Description
Pandora: A Beautiful Evil
The “Beautiful Evil” is a quote from the story of Pandora as told by the Greek, Hesiod. She is the all gifted, all giving one, a singular woman and synonymous with Eve in many respects. It is she who opens humankind to the knowledge of good and evil and ultimately breaks the utopian ideal. With Pandora, mankind has plagues but also knowledge and maturity. She opens the door to truth and hope.
What began as an all-botanical design for a project changed direction with the addition of a subtle synthetic influence. It made all of the difference. This is also a perfume that also utilizes some new and exotic botanical materials…in Pandora, the ancient meets the 21 century.
97.5% Natural (Botanical / Natural Animal Essences)
* EdP / VdP sample vials are 1/2 filled; Perfume mini roller ball vials are full.
**FYI: the Voile de Parfum format is created with natural IPM, which is considered a natural product. It is the only format that is ship-able for International orders as it is non-flammable by Dangerous Goods standards. EdP, which uses natural alcohol, is considered a Dangerous Good, due to it’s flammability and can not be shipped outside of the continental US.
jessrumwel@aol.com (verified owner) –
This powdery floral perfume is what I imagine to be the essence of vintage, 1950-60’s. I imagine it to smell just like my grandma in her twenties in pink chiffon and pearls. Feminine, sexy and delicate. A perfect signature scent.
kosmoscollage@hotmail.com (verified owner) –
This is a really beautiful chypre. On my skin, I start with the different wood notes that is balanced with the orris and oakmoss notes. If this perfume was a texture, it would be caramel colored suede.
diane63sarah@yahoo.com (verified owner) –
I love this scent. It has a very nostalgic feeling to it. The resin reminds me of ballet lessons when I was growing up, but it’s not overwhelming. It’s just enough to cut some of the sweetness.
hpollock –
This is old school in the best way. The first time I wore my sample all I noticed was a kind of floral powdery woodsy-ness. The second time around I doused myself with the remaining bottle and all the sharp greenness came through and I put it on my wish list!
Alexandra (verified owner) –
This perfume is amazing. It has the perfect soft, glossy leather; amber; earthy but not dirty; sexy but clean; green flowers and dry leaves. It feels classy but not old.
Carole Pitcher –
This is absolutely beautiful. The perfume is so well blended that it would take someone with a far better nose than I have to separate it into individual notes. On me it smells like a blend of very soft leather and florals with hints of anise and very buttery orris. If I didn’t know better I would swear this was an excellent vintage perfume. I think that if you like Dawn’s Mata Hari ( another masterpiece) you will like this.
merielkosokar –
I wish I had the nose to be able to detect and describe the notes of this scent. Alas, I can not do so, and thus, other reviewers will have to do this. To me, this is absolutely an example of how a modern perfumer can pay homage to classic fragrance from the early 20th century. I sampled some vintage Caron and Coty and they were magnificent–unique and bold and utterly themselves, if that makes any sense. These days, everyone and their dog has a scent, and then the multitudes of flankers thereafter. Pandora stands by herself and does so proudly. It might smell strident and alien compared to all the soft, fruity scents in more mainstream fragrances. This is Helen Mirren and Dame Judy Dench in a bottle.
andrewsacupuncture (verified owner) –
DSH nailed the Mousse de Saxe base that gives Pandora its sensual, vintage charge. I love that we can buy vintage style perfumes adapted to current style.
Anthony La Russo (verified owner) –
Musky rich smoky amber. with fresh vinyl/aerosol as an adjunct minor note that piques interest and makes this “animalic” stand out. Smells richly caramel/buttery sweet with resin-y little-smoky highlights and that minor vinyl note. The blend stays very together during its first few hours (~moderate 1.5 ft projection), drops off to skin scent by hour 5/thereabouts, with slight pencil-shavings as drydown. 4 stars for its density of ingredients expertly blended and that vinyl/ozonic touch that is unexpected.
Autumn –
A gorgeous, complex, leather chypre. This perfume brought me out of my comfort zone and showed me how delicious chypres can be. I’m more of an amber gal, but oakmoss in the right perfume is so fascinating. I love the dry, bitterness of it against the leather in this one. It doesn’t stay that way for long though, and the vanilla, carnation, and spice start to warm it up. 30 minutes in, it is a much sweeter perfume, but remains balanced. I’m going to need more when I run out.