Bathos Liquid Perfume

When I finally got my greedy mitts on a bottle of this perfume, I was ecstatic. I found myself running around the house screaming, 'I've got Bathos Perfume, I've FINALLY got Bathos Perfume'. I won't deny that it wasn't an exciting moment - perhaps slightly less exciting for my poor flatmates who wrote me off as crazy right there and then.

This wonderful perfume hasn't seen the light of day since it was released back in 2007 as part of Lush's Forum Special release. In fact, this is the only time that this liquid perfume has ever been sold, and most people who now own the remaining bottles, have probably set up tight security to stop intruders stealing the much-loved fragrance. 

Sharing its scent with the bubble bar of the same name, this perfume acts as a perfect homage to the much loved classic Lush smell. This is a predominantly violet-scented fragrance that is dominated by the violet leaf absolute. However, unlike the perfume, Kerbside Violet, Bathos isn't a straightforward floral smell - there's something quite sweet and sultry about it that sets it apart from other perfumes.

This fragrance also features a combination of jasmine absolute, rose absolute and ylang ylang oil - all of which pad out the smell and give it quite a bit of depth inside the bottle and on the skin. The former ingredients add a rich, sensual floral note to the perfume which compliments the violet perfectly, while the rose absolute gives the overall perfume a musky, slightly powdery aroma.   

In the bottle, you can detect an underlying cloudy aroma which is why a lot of Lush fans describe this scent as smelling of parma violets. While it does indeed share characteristics with the popular sweet, it is far too sophisticated to leave the description at that. 

On the skin, the perfume offers a deep and rather heavy aroma that stays quite compacted on the wrist. There is a slight element of spice that lingers underneath the floral components here too, but it's not strong enough to take away from the main floral notes and only serves to make it rather warming on the wearer. 

I happen to love Bathos in this form, perhaps even slightly more so than the bubble bar. There's something richly decadent about the perfume that sets it apart from the usual humdrum of floral aromas. Some fans claim that it has an almost metallic edge to it, which although it didn't make itself known for me, I can slightly see why people might describe it as so. 

While this perfume didn't have the longevity I was hoping for, it does last between 2-3 hours on the skin and matures quite wonderfully to offer a sweet, musky base note. While it's not my favourite perfume, it is my favourite violet scent and one I need to stock up on. This perfume needs to be brought back, and soon. 

Quantitative Ingredients: DRF Alcohol, Perfume, Eugenol, Violet Leaf Absolute (Viola odorata), Rose Absolute (Rosa centifolia), Jasmine Absolute (Jasminum officinale), Ylang Ylang Oil (Cananga odorata), Bergamot Oil (Citrus bergamia), Clove Bud Oil (Eugenia caryophyllus), Benzyl Salicylate, Citral, Isoeugenol, Limonene, Linalool.

Vegan?: Yes.

Scent Family:
Bathos Bubble Bar
Bathos Liquid Bubble Bath
Bathos Liquid Perfume