Bathsheba

[akiko]

The Seventh Daughter, Daughter of the Oath. She was King David's lover, and the mother of King Solomon. Her scent is breathtakingly lovely, exotic and powerfully sensual in its innocence: carnation, sensual plum, and Arabian musk.

Oh, wow. Why did I wait so long to order this??

Imp: Softly resinous.

Wet: Initially, it's a fruity, sweet plum, then the musk & carnation come out to play and give a very sensuous smell.

Dry: It's fruity, but it's also got this sexy depth behind it.

Verdict: Bordello didn't give me the plum I wanted, but Bathsheba does. If Bordello reminds you too much of a Jolly Rancher, give Bathsheba a whirl.

(edited to insert lab description) Edited May 20, 2008 by Winterwind

[Argentwolf]

This is a really elegant and sexy blend. On me, it smelled mainly floral, but in a delicate, almost coy sort of way. I think the musk helps push the blend out and impress it on your senses, but it manages to do so in a pretty subtle way. It also has nice staying power. I don't know if it's bottle-worthy, but it's definitely on my list of favorites for the moment.

[inurbanus]

To put it simply, this is exquisite. I don't have a good track record with Ars Amatoria scents, but as soon as I put this on, I knew it was going to be amazing. I've begun to notice that I do better with scents that have fewer notes.

 

In the case of Bathsheba, the power of the blend comes from the richness of the plum, the spice of the carnation, and the smokiness of the Arabian musk. While it might seem that any scent resulting from this combination would be flat or bland, the depth of Bathsheba is incredible. It's a truly decadent blend, and I haven't smelled anything this sensual in a long time. What I really like about this is that while it is sexy, it leaves a lot "unsaid." It's not over-the-top or in your face. It embodies the idea of leaving things to the imagination.

 

I think I'm going to have to upgrade this to a bottle. I'm pretty picky about my General Catalogue bottles, so that's a big deal, at least for me.

 

4.5/5

[idoru]

I get.. musky plum. I realized, once upon a time, that the note I love SO MUCH in Morocco was carnation; I went a-hunting for other carnation scents. [This may not be the time/place, but Possets' "Silver Carnations" is the closest I've found to the Morocco carnation so far.]

 

Bathsheba's description was amazingly promising; carnation [love], musk [love], and plum [okay].

It's not that I dislike the scent at all, it just isn't the carnation perfume I was hoping for.

 

I feel like.. the other two notes, but mostly musk, are tempering a deep, sensual plum. I'm envisioning a plum blossom rather than the fruit; it's a rich, sultry skin-floral. It's utterly lovely, and I think it will be growing on me.

[lilirose]

In the imp: bright floral?

 

On skin, wet: generic flowers and musk

 

On skin, dry- musky with soft floral. Smells a little like Chai, actually.

 

Verdict- nice enough to keep the imp, but am not totally blown away.

[galahad]

In The Bottle

Spicey and slightly floral

 

On Application

I can pick out all of the notes. I love Arabian musk!

 

Dry Down

Rich and musky. Almost cherry-like as it warms (cherry is the kiss of death for any blend for me). I want to pull out the plum in this amd replace it with a touch of vanilla. He notes sounded good but don;t work for me.

 

Rating (0-5)

1.5

[isisonearth]

This is just perfect on me. The plum is ripe and rich without the sweetness that I find to be too much from many fruits. The carnation brings a touch of spice and a bit of freshness without being floral. The Arabian musk is deep and soft without being musty in the slightest.

 

The longer it dries down the more pronounced my beloved carnation becomes:)

 

In short all the notes show all of their best characteristics and none of their possible pitfalls. Usually "sexy" blends don't feel like me even if they smell good on my skin chemistry. Bathesheba has all the sultriness of Mme. Moriarty but in a softer way that is more me. I could easily see purchasing a bottle of this when the imp is gone.

[ouch!]

This is actually reeeeeeeeally nice.

 

It's very spicy on me...it's a spicy musk in the wet stages. It doesn't knock you out with it's throw though, it's probably just about right I'd say. Someone commented and said I can smell you, it's really nice. I've never experienced the spicyness of carnation like this before, it's almost like a foody spice!

 

When it's dry it changes..the plum becomes more noticable, and makes it sweeter. I really like plum in blends I think it's gorgeous. Midwinter's Eve being a favourite of mine.

 

The musk stays throughout drydown and behaves. This one is blended so nicely it's nicer than I had expected.

Now it's a musky plum that's actually quite tart, but still sooo nice.

 

Overall this is such a pretty blend, It's a little hidden gem because I've had it for a long time but didn't know how nice it was. Hiding there in my imp box.

[dorothy humbird]

I was initially somewhat pleased with Bathsheba, according to my first notes:

"This has gotten better as it has sat on my skin. Started out kind of thin, one-note plum and musk, and has deepened into really, really beautiful smoothness. My skin really loves musk, I venture to say."

 

But, having tested it several times since then, I'm just not feeling a connection. It smells fairly straightforward plum, and I like a little more complexity. I'll have to swap this one onward.

[Iceblink]

I almost bought Bathsheba with my very first BPAL order but she dropped off the list for some reason and since I've had rather iffy experiences with carnation since then, I've neglected her--but this is a pleasant surprise! The plum and musk really take over this blend and the carnation is just a faint floral background. A fruity BPAL that's also sexy, and I'm sorry I waited this long to try it.

[wldhrsjen3]

in the bottle: a sweet and spicy blend of fruit and flowers. Definitely a rich red and purple fragrance. I can smell ripe plum lightly spiced with carnation.

 

on my skin: the plum fades a bit and the spicy carnation settles to a pleasant floral tone. The musk adds a sweet, seductive layer that refrains from being too over-powering.

 

as it dries: the scents melt together in a beautiful, sexy, ripe sweetness that is both bold and understated at the same time. I found this blend totally appealing. My skin drinks it in so the strongest scent does not last long, but even after it has faded a bit my skin is left with a lingering kiss of plum and musk.

 

And my husband even said he liked it - which is really saying something, as he's usually not a fan of perfume.

[milica]

this one needes ageing before it becomes what it is, a nice rich plum/carnation scent. at first, it was all musk and did not get along with my skin.

 

now, it's gorgeous!!! at first I get all carnations and musk, no plums, but as it dries plum comes out, carnation is still there but not that overwhelming like in the begining and it becomes a perfect blend! one of my favourite bpal scents!

 

my friend also tried bathsheba, her skin chemistry didn't like it, on her it was all carnations, very strong and a bit sour. :/

[jewelbug]

Imp: Really sweet florals, musky, too. There’s an almost bubblegum-fruity quality to this floral, and the floral is deep and cloying, more like a southern floral (magnolia?) than carnation….

 

Wet: Same, with a slight necco wafer quality.

 

Dry: Slightly spicy, very sweet cloying sort of floral (magnolia, honeysuckle, mimosa?) and slight musk. There is a hint of plum, but not what I expected. It sort of reminds me of what I remember of Hell's Belle. After 30-40 min, the plum grows in strength, and it’s a plum-y, warm, slightly spicy musk scent. After 4-5 hrs this fades to a gently sweet scent, a hint of plum, with a warm musky slight spice. This phase is far different than the cloying southern style floral that I first smelled.

 

Overall: Liked it, but didn't love it. The scent wasn't at all what I expected from the notes...it was lighter, sweeter, and I swear there's more to this than what's listed.

[annerqm]

I have high expectations for Bathsheba. Carnation is one of my absolute favorite notes, as is plum, and I can’t imagine a better pairing. I can just picture it – sweet, spicy, fruity and very nice for autumn and winter. So here we go…

 

Imp: Fruity, for sure, with an undertone of musk…and this is strong! I can’t smell a lot of carnation, it’s really hidden under the musk. I’ve

learned in the last couple of weeks that my chemistry really gloms onto musk until it overpowers all other scents. I really, really hope this doesn’t happen with Bathsheba.

 

Wet: A hint of spicy carnation, a fleeting note of juicy plum and musk, Musk, MUSK. I have a feeling I know where this is going, but I’ll be patient.

 

Drying: More musk. It’s sweet, to be sure, which is probably from the plum, but beyond the sweetness, it’s very hard to find any distinctive plum or carnation notes. It’s not unpleasant, but would be so much nicer if the other notes were more prominent.

 

Dry: Sweet, strong musk. No carnation spiciness at all. No juicy/fruity plum goodness, in fact, the only way I know the plum is there is from the sweetness it lends to the musk.

 

Final: I’m sad. And I think it’s confirmed – I need to stay away from musk blends.

[Sapphiremo0n]

OMG sickly sweet.

Another Frimp from the lab (and i have two of them), very glad it is imp sized and not a full 5ml.

This is a gorgeous Perfume, but sadly not for me. It has a huge throw with me, my house guests could smell it all the way down the hall.

They don't find it offensive, but it is too strong and gives me a headache. The carnation and arabian musk are exceedingly strong, however I get none of the plum. WOW! I think I may be gifting this to some unsuspecting friend who would enjoy it.

[Saya]

In the Bottle

The carnation in this smells lovely. I’m also getting a hint of the musk but no plum so far.

 

On My Skin

Lovely! Everything blends together to create this really irresistable scent. Now that it’s on my skin I can detect a bit of fruit, but I wouldn’t immediately recognize it as plum. This is an elegant, sexy, enthralling scent.

 

After a Bit

A couple of hours later and now it’s a sweet musky plum scent that smells divine.

 

Rating 1-5

Scent - 3.5 Throw - 2 Longevity – 3

Overall (not an average) – 3.3

 

Final thoughts

I’m going to have to give this a full wear to see if it’s bottle worthy. I think by the time I use the imp up I’ll know whether or not I need more.

[tajana]

Straight out of the imp, juicy plum and spicy carnation. As it dries down the plum and carnation swirl into a pleasant, sensual musk... but simultaneously, the plum gets louder. The carnation in this smells lovely, but the plum is SO sweet! Later on the plum calms down a little and the scent actually seems to have a pleasantly creamy element. Two hours later, and for several hours after that, the scent stays much closer to the skin, and it's much subtler and more sensual; the sweetness of the plum is less overtly fruity, and the carnation's floral touch is much softer. It's a pretty smell, but the noisy opening act and the very light finish (I really have to hold my wrist up to my nose to sense it) mean I'm not going to hunt for a larger bottle. I'll probably try this scent in a couple weeks to see if I have better luck with it on another day.

[TrailerTrashPrincess]

i keep finding imps of this, and i don't know why.

i can't stand carnations (they smell like pepper) and i don't like plums. Arabian musk is pretty, but i can't really wear it because it reminds me too much of the Egyptial Musk one of my old roommates wore - i love the scent, don't get me wrong, but i feel like i'm using someone else's fragrance when i wear it.

i keep trying to do a skin test, but i can't get past the scented-nailpolish-remover scent i get from the imp(s).

[Juushika]

In the vial: The faintest whiff of something sharp (carnation?) and fruity (plum?).

 

On me: Yes indeed, carnation, plum, and musk. The plum is the fruity heart of the scent, dominant, full and dark. The carnation is spicy and gives the scent lovely warmth. The musk is a rich, sensual aspect which melds the two notes together and contributes to the carnation's warmth. There's some odd bitterness in the scent at first, but on drydown it becomes a touch of tartness—which is not particularly pleasant, given the other notes, but remains largely inoffensive. Scent-color is a dusky reddened plum; scent-texture is a touch powdery and dusty. The throw is fairly low, but wear length is medium to long.

 

Verdict: I like the idea of Bathsheba more than the scent itself—which, despite the lovely notes, doesn't quite capture my heart. I wish the plum were less dominant and less tart. Nonetheless, it is lovely: warm and rich; feminine and seductive and yet an unusual take on both. I'm not in love, and the boyfriend think it's just nice, but I like it enough to keep my imp for now and see if I wear it and how it ages.

[TPOD]

Bathsheba has been on my radar since my first BPAL order, I just always passed it by. It seemed too girly, too floral, too simple.

 

In fact, Bathsheba is simply elegant. This could almost pass for regular, commercial perfume, like a classic scent that's been around since the 1920's. It evokes the palest pink blush.

 

It's lovely and it's the first time I've been able to detect carnation in a blend and I like it very much. Florals don't do well on me, so this is a pleasant surprise. I suppose I had some preconceptions about carnation - something to do with high school dance corsages and green dyed St Paddy's day dreck. Despite their down market connotation, they are nice flowers

 

Sadly, it has practically no throw or duration on my skin so I reluctantly must put it aside.

 

Jewelbug's reference to Necco wafers is spot on. That's what I smell on my wrists an hour after application: Ghosts of Necco Wafers

 

Provided your skin does not consume it, this would be a good choice for those times when over the top BPALs aren't appropriate: job interviews, court dates, public executions . . .

[sunshinedaisybliss]

 

 

Mmmm.. this is lovely, like a rich musky purple velvet. The carnation is behaving itself nicely, not overpowering at all - I get a hint of something almost violet but not quite. This is definitely musk rather than sweet.. "exotic" is a good description.

 

I think Bathsheba would be a lovely scent to wear whilst flirting in a dimly lit wine bar.

 

 

[CynicalPink]

Imp: Interesting. Reminds me of Bordello without the cherry

 

Wet: A little sour, but still soft and pretty

 

Drydown: MMmm plummy. Not getting any musk, but a teensy bit of carnation spice. Unfortunately, the plum stays a bit too sour for my tastes. the spicy carnation helps, but it's just not a wow.

 

Overall: Meh. Not enough of a hook to make me get over the sour smell from the plum. I guess it needs some darker notes on my skin to smell right. Everything in this blend is very light and does nothing to hold the plum back

[ami226]

In the imp: Sweet and perfect plum! Beautiful but not foody!

 

On the skin: Wow! Beautiful and sweet! I hadn't paid much attention to this scent before, but now it really has caught my attention! Not much throw (only applied very little). Becomes a little tart as it dries with a new little bit of spicyness in the background!! Wow, I think this one is bottle worthy!

 

-ETA-

Still get yummy and spicy plum. Definitely a keeper!

Edited August 22, 2012 by Catseyes

[magikalbrownies]

i love carnations...this one is one of those that i love.

 

it smells like a carnation plum milkshake. applied i smell both evenly neither overpower one another. wet, i smell more carnation. the musk, i dont even detect. its minimal.

 

[Ajila]

In the bottle – Darker than I expected, I suppose that it’s the Arabian musk, but I just get a dank animalistic scent

 

Wet on me – Greener, with a hint of spice, but still very animalistic

 

Dry on me – The soft creamy spiciness of the carnation finally comes through leaving a lingering embrace of scent

 

Overall – The carnation dry down is fantastic, a bit stronger than the other carnation blends I’ve tried, but I can’t hack the animal stages in the first instance