The Country Of Eternal Light

[Cheri]

I am already far north of London, and as I walk in the streets of Petersburgh, I feel a cold northern breeze play upon my cheeks, which braces my nerves and fills me with delight. Do you understand this feeling? This breeze, which has travelled from the regions towards which I am advancing, gives me a foretaste of those icy climes. Inspirited by this wind of promise, my daydreams become more fervent and vivid. I try in vain to be persuaded that the pole is the seat of frost and desolation; it ever presents itself to my imagination as the region of beauty and delight. There, Margaret, the sun is forever visible, its broad disk just skirting the horizon and diffusing a perpetual splendour. There — for with your leave, my sister, I will put some trust in preceding navigators — there snow and frost are banished; and, sailing over a calm sea, we may be wafted to a land surpassing in wonders and in beauty every region hitherto discovered on the habitable globe. Its productions and features may be without example, as the phenomena of the heavenly bodies undoubtedly are in those undiscovered solitudes. What may not be expected in a country of eternal light? I may there discover the wondrous power which attracts the needle and may regulate a thousand celestial observations that require only this voyage to render their seeming eccentricities consistent forever. I shall satiate my ardent curiosity with the sight of a part of the world never before visited, and may tread a land never before imprinted by the foot of man. These are my enticements, and they are sufficient to conquer all fear of danger or death and to induce me to commence this laborious voyage with the joy a child feels when he embarks in a little boat, with his holiday mates, on an expedition of discovery up his native river. But supposing all these conjectures to be false, you cannot contest the inestimable benefit which I shall confer on all mankind, to the last generation, by discovering a passage near the pole to those countries, to reach which at present so many months are requisite; or by ascertaining the secret of the magnet, which, if at all possible, can only be effected by an undertaking such as mine.

The country of eternal light: icy wind, depth hoar, and frost-limned lichen.

I can't say for sure what notes are in this, but I'm guessing there's gotta be some white musk. I thought I would have to wash it off or use it for sinus clearing, but I waited. It morphed completely, and an hour later it was the most pretty scent; softer and a little sweet, which is why I think there's some white musk in it. It kind of reminds me of Snowflakes after it's been on for a while. Definitely smell the lichen.

[thekittenkat]

In the bottle: There's the cool ozone note, and a subtle green note that must be the lichen.

 

Wet: Once it hits my skin, the lichen becomes sharper and brighter.

 

The dry-down: The lichen has almost a pine note now. The oil feels cool on my skin (how does Beth do that!?), which is lovely. I think, however, that my wonky skin chemistry doesn't do right by this, and I may just put it in the scent locket or put it on my hair. Still not sure what depth hoar is, but I think that it might be permafrost, or hoarfrost.

[Invidiana]

This is one that I actually like much better than the proto. While the proto of this smelled like, shall we say, something pretty unmentionable on me this version is very reminiscent of Fern Frost, which I also love. It's bracing without being sharp or herbal, starting out as an ozonic (but not cologney) blast of chill wind with a frozen aquatic (also not cologney) hoarfrost note that settles to reveal frosty lichen that is somewhat green but not quite green in the classic sense, more of a dark and almost woody green. I've fallen for it pretty fast.

[patina]

At first this is soft mint and gentle soap. Then the lichen shows up. Think of the smell of a cool boulder. After a short time on my skin, the soap vanishes and I'm left with something unisex and cool. The cold outside air may be helping to trick my brain, but I'm strongly reminded of actual frost, both deep, tamped down dark frost and lighter sparkly frost. It is very evocative of a windswept frosty rock. (I can still detect soft mint, though.)

 

This is very nice and fits the description well, but I think I'll be content with a decant. I can't wait to try it in summer.

 

Light, unoffensive, cool, stony and vaguely spearmint scented.

[strahlend]

Cool, minty, spearmint lends some sweetness.

This really is more of an icy wind scent than a frost or snow scent, there's a ethereal lightness to it.

I wholeheartedly agree that it would be very refreshing in the summer.

[milo]

This starts out kind of ozoney and then turns into a slightly sweet mint with just a touch of ice. A surprise like, as I don't usually go for ozone type scents, but in the end, the icy wind is not all that dominant. This kind of reminds me of the Lick It's. I may just upgrade to a decant or even a bottle, though I do have a LIV and GTV to satisfy my mint cravings.

[zankoku_zen]

Spearmint on wet, white musk and ozone.

 

It's clean and soapy on the drydown.

[Gwydion]

In bottle: This is very minty and I suspect eucalyptus, which is a shame, as I love the lichen. Mint and ozone dominate. No skin test, mint.

[CiaoBonefish]

In Bottle: This is all ozone with a touch of icy mint/snow. The ozone is actually quite pleasant and not electrifying but more along the lines of a white musk without the sparkly-ness I associate with white musk. The ice note is actually quite nice as well, very evocative and I don't think I am smelling any lichen really so far.

Wet on Skin: On skin the icy mint comes out in blasts and the ozone retreats way into the back. This reminds me of Cloister Graveyard in the Snow now minus the frankincense, which is awesome because I LOVE Cloister Graveyard! So icy, cooling, a touch sweet, and overall a beautiful icy mint airy ozone-esque blend.

Dry: Drat. Something in this doesn't agree with me, I suspect it may be the ozone which can go kinda soapy on me. Now the scent smells like fresh powdery laundry detergent, nice laundry detergent but still laundry detergent. Meh. That was rather sad, but since I have one decant in this bottle I will keep it. I wasn't sure if this would work but because I took an english class that was very focused on Shelley's Frankenstein I had to get at least one bottle for the artwork, so this will be it. It is a pity my skin chemistry just didn't want to cooperate.

[Incendiare]

Ah, this is basically all snow and nice in the vial. But right at the very end, the lichen hits. On me, the snow and ice goes a bit sweeter and the lichen is kind of sort of there. It can't really make up its mind.

[Incendiare]

Ah, this is basically all snow and nice in the vial. But right at the very end, the lichen hits. On me, the snow and ice goes a bit sweeter and the lichen is kind of sort of there. It can't really make up its mind.

[Dark Alice]

Wet: Snow and ice

 

Drydown: A lighter version of colder and colder on me. I have no idea why...but it dries to that scent. Pass.

[Little Bird]

On me, this is a really soapy, dry smelling ozone and a bit of the lab's snow note. The drydown is all sharp laundry soapiness...

[TrailerTrashPrincess]

a bouquet of white flowers, with just-brushed minty-fresh breath.