Shattered

[sparkleyturtle]

A scent as sharp as glass shards, and as brittle as a broken heart. The formula came to me - quite literally - in a dream, and is named after, and created in memory of, the last poem that I ever wrote… almost ten years ago to the day. A blend of white champagne notes, grapefruit, lotus, slivered mint and crystalline aquatic blooms.

This imp came out really sharp wet. A little too sharp. On dry down, I am getting a sharp citrus. That may be the champagne with the grapefruit. It just doesn't really work on me.

[Circaea]

source: imp of unknown date

 

Wet... mmmmint! I did get a little of that Ultraviolet blast from the initial mint, something a bit toothpastey, but then what I think is the lotus creeps out, and the scent is starting to remind me just a tiny bit of the creamy green sweetness of White Rabbit. Now it's creamy floral mint. As it dries I smell something almost like pears, but it keeps that rich round exotic floral feel, balanced by the happy confident smell of mint. As the mint fades down, so does everything else, and it goes quite faint, but still really pretty, if I bring my wrist up to my nose.

 

I get no aquatic feel from this scent, despite its coolness. Which is good, because I associate aquatic scents with things that make my sinuses hurt. I like it, and I will keep the imp around for aromatherapeutic purposes, to lift the mood and give me energy, but I think as a personal scent, it makes me smell like someone who just brushed her teeth. (I have toothpaste for that.)

[WidgetAlley]

Imp: A sweetly perfumed white wine, big round spicy-sugared lotus, the gorgeous tang of grapefruit, and just the slightest hint of sharp mint. If this were a mixed drink, I'd order a couple.

 

Wet: The pale wine/champagne notes happen right away, fizzy and effervescent, but the grapefruit/lotus/mint is there to catch them, a soft but delicious mix of cheerful, glassy top notes. There's muguet, I think, in here, or perhaps lily? Soft white floral aquatics, anyway, that don't dominate but add a layer of complexity. I agree with whoever said that the whole affect is slightly pear-like. This smells a bit like the 'undertones' of Snow Moon without those slushy snow notes and trees on top. Sweet and aquatic without containing a single trace of ozone. Eventually a gentle bitterness rises to the top, smelling something like... grapefruit peel? Or pith? It's a little musky, a little soapy, but not in a bad way.

 

Dry: Unfortunately the champagne notes fall a little flat on me, leading to a slightly perfume-y white wine, grape and floral scent in the drydown. I was actually hoping for more lotus (I LOVE lotus!) and grapefruit, but they seem to give up the stage to the other players. On a skin chemistry that worked with booze notes, this would be incredibly stunning. Oh well, I'll have to stick with Undertow and Paris for my lotus fixes!

[angelicruin]

Minty fruit bubblegum on my skin. Mint is the strongest component on my skin, but the lotus is almost as strong. I kind of like this, but not enough for anything beyond an imp.

[steffish]

Delicate, sharp and very clean. Unfortunately on me this smelled reminiscent of citronella candles

[Floria]

It's midwinter and I'm getting over a cold, so I suspect I'm not really experiencing this scent at its best. But anyway -

 

This is a sharp-edged scent. The mint is fairly penetrating and mentholic, which in my current state is not a bad thing. There's an initial bit of bitterness, probably from the champagne + grapefruit combo, which isn't the way I normally like my citrus perfumes, but isn't entirely unpleasant. Combined with the mint, it would probably be very refreshing in the height of summer. It does sweeten up when the lotus comes out, but the initial cool sharpness doesn't last very long, and although I wasn't counting, I'd be surprised if the sweet drydown lasted more than a couple of hours. (Although part of this lack of longevity might be because I was baking this morning and therefore washing my hands a lot.)

 

I'm looking forward to trying this again in seven or eight months or so.

[BoneBone24]

Wet: OOh, mint with a hint of citrus.

 

Drydown: The mint fades a bit and it becomes more of a fruity floral.

 

Dry: The mint returns and the champagne comes out to nicely blend the mint and fruity floral notes together.

 

 

 

I really like the mint and champagne notes but in the end this goes a touch too floral for my tastes.

[Mokiefraggle]

Just got this today as a frimp, and I am utterly fascinated. A grapefruit scent that actually agrees with me! Never would've thunk!

 

In the imp, I couldn't really tell what the scent was, other than something crisp and very clear. It definitely lives up to the name, though I was put more into the mind of shards of ice than broken glass.

 

On my skin, I found both the mint and grapefruit coming forward, though neither to a degree that was unpleasant. The mint was dry and...not creamy, but not the sort of sharpness I usually associate with mint, either. A bit like the catnip I use in my herbal tea cold remedy, actually, rather than any sort of mint I'm used to. The grapefruit was a light citrus note that was different than the lemon of Dorian, or the lime-citron of Whitechapel, sort of bitter-tart, but not unpleasant. As it started to dry down, both of these scents were muted under a scent that reminded me of dry champagne and a light, slightly murky scent that I presume was the lotus? And all of this mingled with a clear scent like fresh-flowing water, like being in the middle of an icy river.

 

I don't know if I'd actually buy a bottle of this, but I think I'll be trying the imp out over the summer. It's cool and crisp, and a teeny bit astringent, so it should be perfect for the heat.

[Gwydion]

In bottle: Grapefruit dominant. Champagne adds a hint of fizz. The florals are pleasant, unusual, and understated. The mint is soft and adds a touch of chill. I’m not good with some mints, but this one is one of the ones I can tolerate. I think I’d like it better with less mint, but it’s not a deal breaker. Wet: More mint on the skin. Mint dominant with strong grapefruit and lotus. The rest is faint background. It’s really nice as mints go, but not my thing. Dry: Mostly lotus, with some soft floral support.

[fisharescary]

Wet on skin, I pretty much got sour green apple out of this one...very sharp, very green. If SGA didn't have enough apple for you, this would be the blend for you... My daughter says she smells lots of cinnamon out of it. A few minutes later, I smelled rose coming up from underneath the apple...I know, none of those are listed as notes, but that's what I got.

 

Throw was perhaps a bit stronger than average. Duration was average. Not bad, a very nice blend actually, just not destined to be one of my favorites when there are so many good bpals out there.

[Missy_killer]

To my nose: Oh, this one is interesting. I get fizzy grapefruit and mint. And I adore fizzy scents, and mint. Putting the two together..AWESOME!


On me: Very minty with just a little zing of grapefruit. Would probably work great to clear up headaches or help dealing with a cold. As it warms up the mint settles a little, brining out some sweet floral scent, but the grapefruit keeps it somewhat fruity.

After an hour: Hmm.. Supersweet generic floral perfume is all I get now. I'm so sad, this one started off incredibly good :'(

Edited September 23, 2014 by Missy_killer

[brilliantcat]

Minty grapefruit in the imp. Yummmm! Pretty much the same on me. I love mint scents though mint doesn't tend to last long on me. I find the wet stage very pleasant and I could see wearing this in a variety of situations. It would be great to wake up with, lovely for summer, and a great pick-me-up anytime scent. As expected, the mint dissipated quickly and I'm left with a pretty grapefruit scent with a hint of lotus. Not sure that I'd need a bottle of this, but it's really pleasant and I could see reaching for it on occasion.

[KakashiMorph]

In the bottle: Cough syrup? I think I smell the grapefruit and mint, but altogether it is a somehow sweet and fresh smell that reminds me of cough/fever syrup.
On my skin: Champagne, hello. Barely there just keeping it fresh mint hello ( I get the effect of mint on my nose but I can't smell it itself, so there). The grapefruit or the aquatics ( I think the aquatics) are the other thing I can pick up and it blends well.
This is so refreshing! After a few minutes the initial mint zing mellows down however and I can now make out the grapefruit with the aquatics mostly. It smells fresh and light and would probably be best worn during the summer.
Drydown: Fresh aquatics.

[JuliskaMarie]

In the imp: Exactly as described! This is stunning!

Wet on skin: The champagne is gone & the mint is amping a fair bit, but otherwise very similar to in the imp. Very cold, fresh & glassy!

Dry on skin: A light, minty, grapefruity floral. Not as nice as wet or in the imp, but still very pretty & refreshing.

After a few hours: About the same as dry, only more faded & almost a little soapy.

Verdict: Probably not an everyday perfume (though I'd probably wear it more with a scent locket), but I'll definitely get some use out of this!

[d0gbones]

In the imp: Sweet mints. A bit like toothpaste.

Wet: Sharper and sightly grapefruity.

Dry: This smells just like a scented candle I had when I was younger, so it's a nice, comforting scent for me. I don't think I'll wear it, but I'll definitely use it in an oil burner or perhaps a room spray. It's mostly mint and grapefruit, but sweeter rather than sharp.

[Soupy Twist]

Champagne and grapefruit in the bottle, which is surprising given the drydown. It goes on as grapefruit and mint, which becomes a lovely chilly aquatic. The mint takes over (my reaction was "That'll clear your sinuses!"), and then it basically becomes a slightly sweeter version of 21. Doesn't last as long, sadly. I'll enjoy this imp, but I already have a bottle of 21.

[quickdrawkiddo]

This actually feels kind of tingly on my inner elbows where I applied it, almost like Icy Hot. Not surprisingly, it's mint-dominant with hints of grape and citrus in the background. It's still hot as balls here in New York so I'm always glad to find a scent that isn't oppressive to wear in the summertime, since I usually go for more tobacco/leather/musk blends. The mint in this reminds me a bit of Cathode, but this is more fruity and less pencil-shavings-y. I think I prefer the woody mint of Cathode but this is still very pleasant and wearable.

[LizziesLuck]

Wet: Really minty and fresh.

 

Dry: The grapefruit comes out, but not in the sharp, bitter way it sometimes does on me (as in Cheshire Cat). There's something quite sweet in the background. It's really quite fresh and pleasant. I was hoping for more of the Champagne to come out, as I LOVE the lab's Champagne note. All in all this would be nice for Summer I think.

[freyasfae]

Minty, minty, minty and champagne - which = loooove for me, this really does have the crystalline quality it says, like whoa, I want to wear this on an unbearably humid Texas summer day.

[joopjoop]

I've been having good luck with my latest order of imps, but this is the second in a row that is a bust.

 

This is all champagne and mint on me, with remarkable throw and staying power and little to no morphing. Went on champagne and mint and stayed that way for hours and hours. While I like both champagne and mint notes, they combine in Shattered to smell exactly like toothpaste on me. It is a weird experience to smell strongly of toothpaste and not one I'm all that excited to repeat.

 

Very disappointing. I was really looking forward to this one - particularly the combination of champagne and grapefruit. But no grapefruit to be found. I'm going to set it aside and try again, but I think that this one is probably going on the swaps pile.

Edited April 4, 2016 by joopjoop

[Casablanca]

Effervescent, both lightly grapey and grapefruity. In the vial I smell nothing more than that.

On my skin, I also get aquatic minty lotus. An odd combination, and I can't say I'm hooked.

[torikitty]

Wet: mint and champagne
Dry: mint is still there, but the aquatic blooms are what really stick around.

[RobberBaroness]

Like Croquet but a bit harsher. It's perfectly nice, but the lab has better grapefruit scents, which for me is the main draw. I'm definitely getting something herbal, but oddly enough, not especially minty.

[achildoftime]

Very bubbly grapefruit champagne. It's bright, lively, and a little sharp. It doesn't strike me as floral particularly, and the only feeling of mint I have is a slight chill that lingers in my nose. I think it's a refreshing scent and will be great on the really hot days to feel cooler than it is. Though I can see myself wearing it year round. I think it's pretty versatile.

[doomsday_disco]

In the imp: Champagne, grapefruit, and mint, with some floral notes lurking in the background.

 

Wet: The white champagne note is the strongest note, followed by the grapefruit. But it doesn't smell like Shade, which has a sweeter grapefruit note (pink grapefruit). After a few minutes, the mint and lotus poke out. As the scent dries, the crystalline blooms emerge.

 

Dry: The champagne note still reigns with the bitter grapefruit and some mint. The mint has a strong cooling effect on my arm, but it actually isn't that strong as far as its scent is concerned, and the sweet lotus note has gained strength during this phase, along with the crystalline blooms. I tend to amp champagne, so I'm not surprised that it has been the main player the whole time. It's a bright scent, with a bit of sweetness from the lotus.

 

After a few hours, it is a very light champagne and floral scent.

 

Verdict: I was looking forward to the grapefruit and mint, but the champagne in this is too strong for me, and none of the other notes are pairing well enough with it on my skin to make me enjoy it. I'm also not very fond of lotus, and that note ends up being stronger than I like during the dry phase, so this one isn't really my cup of tea.