Verdandi

[walkingundine]

Deep herbs and apple with black amber.

I received this imp from Telesilla, who saw that it was on my wishlist and passed it along.

At first whiff: Apples! Not supersweet apples, but not Granny Smiths either- moderate apples, very autumny.

Initial application: Apples remain the top note, definitely, but there's a smooth, strong undercurrent of amber which my skin cranks up to a billion decibels.

After a couple of hours: Mostly amber. The fruity, apple note is fading, though the amber is not what I'd call standard issue- it's both stronger and lighter than what I'd expect.

Throw: Only moderate. I was able to pretty much paint it on and it doesn't assault the nose too much by my standards.

My partner, who is insanely scent-sensitive, coughed a bunch and made disgusted faces at it. Seems to think it smells of 'conventional' perfume. Very disappointing- shall only wear it when I'm out myself, from now on.

In sum: I like it, and I'll use up the imp, but the fact that I can't wear it around a certain someone kinda precludes buying a bottle.

[RaeiNarcissus]

Verdandi is a very nice scent. In the bottle, it's very Apple with a hint of herbs. On me, it starts out very apple, and slowly, over a few hours, the apple fades away and i'm left with a very nice herb blend with a apple undertone.

[Monster]

Out of the vial I'm getting a lot of crushed, deep herbs.

 

On my skin wet the herbs come out a bit more. They're green, but not too green, more of a rich, dark green mixed with an earthy root quality. As this dries down the apple makes an appearance and sweetens things up a bit. I LOVE amber (and so does my skin) but unfortunatly i'm not getting too much of it. Maybe that's waht's making the crushed herbs smell not-too-green

The throw is nice too. I put a smear of this on my wrist earlier this morning and can still smell it now.

 

This is a really nice scent but just doesn't stand out enough for me to want a 5ml.

[dnipbhsw]

First applied, this was nutty on me. It almost smelled like roasted peanuts, for some reason. Hmm, I wonder what that was. On the drydown, the sweet, sweet apple really comes out. It's sweet and sharp with powdery amber in the background. After about half an hour, it is all apples and herbs on me. This would make a great autum scent if you are into sweet, fruity blends. It's a little spicy but very innocent.

[Shollin]

First sniff: Deep, dark, fruity-resiny.

 

Wearing: I have no idea why it took me so long to try this scent. Amber and apple? SO up my alley. And this is lovely – it’s strange, in a nice way, to smell such a dark apple. Apple seems to be one of those scents that’s bright and crisp no matter what it’s paired with, but this one is different, shadowed and powerful.

[Elemcee]

I'm not feeling very well, today , so I decided to pick out a scent that I would find comforting. Verdandi is just that.

 

Dark, soft apples, this is, both in the bottle and on my skin. For some reason, the scent of apples is a scent that I find to be comforting.

 

It's making me think of a little cabin in the middle of a forest. The cabin is very warm and there is an extremely soft bed in there. A lady is stirring some warm apple drink over the fire.

[enid_keaner]

Imp: Odd….smells of apples and something else; something smoky

Wet: The apples are coming out more, as well as something else I can’t identify quite yet.

Dry: This doesn’t morph on me. It’s just straight apples mixed with a smoky, comforting smell.

 

I got this as a frimp and I’m glad I did because I quite like Verdandi. Based on the lab’s description, it’s totally not something I’d have picked out, but I really do like it. I don’t think this is something I’d buy a bottle of, but I think I’ll always want to have an imp of it around.

[klavierbarrette]

imp: smells just like the ingredients. ODD. i dont think i've ever smelled an imp/bottle that i can pick out every ingredient in it.

 

skin: i don't smell a lot of apples. but that's okay, because i like it otherwise. going to keep watch to see if they appear. yea, two minutes later they appear. it's a nice oil, but i'm not sure if i like it enough to keep it.

[Ren]

This was frimp I got from the lab. I didn't know what to expect, didn't know what was in it, and my husband didn't like it from the vial.

 

So I put it on.

 

It turned into a gorgeous, spicy-woody scent...almost like a craft store but deeper. There's a hint of something aquatic, which I think is the apple, and something warm, which I think is the amber.

 

Mmmm. I need to get a bigger bottle of this.

[SeaLady]

Biteable apples, and something smoky. This is nice and woodsy, I like it!

The apples fade from juicy into something more discreet hidden behind the smoke.

[supremegoddessofall]

Dark apples. Not really sweet. Amber provides a nice base.

[filigree_shadow]

The apple and black amber combination I smell when this is wet is great. It smells sweet and dark at the same time. But as it dries the herbs take over. I liked the apple/amber combination better than the green herbs, although they are pretty gentle and clean-smelling. A little bit of apple sticks around, but not enough for the scent to win me over.

[oh_the_horror]

At first, this was kind of nice, although i didn't like something about the herbs. I think maybe it's sage, which I recognize from other blends I didn't like. But now this has turned kind of sharp and soapy. I wonder if the bouquet for apple has jasmine in it. It seems like it to me. I thought the same thing when I tried Les Bijoux. This just doesn't work on me. It could be interesting on my boyfriend.

[theseagrows]

this smells like apples and amber with a faint scent of herbs in the background. i'm not sure what possessed me to try this, as fruity scents arent usually my thing. that being said, this is a nice smelling apple and is very authentic and not too cloying. i think it would be a nice scent for fall. not sure whether i'll keep it, since i don't think i'll get a lot of wear out of it.

[northatlantic]

In the imp: Apple. All apple. One-hundred-percent, worryingly sweet apple. Sweet fruit and I are usually NOT friends. Please don't let this be apple Jolly Ranchers...

 

Wet: Whew! Definitely apple but not at all cloying--tart, crisp, juicy and cold.

 

Drydown: The amber and herbs start to come forward to mingle with that juicy apple; to me, they combine for an impression of dry fall leaves and the crunch of frost underfoot, maybe a tiny hint of smoke and hay: the orchard surrounding that beautiful apple. Amazing. I'm not at all a fan of spiced-apple blends, they never quite smell real to me, but this? This is perfect. Big bottle, absolutely.

[monsteralice]

Wet: Apple and smoke.

 

Dry: The apple fades quickly, leaving an almost medicinal incense smell.

 

Finish: Eventually the amber overpowers the herbs. Amber is nice. I like amber.

 

Duration: Almost gone at 6 hours.

[QueenFae]

Oh this is just lovely! I have never sniffed an apple blend from the lab that I didn't love, and this is no exception. This is a very unique apple blend. The apple note is deep and rich; not at all like the apple note in Blockbuster. This is not overly fruity; but at the same time there is no mistaking its apple-ness. Does that make any sense? The amber note gives this blend a sweet but complex feel; it's a very odd combo but it works really well. I would classify this as a sexy/fruity blend. It has medium throw. I like this very much, it's just beautiful!

[lightgatherer]

At first this smells like the old Victoria's Secret apple shower gel I used to use many years ago. It's a sort of fake, perfumey apple smell and one I'm not terribly fond of anymore. After a while the perfumey smell dies down a bit, and the herbs come out a bit. This is a better smell, but it smells to me like a fall-themed apple candle from a craft store or somesuch. It's a bit overwhelming and fake, and I'm afraid I really don't like it. After a couple hours the scent dies entirely so at least I didn't have to spend the day smelling like a bad candle.

[little_galaxie]

Gahhhck! I wanted apple with this, but all I get is the really pungent smell of herbs and something powdery from the black amber. I am really very jealous now of the people on whom this turns into herby-apple nyumminess.

[roenim]

I had always wanted to try this, but didn't have high hopes for it because of the amber.

 

Wet on skin: Very woodsy and earthy. Sweet, too. I thought this is going to be like The Hesperides on me, Woods with very little apple.

 

Dry: OMG! This is it! I finally found my apple scent. The apple is tart, maybe green. I can smell the herbs as something green and...herby. Other than that, I can't tell. Maybe it's the black amber, but something is preventing this from being a craft store apple scent like almost every apple note I've tried from BPAL. Curse my skin chemistry! Anyway, the amber gives this a complex sweetness and warmth. Also, it didn't turn powdery or foul smelling on me at all! Black amber might just be my kind of amber.

 

Verdict: Bottle-worthy! Finally, an apple scent I can wear. It's fresh and sexy at the same time. Dark and a little bit woodsy, but sweet and fresh. I like the contradictions. It makes for a beautiful and complex scent yet very easy to wear.

[labeth]

In the bottle I get a very herbal scent. I can't pick up the apple very much, but it's sweet and pleasant.

 

On my skin, the apple immediately comes to the forefront and the sweet herbal smell turns it into a spiced cider sort of smell, although with an undercurrent of something darker (must be the amber.) I like it a lot so far, this is a possible bottle. I'll want to try it one more time to see if I still like it.

[stellans]

Imp: Apples at first sniff! I thought to myself, hmmm...another Hesperides, but there is something different to this apple blend, something different enough to make me want to smell more.

 

Wet: The amber is there on my skin, but apples are still predominant. The herbs are there also...a deep, dark herbal sense, not the lighter green one might usually think of when herbal blends come to mind. This is a serious scent, at least to me; it requires a little gravitas, maybe, when worn. There are some BPAL blends which are merry, light-hearted, and some which are sexily seductive. In fact, if you think about it there's a blend for almost any occasion and mindset. This one makes me want to think.

 

Dry: Still serious, still apple -- but a bit dryer (heh.) I really like this scent, even though I am having a harder time reviewing this than any other blend previously. I don't know why.

 

Verdict: This is the 2nd of the Norns for me. I have an imp of Skuld in the wings to try at some point, and I'm looking forward to it, since I've loved both Urd and now Verdandi. I love the Excolo line so much, all that I've tried I liked. I'm sure there will be some which don't get along with my body chemistry, but none so far have disappointed. I'm putting this on the bottle list for sure.

 

Before BPAL, I really disliked fruity perfume or cologne smells, especially the sweeter ones like apple, grape, plum, etc. The absolute fakeness, the extreme sweetness of them turned my stomach and I just don't allow them in the house. My daughters keep extra "Mom-safe" products in the guest bath, heh.

 

But Beth's blends have totally changed my mind about fruit scents! I especially love apple notes now, and am learning to even like berries! It's amazing, not only to me but to my family. BPAL is magic, never doubt it.

Edited February 9, 2009 by stellans

[mrsveteran]

In the imp: Fresh, crisp, red or yellow apples. The scent of when you first bite into one. Very clean and crisp!

 

Wet: Oooh, yes, the apples. I don't really detect any other notes but crisp, ripe, apple juice. Lovely! My mouth is watering and I want to eat my wrist!

 

Drydown: Hm. Something strange is happening. The apple scent seems to be morphing into some sort of floral ... oh my Lord ... that couldn't be rose, could it? Please, no, not rose!

 

Dry: ARGH! Yes, it's rose. What the heck? Where did my apples go and where did this rose scent come from? Darn you, skin chemistry!

 

One Hour Later: At this point, the throw is almost nonexistent. However, when I smell my wrist, the rose is gone and all that's left is spices and something just a teeeeeensy bit on the sweet side. Again, I reiterate: What the heck?

 

Verdict: I adore the wet phase and the scent in the imp, but I can't abide rose, and the spicy leftover is nice but far too faint so this one is not for wearing. I'll keep the imp and maybe use in a scent locket, but I don't think I'll be buying this one.

 

[Edited to add the "One Hour Later" morph.]

Edited May 29, 2007 by MrsVeteran

[Naamah_Darling]

This is herb and apple, zippily clean, with a smooth base of smoky amber underneath it all.

 

A surprisingly deep and throaty blend. It's damp and earthy on, but still has that incense and sugar smell of amber. The apple gives this a vaguely aquatic character that is quite agreeable. The amber gives it depth, stability, and longevity; the drydown is just scrumptious.

[PurpleHeather]

In the bottle: Fresh, crisp apple. Very green, more of a cooking apple than a sweet eating one. Memories of my nanny's garden as a child. This is good.

 

Wet: The apple is very strong, but there's a background warmth.

 

Later: Spiced apple pie in autumn. This is gorgeous, definitely a keeper, possibly a bottle to get for autumn. In about 45 minutes it has gone from a hot late summer day to the depths of dark autumn, which is wonderful. Well worth an 8.