Shollin Report post Posted June 12, 2004 Old Amsterdam, from Wanderlust: Tulips, peony, fresh flowing water and crisp green grasses. First sniff: Fresh and sunny, bright flowers floating on clear water. Wearing: It’s been quite a while since I smelled a tulip, but I’m pretty sure this is them. I love the freshness of this scent – it’s not room-full-of-flowers-y, it’s definitely an outdoor-flowers scent, with sun shining on a watermill. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
leslie260 Report post Posted June 22, 2004 I love this scent! It smells so green when it comes out of the bottle..and it stays green all day long. My skin chemistry reacts poorly to some scents, but it loves Old Amsterdam. The smell of grass and tulips is wonderful...this is my new "first day of spring" scent. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Isis Report post Posted June 26, 2004 This is such a happy lift me up scent! Very crisp, aquatic and green it's like being transported back to Old Amsterdam beside the Tulips and windmills and seeing girls with their hair plaited wearing clogs! There is something oddly familiar about the freshness about it. It smells so innocent and pure. It does take you back in time and helps visualise calm running waters and lush green fields. I want to wear this anyday everyday! it really gives you a buzz. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ina Garten Davita Report post Posted June 28, 2004 First Impression: Stiff green stems and bright coral tulips, fresh as a rushing stream. Second Impression: Similar to an understated, high end perfume I used to wear my freshman year of high school. Anais Anais by Cacharel, maybe? Very pretty. Final Analysis: Pretty floral but lacks the unique-ness many of Beth's other florals possess. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
any_old_actress Report post Posted June 29, 2004 FIRST SNIFF: dew kissed tulips WEARING IT: watery florals with crisp green grasses poking in behind. this is a very cool, crisp and clean scent - i think it would almost be a really nice scent for september, when things start to turn a little chilly and summer is turning into autumn. VERDICT: it's pretty, but i'm not 100% sold that it's a scent for me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hypothermya Report post Posted July 3, 2004 The masochist in me demands that I try this, even though I know I'll be allergic to the grass and the water notes. This was one of the imps that Beth generously threw into my last order, and I admit that even though this imp didn't make my wishlist (due to the allergies of course), I was curious to smell it. In the Bottle The first, most obvious scent is the smell of pollen (and isn't that rare and lovely? Most floral scents don't capture the yellow, powdery scent of pollen). The grass and the water seem to be undertones to this. When I first smelled this, I remembered that the tulips were an ingredient, but I couldn't remember the rest of the ingredients. Yet, right away, I was able to identify the scent of peonies. So the floral aspect of this (so different from a rose or orchid) is quite strong, and the water and grass seem a natural frame to their vivid smell. Wearing It Well, I was right about the allergies -- my eyes are itching and my throat is tightening up and my nose is tingling -- but I'm glad I got to try this. On my skin, the scent of the grass is really strengthened. But this isn't the smell of fresh cut grass, like the smell of Rosalind which reminded me of a lawn that has just been mown; this smells more like young grass that's been lightly trampled, and the smell of the green can't help but rise up. The pollen and flowers are further off than the patch of trampled grass, but they're just the right strength to seem carried by with a breeze. You can smell that they're blooming (it must be springtime in Old Amsterdam), and that a river is nearby (because the watery scent is so dim on my skin). All in all, it's a light scent, very reminiscent of spring time. I can't really vouch for the lasting power of this, since I have to wash it off right away... This is a nice scent. I'm not a fan of florals, so this isn't a scent that I feel tragic about not being able to wear, but I do feel a bit of satisfaction smelling this. This is what I feel that Rosalind should have been able to do; it embodies the smell of fresh grass (not the heavy lawn mowed on a hot summer day), and the smell of flowers (not wild flowers, but sturdy thick lipped tulips) with the grace that Rosalind didn't quite manage. If there were berries in here, I fear that Rosalind would be out of a job! Either way, I like the smell of a floral other than roses, and I think that the tulips and peonies are fresh and unique enough to really carry this perfume through. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VelvetSky Report post Posted July 5, 2004 Spring florals, wet grass and water. I really enjoy florals that don't have a powdery drydown and Old Amsterdam is that. It smells bright, sunny and happy. Here's my problem though: most of the time I don't want to smell bright, sunny and happy. This scent may just be too cheerful for me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lorajc Report post Posted July 6, 2004 This was a pretty green/pink floral. It was pungent at first, but dried down to a VERY soft scent. A little too light for me, but nice for a hot humid day. Nice aquatic floral that is reminescent of Kitsune-Tskui, at least on me. I did not get a powdery drydown at all, just a very faint version of the oil first applied. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tesseljoan Report post Posted July 13, 2004 How could I not order this, only living two seconds away from this city's border? I can smell the green grass very well when I first apply it. When it dries, the flowers and water come through more. A very light scent. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dispatcherbert Report post Posted July 17, 2004 This is a beautiful scent! Pure, dewey tulips. That was the drydown for me anyway. When I initially put it on, I could also smell the grass. And although it wasn't mentioned in the description, when it was wet I could swear I smelled Lily of the Valley. Weird. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Astra Report post Posted July 23, 2004 Old Amsterdam is indeed a bright, fresh scent which I think would work well as a room scent rather than perfume. Immediately it blossoms into green grasses and clean, cold water. In this respect, it is very similar to Rosalind, but where Rosalind is fruity, Old Amsterdam is flowery. This is the cool, clean sunlight of northern Europe. For me, this scent summons the image of a light-filled Vermeer, perhaps Girl with a Pitcher in which morning sunlight from a huge window falls across a...girl with a pitcher. For fresh, clean scents, Old Amsterdam is a must. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darestodream Report post Posted August 3, 2004 Old Amsterdam is just...pretty. It is a lovely, light, happy fragrance, floral without being too sweet. To me, it feels like the fragrance for a young woman, or to wear on the days when you want to feel like a young woman. I am new to BPAL, and have to train my nose to pick out the notes, but I will do my best. The tulips are undeniably the strongest note, but it really does seem as if the petals are lying on a damp bed of grass. It is a very straight-forward scent. The description is quite apt! This is absolutely an oil for spring. It wears moderately well on me, but I cannot say I was disappointed when it faded. It is quite pretty, but just not me. It did work wonderfully as a room freshener when I needed a pick me up, though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
twistygirl Report post Posted August 5, 2004 This is a lovely, fresh, happy floral scent. The aquatic notes are very predominant on my skin. It smells like wonderful fresh water and beautiful tulips. It's a very simple scent, nothing changed on me from first application through the dry-down. A great light springtime scent that would also be an excellent choice for a young girl, as there is such a freshness and innocence about this. A bit too innocent and fresh for me to wear often, but it is very, very pretty. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Miggins Report post Posted August 13, 2004 (edited) In the vial: Quite tart yet juicy, a hint of green and a surprising sharp edge (a clear sharpness, like a glass shard). Wet: Overpoweringly floral but with a belly of greenness. Reminded me a lot of cutting the stems of spring flowers before you put them in a vase - you have the stem greenness and a good lot of flower perfume. Dry-down and beyond: Initially, it was almost too overwhelming in the floralness - I almost wanted to run screaming to the bathroom, scrubbing brush in hand. The dry-down had my skin’s seemingly customary 15 minutes of soapiness, but it evolved into a pleasant floral perfume - but was nothing special on my skin. To add: the first time I put this on was the first day I got my Imps and in my excitement, I layered it with Kumiho. They seemed to compliment each other beautifully leading to a very crisp, tart, yet juicy fragrance. I shall try this combination again as it seemed to bring out the best elements of each on my skin. Edited August 13, 2004 by Miggins Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sarabeegee Report post Posted August 16, 2004 This is a lovely scent, and as I love green grass and peonies, I love Old Amsterdam. The only problem was that it disappeared within minutes!! While it lasted, it was fantastic, but it dried down fast to nothing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
miss apple Report post Posted August 16, 2004 (edited) Old Amsterdam is fresh, cool, and green. I can see huge fields of tulips waving in the breeze giving off a delicate scent that lingers in the new spring air. This is so beauftiful in the vial but something just doesn't work with my chemistry. Strangely i smells almost the same when it dries but doesn't blend well on my skin. I think this will make a nice room freshener. Edited August 16, 2004 by miss apple Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
serafina pekkala Report post Posted September 17, 2004 Aqua, grass .. this is light, it stays only for about an hour or two. This is real grass, as opposed to airfreshener, long and green like a field right before the hay will be made. It does burn a bit, but that might be because I applied it too vigorously with the plastic thingy. Hmm, peonies . It smells like my local flowershop! I get more of a tulip and grass in the other places I applied it. It's sweeter in my cleavage. Then the water becomes more apparent. I associate this grass with late summer, but the tulips and peonies with spring in flowershops (you don't see them growing much outside, peonies). This is calm summery rather than happy summery. Slightly like the suntan lotion we used to have when we were kids. Old Amsterdam is a nostalgic, unisex scent then, good for introducing people to bpal because it's very good, but not wildly different from more common scents (only better). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dianella Report post Posted October 17, 2004 This scent is all grass. I lurve the smell of grass, really and truly. Smells so fresh. Wet: Grassy. Yum. I love grass and it loves me! The flowers are starting to peak out. Initial dry: The flowers are rearing their heads. They are strong because my skin just loves to amplify the hell out of florals so thank goodness they are light florals! The aquatic note is coming out too. Dry: The grass is gone, it's just flowers now. I don't mind the aquatic note so much. And love peonies too, which smell good on me. I'll be keeping this imp. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grrrlennyl Report post Posted October 25, 2004 old amsterdam at first: this was a free imp from the lab. hmmm...this reminds me of a nondescript bouqet. not exotic or interesting, but nice. on: fresh-cut flowers. very simple and pretty. 1 hour later: very nice. still a bunch of flowers. 2 hours later: i really like this. a touch powdery, but still flowers. 5 hours later: a lot lighter, but still pretty. overall: did i mention that this is pretty? depending on how much i wear this, i may end up getting a bottle of this. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
k00kaburra Report post Posted November 2, 2004 In bottle: Very fresh and clean. I can definitely smell tulips. I associate tulips with soap, having used a tulip-scented soap for many years growing up, so it is a very soapy smell to me. But it's crisp and green with hints of grass as well. On me: Very, very clean fragrance. The florals sharpen a bit but overall it is very true to the bottle. In the spring and summer this will be quite fantastic. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Witch Baby Report post Posted November 15, 2004 First Sniff: Mmmm, very light and flowery. . . .almost a candy like note to it. Smelling this just brings a smile to my face. Wet: A little stronger on my skin, a little on the soapy-flowery side. Dry: Deepens a little and smells less soapy. . .it almost has a spicy tone to it. . .I like it, but I think I'm just going to use up my imp. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gothabillywench Report post Posted November 30, 2004 Oh yeah, it's green. but a pale green, slightly aquatic fresh flowers. But the flowers i get when I smell this are the types a child would pick out of various neighbours gardens to give you. All those cute 7 sweet little flowers we forget about but are at child eye-level. little wee things that grow in amongst the big brash "oi smell me" flowers. Basically it's a very cute scent. Cute is the word for this one. I like. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Splendid Molerat Report post Posted December 6, 2004 Amsterdam didn't really grab me the first time I tried it -- sort of became an indistinct floral on my skin, and was kind of sweet and grassy in the oil burner. Yesterday I tried adding Amsterdam to the suds while hand washing delicates, and wow! Combined with water this blend was full and pretty, just like the description. The clothes dried with a light fresh-water scent, and I'm considering getting a bottle of Amsterdam to make linen spray... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
malanna Report post Posted December 23, 2004 Old Amsterdam is a remarkably consistent scent. When I first applied this, this was the scent of a bubbling stream with beautifully green grass everywhere you can see, spotted with tulips. It doesn’t actually smell grassy, but this is so fresh, you can see it there, along with the scent of clear water (not the same as the wateriness of lotus) and brightly colored flowers. I didn’t know what tulips smelled like before, but it’s glorious. This is definitely a springtime scent. This sort of makes me think of a scented lotion—scented fresh and clean, and much nicer. Over time, this stays the same, except it becomes richer, with even more tulips. This is a strong scent. In the eight hour, it’s still sort of there, just drier (as all scent get over time). This is a bright, happy scent, and I’d thoroughly enjoy wearing this when the mood strikes. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nepthys Report post Posted December 28, 2004 This is just a little too sweet for me for personal wear. It's very pretty and very light, and in the imp smells dead-on like a tulip... but applied, it diffuses into a more generic aqua-floral. Basically, this is the smell of a wet spring day to me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites