To His Mistress Going to Bed

[Haltija]

Come, Madam, come, all rest my powers defy,
Until I labour, I in labour lie.
The foe oft-times having the foe in sight,
Is tird with standing though he never fight.
Off with that girdle, like heavens Zone glistering,
But a far fairer world encompassing.
Unpin that spangled breastplate which you wear,
That theyes of busy fools may be stopped there.
Unlace yourself, for that harmonious chime,
Tells me from you, that now it is bed time.
Off with that happy busk, which I envy,
That still can be, and still can stand so nigh.
Your gown going off, such beauteous state reveals,
As when from flowery meads thhills shadow steals.
Off with that wiry Coronet and shew
The hairy Diadem which on you doth grow:
Now off with those shoes, and then safely tread
In this loves hallowd temple, this soft bed.
In such white robes, heavens Angels used to be
Received by men; Thou Angel bringst with thee
A heaven like Mahomets Paradise; and though
Ill spirits walk in white, we easily know,
By this these Angels from an evil sprite,
Those set our hairs, but these our flesh upright.
Licence my roving hands, and let them go,
Before, behind, between, above, below.
O my America! my new-found-land,
My kingdom, safeliest when with one man mannd,
My Mine of precious stones, My Empirie,
How blest am I in this discovering thee!
To enter in these bonds, is to be free;
Then where my hand is set, my seal shall be.
Full nakedness! All joys are due to thee,
As souls unbodied, bodies unclothd must be,
To taste whole joys. Gems which you women use
Are like Atlantas balls, cast in mens views,
That when a fools eye lighteth on a Gem,
His earthly soul may covet theirs, not them.
Like pictures, or like books gay coverings made
For lay-men, are all women thus arrayd;
Themselves are mystic books, which only we
(Whom their imputed grace will dignify)
Must see reveald. Then since that I may know;
As liberally, as to a Midwife, shew
Thy self: cast all, yea, this white linen hence,
There is no penance due to innocence.
To teach thee, I am naked first; why then
What needst thou have more covering than a man.
John Donne

Licence my roving hands, and let them go,
Before, behind, between, above, below.
Skin like silk: bourbon vanilla, caramelized patchouli, Siamese red benzoin, and fig.

Oh the pressures of being first to review. I will do my best.

I absolutely adore this one simply for the fact it reminds me of A Measurement of the Soul from the 2014 Yules. I immediately recognize the same fig note and it does smell almost like a fig pudding, but not foodie per say. The bourbon vanilla is a note I barely smell here and I honestly do not mind either. The patchouli on the other hand is very present and very much caramelized. Honestly, people who fear patchouli might even want to give this a try because it's not too woody nor is it too smoky.... It's just there giving a backbone to the scent.

But the fig is the star here, on me at least. I will very much enjoy my bottle.

[verystarry]

Oooh boy. I love patchouli and benzoin. This is a very deep dark sexy scent. I amp patchouli which I don't mind. I don't get any sweetness from vanilla but just a hint of fig for juiciness. It's a bit spicy. A very 'dark' scent to me, but super sexy. Very strong throw on this one too.

[doomsday_disco]

In the bottle: This is really strong on the patchouli, which is a chewy patch. The benzoin note is next in prominence, and then the fig, but I'm not really getting any vanilla from the bottle. I hope that won't be the case on my skin.

 

Wet: Patchouli reigns, followed by the benzoin, and I'm getting a lot more fig on my skin than I did in the bottle. I wondered if this would be similar to A Moment in Time, which also features patchouli, benzoin, and fig. It does have a similarity (without the lavender, of course), but the patchouli in this is far more prominent (and it's smoky and chewy), and the fig and benzoin in this one are stronger, too. The fig seems to be increasing in strength the longer this sits on my skin, but the patchouli and benzoin are preventing it from being too sweet and won't let it completely take over.

 

Dry: This is predominantly smoky patch and fig. The benzoin is still present, but not as strong as the other two notes. There is only a very faint trace of vanilla on my skin.

 

Verdict: I'm not sure what to think of this one yet. I was hoping it would be a lovely vanilla and caramelized patch scent, but I'm not getting much vanilla on my skin. I'm going to keep it, let it age, and see if the vanilla comes out more over time... mainly because it has those similarities to A Moment of Time, which only got better with age.

Edited February 21, 2016 by dementia_divine

[gentle-twig]

In bottle: patch (reminds me of the patch note in goblin) and a little bit of fig.

 

wet: very soft comopared to what i was expecting. it's actually really hard for me to pick up individual notes. i guess i'd say it smells similar to how it did in the bottle but suffused across a backing of what must be vanilla and benzoin but really doesn't smell distinctly like either of those notes. it's not that this is faint at all, but it is pale and soft at this stage.

 

drydown: wow this is so beautiful. i put some phoenix and dragon on my other hand and wrote a description and while that was going on the fig has really come out. at this stage it is a figgy patch that reminds me of the grave pig, which is one that i always was on the edge of getting a bottle of but never did. the vanilla is making this just a tad smoother/creamier than the grave pig. this has a pretty decent throw, as fig and patch tend that way on me. it's dominitating phoenix and dragon (ironically?). by the way, this is STRONG. i'm going to go wash this off to do some more testing, but after about an hour this feels pretty stable and so nice. A very successful blind bottle!

[Little Bird]

Pencil shavings, woody fig and womething like burning, rubbery pencil erasers (like when you use a pencil eraser really vigorously). The caramelized part of the caramelized patchouli is sickly sweet and starts to remind me of caramel flavored chewing tobacco.
Intensely sweet, caramel flavored chewing tobacco with the burning, sour overtone of used pencil erasers and some pencil shavings... too sweet and just weird, burnt, and strangely soured on my skin.

Edited March 10, 2016 by Little Bird

[Pyretta]

One of my two Lupercalia blind-bottles, the other being The Initiation. I'm absolutely crazy for that one, but To His Mistress Going to Bed sadly went the in the opposite direction

 

Bottle: Very, very smoky and slightly sweet patchouli, though I wouldn't call it sweet in a caramel way exactly... more like barbecue sauce sweet. I'm not getting any bourbon vanilla or benzoin, but the tiniest bit of fig comes out if I try to block out the smoke note.

 

Wet: I'm not getting any fig or much of the patchouli now - my skin just amps that smoke like crazy! It's taking on a definite musky, almost savory scent.

 

Dry: This is straight up applewood smoke now. It's definitely not unpleasant, but I'm disappointed that the other notes are nowhere to be found. I tested this on my neck and on the back of my hand - after around 20 minutes, if I hold my hand up to my nose I can smell the musk note from before. It's hinting at fig, the same fig from Carnal that I really love, but I have to look hard for it.

 

Verdict: I'm extremely conflicted about this one. It's so, so different on me than I imagined from the description, and I was sure that it would be a winner. The bottle art is gorgeous, too! I just don't see myself wearing this often as is, but I think I'll age it to see if the smoke softens a little - especially since the other reviews mention strong fig notes, and that was the only thing I could detect apart from the applewood smoke in the dry stage.

[Laurel the Woodfairy]

This was an immediate big-bottle buy, as the notes are the closest to Red Lantern in this year's Lupers, and I've been regretting not getting more R.L. since it was last available...which was what, 8 years ago? Yeah, that's a long time. To His Mistress has the delicious smokey caramel topnotes I was hoping for, and a rich dark figgy drydown as well. It's been so long since Red Lantern that I couldn't say how similar it really is, but it has the burned caramel over a sexy base that I was seeking, so I am content.

[radiantfracture]

I too, am seeking a cousin of Red Lantern.

 

In the bottle, patch and fig -- a deep, wet earth scent, almost chocolatey -- with draughts of benzoin -- and maybe the bourbon of bourbon vanilla -- nothing strongly vanillic as such. More reminiscent of the boozy side of vanilla.

 

Wet on skin, the fig dominates briefly, and then the benzoin, or anyway something resinous, with fig and patch around the edges. Normally, I amp vanilla, so I'm waiting for this to turn sweet, but that doesn't seem to happen.

 

This stays pretty subtle on me, even with multiple applications. I've been searching through this year's Lupers looking for a caramel that will show up and stick around on my skin -- this is not that. I get no caramel at all.

 

The fig is delicious, though, and very friendly with the patchouli. I think this is a win, with potential for aging.

[Dark Alice]

Fancy Patchouli, fig, with a hint of benzoin. Meh. Not my thing...but it is going to a better home.

[vanilla323]

On me this one was a very nice not too stinky patchouli with a little bit of that smoky caramelness but not much else. I had hoped for the fig note to jump out like it did for others but sadly no. That made this scent too patchouli heavy and not sweet enough for me. It was sexy though and had a pretty label. Alas swapped it off to a happier home!

[lookingglass]

I got vanilla323's bottle and I'm SO happy! It reminds me of a less sweet/honeyed Hetairae (which is GC, in case you miss this beauty). The ripe fig, freshly cut, gives a juicy, greenish lift, but is, yeah, patchouli heavy with a bit of rich caramel. My partner says it smells "really, good", and like "a piece of wood kept in a shaman's pocket". It is very woody (both fig and patchouli give off this vibe, and together, they dance), incensey, and warm, which is just perfect for me, especially in early spring. Dried out, the fruit seems to cook down, making a delicious, creamy, sweet, fleshy note. It has a subtle but distinct feeling of growth and wetness (without being aquatic) in deep, sweet earth...but personified...like making love on a forest floor. I'm sure this will age beautifully as well.

Edited March 5, 2016 by lookingglass

[TijuanaBible]

I love this, but it's a VERY smoky patchouli with a little fig and benzoin. I expected it to be a little lighter or sweeter with the bourbon vanilla but I literally get none of it. If you're a patchouli fan, you'll love it, but if not, I'd try to go for something else. Long lasting, good throw.

[Nyx_DevineNight]

​

In the bottle: Caramelized patchouli for sure and fig.

Wet: ​​The patchouli is the prominent note. I also get the fig and possibly the benzoin.

Dry: This is now a very smoky patchouli and fig. I normally tend to like smoky scents, but this one just doesn't seem to be for me. Don't get me wrong, this one is good, but not one I would choose very often.

[Teaker]

Nothing but patchouli in this one. A bright, woody patchouli. Hopefully aging will bring out more nuance, or I'll have to pass this one on.

[samarablackcat]

I was afraid (very afraid!) of the caramelized patchouli; apparently it's so light in this I don't get any at all. While it's drying, I am reminded of the patchouli in This Is Your Wilderness (although no honey but it's the vibe I'm getting). After this is dry, it reminds me of Red Patchouli and Fig hair gloss from The Post, if that were made into a perfume. Figgy with earthy bottom notes. This is more of a colder weather scent for me, and I foresee much use in the season you people up north call Autumn (in Florida, we have hot, hotter, disgustingly humid and oh! that's much better. Much better has already departed ). Very pleased I took a chance!

[SimplySyra]

This starts up strongly smokey patchouli which smells thick and woody to me. I don't get the other notes until about 15 minutes of wear at which point the fig pokes out its head very slightly. The scent is still dominated by the patch but the fig is definitely there in the background, sweet and almost chewy. All in all this is a scent for lovers of woody, smokey patchouli supported by small amount of fig.

 

I'm hoping aging may bring out some more notes. This is not at all an unpleasant scent but unfortunately rather one-dimension for me as of now.

[Honor]

First of all, I love this poem. I'd not heard of it until now, and I think it's delightfully, wickedly enticing. So thanks to the lab for introducing me to it!

It's been a long time since I've written a review, let's see if I can still do it.

In bottle: Patchouli! Sharp but with hint of vanilla. Little disappointed, there's no sign of the fig.

 

Wet on skin:Still patchouli! Sharp, raw patchouli.

 

Drying: The patchouli is losing some of it's edge and sharpness, but it still is the dominant note. If there is a nuance here, my nose isn't getting it. The patch is mellowing though, becoming softer. Still no sign of fig.

Dry down: Finally the patchouli has calmed itself into a soft "woody" version, smoothed out with the vanilla.

Throughout the day/overall impression: On me, this is largely patchouli. It starts "raw" smelling but mellows out, combining with the vanilla to become softer less intense. While the patchouli seems to go through different phases, none of the other notes really come out on their own; I suspect the vanilla, benzoin and fig contribute to the phrases and final softness of the patchouli.

Sadly, on me, there's not enough nuance to this.

Edited March 16, 2016 by HonorAlexandria

[tailoredshirt]

On my skin, this is so similar to Mme. Moriarty! The red fruit + patchouli, backed up with vanilla. It's not exactly the same, of course (especially without the red musk) but similar enough that it's all I can think about. It lacks the depth and...deliciousness of MM though. As it dries, the benzoin and vanilla take over more. I wish it lasted longer and had a stronger throw.

[elbow]

Patchouli's a note that only works for me in moderation. A couple of recent reviews had me worried that it would be too much for me in this blend. But though the patch does take center stage here for me, it doesn't have the spiky nosefeel of many patchouli-heavy scents. Whatever it means to "caramelize" patchouli, I'm a fan! With the warmth and sweetness of the benzoin, vanilla, and fig, this blend is mellow and lies close to the skin; it's incredibly sexy without being in-your-face about it. The benzoin, vanilla, and fig all harmonize with it so well... I would definitely hit that.

[agirlnamedfury]

This is all warm spice on me at first -- it almost smells like turmeric or something similar! There is something deep and resiny, which I'm guessing is the benzoin, though I'm not exactly sure what that smells like. The spices start to mellow out a bit during the drydown. I love the fig and caramel-y sweetness of this too.

 

 

This reminds me in some ways of Red Lantern, though they don't actually smell all that similar other than both being caramel and spices. In any case, I love both of them.

[LizziesLuck]

Wet: Wow. That caramelized patch note is really something!! Sweet, smoky. Chewy. Pretty incredible. It's dominating the other notes, but I like it so much I don't care.

 

 

Dry: Mostly fig. Not surprising, I amp fig. And that's great, I love fig. But I was really loving that caramelized patchouli note, and I wish it had stuck around. Unfortunately, what had made this truly unique and stunning has faded away, leaving just a pleasant, slightly woody fig.

[theseagrows]

at first it's a burning carmelized patchouli. this patchouli is one of those very earthy ones and my skin seems to be amping it a bit much. i get a hint of the fig which adds some sweetness. this is doing the leadlike thing on my skin that happens with some of bpal's notes. i am pretty sure it's the patchouli. this patchouli smells kind of nutty now and it is a bit overpowering in this scent.

Edited August 7, 2016 by theseagrows

[milo]

I'm surprised that I got a decant of this one, as caramelled anything equals bad. Musky and resinous at first, and yes, the caramel, which makes this blend smell a lot like Red Lantern. If you were a fan of RL, this would be good. I am not. Thankfully, the end result does not include caramel (it fades rather quickly), and were left with sweet resins and a touch of musk. It is a LOT like King Cobra on me, minus the Snake Oil. I really like the final dry down, but it is too similar to KC to warrant any more.

[zankoku_zen]

Whoever compared this to A Measurement of the Soul sort of nailed it. This one is figgy, patchy with a caramel vanilla note that AMotS did not have, so a little more wearable, since it lacks the sage of AMotS. So, slinkier and more wearable.

 

If you love fig, and don't mind a dark patchy base and caramel throw in, give this a whirl. There's part of me that really really loves this. Way more than the Mirror which is on my other wrist.

[heatherlyn]

Loved this when I first tried it, a rich, sweet, smokey patchouli, very much dirt and fig. Way too hippie for me to wear in public, so passed on the bottle. My imp saw more and more use though, and I broke down and bought a bottle. I might only wear it at home, but, wow, do I enjoy myself when I do!