Alice

[bootso'rourk]

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

In the imp:

The rose was peeking out the most, just a little sweetness behind.

Wet:

The rose and carnation are having a party. It is a very sweet and innocent floral. Reminded me of me when I was 7 for some reason--dressed up in that white lace and veil for my First Communion. Such a spotless pure scent bursting with potential--like a sweet little girl.

Dry: Now the milk and honey and bergamot have mellowed the scent to be the little girl realizing the world is not all it seems but very interesting nonetheless. There seems to be a cinnamon note in there--a bit of unexpected mischief from Beth?

This scent is growing up a little right in front of my nose!

I'm so glad Misanthropy decanted some of this for me.

I really like this scent. I'm not a big fan of florals and rose usually goes sour on me but this one is just lovely!

edited for typos

[Donnababe]

First Sniff

 

Almonds? Curse my stupid nose.

 

After Application

 

Creamy milk and spicy carnation. There is a touch of honey but it isn't overpowering.

 

 

Drydown

 

Aaaah, here come the roses!

 

 

After a While

 

It's a bunch of pink roses with a dash of white carnations swooning nearby.

 

Final Verdict

 

The scent has almost gone now but the final stage of Alice for me is a beautiful

milky rose. I do find the middle stage a bit overpowering but it's nowhere near

unpleasant.

 

It's the palest, prettiest pink, it makes me smile and I need more......

[Astra]

This is one of the most interesting scents I've come across. It demonstrates again the try-multiple-times principle most BPAL scents exhibit because I wasn't too fond of it but now I really love it.

 

It's a strange combination of soft and rounded with spicy and prickly. Alice's innocence comes across in the milk, rose and honey, while the bergamot and carnation are the pertness that led her through the adventure. It never fails to fascinate me when I wear it. This is definitely a scent for those willing to follow the white rabbit...

 

It doesn't last that long on my skin, but it does hang around nicely with a few streaks through my hair.

[Ina Garten Davita]

First Impression: Wow this is curious. I have to take a moment to figure this out. At first whiff, I don't get any of the listed notes.

 

Second Impression: Whole cloves steeping in milk on an old fashioned stove. Not much honey here, it's as if the honey pot was waved over the pan hoping some sweetness would get in.

 

Final Analysis: I don't know whether I love it or hate, I just know I can't stop sniffing it. I'm keeping it just because it's so unusual. I'd like to wear it for a full day to see what happens.

Edited July 20, 2004 by andrabell

[summer]

Oh, this is just so deliciously strange!

 

When I first apply it to my skin, it smells like spicy carnations. Then as it dries, it morphs into a powdery, baby-nursery scent of sweet milk and scented diapers! But wait . . . it KEEPS CHANGING! About half an hour in, rose starts coming through -- and the spice makes it known that it's still there. And as the scent really settles in, all of these elements kind of merge -- they don't quite blend, but they weave in and out of each other, kind of like the White Rabbit weaving in and out of Alice's vision! This scent is sweet and childish, but precocious and naughty all at once. I LOVE IT. Can't . . . stop . . . sniffing wrists . . .

 

Edited to add: After living with Alice for a while, I finally had to put her in my swap pile. She just evokes such strong baby-nursery-diaper imagery for me! It's a really interesting blend, but ultimately, doesn't work with my chemistry.

 

Edited AGAIN: Well, blimey. It's a few months later, and I find myself editing this review AGAIN, because I've rediscovered my love for this precocious girly fragrance. Fortunately, the Lab tucked an imp of Alice in with my last order, so I had a fresh vial of it to reach for this morning when I woke up in the mood for a creamy, powdery, pink-cheeks sort of perfume. I felt marvellously girly and contrary as I applied it this morning. It smells so wonderfully milky, and the honey and carnation are a perfect Sunday-morning combination.

 

The bottom line, I suppose, is that I have to be in the mood for Alice, but when I am . . . yowza! Lovely.

 

Edited October 2, 2005 by summer

[Laurel the Woodfairy]

Alice was not on my wish-list, but I swapped for a bit of her after reading that she's the signature scent for Dagny, our new BPAL baby. This caused me to go all clucky (as our darling British posters call it), and to have a fit of theoretical-future-daughter scent-lust. Hence, Alice.

 

So, here she is.

 

In the bottle: Mmm. Honey and spices, a kitcheny scent--when there's a tea-party going on at the kitchen table. The sort of tea-party frequented by dolls and teddy bears.

 

Wet: Soft and delectable, but I can't pick out individual notes except for the bergamot, which I love.

 

Drying: I keep sniffing my wrist. Baby powder has appeared, which I like less than bergamot but which increases clucky tendencies. Spiciness still apparent. Where is the floral? Wait, there's a hint of rose. Where did that come from?? This one keeps unfolding...curious indeed. Soft, sweet, spicy. Pink-and-white.

 

Argh, I only have a tiny bit of this and want more! No longer sure whether for me or theoretical-daughter, though.

 

You know what this reminds me of? VIctoria magazine. It's gone now, but I've collected 10 yrs worth of issues. It was a genteel, ladylike, yet slightly quirky and mischievous magazine, and it put me into a trance of peaceful reflection--I always savored the new issue with a cup of tea. Alice makes me feel like that.

Edited July 22, 2004 by Laurel_the_Woodfairy

[Effluvia]

in the vial: SQUEEEEE!!!!!! This is exactly how I dreamed she would be!!! Innocent, creamy, curious rose. This is the PERFECT Gothic Lolita scent!!!!!!!!! YES!!!!

 

wet, on my skin: The rose turns a bit cherry-like (the honey, maybe?) and the carnation shows up. It gets smoothly spicy, like a Christmas scent. I can smell the bergamont, and I can smell the carnation flower petals underneath the smooth spice. This is the scent of a little Victorian girl chasing the white rabbit and tumbling down the rabbit hole! It keeps changing...it gets stranger and stranger (or curiouser and curiouser, I should say ), in a very, very good way. I think it's the bergamont that keeps quietly darkening the scent bit by bit. Now this makes me think of Little Taffy from Female Trouble playing pretend car accident games in the living room.

(If you didn't get that reference, I feel deeply sorry for you. )

 

dry, on my skin: Unfortunately, this doesn't last very long...I can still smell the faintest trace of bergamont lined with the tiniest drop of rose...

 

When the bottle issue is all better, I AM BUYING A FREAKING 5 ML OF THIS MAGICAL JUICE!!

(tee hee)

 

Dame Darcy would dig this stuff. Friendthegirl, are you reading?? We must send a bottle of this to her and become her very special friends and we will all have tea parties together in our

stripe-ed thigh highs and white lace parasols. (squish)

[grrrlennyl]

at first: lovely. sweet (from the honey) and a tiny bit spicy (from the carnation). i was worried about this one because i really don't like most honey scents, but i really like this one.

on: again...lovely! it smells like flowers doused in honey. this is just beautiful.

1.5 hours later: this is so lovely and sweet. i can detect a bit of spicyness now (from the carnation, i assume), but i can still smell the honey the most. i usually don't like honey scents, so i'm really surprised at how much i like this one.

2 hours later: i am in love with this. it is lasting really well. it's still honey at first, but i get a bit of creaminess to it, which i'm assuming is the milk. after that, it's a wonderful floral underneath. unbelievably wonderful.

3 hours later: still amazing. a bit softer, and almost tending toward powdery, but still strong.

overall: i love this one. i'll definitely be buying myself a 5ml once i use up my imp. it's just too beautiful.

[octopusgrrl]

In the bottle: strong almonds, honey, slightly bubblegummy.

 

Wet: much more almondy, slightly powdery and “perfumey” (floral - is that the carnation?) It's kind of addictive even though those are not really scents I would choose for myself. Such a powerful scent from just a little on my wrist! All babypowder and floral and sweet, yet not as innocent as that sounds because of a gentle spicy kick.

 

Dry: fades to a powdery sweet floral, with a little spicy warmth left.

 

Verdict: More appealing than I thought it would be at first. I think I’d like it more without the powdery side, so I’ll probably swap this imp.

[any_old_actress]

FIRST SNIFF: spicy carnations...

 

WEARING IT: the scent becomes more sweet due to the honey, with the spice of the carnation in the background. it's a very girly sniff and as it dries it blends together quite well making it hard to determine a singe note from the rest.

 

VERDICT: it's in the "perhaps 5ml quality" pile. pretty, but i'm not sure it's me yet.

[TygherRayn]

In the bottle: Spicy .. like Old Morocco, or even like Scorpio .. but without the 'darkness' of those two. This one's light and spicy .. which seems almost a contradiction in terms.

 

Wet: more .. something. Almonds? Is that almonds? And the sweet has to be honey. I don't rmember what carnations smell like, but this is nice, just the same. It's not as 'little girl' as I expected .. and that's a very good thing.

 

Wearing: This softens more and mor as I wear it ... the rose comes out, which isn't really a surprise, as my skin likes to draw rose out and parade it around for the day. but in this, it's a good thing. This is one of the few blends I've found so far with rose that I can wear and not be choked by it.

[asa805]

This is soo absoulutely gorgeous i want to take a big bath in it! Its not too sweet with the perfect touch of cream, flowers (rose), and spice (carnation). Its sweet and innocent in a not so sweet and innocent way. Like the girl next door that you know is a closet nympho. Like britney spears in her "chaste" days. LOL! Ok i dont want to ruin the image of my precious alice. She is delicious and perfect and great for work, a hot date, happy hour, dinner with friends or dancing... just about anything. I bought a big bottle of this and cannot wait to get it. Im in scent heaven.

[Merteuil]

In the tube and for a few minutes on my skin: I'm definitely getting the sweet almond smell, almost like almond extract. There's a little bit of tart lemon (the bergamot?) too, when I inhale more deeply.

 

These top notes fade quickly and the scent warms to a spicy fresh carnation smell. This lasts for maybe a half-hour, then the fragrance mellows out to a more powdery, warm carnation that lasts for hours.

 

I like it. Not sure yet if it's 5 ml love, but the imp will be used.

Edited August 10, 2004 by Merteuil

[riddel]

Alice

 

I'm a girly-girl, I'll admit it, and this is the ultimate girly-girl fragrance. Heck, I'd even go so far as to say it's my signature scent. It's so creamy and sweet and innocent. It makes me want to wear white cotton dresses and dance around barefoot in cool, damp grass. It's like those powdery, milky scents made especially for little girls kicked up a notch... or ten. 5ml so on the way for me.

Edited November 5, 2004 by riddel

[Lady Jane Grey]

I am sooooo inlove with Alice! It was the first one I put on when I got my order. I was in love with it instanly. It was soft but spicy at the same time.

 

On my skin it settled into a soft flower sent but the spice was still there. I really liked that about it.

 

I am gettign a big bottle f this no questions asked.

[tart]

Oh my goodness, I love this.

 

Wet: Smells like pure honey, nothing else.

 

Dry: Curiouser and curiouser! I've never smelled anything like this before. I can't pick the rose out, but there is something beautifully spicy going on.

 

Later: This has settled into something almost chocolatey, but maybe I'm imagining it.

 

Overall: This scent would probably be appropriate for any occassion. It doesn't smell very "innocent" on me, or too girly since the florals aren't too strong. I love the spiciness of this -- almost like a Snake Oil Lite, but floral instead of smoke. I must have used a third of an imp today, I put this on everywhere. I ended up getting a 5ml bottle of this, I love it so!

Edited August 28, 2004 by tart

[AnnetteL]

This starts off wonderfully, soft and creamy with a contrasting dose of spiciness (I know it's the carnation, but it really smells like pepper on me) that make it interesting indeed.

 

It does tend toward baby powder after a couple of hours. At first this put me off the scent, but after a few more wearings I am appreciating its comforting qualities and am really getting quite fond of it It seems almost a sleepytime scent, maybe I will put it near my pillow...

Edited September 29, 2004 by AnnetteL

[jessamynit]

my first review! this is (so far, and I've only tried 10 or 12 scents!) by far my favorite one. the sour milk thing is just in the bottle, once I put it on it just smells... sweet but not cloying... slightly powdery but not old-ladyish... like milk & honey with something deeper... and the spice of carnation just makes me go around sniffing myself all day. I really do love it! my only complaint is that it seems to fade very quickly on me. delicious, though, my favorite!

[Northernminx]

At first this was almondy and honey sweet, reminiscent of my beloved Dana O' Shee and while pretty I thought it may have to go on the similarity basis.

 

The lovely dry down on this makes it a keeper though. The carnation and roses peek through, mostly rose but I can get a hint of the spiced carnation smell, and make this a second-skin sweet and very light floral for me. Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous. This is an innocent, happy, bright scent perfect for everyday wear. As many will tell you I'm one of those bouncey happy people

[SilverGarland]

I've just put this on. I'm going to review as the scent dries down.

 

In the bottle: Clear, sparkling rose.

 

Wet on the skin: A very clean, "green" rose.

 

30 seconds later: Now I smell a lemon note, but not straight lemon. It's more like...lemon tea? The rose is still here.

 

1 minute later: Smells like tea rose now, and I think that I can smell a little bit of the carnation. Still very green, though.

 

Almost dried completely: Wow, this has morphed into a very expensive rose scent. It's not strictly rose, but the rose is quite dominant on my skin, and the other scents are dancing in the background.

 

Completely dried down: Oh my god, this is like the scent of a rose garden! It's not the rose scent that you smell when your nose is pressed against the flower, but it's more like the AIR is rose scented. This smells like a very airy rose scent. While it's still green, my skin has warmed it up.

 

1 minute after drydown: This smells like a very sexy rose. Sooo expensive. Now it smells like candied rose to me...it's like rose petals with sugar crystalized on it.

 

This is the first rose scent that doesn't smell sick, sour, or like gasoline on me. I love you so much, Beth, for making this....you have no idea of how grateful I am.

 

5 minutes later: Wowie! It now has spice in it, too, and the funny thing is, it makes me think of a tea party! It's not a grown-up tea party...it's more like a young girl being taught tea etiquette by an older, proper woman. It smells a lot like that Bonne Bell rose scent that I was looking for (thanks zombiebunny for recommending!), but this one is much more posh. This makes me think of a very wealthy English schoolgirl who spends most of the year away from home at an expensive boarding school.

 

Final: Now it smells like carnation and rose twisting around each other like the double helix, here one side is carnation and the other is rose, with the spice (I smell cinnamon and gingerbread) and other more minor notes acting as the bases and hydrogen bonds.

Edited September 9, 2004 by SilverGarland

[Ishtar]

Wow. A scent with carnation where I actually enjoy and welcome the carnation. Now that's unusual. Beth, you keep surprising me

 

The clear liquid in the vial had almost no smell at all when I first sniffed it. But as soon as it touched my skin, it developped into a very nice, milky, sweet-but-not-sugary scent.

 

After a few minutes, Alice turned into a soft, muted floral with a lovely creaminess to it. Upon complete drydown, the carnation came out to play and cut through the sweetness in a most enjoyable way. Nothing powdery or old-ladyish here. This is very nice and well-balanced, more spicy-floral than I would have expected but lovely all the same.

 

Definitely a perfect workday scent, unobtrusive without being boring. A keeper!

[miss apple]

Alice in the vial is soft and floral; a very dainty scent.

 

Once on the oil immediately morphs into a milky tea and the carnation becomes more noticable. After an hour there is a hint of rose and the carnation has become spicy. I can definitely see the comparisons to Lush's Potion lotion but it has a more innocent overtone. Alas this faded about two hours after I applied it and I can only smell traces on my wrists. This is somewhat different than most of the scents I have so I may get a big bottle and slather with abandon.

[sarahmarie]

I loved Alice in the imp, and I loved it when I first put it on. It's just perfect - I can smell each note, but they blend so well and it's such a great scent. It made me feel good to smell it!

 

But...then the rose came out. I like rose well enough, but my skin seems to hate it. It turns rose sharp and sort of...bug spray-like. It's not horrible, but it's not right either. And I'm so sad, because I love Alice! I may try it again just out of blind hope, but it seems Alice will not work on me because my skin's bad relationship with rose. I'm really disappointed, because this is so nice...but I do have lots of new imps to make me feel better.

[Miggins]

Oh, I do like Alice! She initially made me think of the slightly slimmer version of Seraglio - the roses and the honey, but not so much weight behind. About 30 minutes later, I was lying on the settee with the dog and I kept getting very powdery smells wafting up. Couldn't possibly be the dog so I had a quick whiff of Alice and wow! She'd dried to a powdery, spicy mix of gorgeousness, quite different from the wet.

[pekeana]

In the vial, Alice is a very creamy, milky floral. Makes sense, considering there's milk in it. Also, for come reason, the carnation manifested itself as anise to my nose. Anise? Wtf?

 

On me, yeah, it's anise, carnation, milk, and just a tiny bit of rose. It settles down into a very soft, sweet, creamy floral and stays that way. It also makes me itch a little because of the rose, but there's no burning and no major welting, so it's all good.

 

I'll keep this one for when I feel the urge to smell interesting.