Ian

[fairybites]

Wet, leather and fur are the strongest notes. The more it dries, the more I can detect the slightly fruity rum and a faint hint of the patchouli. The leather is the first to fade into the background once dry for a while, so on me it's the rum and fur.

 

This is I believe the first BPAL I've tried with a fur note, I can see why it's popular. However, I am disappointed patchouli didn't last on me. This was amazing in the wet stage, enough to make me consider a bottle in the future. But the more it dried, the more the notes faded. It's definitely not bad once completely dried down, but the rum scent has been almost drowned out by the fur note.

 

I was glad to have gotten this frimped, but I can't see much use for it now besides layering. I just ordered a decant of the Bear Prince from this year's Yule release, so now I'm a little nervous the fur in that oil will dominate the rest of the notes the way it did in this one. However, if fur is one of your all time favorite notes, I would give this a try!

[windbourne]

Compared to many of the other character scents in this series, Ian is so simple. Leather, sweetened (but not spiced) rum, bit of very distant, slightly dirty patch that gets stronger the longer it wears. ...and that's it. No surprises, no oddities, just a simple perfume for a simple boy. I've worn this a few times over the years, but I'm not actually that fond of rum in perfumes as it usually ends up pretty cloying on me. It's not bad for cooler weather, but it's a bit dense for late spring according to my tastes. ^_^; The leather reminds me of a fringed buckskin jacket I thrifted in high school, slightly musty and worn, sueded, not smooth or dry.  The patchouli is also rough & woody. It has moderate throw, and I probably wouldn't wear it to work, but it's nice.

[anna m]

It’s worth noting that I received a couple of older bottles of Ian from a friend who didn’t wear it much anymore, so my review might differ a little from folks who are reviewing “lab-fresh” bottles. 

In the bottle, Ian is a strong, sweet booze with some sun-warmed leather underneath- I get a little bit of the butterscotch-fruit liqueur situation that others have mentioned, so my first impression is something like a tall, dark mixed drink spilled onto the sleeve of a worn-every-day leather jacket as you squeeze past a stranger in a dark bar. Based on this, I thought Ian might be a little too gourmand for everyday for me, but on the skin the booze settles almost immediately and the patch comes out. Within 30 minutes or so, Ian is a dusky, sexy, wearable skin scent- the patchouli is down and dirty, the leather becomes soft and supple and comforting, and the rum sweetens both up without being too sticky or foody. It’s hard to describe, like others have said- very balanced, super intimate and androgynous, and all around a Get To Know Me Better vibe. Ian’s dry down is gruff and contented and a little playful, like you’ve made fast friends with the guy who spilled his rum on your jacket and are now sitting on the hood of your car in the parking lot playing truth or dare as the woods-scented air cools and you sober up.

Also worth noting that while Ian initially struck me as a cool-weather scent, I’ve been wearing it to work on sunny days and it plays nice with sweat and movement! I could see this being an all-season signature for me- so glad I gave it a chance!!

 

[lilacea]

Ian is outstandingly beautiful, primarily deep black leather and rich smooth patchouli, which reminds me a lot of the Banshee Beat patch. It’s almost like the leather has a touch of ozone, not really polished, but well worn and well kept. Medium to close throw. It’s like snuggling up to a beloved person, clean but with their subtle sweet cologne. It’s giving me major oxytocin vibes from this association. I could swear there’s the tiniest touch of vanilla husk here, or a grounding resin with the slightest sweet edge.