What Scent Is This?

[joseybird]

I wish I got a bottle of White Rabbit that smelled of apricots and milk!

[clover]

I doubt it's a mislabeled imp. My impression of White Rabbit was that it was definitely very orange (the color not the fruit)...probably the ginger and honey. And I don't think apricot is very far from that scent range, either.

[subbes]

Colour me relieved -- although just a little sad that the idea I had in my head (Dorian tea with milk, honey, plus ginger) didn't match to the scent on my arm. Not the first time that's happened -- Sudha Segara I thought was going to be DSH Au Lait plus Red Ginger single note, minus that note all DSHs have. Instead, well, I think it's rice pudding.

 

Thanks for your help.

[erikasilverstein]

I just received imps of Hellcat and Perversion in a swap. They smell so different than what I was expecting (i.e. Hellcat seems to have the smokey-coconuty smell alot of reviewers have mentioned).

 

(Both do share a rum note, but still....)

 

I am thinking, as decants, they may have been mislabelled?

 

Since they are VERY different colors, I was hoping for some clarficiation.

 

My bottle labelled Hellcat (but smelling more like Perversion) is clear liquid.

 

My bottle labelled Perversion (but smelling more like Hellcat) is a warm, deepish amber color, and the oil is a bit thicker.

 

Is it my nose, or the labels that are faulty?

 

I am concerned, largely because I want to swap at least one of the two -- and obviously don't want to swap the wrong scent :-)

 

Thanks!

[ephemera]

You may want to contact the person who sent these to you and ask them if there could have been a mixup? Most of the forumites here are very good about helping out and if they made a mistake we pretty much all 'fess up.

[LiberAmoris]

I think there's an existing thread for this topic here.

 

And I second ephemera. Although it does sound possible from your description that the imps were mislabeled, the best person to ask is the person you received them from.

[Morrighana]

[Merged]

 

 

I haven't smelled Hellcat or Perversion in some months, and don't have any on hand to compare atm, but the colours you described are definately the same as my imps were, in the correct order.

 

Do they have Lab labels, or are they handlabeled decants?

[shelldoo]

ok i just pulled out two imps, straight from the lab. my perversion is yellow, and hellcat is clear. however batch variations can really affect color.

[erikasilverstein]

ok i just pulled out two imps, straight from the lab. my perversion is yellow, and hellcat is clear. however batch variations can really affect color.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Thanks to whomever put my question in the appropriate thread :-)

 

So it seems like the imps are correctly labelled, and my nose is wonky.

 

Well. Nothing surprising there.

 

But I will take your suggestion, and double check with the swappee (swapper?). Just afraid of offending -- she was so generous, even gave me freebies in the swap....

 

Thanks again.

[olympia301]

I got an imp of Seance and it definately has a rosy flair to it. I loved it and got a couple more while waiting for my 5ml. I got a 5ml in a swap and when it arrived it was woody, not rosy. I thought that was real odd, and I got another 5ml from someone else. Same thing, woody not rosy. Finally my fresh-from-the-lab bottle came today and it is also woody not rosy.

 

All of the imps I have gotten are rosy. All of the 5ml I have gotten are woody. Has anyone else heard of mislabeled imps of Seance and who would be a good person to send an imp of Seance to to tell me what it is? I would love it if it were a blend which I have not tried, believe me I would buy a 10ml toot sweet if I only knew what it is.

 

Please know that this is only one suspicion I have as to why it's imps vs. bottles, but it's so logical. Could someone who is wise to these things point me in the right direction. Thanks.

[minilux]

My thought would be that maybe the components of the master bottle had separated a bit and somehow the imps were filled with a higher concentration of rosewood, because when I had a rosewood imp, it smelled like pure rose to me and nothing like my bottle of Seance whatsoever.

[olympia301]

Dang, the plot thickens.

[minilux]

Plus, I know you're a rose fiend and therefore would have tried all of the rose blends, so if it was mislabeled, then it would likely be something you had already tried. If you were willing to part with one of your rosey implings, you could seek out another rose fiend to see what they think. Alas, I am a patchouli fiend, so I'm not volunteering for the job.

[AngelFireHeart]

I've discovered that a LOT of the mps of stuff I originally tried (& hated) smell different to the 5ml's I'm not sure what that's about, do imps change their scent a lot as they get older?

[mistri]

I'm pretty sure that I'm one of the people who sold you a Seance 5ml, and it could just be a difference in opinion/chemistry thing, because I *did* get rose from it, though it wasn't hugely strong.

[olympia301]

Hmmmm, I don't have you on my spreadsheet for Seance but you know what I mean. This is a case of the blend itself varying widely, or certain notes coming out under certain circumstances, or aging, chemistry, or even mislabeling*. I would just like to know what is causing it. Actually I have found quite a few people who greatly prefer the woody over the rosy form of Seance, so any trades I made coming in or going out have had the net effect of increasing the happiness and satisfaction quota of all involved. However, I have received the extra bonus of curiosity for my actions! Being a Gemini, I can have no other course of action than to pursue it.

 

*Had this happen with Hamadryad and The Hesperides.

[Macha]

I've discovered that a LOT of the mps of stuff I originally tried (& hated) smell different to the 5ml's I'm not sure what that's about, do imps change their scent a lot as they get older?

 

Everything changes its scent as it gets older What I have discovered is that the shape of the container can change the way we interpret the scent. So smelling from an imp is not the same as smelling from a bottle which is not the same as oil dumped in a wax burner. But imps do seem...I don't know...like they age faster than bottles, if that makes any sense. There are several perfumes I bought as imps, fell in love with, ordered bottles of, and was very disappointed in the bottle scent, which wasn't at all what I thought I was ordering. After sticking the bottle in the back of a drawer for a few months, however, I discovered that a little aging brought the 5ml back the wonderousness that had prompted me to order it in the first place.

[zenvodunista]

Everything changes its scent as it gets older What I have discovered is that the shape of the container can change the way we interpret the scent. So smelling from an imp is not the same as smelling from a bottle which is not the same as oil dumped in a wax burner. But imps do seem...I don't know...like they age faster than bottles, if that makes any sense. There are several perfumes I bought as imps, fell in love with, ordered bottles of, and was very disappointed in the bottle scent, which wasn't at all what I thought I was ordering. After sticking the bottle in the back of a drawer for a few months, however, I discovered that a little aging brought the 5ml back the wonderousness that had prompted me to order it in the first place.

 

i definitely think imps age faster than 5mls. first of all, the glass is clear which means it gets expsed to UV light rays. secondly, the volume of the imp is so small, combined with it's linear form, i believe causes the UV to pass thorugh it faster too. lastly, they are likely to be exposed to air more times than a 5ml.

 

wasn't joseybird conducting some imp-aging experiments? i am thinking of doing something similar -- decanting some of my favorites into 2.5 ml clear bottles for faster aging for sooner wearing.

 

and leaving 'em by the window at work for a couple of hours

 

n.

[Silverstrike]

I've discovered that a LOT of the mps of stuff I originally tried (& hated) smell different to the 5ml's I'm not sure what that's about, do imps change their scent a lot as they get older?

 

Everything changes its scent as it gets older What I have discovered is that the shape of the container can change the way we interpret the scent. So smelling from an imp is not the same as smelling from a bottle which is not the same as oil dumped in a wax burner. But imps do seem...I don't know...like they age faster than bottles, if that makes any sense. There are several perfumes I bought as imps, fell in love with, ordered bottles of, and was very disappointed in the bottle scent, which wasn't at all what I thought I was ordering. After sticking the bottle in the back of a drawer for a few months, however, I discovered that a little aging brought the 5ml back the wonderousness that had prompted me to order it in the first place.

 

I don't suppose one of those was Dorian? I'm very confused (and thus seeking help on this thread), because the imp of Dorian I'd ordered from the Lab smelled lemony and tea-y; I liked it a lot so I ordered a bottle. The perfume from the bottle smells nothing like the imp--the bottle smells of autumn spices, like things you'd put into cider (allspice and cinnamon)-- very different. I've tested it a few different times, to the same results. I can't tell what color the perfume is in the bottle, but they're both from the Lab. Aside from waiting to see if the scent in the bottle morphs into the scent in the imp, is there anything else I can do? They just seem so different. . .

[Undine]

I think that maybe some Bengal has been mis-labeled and sent out as Baghdad.

 

I bought an imp of Baghdad a while ago and it was ambery and rose-y, light spices underneath. No cinnamon that I noticed (my skin amplifies cinnamon big-time, and I'm not a big fan of it). Loved, loved, loved it. So I ordered a 10 ml of it, which I received right at the end of September (my Harvest Moon order).

 

I've gotten so many other imps recently I didn't even sniff it until today, when I was like, "Time to break out the old favorites!" I didn't even smell it then, just opened it up and slathered it on both wrists as I usually do with 5 mls.

 

WHOOMP! CINNAMANIA! Cinnamon and cardamom and spices! No rose, no amber, nothing like the Baghdad I remembered. I KNOW there is a lot of cinnamon in this oil, because it burned! Never had that happen before.

 

I kind of went "Huh?" for a while and thought, "Could I really have misread Baghdad that badly?" Went back to my imp and swabbed on a bit. Ambery roses. Totally, totally different.

 

I went to look at the Baghdad, Morocco, and Bengal reviews just now, and several of the Baghdad reviews make me suspicious. Most note amber and rose, but a couple recent ones mention cinnamon or foody scents. And CourtneyLynne in particular mentions having several Baghdad imps that smell totally different, some cinnamon/nutmeg, some not at all, and wonders if some of hers are mislabeled.

 

I have a bottle of Bengal, and I'm pretty sure that's what this is. Either this, or Morocco. But Bengal would make sense, since they both start with "B" and could be easily confused....

 

I've experienced differences in batches before, but this is completely over-the-top different. I guess I'll drop a line to the Lab about it, and see what they say.

Edited October 21, 2005 by Undine

[Macha]

I don't suppose one of those was Dorian? I'm very confused (and thus seeking help on this thread), because the imp of Dorian I'd ordered from the Lab smelled lemony and tea-y; I liked it a lot so I ordered a bottle. The perfume from the bottle smells nothing like the imp--the bottle smells of autumn spices, like things you'd put into cider (allspice and cinnamon)-- very different. I've tested it a few different times, to the same results. I can't tell what color the perfume is in the bottle, but they're both from the Lab. Aside from waiting to see if the scent in the bottle morphs into the scent in the imp, is there anything else I can do? They just seem so different. . .

 

Morocco and the High Priestess, actually, but you're not the only person I've heard ask that about Dorian. I really don't know what to tell you. I ordered an imp of Dorian before I ordered a bottle, have ordered three bottles since then (for myself and friends) and all of them have smelled the same. Which is not to say you're imagining things, just that I haven't had the problem myself.

[Loligo]

I don't suppose one of those was Dorian? I'm very confused (and thus seeking help on this thread), because the imp of Dorian I'd ordered from the Lab smelled lemony and tea-y; I liked it a lot so I ordered a bottle. The perfume from the bottle smells nothing like the imp--the bottle smells of autumn spices, like things you'd put into cider (allspice and cinnamon)-- very different. I've tested it a few different times, to the same results. I can't tell what color the perfume is in the bottle, but they're both from the Lab. Aside from waiting to see if the scent in the bottle morphs into the scent in the imp, is there anything else I can do? They just seem so different. . .

 

My friend em_h mentioned this in another thread: she and I both recently received Dorian imps that smell STRONGLY of spiced cider, and it sounds like they all came from the lab at roughly the same time. So it's not just your body chemistry, or anything; I think it's pretty safe to say you've got something a bit odd, there. If you ever find out what happened, please do post to this thread, because if the batch turns out to be a specific other blend (rather than just a random ingredient swap), I'd like to know which it is!

[Undine]

FWIW ... got a response from the lab about my Baghdad Issues (is that quick or what?!) and they said that Baghdad and Bengal were very similar, with Baghdad more buttery and Bengal more spicy. I am divided. They talked to Beth about it, and Beth is the Scent Goddess, and my nose is not, you know, even close to masterly. But on the other hand, these two scents are just so very, very different cinnamon-wise. But maybe I'm just in denial.

 

Now I don't want this 10 ml but I can't really eBay it, I don't think, so I guess I'll put it up for swaps with an explanation. And I'll try reordering a smaller quantity Baghdad at a later date and see whether it's rosy or cinnamony.

 

(In the meantime, please drop me a line if you have rosy Baghdad you don't want, especially large quantities. Because now I am pining!)

[sarada]

Baghdad and Bengal are very different to me, with Baghdad having a very strong floral feeling and Bengal being overwhelmingly spicy with that strange honey musk thing going on (a heady swirl of sweet musky warmth). Then again noses and skin can do strange things sometimes!

 

Unless I missed something I don't think there would be anything wrong with ebaying the bottle as long as you said it had been tested (with an explanation of the scent difference) or whatnot. Most everything that people sell has been tested and is noted as such.

Edited October 22, 2005 by sarada

[aedes]

This is minor, because it's just an imp, but I'm perplexed.

 

R'lyeh - all the reviews put it as "evil grapefruit in deep, cold, rushing water" with surprisingly little variance. I put mine on and it smelled like Big Red gum, or maybe red hots. Cinnamon and sweet. Hours later, it had calmed down and I got a little more aquatic notes, I think, though it may have been wishful thinking. And I still smelled cinnamon and spices. It smells great! Though I'd want to make sure I was buying the right stuff if I bought a bottle of it. I got it in a swap, maybe I should hunt down the person I swapped it with...