Martian Phoenix

[Clueit]

MARTIAN PHOENIX
Magnanimous, unconquer’d, boistrous Mars,
In darts rejoicing, and in bloody wars
Fierce and untam’d, whose mighty pow’r can make
The strongest walls from their foundations shake:
Mortal destroying king, defil’d with gore,
Pleas’d with war’s dreadful and tumultuous roar:
Thee, human blood, and swords, and spears delight,
And the dire ruin of mad savage fight.
Stay, furious contests, and avenging strife,
Whose works with woe, embitter human life;
To lovely Venus, and to Bacchus yield,
To Ceres give the weapons of the field;
Encourage peace, to gentle works inclin’d,
And give abundance, with benignant mind.

A blessing of strength, energy, and courage: dragon’s blood, thistle extract, galangal, opoponax, tobacco absolute, cactus flower, peppermint, black pepper, cumin, white fig, and bloodroot.

Can't say for sure which is which in this blend but I'm reminded of some sea salt potpourri I picked up once upon a November. I'd gotten a Mint Mix and some Dragon's blood. I ended up putting them in a little metal sifting canister, made the area smell just like this.

It's dragon's blood entwined in mint in a metal canister. Salt, rust, and something else lingers.

But that's just my impression.

[hlinspjalda]

I bought this unsniffed even though I had doubts about the tobacco, which is often a problem for my skin chemistry.

 

In the bottle: Peppermint, thick fruit (fig), a touch of cumin and a lot of resins. Not particularly rooty, nor do I get any dragon's blood.

 

Wet: Strong peppermint but completely contained by resins and the fig. What an interesting, penetrating, yet complex scent!

 

One hour: I was worried about the tobacco absolute, but it's not behaving the way it usually does. For once a tobacco note hasn't killed the scent for me! I like that this scent doesn't smell like blood or dragon's blood the way so many of the Mars-influenced ones do. I like dragon's blood a lot [clutching her bottle of Mars celestials], but this is much more interesting. Instead of blood, I'm getting figs, pepper, roots, resin, peppermint, and the tobacco. I quite like this scent. It's perfectly balanced between a foody fig-peppermint zone (predominantly yet gently minty, contained and grounded by the soft fruity note) and a masculine tobacco-roots zone that reminds me of Hellhound on My Trail.

 

Three and a half hours: The fig is beginning to outpace the other notes now. It is still very pleasant, but less masculine and more unisex figgy-fruity.

 

I really like this scent, which for me is the surprise hit of the Tenth Anniversary group.

[Lycanthrope]

Oh, no, this did not work on me at all. Galangal, pepper, cumin and fig read to me as a foody, and then there is a distinct, sweet, jarring peppermint note (true peppermint!) The blend is eerily cooling, yet reads as distinctively red, as Mars would be. Opoponax does bad, bad things on me in this perfume, and as the whole blend dries down, it emerges, whomping all about. The tobacco leads to a smoky, but discoherent, eerie scent on my skin. It reminds me overall of Macbeth and the Witches with the foody front.

 

Do not want!

[fairestrocza]

An odd combination of fruity-sweet and peppery. At first, there was a wet-burned-vegetation scent, and I thought I was going to hate this, but after that note faded, and I wore this a bit, it started to grow on me. The different aspects of the scent seem to be at war with each other. In the end, I think this may be a bit too masculine for me.

[Lani]

This scent is totally a sleeper hit for me. I bought it because I couldn't resist the Mars association (I'm an Aries, ha!), even though the description didn't make me feel like it was a must-have. Turns out it's a wonderful, darkly spicy, slightly woodsy, rich fruity scent on me. I like it so much I haven't tried any of the frimps that came with my order yet, I've just worn Martian Phoenix! I don't really get the peppermint note strongly, which is a bit of a disappointment because I love peppermint, but there is a slight sharpness to the woodsy-ness behind the scent that I would guess is the work of the peppermint.

[surlygurl]

Oh wow! Something from my decants smelled really awesome but I couldn't figure out what. This may be it! I almost passed on this because of the peppermint - silly me.

 

Fresh on, I get peppermint and 'other stuff'. As it dries, it starts smelling sweet like candy - or almost candy. I would guess dragon's blood. Fig normally doesn't work, but this is white fig and I think that makes a difference. This is fruity/earthy - the earthy from the pepper as well as resins. I really like this. Sweeter than I though it'd be. Not sure I need a bottle... maybe a half bottle.....

[Little Bird]

In the bottle, this smells mostly like a heavy, floral dragon's blood and black pepper.

On my skin, the peppermint comes out in full force and this just smells awful on me . The mix of mint, pepper and dragon's blood here is intensely bitter and medicinal on my skin. Like really bitter cough syrup. As it dries down, something smells like a whiff of body odor (the cumin, I think).

I wound up scrubbing this off after about a half hour. Definitely not for me.

[Quillifer]

It's funny - I get the same main notes that most people describe here, but I'm in the camp that loves it - seems to be a Marmite scent!

 

On me this is initially strong mint, but warm rather than cold. I can't really detect a seperate note that creates the warmth (novice nose here). It's also quite sweet but not dragon's blood - I'm a keen DB fan and I'd spot that one. There's a slight hint of tobacco but not in any off-putting way (it's usually a death note for me and I felt brave ordering this).

 

As it dries down the mint drops down a little and I get a lovely rounded spicy warmth. It's still sweet but not overly so - it's like a savoury dish that includes a small amount of brown sugar or molasses or something, not like a sugary candy.

 

I absolutely love this - oh one interesting thing: when I applied this direct from the bottle, I liked it less than when I added a wand-cap. Odd. I think somehow the scent spread out better.

 

PS All that said, this is a scent I'd wear to please myself. It's definitely quirky. It appeals to the elements of bravery, bracing, chutzpah, seizing the moment - but in a judicious way: courage with brain engaged. I can't call it pretty.

Edited January 6, 2013 by Quillifer

[mymymai]

ITI: It's a spicy, resinous blend. Dragon's blood is clear to my nose, as is the cumin, white pepper, thistle, and the opoponax.

 

Wet: Dragon's blood, pepper, opoponax, thistle, cumin, and peppermint. Yummy.

 

Dry: It's sweet and earthy (fig), resinous, and soft. It's lasted 13 hours and is wonderfully pleasant here. This is the stand-out scent for me so far among the Anniversary scents.

[alyelle]

In the imp: Tobacco, mint, and spice - especially pepper

 

Wet: Cold and airy. There's a strong hit of mint at first, then pepper, then something almost alpine - perhaps the bloodroot. I've not seen it in any other scent I've tried and have no reference for its smell at all.

 

Dry (1 hr): A lovely base note that's similar to tonka - I'm guessing the opoponax - and some planty overtones. Thistle and dragon's blood (not one of the best scents for me, I hope that wears off soon), and a hint of cumin peeping through. The pepper burns away by the end of the first hour.

 

Dry (6 hrs): Still quite strong, the throw is good. Scent wise, there's a very soft vanilla on my wrists - where it's coming from, I have no idea, but it's like proper crushed vanilla beans - and on my elbows, there's traces of the spices, with sweetness from the fig. And yes, the dragon's blood did burn off too. Sadly, the mint also vanished after a short while, which is a shame; I liked the coolness it brought to this blend.

 

Overall, very pretty, and definitely my favourite so far of this year's Phoenixes. But I shan't be hasty, I've got four more to try.

 

★: 4/5

[Dark Alice]

Wet: Cat pee and mint.

 

There is something in this that evokes cat pee. I don't know what makes the ammonia come out but it does...and it's gross. MUST GO AWAY NOW!

[TrailerTrashPrincess]

chock full of dealbreaker notes you are. sniffed from the bottle, all i smell is peppermint. on skin, it's yet more peppermint, with cumin-pepper created a spice in dire need of a shower.

[zankoku_zen]

Black pepper, cumin and dragons blood.

 

Okay, so like three of my LEAST favorite notes.

 

Spicy, spicy, b.o.

[milo]

At first, I'm getting peppermint, and some sunny herbs. This is really quite odd, as peppermint usually makes things smell 'cool' to me, but here it is a warm herbal peppermint. Kind of fitting for Mars, which is red but cooler than Earth. Peppermint fades a bit when dry, but it still is very much sunny and red, but still with a bit of the cooler peppermint. This is odd to be sure, I'm don't know what to make of it, I wish I had about another half decant, as it is a bit intriguing, but I don't know how often I'd wear it, as it doesn't really smell like something you should wear as a perfume.

[brilliantcat]

Imp: This smells lovely, all herbs and mint.

 

Wet: Minty, herbal, slighty creamy... it makes me think of Thin Mints cookies for some reason It smells utterly beautiful though.

 

Dry: Mere moments later I start getting wafts of soapy floral... buh? It smells like roses and more roses on top of florals. I have no idea what the heck note(s) are causing this! Disappointment, thy name is Martian Phoenix

[mistressfizz]

Bright peppermint with a pop of cologne sharpness. As it dries, the minty freshness fades and becomes sweeter with a slightly woodsy tone, as the dragon's blood warms up. It's an unsettling mix of hot and cold, the darker, earthy notes swirling with peppery light herbs. Oddly interesting.

[strahlend]

This scent works really well on me.

On my skin I get mostly a base of dragon's blood with an edge of spice (black pepper) and a musky depth (opoponax, galangal & cumin). The subtle minty counterpoint is fascinating and rounded out with a hint of sweetness (tobacco & fig). It's a beautifully complex blend of notes from different points on the scent wheel, all the more interesting because each is pronounced individually and also blends seamlessly into the whole. The overall impression is dragon's blood with a very unexpected twist.

I like this one well enough to have secured a couple backup bottles.

[IambicDearie]

Dragon's blood and mint. I wouldn't think they'd work together as well as they do, but they blend into something warming and alert.

[Coldfire]

Decant: mint-y tobacco
Wet on Me: minty tobacco with a trace of the pepper and something a bit astringent-y
Drying Down: getting a wood/dry plants note stepping up to the plate now over the tobacco...with the mint stepping back a bit.
Dry: interesting. It has an stashed in the attic feel to the final dry scent. It's okay but I'll probably re-home this.

[katharina]

This seems like one of those scents you either love or hate. I am in the love category.

 

Bottle: Minty, spicy flowers.

 

Wet: The peppermint comes out full force when it's wet on the skin, yet oddly, the sharpness is contained by the spices and resins.

 

Dry: Once dry it becomes a spicy and slightly fruity floral. I really love it dry and as the mint settles it totally transforms into something so fucking enticing that I want to lick it.

 

This is one where I thoroughly enjoy the journey it takes me on from bottle to dry down. This is an adventurous scent, which is so appropriate for a Mars scent. It is also highly comforting to me for some reason. I don't know if it is a hidden scent memory or what, but this one just makes me feel good. I am so glad I took a chance on it and bought the bottle blind.

 

Allergen/Skin Sensitivity: I do want to note that this is one I can FEEL on my skin when it's still went--I think it's the mint and heat combo. I could imagine someone who is more sensitive than I might not like the sensation.

 

ETA: The more I wear this, the more I love it. I may need to hunt for a 2nd bottle.

 

Edited February 23, 2021 by katharina