Defututa

[welcometothefamily]

Olive blossom, honey, smoky vanilla, cinnamon, jasmine, sandalwood, and champaca flower.

In the Imp: Smoky vanilla and honey, I'm smelling a light floral. I don't know what champaca flower or olive blossom smell like, but I know this floral isn't jasmine.

Wet: Still honey and vanilla, slightly smoky, and I think it must be the olive blossom.

Drydown: I love the drydown of this. It's clean and fresh, and slightly sweet. Its like fresh sheets hanging outside on a clear spring morning, but not overwhelmingly clean smelling. (I'm looking at you Dirty.) I'm fairly sure I'm smelling the olive blossom, and there's the smoky vanilla and a hint of honey.

Verdict: I really like this. It's a little sweet, deceptively simple, slightly floral, and clean smelling. Something in this blend also reminds me of the boy, so it has the comfort vote too . I think I might need a bottle of this.

4/5

[miishanyan]

Well firstly, wow. Spent yesterday wishing I had a jasmine scent to wear and wound up browsing the scents with jasmine on the shop only to stumble across Defututa and realise I had an imp at home. So I slathered some on this morning, and I won't lie, I'm pretty blown away.

 

In the imp, it's a pretty subdued floral scent, blended to the extent that I can't pick out any one note, but as soon as I put some on, I got loads of beautiful jasmine and cinnamon, and just a hint of everything else. Jasmine can be overpowering sometimes, but it is just right in this scent. Really loving the sweet smokey tones running through this too. It's really warm, and has kept me so chilled out today at work (always a real plus!). I love this, and think I will need a bottle in my next order.

 

Spending the next few days in the company of my lovely lady, so will see what her opinion is of it as well, because I'm totally in love!

[quickdrawkiddo]

Without checking the notes first, this one smelled like cinnamon and something fruity, maybe peach, when first applied. After I read the notes I realized it was honey and vanilla that were giving it that sweetness, and champaca that was giving it that almost-syrupy quality that made me think of peaches. The cinnamon mellows out a lot on the drydown, and it becomes a really lovely, balanced honey-vanilla-floral blend. I'm usually more into dark, earthy, masculine blends so this is a huge departure for me, but I'm really enjoying it. It's sweet without being cloying and sexy without being office-inappropriate. Definitely looking forward to wearing this more!

[Gwydion]

In bottle: Honey sweet florals on first impression with the jasmine and honey the strongest impressions. The vanilla is second strongest, in support of the honey. The olive and champaca flowers bridge the floral with the sweet. The sandalwood grounds it. The cinnamon gives it a touch of bite. It is delicate and a little chemical. There is no chance of this working on my skin, so no skin test.

[Magycmyste]

I don't know about olive blossom, but most of these notes tend to work pretty well on my skin. I'm wondering which ones will show up the most. I don't think it can go wrong on me, unless the olive blossom does something really funky.

 

In the imp: florals and honey sweetness.

 

Wet on skin: this is beautiful. Right now, the jasmine is coming out the strongest, with a lovely vanilla edge. I think the olive blossom is keeping it from becoming too sweet. I'm not really getting the sandalwood or champaca at all. The vanilla and honey sort of blend together - I can pick them out, but they're almost the same note.

 

Dried down: as it dries down, it gets sweeter on me, almost pure honey and vanilla, with a little bit of jasmine. I'm still surprised I'm not getting more champaca or sandalwood from this, as I usually amp those.

 

Throw: the throw is light and sweet. I wonder if I'm going to get more champaca as it stays on my skin longer, as that's where I usually get the special, ethereal quality champaca often gives. Ok yes, there it is. I just needed to wait a little bit longer. Mmmmmmmm......

 

Verdict: **** 1/* ok! it will be awhile before I get a bottle of this, since my bottle collection is starting to get out of hand, but I think I'll definitely get one at some point. We'll see how often I reach for my imp.

[Limelight]

This scent seems to play "Yes, No, Maybe" with me! I put it on, I like it, take a whiff later, I don't like it, later still I like it again, et cetera. The smoky vanilla is great, but the jasmine keeps horning in. I think that's what's messing it up for me. If this didn't have jasmine, I think I'd adore it. It would be along the lines of my lovely White Phoenix. It is sweet with a fur-like warmth, like plush pelts on that well-used bed.

[KerylRaist]

Hmmm... if only I smelled this sweet when defutata.

 

Okay, so in the bottle, sweet, sweet honey. Someone said this was a very golden scent, and I agree, thick, golden dripping honey, wet and lingering on happy sun-kissed skin.

 

On the skin, wet: Candied florals, mostly jasmine. I have the image of a pot of simmering honey, one vanilla bean warming in it, many, many flowers floating in the brew. The flowers are taken out, placed on parchment paper, left to crystallize, then to be eaten.

 

Dry on skin: Sweet honey, florals, tiny whiffs of smoke that whisper, "Here I am," and then fade away.

 

Three hours later: Generic sweet scent. Mostly vanilla, but that bland, sweet, generic "vanilla" scent. This is not vanilla bean, or vanilla extract even. It's that sweet, white, "flavor" that pops up in ice cream, confections, coffee flavors, etc...

 

Five hours: very, very faint sweet scent.

 

Six hours: gone.

[MiasmaResonance]

Heavy on the champaca and olive blossom initially, and after the initial burst fades, jasmine pops out. As it settles the smoky vanilla makes itself more known. All in all, it's pretty, but I'm on the fence of like vs love - must retest again another day.

[kahmiel]

Wet, it is heavy on the sandalwood and vanilla, but as it dries the jasmine comes out to play and it mellows with the champaca flower, becoming a lighter floral. Its a warm scent, well blended but not wintry or summery, maybe spring? I can smell the honey, which is always a touch powdery on me, and I like it, and the roundness of the vanilla. On the drydown the sandalwood hangs in the back, just playing the "holding this together" game, when the florals of champaca and jasmine come to the top in lovely and sensual romantic scent. The sweetness I smell might be cinnamon? I'm not sure.

I love this. Its going on the *buy a bottle* list.

[Teaker]

Wet this smells like delicious, slightly spiced honey. As soon as I put it on and it started to dry, it morphed into a screaming, in-your-face floral. Heavy and heady and kind of funky. I actually like most florals a lot, so I was surprised at how off-putting this was. I couldn't figure out what the culprit was until I checked the notes and saw Jasmine. Wowza! Jasmine lovers should definitely check this one out, because that's ALL I can smell in here.

 

When it dries the Jasmine settles a bit and this becomes softer and sweeter. I can even pick up a bit of vanilla and spice under all that floral! Still too powerful for me, but seriously if you like Jasmine, run don't walk to try this!

[lady_pandora]

You know how Facebook has a setting where you can view your page the way it looks to your mom or your boss or a total stranger? Defututa is one of those moments when I wish perfumes had that setting. I'd just click "Smell this perfume as: Someone who doesn't amp jasmine to hell and gone" and then I'd get to smell all those other lovely notes. I love the concept of Defututa and it sounds wonderful from the notes, but I can really only smell the one, and dangit, I still have an almost full bottle of Corinna around here somewhere, so I'm probably full up. :cry2:

 

I can see why someone mentioned Flying Fox. It does remind me of that, and would probably smell great layered with it.

[Tal Shachar]

Defututa should work on me! Jasmine, honey, and olive blossom are always strong notes on my skin, even though vanilla tends to disappear. Instead I get perfumey sandalwood, sliiight champaca, and nothing else, ever, not even when I'm sniffing in the imp. I am baffled. I keep trying because it makes me feel insane, and also because I love the name. But it never works. I would probably be heartbroken if it were an LE, but luckily since it's GC I can just shrug and go on with my life.

[bellumed]

Man this STINKS! Jasmine screaming at the top of its lungs with some burning cinnamon lumped on top. Thankfully this becomes much prettier on my skin, a honey-vanilla-cinnamon that reminds me of a cinnamon roll, but the florals keep it from being actually foodie. The champaca and olive blossom are showing up a bit now; jasmine has dialed it back.

 

While Defututa on me is an enormous improvement over the scent in the bottle, I still don't think I'm in love with it. I'll pass on this one.

[Sarah Morehouse]

This would be PERFECT on me, but for the Jasmine. And even with, it's not terrible. Just overpoweringly jasmine. But I get a hint of the honey-soft round spice-gentle blossom glory that it's supposed to be.

 

It's puzzling because I adore Jasmine Tea. And the scent itself is pleasant, just painfully strong. All I am getting is vanilla and jasmine, and I feel like a teenager trying to smell sophisticated and unmindful of everybody's eyes streaming around her. (Dear past self: you should not be going through an entire bottle of body spray in a week.)

 

I am so sad because I am a huge fan of cinnamon and champaca; vanilla usually melds with my chemistry very nicely; and I'm really curious about olive leaf. Honey is lovely on me - it looks at whatever scents are around it and says, "Go ahead and do your thing, I'll just push it up to 11 for you." Sandalwood is ok - rarely shows up on my skin, but it's a nice booster for other warm scents. But nope, can't smell any of that over the cacaphony of jasmine!

 

I don't think it's just this particular jasmine note either. I think jasmine in general just amps like crazy on me. This would probably smell lovely on someone who can do florals at ALL. And I am jealous of you for it.

Edited February 12, 2015 by manycolored

[hushmesilent]

Such a beautiful scent... At first sniff in the imp, a WHACK of olive blossom and honey, which is quickly dominated by this soft, incensy cinnamon. When wearing it, everything else except for jasmine, vanilla, and this cozy, intimate, incensy cinnamon. MmmmMMMMMM. It feels very adult, and very sexy. It's the post-coitus warmth, wrapped in your lover's arms.

 

Just gorgeous, this one will ALWAYS be in my arsenal.

[stellamaris]

it's funny I have never reviewed this, as I remember getting an imp of it early in my BPAL forays, and really not liking it, and lumping it into the same blergh plastic category as O. Recently I retried an imp of it, and was amazed at how gorgeous it is. It is right at the top of the wishlist now. This is beautiful smokey, the honey is not too dominant, and the vanilla is glorious. Love love love this, and getting some stat.

 

got some. Getting more. Getting backups.

this one ages beautifully.

Edited January 30, 2016 by stellamaris

[puck_nc]

Origin: Frimp in an order

 

Initial Thoughts: This is a mishmash of notes that I like and notes that are iffy on me. Let's see what happens.

 

In the Vial: Smooth and silky jasmine. I'm really surprised that I'm not picking up at least the cinnamon, but everything else appears to be creating a rich foundation to show off the jasmine.

 

Wet: Still jasmine, but it's more in line with the rest of the notes making up that foundation rather than being in front. It's warmer and spicier, which could be the cinnamon emerging or the sandalwood amping or both.

 

Drydown: This is astoundingly well-blended. The jasmine is still the only note I can identify for sure, maybe the vanilla. The overall impression is a warm and sweet comforting jasmine, as if it had been dipped in caramel.

 

Verdict: I think I like this one a lot. We'll see how fast I go through the imp.

[Veronica]

This starts off very sweet, but the honey goes powdery on me as it tends to do. I end up with jasmine scented powder.

[Malaena]

In the imp: Oooh, nice light floral with sweetness.

 

Dry: Oh my god; it's just jasmine. Jasmine jasmine jasmine. I think I have finally learned that BPAL jasmine hates me and I hate it. On my skin I never detected any other scent!!!!!!

[emanomaly]

I've had this for a while, and don't know why I haven't reviewed it.

 

I've only been on the BPAL train for a few months, so I fall in love fast and hard and then move on to the next. This, however, was one of my first purchases and when I remember to come back to it I find I am still just as impressed as I was initially. Perhaps becoz it's one of the few where I can isolate most of the notes.

 

In the bottle, there is a sharpness to it... almost astringent or cypress/piney... I am going to assume it is the olive blossom. It smells clean and strong.

 

Wet on my skin, I can definitely smell the jasmine, and the champaca flower. I absolutely love jasmine, although it frequently turns soapy and/or gives me a headache. Not in Defututa. Here and on the dry-down it's balanced by the other notes and works sooooooo well on my skin. The jasmine and champaca play very nicely for a floral but-not-too-floral and an incensey but-not-too-incensey smell.

 

I've been snapping up anything I can find with a honey note, but unfortunately it tends to disappear on me. With this lil fella though, the honey starts to come out and mingle with the champaca to add a nice, lovely, calming depth to the scent. I can still smell the clean jasmine and the olive blossom, but they are well-tempered by the honey and champaca. It just seems like they all balance each other out so harmoniously and once the sent settles in on me the honey really shines, and pulls a little vanilla along with it.

 

To be honest I don't get much of the sandalwood or cinnamon, which I feel like I could identify if they were there. But they must be around somewhere becoz it is such a warm and clean smell. If I concentrate really super hard I think I can isolate the cinnamon but I might be talking myself into it.

 

Another review said that this is a "headshop" smell for people who don't like "headshop" smell and they are absolutely spot-on, as I am that person :-) The champaca is identifiable but in no way overpowering.

 

I'm so incredibly pleased with this blend. It is well-balanced and just lovely. I've fallen in and out of love with a few other scents but this one is really standing the test of time, and has pulled me out of my traditional scent comfort zone.

Edited August 24, 2015 by emanomaly

[TallGrrl78]

Wow, I really love this. And to think, a scent with jasmine, sandalwood, and champaca flower (three notes I'd usually shy away from) could be so awesome on me. I don't really get much of those notes on me though. This is all olive blossom, honey, smokey vanilla, and cinnamon. The other notes just stay in the background. This is like eating a cinnamon donut in a room that has the most delicious incense burning in the background. I think I found a new go to fall scent!

[elka_knits]

there is no star in front of this one so I guess I didn't review it? How is that possible?

 

on scent base I gave it 5/5 stars with the note LOVE THIS. For those who don't know the only other scents to earn 5/5 are my beloved Pallas Athena, Bakeneko and Anesthesia {purely for sleep purposes not for wearing as a scent}

 

It replaced Dragon Milk as my go to day scent mainly because Dragon Milk smells plastic-y on me when I first put it on and that doesn't happen with Def. Dragons Milk is good after year 7 but who wants to wait that long to avoid the in vitro and wet stages? I put it in the same category as Dragon's Milk believe it or not-- creamy lush scent that on me feels like it stays close to the skin. I don't care how others perceive it. I think of it as a snuggly comfort scent.

 

What does it take to earn 5 stars? I have to love it love it love it from the minute I open the bottle through deep dry down... My eyes literally rolled back when I first opened Pallas and she reminded me of my BPAL love. Def was like that.. well not the eye rolling back bit because Pallas has that honor but I got her with a large order and it is the only scent that I wear. I am almost done with my first bottle and have a second sitting here ready to fill in. I have gone through every imp of it I can get my hands on.

[LizziesLuck]

I so wanted to love this, based on the honey, vanilla, cinnamon and sandalwood. So much win. I knew it was risky though, based on the jasmine, which I dislike a lot and amp like crazy (of course).

 

Wet - yup, jasmine. *sigh*. Pretty much a jasmine single note. A bit soapy. Overly sweet.

 

Dry - Not too bad, actually. Still more jasmine than I care for, but not completely overwhelming or terrible. It's a soft sweet floral. It took quite some time to get to this though. so I'm certain I would never want to put myself through the wet stage just to get to a scent that I "don't mind". I shall pass this along to someone who might love it better.

[Katlastrophe]

JASMINE, it's the only note I can find.
Where is my wood and cinnamon?!
I actually like jasmine, but it is so effing overpowering in this blend, it's like toilet scent spray strong

I really hope it will calm down by the time and let other notes rise, because it's totally unwearable in this fresh state.

[Myrrha]

After 20 minutes (once the honey calms down) it smells like a wonderful warm vanilla-jasmine. The olive blossom and champaca seem to be there to blend with the jasmine and make it a more wearable, rounded, slightly smokey floral scent. The honey lends a golden sweetness. The cinnamon and sandalwood make a warm base for the floral scent.

 

This is a gorgeous jasmine perfume. I think I prefer the soft, calming lunar haze of Mare Vaporum for my jasmine fix. Dufututa is sexier and more overtly gorgeous. Try it if you love jasmine and also if you love honey scents. Just wait a half hour to give it a chance to settle down.