Antique Lace

[Electra]

Nostalgia encapsulated. A soft, wistful blend of dry flowers, aged linens, and the faint breath of long-faded perfumes.

Wet -- a large, gooey marshmallow, rolled in powdered sugar. This is so not me. Why did I buy a bottle of this, again?

Dry -- I never do get any florals. I think I get some linen -- the tooth-achingly sweet vanilla subsides and becomes smoother and more powdery. That must be the linen.

This has pretty tremendous throw on me and lasts a very long time -- it's still going very strong almost ten hours after application.

All-in-all, this is a very sweet, soft (as in squishy, not as in "you have to get close to smell it" -- because you don't, at least not on me) scent. It's not my usual type of scent at *all*. I'm not sure I can wear this scent if it's not cold out, and if I'm not just spending a lazy day curled up inside. But for a day like that, this is the perfect scent. Edited July 15, 2007 by Electra

[tazjia]

In imp and wet on skin: vanilla, definitely, with a hint of floral and something else (maybe the linen?)

 

Dry: I smell like the beginnings of chocolate chip cookie dough... or maybe cookie dough ice cream? No chocolate notes, but the scent you get after mixing the sugar+butter+vanilla. It's a good smell, though not at all what I was expecting from the description.

 

Later: I don't get the florals, ever, but this is never sickly-sweet on me, and it also never turns into baby powder like some other vanillas do. It's a deep, rich vanilla, and I rather like it!

[Doomramen]

Concessions: I'm not partial to (non BPAL) vanilla scents. Nothing new I've tried this week has worked. I tried this because it's popular/beloved and I've been trying to broaden my exposure to scents I'm not necessarily drawn to. I tested it on my left wrist, which tends to soften and simplify.

 

When I sniffed inside the imp, my first thought was that antique lace is the most perfect name for this blend, and this blend is the most perfect scent for the name antique lace.

 

On me, though, it's just vanilla. BBW, Body Shop, ole teen standard vanilla. ew.

It is the kind of too strong too sweet vanilla that gives me a pudding-up-the-nose sensation. I never get baked goods from vanilla, just pudding.

It's been a few hours since I put it on, and isn't so VANILLA anymore. But it isn't turning into anything particularly fabulous, by my heretic vanilla-hater standards.

Oh, and now it's turned stale and kinda metallic, like an old room full of clock parts.

Maybe it's blending with the shub I washed of a while ago?

Like everything else this week, I'll wait a bit and try again. I'm reasonably sure this isn't for me though.

[metaldog32]

Ahhh..to finally be gifted a frimp of this from the Labbies..thank you!!!

 

So much has been written about this..it gets much love from the BPAL board..and so many were thrilled to have it re-introduced. I myself came to BPAL after it had been discontinued..so I was intrigued reading all the reviews about this very sought after fragrance.

 

I have to say however..reading the description of this didn’t actually “wow” me. The idea of dried flowers kind of turned me off..but I figured nothing ventured nothing gained. Plus..I love Black Opal and if this has any resemblance to that then I am signing up for a bottle in my next order.

 

So..here we go:

 

Initial sniff from frimp: It’s funny..I smell something sweet..it smells like a type of vanilla..but it’s not overbearingly cloying..here in this moment it does remind me a bit of Black Opal..so I am happy. I also get the faint breath of long-faded perfumes in the back..and I think it adds to it. The linen note is there too..and I happen to like Beth’s linen notes..especially in Berenice. This is looking promising…

 

Applied wet on skin: Interesting..the first waft I get is of…the old fashioned perfume..and then the sweetness…with the linen note rounding out the back. It’s a touch warm…and settles very close to my skin. Unless the dried flowers are supposed to be the old fashioned perfume I am not getting that note at all..but it’s still early.

 

Ten minutes later:I still get the warmth of the sweetness which I am assuming is either vanilla or tonka..but I also still get that steady waft of old fashioned perfume..which on me..smells awfully familiar with the note that ROARED on me in Numb. It’s kept in check in this blend however..which is a very good thing for me since I ended up with a massive headache wearing Numb .

 

Twenty minutes later: Tonka/vanilla…with yes…it’s violet and the linen note. Still going on..hasn’t faded.

 

I think a dry and sweet fragrance…definitely a bit cozy..but the old fashioned perfume note..which I assume to be violet keeps it from being TOO cozy on me..and that’s fine. I had my sis smell it and she agrees..it totally smells like the Vanilla Fields and/or Vanilla Lace she used to wear…other reviewers mentioned this as well..I got that vibe too.

 

Thirty minutes later: Lingering tonka/vanilla..the violet has kind of gone MIA..with the linen note still in check..but softened as well.

 

Drydown: It’s all now just the tonka/vanilla…which has taken on a bit more of a creamy note..

 

Lasting power is impressive…5+hours at least..with throw average to strong. It doesn’t know people out..but it does have a bit of presence..I could get wafts of it while it warmed up on my skin..and it stuck around.

 

Bottom Line: Antique Lace is a good choice for fall and winter..and I think it can pretty much do well in spring too. I think it’s a very work appropriate fragrance. I see why many people went hog wild over it…I myself am considering a 5ml..but the violet in the early stages might be a deal breaker for me..since I already have my atypical “vanilla/tonka” fragrance in BPAL which is Black Opal. Still..the imp will NOT go to waste..I think it would be great scenting a body cream or even body wash.

[isabella]

i get no flowers, or old prefume....i get wonderful light, deep aged vanilla and linens...this is one of my favorites.

[poisons_sanity]

To me antique lace is a very soft and sweet vanillia scent. It's unlike any other vanillia I've ever smelled, and so far the best vanillia I've ever smelled.

[pickman's model]

I was a bit afraid to try this one, from the "floral". I love vanilla, but I've been floral-phobic for so long (and only starting to break fromt hat), that it just stayed on the "nahhh" list.

 

In the imp: Hey, it's my friend Vanilla!

 

Wet: The florals are definitely soft. And quiet. And...fading into the background.

 

Dry: Really, really good vanilla ice cream. Soft and sweet and creamy-rich. My skin loves vanilla, and this is no exception.

 

Verdict: Love. Pure, delicious, vanilla-ey love. This makes me smile. I think a bottle may be necessary.

[asciident]

Wet: Soft vanilla and a light floral. Clean.

 

First on: A bit of what I think is linen, though it could just as easily be a nice dry flower, and a wonderful vanilla. So pretty!

 

Dry: Light and perfect for spring or autumn, a beautiful true vanilla that doesn't ever get too sweet. Linen and flowers add a nice touch without taking over. A new addition to my list of favorites.

[dronzeka]

This is wonderful, and I completely understand why it's one of the more popular scents. It took me a while to try it, because the description sounded a little meh - a little staid and boring - and I didn't read the reviews.

 

Anyway, for me the description completely doesn't evoke this scent at all. It's primarily vanilla, but a very creamy, floral-y vanilla, not foody at all (even though I too get a hint of vanilla mint, which sounds like it would be foody, but it's not!). It's soft and creamy in texture, and it's also creamy in color for me (though that's probably because of the name? I'm sort of suggestible). I get strong but not heavy or overwhelming vanilla, with a hint of something drier (maybe slightly powdery?) underneath - perhaps the linens; it does evoke textile imagery to me (again, the name...). It's incredibly warm and comforting without smothering or going sickly. It's kind of like a great big soft white Gund teddy bear (okay, that's just weird, but hey, I'm running on little sleep these days!). It's like a beautifully hand-knit cashmere shawl, soft and thick and warm but weightless. It's like a bed made up with wonderful fine-woven sheets, washed and worn till they feel almost like suede, with a light and warm down comforter on top.

 

Anyway, I love this, and will always have to have a bottle on hand!

[bulletslc]

Icecreamy vanilla!

 

with a titch of perfume background (possibly the linen scent?)

 

Very pretty! Very evocative of the name/description.

 

This is safe and innocent vanilla whereas Snake Oil is sharp, sinuous and evil vanilla. A nice contrast!

 

Drydown smells pretty much like wet and lasts a good long time.....throw is moderate.

[voodoobaby]

From the bottle: Wow, that smells good. Soft vanilla and a touch of floral. It almost has a candy-like feel to it.

 

Wearing: The vanilla gradually fades a whole lot, and I'm left with a bit of powder, violet, and a hint of something lemony fresh (linen?). I usually love violet, but this is just a wee bit powdery for my tastes. It kind of messes with my sinuses, oddly in the same way that fabric softener does...so if you're looking for violets strewn across a freshly dried bed sheet, this is definitely the blend for you. However, that's not exactly what I'm looking for, so this will go to a loving home elsewhere.

[Laz]

In the bottle:

It smells almost like coffee to me- no vanilla. I can smell the linen-y smell as well as an undertone.

 

On skin wet:

It smells linen-y and flowery, and very nearly not-there. I can't smell coffee or vanilla at all.

 

Dried down:

It's floral, but not in a bad way. It's very faint, though, and I would either have to use more of it- which would be overpowering- or apply it more often. It's not unpleasant, though. I don't get any vanilla from this like other people, sadly, since I love vanilla

[Rouge]

I love the site description of this scent. I'm a great lover of Victoriana, so this blend appeals to me on an aesthetic level before I've even opened the imp.

 

In the vial - A soft, sweet, creamy vanilla mixed with a gentle floral. It's simply lovely.

 

Wet on the skin - I recognise the powdery, aged note from Ozymandias, which to me smells incredibly like Chanel no.5. It's a good deal more creamy and feminine than Ozymandias, though.

 

Dry down - Antique Lace fades quickly, but is nevertheless a lovely scent. It bring to mind ladies in cream-coloured gloves and silk tea dresses in the golden light of a late-Victorian afternoon. It's faintly melancholy, too.

 

This is a beautiful and very classic scent which I think I'll be wearing frequently through the summer.

[brit_brat100]

Imp: Complex! Sweet and creamy, but something else is lingering in the background....

 

Wet: Powder? Possibly baby powder. Hmm...

 

Dry: I get this powder thing....it's not baby powder, but it's powdery.

 

Final Thoughts: this is really unique and interesting, but I don't think it's for me. Then again, I keep going to my wrists to take whiffs. So interesting. Hm...

[bryghtrose]

This is a soft, sweet perfume. It reminds me of my grandmother, who wore Estee Lauder's White Linen.

 

Antique lace is gentle and unassuming, a very pleasant perfume. I'm very happy to have an imp, but I'm not sure that I'd wear it enough to invest in a bottle.

[kwsix]

On me, Antique Lace is a sweet and creamy vanilla with the barest hint of powdery florals. It's very feminine and a little old fashioned, in a good way. My mother likes this scent, and my grandmother probably would have too. My husband is neutral on it, although he did mention that it's a nice vanilla. He prefers me to wear scents that don't smell so innocent.

 

It reminds me a little of Donna Karan's Cashmere Mist, and it also seems like an idealized (meaning 1000x better) version of those inexpensive commercial vanilla perfumes that I can't stand. I imagine that it would be wonderful for layering. Overall I describe it as: classic, feminine, soft, innocent, sweet, creamy, comforting, and generally non-offensive.

[stardreamer]

I don't like descriptions that don't give notes, and would never have gotten this if I hadn't had a chance to test it at a Meet'n'Sniff. It's much nicer than the description makes it sound!

 

This is a very difficult scent to describe. It's warm and creamy, not at all floral, with overtones of, yes, clean linen and (oddly enough) pineapple -- not the fresh fruit, but pineapple pie filling. Everyone keeps saying vanilla, but to me it doesn't smell like the other BPAL vanillas I love (Golden Priapus, O, Snake Oil). Marshmallow? Yeah, I could see that, and that would be a different kind of vanilla; maybe that's what I'm getting. After a while it develops a slight powdery tinge, but not baby or old-lady powder; this is an expensive, exotic bath powder, something you'd use just a bit of to enhance a similarly-scented body lotion. It makes me feel pampered.

 

It's got fabulous staying power, too. I've had it on for almost 12 hours, including several bouts of errand-running in the heat, and it's still very present on my wrists, although the throw is pretty much gone. Needless to say, this is a keeper and probably an eventual 5ml order.

 

(Edited to fix typo.)

Edited June 8, 2007 by stardreamer

[Musamea]

in imp: wow, this smells EXACTLY like Morocco -- softly spiced florals

 

wet: Okay, now the linen comes out to play a bit more, adding a cleaner, slightly sharper edge to the florals

 

dry: Still rather Morocco-esque to my nose (I'm going to have to do a side by side comparison to really get the nuances, but I think my scent memory is fairly accurate), but the linen gets stronger. Morocco tends to dry down sweetly spiced on me, Antique Lace looks like it's going toward clean spicy sweetness. This baby has got TERRIFIC throw. It's warm and comforting and ultra-feminine in a way that's not flighty or too bold. I quite like it and can see it being a really nice summer wedding scent, even if the similarity to Morocco keeps me from being able to justify a large bottle purchase.

[spicyelenore]

This smelled a lot like baby powder to me, in the bottle, although maybe a more mellow, slightly spicier version. When I put it on, at first I could hardly smell a thing. I kept sniffing my wrist in puzzlement. I caught faint whiffs of something light and powdery that might not be too objectionable. Later, though, it started to amp up, and eventually all I could smell was baby powder. (Although I don't remember when I last smelled actual baby powder.) I gave it a chance for a while cause I had heard it might and I wasn't sure if I liked smelling like baby powder or not. however, I decided not. It became really strong even after I tried to wash it off. So, if you like the powder smell, this definitely has throw and lasting power.

Edited June 12, 2007 by spicyelenore

[missnightshade]

I am not sure what to think of this one, it definitely screams nostalgia. I can smell the light florals, and some soft vanilla underneath. It turned rather powdery and old lady-ish on me, unfortunately. It's nice, but not something I necessarily want on me. ^^;;

[taramarie]

In the imp, Antique Lace smells like vanilla and sugar. To be specific, it smells really close to Vanilla Fields, which was my signature scent before I discovered BPAL. Wet on my skin, it wavers between sugared vanilla and coconut. Drying, the coconut is going away (thank goodness!) and sugared florals start to peek through the vanilla. Specifically, violets.

 

In other words, Antique Lace on my skin smells like Faith and vanilla. I'll definitely be glad to have this when the Carnaval Diabolique leaves town.

[simplethings]

Antique Lace in the bottle: I smell a touch of vanilla. The rest of the lab's description is spot on.

 

Wet: Very soft. But not in the sense that it disappears. It's definitely there, it's just that the scent itself feels soft. I'm still getting that vanilla smell, it's on the verge of cocoa butter. The description takes care of the remainder of the scent.

 

Dry: The scent is now a cloudy, perfumed, subdued vanilla. Very feminine, a bit on the strong side.

 

Overall: 2.5 out of 5. It's not a bad smell, but, it's definitely too feminine and perfume-y for me.

[Sunshine the Werewolf]

I just got this in swap, so this is my first time wearing it. Luckily I love vanilla as that's pretty much all I get! A very strong creamy vanilla that reminds me of the vanilla musk body spray I used to wear as a teenager.

 

Very femanine, very pretty with masses of throw... I might consider a bottle!!

[Nimthiriel]

In the vial (initial impression):

Soft vanilla that reminds me of - yeah, lace! It's soft, humble, and aged.

 

Initially on (wet):

I still get vanilla, but soft and not as "warm" as I've come to expect out of vanilla-notes. It's soft. So soft! Ahhhh...

 

Wearing it (dry):

After 10 mins, the vanilla has faded into my skin a bit, and it really feels like smelling linen. It's wonderful and soothing!

 

40 mins after application, it's still a heavenly soft, soothing and warm scent. Mmm.

 

Finally:

Keeping.

[funkmoppet]

Oh.

 

Oh oh oh.

 

Well, with this and Dorian, I have discovered vanilla heaven.

 

This is so beautiful! The vanilla dominates when wet, but drying down on the skin, this absolutely touches everything in the Lab description. The oh-so gentle, faded florals come into play just behind the vanilla, which takes on a wonderful linen quality. It's very much like smelling a room from a faded photograph - absolutely nostalgic. The throw is quite remarkable, considering how gentle this blend is on the skin.

 

Soft, wistful, romantic, warm - this is divine. MUST have a bottle!