I Wish I Were Your Mirror

[zankoku_zen]

A hint of sadomasochism in Ancient Egypt: lily water, myrrh, and cardamom with southernwood, cassia, white sand, papyrus reeds, and frankincense.

[AprilB]

This is very myrrh-forward, with a bit of spiciness under all that sweet, heady resin of the frankincense and myrrh. The cassia-myrrh combo is less punch-you-in-the-face intense and dark than the cassia-myrrh combo in Wolf Moon 2020. I don't get the lily water until it dries, and I find it a very pleasant and subtle element in the perfume. It's not papery, and doesn't really remind me of other white floral notes. It's very true to the scent of the flower, I think. But, to sum up, if you love myrrh, and sweet, heady resin, I think you'll probably enjoy this.

[VetchVesper]

My first impressions from the bottle are of horchata.  It's a creamy, watery smell with a very mellow cinnamon. 

 

On my skin, a tinge of watery floral starts to emerge.  I can smell the frankincense.  It's a nice combo with the cassia cinnamon, and the two notes smell dry and fuzzy together.  I'm pretty much loving this.  It's unusual and it's morphing quite a bit, but I'm enjoying all the stages.  This somehow smells watery without being aquatic, incensey without being heavy.  It smells tranquil and regal.  I'm thinking of ancient pleasure boats on the NIle.

 

10 minutes in, I'm starting to get the barest hint of cardamom, but it's not making things too cologney like it can sometimes for me.  Everything is just beautifully balanced and smooth.   It's a little more obviously aquatic now and dipping one toe in soapy.  I'm still liking it though, so it needs to just stop right there.

 

Ok.  It's behaving itself.  Good.  For me, this is bottle worth and would be fantastic in the summer.  Light incense and spice notes over a watery, creamy back drop.  Rather unusual.  

[zankoku_zen]

Myrrh, frankincense, cassia, and lilies. This smells like a Victorian gentleman's cologne. Whose into Egypt, wearing a linen shirt without a cravat, and in the evenings, bending you over his desk and administering a little discipline with a papyrus switch while he chews on a cardamom pod. Medium throw and wear length.

[Janis]

This is gorgeous!! I couldn't agree more with VetchVesper's description. Watery, light, softly spiced. Warm spices and resins are juxtaposed against cool water and clean, dry fibers. I get the distinct mental image of clean-shavenness. Unisex and soothing.

 

This is without a doubt my favorite of the 2020 Lupers. Going to need a backup or two!

[Rane.]

This is such a peaceful scent. On top I get the lily water, myrrh, & gentle cardamom. Dryer I start to smell the sand & reed. It's kind of playful, & comforting. But mostly it is a myrrh scent on me, & I love it so much! Can't get enough of it.

Edited April 13, 2020 by Rane.
added *But mostly...

[doomsday_disco]

I Wish I Were Your Mirror starts off as pretty cardamom-heavy on me, backed by the cassia, in a pool of lily water. It becomes drier with wear, as the cinnamon, white sand, reeds, and resins gain strength over time, with the lily water beneath them.

 

I preferred this during the early stage of wear, when it wasn't as dry or cinnamon-y. It's not something I need a bottle of, I do think it's interesting and befits the Ancient Egypt theme.

[galahad]

In the Bottle:
A little green, slightly floral and cassia

 

On the Skin:
Definitely some cardamom in there but restrained. After a little warming, a dry dustiness creeps in and the herbal note of the southernwood.  More herbal and resinous than floral but the lily is there.

 

On the Drydown:
The lily amps up in drydown, but isn't too high pitched, controlled by the resins and cardamom giving a background spiciness.  Still quite green

[Rayleigh]

Love! I almost didn't try it at all because having lily water as the first listed component made me nervous, but I believe there is no such thing as a death note in the right company and this proves it. The lily here is identifiably lily, and distinctly lily water, but it's not overwhelming or high pitched, nor very aquatic. A little soapy right off the bat, but it doesn't stay that way. It blends perfectly with the resins and spice. It reminds me of the way lily petals feel, all hyper-smooth and soft.

 

I love myrrh, and this is a great myrrh. It reminds me of the myrrh in Inez, which is rich and deep and spicy. I don't get much frankincense in the balance. The cardamom is more present when wet than dry, and then it all blends together so well I can't easily pick out other notes, and the dry spices get swept up in the creaminess of the lily. I don't get anything I can clearly identify as reeds or sand, though it does bring to mind an oasis scene, if mainly by power of suggestion and the contrast of the heat of the spices with the cooling lily water. Very unique in my collection. I like this more every time I wear it.

 

Wonderful. Bottle for sure.

[artisjok]

I Wish I Were Your Mirror is such an interesting juxtaposition! 
Dry and spicy entwined with watery coolness... and it’s such a comforting combination. 
The cassiacardamom is strongest in the wet phase, backed by the lily water and I’m guessing papyrus. The sand and resins come and smooth over the spices, and the result is so creamy, and warm cool, like the horchata mentioned above. 
I don’t know much about southernwood, yet, but I’m on board with it! 
I’d love a full bottle some day.

Edited August 22, 2020 by artisjok

[capncait]

Fair warning, this is fresh from the mail because I just couldn't wait. 

 

This is interesting! The cassia and cardamom are most prominent in the bottle and also while wet. As it dries down, I'm getting the resins and a nice creaminess. What's interesting is the juxtaposition of these warm spices with the cool, watery notes, while also being creamy and sweet. Very little water lily for me (I don't mind). 

 

My skin ate this within 3 or 4 hours, but we'll see what happens after letting it settle from the post. If my impressions change wildly, I'll update this review. 

[roseus]

So glad I got my hands on a decant, I was so obsessed with this and sad I had to sit out on Lupers this year. In the imp I get a very cinnamon-y creamy chai tea, or like maybe a cinnamon bun. Idk, I've been baking a lot. On it is still a very fiery cinnamon, with a sweetness behind it but the sweetness is more green than it was in the imp. As it dries I get that distinct green-sweet-spicyness of cardamom, and the cassia dials it down a notch. I definitely get the resins, and the blend gets more dry. There's is a hot sand toastiness to it, and it's so cool. Eventually some soft watery florals start to peak out underneath everything. Like an oasis. Such a stunning blend.