Nine Mysteries

[pekeana]

In the bottle: peppermint candy. It smells just like a peppermint you've started to unwrap. On second sniff, there's something light, fluffy, and bubble-gummy beneath it (probably lotus). It smells like a simpler version of Shattered to me, and it's delightful!

 

On me: The mint stays strong for about five minutes, then what I think is lotus bubbles up and makes it so lovely. As it dries down, the base note switches to coconut and mellows the mint and lotus so they aren't so strong.

 

Words cannot express how delightfully refreshing and interesting this blend is!

Edited September 28, 2005 by Shollin

[ipb]

i havent tried it yet, because there were many others, but in the bottle, it was a nicely balanced mint and orange.

[TrayLynn]

In the bottle: Very minty but you can smell the floral notes underneath.

 

Wearing: At first the mint is strong on me then as it dries it starts to fade letting the other notes shine. It has a sweet floral undertone that reminds me of Blood Lotus but the mint cleans it up and takes away some of that bubblegum sweetness. It's a very "tingly" smell, Nine Mysteries smells really crisp like when you were little and got a snowcone that was just ice. It's the smell of the snowcone before you bite into it, that ozoney, clean, cold, smell with just a little sweetness.

 

Conclusion:

[Splendid Molerat]

Wow, that's interesting -- this starts out as a kind of peppermint-grapefruit on me, my nose is very confused by it. In a good way.

 

After about fifteen minutes, it's somewhere between light floral and blond wood. Something in there reminds me of the scent of a horse chestnut, one that you've just picked up and peeled from the prickly casing, in the moments before it dries out.

 

I'm picturing a progression from a cold citron through to a warm red-brown, if that makes any sense.

[eleventhousand]

A sweet mint with citrus when wet. Dries down to creamy coconut and dusty violet. Not at all what I would usually choose, but I love this one and can't wait for it to be released!

[lorajc]

I agree with the above reviewer. This starts out really minty. It even made me chilly from applying it. After the mint dries down, it turns into a lovely creamy violet. I couldn't pick up on Coconut, but it was a very soft, creamy violet. The dry down was really lovely on this. I liked it much more than the wet phase. This scent is a perfect example of why you shouldn't judge Beth's scents until the drydown. I wouldn't have bought this from the wet stage, but the drydown made me want to eat my arm.

[ismene]

At first it's all peppermint, sharp and strong, but after a minute I can smell a hint of what I think is chocolate. Another couple of minutes and the lavender starts coming through; the drydown is pretty much all lavender on me. I feel like I should be able to identify several other notes - this is Nine Mysteries, after all - but can only pick out those three.

 

After about ten minutes this is very cold on those spots where I've appiled it, like Icy Hot or something similar. After another few minutes it's started to burn, so I had to wash it off. I wish I knew what was in here so I could figure out what's bothering my skin so much.

[Red_Hot_Mama]

Refreshing minty & more refreshing minty.... then I worked on my tomato plants. (Which the whistlepigs have discovered.) Now all I can smell is tomato leaves.

 

I'll try this one again later & update my review. However, I do smell very "clean", if that makes any sense.

 

Updated 11-1-04

 

This isn't a blend I would wear as a perfume. However, having said that, I have found many, many uses for Nine Mysteries.

 

Here are just a few:

*Clears my sinuses after raking many, many leaves

*Works wonders on "regular" (i.e. not migraine) headaches

*Settles upset "tummies"

*Is a fantastice & very "holiday" room freshener

 

I'm making a lip balm & body lotion with it next.

 

RHM

Edited November 1, 2004 by Red_Hot_Mama

[orangepoppy]

mmm, peppermint! There's something green in there...pine/cypress/juniper? Maybe even cedar. Sweet cedar. This is lovely. Oh, I think it's lavender! I'm barely getting a hint of something anise-like as well. Holy cow, there might even be patchouli in there.

 

Ah, now I smell violet! Woodsy violet with peppermint backing up. Not a "dark woodsy", though. After about 10 minutes, the peppermint is undetectable, alas, but it's still wonderful to "ride" the scents as they change. Fabulously Mystifying! *applause*

[JazzieCazzie]

Isn't it funny how all of us smell the mint first but the next notes are anyone's guess ... I can't wait to see the "official" description ...

 

Sadly, much as I love mint, this one didn't work for me ... not sure why. I couldn't quite put my finger on what it was I didn't like ... it's vaguely watery, perhaps lotus, which someone mentioned and which has never been a good note on me ... it just smelled "off" on me ... it was all I could do to wait it out and not jump in the shower.

[pkwench]

My first thought was that it smelled a lot like Calliope to me. And it still does on the dry down - very pepperminty and soothing with something green, notes of lavender. But where as Calliope goes a little pepperminty and floral on me, Nine Mysteries is peppermint and green. I think maybe I get a hint of juniper or something of the sort from it. And, on reflection, I think maybe the Nine Mysteries is more peppermint-y than Calliope. It's much hotter-candy cane or like a very hot, peppermint gum-than the other. But it's very soothing, very uplifting, and very, very happy. It's been a life-saver today when my whole day's been whipped around 180 and everything that I Thought I had planned had been flushed down the karmic crapper. LOL

 

As an afterthought, I can catch a faint whiff of something on the cap that I think smells like anise.

[Reinaluna]

Nine Mysteries hmmm, well to me is smells just like one of those after dinner mints a restaurant would give. Its very cool and streight mint when first applied, then it tones down and a small whiff of citrus starts to peek through. Not my style but I will keep the imp for other things.

[kimberlygem]

Nine Mysteries is very minty on me at first. Then something green comes through , almost mossy smelling, then a light floral emerges all mixing with the mint. I like this it is different than anything else I have ever smelled. not sure that I would go for a big bottle but need to try this a few more times to be sure.

 

 

 

Kimberly

[EvilKitten]

Upon first sniff, I too found it to resemble the after-dinner mints which I absolutely love, I buy them to cure sweet tooth sometimes.

 

Wet on my skin, the pepperminty goodness is still strong. That's really all I smell at the beginning.

 

On drydown, I definitely get some citrusy undertones, but the peppermint is still going strong. And i also sense a hint of cool greens, such as juniper. This seems like a really christmasy scent to me for some reason.. I immediately thought of Christmas as soon as I sniffed.

 

and an hour later? Still the same scents, though theres something else mingling in there I cant quite make out. It's great, though.

 

I like this scent a lot. Very nice and soothing!

[antimony]

Nine Mysteries, to me, smells dead on like Mad Hatter.

 

I'm just not excited by the whole mint-and-florals combination. I can only recommend this one to anyone who already likes Beth's other minty blends.

[Koumori]

This one is just all kinds of neat! Like everyone else, I get mint straightaway, and underneath... hmmm, I can't quite tell if it's more floral or more citrus. It's possible that it's lotus as another poster suggested, but my nose isn't sophisticated enough to know for sure. It's a stimulating, clarifying, refreshing scent that I almost think seems most appropriate as a shower gel for a morning pick-me-up. I don't know that I'd wear it as a daytime perfume, and I wonder if people who use scents in some sort of ritual work might find it useful.

 

Edit: Also one of the shortest-lived scents I've tried. The initial rush of mint faded within an hour or so, and the remaining floral was almost undetectable after another hour.

Edited September 27, 2004 by Koumori

[Effluvia]

in the vial: Peppermint. Just peppermint...

 

on my skin: Peppermint and an aquatic note? A weird public swimming pool scent. I'll be curious to read all the ingredients once it's released...I think I'll be swapping this one, though. It's just not me. :shrug:

[glampyre]

Nine Mysteries

 

On first application, Nine Mysteries has a light fresh mint scent. Not like candy, but actual mint from the garden, which is so refreshing and nice. As the mint settles, the undertones gradually evolve into a deep, dark floral. I don't know the exact flower, but it's dark and gorgeous. I agree that there's something eles there as well, possibly a wood, but I don't find the coconut mentioned by others.

 

It's really an olfactory adventure, and one that I absolutely love.

 

I told myself to wear each scent for a whole day before reviewing, so I can really live with the scent and get to know it...and I wore Nine Mysteries for three days because I really love the way it changes from being so fresh to so dark. I kept reapplying it, just so I could experience that.

 

If you haven't tried it yet, it's really worth it!

[Nadirah]

I smell peppermint, cassia and violets. It really is invigorating. I put some on before bed last night and I sat up thinking (about my next order) and reading a bit. This is a great morning perfume and it is strong too! I'm tempted to buy a bigger bottle because I could see myself wearing this alot! Thanks ot the Lab for throwing this in as a freebie! I LOVE it!

[Northernminx]

Peppermint in the bottle and strong for the first while of wearing. After about an hour the mint is still there but far less potent and a light floral scent has come up - violets or lavender (I'm not always good at distinguishing notes) The effect is refreshing at first but whatever the floral is becomes too medicinal on me, a strange mint and lavender sachet blend that for some reason reminds me of a victorian lady's tea parlor, maybe a british one in India with lace curtains drawn to keep out the sun and strange lands.

[grrrlennyl]

nine mysteries

 

at first: the lab tossed this in as an extra on my order. it's a super-sweet peppermint. very xmas-y to my nose. also, very refreshing. the only thing i worry about with this is the staying power of the mint.

on: all i smell is peppermint. this could really clear out your sinuses.

3 hours later: more watery now, but the peppermint is still really strong, which is surprising. i'm really happy with this one.

5.5 hours later: still really beautiful. a bit softer. the peppermint is still the dominant scent, with a watery floral underneath. i'm so surprised that the peppermint is lasting so long on me. i really like this one.

overall: i really like this. i'm still surprised that the peppermint lasted for so long. i probably won't get a big bottle, but i'll definitely enjoy using my imp.

[Witch's Dagger]

Nine Mysteries

 

Preconceived notions: from the name, it sounded like something I would love, but then I read some reviews and saw that it was really minty. I thought that would make it too light and happy smelling, and not deep and mysterious enough, so it didn't go on my wishlist.

 

Trying it:

In the vial: mint and spice (ginger?) - this is a deep, dark scent, something I would not have expected with mint.

 

On me:

Right away, it's "Wow, mint!" Yet it's still got that dark undercurrent, and after a few minutes, I notice some orange in there. But that's not the dark thing either. Very mysterious indeed, and it tends to waft well, though it began fading within half an hour.

 

Final impressions:

After reading the BPAL Chatter thread about lotus, I think the depth in this that I keep smelling is the lotus, and I do get the ginger, though it’s very hard to catch.

 

This is a very intriguing, light (in the sense of weight), and elegant scent. I’d wear it again, but I’d want to be in the right kind of mood, and I think it would be an excellent edition to a purification bath.

[coal coat]

On me, 9 Mysteries smells of peppermint and mandarin. There's an undercurrent of sweet skin, not lusty or sweaty, more like baby skin, but not powdery. Sorry, I cannot tell what makes that lower note. Regardless, I love this scent. I think I will buy a bottle as soon as it is available.

[AnnetteL]

At first a sharp hit of peppermint, of course, then as it fades other notes come into play - I think it is lemon, lavendar and lotus that are coming through on me. It's brisk and clean, and reminds me of a minty Cheshire Cat.

 

I never would have ordered a scent with mint in it myself (this was a free imp), and I expected not to like this at all, but it's surprisingly nice. Not "me" enough to buy more of, but it might entice me not to automatically skip over mint in future.

[any_old_actress]

FIRST SNIFF: candy canes

 

WEARING IT: candy canes still...mellowing into a medicinal minty scent. as it wears it turns into a lightly sweet mint/herb sniff which is actually quite nice and not as overpowering as when you first put it on.

 

VERDICT: too minty, but i'll keep the imp