Obatala

[stasha]

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

In the imp: I smell all hazelnut?! No coconut in sniffing range.

Wet on skin: It remains a lot nuttier than it does the sweet coconut I love.

Dry:: Basically the same as above. It's all hazelnut all the time. Elegba is my all time favorite BPAL scent so I figured I'd love this on account of the coconut description but alas! To the swaps!

[mollipop]

in the imp; Obatala is DIVINE. sweet cream!

 

wet on skin; cold, sweet milk.

 

dried; milky coconut.

 

10 min later; young, sweet coconut and the creamiest cream.

 

final thoughts; i LOVE this. i'd give it a 4.5 out of 5 stars. out of the bottle it would have gotten a 5 out of 5. i almost fainted because it smelt so good. so delicious. i'm tempted to place an order for a 5ml at this very moment.

[underline2]

As much as I love coconut, Obatala doesn't quite work on me. It reminds me of coconut milk (which I detest), warm bottles of water and moisturizer. Oh well, off to the swaps.

[Dark Sparkle]

A generous frimp from the Lab

 

Uh-oh, way too buttery and sweet - I feel like I just poured custard all over myself - I am surprised to like this scent because normally I really do not like foody and buttery scents at all - but it's very pretty

 

Cool, sweet and clear, Obatala really works with my chemistry but I think I will have to pass on the foodyness, I'm afraid.

Edited August 19, 2007 by Dark Sparkle

[coconutkitten]

This was softer than I imagined it would be but that was a nice surprise. I would say it reminds me of rubbing coconut milk on my hands when I'm cooking curries. It doesn't stay for long but it's a really relaxing and subtle sent on me. Would get a big bottle if it had more staying power.

[Dinah]

This goes on creamy and tropical, very coconutty. The shea butter comes out later and gives the coconut more depth. There is a slight, buttery note that reminds me a bit of sour milk but it is very faint and doesn't really deter from the beauty of this scent. It's more of a double-take (double-sniff? lol) moment before you realize that it's the shea butter making noise. Very summery, a perfect, buttery beach-smell without becoming sun-tan lotion.

[alicia_stardust]

Obatala is amazingly beautiful. It really stopped me in my tracks and made me take notice of it, above and beyond many other scents.

 

I find that the two most dominant notes in this are the shea and coconut meat, followed closely by an aquatic quality. The coconut aspect of this isn't as strong or in your face as it is in other blends. This is foody like a drink, not like something you'd eat. I find it uplifting and inspiring and incredibly refreshing. Whenever I wear Obatala, I find myself feeling the same way I do whenever I get to open the windows wide after a dark winter; spring is approaching and it's the first day that you can air things out without freezing your house. Sunlight finds its way in. The curtains ruffle in the cool breeze and you, along with your home, feel energized and happy as all the stale air is replaced with fresh air.

 

This is a lovely homage to Obatala.

 

If you like coconut, shea, somewhat foody scents, or anything that is breezy or spring-like, you must try this!

[Medici]

In the imp: Oooooh my gooood. *wipes drool* Coconut meat, freshly cut, dripping with milk. It’s so sweet and so yummy smelling.

 

Wet: Coconut meat and something almost minty – it sort of reminds me of a more natural-smelling Spooky. It’s delicious.

 

Drydown: As it wears, Obatala becomes less sweet and more creamy/buttery. I’ve never sniffed shea butter before (without scent added to it, at least) but it churns this blend into something rich and doubly scrumptious.

[CocoaLissette]

I'm newish to BPAL and scents in general since almost all commercial scents turn to alcohol on my skin, making me smell like I'm wearing a pharmacy. Yes, quite the bleck. Obatala is one of the first dozen or so scents shared with me by a good BPALer friend...and I'm in love.

 

In the bottle, this smells watery, like an oceanic rainstorm, but without any ozone tang (which is also a lovely smell, but wouldn't fit in with this softness). Oooh, I love it.

 

Wet, the smell shifts to a soft coconut with butter undertones, and still that glorious oceanic smell hangs on.

 

On dry down I was SO pleased...I'm a foodie and I'm loving that the waft of buttered popcorn follows me around in a wake. Yes, buttered popcorn with hints of coconut and that other undertone (some have suggested milk?). Some people might find that unappealing, but I find this scent gorgeous and sweet, and reminiscent of childhood days spent walking the Pier at long ago pre-casino Atlantic City.

 

My first 5 ml!!!

[Catmint]

I never would have thought to order this myself, but it was a generous frimp from Cinderfallen and I'm so glad I tried it! I've been desperate for a "clean" scent but all of the scents I tried that were reviewed as "clean, fresh, etc" turned to soap on me. And all the milky scents went really sour. Obatala is the holy grail for me: a clean, fresh, milky, slightly sweet scent that works beautifully with my chemistry.

 

IMP: very faint coconut water (not the milk, the water from green coconuts)

WET: gorgeous fresh, clean watery coconut with a hint of nutty shea. This is exactly what I want to smell like when I get out of the bath -- and I want my towels and sheets to smell like this too!

DRY: goes through a beautifully blended phase where I can't distinguish the individual notes, and it seems like there is a hint of vanilla and faint white florals in there. After about 30 minutes the aquatic note fades and it becomes sweeter, with more pronounced coconut and a hint of vanilla sweetness. Doesn't last very long on me, maybe an hour, but I will slather this on after a bath, and probably make up some coconut/shea body butter scented with this.

 

A very light, fresh, clean, comforting scent -- which I will be ordering by the gallon!

[darling]

A bpal novice..

 

'Tis my first review, and as I've noticed there seems to be somewhat of a guideline people follow as far as reviewing goes.. but I just plan to write as I babble.

 

I've been looking for a decent coconut fragrance for quite some time, and unfortunately those that I've stumbled upon never really tickled my fancy, because they either turn stale, or something in the blend and my chemistry, just does not agree. It could also be due to the fact that I'm ridiculously picky.. as one should be.

 

I adore coconut, in every sense. We have an amazing gelatto place in my town that makes a to-die-for coconut sorbet every summer, and I just want to slather myself in it. I've tried multiple oils from different shops, mainly straight coconut scent, and despite smelling utterly scrumptious in the bottle, once on skin it does not agree. Something is always off.. such a pity when you deeply adore a certain smell and it just doesn't flow with you as much as you'd wish it to.

 

Laura Mercier makes an amazing almond coconut milk body souffle that myself and co-workers would apply during shifts. (p.s. although I'm not a smoker, a good chunk of my friends are, and this seriously masks smoke stained hands for a quick fix) It would waft around you, people could smell the trail of it as you passed. And not in that, oh-my-word-what-in-god's-name-did-this-person-do-dousing-themselves-obscenely-with-FAR-too-much-fragrance. Moreso.. a beautiful linger. I wanted to find that same effect in a perfume.

 

Anywho.. enough jibba jabba. Obatala seriously makes my heart go pitter patter, I considered getting Eden as a staple coconut scent in full size, and Obatala in the imp, but at the last minute swapped the two, and I'm so glad I did. It seriously lived up to expectations for me, the scent from the bottle was absolutely gorgeous, and I dabbed my pulse points instantly. I have to admit for a hot second I was second guessing it, because while settling on my skin I did get that stale effect as I mentioned early, but that quickly passed. To me Obatala is a very comforting and inviting smell, it's warm and welcoming in every sense. I know this fall into the foody category, but I do not find it as sickly sweet as I would label majority of edible inducing scents. And thankfully so.. because I'm not the hugest of overly sugartastic fragrance. The shea reminds me moreso of butter cream and the coconut remains very milky and fresh. For a newbie to the joys of Black Phoenix, I'm very much so satisfied with my frst purchase, and will keep this scent as a stample in my daily vanity routine.

[topazphoenix]

Obatala is okay but kind of buttery. Light and yet...it's like the component shortening has. I love the idea of coconut milk but this one gives me a headache and a wash-off-immediately impulse.

Edited July 10, 2009 by AmandaKay

[FandF]

Obatala:

 

Wet: suntan lotion and coconut milk.

On the skin: sweet, kind of milky...then turns into something resembling old oil.

Dry down: remains musky, almost like Snow White

 

I was searching for a pure coconut note that didn't turn so this wasn't what I was looking for. I wanted foodie...this went morphing and complex on me. Bottle was adopted by a lovely person with perfect luck at scents! Obatala didn't work on me either

[RosaLinda]

Mmmm...to me this is pure coconut suntan lotion. I LOVE the smell of suntan lotion and I am so mad that I have been talking myself out of buying bottles un-sniffed. Obatala will be a purchase for me in the future. I also think it's going to be perfect for enabling my friend...since she loves the smell of suntan lotion as well.

[vintagedlust]

I bought this after trying and falling in love with Elegba (coconut, tobacco and sweet, sugared rum) because I thought they would be similar. They actually aren't, which is ok because I actually ended up REALLY enjoying it!! It's a lot wetter, whereas Elegba was much creamier for me. I guess that is probably the "water" note coming out. I can definitely smell the coconut but it has a different feel to it. Elegba is like the coconut in a Pina Colada...sweet, creamy...walking right up to the line of being almost cloying but not stepping over the line. Obatala is a much cleaner and thin coconut for me. It's the kind of coconut water that comes out after you puncture a coconut.

[gchris]

In Vial:Rotten coconut

 

Wet:Sweet, milky coconut, I smell the shea butter too. Smells a little like suntan lotion.

 

Drydown: Very light and lightly sweet as well. A delicate scent of milky coconut with richness of shea butter. Not over powering. Warm and comforting. Reminds me of laying on a beach watching the sun go down over the ocean.

[Victory]

I think the Lab's description (white, soothing, pure) is spot-on for Obatala. I was trying to think of how to describe the scent and those are the words I used myself. It's hard to pin down what I'm smelling, even with the notes listed, since I don't smell the notes so much separately as together. The coconut is a very different one than what's used in Black Pearl- there I could see the suntan lotion comparisons, but in the two years I've had my imp of Obatala, I've never once smelled the dreaded suntan lotion smell. I'm not familiar with shea butter, but I imagine that that's the strongest note in the blend to my nose. There's definitely a watery sense to the scent, but to me, it really just smells like a creamy (but very light, not thick at all) white milk creamed with shea butter and coconut. It's very nice.

[alsatia]

I wanted to try this because it sounded like the lotions my grandma always wore.

 

In vial: Definitely coconut, and something a little bit rancid. Hope that changes when I apply it!

 

On skin, wet: Not rancid, but not that appealing either. For a moment, I caught a whiff of popcorn butter. It all blended together quickly, but I think what's making it less pleasant than I expected is the "refreshing water". It seems a bit sterile.

 

On skin, dry: It's not bad, exactly. If nothing changes, I wouldn't mind smelling like this. It's just not what I imagined when I selected it.

 

After time: An hour later, the scent has barely faded. It still smells a little off if I directly sniff my wrist, but there's a decent amount of throw and the scent wafting around me is close to what I imagined.

 

Conclusion: This might be perfect if not for the water note that is diluting it. I normally prefer bolder scents, but would like a full imp of this for occasional use and definitely want to try similar scents in hopes of finding one that's exactly what I hoped for from Obatala.

[pinkstardust420]

Wow. Fresh! Sweet! Sexy! Summery! Fresh summer coconut. Not sickingly sweet coconut, but rich, REAL coconut and rich shea butter notes w/ a nice aquatic kick. Awesome scent!

[SarahScent44]

In the imp, I smell something warm & rich that I'm assuming is the shea butter.

 

When it's on my skin, it's creamy and warm - I smell the shea, and a really subtle coconut-y undertone.

 

When it dries, it's still just creamy and sort of shea-y - I can barely smell anything, truth be told.

[prunesnprisms]

This is my favorite scent of the whole GC catalog--all fresh coconut, a bit of nuts, and a hint of fresh running water somewhere. I love it, and it calms me.

[coldandsleepy]

Oh, goodness. Desire to air my thoughts on Obatala is what made me get off my butt this morning and start turning the notes I've put in my spreadsheet for all the stuff I've tried lately into actual reviews. Obatala ended up being a bit of an odyssey for me, so I'm going to do this in slightly different format than I usually do. Here we go:

 

Yesterday afternoon, I got home from a busy day of stomping around in the California sunshine with my in-laws. My mother-in-law has bad allergies that sometimes induce really bad migraines, so as a courtesy, I try not to wear any significant perfume around her. But after the in-laws dropped me back at my house and motored off to the b'n'b they're staying at, I made great haste to my imp box. Since I was kind of hot from being out in the sun, Obatala seemed perfect: refreshing and cooling. Yay!

 

I opened it up and gave it a sniff. It didn't smell very coconutty to me, but had a nice, cool, sweet smell to it. So far so good. I dabbed a tiny bit on, recapped the imp, and put the imp back in the box. Then I gave my wrist a sniff. Now I could smell a little coconut, though still not a lot. Whatever the sweet scent I'd smelled in the imp was, it was still dominant here, and made the coconut smell very sugary and almost melon-y. It was pretty subtle, though, and I raced upstairs to record it as a 5/5 in my spreadsheet-- exactly the right scent for the occasion!

 

I should know better. Initially I wrote:

 

"I really love this. Almost melon-y coconut. Sweet and very refreshing."

 

Fifteen minutes later, I added in:

 

"After awhile, this starts to smell like... vanilla fields?"

 

Thirty minutes later, I added:

 

"C-L-O-Y-I-N-G. I eventually had to wash this off."

 

The entry as it stands this morning is:

 

"At first, I really loved this. Almost melon-y coconut. Sweet and very refreshing. Later it turns into essentially vanilla fields and is c-l-o-y-i-n-g on me. Eventually TRIED to wash it off, but it wouldn't come off. It was horrible."

 

That's right. I couldn't get it off. I scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed with an abrasive soap and it just wouldn't budge. Every time it seemed like I'd gotten it off, the scent would come back. It just would not quit on me. It was seriously nightmarish.

 

There's nothing at all in the note description that explains why this turns into a musky vanilla hellfest on me, but it does. It's awful. Vanilla is the anti-me, and sugary vanilla is all I got out of this after about 30 minutes. No coconut... not even any shea butter. Yiiiiiiikes.

 

Suffice to say, it's now a 1/5 in my spreadsheet. Sorry, Obatala, I wanted to love you, but you'll be going right back to the swaps.

[Electric Maenad]

Dang - this sounded like it would be a really great scent on me - I've got this shea butter lotion that I use during the winter, and I like the smell of that, and I've discovered since trying Elegba that I *lurve* the BPAL coconut note...

 

Mmmnope. I got nothing. I smelled something vaguely sweet and nutty, and then it was gone. I'm suspecting, going by a similar experience with Pool of Tears, that aquatics just disappear on me.

[iiinterstate]

Yum! This is the scent of fresh REAL coconut, no artificial flavors here. I love it, and I have nothing else in my collection that's quite like this.

 

A great summer scent for sure. I need a bottle. This would make a great lotion too.

[ValerianOddity]

Obatala

 

Out of the bottle: Rich, creamy coconut.

 

Wet: Still predominantly coconut, but I'm starting to smell something else as well. Shea, maybe?

 

Dry: Very soft and subtle, but still a love-fest of creamy coconutty goodness. This is wonderful. My s/o said, "You smell like coconut... and YOU." This will definitely be a bottle purchase; it smells like summer to me.