Undertow

[Delirium1009]

The Dark Side of Water: clean and purifying, yet menacing -- lotus and juniper with a hint of mint. A scent dragged up from the depths to the Stygian shore.

In bottle/imp: Immediately I smell the mint, and then the sweetness of the lotus.

Immediately on skin: On my skin, this smells the same as in the bottle. The lotus is syrupy and sweet, and the mint is very strong. They blend together to create something that to me smells like a mixture of peppermint candies and cough syrup. I expected this to be somewhat aquatic, but it really isn't, except for in a chilly, cold sort of way.

After a few minutes: The lotus has gotten stronger and has taken center stage. The mint is there as well, but it's softer. I can't pick out the pine, but it might be blending in with the mint.

Later on: The lotus is very identifiable still, and this blend has some pretty good staying power. The mint and juniper take off the sweet edge that the lotus has, but it's still a rather sweet, but chilly, scent. Edited August 24, 2007 by Shollin

[backwards8]

In the imp: Intense mint and eucalyptus. There's also a hint of something fruity. I want to say apple or honeydew melon, but neither seems quite right. It reminds me a bit of the apple-mint gum I tried while in Japan, an experience I do not care to repeat.

 

On me: A bit less eucalyptus, more fruit and mint. I'm not sure what lotus smells like but if this is it, then I'm not a fan. Very strong - it's making me feel congested and slightly sick.

 

Two hours later: Holy disappearing act. There's still something vaguely fruity but the mint is all gone. Not unpleasant but not something I want to smell like.

 

Overall: Definitely not for me. I thought that since I'm a Pisces, I should try at least one aquatic, but I think I'll leave the water to the fish for now.

[kenjari]

Undertow starts out sharp, clear and minty. It's very cold and refreshing. As it dries, it takes on a smooth creaminess. I kind of like it and could see the scent really growing on me. Alas, my skin seems to be reacting badly to it - I'm experiencing a cold tingly burning sensation, like I've been in contact with ice or very cold metal for too long.

[MaidenGenevive]

Undertow

 

A hint of mint? Upon first application, that's practically all I can smell. Mint with a hint of other things. Whew, it's very fresh and clean smelling. It's almost overpowering.

 

As it sets, the mint calms and it sweetens. The juniper and lotus rise up and are weaving together. Which am I smelling the most? I'm not entirely sure. With the mint, it's an interesting trio. Still very fresh and clean - and in a lot of ways, quite commanding.

 

My husband really likes this smell. It's gender neutral. If it were a season, it would be Winter or Spring - but especially Winter.

 

Not really my thing. Though, I'm not big on mint. It's good in toothpaste and mouthwash, but that's about it for me. My husband, on the other hand, is crazy about mint, which is one of the reasons he clicks with this scent. That, and he likes how fresh and clean it feels.

 

[1 - Hate] .. [2 - Dislike] .. [3 - Like] .. [4 - Really Like] .. [5 - Love]

 

1 : Frimp that lost it's content - giving me the worst migraine headache that lasted for hours. Once I had aired everything out and shook the migraine, I was ready to give the scent a fair test - using the minimal amount as I usually do. But, even that was too intense for me. The scent was not at all to my liking and the longer I wore it the more my migraine started to creep back. I eventually had to wash it off.

Edited August 29, 2007 by MaidenGenevive

[JennyGardener]

Undertow truly does evoke the dark side of the sea. It's very oceanic, which is pleasant, but there's a slight hint of sour like washed up seaweed - or the mysterious things that get washed up in seaweed. Just a hint, a whiff of the dead body half-hidden in the sand.

[mazikeen]

I bought it simply because I'm a Pisces, but over time this has become one of my favorites.

 

I love to dab it on my wrists and the insides of my elbows right before going to sleep... that way I can just keep my wrist to my face and keep smelling it continuously. Yes, the effect of doing this is strong, but that's why I like it-- I imagine that crisp feeling of being underwater and let myself be pulled downwards into sleep.

 

When worn in the day, it unfortunately does not last very long at all on me, which is why I instead wear it before bed, or if I'm alone and in front of the computer at night. Hence, it's a personal scent not worn in public, which is rather nice.

[radishbaby]

In the Imp : I can smell the juniper already.

 

Wet : The juniper and the mint are jumping right out while the lotus is adding a very wet smell to this. The smell reminds me of one of those children's popcicles that has too many artificial colors and flavors added to it - very wet but with a strange chemical bite to it. I agree that this has a very dark smell to it.

 

Dry : Very wet, very dark and still a bit unpleasant.

 

Over All : Part of me is crying "to the swaps with thee!" and another wants to keep this and see how it turns out. Over all this has a bit too much of a chemical frozen pop smell to it for me to really like. I was expecting something a bit more aquatic and didn't really get it.

 

Big Bottle Worthy : No.

[Gwydion]

They lie like a rug. Peppermint nightmare, a hint, my ass, I can barely smell anything over that godaweful mint. It manages to smell a little dirty too. Eeeew Eeew Eeeew! The smell burned my nose; I had to wash it off.

[dnagirl]

This was nothing but Vicks Vap-o-Rub on me. It would be great if I'm sick, but normally I would rather not smell like mentholyptus.

 

Oh well, in the swap pile it goes!

[KassiK]

I'm disappointed with Undertow and I really wanted to like it. Aquatics are my favorite, but I can't even detect an aquatic in this mix. On me it smells like peppermint cough drops. It's bright and sharp and not subtle at all. One good thing about it is that it's definitely clearing the sinuses. But this one is unfortunately going off to the swap pile. : (

[steelxrose]

I avoided Undertow for so long because aquatics either love me, or don't.

 

In the bottle: It definitely has that aquatic scent to it, with a faint hint of floral and mint.

 

Wet on skin: The mint takes over everything. I'm not complaining - I love minty scents! Minutes later, the mint takes the back seat and makes way back to the aquatics and florals, which I wasn't prepared for.

 

Dry on skin: The aquatic dies down to a lovely floral with a hint of mint scent. Lovely!

 

Unfortunately, this one doesn't have much staying power. I put this on before dinner, and it's already gone.

[jaeyne]

I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who gets the Vicks smell. Also wintergreen. It gave that icy burn to my arms long after the scent faded.

[Fright]

This is the one that got me hooked on aquatic smells. And minty smells. It's definately a unique smelling perfume. I enjoy it so much. After I put it on my skin, it gives me this kind of icy feeling. And in the hot days, it feels sooo good. I love the mintyness of it. I kind of fades off to a powdery smell after a few hours. My only sadness with this perfume, is that it truly doesn't have much staying power. No matter how much I slather. But, I like it how it is. I think if it were to be altered to have more staying power, it'd mess with the scent.

[smilezlie]

in the imp: mint, something aquatic, and green apple. i guess im one of the ones who picks up an apple scent that isnt actually there. (no complaints, im a fan of all things green apple!)

 

wet on skin: strong mint. like altoids mint, with something aquatic. very faint note of sweetness in the background.

 

drydown: i smell like junior mints! well the mint inside the junior mints. a very sweet soft mint. maybe like an after dinner mint? mint with soft powdered sugar. its hard to explain, i smell like candy.

 

its nowhere near as strong as it was 5 minutes ago. i think it will cling to my skin for a bit, but not with the power i hoped. i will need to bathe in it but i think it will be worth it. not at all what i expected by the description. not something i would ever have ordered, i was frimped by a lovely forumite and couldnt be happier.

[girlygirl]

In the imp: minty and cool

Wet: Whoa, mint!

Dry: still just sniffing mint.

 

It has cleared my sinuses most effectively. This would be great if I had a cold or allergies. It's cleared my sinuses so well I can smell through my eyeballs.

[maribouquet]

imp: mint, like an Andes mint candy

wet: mint and something pine-like (juniper, I see)

dry: slow dry down, and I don't smell the lotus until later; it's uncharacteristically subdued!

 

Unique, not bad on me but not my cup of tea.

[arcadelane]

right from the start i could pick out each note perfectly blended.. but then once is dries down it turns to a strong coconut over headachey sweet mint. i cannot stand the smell of coconut in any way. this was my second attempt at Undertow because i really wanted to like it.. it just doesn't like me. swap pile.

[VioletChaos]

in the imp: overwhelmingly peppermint. there's an afternote, but i can't place it, and the mint takes it away again quick.

 

wet on skin: more straight up peppermint. like candy cane kinda peppermint- sweet and nummy.

 

dry down: peppermint still strong, but with a faint under current of pine. it's kind of surprising. very wintery, more than i had anticipated.

 

in all: something i would likely put in a burner over putting on as a personal scent, but nice enough.

[gchris]

In the vial: smells of both mint and menthol

 

Wet: Menthol is over powering, almost nostril burning

 

As it drys the other notes become more prominent

 

Drydown: A sweet floral with no hint of menthol or mint. Would like to have kept some of the mint.

 

This starts out as a crisp clean scent but ends up more floral on me. It reminds me of not a dark undertow, but one that washes away impurities, water that is cleansing.

[Northernskygal]

So, I always kinda skim the reviews, atleast on the last page, before posting my own.. just to kinda see where everyone else stands on the scent.. (plus I am not always very good at picking out things and reading other reviews can normally help me identify) and.. it doesn't really seem like Undertow gets much love.. at all.. which is super sad to me because it is just so gorgeous. If I weren't a fickle Gemini who changes her mind every second.. I would say this could have potential of becoming my sig. scent. There is a mint.. and I will agree it is more than a hint but.. it is mint leaves, true.. herbal mint.. not icy, generic mint. And the juniper! I am starting to like juniper more and more.. it has a really kind of.. distinctive.. unusual scent about it.. and then with the lotus on top.. oi... this is just such a perfect blend. It is sweet, and refreshing and.. it would wear great during the winter (it is could carry a cool feeling well) or the summer (to counteract the heat) I love it and need a big bottle.. soon!

[ImperatrixMundi]

Mint and lotus, I dont manage to pick out the juniper berry because I dont know what it really smells like on its own. I love mint but after it fades the lotus does its infamous bubblegum impersonation.

[DogNPonyShow]

In the bottle: Sweet mint with some sort of menthol-floral note.

On: Same as in the bottle, but a little lighter. After about an hour, it's pure mint, and then just fades away completely.

Verdict: It's lovely, but I'm not much of a mint person.

[Aika]

In the bottle: Bright, icy mint. Something strange underneath.

 

On the skin: Huh. Something about this blend is really off . . . maybe I'm amping up the mint? It's unsettling, and kind of icky.

 

Drydown: Juniper and something plastic . . . Oh no, I must be one of those people cursed by lotus. *sigh*

[coldandsleepy]

In the imp: avast, ye! We're sailing the chilly seas of peppermint, bucko!

 

On me, wet: cold cold cold peppermint and an almost syrupy sweet lotus.

 

On me, dry: the juniper comes out of hiding and gets tangled up with the peppermint in one sharp, foreboding mass. The lotus, which smells almost... coconuty? somehow? definitely foody... floats just above them, beckoning, enticing... luring into something dark and doomful.

 

Throw and duration: good throw! Not sure about duration yet.

 

Overall: this is one of those scents that comes out exactly like the Lab description for me. I'm in a sort of cranky, confrontational mood today... feeling very sharp around the edges... and Undertow smells like Beth pulled the mood out of my head and slapped it on my wrists.

 

This isn't something i'll wear every day, as it's a little more sinister than i usually go for. But i'll definitely be hanging on to this imp for when i'm in the mood. It really just sums this mood up perfectly.

 

I'd also like to note that the mint in this definitely smells pepperminty to me, not spearminty, which is great, as spearmint tends to smell like butt on me. I also don't find the lotus to be particularly bubblegummy in this blend, so it might be good for people who like the other notes but are sometimes overwhelmed by lotus.

[clawsight]

Undertow is, on me, a fine example of Mighty Morphin' Perfumes.

 

In the Imp it's just... Mint. Maybe something behind it. But right now the mint is cackling and gleefully blotting out my sense of smell.

 

The fun morphing begins when it hits my skin -- making me think that part of this is due to skin chemistry. It goes...

 

Stage one (wet): Altoids. Mint. So much mint and something behind it. But overpowering, and yet realistic, MINT. This lasts about 5 minutes.

 

Stage two (dry): Vick's Vapor Rub. My nose, how it BURNS. This lasts oh... 10 minutes.

 

Stage 3 (dry): This is the one stage that smells what I would consider nice. It smells of wet mint and juniper with the lotus calming it down. It's not quite as aquatic as I'd like it to be, but, it's pretty nice. This lasts about 5 minutes.

 

Stage 4(dry): The lotus starts doing the bubblegum thing. The mint has gone down in strength, so, now it smells like spearmint gum. This lasts 10... 15 minutes.

 

Stage 5(dry): Bubblegum. Only faint whiffs of mint. This is what'll stay for a few hours before it fades.

 

All in all? 1.3 out of 5 mighty morphin' power perfume rangers.