El Dia de los Reyes

[voodoocatwoman]

Hot cocoa with cinnamon, coffee, and brown sugar.

In the imp and wet: Cocoa

Dry: Play Doh used by a kid eating chocolate.

[hellomoonglow]

When I opened the bottle my first thought was, OMG CANDY BUTCHER! Does anyone else get that? Smells chocolaty cinnamon on. Too early to tell how long it'll last, but right now it's wonderful!

[moosue]

In the bottle this was almost nauseatingly sweet, syrupy chocolate (with hint of something dry, like chalk). I was a bit disappointed.

I put it on anyways, and almost immediately it became a truer chocolate scent. Very pleasant with quite a throw.

Like others have mentioned, it lasted only a few hours, but it was very nice. Much better than the initial bottle-sniff, and there was no wait for a pleasant drydown, it happened in a matter of 10 seconds or so.

Glad I sprang for a bottle!

[hmelt004]

This is from 2007. Proper cocoa, this one, not made from a packet. If you've had Mexican chocolate, with the sugar granules and cinnamon, this is it exactly. Smooth and mellow and too foody for me. I'm going to wait and see if the spice comes through a bit more, and if not, it's off the the PIF pile for this one.

[SueTigger]

This is definitely going to be a comfort fragrance for me. In the imp, all chocolate, all the time! On my skin, it's dried out to a mellow chocolate tobacco scent (which is weird, 'cause there's no tobacco in this, right?). My imp may live in my purse. I might have to put one in my work basket, too.

 

Stressed out at work? Dab a little of El Dia on.

Annoyed at the spouse? Just a whiff will calm me right down.

Frustrated because a knitting project isn't working or the characters aren't cooperating in a story I'm working on? No problem! Take a sniff! Aaaaaaaaaaah... I can do anything!

 

Very nice. I like it.

Sue

[lunchboxmonkey]

oh yum! Sweet, dark chocolate and bitter coffee, sweetened even more with the sugar and a dash of cinnamon. This is delicious! The perfect warm comfort scent. It does smell just like mexican hot chocolate as other reviewers have said. Definitely one of my favorite foody type scents... I got an imp and promptly had to get my grubby paws on a bottle. This is going to be absolute perfection in the colder months (if it lasts that long)

[starfish327]

2007 version

 

between a sinus infection and my asthma i have had a small vacation from bpal so now that i can breathe again i can go back to reviewing

 

in the imp: chocolate first, pretty much just straight up chocolate. closer to a chocolate syrup than a dry cocoa or even chocolate candy. it's a good chocolate syrup though, it's not hershey's. then the coffee kicks in

 

wet: a really good dark mocha.

 

dry: it's still a really good mocha though there may be a small dose of cinnamon or nutmeg in there but i'm not sure if i'm getting that only because i happened to glance at a review or not. it smells to alternate between coffee and chocolate being prominent, and there is a touch of playdough in there, but i remember there being the same impression off of espresso beans on occasion when i was still working with coffee every day.

 

 

[cyanidenoir]

Oh my GOD. I could marry this scent...I love it that much.

 

In the bottle, it is purely chocolate. Ahhh sweet, beautiful, perfect chocolate with just a hint of coffee and brown sugar. On my skin, the coffee takes the lead and the cinnamon makes it's grand entrance.

 

A totally perfect foody scent!! Love love love....

[talula_fairie]

I put this on and instantly smelled chocolate, cinnamon, and coffee. But with something else underneath, something that made it less foodie and more amazing. It's a warm, comforting scent.

 

I asked my husband what he smelled and he goes "Chocolate. And coffee! Not very sexy."

 

"But it would be nice on a rainy day."

 

"THEN it would be sexy!"

Edited July 25, 2010 by talula_fairie

[Sultaana]

2007 bottle. Mexican hot cocoa with that sharp cinnamon and maybe a sprinkle of chili powder? So sweet and wonderful! It's been on a few hours and it's a very light cocoa without as much spice, but it was so delicious for the first few hours.

[Edeniade]

I saw the note listing for this scent and I just had to have it! I got a decant of the 2009 version.

 

In the bottle: COFFEEEEEE! Coffee coffee coffee! Though to be more exact, this smells just like one of Starbucks' Christmas latte blends. I feel so AWAKE now! It's a jolt of caffeine in a tiny vial!

 

First swipe: Ooooh. OH. Now I smell the cocoa. Holy wow, it smells like the hot cocoa I make every day in December with cinnamon and the dash of chili powder. It's so warm, so delicious, and now I want to listen to Christmas music.

 

Drydown: I want this scent forever! That said, I feel it would only be appropriate to wear during the winter holidays because I would get in the mood instantly with this and it's just so warm and comforting for a snowy night! Also, this would definitely get you on the "Good Girl" list with Santa Claus.

[voodoobaby]

Oh man, this is great. I get lots of hot chocolate and a bit of brown sugar. I don't really smell the cinnamon or coffee, but it's so, so tasty nonetheless. I want to eat my arm.

 

As to be expected, it does turn a little wonky later on because that's what most creamy scents do on me. However, I would love to get more of this to use as a room scent or some other alternative to perfume. Absolutely delicious, and definitely one of the best chocolate scents I've tried.

[grrrlennyl]

El Dia de Los Reyes 2007

 

Note: I do not like the smell of coffee.

On: Delicious cocoa and cinnamon. Nice and sweet. One of my partners just said: It smells like cake!

1 hour in: The cinnamon and brown sugar are stronger now, but it's still mostly cocoa. I am getting a tiny bit of coffee, too, but now much (thankfully).

2 hours in: I'm getting an odd wood note to this now and that's pretty much all.

3 hours in: Yeah, and odd wood note with some sweetness.

6 hours in: Wow, this changed back to cocoa with cinnamon. So pretty.

Overall: My skin tends to turn certain oils into a weird vegetable scent or wood scent, and that's pretty much what happened here. However, it did eventually change back to a gorgeous cocoa scent. It's hard to know what to do with my skin sometimes.

Edited December 10, 2010 by grrrlennyl

[Gin]

I have El Dia de los Reyes 2007. I love it. It's another oil I tend to overlook when choosing my BPAL of the day, but it's magic when I do use it. Primarily chocolate a la Bliss (milk chocolate), it's got a touch of coffee and a touch of brown sugar. I like most of the Lab's chocolates, but this one is really special.

[ephemere]

I'm not sure I'll have anything coherent to say about this because I'm so very very very in love with it, just trying to describe it has me devolving into keysmash. Both the 2007 and 2009 editions are absolutely gorgeous and I put them on when I am especially in need of comfort. To me, though, 2009 is more cinnamon-y than 2007, and 2007 has quite a bit more brown sugar. The cocoa surfaces more noticeably in 2007 than in 2009. Still. Both are just. Pure love.

[a_llb]

In vial: Spiced chocolate! Yum.

Wet: I am getting each distinct note, and they meld well with each other. Coffee always smells like burnt caramel to me, so that's worth pointing out I guess.

Dry: Sweet, creamy spiced chocolate! It's still pretty straightforward!

 

Verdct: Yummy, but not one I'd wear.

[lohengrin]

This is a review of an aged bottle.

 

In the bottle: Sweet hot cocoa with just a hint of cinnamon. No coffee thus far.

 

On skin, wet: A really wonderful cup of hot cocoa, with a tiny bit of cinnamon.

 

On skin, dry: Little bit of coffee in the background. It's like drinking that cup of hot cocoa in a coffee shop. And the cocoa hasn't turned to cocoa powder on me, like most BPAL chocolate blends do!

 

After an hour: The coffee note does become a little stronger, but never enough to overwhelm the hot cocoa. Happiness!

[bpalscentsual]

1/28/2012: El Dia de los Reyes

 

Previous scents: Dove deodorant.

 

In the bottle: Yum. A deliciously cinnamon-flavored rich hot chocolate. Wow, this is amazing and foody. Glad I shook it before I put it on, though, because I suspect that the chocolate settles over time.

 

Testing method: Knocked the vial twice against the inside of my left wrist, then rubbed wrists together.

 

Immediately: Yes, there’s my delicious hot chocolate. I’m so glad I smell like this, because then I don’t have the urge to make any.

 

Fifteen minutes: Okay, my skin is turning this into the cinnamon-brown sugar show. However, the throw has all the scents well-mixed. A little coffee on my skin, too.

 

One hour: This has incredible throw, and it smells exactly like I’m drinking a spiced (not bitter) cup of hot chocolate, or as if someone’s making a batch in the kitchen. I would imagine that this would also make a great room scent in an oil burner or as a spray.

 

Several hours: The throw’s turning into more cinnamon, dry and powdery. The cocoa itself isn’t any cocoa from a mix, this is over-the-stove dried-milk-and-cocoa-powder very rich cocoa. I think I applied too much! Less is more with this one, at least on me.

 

Overall: Wonderful. Absolutely wonderful. I can see this being a very comforting scent on cold winter days with a lot of snow outside. I just wish I had a touch less cinnamon in this, but it’s probably just me and my skin amping this. At least it’s a very herbal cinnamon and not sweet Red-Hots – the brown sugar is very much separate from it.

 

DISCLAIMER: Due to differences in skin chemistry, inherent olfactory powers, and other scents that an individual might use throughout the day (i.e. scented deodorants, shampoos, room sprays, cooking odors), these oils will smell different on every individual. This review is only intended to illustrate my personal experience wearing it throughout the day.

Edited January 28, 2012 by bpalscentsual

[Vega]

Testing the 2009 version.

 

Sniffed: A mash-up of cocoa, coffee, and spice.

 

On skin: Coffee and cocoa are the dominant notes in El Dia de los Reyes, and they take turns in the spotlight. On a previous skin test, it was cocoa mixed with spices; today's skin test is primarily coffee laced with cocoa. Light spices and sweet sugar add embellishments. This blend is warm, gentle, cozy, a bit dry and nutty/powdery -- a simple scent, but perfectly embodying its namesake. Colour impression is, well, the rich pale brown of freshly made hot chocolate!

 

Verdict: Now this is a hot cocoa that I would LOVE to drink! El Dia de los Reyes is delicious and welcoming, a gorgeous rendition of a foody cocoa, but even though I want to drink this, it's not something I'd wear as a perfume.

[Briar]

In the Bottle: Coffee, cinnamon, and chocolate. Emphasis on the chocolate. I mostly get the coffee on the "back sniff."

 

On My Skin: For a second, the coffee smacks me in the face and I am not pleased; coffee is not a scent I like. Then it takes a seat and lets the cinnamon-y, nutmeg-y scent come out to play. The longer I sniff it, the milkier the chocolate gets.

 

After Fifteen Minutes: This has dried down to an almost skin-musk-like chocolate. It's soft and fuzzy and encourages nuzzling. It's gotten surprisingly quiet and non-spicy the longer I've worn it.

 

I really like this scent, but I have several like it already.

[everanything]

Oh, my, this surprised me out of my bottle box today!

 

Wet: Fresh out of the bottle and given a big slather, this smells like someone tipped a tin of dark cocoa powder, and it's hanging in the air. An immediate whoosh of dry chocolate, not unpleasant, but strong. When DH came to pick me up for work, even he noticed! "I'm wearing a cocoa topnote, I think." "Oh! Yeah, you smell like chocolate!" Teehee.

 

Drydown: Someone's spilled the cinnamon and sugar now, too! It makes the chocolate a bit sweeter, rather than just like dark bitter cocoa. It's a half-mashed, truffle-esque smell.

 

Dry: Hnn. The coffee here seems a bit sour or stale, it's really weird and dry. It maybe smells like an eraser, just a bit. Bah! didn't like me much, so maybe coffee notes don't play nice on my skin.

 

Overall: It stays really close to the skin once dry, and that dry note doesn't have much appeal. I'll stick to a few others for my chocolate needs.

[PumpkinGuts]

This is some damn good Mexican hot chocolate. Rich, smooth, just-enough-spicy.

I normally amp cinnamon, but this is really well balanced. Love it.

[brilliantcat]

2007 version

 

Imp: Gorgeous sweet chocolate! I want to just huff the decant!

 

Wet: Mmm more of that amazing chocolate plus spices. It definitely reminds me of the Mexican hot chocolate I had at this great restaurant...

 

Dry: Spicy, gorgeous, sumptuous chocolate. I absolutely love this. I smell so tasty

[kolibri]

Decant, purchased from Venus Starfire. Preceded by Sachs.

 

In the imp: This is exactly like sticking your head over a cup of steaming hot cocoa. DELICIOUS!

 

Wet: The cinnamon is popping out, adding a depth to the in-the-imp sniff. Great throw.

 

Dry: *huffs wrist in bliss*

 

 

Overall: I'm a fan of chocolates, and this is the ultimate milk chocolate scent. And it lasted for hours. If I could, I'd get a bottle of this, and it's going on my wishlist STAT.

[Caper]

I thought this was going to be a sure thing and bought a used bottle unsniffed. Unfortunately, the milk chocolate now just does.not.work on me.

 

It turned powdery and vaguely rancid. I would love a dark chocolate version.