Thebe

[Heather Perkins]

Irregular and reddish, porous and cold: a rocky red musk, with lumps of frankincense and opoponax, crusted with ice.

Where to begin with this scent?! I find it to absolutely amazing. I have never tried one of the red musks before, but I know that I tend to do well with the musk in Dorian, Venus Cloacina, and Lyonesse, along with frankincense in everything, so I decided it was time to treat myself. So here's my thoughts.

 

In the bottle: I don't know opoponax by smell so I can't say if it shows it's self anywhere for me, but twist open and take a sniff I really get that crust of ice. It's got the brightness of almost a menthol infused medicine. In the back you can only just smell a faint musk, but it's sweeter than the usually sharp scents I tend to get.

 

Wet on skin: it's got a lovely red color, and that brightness of the ice is immediately gone, now it's just a cool tinge to the whole smell. It doesn't seem to have much throw and just kind of sits around my wrist. The scent of it though. The frankincense has gotten a little bit stronger, which is to be expected on me, but it still has this slightly sweet but sharp tingly smell to it.

 

Dry down: Goodness I don't know what my body chemistry does with this particular blend because I have never had another test do this: the first hour it seemed like the scent was going to be nice, but sit close to the skin when suddenly about an hour, hour and a half later I start really throwing it. I tested it twice once pre and post shower, and with different activity levels so I guess it's a grower not a shower. When my Round 2 hit the sweetness has faded and I feel it grows just a touch more sensual.

 

In all I really like Thebe and I'm glad I went for it, but it feels like it would work best as a winter smell for me. For fun nights out when you want to feel sexy, but not Snake Oil sexy. and now I'm off to review Golden Champa. what a great day.

[tarotgirl99]

 

I was gifted with a half-imp of this, and I'm glad, since I otherwise would not have tried it.

 

It is surprisingly similar to Green Tree Viper, because the "ice" seems to be minty. But it's a bit more antiseptic, significantly earthier and less sweet.

 

I like it, but I have a bottle of Green Tree Viper, which I prefer. Thebe is more unusual, though.

 

Average throw and longevity.

[zankoku_zen]

Ice, red musk and a swirl of frankincense. This remains somewhat minty even in the drydown. It's a slightly minty red musk with a very resinous base. Medium throw and wear length.

[Little Bird]

This reminds me of bptp's Muilearteach blend (blood red, bone white, and pitch black musks coated in hoarfrost). Red musk with minty, clean snow note and a thick, dark sweetness from the opoponax. Dark and sweetly musky, but also with a clean, cold edge to it.