Perfumery
Good morning world. Time for something new.
So, I've recently developed a keen interest in perfumes and perfumery. I like to wear things that smell good, scents to induce moods or reactions, images, memories, or sensations. I was given a few sample vials from the Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab by a friend of mine. BPAL has a myriad of unusual, complex essential oil scents, typically inspired by some piece of poetry, an exotic locale, a literary or historical figure, or an emotion. I have decided to start reviewing those that appeal to me in the fashion of those whose reviews have helped me to better imagine and appreciate perfumes, at the forums of bpal madness.
All this is just a long way of saying, I like smelly shit and I'm gonna talk about it.
Just ordered 6 imps (sample vials), and I'm also trading goods for a bottle of Jebby's. I have a handful to my name now -- the goal is to review all of my current scents before the new ones arrive in a few weeks.
Right. Let's get this ball rolling. We'll start with one of my current favorites.....
Dyan Moon:
Queen and huntress, chaste and fair,
Now the sun is laid to sleep,
Seated in thy silver chair,
State in wonted manner keep:
Hesperus entreats thy light,
Goddess excellently bright.
Earth, let not thy envious shade
Dare itself to interpose;
Cynthia's shining orb was made
Heaven to clear when day did close:
Bless us then with wishèd sight,
Goddess excellently bright.
Lay thy bow of pearl apart,
And thy crystal-shining quiver;
Give unto the flying hart
Space to breathe, how short soever;
Thou that mak'st a day of night,
Goddess excellently bright.
The essence of the pure, unsullied virgin moon and of the huntress that stalks her prey by the moon's light: amaranth, musk rose, juniper, chaste tree, sweet bay, chamomile, rose mallow, Madonna lily, blue musk, wisteria, and iris.
(I never read the poetry bits.)
So, lots of florals in here, held in check by the herbs and musks. In the imp, it has sharp notes, mostly the bay and the juniper I think, and something sour at the end. Not sure I'm experienced enough in sniffing things to pick out the individual scents, but I'm doing my best. I definitely smell bay.
Wet on the skin (inside of left elbow), it's a nice, soothing warm scent, still with high notes and clear, which I still attribute to the bay and juniper. The musk is coming through underneath, making a round scent that entices, almost seduces. Drying down, the musks sharpen and I begin to detect the florals -- wisteria and iris, rose and lily, in that order.
Going sour on me now... perhaps that's the chamomile? Another tea scent I have does a similar sour note. Perhaps I'm not meant for teas. Still pleasant though, still warming and very yellow -- buttery yellow, golden yellow. In spite of the moon in its name, this is a very sunny scent to me. (Edit: Reading some reviews, I think the sourness might in fact be the rose.)
Now the florals bloom, bay and juniper moving aside but not exiting. Not sure where the amaranth is because I'm not sure what amaranth smells like. The sour note has passed and the sweetness of the floral base is settling in to stay. This is my favorite phase of this scent, and it lingers for some time, round and sweet and warm and inviting. This is a summery scent that I have been wearing for my summer beau, and he does seem to enjoy it so. Develops a powderiness after a while that I find quite pleasant.
Mmmmmm, now is when I would like to drown in this scent. It's a true floral musk now, with hints of wood and tea underneath. Perhaps that extra buttery-powdery sweetness is the amaranth? As it dries, that note dominates, not quite crowding out the florals but definitely taking priority over them. Eventually it settles into a very herby/tall-grassy scent with a patina of rose and lily, and that is what lingers longest.
This is sweet without being cloying or overpowering in the slightest. It is a scent to entice, very feminine. It reminds me of that little dimply quirk in a coy smile, just before a woman turns and sashays her hips away. This scent has decent-to-good staying power on me, which not all scents do. This is one of those scents that I would drink if I thought I could absorb its power that way. Love it to pieces.
So, I've recently developed a keen interest in perfumes and perfumery. I like to wear things that smell good, scents to induce moods or reactions, images, memories, or sensations. I was given a few sample vials from the Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab by a friend of mine. BPAL has a myriad of unusual, complex essential oil scents, typically inspired by some piece of poetry, an exotic locale, a literary or historical figure, or an emotion. I have decided to start reviewing those that appeal to me in the fashion of those whose reviews have helped me to better imagine and appreciate perfumes, at the forums of bpal madness.
All this is just a long way of saying, I like smelly shit and I'm gonna talk about it.
Just ordered 6 imps (sample vials), and I'm also trading goods for a bottle of Jebby's. I have a handful to my name now -- the goal is to review all of my current scents before the new ones arrive in a few weeks.
Right. Let's get this ball rolling. We'll start with one of my current favorites.....
Dyan Moon:
Queen and huntress, chaste and fair,
Now the sun is laid to sleep,
Seated in thy silver chair,
State in wonted manner keep:
Hesperus entreats thy light,
Goddess excellently bright.
Earth, let not thy envious shade
Dare itself to interpose;
Cynthia's shining orb was made
Heaven to clear when day did close:
Bless us then with wishèd sight,
Goddess excellently bright.
Lay thy bow of pearl apart,
And thy crystal-shining quiver;
Give unto the flying hart
Space to breathe, how short soever;
Thou that mak'st a day of night,
Goddess excellently bright.
The essence of the pure, unsullied virgin moon and of the huntress that stalks her prey by the moon's light: amaranth, musk rose, juniper, chaste tree, sweet bay, chamomile, rose mallow, Madonna lily, blue musk, wisteria, and iris.
(I never read the poetry bits.)
So, lots of florals in here, held in check by the herbs and musks. In the imp, it has sharp notes, mostly the bay and the juniper I think, and something sour at the end. Not sure I'm experienced enough in sniffing things to pick out the individual scents, but I'm doing my best. I definitely smell bay.
Wet on the skin (inside of left elbow), it's a nice, soothing warm scent, still with high notes and clear, which I still attribute to the bay and juniper. The musk is coming through underneath, making a round scent that entices, almost seduces. Drying down, the musks sharpen and I begin to detect the florals -- wisteria and iris, rose and lily, in that order.
Going sour on me now... perhaps that's the chamomile? Another tea scent I have does a similar sour note. Perhaps I'm not meant for teas. Still pleasant though, still warming and very yellow -- buttery yellow, golden yellow. In spite of the moon in its name, this is a very sunny scent to me. (Edit: Reading some reviews, I think the sourness might in fact be the rose.)
Now the florals bloom, bay and juniper moving aside but not exiting. Not sure where the amaranth is because I'm not sure what amaranth smells like. The sour note has passed and the sweetness of the floral base is settling in to stay. This is my favorite phase of this scent, and it lingers for some time, round and sweet and warm and inviting. This is a summery scent that I have been wearing for my summer beau, and he does seem to enjoy it so. Develops a powderiness after a while that I find quite pleasant.
Mmmmmm, now is when I would like to drown in this scent. It's a true floral musk now, with hints of wood and tea underneath. Perhaps that extra buttery-powdery sweetness is the amaranth? As it dries, that note dominates, not quite crowding out the florals but definitely taking priority over them. Eventually it settles into a very herby/tall-grassy scent with a patina of rose and lily, and that is what lingers longest.
This is sweet without being cloying or overpowering in the slightest. It is a scent to entice, very feminine. It reminds me of that little dimply quirk in a coy smile, just before a woman turns and sashays her hips away. This scent has decent-to-good staying power on me, which not all scents do. This is one of those scents that I would drink if I thought I could absorb its power that way. Love it to pieces.