Black Baccara ~ Orpheus

Hey there and happy Saturday to everyone! Today I will be reviewing Orpheus by Black Baccara. I received it as a free sample with my Bloody Valentine perfume but haven't gotten a chance to try it until recently.

Official scent description from Black Baccara:
ORPHEUS- A beautiful unisex perfume. It begins with a fruity wave of oranges, pomegranates, apples and lemons and then moves into a primordial phase of burning cedarwood, fire, cloves, and earthy oakmoss. This perfume brings to mind offerings of spices, herbs, and fruits being consumed by a brilliant cedarwood fire.


Orpheus by Black Baccara
Image Source- Black Baccara Perfumery

From the imp, Orpheus smells like oranges with a bit of oakmoss. Interesting!

Wet on skin, it smells exactly like candy with perhaps a bit of something earthier to makes it less "foody" smelling. The scents intended for the second phase almost immediately push their way through. It's very interesting at this point as all the notes battle it out and try to make their own special appearance. I can definitely make out the oakmoss, as I recognize that note from my other Black Baccara perfumes.

On the drydown, the smokiness comes into full throttle. It is a very realistic smoke scent and almost "catches" in my throat, if that makes any sense. The oranges also stay strong, as they have been pretty consistently the rest of the time.

This perfume fades into an interesting blend of oakmoss, smoke, and a hint of cedar and lemon. It's very pretty and I like how it morphs. It's not my favorite perfume and I wouldn't purchase a full size, but it is a well made scent that I'm glad I was able to sample. Fun fact- Initially, I thought this perfume was called "orphans" because I misread it on the etsy site. I wondered why orphans would smell of oranges and smoke, but now it all makes sense! ;) Another fun fact via Wikipedia-
Orpheus (Ancient Greek: Ὀρφεύς) was a legendary musician, poet, and prophet in ancient Greek religion and myth. The major stories about him are centered on his ability to charm all living things and even stones with his music, his attempt to retrieve his wife, Eurydice, from the underworld, and his death at the hands of those who could not hear his divine music.

By the way, you can click the Wikipedia link to learn more about Orpheus! I only referenced the first paragraph.

Complete change of subject! Since today is also known at Caturday in the kittah lover interwebz, I wanted to add a picture I recently took of V. You can see my boyfriend's arm in the corner cause they are official cuddle buddies. :)


I love the strange look on V's face.

V decided to wake us up at 3:30 A.M. this morning. He usually doesn't eat wet food, so we only had dry food out for him. He had a tummy ache, so we dragged our butts out of bed to get ourselves coffee and wet food for my little prince. He feels better now :)

Have a wonderful Saturday, Caturday, and weekend!

~Rachel

Disclaimer: Orpheus was a free sample provided with my Black Baccara purchase. I am not affiliated with or compensated by any of the companies mentioned. My opinions are always my own and always honest. Thanks for reading!

Black Baccara ~ Bloody Valentine

So, I've been kind of stressed out lately and in need of a breath of fresh air outside the city. It's amazing how good it feels for your soul to just go outside and enjoy the beauty of nature (on a scale of 1-10, that tipped the hippy-meter, haha). My boyfriend and I went on a hike because there's a beautiful area 20 minutes from our house for such activities. It's neat how very close we are to a "mini holiday," so to speak. I'll add pictures of that below, but you wonderful ladies are here for the perfume, so let's talk perfume!

When I got home, I had a lovely package from Black Baccara waiting for me! As you know from the title, this is yet another Valentine themed perfume! I ordered a 5ml rollerball of Bloody Valentine, and I am happy to report and I am happy with the scent (as I bought this unsniffed!)


Bloody Valentine by Black Baccara. I love how the perfume oil itself is pink, even though it was probably unintentional!

Official Scent Description:
❀BLOODY VALENTINE- Here is a story of aged papers and Victorian flowers enhanced by a tinge of the metallic and earthy. It is a strong, floral blend best suited for those who love the smell of "vintage" flowers and Victorian inspired perfumes. The scent here is from another time and place and beautifully scented letters. Violets are followed by rose, sandalwood, a hint of red wine, a trace of soil, and clove pennyroyal, among others.


When I sniffed Bloody Valentine from the bottle, I smelled a strong floral and a hint of earthyness. When I rolled it on my wrists, however, the earth note completely disappears and it's BAM, IN YOUR FACE FLOWERS! For the first 60 seconds, there's a weird hint to the floral smell... I don't know, like an artificial smell that I don't like at all. But luckily, it only lasts for that first minute, and this perfume smells very beautiful for the rest of its life. The violets and rose are strong and quite a gorgeous team, and there's also a hint of earth in the background. I'm really pleased with that soil note in the background, as it gives this perfume a more sinister vibe. It speaks of a love story gone horribly wrong, of shattered glass with roses that once put a smile on someone's face- with blood spilled across the petals and all over the floor. There actually is a metallic smell (not in a weird way) to this perfume, quite like blood. Oh my gosh, I love this perfume more than I can tell you guys. It's so classy and elegant, but it has enough edge to it to really give it a soul. Though the Victorian era was undeniably beautiful, it was also plagued with terrible things. For one, Jack the Ripper committed those treacherous crimes in the Victorian era. On a larger scale, Ireland lost 50% of its population due to emigration and starvation. There was also a large amount of war and mutiny, not to mention 2,000 people dying each WEEK from the Cholera epidemic. So this perfume is the perfect paradigm for the Victorian era- beautiful, yet absolutely haunting. This will definitely be the perfume I wear on Valentine's Day (and let's be real, a whole lotta other days- this is my new favorite!)

As stated earlier, here's some pictures from our mini holiday!



The scenery



Moar Scenery



The Sunset

I must admit, even though it's a Monday; I'm a happy camper! I had a great mini holiday, and I'm smelling pretty thanks to Bloody Valentine!

As always, thanks so much for reading! Have a very wonderful week!

~Rachel

DISCLAIMER- All products mentioned were purchased by me for my own personal usage. I am not affiliated with or compensated by any of the companies mentioned. All opinions are always my own and honest!

Black Baccara- Boneyard

Today was a rainy day, which I thoroughly enjoy. It doesn't rain much at all in my neck of the woods, so it's nice when the sun finally succumbs to grey-tinted clouds and rain trinkles down on our city; giving it a breath of fresh air. I can find no greater happiness than snuggling up next to my cat and boyfriend while the rain pitter patters on the roof; optional bonus- a cup of tea in one hand and a good book in the other.

Tonight, I'll be reviewing a perfume from a company I've never previously tried before! I love discovering new companies, and I wouldn't have heard about Black Baccara had I not read some of your guys' recent SADs; and also seeing it on the lovely La Domna's ScentBase! After reading the description, I knew I had my heart set on this little perfume.

I suppose I knew I would adore it without even spritzing the bottle, because it did leak a teeny bit on its journey to me and, therefore, I could already smell its amazingness! I can't detect exactly what it is I am smelling, but I'll post the scent description and try to decipher it. This is from the company's etsy shop:

❀BONEYARD-A long walk through the cemetery in autumn has made its way into this bottle. Cloves, cedar, damp soil, and a whispered offering of violets and wildflowers make way for deep earth, oak moss, and an extinguished candle flame carried on the wind. Dark, brooding, earthy and timeless.

                   

Above- The packaging Boneyard was housed in. :)

 

Above- The perfume came in this pretty black box. 

Above- Boneyard by Black Baccara

                      
                               Above- Boneyard atomizer and sample of Vlad                    




I'm pretty sure it's the cloves I'm smelling at first. After a minute or two, I can smell the earthy
presence to this gem. I'm fairy certain it's the oak moss I'm getting, perhaps with a slight touch of the damp soil. Something about this really grounds it and makes it more polished and not like you're a wet, mossy, Cemetary leaf (nothing wrong with smelling of such, but it is nice to smell more layers upon that). I wish I could say what I'm smelling exactly, but my perfume noobiness seems to be holding me back.

And let me tell you guys, the drydown on Boneyard does NOT disappoint. I can smell the floral notes dancing with a hint of something sinister in the background, and it's absolutely stunning. It's literally one of the most beautiful perfumes I've ever had the pleasure of sniffing. The etsy scent description says you only need one spritz, and that certainly holds true! I only used one spray, and it was quite strong (even with my stupid sick senses).

I would like to honestly comment on longevity, but it wouldn't be a true answer because, again, my immune system isn't at its best. I will say that we spent a couple hours at a cute secondhand/art store, and I can still tell the perfume is on my wrist.

I really love dark and gothic themed things, so I'm really glad I was able to stumble on Black Baccara through you wonderful ladies! Boneyard is really one of those perfumes that make you look crazy because it smells so good, your nose is glued to your wrist all day. This is really a wonderful perfume, in my opinion of course.



DISCLAIMER- All items mentioned were purchased by me for my own personal usage. I am not affiliated with or compensated by any of the companies mentioned. All opinions are my own and 100% honest.