Ghost Music

[KezzieZ]

Gloomy and bare the organ-loft,
Bent-backed and blind the organist.
From rafters looming shadowy,
From the pipes tuneful company,
Drifted together drowsily,
Innumerable, formless, dim,
The ghosts of long-dead melodies,
Of anthems, stately, thunderous,
Of Kyries shrill and tremulous:
In melancholy drowsy-sweet
They huddled there in harmony.
Like bats at noontide rafter-hung.

Robert Graves

Sheets of white musk and lavender curling around a melancholy song of violet root, iris, neroli, and honeysuckle.

This is a fresh and unsettled bottle from my Halloweenies order, so take this all with a grain of salt.

 

In the Bottle: It smells powdery and sweet in a way that feels reminiscent to a frimp I tried of Jailbait. Maybe the musk and honeysuckle? I think I also smell elements of the violet root and lavender, but Ill admit Im not the best at picking out notes.

 

Wet on Skin: Im not sure how to describe this. The smell sort of reminds me of ozone. Its a clean, borderline soapy smell. Theres a very light, sort of citrus scent that I think is the neroli.

 

Later: Im smelling more of the floral stuff again. Definitely the honeysuckle so far, though not nearly as strong as the Single Note Wild Honeysuckle. I think I still smell the neroli and maybe some lavender. I assume the earthiness Im beginning to pick up is the violet root. Im not sure what iris smells like, to be honest.

 

Id say this scent fits the melancholy mood it should have. It smells like a very clean, slightly sweet ghost to me. Im not sure how to feel about it otherwise. Its not a bad Halloweenie, though Im not certain that its one that speaks to me all that much. If youre looking for a more subtle and feminine spoopy scent, this could be worth a shot.

[PrinceofcatS]

The white musk was the strongest note on me. I didn't really get any of the specific florals from this, maybe some powdery iris, but I got a spicy note like you wouldn't believe! I gave it to a friend of mine who had also wanted it - we tried it at the same time and she didn't get a spicy note from this at all. It was baffling. I wondered if there was a misremembered carnation or clove in this (the spice of carnation can sometimes go clove-y on me) but it beats me which of the notes went that way on me. Had hoped for a lighter floral made ethereal by gentle white musk, powdery notes and lavender, but that's not at all what I got here, and my favorite note, the honeysuckle, never made an appearance on me.

[zankoku_zen]

Lavender, powdery iris root, and a whiff of citrusy musk. This one is a soft, ghostly and sort of sad lavender. Medium throw and wear length.

[TrailerTrashPrincess]

most white musk goes straight to Tide / laundry detergent for me, and i just can't do it. too high-pitched and headachey.

Neroli more often than not will smell like Fritos corn chips to my nose.

 

i've had perfumes (not just BPAL, but commercial ones, too) that had violet root and violet leaves as a primary note and i've liked them, and i adore iris scents. honeysuckle, i like real ones - they're one of my favourite flowers - but in perfume it almost always has something not-quite-right about it.

lavender i only go for if it is sweet like TKO or Lilith's Lavender.

 

so, all that aside, this is really pretty. surprisingly pretty. it is soft and clean and kinda reminds me of some fabric softener i had a while back. i don't get any white musk or any Fritos. and the lavender, while not as sweet as TKO, isn't the medicinal/minty kind, either.

 

so... yeah, kinda like getting a hug from a friend and they use a different kind of laundry soap/softener than you do. a snuggly, comfortable hug of a scent.

[puellacaerulea]

This is a very soft, clean, and subtle floral. The lavender and honeysuckle stand out most to me in the decant, with a bit of white musk. Once it dries down on me, it smells like that ambient scent you get in a Lush shop (and I don't mean that in a bad way!). Wear time isn't bad, but it stays really close to the skin on me. If you want a low-key, work-appropriate floral, give this one a try.

[lainevierge]

What a wild scent!

When I first put it on I was getting a very ozoney note that I could only explain as dryer sheets. It wasn't unpleasant, but not something I'd choose to wear.

On the dry down I was reminded of Opiate Southern Gardens of Orchids. A sharp neroli note was hovering in the background somehow keeping the florals from being too mushy(?).

Now that I've had it on for a while it it giving me a distinctly spicy note, like the dried chili in Raven Moon.

I'm entranced!

[milo]

Lavender at first, and then it fades to leave a pleasant, soft floral.  The scent reminds me of a childhood doll in the seventies that had a tiny vial of refuge included. I get a bit of white musk, but it’s mostly florals.  I’ll probably use the imp in the spring.  It does bring back childhood memories for sure!