Kanishta

[PurringPulsar]

Kanishta

The Other Woman. The scent of dark desire, heady with intrigue, shadowy with deception: black opium, Haitian patchouli, jasmine sambac, French magnolia and kush.

 

In the imp: a really dark, but quite sharp jasmine rooted in patchouli.

Wet on skin: the jasmine is still very sharp but a creamier magnolia comes out, and there's a hint of greener incense.

Dry on skin: oh, this is quite good! It reminds me-but smells quite different to-Venom, in that it's jasmine soaked in darker notes, this time patchouli and opium. The jasmine and opium are quite sharp for now but the magnolia adds a gentler floral touch. The patchouli adds an earthy darkness, and I also smell a greenish incense smoke, vaguely like weed (yes, that's right!) which I think is kush. It doesn't make me smell like a pot-head though, don't worry!

After a while: after a while, the jasmine tones down dramatically and mixes with the magnolia to form a beautiful creamy soft white floral. (The sambac variety tends to do that-smells sharper at first but then tones down to become beautiful, unlike the regular jasmine note that usually tends to do the reverse) and now it also smells beautifully spicy! It's like an exotic spiced floral incense, flowers sprinkled in spice with patchouli and opium smoke floating over the top, and the opium starts to remind me of the hazy poppy note in Stardust. Now it reminds me more of Venom and also Noir, only without the berries/plum and not as sweet. This is gorgeous and sensual. It also smells a bit musky.

And at the end it smoothes out so beautifully and gives rise to that wonderful 'fruity-floral autumnal musk' scent I love so much and that is common to many BPALs. This is a floral scent that isn't like the usual sultry summer jasmines, this is one that speaks of that autumn, earthy and rich, I'm sure it's the patchouli giving this impression, as it smells very similar to Lot and his Daughters now, which has a very similar patchouli. I'm sure there's a musk note to this too, maybe some fruit? It also reminds me strongly of a floral Hellion at this point, I could swear that there's plum or another fruit here.

Verdict: this is probably the most 'femme fatale' scent I've come across (other than Noir, which is so rare anyway). Dark, seductive, shrouded in mystery and with a sinister feel, this is a beautiful mix of flowers surrounded by exotic spicy incense. First the jasmine bites with an almost acrid sharpness, but the incense like notes all around attempt to calm it down. And it seems that this jasmine does calm and becomes charmed by the magnolia, patchouli and opium, transforming into a creamy floral with mysterious depth and smoky undertones. Voluptuous and alluring, very sexy and mature as a scent. and it gets even better with time-it gradually turns into an earthy, creamy, musky patchouli drydown similar to a few other scents and is unique to BPAL, it brings to mind autumn, only this time with a floral aspect to it. It is deep and hypnotic, smoky yet smooth. Beautiful. In fact, I think Kanishta is a sister to those elusive beauties, Venom and Noir, she has that same dark shadowy jasmine feel. I have a bottle coming of this wonderful, seductive, darkly feminine fragrance.

Emoticon rating:

Is it a keeper? Yes! This is so gorgeous. Bottle ordered.

If you like this, try: Hellion, Lot and his Daughters, Melisande, Feu Follet, Stardust, Darkness, Vechernaya.

[Miss Lynx]

Nicer than I thought it would be. I was afraid this one would be too floral, despite the patchouli and kush (which I've heard used as another name for vetiver, though I'm not sure if it's used in that sense here or not). There's definitely a strong floral element to it, but also an earthiness that tones it down a bit.

 

Jasmine is one of those love-hate notes for me - I actually like the scent of jasmine in and of itself, but my skin usually amps it so much that it becomes awful on me. It's very rare that I find a jasmine-containing scent that I can actually wear, but this may well be one of the few. It's really startlingly nice, at least at the beginning. It's a sort of earthy, incensey jasmine, and fits very well with the vampy, femme-fatale feel it's going for.

 

However, it doesn't wear down quite so well. It never becomes bad, exactly, but it loses a bit of its headiness and becomes more powdery, though with an earthy, slightly bitter, patchouli-vetiver kick to it. It's OK at this stage, but not great.

 

If it could have stayed as nice as it was at the beginning, I'd have bought a bottle, but alas, no such luck.

 

Grade: B

[klavierbarrette]

HOLY CRAP I LOVE THIS SCENT!

 

i just got it yesterday for my birthday (nice shipping bpal, only 2 days after my bday!)

 

in the bottle it's jasmine, a little opium.

 

skin: HOLY CRAP it smells like someone in the den has jasmine on. i can't detect patchouli. it just smells like a very very sweet jasmine-y opium. apparently, the dog loves it. she came over here when i opened the bottle. i need to get another somehow...because i would love to burn this.

 

i applied it earlier and it lasted awhile on my wrist, i slept for about 7 hrs and it was still there, but it had died down to magnolia i think, it was creamy.

[lushlovely]

I wasn't sure whether I should go for 'The other woman' or not, because the Lab's jasmine usually turns a metalic sour on my skin. I've always been a fan of anything jasmine that LUSH makes, so I guess I've been spoiled so to say regarding jasmine notes. But not being one to give up hope on a bpal jasmine that will finally work for me, I decided to give Kanishta a go.

 

In the bottle: Quite strong floral. Definitely jasmine and something else, but I'm not sure which note it is. Probably the opium.

 

Wet: Even more jasmine. Definitely a bpal 'signature' jasmine on my skin.

 

Drydown: This one is allll jasmine on me. Nothing else. And then it hits me, holy CRAP!! This is LUSH's Flying Fox shower gel and solid perfume. Absolutely no doubt about it! So for any FF fans looking for a liquid perfume version, this is the baby for you! Eventually a little bit of soft, powdery mangolia turns up, but not much.

 

I was hoping I would get much more patchouli, but alas I didn't get a single whiff of any. Having said that, this is a lovely jasmine blend and definitely a great addition for any Lush FF fans.

Edited March 24, 2007 by lushlovely

[QueenFae]

Deliciously sexy! This ia a dark opium floral blend. The opium note is the base, which always makes me happy. The jasmine and magnolia act as the top notes, with the barest hint of seductive patchouli floating quietly behind them. I'm not sure what Haitian patchouli smells like straight up, but I can definitely smell that it is a bit different from Beth's normal patchouli note.

 

On the dry down: the opium and jasmine take center stage, and this becomes a deliciously wicked feminine floral. This is indeed a perfect scent to embody the other women; there is nothing innocent about Kanishta.

 

This is just lovely, my only complaint is that it doesn't have much throw. It's one of those blends you have to be close up to smell, but I guess that goes hand in hand with being the other woman.

 

Very pretty, I will enjoy my bottle.

[stellans]

Imp: hmm...not nearly as strong a throw as I'd expected after reading the reviews for this blend. In fact, I'd almost say this was a weak-smelling blend. Disapointment...

 

Wet: OK, now that it's actually on my skin, I am getting some florals (jasmine, I think..there's not the lemony-tang I associate with magnolias in the south) but the patchouli seems missing in action .

 

Dry: Still the same soft florals, no particular distinguishing scent or aha! moment. I kept hoping the magnolia would come forth, and the patchouli, but no.

 

Verdict: I bought one bottle of this, and somehow ended up with another (not entirely sure how) and I'll use them eventually, I suppose. I wanted to like this so much because all the notes are my kind of scents. And I really love the Matisse work I found to make the icon from...it even has magnolias!

Edited May 2, 2008 by stellans

[filigree_shadow]

It has taken me months to get around to trying Kanishta. I was scared off by the jasmine, even though the other notes sounded good. Fool! I was a FOOL!

 

This smells sooooo good. It's a little too sweet and incense-like hazy right at first, but once it settles into its scent it's wonderful. It's mysterious and sexy, and a little bit slinky but womanly too. Just the perfect combination of naughty and feminine. The florals are just a wee bit heady, and I usually don't like that, but it works in this one. There's a sweetness in it that I would have sworn was from some type of dark fruit, but I don't know what's causing that.

 

Wow. I love this. Ugh, I'm so dumb! I can't believe I didn't even try it back when I could have bought a bottle from the Lab. Curses.

[Czarina]

In the imp: incense.

 

Wet: Opium and incense. No florals at all.

 

Drydown: Warm smoky incense, and an interesting sort of patchouli. I’m getting the jasmine now.

 

Above-average throw on me. This is Sexy Plus. The Other Woman, indeed.

[Limelight]

Having been The Other Woman, I feel all my authori-tie in reviewing this perfume. There's certainly some mystery with this scent for me. Contained within the beautiful opium is a bit of sharpness that I can't quite pinpoint, maybe the jasmine? That seems the likely bet, probably not the kush. It's not unpleasant, and it can even serve as a metaphor for the bitterness a mistress may feel at having to share her beloved. It is incensy, with just the best magnolia quality lying on top and patchouli weaving through. Long lasting too. I'm very happy I have a bottle!

Edited November 9, 2007 by dirtytrip

[bheansidhe]

I love this one so much. Which is a complete shocker as every other BPAL blend with "jasmine" has ended up a shrieking floral horror on my skin. But the jasmine sambac of Kanishta has a round, voluptuous, almost nutty weight, anchored by the spicy Haitian patchouli. I'm not sure what opium is supposed to smell like, but I get the magnolia underneath, blooming like a luminous ghost over the heavy black floral. Kush is... a type of cannibas flower? No idea.

 

Good old Wikipedia informs me that "jasminum sambac" is a related but different species than regular jasmine (jasminum officinale) or night-blooming jasmine (cestrum nocturnum). Jasmine Sambac is the national flower of Indonesia and the Phillipines. And - aha - it's also Hawai'ian "pikake" flower. I wonder if the jasmine sambac oil is not regularly available, hence the LE.

 

When I wear this, the boy knows he's getting lucky. Or bitten. One or the other. VERY strong with lots of throw on me, so my bottle will last a very long time.

Edited December 14, 2007 by bheansidhe

[delicate_fangs]

I smell the magnolia and some other floral floating above the more incensey notes. Something about this also reminds me of Antique Lace; is there something they have in common? I tried this because I have a passion for kush lately. Not sure the kush is strong enough in this to satisfy my craving, though. I think the florals get in the way, too, because I am amping them way too much. At two minutes, the jasmine-and-magnolia rises and overwhelms the opium and patchouli almost completely. Ah, well. Swap it to somebody who loves it, I guess. Still, there are nice wafts at a distance, when one's out of range of the floral amping of doom.

 

 

edited to add: On the other hand, the very late drydown is heavenly incense, so maybe I'll just hang on to this then. Hmm!

Edited September 30, 2008 by delicate_fangs

[Ohmaude]

This has been sitting in my imp box since, ohhhh, when the scent came out. YET I realize I have never worn it out. WTF? Probably I've picked it up and then reached for Red Phoenix or Chimera or Scherzade for my rosy red needs. It's just one of those overlooked decants.

 

I've been probably holding on to Kanishta because in my decant the oil is a gorgeous saffron red. It LOOKS like it will smell sexy and amazing.

 

And it does for a moment... I'm in love with the patchouli, opium and jasmine, until that no-good bitch Mangolia shows up. Magnolia is always following Jasmine around in various perfumes, and she brings out the worst in the other notes. Kanishta becomes bitter soap and headaches.

 

It's a shame, because mangolia flowers are fantastically beautiful, just not on me. I'm going to have to swap this to someone who Magnolia will get along with.

[zankoku_zen]

This one is an opium and jasmine blend. The opium should have kept the jasmine from being too sharp, but it isn't. I think the kush is what gives this a woody kind of base.

 

Meh.

[asciident]

Wet: A faint floral musky scent.

 

First on: Unchanged.

 

Dry: Still unchanged while dry. Nothing is particularly stand-out.

[hlinspjalda]

In the vial: Patchouli, opium, and a touch of magnolia.

 

Wet: Dark, with a musky rich floral I think is the jasmine, and spicy. This is extremely intriguing and I could see myself falling for it in a big way.

 

45 minutes: Oooh, dark opium-floral with patchouli. It's just a touch sweet, and it reads as almost musky. This one is hitting me in the "evocative" zone, making me think of dark, powerful, defiant beauty. But subtle. There's not a lot of throw, and you kind of have to get up close to register the richness of it.

 

Two hours: This has developed toward magnolia and away from jasmine. The patchouli's being very subdued, which is odd on my skin. I like the opium note, and this is the best it's ever been on me, but it's gone a little stale. I may have dodged a bullet on this one after all.

 

[Lamia]

I saved Hlinspjalda from that bullet

 

This is extremely familar, and I can't figure out what other BPAL this smells like. I think I have officially Tried Too Many BPAL and can't keep them all straight in my head, even with spreadsheets

 

Jasmine and I normally get along fine, but I think this is jasmine and magnolia, a thick sweetness under the heavier notes of patchouli and opium. Not my #1 favorite, but definately red and sensual and delicious.

 

Must remember to NOT stick my nose against my wrist and inhale deeply on this one, as I end up sneezing LOL

[misscoldheart]

Just got this in a swap and was unsure how it would go as I'm very particular about the florals I like. Alas, this is the second jasmine blend that has worked nicely, so I think I may have to add that flower to my short list of florals I like

It is kind of incensy, which I imagine is from the opium. This is the first opium blend I have tried, I think. Its kind of powdery if I sniff my arm up close, but the wafts I get are sweet, musky and lovely. I need to put on a bit more and see how it is, but so far I think I like this one. I also have always kind of loved the look/smell of fresh magnolia flowers, but never used a perfume with them in it before. Yeah, this one is good!!

 

ETA: noooo, an hour after I wrote this review something awful happened! All the nice floral sent away and all that was left was powdery wood and patchouli! Whyyyyyyyyyy! I had to wash it off, it was really horrible. Too bad, swaps it is.

Edited February 6, 2010 by misscoldheart

[DiZZysTARdust]

Sometimes i get a little wistful when i think about the many years bpal existed that i didn't know about them, and then other times when i hold a 10+ year old bottle i get this feeling of excitement. Kanishta is one of those times. Although i'm sure it would have been fabulous sniffing her fresh and vibrant and young, she has truly aged with grace.

 

In the bottle there is just a sweet floral menage coming out. This isn't soapy green florals or heady white florals, rather sweet and pink. Flower musk is a good call. Nothing stands out.

 

 Freshly applied it is much the same. No overwhelming patchouli or vetiver, which would have been equally nice i'm sure. I feel like they're giving the flowers something dark to stand on. When first applied i thought i detected a whiff of patchouli on direct sniff but that melded beautifully back in as she dried.

 

As she dries, the floral blend is almost tooth achingly sweet. I'm reminded somewhat of maenad. Not an exact dupe but similar. Poppy is a common note in both so that might account for it. This is so super well blended. I don't get the powderiness that jasminr can do. Sort of get the creaminess from magnolia but it's like it's blurring everything else together. 

 

About two hours in the super sweetness has burned off. I guess i would classify the more subdued and closer to the skin scent as "woodier" although more in the sense that it's not as much a flower bouquet as before, though i am still not getting any noticeable patch or vetiver. 

 

Overall, i love this. Very elegant and perfumey. Tbh i could have even stood a little MORE woodiness but i love it as is. Moderate throw at first, then pulls back into a more snuggly skin scent. Gorgeous.

 

This also is very lasting, most oils on me last maybe 4-5 hours at the most, especially when i wear them to work and sweat them off, and rn seven and a half hours after application my inner arms still have a faint floral sweetness. Def becomes more powdery the longer it sits.

Edited June 4, 2020 by DiZZysTARdust