BoneBone24

Wet: Sunshiney lavender. Uplifting and fresh.

Drydown: Bright, tart verbena softened by a touch of papery lavender. Happy and fresh, but not simple. Pretty without being too girly. It smells the way butterfly kisses feel.

Dry: There’s a slightly cool green vibe added by the elemi. It mixes well with the lemony brightness of the verbena and calming herbalness of the lavender. It’s surprisingly romantic, for being such a clean and fresh blend. The lavender really gives it a grounded, almost spicy element. This blend plays innocent, but all the while it’s secretly seducing you.

This is the blend to wear when you want to feel like a tomboy princess!

8.5 out of 10 bones

Wet: Extra creamy coconut. Frothy.

Drydown: Creamy, almost boozy, coconut with a hint of a pale floral and something musky and spicy. Tropical in a very sultry way. Almost indecent. Scratch the almost, this absolutely is indecent. Like a hedonistic romp in the tropics, muttering the mantra “what stays in (insert tropical paradise here), stays in…”

Dry: A coconut cocktail teasingly drizzled upon tanned, sweaty skin. Body heat warmth, spicy resins, supple osmanthus, and oh so creamy coconut.

7.5 out of 10 bones

Wet: Sweet, creamy, and complex.

Drydown (early): Smoky cream with dusky resins and a bit of fruit. More resins and spices as it dries. Soft, but robust and tingly. Very similar to Snake Oil, but this works much better on my skin. The coconut and benzoin amplify the vanilla’s creaminess, while the vanilla itself stays subdued.

Drydown (later): The amber and musk float to the top, with the plum occasionally joining them. Everything else melds together in a spicy, hazy, smoky cloud of resinous goodness. There’s a moment of plastic, but it doesn’t last long.

Dry: A lightly smoky, golden, creamy, spicy, plummy musk.

7.5 out of 10 bones

Wet: Sweet and shimmery. Brighter than expected, and just a touch fruity. Something about it reminds me of Anubis; not the scent as a whole, but perhaps there’s a shared note or two.

Drydown: Glittery, translucent resins. Slightly sweet. This may sound crazy, but it actually smells a lot like edible body glitter! The scent texture falls somewhere between soft powder and shimmery sand. The sweetness goes from being honey-like to taking on more of a red flavor, eventually revealing itself as the dragon’s blood. The frankincense adds its own sweetness, dutifully keeping the dragon’s blood in check. (Sometimes it goes too sharp or flowery on me, but not here!)

Dry: Shimmering clouds of mystery and illusion. If I had to assign it a color, it would be multi-chromatic, because there seems to be multiple indeterminate colors at once. Mysteriously magical!

8 out of 10 bones

Wet: White flowers with something from the orris/iris family. Sharp, golden, and soapy.

Drydown: Warmer and gentler now. The sharp note has died down and a calming herbal note has come forth. There’s a slight sweetness that I can’t yet identify. It smells very sunshiney; I can almost picture myself all dolled up in a girly dress, laying in the middle of some flowery field, soaking in the sun.

Dry: Gentle jasmine, calming herbs, and something golden, grounded by a creamy and resinous something (benzoin?). This is a kind scent, smelling both innocent and nurturing. Like a loving mother from a storybook.

7 out of 10 bones

Wet: Dark, somber orchid

Drydown/Dry: Pale, misty resins. The opium lends a deep, intoxicating warmth to the blend, while the orchid brings a cooler energy. Where the two meet a fog-like smoke is formed. Airy, but dark and shadowy.

7 out of 10 bones

 

 

I have been looking for a scent that resembles Coty Dark Vanilla for years (they always discontinue what I like most). Notes on this blend are sketchy. One website will list a set of notes and then another website will list a whole different set. Here is what I think would be the correct notes : top notes of bergamot, coconut and peach. At the heart of the fragrance are jasmine, geranium and lily-of-the-valley, placed on a woody base of sandalwood, cedar, musk, tonka bean and vanilla.

 

The search so far as lead to no winners, I did get an old bottle off eBay...and this stuff does not age out well. Stinky cloying alcohol mess.

 

Another one I have been looking for is Gerlain's Mahora. It's a hard one to wear, and it's more interesting than pretty but I miss it. It was my first sort of grown up lady bottle. Notes are orange blossom, almond blossom, and green accords (I’m going to say oak moss is in there for sure) in the top, ylang-ylang, neroli, tuberose and jasmine in the heart, and sandalwood, vanilla and vetiver in the base.

 

Anyone want to take a stab at it?

 

This is an old post, but Morocco kind of went to a Dark Vanilla-ish place on me.

 

 

Thanks for taking time to try to help me . Sadly, while I do see a bit of Morocco (one of my fave BPAL) in Dark Vanilla its not enough on my skin to be a dupe . My search continues. Why do we always wants what we can'ts have?

 

Have you tried Kubla Khan? It's a bit of a wildcard because the long note list makes it very skin chemistry-dependent, but it might be worth a shot.

 

Are there any GCs like Geek? My Geek bottle is getting very low (just a few applications left) and finding a bottle is basically impossible these days.

 

Talk about some post necromancy but I am down to about 1ml of Geek left and bottles are basically unavailable even on eBay now. (Hint Lab for a resurrection. Guaranteed seller!)

 

Earlier in this thread I saw that some consider Nemesis to be an equivalent for Geek. Anyone else have this experience? Any other recommendations?

 

Not that this helps, but I don't find Nemesis and Geek to be similar at all!

To make up for my non-helpfulness, will suggest Druid or (the discontinued) Tintagel

Wet: Soft leather, smoke, and sweet spice.

Drydown: Soft and grounded. Sweet, smoky woods with a touch of leather. It smells like cabin in the woods, complete with dry pine needles and grass on the floor brought in with someone’s shoes, and some sort of cinnamon stick decoration hanging on the wall.

Dry: The leather, opoponax, and patchouli fade into one another creating a cozy cloud of smoky, masculine-leaning goodness. The scent of pine and moss add an uplifting brightness, while the cinnamon adds an enticing sweetness. Perfectly blended and rather attractive.

8 out of 10 bones

Wet: Sweet and brown. Smoky woods and jellied tobacco.

Drydown: There’s quite a bit of gummy sweetness coming from somewhere. Sort of frothy and boozy with a slight tingle from the bay. The oak grounds the scent as the smoky tobacco, boozy bourbon, and sweetly-fresh bay meld together in a beautiful, almost-but-not-quite-gourmand, cloud of goodness.

Dry: Softer and smoother now. Slightly spicy, subtly sweet, and softly smoky. As the day wears on it grows smoother and spicier.

7 out of 10 bones

Wet: Fresh, still-on-the-tree apple. Not a sweet apple, almost bitter actually.

Drydown: Crisp sour apple. It smells stemmy and green, somewhat like a crab apple. A deep brown note muddles the blend. The scent of damp, acrid fall leaves pile up at the base of the apple tree. A gust of cold air brings in a sweetness that tempers the blend, as if each note was dissipating.

Dry: A very muddled mix of fall leaves, tree bark, crisp apple, and the chill of a first frost.

7 out of 10 bones

 

Any ideas for popular characters in anime and manga?

 

I'm really excited especially about Tsubasa Chronicle, because they're finally coming out with a new chapter after years.

(I ordered RPG Mage while thinking about Fai D. Flourite, but it doesn't quite fit. I'm looking for something clean, frosty, light and sweet. He's absolutely one of my favorite characters.)

They are?! Oh wow, I might need to actually finish it then. I'll reread my books and then get back to you on Fai.

 

Hmm, I'll put in my own request for a recommendation. Kazuma Kuwabara from Yu Yu Hakusho. I am literally stumped. Something manly, but you also have to keep his kindness and TRUE LOVE thing into account. Also his sensitivity to spirits... o.o He's basically a street punk that goes on to fight demons.

 

"Kuwabara was described as a stupid and ugly person. However he is extremely loyal to his friends and has a very strict code of honor. He would do anything for his friends and for love. He can be clumsy, reckless, and is also stubborn, persistent, and also has a great sense of humor. He doesn't give up a fight, even if he's injured. He has a temper, but not as bad as Yusuke's. He has a kind heart and an honest nature. He does not fight girls. Kuwabara is considered the kindest of the main characters." - From the Yu Yu Hakusho wiki.

I haven't watched this anime (yet), so feel free to take this rec with a grain of salt. Minus the first sentence, that character description sounds exactly like my husband, and his favorite BPAL is Dragon's Hide. For whatever that's worth!

Dry: Earthy, pale resins of a greenish persuasion.

Drydown: Slightly sweet, earthy, and dusty. Pale and papery. The reviews that say it smells like dollar bills are indeed correct. There’s a brightness coming from the oakmoss, but it’s nearly drowned out by the earthiness of the patchouli. As it dries, a creamy sweetness begins to balance out the patchouli’s darkness.

Dry: Creamy, golden copal confidently assumes the lead. The patchouli is dialed down, like a touch of soft earth just beneath your feet. The heliotrope is barely noticeable, but it does seem to lend a hint of prettiness that wasn’t there before. Soft, creamy, and lightly earthy. It stays very close to the skin.

8 out of 10 bones

Wet: Purple flowers with sweet herbs. Fresh and clean.

Drydown: I smell berries and evergreen trees, both of which are tempered nicely by dreamy flowers. There’s a touch of waxy creaminess, from the honeycomb no doubt. There's a bit of a glimmer of gold in there too.

Dry: Dreamy and woodsy. Mainly a berry-sweetened floral, but with a complex and shimmering base of green and gold and white.

I think this one will layer well - It has a "plays nicely with others" vibe.

6.5 out of 10 bones

Wet: Clean and white, but not in a floral or aquatic way. Airy, soft, and slightly sweet.

Drydown: Creamy vanilla joins the clean airiness. As it dries, something material-like comes through. Initially I think it might be a plasticky metallic, but as it develops further I realize it’s actually a very processed leather note. It lends an edginess to the blend without completely corrupting the purity of it all.

Dry: Airy, creamy, and clean, with a hint of soft leather. there’s a pleasant brightness to it, quite similar to tea. Pure and white, with a touch of edgy sophistication.

7.5 out of 10 bones

Wet: Green and sweet, slightly herbal. Juniper, maybe?

Drydown: A soft, gummy fruit, like plum. As it dries it becomes stickier, sweeter. The greenery fades out as the sweetness amps up. It smells like gummy bears and blackberry jam.

Dru: The fruit softens again, becoming more bearable, and a touch of watery greens can be detected once again. It smells peaceful, like a berry bush and lush plant-life at the edge of a pond.

6 out of 10 bones

Wet: Peanut butter toast (on wheat). Smoky and dark.

Drydown: Peanut butter toast with a smidgen of sweet dirt and a hint of something floral. It becomes muskier and less peanutty as it dries. A soft stone note comes forth as the last of the peanut butter fades away. Smoky and sweet with an almost frothy, semi-metallic dirt note as the base. … Ooh! A menthol-type note has appeared and I like it!

Dry: nomnomnom. Whoops, it seems I’ve just eaten my arm!

(In all seriousness, once dry this becomes an amazingly delicious mix of menthol and smoky dirt, with lots and lots of sweet lemony musk. Sort of how Dorian would smell after taking a long hike.)

And this, ladies and gentlemen, is why you always skin test!

9 out of 10 bones

Wet: Outdoorsy, like bright, tart grass...but better than that sounds. Very fresh, with an herbal earthiness.

Drydown: Happy and spa-like. I’m not familiar with rhubarb, but if that is what I’m smelling, it must smell very good! It's very similar to a tomato leaf soap whose scent I positively adore. Bright, but supple. Almost sweet, almost citrusy, and a little bit grassy.

Dry: Fresh, happy, and well-behaved. It smells like a beautiful herb garden and some sort of rhubarb & fig leaf beverage concoction….which is to say it smells sort of like strawberries and radishes and lemon verbena.

If you’re at all curious about this one, run - don’t walk - to your nearest BPAL ordering screen

9 out of 10 bones

Wet: Fresh, vivacious lilac. Simple, sweet, and happy.

Drydown: A beautifully sweet flower. Lilacs seemingly drizzled with cream and honey.

Dry: Quieter now. The color is more white than purple. A light hint of a pale, sweet flower.

7 out of 10 bones

Wet: Softly sweet with sort of a nutty spice.

Drydown/Dry: Very pretty and well-behaved. There’s a creaminess that reads more floral than foody, and a warm cloud of smoky clove. Each note blends beautifully with the next, melting together almost. Soft and gentle, but with a grown-up depth. Fades as it dries.

7.5 out of 10 bones

Wet: Creamy fougere and glowing rosewood.

Drydown: Lavender paired with creamy-sweet tonka. There’s a bit of herbal-spiciness, but it’s smoothed over by a particularly charming rosewood. Creamy, smooth, herbal, and glowing. It sweetens as it dries.

Dry: Creamy herbal goodness. The amber glows, but doesn’t take over. The rosewood is smooth and romantic, while the lavender offers a spicy-herbal freshness. But the tonka, in all its creamy glory, is the king of the show. Glowing herbal cream.

8 out of 10 bones

Wet: A soft, resinous musk. Slightly sweet and mildly spicy.

Drydown: Smoky and comforting. So far I can’t detect the vanilla, which is probably a good thing, knowing my skin. There’s a bit of creaminess from the benzoin, but mostly I’m getting soft wisps of smoke and incense. Subdued and beautiful.

Dry: Spicy-smoky-creamy-dark-musky goodness. So well blended I can't even tell you what is what. It's just...very nice.

8 out of 10 bones

Wet: Dark, earthy apricot.

Drydown: Strong, dirty patchouli brightened by the distinct scent of apricot flesh. As it settles on the skin the two meld together, the patchouli smoothing out and the tang of the apricot settling down. Softer and fuzzier, but still wild. Bold, but not abrasive; this scent has a confident magnetism.

Dry: Devilishly dark, but golden-orange too. Soft, but absolutely menacing. The patchouli has teeth, smelling like dark wood and upturned soil. This little fruit is a beast. Note: This stuff lasts like whoa.

7 out of 10 bones

Should I give you some of my favorite notes? Nah, I think it's more fun if I don't.

It is more fun that way!

These are all GC (general catalogue) and in order of what popped into my mind first:

Dorian - A Victorian fougere with three pale musks and dark, sugared vanilla tea.

Dee - soft English leather, rosewood and tonka with a hint of incense, parchment and soft woods

Tavern of Hell - White gardenia, ambergris bouquet, lavender fougere, orange blossom, melissa, tobacco flower, coriander, ebony wood, ylang ylang, absinthe and aged whiskey.

Half-Elf - White sandalwood, beeswax, white tea leaf, oud, and a hint of sophisticated urban musk.

Dracul - Black musk, tobacco, fir, balsam of peru, cumin, bitter clove, crushed mint, and orange blossom.

Faustus - frankincense and cinnamon, darkened by violet.

Miskatonic University - The scent of Irish coffee, dusty tomes and polished oakwood halls.

Smokestack - Creosote, coal, and industrial waste.

Moscow - A rich, bold blend of imperial rose, carnation, lush jasmine, lily of the valley, dark musk, amber, bergamot and gilded tangerine

Libertine - Rosewood and chamomile with bergamot, violet, red sandalwood, primrose and Arabian musk.

Czernobog - A combination of three musks, with splashes of dark myrrh, vetiver and mullein

Mad Hatter - A gentlemen's lavender-citron cologne unhinged by the feral pungence of black musk and a paroxysm of pennyroyal.

Wet: Shimmery, dry champagne. I don’t smell the opium outright, but there is a darker, smoky something grounding the champagne.

Dry/Drydown: It teeters on the edge between bubbly-sweet and edgy-clean, with a masculine darkness trying to sneak in too. Definitely unisex, definitely sexy. The mix of crispiness and smokiness is fascinating. Intoxicating, alluring, and sophisticated. Hours into the dry phase, the fizziness dies down and a smooth base of glassy smoke remains.

Any fan of champagne is bound to like this one, as well as fans of Gnome and perhaps R’Lyeh too.

9 out of 10 bones