Mama-Ji

[crebbsgirl]

Spices, cardamom, nutmeg, and flowers.

Yup! I got FLOWERS here, with an undercurrent of spice. I can tell that the cardamom and nutmeg in particular are trying to make themselves known but the FLOWERS keep beating them down. Damn skin chemistry of fail. I wanted to really like this. On me, it smells like floral incense.

[Aldercy]

Mama-Ji smells like the lovechild of Snake Oil and Sybaris (the latter being more dominant). It took me forever to figure that out but, yeah, that's what it smells like to me.

 

I'm thinking one of the spices must be sweet clove because that, combined with the florals, constitutes the Sybaris influence. The Snake Oil half smells pretty dead on except sweeter with slightly less vanilla.

 

I wish I could pick out the nutmeg and cardamom more specifically, but I like it.

 

ETA: Mama-Ji gets really good on the long-term drydown. I'm talking like 3 or 4 hours in. It's a skin scent, but very, very deep. Dry but luscious.

Edited September 20, 2009 by Aldercy

[arsenicsauce]

I'm really glad a very generous someone frimped me a decant of this before I reached the end of my patience and bought a bottle, because it's not at all what I was expecting. Wet it starts off with a spicy, peppery blast- I think for a moment I smell anise, but I'm not sure. And then come the floras. I like carnation, but there is definitely rose or one of its impersonators in here, making a lot of noise and trying to drag everything towards "spicy soap". Aaaand after about half an hour it wins. Too bad.

 

Another hour later- faint, but still rosy. The spices are coming through more, but it's not exciting enough to make up for its beginning frankly. If I don't swap this away in a week I might give it another try, but given my typical amping of these kinds of florals I doubt it'll be fixed by a few days settling.

[CiaoBonefish]

I recently purchased some neil gaiman decants off of ebay to try, and I am so glad I did! Mama-Ji was one of the decants included. I was sniffing the vials and wasn't really putting any one (already had on and was enjoying cheshire cat). I accidentally spilt some Mama-Ji on my finger as I was opening the decant and...

 

Woah. My nose instantly picked up on the smell of Paan (or Pan). It is an indian/pakistani/middle eastern desert-ish "palate freshener." We eat it after meals sometimes (personally I can't stomach it but I love the smell.)

 

It smells of slight mintiness which is the betel leaf along with fruit preserves, syrups, coconut, and various spices in a combination called meetha paan (sweet paan). Mama-Ji smells JUST LIKE PAAN!

 

I'm amazed how authentic it is and how wonderfully exotic and sensual. After a while the mintiness subsides some, but otherwise this smells exactly like the decant on me: sweet, minty slightly, flowery, with a touch of coconut and lots of sweet herbs. It is really important that the herbs are sweet. If they weren't I don't think it would smell like paan.

 

I think I NEED a full bottle of this.

[ellebelle]

This is very incense-y and very floral to my nose. I was hoping for a warmer scent, it is definitely more on the floral side. Cardamom, where are you?!!?

 

As it dries down, there is more spice and less OMGFLOWER, but this is still not really for me.

 

Sigh.

[Amoraexcena]

Imp: as ciabonefish mentioned, this smells VERY exotically middle-eastern. Cardamom, nutmeg, maybe tumeric, caraway and tonka as well... Sweet but not vanilla exactly.

 

Wet on Skin: it's a pretty strong spice in there, be wary of over-applying! I think I smell carnation, rose, and something else- amber is the usual culprit-making this go a little powdery on me.

 

Drydown: a bit warmer, less sneeze-inducingly spicy. I'm definitely tempted to keep this for a while to age.

[strahlend]

I'm getting more spice than florals. Sweet foody and incense spices - at the same time, then it dries down into a (rosey?) floral. It's a little too much for me.

[tailoredshirt]

I...wish I was getting what most people seem to be getting from this.

 

In the bottle: Powdery, spicy floral. This is a very old-fashioned perfume, I think.

 

Wet: Powdery, spicy floral.

 

Dry: Overwhelming spicy floral powder. It is like a canister of floral talcum powder burst all over my arms, and I did not even apply that much. I had my hands in my lap and I could still smell it. I kept pulling down the sleeves of my cardigan so that the people in my carpool wouldn't smell it. I tried scrubbing it off when I got to work, and it is not going away. Also, my cardigan smells like it has been worn by a woman who wears too much perfume, then locked away in an attic somewhere for a long time.

 

Overall: Spicy floral powder. Did I mention powder? Very strong throw. Not for me.

Edited May 3, 2010 by tailoredshirt

[odalisque]

Very, very pretty. Mama-Ji took me on this little journey of discovery where I kept comparing it to different oils in my collection. It opened with strong cardamom that reminded me a lot of Clemence (and am I the only one who got something deep like patchouli or tea out of Mama-Ji, too, like Clemence?) only flowerier, developed something a little less spicy but more resinous that might have been daemenorops like the drydown of Egg Moon. When it was fully dry I swore, but swore, it had a gentle musk in it, almost (but not quite) like Morocco. Powderier. Very late drydown is soft nutmeg. What a trip!

 

The "character" of this blend does remind me of a grandmotherly woman -- I think that's the powderiness -- who feels safe and comforting partly because she opens her arms for a big hug and partly because you know if anybody messes with her she'll open a fierce can of whoopass on them.

Edited May 16, 2010 by odalisque

[milica]

Mama-Ji reminds me of The Silk Road, but with a bit more spice. I get faint oriental floral and very strong spicy scent, a bit smokey.

 

It's something that I wanted TSR to be, even though I love that one too, but I needed something stronger for it to last a bit longer on my skin. And spices do the trick.

[b00cat]

Mmm..spicy incense or a smoky chai tea! Not getting any florals on me (luckily). I can still smell this on my wrists towards the end of the day. I also wonder if there is patchouli in here somewhere?? Awesome scent!

[Vega]

A generous frimp from angelicruin!

 

In imp: Warm, fragrant spices, perhaps floral touched. Light and glowing, yet grounded.

 

On skin: Oh, oh my, this is gorgeous. Fragrant, beautiful, warm, glowing, rounded; manages to be deep and light at the same time. Very well blended; I smell a lot of lovely spices, and the flowers must add to the lovely sweetness, but I can't tell anything specific. (I don't have a good scent memory though.) Moderate throw. Mama-ji is like a deeper, richer version of Baghdad -- both are in the same family of floral-spices, but Mama-ji is just this much more bodied and vibrant and sensual and exotic.

Colour impression: a deep vermillion-golden-rose.

 

Verdict: One of the most beautiful scents I've smelled so far, it's everything I ever wanted in a perfume. Although it doesn't seem to quite fit the Mama-ji of American Gods, IMHO. No matter! Mama-ji is in my top five blends, it's absolutely beautiful and bottle-worthy (and yes, I got one very quickly). I'm so glad I got frimped this, I don't think I would've found it on my own.

[Venneh]

Florally spices in the tester, cardamom and nutmeg on my skin. And fading quick.

Edited August 27, 2010 by Venneh

[Dark Alice]

Seriously...this smells like the Ifrit minus the lovely powderiness I get from it. The ifrit without the powder. Way Weird.

[cfrancesca]

I get a slightly sharp, spicy floral powder, as it dries a get a little nutmeg and the cardamom become more pronounced.

[achromance]

In the vial: Spicy florals, and dry wood for some reason.

 

On my skin: And here comes the soap! I don't know why, but my skin likes to turn florals into scented soap. I can pick up the spices as well though, so there's still hope.

When it's dry, it's soap, incence and a hint of spice. I'm afraid this doesn't work on me.

[elka_knits]

I am no good at describing notes and what not. This is my hands down favorite BPAL scent. I started wearing it when it came out and adopted it as my signature scent. Very close to the skin creamy incense. Unfortunately my skin eats it up~ or I wear it so much that I stop smelling it cus I slather this one. Everybody loves it on me. I love the cardamom

[Soniadevi]

I bought this based SOLELY on the reviews, because everyone was going so mad for it I felt I would do myself a disservice not to comply...

 

I have not read American Gods, so no idea about the concept.

 

First on my hand: Very floral. What's all the fuss about?

 

A few moments later: things are heating up in the kitchen... I smell spiciness...

 

Dry: It's very alluring. I cannot place it, nor can I tell what I'm smelling. It's very dry, has a sharpness to it also, but in the background. Knives? I can smell that dark skin/red lips impression. I'm not sure it's me though. I might have to give it some time to age a bit, perhaps try it some other time when I'm feeling sexier, or in summer for when I fancy a summer night sexy scent.

 

Overall impression: I wouldn't say I love this right now, but it's not bad. I might love it later, who knows.

[Incendiare]

Perhaps it's a good thing that I waited a couple months before reviewing this because it's telling a different story now. Lab fresh, out of the bottle, Mama Ji strongly reminded me of Inez. The clove in Mama Ji matched up to the carnation in Inez. At the time, the main difference regarding Mama Ji was that it had a more astringent, almost vinegary undertone when wet.

 

Now, although both still smell similar out of the bottle, it doesn't take long for Mama Ji to turn into rose on me. The carnations and spice are still in the background, but the rose is definitely the dominant note. Lab fresh, I couldn't even smell it. I like it and will use my bottle but wouldn't repurchase.

[orata]

Spicy! Dry and spicy. I would have said cinnamon, but I guess it's the cardamom and nutmeg talking. I don't find it especially floral; it kind of reminds me of holiday potpourri, sadly. Creamier and more distinctly cardamom as it dries; more interestingly exotic, but reminiscent of the spice aisle at the Indian market.

[tharsei-thanate]

In the imp: Flowers and light spices, very warm.

 

Wet: Sweet flowers lightly coated in warm baking spices. It's very smooth and it feels sunny, like the scent is being held together by golden light. Throw isn't much, but that's ok. This is a very intimate sort of blend.

 

Drydown: Much of the same, but the flowers are a bit more prominent. I feel like the flowers are on the verge of becoming soap but they're standing their ground so far. I wish the spices would amp more!

 

Dry: Soft, smooth, slightly powdery flowers with vague spice and incense.

 

Further on: Nutmeg amps a bit, but it's still mostly flowers and incense.

 

I actually think this is quite pretty and I do like it but there's not nearly enough spice for me. I'll certainly keep my imp, maybe grab another if I find one, but I don't think this will be a bottle purchase, not unless I get lots of yummy spices in subsequent tests.

[mymymai]

ITI: It's a slightly sweet blend of spices, cardamom of which is the most prominent. The floral note is present, but it's a lightly powdery floral, like in name-brand perfumes geared to women in their 50s+.

 

Wet: The nutmeg is a bit more evident,. but I still get the same impression regarding the cardamom and the florals. As it starts to dry, though, the headiness of the spice picks up. It seems like there is cinnamon here as well as soft sandalwood.

 

Dry: Gorgeous woody spices and a touch of sweet red rose underneath. It's a gorgeous blend, especially once it starts to settle.

[MadameGorgon]

Oh Mama-Ji, you truly are a bitch goddess.

 

I REALLY REALLY REALLY wanted to smell like a black-skinned, blade weilding, skull festooned GODDESS, but all I get is the old lady with the disapproval pinched face. I can see her in my head when I sniff this on my skin and she does NOT like what I am wearing or the way I do my hair.

 

Sadly, this is like a cheap musk and floral powder bomb exploded in my face. I really don't even get the spices.

 

Because American Gods is my most favoritest book EVAR and I want to like this SO VERY MUCH I am going to put it aside and try it again when I haven't been dealing with a sinus related illness, although my hopes are not high.

[boomtownrat]

This lovely Mama was one of the scents I got as a frimp in a recent swap. I'd been eyeing this one for years, but I've been hesitant to buy a bottle because of the florals. Fortunately they're of the spicy, deep variety, like carnation and maybe a touch of the same rose that was in Baghdad.

 

It's hard to talk about Mama-Ji without mentioning Morocco, Scherezade, and Baghdad because Mama-Ji is what I thought all the other three would be. All of them feel ancient and profound, composed of deep musk and Eastern spices that are just sweet enough. She's not as loud and bold as Baghdad, dryer than Scherezade, and not as sweet as Morocco. Baghdad is the outrageous aunt and the others are three sisters, fraternal triplets. Morocco is the sweet, demure one and Scherezade is the artistic, nonconformist one. Mama-Ji, though, is wicked, rebellious, and temperamental. She is called "mama" because she's a hot mama, not matronly, but after she spends a little time with you she'll settle down just enough to make you think you have tamed her wild ways. Get in her face, though--stick your face up to your wrist--and Mama-Ji's as fierce as ever. Like Aunt Baghdad she's bold and strong, and I can get away with as little as a test swipe on one wrist. Once dry, Mama-Ji blends with me rather than masking me.

 

Or, to abandon the metaphor and get more practical, Mama-Ji is a faintly sweet, barely musky, incense-like blend of unfathomable depth. The florals aren't the kind that make me feel sick unless I go overboard. I can tell that it will overwhelm me if I apply it too liberally, or too close to my face, and if I'm not feeling great that day I shouldn't go anywhere near it. Mama-Ji blends with me, but it's not a skin scent. It's classy, exotic, and would make a sophisticated evening scent, but not for a first date unless you have seduction on your mind and know your intended party can tolerate perfume. Try it if you like Morocco, Baghdad, or Scherezade. Fans of Calvin Klein's Obsession and maybe Guerlain's Shalimar should also give it a try. It's good if you're bold and sensual or just want to feel that way. When you're going to wear it, you might want to apply it at least half an hour before you head out the door so there's time for the scent to settle down.

 

In short, I love Mama-Ji but I have to be sure I can handle what she's going to throw at me anytime I invite her over.

 

I don't know how old the decant is, so it might differ greatly from a lab-fresh bottle. I'll be buying a bottle to age while I use up this little bit. Mama-Ji isn't the kind of thing I'll wear daily, and since I need to wear it sparingly, that should hold me over for several months.

[LiberAmoris]

I have a bottle of Mama-Ji from when it was first released, and even though I can't recall having worn her in a few years, my bottle is halfway gone, so I must have a good run with her at some point. This oil goes on and smells vague and nondescript, but quickly warms up on my skin to a musky, spicy, exotic skin scent. The florals, at least on me, burn off quickly and I can't even decipher which kinds of flowers they might be. I definitely see a shared 'feel' with Morocco and Eve (OLLA). It's best on me after about 30 minutes—it takes some time to bloom on the skin, but when it does, it's lovely.