Black Opal

[backwards8]

A play of geological darkness and jagged brilliance. Soft and luminescent with flashes of black fire.

Black Opal is like chilled vanilla-infused water poured over smooth black rocks. I love geology and I love vanilla, so I'm completely in love with this one. A very clean, non-foody vanilla scent that lasts all day on me and has earned a place in my top 10.

[mazikeen]

This was sent as a freebie, but sadly the top of the imp shattered in shipping. Not one to waste a drop of BPAL, I wore it even though it required picking the miniscule shards of glass from my wrist. Don't try this at home, kids. Since I want to use it up before it inevitably spills, I've been slathering it on. Even so, it seems to disappear upon contact!

 

It is very faint, but yes, it is there. I can't for the life of me pick out what this smells like. Others have mentioned a creaminess, and I can see that. Not a sticky, foody cream, though-- more like the color cream. There's also the slightest undercurrent of earthiness. Not gritty dirt; but a deep, quiet earth.

 

I keep expecting this to turn to powder, but it doesn't. It is so faint, but it is absolutely lovely. I'm the kind of person who tends to favor big bold scents, and I still love it. I think that this has definite "signature scent" potential, as it is so hard to pinpoint that it doesn't seem like you're wearing a scent at all-- people would think that this is just what you smell like naturally. I dream of scenting all my laundry and fabric in the house with this (if only I knew how).

 

This has big bottle potential (once I can afford it). This would also be a good scent to give as a gift to someone else, as I can see it appealing to many different tastes.

 

Recommended.

[gchris]

In the Vial: Soft, very soft, unassuming

 

Wet: A bit stronger, but still soft. Smells creamy too.

 

Drydown: Very pretty, elegant. Reminds me of a woman getting ready for bed in a lavish bedroom wearing a nightgown ensamble that you see sometime in older movies. If candlelight had a smell this is what it would smell like.

 

Evoking Color: Cream

[kelpsoda]

This is a very soft, light scent. It does smell a bit sweet like vanilla, but I'm also getting cold stone or minerals. Unfortunately something in it is giving me a headache, like the smell of the cement stuff (or fluoride?) at the dentists office. weird.

Edited February 4, 2008 by kelp

[fourspecialgirls]

warm, sweet summer dusty dirt and hot rocks! it smells like when id climb around the big rocks in the park.

[laforetnoire]

This is my first review!...

 

When I first opened the bottle, the sent immediately made me though of an old bottle of air du temps turned bitter (and that's not very positive). I decided to try it on anyways. After one hour or two, that smell of 'perfume' disappeared, living a sweet smell of vanilla.

 

I think the notes that I misinterpreted for that perfume (that my mother was wearing when I was kid), are the mineral notes that other people are catching.

 

I am not completely sure if I love this sent. But before giving a definitive judgment to Black Opal, I want to try more vanilla scented oil.

[Moryssa]

This one is so *hard* to describe. Fireweaver was with me when I opened up the package, and I had 2 imps of Black Opal (one I'd ordered, the other was a frimp)... I immediately pulled it out and tried it on because it had been recommended to me so much. I sniffed, paused, sniffed again, and went "Huh." Fireweaver asked what it was like, and I'm like "Umm... odd..." So she grabbed my wrist and sniffed a couple of times, then said "You're right... odd."

 

It's got a creamy vanilla aspect to it, but it's definitely NOT a foody scent.

 

It smells like lightly-vanilla-coated rocks.

 

And that just confuses the hell outta me.

 

--M

[ImperatrixMundi]

Soft vanilla and an almost watery note that I find incredibly hard to put a finger on. It makes this blend warm and cool at the same time, very strange.

A light and non-foody vanilla scent. But I get watery vanilla, not rocky vanilla

[Delirium1009]

In bottle/imp: Creamy and almost aquatic, but more so “mineral-y” than anything else.

 

Immediately on skin: This manages to be creamy and warm, cool and rocky, and dark all at the same time. It’s fantastic! This is absolutely wonderfully blended, and the notes are a mystery to me except for some vanilla or vanilla musk that makes the whole blend slightly warm and creamy. There’s some type of musk in this… maybe a mix of vanilla and blue musk. The rest of the blend smells like what you would expect from the description “geological darkness.”

 

After a few minutes: This hasn’t morphed much, but it’s deepened on my skin. It’s a very creamy cooler musk blend with an almost aquatic, hard feel behind it. It’s very hard to describe. I definitely get vanilla or vanilla musk, and I think blue musk as well. The vanilla in this sort of reminds me of the vanilla note in Death Cap, though this is mixed with musk and rocks as opposed to dirt. It’s just slightly sweet and warm, but it has a cold, hard feel to it overall.

 

Overall Impressions: This is a genius blend… it really evokes the image of a cold stone flashing with inner brightness. There’s a mixture of soft creaminess and cold, hard minerals that makes this unlike anything else I’ve smelled. It’s really a brilliant and beautiful scent.

[hellomoonglow]

I received this as a frimp from the Lab with one of my very first orders. You know how it is when you're trying to re-train your nose to BPAL, everything smells strong and unusual. But not Black Opal. It reminded me of the perfume my babysitter wore when I was a child. It's a very comforting scent. I wouldn't say vanilla, but I do agree with the deep, creamy scent. On my skin it has some kind of strong, underlying scent. Not sure what it is. The best way I can describe it is a streak of gray. I know, that's weird. After about an hour, it fades away leaving just the creaminess. When I had gotten the imp, I poured it into a scent diffuser. It absoloutley scented the entire room and I loved it! Since then, I've purchased a bottle. Being as that it goes a little funky on my skin, I might stick to room scenting with this one. But I do love it and it brings back the feelings of childhood. A keeper!

[whisperingmachines]

This is my first review, bear with me on the crappiness of it I'm not very familiar with individual notes in scents, but hopefully I'll learn by posting/lurking here

 

 

In bottle: Floral.

 

On me, wet: Floral, but maybe a little aquatic, with a little soap? Hard to describe because I don't really know much about this stuff. Beautiful nontheless though.

 

On me, dry: Soft, clean, has that nice "I've just bathed and have freshly cleaned clothes on" with a bit of perfume scent to it. This is lovely

 

After a short time: Creamy.

 

Would I buy a bottle of it?: As with most things in life, if I had the money right now, definitely

[eatingthesea]

this is such an interesting, conceptual scent that has been in my top favorites for some time now. i do not like foody vanillas, which is why antique lace and black opal are the only acceptable ones. black opal really does display, somehow, a mineral-y countenance, but it goes so much deeper than that, almost to the point where i'd liken it to being cave-deep. but that doesn't leave such a nice impression, does it. because it's definitely not "dark." sometimes when i'm wearing it, it reminds me of sunlight. it's difficult to describe in terms of relativeness to other scents, because it's so individualistic. so i won't try anymore. i'm not sure how much of a general "crowd pleaser" it is, but if you're into "concepts" of bpal blends, try this one. it's so unique. i shall continue to treasure and hoard.

 

eta: this is one of the longest-lasting bpal blends on me ever. it astounds me that i can still smell this after a long day at work. usually my cells are just thirsty for any old scent, but this one just riiiiides my skin into the sunset, lol.

Edited March 12, 2008 by eatingthesea

[Honeygirl]

Bottle: Very faint vanilla

 

Wet: Someone on the lush forum described this blend as vanilla rocks, which is a perfect description.

 

Drydown: It's very soft and feminine, I love it!

3.5 outta 5

[savage_rose]

It smells like burnt sugar on me. Not appealing.

[VioletChaos]

in the imp: stinky magic marker.

 

wet on skin: musky, powdery.

 

dry down: the musk has become lighter, but not white musk. the powder has vanished.

 

in all: this reminds me of Smut, but lighter and with a little sandalwood mixed in. like Smut's daytime cousin. it's a gentle, airy musk. nice!

 

 

 

 

[alicia_stardust]

This has an almost creamy, glowing vanilla aspect to it, but instead of being warm or foody, it is cool and hard just like stone. There is a sense of vastness and cold, dark surfaces. I can't believe how well this fits the concept, and it's one of my husband's favorite scents on me.

[Evilynn]

I've only tried out this once (I got my imp with a large order, and I have to sniff and test them all before trying them out all day ).

 

In the bottle: Vanilla and cool minerals

 

On me: High end vanilla ice cream. Cool and wet, but unmistakably vanilla. This'd be excellent for warmer weather. If the scent stays true all day I'm getting a bottle of this!

Edited May 11, 2008 by Excetra

[diamondstars]

I think this smells exactly like Lush's Olive Branch shower gel.

 

Love it! Unfortunately doesn't last very long on me though so I'm keeping this as a bedtime one.

 

 

How obvious is it that I have time off work! I'm finally getting round to reviews!

[inurbanus]

Black Opal is soft, powdery vanilla. It reminds me a little bit of Morocco, but Black Opal is a lot lighter. There's something harsh at the beginning that soon mellows, but I kind of like the early stage -- at least it's interesting. This one falls into the "pleasant but unremarkable" category.

 

2/5

Edited May 18, 2008 by inurbanus

[tativa]

I really liked this scent... but after I realized what it reminded me of personally, I just can't think about reapplying this.

Keep the imp, very interesting and evocative scent. It layered great with zombi!

 

Very true to its mineral concept... almost reminds me of sand and playgrounds... or placed with a darker scent, it lends a nice crypt aspect to it (the stone)

 

Great staying power, I like how it whifts up to be scented every now and then.

[taramarie]

On me, Black Opal is soft (almost the point of powdery) and dark. It's very sophisticated and lovely, something I'd recommend for someone new to BPAL.

[Dracoo9]

I finally ordered this from a fellow BPAL member on the forums and I must say....its LOVELY. To me this smells A LOT like Dorian but perhaps its Dorian's colder brother that never got enough love. I definently rate this a 5/5 but I'll have to think about getting a bottle or not because for my vanilla scents I have Eat Me. But this definently is a favorite of mine now.

[Indigo78]

In the imp: Chilled Vanilla in a marble shotglass. Cool and completely non-foody, also very sensual, yet slightly beyond reach. Vanilla's out of everyone's league, this time! Can't wait to apply.

 

Wet on my skin there is little change. First is the obvious amping from my skin's warmth. As time passses the dryness of Vanilla becomes ever-more seductive - it's a total "follow me" scent. I love this one as much as I thought I would. Instant top 10, will be needing 5mL.

 

Short wear length, but a pleasure to reapply. Short-average throw.

[Scanmike]

On me Black Opal is a much lighter Antique Lace. It has that same "off putting" (like old ladies perfume) not that sometimes bothers me, and I guess today is one of those days. Not what I expected from all the reviews.

[sprocket21]

In the imp: Very faint, but what's there smells vaguely medicinal.

 

I get a big blast of vanilla when I apply this to my skin, the same vanilla in Antique Lace. I don't like this though - it's AL with a horrible plastic note. The plastic overwhelms everything after a while. Stupid skin chemistry, I was really looking forward to this scent.