NEW FRAGRANCE REVIEW: Byredo Perfume Seven Veils + The Seduction Draw

There is a lot of mystique around the mythology of the Dance of the Seven Veils. At some point, the biblical story of the death of John the Baptist at the behest of a vengeful woman who used her daughter as a pawn became all about the poor daughter. In the Bible, Salome is not even mentioned by name (it is revealed in a text by Flavius Josephus), but through time her name has become synonymous with a dance of seduction and horrible death. In the books of Matthew and Mark, it is recounted that she danced for King Herod on his birthday, and he was so pleased he told her he would give her anything she wanted. Because John the Baptist had been critical of Salome’s mother Herodius’ marriage to her former brother-in-law the King, Herodius told Salome to ask King Herod to give her John’s head on a platter. A promise is a promise, and although it pained him, Herod delivered.

The dance of Salome was christened The Dance of the Seven Veils somewhere down the line. It is a striptease of the most elemental kind – removing one veil after another, showing ever more flesh though the sheer pieces of colorful fabric, but never actually baring all. It has become a part of the lexicon of seduction: as Grace Kelly’s character Lisa says to Jimmy Stewart in “Rear Window”, she would have to move “into an apartment across the way and do the dance of the seven veils every hour” to keep his attention on her.  Screen goddess Rita Hayworth danced it. Oscar Wilde wrote a play about it. Richard George Strauss wrote an opera. I just love it when one paragraph of a text is so expanded upon it takes on a life of its own.

Ben Gorham

Now, on to the perfume. When I first sprayed Seven Veils on paper, I was unimpressed, and went on to other things. But I kept hearing so much about it that I decided I had to try it on to give it a fair chance, so I did. That time, I was definitely impressed. My Barney’s SA Christina gave me a good sample and I was off and running. A week later I had a bottle on my dresser.

I have always loved spice. As a child (and as an adult) my favorite candies have been spice drops, Necco Wafers ™, Hot Tamales ™, and cinnamon imperials. I love to eat ginger, and foods with cinnamon and nutmeg. I learned to cook Indian food, and relished the aromas of cardamom and garam masala. When I wear Seven Veils, I feel completely enveloped in a shimmering cloud of my favorite spices. What is amazing is that none of them are actually in the perfume.

The first spray of Seven Veils is surprisingly earthy and rooty, from the carrot seed note, and occasionally this root vibe peeks through during the drydown phases. Then the spices come out to play. I don’t know how the notes in the list become the scent I smell on my skin. Truly, I feel like I am in a spice market. Well, actually it is more like an olfactory mirage of a scent market, because part of the artistry of Seven Veils is that it is never overt or loud or too colorful. It seduces the nose layer by layer, like the dance seduces the watcher. It is not timid, though; a customer came to my office and said, “Wow, it smells deliciously spicy in here, and a little bit floral”. High score for sillage.

Costume sketch for Oscar Wilde's play "Salome"

Ben Gorham, the creative force behind the Byredo perfume line, has interpreted the Dance of the Seven Veils literally. I am transported and seduced and left longing for more. I can spray it lavishly or lightly and take a different journey each time. I am sad when I can’t smell it anymore, and have found myself with my nose down my shirt, inhaling deeply, searching for that last molecule. Don’t get me wrong, this happens fairly well into the afternoon, so it is not short-lived. I just want more. Were it any stronger, though, it would not have the translucence of the veil, and therein lies the beauty.

The composition includes: carrot seed, pimento berries, Tahitian vanilla flower, laurier rose, glycine, tiger orchid, sandalwood and vanilla. (in this instance, I believe that glycine refers to wisteria, but don’t quote me on that).

My sample and bottle came from Barney’s New York in San Francisco.

We have a 5mL decant to give away to one lucky reader. To be eligible leave a comment on what you would have asked King Herod for if he offered you a boon; or alternatively your favorite Byredo fragrance. We will draw one winner on February 24, 2012 via random.org.

We announce the winners only on site and on our Facebook page, so Like Cafleurebon and use our RSS option…or your dream prize will be just spilt perfume.

Tama Blough, Senior Editor

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51 comments

  • Very good review, Tama! Don’t enter me, because I loved Seven Veils so much that I had to buy some, too. I completely agree with your last line: “Were it any stronger, though, it would not have the translucence of the veil, and therein lies the beauty.”

  • Well, if King Herod offered me a boon it would have been because he was paying me for the jokes I told him at dinner time. I feel like id be up to the challenge of being a court jester. I mean why not:)
    Thanks for the draw:)

  • I know this story well! I think I would have asked for Herodius’ to be killed. She was an evil person!
    Guess that doesn’t make me much better than her, huh? I think Herod didn’t really think either of them would conspire and ask for John the Baptists’ head.

    This fragrance sounds GORGEOUS! I also love spice, cinnamon, Indian food….its a treat for the palate so this would be a treat for the olfactory senses!

    Thank you for the opportunity!

  • i am always so curious to try new perfumes….especially this one. Very interesting that you smelled spices that were not in the formula….sounds like a major case of sense memory;)

  • Great job on the review, Tama! I’m very impressed.

    And I was dying to try this BEFORE your review; now, of course, the craving is even worse. My favorite Byredo fragrance is Gypsy Water.

  • This is a great draw! Thank you. I tried Bal d’Afrique once and that smelled lovely. I am very interested to try Seven Veils.

  • Oh, my favorite Byredo (so far) is Oud Immortel. I wear it and people comment…in a positive way! But I’m a well-established fan of spice (and seduction), so I’d love to smell Seven Veils…

  • Tama,
    fun review! I enjoyed Salome’s 2010 Met production, but I am afraid that the flesh was bared in it, contrary to the tradition! 🙂

    I would ask king Herod to give me enough money to leave the court (because it was most certainly too dangerous!) and live somewhere far away in a comfortable exile 🙂

  • Gypsy Water is on my To Try List, but the Byredo I find rich and sexy is Accord Oud. I am very interested in “Seven Veils”, love the spicy!

  • I love the spicy candies, too, not the fruit-flavored ones. I would have asked King Herod to give me enough money to make me filthy rich so that I could buy everything I needed for a perfume making business and do it full-time. I’d love to try “Seven Veils”.

  • Hi Tama!
    I LOVE the article, and it’s so beautifully written. This does sound like a gorgeous scent-my favorite Byredo scent is M/Mink or Bal d’ Afrique.

  • Baudelaire is my favorite Byredo scent of course: hyacint, leather and patchouli!!!
    Thank you for the draw.

  • Well I certainly would not have asked for someone’s head on a platter. The sight of blood makes me queasy.
    However I would ask Kind Herod to buy me all the fragrances on my current wishlist seeming that he’s far more wealthier than I.
    I have never tried Byredo fragrances, but I am certainly eager to.

  • What would I have asked Herod for? Wow…that’s a toughie! Knowing me I would have asked him for a rich bespoke perfume! *giggles*

    I have roiughly 12 Byredo samples…and so far Baudelaire is the one that has made the most impact on me, and lasted the longest and gotten the most compliments. Tough act to follow, but (as always) I reserve the right to change my mind at any given moment with no explanation whatsoever! 😉

    Great piece Tama!!

  • Would be difficult to pick one from the Byredo scents.They all are charismatic and create their own unverse,like traveling through different places but all of them very beautiful.I guess most of the time I would pick Accord Oud among them and many others,but I would love to try Seven Veils.

  • I love this review and it makes me so curious about the perfume! My favorite Byredo perfume is Bal d’Afrique 🙂

  • I have never experienced any Byredo scents. I would have asked Herod for a place in the country far far away from my murderous mother and that court!

  • Not a Botanist says:

    The only one I’ve had the opportunity to sample is Gypsy Water. I like it quite a bit thogh.

  • This fragrance sounds amazing, and I would love to try it! I’m not sure what I would ask for as a boon from King Herod…maybe some real frankincense and myrrh?? Costly then and costly now, but I’d be smelling great 😀

  • Tama,
    You have made this sound captivating and enticing! Great review! I have smelled this on paper but I have been remiss with not spraying on skin. I have to admit that I enjoy several Byredo fragrances but have never purchased a full bottle. I need to revisit this.

  • Anything sensual appeals to me . I would love to be in tne draw. Even the Name Dance Of the Seven Veils evokes ardor and romance ..
    I seem to know I would like this scent without testing .
    I am not a person who condones violence, so I would just ask the King for a castle/home with a beautiful fragrant garden.
    Very nice review ! Byredo fragrances , I am not too familar with .. I would love to experience them

  • My favorite Byredo is PULP! I also enjoy Bal d’Afrique and Baudelaire, of the ones I’ve tried. Thanks for the draw!

  • My favorite Byredo so far is Palermo. I tried it in Toulousse two years ago and I loved its zesty freshness.

    Thanks, Tama!

  • My favourite would be M/Mink. Is not something that I wear on a daily basis, but whenever I feel like I want to impress I just spray some.
    Thanks for the giveaway!

  • Michelle Hunt says:

    I have not experienced Byredo yet but I love the sound of Accord Oud – I love saffron and blackberry and clary sage…I’m having a hard time imagining them together but I am very intrigued! I love smelling combinations that seem unlikely.

    Of course, the Seven Veils sounds wonderful, I love carrot seed and I wish I would find it more often in perfumes.

  • King Hirod – no way! I’d run away as far ans as quickly as possible!
    My favorite Byredo so far – Oud Immortel.
    Thanks for the draw!

  • Very intersting read. I have not tried any of the Byredo scents but I see there are some serious fans here. so I am going to want to try the Gypsy Water now too, besides the Seven Veils.

  • I enjoyed your article, Tama, and now I’m craving Hot Tamale candy! I haven’t had that in awhile. Gypsy Water or Pulp would be my favorites thus far., but I would love to win the sample of Seven Veils to try.

  • Byredo is one of those houses by which I am intrigued, yet have never sampled for fear I would fall for an unobtainable beauty….I don’t have a favorite but honestly from this review, Seven Veils would be it. I too am a spice lover!
    Encens Chembur and Baudelaire are also on my list of things I really want to try but probably shouldn’t. And maybe also Gypsy Water.

    King Herod, boon…hmmm…probably better behavior from him and more autonomy for his subjects.

  • My favorite Byredo would be PULP–it is just so joyous!
    This scent sounds lovely.
    Thanks for the review and the drawing.