Mr. Ibis

[shelldoo]

The smoke stung Shadow’s eyes. He wiped the tears away with his hand, and, through the smoke, he thought he saw a tall man in a suit, with gold-rimmed spectacles. The smoke cleared and the boatman was once more a half-human creature with the head of a river bird.

Papyrus, vanilla flower, Egyptian musk, African musk, aloe ferox, white sandalwood.

in the bottle: very very light scent. slightly vanilla, slightly floral. hint of musk.

wet: a juicy, wet scent. sweet. i still detect the musk, sandalwood, and aloe, the most. yet it is slightly floral also.

this scent is very very light. soft, and gentle. teh sandalwood and musk are light and clean, the aloe winds its way through here and there just keeping things juicy smelling. and the vanilla flower adds a subtle floral base that gives this fragrance a hint of femininity.

[Taniwha]

I agree with shelldoo, this is a very gentle fragrance. It's oh-so lovely, and I find it very calming. It's a gentle green, the aloe, I assume, with the faintest whisper of a floral. I'm hoping that the musk and sandalwood bases will make it a long lasting fragrance, because it just envelops me with a sense of peace.

 

I had to meet with a funeral director just last week, and I wish that he had smelled like Mr. Ibis.

Edited February 17, 2007 by Taniwha

[copyshopclerk]

Yay, just got the mail today & my bottle of this!

 

In the bottle - It's pretty light - sandalwood & vanilla, and something slightly bitter

 

Wet - Oooh, very nice! Something actually reminds me of Snow-Flakes, but since that one had no notes listed I don't know what they have in common. Vanilla & musk (but not as sweet as Antique Lace) are what I can smell the most on me, with the sandalwood underneath.

 

Dry - Despite how light this is in the bottle, it does have pretty decent throw. Still something that makes it feel like a combo of Snow-Flakes, with a little Antique Lace & maybe even a touch of ML&ST with my skin chemistry, but this one has an added dimension of a very slight bitterness in the background (the aloe ferox?) - not at all unpleasant! Just not one-dimensionally sweet - would work better on a man than I think those other ones would, but women can definitely wear this. Definitely agree that it's a calming scent, which is great for me because I don't feel like I can pull off most of the headier ones.

 

Really, really beautiful! Unless it does something weird on my skin over the next few hours, it's most definitely a keeper!

 

Edit to add - a few hours later - primarily musk (not sure if it's the Egyptian or African or both since I'm not super-familiar with either) with a touch of "green" and still beautiful. I find that I keep sniffing the back of my hand. I love Mr. Ibis - so glad it's not a limited blend!

Edited February 18, 2007 by copyshopclerk

[filigree_shadow]

The aloe in this really amps on me -- to the point where this doesn't smell like musk or sandalwood or anything except GREEN. It smells like soap. And after about 10 minutes I can barely smell anything.

 

I'll give this bottle to my husband and see if it works better on him.

[ancilla_morte]

wet: this is a very light scent. Has a masculine, 'boy deodorant' kind of smell. Very clean, second skin, just jumped out of the shower with yummy 'boy soap' kind of smell.

Reminds me of a comforting man. How a daddy or uncle would smell like when you're a little kid and he gathers you up in his arms after skinning your knee.

 

I really really like this. It is a very comforting, calming scent.

Edited February 22, 2007 by ancilla

[sookster]

straight sniff from imp is watery and musky...barely there...

 

once applied this gets a bit too soapy for my tastes and doesn't

work with my chemistry...

[juniperus]

Bottle: light, clean aloe, like the scent that comes from a freshly clipped plant

Wet: hints of the musk are present, but it's still such a very clean scent..

Dry: there is a dusty quality behind the aloe, not sure if it's the papyrus or white sandalwood...but it's so very light without being..not present. how it manages to do that I can't say...

Later: ok, something here is getting me in the sinus like aquatics do - I'm guessing it might be the papyrus since I don't think I've tried that note before...but it's really grabbing me in the head and pounding like a jackhammer.

[nikkoblue]

Mr. Ibis is a very strange (tho pretty) scent

 

Bottle: what everyone said. wet, juicy, green.

 

On arm: Poof! gone. I don't smell this at all....seriously. invisible perfume for sure!

 

Dry: Oh, wait.....there it is. I'm getting Vanilla. and something green, with something kind of whispering around that's dry. papayrus maybe? It's light but it's there, it becomes part of my skin and is noticeable only to me.

 

the surprising part:

9 hours later, STILL there.

[mmcfa2]

soft and tenacious. This one smells CLEAN, bu not soap clean, just good living clean Lasts MANY hours, the throw is slight and much a clean skin smell, damp and slightly sweet with vanilla.

[maijasu]

What an unusual scent! It's soft, fresh, and clean, slightly green and slightly sweet. I really feel like words can't do it proper justice. This will become a summer staple for many, I'm sure. Another wonderful addition to the Carousel!

[Brianne]

In the bottle:

Mmmm cool Egyptian musk

 

On me:

Right away this is fresh, green, airy. A light Egyptian musk and aloe. Very refreshing. Then the sandalwood kicks in - it's very light and mild and just adds a slightly woody edge to this very clean scent.

 

Not getting any vanilla here, but definitely getting everything else.

 

It's such a unisex scent - it's very inoffensive, light, clean and refreshing. It's interesting, and it makes me think of water even though it doesn't smell aqautic.

 

Final note:

Out of the ones I've so far, this is my favorite Carousel scent, which is surprising because I thought I'd like it least. It's just the kind of scent you could wear anywhere, anytime. I think it's surprisingly beautiful, I hope more people will give this one a chance.

[sd357]

In the bottle: Green, light, with a subtle background of something deeper to it.

Wet: Very much the same.

Drydown: Sadly, all gone... It just doesn't stay with me. And much as I love the more "masculine" scents most of the time, this one doesn't work so well for me. As a room scent in my library, however? Oh, yes. That's where it'll find a home.

 

I'll have to try it on the hubby next.

[Rat The Unloved]

Initial Impressions: High, chemical, floral, soapy. Neutral-ish.

 

On the Skin: Round notes of the aloe and flowers. Distinct tickles of Egyptian Musk. Barest impression of Parchment. Slightly feminine on my skin.

 

Dry: Musk comes to the forefront as the floral scent fades. The fade on the floral is quick, resulting in a fairly gender-neutral, or even manly scent.

 

Mature: Egyptian musk, papery florals, and extremely gentle spices. Letters and paper.

 

Several hours later: Sweet, spicy, musky and dry.

 

Over all: Definately what it claims to be... the scent of the Great Scribe himself.

 

Buyability:Definately worth it, but just a little too sweet for me to want to wear it without tempering the scent with a darker oil.

[Jilara]

Wet, it's all aquatic notes. On drydown, a waft of something like white florals starts to come out, then a note of fresh laundry.

 

Dry, it's aquatics with a papery note and something that makes me think of iris blossoms, with a faint fragrance of white florals.

 

This would be gorgeous on drier sheets, or sprayed on bedding.

[Little Bird]

Mr. Ibis reminds me strongly of Destroying Angel, especially in the drydown. I get the same dry, papery-mushroom smell from both. For me, Mr. Ibis is that dry paper with the addition of a lot of perfumey, sharp, chemical musk that I'm not enjoying.

 

2 hours later, it has mostly faded and leaves my wrists smelling lightly of generic soap. I'm not crazy about The Carousel thus far.

[edenssixthday]

Mr. Ibis – This is a really nice, mellow scent. It’s very subdued. The strongest notes are musk and aloe. I don’t think I’ve ever smelled aloe in a perfume before, but it’s spot-on compared to the real thing. The vanilla flower lends a light floral touch. As it dries down, the white sandalwood becomes evident, and compliments the other notes quite nicely. It’s not my normal type of scent, but I really like this one. Overall, this is a gorgeous, light, and somewhat ethereal scent that is clean and fresh. I imagine it would smell good on both women and men. Both the throw and wear length are below average.

[PurringPulsar]

Mr Ibis

 

In the bottle: a soft fresh green aloe-papyrus with the unmistakable fresh tang of Egyptian musk.

Wet on skin: fresh and breezy light musk, this is almost like a cooler Ozymandias.

Dry on skin: mmm, this is really nice! It smells very clean and tangy-fresh, almost effervescent, and breezy. This isn't the heavy Egyptian musk in Debauchery, or the furry Egyptian musk from Bastet. This musk is the fresh, tangy Egyptian musk variety that I've smelt in other EM scents, it's almost aquatic and very cool, like a river breeze. The aloe makes this scent even greener, the combo reminding me of Et Lux Fuit meets Embalming Fluid, with a bit of Ozymandias (the airy fresh E-musk that may be perceived as 'soapy' by some is similar to Ozy's clean top note). I can just about make out a hint of dry, dusty papyrus underneath. This is beautiful.

After a while: this musk is very tangy, almost salty-it has the 'sun warmed skin with a hint of clean sweat' scent I usually get from paler Egyptian musks, but the aloe adds a cooler aspect, more like 'moonlit skin' here. It's a very bright, white luminous scent. The scent fades to a gentle aloe-touched fresh pale musk, like Embalming Fluid without the lemon tea, with a little bit of dry papyrus at the base, the papyrus isn't as strong as the reedy note I got in Meshkhenet, but I definitely recognise it. It's really a skin scent as well, as E-musk notes tend to be.

Then it fades to a dry skin musk. It is soft and with a slightly bitter aloe note (bitter in a good way) and a touch of papyrus, still cool and airy but without the effervescent tangy scent I got before, and now it's a little bit dustier and more papery. The scent is very gentle and soft. I don't get very much vanilla.

Verdict: I have an affinity for Thoth, so I needed to get this. And thankfully, I love this scent of fresh and airy musks, including a sharp, zingy variety of Egyptian musk-very clean and refreshing-it has a similar feel to the airy ozone notes without smelling like ozone. Unlike most Egyptian musks which have a sun-warmed aspect to them, this is very cool, a musk of the night. I also like the way this scent is both ancient in feel, and almost modern, at once. On the one hand it gives of a freshly sophisticated and almost clean cut scent to it, it is very unisex and understated-it strikes me as being a perfect refreshing scent for those hot days when I don't feel like slapping on anything with mint or citrus/tea. But there are enchanting evocative moments when this ethereal, breezy fragrance is like a soft wind blowing over the Nile at night, cool and slightly damp but still mostly dry from the desert all around, with a faint papyrus note. I haven't read AG so I don't know if this fits the namesake character, but it is an incredibly fitting scent for Thoth, I think. It is cool and silver-white, and reminds me of moonlight-and Thoth is a moon god. It is papery, also clear and focused and also quiet, a little papery and studious, but not stiff and dull…yet it does resemble Embalming Fluid's musk-aloe, which seems appropriate. A subtle, yet beautiful, bright and cool scent, perfect for everyday and especially good for hot weather. I'm going to wear lots of this once summer comes.

Emoticon rating:

Is it a keeper? definitely. This seems to be one that will be worn a lot in summer. And how could I refuse a Thoth scent?

If you like this, try: Embalming Fluid, Ozymandias, Et Lux Fuit, Dolce Stil Nuovo, F5, Meshkhenet

[euterpe414]

On me this a light gentle musk with a bare hint of sandalwood. It's very comforting and soft- until it hits some weird point in the drydown and goes very sharp (someone else compared this to Destroying Angel and I completely agree- that one was fabulous on me too until it went sharp in the drydown ). Anyhow, I think I will still keep my bottle for use in my wonderful scent locket, where my skin can't ruin it!

Edited March 21, 2007 by euterpe414

[habuchan]

When I saw this scent pop up in The Carousel, I knew I had to have it. Having read American Gods and knowing that two of my favorite characters were about to be given their own oils, I was squeeishly happy.

In the bottle: Oh melty squee! This is such a sweet, soft scent that I can hardly believe it's real. So luscious and wet smelling, I can actually SEE the reeds along the banks of the Nile as I lazily drift by.

 

On Me: A burst of cool aquatic. Just like in the bottle. Oh this makes me so happy right now. It's all refreshing, cleansing Nile, sparkling in the sunlight and dry sand teased by the wind...*purr*

 

Dry Down: Cool linen and light vanilla. But an unsual vanilla for me...not foody at all, more perfumey. This is a very scholarly yet comforting scent. It morphs and gets very creamy light and...brighter. It's a very floaty scent and yet somehow grounded. A gorgous scent that is calming and reassuring and enlightening. Almost how I can imagine it was to be walking amidst the Papyri and scrolls in the Great Library of Alexandria.

 

Overall, I adore this one! I hope this stays general catalog for a long time, because I absolutely will be buying more. It has a darned good throw, Jack could smell it as soon as he walked in HOURS after putting it on. And it's such a peaceful scent! I felt absolutely...loved.

 

5/5

[savage_rose]

This smells so lovely and aquatic, but also breezy and just a hint of woodsiness. Very nice.

[cuervosueno]

I have a cold....or rather some sort of fiendish illness of the lungs....so I can't entirely trust my sense of smell, but I had to try this as soon as I got my swapped imp. I loved in the bottle--vanilla and some sort of watery green note which I suspect is aloe.

 

But I put it on, and remembered, oh yeah, I don't like light musks. It takes over, and it has the clean/soapy scent others have mentioned, the smell of a certain sort of skin with the soap just rinsed off. Only I don't like that. I can't smell the sandalwood now, nor the vanilla, sadly.

 

And yet there is something oddly appealing to me. I suppose because it so fresh and green. It reminds me of the papyrus plant, rather than the paper made from it, ie. what I imagine papyrus to be like--a green aquatic reedy plant. It is rather fresh laundry, which is ok, just not my thing for perfume.

 

but as Jilara notes below, I find something kind of oddly comforting about it:

 

 

Wet, it's all aquatic notes. On drydown, a waft of something like white florals starts to come out, then a note of fresh laundry.

 

Dry, it's aquatics with a papery note and something that makes me think of iris blossoms, with a faint fragrance of white florals.

 

This would be gorgeous on drier sheets, or sprayed on bedding.

 

and I can see that it might be nice sprayed on bedding. Sometimes I like linen sprays of scents I'm not crazy about otherwise, and this might be ok like that. I love Obatala as a linen spray, for example, but I don't want to wear it as a scent much (unless I'm calling on Obatala) and I feel the same about Mr. Ibis.

[presotm]

Mr Ibis screams 'clean linen' to me - freshly laundered sheets drying on the line in the sun. My chemistry doesn't like it unfortunately (I don't think aloe likes me) and it turns soapy on. Bugger.

[Electra]

Mr. Ibis is very a light scent, and a very clean one. It somehow gives the sense of being watery, but it's not an aquatic. I understand why people are saying "clean linen" -- if my linens had been washed in a laundry soap that smelled slightly powdery and slightly vanillic, this is what they would smell like.

 

"Clean linens" are not the first thing that this scent brings to mind for me, though. In the wet stages, it really does give the unmistakable impression of living papyrus plants in water. Unbelievable.

 

The drydown is a soft, slightly sweet, gorgeous skin scent.

 

This was far and away the best of the four Carousel scents that I tried on me. It's a pretty neat scent, and I'm thinking it might be bottle-worthy for me. It's just such a subtle skin scent -- NO ONE would ever complain about you wearing this one in the office. They wouldn't even notice. Mr. Ibis melds with your skin and you forget that this low-key but beautiful scent isn't your natural scent. It's *that* subtle.

 

Oh yeah. The more I sniff my wrist, the more I realize that I need a bottle.

[bheansidhe]

It's odd that other reviews talk about how light and green Mr Ibis is, because my impression was just the opposite. Soft, yes, but in the beginning (as in so many beginnings), quite dark. In the vial Mr Ibis is a murky, cthonic scent, a velvet-soft but lightless aquatic.

 

On my skin the notes gradually brighten, like a lantern gradually becoming visible in the distance, and unroll into a smoky, chocolate-brown aquatic. I find this a very masculine oil, not in the manly-man sense, but like a heavy cloak that requires really broad shoulders to wear it comfortably.

 

After an hour it fixes and dries; no longer an aquatic, but a painting of a deep river done on old parchment. I catch a hint of the dried-paper note from Miskatonic University, and the faintest overlay of a vanilla floral.

[theseagrows]

i get the aloe and white sandalwood with a hint of vanilla. this is a very light scent, but some note in it is amped on me and has a sharpness that gives me a headache :/