The Lady On The Grey

[alizarin]

A huge white horse, of the kind that the people who know horses would call a "grey", came ambling up the side of the hill. The pounding of its hooves could be heard before it was seen, along with the crashing it made as it pushed through the little bushes and thickets, through the brambles and the ivy and the gorse that had grown up on the side of the hill. The size of a Shire horse it was, a full nineteen hands or more. It was a horse that could have carried a knight in full armour into combat, but all it carried on its naked back was a woman, clothed from head to foot in grey. Her long skirt and her shawl might have been spun out of old cobwebs.

Her face was serene, and peaceful.

They knew her, the graveyard folk, for each of us encounters the lady on the grey at the end of our days, and there is no forgetting her.

The horse paused beside the obelisk. In the east the sky was lightening gently, a pearlish, pre-dawn luminescence that made the people of the graveyard uneasy and made them think about returning to their comfortable homes. Even so, not a one of them moved. They were watching the lady on the grey, each of them half-excited, half-scared. The dead are not superstitious, not as a rule, but they watched her as a Roman Augur might have watched the sacred crows circle, seeking wisdom, seeking a clue.

And she spoke to them.

In a voice like the chiming of a hundred tiny silver bells she said only, "The dead should have charity." And she smiled.

Ethereal, opalescent, and radiant: pearly sandalwood, white amber, tobacco flower, orris, castoreum bouquet, soft resins, and pale petals.

In the bottle: Very bright and clean and just a teensy bit soapy.

On wet: still bright, the word ethereal came to mind even before I looked back at the description. It smells transparent and I can’t quite place any of the notes. The soapy tinge disappeared almost immediately.

On dry: It is ethereal, opalescent, and radiant, truly. It’s light but it has depth to it, it smells fresh and ancient at the same time. Warms as it dries, the resins are peeking out. It’s very soft and calm. There’s something almost smoky hovering around the edges, too, I’m not sure if it’s the tobacco flower or something else. It’s blended beautifully, nothing is overwhelming. I can pick out the sandalwood a bit but only a bit.

It smells grey. A pearlescent, silvery grey.

I’m not a floral girl so I was worried about the pale petals but they’re not showing up on me. Maybe the idea of flowers somewhere in the background but nothing overpowering. It’s definitely gotten more resiny/ambery/musky on dry down, I was concerned at first that it would be too light for me but it’s not light, it’s not dark, it’s somewhere perfectly in between.

[Ravenclaw79]

I was hoping this would be a little like Ivanushka, in that they both have the idea of an animal out in the cold wind.

 

This actually smells just like you'd think from its description -- there's a hint of Ivanushka-ish muskiness and furriness, but it's burried way underneath the horse's rider, the Lady herself, who smells perfumey, in a sweet and elegant way.

 

I definitely get pale petals, but it's not overpoweringly floral, and I get a powdery sweetness, but that's not too dominant, either. There's also a smokiness about it, which must be the tobacco flower -- it's a light note, like walking by a jar of loose tobacco and catching a whiff.

 

This is actually a really, really well-balanced blend, so you get the petals, and you get the sandalwood and amber and resins, and you definitely get tobacco flower, but none of them jump out at you.

Edited November 22, 2008 by Ravenclaw79

[angelicruin]

In the bottle, this is a very clean smelling scent. I actually cannot smell any floral just sniffing the bottle.

 

Wet on skin, this is a musky floral on me.

 

It dries to a very delicate, soft floral with musk highlights and just a little sweet.

Edited November 24, 2008 by angelicruin

[Delirium1009]

In bottle/imp: Bright, perfumey florals and tobacco flower with a bit of soft sandalwood and green notes.

 

Immediately on skin: This smells almost lemony or citrusy on my skin with some bright white florals thrown in and a soft warmth in the background. This is slightly perfumey, but also rather astringent to my nose; I can really “feel” it when I sniff the blend.

 

After a little while: This scent really bugs my nose, which is too bad because it’s really nice. This has turned into almost a unisex mix of swirling light blossoms with some nice warm musk and cologne-like notes. It has a nice base to it, but parts of this are definitely wafting higher. It has a musk/floral/clean thing going on for sure.

 

Overall Impressions: This scent starts out feminine, but soon turns into something a bit more unisex. The “pale petals” in it are quite perfumey, but the musk, sandalwood, and tobacco flower really tone this blend down. Unfortunatley there’s something in this that actually makes my nose tingle a little, and it’s not altogether pleasant. This is a wonderful fragrance, but I wouldn’t be able to wear it.

[sookster]

straight sniff from imp is extremely delicate and soooooooooo achingly beautiful!!

 

once applied this is a dream come true...sophisticated, subltle and soft...the combination

of notes are soooooo creamy; problee that pearly sandalwood...beth surely nailed this one and i need a big bottle!!

[milo]

This smells like a really expensive high end soap. That being said, it is not an insult at all, this is a beautiful whispy blend, that reminds me of a feminine ghost creature. There is a soft florally scent that is perfectly balanced with what must be the white musk. There is something almost sharp about this blend, but before it hits you in the face it backs off, kind of like a ghost would do. Silly review, I know. I do like this, but not sure if it is "me".

eta: 20 minutes after I wrote this review, the Lady has again morphed. I love love love this, very pretty, sweet, whispy and mysterious. This blend almost "glows" now. It is "barely" there now, but not. Beautiful.

Edited December 13, 2008 by milo

[inurbanus]

Ooh! I had some doubts about The Lady on the Grey when I put it on -- something wasn't meshing and this started out smelling a little chemically, but now this is very pretty! It's one of those scents that clings quietly to your skin, so I don't know if anyone is going to smell Lady on me, but I like knowing she's there. As others have said, Lady is ghostly, with a soft, slightly melancholic air. She seems to me to be the shy cousin of The Torture Queen. I don't know when I'll be able to own a bottle of Lady, but I certainly want to.

 

4/5

[Mimosatique]

The Lady On the Grey

 

Wet: Opalescent Amber, Tobacco flower, Wild flowers, Creamy sandalwood

 

Dry: Opque-powdery amber with sweet wild flowers

 

Verdict: Sense of nostalgic. Soft and ethereal with soft creamy and powder amber floral. I swear Bpal's amber and honey always turn extra powdery on me!!(and that's not good ) I think if there's musk here it would soften that a bit but alas, no musks here. I shall give it to my mom, this is her kind of scent!!

[krissstephens]

to me it is the perfect blend of florals and incense, not heavy, ethereal is definitely the word to describe it. I love the lightness after it dries on my wrist.

[Coldfire]

Decant: definitely a pale petals is what I’m getting at first inhale

Wet on me: more pale petals but I get the sandalwood underneath now.

Drying Down: now mostly the sandalwood over the pale petals.

Dry: Pleasant…mostly sandalwood at the end. Not bad. I likey.

[rayvn1]

Ethereal and opalescent describe this to a T. A gentle, slightly effervescent blend of pale petals and soft amber. Doesn't go powdery, but is so light that it's not really my BPAL style. Very pretty, though! Sometimes this smells like vanilla tea with cream in it.

 

Edit for spelling

Edited December 27, 2008 by rayvn1

[stefrand]

ITI: Lovely! Soft, woody florals, a touch soapy. Quite gentle.

 

Wet: Yes, a bit soapy. Some adjectives that come to mind: soft, dry, cool, slightly sweet, complex. Not too feminine.

 

Dry: Very pretty. A light, dry floral. It's very interesting and smoky...frankly, it's becoming rather delicious.

 

Drydown: Love. Reminds me a bit of Perversion, but not as masculine or obviously sexy. I can smell the sandalwood and the tobacco flower. The amber and resins keep it warm. Keeps getting better with time. Smoky, sweet, woody floral, with plenty of throw but not too much "volume" on the scent.

 

Final Thoughts: A delicious, feminine, light, smoky, sexy, floral morpher. Bottle worthy, without a doubt.

[Iceblink]

I swear this smelled of rose when freshly applied (huh?) but that stage faded quickly; this then becomes a gorgeous, complex perfumey scent that's so well-blended that it's hard to pick out individual notes. Amber, sandalwood, tobacco. Just the teeniest bit powdery, and in a good way. This makes me think of an old-school lady's boudoir--it's feminine but in a mature way, not a sweet or girly way. Really beautiful!

[zankoku_zen]

This one is a pearly, delicate floral with soapy tinges. Unfortunately for me, it becomes an almost smoky, soapy floral blend.

 

*sigh*

[Dark Alice]

Ambery grey....this is very lovely....I just don't think bottle worthy as I probably wouldn't wear it much! But it will definitely make it into the power scent rotation....This scent evokes the image of an old fashioned school teacher...that's prim and proper, strict, but fair, and kind to her children..and it definitely has a soapy tinge to it as well. Definitely imp worthy...

[northatlantic]

EXTREMELY sharp and soapy at first, it dries down pale and luminous and warm, the white amber definitely dominating for me, but by the time it gets to that stage (about a half hour) it's almost undetectable. I like it, but it's far too fleeting for a bottle.

[LauraB]

Amber! And florals and something else sweet - I have no idea what, but all in all it's a very classy, rounded out scent and different enough to stand out. Not the greatest wearlength before it fades (I'd guess 3 hours before it fades down to a pretty but fairly ordinary soft floral), but it is noticeable while it's on without being brash or intrusive.

[TrailerTrashPrincess]

i love the scent of tobacco flower, so i knew i had to try this. i was lucky enough to be able to swap for it (hooray for near instant gratification!) and knew i'd hafta get a bottle. this is so pretty!

it is very much like a SN Tobacco Flower, but there's more to it...

the sandalwood and resins add a rich basenote, and there's something reminding me an eensy bit of Unseelie.

 

maybe it is just my wonky skin, or maybe it is just wishful thinking.....

but this smells like the lovechild of Unseelie and Champagne & Cigars.

[voodoocatwoman]

I should have known I'd like this. Amber loves me and I love it right back. The resins and sandalwood settle in after drydown. It's warm and inviting. I like it.

[lainevierge]

This scent is so light. It reminds me a lot of the smell of freshly scrubbed skin. I feel like I took a bath after a hot day and I'm drying off and slipping on a nightgown about to get in bed. Lovely, though not something I'd put into daily rotation. I generally like my scents to be a little spicier and heavier, but this one is certainly evocative.

[Little Bird]

The Lady on the Grey is all soap, powder, and smoky floral on me. It's like freshly scrubbed skin that still smells of soap, dusted with baby powder and then splashed with a drop of smoky floral perfume. It's really subtle but it does last quite a while on my skin. It's just not really my type of scent.

[donnatron]

Imp: Tobacco flower and a touch of what I think is moonflower.

 

Wet: Definitely tobacco flower. Years ago the Body Shop had a Tobacco Flower home scent line that smelled almost exactly like this. There's a cold, pearlescent quality to this scent and although it's definitely treading the line towards "traditional perfume" it's got an edge all its own.

 

Dry: This smells like the ghost of Snow White future. I think one of those pale flowers is lily and this is really reminding me of a drier, more savoury Snow White. Replace the sweet coconut/snow aspect in Snow White with tobacco flower and sandalwood and you would have the Lady on the Grey. This woman has a history.

 

Throw: Good.

 

Overall: Overall I think I prefer Snow White. The Lady on the Grey is an interesting, evocative scent but she's a bit too... well, I don't know the word. Normally I'm pretty game for straight up florals and this is an interesting blend but it's just not my speed. Definitely give her a chance if you get to.

[crebbsgirl]

Ethereal sums up this blend perfectly. This is slightly more floral than I usually wear, but it's beautiful nonetheless, and does not make me recoil like most floral perfumes do. This is very evocative of a cleanly scrubbed woman, as other reviewers have stated. It's definitely a skin scent, wearing very close. The sandalwood is a standout here, as is the tobacco flower. Light and stunning, a creamy floral blend.

[CynicalPink]

Imp: Beautifully blended scents. So clean

 

Wet: Clean and resinous. Light and soft. Like "Ether" with more of a backbone.

 

Drydown: Amber's not going powdery! Yay! Very clean and grey. I'm really not getting any kind of floral vibe. It just smells very...floaty, but solid. It morphs a lot though.

 

Overall: Initial impressions are very good, but I can tell this would keep morphing depending on where I put it on my skin and how long it gets to stay on. I'll need to give this a full day test.

 

 

[anna1850]

This reminds me of a perfume I had when I was about 11 that someone bought for me as a Christmas present which smelt very grown up to me. I mean this in a good way.

 

I wasn't sure if I'd like this because of the sandalwood but it's actually a very pretty and well-blended scent which smells more like a commercial perfume than a lot of BPAL stuff does to me.

 

I think the only problem is it might be a bit too posh for me as I think I'm really after girl next door scents whereas this is more like a classy womanly smell. But I'll keep the decant for when I want to pretend I'm sophisticated.

 

4/5 Elegant and refined.