Xiuhtecuhtli

[Miss Lynx]

Patron of the Aztec pantheon, he is the personification of light within darkness, warmth in the cold, and life in, and after, death. He is a creative and destructive God of Fire and Light, and is appeased only by sacrifice, trial, and the slaughter of his people's enemies. Copal, plumeria and sweet orange and the smoke of South American incense and crushed jungle blooms.

The Lab included a free imp of this in my latest order, and I'm glad they did. Though I must say, for an elder male god who was honoured by having victims burned on hot coals after their hearts were cut out, this is a very pretty scent, and seems more feminine than masculine to me.

It's got distinct floral, fruity and incensey elements to it, and for a pleasant change the floral element does not rise up and overpower everything else. Maybe plumeria, a.k.a. frangipani (I had to look it up in Wikipedia since I didn't know what it was) is one of the few florals that works on me. There's also a very lush, wet, tropical feel to it -- it's oddly watery for a fire god's scent.

I suppose on one level it's no surprise that I like it -- it's got copal in it as a major note, and that's one of my all-time favourite scents. Copal was what pushed Chimera from just a nice spicy scent into cinnamon bliss for me, and it works very nicely as a base for this scent too. I can smell the orange, but with the other notes it seems more like some exotic tropical fruit than regular orange to me. Slightly reminiscent of Kuang Shi, to me.

All in all, a very nice scent, with a fresh, lush, watery feel to it, but alas, very little longevity. I only put it on maybe half an hour ago, if that, and it's already nearly gone on my wrists and only a little stronger in the crooks of my arms. But what there is of it is quite nice. I'd rank it higher if it lasted a mroe reasonable length of time, but as it is...

Grade: B

[herdivineshadow]

On me, this is certainly very orangey and inscensey. I can't quite decide if I like it. It's a fresh clean scent but a bit smokey too. After a while it turns a bit more floral on me but it doesn't last very long at all.

[dubh_ceol]

ooh. I'm in love. Again. This is a really pretty scent. Light, floral with just a hint of smoke. I need a bottle of this!

[theseagrows]

i'm not sure if i am smelling the crushed jungle blooms or the sweet orange- but i get a warm, sweet smell. it's heavenly! and faint incense in the background. i did think of desert or jungle flowers when i put this on. i guess because it makes me think of the sun. it also smells really familiar, but i don't know why.

[Fefferbella]

First impression: Slightly floral. Sugary, but in a good way. I like it.

 

On the skin: Just keeps getting better as the fragrance warms and opens up. A little citrusy- lime or unripe orange, clean, deliciously vanilla but not in a food way... more like a vanilla orchid flower way.

 

I LOVE THIS scent... deffinatly one for the bottle list. Only one down side- this scent was undetecible on me in less than 30 min.

[SeaMonkey]

This was waaaay to sweet and floral on me. I had to wash it off.

[PurringPulsar]

Xiuhtecuhtli

 

In the imp: orange and perfumey flowers. This reminds me of a scent called ‘Mayan Gold’-no, not the Green and Black’s chocolate bar, but the MMU scent.

Wet on skin: tangy orange and lush, slightly greenish floral notes, and something sweet.

Dry: this is a very nice scent-and it really does remind me of MMU’s Mayan Gold! There’s a golden scent to it, definitely resinous, but it’s not a resin note I’m familiar with-so I’m guessing that’s the copal. There’s also the orange, which is very prominent in this, and some floral notes-I’m wondering if it’s the plumeria that gives this scent a creamy sweetness? Or maybe there’s a vanilla or chocolate note here-despite them not being listed? I also get something lush and slightly green, which might be the jungle blooms. There’s something ‘perfume-like’ about this, as in, it bears similarities to designer perfumes, but that’s not a bad thing. The overall scent is golden, bright, tangy, refreshing and slightly sweet, with a hint of the exotic about it.

After a while: this stays pretty consistent throughout-the notes don’t morph too much. It’s still that bright, golden, perfume like scent, with a hint of something dry and green or resinous. The orange note is surprisingly tenacious in this, which is a good thing. I’m also getting grapefruit, which is unexpected. I swear it’s also got a chocolate or vanilla note too. In fact, as other reviews have noted-it does remind me of Angel, but with added citrus!

Verdict: this, to me, is BPAL’s version of Mayan Gold. (Though for this, 'Aztec Gold' would be more accurate.) It smells almost identical to the MMU Mayan Gold lotion I tried, but this one is a bit more interesting…there’s something more natural about this, and more complex. It’s a bright, tangy scent with golden tones, a hint of something green, and with a smooth, sweet undertone. Orange is strong in this, and this orange note seems to last a long time. I think I also detect copal here, as well as the floral notes, and a sweet note that makes me think of vanilla or chocolate. This scent is also very reminiscent of sophisticated designer perfumes-it does have something ‘Angel’ like about it-with added orange, but that’s not a bad thing. I do like this, but I’m not sure if I’ll get a bottle, but I’ll keep the imp…I get the feeling this will really grow on me.

[sarahj]

Xiuhtecuhtli

 

in vial: strong plumeria

 

wet: incensy plumeria

 

dry: very "perfumy" and way too strong for me

 

verdict: not for me...off to swaps

[ajcj213499]

This smells of orange oil and patchouli, a combination of essential oils I used to wear long ago before I discovered BPAL... It's not unique enough for me.

hmmm....

[merebrillante]

In the vial: Floral sweetness, but also a faint astringency.

 

Wet: Aquatic!

 

Drydown: The sweet flowers rise up again and spread out. This is difficult to pin down. The notes here are either completely foreign to me, or really well-blended. I honestly don't smell orange, which is the only note of those listed that I'm familiar with. Intriguing.

 

Dry: This reminds me vaguely of one of my dad's old colognes. It's gone all soft now, and powdery, and I suspect it will fade away rather quickly. It just came to me -- this is one of the Soap-on-a-Ropes I got my dad for some Father's Day when I was a kid. Alas! And I had such hopes for this one.

[Sunnicus]

This is a rare find for me, a perfume that my body chemistry doesn't change radically. It's subtle and beautiful. I love the way it works in different temperatures too. Living in Texas, it could be freezing in the morning and shorts weather in the afternoon. This scent stays true throughout the day, but brings something different to the table for each temperature change.

 

Cold morning: A warm, comfortable, familiar incense smell wraps itself around you.

 

Temperature controlled office: Sophisticated and pretty. More floral than before.

 

Hot and humid walk home: incense and florals thicken to take your mind deeper into the jungle tropics.

 

This scent is incredible!

[AlaskaSnows]

Wet: a dry, woody floral.

 

Dry: Sadly this becomes vinegar and sandalwood on me, dunno how that happened but it isn't fun.

[notagoth]

this is my favorite scent. when i first tried it i thought it was too smoky, but it's grown on me like crazy. i love, love, love it. it's unusual, but not in the typical incensey way that many bpal fragrances are (and one of the reasons i haven't been able to get into most of what i've tried). it's "sophisticated" but unexpected and on me it's really warm, smoky, sweet and spicy in the best way. smooth. god i love this scent. my best friend says "you smell like a mexican christmas!!" and there's definitely some unplaceable "south americanness" to this. but mostly it's sweet, smoky and amazing.

 

i don't get the angel similarities, but everyone else seems to. it's funny; i picked this one up specifically because of that (angel's my favorite "commercial" perfume), but even though i love xiu, i don't smell angel. i do, however, get "are you wearing angel?" quite often when i wear it, so maybe it's just my nose...

[niter]

Imp

Jeepers, now that is a complex first impression--intense! It changed over the course of one breath in so I will do my best to describe it.

 

At first, there is a tropical(?) exotic floral note that is not like the typical airy floral but some thick, heady, and strong. The thickness turns almost to cream or resin and then the after note is a twinge of sweet citrus.

 

Things should not be allowed to smell this[/b] good!

 

Wet

On my skin, the creamy note permeates my nose first. Trailing up with it is the mystery floral note and the sweet citrus. This makes me feel exotic, Amazonian, and sexy. There is something light in this, almost like an anoited sacrificial virgin. There is also some sort of spice, inscence, or ashy type smoke.

 

The more I wait, the closer I am to licking my arm. This is fucking gorgeous.

 

Must. Stop. Smelling. Myself.

 

Dry

 

If this was a religion, I would be a convert. There are no words to describe how much I adore this scent. It has immediately jumped into my top circle of favorites and I am not sure if the next moon is soon enough (I am also sitting on my hands to avoid ordering Antique Lace). The scent stayed thick, powerful, and just as sexy when I put it on.

 

I am trying to figure out what the scents are...I supose the floral is what plumeria really smells like since my only experience with it was the Bath and Body plumera....the citrus perhaps is from the copal as I saw that copal oil is "lemonny" but then what of the cream? Copal is a resin, younger than Amber, but it is consistently described as citrusy.

[urraca]

This was a kind lab frimp of a scent I had been curious about. I smell the orange, but weirdly enough, not the plumeria, which I usually really like. I find this unusual and pleasant, but a little too masculine for me. It reminds me oddly enough of Black Opal --- same mineral smell. It kind of makes me think of a South American guy. Not a bad think to think about.

Edited February 1, 2006 by urraca

[evanesce]

I found this at the bottom of the imp box... poor, unloved *sniff* I am sure it was a frimp.

 

I'm not sure about this one. It smells... Funny. Not bad, just funny.

 

I think the funny is the copal, which is something I'm wholly unfamiliar with. I do smell the florals, and some kind of soft spice. Definitely orange, too.. I like the orange a lot..

 

It makes me think of sitting in the sun on a warm, dry day when all the flowers are up and blooming, and eating an orange (which I make a mess when I do!)

 

Exotic definitely fits. I really like this one...Lazy lounging, exotic scent, that makes even a cold day feel warm and happy.. Its something I'll be bringing out more often on Sundays, when I need the comfy happy feeling when I'm at work.

[dreamingjune]

In the bottle: Pure bliss. It's a perfectly fresh floral, kind of like an orange blossom of sorts. This is by no means a typical bpal floral though. There is just the hint of something hay-like and maybe a touch of incense to really make this interesting.

 

Wearing: More bliss. The kind of scent I really just want to bathe in. The hay-like note comes to the forefront and stays there for about 10-15 minutes. After that it remains an amazing unique and refreshing floral with hints of incense. I know it's been said before, but this reminds me of the scent "Angel" (I can't remember who makes it) but better, minus the synthetics.

 

To sum it up, I'm a die hard incensey, dirty, smokey, gritty kind of scent girl, but this was amazing enough that it's the only 10 ml I own. I'm literally salivating just thinking about it.

[sh1mm3r]

I am surprised I haven't reviewed this yet. Xiuhtecuhtli is one of the imps I have in my box that surprises me everytime I try it. If I read the description, I am scared away, because florals, orange, and incense usually are rotten on me.

 

In the bottle - this smells medicinal, and I almost don't try it.

 

Wet - This is what I always hoped amber-based scents would smell like on me - hard to find specific notes, but definitely a bright and golden scent. Part citrus, part smooth (chocolate or carob?), part leafy green.

 

Dry - it gets more leafy and less citrus, almost like the sun going down but never really setting.

 

Actually, on me it is almost exactly the same as Calvin Klein's Euphoria for Women, which I adore, but haven't ever purchased. Apparently, I won't need to!

 

So much for weeding my box o' imps *sigh*.

[septima_pica]

Like caramel oranges and Mexican chocolate, is the first impression. Impelled me to go home after class and eat an orange.

 

Upon further (less hungry) examination of the scent, wafting smoky incense and plumeria makes it not too foody...warm and sweet and dark, with a dark burnt orange colour impression. Despite not being in the listed ingredients, I definitely think I smell chocolate, though not the sort in Tezcatlipoca and Centzon Totochtin, which (alas) just smelt singed on me. Maybe it's vanilla, but that doesn't usually work on me either. Not sure what's going on with that sweet note, then.

 

I'm not sure what copal smells like, but I should try and find some of it...and I should get another imp of this once it's gone. Scented a bright flowery Russian silk handkerchief with this one.

[sthenno]

This is gorgeous. I can smell the orange blossom and plumeria right off. This is a creamy and sweet floral. Very lush and smooth. This is not at all what I was expecting from the description, but I like it. I actually picked this one out because I love incense, but I don't get any incense from it at all. Regardless, it's a gorgeous floral. Definitely keeping this one.

 

I happened to be testing The Caterpillar at the same time as this one and I found them to be similar in drydown. In drydown, this is like the sweeter, higher pitched cousin of The Caterpillar.

[Thursdae]

I adore Xiuhtecuhtli. It's so well blended that I can't pinpoint any notes. No other oil smells like it. It really lasts on me, too. I usually have to reapply oils every couple of hours but Xiuhtecuhtli's pink-orange magic stays with me all day. It's a must-have oil for me.

[GypsyRoseRed]

This scent manages to make citrus both exotic and sexy, not to mention very distinctive. It has lots of throw on me, too, staying true to the 'wet' scent for about four hours. This has earned a place on my favorites list.

[tajana]

Wet: Straight out of the imp is a lush blend. Sweet and faintly flowery, with a tinge of something deeper beneath it. On the skin, it automatically heats up a little. The suggestion of citrus is made, but no true fruitiness emerges. The complexity takes only a few minutes to unfold.

 

Dry: I have no idea how copal smells like, but I suspect that’s the center of this scent. It's warm, resinous, and blends almost seamlessly with a smoky wisp of incense. It’s not the spicy flare of open flame, but the aftermath of a fire. There's a lush floral twist (I'm only getting a whiff of plumeria: it's mixed into a larger bouquet) and a light burst of sweet orange within it all that pulls it together into a scent strongly reminiscent of a jungle. It's the cool shade of a verdantly blooming rainforest, the heated, illuminating glow of embers in the burning dark coal... as paradoxical as the description would make you believe. It's perfectly balanced in other respects, too: smoky heat without cloudiness, and it's not too floral or cloyingly sweet. It’s unique and nuanced while remaining stealthily subtle. It doesn't go powdery, but after wearing it a few times, I've noticed that, when standing on its last legs, the smell falls apart into something that evokes imagery of sticky, syruppy flowers.

 

Verdict: I was hoping for more of a citrus punch, but this is so pretty that I forgot about looking for that orange. It's there, but it's diffused into a whole that exceeded my expectations in terms of complexity. I really like smelling it, but I don't reach for it any old day. It's got an exotic, unique edge, but it also strikes me as sophisticated, like someone well-learned and successful, who's been places and is still going places.

Edited April 8, 2006 by tajana

[jewelbug]

Imp: Clean, slightly sweet floral. This is very green (like mown grass). I can definitely smell the citrus, but to me, this smells more of lemon than orange.

 

Wet: Ah, there's the discernable orange. It's still very green too. This sort of reminds me of a "cool citrus basil" scent I had from BBW not too long ago. It's herbal, like a citrus tea. No smoke that I can smell, and the copal is faint, if detectable at all.

 

Dry: Orange, cream, and green herbs. This is really light and pretty. A very nice spring scent, I think. I belief that the creamy sweetness is copal, but wow, I'm amazed at how different it is from the copal in Greed. In the later drydown, there is much more copal and the citrusy/herb notes become distance. It becomes a wonderful skin scent, almost vanillic, and very cozy.

 

Overall: The throw is low to moderate, and this stays for about 6.5 hours. I loved all stages of it, wet, early and late dry. I am not sure if I would reach for this often or not, but I think it's worth keeping the imp around to find out.

[feline.by.design]

Wow, this smells different.

 

Xiuhtecuhtli is quite a lush scent, but not the whole "tropical blooms" scent I was expecting from its description. I found it very light and delicate at first sniff, with a bit of sweetness that was more akin to sugar cane juice than any stickier, cloying sort of sweetness. The floral mixture... I don't think it's lily, nor lotus, but I could be wrong. It smells fabulous, though. The citrus note is there, but it's not heavy enough to be in the forefront. Rather, it mingles well with the other notes present, which are hard to identify.

 

This fragrance doesn't markedly change throughout the duration of the wear, except it isn't quite as lush as it was initially, but the fragrance stays pretty similar. Xiuhtecuhtli is a gorgeously fresh scent, very different from anything I currently own from BPAL. It manages to be very complex, yet it smells very simple.

 

I'm enthralled. Xiuhtecuhti is a spectacular fragrance, and a definite contender for big-bottle status. This is such a perfect scent for the spring and summer months, although I wouldn't fault anyone for wearing it at any time of the year. It reminds me a little of Snow White in its make-up, how the scent is quite gentle but very distinct, and the weight of the scent is quite similar as well.

 

:::restraining myself from ordering a 10 ml right now:::

 

:::steady on, girl:::

 

Ah. Good thing the update for the Lunacy is only a few days. I think I can manage a few days. In the meantime, I will make much use out of this freebie imp from the Lab. Thank you, Labbies, or perhaps curse you, as I have found a new oil to obsess over.

 

-doreen