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Showing results for tags 'Butterflies'.
Found 30 results
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MOURNING CLOAK Opoponax, kumaru, cocoa butter, Mysore sandalwood, verbena, almond milk, guiac wood, beeswax, and myrrh. Origin: 5mL from the Lab. My bottle says "Mourning Shroud" rather than "Mourning Cloak." Preconceived notions: I wanted this one for the name, but the notes sound wonderful. Except for the almond milk and possibly the verbena (if it smells lemony). Almond scents make me horrendously nauseous if I can smell the almond in them, but I can wear them if the almond is "hidden" and I'm not a fan of lemon (or citrus in general). I'm not quite sure what to expect here since the mix of notes is pretty complex, but I'm thinking a resinous scent with a touch of cocoa butter. First sniff: Wow, I wasn't expecting that. The first thing I smell here is the verbena. Really, really strong verbena. It's lemony and sharp. There are other things going on underneath the verbena, but it's hard to really pick them out. I get an impression of dark woodsiness. Wet on skin: Still mainly verbena (which I'm not enjoying), but there are also some nice dark woods here, too. No resins yet, unfortunately, but I'm hoping they'll rally on the drydown. Dry down: Early in the drydown: Verbena, woods and the resins have come out now. I don't get any cocoa butter, which is a little disappointing. I was anticipating something darker than this, although the notes really do fit with the butterfly's coloration. Later in the drydown: The verbena mostly disappears (hallelujah) and I'm left with just a touch of it, plus Schwarzer Mond-style resins and a touch of cocoa butter. It's dark and pretty, but it's not as nice as Atlas. The bottom line: I really wish the verbena wasn't in here or wasn't so strong, but it does mostly disappear on the later drydown. It's just a matter of whether I can wait it out since I despise lemon. This is going to be one of those scents that I like in the end, but don't wear very often because I can't stand the wet/early drydown stage. I'm hoping that aging will help tone down the lemoniness, but I'll keep my bottle no matter what (although I wish it was labeled Mourning Cloak instead of Mourning Shroud; both are great names, but I prefer Cloak).
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A gossamer armor: seemingly delicate, but as strong as adamant. Opalescent vanilla-infused benzoin with silvered iris, white patchouli, mimosa blossom, and white musk. I must be smelling the florals here...must be the mimosa blossom and a touch of iris giving the blend that lift that iris gives (lovely) but I don't smell vanilla, benzoin and I might be smelling a bit of white patchouli. I'm sure with aging they will come forth, but not now, not yet. This is extremely Vernal, in my humble opinion, and I will be putting the atmo and hair gloss away until next year and am looking forward to it already. Beautiful. I wanted to edit - I sprayed this a few minutes ago and it is amazing how much different this scent is in just a week or two of settling! NOW I definitely smell a lovely combo of Iris, white musk and white patchouli with some slightly dry, spicy vanilla. Forget what I said about waiting for Spring...this will get much use now. Just as beautiful, but now the full experience.
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The moon is rising, solemn and silent, over Black Phoenix: LACUS SOLITUDINIS The Lake of Solitude: a scent of introspection and introversion. Meditative white sandalwood with rosewood, Roman chamomile, white lavender, marjoram, Himalayan cedar, and oudh. ***************** This month, we revisit the Metamorphosis: The Metamorphosis series is dedicated, as always, to my daughter. Lilith, you are my light, my love, my heart, and the sweetness of my soul. Sword-Wielding Storybook Princess, Valiant Superheroine, Bold Adventurer, Make-Believe Misunderstood Fairy Tale Villainess: it is a privilege to watch you grow, and it is an honor to be your mother. I love you with every drop of blood in my body, and every breath. The sweetness of your heart, the depth of your compassion, and the razor of your wit are all an inspiration to me. Your laugh is my joy. I love you, Little Lady Butterfly. “Just living is not enough,” said the butterfly, “one must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower.” METAMORPHOSIS Lo, the bright train their radiant wings unfold! With silver fringed, and freckled o’er with gold: On the gay bosom of some fragrant flower They, idly fluttering, live their little hour; Their life all pleasure, and their task all play, All spring their age, and sunshine all their day. - ” To Mrs. P——–., With Some Drawings…”, Anna Laetitia Aikin The grace, beauty, and complexity of butterflies and moths have permeated myths all over the globe. The symmetry and elegance of their form and the coquettish rhythm of their dance inspires visions of fleeting romance: The dawn is smiling on the dew that covers The tearful roses; lo, the little lovers That kiss the buds, and all the flutterings In jasmine bloom, and privet, of white wings, That go and come, and fly, and peep and hide, With muffled music, murmured far and wide. Ah, the Spring time, when we think of all the lays That dreamy lovers send to dreamy mays, Of the fond hearts within a billet bound, Of all the soft silk paper that pens wound, The messages of love that mortals write Filled with intoxication of delight, Written in April and before the May time Shredded and flown, playthings for the wind’s playtime, We dream that all white butterflies above, Who seek through clouds or waters souls to love, And leave their lady mistress in despair, To flit to flowers, as kinder and more fair, Are but torn love-letters, that through the skies Flutter, and float, and change to butterflies - ” The Genesis of Butterflies”, Victor Hugo Though in some myths – notably, China’s Butterfly Lovers, Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai, and Japan’s tale of Takahama and Akiko – butterflies are symbols of eternal love and devotion. Most often, butterflies and moths represent change, transition, and metamorphosis. Butterflies are also seen as personifications of the soul, and symbols of mankind’s desire for spiritual evolution. They are harbingers of both love and death, and some believe that errant souls manifest in this form. Moths and butterflies are, to some, symbols of blind desire and madness, perilously drawn to the splendor of light and flame. This mad desire is also portrayed, at times, as transcendence: Tell it none except the wise, for the common crowd defames: of the living I shall praise that which longs for death in flames. In the love night which created you where you create, a yearning wakes: you see, intoxicated, far away a candle burning. Darkness now no longer snares you, shadows lose their ancient force, as a new desire tears you up to higher intercourse. Now no distance checks your flight, charmed you come and you draw night till, with longing for the light, you are burnt, O butterfly. And until you have possessed dying and rebirth, you are but a sullen guest on the gloomy earth. - ” Blissful Yearning”, Goethe, translation by Walter Kaufmann This series, though seemingly simple, is a complex narrative in scent. It was created with the intention of illustrating the beauty of transformation and transcendence, the sweetness of romance, the joy of freedom and personal liberty, and the perpetuity of true love. Wake, butterfly - It’s late, we’ve miles To go together. - Matsuo Basho This year’s series is inspired by our family’s annual pilgrimage to New Orleans: the Butterflies of Louisiana - BLACK SWALLOWTAIL Licorice bark with freesia, jungle orchids, elemi, Bulgarian rose otto, and jasmine sambac. EASTERN COMMA Sweet orange with tobacco absolute and hay. GOATWEED LEAFWING Tonka bean, orange blossom, ambrette seed, and brown sandalwood. LITTLE METALMARK Nagarmotha and sweet musk. PHAON CRESCENT Italian bergamot and neroli with marigold, white jasmine, Himalayan cedar, lemon peel, and a drop of tobacco absolute. QUESTION MARK Blackened vanilla absolute with tobacco leaf, Ceylon cinnamon, orange-bark myrrh, and orange blossom. RED-SPOTTED PURPLE White thyme, yuzu fruit, hinoki wood, blue cedar, white carnation, plum rind, white mandarin, and lime-tinted white musk. SOUTHERN CLOUDYWING Cardamom tea, orange peel, mate, oakmoss, tonka bean, sweet cedar, and costus. WILD INDIGO DUSKYWING Black saffron, frankincense, Florentine iris, blackcurrant, white pepper, black clove, vetiver, and smoky honey. YUCCA GIANT-SKIPPER White patchouli, oudh, vanilla absolute, copaiba balsam, pepperwood, and champaca flower. Butterflies have also descended onto the ‘Post: CHORION HAIR GLOSS A gossamer armor: seemingly delicate, but as strong as adamant. Opalescent vanilla-infused benzoin with silvered iris, white patchouli, mimosa blossom, and white musk. CHORION ATMOSPHERE SPRAY A gossamer armor: seemingly delicate, but as strong as adamant. Opalescent vanilla-infused benzoin with silvered iris, white patchouli, mimosa blossom, and white musk. NECTAR HAIR GLOSS Honeyed camellia and bergamot with sweet honeysuckle and sugared columbine. NECTAR ATMOSPHERE SPRAY Honeyed camellia and bergamot with sweet honeysuckle and sugared columbine. The Earth laughs in flowers. FLOWER CONSTANCY I BATH OIL: AN AFFINITY FOR PASSIONFLOWER FLOWER CONSTANCY II BATH OIL: AN AFFINITY FOR PHLOX Want to keep up to date on all the BPAL news? Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, join our mailing list, visit our Forums, or follow our blog The Black Phoenix Gazette.
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PURPLE SPOTTED SWALLOWTAIL Black plum, opium poppy, dusky amber, opoponax, castoreum accord, dried berries, tolu balsam, clove bud, and lime. Wet: Rich sweet, black plum..with the barest hints of berry and clove. Drydown: This is a morpher on me! The balsam is present but it mixes quite well with the plum and berries. I get no lime in this as my skin eats it soooo quickly! I guess it's the castorum accord that gives this the a slightly perfumey edge...but not too much. Overall...gentle clove bud, with plum and balsam wafting in and out. Well done Beth...I bet will age wonderfully! ETA: Complete drydown... Clove bud, amber, hints of black plum and castorum accord. Absolutely lovely, fruity, dark perfume.
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Orris root, lilac, galbanum, white tea, Italian bergamot, and blueberry. This one is a surprise. I was afraid the bergamot would be too much, but I don't get any citrus at all. There is a sharpness, just a bit, but I believe it is the blueberry. This is quite more blueberry than I expected. I do not get any lilac from this yet either.
