The King of Hearts

[angelicruin]

Rosewood and black cherry with white musk, red rose, red musk and a spark of lavender.

On my skin, lavender and cherry with a touch of rose. Edited January 2, 2010 by angelicruin

[starfish327]

in the vial: sharp sharp sharp. there's something in this that my nose is interpreting as astringent.

 

wet: sharp green medicinal-ness. there's nothing floral or red about this, it's all green. it reminds me of an herbal bug repellent actually, not a bad scent but not one i'd want to wear normally.

 

dried down- i'm really hoping that it's not the lab's lavendar that i'm having problems with because i'm getting the same weird sour note that i got from farewell to false love. i know that people have said that rose can go sour but i'm not sure that it's the same rose in both or if farewell even has rose. i'll have to look. but regardless it's turned to weird sour florals and powder.

[reconditarmonia]

<b>In imp:</b> Mostly cherry with a little musk.

 

<b>Wet on skin:</b> Still cherry.

<b>

As it dries:</b> Powdery lavender (maybe that's the white musk?), and a slightly sharp, perfumy rose starts coming out. Lavender fades to an edge and then nothing. Hint of cherry and/or musk (hard to tell, it's so little).

 

<b>Dry: </b> The rose mellows out, and the lavender's back. A teensy bit soapy, but wonderful soap.

 

Edit, March: Wearing it again (on my period), and I'm a bit confused because it smells the same but different, if that makes sense...the scent's the same to my nose, but I'm thinking "Why did I get lavender? That's cherry!"

 

Edit: Yeah, it's a cherry-lavender. I like it, but Lurid is similar (blackcurrant/lavender/musk) and I prefer it greatly.

 

Edit, again: Mostly musk, now.

Edited December 8, 2010 by reconditarmonia

[lahdeedah]

I think I quite like this, but it's not what I would expect at all.

 

Sniffing the vial, all I get is cherry, maybe a whiff of lavender. Wet on my skin it's the same, but that lasts for about two seconds before it goes super soft and powdery. In a good way I suppose. I can't decide! I thought there was amber in here at first because sometimes amber gives me that baby powder effect, so I'm surprised to find it is red musk! Hmmm.

 

This scent is so super femme on me that I have a really hard time imagining it on a man at all! It's been on for a while now and all I can sniff (way close to the wrists, almost no throw here) is sugary powdered cherry and a wisp of rose. I'm feeling very Libra about this, as I kinda like it, but I was really hoping for a lot of rose(wood) and a nice bite from the lavender, which has been MIA throughout. Ah well!

[lilwhiterabbit]

The King of Hearts was a bit of a tragedy for me. In the imp and on my skin I could smell everything but the lavender. The cherry and musk dominated and the rose scent was very subtle and pleasant. There was just the barest hint of a woody scent in the background. I really liked it and thought I would keep it.

 

Then my wrist broke out in hives. I washed it off, wondering if it was the oil or if I'd come into contact with something else that caused that kind of reaction. A week later I applied a few drops to my wrist and, literally, within a few seconds I had hives again! I've never had this kind of reaction to an oil before and I've worn blends will almost all of these notes in them, so I'm not sure what's causing this fairly obvious allergic reaction. The only note I've never worn in another blend is rosewood, but that strikes me as a very odd thing to be allergic to.

 

So the King goes into the swap pile. He smelled so good, but made me itch like crazy!

Edited March 5, 2010 by lilwhiterabbit

[lunchboxmonkey]

At first all I get is deep, sweet, black cherry, but that calms down almost right away. Then the rosewood makes an appearance, with the lavender lurking in the background. Its sweet and slightly powdery, but I'm liking it a lot and then... its gone. This fades superfast on me. I like it muchly though, so I'll keep the imp, but I do wish it would hang around a bit longer

[voorishsign]

Was frimped this The cherry and rose sound worrying but I do so love rosewood and musk.

 

In the imp - Cherry. And how!

 

On wet - Cherry candy! With a very, very faint zing of lavender.

 

Drydown - Cherry goes away a littlebit and yields to lots and lots of rose, a littlebit of musk and continuing lavender. Definitely not my fragrance but very interesting as far as rose scents are concerned.

[sunlitgarden]

King of Hearts

 

In the imp: Cherry, but with a hint of astringency. I smell a bit of wood immediately after putting it on. A couple minutes later I can smell the lavender, which then comes out more and more. Overall it smells very powdery. I don't really get rose or musk - the lavender becomes dominant as it dries. This has the potential to be nice, but I don't think it works with my chemistry.

Edited June 18, 2010 by sunlitgarden

[animalcule]

imp: very nice, I can't pinpoint anything but cherry.

 

wet: almondy!

 

dry: this is really lovely. Woods amp on me, I think I am getting mostly rosewood here with a little cherry but it's nice. It smells like... wealth. Brings to mind rooms in mansions.

 

Unfortunately this feels quite masculine to me, so I don't know how much use it will get! I'll be keeping the imp though, and will try it in my diffuser - it would be nice if my apartment smelled like a palace.

 

ETA: I didn't give King of Hearts long enough to flower the first time I put it on. With subsequent wearings I've changed my mind - this might well end up a bottle purchase for me. Over time the more masculine rosewood and lavender scale back and the rose, cherry, and musks come to the fore - making this somewhat sweet on me (and I love sweet scents) but with an edge that makes it different than any of my other perfumes. Very sexy. It is a light scent, as PPs have noted. Almost no throw.

Edited July 15, 2010 by animalcule

[Rouge]

In the vial - All the notes and in the perfect order! Lovely rich dark cherry and rosewood with a breath of lavender and rose.

 

Wet on the skin - This is a wonderfully fresh and clear scent, with lavender and rosewood creating an elegant, well balanced first impression. There's a subtle waft of dark cherry too, but the woody florals are stronger.

 

Next stages - A sweet, delicate rose note emerges shyly at first and then with more gusto as it warms with the rosewood.

 

Dry down - This is a lovely summer blend. It's delicate without being fragile and sweet without being cloying.

 

If you like this, try - Villain, Kyoto

[impolight]

:::KING OF HEARTS:::

 

There was some trepidation with trying, "King of Hearts" because of the Black Cherry note.

The description immediately flooded the mind with images of ice-cream, cheap incense, or a kitschy car freshener... So skepticism was implemented, unfettered.

(yes, the Lab's abilities may have been underestimated, Mea Culpa!).

This arrived as a Frimp, so this is an experiment.

From the Imp: Gack! At this phase, unfortunately, it is pretty much what was dreaded.

"King" of Hearts is purple, sparkly, and has long, fluttery eyelashes.

He also swings unabashedly from a rearview mirror... And matches the fuzzy steering wheel.

On the Skin: Whew! SO much better!

The Rosewood and Lavender slap away the foofiness, puts a bulge in the scepter-wielding arm, and a cleft in the chin.

This King sneers at the steering wheel and cocks an approving eyebrow as you work... The "stick-shift".

King of Hearts is a good scent for Him.

Seductively clean-cut.

King of Hearts earns a 4.25 out of 5.

[SophieCedar]

Wow. Blown away by the throw and longevity of this one. Sweet cherry, white and red musk with *glowing lavender* and baby smooth redwood. Even though redwood is listed at the top, it's not running the show. I got a frimp from the lab with my bottle of perversion.. this labbie is veerryy smart with their matching... King of Hearts has similar complexity and hits the nose identically with it's cascade of notes.. just different notes!

Edited August 3, 2010 by SophieCedar

[ianastar]

Wet and out of bottle, I don't know why but I smelled a sweet mint, wafted over with incense.

 

Drying down - the sweetest (I'm guessing the cherry) has gone away, and I'm getting more of the lavendar and rosewood. I recently bought a Rosewood scented soap that I was in love with, and have been on the hunt for more Rosewood scented items. This smells very earthy, musky, and sexy to me. It smells like someone who has been outside playing, and comes in, and you just want to embrace them and huff the smell of the earth off of them.

 

Finish - a very warm, sexy scent. The rosewood and the lavendar finish off nicely, and this is a keeper. I'd love this in a big bottle!!!

[lupidog]

I first tried this over a year ago, and found it to be a little too cherry for my tastes. I tried it again last night -

 

The first thing I smell upon application is the cherry again, a little medicinal/robitussin-y, but that mellows pretty much instantaneously. Then the lavender + rosewood comes to the fore, and I just love it. Really really love it. My imp of Villain has been dry for some time now and I've been missing a nice masculine lavender scent. There is a similar feel here.

 

Unfortunately, the lasting power of this stage on my skin is nearly zilch. In less than a half hour, the wonderful complexity has disappeared and I'm left with a very dusty, less appealing lavender. THIS stage lasts forever, seemingly, and smells like faint lavender scented baby powder. It isn't bad, but it isn't true love, either.

 

It's a really cold day here and I've been leaving the heat off, save for a lone space heater. It is possible that my freezing cold skin isn't the best landing site for this oil, but I also tend to completely eat up anything that could be remotely described as delicate. Additionally, it could also be the cold that is keeping the cherryCherryCHERRY in check. Regardless, I don't think the King is my new main squeeze.

[Helas]

This one was a freebie in my first order of BPAL, and it turned out to be my favourite of the lot and one of my all-time favourite scents.

 

In the vial, King of Hearts smells exactly like cherry-flavoured cough syrup. On my skin, the lavender is the dominant note, followed by rose. The cherry starts out very strong and almost eye-wateringly sweet at first, but it mellows over time and eventually dissolves into the florals, making them redder and juicier. The musks (mostly white musk) follow the opposite progression; they start out imperceptible and acquire strength as the time goes by, until I am left, in the evening, with a sweet, musky lavender. In its cherry-dominant phase, King of Hearts is quirky, playful, and exuberant. In the musky lavender phase, it is laid-back and quietly sexy.

 

This perfume is androgynous in the best sense of the word. Instead of confining itself to neutral scents that offend neither men nor women, it emphasizes the vivid contrast between the coolly masculine lavender and the voluptuously feminine rose. Women who are comfortable with their masculine side, men who enjoy their feminine side, and everyone who delights in ambiguity should adore this one.

 

An oddball classic. Five out of five stars.

[Gwydion]

In bottle: There is no point in skin testing given the mess my skin chemistry will make of all but two notes. The lavender gives the roses teethg. It’s lovely really. The cherry is good support for both the rose and lavander, smoothing the path between them. The musk mostly blends into the cherry, giving it extra body and some sex appeal. This is beautifully blended

[cinnamonster]

It's cherry and soft lavender with a baby powderiness, which suits me just fine as it's my four year old's bedtime scent of choice ( a dab on each pyjama sleeve). She liked it so much after getting through an imp, then the next brand new one accidentally getting sucked into the hoover and vanishing I got her a 5ml of her own. I can't imagine it as a daytime scent for an adult though now. It's sweet and fairly soporific to me.

[mistressfizz]

Sniff: Light and sharp, but I can't detect any specific notes.

 

Wet: Sweet cherry with a rosy base. I get some of that "cough syrup" smell as well, but thankfully it's not terribly strong. No apparent lavendar, but there's a slightly bitter edge which might be it.

 

Dry: Floral powder and musk. A faintly sour note keeps cropping up as well. I think this is a nice scent, but not really my thing.

[maoric]

In the vial: A subdued cherry cordial liqueur.

 

Freshly applied: Lavender with a hint of cherry, but something is keeping it from being too feminine. Hmm.

 

Drying: The lavender is fading, and I'm not exactly sure what I'm smelling now. Maybe this is the musk? I'm not used to smelling musks yet, so the fact that I have a hard time placing this means that might be what's coming out. The cherry is very faint, but still can be picked up in the background.

 

Later: Nooooooooo, rose. They like coming out on my girlfriend and apparently like coming out on me as well. The cherry has faded from its already obscure position into nothing. I smell like a bouquet at this point. A bouquet placed on a rosewood table, maybe, but still a bouquet.

 

Borrowed some friends, at first they said it did seem like a passable cologne (the lavender and rosewood were standing out), but it had next to no throw on me. As I stood and talked with them however, the rose came back with a vengeance and they agreed with me that it was getting a little too feminine.

 

I'll most likely pass on getting more of this for myself, though it might work for a room scent since the in-the-vial cherry liqueur smell is nice.

 

ETA: My cat just jumped on my lap, and after settling she zeroed her nose onto my wrist and tried to lick where I had applied the scent.

 

Now, my cat is odd and licks people to show affection, but she was definitely aiming directly at the specific spot where I put the oil

 

ETA II: Just to add, I know these oils aren't for consumption, so no need to worry -- she didn't get any

Edited September 5, 2011 by maoric

[sajiaidoki]

Um, I'm not sure what's going on with this one, but my skin eats this so much that I can barely smell anything on drydown. Wonderful sounding notes (I've been on a cherry kick lately), and pleasant for a second when I first apply it. But WHERE DID IT GO? It's too fleeting for me to be able to review it, even.

 

*sigh* such potential for this one, too. Bummer.

[jkfagtongpun]

In the imp it was sweetness and wood... I suppose that might be the cherry and rosewood. No musk and definitely no lavender.

 

On wet, still quite sweet but the wood is slowly disappearing and the rose is starting to come out. Still no musk or lavender.

 

Dry: Sweet, sweet rose. Still no sign of the musks or lavender.

 

I was hoping for cherry and musk to come out on my skin but alas, no. It is a lovely scent but the main note of rose is just not me.

 

Perhaps I'll try it in the summer.

[Dani87]

Imp: black cherries

Wet: cherries and roses

Drydown: there is a warmth comming out now that I assume is the red musk. The lavender is there too now.

Dry: this turns very smokey on me. I still get everything mentioned above.

Overall: this starts off juicy, and ends up sexy, and smokey. I like it very much.

[lohengrin]

In the imp: Hard to put my finger on what this smells like. Cherry, for sure, and... something else, I have no idea what.

 

On skin, wet: Cherry and... lavender? Still hard to figure this one out.

 

On skin, dry: SIGH. Slightly soapy rose. Nothing else. Curse my skin!

 

After an hour: No improvement. Which is not surprising--usually when a blend has gone over into Rose Doom, it stays there.

[milo]

Getting some incense here at first. I accidently spilled half an imps worth on me, and it's still not all that strong. After a bit, a muted woody rose comes out. This is nice, but it borders along sour pickle juice territory. It reminds me of a clean freshly showered guy.

[VelvetSky]

When I first applied The King of Hearts, I wasn't sure. The woody notes and the cherry were kinda battling it out for the first few minutes, and cherry-dominant scents don't usually work for me. Fortunately, the rosewood amped up and the (tame) florals and lovely lavender musk pushed forward in the drydown.

 

This smells clean without being soapy, like a field of lavender after the rain. A very subdued, elegant scent that pushes more toward the masculine than the feminine, but is definitely wearable by both.