Séance

[ClareN]

A mysterious, enigmatic blend of dry, mellow rosewood, crushed rose leaf and the slightest touch of warm hazel.

When first applied, this is a lovely fresh rose scent. I could almost compare the rose to the Possets scent Silver Roses - it's in that same category of youthful and fresh as opposed to powdery rose. There's a certain watery quality to this scent which I think is the impression I get from BPAL's rosewood, since it smells similar to the Stardust scent Tristran to me. It isn't at all like BPAL's aquatic notes, but it still smells somehow "watery" to me.

As Séance dries, the wood note emerges and gets stronger, and it starts to smell dry and almost dusty. The rose note is still detectable, though tempered with the dry woods, and the scent as a whole fades rather quickly.

Overall, this scent is lighter and prettier than the description suggests, but light and pretty is not really my style. I was hoping for darker woods and more mysterious dustiness. Still, I think the concept is well-executed here, and it's a good GC to try if you're looking for rose or rosewood scents.

[maribouquet]

When wet, this smells like cut roses in a dusty vase. The hazel, and rosewood in particular, read as 'dusty' to me, and this is very evocative of my idea of a séance as something that occurs in an old, Victorian parlor. There is a sweetness to this rose, as ClareN noted above.

 

As it dries, the dusty/woody smell gets stronger.

 

I'm really enjoying this, but I'll need to test it some more to see if I'll really want to wear it - I think it's more of a mood scent for me.

[Moryssa]

I'm scratching my head over all the posts that say "This is pure rose"... 'cause I don't smell a rose at all. I think my nose is broken.

 

I'm guessing it's the Rosewood that I'm smelling, but I'm not positive, since I don't know what that's supposed to smell like. All I know is that I put on this oil, and the only thing I can think of is my grandmother. It doesn't smell like my Maw-maw, but rather, it reminds me of her house. It's the house that I spent my summers in from kindergarten through 4th grade or so...

 

There was a room to the left as you walked in the front door that always had the doors to it closed. It wasn't locked, and they didn't care if I went in there, but the doors were always closed. There was a tall four-poster bed (at least 2.5-3 feet off the floor) against one wall, a mirrored armoire against another, and on the wall between the 2 doors into the room, there was an old chest. I suppose it was sort of a hope chest, because I remember Maw-Maw pulling special things out of it, like silver dollars and old pictures... but I remember blankets and bedclothes being kept in there as well.

 

I have no idea if the furniture in that room, and the hope chest specifically, was made of rosewood. I haven't seen it in... 25 years? But I can picture that room in my mind, now. And I miss my Maw-maw.

 

Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately, since I'm sitting here at work crying) it fades completely away within 45 minutes to an hour of me putting it on.

 

--M

[bryghtrose]

It started out nice enough, smelling of clean dirt and herbs, but it turned to pine. Which is odd. And I didn't get any rose at all.

[inurbanus]

My first thought when I put this on was "Oh no, I smell like a table!" Luckily the wood lightened up and the hazelnut came out, making a soft, sweet woody blend. I didn't get any rose from this one, but I would not hesitate to say that this and Ouija are cousins. This one struck me as being laid back, but feminine. It's the kind of scent that would make a good first impression; it smells nice, but in a non-threatening way, so it would be a good choice to wear to a job interview or on a first date.

 

3.5/5

[GodivaSyndrome]

Frimped.

 

To be honest, the first 10 or 15 minutes of this on me smelled of strongly of rotting wood and Fabreeze. After that though, it morphed into a sort of dusty roses and violets placed on an unpolished wooden table scent, which was quite nice. 45 minutes later, it's baby powder and just a trace of that middle phase.

 

This is going to the swaps, sadly.

[TereFaerie]

This one does not work on me, and actually, the initial sniff test was one of the least positive I've ever had. I haad to go wash it off and cover the area with Rapture.

 

Wet it smells to me like dry dusty wood, possibly the hazel, but it slowly acquires a burning sort of smell that I just didn't like. (Oddly enough, the smell I get from Aziraphale is more like what I supposed Seance would smell like.)

 

I smell no rose.

[suileach]

In the vial: Rosewood and dried rose petals (the only rosey smell I really like - I keep multiple ziploc bags full of them!).

 

On me: The rosewood really asserts itself on my skin, and there's also something sharp, green, and alive. This smells like immaculately clean wooden floors and sunny windows full of ancient spider-plants. Nice!

[jparrack]

Wet: a very strong, wet flowers sort of smell. It was not terribly pleasant for the first ten or fifteen minutes. I suppose the rose leaf was strongest on me.

 

Dry: It dried down to a nice, light woodsy, foral smell. The rosewood and hazel, I suppose are uppermost. It is pleasant and light without being overly foral, feminine, or perfumey. A nice perfume to wear to work actually. It's a nicely neutral sort of smell.

[Ajila]

In the bottle – The rosewood, something green and coffee?

 

Wet on me – The greenness from the rose leaf dominates, with a hint of the wood and a tiny hint of nuttiness

 

Dry on me – Soft slightly sweetened wood

 

Overall – This blend is pleasant enough, but pretty bland on me

[Iceblink]

You think you've tried every rose blend that might work on you, and then the lab lobs a frimp of Seance at you. All righty, I'll try it. In the imp Seance smells just like freshly cut roses and it is very pretty. As it dried I got thick, sweet note coming in--the hazel? Whatever it is it smells absolutely yummy with the rose. I don't get woods from this until it's been dry for a while and then it's still very faint. The rose isn't going soapy, either--yay!

Really like this so far and I never would have considered trying it, so thanks, Lab!

[sadtomato]

this is wonderful

it's got a scent about it i haven't encountered in anything else.

something airy and dry that just whafts off my skin and fills the air around me.

dead, withered flowers; old, abandoned house filled with the dried up pages of old books.

i love it!

[coldandsleepy]

In the imp: hello, tea roses!

 

On me, wet: sad, wistful tea roses.

 

On me, dry: the memory of lonely tea roses, left forgotten on a rosewood table.

 

Throw and duration: throw's reasonable, but I get almost no duration on this one. Seriously, it's gone within two hours. Sad.

 

Overall: Okay, I know that tea rose is not a note in this. But that's what it smells like to me. Specifically, like dried tea roses that've been left in a vase too long and are starting to crumble apart. It's a terribly pretty and terribly sad scent. The short duration, while kind of a bummer, actually seems entirely appropriate to me. This smell is like a sad, sad memory.

 

It's really a beautiful scent, but I don't know how much wear I'll get out of it because seriously... it's a smell that makes me sad. Just goes to show that the Lab has got the skillz.

 

I'll definitely hold on to my imp, though.

[hkhm]

imp: this smells exactly like dried rose leaves.

 

wet: this is dry, dusty rosewood. this is the rose i have been searching for! this is lovely yet sad. a perfect interpretation!

 

dry: very dry, old woods with a dusting of crushed, dried roses. i cannot normally wear rose at all (zombi is the exception) and i'm seeing that the dried/crushed rose scentis the one gleaming ray of hope in my otherwise rose-free world.

[lilirose]

Oh no, yet another rose I’m in love with.

 

In the imp: Rose soap.

 

On skin, wet: Rose and wood smoke, a bit incensey.

 

On skin, dry: Blossoms! Oh rose and gorgeous deep living wood! I think this may be the first wood smell that didn’t smell like sawdust on me, other than Yggdrasil.

 

I love this and the only thing stopping me from immediately purchasing a 5ml is the knowledge that I really, really need to branch out from wearing rose almost all the time, and also the fact that I like my scents to have just slightly more throw than this has.

[NinjaCowboy]

Beautiful scent! Lots of sandalwood, warmed wiht a noticable breath of hazlenut. Sadly, it fades to nothing on me within 20 minutes. *sigh* Too bad, I really liked it. But, for those of you lucky folk who it lasts longer on, a gorgeous scent. Calming and meditative, at the same time as being optimistic and warm.

[mudspinr]

Rose doesn't like me. Rose Hates me. Rose goes all nuts on my skin and stomps around wiping out any other notes that may be present. I was not optomistic when I read reviews that mentioned this scent having a rose note, but luckily for me I don't get any actual rose from seance.

 

In imp: green leaves and wet wood, almost cedar, but not quite.

 

Wet on skin: Rosewood, definitely wet rose leaves. The cedar-like note is very sharp for a short period then mellows right down.

 

Drydown: Soft rosewood, a faint hint of the roseleaf, a soft incensy sweetness, maybe the hazel? A woody, rather than floral smell. Not strong, and I don't think much throw.

 

Later: Fades, but doesn't morph. Maybe it would last longer in a locket. A subtle, airy scent, which is noticable without being in-your-face. Different than the spice-incense scents I usually like, but I may need a bottle.

[VioletChaos]

in the imp: fresh tilled earth in a garden.

 

wet on skin: there's something edible in here, though i can't put my finger on it. but overall, it's a fabulous, rich evocative scent.

 

dry down: there's a touch of leather in here, but for a change, it's not bothering me. the rose is not really rose. it *is* rosewood- this is a woodsie, earthy scent, full of mystery and grounding.

 

in all: a good one for those of you looking for a more unusual wood scent.

[galleywest]

Notes taken during a session conducted by famed medium Divina Callinghome, February, 1899.

*lights dim*

 

*a match is struck, and a candle lit in the center of the table*

 

Let us all join hands around this table and summon the spirits of BPAL...We must all be believers if we are to summon a scent that works with our skin chemistry.

 

*all join hands*

 

Ooooooh, great spirits of the masters, we call upon you. Guerlain, Penhaligon, Parfum Lubin, lead us to our destiny! Bring us to the scent, we are open to receive you. The alchemical wonders of the Black Phoenix await us! Let the Chanel-ing commence. We ask you to speak through us through this Seance!

 

I smell...roses! Roses and dark woods! No, it's teak! It's very strong. Do you smell it? What does it mean?! Can you smell it??

 

[attendees assent, one gives way to fits of coughing]

 

The scent is...mellowing now. Yes, it's on my skin, and it is getting softer. But still, there is the teak! The roses have calmed, they are fading a little. This Seance is much like the session with Ouija, Though the scent of the woods of the Oujia board was fainter and the roses drier and weathered, yes, it is similar. Wait! What is that?! Have we made contact with...are you...hazel? Wait! Don't go! Sweet edge to the teak notes, hazel, is that you?

 

[Ms. Callinghome rises from the table, breaking the circle and reaching out a hand]

 

Alas. Hazel has fled. I smell the roses and the teak now. They are very happy together...yes, yes I see now. The scent is deeper than that of Ouija, but they are sisters of the perfume medium, to be sure. I feel the stength of the BPAL leaving me now, leaving the roses and teak behind...

 

Ms. Callinghome was later accused of throwing the scent in order to create the illusion of its appearance in this session, but this could never be confirmed. Seance was found to have a medium throw and average wearlength, and many believe that Ms. Callinghome did indeed summon forth the scent that day.

 

[djsiberia]

wet: dry mellow rose and a touch of something green.

 

dry: very powdery and rosey. the hazel is adding a small bit of something herbal.

 

overall, it's not a bad scent for summer and i find myself sniffing my locket a lot. it's certainly not a scent that lasts very long on my skin, good thing i stuffed it into the locket.

 

i think this is a bottle order.

[kittycatpurr]

In the imp: What -- that's interesting. What is that? And did it just burn my skin? I guess that's the hazel.

Wet: It's really odd. There is something sort of like furniture oil, and then something sweet, almost like grape.

Drydown: Instead of wood polish, now I smell like polished wood.

Dry: A sophisticated and attractive furniture polish. I like the idea of it, but it's just not a keeper.

[Indigo78]

From the imp this evokes a graceful matron gowned in expensive finery. A great beauty in her own time, the roses on her table mingle with her own natural essence - and for her, this is not the off-putting "body chemistry" of age. It is decades of being the much-relied-upon centerpiece of a small dynasty. The smell isn't an "old lady", where the ability to recognize cloying scents or chronic overuse of the spritzer are so characteristic. Instead, it's the fragrance of high-polish, attentively cared for wood, plump little tea roses, and graden wind lazily pressing against freshly-laundered drapes.

 

The wet stage is all roses, withthe tiniest hint of a "clean" note that reminds me of Murphy's Oil Soap - the wood cleaner. The breath of this is highly nostalgic, although I am sad to report it is going slightly talc-y as time passes. I can manage this sort of powderiness, however. It is thick and solid, and almsst - - creamy...Perhaps this is the Hazel?

 

The drydown is somewhat powdery, although it does so in a way that is distinctly different from the baby powder note I know and despise. This is a beautiful, sad fragrance I will wear when I feel unassuming, wise, latently powerful and classy to the nth degree.

 

Average throw, short-average wear length.

Edited May 30, 2008 by Indig0

[mgrazulis]

In the vial: antique rose petals, rosewood

 

Wet: same but with a bit more woods

 

Drydown: Just lovely! The hazel heats up this blend up with a gentle, spicy accord

 

Verdict: Wow! Everything blends so nicely and warms up on the skin. This is not a traditional rose scent at all. This is a dried rose that has aged. Wonderful mood scent. The rosewood note is entrancing and the nutty hazel is cozy and peaceful.

 

Brings to mind distant memories of those we love who have gone before us. Fading, but still detectable. I would love a bottle of this!

Edited June 5, 2008 by mineralfairy

[idoru]

Predominantly rosewood, with a hint of Zombi's dried roses. I get a hint of sharpness that must be the hazel.

 

It smells like a rich old house with hardwood floors and burgundy oriental rugs.. and conjures a dark room in that house, lit only by candles.

 

Within two hours, it mellowed to a sweet rosewood on me.

[voodoocatwoman]

Smells slightly mildewed in the imp and literally vanishes in 5 minutes. However, in the short time that it is detectable, I get wood and paper. Nothing else.