A Shining Beak of Pure Horn

[Tal Shachar]

Wild green lotus, orris root, bourbon vanilla, white sandalwood, and Egyptian musk.

Wet: Oh, this is beautiful. The lotus is indeed green, sweet but fresh and dewy, almost melon-like? A bright jewel-green smell.

Drydown: The orris and sandalwood come out with a bit of dryness, although the lotus note is so juicy that it's very much in the background. No sign of the musk.

20 min: I don't always like lotus because it goes to bubble gum so easily, but this is stunning, sweet without being Bubblicious at all. Orris, sandalwood, and musk all remain muted, supporting the luminous green note.

25 min: Spoke too soon! The musk does come out with the orris/sandalwood combo, making the scent a little less juicy and more sophisticated.

Kind of dying over this. Do I need a second bottle? Panic!

[Dark Alice]

The lotus on me is green, light and airy. But the Egyptian musk just purrs in this making it alluring and sexy. This will be a sleepy hit and will age tremendously!!!

[Lycanthrope]

This is rich and velvety. I get a very nice, smooth vanilla sandalwood mostly, with the roundness of musk. The lotus is just a tiny kiss. By the name I was expecting something very luminescent, bright, citrussy, floral, but this is like... what ivory would smell like, very bright ivory, with a hint of the green spark.

 

It's very nice. I like.

[Myria Jean]

This starts out as melon bubblegum and then...

It's pink Mr. Ibis!

I don't think I need this because I already have Mr. Ibis, but...it's really pretty. And pink.

Edited December 20, 2014 by Myria Jean

[Lani]

My experience of this perfume is very similar to that of Tal Shachar's. It opens wet with a luscious, sweet, juicy green lotus note. Gorgeous. As it dries, the orris and sandalwood come out, slightly drying the scent itself as well, but the sweet lotus remains very much present. The longer it dries, the muskier it all gets.

 

I spilled my decant when I tried it, so I just slathered my arm in all the oil, heh. Guess I'm just going to have to buy a bottle.

[Atrous]

Wet: This smells like green, unripe banana peel. Not what I was expecting.

 

Drydown: The banana peel scent fades and turns to a juicy, green scent with a bit of sweetness. Sandalwood comes out but stays low key the whole time.

 

Dry: Lotus has taken on a well balanced sweetness and remains green while orris has come out to lend its powderiness to the mix. Sandalwood is barely noticeable but its there. I don't get any vanilla. The longer this stays on my skin the more the musk comes out and the more beautiful this scent gets.

 

I didn't have much hope when I first applied it but it morphs into something special. Love it

[quickdrawkiddo]

OOH. I like this a lot. Without looking at the scent notes, my reaction was "sandalwood, orris, and... something sexy?" After looking at them, that'll be the Egyptian musk. This is a dry, smooth, sexy wood scent. Very sophisticated, as other reviewers have mentioned, and very different from anything else I have so I may need a full bottle. Unlike other reviewers, I'm not getting any "green" notes at all. Just sexy sandalwood. I think I've talked myself into a bottle....

[Minh Scent]

Smells unpleasant and strong on first application but then the lotus makes a brief appearance, a herald for the woody and musky dry down which is just lovely. Happy to have a bottle.

[zankoku_zen]

Green lotus, sharp sour orris, blue Egyptian musk. Unfortunately for me, orris plays the spoiler part on this. This smells like sour musk to me. I think this could be gorgeous, just not on me.

 

Green, sour, musk

[theseagrows]

this starts off all dewy florals. i guess this is lotus, though in the past, bpal's lotus has been much more bubblegum-scented on me, but maybe they've changed it since i last tried anything with lotus(?) it smells very wet and lush, definitely brings lotus to mind, and the serene waters surrounding it.

 

i think i am getting some orris root after awhile, and maaaybe a hint of white sandalwood, but not much else. awhile later i get a slight hint of egyptian musk and it basically dries down to orris root and musk. after quite some time the vanilla finally comes through and the lotus settles down. i like it a lot more now, but it's just too much lotus for me overall.

Edited January 4, 2015 by theseagrows

[brilliantcat]

First sniff out of the decant is slightly sour, juicy lotus with a hint of the orris and maybe sandalwood. On me, it blossoms into beautifully dewy green lotus with hints of the rich, sultry musk. Lotus can sometimes have that sweet bubblegummy quality but not in this blend. The musk and sandalwood are adding a wonderful depth. My impression is of a luminous, still pond at night with otherwordly efflorescent flowers glowing softly on the surface. Sadly, I don't get any vanilla at this stage, however on the drydown it becomes more and more apparent. Perhaps aging will deepen the vanilla further. I find this blend calming and serene and ethereal. I tested it near Pouring Strains of Sacred Song and they blend surprisingly well into a sunshine/twilight hybrid that is utterly intoxicating. I adore both on their own but I definitely see some potential for layering. Bottles of both are necessary!

[bheansidhe]

"A bright jewel-green smell" perfectly describes the opening notes - like a cloisonné box lined with white sandalwood. In fact, at first the white sandalwood dominates this blend, but it finally settles into something pale and low and graceful, like white lotus petals floating on still green water.

 

It smells like the white sandalwood note used in Claircognizance, but where Claircognizance goes flat white and powdery on me, Shining Beak is tempered by a kind of green melon watery-ness, which I think is the musk and lotus. Alas, the orris dries and flattens it out in the end, as it always does on me, but I may still keep the imp.

 

Completely not what what I was expecting. Very feminine and soft.

Edited January 7, 2015 by bheansidhe

[Magycmyste]

In the imp: Interesting. This is sweet, but like dry, desiccated coconut and lots of sugar. Maybe dates. This reminds me of a particular Indian sweet that I can't name.

 

Wet on skin: Ok, I'm losing the coconut now. It's sort of melon-y instead. A tangy melon. One that I probably wouldn't eat (I'm not fond of any melons except watermelon), but I really enjoy sniffing.

 

Dried down: Still melon. This is actually still very nice, not what I would expect from a scent where I smell melon.

 

Throw: This seems to be wearing pretty close to my skin. I have to sniff my wrist to really get anything (of course, A Rosy Glow from my my other wrist might be taking over).

 

Verdict: **** I actually really, really like this. Which is what I expect from a blend containing wild lotus and vanilla. But it doesn't smell quite special enough for me to want a bottle. At least not right now.

[lucyintheSkywithDemons]

Wow.

Just wow.

 

I ordered this purely for the Egyptian Musk ... but BOY ..

 

A few years ago I bought 1 Liter ( ! ) of a TERRIFIC Egyptian Musk in Egypt on a street market,

and sadly this is running low now...

I have tried about 50 different Egyptian Musks,

but I was always disappointed, because none of them could come anywhere near the stuff I bought from that vendor in Egypt.

 

Shining Beak starts out very clean

and green,

with a soft flowery base .. I am not good at picking out notes,

but this smells overall like Spring to me.

 

As it dries, it becomes more sophisticated -

the young, springy scent calms down and mellows into something incredibly grown up ..

its Sandalwood,

but old, carved and lovingly kept sandalwood,

like a kind of box that my Grandmother kept her wedding jewelry in.

 

It is creamy without being foody,

crisp without being dry

and

musky without MUSK ZOMG IN YOUR FACE.

 

The Egyptian Musk plays beautifully -

it is soft and a little powdery

and it reminds me of ... something ... I can´t put my finger on it, though.

 

This scent is just beautiful.

I think it will age into pure glory.

 

A little goes a looooong way ( on me ) too ...

I applied 2 drops via glas wand this morning and it is still there ..

like a "yourself,but better " scent ,

clean skin ,

warmed by sun ... but the sun at dawn, not in the morning.

 

Am I making sense ?

 

Well ... if not - SEE WHAT ITS DONE TO ME ??

 

Definitely a keeper !

Get it while you can ... its amazing.

[EphemeralFey]

In the bottle: A green, crisp, clean and slightly sweet scent. Can't pick out any individual notes, but this is smelling like a great spring/summer scent!

 

On me: Still green, crisp and clean. Can finally smell the sandalwood and musk. Has a very good throw and is very calming.

 

After a while: Settled on a green floral sweetened scent with a nice hint of sandalwood at the end.

 

Thoughts: I was secretly hoping that this would be in the same family as Mr. Ibis considering that they have similar notes, but I am not at all disappointed by how this blend turned out! It is very pretty and light, but not faint. So glad I got a blind bottle of this!!!

Edited January 12, 2015 by EphemeralFey

[forspecial_plate]

Well...I thought I would like this....and I gave it a shot. It reminded of one or a couple of the Butterfly scents that I tried from a couple years ago (I haven't tried the more recent ones). I can't say which one specifically but it's the same feeling. Gypsy or the Witch one maybe?? I can't remember. It wasn't unpleasant but not something that I would wear. I can't even think of how to describe it. Sorry. : ( It's maybe a little sweet and dry at the same time, and I really don't smell anything floral. It smells clean, I can say that. I wouldn't guess there is Egyptian musk in this. The vanilla goes kind of flat like it does sometimes.

 

I dunno.....just not my thing.

[Balame]

This is pretty and sort of... unexpected? I didn't know what I'd end up with based on the notes, even though I'm a fan of most of them.

As others have said it starts out watery, green, with a touch of something floral. I usually don't like lotus but here it's not overly astringent or bubblegum.

 

After giving it some time I get more fullness from the musk and the familiar "sweet and powdery" quality from the orris.

Weirdly I can't pick out the sandalwood or vanilla, which were mostly what I'd been hoping for.

I get fruity, perfumey, smooth florals? I don't find it terrible or anything, but it's definitely not my style.

Edited February 1, 2015 by Balame

[topazphoenix]

A Shining Beacon of Pure Horn is so well blended I have a hard time picking out any individual notes. It does smell a bit more wet and lush when first applied, then dries down to a powdery white scent. It has a delicate and feminine aura. I love it, even though it is lacking in terms of sillage.

[milo]

A bit of an odd one to be sure. I'm getting greenery and a herbally kind of floral. Drier, kind of bitter, herbal, with less greenery. This would be nice for summer for someone who likes herbal, fresh scents. There's a bit of a 'kitchen spice' vibe here that is not sitting well with me, so I'll have to pass.

[Myrrha]

On wet: a burst of lemony- melony juiciness, then the delicate slightly powdery orris

 

As it dries the lemony quality passes quickly and that juicy part of the scent blends with sandalwood and orris

 

Dry: I can only smell it if I put my nose right to my wrist. Delicate and feminine without seeming to try too hard. Reminds me of a rice powder paper scent. I can also detect the musk and I don't really like the way it smells.

 

It is too soft for me, too dry and airy. I think delicate sandalwood might be one of my olfactory blind spots because I had the same trouble with Tristesse de la Lune. It just doesn't smell like much to me.

[elbow]

This was initially my least favorite of the 2014 Phoenixes (Phoenissae, technically) that I tried, but I must say it's aging very well. The sharp, near-astringent quality it once had has mellowed significantly. It still has a very bright, clean, almost lemony topnote, but it no longer makes me sneeze (yay!). I don't think it's on its way to "favorite" status for me, but my sweetheart really likes it on him, and I look forward to seeing how it continues to age.

[tinyvulture]

The green lotus is amazing. It's got that heady, candy-sweetness of lotus, plus a honeydew melon quality. Fresh and tropical. What an interesting contrast with the dry, raspy orris. This is one of the few blends where I'm really appreciating orris. I have no idea what ivory smells like so I can't pick it out, but I'm noticing a little bit of smooth sandalwood. Very nice!

[Lucchesa]

The green lotus is a really interesting note, not as bubblegummy as regular lotus but still sweet and tropical.  I'm getting more orris and less Egyptian musk than I was hoping for.  A nice summery scent and a hard one to pin down -- not your usual floriental.  Wear length is only so-so on me.  

[Little Bird]

Sickly sweet and very baby powdery.  Orris, white sandalwood and Egyptian musk all go powdery on my skin and I usually love the sweetness of orris, but it's coming off rather funky in this blend, like rotting, damp flowers covered in baby powder and dust.  Clean, white musk and baby powder smelling drydown.