El Dia de los Reyes

[Evilynn]

Hot cocoa with cinnamon, coffee, and brown sugar.

In the bottle: Oreos? No, really, it does smell like a sort of powdery chocolate cookie to me.
On the skin:
Wet: Oreos with coffee.
Dry: After about 15 minutes it's mostly coffee with a bit of brown sugar on me, maybe with a hint of cocoa. This is a lovely scent for dark and cold winter mornings. I was a bit afraid of the coffee after fighting it out with a bottle of Miskatonic University, but this is entirely wearable for me, so either it's a nicer coffee or it's the dust in Misk U that goes all acrid on me.

Damned. Now I want Oreos.

Edit: I've now lived in El Dia de los Reyes the last couple of days, and the dry down is brilliant! It's a sweet cocoa cinnamon on me, and it's snuggly and absolutely fab.

[milo]

Wet, this is rich Belgium chocolate, kind of reminds me of Gelt a bit. It dries to uber sweet, cloying powdered fake cocoa that you add water to. Yeah, not me. Kind of sad, as I love cocoa blends that work for me. My tastes either change, or the actual blend changes on me. Still looking for the perfect one...

[EmpressPixie]

At first sniff, it smells a bit like high quality peanut butter and chocolate.

 

Once on, it changes to a high quality hot cocoa with a bit of coffee and definitely a strong cocoa butter. And some sugary sprinkles on top.

 

Dry it smells like a chocolate smelling doll I had as a kid -- which isn't a bad thing. I used to hold that doll up to my nose and huff. Definitely a bit of cinnamon had crept in. Other than that, mostly cocoa. Definitely a keeper, but I don't think an upgrader. And imp should do it.

 

 

[strahlend]

In the imp - smells 100% like I'm sniffing a mug of hot cocoa. This is specifically hot cocoa and not any other form of chocolate.

On my skin - smells exactly as it does in the imp. I smell like I've suddenly morphed into a mug of cocoa. All I need now is a companion marshmallow scent

 

[Iceblink]

I'm not a coffee drinker and the smell of straight coffee can really do a number on me but when blended with chocolate and cinnamon?? Oh YES. Dia de los Reyes is straightforward--all four notes are present and accounted for. It's rich and warm. Dry, I'm getting the brown sugar and chocolate most of all, and it's absolutely decadent!

If the cinnamon in this will behave on me and not irritate my skin, this is a winner.

[Deyja7]

I dont know.. Me and Bpal chocolate just dont get along. I adore quality chocolate, but i'm not really a fan of the cocoa smell. I suppose my brain just associates the smell with something i eat, not wear.

Having said that, it smells just like everyone says.. like hot cocoa, like something strong in chocolate flavour baking.

[Prism]

in bottle- super sweet chocolate, coffee, a hint of cinnamon

wet - I'm suprised. it's a lot less sweet, the coffee and cocoa stand out in a mix here, but the "over" sweet to the point of ick that sometimes coffee/chocolate/cocoa bpal does on me isn't here very strongly. it's by no means bitter, and still very sweet just not overly so. the cinnamon is still very background here. I think the coffee note isn't playing nice on my skin though, it's not staying true.

dry - chocolate, coffee, no cinnamon really in here to speak of. The coffee note isn't workin for me, but...I totally can see how this would be spectacular on someone else.

 

rating - 3/10 but dont let that deter you!

 

[Saya]

At first this is a beautiful blend. It's a chocolate/cinnamon/coffee scent that I can't stop sniffing. After about two hours all of the other notes fade away and all that's left is a powdery chocolate sent, similar to Gelt.

 

I love the scent for the first two hours but then it turns 'meh'.

[musichappens]

Chocolate Coffee ... YUM! It seems like it is more of a dark chocolate than a milk chocolate. I don't like dark chocolate, but there is something very sweet underneath (the brown sugar perhaps?) it that makes me like it. I don't think I'll go for a full bottle, but only because I'm not too fond of foody scented perfumes.

[Altaira]

I thought I was going to love this and bought a bottle unsniffed. I do like it, but it smells exactly like a less-spicy Pumpkin V 2009. And I already have a bottle of that. I don't need both.

[heathercaley]

I received a free-cant of this beauty in a swap. I believe that this is the 2007 version.

 

Once applied, I get a blast of delicious coffee with chocolate and spices. What makes this great though, is that it is the scent of fresh mellow coffee grounds dampened with creamed spices and sweetened with a bit of chocolate. It's not a normal coffee at all. Coffee can sometimes throw off a bitterness, but that bitterness isn't present in this. It's the smell of a coffee flavored dessert. Foody lovers will love this, but I think that this is a boundary cutter. Foody haters (like me) would probably enjoy this as well! I love it!!!

Edited December 14, 2009 by Purrsnikety

[ami226]

'09 Version:

 

Wow, there is some seriously tasty hot cocoa in this scent. After a bit this scent becomes all sweet cinnamon on me. And then it fades? So quickly? I think I need to test this one a bit more...

[PeshaRocha]

BEST CHOCOLATE SCENT EVER!

 

Honestly, I have tried every chocolate scent I've ever encountered, no matter who makes it, including Beth's various blends. Searching and searching for... THIS! To me, the overall effect is one of, "Finally, a true, perfect chocolate smell." But then when i pay close attention, there's the coffee underneath, and there's the cinnamon delicately wafting over the top. Just indescribably wonderful. No words do it justice.

 

OMIGODOMIGODOMIGOD!

 

*sprints off to buy more*

[greenranger]

2009 version.

 

After this has had a few hours to settle in on my skin, it's nice. It's cocoa and spices.

 

For some reason, there is some rough woody note that is interfering until it gets to that stage. I'm amping...something? It's not love straight out of the bottle, but, there are lots of folk who do love it so that's not a real problem. I will hold onto it for a while in the hopes that it will mellow, though.

Edited December 20, 2009 by Aerinha

[Sawasdee]

'09 version

 

Oh, my god, this is delicious!

 

In vial: cocoa with a slight coffee ground background.

 

On wet: The coffee dissappeared when I put this on my wrists. All that's left is powdery cocoa, with some cinnamon, even better. The chocolate in here is not too sweet, and I'm not getting any scent of the brown sugar.

 

Dry: All powdered cocoa

 

What a comforting scent, I want to gnaw at my wrists, nom nom nom.

Edited December 20, 2009 by Sawasdee

[sqwook]

2009 version

 

In the bottle: Foody nutty coffee

 

On my skin: Wow - this is the real deal: rich dark chocolate with cinnamon. Exactly. I've even had those chocolate-cinnamon drinking chocolate rounds that are kind of grainy & you break them into pieces and then grind one up to make hot chocolate - this smells exactly like those.

 

I'm not generally much of a foody-wearer, but I certainly *am* extremely impressed with the execution.

[wendyb1063]

My latest BPAL convert: my 4-year old nephew, thanks to El Dia de los Reys. He smelled me wearing this, and was instantly in love. He asked me every five minutes for a sniff. Then I put some on him, and he could not stop smelling his wrist. He says he is not going to wash that wrist, ever! I think my decant is going to end up in his Christmas stocking.

[Geminirubyshoes]

Mmmmmm! Milk chocolate! Cinnamon! Sugar! I don't get any coffee but that's ok, it still smells like I could eat pieces of my wrists.

[Wildbriar]

Mmmmmmm... this is my favorite comfort scent.

 

I have half a bottle of the '07 version left and ordered another this year, and they don't smell any different to me... both fantastic.

 

This smells like the richest espresso brownies fresh out of the oven. I never get any of the cinnamon but that's ok, I love this just as it is.

 

Added benefit? For some reason wearing this acts as a good appetite suppressant and curbs my sugar cravings, yay!

[Redillon]

I received this in an order from the forums. THANKS MOLLS!

 

It's from 2007 Yules.

 

In the imp: Rich chocolate and spicy cinnamon, not the candy kind. Very yummmmmmmmy!

 

On the skin: CHOCOLATE!!!! No coffee & no more spice. Boooooo.

 

Dry Down: The rich chocolately scent is replaced with a plastic chocolate smell with a hint of wax. Why does my skin turn so many scents to wax?

 

I'm sure I can find a lovely home for this little imp. I'm glad I got to try it though.

[aquazoo]

Chocolately and a bit nutty, although that may be the coffee. Much as I like chocolate and sugar, I don't like coffee and tat may be spoiling it for me. It's a dry chocolate. Then the cinnamon makes itself known, sweet and pretty at a time where that coffee note has almost faded.

 

[captainecchi]

This scent is pretty straightforward: it reminds me of a brownie, fresh out of the oven, or Mexican hot chocolate. Or Mexican hot chocolate brownies (which my husband makes - mmmm, they're good)!

 

This one doesn't morph much on my skin, hence the lack of a detailed, multi-part review. It's chocolate, sugar, and cinnamon all the way down, although the cinnamon fades quicker than the chocolate. I'm not sure I could pick out a distinct coffee note, but I suspect it blends supremely well with the chocolate.

 

Verdict: It's delicious, obviously. Is it bottle-delicious? I dunno. I love gourmand scents, but there have been so many foodie Yule scents that I'd have a hard time picking my favorite. I'd probably choose Mother Shub's Pfancy Pfefferneusse or Spiced Lait de Chevre over this one, but it's definitely in my top three.

[cyberpuff]

This is for the 2009 version.

 

This is the most delicious cup of mexican hot chocolate condensed into a 5 ml bottle ready for loving concentrated application to your skin. Like others have noted, on me it's not much of a morpher. It goes on rich, delicious cocoa with cinnamon lurking and coffee hiding out nearby. It's not a tremendous foodie scent the way that Eat Me or Boo are, yet it represents chocolate like no other scents I've tried. Which doesn't make a ton of sense so I'll try to elaborate further. It lacks the sweet that those other two have. I've sniffed Candy Butcher and White Chocolate Coconut Marshmallow and to me those are in the same sweet family. They're all delicious but El Dia de los Reyes is some serious Adult Drinking Chocolate .

 

It's also really comforting during the dark rainy days we've been having. I had to buy a backup bottle before the yules came down.

[fairestrocza]

In the Bottle: cocoa and a bit of coffee

 

Wet on Skin: cocoa - starts out a bit like a scratch-n-sniff sticker

 

While Drying: cocoa predominates, but the coffee and brown sugar are there too… no cinnamon

 

After a Little While: changes from a powdery chocolate to a dregs-of-mocha chocolate; there is an almost-boozy aspect to the cocoa

 

Later: lovely delicate chocolate scent, fairly subtle in this late stage

 

Final Thoughts: Mmmm… sipping my coffee, this scent wafts up, and almost makes me think I am drinking a mocha. I should try layering this with Raven Moon. This is a fantastic comfort scent. I had been debating for weeks, and finally ordered a bottle unsniffed. Good call.

El Dia de los Reyes 2009 earns a 4/5 on my skin.

[Argentwolf]

Honestly, it smells like the chocolate scratch and sniff stickers I used to go wild over as a kid...dusted with a bit of cinnamon. This is a scent that stays close to the skin, and lasts for a decent amount of time. It's fun.