Harlot

[Happy Heathen]

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 bottle:
Cinnamon, cinnamon, and more cinnamon! This isn't the warm-tangy-sweet taste of cinnamon, however - my guess is that the rose notes tone it down, leaving a cool, almost clinical spicy scent. The rose is there but it's so overpowered by the cinnamon it's nearly indistinguishable. Don't sniff too deeply, or the spice will make you sneeze.

On myself:
Once applied, the scent becomes floral; the rose notes rise up through the slightly faded cinnamon to become the central tone of the potion. It goes just a tad bit soapy on my skin, although not in an objectionable way - it creates a combination of freshly-washed flesh and spiced winter flowers that in my mind is somehow distinctly Victorian. There is definite presence to this perfume, much more of a throw than Bordello but also considerably more gentle, nothing in-your-face or overwhelming. Surprisingly, the scent never does warm up; it stays calm and cool all the way through the faintly bitter fading notes.

[Ah Xia]

Beautiful rosey-cinnamon scent--I love the smell of roses, and the cinnamon makes it spicier and more complicated. Unfortunately, the cinnamon also gave me huge red welts on my arms where it was applied, so I think I will have to find myself a scent locket, because I LOVE this scent...

[puck_nc]

Origin: An imp bought on El Jay

 

Initial Thoughts: Rose. I'm automatically there.

 

In the Bottle: Cinnamon roses! Wow, this smells divine!

 

Wet: Whoo, hello cinnamon! It's very lush and red.

 

Drydown: It warms into a very spicy floral. It's sexy yet very, very feminine.

 

verdict: Me likey.

[Elrianra]

In the bottle, this is cinnamon coated rose petals... delicious. On me, the wet roses are dew-kissed white buds: faint and gentle while the cinnamon is like a spicy candy slathered underneath to hold the petals in place. This almost has a honey-ish sensation in the back of my mouth, I bet there's lots of light amber in this! Dry, this is softly spicy and very smooth, like cinnamon sticks and dried roses. This is a lot softer and fainter than I expected, very gentle and soothing. Not at all sensual in my mind, just very luxuriant and pretty. It breathes mild cinnamon and faint roses for hours, gradually losing it's spice until it's just white petals slipping away from my skin. This is SO delicious, why didn't I try this one sooner?!

[kourika]

Initially, Harlot is a wonderfully sweet, sexy scent on my skin. Unfortunately, as it begins to dry down, I experience the nearly inevitable onset of "Eau de English Hand Soap" that most roses morph to on my skin.

 

The main plus is that my skin sucks Harlot up fairly quickly, so I don't smell soapy all day.

[cranberry]

In the imp, this smells like dry and dusty florals, subdued, but with a touch of spice. It reminds me of elements of Medicine Show, either the opium or elmni. It also reminds me somewhat of an acaia oil that I’ve had forever.

 

Once on, I can smell the roses, but it’s not the moist, lush roses of Rose Red or Séance. They are the “old-fashioned” roses that have a bit of powder attached. There’s also cinnamon which adds a wonderful spice and complements the roses quite nicely. Pretty!

[edenssixthday]

Harlot - Valentine's Day meets Big Red! Upon first applying it, I get roses and...wow, cinnamon! 30 second later: CINNAMON CINNAMON CINNAMON! 2 minutes after application: Really pretty true rose scent and the cinnamon has calmed down quite a bit. 15 minutes after application: Rose and something bitter -- almost like the scent of water in the bottom of a vase that's been left to sit a week after the flowers die in it. 30 minutes after application: Soft, sweet, subtle roses. 1 hour after application: Boring, bare skin. No scent left. I actually really like this scent and after I applied it the first time, I was convinced I was going to buy a bottle. An hour later when I got to work and had no scent left, I realized I certainly wasn't going to buy it after all. Besides, the cinnamon left a big red mark on my neck and chest after I applied it there -- and I don't have sensitive skin in the least. I'm really, really sad that this one doesn't last because the top notes of a variety of roses and cinnamon is simply a divine and surprising combination. I may still pick up an imp or two to use on occasion, but I wouldn't spend the cash on a whole bottle right now.

[juniperus]

Bottle: cinnamon, with a dark rose coming up behind

Wet: very deep, dark floral behind the cinnamon...rose with an attitude

Dry: spicy dark rose, the cinnamon now less of a presence on it's own and more of a compliment to the floral.

Later: sultry, yes, and mysterious and slightly sinister....gorgeous.

[fairy]

EEEEK. Pure cinnamon spice in the bottle. I'm glad I put it on because it settled some and I caught a slight sniff of rose of some sort. But the spice over powers it for me. Off to swap...

 

I had to edit this when I read one of the reviews above mine that mentioned Big Red Gum....that's IT! It's like chewing Big Red Gum while standing next to old roses

Edited July 31, 2006 by maddi

[columbus]

In the bottle: Mmm, spicy, cinnamony goodness! "A dribble," you say? No way!

 

Wet on the skin: Still spicy, but now you can smell the florals. It's quite a super combination; I'm not usually a huge fan of roses (actually, of rose scents, real roses I adore), but this is certainly an exception!

 

Drying/dry: Wait! Hold on! Come back, cinnamon! I didn't mean I liked the roses more! I love you both! *Pines.*

Unforunately, on me, the spicy goes *Poof!* Fortunately, what remains is a really good rose scent. I'm glad, 'cause Two, Five, and Seven went gicky on me, and I really haven't found a scent that smells like roses like I remember 'em. This one does just that! Superfantastic!

 

And as for the... uh... side effect? ;p No sexy dreams for me, but I did have some very vivid disturbing dreams. Teach me to eat chocolate before bed, eh?

 

Overall, a great floral scent. Nothing sinister or spicy when I wear it, but I'm not complaining! And Harlot lasts, too. So happy!

[akw]

In the bottle, strong cinnamon with a hint of underlying floral.

 

Wet on skin, oh my goodness, Red Hots! Yes, the little red candies in the cardboard box. I have fairly tough skin, but the cinnamon in this is intense and left my forearm red and burning.

 

Drydown, cinnamon fades and rose asserts itself with a spicy component. I think rose lovers would enjoy this, but my skin turns it to laundry soap.

 

I might save the imp and put it in an oil burner on some cold, dreary winter night. Might be just the ticket.

Edited August 9, 2006 by KateW

[sihaya09]

I got tea rose + red hots cinnamon. It's a good daytime scent-- not cloying, and light, but still pretty sassy. I really like it.

[aestien]

Bottle: cinnamon rose

Wet: cinnamon rose

Dry: it dries down a little powdery and old fashioned

 

It's a very straightforward cinnamon rose blend on me, and the cinnamon is a really nice addition, blending beautifully with the roses. And the gypsy magic aspect of this blend was inspiring.

 

However, as rose blends/love potions go, I prefer #20 Love Oil. Less rose, more herbal spice base.

[Musamea]

In imp and wet: mostly fiery cinnamon with a hint of sharp, nearly plastic-y rose underneath

 

Dry: Cinnamon, cinnamon, cinnamon; still with a hint of plastic in the background… the Moroccan rose, I believe, since that's the note this oil shares with Rapture and I got the same scorched plastic scent from that blend. I really like the cinnamon in this one, but the plastic is a huge turn-off. Will throw this imp into the swap pile and stick with Chimera for my cinnamon fix.

[Naamah_Darling]

Hmm. Gypsy roses, eh? Let's see. Yup, that's a very damp rose with just a touch of something bitter.

 

On, it's surprisingly subtle for a rose scent, and there is indeed a trace of cinnamon that warms it up nicely. This is dark, soft, and feminine, not overpowering, with a much more rounded, natural feel than most rose scents usually have. The cinnamon really gives it a spicy undertone that keeps the floral from becoming sickly and dreadful. It has an earthy note to it not unlike a much lighter version of the graveyard rose in Zombi.

 

I like this very well, perhaps better than the other rose scents I have tried. It is at once fuller and less cloying, a definitely rosy scent but not one that overwhelms. Most of its strength is gone in an hour, though traces of it linger for a very long time.

 

Overall, it's a ripe, womanly perfume with just a trace of the wicked. Rose lovers who also enjoy cinnamon might want to try this marvelously simple yet lovely scent.

[Luhtarian]

This started with a burst of cinnnamon, then it went to soap and has remained there.

[valentina]

In the imp, Harlot is rose with a cinnamon stick nearby. When it goes on my body, considering my ability to amp up rose fragrances, it's naturally a very spicy, rosy smell. It dries down as a very strong, spiced rose, but with the rose aroma predominating. I was hoping that the cinnamon would take over, because I love cinnamon, but it's my body and it's rose. 'Nuf said. While it's not for my body, I do make potpourri with rose petals, and this might be an ideal oil for that purpose. It's not an overly sweet rose in this blend, and I think of Harlot as being a really great fall-into-winter rose-based scent for those of you who love roses. It has enough spice and zing to make it very distinct from the more delicate or sweeter spring-into-summer tea rose-based scents.

[indicolite]

I never got the cinnamon - and usually my skin amps it.

 

Harlot has dried to smell like rose. A dry rose. It does not make me smell very sexy or wanton.

 

I think Harlot is for the swap pile.

[Miss Lynx]

This was gorgeous on first sniff -- the perfect rose blend. I actually do like the scent of rose, quite a bit; it's just that my skin usually amps it so much that rose scents end up being headache-inducing overkill on me.

 

And it did start amping after a bit -- but not to too painful an extreme, though that could be because I put it on fairly lightly. The cinnamon is just a faint trace, but it compliments the rose notes nicely. And as it settles in after being on my skin for a while, the rose does fade down a bit, and the eventual drydown is nicely subtle.

 

I still don't think it's something I could actually wear on any kind of a regular basis -- for better or worse, I think I'm just not much a floral person. But for anyone who is a fan of rose, this one absolutely deserves a place of honour on your wish list. And even I who can almost never wear rose am very tempted to keep it.

 

Grade: B

[kunoichi]

In the vial this is a soft rose scent with a breath of cinnamon in the background. On my skin, the cinnamon comes through sweetly to the fore, though I can still detect the roses faintly behind it all. After a few hours on my skin this has become a soft, subtle, gentle scent that has almost faded with only an ever so slight memory of the cinnamon sweetness that it once had.

[Laurel the Woodfairy]

I have no idea why I'm only just now getting around to Harlot--probably because the name sounded similar to other Love Potions and so I didn't notice the roses! cinnamon! Romany, as in gypsies! Once I took a closer look at that description, I about squeed myself. Just when I think I've tried every possible rose, there's another one--this time a spicy rose. Harlot was very nice at first. However, and this is odd, it went a bit dusty/bitter on the drydown. Since I have so many rose blends, I don't feel the need to keep any that aren't completely perfect on me--so off she goes!

Edited September 3, 2006 by Laurel the Woodfairy

[euterpe414]

I absolutely love this blend, I just wish it would last a bit longer on me. It is a very very spice rose on my skin- the cinnamon is very dominant, but rose peeks through just enough to keep it rounded and sensual. The blend stays the same throughout the drydown, which is great. Again, fabulous, but I have to reapply every 2 hours or so.

[cuervosueno]

I got this as a frimp with an ebay purchase.

 

I thought, Harlot, now why haven't I tried that before?

 

I sniffed it out of the imp--cinnamon! with a sweet soft floral. So far, so good.

 

Then I decided to look it up.

 

Rose! My nemesis!

 

But it was so nice in the imp I had to try it.

 

And.....it's ok. My skin amps rose like crazy, so unfortunately as soon as it hits my skin, its rose rose rose, but its not an annoying rose a la Jean Nate (does anyone remember that other than me?) but its still rose. Which often makes me sneeze, though this didn't. After a bit the rose calms down and a get some cinnamon. I can see the Big Red gum comparison, though mine is Big Red with roses.

 

I wouldn't buy it, nor will I keep the imp, but I'm glad I tried it, and in the end, I didn't hate it.

[ND¢]

As has been mentioned, this is also reminiscent of Big Red gum on me. The cinnamon is dominant but softened by the rose, so it's not a sharp, spicy cinnamon.

[batsy]

In the vial: yummy exotic spicy roses!

 

On the skin: Rose scents are always hit or miss for me. Harlot sorta disappeared into my skin on contact and left nothing behind. I didn't get any cinnamon (which is fine by me) and the roses were nice. But then it went sour and gave me a headache. I think I'll send it to my friend.