The Lights of Men's Lives

[hexnut]

The wax and smoke of millions upon millions of candles illuminating the walls of Death’s shadowy cave: some tall, straight, and strong, blazing with the fire of life, others dim and guttering.

In Vitro Blind test. Rich, sweet, resiny.

Wet Definitely resinous, all or mostly base. The initial sharpness faded quickly leaving a softer and somewhat conventional scent.

Drying Faint and unremarkable, but about twenty minutes after application something else emerged. At first I thought it was floral but it became a vanilla-ish note that eventually dominated the perfumey resin base. Although the overall scent remained faint, this nicer note lasted more than four hours which is a long time on my skin. An incredible seven hours after application, I could still pick up a faint sweetness on my wrist.

I didn't get smoke or anything evocative of candles, but I suppose the "vanilla" was actually honey and/or beeswax. By itself this scent isn't spectacular but it lasted an unusually long time and would be a great candidate for layering. More testing is in order.


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edited to add description at top of forum page

[lady_pandora]

In imp: Honey. But I've also been sniffing at the Jezebel and O that were in this same order, and this honey is softer or lighter somehow. Like...if it were a musical note, it would be higher on the scale.

 

Wet on wrist, this is still a light honey. I feel like there's something in here lightening it up but not really showing itself off, like maybe a really faint fruit note.

 

After a few minutes it really starts wafting off me. It's lovely. If it were a color, it would be soft pale yellow. It's such a comfort-type scent.

 

I feel like the fruit thing is still lurking and maybe sandalwood? I had a sudden flash of Hymn to Proserpine. If there really is sandalwood in this, it's the same sandalwood.

 

I think the fruit thing might be orange. But really, the fruit note is not dominant at all and in fact doesn't really have a presence of its own, if that makes any sense. It's more like it's hiding in the background affecting the honey. I also think I may smell a little vanilla, but I'm not sure how much of that is the power of suggestion (I'm reading reviews as I type this, trying to pin down the fruity note and see what others thought).It's soft and lovely and actually seems to have a fair amount of throw but isn't overpowering.

 

Next phase--the honey seems to diverge into a waxy scent and a perfumy scent. The perfumy scent is making me think sandalwood again, and maybe vanilla. This split is most prominent if I sniff right at my wrist--the throw still has a lot of the warm honey to it.

 

Then, and I don't know if this is a change or if my nose is just acclimating myself to it, it all seems to roll back together into the honey/slight fruit/occasional flashes of possibly sandalwood mix. It reminds me a little bit of Hymn to Proserpine, which I gave away years ago when I thought (possibly mistakenly--there was a LOT going on at the time, emotionally and physically) that it was giving me headaches and have missed ever since. Lights of Men's Lives is like getting that back, but with honey too.

 

I think this is a 5/5.

[Cactus]

This hasn't been a morpher on me - so I'm just going to describe it in one paragraph.

 

Light of Men's Lives is mostly lovely Beeswax. But I am getting a definite edge of Hazelnut as well. I also think I can smell the milk note that's in Milk Moon and Candles Moon. And perhaps a touch of honey. Not that this scent ends up food-y - beeswax is still the dominant note, but it has a creamy, hazelnut-y edge to it.

 

Reminds me of a good beeswax and hazelnut lip balm instead of candles.

 

Edit: About 6 hours after putting it on it turns into pure beeswax with a hint of honey.

 

 

Edit 2: Maybe it's the aging process, or maybe my nose has been in a different mood lately - but now there's maybe some coconut in the wet stage, and less hazelnut?

Edited August 11, 2013 by Cactus

[nixie3]

So far, this scent is the big winner for me. For some reason, Snake Oil, The Lion, and No. 93 Engine all disappear on my skin, which really makes me kind of go, HUH???!!!?

 

This did NOT happen however, with The Lights of Men's Lives. This is the most beautiful scent, warm, sweet, complex. I love it.

 

In the bottle: smells like butterscotch and this worries me a little

 

Wet: OH. MY. GOD. So this is what the fuss is about. It feels warm on my skin! I feel heat from it! It smells warm. I smell a hint of florals?

 

Dry Down: Rich, bee's wax, vanilla...it sweetens on the dry down.

 

8.5 hours later, I still smell it. This is more the double the time I had with the others!

 

5/5 I do love this scent!

 

:wub2: I ordered a 5 ml and ADORE this! Whenever I put it on, a feel a flash of warmth and light and tears come to my eyes. It's golden, comforting, and strong.

Edited March 23, 2013 by nixie3

[Alethia]

Thoughts before testing: I saw glowing reviews of this in the "Aging BPAL" thread and just had to get it. I'm not expecting to love it fresh, but I figured I'd write a review now and then revisit this post in a year or so and compare.

 

Wet: Vanilla beeswax and I swoon. So pretty! I was not expecting this to smell this fabulous fresh.

 

Dry down: After about half an hour, there's a slightly sharp perfumey edge to it, but it's still mostly this lovely vanilla beeswax.

 

Dry: The sharp edge is more prominent after about 3 hours, but I'm definitely not complaining. I know I keep repeating "vanilla beeswax" but that's what it is, and it's beautiful.

 

Final thoughts: I'm so excited to see if a little aging takes the edge off of this blend, but it's going into daily rotation now anyway. It's beautiful and feminine without being girly and sophisticated and I love it.

 

Verdict:

[malibusunny]

To me, this is birthday cake candles, and paired with loves philosophy, is exactly the smell of the joy of birthdays.

[WidgetAlley]

Imp: Orange oil, beeswax, candle smoke and honey. Simple and comforting.

 

Wet: Honey and beeswax and hot orange-scented oil in a burner. This is sweet without being summery, and heavy without being cloying. It's gorgeous, it reminds me a great deal of Hanerot Halalu with an added citrus rind component.

 

Dry: A gentle, slightly powdery wax and honey with gorgeous, soft folds of orange and something that smells like cashmere feels. Comforting but beautiful. I'm definitely keeping my Imp!

[Deliciousness]

In the imp: smokey, sweet and a little creamy - reminds me of Perversion

Wet on skin: cologne mixed with a beeswax candle

Dry down: Well, the wet stage was not as pleasant as I would have liked, but the scent is mellowing a bit. I'm getting more soft beeswax candle and less cologne.

 

Maybe I had my expectations set too high, but I was a little disappointed by this blend. I was hoping for that unforgettable "beeswax/honey" combo - kind of like what I got during the wet stage of No. 93 Engine, but sadly, it wasn't. There was a backdrop of mens cologne, for want of a better term, mixed with beeswax. It's not bad, but not what I was expecting. The longer I let this sit on my skin, the more the beeswax candle is coming forward, but there is still this underlaying sense of "not quite right".

 

I really want to like this scent, but I'm kind of on the fence about it. I'll think I'll let this age for a little while and then try again.

[vanillabean]

In the imp: Sweet and smoky goodness. Mmmmm.

Wet on skin: Pretty much the same as in the imp, but with some of the beeswax coming through.

Drydown: Perfection. Sweet, sultry, resinous, mysterious. LOVE IT. It doesn't have much throw or staying power on me though.

[Erinofhere]

I love this so much I got the big bottle. Ohhhh.. this is my little slice of peace in a crazy world. On days I know work will be insane I make sure to wear this. Then when I am getting yelled at over the phone or my boss is repeating herself like a demented parrot I sniff my wrist and it calms me down. PLEASE BPAL never discontinue this.

In the vial: smoky vanilla-ish honey. Fairly strong smelling

Wet: Beeswax, beeswax, beeswax with a pinch of smoke and lots of honey. This is a sharp type of honey, but paired with the beeswax and vanilla (I have no idea if vanilla is in this or not; but I smell vanilla) it mellows the honey out. I love this so much!! It also sort of melts into my skin, and picks up on my own natural smell and just sort of turns into a second skin smell (?) Yeah, that's the best way I can describe it.

Dry: This has staying power. Also the beeswax gets stronger but basically the scent smells the same wet and dry. It has decent throw. LOVE!

I pair this with BBW honeysuckle lotion with Demeters beeswax perfume and Mariah Careys "Honey" perfume. I am a sucker for beeswax and honey (I should have been a bee keeper) and the combination smells so perfect. When ever I wear it everyone says I smell amazing. So far this is my second favorite after Dragons Milk.

[lucycat]

I don't think I've ever worn another perfume quite like this.

 

In the imp, it smells like milk-and-honey scented liquid hand soap. Not a bad thing at all, since that is what I usually use in my bathroom.

 

Wet, it's beeswax. I've tried a few of the Lab's honey blends and they're all very sweet on me, but this is perfect.

 

And then the smoke appears! It balances the beeswax perfectly; it's definitely candle smoke as opposed to bonfire smoke. There's also a faint hint of vanilla in there somewhere.

 

As others have noted, The Lights of Men's Lives does not morph. It's a very soft, subtle skin scent, warm and golden. I happened to test it on a warm summer day, and it smells lovely now, but I can't wait to wear it when the weather is dark, cold, and wintry.

[Missy_killer]

To my nose: Honey/amber is the first thing I smell, together with some smoke and a touch of vanilla. There's also something..sharp and floral? After I close the lid there's a distict stearine smell.

 

On: This is very strong on the honey and vanilla. I think I smell something citrusy or floral too, which I don't really now why. It doesn't change much on my skin, and it's kinda nice. I just don't see myself reaching for this scent much. And it apparently has some serious throw. I put one drop on my hand and after three hours my mother could smell it - like I had dumped the entire bottle over me. She did not like it at all, too sweet and headache-inducing.

And yeah, this one really is sweet. I'm kinda surprised that the one scent supposed to smell like candles doesn't smell like candles on me. Oh well.

[tinyvulture]

I'm a fan of other BPAL scents that smell like smoke from an extinguished candle, such as Darkness. That's what I was expecting here. But no. Here, Beth has somehow captured the scent of a lit candle. Less smoky, more waxy. Sweet beeswax, and also the warmth of the flame. It's not a strong scent, though. Have to get close to the skin to smell it. I'd still buy a bottle if I came across it.

[urbantravels]

I have to tread carefully with any "sweet" notes. I don't like most sweet florals or any foodie/candy/baked goods type scents, and haven't had good luck with BPAL honey notes. But the description on this really intrigued me.

 

And yes, it IS very sweet, but the beeswax scent is so real - in a sort of hyper-real way - that I don't object to the sweetness. I don't think I can pick out any "snuffed wick" notes. But the beeswax/honey itself gives such a "warm" impression that it's almost like flickering candlelight. Flickering candlelight FOR YOUR NOSE.

 

I have no idea what other notes are supporting the beeswax - others have suggested vanilla, or sandalwood - but whatever else is in there it's not drawing attention to itself. I really like this close to the skin. Wore it to bed and it's lingering on my nightgown. Great for the enclosing darkness and cold of the season.

[Jangzonrice]

Wet: honey vanilla, very sweet. Dry: vanilla powder with a little honey. I don't like this because I feel like a pastry with a lot of icing

I see how people like this, but I was not looking for something super sweet, the beeswax does not show up for me at all. Got this as a frimp and will not be buying a bottle. Next time I will layer something deeper with it.

[brilliantcat]

I'm so excited to try this, I've been wanting to for aaaaages and a lovely swapper frimped me some

 

It's a very true candle wax scent, clean and sweet-smelling in the imp. On me, it's a thing of utter beauty. So very simple but masterfully crafted. This is definitely a skin scent, my skin but better. A very slight hint of non-sweet vanilla has me huffing my arm so hard I brought on a coughing fit (currently sick with bronchitis) I cannot adequately express how much I love this. It was everything I hoped and more and I will need a dozen bottles. Thank god it's GC!

[blu°]

This goes on with a slightly dulled beeswax note. A skin scent, a little bland and subdued à la Snow White or Dana O'Shee, but accompanied by darker, lightly smokey notes. Once on skin for a few minutes, the beeswax steers more towards a honey note, more tangy and sweet.

 

Then slowly some fiery notes emerge. I am guessing there is amber, but I can't really find it at this point. I am pretty certain that I smell myrrh, though, possibly paired with cinnamon to give the impression of flames. Still with a light smoke note in the back ground, that is hard to figure out.

 

After about half an hour, I get a better idea of amber. Something dry and golden maybe, holding it all together. This scent has become much more dry-fiery-resinous with the waxiness sweetening up and almost retreating. It is still a skin scent, softly blending in yet also a bit dry and fiery.

 

I like it. Still need to day-test but for now I give it a 4/5.

 

P.S.: Just took another sniff close to the skin and got a strong impression of the scent of vetiver but with a weakened smokiness, if that makes sense. A greener, smoother type of vetiver.

 

I also keep thinking that there must be some kind of flower hidden in here. Maybe a teensy-tiny sliver of night-blooming jas or something.

 

 

ETA: After full day wear, I found that it is smokier than I thought last night. I'd call it sooty, maybe there is some black musk mixed in with the vetiver. It reminded me of Black Lace while wearing to class today. Vanillic creamy beeswax against sooty black smoke with higher-pitched reddish highlights of cinnamon-myrrh-mystery floral.

Edited May 14, 2014 by blu°

[batsy]

In the vial: resin and candle wax.

 

On the skin: warm beeswax. There's a tiny bit of perfume in there, a sweet resin of some sort, that reminds me a bit of a man's cologne. Total dry down, it's still mainly the fresh, warm beeswax. Beautiful, simple. Really like this one!

[Lunasariel]

In the imp: Resinous and sweet. I got it as part of the Vanilla Imp Pack, and the vanilla is definitely there, but it's not a foody, cake-and-cookies sort of vanilla. It blends with the resinous notes to create something expansively warm and sweet. And finally, yup, there's candlewax. I will never not be in awe of the Lab's ability to recreate non-traditional sensory experiences as perfumes like this.

 

Wet: Yup, definitely smoky candles! More of an emphasis on the latter than the former, but still. The vanilla takes a big ol' step forward, making the whole thing deeper and warmer, but, interestingly, "sweeter" isn't the first word that springs to mind. Unfortunately, this stage doesn't last as long as I'd like: the slightly-too-clean smell of pure beeswax takes center stage after a few minutes, with the warm resins/vanilla blend rounding it out and keeping it from smelling too clinical. But then it's back to warm resinous vanilla...it seems to be doing that switching thing where two different notes keep trading places for the most dominant note. Huh.

 

Dry: The resinous aspect comes out much more - smoky, almost spicy. The undertone of sweet (albeit non-foody) vanilla is still there. What surprised me is that most blends that linger throughout the day tend to go either cloyingly sweet or a little sour, but definitely one-note, while this one remained at least mildly complex.

 

This one is definitely going on my to-buy list, but not, I think, at the very top.

[JuliskaMarie]

In the imp: Exactly as described - lots of waxy, smoky, lit candles with a really creepy overtone to it. Strange, but very cool!

Wet on skin: Beeswax. An almost sickeningly sweet & smooth beeswax. I normally love the smell of real beeswax, but there's something old & creepy about this beeswax!

Dry on skin: The beeswax still smells old & dusty, but much more realistic (& nicer) now. There's a hint of smoke too - like a whole lot of candles were extinguished at once & the room was allowed to air out a bit.

After a few hours: Same as dry, maybe slightly more faded.

Verdict: I don't think I'll get a huge amount of use out of this one (the imp is probably enough for me - for now at least), but I quite like it!

[Minh Scent]

This is one of the most beautiful scents ever.On me it is beeswax with a hint of flowers and vanilla, neither too sweet or perfumey.

[DevilsCandyCane]

Editing this review, now I have my own bottle to play with, and the impressions I get from it are very, very weird! When applied, this makes me think of my holiday to Florida, and being on Daytona Beach in particular - the beeswaxy note is somehow like sunscreen on hot skin, very nearly coconut-y, and there's something almost salty like sunshine and sea air - it's total beach-smell, without being at all artificial. Which is really cool, albeit not at all what I was hoping for!

 

Just applied more, and fresh it's a little more beeswaxy, almost a honey note, with something that smells a little like a library, a sort of old books scent, but overall...it still smells like the beach to me! I get absolutely zero smoke from this, so it doesn't make me think of candles at all - my big candle love is Hand of Glory, which is so damn dark and smoky and gorgeous, and I've just discovered Cicuta which has a lot of dark sinister smoke in the drydown, but this...no smoke, none at all, so it's all sweet, squeaky-clean beeswax, and it just...BEACH! It's the BEACH! It's also a soft scent, very low throw, which is sad.

 

Overall it's very pleasant, but...I don't know if I really need the whole of this bottle...

Edited March 2, 2015 by DevilsCandyCane

[unxolve]

From the reviews, I was hoping for rich, honey, smokey, vanilla, foody goodness, and to maybe divine the mystery of what exactly "candle wax" smelled like.

 

This was none of those things.

At first blush, acrid. Medicinal. After the sharpness went away (and I was....sort of glad to see it go? Not that the replacement was much better)
Heavy, floral, musky, and chemical. Like a musky cotton ball that's been dipped in some kind of light purple?-colored flower powder. After four hours, so much powder. I could probably powder my face with the bottle.

 

My skin is not friends with this.

[emanomaly]

This reminds me of beekeeping and Eucharist. Evocative of some of the most profound moments of another life.

 

warm, vanilla-y, rich in wax, faintly smokey.

 

I cannot smell this smell enough. This is the scent that caused me to fall in love with BPAL.

[Veronica]

Very calm and soothing, soft, warm, slightly powdery sweet honey around an amber(?) base that is mellow, not too strong.