Harimise

[Menum]

Rice powder, osmanthus, rose geranium, magnolia, khus, and chestnut.

In bottle: Delish. Smells a little like some sort of baking- probably the chestnut and rice

On skin: Got very nutty and floral. The rose decided to jump out at my nose. We'll see where this goes. (rhyming!)

10 min: Can't decide what's happening here. There's a soapy smell, but also the chestnut and rice scents (so long as I don't breath in deeply). Not loving this so far.

20 min: Sooooaaaaaap. And rice. DANGIT.

60 min: This isn't working so well. It's just enough rice and chestnut to make me want to take a deep breath, but then it's all soap. Not a fan, and this makes me sad.

[ModderRhu]

Harimise

This was much sweeter than I hoped it would be. I think the sweetness that I'm smelling is a mix between the chestnut and the osmanthus. It's not bad, I just wish the rice powder was dominant instead. I don't smell much of that. I like the contrast that the khus (vetiver) provides. It reminds me of being outside.

This was the first BPAL that I got complimented on! I never thought it was gonna happen!

3.8 out of 5

[gchris]

A little foody, but just a little. Like a bakery item with toasted nuts. Then it smells almost like clean sheets and toasted nuts. Interesting combination but not bad. Very soft and gentle. Don't love it, but not hating it either.

[sunlitgarden]

Harimise

 

Warm, soft and sweet, almost foody. I could smell the rose geranium while applying, but it isn't dominant. It has a bit of a menthol-like edge as well. This scent has a powdery quality, in a soft and comforting way. It makes me think of being cleanly washed and fresh, wrapping up in a warm towel or blanket to guard against a slightly cool morning. I periodically get whiffs of soft florals. Unfortunately, after sniffing my wrist, the scent that lingers in my nose is very faintly sour/'soapy. I'm really hoping that's just because I'm on my period right now, because I love the scent other than that.

 

Edit: as it dries down more, the sour note faded. I get more florals now and very light khus.

Edited July 3, 2010 by sunlitgarden

[Ishtar]

With such lovely, unusual notes, I had high hopes for Harimise. Unfortunately, it didn't agree with my skin back when I received it, and this is one of the few 2010 Lupercalias that a good bit of aging didn't help.

 

On me, Harimise changes very little - if at all - from start to finish. Be it freshly applied or after 2 hours, it smells exactly like some expensive shampoo only available through salons: vaguely herbal, vaguely floral, clean and soapy (no, I won't use up my decant to perfume my hair! )

 

I think it's now safe to say that this doesn't work for (and on) me...

[mymymai]

ITI: I smell an odd combination of rose powder, roasted chestnut, and rose geranium. It makes my nose tingle a little when I smell it.

 

Wet: Rice powder that smacks more of sake and musty chestnut with sweetly faint undertones of rose geranium. The notes behave a little better once on my skin.

 

Dry: The chestnut and rice powder blur to the extent that it smells like brown sugar. I only get the faintest impression of rose, but nothing else.

[Balame]

This is a sexy blend in ways I did not expect. The florals are very noticeable and I’m actually liking them. This is surprising since florals normally don’t cooperate with me, but they smell perfect here – like being outside with the scent of flowers wafting around you from a nearby garden. They’re fresh, clean and atmospheric, not cloying.

 

The rice powder makes things a bit dry, in a good way. This blend would probably be less dignified if it wasn’t present. As times passes the florals subside and it becomes warmer and more intimate. Wears closer to the skin as well. At this point it’s predominantly chestnut and rice powder. I really couldn’t have guessed vetiver was in here, but there is a certain wet earthiness that's likely its contribution.

.

I’m enjoying this quite a lot. It slightly reminds me of Following Instructions, in that it feels woodsy, a bit spicy and warm. But Harimise is lighter, floral and elegant where Following Instructions is heavy, very spice dominant and fierce. Still, that’s not to say Harimise can’t hold its own. It makes me think of an elven ranger that lives in the forest. You get the sense of nature but it’s presented in a dignified, dainty way.

[Naomi Kelsey]

I love this scent. The warmth of the chestnut gives it a slightly foody feel, as others have noticed. The rice and and chestnut blend lends this a very sophisticated perfume note. Another of the lab's more "commercial" fragrances, but I love it nonetheless.

Powdery, soft, warm, slightly nutty with a hint of floral. Kind of like the most expensive guest soap in the world...in a good way.

[Lucchesa]

I will try any blend with chestnut in it, but on initial application this seemed like a fail. It smelled like the rose dusting powders that elderly relatives owned in my childhood, the kind that would come in a round striped box with a pink powder puff inside. Pink powder puff = not me. But within 20 minutes or so, the warm nutty chestnut stepped in to save the day, creating a scent that is delicate and powdery while at the same time earthy and warm. I can't say I get any vetiver here at all, though it might contribute to the latter qualities. No throw but pretty decent staying power for a Shunga; this would be a good workplace scent on me.