Velvet

[slave1]

Envelop yourself in the soft, sensual embrace of gentle sandalwood warmed by cocoa vanilla and a veil of deep myrrh.

In Bottle: Chocolate yum

On Skin: This is a powdery sweet cocoa. I love how the vanilla sweetens it even further, I want to eat this! The sandalwood gives a earthy, woody note that helps transform it from just another typical foody scent. The myrrh also provise a luscious resin base that warms it even more! This scent is velvety for sure!! Very seductive and slightly dark. This seduces me, this is a perfect date scent I think. How could anyone rsist you wearing this? Kapow!!! Just make sure to wear a velvet dress too, it would be perfect… A medium thrown, average lifespan, and overall beautiful scent.

[arabella]

First Impression: Chocolate-orange.

 

Dries down to: Now, I'm definitely getting sandalwood and the orange has faded away.

 

Additional Comments: I think it's the myrrh that gives this the "orange" note and I really like the interplay of cocoa and sandalwood but I can't sense vanilla at all. This reminds me of a sandalwood fan I got from my grandmother when I was very young - it was my favourite gift for a long time. This is what that fan smelled like. I love the way the cocoa tempers the sandalwood and keeps it from becoming sharp, as sandalwood usually does on me. When this imp is gone, I'll probably have to replace it with a bottle.

 

Lasted: Several hours.

 

Rating: 4 out of 5

[seamor]

Wet: Chocolate cake! Wow! Yum! Someone I used to know made a special chocolate cake she called Velvet Cake, and it smelled exactly like this! Yummy!

 

Dry down: Not quite so foody now. Sweet vanilla with something less definable behind it. I would swear there's a bit of mint in there somewhere. I don't really smell it, but I am getting that cool feeling in the nose.

 

40 minutes: Sweet,sugary, with a little cocoa in the background. Still a little foody, but the sandalwood and myrrh are coming in, promising a softly resiny balance.

 

1 hour: Ah, now I'm getting a little more sandalwood. This is more what I was hoping for - sweet vanilla chocolate balanced against resins. Now, this is really nice.

 

It fades pretty rapidly, leaving just a hint of musky cocoa on my skin.

[storme]

In the imp: cocoa and vanilla and myrrh. makes the back of my throat itch a bit.

 

On me, wet: dusty cocoa, but I can smell the sandalwood and the myrrh behind it, softening the powdery dustiness a bit.

 

On me, dry: Hey, cool, it softed and warmed to a nice vanilla-and-chocolate scent, and there's very little powderiness left. It hangs around for ages, too.

[Alchemy21599]

In the vial: Milk chocolate with almonds!

 

Wet: Chocolate and nuts. Good enough to eat!

 

Dry: The scent morphs amazingly. The vanilla comes out along with the sandalwood. The myrrh provides lovely depth while the chocolate fades in to the background. Very long lasting, too. My rating: 4/5.

[fiddledragon]

Scent in bottle: Sweet vanilla-y milk chocolate. Oh dear.

 

Scent on me:

Wet -- After a blinding flash of sugar, the sandalwood and myrrh start to peek out.

Dry -- Sandalwood, cocoa vanilla, and myrrh, in that order. Lovely and sweet, though the sandalwood's a bit dry.

 

Conclusion: This is quite lovely and comforting :-) I'm not sure I like the sandalwood this strong and dry, so I'll give it a few more tries, or maybe try combining it with something to cut the sandalwood. This with Sudha Segara could give the most glorious gingered chocolate...

[LittleGreyKitten]

Holy hells, this is evilly good! It is one of those fun BPALs that has a throw that is enticing, enchanting, and different than the scent you get when you plaster your nose up against it (both are delish but different).

 

The chocolate aspect is smooth and amazing, I love Beth's chocolate note. The sandalwood and myrrh actually go really well with the chocolate which surprises me. I wouldn't have expected them to go well together. The vanilla is noticeable, and another favorite note.

 

I'm thinking this is going on the bottle list, it's really quite unusual and lovely. Sexy too. 5 out of 5.

 

ADDED Nov. 4:

 

Velvet was one I kept trying, rejecting, and then trying again praying it would work. Sometimes with patience my nose will accept things I first thought off-putting. And Velvet sounds SO GOOD.

 

I got one of the wounded imps from the lab of Velvet- y'know, open it and the head pops off. So I left it upright in my jewelry box and forgot about it. Weeks later, I tried it again and OHMIGOD. It's just the way I always wanted it to smell! I guess I'd only tried lab fresh before, because now the scents have mellowed, deepened and become amazing. I lucked into an older bottle now too, so I can have me some aged Velvet in a more practical vessel than a headless imp.

 

The chocolate is deep and dark, the sandalwood is a really nice one- it tends to come to the forefront on my skin, but I amp chocolate too, so together they're Teh Yum. Myrrh is mellower, but still there. All in all it's damn good. I think when it's fresh, there's less depth and the notes clash a bit. Older, it's amazing- smooth and deep, and sexy too. And not terribly foody either.

 

5 out of 5.

[lady_pandora]

This is a big fat slab of chocolate cake.

 

While this is an amazing facsimile of a big fat slab of chocolate cake, I think it may be too foody even for me, the Honey- and Sugar-Obsessed One.

 

But oh, did it ever make me crave chocolate cake.

[dragonryder]

Ummm, vanilla and sandalwood. This is delicious. Gluttony was a bit too much on the sweet side, but this is really nice. Sweet, but not overpoweringly so.

[theseagrows]

ohhhh the sandalwood (with a hint of chocolate) is so strong it gives me a headache. and i think that's all i can smell in this scent.

 

i think i'll go wash this one off before my sinuses implode.

[lunareclipse]

In the phial, Velvet is cocoa-y with sandalwood undertones. Super powdery, in a good way.

 

On my skin, the sandalwood comes to the fore and the cocoa fades into the background. I'm very fond of sandalwood, and this is a soft sandalwood tempered by cocoa and vanilla sweetness rather than a sharp, aggressive one.

 

There truly is something enveloping about this scent. It has weight and warmth and comfort to it. Wearing Velvet is like cuddling up under the duvet on a damp, chilly day.

[Medici]

In the imp: Choco-vanilla wood. Like a cutting board that you've been using to make comfort food with that's been near the stove. Warm and decandent.

 

Wet: Choco-vanilla wood, again. Foody and slightly spiced - more cocoa than chocolate, though, which is nice since chocolate tends to go syrupy super fast on me.

 

Drydown: Much the same, though the sandalwood becomes more pronounced as it wears. No appearance of myrrh, though. The myrrh's lurking somewhere in this blend and I suppose it decided to keep lurking.

 

Verdict: Gourmand yum.

 

3/5 on Medici's Scale o' Lurrrve

Edited April 27, 2006 by Medici

[lysistrata]

In the vial: Powdered cocoa and dry, bitter sandalwood.

 

On me, wet: The chocolate suddenly springs to life, with the sandalwood, now warm, supporting it in the background. I want to lick my wrist.

 

On me, dry: The sandalwood takes the stage again, and cocoa is there in support, but now a vanilla flavor enters the mix. Warm, sweet, slightly spicy, and totally delicious.

 

Verdict: When I wear this, I feel cozy and warm and totally comforted. This is the nasal equivalent of curling up in front of a fire (an exotic, sandalwood fire) with a mug of hot cocoa. My favorite perfume before BPAL was a sandalwood and vanilla oil blend. Now I see it was only aspiring to be what this perfume is. So far, this is my all-time favorite BPAL scent. Big-ass bottle, when I have some money. Someday.

[HoneyHoneyNY]

I got a sniffie of this as a frimp in a swap. The kind person who gave it to me included it in my package since they saw it on my wish list.

 

In the imp, this smells delicious, like bittersweet chocolate dried out with a woody edge. I know from the description that the woody edge is sandalwood, though it has a patchouli-esque scent to me. I'm liking it because although it's chocolatey, it's not foody per se.

 

On my skin:

 

The imp is almost empty, but I get enough on the wand to put a tiny dab on my wrist. As soon as it touches my skin, it turns to baby powder. Lovely soft sandalwood baby powder. I'm so dissapointed! I wanted that spicy chocolate smell to come out.

 

Much later, the baby powder scent gives way a little and becomes more sandalwoody again. The cocoa vanilla gives it a bit of a creamy feel, despite its overall dryness. It has a powdery sweetness. Kind of like sandalwood dusting powder with dutch process cocoa mixed with it. It's nice, but still way too dry and dusty for me. I wanted that delicious bitter chocolate and patchouli scent I got in the imp, but I got chocolate talc instead. I'm glad I got a chance to sniff it though.

 

I'll have to look for another scent to soothe my chocolate desires.

[ladymissspyder]

In bottle: woody chocolate.

 

Wet: chalky chocolate with a wood undertone.

 

Dry: Sandalwood and chocolate, in about equal amounts. Leaves a slight greasy mark on skin. After about 10 minutes, the vanilla comes out to play (it's a bit more "buttery" than the usual bpal vanilla).

 

Overall scent: This is one of the scents I prefer aged, I think. I had a sniffer frimp that won me over, then I got a newer one in a swap...and that wasn't nearly as good. Now that my imp is a few months older...WOW. The components have matured and really make this a special oil.

[PixieSkull]

Imp: DARK chocolate or Guiness, take your pick. Very dry. I swear this just made my ears pop. Something sweet but unconventionally so underneath.

Wet: chocolate, I think. Very faint now, wtf? Might just be the wind. Sandalwood! Slightly warmed chocolate with sandalwood floating in it. Warm and earthy, very nice.

Dry: Oh WOW.This is very dark. This is milk chocolate cocoa with sandalwood. It's amazing how the sandalwood makes the chocolate so dark and rich for the milk chocolate part.

Category: Sandalwood/Chocolate/Food

Rating: 4/5; Solid, gorgeous, warm

Overall: I love the way this scent really pops on my skin and works with my other smells. This would be LOVELY in a cocoa butter base for a conditioner. This is another foody smell I may actually wear again.

[neverseenbleu]

I wanted to love this, and it just didn't work for me :-( It was to sweet and it smelled fake and overdone.

[joiedecombat]

Fine, velvety cocoa powder and very dry, powdery sandalwood. Unfortunately they don't seem to want to play together very well on my skin, and the sandalwood is really too dry and woody to maintain the "velvet" effect that the cocoa creates so well.

 

Still, the throw from this is mostly cocoa without that too-dry woodiness, and the overall effect is interesting. I'll need to think on it.

[Galatea]

I never thought i'd like smelling like chocolate, but Velvet makes me love it sooo much! Just enough cocoa smell, but not too much, and that is well balanced with the woodsiness of Sandlewood, and the sweet bottom note of Myrrh.

Absolutely lushus!

Edited July 11, 2006 by Galatea

[Nekomata]

Wet: Cocoa and sandalwood.

Dry: The myrrh is more noticeable.

 

Overall the scent is dry and powdery. Nothing special for me, I'll stick with the aztec scents for my cocoa lust.

[jarvenpa]

What?? I didn't review Velvet??? (just looked through the thread for my review...maybe it vanished in the great Mercury retrograde disaster? Or maybe I just thought I'd reviewed it).

 

Velvet was one of the most interesting BPAL experiences yet. I ordered an imp in my very first order of imps, smelled it in the imp, went "gawk! vomit and peanut butter!" and put it aside for a long while.

 

And then, one brave day, I thought--well, should try it. It still, in the imp, smelled of vomit and peanut butter.

 

On my wrists, a brief (very brief) hint of darkest cocoa, and then a sweet sandalwood.

I loved it.

 

I layered it with Zephyr, and liked it that way too.

 

I ordered a 5ml bottle (and have used most of it up). On me it is mostly sandalwood with something vaguely in the background, not very foodie or chocolatey, very warm, and luxurious (writing this had to slather wrists with Velvet--this time there is a deeper burst of chocolatey goodness; perhaps aging the oil intensifies it).

 

Anyway, one of my favorites, must have around, always. Yum.

[edenssixthday]

Velvet – My first impression to Velvet, immediately upon putting it on my skin, was that it was all cocoa. I thought perhaps I’d found a less sweet replacement for Bliss (which I wear, but is too sweet for my taste). Within two minutes, however, the dark cocoa faded into a soft, dark, and deep sandalwood that was slightly reminiscent of Freak Show. This is a truly gorgeous scent! This is not, however, something I would wear. It’s not feminine enough for me. But I told my husband I want him to wear it, and I’m really hoping he will. This is a really sexy scent and I don’t know if I’ll be able to keep my hands off my husband if he decides to wear it.

[HennaFairy]

bottle:

cocoa and sandalwood

 

wet:

yum!! Similar to freakshow/13, but the cocoa is even more subtle/less foody. I can smell the sandalwood and it's yummy!

 

dry:

sandalwood, I think I can discern the myrrh… and a bare hint of vanilla and cocoa beans! Yummmmy

 

overall:

love it!

 

rating: 9/10

[BrightRedScream]

I got this as a frimp from Sookster for my birthday

 

In the imp: Why do I smell chocolate mint? I don't get vanilla, or the myrrh, or the sandalwood...I get chocolate mint.

 

Odd.

 

Wet: Still chocolate mint..but the chocolate has turned a little more vanilla - so it's kind of like a white chocolate treat to me...Why do I always get wierd results with scents? *sighs* I do like it - I'm just not a mint person, so it's leaving me a little..torn.

 

Dry down: Woah, what a change...I suddenly get that myrrh scent a lot more, with that chocolatey goodness, as well as sandalwood...It's actually VERY warm, and comforting and I really enjoy the scent - despite my worries about the myrrh initally. I do love the combo of vanilla and sandalwood together, and I'm finding that with that hint of chocolate it's taking the blend to a new level. I think that even my fussy pants sister might like this one...if that's the case, we'll be needing a 10ml, if not - a 5ml will do me just fine.

 

Note: After about an hour of wearing this, the myrrh and sandalwood were practically gone - all I was left with was chocolate...it's SO nice and rich too

Edited June 24, 2006 by BrightRedScream

[WidgetAlley]

Don't remember where I got this, I'm afraid-- probably a swap! Thank you, whoever you were!

 

In the Imp: Guh. Mmm. Oh. Oh my. Chocolate. But not just any old chocolate. Chocolate: thick, buttery, almost alcoholic chocolate, over the richest, most-- yes-- velvety base of rough spices. Sandalwood and myrrh, doubtless. Excuse me, I need a moment to convince myself that drinking this isn't a Fantastic Idea. It smells like Abuelita before you mix it with milk (Mexican hot chocolate-- the chocolate part comes in big round cakes, and it's actually solid chocolate with all kinds of yummy things like cinnamon in it.) This is.... I hope it stays this good on.

 

Wet: The same, only.... stronger. There really is an alcoholic tinge to this, but it's not in a piercing or annoying wa-- holy mother of God, what is that? No, seriously, what is it? Am I picking up..... hand wipes? No, don't do this to me. Velvet, please. Tell me I'm wrong, baby. Tell me my nose is deluded. Tell me it's the way you're interacting with the leftover Greed on my wrist..... Actually, I think it is. It's died down now, and is a bit closer to the chocolatey-incense I was hoping for. I've worn this at least once before and liked it very much, and I don't remember a portable towelette phase, so it's gotta be the Greed. Right? Right?

 

Dry: This dries down to sweet-spicy-rich vanilla, with heavy incense laid over it, and just a touch of chocolate in the background. I love it. It's not really weather-appropriate for these 95 degree days we've been having, but it's very comforting, and it will be great in the winter. If I can ascertain that it was indeed the Greed causing that brief hand-wipe phase, this is a big-bottle contender.

 

[eta] The staying power on this is amazing. I went out to work in the yard with it on, sweated buckets, and was still getting wafts of delicious, Velvety goodness 4+ hours of mowing later.

Edited June 27, 2006 by WidgetAlley