Papyrus, Cardamom & Balsam

[zankoku_zen]

No additional scent description provided.

[torikitty]

Having watched the BPAL channel on Youtube, Tom and Galen were so right, except I'm not getting "it smells like mummies". This is initially sharp. Like, the brine from green olives and pimentos. And, surprisingly, if you've had papyrus growing in a koi pond in your front yard, and had to trim it down during the summer, there's the fresh greeness from that. Like a spa "greeness" or "clean" mixed with grass? I wouldn't liken it to paper, but I guess the woody/green/dry combo fits that narrative.

 

Once it dries down, the sharpness has receded to the back, and the sweetness of the cardamom is now mixed with the brine water. Which sounds like it would be more aquatic, but it's more of the pickled sweetness of the pimientos, I think. And that sounds horrible, too, but it somehow has an air of money and "I spend a lot of time sipping on martinis". I'm guessing the cardamom and balsam bump it up into "expensive perfume" category, too. I guess leaning into the oriental category.

 

But, overall, clean and green on me.

[Seajewel]

This is a bit sour on me -- I think the briney note that torikitty mentions. I am a huge fan of cardamom (as in Hay Moon '20) and was curious how this would compare to I Wish I Were Your Mirror, which has some of the same notes.  A hint of sadomasochism in Ancient Egypt: lily water, myrrh, and cardamom with southernwood, cassia, white sand, papyrus reeds, and frankincense. I prefer Mirror though, as it has a mild sweet creaminess that isn't present in this trio. Without sweetness, I'm not getting much of the cardamom either here. Will edit if my impressions change, but not an upgrade for me at the moment. 

Edited November 5, 2020 by Seajewel

[puellacaerulea]

Disclaimer: I've never tried a scent with a papyrus note before. This is a strange one! I'm also getting a weird sour note to start off, but it reads to me not briny so much as musty -- it's so close to Old Book Smell, but with an intense sourness that's off-putting. I can get a hint of the balsam in the background, but not a lot of cardamom yet. The musty/sour smell does calm down with wear, and the cardamom gets more noticeable, adding a slight warmth and spicy-sweetness. However, the overall impression is still Old Books Gone Off.

[doomsday_disco]

I was expecting this to be a really dry scent, or something like I Wish I Were Your Mirror, but less complex and without the lily water. But it is not dry at all.

 

I get a blast of cardamom at first, but once that calms down, the fresh, watery papyrus steals the show. It actually smells kind of aquatic, but it's creamier than an aquatic would be on me (no cream note -- I just don't know how to adequately describe it without that word). There's a bit of balsam in the background, hanging out with the ghost of cardamom.

 

This is a pleasant clean scent. It's probably not something I'd choose to wear (I preferred it when the cardamom was stronger), but I'm glad I got to try it (it certainly helps to isolate the Lab's papyrus note!).

[HerbGirl]

The cardamom is most prominent with the gorgeous balsam peeking out just a bit and then all of that beauty is smothered by what must be the papyrus note. Ugh. The cardamom and balsam would have made an amazing duet but the watery papyrus just doesn't belong. Eh. 

[roseus]

I love the Lab's papyrus note (Mr. Ibis is a fave!) and was so excited about this blend, and it did not disappoint! In the bottle I get primarily balsam and cardamom. It's sort of wintry between the two, like evergreens and Christmas pastries without actually being either of the two. On my skin the papyrus takes center stage, the best way I can describe it is 'dry green'. Dry both in the un-wet and un-sweet sense. Vegetal. The cardamom melds in with it pretty well, and the balsam sits underneath with that resin-y, sweetish, woody scent. Despite cardamom and balsam reading sweeter though it is not a sweet scent. Very unique.

[AprilB]

This is a very strange one. There's something about it that reminds me just a bit of the Nepthys v.2 prototype, but where that is dry as a bone, this is vegetal with papyrus in reed form, rather than in paper form. It isn't aquatic, but there is a sort of damp quality about it. The balsam and cardamom, on the other hand, do have a very dry quality. The three notes marry together oddly, but I don't dislike the result. It's an unconventional scent, for certain.

[zankoku_zen]

Cardamom, balsam, and reeds. Dry, and yet I think the papyrus give it an aquatic quality. It's mainly a green cardamom and balsam, with that papyrus overlay. It's definitely strange, but also evocative of Egypt. It makes me think of water receding from the dark rich silty river bank. Medium throw and wear length.

[LizziesLuck]

This is spicy, perfumey (in the way I always find cardamom perfumey) and clean. What a neat scent! Very evocative. Difficult to describe. The cardamom shines in this more than in any other scent I have tried so far (I have been searching for the perfect cardamom for ages). The balsam gives richness and depth, the papyrus adds gravity and also a dryness that feels....aged.  Like, maybe Indiana Jones smells a bit like this, after he's been digging through ancient artifacts from far off places? I don't know. I love it.

[Threemoons]

While doing some rearranging in my apartment, I came across a box of stuff that largely hadn't been opened yet; decided to try this one today!  In the bottle:  Oddly sour, like old, dry paper -- maybe the papyrus is bottle-tight?  On, wet:  Aaah, that's better.  Notes start to open up and the cardamom softly steps forward, while the papyrus smells more like actual dried papyrus reeds.  After warming up on the skin for a bit, the balsam makes itself known and throws itself over the other two notes like a delicate warm angora lace scarf.  It's an odd wear in a way -- it stays very cardamom-forward on my exposed skin (aka crook of elbow, wrist) but when I lift the neck of my shirt to take a whiff it's very balsam-forward.  Glad I got this one.