Harlot

[pekeana]

Based on a Romany incense blend reputed to induce sexual dreams: Somalian rose, Moroccan rose and Bulgar rose with a sultry dribble of cinnamon.

In the vial, Harlot is extremely sweet, strong rose.

On me, it's all sweet, spicy rose. It doesn't change much from bottle to skin, and after about an hour, it fades away completely.

Lovely, but the amount of reapplication I'd have to do would make me hesitant to buy more or even keep the imp.

[Aurelius]

gimp from the lab

I never would have ordered this for myself. Floral notes scare the bejesus out of me, as they tend to scream on my skin.

 

Rose is not one of the culprits. Yay!

 

From the name, I expected this to be a bit louder, somewhat brash. Instead, it's just this gorgeous rose blend, both soft and sultry. On first application I couldn't smell any cinnamon. But I put more on in the crook on my arm and there it was! Mmm...I never thought I liked roses. I was wrong.

 

I put this on just before going to bed. And may I add that this blend does indeed give you naughty dreams.

 

Thanks Lab!

[emmacrew]

On me, this is a perfectly balanced blend of cinnamon and rose. And, as others have pointed out, real rose and real cinnamon, not hand cream and red hots.

 

It's got a little sweetness, but the sweet doesn't jump out and make itself hugely obvious, which is a relief as sweets tend to go VERY sweet on me. And the rose tends to stay close to the skin without wafting hugely like some roses can do on me. It's not as bright as the roses in London or Delerium.

 

It's red, warm and clinging. Says "come closer. No, closer than that." Mmm.

[summer]

Harlot is interesting. It's very much rose and cinnamon -- but both notes are very dry ones. This is not wet; this is not edible. This is dry and hot, like a desert wind.

 

It's actually quite lovely. At first, while it's still wet, it's almost unpleasantly bitter. Dry, bitter rose. But as it dries, the cinnamon emerges and the fragrance seems to become more blended; more whole. It warms up into a very lovely round, spiced rose. This is a warming blend that makes me feel cozy.

 

And it's absolutely fantabulous layered with Dana O'Shee.

[anmorata]

Harlot:

 

Wet: Rose rose rose!

Drydown: Rose rose rose plus -cinnamon-. Almost smells like Big Red Cinnamon Gum plus rose.

Longterm wear: I don't generally wear rose, but this one isn't -too- bad. I doubt I'd wear it often, though, but it's definitely an interesting combination.

Edited April 5, 2005 by anmorata

[Lina]

This is the smell of a well aged rose sachet. Powdery-ancient-musty very feminine blend. After a few hours, I can still smell this strongly and it has a sweet smell with the roses.

 

This is very nice but not really me- reminds me of a sachet and I cannot get past that.

[Phaedra]

Wet this is sweet rose with a hint of spice. When first applied it smells the same and is soft and pretty. The hint of spice comes through- I think it's cinnamon. Ah, yes after reading the description now I see that's what it is. There's a nice warmth to this one. I really like this one a lot! It doesn't change much on me, just warms up and mellows out. It's truly amazing to me how Beth can create so many different rose blends that are each stunning in their own way.

[springsea]

I got an imp of this as a gift.

 

I didn't really notice the cinnamon until I started reading reviews.

Wet this is all rose, wet rose. As it dries the cinammon starts to come through, but it fades quickly and the rose scent turns a little dusty.

I can totally picture my the roses my dad used to grow, just past prime, with Japanese beetles all over them. I'll also second the rose sachet. This is definetly rose sachet.

 

If I liked rose I imagine I'd love this.

[innerellipse]

Oh no! cinnamon hates me! I had an inkling of this before with a solid L'Occitane perfume my sister gave me, but this proves it. I couldn't smell the rose, just harsh, biting cinnamon. Ouch. I'll be avoiding it in future. Funny, because I love cinnamon in food.

[Lit Chick]

SEXY.

 

But - Cinnamon loves my skin. And thus, as this ridiculously good smelling oil started to dry, the cinnamon had it's way with me. At first, it was very attentive, a sensitive cinnamon. It promised that this time, it would be different. Didn't it smell gooooood? And the roses, which can go soapy - see? They's so luxurious... yes... oh... that's right... uhhh the pulse points OH!OH!OH!

And then I smelled like cinnamon imperials again.

 

[scourgeotheseas]

Harlot - I can't believe I haven't tried this before!

 

In the bottle: Tea rose with a touch of spice.

 

On me: Rose! Almost a soapy rose. As it dries, a little more spiciness comes out, but I feel almost like I'm wearing potpourri. The cinnamon isn't really making itself known yet.

 

Hmm...I really thought I would love this, as rose and cinnamon are two of my favorite notes. But I just can't shake the "potpourri" feeling. I like London and Rose Red a whole lot more, honestly.

[feline.by.design]

This was a freebie imp from the Lab that I've been avoiding, but due to my recent interest in the differences of the rose oils Beth uses ("Rose is a rose?"), I suppose I just wasn't ready to try it out until I had a reason to.

 

In the bottle and on my skin during the initial stage, Harlot was very much like the fresh rose that everyone has described. It smells really nice, almost undeserving of its name of "Harlot," since it seems so fresh and innocent. I don't detect any of the spice at this stage. Just fresh roses, with none of the powdery connotations that often plague scents containing rose for me.

 

As the oil begins to dry, the rose becomes a bit sweeter, and the "dribble of cinnamon" slowly starts to creep into the fragrance. The rose still smells a little fresh, but it seems that time has elapsed, and I envision a flower whose petals are starting to dry at its outer edge.

 

This is really nice. The rose notes remind me of what I experience when wearing Lucy's Kiss. I'm not sure of the two BPAL oils contain similar rose notes or not, but I'm willing to investigate further into the Somalian, Moroccan and Bulgar variants of roses. Actually, I'm not going to stop with just those three, for then my personal rose quest wouldn't be complete.

 

I'd been wearing Harlot for about fifteen or twenty minutes before it started getting a hint of that "powdery" element. It's very faint, though, and for me it doesn't detract from my appreciation of Harlot. The fragrance almost seems to chronicle the life of a rose: its fresh beginning, its bright bloom, its first signs of decay, its dry fate. There is still an underlying currant for me throughout this whole metamorphosis of the rose's initial freshness.

 

This is really a wonderful fragrance, and I'm glad to have a free imp of it. Although the name "Harlot" might suggest otherwise, this is a fragrance befitting for all women. I imagine a very serious, stately matron would wear this, as well as a young ingenue or a sweet new mother.

 

Perhaps that's part of the whole riddle of the idea of a Harlot. Many patriarachal religions view women, all women, as Harlots, yet in the name of "protecting them from men," physical and psychological limitations are placed upon them. I'm sure I'm reading far too much into this perfume, however I have this odd little feeling of solidarity with women when smelling it. It's quintessentially feminine, yet versatile. The hint of cinnamon spice reminds the wearer and those who may come in contact with the fragrance that women aren't always sweet and innocent, but can also be strong and fiery.

 

Anyway, as I wore Harlot longer on the small little patch of skin on my arm, the cinnamon spice came more into play, stronger than before. Aha! It's the mythological Rose-Phoenix! It dies and then catches on fire to be reborn!!

 

What? You've never heard of it? Ah well.

 

Overall, I really like Harlot, and I'm sure I'll wind up owning a bigger bottle of it in the future. Anything that gets me ranting about the status of women in a damn perfume review most definitely gets the nod.

 

-doreen

[quimerula]

Roses over a warm bottom line.

Sexy and smooth, really lovely... but it vanishes on my skin!

[wickedgoddess]

Wet - rose. Just rose.

 

Dry - as it dries, I get the tiniest dash of cinnamon, but I really have to sniff for it. And then it fades away in about an hour. Very light, very little throw, primarily rose. I tried it a second time, and the same thing happened, barely cinnamon, no lasting power. I was really looking forward to trying this, because it sounded so lovely, but it's not for me.

 

On the wickedgoddess scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being best, this rates a 3.

[girlmadasbirds]

cinnamony rose...only the cinnamon isn't very pronounced.. it just seems to make the rose smell 'spicy'.

pretty scent

Edited June 24, 2005 by angel sixgun

[PurringPulsar]

Harlot

 

In the imp: cinnamon and rose! I have a feeling I'm going to like this one!

Wet on skin: oh, the rose here is lovely-so juicy and so floral, so richly scented, the cinnamon just enhances that and adds some kick.

Dry on skin: oh wow. There's something almost nostalgic about this rose perfume, without smelling old fashioned. This is a crisp yet sweet and almost fruity blend of roses with a little bit of cinnamon that just enhances it without taking over the blend and adds a sense of dry, fiery, sweet spice. Beautiful.

After a while: the rose in this has an almost fruity, lemony fragrance-reminds me of one of the 2 5 7 rose notes. It's really lovely. The cinnamon is still there, in the background, boosting the rose with it's hot spiciness, but as usual, the rose takes centre stage-not that I mind!

It does fade a bit, and leaves a nice soft scent on my arm which actually reminds me of a Lush product, can't remember which one, but it's so lovely.

Verdict: another wonderful BPAL rose blend, and another marriage of two favourite notes of mine. The cinnamon in this blend enhances and spices up the roses in the most amazing way. I can really smell different roses in this blend, and they all smell gorgeous. The scent is simple, but so wonderful. Cinnamon and roses are a match made in heaven, and Harlot proves this point in the best way. The scent is feminine yet fiery, hot and spicy, sexy and exotic. I neeeed a bottle!

Edited June 26, 2005 by yeahbutnobut

[HoneyHoneyNY]

Harlot is my first BPAL love. I love rose and spices. As soon as I read the description on the site, I thought "roses and cinnamon? That's for me!

 

When I sniffed it in the imp, I thought that it was very cinnamony, and I was almost afraid to put it on my skin for fear that it would be burn-y like cinnamon oil. I dabbed it on, waited and there was no burn. As soon as my skin warmed it, the rose bloomed out at me, rich and mature red, not tea rose.

 

The rose is definitely there, but not sicky-sweet rose, and the cinnamon makes it edible, and gives it a little spike. It's very sexy, because it's floral and food-y at the same time. I wish I had enough to fill a bathtub, because it smells so good that I want to roll around in it.

 

Every time I wear it dancing, people tell me how yummy I smell.

 

I'm adding this to my "must have a bottle" list.

[Aredhel]

Rating (on skin): 1/5

Summarised in a word or two: Rose!

 

In the imp/bottle: Rose, rose, rose! Nothing but fresh, wet roses.

 

On skin, wet: Cinnamony rose! There's also something bitter here, something I can't place -- whatever it is, I don't care for it.

 

On skin, dry: This becomes pure rose again within ten minutes.

 

Conclusion: Rosy scents aren't for me. I was hoping for stronger cinnamon, but obviously, no dice.

Edited December 19, 2005 by Aredhel

[~AmusedMuse~]

My Impression: Okay, like previous reviewers prior to me I had to give this more than one try on this one..I couldnt make up my mind that it was a rose note..to me it was promiently cinnamon scattered wet roses... Truly alluring and sexy.

[valentina]

In the imp: Big bawdy roses, with some cinnamon spicing up the works.

 

Initial application: More of the big bawdy roses, but ouch... the cinnamon oil is making my skin turn red and burn a bit. Itchy. But after 5 or 10 minutes, it goes away.

 

Dry down: Still getting a lot of rose, but some of the intensity is wearing off and the cinnamon is working itself into the blend. Is a softer, more complex scent than I would have initially believed. I don't find it cloying or overwhelming.

 

3 hours later: It's softened even more and turned into a very balanced blend of cinnamon and rose. It's feminine and subtle without being girly-girl sweet.

 

This is another one of those blends that won't become a signature fragrance for me, but I think it would be lovely in a scent locket, or worn on days when I wanted to do something completely different from the norm.

 

valentina

[tinyvulture]

This smells like roses and cinnamon. I thought it would be sweet, but it’s not that kind of cinnamon. It’s not fresh roses, either. It’s like crushed roses whose scent is seeping out of them. It’s dark and mysterious. I really dig the sweet, clean rose scent of Chuparosa, but I think this one suits my personality better.

[Orodemniades]

I can smell the rose, I can smell the cinnamon, but it's a very very very very light scent. Watery, but not aquatic, it was gone in about 20 minutes, leaving me with just a lingering scent, y'know the way perfumes smell after about 8 hours?

 

My bottle's fresh from the lab, though, so I'm hoping it'll prove as time goes by.

 

Oro

[Hawke]

You know, I don't read the ingredient list to refresh my memory when I try these. I should have with Harlot.

 

I am not a rose perfume kind of girl. I've said that before. It's got to be *really* nice when it comes to floral for me to do it.

 

In the vial: The cinnamon warped the rose smell just enough that I didn't even catch it. Floral, yes, but I was thinking carnation.

 

On: Powder, almost immediately. Perfumed powder. Oh no.

 

Drydown: Rose. Waaaaay too much rose and not nearly enough cinnamon. It's girly. I don't do girly, so this is very much not for me.

 

I am going to a gathering of friends. I will take BPAL with and if someone likes it, p'raps there'll be another convert.

[sophia_helix]

I tried this scent with no idea of the notes in it, so this will be a little funky, I think.

 

In the bottle:

 

Sweet floral, with a rich note beneath, though not musky.

 

Wet on skin:

 

A pungent sweetness now, more piercing and insistent. No spices, however (which I see there might have been now that I read the reviews). Maybe powder, just a touch?

 

Drydown:

 

I am still really not sure about this one. It dried down into a complex, heady scent, somewhat powdery but in a good way, like a rich woman's bathing talcum. There was something...cheap...about the way I smelled, and my husband said it was like I'd just been oiled and pampered all day in the harem.

 

I wish there were more true rose notes, but instead it's quite perfumey, although not in a gross department-store way. It just feels very deliberate and sensual, and not my personality at all. I may hang onto it for those rare days when I feel like seducing someone in heels and red lipstick, and being very obvious about it, but otherwise I'm not sure when I'd wear it.

[sookster]

Two great smells that smell great together....oodles of various roses and cinnamon

My chemistry just relishes in rose and cinnamon fragrances so this is a keeper for me.

Perfect balance and fairly long lasting....this will be added to my big bottle list most certainly