Darkness

[Casablanca]

Bottled gloom; the essence of oblivion. Blackest opium and narcissus deepened by myrrh.

 

On the wand, I get the freshly blown-out candle impression other reviewers mention.

 

On my skin, initially, this is a cloyingly sweet bloom (seemingly darkened with a faint lemony black musk?) and an incense opium. It’s mostly too sweet on my skin for the candle impression now, but every now and then, that smoky image turns up again.

 

Once this dries, most of its notes disappear on me. What remains smells like a basement that might have a leak somewhere, but it’s faint and I can’t find it.

Edited April 21, 2017 by Casablanca

[achildoftime]

I'm not really a big fan of this one. It starts okay with some flowery opium with a smidge of soap because myrrh just does that to me. But after about 10 minutes it goes pretty foul. I don't know what my skin is reacting with, but it's like gym socks. This is the first time a scent has taken this turn on me, even though I've handled these notes pretty well in the past. I mean, myrrh goes to soap a lot but I feel like this is kind of the opposite issue.

[roseus]

Smells dark purple. Wispy and bottomless flowers and opium, with myrrh underneath. Hard to pin down.

[InaraRedCloak]

Age Unknown: Date: November 2016

In the bottle: a very mellow scent. I recognize the opium from opium incenses. The myrrh gives a deep scent that seems to expand in your head. This reminds me of some of the incenses I would use in meditation.

Wet on skin: Opium and myrrh are in the forefront. This is calm, mature and heavy. This exudes the type of attitude that is comfortable and calm in the deep dark. This evokes thoughts of dark rooms, closed and airless. Still a deep meditative scent. Reminds me of a lonely church sanctuary at night.

Worn 30+ mins: Oh wow, where did this floral come from? The narcissus has a very lily like quality to it. This floral adds a very open and airy note to the scent. I'm starting to get that "reefer/music" shop sort of scent - just lie the closed off back room covered in psychedelic posters, shelves covered in hooka pipes and bongs, all lit with a black light.

Worn 3+ hrs: The floral narcissus and opium have faded. The myrrh has mellowed. The elements of the scent still linger behind. This might be a scent that needs to be reapplied. While this scent doesn't make me feel gloomy, I can imagine this scent as a graveyard scent. I can imagine the entrance to an old forgotten mausoleum. This would be the scent that surrounds you as the door the tomb slowly closes.

Edited December 3, 2017 by InaraRedCloak

[doomsday_disco]

In the imp: Sweet narcissus and opium, backed by some myrrh.

 

Wet: The sweet, heady narcissus reigns, with the opium right beside it. In no time at all, the opium overtakes the narcissus on me, and after a few minutes, the myrrh note emerges, taming the sweetness of the narcissus and making this a dark floral and incense scent. At least, it does that briefly. Then the narcissus rears its read and decides its reign isn't over, and its sweet aroma tries to declare dominion over the other notes once more.

 

Dry: The narcissus is candy-sweet and reminds me of something like SweeTarts at one point. The opium is still going pretty strong as well. Sometimes, I get more of the narcissus, and sometimes, more of the opium. The myrrh note is content with its background role and doesn't seem to want to challenge either of the notes.

 

After a few hours, the myrrh does end up increasing in strength, but the narcissus reigns.

 

Verdict: Who knew darkness could be so sweet? This one isn't one I can see myself reaching for, but I really like the poem that inspired it, so I'm glad I was able to try it.

[Lucchesa]

I don't wear opium much because it tends to be heavy on me. Darkness is really heady opium and narcissus, melded as if into a single note. The myrrh is there but stays in the background, which is a shame IMO. I can appreciate the loveliness here, and it lasts a really long time, but for me it's a little too sweet, a little too floral, a little too sultry, a little too mature (at 50, I don't feel nearly old enough to carry off this scent).

[elinox]

First Sniff: A white flower; clean and bright.

 

Initial Wet Application: Crisp and a little tart; this could be clean, fresh sheets.

 

Dry Down (first 15 minutes): This is powdery and soft. It makes me think of bright, sunny days just after dawn with cold, crisp dew still on the grass. That bite in the air and anticipation of sunrise. As it completed the dry down it was soft and gentle.

 

My Reaction: This was light, bright and not what I had expected. I guess the narcissus is keeping this to just clean white flowers. I’m actually surprised the myrrh hasn’t ruined this as we’ve had a shaky relationship in the past. And it will likely fade too.

 

Rating: 1

[monocainsheresy]

This one's a bit much for me. Very intense soapy opium - a sickly purple scent. I don't get any myrrh but I do smell a bit of the narcissus.

[cyborgutena]

I do like Darkness but I don't love it.

 

I get the notes in roughly equal portions, I'd say. They do combine to make something dark and beautiful. I think something about opium bothers me, though. It's mostly fine but there's just this kind of....thing at the back of my nose that I have no idea how to describe. It goes a bit... something that isn't sour, bitter, or musty but is something around that area. I can still wear it, but only on occasion.

Edited January 4, 2020 by cyborgutena
update on the further thoughts I had

[queenshaboo]

It's amazing how different perfume can be on different people, I'm guessing opium is what's causing the more negative reviews here but on me it tends to be strong and true, I think my skin tends to amp it, which is fine by me because I LOVE opium. I get the comparisons to YSL's Opium, it's definitely in the same family and, like the former, works great on my skin. Unlike others I don't find the narcissus here to be 'sweet', I interpret 'sweet' as gourmand or syrupy florals like osmanthus and rose, the narcissus here is more lily-like; on me Darkness is the v definition of a floriental.

 

It's quite a simple scent, the strongest note is strong, heady, intoxicating narcissus with the opium giving it force and richness while the myrrh is undetectable till the last stages, when it lends a powdery sweetness in the manner of benzoin, the lemony quality that's usually present in myrrh combines so well with the narcissus that it's almost imperceptible; the myrrh here just lurks in the background like the skeleton underneath your skin. 

 

Florals tend to devolve to soap or powder on me and I'm not usually a fan of them in general, I prefer to smell like a cathedral or burning log cabin, but this is incredibly beautiful, and appropriate if I'm in the presence of more conservative company like at work or a family gathering. I'm going to have to get an FB of this one, I'M IN LOVE! 

Edited June 25, 2020 by queenshaboo

[Rayleigh]

Narcissus lives up to its name and steals the spotlight away from what could have been a great scent. Myrrh and opium make for a smoky backdrop, but narcissus runs wild on my skin and turns into a sharp, screeching top note. The "just blown out candle" thing that other reviews mention is definitely there, but I just don't get much of it behind the narcissus. In theory, I like the contrast between bright and dark, but my chemistry is unkind to the balance. This would work well on anyone looking for a mysterious scent and whose skin gets along with narcissus.

[Madame Mew]

Oooohhhhhh yaaaassss. This is very much a BPAL classic vibe IMO. "Bottled gloom; the essence of oblivion. Blackest opium and narcissus deepened by myrrh" ... glorious, wee bit of a smokey (myrrh) purple floral incense. It's reminding me of something I can't put my finger on! I keep hearing mysterious in these posts, so I'll have to agree. It's super sexy, quite goth, and just such a surprise hit on my skin. My skin just seems to like white florals in general, and this along with the opium and smoke are just amazing. 

[DigitalCoyote]

This broke my heart a little upfront: the florals that came out first disappeared so fast! Flowers gave way to smoke, which in turn became the heaviest thing I think I've ever smelled. 

 

And then all of it was gone.

 

It's weirdly sexy but I'd liken it to being something you were told was "too adult" for you to wear as a tween.

 

Edited August 16, 2020 by DigitalCoyote

[VetchVesper]

I've been on an opium kick.  😏  In my perfume at least.  Darkness is the most obviously floral, to my nose, of the opium blends.  The opium is right out front in the opening, but then falls back, couched by the lush narcissus and sweetened by the myrrh.  This smells very sultry, languid, and old world.  The indole of narcissus always teeters between sweet floral and decay to me, and here, it smells beautiful, but also a touch creepy.  Very fitting for the poem. 

 

Darkness makes me think of New Orleans in the movie, Interview with a Vampire.  The night air would smell like this in the old French Quarter avenues.  Also, if you couldn't do the jasmine in BPAL's New Orleans perfume - try this.  The lush humidity of it also reminds me a tad of Bayou, thought the notes are quite different.  So again, if you liked the idea of that on, but it just didn't work for you - try this one.  Quite lovely.  

Edited September 1, 2020 by VetchVesper

[torischroeder9]

This also, I haven't reviewed? This is not the first imp of Darkness I've ever tried. I have memories of me liking it. 

 

In the imp: Lots of narcissus, a little opium. It's more grounded than I expect those two notes to be, so I'm guessing that impression is the presence of the myrrh. 

 

On my skin:

 

Wet, I can feel the opium and myrrh start to come out more almost immediately. The narcissus is still the first note I smell, but the other two are much more prominent now. As it dries, the narcissus and opium blend well together, grounded by softly powdery myrrh, which keeps the scent from being overpowering and headache-inducing. 

 

Ultimately, while this is absolutely beautiful, it's still a dense scent with a lot of sillage on me. I think an imp will be all I'll need because a little goes a long way. 

[niffler]

Fresh frimp: 

This starts off as strong narcissus with a touch of opium and myrrh. The narcissus does retreat just a little as it dries and I get deeper opium and velvety myrrh... that is a Whole Mood. I didn't think I'd like this at all, but it's quite seductive. Myrrh tends to do well on me but narcissus has about a 50/50 chance of behaving and I haven't previously tried the lab's opium note. So far so good? The narcissus isn't screeching its head off and the opium is really rich. 

This is a moody scent for sultry vampires and witches. Outside my comfort zone, and I'm glad to have tried it. 

[Rane.]

Sweet, sweet opium, warmed up by Narcissus, & given depth by the myrrh. Really impressed with the warmth this smell sends out. I was expecting a floral, but not at all. Classy, sophisticated, almost like incense. A melt away scent!

 

*This has become a GC favorite of mine. I'm usually inclined towards LEs so this really is knocking my socks off. I can't stop wearing it. & it has some similarities to La Petite Mort, too, which I'm finding fantastic as a toned down alternative on softer days.

Edited August 9, 2021 by Rane.
*added new favorite, typos, etc.

[Minh Scent]

Funny how those unexpected imps can knock your pants off.  Not sure why I wasn't the one to put the moves on this imp first. The only excuse must be I didn't know the notes.

 

It is all opium on me with delicate wisps of floral floating in and out.  I cannot pick out the myrrh, but it adds to the overall richness of the scent.  Gorgeous, sexy and  heady.

[Lecter]

I am so sorry but this to me smelt like a slightly melon scented urinal cake… I’ve never had a reaction to a bpal perfume like this before but it smells just like a honey dew melon (the fleshy insides) and pee? Anyone else?

[Weirdgirlpilled]

laughing REALLY hard at @Lecter ‘s review bc yeah. Why the fuck does this smell like pee! I’m guessing it’s the opium, but man. I do NOT want ! 

[MolyH]

??? Did Beth put the wrong perfume in my imp or something? I mean, granted, I have no idea what opium smells like, actually. Nor do I have a lot of experience with myrrh. But are they supposed to be so...sweet and fruity? This smells exactly like a super-aged bottle of Fruit Moon I have--juicy, fresh, bursting with sweetness. They're nigh indistinguishable. Am I crazy? Does opium normally smell fruity?

[patina]

So, since I haven't done this one

 

narcissius= white floral almost a fruity melon

myrrh=snuffed candle

opium= latex, a not-quite-rubber that I somehow enjoy even though I dislike rubber

 

Sheer black silk and slightly melony.

 

[PumpkinGuts]

I wasn't sure about narcissus, but this experience has confirmed that it's not the flower for me. Almost leathery, but also sweet and fruity. The opium is pretty, but ultimately quashed by the narcissistic narcissus. Myrrh was on the back burner throughout wear. Good sillage and longevity. 

[amoray]

This smells like pee. I *think* it's the narcissus. It smells like a dark dank dirty bathroom. Not for meeeeeeee.