Les Fleurs du Mal

[Chrysantza]

The scents of the blossoms of darkness, condensed into one perfume. Features a rose base, softened with lilac and wisteria.

I swapped for this one because I really love wisteria, and wanted to try a BPAL with wisteria in it.

In the bottle: A sweet old-fashioned floral (I think it's the lilac giving that old-fashioned feel) with a sharp note. Oh oh, not the dread green floral, please...

On me: The sharp green note fades away, thankfully, and what is left is a soft, sweet blend of roses, lilac and wisteria. I don't get a funereal mood from this one at all - it's very springlike, evoking images of chiffon gowns and tea parties. Delicate and old-fashioned without being too girlish. And very sweet, which I like.

Verdict: A keeper! Yum! Edited September 12, 2007 by quantum spice

[PurringPulsar]

Les Fleurs du Mal

 

In the imp: lilac and wisteria.

Wet on skin: a moist rose note comes out now, under the dry lilac and wisteria.

Dry: mmm, not bad. This is a nice floral scent, with a crisp, dewy rose note (it’s a very cool, true rose, at times, almost like Ouija and also, dare I say it, like Rose Red…) with the lilac and light wisteria on top. I like it, though the lilac note smells a tad dry in this, and slightly wilted.

After a while: the scent hasn’t changed much after 30 mins but the throw has improved and the rose has warmed up nicely. The rose in this has a lot of throw, more so than the other notes. Closer to the skin, the lilac and wisteria are more apparent. This is a traditional floral scent, slightly old fashioned in feel, but the scent is fresh and true (especially the rose note), and the lilac is nicer now.

After an hour, it’s suddenly become faint! It’s just a soft, light lilac-rose scent now, very gentle, very close to the skin, all the throw it had before is gone.

Verdict: this is a traditional but pleasant floral blend. Rose, lilac and wisteria are all noticeable in here, the rose note is crisp, bright and dewy, almost like the rose in Ouija at times. The lilac in here, however, at first it smells dry, almost like the flowers have wilted (that’s with my skin) but it does seem to fit the theme…this gets less as the scent develops though. Soon after, the throw is tremendous and the rose note wafts (which is a good thing!), but this only lasts an hour or so, then the scent suddenly becomes a whisper of rose and lilac, clinging close to the skin, a quiet floral fading away. It’s a nice scent but I do have other florals/rose blends that I prefer to this.

[ScrimHazard]

In the bottle: Clinical and slightly floral.

 

Wet: Still clinical, but warm. I associate clinical smells with cold so it's strange.

 

Dry-down: This smells a little bit like strong Skin So Soft by Avon to me, which while being a fond memory of a scent, is not something I'd like to smell like in the winter time or without bugs around and no Skin So Soft in sight. My grandma wore SSS all the time so I keep thinking I'm at her house in North Carolina getting dressed into my shorts and t-shirt, ready to walk down to the Highway to buy some shrimp for her to make for dinner.

 

After two hours: SSS all the way. I may as well be wearing that.

 

I won't be buying another imp or bottle, but I may by some SSS for this summer.

[Brianne]

In the bottle:

Arg! It smells like my arch-nemesis, Lily!

 

On me:

Lily isn't listed in this blend, but I swear there is lily there. Either that, or wisteria goes soapy and white on me too. Because I'm getting major soapage here.

 

Okay I smell a little lilac now, but for the most part this is still soapy.

 

Final note:

This smells just like every lily blend out there on me, which is to say - it smells soapy and is giving me a headache ><;

[Thaleia]

I received this as a frimp from the Lab and was so glad I did, because it's something that sounded like something I'd love. Not only do I love the three notes in it, I love Baudelaire, and even had to read part of Les Fleurs du Mal in French class in high school.

 

It smelled like a really strong, womanly perfume in the imp, mainly lilac and rose, with a tiny touch of wisteria that I get from Ode on Melancholy that I absolutely love. But! Once I put it on, it went decidedly funny on me. Instead of becoming a beautiful, sad floral, which I expected, it reminded me of mothballs and my aunt's closet. It'd have been alright if I liked this aunt, but she and I don't particularly get along very well. For some reason, I'm getting mothballs and clothing sprayed with old-lady perfume. I might try it again in a week or so when I'm not hormonal (which might have something to do with it, sorry if that's TMI).

 

For now, 3/10. I feel so bad, because I was totally expecting to have to get a 5ml of this.

[jarvenpa]

I don't recall if I ordered this as an imp, or if it was a freebie; certainly it was one I wanted to try (I like roses, I like lilac).

 

In the imp--strange, almost a chemical feel. Daubed it gingerly at wrists.

 

ROSES. also some other flowers. This feels very decadent, very debauched. Is there wine in there? poppies? there is something that is opiate, or langourous (can't spell that), something definitely dark.

 

After a half hour, getting the drifts of lilac. But not fresh, raindrenched, innocent lilac. This is not innocent. Roses still playing. (and what else is in here; this is complex)

 

and still a chemical edge; I don't know quite what it is. I would expect to like this, but am feeling slightly queasy and am going to wash it off.

 

Sad.

 

Later: I didn't wash it off, as other duties distracted me and I thought, well, give it a chance....It faded to a very gentle lilac. I think I will try this again in a few days; I have ambivalent feelings that remind me of my initial reaction to Velvet (actually, my initial reaction to Velvet was wholly negative, so much so that I wouldn't try it; upon second try it has become a favorite. Strange magical maddening perfumes.)

Edited February 19, 2006 by jarvenpa

[Abbie]

In the imp: Roses. I'd say tea roses, but I'm no expert. It's kind of a dark smell... not at all powdery.

 

First on: It seems to sweeten up on my skin and turn a little artificial-rose-scent-ish. There's a pretty chemical undertone going on here.

 

Dry: This is a HEAVY, strong perfume, and while it's not bad... roses, lilies, and powder... I already have Magdalene which is pretty much identical on me.

 

So this one's for the swap pile

[filigree_shadow]

This was a frimp from the lab, and was actually a "No" on my spreadsheet. But I'm glad they sent it, because now I know what wisteria smells like!

 

Wet, this is all roses. My grandmother used to use a rose lotion for years and years, and I used to sneak some of it when I was little. So, unfortunately I associate rose scents with little old ladies who want to play canasta all afternoon. Roses are pretty much a no-no for me.

 

However, as its drying I can sure smell the lilac. There was a big lilac bush under my window when I was growing up, and I adore lilac scents, mainly for the nostalgia.

 

But since there is definitely something here that isn't rose or lilac, it must be wisteria. It's a little bit sharp and green. Lilac never smelled that sharp to me, and rose certainly doesn't.

 

When it's drying, the whole blend morphs from one note to another fairly continuously. It's pretty impressive.

 

This is a strong floral, and in my opinion I am not nearly feminine enough to carry it off. However I would love to scent my bath towels with this blend.

[Medici]

In the imp: Sharp white florals and... sunscreen?

 

Wet: Sunscreen! (OMG!)

 

Dry-down: Soapy florals.

 

Verdict: This is the first time I've really gotten distinct dishwashing liquid from a blend. I must say it is a distinct let-down. (Damn!)

 

I'll be holding onto the imp until a later date when the moon and my chemistry aren't quite so wonky.

[gingersnapp]

The rose base is most noticeable, but it turns powdery with the lilac and wisteria. This definitely throws off a bit of a "grandma" vibe, but it is soft and pretty. Just not me.

[Celestyna]

You remember that Barbie toilette perfume they had when we were little? This smells like that, and hair relaxer.

This is insane and nostalgic and weird and I want more.

I don't really know how to describe this one other than very classic and floral, and I'm usually a fan of neither.

[Ajila]

In the bottle - Rose predominantly with other florals in the background. A very 'traditional' blend, if that makes sense.

Wet on me - Soft wet rose, with something sharp behind it. A heavy blend, considering how floral it is.

Dry on me - A soft, green floral, pretty, but not me.

[brownbear]

I just haven't been feeling very floral lately. It starts out as a clean floral and then like almost every other rose scent, it goes all rose. I can no longer get any other notes from it. oh well

[Nekomata]

Swap frimpage!

 

Wet: A very sharp floral, wisteria and soft rose?

 

Les fleurs dries powdery, sweet and a bit too girly for me.

[kunoichi]

This is a pretty floral. I wasn't sure of it at first - it sort of smelled like floral soap, but after a while of wearing it the soapy scent goes away and it's a deep, soft floral. The sweetness of the flowers come through on my skin.

[Eunice]

Roses but with a white flower to keep it from being heavy and cloying. The lilac doesn't show up until the drydown but when it does, wonderful! Another floral winner for me.

[ajcj213499]

I love the florals in this, but they are very overpowering and oppressive. I think I could only wear this as a sleep blend- it's too heavy otherwise.

[grrrlennyl]

at first: lots of rose and lilac, along with another floral that i'm not familiar with, which must be the wisteria.

on: lots and lots of lilac. i actually can't smell the rose or wisteria.

1 hour later: a lovely floral blend. all three notes are mixed really well, so this just smells like a fabulous bouquet.

2 hours later: rose, with a hint of lilac.

overall: this was very pretty on me, but i have other rose blends that i like better on me.

[gloom bear]

This smelled like dying roses…like when you get a bouquet that is past it's peak, and yet it was so beautiful you just aren't ready to part with it. Love the concept, but not the smell.

[eleventhousand]

This has a soft, wistful, nostalgic quality.

A seamless blend of floral notes.

[edenssixthday]

Les Fleurs du Mal - I really had high hopes for this blend, as I'm a huge fan of BPAL rose scents, I can't get enough lilac, and I'm a complete nut about wisteria. However, when I apply this blend to my skin, it smells like floral soap. No note in particular stands out -- it just smells like cheap, floral, decorative hand-soap. About 20 minutes after application, the soapy smell is still there, but has faded significantly, and I now can identify the distinct fragrance of rose. It's soft and round and reminds me of Venus. It sticks very close to my skin and I have to raise my arm to my face to smell the fragrance. Around the 2-hour point, I notice it's beginning to fade significantly. At this point, I also smell a hint of wisteria behind the rose, lightening up the rose and breaking it up a bit. It's a lovely combination, alt hough it's so sadly subtle on my skin. I ne ver do smell the lilac in the blend. This is a really pretty scent and once that initial soapiness dissipated, it leaves my skin with a really light layer of soft, pretty floral tones. I don't see myself using this as a regular perfume because it's so light, but I could see myself blending it with some unscented lotion on days when I want to be lightly scented with springtime blossoms. Very pretty.

[Meg]

In the bottle: A watery mix of rose and lilac.

 

Wet: Lilac, a rather woody smell, with a watery side to it.

 

Drydown: The rose seems to be buried under all this watery, slightly bitter lilac. I get a bit of a violet smell too (and taste, actually, I can taste violet in the back of my throat?!), and the rose very slowly develops. There's something very slightly boozy to it, too. As time goes by, the rose comes out, rich and heavy.

 

Overall: Fleurs du Mal indeed: it's strangely aggressive on the sinuses, and has a bit of a soapy, old-lady's-perfume feel to it. Not a soft floral, even the lilac has bite to it, and the end result is really quite bitter. It has an old-fashioned, nearly Victorian feel to it, a bit like a much darker and more bitter "Ouija", or a less foul "Imp of the Perverse". Not something I would wear again.

[aestien]

Bottle: lilac and wisteria

Wet: beautiful fresh spring lilac, wisteria, and rose

Dry: The rose comes out but doesn't take over, blending perfectly with the other florals

 

I bought this blend for a friend who loves lilacs and roses. I think she will love this oil. I was really surprised at how much I like this oil. None of the florals get too overbearing and it doesn't get soapy or end up smelling like baby powder. It dries down so lovely. Very elegant and soft, like the pale, powdered skin of a Victorian lady.

[urbanruralferal]

It's amazing how my skin can reduce most florals to a flat floral line, sometimes soapy, sometimes not. this time it was soapy. I don't smell roses, though, and usually they just hit me over the head and drag me under the couch.

whatever. I keep on trying the flowers, but who knows why. I already have a swap lined up for this.

Edited August 12, 2006 by urbanruralferal

[Miseraya]

In the imp: Old fashioned floral perfume. Definitely getting some faint rose, but mostly just old fashioned floral perfume and powder.

 

On the wrist, wet: Rose and something white and heavy, like gardenia or magnolia.

 

On the wrist, dry: A heavy white floral on me. Very floral, very thick. Very womanly and slightly southern.

 

Final Analysis: Like most florals this turned into a powdery mess on me. I really need to stop trying to wear these sorts of scents. Off to the swaps.