Strange Invisible Perfumes • Persica • Fragrances

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*TOP REVIEWER* rpolisk on 8/10/2010 3:59:00 PM more reviews by rpolisk

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

Now this is a prime example of the power of Keeping An Open Mind, an ability which has unfortunately been much too scarce in my life thus far. But...there is hope. Here goes: I first ambled into SIP a few years ago, smelled a couple of their creations, crinkled my nose at both the scents and the add-copy and could not wait to get out of there fast enough and on to my beloved ScentBar. I have a complete aversion to New Agey Botanical Organic Vegan-speak (This from someone who mainly eats organic vegan food, mind you. It's just the whole 'trip' I can't stand). SIP appeared to be another in a long line of so-called fragrances that smell like a mixture of oils bought in the back of Whole Foods. Especially that geranium one. Yech.
Ok. So I went back. After much smelling on strips, I settled on trying Persica, Urban Lily and Vacances. Persica's initial volley was mainly Ylang Ylang, but with all this promise of blossoms underneath. I walked down to the beach and walked along the water. Suddenly I was hit by the loveliest scent of fresh cut lilies lifted up on a bed of marine air. Yes, lilies.
No, the source of this was not the patch of skin sprayed with Urban Lily. That one was very green and a bit sharp but no Lily there.
Persica opened into a big vase of stargazer lilies knocked over into a pool of Bourbon Vanilla bean pod. Vanilla here is very fresh and edible, but the kind you cook with. If you buy a vanilla pod, open it and scrape out the inside and smell it, you'll get the vanilla of Persica. I don't get much cardamon or spices. Just a big fresh bouquet with a little naughty skank that just about knocked me down and sent me back running into SIP where the two lovely SA's (no hint of New Agey talk at all) were sipping tea and not surprised to see me rush back in demanding a bottle of Persica.
Now here's the thing: this scent is completely enchanting to me. I want to bathe in it. However, it lasts maybe 20 minutes on my skin. I did put it in an atomizer and this helps a bit. Last night I sprayed it HEAVILY before going to bed and slept like a baby. This morning the faintest hint of lily wafted from my skin during my workout.
Heaven. Really. Eat my words I will about SIP.
One lippie less because of poor lasting power (website says no synthetic fixatives are the cause). It's pricey and at the rate I'm using it this may become quite the $$ habit. At this point, I definitely plan on repurchasing.
Also leering at Musc Botanique.... but that's another review.

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chrystelica on 3/2/2010 9:36:00 AM more reviews by chrystelica

Age: 25-29   Skin: Dry, Fair, Warm   Hair: Brown, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

This perfume smells very similar to Narcotic for me, without any of the darker, "bad" scent of dental plaque. The inital smell of the random wildflower potpourri mixed with bee wax or bee honey? Doesn't seem to change into anything else on me. It just stays, with this aroma that really smells like it would attract bees or cause my allergies to flare up (if I were allergic to flower pollen).

The drydown of this scent is quite good, which is why I gave it 3 stars. However, (and this is undetectable to other people), when I put my nose to my wrist, I smell a weird scent that reminds me of saliva. (yuck)
I really like the name "Strange Invisible Perfumes," and I want to like them because they are natural, but I have little hope for the rest of these samples... however, I didn't like the 3 Ajne scents I tried (Desir, Lakshmi or Aphrodite). Nor did I like ANY of the Aroma M Geisha perfumes or oils... the only natural perfumes I like (OK, love) so far are AbdesSalaam Attar...

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*TOP REVIEWER* dancingoutlaw on 2/2/2006 12:01:00 AM more reviews by dancingoutlaw

Age: 25-29   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

When I first applied this, it smelled like very strong cleaning fluid. I read (on mua, of course :) that SIPs must have some time to themselves to develop, and since several notes I truly love are there (lilac, cardamom, ylang ylang, lily) I waited. The longer I waited the more beautiful it smelled. It really is extraordinary. Smooth, lush, mysterious perfection. As far as lilacs go, this did not live up to my HG lilac fragrance, En Passant. This is more Stargazer lily, ylang ylang and a touch of cardamom--all of which I love (and it’s like a smoother, daintier, more beautiful version of Yosh‘s Stargazer), but I wanted lilac. But. For Stargazers it’s rather grand. I would definitely wear this when I wanted to be a little coy, feminine and mysterious; I agree that it’s dark and ethereal, and I would wear it on a perfect night when the weather is just cool enough for a sweater but warm enough to make you sit outside all night in a pretty skirt and bare feet; deep in conversation on a slow porch swing with a man you hope to entice. And I know this will seem odd, but for some reason it also puts me in mind of a femme fatale southern belle of a personality--perhaps like Jessica Lang in the film Hush. It’s lovely and soft, but also a little earthy, sexual and haunting. Overall, a lovely fragrance, but I can’t see myself purchasing it for such a large price. There are others out there that are even more gorgeous and have better lasting power. Unless they let me pay with money from my strange invisible wallet, I doubt I would buy this anytime in the near future. So yes, four lippies...but no I will not purchase.

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*TOP REVIEWER* Maller on 7/7/2005 9:42:00 PM more reviews by Maller

Age: Unknown   Skin: Other   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

Persica is definitely one of my favorite SIPs. I don't wear lilac year round, but for a few weeks each spring I *have* to have it. And this is one of the lilacs I have to have. It's not a fresh, clear watery lilac like FM's En Passant, nor is it the feminine, slightly powdery, sweet lilac and white flower bouquet of Patou's Vacances. It's lilac at the edge of night. I'm not sure what it is...the cardamom, the vanilla, the ylang ylang? But it's a rich, deep and intriguing fragrance that every lilac lover should at least give a try. Truly beautiful. Reminds me of Turner's Norham Castle, Sunrise - an almost abstract, very atmospheric, meditative painting done in dusty, shimmering blues and golds.

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*TOP REVIEWER* CareerLady on 5/5/2005 2:02:00 PM more reviews by CareerLady

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Other    

I'm transported: I'm digging my way through a Hawaiian jungle when I come upon a clearing where just one oppoponax flower is growing amidst a grove of lemon verbena, lilies, lilacs, ylang ylang, and a heady resinous sap all around me. The air is heavy with moisture and I note the sun has just fallen upon several bushes that are moist with dew and aglow with blooming gardenias. This is a heady floral, deep in the wilds of a jungle, a place to explore and lose yourself. I'm lost and don't care, with my wrist jammed against my nose, I'm happy here.

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