Dana O'Shee

[roxyhead]

... Offerings of milk, honey and sweet grains were made to placate these creatures, and it is that the basis of the scent created in their name.

When it's wet, both in the bottle and on my skin, it smells, well, horrid. Industrial strength bathroom cleaner, but without any fruit scents like they usually add to that sort of stuff. I was thinking everyone must be insane thinking it smelled nice.

Then it dried. Vanilla vanilla vanilla and more vanilla. No need to reapply this stuff! It's a certain particular kind of vanilla, too, since anytime I catch a whiff of it I'm instantly reminded of a certain place a few years ago. It's Blue Mountain vanilla. I've been trying to identify where back then I'd have been smelling stuff like this, but it's not working. From the way it started out, I'm wondering if it's the air fresheners in the toilets at that ski hill, and hoping it isn't!

I like it, but I think it might just be a bit too much vanilla for me to order a big bottle...never thought it was possible for anything to be too foody for me!

I really wish I could remember exactly what I was smelling!

ETA: My mother says it smells nothing like vanilla, on me, but she can't say what it *does* smell like.

[Dymphna]

Having recently learned (again!) the importance of giving scents a second and even a third chance, I tried this one again. I'm so glad that I did! The first time I tried it, it was an imp from a swap so I have no idea how old it was. It was way too sweet for me so I swapped it away. Recently, I was looking for a new comfort scent and, since this one is such a favorite in that category, I decided to give it another try. Not only have I found a new favorite of my own, but my husband actually really, really liked it. Instead of just shrugging and saying it was nice, he kept burying his face in my neck and inhaling and kissing me. Score!

 

In the imp: Very creamy, the same creamy milk note as in Alice, except this has got almonds instead of flowers.

 

Wet: There's a bit of grains and a whole lot of cherry-almond scent. The cherry-ness winds down after a few minutes and it becomes just creamy and slightly powdery (the grains).

 

Dry: Creamy with a hint of sweet grains. It gets close to Play-Doh now and then, but it never actually crosses the line. It's mostly just a clean, comforting, comfortable scent that reminds me of the oatmeal-almond soap I use. This will be perfect for wearing to bed right after my shower.

 

Since trying it (and writing this review) a few weeks ago, this almost the only scent I've worn to bed. It's so warm and relaxing.

[waternight]

I know this is a really popular blend, but I knew it wouldn't work on me due to the honey. I tried it anyway, and I was right.

 

In the imp: Sweet honey, faintly almond. A creamy scent.

Wet/Drydown: Very sweet almond. I smell like an almond cookie! Wow – getting even sweeter. Like, insanely sweet. Suuuuugar. Almond cookie dipped in honey. This is incredibly foody on me. I’m thinking the honey in this is going to ruin it for me. Eek – headache!

Dry: Very foody and way too sweet. Stupid honey. Off to swaps!

[Mamacat]

When I first sniffed my imp I thought it smelled so strange. Very almond. Like super strong almond extract.

 

I tried it anyway. It smelled slightly less almond on my skin but still pretty powerful when it was wet.

 

When it dried down it became so sugared! The almond wasn't as strong and it was more vanilla and sugar with a hint of honey. Soooooo yummy and pretty. Fades in a couple of hours but then I just put more on and sniff away!

 

I see why so many people love this blend. I do, too and I've already ordered a bottle to slather myself in.

[QueenFae]

The most gorgeous, perfect oatmeal, milk and honey scent ever!! Sweet, beautiful, feminine and one of my all time favorite scent combinations. I would love to swim in rivers of this scent. I only wish it would last on me, it is very fleeting in all its glory. Lovely, a true BPAL classic

[Meg]

In the bottle: Yuck. Almonds and something grainy that makes me think of oatmeal.

 

Wet: Ooh, milk and honey. The almond is in the background, now.

 

Drydown: It dries down into a very discreet scent of milk and honey. There's a slightly plasticky element to it, as there often is with milk scents on me. In the background there's the scent of grains and also of hay, I think. It smells rather fresh and vegetal, despite the milk and honey. After a while it gains a rather shrill note and some cardboard, which is common with foodie blends on me.

 

Overall: It's a comforting, gentle scent, despite its iffy moments on my skin (totally blame my chemistry). It evokes the offerings to the Dana O'Shee very realistically, but it's not a downright "smell like food" foodie smell either. As it dries, the milk and honey dimension fades but the grains remain, a scent that really makes me think of oatmeal milk. It's not really my thing, but it's a good scent.

[mellie]

Bottle: Very sweet. I can't exactly tell what kind of sweet it is. It doesn't quite smell like honey or sweet grains. Maybe it's a combination of both. But the sweetness practically jumps out of the bottle.

 

Application: The sweet is still there, but it's not as strong as it is in the bottle. Though now I recognize the scent. It smells exactly like my old Garden Botanika Almond Creme bubble bath. It's slightly almondy with a little bit of honey and cream. It's very light.

 

Dry: There's still a subtle almond and cream scent, but the honey faded as time went on.

 

It lasted a while. I only applied it once and 9 hours later it's still there. I have to try it again, since I'm on the fence about this one. I like it a lot, but I'm not sure if I love it yet.

[Carmencita]

In the vial: Almond, white honey, and sweet grasses.

 

Wet: Clay and almond extract, and YES the almond is lingering (usually my skin sucks up almond or turns it into cloying vanilla).

 

Dry: MAN. Vanilla and clay. There must be some note that goes clay like on my skin, I just need to identify it.

[Lyzz13]

This stays true from the imp to the skin on me. Honey and cream, with something powdery. Not nearly as honey and powder as O, and definately not as sexual. Something I'd wear when I want a sweet scent, that's not the "OMGZ SEX!" that O turns to on me.

 

This is going on the bottle list.

[lightgatherer]

Mmm, sweet milk. I'd expected this blend not to work on me and was happily surprised when it didn't immediately go plastic on me. The honey comes out a little bit more, and I'm huffing my wrist every few minutes to enjoy the yummy but faint scent. Alas, after about an hour, the scent does indeed goes plastic on me. Fortunately, it's a faint plastic, but I'm still disappointed.

[Miladygrey]

Well dang. In the bottle and wet, it was just lovely, all milk and honey and almond. Then after about ten minutes, it turned into plastic. Vanilla-scented plastic. *sighs* That's a shame.

[bella_delirante]

I was a little disappointed with this blend. Not that I dislike it at all, but I read all the wonderful reviews it got and it didn't live up to the hype on my skin. Stupid skin. It's the milk I think, makes it a little plastic-smelling. I was hoping it would be more honey and almonds with some creamy-ness from the milk. I don't get a whole lot of almond, but it does get very sweet on dry down.

 

Its certainly a keeper, just not quite what I was hoping for.

[Ghost_Light]

I was rather apprehensive about trying this one, since I have honey issues. As I always say, it's not that I hate smelling like honey and nothing but honey, I just find that I like the starting notes better in most blends and which those would stick around longer.

 

anyway.

 

In the imp - Sweet oatmeal. A really wonderful, intriguing blend of the oatmeal and sweet notes. I hope it will hold.

 

Wet - A huge bowl of oatmeal drowning in milk and brown sugar. Fascinating.

 

Dry-down/long wear - The notes stay really true on me. The honey brightens the scent, but the oatmeal seems to keep it in check. Somehow that brightness makes it go from being a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast to fresh-baked cookies.

 

 

My favorite part - My Hubby tends to characterize BPAL as "too foody", but this one had him grabbing my wrist for a better sniff "What is that? That's nice!"

 

All in all, a fun scent. I don't think I need a bottle, but I am keeping my imp and might replace it with another when it is gone.

[Riven]

At first whiff, Dana O'Shee smells like sweet milk and honey in the vial. Mmm. When I apply it, it becomes more of a powdery almond. And like many others have said, it smells JUST like the wonderous Lush product that is Snowcake! (A personal favorite of mine, too.) I feel so soft and snuggley. This is a very light scent on me so I like to enhance it with Lush Smitten hand cream (which also smells just like Snowcake). Overall, the smell is sweet, milky and powdery. I think it's a great scent to put on before bedtime, or anytime you want feel doused in warm fuzzies!

[xoe]

Dana O'shee is creamy almond vanilla. It's really comforting.

[Jilara]

Wet: Hi There, I'm ALMOND EXTRACT! I'm here to beat you into submission!

Drydown: okay, Mr. Almond Extract is toning his act down, and this is now starting to remind me a lot of Eclipse. Hmm, sugar cookies. This is making me hungry.

Dry: wow, is this ever making me want to eat it. Sugar cookies with marzipan filling, and a drizzle of sweet honey syrup. Unlike Eclipse, my skin doesn't eat this one. Not something for wearing a lot, but I could see scenting a room with it, or wearing it for an occasional novelty. A perfume for my Cook personna!

[evilbee]

This is absolutely from start to finish fake vanilla candles on me, maybe with a hint of undercooked oatmeal cookie. This is definitely not for me.

[isabella]

must...have...more...

 

must...have...more...

 

must...have...more...

[space girl lost]

phew! given the experience that went on a few hours earlier with another blend with milk in it, i was quite nervous about this one. i went a little nuts with the milk/honey blends and this was one of them in my pack o' impage.

 

this actually smells a LOT like some soap i've had recently... only better. so based on that i cannot say this is a super duper realistic foody smell. the almond smell might contradict that given that this kind of reminds me of the almond cookies i get from the chinese takeout place i go to.

 

the scent is soft. not a super lot of throw. really comforting. like flannel sheets on a cool night kind of comforting. i don't see myself wanting a bottle, but i'm for sure keeping the imp and might even ponder getting another one should i run out of that in time.

[brit_brat100]

Imp: sweet and milky

Wet: grape-like

Dry: soft and sweet, but not with a lot of personality

Final Thoughts: Meh, I think I'll be swapping this one. I wanted divine sweetness and spice, but I didn't much of that. Oh well.

[mtlaise]

This one was a surprise... the honey note usually just does not work for me, but I don't even get a whiff of it in Dana O'Shee. What I do get - start to finish - is sweet, milky grains. An scent elegant in it's "apparent" simplicity. This has become a quick favourite, although it's probably a little heavy for me in the summer.

[maribouquet]

At first this smelled identical to Caswell-Massey almond cold cream soap, which I love love love. With a pale dusting of oat.

 

But as she dried, Dana O'Shee turned to a chalky cherry scent, like Amoxicillin. Sad face! Not for me, I'm afraid.

[simplethings]

Dana O'Shee in the bottle: Almond and oatmeal. Very slight florals.

 

Wet: Almond comes through, fairly powdery. Slightly sweet.

 

Dry: Very dry and powdery smelling. Almond is still noticable. Sweetness comes through in the form of milk.

 

Through a few hours: The scent didn't last long enough. Faded fairly quickly leaving a vague powder and almond impression.

 

Overall, very comforting and pleasant to start with but my skin just drinks it up.

[lyricalwaters]

I tracked down an imp of this in hopes that it would be similar to Snow White, which I've heard. In the bottle, I was dubious. Hello, almond! Very, very strong almond with a hint of honey and milk.

 

But on my skin, as soon as it started to dry, there WAS that Snow White note - I have no idea what it is since Snow White doesn't have the notes listed, but it's definitely there. There's something sweeter and fluffier about Snow White and I like it better, but they're definitely VERY similar on dry down.

 

Dana O'Shee disappears nearly immediately, though, whereas Snow White stays and stays and stays.

 

There's also something about Dana that reminds me of how Eden smells upon first application (though on dry-down Eden turns to mostly sandalwood on me).

 

I think it's a great scent, better on than in the bottle, but without much staying power. And if you're looking for a Snow White substitute, try it out - though I think that the success of that has to do with skin chemistry more than anything else.

[Emera]

IN THE IMP: Marzipan! Normally I hate marzipan, but this is a friendly, light, fresh marzipan – like a really delicate sweet.

 

ON MY SKIN: Sweet, light cherries and cream – delicious! (and I was already hungry, too, darn it). I was hoping for the bowl-of-oatmeal-in-your-face several others mentioned, but this is definitely a yummy confection. Not something I’d really want to wear, but fun to smell. There’s a slightly plasticky, artificial note to the creaminess, but hardly noticeable.

 

LATER: This fades REALLY quickly on me, quickly enough that again, it’s probably not really worth wearing. About 10 minutes in, it’s hardly more than a whiff of artificially-cherry-flavored sucking candy, but it’s so faint that it’s not objectionable, just sweet and yummy. It makes me feel like a little kid with sticky fingers in the summer, haha.