Seraglio

[empi girl]

In long-ago Arabia, harem girls rubbed an herbal poultice formed from a blend of sensual, luxuriant herbs and oils onto their bodies to prepare themselves for the Sultan’s pleasure. This lush, indulgent perfume is based on that ancient formula. Sweet almond and Mysor sandalwood enveloped by a heady veil of Bulgarian Rose, neroli, nutmeg, clove and orange peel.

Almondy and musky...yummy. Fades into a gently perfumy scent, with no trace of almond. Very nice, feminine and lovely. Perhaps not a keeper, since I'd like the almond to stick around longer. But very nice all the same.

[Monster]

Out of the bottle this is ALL sweet almond. Very very sickly sweet almond.

 

Wet on my skin it turns to a sweet almond mixed with rose.

 

As this dries down, it completley changes! This eventually turns to a musky rose on my skin. I'm not getting any of the other notes mentioned. This is all a powdery/musky floral on me.

[Freyja Lux]

Seraglio smells like cherry when wet. Applied, the sweetness mellows and a delicious floral smell lingers on the skin, very warm. It smells like rose to me and I don't like wearing rose. Complex and very feminine.

It is very delicious, however, just not a "me" smell.

[grrrlennyl]

at first: wow. all i can smell is the almond. i hope the other notes come out when i try this out.

on: very, very sweet. cherries? possibly almond. watery, too. very strong.

1.5 hours later: thankfully, this isn't as strong as it was at first. it's definitely rosy, but a bit soapy, too. i don't think this one will be a keeper.

3.5 hours later: this is all rose on me.

overall: this is ok, but...yeah. just ok.

[Brianne]

In the bottle:

Almond and soft rose

 

On me:

Why do you hate me so Rose? Did I do something to offend you?

I had high hopes for this, despite the fact that it contains rose. I was hoping that the sandalwood and almond and spices would balance out that rose. Alas, it doesn't. There is no balancing out rose on me, it's usually just rose. It kills all other notes. This is no exception unfortunately. Surprisingly though I DO smell a little bit of that orange peel, and it just makes me even more sad that the rose is so prominent in this.

 

Final note:

Rose lovers rejoice! But for those of us that rose refuses to work on - weep, because this probably won't be any different on you. The orange peel sure is nice though.

[aedes]

At first, I got the orange peel, but the spices creeped up steadily. It smelled a lot like a pomander to me, so it got me all geared up for the holidays. Now it's starting to get a little soapy, which concerns me, but the rose is also making her appearance. This is defintely a scent that comes in stages! Complex and intriguing. I'll wait a little longer and see if anything else peeks out.

[sarahj]

Seraglio

 

in vial: orange and neroli

 

wet: sandalwood and orange

 

dry: nice blend of sandalwood and orange (but why do all the other notes elude me?)...fades in less than two hours

 

verdict: lack of staying power means I don't need a big bottle

[Little Bird]

I expected this to be sharp and perfumey, so I was surprised at how sweet it is. It isn't sharp or perfumey at all, but a smooth mixture of light almond and sweet orange. I tried this on with the expecation that I wouldn't like it and was ready to add it to my swap pile, since I normally don't like citrus, almond, woods, or rose scents. I'm glad that I gave it a chance.

 

Seraglio is really lovely. The rose is so pretty. It doesn't go bitter or powdery or soapy, nor does it smell like a fresh rose. It's just classic and pretty. Underneath the rose is a smell like sweet orange juice and sugar. It's actually a rather creamy scent on me. The sandalwood never makes an appearance, and the spices aren't that noticeable.

 

I like this. It's not a full bottle purchase, but I'll be keeping my imp. It's a nice creamy rose scent.

[sarada]

I always regret when I can't be more helpful in a review than to say "I can't wear this one, it gives me a headache" but if you are like me in that you have trouble with almond scents, then you might have the same problem with this one.

 

At first I thought this must be a straight cherry scent but it's that almond again...I do get a headache almost immediately from it. Like most scents that start out that way though the cherry/almond smell is only present in the bottle and it dissipates almost immediately. The headache is still there though.

 

The next phase is a powdery rose. Powder....no sandalwood or spices...basically just stays at the powdery rose stage. Sort of reminds me of a thick dusting or foundation powder you might find on an antique dresser. Some time later I do think that I find a hint of clove. Now I am thinking of an antique dresser with powder dusting the surface, a vase full of faded roses and a clove cigarette slowly burning in an ashtray. Not unpleasant but it's not something that particularly suits me.

 

The good news is that the cherry/almond smell is only present in the bottle, so people with sensitivities to it might be able to make it through that stage and find it wearable in a later stage. For me though since I just get sort of a caked-on powder scent, it's not something that I can wear.

[Fefferbella]

Sweet almond and oranges. This is very spicey.

 

Sadly not a scent for me. The almond is overpowering and make me sick to my stomach.

[maewitch]

Hmmm. This is not unpleasant, but the almond in the opening and the rose during the drydown are not really working for me. It's actually very dominantly rosy on me, when I was hoping for more sandalwood and spices. Perhaps I'll have better luck with Morocco?

 

I was hoping this could be my Inara scent, but the powderiness of the rose is not what I associate with the opulance and richness of the ultimate courtesan. I know rose is supposed to be a very sexual floral, but to me it reads as proper and chilly, unless it is subsumed within the scent by the other notes, as in Gypsy Queen. It can perhaps even be a little staid if done in a pedestrian way, or else sweet and ethereal if it is a white rose.

 

Anyway, all that to say that this is in no way an un-appealing scent - but it's not for me.

[Cagedflame]

This smelled so, so good in the imp. It reminded me heavily of the herbal teas I've been drinking a lot of : slightly flowery, a bit fruity, hint of spices. But on my skin it turned to rose, really strong rose with quite a throw. Sadness.

[AlaskaSnows]

Wet: Almond.

 

Dry: Sweet orange, mild spice, and almond. But luckily just a teensy bit of almond, mostly orange and a very mild spice. I am very glad the almond faded, I really hate almond. I like this very much, and will possibly buy a big bottle.

[oceangirl]

In the imp: Almonds.

 

Wet: Still almond. A bit of citrus, but almond everywhere.

 

Dry: Here comes the citrus. But not for long, because then it turns into a sweet, powdery scent. Crud.

[chapatti]

First whiff: Delicious, marzipan-ish sweet almond!

 

Drydown:The almond runs hiding in the background WHY GOODNESS WHY IT WAS SO GOOD?!

The rose shows up and just keels over on my skin, turning into dried-up, pot-pourri rose petals. The (dry, too) orange peel mixes intimately with it, along with a hint of sandalwood. By this point, it turns into a powdery and ever-so-slightly soapy scent that does feel ancient - but actually, it smells much more like a 19th century, Victorian perfume to my nose, than a Middle-Eastern scent.

Eventually, the "dried" aspect of the scent vanished, but it took hours.

 

Verdict:I had high hopes at the start, but much like Nemesis, the soapy-rose-from-beyond-the-grave act totally ruined the scent for me. Alas.

 

 

6/10

Edited December 15, 2005 by chapatti

[SeaMonkey]

I get the same almond note I got in #20 Love Oil, but then the orange and clove come in. It goes a little soapy, but I imagine I would like this in a lotion. Don't ask me why, but I just think this should be a lotion *sets off to make lotion*

[Rhowan]

*~*SERAGLIO*~*

 

In the bottle: Staight almond with just a hint of citrus

 

Wet: The smell stays as true on my skin as it smelled in the in the bottle - that is very unusual for me.

 

Dry Down: This really goes through a lot of morphing after a couple of minutes pass. In the first few minutes of dry down, the almond and citrus start to fade and the sandalwood and rose start emerging. I cannot pick out any of the clove or nutmeg spice that I had assumed would also emerge.

As time passes this becomes soapy to me. If I take a lingering smell, I still smell a warm rose scent but if I am just catching a hint of it, it smells like soap.

 

Conclusion: This would have been a keeper had it stayed true. I am not too keen on rose notes anyway but I thought the rose in this would have lent to the fullness of the oil not be the star of it.

Edited December 30, 2005 by Rhowan

[terrierhead]

I love the smell of almonds, so I think Seraglio is fantastic in the imp. It's strong, sweet almonds with a bit of citrus - like a touch of orange peel. Once it hits my skin though, it turns into honey with a touch of almond. Something about my chemistry amps up sweetness, which is a pity because I wish this weren't quite so candy-like on me. This is nice, but too sweet to be very "me." I wish I got any of the clove or nutmeg at all. Perhaps this will change with aging.

Edited December 31, 2005 by terrierhead

[merebrillante]

In the vial: Cherries, and a little musk.

 

Wet: The fruit smell is being pushed to the side by the musk, or some spice.

 

Drydown: Rose! BAM! And a throw-y rose at that.

 

Dry: Rose, rose, rose, and then some more rose. Not for me.

[urraca]

Cherry, cherry, cherry at first, very sweet, backed by sandalwood giving it a somewhat incongruous dusty feel. The cherry fades and the neroli pops in quickly, followed even more swiftly by the rose. I like rose, but there are rose scents that are nicer on me.

[angharad]

I mainly get rose from this. Sandalwood makes an appearance during drydown, and I love rose and sandalwood together, so that made me happy. After drydown, I get a tiny hint of the orange peel, but nothing else ever shows up. Honestly I'm very glad the almond doesn't come out because that's one note that tends to overpower everything else on my skin. Anyway, as much as I liked the rose/sandalwood blend, once the orange peel peeks out it's all over. Seraglio turns to powder just a few minutes after the orange peel appears.

[undream]

Imp; a fresh maraschino cherry, right out of the jar.

 

Wearing; it immediately warms into a deep, gorgeous red rose. I am getting no other notes here at all, it is simply all rose all the time. Beautiful.

 

I love rose scents, I find them very soft, very comforting and peaceful, and so I very much love Seraglio. I actually own a bottle of non-BPAL rose oil spray, but I think Seraglio is a richer, more heady rose, &throws more than the lighter non-BPAL rose oil that I own.

 

I will give it another try in a week or two to see if it reacts with my skin the same way - BPAL oils tend to be fairly consistent on me throughout the month, I've noticed, but you never know when you might have found a moody imp!

 

 

ETA; this oil changes on me after about an hour or two of wear, when what I am pretty sure is the sandalwood comes out & to the forefront. The rose is still there, but it is lighter now, letting the sandalwood steal the show. A very beautiful, calming scent. Definitely keeping my imp.

Edited January 31, 2006 by undream

[foxroses]

in the imp, it smells like fake almond, sick and sweet, just like hecate and hellcat did. but not as strongly. when i put it on, its a very nice, sweet almond and spice, really nice actually. about 2 hours later, though, all i am smelling is an incredibly faint rosey smell, layered with spice. it seems like it would smell really nice, except it's so faint it's barely there. believe it or not, this is a rose i would like and wear, but what do i have to do, bathe in it? i'll have to try this again after a while and see if it does the same thing.

[QueenFae]

It's strange, when I first tried this on my skin, it actually smelled like cherries, sort of like Kabuki or Black Phoenix, but that didn't last. It has dried down to a light, lovely floral, which is predominantly rose. There is a subtle breath of almond and sandalwood in the undertone, but mostly just straight up pink roses. I do love the rose blends, and this one is lovely as well. Girly, innocent and sexy, but very light and not too much throw.

[slyfatale]

I just got an imp of this yesterday, and tested it out today.

 

In the bottle, it's definetely almond. A sweet-smelling almond. I hope this works on my skin.

 

While it's still wet, it is a very loud maraschino cherry. Candy-sweet and very red.

 

Drydown: It turns into a lovely soft rose, with just a hint of sandalwood.

 

As it starts to dry down it softens up a bit, and turns into a lovely rose.

 

After a while, the rose deepens and the spices start to play, and there's something there that's ever-so-faint. I can't pin it down, but my guess is it's the neroli.

 

This is a very calming scent - feminine and light, yet still sexy.

 

I'll have to try it again in a few weeks, hopefully with the same results. It probably will. but you never know with my skin.