The Witch Bride

[Ghost of a Rose]

Pale and lovely, with eyes belladonna-wide: hemlock blossoms and ghostly nightshade veiled by wisteria, white frankincense, black amber, and narcissus resin.

2018 version. Bottle fresh from the Lab.

Florals are always my favorite perfumes, and with all the different flowers in this one, it should be an easy win. I'm not familiar with the scent of any of these particular flowers, which was one of the things that intrigued me about this perfume, but which will make it difficult for me to describe!

In the bottle: Hmm, not what I expected. Definitely floral, but definitely not a typical floral. There's a sort of "off" note, that verges on the unpleasant, like the scent of those orange and white florist lilies. But this is also very fresh and real. I can practically see the cut flowers in the vase.

On me, wet: On my skin it is just a tiny bit sweeter, just enough to counteract the off note some. But it is not a sweet perfume. There's also a sense of greenness, like leaves, stems, or herbs.

At 5 minutes: I like how the "off" note expresses the concept of the witch bride. This is not your traditional sweet and pretty, innocent sort of bridal bouquet. There's something darker, more grown-up, some ancient knowledge here. It isn't a scent I would choose for my wedding. But it might be perfect for a sophisticated party, when you want a floral perfume that is neither little-girly or old-ladyish. Or for a Beltane circle.

At 10 minutes: No change.

At 20 minutes: The off note has vanished, and it's all fresh, white, not-too-sweet flowers. There's more of a bridal mood now, but the absence of sweetness keeps it more mature. Like a bridal bouquet for an older bride.

At 30 minutes: It has developed some serious strength and throw. Like a whole churchful of lush white blooms. And still so very fresh and real. It's perfect for a formal white wedding now. I wasn't sure how much I liked it before, but now it is really beautiful.

At 45 minutes: Something a little sweeter is beginning to peek out. Probably a different flower, because this still smells like an all-floral perfume. Whatever it is, it makes this even more beautiful. And it is still not a sweet perfume.

At 1 hour: So far all of the changes have been subtle. The throw is still all gorgeous, heavy, white flowers. But on my skin, the fragrance has undergone a more distinct transition - some perfuminess has joined in with the flowers. When I compare the scent on my skin to that in the bottle, I am surprised to find that the bottle scent is much sweeter. It didn't strike me as a particularly sweet scent when I smelled it in the bottle before. Apparently the skin scent must have moved even further away from sweetness.

At 2 hours: The flowers are still there, but the perfume note is edging them out. I don't detect any frankincense, amber, or resin; just a blended, classy, designer perfume kind of scent. On my wrist, the fragrance is lighter, but the throw is still rich and heavy.

At 5 hours: A scent of amber and frankincense with traces of the earlier flowers and perfume lingers, with a medium-to-light strength. Still quite lovely.

Predominant Note(s): White flowers of a type I'm not familiar with. Based on other reviews, it is probably wisteria and/or narcissus.

Character: Heavy, atypical, non-sweet white florals; sophisticated, formal

5 out of 6 stars Edited October 20, 2018 by Ghost of a Rose

[mishi-bear]

2018 version.

 

This was entirely narcissus on me, it just entirely overpowered everything else.  It's a shame, because I really love wisteria and was hoping for that.

[alyelle]

2014 version.

 

Bottle: Narcissus and frankincense with a top note of wisteria.

 

Wet: very pale and sweet florals; mostly narcissus with a hint of wisteria and a gently spiced base. The amber slowly creeps out, and this particular amber is very similar to the one from Mouse's Long and Sad Tale.

 

Dry: I'm not a fan of narcissus but this is quite pleasant by the end, surprisingly. There's more amber than white florals, and the wisteria starts to dominate. I'll keep it for now and see how often I reach for it. It's certainly a value for money proposition - very long lived at 12+ hours, with a good throw.

 

Stars: ★★★★