Picture Book and Pleasure Toys

[tativa]

Pink rose, red musk, red sandalwood, oakmoss, vetiver, nectarine, black tea, ambrette, jasmine, and blackcurrant bud.

First of all... i would like to say the wear length on this is phenomenal.

This sort of reminds me of ponthia meter from last year, except on a tea and musk back ground. Not that they are super alike or anything, just the rose note used between the two of them that shows up at first is similar.

At first its very sandalwood, rose and a touch of the yummy type of vetiver (okay... i am a freak and admit i have some EO of it I smell whenever i want to chillax). The combo almost makes me think of a warmer, slightly more sophisticated rakasha.

Then as it dries down, the tea and musk become more prominate, mixing with the sandalwood and vetiver to make a very yummy subtle black tea scent.

Its both sophisticated and natural at the same time.

For those of you scared of red musk... even fresh it isnt very prominent or rough, its alot softer and less there than most of the red musk blends, but still works its magic. For those of you scared of vetiver... it might just be my skin, but you might wanna watch out a little more. Its not prominent, in fact its very well blended and a supporting note, but at least on my skin it sticks around the whole journey.

The fruit shows up just a little, not to make it fruity, but to lend a slight sweetness. Like a fruit tea, being sipped in a pagan brothel as a lady unwinds from a night of passion.

Its not overwhelmingly sexy that one could not wear it on a normal day, the earthiness and sexiness and sophistication are all very well blended, just like the notes, to make it pretty much appropriate for whenever.

Today the rose is sticking around a little more and its more like smokey black rose tea. I am guessing as it sits a few days the musks and rose might get a lil more prominent over the woods.

[edenssixthday]

Picture Book and Pleasure Toys - My skin ate this one up. I put it on and while it was strong at first, it was completely gone within 2 hours. It's a strange scent on me, a weird combination of rose, red musk, red sandalwood, oakmoss, and amber. It slightly reminds me of Butterflies & Plovers, but less juicy-sweet. For the most part, it's a solid woody-floral scent and very "oriental" in spirit. The various notes are interesting together, but on me, they're kind of weird. I'm having a hard time describing this probably because I have a hard knowing exactly how I feel about it.

[musichappens]

Vetiver, why do you hate me so?! This blend could have been amazing ... damn my skin chemistry!

Edited February 25, 2010 by musichappens

[Little Bird]

In the bottle, this smells like a perfumey rose drowning in earthy, ashy, slightly smoky vetiver. It's very dark and cold.

 

On my skin, the rose amps up like crazy and fights its way out of the pit o' vetiver. I always feel a bit silly reviewing blends with rose in them, because my skin chemistry tends to morph them into a rose single note. I can say that this isn't really a fresh rose or a sweet rose on me. It definitely has the feel of a classic rose perfume, sort of sharp and musky. I can smell just the tiniest hint of of earthy, black, gritty vetiver underneath all of the rose perfume.

 

I won't be keeping my decant of this one. I love the smell of fresh, realistic roses or sweet, sugary roses, but I don't care for rose notes when they're sharp and perfumy like this...

[Myrrha]

Wet: starts off with quite a bit of musk, sandalwood and rose. It is a perfumy, dry scent.

 

As it dries: the rose note blends with the musk/sandalwood. At this point I can’t really smell any distinct flowers, I guess it is rose and jasmine together blended with the other notes.

 

Dry: It has calmed down a little bit and it is just a blend of the rose/floral scent and the musk/sadalwood. This faded quite a bit after two hours into a sort of sandalwood/floral scent. It actually smells like a much more natural, toned down and less overtly floral version of Joy. Not as exuberant as Joy but someone looking for a reserved, dry, understated rose scent might like this one.

Edited February 27, 2010 by Myrrha

[greenranger]

On me, this is starting out sort of delicately...which given the notes is a bit of a surprise. I didn't know that anything with rose/jasmine/vetiver AND red musk could be capable of that.

 

The problem I have with the shungas and lupercalias, is that so many of them smell so good, and even the ones that shouldn't work at ALL on my skin are also nice, that I have horrible troubles making up my mind.

[theseagrows]

ugh, unfortunately, this doesn't work on me AT ALL. i think that usually most of these notes work on me, but combined they just aren't working at all. this smells like a sour rose scent on me-that's really all i get. i think maybe it's rose + vetiver that's doing it, but sometimes sandalwood goes a bit sour on me too, so it could be that.

 

[blu°]

I, too, am surprised that I like this. Red musk is usually too heavy on me, and jasmine goes soapy and sharp. I'm also not always doing well with oakmoss and vetiver.

 

Alas, this blend smells not that bad on me. It's a tad perfumey, but in the way Lush stuff is perfumey. I kinda like it in here. It's a blend that remains somewhat foreign to my body chemistry, i. e. it doesn't blend as well with my personal scent as other scents do. It's a bit too formal/perfumey for that. But I still enjoy it. Not sure, I'd reach for it very often, though. It's a stranger on my skin. Might be nice when I want to dress up as somebody else.

 

Weirdly, it has a pleasant metallic/ozoney aspect to it. I say "weirdly", because 1) there's no note listed to contribute for that, and 2) I don't usually consider metallic or ozoney "pleasant", but it works in here, taking some of the heaviness, I guess.

[Invidiana]

Remind me again that that most florals+vetiver turn to powder on me. Scratch that, I think allflorals+vetiver turn to powder on me, period. For vetiver to work on me it needs equally dark stuff to support it: resins, spices, smoke, etc. With a second look at the note list I noticed that who else but our friend The High Imperial Concubine Jasmine of Doom is on there, and this must be the type that goes rancid banana on me and amps to the moon. This basically hits my skin like a fruity-floral tea but quickly morphs into a headachingly powdery and cloying jasmine-vetiver concoction with an eerie resemblance to mothballs. Gah.

Edited March 12, 2010 by Invidiana

[MeiLin]

A little nervous about the jasmine and rose. I can amp them both, especially the jasmine, and jasmine's just death on me however much I love to smell it elsewhere. (Jasmine bushes, jasmine tea--both beloved.)

 

In the imp: A sweet initial hit, then a strong green moss with some astringency that I think is the tea.

 

Wet: The moss and vetiver are sharp and immediately at the top, then nectarine and roses. Here comes the jasmine. Uh oh. Yeah, this is not developing well. No 1 Daughter just said it was nice, but I remain unconvinced.

 

Dry: Nah. The oakmoss and sandalwood are not playing nice with the rose and jasmine. It smells just...weird.

 

Verdict: Eh, especially with Unveiled on the other wrist. OMG. Unveiled. Om nom nom.

[anomie]

Imp: ROSE! Also jasmine. But ROSE!

 

Wet: Rose? All those wonderful heavier things are grounding it, though, and it's calming down.

 

Dry: This makes me think of a rosebush - roses and wet dark glossy leaves. It's quite nice, but I don't think I need a bottle. Oh well!

[Iceblink]

Wet, this is ALL VETIVER...whoa. The vetiver is still noticeable in the drydown but I'm mostly getting red musk/sandalwood/oakmoss now. Oddly, I can barely pick up any rose or jasmine at all! This is a really dark scent on me, and it's not BAD, but it's not great either.

[angelicruin]

Whoa VETIVER. Very smoky and dense on my skin. The vetiver note seems to kill all other notes on my skin, sadly.

[azurephoenix]

When I came to look at the fragrance notes I was really surprised. I would have thought this scent to be heavier than it is. I didn’t get any jasmine or nectarine or a noticeable musk scent. It was pale rose over woods with dust overlaying it all. An aged scent - very reminiscent of old dry books.

 

It evoked thoughts of a large empty room with an old wood floor, mid morning sunlight streaming through semi-opaque windows, with a light rose scented breeze wafting through making the dust motes dance.

 

Nice and calming but not really me.

 

[superpopkid]

Things I have learned from Picture Book and Pleasure Toys: Nectarine = Same Peach Note from Belle Vinu That Amps Beyond Reason. When I first opened up the decant, I got a gorgeous waft of vetiver softened by something warm and fruity, but on my skin, almost all I can smell is that stone fruit. Thank goodness I like that note; it's tart and juicy, if not photorealistic. If I squint, I can make out a fresh, floral background of rose and tea, but I may just be fooling myself.

 

Although I find Belle Vinu overwhelming and headachy on certain days, I'm not having that problem right now. Great throw and longevity. I suspect there's a lot of hidden loveliness in this blend - time to bust out the scent locket to see if I'm right.

 

 

[thekittenkat]

In the imp: Vetiver flashing under the finish line with some florals bringing up the rear, like a furlong back.

 

Wet: Getting some red musk and some rose, but not much. Very strange, as I usually amp red musk and also any rose note.

 

Dry: A hint of the black tea in the dry-down. Pretty much the vetiver just stomped all over the other notes from first to last. In horse racing, we would say that it destroyed the field (the other horses in the race). Too bad, as this could have been a loved scent for me, because of all the other notes. I now understand why this perfume is getting no love in the reviews. I would like to see it come back next year, without the vetiver. Right now, it's like sweet vetiver. No pleasure in reading the book or playing with the toys. Vetiver won, but I didn't bet on "him". Some aging might help. I'll keep my decant and see what happens.

[Suusje]

Out of all the notes in the scent, rose is the one that seems to be amping. And not in a good way. Rose has a tendency to smell a bit like citrus on me and so does this one.

[zankoku_zen]

On wet, it is very much veitver, red musk and rose thrown in. There is also something darkly spicy, and I think that may be the ambrette. It dries to a darker rose/jasmine blend with a light fruity floral overtone.

 

Not my cup of tea but very well blended. If you like roses and can handle jasmine, I bet this would be a gorgeous blend on you.

[hkhm]

bottle: very dark musk, sandalwood and vetiver.

 

wet: the rose wants to ruin this scent so badly but it just can't seem to overpower the musk and vetiver on my skin.

 

dry: the rose is giving this a bit of sharpness rather than soapiness. i redit the musk and sandalwood with keeping the rose in line. my beloved vetiver is nowhere to be seen though...

[ami226]

Huh, well I can't actually smell any vetiver in this one. It is actually mostly rose... Huh, after a bit on my skin I can smell some vetiver. It actually isn't bad. Just a slightly earthy musky rose. Not one of my favorites though.

[tacey]

I tried this one without having the notes handy -- I vaguely remembered there being tea and something floral -- so my first impression was just of the whole scent. I'm terrible at notes without clues. That said, I don't detect any jasmine (which tends to take over for me) or recognizable rose. There's something that I think is rose, now that I know it's there -- a soft, wet rose, but it's quite subtle.

 

This one captures the artwork perfectly. I sense gossamer fabrics, palely pink and purple and yellow. There's a gentle breeze from outside bringing in a faint herbal fragrance (the tea, perhaps?). It's very soft and relaxing, perfect for a woman alone thinking peaceful, happy thoughts. It's not overtly sexy, but the light touch of those delicate fabrics could quickly become so...

 

 

 

ETA: And I just received a compliment on this one! Co-worker noticed my office smells nice. She thought maybe gardenia, so the florals are coming out, but it's certainly not rose-heavy.

Edited April 20, 2010 by tacey

[impolight]

:::PICTURE BOOK AND PLEASURE TOYS:::

 

This one was supremely exciting to find waiting in the mailbox... Waiting to be coddled, cuddled, snuffled, and erstwhile molested.

Going over the veritable smorgasbord of notes listed in this one, the anticipation grew because nearly every single one has a special meaning thanks to the Lab's diligence in providing top-quality product!

From the opened bottle: Holy wholesomeness, that is GOOD!!! The Pink Rose and the Jasmine make a nice, satiny, candle-lit cushion. The Red Sandalwood makes up the bedframe and Red Musk and Vetiver lay atop all this, cleaving together in a glistening, twitching twine of relentless, open-throated euphorics...

This is warm, unctious, undulating autoerotic asphyxiation!

Picture Book and Pleasure Toys really makes your pineal gland want to erupt through your pelvic floor in a shrieking, sparkling cascade of infinity!

Wow, this is a remarkable fragrance!

This is making whoopee in a hammock sixty feet off of the ground in a wildly swaying tree-top during a spectacularly violent thunderstorm!!! The tang of a smartly bit lip and adrenaline!

On the skin, Picture Book and Pleasure Toys threatens to go soapy for just a moment, but makes a swift recovery and reveals a dark majesty.

The Black Currant Bud comes together with the Black Tea and the Oakmoss to warm the face and brighten the eyes like a glass of expensive whiskey.

Nectarine and Ambrette make a really neat glitter that could be either a breath-taking bauble of pretty jewelry or the slightest hint at a disconcertingly concealed blade.

Picture Book and Pleasure Toys is an olfactory opiate; addictive and eager to stretch wide your path to deification.

While this fragrance compels you to stand up straight and pay attention, it is also startlingly perverse...

Feel those cheeks glowing pink and hot!

Yes, both!

This is a colossally great fragrance. Picture Book and Pleasure Toys leaves little to no room for doubt that the minds behind the alchemies, ever emerging from the Lab are wickedly sharp and on an eternal quest to redefine the realms of possibility in terms of masterpiece, opus, and work of genius...

Long Live The Lab!

Spectrally, Picture Book and Pleasure Toys is grey, sage, rose, oxblood, plum, and goldenrod.

This is unisexual dynamite; spicy, kittenish and beguiling on Her, and sulkily rakish, reckless, and impudent on Him.

Picture Book and Pleasure Toys is an aromatic superpower.

Astronomically grandiose!

5.5 out of 5.

[surf-tormented]

I bought a bottle of this based on two things I read in reviews:

 

1) It lasted a long time.

2) It ends up smelling like old books.

 

And one thing from myself:

 

3) VETIVER!

 

All three points ending up being winners for me. Glad this review spot is here. I should use it more often when I have 2-3 scents I want and only the money for one.

 

It reminds me of a smokier version of Violette Market's White Petal. Jasmine and sandalwood musk play the key roles at first, but the tea and smoky vetiver balance it out with a bit of spice from other notes. Though there is rose in the perfume, it adds nicely to the game and doesn't overtake the blend. There is a slight citrus edge to it too. It is a complex scent and makes me feel like I am in a big luxurious bedroom with a wooden floor, on a bed with a big vase of sweet yet spicy flowers and a tray with a cup of fruity jasmine tea on it, reading an old dusty leather bound book with browning dog-eared pages.

 

It's very atmospheric and lasts a long time. I put it on before I go to bed and still can smell it the next day behind my ears and in my hair. It's a keeper. Thanks, kind reviewers, for letting me know about this one.

Edited May 12, 2010 by Madame Nyx

[filigree_shadow]

This smells good on me, but it doesn't smell like anything in particular. When I first put it on, I thought it smelled like a fairly unremarkable floral scent. Nothing was dominant, it just smelled like perfume. It was nice, but not a stand-out. Then after an hour or so, what seemed to be left was a pretty balanced blend of jasmine and red musk. Also nice, but still not a stand-out. Mostly musky with a vaguely floral overtone.

 

I usually think of my perfumes like this:

Tamora is the peach one.

Dorian is the tea one.

Ashlultum is the lilac one.

Voodoo is the patchouli one.

You know? Like often I'm in the mood for some particular note, so I tend to keep perfumes that have a certain dominant note that I like. This one doesn't seem to have anything dominant, it just smells like perfume. So... probably not a keeper for me, even though I do like it.

[forspecial_plate]

I'm in agreement with a lot of what was said before me. This year's Lupers were an odd bunch, and this is one of the more odd ones. At first it goes on like a floral perfume, but with something dirty underneath. As it starts to warm on the skin, jasmine comes out strong. Ahh, so this is what it's like for all those people who can't tolerate jasmine! It really tries to drown out the other notes. So far this is a powdery floral that reminds me unfortunately of a cleaning product.....with some dirty notes underneath that I can't quite pin down (probably the red musk and ambergris....but more than that, too).

 

Then something odd happens. As I'm sitting here typing and writing, I can smell the scent from a foot or two away, and I can tell the other notes are trying to come out. There is a tangy sort of wood note combined with the fruit. At this point I'm starting to like the scent, right when I was about to go wash it off. Then it just goes on like that. Up close, too floral, a little sour, some powdery rose. But the throw is trying to seduce me. I'll keep my decant, for a while at least. Very strange scent.