The Magician’s Robes

[Lycanthrope]

The Red King and White Queen, sulfur and mercury, Rubedo and Albedo. The unification of opposites, putrefaction and individuation, the culmination of the Great Work.

ὁδὸς ἄνω κάτω μία καὶ ὡυτή: red and white musks alight with frankincense, white oudh, sweet labdanum, and saffron. The way up and the way down are one and the same.

Wet, this is a spicy, warm frankincense with a bit of a gummy, resinous sweetness from the labdanum. It's definitely very magical smelling, like the curl of a smoldering frankincense tear. The saffron is providing a bit of a dry pepperiness in the background. I think the oudh and red musk are making this a bit more 'warm' in tone, but strangely it's not super 'oriental,' and in fact remains very crisp and clear. None of the resins are 'gummy' per se. The musks are smooth and straightforward, and I think the white musk makes this have a bit of a chillier, bright tone.

It's very nice, very magical.

[JMorgynWhite]

I get the musks on the wet down and they are strong. Robe is the darkest oil of the lot which made me reach for it first.

The first sniffs are sweet and heady - makes me kinda of want to run away. I would say amber musk with some incense and smoke. A lot of incense - Incense is predominant. I don't get any of the nuances of the oudh or saffron.

Dry down: Robe is now all stale incense similar to cathedral and Midnight Mass. There's a trail of saffron and the dryness from maybe the frankincense. The incense is the star here on my skin.

[LizziesLuck]

Wet: The mixture of red musk and labdanum is strong, rich, syrupy sweet, almost fruity and with a touch of cola-like effervescence. I pretty much love it instantly and am wondering why I didn't get a bottle - oh right, oudh! And Frankincense. Both of which are so iffy on me, and neither of which are detectable in this yet. This is really strong, tons of throw. I really do somewhat love it. I've really been gravitating towards labdanum and opoponax lately! (They're somewhat similar on me).

 

 

Dry: The red musk gradually just inches out the labdanum for dominance as this dries, but the labdanum is still very present. I really love this. I have so many red musk blends, but I may convince myself I need more of this. It's sweet, sultry and rich. So very wearable. Decent throw, good wear length. Really great.

[zankoku_zen]

Sweet musky frankincense with a dash of oudh. Hey, frankincense lovers, get on this. It's a sweet, musky, resinous frankincense. Sort of low-key magical. Like stealthy. Good throw, medium wear length.

[Aveya]

Source: Decant Circle

Preconceptions: Literally a training moment for me. I've come across all these notes and been confused about them. I'm hoping this will help me unwind them.

 

Vial: Sweet tart woody. Frankincense I believe.

Skin: Musks just insta-bloom. Frankincense backing but these musks just engulf you like a fog machine and magic smoke billowing towards you. Prepping you for the show.

Drydown: This is shockingly beautiful. I've been on a kick with tobacco and honey blends lately? And when those blends engulf you they're extraordinarily smooth. This blend FEELS the same way - the dark mysterious engulfing feeling. But instead of cloying / smooth / smothering, it's like actual smoke. Airy, physically light, but deep and full.

 

Verdict; What every witch wishes her house smelled like 24/7. Or maybe it's just me. Flippin' beautiful, incensed musks, earthy spices, full bodied yet ethereal. Strong throw at first but tames dramatically.

Edited June 8, 2018 by Aveya

[DiZZysTARdust]

I was excited to try this one because recently i've been wanting to try blends containing oudh to see if i could learn to id it. Right off the bat, fresh on the skin, i thought i detected a slight fecal note that i think must have been the oudh (or so i've heard), but thankfully it didn't linger. Other than that nothing stood out. This is a very beautifully blended scent. Red musk can amp on me but the musks are not dominant here, i think they just add to the staying power. This is a very red, slightly spicy, resiny scent. The labdanum is most identifiable both fresh and dry as a syrupy sweetness. The frankincense and saffron cut it down a bit. This doesn't change much from the skin to the throw. Stays pretty consistent for a while, having lasted for about 4 hours on me with a strong throw and still detectable 6 hours after application. The red musk came out more towards the end

[artisjok]

Syrupy musk and labdanum are most evident upon application. After a short while, I detect the frankincense and a hint of woodsy oudh. Everything is loud to begin and then gradually softens and melds into one. The white musk lightens the red musk effect somewhat. 

 

This definitely calls to mind a magician’s robes, as if crafted out of magic rather than fabric. Cozy, yet sparkling. Never stained or stinky. They must be purple robes, because I’m getting grape vibes. 
 

I can tell it’s going to linger for a long time, making my day a little more mystical. I’ll have to do something creative to take advantage of these vibrations! 
 

Update: this is a similar scent to Streets of Detroit, lighter and cleaner, but in the same family! 

Edited April 24, 2020 by artisjok