218 replies to this topic

[blackrayne]

GREED

From the Seven Deadly Sins collection...

Base and earthy, yet glittering with golden notes: patchouli, heliotrope, copal and oakmoss.

Greed...brings about great desires and an urge to attain massive wealth.

*edited to add the official BPAL description*

[jj_j]

Patchouli and heliotrope come out immediately, with the copal not far behind. The oakmoss stays at the bottom and really ties these three together.

I don't know that I'd call it golden, but I would call it rich. Very earthy, but not overwhelmingly so - and something I want to keep applying as I sniff it.

[Sarah]

This was a woodsy scent that reminded me of Unseelie, but much darker. Wet, the heliotrope stood out, but as it dried the patchouli came out to play. Unfortunately I've never been really fond of patchouli... it ended up smelling bitter and rank on my wrists, to the point where I went to wash it off. So for me the initial smell is nice, drydown was not.

[Nadirah]

Maybe I put this on on the wrong day. It definatly reminds me of something, waking up too early from the sound of the shower and a shaver being dragged across wet skin. Weird but thats what I pictured... This was a wash off for me as well, but I think on a day when I am ready to come back to that place I will perhaps like this one. Its more of a manly scent to me, very strong, almost overpowering. I put on some Tempest after I had this one on to feel more feminine..

[antimony]

Inevitable Wall Street reference...

Greed is Good.

This is the smell of not only having money, but knowing how to wear it. Custom shirts, tailored suits, gold-colored designer ties... and gold cufflinks.

Donald trump would wear this, Bill Gates would not. Gordon Gecko would wear this, Scrooge McDuck would not.

[shriekingviolet]

Initial Impression:
Green, fresh and earthy. There's something sparkly here too like the glimmer of light off jewels and new coins. Slightly resiny and sharp.

After Wearing It:
The copal note was really heavy on me, though that's not necessarily a bad thing. It did make it smell similar to Aureus on me though. The scent smells metallic, like the way metal tastes. It also made me think of freshly minted money, though I suppose this isn't exactly what crisp bills smell like. It definitely does smell like something you might rub into a dollar bill in hopes of attracting wealth.

The scent overall was very heavy and sharp, almost to the point of bitterness. It mellowed down a bit so that it was quite so overwhelming, but the copal (and later the patchouli) were always pressing over my skin as if trying to influence my actions. Which I suppose it appropriate for Greed.

Final Thoughts:
I don't think I could wear this. It smells masculine on me and just not my type. I do want to keep the imp though, rather than swapping it away. It'd be interesting to see how it's work in a money-drawing ritual.

[darklorelei]

Oh dear. Maybe mine was mislabled?

Anyways, I thought Greed smelled exactly like maraschino cherries. Now, while I can eat a jar in a sitting, smelling like 'em doesn't suit my fancy.

[lucymoonstar]

I REALLY wanted to like this one but it seemed much too heavy and masculine for my tastes. Initially when I first applied I could really smell the patchouli and this is good because I love that but it also smelled a little bitter and woodsy. I wanted to give it a chance and upon dry down it started smelling a little bit like "Obsession" by Calvin Klein - on my skin anyway.

To me this is a very masculine scent and I am going to give it to my boyfriend and see how it works on him.

[supasonicsage]

It is funny, I got this one free (thanks, Beth!) and I never ever would have ordered it for myself. I really don't care for patchouli too much.

But on me, it starts out sort of strong and patchoulish, but on the dry down it mellows to this really nice soft, spicy scent that lasts FOREVER (like two days).

I don't know if I would buy a full bottle of it, but I wouldn't part with the imp for anything.

And sorry I am not better at describing notes. Patchoulish isn't even a word

[coal coat]

Greed smells exactly as I imagine greed would: warm and golden and lightly cherry sweet but inescapably acrid.

[ebonykawai]

I absolutely LOVE this one! On me it almost turns powdery but with green floral overtones. I just bought 5mL of this one. It reminds me of something I can't quite place, a note that I've encountered before but cannot put my finger on.

[Ina Garten Davita]

First Impression: Warm and woodsy, deep and rich.

Second Impression: I love this one. It has a sweetness about it which makes the patchouli not so earthy.

Final Analysis: Another winner. Smells beautiful on me, though it's a very rich scent it's not heavy at all. It was very warm today and it was just about right for the day. It's been about 5 hours since I've applied it. It's barely there on my sking but still very present in my hair.
This may sound silly, but this is what I imagine Orlando Bloom would smell like.

Edited by andrabell, 10 May 2004 - 06:11 PM.

[roisnoir]

Wet: Mmm. Oakmoss. Earthy. Athsma-inducing. Damn.
We'll see if this develops - the water is off (hot water heater is getting replaced this morning) so I can't go wash it off.
Nope. Still causing severe tightening of the sinuses and lungs by the smell alone.
Into the swap pile, then. Wish I could give it a proper try.

[minilux]

Now this is rich and sexy. It makes me think of the kind of woman who is sexier in trousers (and can probably kick some butt if she has to), like Lauren Hutton, Sigourney Weaver or Marlene Dietrich. Usually patchouli does not work on me at all, but as Andrabell said above, there is a sweetness that mellows the patchouli. I got this once as a extra and thought it was way too strong so I swapped it. I got it a 2nd time as an extra and I'm so glad I gave it another try.

[quinkel]

Another winner!

First time to wear this one today and its a scent that surrounds you. I am wrapped if a soft scented powdery blanked. Although I did't get compliments, people (colleques) are hanging around me today.

Greed is attractive like a rich lady is attractive for her money

[paperdoll]

Initial Sniff: This manages to be earthy and sparkle at the same time. I like it!

Wearing: When wet, the patchouli is mostly what i smell. As it dries, however, the heliotrope and something else (I'm guessing the copal) come out to play and add the sparkle back in. Completely dry this is sweet sparkly patchouli goodness.

Final Impressions: I love this. I actually don't know why I haven't tried it before, being the huge fan of heliotrope that I am... definitely a keeper.

[isyche]

This is woody/patchouli on me at first - I don't really notice any floral and I'm not sure what copal smells like. Later, it acquires some sweetness on the surface but keeps the deep woody undernote.
It's oddly metallic, especially at first, and does suggest money. If this is golden, it's heavy gold, like bullion, not light sparkly gold, and quite masculine. I can see powerful businessmen wearing this.

It's not really me, but it's a v. interesting interpretation of the sin of greed.

Edited by isyche, 04 July 2004 - 02:17 AM.

[xoe]

Wow. This is very different to me, than to any of the other reviews. To me it smells almost exactly like cinnamon. At first it's the copal. (Or I'm guessing the copal is what stands out the most strongly. I used to have some incense that smelled just like this, and I think it was mainly copal.) But then it's cinnamon. I can see what is meant by "glittering".

Greed is very rich and quite masculine. Oh dear. A man who smelled like this would be divine.

**eta: It has been 11 hours and this is still going strong. WOW.

Edited by xoe, 11 July 2004 - 03:29 AM.

[Ctrlfreak]

This one lasted and lasted, and the longer I smelled it the better I liked it. This is the smell of a wad of bills buried in a metal box in a swamp.

Also a perfect match with Lush's Tramp.

[Pookstrell]

Like darklorelei, I also found myself wondering if I had a mislabelled imp, as this smelled nothing like the descriptions given by other forumites!

In the bottle:
This smelled a little like baby powder against a backdrop of something darker and more earthy which I assumed (given the scent description) would begin dominate once applied to my skin.
First hour of wearing:
Upon skin contact this is a very loud, pronounced baby powder. There is a note in Brut which is similar to this, although with my uneducated nose I am unable to pinpoint it. The resemblance to Brut made me conceive of this scent as quite masculine.
Then suddenly…
A strange intermittent phase:
I took a deep lungful of aroma from my wrist and (underneath the powder) it was abruptly and surprisingly November 5th... complete with smell of wet earthy grass, burnt out sparklers and freezing evening air. Alas, this sudden burst was fleeting and was rapidly lost beneath the still intense powdery-ness. Perhaps I was given a glimpse of the potential of this scent on someone else’s skin?
Later on:
My suspicions that this scent is not me were confirmed on the way to the supermarket this evening. Whilst in the middle of driving, my boyfriend turned to me and remarked ‘Have you put some kind of powder on?’

It seems I have managed to turn greed and joyful prospect of financial gain into the smell of a freshly powdered babies' bottom. Oh dear.

Edited by Pookstrell, 09 August 2004 - 11:57 PM.

[Northernminx]

Patchouli and I think maybe the moss are predominant in the bottle, something a little but earthy but still sweet. Wearing this however did not work overly well, as I was left with a faint, sticky, herbal sweetness so overpowering it turned my stomch. I guess I'm not greedy
Swaps!

[t3andcrumpets]

I can distinguish patchouli, copal, and heliotrope in the vial...

On me, it goes sickly sweet. Heavens only knows why, but the copal is strong and the rest of it is sweet, with almost a cinnamon-like spicy tang that's making me a little nauseated.

This one was a quick wash off.

[Miggins]

Greed starts off at the darkest green with splashes of violet and purple. In the quickest dry-down ever, it becomes the heaviest, most powdery white floral - almost a cloying suffocating floral - but with a vicious streak running right through it and the sharpest of tongues.

Have you ever seen pictures of the UK’s late Princess Margaret in the 1950s and 1960s looking all minx-like? She was probably wearing Greed in those. And have you ever watched Bette Davis in “Whatever Happened To Baby Jane?”. She left a waft of something very Greed-like in her wake. And Joan Crawford? She probably bathed in Greed.

And apparently (but this is just a rumour), Audrey Hepburn wanted to wear Greed when she played Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany's - but she was too damn nice.

Edited by Miggins, 31 August 2004 - 08:18 AM.

[ChupaChup]

I got this in a swap from the bubbly Northernminx, thanks! Greed starts of very bright and sparkly, reminding me of Eclipse, with the almond and heliotrope notes. As it drys down, it does get more earthy. I can definitely detect the copal and the oakmoss, my nose can't find the patchouli. At this stage, it does get more masculine, as others have mentioned, so I don't think the oil is quite right for me. I swiped some on the boy and thank goddess, we found a BPAL oil he really likes! I have been trying for quite a while to enable him It smells really delish on him.

ETA: My boy ended up ordering a 5ml of this and this bottle has a lot more patchouli in it. After about two hours, the patchouli fades enough so that it smells like the original imp. Still a stunning winner!

Edited by ChupaChup, 20 October 2004 - 11:45 PM.

[grrrlennyl]

greed

at first: this was a free imp from the lab. it's heavy, sweet, and earthy. very interesting. i think i may really like this.
on: patchouli and a very sweet flower. heavy, but nice.
1 hour later: still mostly patchouli, but with something more tart underneath. it's still sweet and heavy. i like this one.
2 hours later: i think this is making my nose itch a little, but i don't care. it reminds me a bit of lush's tramp: patchouli and violets. this is great.
5.5 hours later: still heavy and gorgeous. i probably wouldn't have picked this one myself, but i love it!
8.5 hours later: this is mostly just sweet now, but that's ok. it was very strong for a long time.
overall: i don't think i ever would have picked this out for myself, but i love it! it may actually be a big bottle, since it's a nice, heavy, floral patchouli, which is something i haven't run across yet. woo hoo!