Alice

[RogueNyx]

Curiouser and curiouser. Milk and honey with rose, carnation and bergamot.

I first ordered Alice about a year ago while on my creamy gourmand kick. When I first opened it I was a bit disappointed that it seemed to smell spicy and floral but not in a good way. I researched and figured I would age it.
Now ill be the first to admit I don't understand how aging works. I dont get how the scents change by just sitting in the bottle....BUT...a year or so later here I am wearing the once dreaded Alice !

On my skin its thick and powdery sweet with a kick....spicy is such a bizarre word to describe a flower but it fits carnations so well. I can't pick out the specific notes other then the carnations. I look for the honey and milk and don't find them alone but I so get a very creamy soft powdery carnations...which is not how carnations usually are.

It's very gentle...innocent and feminine. It's not gourmand like I originally thought but its so creamy ! Very beautiful soft baby floral.

[sharkdiver]

Oh Alice, how do I love thee?

 

I had been wanting to try this one for a while, since so many people really like it. When I first got my imp, and sniffed it, I was like, "THIS is what all the hype is about?!" it smelled sort of strange, almost like a slightly toned down version of Dana O'Shee...which I like, but I was not expecting a scent to be similar. So, I applied some on the crook of my elbow, and while wet, it stayed much the same as in the imp. I was pretty unimpressed, and sort of disappointed.

 

I was sitting watching TV, when I caught this whiff of a powdery (in a good way) sweet, almost fruity smell...and I was looking everywhere for the source. Suddenly, I realized it was Alice! she morphed on my skin, to become this very dainty, soft powdery-creamy fruity light floral. Absolutely gorgeous! This is definitely going on my "Bottle" list!

[Wildwoodflower]

Curiouser and curiouser. Milk and honey with rose, carnation and bergamot.

 

Alice is one of my favorite BPAL blends ever. It's the one that made me realize that yes, sometimes I am the kind of girl who likes to smell soft and delicate. It was also my gateway drug into the land of rose and carnation scents, at least the ones that actually smell like roses and carnations. Alice is simply beautiful. My uncultured nose interprets it as creamy carnation with a hint of sweet almond. It's not a va-va-voom scent. It's fresh, clean, innocent, warm, and feminine. It's not the scent to wear when you're out on the prowl in stripper heels. Some scents I wear for other people - I wear Alice for me.

[Mellifluous]

Well, I initially tried this thinking Alice was carnation, milk, and honey, and although, those are the prominent notes, I get just enough rose to turn this into a pass for me. I still think this is a nice scent, and can see why its so popular.. just a bit too much rose for me.

Now, like six hours later, there's a nice slightly sweet carnation musk left on my skin, which is really amazing, but not worth the rose-induced sneezing fit that accompanies its wet stages. Actually, I'm really surprised I'm still getting carnation, as opposed to rose. Anyhow, its nice but ultimately a no-go for me.

[jkfagtongpun]

Alice has become a real suprise favourite!

 

I've been meaning to order an imp of her for ages... just never got around to it. I admit, I was a little worried she would be too innocent and soft for me.

 

Anyway, I ordered her and I'm so glad. In the imp and on wet it smells very much of ginerbread spice to me. Really comforting, warm and snuggly. It makes me want to get under my big, fluffy duvet and read my favourite book while the rest of the world goes by.

 

As it dries the rose comes out and the sweetness abates just a little but the carnation and bergamot are still very much present.

 

The only thing I would change, if I could, would be it's throw and lasting power. Hardly any throw and seems to disappear after a few hours.

 

I've been wearing Alice non-stop since I received her and nothing feels better than when I'm having a grumpy day and a get a whiff of that spicy comfort to remind me that when the world feels pretty crappy, at least I smell good...

[vanilla323]

Alice...smells just like I envision her. Delicate, lightly sweet in a little blue dress and blonde hair. I wish Alice was a little darker & foodier (in scent anyway). It is so lovely though. I smell light creamy honey, carnation, but not much rose. Very pretty though.

[Gateau]

I get a cross between Cockaigne and Morocco, a warm soft milk and honey scent with carnations. Not making out much rose. It's soft and pretty and young without being sugary. I get a waft of Creamsicle on the dry down from the bergamot. A touch lotiony on me. I like that it's girlish while also complex. Not sure it's really for me but will keep the imp.

[lolcat]

In the bottle this smells like cakes. When I put it on, a hundred carnations leapt forward. I got a trace of white gumdrops, and then Alice settled into a very innocent, prim but slightly quirky scent. Alice is a very appropriate name for this creation in that regard. I adore and tend to gravitate towards girly perfumes, but this is one scent I would find more suitable for an actual young girl. Although very lovely, it has absolutely no sex appeal.

 

I stumbled upon Black Phoenix Labs after seeking out a bottle of Vasilissa based on a review here that described it as smelling like Tinkerbell perfume from the Seventies. Alice is actually closer to the mark (Vasilissa is too musky), but now that I’m wearing Alice, I realize the folly of attempting to reincarnate this pleasant memory.

Edited May 4, 2012 by lolcat

[bellumed]

Wet, Alice is carnationcarnationcarnationcarnation. But she gets more complex during the drydown. Now it’s tea and florals, with a drop of honey creeping out. Maybe a little baby powder as well. Too spicy to be described as “clean.” The entire impression is very discreet: “girl on her best behavior at afternoon tea” rather than “girl lecturing her stuffed animals at a tea party.” I’d be surprised if anyone commented on this perfume; it’s only a teeny bit noticeable to me when my nose isn’t right against my wrist. Interestingly, after three hours the rose really starts to come out (smelling much cleaner now) and creates a very sinus-clearing “taste it on your tongue” scent. Not really sure if this one is for me, I have mixed feelings. I might just wear this when I want to wear perfume without smelling like I’m wearing perfume.

Edited June 28, 2012 by bellumed

[elka_knits]

I got an imp of this years ago and never tried it. To be clear, I ORDERED an imp of this, hoping for carnation carnation carnation. i was so disappointed to smell milky rose. Well I am on a testing jag and dabbed some on. OMG the carnation blooms on my skin and becomes perfection indeed. After a while the rose drifts in to dance with the carnation. I get no powder, no funky milk note nothing but spicy carnation and sweet pink roses. I LOVE this. Alas she does not last and I tore through my imp within 2 days. If only she had a bit more throw and longevity i would be buying a bottle in a nanosecond. Unfortunately given my skins love of this scent I would go through a bottle in no time. I am so torn

[WidgetAlley]

Imp: Clean, creamy skin. The soft rose and sense of cleanliness reminds me a lot of Othello.

 

Wet: Sweet, creamy, soapy rose, a lovely carnation, and the gorgeous honey note from Katrina Van Tassel, with a bit of the milk from White Rabbit. A few years ago I had this really lovely, lather-heavy carnation soap that I really liked, and this is very similar. The carnation and honey are holding this down and keeping it from going totally soap on me though.

 

Dry: This dries down to a snuggly, soft, soapy scent that smells like clean skin rather than perfume. I didn't anticipate liking this, but I can see keeping it for days when I just want to smell comfortable and happy. I can also foresee using it on my sheets! I expected something more spicy/floral from the description, but am pleasantly surprised with this one.

[whitsunweddings]

In the imp: Mostly rose, maybe a bit of carnation and bergamot?

Wet: Weirdly like milk chocolate? And also roses? And spices? Curious indeed.

Dry: A very faint spiced rose. Nice enough.

[VictorianVulgar]

In the bottle: Definitely floral. I love the concept of milky scents, and Alice isn’t delivering on the milk and honey. But the rose, bergamot and carnation are very present. Almost a little lemony.

 

On: Definitely sweeter than in the bottle. Sweet, floral goodness.

 

Drying: Roses. Roses everywhere. Delicious, big, sweet, powdery roses. I know powdery scents can be a turn-off for some people, but I'm a 20 year old goth girl with the olfactory sensibilities of an 80 year old, so it's all good to me. Smells deliciously vintage, like walking through a antique store.

 

Dry: Roses and spice, with a clean, powdery sweetness to it. I feel extremely Victorian wearing this. Definitely getting a big bottle.

[mymymai]

In the Imp (ITI): It's very light. I get Earl Grey tea splashed with milk and a touch of honey. There is the faintest hint of bergamot underneath it all.

 

Wet: More bergamot, carnation, tea, and milk. It's a rather civilized scent. It does remind me of an English circle circa 1900 drinking tea in a garden.

 

Dry: Th bergamot paired with the milk and tea is slightly powdery, but in a comforting way. The carnation and faint rose provide a subtle backdrop against which the slightly stronger notes rest.

[Quillifer]

I first got this as a frimp and hated it. Not the smell itself - which was light but inoffensive, but what it made me think of, which was a simpering little girl, petulant, flouncy, whiney. I passed it on to someone who loves it. Later I got another frimp and was going through a phase of making myself re-try things - and now I love it! The smell is the same, but at the time I was in a different mindset and was thinking about baking. Now all that kind of Alice seems far away, and when I wear this I feel domestic in a positive way: creative, purposeful, everything that part of me wants to be. I imagine someone in a big apron, sleeves rolled-up, making something delicious.... with a gorgeous dress upstairs ready to put on, and a lovely house all round her.

[Drae]

Unlike Vanilla323, I am so glad that Alice isn't dark or foody at all

 

Alice is everything I hoped for in a light, creamy floral. When I first dab her on, she is all freshly cut carnations with a rose or two thrown in for good measure, which I adore

 

On the drydown, the scent sweetens up, goes slightly spicy and the rose kicks in. After about 45 mins all the florals are gone, and I'm reminded a bit of Dana O'Shee (which was a sugary plasticy mess for me), probably because of the milk note, which is what I'm guessing likes to turn to play-doh on my skin. Luckily, that phase is short lived, but unfortunately so is the scent overall. 1 hour post-application and Alice sinks into my skin and disappears, leaving behind the faintest hint of non-descript sweetness.

 

I definitely prefer Alice in the initial wet and dry-down stages, and If I could figure out a way to make that last longer on my skin, I could see myself ordering a 5ml in the near future.

[dandelionghosts]

This is quite warm and spicy, but the tiniest hint of the milk an honey add a sweet undertone. I can get the carnation and just the faintest touch of milk. Much nicer on than in the imp. (The imp actually smells a bit like sour, spiced milk thrown on a flowerbed.)

[PumpkinGuts]

Almond milk and... soap. My skin hates this.

Ah well, can't win 'em all.

[barefoot_yogi]

I avoided this one initially, which I received as a frimp, because rose scents tend to end up smelling like bug spray on my skin. But I decided to give it a shot and I love it. It dried down to milk and honey with a hint of carnation. It might be my new favorite.

[impolight]

:::ALICE:::

 

This arrived as a Frimp in the latest order. Alice didn't offer much in the way of temptation because it seemed outright feminine in it's persuasion. All of the Lab's formulas are worthy of attention but it is more likely that blends that are unisex at least go better for the wearing when the wearer happens to be a large male.

As this was inspired by the writings of Lewis Carroll (as are all the Mad Tea Party blends ) the chance to embody some of the magic, by proxy, proves too big a temptation to resist.

From the Imp: Peculiar! There is an HUGE insinuation of carrot cake... O_o. This must be the Milk and Honey notes coming together to create an element similar to cream cheese frosting. Confectionary smells have a history of being difficult to adapt to in past experience. In passing or in small doses it is ok, but when worn and impossible to escape from, nausea sets in after a few minutes.

The tang of Bergamot must be the other element that jives with the Milk and Honey to lend to the frosting effect because, after further huffings, this is the strongest impression thus far. The floral elements don't really shine through just yet. Nervousness reigns. Perhaps the skin chemistry will help balance things out...

On the Skin: Alice is still heavy, cloying, and sweet but the florals DO come through to save the day! The Carnation is most apparent now. The Lab's Carnation note is consistently, beautifully rendered at the pulse points. The sweet, spicy, peppery blooms, bespattered with mist, are almost palpable. Rose is here as well, but is probably the most demure rose experienced in any of the blends tried so far. Bergamot is still threading through the mix like some twinkling ephemera of vulcan tinsel and makes Alice hum. The Honey has been subdued into a ghostly, powdery remnant of it's former glory and makes a grand unifier of this blend.

Alice is still most likely ideal for Her, but He can certaily wear as proudly as He wears a Carnation in the button hole of an immaculately tailored suit.

High marks! 5 out of 5 for Alice. A new convert has been made.

[impolight]

Re: :::Alice:::

 

P.S.

 

Happy Birthday Lewis Carroll!

[Octopuddle]

Wow- Alice was a bit of a gamble for me, because I amplify sweetness in anything that I touch to a crazy degree,, but instead of going crazy, candy-store sweet on me, it goes a sort of feminine, girly powder with a sprinkle of spice.

 

In the imp, something smells really off to me,and on my skin wet, the carnation is pushing the edge of too spicy, but never quite hits the limit. As it dries it gets really nice- not terribly sweet, an innocent scent, but with a kick that keeps it from being too girlish. It's a bit like a tomboy with a face that is just a little too pretty for her scraped knees and dirty nose.

Edited February 1, 2013 by Octopuddle

[claudia6913]

Very soft, very feminine. I've stayed away because of the milk and honey. Honey does weird things and honestly milk just sounded too odd to me. Rose's can go straight to baby powder as well. I'm mostly testing to see if I would like to purchase this for my daughter.

 

Alice? She's sweet, a little spicy, very floral. I think the honey is just adding a bit of sweetness. The rose is behaving thus far but I get hints of baby powder occasionally. The carnation (my favorite) is spicing it up a little. I may have to try this on my daughter to see how it goes on her skin. If nothing else, I might just get it for myself.

[ScabbyLucy]

OO, this is such an unusual blend. Straight off, its mostly carnation, rose and a touch of milk. Normally that would way too little girl flowery, but carnations have such an odd spicy scent to them... Alice was a decidedly unusual heroine herself, and this is quite like her. Proper and feminine, but not soft or conventional.

[Alainn]

Oh, Alice, how I wanted to love you. Everyone else loves you, so why can't I?

 

In the imp: Milky honey and faint floral sweetness.

 

Wet, on skin: Milk, a little honey, and light rose. Smells like a freshly bathed baby in her Sunday dress, complete with hairbows and frilly pantaloons. Adorable.

 

Dry: Is that the carnation? Yay, I love carnation...Wait, what? No--yes--it's the BABY POWDER OF DOOOOOOM. Still brings to mind a baby, but now it's a mischievous one who found the baby powder shaker, dumped it out, and rolled around in it. This kid is covered in baby powder, and so is her frilly dress. Mommy isn't going to be happy. It looks like we're going to miss Sunday school today, kids!

 

I'll have to try this one again to be sure but, alas, it appears Alice is off to the swaps. Hopefully someone else will love her like I can't.