Nevertheless, She Persisted

[Casablanca]

She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted.

A rallying call: golden oudh, frankincense, iris, and steel. Proceeds from this scent benefit EMILYs List, an organization that supports electing pro-choice Democratic women to office.

This hasn't been long out of the mailbox, but it's late in the day and around 60 F outside, mild and temperate.

 

In the bottle, I smell soft resins and a hint of metal.

 

Fresh on my skin, this smells to me like the oudh from Bestla, but lightened and softened considerably. The slight fecal note in the oudh is quieter and burns off almost entirely from me in a couple minutes (Bestla's ripe phase lasts longer on me). Frankincense is there, golden-toned, and the rest is so far just a faint softness, barely showing up.

 

Once this dries it fills out nicely. The oudh abides, like the Dude. It's only a little stronger on my skin than the frank, and there's a vanillic golden impression that reminds me of benzoin. Iris I find at first only from hunting around: it starts out more or less on the outskirts of the blend, adding a little powdery femininity, but after some dry-time it comes out more. There's also a grey metallic background that brings Ganymede to mind.

 

Nevertheless' wet phase underwhelms for now, but I think its full life on my skin will likely improve with age.

 

I like it already, though.

[Lambent]

I'm relieved I'm not the only one who got the fecal note from this. Once the oudh settles down, it's mostly a frankincense scent on my skin. Slightly citrus-y. It's a calming, contemplative, "holy-smelling" fragrance. I don't detect any of the metal. For reference, the oil itself is a lovely reddish color.

[lady_pandora]

On me, this is pretty much all iris. Appropriately, it has a ton of lasting power, but is almost a single note. The resins may be why it sticks around as long as it does, but I can't pick them out--this is just a straight-up, delicate floral that lasts all day without morphing, on me.

[LadyMedb]

I get some pretty sharp incenses (though maybe the sharpness is the "metal" note) and a citrusy feel when I first apply this, but once it settles down, it becomes warm and inviting and sophisticated. I've been on a bit of an iris kick lately, so this fits right in with other perfumes I've been wearing a whole lot. Iris. Incense. Easy. I'll probably reach for this a lot over the next few months.

Edited February 21, 2017 by LadyMedb

[lizardskin]

I've been referring to this one as "the Joan of Arc perfume," and I think it does fit the inspiration/artwork very well. There is something medieval about it.

Initially the oudh is strong, and a little weird, but it calms down quickly. So far every Bpal oudh I've tried has been completely different, so maybe it's worth mentioning that this one isn't like either the one in Jareth or the one in Half-Elf. Both the frankincense and iris are pretty noticeable early on, but the iris fades on me to leave mostly sweet, spicy frankincense grounded by rich oudh. I didn't pick up on the steel note when I looked for it, but during the day I occasionally got a whiff of metal.

I'd like to see how this will age, but I already like it a lot.

[Dark Alice]

Outside of the iris, this is perfect. Oude and steel, with a hint of Frankincense makes this perfect. Iris just stands out on the corner smelling lonely and funky. I will keep this bottle for what it represents, but I don't think I will be wearing it too often.

[Janel Kisner]

I am not very good at identifying specific notes, and this one is no exception. But I can say my first sniff, it reminded me of bathroom spray; the strong, floral kind. They kind you use to mask odors. My stepdaughter said it smells like poop! Although I didn't quite pick that one up. So, I guess there is some kind of fecal note. Personally, I just could not get pass that "spray" scent and didn't test it. Perhaps with settling, it would mellow out or change as some of the other reviewers indicated. I really wanted to like this one too, because I adore Joan of Arc, and Elizabeth Warren in which this is in reference to, not to mention it being a charitable bottle.

Edited March 3, 2017 by Janel

[Boudicca]

When first applied, I was smelling what I thought was civet. I happen to like civet generally so that's cool, but I assume whatever it is is the note some of you are not appreciating as much. However, that fades fairly quickly so I wouldn't think it would be a problem for most. Right now I'm getting mostly oude/iris/steel, not so much frank. I also do like iris but I'm not finding it overly floral though. It is a little sweet, but just a little. Glad I got this one.

[gloame]

Bottle straight from the Lab. When it first came in, I did a quick test and was hit with this huge whiff of vomit. I washed it off right away. It sat for a few weeks and now doesn't have as much of a vomit smell when I open it now. On dry down, the sickly scent fades completely and it's a light resin-y, incense-y, floral. It's much prettier to me now, but it doesn't stand out as anything spectacular on my skin. I agree that it does have a medieval vibe.

[LizziesLuck]

These notes should all be pretty terrible on me, but I love everything this stands for, and just had to get a bottle anyway. I think I will keep it, even if I do hate it. It means a lot to me.

 

 

Wet: Wow. Not what I was expecting. It's quite sweet. The oudh in this is so beautiful. The Frankincense hasn't stomped all over everything yet, and the iris is not masquerading as violet yet. This is rich and pretty, and so much more than the sum of it's parts, so far. I can't smell steel which is a blessing.

 

 

Dry: This goes sour for a bit, and I remember why I don't always like oudh, but then it comes back. It's sweet and almost fruity?? Hard to pick out notes other than a floral note that doesn't really smell like iris, something sweet and resiny that doesn't really smell like Frank, and oudh. It's kind of crazy that this combo of notes smells the way it does. I like it much more than expected, and am happy to have it. <3 you, Beth, for all you do. And we will all persist.

[sisterbastard]

First impression: Hmmm. Indistinct flowers, and it's a little cold. Must be the metal.

 

Wet: It's not my favorite scent from the vial, and I don't feel properly able to articulate why or how.

 

Dry: Oh, no. Oh, no. This smells like cat pee on me until it dries down, after which it smells like cat pee in a litter box. My skin is amping something really unpleasant. The iris? The oudh? Washed off pronto.

 

I wanted to love this one, but unfortunately, it's a hard pass for me.

[lizabelle]

The opening to this is gorgeous; the oudh and frankincense blend together to form a single, earthy incense that's one of the best things I've ever smelled. This combo needs to be in everything! Iris usually goes off on me but it looks like this one won't. There's a soft floral over everything with a bit of green stem bite to it, probably helped along by the "steel." I don't actually smell that note but the contrast between the others gives the impression of something sharp, if that makes sense. It does get rather powdery on me, but not in a way I dislike; it strikes me as something you might smell in a church, or an incense someone might burn at home during prayer or meditation.

 

This is a really unique scent, and fits both the concept and the artwork beautifully.

[HerbGirl]

I really wanted to love this but I get no Iris and the oudh is definitely fecal, to me. I bought a decant and a bottle so I guess the bottle will find a better home. I will hold on to the decant in hopes that oudh settles down...

[zankoku_zen]

Iris, steel, frankincense combine into.... well, something that smells more appropriately in a public restroom.

 

EPIC FAIL.

[Little Bird]

I don't really enjoy the lab's oudh and iris is a death note for me, so this was pretty much a guaranteed fail. As has already been said, the oudh has a fecal quality to it, along with a strange ashiness on my skin, mixed with the sharp, perfumey white floral iris and bright, sharp metal. I don't get the frankincense. It's like a bad drugstore cologne spritzed in a dirty restroom with a handful of ashes thrown in somewhere. A total scrubber.

[Balame]

The iris really isn't liking me. It's super sweet and sharp and just... unfriendly here.

I actually don't have any problem with the oudh turning rank, thank goodness, but the iris is so overwhelming that it takes me to headache territory.

Especially combined with the metal, it feels very astringent but cloyingly sweet.

[renfair]

I got this from a decant circle, because I really wanted to try it because of where the scent came from, but I was a little nervous about the actual notes.

First Sniff Impression: Metallic, incense floral

Wet in Vial: Wet in the vial it's a very harsh, metallic, cold floral.

Drying Down on Skin: Fortunately there's some iris there, but I don't know if that and the golden oudh will be enough to pull this off for me. At the very least, it smells completely fitting for the name and label art. It's a cold, steel, badass scent.

Dry on Skin: This actually softens up into a really nice, cool floral after a while. A lot of the metallic edge is gone, leaving behind a femininity that's still strong. It's one of those I probably wouldn't wear, but I'm really glad I got to try it.

Conclusion: This somehow reminded me of another scent, possibly The Raven with the cold floral. I don't think I'd try this again, but it was still very interesting to test. Fortunately I bought enough of the other for-charity scents so I don't feel bad passing on a full bottle of this.

[Lucchesa]

I would never have chosen Nevertheless were it not for the conjoined Elizabeth Warren and Joan of Arc connotations. Oudh is the poopy one, right? And wet, I got that slight whiff. I decided I didn't like it nearly as much as I like the senator. But as it dried down, the oudh settled in to a warm note that, with the frankincense, did battle with the cool notes of steel and iris, and it was beautiful. I kept smelling my wrist in surprise. It's a strong, grown-up perfume. I can wear this.

 

I was delighted to get a decant of this while it's still available from the Lab. It's definitely going on my bottle long list.

[evil_laugher]

Another one best let to sit for a while before using. I tried once when fresh--it was ungodly; tried again 9 months later, and it's a lovely, not simpering, floral. Apply lightly, and it takes an hour or so to calm down in intensity. It does feel like an appropriate homage to Joan of Arc.

Update: My dad sniffed this on me and thought I had been around someone smoking weed. Huh? Whut? His sense of smell is warped by decades of cigar-smoking, so take that with a grain of salt. Anyway as I rose from bed, it smelled perfectly lovely and divine, with the frankincense becoming more prominent.

Edited November 9, 2017 by evil_laugher

[theseagrows]

the steel initially put me off this, but i like the idea of iris and oudh so i figured i'd give it a try. the steel is overwhelming at first, and this starts as a very strong metallic note with hints of oudh. some of bpal's oudhs work better than others for me. this is one of the odd ones. hard to explain, but it just smells a bit strange, and not what i think of as oudh-like. after about 10-15 minutes, i get some iris and frankincense, warming up and deepening the scent. after the drydown it's primarily a metallic floral with hints of oudh. kind of nice, actually, but just far too metallic for my liking...

[Mister Azure]

Sharp and of respect of those bearing witness. 

 

With this scent I didn’t know what to expect. What I can say is that my skin amped the frankincense more than anything. I did pick up a touch of the metal/steel. Over the course of the wear some of the golden oudh. However, this mostly smelled like frankincense on me. Plus the throw was very short on me, but that could also do with how much I put on at the time. 

 

It is unfortunately not a scent that works for me. The decant is plenty but I do not think I’ll spring for a full bottle of this one.

[AprilB]

This scent shifts around in interesting ways over the course of wear. Sometimes the oudh is dominant, and sometimes the flowers and resin are. The oudh in this toes the line between pleasant and not--it's not indolic, but it smells very organic and alive. This is Joan after a battle, sweat under chainmail, smelling of the horse she has been riding, being greeted with flowers and a waft of incense. The iris and frankincense uplift and elevate this scent, but it's still very earthly and human, at its core.

[puellacaerulea]

In the decant and once on, I get resins and oudh, and unfortunately, it's a notably fecal oudh. This goes through several stages of morphing before settling -- there's the extra-indolic oudh stage, but then the iris upstages it for a while in an intense white floral phase. It does eventually settle into something better after drydown -- the iris calms down and the oudh gets more soft and golden and less indolic, while the frankincense adds another soft resinous note. Overall, a mix of soft resins and chilly white floral. It's unusual for sure, and while I have to power through some unpleasant stages as it dries down, I don't dislike the end result.

[rhonorv]

She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted.... to try and smell this again and again even though all she was getting was a butt gland/fecal smell 😢

 

What I have learned from this thread is the indolic kind of golden oudh makes this untenable for me, unfortunately. I am one of those people who only smells the bad parts of it -- the whiff I got from the decant made my eyes water, and I didn't want it on me until I smelled it dry. I put it on a paper towel and tried again several minute and then hours later, and still, nopenopenope. Then I let it sit quietly and settle in a cabinet for a couple of weeks and ventured to dab it on my skin and nooope. Either the pleasant stage won't come for me or is too far past my threshold. Oh well! I was excited to try the lab's steel note, and will just have to attempt something else

[bulletslc]

Just received today. Have been wanting this one for awhile because other than Nasty Woman and some Scalia bottles this is my only other activism scent. And I love Elizabeth Warren. 

In the bottle it's sharp with a light floral edge.

On skin wet the oud is popping right up with its indolent weirdness.  Not as potent as with some other bpal ouds but....still... that little poop whiff.

As it dries the oud settles back into being more woody. The iris comes out to play. And this is what I was waiting for  boys and ghouls! I love the smell of iris! The frankincense gives a sharp resinous base that melds with the oud. Not sure what creates the steel scent... ozone? But it doesn't overwhelm. Just boosts the power of the other scents. 

As it mellows the oud and iris find a lovely balance. 

If you love sharp scents and like oud that isn't too potent, I think you'd like this. As for me, this just replaced Nasty Woman as my favorite feminist activism scent.

PS. I love Elizabeth Warren ❤