My well-beloved was stripped. Knowing my whim,
She wore her tinkling gems, but naught besides:
And showed such pride as, while her luck betides,
A sultan’s favored slave may show to him.
When it lets off its lively, crackling sound,
This blazing blend of metal crossed with stone
Gives me an ecstasy I’ve only known
Where league of sound and lustre can be found.
She let herself be loved: then, drowsy-eyed,
Smiled down from her high couch in languid ease.
My love was deep and gentle as the seas
And rose to her as to a cliff the tide.
My own approval of each dreamy pose,
Like a tamed tiger, cunningly she sighted:
And candour, with lubricity united,
Gave piquancy to every one she chose.
Her limbs and hips, burnished with changing lustres
Before my eyes, clairvoyant and serene,
Swanned themselves, undulating in their sheen;
Her breasts and belly, of my vine the clusters,
Like evil angels rose, my fancy twitting,
To kill the peace which over me she’d thrown,
And to disturb her from the crystal throne
Where, calm and solitary, she was sitting.
So swerved her pelvis that, in one design,
Antiope’s white rump it seemed to graft
To a boy’s torso, merging fore and aft.
The talc on her brown tan seemed half-divine.
The lamp resigned its dying flame. Within,
The hearth alone lit up the darkened air,
And every time it sighed a crimson flare
It drowned in blood that amber-coloured skin.
Skin musk and honey, blood-red rose, orange blossom, white peach, red apple, frankincense and myrrh.
desi.hope –
A lovely dark floral, like stick of rose incense . Starts off with amber and musk as the top notes for me but fades to a full bodied rose with musky undertones.
c-j-allison –
Spellbound smells a bit “80s Avon forgotten in the back of the dresser” at first. Don’t let that put you off! About half an hour after application, you get this lovely, mature rose smell with none of the sickly sweetness you’d expect from the very first whiff.
It becomes a very inviting smell. It’s like expensive rose insence burning in a new age store full of polished wood antique furniture and aged books.
Katie –
Full disclosure: I’m a rose girl. BPAL’s rose scents have been very hit or miss for me: Certain ones like Black Rose and Lucy’s Kiss have an odd smell on my skin that reminds me of Nair. Spellbound, however, is my perfect rose scent, a well-balanced blend of sweetness, incense notes, and a beautiful, womanly rose. Nothing green here, nor is it a powdery grandma scent. It’s not just my favorite BPAL rose- it’s my favorite BPAL scent of all time. I always have a bottle.
Lisa –
Lovely rose scent. Rich, complex, and sweet without being cloying. It lasts all day for me.
artimisia –
This one didn’t meld well on me. When I first put it on the rose scent was very strong and completely overshadowed all the other notes to the point that I couldn’t smell them. After about an hour it reversed itself. The rose faded to nothing and the smell became solely about the amber and musk. Both versions were somewhat pleasant but it didn’t layer the way it clearly was supposed to. My overall impression therefore is kind of a shrug.
dthornhill11 –
When I had first received it, it didn’t smell like rose very much and it smelled a bit harsh, but after it aged for a few weeks everything blended together nicely and the rose scent came into the forefront. It is a very vintage smell like antique roses, but in the most beautiful, dignified, sophisticated and sensual way. It’s a very warm and comforting rose smell.
Lissa –
I have never had as many compliments about ANY perfume I have used as much as Spellbound.
Heather –
This is my “go to” scent and I get many, many complements on it. The musky amber definately overpowers the rose on me but in a good way. My 9yo niece has me hug all her stuffed animals when I wear it because she said it relaxes her at bedtime.
lookingglass –
The finest rose incense-
Sexy, haunting, classy, unstopable…
Gloame –
I really need to accept that roses Are Not For Me. I tried again with Peacock Queen this year, and it was beautiful, but not on me. So when I revisited this imp, I wasn’t expecting much. But, it’s actually pretty lovely. Roses still aren’t for me, but the rose mixed with the red musk is unique and interesting.
thegrumpyferret –
There was a really expensive rose incense I used to adore till hubby started getting allergic reactions to smoke. This smells exactly like it on me! I’ve so missed my incense but now I can wear Spellbound and walk around in my own, personal, sexy incense bubble. Woohoo!
Elizabeth –
I wanted to love it, I truly did. I adore rose fragrances and frequently layer them with musk or amber, so I thought, “This is going to be perfect!” In the imp, it was scrumptious. I dabbed a tiny bit on my wrist. *sniff* — was that me I smelled, or was it one of my 100-lb dogs, just in from playing outside in the rain. *sniff* No, it’s me. With my body chemistry, this gorgeous fragrance turns into wet dog almost immediately. Go ahead and try it out — it’s probably heavenly on anyone who isn’t me. I’m giving it a high rating because it really is lovely and would be so nice on someone else. Maybe you. Definitely not me.
xaglow –
I really like this one on me. It is very flowery while wet, but dries to a nice clean rose floral scent. The amber and musk keep it from being too powdery.
Victoria –
I thoroughly enjoyed this scent. Very reminiscent of a more expensive ‘designer’ perfume but with its own personality that shines through. Very feminine but not overly sweet or flowery. The combination of the warm amber and calming musk mingled beautifully with the roses. Taking what could have been a very vibrant floral down to a sensuous, flirty floral. A ‘must have’ if you have a BPAL collection!
tunnabora –
Very pungent rose in the imp and while wet. Dry down tames the wild rose a bit, lending a gorgeous rich and spicy amber musk to round out the scent. Beautiful and long-lasting, with excellent sillage. A little touch lasted all night.