Brisingamen

[badseed1980]

I have had an imp of this for several years, but never really used it. I just gave it a try at the recommendation of some lovely folks here on the forum. I'm so sad, though--it's not doing anything for me. I'm actually thinking of washing it off. I tend to love BPAL amber scents, and two that this one has been compared to--O and Haunted--are scents that really work well for me. But somehow, this one is just striking me as very heavy and unpleasant. I can detect some good notes in there, but they're all wrapped up in stuff that is not very nice. It's weird because I'm someone whose favorite non-BPAL perfume is Habanita by Molinard, which is an extremely old-fashioned scent, and I really don't mind a bit of sharpness in some perfumes. On me, though, Brisingamen is unpleasantly sharp, sour, and old-fashioned. It reminds me of some old perfume bottles my grandmother had--ones she bought for the vintage bottles rather than for the perfume, which she never wore. I can get a BIT of the spicy dusty sweetness that other people mention, but it's only a trace, and so fleeting while the rest of the scent lingers. It's possible this might eventually fade into something wearable on me, though.

 

Now, interestingly, I was going to get up and wash it off when I was done writing this review, but it's almost like it heard my thought, and it may in fact just be starting to transform into something a bit more mellow and wearable. OK, Brisingamen, I'll give you a little while longer and maybe sniff some coffee beans before I sniff my wrist again.

 

EDIT: Nope, sorry. it's not happening. The offensive smell toned down after a while, but never turned into something I really liked. I ended up washing it off and replacing it with Haunted, which is SO MUCH nicer on my skin.

Edited March 31, 2022 by badseed1980
adding my latest impressions

[monocainsheresy]

A pale gold scent. Mostly amber and herbal myrtle, with a surprisingly strong creamy floral note from the apple blossom. The carnation lends a hint of spice when wet but disappears on me during the drydown.

A happy medium between wet spa and dry forest.

[Lecter]

Fresh blossomy goodness! I don’t seem to get any spicy mess but it’s a pleasant clean warm scent which reminds me of spring 

[crystaltongue]

I still can't decide what I think of Brisingamen. It is definitely rich ambers, but there is something almost medicinal about it that lingers more than any other note. I love the hint of carnation, but the apple blossom is lost to me entirely. Truly, a mysterious scent.

[ShadowEtienne]

Brisingamen is confusing on my skin, and while I like parts of it, I don't think that it was meant for me.

 

There's definitely amber in this, but it's a muddled sort of amber on my skin. I think that some of the amber notes are working and some aren't, but it's just a little too much amber all around.

 

I love the myrtle and apple blossom notes hanging out right behind the amber, and I wish that they would take the lead on this scent. They're a delicate floral and herbal combination that works nicely together.

 

The carnation is nowhere to be found on my skin.

 

Overall, I think this one just isn't playing nice with my skin, and I'll pass it along to someone who it works better for.