Aureus

[Missus]

True, perfect golden light, refined into an incomparably glorious scent.

The first time I opened my bottle of Aureus, a clear image flashed across my mind's eye... A large, ancient tome lay open upon a stone podium with many more leather bound tomes lining the wooden shelves - all cast in the golden light flooding in through high arched windows, illuminating the patterns of dust swirling languidly throughout the room. That is exactly what Aureus smells like to me.

It is a dusty, warm, spicy scent right out of the bottle. It's so strong that I only need one drop shared between my palms and neck and I know it will last all day.

It sweetens ever so slightly when dry, but it keeps its strong, warm spicy scent. It is one of my favorites and I often wear it when I feel weak or like the energy around me is stagnant. Aureus makes me feel powerful and mysterious...and even like I have a bit of mischief in my blood.

[ajansuz]

This was a frimp. In the imp, it's sweet and woodsy, cedar and sandalwood with maybe even a touch of dragons blood.

 

Wet on me, something deliciously smoky curls up, maybe just a touch of vetiver. Now it smells more like Frankincense, cedar, and sandalwood. I'm not getting any amber off of this at all. There's something a little musty under everything else, a waft of dirty hippy patch that's almost like BO. That doesn't last long, thankfully.

 

Dry down, the smoky note stays with me, along with the cedar and incensey Frankincense.

 

Sadly this pretty much dies down to vague cedar and incense within just an hour or so. If it had more staying power, I'd find it much more interesting. It reminded me of shades of Rumplestilzchen and Cathedral but weaker than both.

[allybee]

I was really excited by the description of this- it sounds wonderful!

 

In vial: Hmm. This smells very cold to me, almost slightly disinfecant-like. Not at all what I was expecting, and not particularly pleasant.

 

Wet on: Yeah, smells much like it did in the vial. Very cold, wet wood, like fresh tree sap. After a second or two I get a slight spiciness that's somewhat pleasant, but it's veryfaint and overpowered by the initial scent.

 

Drydown: The coldness has definitely faded as the oil dries, but now I just smell like I've sprayed myself with slightly spiced pine-scented furniture polish. It's just not working with my chemistry. A shame, because other people's descriptions of it sound lovely. Might give this to my aunt-- she loves woody, spicy scents, and she might have more luck with this.

[Ella LaRose]

cold, but spicy wet dirt and wood. I think this might be good on a man, a lumberjack type of man! lol!

[Honey]

Not at all what I thought it would smell like..

 

 

Imp: Very woodsy, bitter and a bit acrid. Reminds me of darker scents like Brimstone of Devil's Claw.

 

Wet: I have a hard time making out anything as this scent hits my skin. Could be amber, could be honey.. could be anything faintly sweet.

 

Dry: All that remains is.. a note of frankincense and.. musk? And something tangy.. I don't know. This smells like sticky, musky men parts on me.

[rabbitwhisperer]

I just got an Imp of Aureus from the Lab and I slapped it on all excited for amber-y goodness... but no, it just smelled like straight patchouli! I thought, well, just leave it alone for a bit and maybe it'll chill. Nope! Still STRONG, clear, solid patchouli. Like, rolling in the dirt at a Phish concert patchouli. I like patchouli, but that's definitely not what I expected from the descriptions and the reviews. Do you think there's any chance I got a mislabeled imp?

[Gateau]

I'm getting a lot of earthy patchouli here, similar to the one in Depraved, which is the only patch I've ever liked. Then there's aromatic wood--sandalwood? Cedar? In all, its deep, eartthy, woodsy, warm. I don't get light, per se, but I do get golden warmth. It's the kind of earthy dirt scent I like, there's no damp in it at all.

[Soniadevi]

I'm not sure where everyone is getting this patchouli note from... is my imp filled with something else? All I can smell is Amber. Pure, golden amber. Soft, powdery, golden, lovely, radiant amber. I love this SO SO SO SO MUCH! It's like a lighter version of Haunted, a softer verson of Jacobs Ladder, and just pure loveliness as a skin scent that is unassuming but comforting and kind of sexy for it's soft sweetness. I need a bottle! This is going on my next purchase!

[stellamaris]

This smelled like rum to me, which BTW, I hate. Straight up booze and boy, two thumbs down for me.

[venusinfurs]

Frimp from the lab. I'm nervous based on the reviews--sandalwood and amber are all kinds of gross on my skin.

 

In bottle: Ok, this smells really odd to me, maybe because I've never tried the really resinous, woody scents, but it reminds me of a cedar medicine cabinet with some kind of menthol medicine.

 

Wet on skin: Pretty much the same. Something smells minty to me, and it is not at all reminding me of light. It smells just like wood. With menthol. Yuck. No warm Patchouli, no warm amber, just yucky mint wood.

 

Dry on skin: Some of the minty freshness goes away, and it starts to warm up a bit (finally). It's actually not making my stomach turn now, and something sweet is coming through (maybe Patchouli), so now it smells more like spicy sandalwood. Not as bad as the beginning, but I'm still feeling a little nauseous from this. I think my skin amps sandalwood, because every blend I've tried with it I've ended up not liking. Off to the swaps...

Edited February 15, 2012 by venusinfurs

[curlsandpearls]

Bottle: Warm, dry, musky, spicy.

 

Wet: This is a desert, bone-dry scent. It's a really nice, relaxed blend of warmth and musk and spice and wood; it's not "light" but it's not really dark or in your face, either. I agree with reviews that suggest cedar or sandalwood. Wow, I like this. *hopes it stays good through the dry down*

 

Dry: I don't know that I'm as big a fan through the dry-down. I can't even describe what it's doing right now (going limp? not weak, but like part of it isn't pulling its weight so it's not as well balanced?), but it's going to the swap pile. Darn.

 

Later: It smells like the kind of cologne a 17-year-old guy would over-apply. The sandalwood is strooooong.

[romarin]

Fresh out of the imp it's like something went nasty in chem lab, but it blooms into ancient wood, dirt, a bit of smoke and minty(?!) incense. Like finding a cedar chest of books in an 8th century church. Quite strong.

 

An hour later, the old and dirt of come off leaving sweet spices, cedar and resin, like dozing in a sunbeam under a redwood tree. At least until the flowers start coming in, so pretty and harmless looking as they brush and slide against your skin, as they insinuate themselves into your mouth and nose. Here comes death again as a low tolling B against the bright C major of the day.

 

Shafts of light fall from high windows through dust and darkness, through the wafting incense and the pale flowers. The flowers almost hide the gap in the stone floor and the richly anointed body waiting to be lowered into that gap.

 

A scent for amoral schemes and creepy rpg nights.

[whitsunweddings]

In the imp: PATCHOULI-us. Also peanuts, weirdly.

Wet: A mix of patchouli, amber, frankincense and cedar. I think the latter two combine to make that peanutty smell on my skin, which is unfortunate, as I'm allerigc to them and thus don't enjoy the smell at all.

Dry: Mostly frankincense and amber, with a bit of patchouli and cedar in the background.

[calivianya]

In the vial: Woodsy! Resiny! This has promise.

Wet on my skin: More of the bitter, dusty wood. It reminds me of the Lab's white sandalwood note. I'm also getting amber and maybe patchouli? It's interesting, but we'll see how it plays out.

Dry: The dust and patchouli take over for me. It's like patchouli coated in sawdust. It's not bad, but it's not great either. Aureus is a 'meh' scent for me.

[milo]

Lot's of woody, harsh patchouli. As it dries, it becomes more warm patch. Not really my thing at all, it kind of reminds me of Occupy Wall Street, actually.

[ClareN]

Woods. Definite cedar and maybe frankincense and sandalwood, with patchouli and faint amber in the background. The amber doesn't make it too sweet though - if anything, it's almost vinegary in that way that sandalwood can be vinegary, especially when freshly applied. It dries down beautifully to a soft woodsy scent that blends beautifully with skin.

 

Fans of dry wood/incense blends need to try this. It's lovely, although I like my woods blended with other things so this is a bit too one-note for me to reach for often. I'll keep the imps I have, but I probably won't get a bottle.

[Rho]

I've worn Aureus several times now, and I really like it!

 

This is the imp I reach for when I want to surround myself with a sense of austerity. It's dry and serious, but forgiving. It's like a reminder to do my best while remembering that I have human limitations.

 

In terms of notes, I would say patchouli is foremost. Possibly a dry sandalwood, too. I never get a strong impression of amber like other reviewers have mentioned, but the oil does start to glow after awhile on the skin. After being warmed thoroughly it's like a splintered wood being heated by direct sunlight.

 

Aureus is kind of hard to pinpoint or describe, but I really appreciate it for its overall feel.

[snowball]

Imp: I smell only patchouli.

 

Wet: Patchouli, a little bit of sandalwood.

 

Dry: Still lots of patchouli, but the sandalwood is becoming stronger.

 

I'm no patchouli fan, so this is not for me.

[Kit Foxly]

Indeed a “golden” scent, but darker than I expected, as well as drier and more masculine. None of these are bad things!

 

Aureus was love at first swipe for me. Glorious, soaring amber notes, tempered by resins and delicious smoky undertones. This is a warm and welcoming golden radiance, not a blinding kneel-before-me light.

 

I bought a bottle the day after I tried it.

 

With notes of cedar and frankincense, maybe the lightest touch of sandalwood, it smells a lot like church incenses, but... dare I say it... nicer than many that I've smelled. And without the acrid note of actual smoke, which is difficult to sing through when you breathe a lungful!

 

This has become my go-to fragrance for singing at churches - it captures the way I want to sound in a scent. It's getting a lot of use right now as I go Christmas carolling, actually.

 

It lasts for hours, though it behaves itself and mostly sticks close to the skin. It certainly hasn't bothered the other singers I've performed with, to my knowledge. Just as well, because I'd hate to give it up.

[kashmira]

In the bottle: slightly-resiny, mostly wood. Uh oh, this might not be good..

Wet: Dark cedar

30 minutes later: Cedar boards with a side of pencil shavings. I smell like a freshly built cedar chest. I'm scaring away clothes moths from 3 counties away.

A few hours later: I still smell like cedar and resin in an unpleasant way.

 

Okay, this really doesn't work on me.

[Atrous]

In the imp its all amber.

 

On the wrist I get amber, patchouli, cedar, and perhaps sandalwood. Its a very dry scent and I agree with the reviews that it reminds me of Cathedral (which I love). I like this scent but not enough to warrant a bottle.

[Alainn]

I received this in decant form from another forumite, so it is probably somewhat aged, although I have no way of knowing exactly how old it is.

 

In the imp: Amber, cedar, sandalwood. Delicious sweet resins + wood. Yes, please!

 

Wet on skin: Wow. HELLOOOOOO CEDAR, nice to meet you. Oh, you brought sandalwood with you? Cool. Let's party. But, umm, can you keep it down a little? We have neighbors.

 

Dry: Thanks for coming, amber, you smell beautiful tonight. And you're so SWEET! I'm glad to see you and cedar and sandalwood are getting along so well. Did you bring some resin-y friends with you? Wow, they sure are quiet. And wasn't patchouli supposed to come out tonight? Oh, there he is, just sitting on the couch, watching everyone. Alright, I can deal with that.

 

Later the same evening: Wow, that patchouli sure gets louder the longer he hangs out--he must have really gotten comfortable here, because he's kinda drowning everyone else out. I wish he and amber would stop yelling at each other across the room like that. There are other people at this party. Right? No? They left? I didn't realize this was such an intimate affair.

 

The next morning: Wow, you guys really don't know when to quit, do you? You come over, you hold a screaming match that drives everyone else away, then you hook up in my bed and leave your scent all over my sheets. Yes, you're both sweet and wonderful and I love you unto death, but seriously guys, it's time to go.

 

Off to shower...

Edited May 1, 2013 by Alainn

[tdgnika]

Wet in the imp (sniffed while I was in a big hurry, so probably not my most considered sniffing) - smelled like roasted nuts

 

Wet on the skin - kind of worried, because it smelled like fir trees, which I don't normally go for.

 

Almost immediately after a few moments and persisting into dry down, though, it smells like sandalwood and incense. Seems to be long-lasting so far. A definite keeper.

[hexnut]

AUREUS

 

A frimp from the Lab; dark brown.

 

 

In Vitro Not very strong. I guessed at wood or vetiver.

 

Wet Freshly applied this was pleasant and woody, probably patchouli (uh oh!). After five minutes it was mostly the same but slightly mellower. At ten minutes I got wood shavings, and the overall scent was less sweet.

 

Drying The "shavings" died down and the scent became slightly sweet wood and faded slowly. Strangely, two hours after application it was a bit sweeter up close, and half an hour after that it was definitely sweeter. The scent persisted for much of the day and faded slowly.

 

 

I really liked Aureus but I'm afraid of a repeat of what other woody BPALs have done to me: love -> slather -> skin reaction. I'm sure this would be fabulous on my clothing, so maybe a bottle is in my future after all.

 

 

89

[LateOne]

Got this in a frimp at Dragon*Con. This oil is blood red, so naturally I was intrigued to see it in my purchase bag.

 

In bottle/wet: A rich woodsy scent. Very masculine.

Drydown: Cedar, sandalwood, and spiciness, with a hint of floral scent.

Dry: Rich woods, very earthy and spicy.

 

Perfect for guys, might also smell good on a woman. Definitely worth a bottle on the right guy.