The Perfumed Garden

[clover]

THE PERFUMED GARDEN
Under her neck my right hand
Has served her for a cushion,
And to draw her to me
I have sent out my left hand,
Which bore her up as a bed.

The Perfumed Garden for the Soul's Recreation. This scent is based on a venerable Tunisian perfume that was used to excite the senses, inspire sensuality and inflame passion. Myrrh and Moroccan jasmine with apple peel, Indian sandalwood, myrtle, quince, citron, and thyme poured over soft musk.

Sniffing from the bottle: The apple peel jumps out at me right away...which just about thrills me right out of my seat.

Upon application: Sweet tart fruits (mostly apple!) with just the slightest hint of jasmine. Juicy and lovely.

After a few minutes: The jasmine starts to peek out more, as does the myrhh. Usually I'm not a fan of myrhh, but this myrhh is SO soft and sweet and gentle that it's really just a nice complement to the fruity jasmine. It just smooths it out.

A few minutes after that: Interestingly the jasmine just about disappears. I'm used to jasmine being an overpowering note, but it's not in this blend. I would say that the two dominant notes (on me) are apple and myrhh....although I can tell that they're wrapped up in a soft musk hug.

Conclusion: Sweet and soft like a cloud. Surprisingly innocent. Romantic and lovely.

[UltraViolet]

In the bottle

This smells like apple peel, myrtle and quince primarily (it's really yummy).

And the jasmine is in the middle.

minute tracesof thyme, and sandalwood way underneath.

No trace of myrrh nor musk that I can smell.

On

This is working already. Wow, this is really yummy and beautiful. There are some blends that are light, bright, yummy and beautiful...Snow White...Fae...White Light....and then this splash of green yellow (from the citron and the apple peel?) here and there in the throw.

30 minutes

The jasmine and the myrrh amps up a bit as it dries on my skin, but the other ingredients are still holding their own.

Throw:

Yes

Scent category:

Fruity/Floral/Incense/Animalistic

Summary

This is so different and it smells like you'd think it would from the ingredients listing, which is why I bought this. I am very pleased.

Purchase again?

Yes.

1-5 rating (5 being best)

4

Edited January 30, 2006 by UltraViolet

[ivyandpeony]

At first sniff from the bottle, and when wet, all I get is jasmine. Pushy, bossy, dominating jasmine - but this jasmine smells different from the jasmine I have smelled in other blends, leading me to think that I haven't experienced Moroccan jasmine before. Some jasmines are too sharp for me, but this is sweet and lush.

 

It takes a while, but the jasmine backs off and lets the fruity notes shine through, and this is a really pretty combination! I have noticed that several of the jasmine blends I love (Euphrosyne, Peitho) had very strong jasmine when fresh from the lab. After a month or so, they were much better balanced and the other notes were allowed to come out and play as intended. This jasmine is lovely and I'd wear the Perfumed Garden as it is today, but I will also look forward to seeing how this blend changes as it ages a wee bit.

[aedes]

I got it for the myrrh, but this really is quite a sweet and fruity blend! I get almost a bubblegum smell at first sniff, but it quickly warms and incorporates the jasmine very nicely with the apple, citron, and honey smells. The myrrh comes out more in the final drying stages, where it reminds me of a sweeter, more day-wearing version of Darkness. It's quite a unique, unexpected, but lovely blend. Nothing is stealing the show, this is magnificently balanced and an utter delight to smell. I had a feeling that this was going to be my favorite of the Lupercalias, and I think I was correct in that. Thank you, Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab!

Edited January 31, 2006 by aedes

[LiberAmoris]

The Perfumed Garden is like sex on me. I know that Smut is supposed to be the down and dirty VD blend, but this is really animalistic and take-me-now. I definitely get loads of the yummy apple peel when this is wet, but soon after this is husky jasmine and fruits with musk...and lots of sex appeal. I don't want to say the "C-word" (civet) but there is definitely something primal in here that, frankly, works.

 

Just ten minutes after applying, the jasmine submits and the musks take over. It smells a little like musky pikaki at this point, with a dusting of fruits. It kind of makes me want to tackle the first person I see and bend them to my will. Yes, I do believe that per the description, The Perfumed Garden could 'inspire sensuality and inflame passion.' Yes indeed.

Edited January 31, 2006 by LiberAmoris

[Kittyflop]

Forgive my brevity, but I'm trying to get these in in the hopes they might help someone buy more in the next hour or so!

 

Bottle: fruity/flowers.

 

On wet: Very light jasmine in there, but not overpowering WHAM jasmine like it usually does to me. It's very subdued for a jasmine. Still fruity and floral. Not getting any sexy dirty musk yet, but....

 

Drying down: getting more earthy and grounded. Still sweet and pretty, but something.... sharp and tangy creeping in. Oooh... there's the musk.

 

This a pretty sophisticated, pretty, womanly scent.

[AliBabble]

the perfumed garden is one scent where i get more complexity out of the bottle, than on my skin. out of the bottle the apple peel and quince hit me right away - not in a sharp way, just a nice, juicy apple, blended beautifully with the jasmine. it's got a quiet intensity, but nothing too crazy. on my skin, however i get, like 90% jasmine. it's not really a problem - i like jasmine, and this is a very nice jasmine - i picture beautiful, fresh white flowers - this would be a perfect scent on a beautiful spring or summer morning. i only get an inkling of the myrrh...not sure what is going on with that. it could be that this is one of the bpal scents that takes a while for me to get to know...to discover all its subtleties. or maybe it will just be Mostly Jasmine. but either way, i really like it, and i like the idea behind it. also the label - really pretty.

[Little Bird]

The Perfumed Garden is more crisp and herbal than I expected it to be. Jasmine is usually overpowering and sharp on my skin, but the jasmine here is light and sweet. I can definitely smell the thyme and apple peel as well. The soft musk comes out after about an hour.

 

This is not the overpowering headache-inducing floral blend that I was expecting at all. It really does smell like a garden. I imagine lots of greenery, little flowers, and a stream running through. Herbal and slightly earthy, with a dash of sweet flowers and crisp fruitiness.

 

This smells rather sophisticated. It's not something that I would wear, but I think that my mother would really like this one.

[Brienze]

In the bottle: Very myrrh, also a bit dirty/earthy in a way I'm not fond of (nowhere near the recoil impact of Gnome, though).

 

On, wet: The "yuck" note goes away in about 15 seconds flat. Yay! This is definitely a perfumey blend, but it doesn't at all smell like having to dash through the entrance to a department store while holding your breath just to go buy a stupid sweater for your dad. Oh, sorry, flashback. Anyway, me and "perfumey" do not get along, but this isn't off-putting at all.

 

On, dry: The nasty top note was the only really noticeable morph, although musk seemed a bit stronger wet than dry as well. This has been pretty darn consistent over the course of an hour and a half. I can pick out apple, though it smells more like apple blossom or applewood... I guess I don't know what the peel would smell like; all I know is it's definitely not the same apple of Harvest Moon, which I received in a swap today. The jasmine is very soft, and I have to try really hard to pick out thyme at all. Sandalwood is there in the background. I'm not sure what quince or citron smell like, but they're probably helping the fruityness come up to match the florals and the musk. I don't detect the myrrh, but then I'm happy not to. Someone fond of it might well be able to pick it out.

 

This is really well blended; nothing dominates. I don't know if this will mean anything to anyone but me, but when inhaling, this blend hits the very top of my nose... it feels like I'm smelling it from between my eyes or even with my forehead. It's definitely distinctive and unusual.

 

Throw: Very little. otoh I've got teh Smut on my other wrist so it's not really fair to compare apples to sex.

 

Category: Fruity/Floral/Woodsy/Animalistic

 

Lasted: 3 hrs of good sniffing of wrist, and by 4 hrs just a breath of florals left

 

Summary: I'll probably wear The Perfumed Garden when I can't decide what to wear, since this blend can't decide what it is. If it had more throw I might be concerned about wearing it in new situations where I might encounter people who don't like perfume at all, since it is perfumey. I just happen to think it's a good perfumey.

 

Purchase again: I'm happy to have the bottle, but one should be plenty for me.

 

Rating: 4 of 5 (but only because these aren't my favorite notes. 5 of 5 in terms of a well-blended representation of what notes are in it)

Edited February 5, 2006 by Brienze

[zenvodunista]

Khajuraho taught me that yes, i was right, sandalwood and i don't get along. but this one...

 

Sweet jasmine, filled out with the roundness of apples and quinces, tarted up with citron. Slightly musky and spicy, this one is just GORGEOUS on my skin, and i can't stop smelling myself.

 

i checked the description again, and discovered that there is sandalwood in this blend too, "indian sandalwood" whereas Khajuraho is "white sandalwood". so the white is funky, but the indian just lends this a gravity. i think the Perfumed Garden would be too sweet without the wood.

 

absolutely lovely, this one collapses into a pure blend in which i cannot pick any single note out of. i am very glad to have two bottles (one here, and one on the way!).

 

and let me tell you, i am SO HAPPY as a landscape architect, to finally have a "garden" themed perfume to wear!

 

n.

[coulrophobe]

In the bottle: Very jasminey... maybe a tiny hint of something tart, perhaps the apple peel poking through.

 

On: Jasmine.

 

And that's how it stays. It may as well be single note jasmine, to my nose. That said, it's nicer on me than a lot of jasmine blends. This one stays fresh and very "white" smelling, and never reaches the "hint of decay" stage I get with some jasmine blends.

 

So... despite being relentlessly jasminey, it's a pleasant surprise. It's a comforting scent, maybe nice for lazy weekends reading in bed. Or as a cool, clean scent on hot days.

[The Perfumed Ferret]

I can't quite pick out all of the blends, but this one is loooovely!

 

In the bottle: Jasmine, white musk, lemon, and something green (must be the apple)

 

On: The same, but the jasmine softens after a few minutes. This is amazing! Sweet with a sharp apple finish. It relaxes me just smelling it.

 

 

Dry Down: Sandalwood, jasmine, and myrtle. Soft and vibrant.

 

This a new favorite!

[desu]

In the bottle: The apple peel and jasmine are vying for control on first sniff. Not really picking up anything else yet.

 

On my skin: At first, mostly I smell mostly apple peel, and then it gives way to an absolutely beautiful jasmine. My skin tends to amp jasmine, and while usually jasmine is just kinda there, this type has a wonderful depth to it.

 

Later on: Mostly just jasmine. Don't smell anything else.

[gingersnapp]

WHOA is this a strong one. I applied the slightest bit to my wrist and after a second it was like getting smacked in the face with a big fat bouquet.

 

Initially, I got the apple peel... a dirty, potent fruity smell. But right now, about ten minutes after applying, it is a pure, strong jasmine. Maybe a little myrrh keeping it from being entirely floral, but it is 99.9999999% jasmine on me.

 

I really wanted to keep smelling the apple peel. That was very unique. And I really wanted to be able to smell the sandalwood, myrtle, quince, citron, thyme and musk. But no. Jasmine. And only jasmine. Forever and ever amen.

 

Stupid jasmine.

Edited February 5, 2006 by gingersnapp

[wickedgoddess]

Jasmine is one of two florals that always works on me (the other is orchid). Peitho & The Moon are both in my top 5 catalog scents, and I love myrrh, apple and sandalwood, so I have high hopes for this.

 

Wet - Jasmine. Strong almost overwhelming jasmine, along with something else. I am not gettng any individual notes other than jasmine yet, but so far, it all smells good.

 

Dry - while the jasmine is still strong, this becomes very fruity on drydown. I get some apple, but it is overshadowed but a sharper, astringent fruit; I don't know if it's the quince or the citron, but I don't like it very much. I do get a bit of soft musk, but the myrrh and the sandalwood are almost unnoticeable on my skin. After an hour or so, the fruitiness settles down, and it is pure jasmine with just a trace of apple. This is nice and I like it, but I am not sure if I need a bottle of another jasmine scent, particularly since I already have bottles of Peitho, The Moon and The Sleeper. Moderate amount of throw on this one.

 

On the wickedgoddess scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being best, this rates a 4 .

[jessamynit]

hmm. scent is such a peculiar thing to pin down - particularly the more complex blends. I read the other reviews here, and although I understand how people are getting some lovely skin chemistry results from the complexity, I guess I should still add my original reaction:

ick! bubblegum!

 

now that stage has passed somewhat but I still FEEL bubblegummy as a result (if that makes sense). I have always thought I loved jasmine oils (particularly as I am named after a jasmine flower!) but the bpal ones I've tried have made me rethink that.

 

okay... now that I'm typing instead of holding nose to wrist, I am really enjoying this scent. the jasmine smells lovely, and I feel the sexiness and mysterious fruitiness that everyone else seems to get.

 

but the moment I get up close to my wrist or the bottle, it's over again. yuck! how strange.

 

I will try this one again on a different day, and report back!

[Scarlettfish]

At first, the apple is the dominant note, giving The Perfumed Garden a tart, potent smell. However, upon application, the jasmine, mrytle and quince become more apparent, and there are hints of sandalwood underneath. This smells exactly like a perfumed garden, full of ripe fruits and lush flowers. It is heady, voluptuous, and really, really sexy. Excellent scent for inspiring passion!

 

I love jasmine, but if you aren't a jasmine fan, the fruitness in this blend really balances it out.

[alston78]

The fruit smells really popped out at me when I opened the bottle. On first application, too, the apple and lemon smells were strongest - probably a little too much so for me. The myrrh also seemed heavier when I first applied the oil. After about an hour, the scent had morphed into a really pleasant fruit/floral blend, with jasmine and apple peel being the predominant notes. The blend became more floral and musky with time, wafted nicely on me (I can smell it when I move but it's not filling my space), and has lasted a long time today (10 hours and counting!)

 

I tend to like spicier blends, but I agree with everyone else that this is wonderfully blended, and each note seems to contribute noticeably and have its own time for display. The jasmine seems particularly nice in this blend - I like it anyway but it doesn't seem to have the same "soapy" smell I've noticed in other blends.

[arabella]

First Impression: Light jasmine.

 

Dries down to: Musk arrives on the scene then it all changes to a soft, yet complex, spicy floral.

 

Additional Comments: Since jasmine and I are still working on our relationship, this oil goes a long way to promoting harmony. I can't really pick out any of the other notes inidividually (sandalwood, especially, surprises me on that score) but they marry beautifully with the jasmine to make this one of the prettier jasmine blends yet. I'm glad I got a bottle.

 

Lasted: Quite a few hours.

 

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

[rhubarbbear]

oh, this is lovely! jasmine dominates on me, but it's not a headache inducing jasmine...it's soft, grounded by the herbs and wood. i do wish i smelled MORE of the herbs/wood/fruit, but they all come together in a unique jasmine blend.

 

 

very pleased!

[Diana]

I had really high hopes for this one. Sadly, it was not what I envisioned at all.

 

Wet: jasmine & apple.

Dry: jasmine and less apple.

 

This is predominantly jasmine on me. I don't get sandalwood, musk, quince, citron, myrrh or thyme. You know, all the notes I wanted to smell.

 

I like jasmine ok, but it usually takes over any blend I wear and gives me a headache.

[sarada]

I don't like jasmine as a perfume. It always smells like soap to me. Jasmine soap, yes, but still soap.

 

But if I had to pick one jasmine perfume, this would be a good contender. I's mostly jasmine but the apples really sweeten it and there's a sharp spike of that tart quince smell that takes this out of soapy territory.

 

It reminds me more of a really good cup of jasmine tea or a pack of jasmine incense.

 

On a spring or summer evening, outside, this might be a good thing to wear when I want to recreate that wonderful smell that used to waft through the air in my bf's garden in California on a warm night.

 

I never smell anything but jasmine and apples but I guess the other ingredients must silently be contributing in little ways, making this less a jasmine soap headache and more a gentle summer night garden. I don't think I'd wear it more than once or twice a year but it's worth keeping for those nights.

[malabar]

Jasmine, jasmine, and more jasmine. Like getting hit in the nose with jasmine. Not, alas, a friend of mine.

[shelldoo]

ok i am a bit hesitant to open this one. jasmine is my nemesis. i am....say poison ivy and jasmine is bat man (i love me some roll playin)

 

shelldoo bravely faces the small amber bottle of doom.....$%^@@BANG$%&^&@@ @@@@POW@@@@

 

 

i have no clue what i smell. is that myrrh? something a bit gritty and somewhat earthy smelling. almost mossy. amd a hint of apple. i am picturing green apple. batman is hiding, just waiting to jump out w/ his utility belt and snag me by the balls...wait i don't have balls, maybe by the ear.

 

wet: wth is the scent i am getting, i know i have smelled it before but for my life i do not know what it is. it is kind of peat smelling. earthy. looking over the listed notes i am unsure what some are, so putting my finger on this is making me batty (pun intended) and lurking past the peat type scent i see pointed rubberized ears....**batman is hiding i can finally detect him...now to out smart the beast.**

 

as it dries it is all jamine. i am bitch slapped, stomped upon, and tied up in the trunk of the batmobile. DAMN FOILED AGAIN.

 

but wait there is an interior trunk relase handle. could it be??? i am detecting gorgeous sweet sandalwood (woohoo the rescue backups are sneaking up. could there be hope for this supervillian?) this is becoming a sandalwood, musk, sweet, combo, i still can detect the evil jasmine but i have escaped. i am not being held prisoner. i will have to try it a coupel more times but i do believe i could actually get away w/ wearing this. poison ivy lurks off undetected mumbling to herself...until we meet again batmat.

[grrrlennyl]

at first: lovely fruits and sandalwood. wonderful stuff.

on: lots of apple, other fruits, and a bit or jasmine. gorgeous.

1 hour later: very fruity. i'm also getting some sandalwood.

2 hours later: very soft. fruity and floral.

overall: this is really pretty, but i don't think i'd wear it often.