Masabakes

[Miss Lynx]

... Thick black currant with the darkest, deepest myrrh, a drop of bitter mimosa and the slightest touch of mandrake dust.

What a disappointment. I really wanted to love this one -- it sounded great from the descriptions, and many of the reviews, but on me, somehow "a drop of bitter mimosa" became an overpowering onslaught of super-sweet, perfumey, floral hell. Nothing bitter in there -- hell, for quite some while I couldn't even catch a trace of blackcurrant or myrrh, just flowers, flowers and more flowers.

Eventually it does dry down to something relatively pleasant, at which point you can actually pick up the myrrh and blackcurrant, but it takes its time getting there, and in the meantime, it's way too sweet and too much like a commercial perfume for my liking.

*sigh* Into the swaps you go, demoness.

Grade: C

[this machine]

Wow, i don't claim to have a trained nose by any means, but i have absolutely no idea what i'm smelling here. Someone described it as the sharpest bpal scent they've encountered, and i would agree. It's very strong, very sharp, and i just can't figure it out. Is it the mandrake? The mimosa in combination with the currant? I don't know. It's sweet but...tangy is maybe another way to describe it? But while i don't immediately think i hate it, i also am pretty sure i don't want it on my skin. Too bad, i was psyched about this one. But you win some, you lose some, and i remind myself that every oil i don't like is a blessing upon my bank account.

[Celestyna]

Very dry and arid. Sort of like if the desert had a spicy smell.

I really can't smell the fruits in this.

It must be my body.

[fiddledragon]

Scent in bottle: (in feline tones) Myrrh? Myrrrrrrrrrrh... It's a very bitter myrrh, though -- I hope the currant sweetens it up a bit on my skin.

 

Scent on me:

Wet -- Myrrh which for some reason strongly reminds me of gingerbread. I think it's a clove note I'm getting in there somewhere.

Dry -- It's still solid myrrh.

 

Conclusion: I'm not sure if I want something that's just myrrh...I very much like the note as a base to other things, but it's kind of bitter on it's own. I'll definitely keep this one around to layer, though. It was a frimp in a swap that I'm very glad I got to try.

[Eunice]

I am smelling the myrrh right off and something else I can't place. It may be the mandrake combined with the currant because it isn't quite sweet and tangy and not nearly as woody and dirty. Whatever it is, I am totally loving this. I don't get the pickle scent at all that I've read in the reviews. This is heady stuff!!

[batsy]

This came in a swap and I was hoping I'd like it, based on the description. Boy do I *ever*! Masabakes is like the female version of Czernobog for me!

 

The combo of the currant and myrrh are strong, exotic. I'm not sure if the mimosa or the mandrake is what brings the sharp sour tint, but I like it. The throw isn't as far as I'd like, but it's a strong scent. I feel sexy wearing it. I could certainly buy a bottle of this!

Edited June 10, 2006 by bat

[HennaFairy]

bottle:

incense, spices

 

wet:

strong incensey. Can't smell currant, not sweet at all. Bitter is right. something in this reminds me of seraglio, but nowhere as nice. I like incense and spices but this may be too dark/bitter for me.

 

dry:

a little less bitter after a while, but I'm just not crazy for this one.

 

overall:

not for me.

 

rating: 4/10

[Diana]

Wet: rich, heavy, but sweet. Currants + resins = yay

 

Dry: Smells a bit like a darker, heavier relative of Lurid. Sweet, but mysterious. The sweetness of the black currants is strong, but not too overwhelming, and is balanced nicely by the myrrh. The other notes add almost a dusty, dry base to it.

 

For some reason, I thought I didn't or wouldn't like this blend, but this is actually very much a scent I would wear a lot!

[indicolite]

A very interesting scent: like Anubis, it is unlike almost anything else. I do not smell black currant, so it must be the myrrh I smell; however, the blackcurrant adds a touch of sweetness.

 

Quite lovely. I think Masabakes and I will be friends.

[Melantha]

In the imp, I get currant more than anything. Very nice. Wet, it starts to show the other notes.

 

Dry, the myrrh is on top, with the other notes supporting it. Beautiful and spicy. Yum.

[fairy]

This one is NICE. Made it into my favorites It has an insense-type smell, but very light. I don't know how else to describe it...I can't pick any particular scent out. The decsription makes it sound kind of dark and heavy, but on me it takes on a light and airy feel. I love it.

[Dinerdulcinea]

Masabakes:

imp: myhrr mixed with other stuff

 

on wet:

myhrr with other stuff. Very nice!

 

Dry: Very rich and myhrr-spicy...which I love cuz I love myhrr!

 

Dry after a few hours:

I like the basic smell (sweet and myhrr-y), but it gets a slight "soap" tinge on me. REALLY expensive and fancy soap, mind you---perhaps the nicest soap ever, but still a little soap. I'll have to ponder if I would want that all day. Maybe other people don't smell a "soapy" quality on me. (?)

 

Hours later: Kind of odd-smelling now...a burning rock quality. A co-worker just sniffed it, raised one eyebrow and tightened his jaw and said, "hmmmmm...that's...interesting."

I think that is a "no."

 

Off to swaps!

[hologhost]

Dark spicy myrrh! To me this is very light. No fruit here, but I'm really liking this one.

[edenssixthday]

Masabakes has got some of the most amazing throw of any BPAL fragrance. I can wear another strong BPAL on several pulse points and put the tiniest drop of Masabakes somewhere without a pulse point – like the point of my elbow – yet all I can smell is the Masabakes. It overwhelms everything else. The black currant is thick and heavy yet juicy and sweet and the myrrh note deepens and darkens the currant. The mimosa brings a sharp quality that, in juxtaposition with the juiciness of the currant – doesn’t work (in my opinion). It clashes and leaves a note that is almost pretty but in an unpleasant way. That hardly makes sense, but that’s the only way I can describe it! It’s hard to explain. Masabakes is one of the strangest BPAL scents I’ve encountered – juicy, spicy, bitter, sharp, and sweetly dark. As I mentioned before, the throw is simply astounding however, and it lasts a good, long while. In fact, mere soap and water won’t remove it. It takes a full shower to remove all traces of the scent. Unfortunately, I keep finding my face is screwed up in that look you give when you’re thinking, “I’m confused. I just really don’t understand! Are you sure?” This is an odd one. I can’t decide what to do with it - keep wearing it or pass it along to someone else?

Edited August 14, 2006 by edenssixthday

[khaoticbliss]

the most impressive thing about this oil to me so far is its unbelievable staying power. I'm still in my discovery phase here, and I've already found a number of oils that I think are beautiful, but my skin eats through them in a matter of hours and sometimes minutes. So imagine my surprise when I try a little bit of this on first thing in the morning, and then when I get home from work some twelve hours later, I can still smell it on me. Better yet, without reapplying even the tiniest drop, I changed clothes and went out to a concert in a smoky, sweaty, unairconditioned bar, and when I got home hours later, I still smelled fabulous! Anything that can survive that kind of abuse has my vote already, and it helps that it smells amazing to me in the first place. I love the rich full bodied feel to it, the spicy cling makes me feel utterly erotically heathen, like someone else before me said. This is the second time that a surprise freebie has turned out to be one of my overall favorites. Hooray!

[sookster]

straight sniff from imp is dirty currant...combined with myrrh and vetiver ...

hmmm...

once applied this turns into almost a root veggie...yet sweet....wow....

i think i might like this...it is really fantastic after about 20 minutes...very strong...

the earthiness combines dynamically with the fruitiness making an intensely

gorgeous concoction.....amazing

[L-z_Empress]

This oil smells awful on me. It smells like old apple and cinammon (fall harvest) potpourri and something bitter. The crazy thing is that it smells even worse before drydown.

 

ADDED Dec. 29:

 

After reading the other reviews posted here, I have come to the conclusion that something must be deeply wrong with my body chemistry because this scent smells like nothing but old, dusty, been-closed-up-for-too-long attic when on me. It's definitely one of my least favourite BPAl scents.

[jarvenpa]

a generous forumite included an imp of Masabakes in a bunch she sent me (oh thank you).

 

And, as is my wont, I randomly applied it without consideration or knowledge of notes. Didn't even know what the name meant (frankly, the name reminded me of cornmeal and tortillas--yeah, let's pat out the masa harina and bake some...).

 

I was astonished when I actually tracked down the fragrance, read the notes, and went all

 

Nope, I do not know what works on me. I would have definitely never tried this; indeed, I would have been all "are you kidding?"

 

But here's what happened when I did: earthiness, definitely a smell of dirt. Mingled with dark sweetness of some sort, and something spicey. As it dries down there is an ambery/sweet/powdery note. The throw is wonderful, and it lasts and lasts.

It's kind of sexy, and perfumey in a darkly delicious way, undercut by the earth scent, and I think it is lovely indeed.

[Voleuse]

This is all spice and vegetation on first application. It's sweet, but not fruity to my nose. After a few minutes, I get whiff of smoke overlaying the blend, and the mandrake note gets stronger. This smells dangerous, even through the sweetness. It's a bit gritty, and slightly bitter. Interesting.

[supremegoddessofall]

Very herbal, with a touch of foody underneath. Also getting a bit of a floral powder note. I want to like this, but it's giving me a touch of a headache. I think I'll retest later.

[juniperus]

Bottle: dusty bitterness, and dirt

Wet: very dirt, no other note in attendence

Dry: OMG is there Spanish moss here? because this is doing the very nasty crap that moss does, and it's growing ever grosser, and dirtier, and danker

Later: at the very end a hint of myrrh. not enough to conteract what the hell other unholy combination of skin and notes is happening here - but myrrh. *siigh*

[space girl lost]

oh my! this one had been on my wishlist since day one years and years ago where i was still timid and terrified by the idea of purchasing unsniffed fragrances online. finally, FINALLY she made it to me. i've been waiting too long for sure.

 

this one really is hard to describe. especially after reading all the other reviews. to borrow some phrases from others, "aristocratic" "manipulative" "southern" "moss" etc etc. those were some of the first images in my head when i smelled my wrist. i could envision some musty old plantation building in the south with trees full of moss and barely any light getting in. masabakes has that sort of side to it. but on the other side, there is a sweetness which counters the earthy quality. i don't get quite the juiciness some have mentioned. to me it's a dry, sweet fruit smell. somewhat on the perfumey side which makes me envision this as something a sinister woman of high standing would wear. i keep envisioning maleficent here too.

 

in addition it somewhat reminds me of the dusty stale air of art museums - a scent that i swear if anyone could bottle i would buy out the lot.

[omg seriously! i keep getting more and more of this! heeeeaven!!!]

 

this one is so unlike what i've been purchasing and so unlike what i normally wear and yet it is so wonderful. it's like another side of me wants to come out and just smile and be playfully wicked.

 

straight to the 5ml wishlist!!

Edited January 13, 2007 by space girl lost

[filigree_shadow]

Curses! Is there oakmoss in this? Dirt? Earth? Is that what mandrake smells like?

 

Cuz really, the only thing I get out of this scent is something that smells like oakmoss and dusty dirt. Maybe a teeny tiny bit of currant. I wish my skin would not amp the earth notes so much. They really overpower.

 

When it's dry it smells not just like dirt but like something rotten too. I am really not getting along with this scent at all.

[Naamah_Darling]

Myrrh, myrrh, myrrh! Myrrh! Oh, and some currant, and something that's a little sweet. But mostly, myrrh!

 

On, it's . . . dark. Myrrh is usually a lovely golden scent on me, but this is ferociously dark. Like a shadow, it puts out other scents. The throw has that slightly vanilla resin scent, but it's a smoky, thick scent, tinged heavily with some organic sweetness that could be the mimosa or the mandrake.

 

This is, rather than incensey, an earthy scent, a spoiled scent, one that is just on the edge of wrongdoing. I like it. It's not velvety, it has a burr to it, a roughness. It's not gentle at all. It's insistent and slightly deranged, the psycho ex-girlfriend of a scent.

 

It ages to something a bit more gentle, now it's a sweetish myrrh with a little floral in there, but it's not quite so . . . fell.

 

Oddly, I never really get the currant, except in the bottle, when I can smell it as a stickiness like . . . hmm. Like the smell of a fruit roll-up. Smells sorta like fruit, smells sorta like butt, and you eat it anyway. But it doesn't do that on my skin. Currant is usually a little more forthcoming, but here I think the myrrh is just sitting on it too much.

 

The drydown is murky and sullen, a fussy goth in torn lace sulking in the corner after an all-night squawk, then falling asleep in her own tears with various body fluids still congealing on her pasty skin. Take a bath, woman. You smell like your brother after a week-long bender. Don't get me wrong, I like this well enough, but there is nothing, absolutely nothing clean about it. Including, by the way, the scent description. I would love to know more about Masabakes, 'cause that's just bizarre.

 

I'm going to jump in and say this is possibly a unisex scent. I can see a man, the right man, wearing this to very good effect.

[Iceblink]

What the hell? This smells just like lawn clippings. Lawn clippings with myrrh. Bizarre.