Venus Obsequens

[Veronica]

VENUS OBSEQUENS

Venus the Gracious

Pink apple and blackcurrant with honey and cardamom.

I love, love, love apple so I was very excited for this one. In the bottle, it's all APPLE! with cardamom/blackcurrant/honey mixing into a sweet, warm background--very pretty! Wet, the cardamom comes out full force against the apple, the blackcurrant (cassis) comes out as well, giving the warmth of the cardamom a slight pungence, almost smokiness. Dry, this is all cardamom and blackcurrant--spice and smoke--sweetened with just a bit of honey on me, with just the faintest hint of apple is the background. A really beautiful scent that epitomizes the kind of layered, complexity Beth is so good at capturing, but ultimately not something I personally would regularly reach for--though I would love it on a guy! So disappointing that the apple in this doesn't agree with my chemistry!

[miss_rynn]

This starts out as ALL the APPLE. I am not a huge fan of apple scents, but the blackcurrant and honey dragged me in. It's a very red apple kind of scent, made sweeter and 'pinker' (for want of a better word) with the blackcurrant. A bright red apple, rather than a syrupy cooking apple. After a few hours on the skin, it darkens and deepends to something more like what you would expect from one of the Weenie apples. It reminds me of Samhain, even though it doesn't actually smell like Samhain, if you know what I mean. While it's not really my kind of thing, I can see this as an ideal scent for someone looking for an apple scent that's good for spring rather than autumn.

[zankoku_zen]

I was hoping for alot of apple, but it smells only slightly of apple blossoms on a bed of honey and cardamom. There's a bit of dark berry sweetness to this, which is the black currant peeping through. In vibe, it sort of makes me think of the color violet. It's a sweet feminine blend, without being pink. It's a little darker than that.

 

Sweet, floral, honey.

[karykeion]

This totally caught me off guard with how much I love it. It's so unlike anything else I wear and it's SO pretty in the decant--I kind of sniffed everything right away when the order came without really looking at the labels, and when i got to this one, it was like "Holy crap, what is THAT?" So, it's getting a quick test before my friend's bachelorette party.

 

In the decant: IN CASE YOU WERE WONDERING, THERE WAS APPLE IN THIS, YES, APPLE, HELLO and also fruity-spicy. I liiiiiiike iiiiiiit.

 

On me, wet: It's the Apple Show for a little bit, and then the cardamom comes out, and WOW. I'm not really getting any honey, but I like the apples-and-sweet-spice thing it's got going on. It almost reminds me of Cuélebre, weirdly enough. And OOOH OOH WHAT IS THAT? WHAT is THAT? Is that blackcurrant? What is going on with that? This is amazing. The apple quits being so sweet, I'm really liking whatever the cardamom and what I'm assuming is blackcurrant are doing, and there apparently isn't enough honey in this to turn it to powder. This is getting SO many full test runs.

 

On me, dry: The honey is trying really hard to be powdery, but I feel like the apple and cardamom aren't letting it. Cardamom really makes this. I didn't even know I liked cardamom before now. This just keeps getting better every single time it changes. It's drying a little sweeter than that initial burst of scent that I like, and now it still reminds me of Cuélebre, but, like, a cute version.

 

So, yeah, I might need a bottle of this. Or at least some backup decants. Oh man.

[AmyAngel]

Lots of apple! WIth just a hint of spice. I'm not really getting anything else, yet.

 

After a few minutes, the apple is calming down, but there's something not-quite-right going on here. I wonder if it's blackcurrant. I don't much like dried blackcurrants, and this does have a bit of the sourness they have. It seems to be fading back into the spicy fruit, however, which is an improvement. Not getting much honey, just maybe a tiny hint of it. It's staying a sort of lightly spiced fresh apple, for the most part. Usually apple and spice turns into cider or pie, but this is more like a cold crisp apple with a touch of spice.

 

This is really pretty. I'm not sure yet if it's bottle-worthy, but I really like it.

 

EDIT: I wore this all day yesterday, and it stayed around ALL DAY. It was very nice, started as strong apple but pretty quickly turned into a slightly sourer, less purple version of Mari Lwyd. I have no idea how that worked! I love Mari Lwyd more than this one, so I'm thinking this is not a bottle purchase for me.

Edited March 18, 2015 by AmyAngel

[izile]

In the decant: Apple - full on, no one is kidding above, just APPLE

 

Wet: Apple still, maybe honey? am I imagining it? maybe just really sweet apple, like a pink lady, not anything too hard or crisp, spicy or tart

 

Dry: still predominantly apple, there might be an edge of cardamom, and I'm still not sure if the honey is there or if it's just a warm-sweet apple note - hard to sort these notes out. I'm getting almost no noticeable blackcurrant

 

very pretty apple scent.

[sailthetethys]

APPLE. This is crisp, fresh spring apple, not spicy autumn apple. At first, that's all I smell. The apple fades after a few hours to a soft, sugary scent that lingers. A sweet, crisp, very pink scent.

 

God, the Lupers this year are murdering my bank account. This one's bottleworthy too. Samhain's apple is a little too heady for me - it can almost be a little nauseating, like drinking too much hot cider at once. This apple is refreshing and energetic, like taking a bite out of a Honeycrisp during a brisk Spring hike.

 

Nine-Years-Later-Edit: This remains one of my favorite and most-reached for spring Bpal scents. It’s aged to be more honey-forward, but apple is still the star. It’s like biting into a sweet pink apple while simultaneously burying your face into a bouquet of spring wildflowers.

Edited May 2 by sailthetethys

[ellebelle]

To me, this is 100% apple. There may be something else in here taming it at the final dry down, but by that time the entire scent is so weak it's hard to smell it. Like many predominantly apple scents, my skin just eats this.

[Larinessa]

Initial impression wet: very piney. Weird.

 

Dry: Apple with a smokey feel. Not a fall apple, just very..... I don't know. Woodsy. Interesting, but not won over by it. I may try a full day run tomorrow to see if I like it better by itself as I'm testing all my decants right now.

Edited March 13, 2015 by Larinessa

[alyelle]

Imp: GLORIOUS APPLE.

 

Wet: apple, with a warm tinge of honey and a subtle hint of cardamom. As it dries, it develops into something that smells vaguely like my tanning oil - I assumed it was coconut, but now I'm wondering if that doesn't have cardamom scents in it too. Either that or there's some cheeky coconut in here.

 

Dry: if there was any question about it, it's now been proved - I amp honey to high heaven. By the end of the day, this was pure, unadulterated honey; the apple and spice had worn off several hours before.

 

It's lovely, yes, but not one I feel compelled to own. Maybe if it had stayed appley (though I've already got more apple blends than you can poke a stick at). I do like a good honey fragrance, but I have others that are better on me and less over-powering, so I'm happy to just keep my single decant of this one. Life is excellent, 12+ hours; throw is strong, right to the end.

 

Stars: ★★★★

[agirlnamedfury]

In the imp, this is all crisp, fresh apple. It's much the same on skin but a sultry muskiness also starts to come through a little -- that must be the spiciness of the cardamom but it really doesn't scream "cardamom" to me. There is sweet, fruity honey as well.

 

This seems really unlike anything I own, so I'll be keeping the decant for sure, but I'm not sure if it's bottle-worthy yet.

[SweetEpiphanies]

In the imp: All apple all the time.

 

Wet: Still very apple-y but with an outdoorsy quality to it that wasn't apparent in the imp.

 

Dry: The apple disappears fairly quickly on me and I am left with a soft powdery floral honey. I really like it.

 

I never got any cardamom which is fine because I didn't want the spice to turn this into a fall scent for me. It is quite beautiful and the wear length is great. I've had it on now for about 12 hours and I can still smell it faintly on my wrists.

[Gryphon]

Oh, it started out all cat pee and then settled down to a lovely bright apple. The honey took awhile to come out and play, but eventually it did. No signs of the cardamom, which is sad because that's the one note I really wanted to smell.

[barilace]

This reminds me of sweet, springy girly apple with a bit of a tart edge (that I believe is coming from the currant?) coated in honey.

 

yassss. It's so good and I don't usually like BPAL'S apple notes - even though I'm a huge apple lover in perfumes/candles/etc. (I bought a bottle. )

[LiberAmoris]

Yum, pink lady apples! Venus Obsequens is wonderful pink appleappleapple wet and upon application. After a minute or so, the blackcurrant, honey, and cardamom start to come through, and they soften that apple note and add a bit of spice. The apple note can be too strong on me at times, but I really like it here and this is very wearable and pretty. The cardamom is very faint, so if you love apple and honey and blackcurrant—give this a try!

[astarinel]

I like the apple note here, it's very pink and crisp and fresh, but with a little spice and almost smokiness underneath. I'm not sure I would pick the spice out as cardamom, but it's definitely present and a bit dry. I love honey, but the honey isn't super strong here, the apple is definitely the most prominent note.

 

Despite basically liking all of these notes, I don't think I like this scent all that much. I have a fair number of apple scents, and I like all of them better than I like this one, even if this particular apple note is quite nice. The odd smoky-spice fades a bit as it dries, and the honey comes out more, but it never turns into something I love.

[Magycmyste]

In the imp: Apple with a bit of spice. The spice makes me think more of black pepper than cardamom, really. It's a very juicy apple, though.

 

Wet on skin: Same as the imp.

 

Dried down: Still pretty much apple, though the apple has softened.

 

Throw: Not much on me.

 

Verdict: *** This is nice, and I love apple, but... I'm not loving this perfume enough. I've got other apple scents I love more.

[Gwydion]

In bottle: Strongly Apple dominant, with black currant making the fruit smell richer. The honey sweetens and softens. The cardamom adds a hint of mulling on top of what is otherwise crisp, fresh from the tree apple. The tart and the sweet work well with that kiss of spice. Wet: Cardamom pops on the skin, like fireworks on the sky canvass of apple. The honey is soft, but pervasive. The black currant is very understated. Dry: Apple and blackcurrant.

[milo]

Sparkling effervescent apple at first. This smells li ke it would be a great drink! I'm getting thirsty... Dry a sweeter apple, kind of nice, not shampoo at all, which I automatically assume apple scents to turn. The lab has yet to win me over with an apple blend though. The closest was one of the apple hair glosses. Apple and oppopanax I believe. This was fun to try though!

[Greenwoodtree]

This started as a pretty fruity floral, very feminine and I liked it! A rarity for a floral, even though the notes don't list any flowers.

 

After 30 minutes, it had sadly degenerated to a tangy, candy smell, something I hate as a perfume. It stayed like that...all the pretty feminine aura gone.

 

I'm pretty sure this is the apple and the honey. They both turn to sweettarts or powder on me, and sometimes honey amps. Usually blackcurrant is a winner.

Edited June 19, 2015 by Greenwoodtree

[thekittenkat]

In the decant: An opened jar of cardamon-flavoured honey next to a bottle of pink apples and blackcurrants.

 

Wet: Oh, yummy! The pink apple is strong and fresh.

 

The dry-down: The cardamon has really come forward, and all the other notes are settling deep into the blend. But wait, the scrumptious apple has come flying back! And there's the honey again! I rather like this.

Edited June 28, 2015 by thekittenkat

[ShowOrchid]

This is straight up apple on me! Slight cardamom and honey. No real trace of blackcurrant though. I enjoy it, but I'm not sure I want to keep it.

 

Edit: 2:10 PM. I'm getting more cardamom and honey. I spoke too soon!

Edited October 29, 2015 by ShowOrchid

[LizziesLuck]

I am not a fan of apple. That being said, if often burns off completely on my skin, leaving the other notes behind - and I love these other notes, so giving it a go.

 

 

Wet: Apple, hints of cardamom and honey. It's somehow a bit musky. I shall wait to see if the apple disappears.

 

 

Dry: Faint hints of apple, and something slightly bitter. It's mostly gone completely. Sadly this one is not for me! Glad to have tried it though.

[Lucchesa]

Apple is not my favorite note, but cardamom is, so I had to try this one. It may be the most beautiful BPAL fresh apple scent I have tried (baked apple works better on my skin). At first it is all apple and pale honey; the cardamom and blackcurrant are definitely background notes on me. I do wish I got more distinct cardamom out of this, but it is very pleasant. The notes might suggest late summer/fall, but it seems more like a spring/summer daytime scent on me, no throw at all and very appropriate for work or any social situation.

[doomsday_disco]

Oops! I neglected to post this review when I tried it a few years ago.

 

In the decant: Sweet pink apple is the strongest note, but the other notes are definitely present, with the cardamom being the second most prominent to my nose.

 

Wet: Apple reigns, and it is a very realistic apple note. The other notes start emerging more over time. The cardamom is still second in prominence. The blackcurrant and honey are in the background, adding a bit more sweetness and fruitiness to the scent, which is still primarily an apple one.

 

Dry: The blackcurrant is stronger after a few hours of wear, and so is the honey. The apple note is softer now, and the cardamom, though present, is now in the background.

 

Verdict: I'm glad that I gave this one a chance. I like it, but I don't love it, and so I shall refrain from getting a bottle (because I have too many apple scents already)! I will definitely be keeping my decant, though!