vastly more fruity. The pomegranate in this is rich and ripe and strongly reminds me of note in The Fruit of Paradise, especially combined with the herbal and darker elements. Indeed, the tobacco returns in a way that's pleasantly bitter, sexily smoky and earthy, especially with the fresh-earthy oakmoss. The sandalwood and amber are still so well behaved, adding depth and body and sex appeal without any detracting aspects.

 

Later: Okay, I adore purple musk and I'm finally getting this OMG PURPLE COLOUR vibe that others describe. Wow, it's sexy and luxurious and fruity and fun! The neroli and moonflower have faded such that they are no longer distinct or soapy, but still keep the blend clean despite all its earthy depth. The copal, likewise, is too well-blended to distinguish but adds a vague resiny smokiness that further grounds the scent.

 

Summary: This evolves beautifully on my skin, and has the same alluring, dark, richly fruity-floral-gourmand quality of Kali - a scent I adore. It's a deep, vibrant plum colour in feeling. Sweet, tart pomegranate, earthy, almost leathery tobacco, and decadently sexy musk dominate. Just below, woodsy oakmoss, smooth sandalwood, deep, sweet amber, and resiny copal with a vague smoky edge ground the blend. Delicate highlights of moonflower and neroli provide a clean, floral feel in combination with the bright herbal hint of lavender. Superbly blended. Womanly. Excellent throw and lasting power.

 

Why did I doubt this? Thank god I got a decant! If Faiza, Kali, The Blood Garden, and the Fruit of Paradise participated in a reproductive orgy, they would produce Penumbra. I will be getting at least a bottle of this masterpiece.

 

For once, copal doesn't amp like crazy on me, while neroli, amber, and moonflower are on their best behaviour.

Edited August 7, 2008 by fairnymph

[darharper]

In the bottle: Sweet musk with slight herbiness lurking.

 

Wet: Sweet musk. Where did the herbs go? I do like the smell of the musk though. It is lovely.

 

Dry: Swoon! It has morphed into sweet musk swirling with herbs, a touch of fruit, and something slightly bitter rounding it all out. I don't know what that note is. Tobacco, perhaps? It is gorgeous! I love this!

 

45 minutes into wear: This just keeps getting better! The musk has increased and so has the fruit. I am definitely smelling pomegranate now and getting slight whiffs of lavender. My god this is a fantastic scent. The throw is perfect. Not too strong, but, not quite a skin scent either.

 

3 hours later: Still going strong. Still gorgeous. This is the best LE ever for me. It even beats out Mead Moon and I loved that.

 

This is such a sexy, feminine scent. I adore it! I am so glad I ordered it and have already tracked down another bottle.

 

Penumbra is

[Brianne]

Penumbra goes on very lavender-y but quickly dries into a mellow grapey floral. It smells very similar to Purple Phoenix on my skin, only Purple Phoenix is a bit more floral whereas Penumbra is more ambery. I don't get much tobacco or sandalwood in this unfortunately.

[edenssixthday]

Penumbra - This reminds me a lot of Dionysia, Blood Garden, and Crypt Queen, probably due to the pomegranate and florals and woods. It's a really beautiful scent, very juicy without being overly sweet. Behind the juicy pomegranate is a really nice musk that's lighter than red musk but sweeter than black musk. The lavender isn't at all noticeable in this blend (yay!) and the black amber, oakmoss, copal, and tobacco serve to darken and deepen it. This smells lovely already, but I imagine it is going to smell really damn good in about 12-18 months. The throw and staying power are both about average on me.

[Little Bird]

First on, Penumbra seemed kinda cologne-y and masculine. It reminded me of black musk with some gritty tobacco and odd herbal notes added in. Weird. Then, in the drydown, the purple musk and pomegranate take over and this is more perfumey & sharply feminine. It reminds me of Purple Phoenix with sweet tarts (pomegranate almost always does this to me) and a little bit of baby powder added in. Ick. This doesn't work on me at all.

[lilirose]

In the bottle: dark, but a purpley-brown kind of dark rather than a black dark.

 

On skin, wet: Whoa, not so sure about this. I'd say it was very masculine if it didn't have the pomegranate jumping out in my face.

 

On skin, dry: The lavender comes out, and I'm not thinking "masculine" so much anymore, even though the pomegranate fades during drydown. It's smooth, slightly incensey, dark, sexy, and mysterious. "Purpley-brown" is still the colour I'm associating with it.

 

Very evocative of its namesake, and I'm glad I have a 5ml.

Edited August 13, 2008 by lilirose

[Schmoozy]

First Sniff: A dark, woody herbal concoction. I think I'am in love.

 

On Skin: Slightly fruity, very purple and at times dark and mysterious.

I can't pick out one single note that is more dominant than the other.

 

Drydown: I was worried that tobacco would be prevail as it usually does, but I can barely detect it.

I am completely blown away with Penumbra.

 

 

Final thoughts: A smoky, herbal, extremely soothing complex blend. Amazing job Beth!

[sprocket21]

In the imp: Dark musk and tobacco

 

On me: This is almost all dark purple musk on me, with a bit of smokiness from the tobacco. I'm inclined to call it masculine, as it reminds me of men's cologne. There's a tiny bit of sweetness to it, but overall it's too manly for me.