A Phantasmagoria: Scene – Conjuring Up an Armed Skeleton

[Aviatrix]

James Gillray
Wig powder, amber-perfumed leather gloves, and rose petals with a sliver of oak bark and cauldron smoke.

This is a curious beast.

I am definitely getting something powdery, and the way it evokes wig powder is uncanny. I can just imagine a gentleman wearing a powdered wig with this one!
The leather is not sharp, but the well-worn kind, and I am only getting a very little bit of rose, so if you're worried about that note, you don't have to be.
It is hard to tell whether what I'm getting is simply the powder, or the smoke as well. I don't find it too smoky at all, though.

It is a very mysterious scent, and somewhat masculine, although the right kind of woman could also pull it off.

I quite like it, but I'm not sure I will keep my bottle, as I wouldn't know when to wear this sort of scent.

[DevilsCandyCane]

Interestingly, to me this is all about the smoke, and I really love it - it's just what I wanted from last year's Bonfire SN and didn't get - the latter was far too acrid and green and bitter for me, whereas this is a softer campfire smoke, mingling with a hint of leather, and what I suppose must be the wig powder - I've never smelled that, but this has a subtle...something about it, almost a hint of elegant, archaic, mildly masculine cologne, but it's very, very far in the background, so I wouldn't be put off if that's not your thing. I also get no rose from this at all - to me it's all about the leather and the campfire smoke, and I would also swear I smell a hint of beeswax behind the smoke, which I adore!

 

Massive downside though, it has NO wear-time whatsoever. On my skin it fades to nothing within about 15 minutes, and even in my scent locket it needs topping up twice a day, and I can only smell it when I lift the locket to my nose, I don't get lovely wafts like I usually do with locket scents I'll be keeping my bottle anyway, I think, because it is lovely in the locket, but this is a huge drawback - if the scent had more throw and longevity I really think it could become a big favourite, since it's rare for me to find a scent that's as smoky as I like, and this one so is - if it had more oomph I think it would make a great layering scent...

Edited October 22, 2015 by DevilsCandyCane

[stellamaris]

Freaking LOVE this...love it. I don't find it as "fadey" as you do DevilsCandyCane, maybe when your bottle sits a while you won't have that experience, or maybe layer it with something else? Maybe with Bonfire? Or something else heavy like The Apparition? I'm trying to think of something smokey that you might want to temper a bit. For me, I love the smokey but I hate to just have that.

Also I have to add that I amp amber like crazy, and love it in all forms, so this one works a charm for me.

The note that hits me the strongest is a sort of caramel thing that I absolutely remember from a Salon, Arrival at the Sabbath and Homage to the Devil which I absolutely love. It's not an actual caramel, just that sort of sweet richness which smells like that to me.

 

Strangely, I also don't get much smoke from it. Hmm, I will test it again today. I found it very complex and less powdery than I expected. Going off to retest...

Edited October 23, 2015 by stellamaris

[radiantfracture]

This was very clever.

 

(Note bene: daft with impatience, I tested right out of the mail, without resting time. I may return to revise.)

 

In the bottle, this was astringent (smoke? leather?) and floral (rose?) -- somehow green and heady, with underlying powder (but not baby powder -- a drier, more interesting powder).

 

On the skin, at first leather, then dense powder and amber, rounding into something almost waxy. Out of this base rises what I think of as the apparition -- a sharper smell, golden to my senses -- obscured at intervals by clouds of powder. Then the scent seems to coil itself back, wavering, into amber, now seasoned with faint leather and maybe the oak -- and just the ghostliest rose.

 

I got very little smoke, if any, and so far this ends up more powdery than I would wear, but I love the rise and fall of the scent. It fits the ghoulish silliness of the Gillray picture very well.

[theseagrows]

i was super duper excited about this one! starting off i get the oak bark and rose, then comes a heavy dose of smoky leather. i don't get tons of powder at first, but perhaps that comes later. i really am loving the images this is conjuring up in my mind. after about 15 minutes i do get the powder. it's a rosy-powdery leather now. the leather in this seems a bit more animalic to me than in other BPALs, and i am loving it. with a deep inhale i sense the glow of amber underneath, supporting the other notes. i absolutely love this one!!

[tziporra]

So sometimes I see a blend with rose and amber and I think, "oh I wonder if this will smell like The Shadowy and the Sublime?" Even though the blends share no other notes and it's not really within the realm of possibility. This smells nothing like TSatS in case you were wondering. And on me it doesn't really smell like much of anything. Powder? Yes, definitely sweet, powdery sweetness flavored with dust. And then it vanishes.

 

Not for me, but then again, I wasn't looking in the right place.

 

Tzi

[annemathematics]

I added this to my decant order on a whim/hunch. thanks the smellie heavens I did, because it's amazing.

on me, it's a smokey rosey amber. the leather and the wood add depth to the scent. light and feminine in feel, and very very pretty.

 

absolutely stunning. thank you, beth!

[zankoku_zen]

More feminine than I expected - talcum powder, roses, smoky amber and a touch of brown leather. This one smells like an old timey perfume, I think it's the powdery note.

 

Honestly, I'd actually try and enable grandmothers worldwide with this blend. It sort of has that classic feel, feminine, not too intimidating but just enough leather to know that these older women still have a spine and can swat you with their purses if they need to.

[Little Bird]

This is awful on me - baby powder, harsh woodsmoke and soapy rose. Three of my least favorite things.

[Cali]

Much softer than I expected, though it does have something underground-y on me. Definately powdery, a velvety rose and smooth leather, with a not too thick smoke note in there. Evocative, very pretty!