Claire-of-the-Valley
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La Dame Aux Pamplemousses
Claire-of-the-Valley replied to doomsday_disco's topic in The Edward Gorey House
I can see why this one is popular! Citrus notes are a little hit-and-miss for me, same for marshmallow, but I wanted to give this a try all the same, and I'm glad I did. It's a light scent--the kind that I would label as perfect for the office--and stays close to the skin. It's also utterly magical for a perfume that only lists two notes. It has struck the perfect balance where it edges towards something a bit like candy, but is smooth enough to maintain sophistication. -
This is for the 2025 version. All of the different notes blend together really well, so it's a little hard to pick them out individually, but I'd say the dead leaves are the main note followed by saffron, clove, and chrysanthemum. It's very strong, so definitely not one I want to slather on. I wouldn't even use a typical amount of oil from this one; when I did, it made me feel a bit nauseous and had to be washed off. A small drop from the cap goes a long way, and prevents it from overwhelming the senses. It's a dry, musky scent, even though there's no musk listed but, provided a small amount is used, it's fantastic. It's dried flowers, fallen leaves, and the end of fall.
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This is for the 2025 version. This is a lot more sharply sour than I was expecting, and I'm not sure which note is causing it. Probably the leaf scent, but I usually like the leaf scent from BPAL. When I first opened the bottle, I really didn't like it, and it didn't get better when I was wearing it. That sour note just stuck around. It's kind of like rotting vegetation, but a sharp, pungent version. I tried it again a few days later, and it's better, some of that intensity faded for something closer to fallen leaves, but still not ideal. The description sounds so lovely, but the actual scent isn't for me.
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I really enjoy this one; it's actually fairly reminiscent of Mouse's Long and Sad Pumpkin, which I didn't anticipate, but that means it smells fantastic. It got some compliments as well; it truly is a joyful pumpkin scent.
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This is for the 2025 version. I never had the chance to try the original, so I'm especially glad it's made a return! This is such a happy scent; it makes me think of all the times I've made peppermint hot cocoa; it smells almost exactly like it. For me, that's more of a winter association than fall, but I could see having that on a particularly cold fall day as well. The coconut is more of a backdrop note that comes out more as it dries down. I can't really make out the rum or vanilla individually, but it all comes together in a truly fantastic--and only very mildly spooky--scent.
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This is pretty much exactly what I was hoping it would be! I can just make out the flapjacks in the bottle, but when I'm wearing it, it's primarily all the rest. Sweet, light, a touch minty without any actual menthol, and herbal without being overwhelmingly so. As it dries, there's a little more flapjack peeking through. It sticks close to the skin, so no real throw. I'm a big fan, and I'm sure I'll be wearing this a lot for the rest of the season.
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Such a fantastic scent. It does smell like tea, although I couldn't pinpoint what kind precisely. The amber and vetiver give it a nice backdrop. There are other, indistinct notes in there, probably the leaves and loam, but I can't identify them individually. It all comes together in a way that makes me think of those gray, fall mornings, but with an uplifting touch; it captures the art it was inspired by very nicely.
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When I first got this perfume in 2019 I wasn't sure I would wear it regularly, but as it's aged, I can definitively say I enjoy it. It captures the essence of "blue" so well; it's hard to explain. It's wispy, ethereal, with a touch of that rosewood to ground it. It's absolutely a Victorian parlor room where a seance is about to take place. When I first got it, the menthol was overwhelming, and while there's still a menthol quality, it's a lot subtler. Good in 2019 and good several years later!
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I can detect the gingerbread at the base of this scent; it adds a kind of fuzzy, bread note. Closer to the top is the rosewater (very subtle) and the berries (having a hard time distinguishing if this is red currant or gooseberry, which I'm not as familiar with). It all comes together in a perfectly subtle sweet, slightly tart bread, and was an instant favorite.
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This 100% matches the description. This smells precisely like the blackberry teas I've had in the past, with that same slightly sweet, slightly bitter combination they maintain. I can absolutely see a witch brewing this, whether to help or harm. Very much an herbal scent; perfect for reading, contemplation, or relaxing.
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This is for the 2024 edition. It's resinous, spicy, a bit sweet, and all-around warm. It makes me think of tea, specifically MarketSpice's Cinnamon-Orange, which always has a wonderful aroma. Makes me want to pour a cup and get some reading in. (^^)
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This hair gloss is just fantastic. Firstly, the BPAL formula for hair glosses is really effective; my hair becomes smooth and shiny and much easier to brush. But as for the scent, it's lovely, and has held up well as I've slowly used up my bottle. It's a bright, happy peach grounded by the amber, so it's a touch earthy while maintaining a certain lightness. It's mixed well with other BPAL scents too, so that's a plus. Like everyone else here, I wish I'd snagged more when I had the chance!
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Started out with a flash of pure, sweet almond, absolutely beautiful, but within seconds was superseded by the dark musk, which was vaguely earthy, a touch metallic, with just a hint of myrrh. At this point, I wasn’t sure the scent was for me; it was nice, but not quite what I was looking for. Eventually, the sweetness of the almond reemerged, but more fully blended with the other notes. This is an excellent combination and is genuinely enchanting. I don’t detect a buttery note, but it did become smoother at this stage. This is where it won me over. Final stage is a little more on the sweet, buttery side and stays close to the skin. This is wonderful as a perfume and as a tribute to Hekate. It settles into a realm of warmth and mystery with a touch of power, which reflects her well.
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Normally I like BPAL’s rose note, but this takes on a kind of sickly sweetness, sour even. I don’t think it’s mixing with the pomegranate note well at all. It eventually mellows a bit into a purer rose, which reminds me of Bésame’s original 1960 formula. Definitely better, but that first stage is rough to get through, and might not be worth it. I’d be curious to see how this one ages.
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Immediately, I can detect the red wine (sort of smells like grapes) with a touch of honey and floral. There’s also a wood note that reminds me of The Little Wooden Doll. The myrrh starts to peek through a little later with a lightly wooden scent. The wine note is more in the background. Settles into a sweet, wooden scent from there.