Lamia v3

[midnight_aeval]

Prototype, unreleased, no scent description.

 

When I was testing all the scents this past Saturday it came to a point where everything I was sniffing started to smell similar. That's when I picked up Lamia and realized it was so completely different from the bunch.. sorta like how MB: Underpants is so different from any other blend BPAL has released.

 

There is something extraordinarily unique about Lamia out of the bottle. In my notes I had written "L'Estate?" but when I test them both side by side there isn't too much of a similarity besides maybe an amber that might be present in Lamia. Possibly it was the L'Estate bath oil that was conjuring up these similarities in my head, but I have since swapped that bath oil away.

 

In the drydown Lamia is a scent to be reckoned with for cardamom lovers like myself. I had once thought Bezoar was the hands-down best cardamom scent, but Lamia has changed my mind. Where Bezoar has a woodiness going on with it (that I seriously could never detect until it went head to head with Lamia), Lamia has a creamy sweetness. It's like vanilla bean and cardamom ice cream with flecks of the vanilla bean amidst the pure whiteness.

 

This will instantly become one of my favorite blends and it's a shame I will have to use it so sparingly!

Edited May 26, 2009 by Midnight Aeval

[twilighteyes]

This scent has a very strong throw for me.

 

Spicy -- could be carnation, cardamom... and maybe a golden amber or musk. I'm getting a little hint of cassia as well.

[Dark Alice]

Another cassia scent that I can't wear. The base has to be cardamom with a sweet musk of sorts, maybe vanilla or a sweet amber musk. Running around in here....hints of cassia. How do I know....my skin is starting to itch. See I am allergic to it.

Edited May 28, 2009 by Dark Alice

[nursekins]

In the bottle golden spice mix...maybe a hint of honey...Upon application...this goes on a golden spice scent.Not cinnamon or foody spice at all...I get clove and cardamom...it is such a golden scent...I also get some amber...but it is well behaved and not being powdery which is lovely...I also get something sweet and rich...I would say some honey touched vanilla...or am I getting tobacco notes?It just sweetens up the spice enough to make it warm...the word golden just keeps running through my mind on this blend...it is stunning.

[TilHelvete]

Spicy golden warm-ness.

 

Amber, clove, cardamom, cinnamon (but not cassia I don't think because I've noticed cassia is a little more craft store-ish while cinnamon is softer), vanilla, honey...

 

This is everything I could have hoped for in a perfume, I actually can't imagine something that smells better than Lamia. It's the sexiest blend I've ever sniffed and it lasts a freakishly long time on me. This was one of the first scents to sell out at the trunk show, and I was only able to snag a bottle because Beth was insanely kind and let me buy the tester. As soon as I did several ears perked up behind me, "Lamia? Oh I want Lamia! There's more Lamia?"

 

I hope that this gets released as a general catalogue or at least an LE because I'd love to use this more liberally and wear it everyday.

 

ETA:

 

Sniffed cassia and cinnamon EO side by side, and I am nearly positive this does not contain cassia. Cassia is much harsher, it smells like red hot candy... this is much more of a spicy wood (like cinnamon) I think people's skin must be reacting to the cardamom or cinnamon or maybe clove.

Edited July 7, 2009 by TilHelvete

[tarotgirl99]

This is pure cinnamon and clove on me. Strong throw and amazing wearlength. This reminds me of the Ecstasy of Passion.

Edited May 31, 2009 by tarotgirl

[alicia_stardust]

This is all gold, warmth, and spice. I get dry clove and cardamom, a smooth and rich vanilla (or possibly tonka?) with a hint of something musky and sultry. This is warm and deep, with a strong throw and long wear-length.

[femmefatale]

On me this smells like clove, cinnamon, amber perhaps, red musk (?), something slightly sweet (maybe vanilla or tonka), and I think tobacco since there is a vaguely sweet smokey quality to it, but definitely not vetiver.

 

I looooove this. It's super sexy and beautiful.

 

 

 

[crebbsgirl]

I'm getting red musk in here too. Cardamom and maybe cassia as well. This is beautiful, and sexy!! There may in fact be tobacco in here as well, I'm picking up on hints of it. All in all, a sweet, spicy delicious musky blend.

[zankoku_zen]

I definitely get the clove and cardamom, and perhaps a touch of cassia. This probably has a touch of vanilla, and amber, and my guess would have been sandalwood as well, as it goes a little powdery but that could be either the amber and/or cassia. I'm leaning more toward it having sandalwood, as the powderiness is the same kind I experience with Jingu-Kogo.

 

As it dries, I do get a little bit more of sweetness, and I can see how honey could be a component.

 

But on me, it's definitely the clove and cardamom I smell.

 

ETA: Tried it again. Definitely with the clove, cinnamon, cardamom assessment, and this time I can definitely smell the black pepper. I think I'd love it more if it wasn't for the black pepper. Also, it needs to be just slightly sweeter for my tastes.

Edited June 29, 2009 by zankoku_zen

[Lamia]

Becuase TwilightEyes is a GODDESS I was able to score an imp.

 

May a thousand angels bestow a thousand BPALs upon her for a thousand years!

 

Thanks, TwilightEyes

 

My Stream of Conciousness review:

 

I sniff this and think "reddish paste, like adobe without the desert." Nile mud, yes. There are exotic spices in this, it's not a scent that makes me think of the USA. It's sharp, with a high thin-ness.

 

With everyone saying CARDAMOM! AMBER! I was thinking OH NOES! (because of probable cardamom dermal sensitivity) but there is a shrill sweetness in here as well. I am keeping an eye on my skin, to see if there is any redness. Golden thick powder. Er.... a bit of wine? Some wine in the bottom of the glass from last night, from that last bottle that you didn't get around to finishing. But now it's getting rounder - clove-ish.

 

When you stayed at a friend's place last night, the one who you see rarely but treasure - her home always smells of incense, and someone was smoking both cloves and expensive imported European cigarettes last night, so the shirt left on the floor smells faintly, and there are open empty bottles of wine on the table, and you spent all night talking and solving the problems of the world, with that perfect moment of clarity and accord.

 

Yeah.

 

EDITED TO ADD: GODDAMNIT I DO GET A SKIN REACTION ARGH! It's much more mild than Malkuth or Silk Road, fortunately. And it makes me sneeze lots LOL

 

How cruel!!!!

Edited June 8, 2009 by Lamia

[ivyandpeony]

I adore every note that the previous testers have picked up in this prototype and couldn't believe my good fortune when I was able to snag a bottle. And wet, this beautiful, spicy amber blend was leading me to believe I'd found the holy grail. So flabbergasted hardly describes my reaction when my skin morphed Lamia into a powdery, perfumy cloud of borderline unpleasantness. Given the scent in the bottle and the other reviews, I am sure Beth could release this one tomorrow and it would shoot towards the top ten in no time. Nonetheless, I thought it might be good to share my experience so that the legions who are pining for Lamia will feel a little better and I hope that my bottle is being enjoyed in its new home. =)

[tartchef]

edenssixthday unexpectedly gifted me a very juicy quarter imp of Lamia in a recent swap, and I ADORE her for it!

 

Wet, Lamia is akin to Three Witches (the re-release), aged Bengal, aged Lion & perhaps Bezoar - cassia-scented honey, a lovely golden musk, and a delicious smattering of clove, cardamon, and perhaps a bit of dry Chinese ginger. There's something else dry & woody here, a drop of sandalwood or cedar, maybe, just enough to keep Lamia from shifting to a screaming foody scent on me

 

This gourmand stage doesn't last long, though - the sweetness fades very quickly, and I'm left with a very true clove note, underscored by that same woodiness (which is almost smelling like cedar incense now) and the barest whisper of the Lion's musk. I agree that there may be a bit of tobacco in here, but it's only emerging now that I've had Lamia on my skin for half an hour...

 

The final throes are mainly dry spice & woods & smoke, with almost an air of pickling spices, but up close the trace of honey & musk makes it very snorfleable Lamia (the forumite) has really nailed it, I think, with the clove & imported cigs & incense reference, but I'm getting a stray piece or two of baklava left out, rather than wine bottles

 

At first sniff, this was so similar to Three Witches 2.0 that I didn't foresee needing to hang on to my bit of Lamia, but the extended dry-down may well nudge this into Holy Grail territory... This is what I'd hoped Silk Road/Bengal/Morocco would be, but they were all too sweet & cloying. Lamia is quite edible at first, too, but it's that warm, smokey dry-down that has captured my attention...

 

Glorious I will covet my wee dribble, and pine for Lamia to be released someday

[Coldfire]

At the first in the decant whiff I get a spiciness and a incense-y resin type vibe. Almost masculine. Then it gets sweet and almost chai like. Must be cardamom because again I get a burning sensation where applied after it dries down. Guess I can add cardamom to scents I can't wear I like it...for a sweet spicy non food type scent....just can't wear it

[DangerInRed]

Lamia sounded so good...alas, it is almost all clove on me...maybe a bit of carnation too, but otherwise it's practically Clove SN.

[sookster]

gah...lurve this....

 

straight sniff from imp is top-notch sandalwood...and here comes

that sweet and oh-so-spicy cinnamon...wowza...

 

beth """needs""" to release this to the masses ...it is incredible and i am thrilled i was

able to try it....

 

xoxoxo to you twilighteyes....

[fairnymph]

Sniffed: Very pale yellow oil. Vanilla, sandalwood, and cardamom. The vanilla note reminds me of Antique Lace, and combined with sandalwood reminds me of both Underpants and slightly less of Jingo-Kogo (because the cardamom is not so unlike saffron in general effect).

 

Wet: Less sweet/rich - though still creamy and vanillic, it's much less foody, and not cloying like UP.The cardamom is stronger, almost citrusy-bright in its spicy green freshness. I also get a black pepper note - making this really incredibly like chai! The sandalwood, though, keeps this 'perfumey' and more wearable for me.

 

Dry: From the moment it touched my skin, this almost instantly turned into the very same vanilla/sandalwood combo as in Jingo-Kogo, though it feels a little dryer and less creamy than that scent, probably due to the dry heat of the cardamom and pepper. It's spicy enough to make my nose tingle.

 

Later: It goes through an almost woody-green stage that's also very spicy as the cardamom dominates. It stays green and bright but the but the het dies down after an hour or two and the scent really comes together, with cardamom and sandalwood merging over a soft creamy vanilla.

 

Summary: It definitely loses the foodiness though it's still quite chai-like and keeps the edge of pepper. Too peppery for me personally, as I am not a fan of that note. Still, it's faint enough that I'd almost wear this, and the blendedness of the final drydown is divine. Love the vanilla & sandalwood notes. Fantastic throw & longevity.

 

Without the black pepper I'd totally buy this, and maybe layer it with a little Antique Lace to up the creamy-sweet factor.

[parrot_suspect]

This is very spicy on me. But not sweet, musky, powdery, or vanillic. It reminds me of spiced tea. It's not peppery, and not really cinnamon-y either...just spicy - I guess that's where the clove and/or cardamom come in. Doesn't change much from application to drydown. If you want something that smells like warm, spiced tea, this is it.

[jewelbug]

I have tartchef to thank for putting this in my grubby little hands!! Thank you so much for the generous (and oh-so-special) gift!!

 

Imp: I get a rush of dry, powdered, incense-y woods (sandalwood, primarily, I think), and with that is a dose of some gentle spices (cardamom? Saffron?). It’s a very “golden” scent—amber/musk, too?

 

Wet: On, this is sweeter. The clove is easier to smell now, but still hiding behind a golden sweet sandalwood/amber blend. Hiding with the clove are, possibly, some cardamom, and maybe even a little bit of anise (I’m getting a bit of an anesthetic spice--could be clove or anise, I suppose—either way, this is a good thing for me)

 

Dry: As it dries, I get more and more clove/cardamom over the sandalwood/amber. Maybe even a hint of tobacco and a lightly smoked vanilla? Its really gorgeous. The golden sandalwood-dust and amber are a constant, and the spices crescendo over them. They start weak, strengthen, hit their peak maybe 2-3 hrs in, and then start to fade again, leaving me with a repeat of the opening theme (only, a little more vanillic) after about 5 hrs. It has great throw, surrounding me in a cloud Lamiasticness, and I didn’t even apply that much. Lasts 6-7 hrs.

 

Overall: This is gorgeous, and I would love to have more. With such a rarity, though, I probably just need to hope that it sees a wider release! I will treasure my wee imp.

 

[Ondine]

Lamia smelled like cloves on me. It was almost like straight clove, maybe a little bit of other spices lurking in the background. It faded fairly quickly as well.

[Little Bird]

There's not much to add about this scent that hasn't already been said. This smells like tons of sweet clove and a little bit of dry wood on me. Sometimes I think it smells like sandalwood and then other times I think it's cedar, because it smells like more of a spicy wood, but perhaps I'm smelling some sort of other spice in the mix. Cloves and wood. I like it, but I have other clove-heavy perfumes and don't really need more.

[dixiehellcat]

Sniffed and tested, thanks to the totally awesome TwilightEyes!

 

Wet, lots of clove, warm spicy, and sandalwood! Now, understand that I amp sandalwood in anything that contains it. For a while it was so the top note here that I thought 'jeez, this is nice, but I don't need it, I've got Anne Bonny.' As it dried down though, the spicy quality came back, along with the creaminess mentioned upthread. It really lasts forever; I dabbed a bit on to test about 8 pm and it's (checks clock) nearly half past midnight, still plain to my nose every time I move my hands typing or knitting.

 

On the whole I too wish this would be released--I think I would buy a bottle. (til then, I'm wondering if I could get an approximation by layering Anne Bonny with Velvet Bandito...hm.)

Edited July 25, 2009 by dixiehellcat

[noumenon]

Wow, this is SO MUCH cardamom my eyes are watering! It wafts like mad - I put a schmear on both arms and probably should have used a fingertip full at most. There was a hint of sweetness right at the beginning when it was went, making me think it was Mme Moriarty with cardamom instead of patchouli, but the spice ate everything in its path.

 

If it was wearing half as much, I'd call this stunning. As it is, it's more like taser than a stun!

 

After a few-hours nap, the cardamom lightened up and there's sarsparilla or sassafras underneath! Now it's a really charming cardamom-and-sasparilla scent.

 

At least there's no danger of using up a bottle.

Edited July 25, 2009 by Noumenon

[purplegirl]

thanks to the angelic edenssixthday who sent me a testable sniffie, I was able to discover the awesomeness of Lamia.... Lamia smells just GORGEOUS - it's this like soft and thick like cashmere; i smell and adore the creamy sandalwood, a spicy carnation-like scent, and a glowing feel to the scent. then it hit me - Lamia is a Morroco i love and can wear - it flickered and enticed on my wrist and i couldn't stop sniffing! there wasn't much morphing once she was on but she just got deeper and more resonant. if Lamia was ever released, I would want to have multiple bottles of her - she's be a total go-to scent for me!

 

thank you so, so much edenssixthday!!!

[moon_lemming]

In the imp, Lamia v3 is heavy on the cinnamon. It's a light-smelling scent but cinnamon is the dominant note. There's some of that "hollow/woody vanilla" scent in the background which I am thinking is sandalwood, as almost every time I smell that note it's in a blend that has sandalwood in it. It's a lovely combination.

 

Unfortunately, it appears Lamia also has CLOVE in it, as that is what it turns to as soon as it hits my skin. I amp clove like crazy. After twenty minutes, I can smell the sandalwood peeking out from behind that one superstrong note, and a teeeeny bit of cinnamon is still there too, but the throw is almost all clove. It would definitely be a keeper if it weren't for my chemistry's ability to find any tiny dot of clove and turn it into a freakin clove planet.