Obatala

[awesomeoverlord]

... Obatala’s ofrenda is soft, white and pure: milk, coconut meat, shea butter and cool, refreshing water.

In the imp: WOW. Holy crap. I could bathe in this stuff. It's warm, coconutty, and creamy while still managing to be refreshing. I work with raw shea a lot and I can definitely identify a bit of that characteristic nuttyness here as well. I'm kind of ashamed to make this comparison as I'm not a huge fan of Bath & Body Works, but it almost reminds me of their Warm Vanilla and Brown Sugar scent (which I loved, despite myself).

Alas, my love affair with Obatala ended about 10 minutes after putting it on. All those wonderful notes I got from the imp stuck around long enough to lull me into a false sense of wonderfully smelly security and then...lo and behold...GAG. Jezebel did this same thing on me and I blamed the honey -- not sure what the culprit is here -- but there's this sickeningly sweet, cloying, buttery note that's just overpowering everything.

Damn. I need to keep this stuff around without actually touching it.

[isisonearth]

Cool and creamy. Smells just like a freshly opened coconut to me.

[Dracoo9]

I agree that there is a sort of buttery note to this. I was really looking forward to a Bath and Body Works coconut kind of scent but Obatala isnt bad. I can get the milk note, similiar to the one in Alice with a buttery sort of coconut. Obatala and I would get along wonderfully if only it didnt become cloyingly sweet after awhile. But thats what having spicy blends around is for, right? Bit of layering and problem solved!

[Bluestocking]

In the imp: Soft and white is right on target, because that's exactly the sense this gives. Actually, I think the description is pretty much spot-on. Coconut is the primary scent, followed by the shea, but there's a milky, creamy quality to this, and a certain wonderful lightness that you don't always get with either coconut or shea butter—possibly from the water note? In any case, it's beautiful, pure and comforting.

On, wet: Wow, does this one have throw on me! Given how good it smells, I'm not complaining. Anyway, the rich shea has actually moved to the forefront, supported by the milky, sweet coconut and lightened by what I can only assume is the water. It smells heavenly—not that saccharine, suntan-lotion fake-coconut smell at all, but more like being surrounded by the warmest, softest, most comfortable robe you can imagine, fresh and hopeful and absolutely clean.

On, dry: This scent isn't a huge morpher. There's still tremendous throw, and the shea butter remains the top note, though it's blending with the coconut into one creamy, sweet scent. The aquatic note is a really subtle thing here, flowing under the milky shea-coconut, providing balance—and maybe a tiny hint of salt. So now I'm still feeling like I have on that warm, clean and comforting robe, but I have a view of the ocean and a white sand beach, too.

Later: Still shea butter-coconut-ocean, and it smells… well, divine. If you hate any of those components, you're unlikely to like this scent, but otherwise, I think it's fab. Bonus: massive throw and staying power.

Overall: It's a perfect summer perfume for obvious reasons (hello, coconut/shea/ocean=insta-beach), but I'd love it at any time. It's like a warm embrace in a bottle. It makes me feel very calm and content, and I can see the connection between Obatala and laughter, because this makes me want to smile and laugh out of sheer joy. I originally ordered this with my mother in mind—and now I know she'll adore it—but I think I want some for myself, too.

 

 

[Usagi]

In the Imp: sweet almond, candied coconut, and...fried food?

Wet: SWEET coconut milk, and dry coconut pieces, with a faint salty, clay-like smell

Dry: sweet coconut floral

 

This scent, on me, is like a stronger version of Snow White; there's something in the background than adds an adult depth to it, possibly faint coconut rum, or some other tropical alcohol. Very nice.

[diamondstars]

Vanilla and coconut.

[Spork]

Mmmm, coconut! A little bit of a buttery scent and then coconutty, pure yum! Seems to last for a decent amount of time too, been almost five hours and I still get little whiffs of it every now and then.

[reverendsquid]

In the imp -condensed milk and rain! This is a very sweet scent.

 

Fresh on - initially the same, but after a couple of minutes, the coconut starts to come out, and also tropical flowers, oddly enough. This is almost edible, but the rain and flowers are saving it. Really refreshing.

 

After drying - pretty much the same. It's quite close to my skin, I think. I can smell it without sniffing at my wrists, but I doubt if anyone near me could.

 

Later on - this lasts well. After about 3 hours, the flowers and rain wear off, and I'm getting a soft condensed milk and coconut.

 

I love this! It's a very soft and comforting scent, without being too cloying. It definitely feels soft, white and pure - like sitting by a clear stream on a hot day wearing a white silk dress and wrapped in a very soft, white blanket to keep away any chill. And not falling in the water or getting covered in insects as I undoubtedly would if I was actually doing that. *sigh*

 

[ouch!]

The first thing I'll say about this is how real and true to the description this smells. It's firstly quite sour...and I get that sort of odd milk smell that everyone has mentioned in Milk Moon etc. It's that...paired with coconut milk. It's literally like I've cracked open a coconut and can smell the milk inside. Not that sweet sugary coconut smell you get in most products etc. This is SO REAL! Almost like a drink!

 

The shea part makes this slightly more foody and the coconut turns from more.."Coconut Milk" to "Coconut Meat" like the description says. I've tipped the juice out of the coconut and I've scraped the meat out of it. It's so nice.

 

The whole thing blends together after this bringing the scent evenly together, which is where another elemnt comes in, this must be the water note...it's not as strong as the coconut/milkshea combination bit it add a slight lightness to the thickness of the other notes.

 

This is brilliant!!! Even if it's slightly odd when it's first applied..

 

ETA: Oh my gosh, when this get's really dry the watery note and the coconut note goes and this smells so much like Lush's Butterball ballistic. Cool!!!!

Edited March 25, 2009 by ouch!

[chimera87]

This is a buttery, creamy, milky coconut. I also definitely pick up the shea and it blends with the coconut perfectly. This smells good enough

to eat or drink...It's sweet, but not too sweet. It's not super strong, but it really sticks and lasts for hours! I figured I would have to apply every hour or so.

There's also something a bit salty and it makes me think of the ocean...Like sitting on the beach with the sea breeze hitting your face while you crack open a coconut or enjoy a really yummy coconut drink. wow...this is delicious, but not too foody. Refreshing, warm and cool all at the same time.

[tragedy]

Obatala sat on my shelf unused for the longest time, reading over descriptions... I thought "why arent I wearing this???" So away I go...

 

Wet: coconut and buttery milk... I'm on Atkins right now and I would KILL for some coconut cake with whipped cream icing..This is a very luscious scent, but at the same time, very clean and fresh.

 

Drydown: Same. This has staying power on me or maybe as my husband said, I "put way too much on"

[Shadowdawn]

mhhhhhh

 

In bottle: DELICIOUS. And Fresh... and tropical, but not sticky sweet.

 

On me: Odd skin chemistry kicks in. The cocunut gets an almost chemical smell, and becomes cloying.

 

Later: faint, but like dried coconut... that's been sitting in the sun for more than 12 hours.

 

Throw: Avarage. about 5-6 hours-- really light so it needs a heavier application.

 

Overall: Not unbearable.... but the imp is DEFINITELY enough. Hubby loves it though.

[bubblefish]

This is all bright, creamy tropicalness. It's refreshingly light/bright and airy. It reminds me a little of tropical fruit sitting in the sun and a light breeze carrying a whiff of fresh coconut and pineapple towards me.

[Coldfire]

 

 

 

 

 

Decant: I get the milk and coconut and shea butter. Smells like original Coppertone

Wet on Me: still getting the Coppertone beachy smell

Drying Down: this brings back memories of early days at the beach and at the Seaquarium back in FL. Total beach scent on me

Dry: sweet, nice, pleasant, bringer of memories….but perhaps someone will love this more.

 

[sunshinedaisybliss]

 

YUM! Obatala reminds me of Lush's coconut deodorant powder.. which I love! The coconut in this is quite POW at first, but does settle down, and it doesn't go all sickly sweet in a suntan lotion kind of way. The milk and shea butter are perfect partners to the coconut - this is all warm and sexy fresh - it reminds me of how my skin smells when I've been swimming at the beach all day in the hot sun. This would be a perfect scent for warm summer days when you want to smell fresh and clean but cool and sexy.

[crebbsgirl]

Wet, this was creamy shea with coconut. As it dries, it seems to get airier. It lightens considerably, and the milk doesn't go sour on my skin like it has in the past. This is very beachy smelling. It's light and clean, but not really my kind of scent.

[Monster]

In the vial this smells like a very milky coconut.

 

On my skin this is a sweet coconut milk (heavy on the milk part)...it's almost cakey to me with a sun tan lotion feel.

 

As this dries I'm getting more of a blamy feel to this...I think that may be the shea butter. It's creamy feeling. This sort of reminds me of Milk Moon sitting on a beach watching the waves crash against the shore.

 

This dries into a warm, sun-kissed cocnut scent on my skin.

 

I think Obatala will be good for layering to bring out the coconut notes in other blends. I like this a lot. It's fun, not serious and just makes me feel sun-kissed. A perfect summer perfume!

[Aldercy]

This smells like the greatest suntan lotion ever. It's what suntan lotion should smell like, but doesn't really. If it did smell like this, I'd be the least cancer-prone woman on the planet, because I'd be slathered in it every day.

 

God, milk loves me. Now I'm going to have to go on a quest to try every milk/cream blend out there.

 

Obatala is supremely smooth. It's like ice cream with fresh coconut shavings gently melting in the sun. It's a very subtle perfume that sticks close and just occasionally sends out puffs of scent. And if you hate aquatics, fear not from Obatala-- the "cool waters" make almost no appearance whatsoever. I think all that note really does is take down the overall warmth of the scent, making it very temperate and a little lighter than it otherwise would have been.

[Veronica]

This is a clean, refreshing scent with a creamy coconut background. Pretty, and I feel like I want to like this scent more, but just not for me.

[reynardine]

Wanted to try this because coconut is one of my comfort scents. However:

 

In imp: creamy coconut goodness! Smells divine!

 

Wet: Beautiful! Coconut and Milk and a touch of something else I can't place (shea butter, maybe?)

 

Drydown: Stronger on the coconut than anything else, with a bit of something else behind it. It does kinda remind me of the old Coppertone Suntan Lotion I wore as a kid, back when I still went out in the sun.

 

Later: DOOM. Plastic note. Not sure where it's coming from. Doesn't seem to be the coconut, since I can still clearly smell that, but one of the other ingredients is going to plastic on me. This is the first time a BPAL oil has done that to me. Woe.

 

Off to swaps.

[Sapphiremo0n]

Wonderful blend of coconut and butter. I'm not usually a fan of aquatic notes, but in this it is posatively delightful. I agree, Obatala is very much a warm tropical summer day, with just a hint of sea spray.

 

I'd love it in a room warmer, particularly on a cold winter night.

[Redillon]

I got this in an imp. At first whiff, coconut and the shea butter.

 

On: Coconut and shea butter.

 

Dry down: Coconut and shea butter

 

Didn't last long at all. It was meh.

[distracts]

This definitely smells like a creamy coconut. To me it seems more like the scent of a lotion or sunscreen than a perfume... like the kind of thing I smell on myself and go "oh god, will this clash with my perfume?" rather than something that I set out to smell like.

[fairestrocza]

In the Imp: creamy coconut

 

Wet on Skin: creamy coconut w/something Fake in the background

 

While Drying: drys almost instantly; fake smell is somewhat similar to the plastic scent I get with some honey blends

 

After a Little While: smells more like my mom than like me, sun-tanny; not getting anything that says 'water'; more & more like mom's sunblock - like the plastic bottle sitting in the sun dripping melted coconut sunblock - makes me feel heavy and languorous

 

Later: The 'fake' smell goes away, it is not a bad scent, just not a very ME scent

 

Final Thoughts: Evokes some memories of spending summers by the pool, but not something I want to use as a personal scent.

Obatala earns a 3/5 on my skin.

[hkhm]

imp: this indeed smells very close to when you crack open a coconut and smell the fresh, sweet milk.

 

wet: a very cloying floral over that sweet fresh coconut.

 

dry: the coconut is dominant and the shea butter is a nice backnote. the floral fades after a bit, but it is unfortunately still there. if not for the floral, i would be buying a bottle.