Nihil

[Ina Garten Davita]

This one gave me some problems at first. It's one of those scents that overwhelms with its sharpheadyfloweriness. But given the chance to drydown properly blooms into gorgeousness. This is a brightly-colored mixed bouquet that can't wait to kick winter's ass and scream out, "I'm here, it's SPRING, pay attention to ME!" I wish I could pick some notes out, but I keep coming up with colors. It's like an explosion of red-pink-orange-white-yellow, staring at the sun, just aching to be picked.

[shelldoo]

i get a barely there scent, a light slightly alcoholic note somewhat reminecent of a martini, then it turns into a light spring boquet of flowers

[zillah37]

In the vial: Flowers. And something minty? More menthol than mint though. This kind of smells like the frangipani single note with something mixed in. Something limey maybe? It's not lemons and it's not orange or grapefruit. Maybe lime?

 

On my skin: *wrinkles nose* There's something very sour here. I'm definitely going with a lime scent in this. No flowers at all on my skin, but a lot of something lime-like and something faintly musky that's going sour on my skin. But it's intriguing. I can't seem to stop sniffing my wrist even though I don't really like what I'm smelling. Oh. Hey, there's the frangipani again. It's almost an absence of scent. I keep expecting something and it smells like ... sanitized air.

 

The verdict: I think this is a no. But it's really interesting. It's not something I would ever wear, but wow it's a really interesting scent.

[slave1]

In Bottle: Spicy floral

 

On Skin: I get a strong floral and an exotic asian spice from this one. A bit of a resin or musk as well that drapes it in a dark golden tint. Sort of Opium-ish or Poision-ish. Very sexy and perfect for a woman. Like Zero it reminds me a bit of commercial perfume… it’s not traditional BPAL at all. Strong throw and if I inhale too deeply it makes my eyes water. I’d love a bottle of this to make a spray with. As it develops, I get a slightly minty ozoney note that comes forward but the florals still remain the dominant notes. If this is released I will be buying a big bottle for sure.

[Aredhel]

Rating (on skin): 1/5

Summarised in a word or two: Rotting flowers.

 

Preconceived notions: Mints and flowers?

 

In the imp: How odd. Mint (or menthol?) and flowers. Weird.

 

On skin, wet: Definitely something minty or mentholy, but nothing sharp or crisp. I don't think I like the way it blends with what comes off as flowers. It's almost sour, and becoming rancid.

 

On skin, dry: Oh, definitely not. Something here's turned into a rotting-flowers kind of thing. If I get a strong whiff, I can taste it. It almost smells like... urine. For some reason, though, like zillah, I keep sniffing it!

 

Conclusion: Interesting, but just not me -- something in my skin just hates it.

[sarada]

Picked up some of this on LJ.

 

I suspect this is one of the blends that Beth had mentioned would be coming up that includes aldehydes, because it smells distinctly like a sort of "perfume counter perfume" but without that nose-wrinkling alcohol harshness.

 

I can't decide exactly why I think this is aldehydic except that it smells "perfumey," like static. As the high, crisp fizzy notes fade a sweet yellow floral takes over. It's as though someone made a commercial perfume that I could actually wear...smelling natural even though there's that high-pitched whine buzzing in the background.

 

If BPAL was to design a mainstream fragrance with a dark aesthetic I would think this would be a likely candidate.

 

I couldn't tell you the notes, but I'd suspect some white and/or yellow flowers, maybe some amber or ambergris, and a light musk -- possibly with a hint of some sort of pale herb.

 

It's not really something I'd wear but I'm glad I got to try it out because my curiosity was driving me crazy!

[LittleGreyKitten]

This reminds me a lot of Zero. It's another very straight-up floral, which is nicely executed but not terribly *me*. I find this a little more ozone/aquatic than Zero, but still mostly floral. It does smell more commercial than some BPAL blends, and more "perfumey". Still, it dries down nicely as does Zero. Glad I got to try, but an imp is probably not even necessary for me.

 

3.5 out of 5.

[cuervosueno]

The very kind IvyandPeony included an imp of this in swap, and I was delighted to get to try it.

 

I agree with Sarada, below:

 

I suspect this is one of the blends that Beth had mentioned would be coming up that includes aldehydes, because it smells distinctly like a sort of "perfume counter perfume" but without that nose-wrinkling alcohol harshness.

 

Floral, but not just floral, and not rose (which I dislike). It's complex, and, yes, more like traditional perfume than some other BPAL scents. I agree with the aldehydes both because of the note that Sarada mentions and because it has the slightly fruity/bubblegum notes of aldehydes as they appear in certain types of weissbeirs.

 

That note is slight, though. Overall, I'm having a hard time getting a handle on this, but its a pleasant floral, slightly green, that is less like cut flowers and more like, well, a floral perfume. I'm surprised that I actually like it, because me and florals are usually a no-go.

 

Hmm....reading this back, I find it incredibly vague, but I also can't be more specific, so I guess I'll just stop!

[jidabug]

I lucked out and won a bottle of this fabulous scent in the forum raffle.

 

This really does start out as a whap-you-upside-the-head floral! But as it dries down it mellows into a gorgeously vibrant and feminine floral with just a touch of dark to keep it from getting too frou-frou. The comments of it being kind of perfume-countery are justified, but not at all in a bad way. This was very reminiscent of Poison to me, which is what I used to wear in high school and college.

 

The throw is pretty strong, so it's not a scent I would slather, but it's very pleasant with just a couple dabs. In the end, this was all bountiful flowers, with no particular bloom or note sticking out above the rest. Just generally very sultry.

Edited April 15, 2006 by jidabug

[PurringPulsar]

Nihil

 

In the imp: a soft, gentle, sweet floral, with a touch of something fruity.

Wet on skin: still that lovely fruity floral, this is a warm, and almost tropical/exotic floral scent.

Dry on skin: mmm, I really like this! It's almost like a commercial/traditional floral perfume scent-this wouldn't be out of place in a department store-but unlike mainstream perfumes which are piercing and shrill in scent because of alcohol, this one is warm and soft, a well rounded scent but with a slight tangy feel to it. It's a sophisticated scent. As for the notes, I'm not sure but I'm definitely getting floral and fruity notes-maybe a tropical flower scent like plumeria/frangipani or orchid, and some pear? I'm not sure though, but one thing's for sure-this is a gorgeous fragrance!

After a while: this eventually changes slightly from the bright, fruity floral into another floral scent. I can't describe it but it's not as juicy as the first stage, this is more like nocturnal flowers, white petals in the moonlight, it's almost humid, sultry and heady, with an undercurrent of smoke and exotic musk, and something sharp and 'perfumey' on top. A very bewitching, intriguing scent. And it's got impressive throw!

After a few hours, I get a slightly bitter, sharp scent which is almost citrus peel like, like lemon or grapefruit, and it's also quite green at this point, along with the sultry exotic white floral note. This is very different from Beth's usual creations-it smells much more 'mainstream' as a perfume.

The drydown reminds me of something…it's a lemony green scent, but a dark one. I still get that heady floral but now it's darker, less floral, and I think I'm getting woods now…and tea! I think that sharp note may be a tea of some sort, maybe black tea-no, it's earl grey tea! (Maybe there's bergamot in here as well?) I'm definitely getting a slightly lemony-earl grey tea vibe, and perhaps a drop of ozone as well, as at the very end of the scent, I get a slight metallic note to the scent

Verdict: this is an interesting fragrance-interesting because it's so different to the usual BPAL-of course, it has that special Beth touch to it, but it's also a lot more like a commercial perfume as well-and that's no bad thing. In fact, the combination of the ingenuity of BPAL with a hint of something more mainstream makes for a very interesting perfume. Unlike department store perfumes, this doesn't have that sharp, piercing, annoying note to it (I'm guessing because it's alcohol free) and it's a lot warmer and rounder and morphs very nicely over time, but like perfume counter scents, this is very chic and classy. The scent is predominantly a sultry hothouse floral note, tropical and exotic, mixed with fruity sharpness, and, at the end, a hint of tea. It's a very well blended scent, very cleverly crafted. I'm keeping my imp of it, but when it gets released, I'm not sure if I'll get more as sometimes it smells a bit too bitter/sharp, but I do like it very much and I'm very glad I gave it a try.

Emoticon rating:

[Little Bird]

Was given a brief chance to try Nihil out while visiting my imp pimp (<3) and actually ended up having to wash it off.

 

This is a sharply perfumey floral on me. I am crap at picking out floral notes, but it smelled like a medley of headache inducing blooms. I didn't get the fruity or minty notes that others have, but did get a strangely sour note. Mostly it was just FLOWERS and PERFUME in a loud sort of way.

 

Nihil is definitely not a floral scent that I could ever pull off

[Ryvre]

In the imp: Floral and aquatic. More like a traditional perfume than I tend to like.

 

On my skin: Very floral. I'm not sure what kind of flowers, but not rose.

 

Drydown: Soapy floral. Not really bad, but not something I'd wear. Sniffing it kind of gives me a headache, so I think I'll have to wash it off.

[filigree_shadow]

This is a sharp floral on me, something like gardenia, but that's not it. Yellow. It definitely has a perfumey quality to it. For some reason the scent reminds me of a very viscous shampoo that I used when I was a kid -- something like Johnson & Johnson baby shampoo. I know I've smelled this floral scent before, but I can't place it. It's making me feel nostalgic, which is why I think it's something from my childhood.

[grrrlennyl]

at first: sweet flowers.

on: soapy flowers and sweet flowers and ridiculously heady flowers. when i smell this, i get a soapy taste in my mouth. how odd.

1.5 hours later: a lush, warm, floral bouquet. i can't pick out any specific notes from this.

3 hours later: just generally warm and floral.

overall: like many other scents that have a lot of florals, this ended up being boring on me. poor me.

[edenssixthday]

Nihil - This reminds me almost exactly of Zero without the plumeria. Its scent is that of a gorgeous bouquet of white tropical florals, and is full to bursting with sunshine and fresh air . There is also something slightly crisp about this scent and at first I thought there was a tiny sliver of citrus in it, but now I'm really just not sure. Although the scent itself seems light on me at first, it has a lovely level of throw and a small swipe on my wrist will leave this scent wafting lightly about me off and on for about 4 hours, which is pretty good in my experience with BPAL staying power. It's a gorgeous scent and absolutely perfect for a warm, summer day. Love it!

[audesapere]

In Imp: Smells like commercial perfume-I can detect alchohol. This may or may not bode well.

 

Wet: Strong, sharp flowery aroma. The flowers are very 'white' to me, maybe jasmine or heavy lily. This smells like something.....

 

Dry:White Shoulders. It smells just like Grandma's perfume, only with a very slight tinge of incense.

 

Later: It was too strong. It gave me a headache. Ah, well.

Edited June 27, 2006 by audesapere

[brownbear]

To me this smells like very very light, buttery, florals. It starts out more perfumey, but goes nice and soft and well, buttery. Very nice.

[elfmaiden]

From an awesome forumite!

 

This was a very heady floral on me. The descriptions of gramma's perfume to me are definitely in line of what I get. Not in a bad way though. There is quite a bouquet and it really doesn't change much from the imp to my skill.

 

Smells much more like a main stream perfume from the counter.

 

Not bad overall! I preference doesn't lean towards florals, but the smell is pleasant.

 

Jenn

[Reedsong]

This is a beautiful cluster of flowers. I'm so bad at identifying notes that I'd probably be stumped by Blue Cheese SN, but it reminds me of jasmine, gardenia, and others with rich, deep, warm and tropical fragrances. It's sultry yet bright, sexy, the perfect summer scent - or a perfect scent for the dead of winter when you want to be reminded that, yes, there are flowers somewhere under all that snow.

 

Nihil is my favourite BPAL floral to date, and if this ever becomes available on the site - forget 5 and 10 mLs, I want my Nihil to be measured in litres! Meanwhile, I've made it known that I'll sell kidneys to acquire more - and I'm secretly hoping that Beth gets tired towards the end of Chaos Theory 3, thinks, "Aww, forget it," and dumps a whole bunch of Nihil in my bottle.

 

I even made a LiveJournal icon for it, and I haven't done that since City in the Sea. A LiveJournal icon, people! This is serious, hardcore, unreleased devotion here.

 

Nihil = Utterly intoxicating flowers. I think I'm actually strung out on it as I finish this entry.

[juniperus]

Bottle: exceptionally pale, transparent floral

Wet: vanilla here, I think, as there is a creaminess..it's really..opalescent.

Dry: still pale, but little floral..amped vanilla or something close to it, and a note that its hitting my sinuses like an aquatic even if I'm not quite picking it out as such, yet.

Later: fascinating, lovely, and...hollow. before it started morphing oddly on me it was a thing of..how can I put this..frightening beauty? it was lovely, but invoked these images of disturbing and almost a claustrophobic/agoraphobic terror - being closed in and totally exposed all at once. really a bizarre feeling, and I'm almost glad for my crappy skin chemistry on this one, because I don't think I could have made it all the way through the review without the amping cream breaking that spell.

[Voleuse]

On first application, this is a sweet floral on me, though it's a little generic at first sniff. As it dries, it smells less generic to me. I still can't identify the floral notes, but there is something a little spicy in the mix. There's also something that reminds me of ozone, but I don't think that's it. Interesting.

[shadesong]

This smells absolutely nothing like I expected something called Nihil to smell. It is very very floral. It is department-store perfume. I'm not getting rose from it; I'm not good at identifying floral notes in a mix of same, so I can just tell you it's *not* rose, magnolia, gardenia, or honeysuckle.

[sophia_helix]

Sweet, soapy white florals. I'm getting gardenia very strongly, and almost nothing else. And a headache. Alas.

[elspeth]

When I first got this imp I sniffed it and had to check that there was actually something in it. At first sniff it smells like nothing. When I put it on I can immediately smell a faint floral scent that seems to be getting a bit stronger as it dries. However like a lot of faint florals it is beginning to smell like soap. Grant you a lovely and wonderful soap. Just not something that I can see wearing.

[WidgetAlley]

I received a partial frimp of this in a swap with Audesapere. I love testing unreleaseds-- thank you darling!

 

In the Imp: Flowers. Pure, light, unadulterated flowers over a bed of something curiously white and hollow-- ozone? An "air" note? Just a touch of a citrus-- yuzu or lime or grapefruit? It's softly pretty and reminds me a lot of a floral soap. If I had to take a stab at it, I'd say gardenia and something else, something rounder and sweeter-- muguet? A dab of honeysuckle? Plus a bit of whatever was in Asphodel.

 

Wet: Lilies! And gardenia. Carnation? And that whatever-it-is... daffodils? Jonquil? And something else that isn't flowers, something sweet and fuzzy; musk or amber, I think. There's a gently crisp note in the background, too, fizzy and very fresh. Kind of a birch-citrus-ozone-mint crossover, but without actually smelling like birch or citrus or mint. Ozone is the closest I can get to describing it. Maybe that's the aldehydes that everyone's talking about? There is something in there that reminds me just a little of department store perfumes, but then, most florals give me that impression.

 

Dry: The flowers have died down quite a bit, leaving a faint sweetness on my wrists. It's very odd: there's a definite hint of something golden and buttery, and still a lingering hint of floral, and that strange hollow ozone, and other vague impressions of white and gold. There might be amber, or maybe musk, or ambergris, or citrus, or any number of things in here, but they're so well-blended I can't really detect them, and am ultimately just taking shots in the dark as to what I'm smelling.

 

Verdict: Well, that was... interesting. If it hadn't been an unreleased, I doubt I would have payed much attention to it, and probably would have written it off as just another nice floral. As it is.... it is a nice floral, to be sure, but there's more to it than that. I may pass this on eventually, since florals just aren't and never will be my thing, not really, but I'll hang on to it for a bit: it's definitely strange enough to merit further testing.