[quantum spice]

A name synonymous with seduction and licentiousness. From childhood aspirations of seclusion and priesthood came Giacomo Casanova, the self-styled Chevalier de Seingalt, the most notorious debauchee and playboy of all time. His memoirs, Histoire de Ma Vie, enflamed the Enlightenment with scandal and tales of sexual conquest. His restless nature and flair for sensationalizing his adventures drew him into and out of fortune, through numerous careers and affairs, and led him into a brief altercation with the Inquisition and a conviction on the charge of witchcraft. Though he had a life rife with drama and intrigue, he died peacefully at the age of 73, librarian to the Count of Waldstein. Who says librarians can’t be sexy? A rakish blend of leather, anise, lavender, bergamot and amber with tonka, lemon peel and lusty patchouli.

mmmmm the herbs, the anise and lemon and beramot and lavender, are most present when it's wet. the leather, amber, and tonka develop as it dries and the herbal notes are nuances and accents that make it even better than mere leather, amber, and tonka. the patchouli doesn't really come out for me.

i'd say it's more a manly scent than girly or gender neutral. as it dries, i just think of seduction and naughty sex (elevators, over the desk at work, the back of the library). definitely slathering this on the boy and having my way with him.

[bellis]

I was so incredibly thrilled when I got this as a freebie in my last order because I'd been lusting after it ever since I saw it on the update. I aspire to be something of a sexy librarian myself, so this was the first thing I tried on when I opened my box of goodies. Very sharp and citrusy in the bottle, it mellows and gets much richer on the skin and during drydown. quatum spice and I must have similar skin chemistry, because it behaved exactly the same way on me, althought I thought it was pretty gender neutral, and I barely noticed the patchouli. Once dry, the amber, tonka, and leather became more prominent and make this very sexy. I really adore the leather in this, it's not a motorcycle jacket leather, rather an incredibly expensively bound book leather. Well done, Beth! :P This is a charismatic and naughty scent. I'm definitely wearing this when I want to feel entirely confidant.

[Macha]

At Pookstrell's request, I'm reviewing this a little earlier than I'd planned. :P

In the Vial: Strong lavender, sharped by bergamot, brightened by lemon zest. If I really concentrate, I can pick out a subtle hint of leather, but nothing more than a hint. This is a bright, sharp, cutting fragrance, full of rapier wit and cleverness. It strikes me as quite masculine, but we'll see how it is on skin. I applied a little on the back of my hand (as I put on Silk Road when I woke up this morning.)

Wet, on skin: The scent mellows a little, becoming lavender, bergamot with a slightly stronger leather tone. No anise, tonka or patchouli or amber at this stage, but there are some notes swimming in the background that don't want to step forward and be identified. I'm struck by what an active fragrance this is. There's nothing lazy or sleepy about it. This scent is running, full out, jumping out windows and climbing the trellis to reach a lady's window. It's exhilerating, rather than soothing. Wow, what a great swashbuckler fragrance.

Dry, on skin: Ah, there you are, Mr. Tonka Bean. How lovely see you again. And with Ms. Leather too. How sexy. Can we get a menoige a tres going with Mr. Patchouli? Or is he too shy? Ah, too shy. Such a shame. I guess he just like to watch. There is definately a leather-bound book smell going on here too, not so much a library as a rich man's parlor. At times the bergamot and lemon peel re-emerge, creating a tea-like scent that, of course, again harkens to comfortable parlors and books (thoroughly sexy books.) How on earth did Beth managed to encapsulate a biography in a perfume, anyway? Astounding.

Conclusion: I was scared this would be too strong an anise scent, but it never really shows up in any meaningful way on me, which is a vast relief. The scent goes from sharp and pleasantly astringent in the beginning to warm, rich and sexy. It's complex, elegant, energetic, gorgeous. It's perfect.

Must, must, must slather this on my Irish lad, who is my own personal swashbuckler. On the other hand, who says it's just for him? I am also sorely tempted to introduce Casanova to Dorian. I think they would get along. Oh yes.

Maybe I can watch :D

[ChupaChup]

Wow, the reviews of Casanova are pretty consistent so far, and I'm going to agree with everyone :D . This oil was very sharp and men's cologne-y at first, the lavender, bergamot and lemon peel came out and hit me right between the eyes. I wasn't sure even my boy would like it at that stage, it was just too too. But when this settles in, it's gorgeous. The amber and tonka come out next, it's dreamy and creamy. Actually, it's what I expected from Dorian because of the reviews, but didn't get. Even the little that remains of the lavender, bergamot and lemon peel give it a tea-like quality. But then it changes again, the leather and just the tiniest hint of patchouli turn it into pure sex (the kind qs describes so well :D ). I let my boy smell it on me at that point and he immediately had to try it himself. He loves it. Another one for us to share :P .

ETA: Forgot to mention, I didn't detect the anise in this either. I happen to love anise so it wouldn't have been a problem, but don't let the mention of that note deter you from trying this awesome blend.

This post has been edited by ChupaChup: 08 April 2005 - 01:32 AM

[Andra]

First Impression: Not leather! :P

Second Impression: Sexy librarian, indeed. This is so understated but utterly captivating. Every man should smell this good. This is a second skin fragrance. Warm, warm, warm. Even with the lemon peel and lavender hinting under the layers of amber and tonka, this is an extremely warm fragrance.

Final analysis: Or is it that Casanova is just making me warm?

[lorajc]

I'm still on the fence about this one. I'm not sure if I'm keeping it or not yet. It is a bit on the masculine side for me. Usually, I like masculine blends, but it seems the older I get, the more I lean towards the feminine scents. First off, I don't detect the anise in this (which is a good thing for me). I smell mostly lavendar and bergamot with the tonka and amber grounding the scent but not detectable on their own. I do not detect the patchouli at all. I think the combination of lavendar and bergamot keep this more on the masculine side. The leather is only slightly noticable on the drydown. I need more time to bond with this one. I will update later.

[Nepthys]

This is what expensive men's cologne tries to be. It's masculine, confident verging on cocky, and sexy as all hell. I happened to get this hours before going off to this huge gay conference and carried the imp with me; two of my butchest friends were just swooning over this, it smelled so dashing on them! This is easily my favorite "boy" BPAL so far, definitely outclassing Wilde and Whitechapel (though they're both quite nice.)

In the imp this smelled at first whiff like a Calvin Klein cologne. At second whiff I realized it was much more artful and inviting than any commercial cologne, and didn't (thank god) have that toxic note I associate with store scent. On me at first it was all lavender and tonka bean; there were clearly other notes blending in, but I couldn't really identify them. It was just a good blend. It started out with a very rakish air and yet as time went on, the scent seemed warmer and comforting in a strong way, like snuggling into a good-smelling man's leather jacket. Total BPAL genius afoot again.

[Aurelius]

Oh holy fuck.
*ahem*
This is truly one of my OMG, WFT BPALs. Just...damn.

This blend has three components that can go very, very wrong on me. Leather? Cheap motel soap. Anise? Makes me ill. Lemon peel? Rotting lemon rind.

How the hell they work so well in this one is the mysteries of Beth's genius. :D

This oil immediately gets stronger once it hits my skin. It's somewhat flowery at first, and I was afraid the flowers would attack. I think they were just rowdy, because they got tired and calmed down. I also was afraid it might be a bit too masculine for me to wear, but it mellows and I'll be damned if I'm not putting this sucker on! Just...gah. I cannot describe how great it is. Sexy, damn sexy. And, seriously, one of the best scents for a man. Ever.

:P

[luxuria]

Whoa, Casanova is one MANLY scent. The most masculine smelling BPAL I've ever tried..reminds me of commercial men's cologne but, of course, vastly superior. For some reason, when a blend gives off a "men's cologne" vibe I have a really hard time picking out individual notes, but what I smell the most is lavendar, bergamot, and leather. Some tonka bean comes out as it dries but mostly it stays pretty similar. Tonka is my favorite note and makes me wish SO badly that I had someone to slather this on!

This would be a good blend to use to try to convert some of your BPAL-skeptical menfolk.

[Thorne]

Fantastic. Just...so yummy. In the bottle, the lavender and bergamot overwhelmed everything else, but once on, it mellows out into a super smooth, creamy, delicious blend. This is a guy dressed in a dark velvet jacket and the softest ivory linen shirt you've ever felt - you keep running your fingers over and over him because it feels so good. And you can't wait to rip his clothes off. Hot!

At first I felt like this was a super masculine scent, but I wore it for a while, and didn't feel too strange. It settles into a really unique, expensive smelling scent, but it doesn't insist on being masculine. I think I'm going to pair it with a few sweeter scents and wear it myself, although if I ever do run into a hot librarian wearing this, I'd be allllll over him.

[tesao]

this was a freebie. i am still reaaaaaaaally new, and it just rocks my world to get freebies. i was a bpal fanatic BEFORE i ever ordered from the lab (just friends sending me yumminess), but now i am obsessed.

in the imp: the zing of scent that hits your nose when first peeling a lemon, followed by an indescribable herb mix. it really smelled masculine to me, so i "volunteered" mr. hotbuns to test drive it.

on the wrist, wet: (to the sound of mr. hotbuns protesting, but i don't WEAR scents) jazzy lemon, earl grey tea, lavender. yum. i want to eat him.

on the wrist, dry: i DEFINITELY want to do more than eat him. :P there is, inexplicably, leather in there now. and something creamy, almost but not quite like vanilla. maybe amber.

overall: all of the above are layered. one minute i smell one thing, the next moment, something else. it has melded but notes ring bright from time to time. right. so he doesn't wear scents. i am going to buy this for him and have him wear it for me in bed at night. if there is an aphrodisiac for tes, this is what a man should wear (women should wear O)

[paperdoll]

Initial Sniff: Very sharp lavender with bergamot and lemon peel. It smells a bit like a household cleaner. I am apprehensive.

Wearing: When wet, it smells just like the scent in the bottle. As it dries, however, the leather and tonka come out and dominate. Pretty soon this scent is all leather, tonka, and amber with some interesting herbal notes on the edges. A faint memory of citrus remains for a while as well.

Final Impressions: This is very masculine and dead sexy. I need to slather this all over my man!! I like it on myself, as well. A keeper either way!

[Ajila]

Wet this was all lavender and bergamot, to the extent that it made me sneeze. Once that settled it was very much lavender and patchouli, which stayed for hours, fading slowly aware. Sadly neither the tonka nor the leather made and appearence.

[couscous]

Wet, I got lemon and bergamot. Dry I got lavender, bergamot, and leather.

This sounded like the perfect blend for me, but leather and I just do not get along. There's also something that smells a bit like oakmoss in here. It's masculine and very elegant. The lemon is not very pronounced at all, so no worries for those of you who hate citrus.

Leather fans will love this one, as bergamot practically marries leather in this one and lavender blends surprisingly well. If you've tried and loved Loviatar or DeSade or dead man's hand, give Casanova a try.

I ended up swapping this one because of the one note I disliked.

[Witch's Dagger]

Casanova

Preconceived notions: Even if the leather doesn't come out, I love all the other notes. Plus, the combination sounds very intriguing.

In the vial: Take lavender, and add to it a little smokiness and a little sharpness. Then make it darker.

On me:
This is really nice. It is still very much like a single note. Lavender, but a darker lavender. The leather isn’t there, as far as I can tell, but I think it’s making the lavender spicier. And I guess the lemon might be what’s making it sharper. I’m not getting any of the other notes, though I can tell that this is very complex. It’s like these other notes are shadows moving around onstage, with the spotlight (leather and lemon) focused on the lavender.

In 15 minutes:
This has softened, but it’s still dark, and still predominantly lavender. I’m getting whiffs of the tonka, though - that’s what’s softening it.

In 45 minutes:
It’s fading into what I’d call a dusky, smoky, herbal blend, still strongly featuring lavender. I notice the leather, and the lemon, as well as the tonka. I don’t get any amber at all, nor have I the entire time wearing it.

In 1 hour:
Smells like, like, like.... old books. Kind of. It has this aged quality that old books have, and while I don’t actually smell the leather note, I do get an impression of an old leather jacket. But old books. Mmm...

Overall:
I love this. Just love it. I wish I got more of the amber, though. But the old books thing. If Miskatonic University doesn’t work on me (not sure about the whiskey in the Irish coffee part of the scent), this is a heavenly old book scent.

[magikfanfic]

In the bottle: This blend has notes of doom ™ for me: anise, lavender and patchouli. But the lab sent it as a freebie so I'll try it out before I pass it on to the boy, whom I'm convinced will adore it and smell great with it on. Strong anise, lavender and bergamot in the vial for me. *whines* Lavender hates my skin with a burning passion in most blends. I'm afraid this might be another one that is doomed.

Wet: Umm...I don't know what the smalle is. Ugh. But it doesn't like me. I think it's the lavender and the bergamot having a scent war. It also smells very green and kinda...oh, hi patchouli. Please go away.

Dry down: It's just...very masculine and overpowering. I was hoping it would be kinda heavy on the tonka and the leather with peeks of the lemon. That would have been pretty. But this is strong and dominating and very much bergamot and I don't know maybe the anise. I'm not really sure which scents have blended together to form this not very nice blend. Oh no, here comes the lavender in full force now. Lavender usually turns to rot on my skin. This is very much not me at all. It smells like smoke and something green. It's just entirely too masculine for my tastes. At least the lavender isn't in the rotting stage, but this blend isn't going to work.

Dry: Mostly lavender and bergamot with...I guess the patchouli. Way too strong and head-shop for me but the boy might like it. I'll hand it over to him.

[Shollin]

First sniff: A very men’s-aftershave-y, cologne-y sort of scent. Big on the lavender.

Wearing: Well, hell. This smells as fantastic on me as I expected it to on my guy. I might have to get a big bottle for us to share. There’s no wood listed in this, but that’s what I’m smelling – a warm smooth wood scent in among the cologne.

[Northernminx]

Masculine? This?
Only in the way that makes most masculine perfumes look wimpy.
Which is not to say this the kind of sweaty, ugh, grunt type of guy.
Smooth, classy, dangerous, seductive, rogueish, and ultimately the kind of man your mother told you to stay away from.
Wow.
Exceptionally well blended I can't quite pick out much of the note list on this, although there are hints of lavender and enough citrus to make this a little bitter initially, it's just utterly gorgeous and sexy as all get out. The leather peeks in occasionally, but overall this is just very well blended, masculine, and sophisticated - the kind of perfume most men's cologne's aspire to be and never reach.

This is so going to my boyfriend.

[Janie]

A classic men's cologne. Beautifully put together, delightfully refreshing, it is a pleasure from start to finish.

So very different from what I would normally order, thanks to the Lab for sending this as a frimp so I could experience another facet of Beth's skill as a perfumer.

[gangstaknitta]

In bottle: Leather, leather, leather. Bergamot underneath. I really like this. It smells very masculine.

Wet: Still leather, the bergamot is, I think, giving it an herby tone. The lemon comes through more.

Dry: Umm, this smells like Old Spice on me. I hate that. It's too perfume-y. But a little later, this "OS" affect dies down and the scent of leather and bergamot come through.
Jury's still out on this one.

[olympia301]

http://www.fabiart.com/x/casanova.jpg

Casanova is filled with my favorite notes, but I know from experience that they have to come together to my taste or else, it's off to the swap pile. Too bad for me that Casanova didn't suit. I thought the concept was grand but when it hit my skin, it did so with a thud.

I did put Casanova up on the swap thread I have, and you will be happy to know that he was snapped up by another eager Forumite and I hope he found a happy home.

The icon is an engraving of the real Casanova.

[isyche]

in vial: sharp bergamot and lavender.

on: bergamot and lavender and leather and amber and other herbs, like a mix of Antony and Saint-Germain (both of which I like a lot), but a bit more complex than either of those. the drydown on me is mainly amber and tonka, I think, with light overtones of the herbs, similar to Saint-Germain's drydown, but richer.

Overall, I really like Casanova and I bet it would be tres sexy on a guy.

This post has been edited by isyche: 02 July 2005 - 09:07 PM

[quikslvr]

Very suave bergamot--very masculine and very cologne-y. The leather/anise combo makes it seem a tad incense-y, as well, although that may be the patchouli talking. I didn't get any lavender from this at all--a good thing, in my book. This is amazing, and gorgeous, but very sophisticatedly masculine and somewhat on the commercial end of scents. While it starts bergamot, then goes to leather/anise/patchouli, every once in awhile it reveals the citrus/bergamot combo, which is almost intrusive. Aggressive. That sort. Later, though, it gets very soft, barely wafting around any. Might be one that needs to be refreshed often.

[shelldoo]

in the vial cologne. i usually get that sensation from strong lavander

wet: lavanderand lemon

as it dries a hint of leather appearsand the tonka whiffs by every once in a while but it is mostly lavander and leather.

reminds me a bit of claiborne for me, but much better and fresher

[blood*rose*flowers]

In the bottle: lemon, a slight leather and lavendar. This smells like a mens after shave.

On wet: I get the smell of lemony fresh leather with again a touch of lavendar. Wow the lemon is disappearing super fast Its getting leatherier ( a new word :P ) and I think that tonka is appearing just slightly.

Dry Down: Hey Anise is that you in there? Hey Anise? I swear he is hiding in there somewhere and I wish he would come out. I still getting that leather and lavendar scent that smells very nicely manly.

Overall: I bet this rocks on a man with its strange twist on leather. But sadly not good on me.