Whitechapel

[FireInCairo]

A gentlemen's blend, possessed of dignity, charm and refinement, but in truth masking a corrupted, hideous, soulless core. White musk, lime, lilac and citron.

This would smell lovely on a stately bloke. I love the lime. Very nice

[Laurel the Woodfairy]

I pulled this out of Brian's imps to try, and I didn't have the notes in front of me at the time, but my experience was true to the description. Whitechapel starts with a bright clean burst of lemon/lime, but it *really* morphs. After 20 mins. or so, a soft floral powder/musk undernote came out (white musk and lilac, I see now) and is going strong after several hours. And it's VERY addictive. I keep sniffing myself.

 

I can see how this captures 2 personalities--it comes on all sparkly clean, but then does an about-face and becomes insinuatingly soft and sort of lurking. I can't imagine Mr. Jack the Ripper ever smelled this nice, but I *do* like it for Mr. Jackstraw--he tends to wear vanilla/rum scents ( ) but this gives him something lighter and more citrusy for summer.

 

Note: Whitechapel is gender neutral and would work beautifully on feminine Ripperites, but I think I will prefer to sniff it on the boy than to wear it myself.

[Muppetk]

This is nice.

 

imp: strong lilac, hint of citrus

 

Wet one me: mostly citron & lime with a touch of musk, light lilac.

 

5 min later: mmm, lemony

 

10 min later: lemony with hint of lilac. I might have to keep this one.

 

Fades too soon, about a half hour or so, but really pretty while it lasts. I think I'm going to try mixing this one with unscented lotion to see how it does.

[Little Bird]

This is another masculine blend that doesn't strike me as smelling masculine. It's too floral, powdery, and sweet for me to consider it manly.

 

In the imp, this is zesty, sweet limes and a background of smooth, cool lilac. I like the smell of lilacs, and this is a true lilac scent, but I don't like it paired with the citrus.

 

On my skin, this is candied limes and powdery lilac. It smells like a fresh, floral, girly scent. It also sometimes smells like cleanser to me.

 

I'm not too fond of Whitechapel. It stays strong and lasts all day (and all night), but it starts to give me a headache and bother me after a short while.

Edited September 5, 2009 by Little Bird

[quikslvr]

Beautiful, light, and very sophisticated. I get mostly lilac/light musk, although it has an initial citrus to it. Clean at first, then softens. Lovely. Not long-lasting, though.

[OriginalWacky]

Bottle (Imp): Lemony?

 

Just On: Lime. I am really liking this. It's not what I expected, but it's gorgeous.

 

An hour or two later: Hmm, a very slightly bitter scent, and not so much lime any more.

 

Around 6 hours: Less lime, more of a not quite bitter scent.

 

12 hours: It ended up with some bitterness, not very strong. It's mostly faded.

 

Overall: I liked the way it started, but my skin turned into something else. :: sigh :: Off to the swaps.

 

After reading other reviews: I didn't get nearly as much lemonyness once I put it on. I can't tell what turned bitter with my skin, but this one is a swapper. Or maybe a room scent.

[k00kaburra]

In bottle: Lime and white musk. Mostly lime. Lime like yummy candy lime. Wait, there's some lilac floral bit. Eh. I still say it smells like candy.

On me: Lime - citron extending the life of the lime, so that it is blending most wonderfully with the white musk. It is difficult for me to describe the effect white musk and lilac have on lime - it softens it but does not sweeten it. Unfortunately, like all lime scents this disappears quite rapidly.

[Aredhel]

Rating (on skin): 1/5

Summarised in a word or two: Lime!

 

In the imp: Heavy, thick, musky lime.

 

On skin, wet: This smells of some sort of lime punch, or lime candy. Very sweet, but very lime.

 

On skin, dry: The only time I get anything but lime is in the imp, and even then, it's just the faintest whiff of musk. After that, it's all lime.

 

Conclusion: Certainly not for me. I'm not a lime fan, but I'd hoped the musk and lilac would balance it out. Go dice.

Edited December 24, 2005 by Aredhel

[ismene]

Despite being described as a gentleman's cologne, Whitechapel is certainly appropriate for a woman. It's a soft blend, pleasantly citrusy at first. After a time the lilac kicks in, which makes the scent start going powdery on me. Unfortunately I do get some of that furniture polish smell after an hour or so - I'm starting to think my skin will do this every citrus/floral blend. I think this would be a nice one for people whose skin likes citrus notes better than mine.

[olympia301]

 

At first I get lemon and a bit 'o lime... but a couple of seconds later it develops an animalic edge! (Lemon in heat? That's a new one on me). By now I know enough now to stop my judgment and wait for the blend to unfold. And it does. This is really special. Again the elements knit together to form something that is preternaturally greater than the sum of the parts. The surprising combination of citron and lilac is superb when mingled with Beth's marvelous White Musk. It all becomes a whole new scent, like an element of the plant world which you have not smelled before. This is what I was wanting in Wilde and Dorian, but couldn't find it there on my skin.

 

Once again, do not put your nose directly on this one, it really needs the atmosphere to diffuse, mix and work it's magic. Nose too close will just get you disappointment.

 

If you asked me before I tried Whitechapel, I would have said,"Yes I like lemon (even though it's been done to death and nobody could possibly use it in a new way in a fragrance), lilac is cloying and I don't like White Musk." Well, Beth has changed all that for me. In this case those three elements mix to become so enchanting you might just offer up your throat for the pleasure of the moment. Here lilac only becomes the good parts, lemon shows another side to its acerbic personality, and White Musk sweetly adds to the time of your pleasure while knitting the lemon and lilac together in perfect harmony.

Whitechapel broadcasts nicely. You don't need very much to scent the air around you. It lasts and lasts as well. I can imagine the merest brushing of it in your scent locket will have you happy all day. You might want to let it dry for a few minutes before you seal up the locket, so the elements have the time to bloom and the lemon/lime animal burns off letting the sweet lilac start to peek through.

 

This is another case where Beth's alchemy has yielded results far better than you could imagine out of the ingredients. This stuff is a real treat, and it goes so well with summer, spring, and I would wear it during the other seasons, too.

 

 

 

Yes, there is a tiny ghost in the icon of Whitechapel.

Edited July 4, 2005 by olympia301

[Abbie]

In the bottle: Limes, but sweetened up to lime popsicle levels. A bit dry and powdery. Young women who sat upon the graves of suicides might wear this:)

 

First on: A more intense lime zest scent is coming through. I wouldn't call this too masculine at all. It does make you smell like a margarita, though. The powdery candyish smell is still there.

 

Dry: Aaaaand... it's gone. In about half an hour while I did my hair and makeup. This one fades on me FAST.

 

Overall: Not a keeper. It smells too sweet and powdery. It definitely evokes Whitechapel, though: a gentleman vampire would totally wear this to cover up the smell of the blood and dirt.

 

ETA: Okay, I'm a spaz. I was thinking Whitby, where Dracula menaces Lucy and Mina. *Whitechapel* is famous for Jack the Ripper. Ignore all the vampire references. Teach me to try and be literary.

Edited October 5, 2005 by Abbie

[slugbait]

olympia301, great post! I couldn't have said it better.

 

This is one of my big bottles!

 

I bought an imp of this for my fiancé who didn’t care for it at all. It was love at first sniff for me. While wet, this is a luscious citrus. Dry, it is powdery lime goodness, lightly floral, with the musk doing a one-two punch. The lasting power is phenomenal, it stays until I wash it off.

 

When wearing Whitechapel, I feel very alert and determined. This blend is vigorous and stimulating, and it keeps me focused. It is wonderfully unisex, I would love to smell this on a guy.

 

I can’t say enough good things about Whitechapel other than it is a fantastic blend and one that I will always keep around.

Edited July 8, 2005 by slugbait

[sookster]

Whitechapel is simply stunning!!!!

 

I have 2 imps of this that I am using oh so sparingly until my big bottle arrives from the lab

 

White musk, lime, lilac and citron all come out and work together dreamily with my chemistry....the combo of all these make this one of my all time favs I have tried yet!!

 

Beth has outdone herself yet again....gorgeous!!!!

[OdetteOdile]

Whitechapel

 

Smells like Dorian to me - without the vanilla, but still sweet. Like tart lemon pudding.

There's a tiny bit of soapiness, but happily that isn't a dominant note.

I like this so much. It's very clean, without being cold and sterile. It has a warmth and almost a sweet nutty undertone - I guess that must be the white musk, it certainly isn't the citrus.

I normally don't like white musk - at least not in non-BPAL fragrances - but this brings out a new side of that note on me. There's also a very faint spiciness that develops & that I really like.

Eventually it got a bit more masculine - but subtly, so I still like it.

[telesilla]

This was the "one of these things is not like the other" imp in my first six pack order. I added it when I realized that almost everything I was ordering was spicy or incensey.

 

Wet: this sounds weird, but it smells like sweet WD-40. Even weirder is the fact that this isn't necessarily a deterrent; when I was a kid I loved the smell of WD-40.

 

Drying and initial dry down: Still with the WD-40 smell, but it's going a little powdery on me. I wonder if that's the lilac.

 

Dry: Well it's not WD-40 anymore. The musk's a little more evident and it's kind of powdery and pretty. Not at all what I think of as a "gentleman's blend," but I like it.

[zankoku_zen]

In the Bottle: Strong lime smell.... almost like limeade!

 

On Skin: Very fresh. Very strongly clean. There is a whiff of a soft floral coming through which must be the lilac.

 

On Drydown: This gets a tinge of a soapy smell. This makes me think of drinking lemonade as you watch your clothes hang in the breeze. It smells really tasty.

 

Verdict: Pretty smell but a bit too sharp for my taste. I don't think its for the boy either. Off to swap this goes.

[joseybird]

This is Villain in 10 years time if he continues his life of scum and villainy

 

The scent starts out as bright, sharp lime--sligh and high-pitched and "hollow" smelling against the background of lilac and musk.

 

That lilac and musk...

 

I'm not sure whether or not this is the lilac of Blue Lilac SN fame, but it's gorgeous...it has this heady, intoxicating quality characteristic of florals like ylang ylang; combined with the white musk (which adds a hazy texture to the lilac), Whitechapel smells strangely comforting...no--soporific. The lime is still hanging around the edges--it smells almost metallic.

 

Whitechapel is comforting, intoxicating, and seductive (yet elegant)...the lime is the perfect "corrupting" note. It's like biting into a perfect, dewy piece of fruit only to find that it's been devoured from within by maggots brilliant!

Edited August 11, 2005 by joseybird

[rellyjean]

In the vial: Very, very lime. I like it. Not getting anything else.

 

First on: ooooooh. The musk and everything else come out and cloud up the crisp lime. Dark. Sinister. Lime that's lurking somewhere with evil intent. I like the "citrus that slithers" description.

 

Drying: Simmering. Musky. Shadowy. Dark.

 

Whitechapel slinks around you in a cloud. The lime is hiding, it's not sharp and biting citrus, it's just adding colors to the swirling mist. It's a dark foggy night when you shouldn't be walking alone, and you hear the click of your heels on the wet pavement and wrap your coat around you tighter and there's a thrill of fear that's laced with just a touch of excitement.

 

Sexy in a very dangerous way.

 

Mmmmm. I need more of this. And not just because I seem to slather it more heavily than most of my scents.

 

This doesn't seem masculine to me. Or rather - I can see a guy wearing it, I don't mean that, but I don't see anything that doesn't make it perfectly awesome for me. It's mysterious and floaty and dark and sophisticated and elegant and - I said dangerous, but it bears repeating.

 

Big bottle. Huge.

[Ajila]

Wet on me this was primarily a juicy lime, with furniture polish in the background. This threw me somewhat, but once I'd made the connection with furniture polish I couldn't get away from it and when the lime faded it was all I was left with. I don't dislike this, but I don't wish to smell of it. It did make me want to track down a lime scent that works better for me though.

Edited July 18, 2005 by Ajila

[gingersnapp]

This is actually very lovely. It is a sweet, creamy floral. The most dominant note on me is the lilac, which I love, and the lime and citron bring up the rear beautifully. There isn't much of a hint of the white musk, but perhaps as the day wears on...

[~AmusedMuse~]

My Impression: I normally love ctrus scents, but for me this was too lemon pledge like. I didnt get any musk notes or lilac...

I agree with the first reviewers statemet that "This is citrus that slithers."

[BlueStar]

In the bottle: Lemony snicket this smells limey!

 

Wet on the skin: The Lilac trys desperately to creep out from under the bold aroma of the Lime and Citron and fails miserably all other notes are drowned out by this over poweringly citrusy orgasm of... well citrus.

 

Drydown: Hazzah! Here it is... Lilac, White Musk there you are where have you been? My you smell lovely what are you wearing, is that L'eau D'Orange Vert? No? Oh silly me. Her eis where Whitechapel got me. The notes come through as it warms on your skin. The hotter your skin the better it smells. I wear this on hot days or when my Dracul breaks *sob* or when the imp of Dracul runs out *double sob*.

 

I imagine in drydown this is what Captain Jack Sparrow would smell like as he commanded both the attention of the ladies and the ire of their escorts. I feel positively pirate in this wonderful blend. This one is genius!

[grrrlennyl]

at first: a beautiful blend. not as cool as i thought it would be. all of the notes are mingling wonderfully.

on: gorgeous. lots of citrus, but with a musky undertone. i love this.

1 hour later: still citrussy, but warmer. this definitely has a nice edge to it (i'm assuming from the lime). very nice.

2 hours later: a little too soapy.

3 hours later: a tiny bit soapy, but mostly powdery.

overall: i only have a partial imp of this, but i think it will be nice on humid days. i probably wouldn't get a bottle, since it goes soapy on me, but i'll enjoy using what i have.

[Khaman]

I haven't worn this one yet, but I made my boyfriend slather a little bit on and I started nibbling on his neck pretty much immediately afterward.

 

The citrus scent remained very strong on him for several hours, but not overwhelmingly so. The musk balanced it out nicely. Lovely. I have to get some Antony to try on him, first, but this could possibly be a bottle for him someday.

[Dark Seraphim]

One of the best scents I ever had. I'm glad I managed to get my hands on an imp of it.

 

Bottle: Lime/Lilac sort of scent. I was picturing white when I smelt this. Gee, I wonder why. There's a hint of musk, but not much.

 

On Skin: Perfect. The white musk dominates here, and that's pretty much all I smelt. Very sensual, and long lasting.

 

Burner: Same as on skin. Lasted even after the tea light burnt out. Wonderful.

 

This is one of the best blends I've ever tried. One of the clear favorites. 10/10