Antique Lace

[Incendiare]

Nostalgia encapsulated. A soft, wistful blend of dry flowers, aged linens, and the faint breath of long-faded perfumes.

In the vial, Antique Lace smells like soft vanilla. The airy linens come through once I apply it to my skin. The vanilla remains as the dominant note, and while creamy, has a sort of dusty quality to it, but in a good way. I swear one of my My Little Ponies smelled like this?

I've had it on my skin for almost an hour now and the scent has barely stayed or changed. Great throw, for sure. I can definitely see why this is a favourite, and I would love to buy a bottle of this if it ever came back.

[ofthegood]

Watching people go crazy over this, I had to hunt down an imp and try it! I'd heard some comparisons to Lush product scents (maybe Butterball?) and the note-less description was intriguing. But when I sniffed the imp, it was so much more foody than I expected! Not a straight-up foody scent, but I definitely got strong impressions of sugar and vanilla. On the skin, I could also get some florals and creaminess in the background. It's gorgeously blended! And the lasting power was fantastic for me - I was still smelling a hint of it the next morning before my shower. It wafted around me as I moved, and made my boyfriend ask what I was wearing.

 

It's borderline love for me - I can recognize that it's a really amazing oil blend, and the throw and staying power were both impressive. But it's also almost too foody for me, especially given that the notes didn't give me any hint of the sweetness and foody qualities that I discovered. If this weren't some sort of holy grail that people are willing to pay $$$ for, I'd be more interested. I'm not going to sell my soul for this!

[starpixi81]

This is lovely. I tested it awhile ago(very generously was offered a test from a lovely forumite!) and finally got my hands on an imp!

 

This is the ultimate vanilla with a bit of a floral background and linens drying in the distance. Several hours after I put it on the linen/floral-ness goes away and I am left with a slightly somber and beautiful vanilla! It is very similar to Black Opal to me(and to many others it seems also) in that the same soft, dreamy vanilla is present. I also gets hints of Morocco when I sniff my wrist closely whilst the florals are still present.

[angelamaria]

In tester: creamy, soft florals. The description is so, so apt: this is a soft, faded cologne! Definitely spot on. Amazing. Very, very pretty. I can smell that beautiful vanilla as well. Wistful and nostalgic.

 

Wet on skin: clean, soft, and nostalgic, yes. Again, faded perfume and cologne, soft and creamy and rounded. It's faintly floral, but this is not a "feminine scent", although neither is it a gender neutral one, exactly--it's kind of in the middle of feminine and neutral. It's difficult to explain! The vanilla is fabulous. I can understand why this is such a holy grail scent. And I am sad that this is continued. And I am sad that the other laces are not this pretty.

 

Dry: I AM SAD PANDA. THIS IS BEAUTIFUL. ONLY CAPS CAN EXPRESS THE BEAUTY OF THIS. Ahem. Vanilla and non-flowery florals, if that makes sense...faded slightly-floral/sweet perfumes and colognes. Clean and soft. I can't stop sniffing my hand where I put the small amount on; it is true to itself for pretty much the whole time it was on my skin. I am going to hoard my sniffie, hoard it so, so, so much.

 

Verdict: I am sad. I am very sad. This is so pretty, and so expensive. As if being in absolute love with Snowblind and The Unicorn and Regan and (etc etc) isn't enough, I have to add this. SIGH. But it is BEAUTIFUL. DO YOU HEAR ME? IT IS BEAUTIFUL.

 

Edited to add: see my three-way deathmatch between Antique Lace, Elf v4, and XCDL13 here: http://www.bpal.org/topic/65148-death-matchin/page__view__findpost__p__2050792

Edited October 11, 2011 by angelamaria

[fetish911]

(((I thought I reviewed this a while back guess not)))

 

yep. What else can I say that hasn't been said before? ITs GOD DAMNED BEAUTIFUL. why o why did this have to be discontinuted (component issues I hate u)? Its heart-achingly gorgeous. Soft vanilla, just the right touch of soft linen and old perfume. Its just f*ing perfect. And aside from selling my kidney for some, HTF. ggrr.

[rivercitylizzy]

I like vanilla, I like florals, but I really, really do <b>not</b> like Antique Lace...I'm glad that I got a frimp of this with just enough oil to test the scent; I would have been upset if I'd made a larger investment...On me, though, it smells like rubbing alcohol with potpourri in the background. It's just awful. Whatever that sharp note is, my skin amps it like there's no tomorrow and I smell like a combination of my grandmother's old fashioned perfume and a hospital. Yuck!The alchohol-ish scent was so strong and overpowering that I eventually had to wash it off because it was giving me a headache. This one is definitely not a winner for me.

 

Yes. This. I'm so very, very glad I was frimped a tester of this along with a purchase I made from a kind forumite (THANK YOU BLAINE!!!), as it has saved me quite literally in the nick of time from sending a jaw-dropping paypal for a full bottle of it.

 

In the vial: Oh, damn. I really wanted to like this! Instead of a lovely vanilla musk I get powdery vanilla, musty tablecloth, & my grandma's EDT--which is not lovely on me. But I went ahead and put it on my skin anyway, just in case it turned out to be a morpher.

 

Wet on Skin: Nope, not a morpher, and now my skin is amping the "Oil of Old Lady"--I REEK of cheap body dusting powder. Ick. It is irritating my nose to the point that I'm having sneezing fits

 

Can't even tell what it's like completely dry, as after 15 minutes I'm sneezing so badly I must. Get. It. Off. Off to the swap pile it goes, a frimp for someone who will actually enjoy it.

[peacocks]

somehow never reviewed this even though it is my favorite scent i have ever come across in my entire life. i took a break from BPAL after ordering this a few years ago (2007?) and when i came back, it was long gone. for me, this is the perfect vanilla... because it isn't like any other vanilla. it is understated in its vanilla-ness somehow. it is sweet, but pretty and clean. someone once told me it smelled like an easter basket. that is fairly accurate.

if antique lace ever comes back......it will be a happy day. i've spent a long time looking for something to replace it, but alas i use lavanila's pure vanilla when i want a decent vanilla, but it lacks the subtlety of antique lace...

[lohengrin]

This is a review of an aged bottle.

 

In the bottle: Musk and vanilla, heavier on the musk. Fortunately it's not one of the musks that gives me a headache!

 

On skin, wet: Pretty much identical to the bottle scent.

 

On skin, dry: Still no real change.

 

After an hour: This is not a morphing scent on me at all. Which is good, because I like the way it smells in the bottle and so it's nice not to have it turn to something else entirely on my skin. ^^;

[calivianya]

An incredibly, incredibly generous forumite let me have some of this to test. I am so pleased.

 

On my skin, I am getting this beautiful soft vanilla, musk and linen combination with just the faintest undertones of floral perfume. I don't usually like floral notes, but these are so unobtrusive that they just add depth to the scent and don't take over. As the scent dries down, the vanilla just becomes more pronounced and deep on my skin. It is very sensual - it's a lovely vanilla caress. It just feels so elegant to me. I could easily see myself wearing this on my wedding day, if I ever get married.

 

I am unfortunately off to modify my top 10 and add Antique Lace to it. I am now one of the hordes who really hopes this come back one day.

[Honey]

I feel honored to be able to test this. Thank you, generous forumite - you know who you are!

 

I wish I didn't like AL as much as I do!

Initially, it smells similar to Solstice Scent's Cenobite on me: a bit chemical and very much vanilla, yet a bit more musky (yet soft musk). The chemical bite fades after a while, but it gives the blend this feeling of.. laundry detergent, in a good way.

So, I get the musky vanilla linen with a soft breath of dusky flowers. It's a great baby powder scent: soft vanilla, tamed flowers, clean linen.

 

I really like this. If it weren't as rare as it is, I'd definitely try to get myself a bottle of this! I believe this is a great skin scent for everyday wear!

[orata]

After a long time hunting for it, I finally managed to snag an imp of this on eBay!

 

It's a creamy vanilla musk scent, sweeter and more buttery than I had thought it would be, especially as it dries down. Almost too sweet, maybe. I don't really get a lot of florals; it's almost all vanilla to me, maybe a bit of that lineny "lace" base. It reminds me most of Black Lace, but quieter, softer and much, much sweeter; Black Opal, but definitely softer and not as cold/inorganic-smelling; and Boo, but not as toothachingly sweet and creamy.

 

I've also seen it compared to Morocco, and they have a similar musk, but the spicy carnation in Morocco makes it smell very different to me.

 

It lasts a very, very long time, which is good since I probably won't ever be able to track down another imp once this one is gone... but one little drop has lasted for about 7 hours on me so far.

 

It's too bad everything else I've found similar is LE or DC'd (this includes another e-tailer scent that I found very similar to both this and Black Opal, but was recently discontinued with no notice as well!) Maybe one of these days a replacement for that tricky component can be found.

[AuroraLlew]

I am so grateful to have been able to swap with a lovely forumite for a bottle of this.

 

This is the best vanilla ever. EVER. slightly musky, slightly floral in the best way (and I am typically a floral hater).

 

Antique lace is so lovely, so feminine. My DH compliments me every time I wear it and his typical response to the other hundred bottles of BPAL is "that's nice dear" with a glazed over look in his eye after I have asked him of he likes it..

 

I will have to space it out with the other lace scents.I will still enjoy them but after AL they seem to fall flat just a little. I will treasure every last drop of this and probably cry when it is gone.

 

I hope and pray that the component issue for this can one day be resolved. I will buy upwards of 10 bottles that day.

[Alethia]

Thoughts before testing: I never thought I'd get to even sniff this, let alone test it! I'm a vanilla fiend and a lover of florals, so this (unfortunately) should be a big win on my skin.

Wet: Ah, this is a stunning musky vanilla. Maybe just a hint of florals? Mostly just that killer vanilla.

Dry down: It turns slightly sweeter, but it's still gorgeous. Musky, sweet vanilla with soft florals. Beautiful!

Dry: The musk is a little stronger, and it's less sweet now. The florals are slowly receding. This is the best vanilla I've ever smelled.

Final thoughts: This is heartbreakingly beautiful. This makes me feel beautiful and lady-like, and I am gutted that it's not available.

Verdict: Hoarding

 

Antique Lace is one of my all time favorite perfumes (regardless of company); it was my wedding day perfume, what I wore to my master's graduation ceremony, to my first day of work, and any time I need to feel like my best self. So when I saw that the Lab was able to bring it back I immediately set alarms on my phone and went into Serious Stalk Mode. I was able to snag a bottle for myself (as well as bottles for my lovely mother and sister) and so here's the review for the 2017 version of Antique Lace:

 

To my nose, it smells exactly the same. Even doing an arm by arm comparison of the old and new, I can't tell them apart. The best vanilla I've ever smelled, slightly floral, slightly musky. LOVE

Edited June 24, 2017 by Alethia

[MuskWitch]

HOLY &%$#@!!!

 

I was just FRIMPED an almost FULL imp of ANTIQUE LACE!!! From an ebay purchase! WOW! I never in a gazillion years thought I'd get this out of nowhere! WOW! Yes, I did pay a fairly good sum for the bottle I won, but I NEVER expected I'd see a FRIMP of Antique Lace with it. WOW!

 

And, yes, it is absolutely, heart-wrenchingly lovely. If it were still available I'd buy a gallon. wow

[petrichorandleather]

Let me first just say that this didn't work out for me and I couldn't be happier that I am not doomed to be an AL lover wistfully clutching at their last drops in their decants and bottles.

 

To me this went on really astringent...no flowers...no linen note (which is usually lovely on me).

it's so disappointing. I just smell like really faint, worn off bug spray. I'm missing the magic.

[Ryan Hemphill]

I managed to get my hands on an imp of Antique Lace and did a test w/ the tinest amount since I know how rare it is.

 

It is one of the most lovely things I've ever smelled. It is this perfect vanilla musk that is nice and soft, yet has staying power for hours.

 

I'd be a lucky girl to have a whole bottle of this, but I'll just consider it awesome that I even got to try it this late in the game!

 

UPDATE- I just came across my old review and guess what? I have a whole bottle now. Yay! I let myself indulge with a little Antique Lace once and a while. Every single time I wear it, I get compliments on it. Like, total strangers come up to me asking what I am wearing because they NEED to get some. I love introducing people ot BPAL, but not as fun when the scent they love isn't available. Anywho- just lucky that someone approached me for a swap of this lovely oil <3

Edited January 21, 2016 by girlryan

[Valtiel]

I was lucky enough to have found a partial of this, XCDL13 and Elf v4!

 

In the bottle: Not sure if this makes a lick of sense, but it smells viscous. Thick. Light and wistful vanilla musk. But, thick in the oil.

 

Wet on skin: The perfect, non-foody vanilla and musk. Do I smell Linden Blossom?

 

Dry down: The linen note that the Lab uses, continues to amaze me! Other linen notes are just the worst for my skin! Anyhow, the vanilla musk is still predominate and wistfully beautiful! I'm certain that there is linden in here!

 

Verdict: It lasts and lasts! I am in love. I'm either going to have to hunt another partial bottle down or just be forgetful that I even have it

[Aviatrix]

This is pretty straight-up vanilla musk to me! If I really concentrate I think I can imagine the flowers being there as well, but it's mostly vanilla on me.

It isn't really my personal type of scent, but I can see why it's so popular, and I'm glad I got a tester of it to try

It has a decent throw as well.

 

In short, if you enjoy vanilla scents like Volcano in Springtime then I think you'll enjoy this too, if you can find some

[aylafr]

Plasticky vanilla on me..so happy I did not like it due to it's status

[celestia]

♔ Antique Lace

In the Bottle: Dusty florals and a creamy linen, vanilla musk

Wet: It's been years since I've smelt this again and already I feel the nostalgic scent of this scent's distinctive vanilla note. This is a beautiful, old delicate creamy vanilla musk scent with light whisps of dried white florals. It is as though this scent would have remained as beautiful and almost dainty, had it not been soaked with age. Still, it is a soft, powdery and creamy (almost milky) vanilla of the utmost refined and welcoming manner, and the vanilla has a depth to it that reminds me of linen- but isn’t the fresh dryer sheet linen note I get from Boo. Together, the dried florals and linen create a raspy kind of coarse dusty scent that evokes something old, fragile, but delicate. It is not a cold scent either, it smells resolute, accepting and stable.

Drydown: The scent remains the same throughout all stages. It’s not the ageless youth I get from Elf v4, which smells extremely similar but is a lot more refined and ‘ageless’. It’s as though Elf v4 had its immortality stripped and is now aging gracefully. There is still a great deal of vanilla musk in this, it’s still creamy, but flecked with hints of time and age that still smell like particles of perfumey dust. It dries down to a creamy dust, dried florals, and vanillic musk.

TL;DR: Milky, musky, perfumey vanilla and dried florals

Edited November 25, 2016 by celestia

[Lambent]

I've stashed away a cherished imp of Antique Lace back from when it was still available years ago. Kicking myself now, of course, for not buying a full bottle or two of it when I could. This is a beautiful lightly musky, vanilla'd, clean linen scent. Keeping component issues in mind, I wonder if we'll ever see an Antique Lace redux (hint, hint). Its ghost surfaces now and again in some of the Laces, and sometimes the scents with vanilla/musk notes remind me of this. But no exact clones, I believe. On the downside, A.L. is near impossible to track down and if found, it is at an exorbitant price. Plus side? There are always new perfumes to fall in love with.

[SadariEvenstar]

2017 VERSION

 

This just came in the mail and I tore into it like a large dog trying to break into a case of hot dogs. There's cardboard scattered around the kitchen, bubble wrap fragments in the sink. I'd never even smelled this one before, but it's such a legend I could not control my rabid enthusiasm.

 

Okay. Okay. It's open. Dab a little, test it out, don't get your hopes up.......

 

Oh. My. Fucking. God.

 

IT'S OKAY. SLATHER IT ALL OVER YOUR BODY.

 

If you could tattoo yourself with a scent. I'd be okay with living the rest of my life smelling like this.

 

This is definitely a cousin of my beloved Stekkjarstaur, but it has a beautiful musky lacey dustiness rather than the wooly warmth that comes from Stekk.

[blacksambuca]

2017 VERSION

 

So admittedly my bottle just arrived this morning, and I haven't let it rest at all cuz I was just too excited. A bottle of Antique Lace was in my very first BPAL order waaaaay back when (early 2005 I think?) and I still have a few drops of the original in that bottle, which I hoard basically just to sniff every once in a while. So I'm really excited to have a full bottle of the stuff in my possession now!

 

In the bottle, it smells like familiar Antique Lace, but with extra vanilla. I mean VERY vanilla, there's a distinct note that smells exactly like vanilla extract (the kind you bake with) to my nose. Not bad at all, but a bit different than my old bottle when I compare them. However, on skin it immediately mellows out and starts to more closely resemble Antique Lace as I remember it. Delicious, airy, gently floral vanilla musk... light, breezy, sophisticated! The throw is excellent, same as before. I tested a teensy drop and I can smell it very strongly when I bring my wrist to my nose. I'm sure with my usual slather it will be a "cloud of scent" type blend, which I LOVE. (Can't wait to get my hair gloss!!!)

 

Since I only have a few drops of the original left I'm not going to do a side by side test right now, but I still feel confident in saying that if you loved the old Antique Lace, you'll almost certainly love this one (unless you really hatehatehate vanilla, I suppose?). But even folks who never got to smell the original are in for a real treat. This stuff is DIVINE. I only wish I had sprung for two bottles.

Edited May 15, 2017 by threeofcups

[GypsyRoseRed]

I'm lucky enough to have Antique Lace imps from 2005, a bottle from 2007, and now this new batch to test side by side. While the newer version reads as slightly more vanilla in the initial sniff, that's probably because my comparisons are significantly aged, and I do remember getting brand new bottles that smelled just like this. With the older versions on one wrist and the new on the other, 30 minutes in, they're identical.

[Soupy Twist]

In the bottle: Vanilla, musk, and dust? Goes on as vanilla musk. The vanilla is creamy and perfumy, not foody. It's beautiful and sweet and I want to keep this note forever.

 

More musk develops as it dries, which makes me sad. A lot more musk. This is Antique Musk.

 

Someone is going to be very very happy with this bottle, but alas, I do not think that person is me.