Wonderful Things

[Beccah]

 

Wonderful Things

Magickal Meanings of Ingredients:

LOTUS ~ No man can refuse the woman who wears this; lovers reunited, protection. Symbolizes intellect, mental energies and illumination. Inspiration, clarity, purification.
MYRRH ~ Stimulating, soothing. Powerful guard against evil.
CARDAMOM ~ Lust, love.
BALSAM OF GILEAD ~ Fertility, purification, strength, rejuvenation, calming and soothing, healing, protection, money, long life.
HONEY ~ Enticing, seductive; use to bewitch a straying or hesitant lover. Happiness, fulfillment.

CASSIA ~ Sexual stimulation, passion, lust, healing, protection, energy, creativity, psychic powers.

[lalaDinky]

Really intrigued by this one! How does a "cool" flower like lotus merge with all the other "warm" notes?! And what does Cassia smell like?

[dolphindolls2]

I love the notes in this blend and I'm going to snag a sample of this one for sure

[Beccah]

Really intrigued by this one! How does a "cool" flower like lotus merge with all the other "warm" notes?! And what does Cassia smell like?

Cassia smells like cinnamon. A lot of the cinnamon we get is actually cassia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinnamomum_cassia

[MissHazel]

I don't get it--why does she look so mad????

[Beccah]

I don't get it--why does she look so mad????

Lol, she came off as buried intensely in thought to me

[MissHazel]

I get this whole:

 

"where is he! He knows I'm all dressed up and waiting for him. Does he think I WANT to spend 2 hours dressing and applying this head-dress just to have him be late to pick me up for dinner?!?"

[missdarlyncherie]

I got the idea that she was trying to eavesdrop through that stone wall...which would take some deep concentration.

[Beccah]

I get this whole:

 

"where is he! He knows I'm all dressed up and waiting for him. Does he think I WANT to spend 2 hours dressing and applying this head-dress just to have him be late to pick me up for dinner?!?"

Lol.

[Mrschrissyrez]

I can't normally do lotus, unless its pink. Goddess of the Blue Moon is beautiful but my skin hated the lotus. There's another lotus scent I tried, but I can't remember which one. Can't wait to read the reviews for this.

[BlueBear]

I really love the label for this. As for the scent, I don't know that the honey will work for me, but i'm keeping my fingers crossed!! The cassia might help it!

[lalaDinky]

Cassia smells like cinnamon. A lot of the cinnamon we get is actually cassia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinnamomum_cassia

 

Ooooh!! Awesome, thank you. Now I'm really looking forward to this one

 

EDIT: Ok, I just read the wiki you linked to and I am shocked. The cinnamon in my kitchen has been cassia the entire time. I feel duped!!

 

Edited May 11, 2013 by lalaDinky

[Potion Master]

I don't think she looks mad! I think she looks regal!!! She's staring down her minions! I love this picture...I have been saving it for over 2 years waiting for something perfect to use it for!

 

To expand on the description, I wanted to mention what I was going for with this potion...

Several times I have crafted scents that were comprised of resinous notes of the types that have survived over 10,000 years in the tombs. But the palette of ingredients available to the ancient Egyptians was much broader than just those long-lived hearty resins. They were expert perfumers, but the more delicate/fragile notes they used did not survive the eras. When I crafted this perfume, I used only ingredients that were available to the ancient Egyptians, but I wanted it to represent the living vibrant culture of their day, and perhaps how a more fragile perfume would have smelled when it was fresh.

 

This is a fresh, lively, ALIVE smelling fragrance.

Blue Lotus is a bold note, and yes, it does dominate the scent in the beginning, but please give it a chance to dry down and then you will experience the other notes coming through.

 

The cassia EOs that I have are a fair bit different than the cinnamon EOs in my library. Cassia is a lot less intense, and not candy like. It's woodier and a little less spicy than what you normally associate with cinnamon. In this potion, you won't smell it as cinnamon...it's more of an accessory to the cardamom...rounding it out a touch. The honey is just a drop of sweet lightness, and I doubt anyone will pull it out of the mix.

[goddesslynne]

Sounds amazing, Mara! I just adore cardamom!!

[MissHazel]

Sounds good. i don't know what lotus smells like but everything else sounds good

[Pony]

I think I'll have to try this one. I use henna and cassia on my hair and I love the smell of it (just did it two days ago and it still smells like the henna/cassia combo. Cardamom is a fave of mine also.

[dolphindolls2]

I don't think she looks mad! I think she looks regal!!! She's staring down her minions! I love this picture...I have been saving it for over 2 years waiting for something perfect to use it for!

 

To expand on the description, I wanted to mention what I was going for with this potion...

Several times I have crafted scents that were comprised of resinous notes of the types that have survived over 10,000 years in the tombs. But the palette of ingredients available to the ancient Egyptians was much broader than just those long-lived hearty resins. They were expert perfumers, but the more delicate/fragile notes they used did not survive the eras. When I crafted this perfume, I used only ingredients that were available to the ancient Egyptians, but I wanted it to represent the living vibrant culture of their day, and perhaps how a more fragile perfume would have smelled when it was fresh.

 

This is a fresh, lively, ALIVE smelling fragrance.

Blue Lotus is a bold note, and yes, it does dominate the scent in the beginning, but please give it a chance to dry down and then you will experience the other notes coming through.

 

The cassia EOs that I have are a fair bit different than the cinnamon EOs in my library. Cassia is a lot less intense, and not candy like. It's woodier and a little less spicy than what you normally associate with cinnamon. In this potion, you won't smell it as cinnamon...it's more of an accessory to the cardamom...rounding it out a touch. The honey is just a drop of sweet lightness, and I doubt anyone will pull it out of the mix.

 

 

Is the Blue Lotus in this blend the same one that is in “Goddess of the Blue Moon”

[Potion Master]

Yes it is!

And btw Goddess of the Blue Moon is sold out.

[Chaionlife]

And blue Lotus is a note I know I love! Goddess of the Blue Moon is a favorite of mine. I'm telling you. ... this seems to be a month full of scents with which I am going to be madly and deeply in love. I am so excited and eagerly awaiting my NR samplers!

[LadyVictoria]

This one on me wet smells a bit salty. I think the cassia is the main note that comes out then it gets a bit softer and floral. I also smell a bit of sweetness like sweet smoke or something mixed with a floral. It smells expensive and like if someone were walking into a room you would notice. Like you can't wear this and be a wallflower- you need to work it and use the world as your catwalk.

This is a very commanding scent- or power woman scent. I do like it better as it dries down, it becomes prettier and melds better with my chemistry. You can't wear sweats and wear this. You have to wear heels or at least some lipstick. Jewels too.

[Raq On]

Mara, loved your post earlier about how you crafted this. interesting stuff. I didn't know cassia was spicy. I thought it was floral. Lady V, your description makes me glad I ordered a sample... Can't wait to try

[Potion Master]

I didn't know cassia was spicy. I thought it was floral.

 

A lot of people get mixed up between the EOs Cassia and Cassie. You can see why. Cassie IS a flower, a type of mimosa flower.

[luna65]

Or confuse cassia and cassis (black currant).

[Potion Master]

That too! I KNEW there were three but I couldn't think of the third! lol, good catch!

[perfumesniffer]

Lotus and cardamom together are pulling me to this scent

[dolphindolls2]

I really just need to get a sample of this one, LadyV’s review of this really made me re-think this blend….thanks for pushing me over the cliff

[luna65]

The lotus notes are really green on me, it's very interesting, with an undertone of the other elements, sort of like a floral arrangement floating downstream upon a barge (which is, of course, an apt Egyptian evocation as well). The spices are far in the background on me and it really does have a fresh-cut watery aura to it, if you like that sort of thing.

[Raq On]

Or confuse cassia and cassis (black currant).

A lot of people get mixed up between the EOs Cassia and Cassie. You can see why. Cassie IS a flower, a type of mimosa flower.

 

Oh My Yais! all of the above,

 

@ Luna: interesting that you are amping the green on this, and the spices are in the background. I suspect that's how it will go with me too. Are you saying it's a good thing though? Or too green for your tastes?

[luna65]

I can't wear lotus (unless it's a smaller amount in a blend, like with A Treasure of Gold or Sarasvati) so it wouldn't be one for me anyway.

[lalaDinky]

Hello miss Lotus! It's not as kick in your face as Gobm because there's warmth underneath, not coolness. The flower is slowly settling down.

 

Warm lotus still...giving it a few minutes. my, this one takes its sweet time unraveling.

 

ok the supporting notes are starting to come through...mmh, this is becoming cozy and warm, but still strangely mysterious and exotic. The lotus is still providing a tang to the spices.

 

Ok, the lotus is falling asleep. A mere pip in the background. The spices are melding beautifully with the myrrh and balsam, but may I dare say that I am getting the impression of toasted grains? Hmmm, very interesting.

[Raq On]

Hello miss Lotus! It's not as kick in your face as Gobm because there's warmth underneath, not coolness. The flower is slowly settling down.

 

Warm lotus still...giving it a few minutes. my, this one takes its sweet time unraveling.

 

ok the supporting notes are starting to come through...mmh, this is becoming cozy and warm, but still strangely mysterious and exotic. The lotus is still providing a tang to the spices.

 

Ok, the lotus is falling asleep. A mere pip in the background. The spices are melding beautifully with the myrrh and balsam, but may I dare say that I am getting the impression of toasted grains? Hmmm, very interesting.

 

Great description lalaDinky. How long of a time span was this?

[lalaDinky]

 

 

Great description lalaDinky. How long of a time span was this?

Thanky you. for me it took at least 10 minutes until the top note faded enough to meld with the supportive notes. After about 30 minutes it turned to a quiet, warm, myyrh-based complex. It's kind of a gentle skin scent at this point. And like I said, it sort of reminds me of wheat or grains?

[greenergal]

This one is a mighty lil morpher! Very green watery floral at first. I was thinking there is no way a spice scent could come through. Laladinky's review was spot on for me as well. After about 10-15 minutes, the green floral tamed down and I got a cool blue watery scent. But about 45 minutes later I started getting a gentle warm spice coming through. After that it is a a sweet lightly spiced skin scent that is so different and pretty. This was quite the ride! Magic in a vial.

[Raq On]

This was very floral/green at first. Sometimes I like the smell of green, but it doesn't really meld into my skin. After a few hours though the floral (lotus?) really amped through and that was the only note I could pick up.

[ElizabethOSP]

I don't think she looks mad! I think she looks regal!!! She's staring down her minions! I love this picture...I have been saving it for over 2 years waiting for something perfect to use it for!

 

To expand on the description, I wanted to mention what I was going for with this potion...

Several times I have crafted scents that were comprised of resinous notes of the types that have survived over 10,000 years in the tombs. But the palette of ingredients available to the ancient Egyptians was much broader than just those long-lived hearty resins. They were expert perfumers, but the more delicate/fragile notes they used did not survive the eras. When I crafted this perfume, I used only ingredients that wereI available to the ancient Egyptians, but I wanted it to represent the living vibrant culture of their day, and perhaps how a more fragile perfume would have smelled when it was fresh.

 

This is a fresh, lively, ALIVE smelling fragrance.

Blue Lotus is a bold note, and yes, it does dominate the scent in the beginning, but please give it a chance to dry down and then you will experience the other notes coming through.

 

The cassia EOs that I have are a fair bit different than the cinnamon EOs in my library. Cassia is a lot less intense, and not candy like. It's woodier and a little less spicy than what you normally associate with cinnamon. In this potion, you won't smell it as cinnamon...it's more of an accessory to the cardamom...rounding it out a touch. The honey is just a drop of sweet lightness, and I doubt anyone will pull it out of the mix.

Representing the living vibrant culture of their day...Fresh, lively, ALIVE! That's EXACTLY what Wonderful Things is. I've been wearing it all afternoon and evening, and it just feels like happy sweet wet growing things. It's delicate...but will not be ignored. I get an evocation of something from my childhood--that yummy bubblebath thing I get from lotus--and yet it's also quite sophisticated.

 

I get mostly lotus, with the other notes as subtle support. You're right, Mara--I don't pick out the honey at all. This is a beautiful, fresh, clean, watery scent with a subtle warmth around the edges. There's a hint of spice, but only a hint. The lotus is the star. On me, Wonderful Things doesn't morph all that much. It does go on a touch green--and it's a lovely green--but that backs away within 30 seconds and the blend just settles in and stays put. The strength gradually ebbs, but it doesn't fade *too* much.

 

I am enchanted with this scent! It makes me feel cool and refreshed and warm at the same time...like sitting on a nice rock at the edge of a creek...on a warm day...dangling your feet into the water...with Lotus!!! Hee!!! I guess there's a pond near the creek with lotus growing in it.

 

P.S. I luuuurrrrve the label too!

Edited July 7, 2013 by ElizabethOSP

[Fleur]

I'm almost through my sample vial, but still can't decide if I want a FB of this one or not.

 

It causes me changes my mind several times a day.

In the vial it smells very delicate and beautiful and I can pick myrrh in it, some spices and sweet honey there too. When applied it turns to very aggressive and sharp floral (I guess lotus), and that's when I think that no way I'm going to wear it ever again. It literally attacks my nose.

Soon it starts to soften though and becomes incensey with spices again, but no sweetness this time. I do feel the whole Mara's Ancient Egypt concept in this one, this is mysterious and reminds me of every book I ever read about that culture. Very special and beautifully designed perfume for sure.

 

Now few hours after application it is soft and beautifully unusual, and makes me want to buy it again. Tricky little beast!

 

 

PS: I love that label picture too.

[tink333]

I think I like this one a lot! This one made me feel like I had used a very expensive soap. I'M talking about a soap you can only find at some super fancy boutique in Paris. I'm now imagining myself walking by this random boutique while on my shopping spree in Paris. I'm wearing giant black sunglasses, a cute little black dress, a giant coat over the top, and cute yet sensible shoes. My hair looks amazing, BTW. I see this shop and stop in and find the most amazing handcrafted soap. It smells just like this. It's ridiculously expensive but I but I buy some anyway.

(FYI: I've never actually been to Paris)

Edited February 28, 2015 by tink333