Black Hellebore

[naeelah]

... Hellebore resembles the wild rose, but does not belong to their family. The scent is a pale green herbal, darkly rooty, with a faint rose and peony-like overtone.

I'd say that just about sums it up. This is sharp greenery offset by a soft, powdery quality, and a suggestion of something dark and earthy. I don't get so much rose from this -- I get a lot more greenery.

Of all the Rappaccini's Garden scents that I've tried, this is one of the most garden-like. Many blends are of fantastical plants, and many are very specific scents (such as cucumber). With its greenery, light florals, and faint earthy note, Black Hellebore is like an entire garden, concentrated.

Although the name kind of suggests a darker scent, I find this very fresh and springy. Recommended to fans of green scents. Edited January 13, 2008 by naeelah

[bryghtrose]

It's an interesting green scent, but I really dislike peony, and it's gone sort of soapy as it dries.

[CrazyPretzel]

My first thought was that there wasn't much to this, though it was completely inoffensive - a damp, light green, somewhat leafy scent. As it dries more layers of complexity appear. There's a little bit of earthiness and the rose/peony comes across as a faint sweetness, almost powdery. Understated, gentle, yet somehow sinuous at the same time. I want to keep this and wear it again - try to get my head around it a bit more.

[donnatron]

Imp: Kind of weird. It's not plastic, but it definitely smells like a manufactured petroleum product.

 

Wet: Immediately sweetens and some fresh greenery comes out. Fresh greenery without juniper!!!

 

Dry: Lovely. This is what I imagined Amsterdam would smell like. Sweet and floral with a lovely green base. I am getting closer to finding my holy grail green scent.

 

Throw: For bpal in general, this is not exceptional. For a bpal floral/green scent, this is AWESOME!

 

Overall: I am a fan. This might wind up being my green/floral big bottle purchase.

[enderfem]

Imp: I can smell the sharp herbal-ness, but I can also pick up the peony smell underneath, and something darker underneath that. Interesting.

 

Wet: The peony has amped up and I can detect a little rose, but this is still mostly herbal. Herbal usually doesn't do well on me but I think the peony is helping.

 

Drydown: Soft and pretty peony smell, with an herbal undertone. Not me, but pleasant.

[savage_rose]

I've applied this twice now and have practically inhaled the imp, and I can smell the faintest hint of herbs, and a whisper of peony. What I can smell of it's nice, but when I wear perfume I actually have to be able to smell it without having to place my nostrils to my wrist. This isn't me.

[fairnymph]

In the bottle: Fresh, green-floral, hint of sharpness. Maybe some pine or something in the evergreen family?

 

Wet: Floral-evergreeny. Warmer, deeper. I love both peony and rose and I can detect both these overtones.

 

Dry: Stays true, good throw.

 

Summary: Feminine, greeny-rose. Probably not a bottle buy, but I'll love my imp.

[Kippy]

I admit I bought this one based on the name alone.

 

I get a busy floral from this, not really any notes specifically, but an overall impression of a posh lady's perfume. She's a woman who follows fashion but not trends, she appreciates quality and knows how to spot craftsmanship, she smells good but with a scent that's not evocative of any one time, place, or emotion.

[persianmouse]

Insanely sticky sweet perfume. Like the smell of the dressing room of a beauty pageant or drag show, after everyone left for the night. Baby powder, faded hairspray, expensive but stinky perfume, make-up, dry-cleaned dresses, anxiety and a bit of B.O.

 

Ick.

[stardreamer]

Two words sum this up pretty well: floral and faint. It's not unpleasant, but it's definitely not something I'd wear. Fortunately (for me), it also doesn't stick around very long. To the swap pile it goes.

[zankoku_zen]

Okay, for me I got this dark, and dirty, slightly chilly, mildly rose smell. Mainly it was this root-based, up-turned earth kind of smell that was going on. This, for me, is the smell of rich earth, you know the kind, deep dark brown, almost black, and you can just smell the water and moisture in it.

 

Not a dirt girl, but this was like walking straight into a planting a garden experience.

[couscous]

This one was another great surprise from the RG line. Black hellebore is herbal and sharp, but there's a definite sweetness to it that makes it more than just an "experience" scent. It's almost like poppies or some other sweet, syrupy flower. It would be almost too much except for the fact that it wears very light.

 

Another purple scent, though. Purple and green, sharp and juicy. I liked it.

[maika]

In the imp, this is very fresh and green, not really what I envisioned from the name.

 

Wet, it keeps it's greenness, but with the addition of an earthy note, which is just beautiful.

 

As it dries, there is a slight undertone of spice that accentuates the green notes, but also allows the floral notes to come out.

 

Ultimately though, a soapy note comes through last, which while not unpleasant, means that I'm going to like this, but not love it.

[Delirium1009]

In bottle/imp: Wet, green, earthy floral.

 

Immediately on skin: This is a watery, dark, green herbal and flowery scent. It has that hollowness of rose, and soft touches of something airy and sweet. The herbal tone smells rather fresh.

 

After a little while: As this dries, the blend really melds nicely. This is subtly sweet and floral with a cool feel and a fresh, herbal background.

 

Overall Impressions: This is a very nicely blended scent. It’s dark, but more soft and dark green than sinister. It smells watery and cool, with hints of darker earthy notes and more airy, flowery tones. It’s pretty, but not traditionally floral.

[Caerphilly]

In the imp: Green herbs and something extra sweet in the background. Probably the peony. I also get a touch of mint that tingles my nose. It smells like a dark, clear, floral. Lovely.

 

After 10 minutes: A citrusy scent comes out, but the prdominant note is the dark herbs.

 

After and hour: It starts to fade, but there is a sharp note that lingers. It's no longer sweet or citrusy, but just one herb stands out. Can't put my finger on it.

 

Overall:It's not what I expected. I expected somehting sweeter and more floral. Maybe even ripe berries because of the peony. But it's herbal. It also doesn't last that long, even thoug I would expect it to. Not really for me, but a lovely scent.

[mazikeen]

Reading the description ("pale green herbal, darkly rooty") I was hoping for something different. Herbal? Rooty? Not here. This is flowery powder.

 

Still, as a flower-hater, this was floral in a way that I liked. Very very powdery, yes, but nonetheless I thought it smelled nice and fresh. I tried it a few times, all on days when I was feeling grimy, hungover, etc. and needed that bit of clean femininity.

 

My verdict: Wouldn't buy a bottle, but would use the imp on grimy days. I liked it.

 

Then unfortunately, my husband weighed in: icky baby powder. He hated it. Kept mentioning dirty diapers and even asked me to wash it off because it bothered him so much.

 

Solution: I'll keep it for grimy days when he's at work.

[smokey188]

this scent went on all tweed to start out then it morphed into a nice green floral perfumey scent which was nice but not really me.

[tdgnika]

In the bottle and wet on skin, I picked up a very subtle peony smell. I didn't get much of the green herbal smell that others describe, which is what I was hoping for.

 

The peony smell seems to intensify as it dries and picks up some of the rose. I agree with mazikeen - I, too, think that I may be a flower-hater, but this is a flower that, were I going to choose a floral, I would choose. It seems light and clean.

 

It's a nice smell, but it's too intense of a flowery smell for me to wear. It reminds me of an old lady's bath soap.

[fantasmaglow]

I had initially disliked Black Hellebore, but I have just rediscovered my imp and decided to give it another try, and I am certainly glad I did! It must have aged well, because it smells utterly gorgeous! It reminds me of this expensive lotion that I sampled at a spa in Paris. It smells green and flowery, but not oppressively floral, more of a sexy dark green wet floral. When I put it on it immediately invoked images of a night time garden, and thick, dew covered fragrant leaves. I love this!

[FallDaze]

In the imp - this is unique. It brings back memories of something that I just can't quite remember. Just a familiar vibe I guess, but absolutely enchanting. Dark and green without being overly so.

 

Wet something starts going a bit sour, slightly reminiscent of nail polish remover.

 

Thankfully that sour stage goes away pretty quick, but it is still sharper and darker than in the imp. After a bit the sharpness fades as well. Overall this is a nice, dark green floral for those who don't like florals.

[hkhm]

imp: unusual greenery. hard to describe.

 

wet: this doesn't smell like either rose or peony to me. it's a uniquely beautiful floral scent that it both playful and mysterious. there is a scent in the background of succulant green stems and wet leaves.

 

dry: this dried to a more subtle version of it's wet stage. i am so taken i will be buying a bottle even though i normally don't care for floral scents. it's incredible alluring.

[Argentwolf]

As many others have noted, this is a 'green' scent, very evocative of a garden full of blooming plants late on a damp afternoon. I think I detect more peony than rose -- the floral components seem high and sweet without being too cloyingly so. It is a very inoffensive scent -- a modest amount of throw, and a pretty quick fade.

[amandette]

I love hellebores, so I absolutely had to try this. I got a little worried when I read the reviews, though. I shouldn't have worried. This smells absolutely wonderful on me!

 

Wet, it smelled green and floral.

 

On me, it smells like a rich and dark purple floral. It's a little warm, and a little sweet. I can still smell a little green coming through, too. I didn't get any powder or any sour from it, I think my skin melds well with peony. I love it and I'm buying a bottle.

[TheOneTheyCallLuna]

This was a frimp from the lovely labbies! In the imp this smells dark and a little sweet with just a touch of earthiness. I really like the history of this plant and I can already tell from the imp that this is going to smell gorgeous on my skin. Double bonus!!

 

On the skin: Oh my...uhhhhhnnnnnnn, that is SO good!!!! On my skin this blend picks up a touch of flowery spiciness - this baby has a little bite! Overall, this is a sensual, dark, and mysterious smelling herbal blend. I'm going to end up living in this one....a clean and beautiful, unobtrusive everyday scent!

Edited February 1, 2009 by TheOneTheyCallLuna

[MCS4096]

In the Imp: Mmmm juicy and green, almost pear-like and sweet.

 

Wet: mmmmm There is a slight soapy edge, but mostly its a delicious sweet, powdery but also sharp green floral. Multidimensional!

 

Dry: It is a bit like a "traditional" perfume, but also pretty different than any BPAL blend I've tried thus far. I get basically no rose from it, mostly the peony I guess (I don't have a lot of experience with peony), juicy greenery and a slight earthiness, but I wouldn't call it rooty (that would have been nice though). The juicy green sharpness definitely keeps the soapiness of the floral in check.

 

It will require a couple full day wears, but I could imagine this going on my "bottle list"