Aureus

[idoru]

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

This smells like bitter dirt on me. No, no, I detect different woods, though the amber's not prominent enough for my tastes, some incense.. but whoooa nelly is it wrong on my skin. Several people detect patchouli, which could be why this is awful on me.

Mostly, I get dusty, cracked resin and dirt -- almost a sun-warmed STONE scent, which I could handle if not for the sharp bitterness that is probably patchouli [argh, foe]. There's also the tiniest hint incense smokiness.

Disappointing, as I love amber, and sandalwood, and the idea of 'golden light'; cedar is usually fine on me, too.

I'd keep it for layering, but that bitterness comes through on me; I'm far better off laying with Cathedral than with Aureus.

(Edited to include BPAL description) Edited October 22, 2007 by idoru

[The_Merf]

Well, this is certainly unlike other "light" scents like Ra and Sol Invictus. On me this is frankincense and patchouli--it's a pretty clean patchouli, but it still makes this scent very, very heavy. If this is golden light, it is golden light as smelled in a church where that light has been heavily filtered through a stained glass window covered with dust and dirt and now shines on old, decaying clouds of heavy, nearly stale incense and myrrh. The resins become stronger and stronger on the drydown, and it becomes hard to tell the difference between this scent and Cathedral or Penitence (in fact, this strikes me as a combination of the two (leaning toward Penitence), with a bit of patchouli thrown in for good measure).

[Jocelyn]

This smells like a head shop on me. Very dirty, not my type of scent.

[mudspinr]

Another imp I've had for a while without reviewing.

 

In imp: dry cedar

 

Wet on skin: dry cedar and dirt(it's strange how perfume oil can actually smell like a handful of dirt, but it does) Not too strong.

 

Drydown: not much throw, at least on me. Cedar is getting softer, and there is maybe a hint of patchouli. Dirt note is still there. All fairly close to the skin and subtle. Not at all what I expected. I wonder what this would be like as a sachet to keep with wool?

 

Later: still there, mostly close to the skin. Didn't seem to morph, although there seems to be a little more throw now than there was earlier. This isn't an unpleasant scent, but doesn't really strike me as a body scent. I may actually try it in a sachet--I'm pretty sure moths wouldn't like it.

 

I got this imp based on the amber and cedar notes and the "golden light' description. Promises, promises...sigh

[breezefaerie]

In the imp bottle, I got a very strong herbal scent.

 

On my wrist, I could smell nothing but CHIVES!

 

Ugh, I had to wash this off after a half hour of wearing as it was giving me an awful headache. Maybe I will try it again at a later date.

I wanted sooo much to like this one based on the description. I wanted a scent that didn't morph into something overly sweet.

I'd rather be too sweet than smell like onions.

Edited December 8, 2007 by Janet

[RogueBelle]

First Impression:

I have to got to stop buying things because of their names. I don't much like this one. It's too metallic at first. Actually, it reminds me of being in a hardware store. It gets to be okay, but then it's really not different enough from other scents I have that I like better.

 

Second Impression:

Actually, this one's grown on me. It seems to go very well with certain outfits. Particularly when I wear brown. (Yes, that may sound weird... but I definitely theme my scents to my clothes!)

 

Later On:

This one's really grown on me over time. It's started to seem like a very "easy" scent to wear -- a good, basic, everyday scent.

[Veresti]

Aureus

 

In the Bottle:

I am really not familiar with this type of scent (it was a frimp in an order), but this is utterly strong. I am not sure it would be considered "traditional" incense, but it kind of smells vaguely like amber is in there. Some sort of resin at least.

 

On the Skin:

Same scent, just as strong as in the bottle- weird, I don't encounter that often.

 

Two Hours Later:

Jesus, the resin is really strong. And I mean extremely strong. I don't smell the herbs or lemon verbana others seem to be getting. I smell some sort of wood floating in the background, but I'm not sure what it is yet. If my skin chemistry is true to nature, the wood is going to utterly take over.

 

Four Hours Later:

The resin has faded a bit, and the prominent note is that wood. I just can't identify it, although I'm trying very hard to.

 

Verdict:

I usually like anything with that nice wooden smell as the lingering note, but the resin like incense makes this too overpowering for my nose. It isn't a bad scent at all, just not something I personally find pleasant.

[Laurel the Woodfairy]

I chose Aureus for my boyfriend, aka "the golden god", as the description sounds so much like him--he has the most amazingly bright, warm aura about him. On me, Aureus smells very similar to Cathedral, but with amber. It's an incense/resin scent, and like Cathedral it veers a little into cedar territory while wet. However, the sharp woods settle and the drydown is nice and amberish--definitely a "warm" scent, a little like The Lion. I didn't have a reaction of "OMG it's totally him!" but I still think he'll like it.

[Czarina]

This was a Lab frimp to me.

 

In the imp: before I even open it, I note that it is a deep brown and think, wow, that looks like it will be strong. Yep: patchouli/sandalwood.

 

Wet: woody/cedar and patchouli.

 

Drydown: pure headshop and a handful of dry dirt.

 

Not bad, just very Sixties on me. I can't "see" this as golden at all.

[voodoocatwoman]

In the Imp: Cedar

 

Wet: CEDAR!!!!

 

Dry: Cedar has given way to a lovely incense-y amber. It is warm and snuggly.

 

14 hours later: The cedar returns. Softly, but still there in all its hamster cage glory.

 

If this scent would stay in the "dry for an hour" stage, I would LOVE it. Alas, I do not want to smell like a hamster cage at the end of the day.

[ImperatrixMundi]

How to put it? This is like Greed without as much dirt. It is a warm and golden scent but not glittery and bright gold. There is something very dirty here. Imagine a golden coin, not fresh from the mint but dug out in an archaeological site, tarnished and dirty but still golden.

 

I expected something a lot brighter for something described as "true, perfect golden light", not as much dirt layered over those "golden" notes. My guess would be amber and other resin stuff with some of the typical dirt things, patchouli, a little vetivert and wood.

[AEris]

This hardly happens to me, but I didn't even want to try this one on my skin. It smells like wood and patchouli to me, but it has a dusty, dry air about it. I don't think it's my thing. Sorry!

 

Edit to add: I tried it on my skin, and the sandalwood warmed up, but the patch is still dusty and dry. I honestly kind of hate it....

 

ADDED Nov. 1:

 

Ew, this is all pencil shavings. Come to think of it, I thought I reviewed this already. (?) Not a fan, anyhow.

Edited November 5, 2008 by Shollin

[megank4]

Why, hello Greed. Wait, not Greed? So confused. This is Greed to me.

[hkhm]

imp: light patchouli and woods.

 

wet: like a light patchouli incense.

 

dry: this goes very woody once dry, like a tamer version of ventriloquist's dummy.

[djsiberia]

it goes on powdery, then i can smell some cinnamon, its very light and i was hoping it would pack more of a punch. it's giving me a sweet smell that i can't place and i'm not sure i actually like it - mostly it's a little boring.

[SarahScent44]

In the imp, this is harsh - something familiar that I can't place, but it is very medicinal. (Reading reviews, I see the magic words "incense" and "patchouli" - these are not my friends.)

 

On my skin - yes, it's incense and patchouli - lighter on than in the imp, but still not really for me.

 

When it dries - all patchouli - nope!

[ouch!]

Hmmm...I I really don't know what to make of this...I was hoping for soething completley different from the description..

It smells like wood....but...wet, damp wood with mould on it. Sorry, that's the only way I can describe it...I suppose it must be some sort of Sandalwood, possibly even patchouli.

Not Golden, or anything to do with brightness.

 

Sorry short review but, I feel strangely about this one.

 

ouch!

[Argentwolf]

I smelled mostly cedar and patchouli in this one, with some other vague incense smokiness going on around the edges.

 

Aureus is golden in the way that a chunk of amber is golden; you get that lovely deep aura of radiant wood and patchouli, dark red-gold and bright orange-gold; and then there are those dark swirls and flecks of smoke and leftover incense embers caught up within it. If you are blessed with skin chemistry that highlights incense and smokiness, I suspect that your senses would be going over and over it, like polishing a smooth stone in your palm.

 

I, alas, am not one of those people. As seems to be the norm with incense, this faded quickly on me, though the cedar stuck around for a bit.

[maansloep]

Somehow I don't get patchouli or sandalwood at all, but it may require more sniffings. (I'm not currently wearing it nor do I have the bottle with me--shall edit later)

 

I wore it the other day and the most prominent scents I remember are cedar and resin, not exactly what I was expecting. Somehow I expected something a bit more buoyant and light, not the medium heaviness of the resin scents. However, I can see this scent growing on me. It's so unusual and I'm actually surprised my friends didn't mention anything about the other day--I feel certain that it was strong enough for them to smell it.

 

I guess I'd have to give this 4/5 stars because of the fact that it didn't smell like what I expected, but I still like the scent. This one will need some time with me.

[miri]

I don't quite get golden light from this. It smells fusty and bitter to me in the bottle, and that's the dominant note on my skin. For a while, I thought there was something lovely lurking in the background, trying to break through, but it just wasn't strong enough For me, Tamora is a far better "golden" scent (as is The Lion, Aelopile, Iambe...)!

[anardana]

I really wanted to like Aureus. I have tested it many times. It always smells like (the dreaded) peanut butter. Not in a good way, either! I like woodsy, I like earthy.. but there is something about this one that isn't working for me at all.

[tativa]

The two prominent scents to my nose are frankincense and cedar. Probably some sandalwood as well.

Woody incense.

Bright and happy (frankincense is starting to be explored medically as an antidepressant, which is really cool in my mind), lets see how today goes. The scent is very uplifting.

[Heeroluva]

In the bottle I get resin. Wet I can't really decipher the scent. But dry it smells like fresh cut grass. I normally don't like that smell, but somehow it's okay here. Don't think I'll wear it, but it's not bad.

[smokey188]

in bottle: patchouli! not at all what i was expecting!

on skin: this lightens up a bit on my skin and turns into sundew and patchouli this is not the glorious light scent i was looking for more like a sliver of light viewed through a dirty window. Unfortunately the patchouli takes quite a sharp note out of the sundew smell and amplifies it till it smells like my dad's old bomb of a car. Sadly this just isn't for me

[Iceblink]

Wet: cocoa-y vetiver? I don't think that could be what this really is but that's what I'm smelling.

Dry: DIRT. Old, musty dirt--not the fresh overturned kind. Rooty and moldery. This is light?? Huh.