Ars Moriendi recs

[bababarbara]

I decided to take BPAL one category at a time. So, since it's near Hallowe'en, I'm staring with Ars Morendi. Which of these are your favourites, and why?

 

I've tried Grandmother of Ghosts and Jazz Funeral. Neither wowed me, but I love ghostly imagery. I can handle small amounts of rose, and I don't mind light florals.

[goblinshark]

ZOMBI is my favorite, without a doubt. I generally don't do straight florals, but the earthy note in Zombi makes the sweet, almost decaying rose note really grounded and wearable. It's one of my favorite BPALs of all time.

 

There are a lot from this category that I have yet to try, though.

[Esatres]

Embalming Fluid is one of my favourites in Ars Moriendi. It's a really nice citrus tea that evokes 'summer' more than it evokes 'death', though.

[vikitty]

Les Fleurs du Mal and Eternal are very gorgeous florals.

[GeorgeJr]

How do you feel about green scents ? Like fir or pine ? Thanatopsis is one of my first buys & still one of my favorites . I also have a bottle of Danse Macabre that is quite , interesting . A bit hard to describe though .

[eyeska]

Zombi is seconded! Twilight is really beautiful, too, and I just put on Danse Macabre because I couldn't quite remember what it was all about -

 

Black cypress with oakmoss, frankincense, oude, and a sliver of toasted hazelnut.

 

It's somber and earthy (but not earthy as in dirt...if that makes sense? it's like outside but not necessarily outside with trees) with a hint of green. I suspect people who do better with frankincense than I might have even more insight, but it seems very autumnal to me.

 

EDIT: And now it's changing on my skin, I should know better than to post right away - it's got more trees in there, on me at least.

Edited October 6, 2008 by Eyeska

[sqwook]

I second Danse Macabre (and I imagine it's better as the weather is cooler). I also really like Haunted. (Especially, I discovered, layered with Snake Oil, but that's a completely different story. ) Embalming Fluid I like, too, but it's best to wait until summer weather.

 

Eternal was a nice light floral that was pretty enough, but not really for me- since you mention light florals, it may be worth a try.

[sparkybish]

Zombi rocks my world.

[Juushika]

I can't wear (and don't much care for) rose, and I'm no fan of mostly florals in general, ergo I haven't tried much of Ars Moriendi and probably won't. I do, however, dearly love Haunted (soft golden amber darkened with a touch of murky black musk). I love amber, I love musk, and it has such a glowing, lightly shadowed sense to itabsolutely divine. I really need a 5ml.

[sweetjane]

I agree with a previous post - Embalming Fluid is my favorite from Ars Moriendi. The green tea, white musk, aloe & lemon is one of the best mixtures for me any time of the year, but for sure during the summer. When I want a dose of Summer I wear it in the Fall and Winter anyway. I wear this at least once a week year round. Summer is my favorite season so if I start to feel depressed, Embalming Fluid is a way to perk up and feel better.

[donnatron]

Twilight is one of my favourites from the entire General Catalogue. It's a gorgeous bright lavender back with honeysuckle and jasmine. It really evokes a sort of hazing, glowing scent association and is very classical, comforting and has throw for ages.

 

I'm also a fan of Darkness. It captures a bit of that freshly-blown-out-candle scent mixed with a sweet, opaque creaminess from the opium. It's quite deep and elegant.

 

Midnight is full of unusual florals and it's one that's very appropriate for work, school or somewhere where you don't want to smell offensive or "weird" but it's just so unusual that you'll be intoxicating. It's the essence of beguilment.

 

And finally, I really like Nocturne. It's a really lovely violet with lilac and tuberose and it's sweet, almost playful and feminine but also a bit morose. If you've tried Ultraviolet, it's sort of like the wan, beautiful, minorly neurasthenic sister to Ultraviolet.

[ivyandpeony]

Ars Moriendi is a great category because there seems to be something for everyone. I love the poems that inspired so many of the scents in this one, too.

 

The florals in A.M. are some of my favorites. Eternal is gorgeous if you like florals - white rose is one of my favorite rose notes and Eternal reminds me of a big bouquet of white flowers (yet not a "white floral" perfume, it's a bit different than that). I also like The Ghost, it's a chilly floral with an undertone of greenery from the ivy note. And The Reaper and The Flowers fits in this floral family - again, there's a green note but this time from fresh grass, there are lily notes with that gorgeous white rose again.

 

Thanatopsis is a hidden BPAL treasure, IMO. It was the first dark, woodsy scent I ever fell in love with (I arrived at the gates of the Lab in love with fluffy flowers and white musk).

 

Although they aren't scents I wear often, there's something that gives me a twinge of nostalgia about many in this category. They have that simple quality that I call "old school BPAL" where Beth combines just a few notes in such a beautiful result. Haunted, Nocturne, Les Fleurs de Mal and Darkness are examples of that quality to me.

 

And everyone has to try Embalming Fluid! It is so light and pretty although boys can wear it too It's crisp and clean without being overpowering like any kind of commercial perfume you can think of. And how much fun is it to tell people the name of your perfume when you are wearing it?

[OhioSky]

I have only tried Haunted and Twilight from this area of the site. I love Haunted, can't stand Twilight. Smells like soapy florals on me, though no one else in the reviews seemed to get flowers/soap out of it.

 

As someone who has worked in a funeral home for almost 2 years, though, I will admit that I generally steer clear of the Ars Moriendis. There's not much that smells good about death, especially Embalming Fluid. I can't see myself ever trying this, even if I happen upon a free imp.

 

So, that being said, even though you asked about Ars Moriendi specifically, I find some other scents to be way more Fall-ish, like Pumpkin 1. Have you tried any of the Halloweenies?

[Ahania]

Les Fleurs du Mal and Twilight are my favorite floral scents. I also really love Wings of Azrael.

[lainevierge]

I really love Haunted & Darkness. I haven't really liked any other scents in this category that I've tried. There seem to be a lot of florals.

[sweetjane]

Embalming Fluid is one of my top 5 scents. I never would have tried it because the name just doesn't appeal to me. However a friend encouraged me to test hers and I am so glad I did. The green tea, lemon and white musk are definitely summery. And though I live in a four seasons region, I wear Embalming Fluid any time of the year when I want to put myself in a summer frame of mind. Plus, it's not overpowering so I can wear it to yoga class without bothering people near me.

 

I've tried Eternal but too much floral doesn't seem to last on me. Love the lemony goodness of Embalming Fluid.

 

[jizatt]

Definitely Haunted. Especially for October

[EdenIris]

Wings of Azrael is gorgeous. It exceeds the sum of its parts, if that makes sense.

 

I also like Eternal and The Ghost. Both have a sort of chill to them, and I prefer my florals like that.