Old books... Books, paper, libraries

[dreadpiraterustypants2]

Yes yes- I adore the lab's 'paper' notes~ So far Dee and Aziphrale are winners for me!

Also-

the Shunga 'Tissue" is spot on~

Edited March 14, 2009 by dreadpiraterustypants2

[MCS4096]

I have tried many of the above mentioned blends (not MU-- the coffee note scares me) and I found them to be very cologney. There was a stylized parchment feel to them, but not what I consider a true paper scent. Lurid Library was alright, but then *surprisingly* I tried Lovers With Rutting Cats and BAM, after the really sweet buttercream bit burns off, I was left with a dry, dusty note that I swear smells like stinking your nose in the spine of an old book! I havent seen anyone but me describe it as such in the reviews.. but you might try it if you get the chance

[anastasia]

could someone compare Dee, Aziriphale, and The Buggre Alle This Bible?

[Gwydion]

could someone compare Dee, Aziriphale, and The Buggre Alle This Bible?

 

 

Short form: Dee is more men's cologne sexy with a lot of wood to it. Aziriphale is lighter, more androgynous Geeky sexy. Buggre is very like Aziraphale only with a much stronger incense note.

 

For reference:

AZIRAPHALE: (Company Says: Ethereal musk, blonde woods, and dusty Bible accord.)

THE BUGGRE ALLE THIS BIBLE (Good Omens): (Company says: Crumbling paper and ancient cracked leather with a touch of tobacco leaf and incense.)

DEE: (Company says: His scent is soft English leather, rosewood and tonka with a hint of incense, parchment and soft woods.)

[Banyangirl]

Dee is my "go to the library and study" scent. It's very masculine but approachable, but on me it's all dark woods and leather. It's lovely for studying IN a library, but it does not necessarily SMELL like a library.

[Cowicorn]

My mom says it smells like books that have gone to heaven. Sweet, musty, "transfigured tannin of centuries old ink" and no other "natural" smells.

 

"THE BUGGRE ALLE THIS BIBLE" seems close.

 

Any ideas?

Edited April 5, 2009 by ivyandpeony
merged from Looking for scent of Bodleain Library, Oxford thread

[naeelah]

Hiya. Just so you know, the recommendations forum is the best place to ask for "what is a BPAL that smells like....." requests, so this post will probably be moved there.

 

Have a look at the libraries and paper recommendation thread. There haven't been too many library-like BPAL blends so the list to try is pretty short. IMO the best pure musty book scent is Lurid Library. That's an old LE but it often pops up on ebay or around the forum, and for pretty cheap.

 

For stuff in the general catalog, Aziraphale or Buggre Alle This Bible is probably best. If you haven't already, check out reviews of those. They're similar in some ways but you might find that one sounds more like what you have in mind. (Also, I think CB I hate Perfume has an old book scent, if you want to check out another perfume company. I haven't tried it myself, though.)

[missTallulah]

A library is what I want to smell like most of all. The only thing about all the scents I've read about here that's scaring me is the incense note. Any suggestion on which is closest to a lovely old library where they don't believe in incense?

 

[reconditarmonia]

I was planning on including an imp of Dee in my next order, but then I read through the reviews and a lot of people are getting a tobacco note. (Alas! Books, tonka, and incense, too good to be true.) I really don't want that - is there an impable scent that's similar, but without tobacco? (I'd totally get Aziraphale if it were impable, but alas.)

[sunlitgarden]

So glad this thread is here! When I visited the BPAL booth at Sakura-con, this is exactly what I asked for! They recommended Misk U and Buggre but, at least in the bottle, they weren't what I was looking for. Magus, though, smelled a lot closer to what I had in mind. I haven't been able to test it more extensively (I was very overwhelmed at the con!) but it definitely seems promising.

 

The description: "An ancient blend, swollen with arcane power: galangal, high john essence, frankincense, cedar, and sandalwood."

[CiaoBonefish]

The Lurid Library is wonderful and it really does pop up on the forum every now and then so keep a look out! It's quite musky too! My oter recommendation would be Hellfire but it seems like you don't want something with a tobacco note and Hellfire is pretty hardcore on the pipe tobacco that being said it's lovely. Very dry and library like in my opinion.

 

Also reconditarmonia give Dee a go! If you love the other notes in it it seems a shame to not at least just give it a try!

[reconditarmonia]

I guess I'll try it and see.

[melrose]

Please try Dee! I thought I hated tobacco until I tried it; now, it's my favorite BPAL by far.

[a_llb]

I love this smell too! There's scientific evidence as to why old books smell so amazing.

 

“Lignin, the stuff that prevents all trees from adopting the weeping habit, is a polymer made up of units that are closely related to vanillin. When made into paper and stored for years, it breaks down and smells good. Which is how divine providence has arranged for secondhand bookstores to smell like good quality vanilla absolute, subliminally stoking a hunger for knowledge in all of us.”

- From Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez’s Perfumes: the guide

 

There you have it! And this is the second incredible quote I've read from ths book in as many weeks, I think I need to read it asap!

 

BPAL blends I know of that have library/bookish qualities listed:

 

Philologus

Ancient books, crackled parchment, faded incense, and candle wax.

 

Dee

His scent is soft English leather, rosewood and tonka with a hint of incense, parchment and soft woods.

 

The Lurid Library

The incense-tinged scent of forbidden tomes and the musk-laden remnants of infernal servants.

 

Miskatonic University

The scent of Irish coffee, dusty tomes and polished oakwood halls.

 

Ü: Mutter Museum 

A mélange of balsams, leathers, and raw vanilla designed to evoke images of unearthed secrets and dusty, ancient libraries.

[ivyandpeony]

Oh cool! Thanks for sharing that explanation!

[wishingwell]

Another vote for Dee!

 

Also, because I don't think I saw it mentioned, Captain Cully smells like a well-loved, leatherbound journal on me. I think the porter note turns a little sweet on me and smells a bit like paper and ink.. plus the leather playing around it, of course. (My actual first thought when it dried down on me was, "Oh my god, I smell like a book. MUST keep this one.")

[rawgirl75]

I think a lot of people forget about Penny Dreadful, which has a gorgeous musty old book note to it...

 

Penny Dreadful

Also called Gallows Literature. A dime novel rife with melodrama, horror, madness and cruelty; a ten cent analogy of vice and virtue in conflict. Soft perfume evocative of noir heroines over rich red grave loam.

[Eliyetres]

I would second Ü, reminds me of an old dusty library

[relax]

I don't know why but Midnight Mass reminds me of old libraries

[Silvertree]

This one may be tough to find, but Conservatory Tableaux could fit the bill: Lacquered beech wood and old books. Or Herr Drosselmeyer: Pipe smoke, sweet leather, woods and linen.

[Ashmedai]

Death Embraces a Young Maiden is the scent of old books on me, spot-on. Something about the way the sandalwood combined with the other notes smelled like old paper and ink. I'd been hoping to find a scent like that for ages and none of the "book" scents really had it (or there was too much other stuff going on), so it was awesome to find this purely by accident.

[Gwydion]

I would second Ü, reminds me of an old dusty library

 

Add my vote too.

[Eliyetres]

Just wanted to bump here about the new limited OLD MOON

The scent of things drifting just on the edge of memory, hiding in shadowed corners. Old, yellowing books, dust-covered toys pushed to the back of the attic, windows obscured by thick, thorny vines, letters discarded, and photographs of people long-forgotten.

 

This ends tomorrow! I still haven't made up my mind about placing another order or not...

[Ahania]

I love this smell too! There's scientific evidence as to why old books smell so amazing.

 

“Lignin, the stuff that prevents all trees from adopting the weeping habit, is a polymer made up of units that are closely related to vanillin. When made into paper and stored for years, it breaks down and smells good. Which is how divine providence has arranged for secondhand bookstores to smell like good quality vanilla absolute, subliminally stoking a hunger for knowledge in all of us.”

 

That covers books back to the Victorian era but not much older - wood pulping for paper was developed in the 1840's and didn't become the book-making standard until several decades later. Older papers are lignan-free.

[Scylla]

Mr. Ibis is a light musk blend that also has paper/papyrus notes. It reminds me of a library.