Different smells/colors, same perfume

[Ina Garten Davita]

http://www.bpal.org/index.php?s...3142&hl=hellcat

 

There is a topic in the FAQ's.

[Amazon]

http://www.bpal.org/index.php?s...3142&hl=hellcat

 

There is a topic in the FAQ's. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Sorry, about that. Thanks for moving it and I had read that, wanted to make sure that was what it was.

[Penance]

Okay, reving the thread because I have a very odd situation to ask about...

 

I've got two imps of Hunter Moon and they smell totally different. One is almost buttery and winey and the other is acrid and sharp. Now, Hunter Moon being an LE, I'd think they'd both smell the same but they definitely don't.

 

Anyone have any idea what's going on with this?

[antimony]

Since hunter moon was never sold as an imp... I'm assuming they're decants.

 

I don't know if you've seen the thread about scents changing when people shake or roll the bottle, I would guess that whoever decanted one or both of your imps didn't shake/roll the bottle first, and so only decanted for you some of the layers, not all.

[Penance]

Yeah, they're decants.

 

I got one from Alectonox and one from Allamanda. The one from Alectonox smells gorgeous on me, all buttery and winey, and the one from Allamanda smells sharp and animalistic for some inexplicable reason. I guess not having shaken one of the bottles (maybe the one from Alectonox, since the one from Allamanda smells closest to the reviews other people have posted, although I could definitely be wrong) would explain it since I tried rolling both imps and still got the same result as before.

 

Of course, that's all speculation, I don't want to insinuate that either one of those lovely ladies didn't shake or roll it before they decanted it. It just seems like a logical explanation for something that I can't think of another logical explanation for.

 

Thanks for the answer, antimony, that seems to be a reasonable explanation. Now I can stop humming the X-Files theme song when I look at them.

 

------

 

EDIT because my wording was bad. Sorry, Pam!

Edited December 10, 2004 by Penance

[starrykitten]

I recently got an order which contained bottles of Tarot: the Star and Aureus. I'd used up the imps of both of those that I had before. I know that the nature of the product is somewhat fluid (no pun intended!) so I realize that every batch can't smell exactly the same. But these smell rather different from the way they did in the imps, and I want to know what their usual scent is so I know what to expect if I order more.

 

 

the new bottle of the Star that I got almost smells peppermint-y. There's something very cool and crisp here, and the lime and coconut aren't as prominent as they were in the imp.

 

 

the bottle of Aureus smells rather powdery, not the patchouli-hippie-store scent I was used to before.

 

Has anyone else experienced these scents changing? And how should I find out what to expect from future batches?

 

Thanks.

[fallow deer]

I'm not sure, starrykitten, but people have mentioned resinous oils 'maturing'; perhaps your imp of Aureus had matured, while the bottle you have is still fresh? I think both amber and patchouli could change over time.

 

Not sure about The Star, though...

[antimony]

I think Fallow Deer is right about the Aureus. Amber changes a *lot* over time. In the course of even a few months, it gets a lot sweeter, syrupier, and richer to my nose. Fresh amber to me smells a little thin and faint. And after a year, even kept in the dark, it really degrades to a scent that I can't stand.

 

I also have no idea about The Star.

[allamanda]

I think maybe The Star is one that either varies a bit from bottle to bottle or morphs. The following are my original notes from months ago:

 

Boozy coconut, with a minty tinge. There's what smells to me like almond when first applied as well. Creme de Menthe meets Malibu, may even be lime in there too. Dries to a lovely citrussy coconut, delicious.

 

This was testing from an imp and I then purchased a 10ml bottle. I no longer detect mint but find the lime more noticeable (this was the case even when the bottle was new).

 

Hemlock is another one that seems to vary a lot. I didn't detect eucalyptus in the imp I tried, but from my bottle it is very apparent. Having aquired more imps of Hemlock, the green ones have eucalyptus, with the others I don't notice it.

Edited December 10, 2004 by allamanda

[Penance]

Hmm, Aureus...I have an old imp (with the tarty tag) and a brand spankin' new imp that I just got from the Lab yesterday and they both smell the same to me.

 

There's two possible explanations that come to mind for me:

 

1) It's just one of those natural differences in batches due to the oils being from different batches or different sources, etc.

 

2) A lot of incense blends do get deeper and more resiny as they age, so that could very well be it, too. Just because mine smell the same to me doesn't mean that it doesn't happen.

 

I'll have to actually try the two on my skin next and see if there's a difference. I'm not at home or I'd do it now.

[kimmer]

Hmm. The 10ml of (Old) Morocco I received today smells nothing like any of the imps/bottles I'm in love with.

 

This is very woody--almost straight Cedar. No cream, no spice. *sigh

If the lab won't fix it, I'll have to send it to Penance.

 

Has anyone else received a wonky Morocco?

 

If it smelled even remotely similar I'd hang onto it to see if it will improve with age.

 

*sigh Off to write the lab.

[Penance]

 

Cedar!

 

I wish the Old Morocco I've smelled was cedary, the ones I've sniffed have been pure carnation and spice.

[kimmer]

I'm hoping they'll let me exchange it. If not, I KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE!! (meant in humor).

 

Seriously though, this scent has Penance written all over it. If they won't take it back, I'll send it to you.

[Penance]

Whoo!

 

All sorts of people know where I live...I think I might be in trouble here...you guys are all going to show up at my door one day with a board with a nail in it...of course, the board will be scented with Baron Samedi, too, just to make it worse for me, what with the almonds and all.

[AnaisSatin]

Yes!!! Mystery solved! Thank you Penance for reviving this thread..

 

I have been wondering why my old tarted O imps smell different than the new ones... turns out I'm supposed to let it AGE before it will smell as yummy as the tarted ones. I almost started a thread called "Old O vs. New O" to ask if the formulation was different. Thanks all!

 

Anais

[Neko]

Actually, I have two imps of Hemlock. One is a pale yellow and the other is a pale green, The pale yellow one smells like herbs with a touch a lemon, while the pale green one smells far more piney.

 

I wonder if I got two very different batches, or if one isn't really Hemlock!

[Penance]

Huh, the only imps of Hemlock I've seen have been green. Either yours was an odd batch or it was mislabeled, methinks.

[Rheliwen]

Maybe the yellow one is aged? Seeing as how I don't know how long you had either imp, I guessing

[allamanda]

Actually, I have two imps of Hemlock. One is a pale yellow and the other is a pale green, The pale yellow one smells like herbs with a touch a lemon, while the pale green one smells far more piney.

 

I wonder if I got two very different batches, or if one isn't really Hemlock!

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Ditto. I have several imps of Hemlock, the pale coloured ones are Hemlock but without the eucalyptus hit... the green ones have the eucalyptus. Personally I prefer the paler version and sadly my 5ml is green I still like it but...

 

Not sure if they are just different batches or if it changes a lot as it matures.

 

ETA: Mistletoe doesn't work on me, but pine and eucalyptus can both be hit and miss with my skin-chemistry. However, I love Dublin, Ice Queen, Skadi, Blue Moon and Havisham.

Edited January 9, 2005 by allamanda

[ChupaChup]

Actually, I have two imps of Hemlock. One is a pale yellow and the other is a pale green, The pale yellow one smells like herbs with a touch a lemon, while the pale green one smells far more piney.

 

I wonder if I got two very different batches, or if one isn't really Hemlock!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Ditto. I have several imps of Hemlock, the pale coloured ones are Hemlock but without the eucalyptus hit... the green ones have the eucalyptus. Personally I prefer the paler version and sadly my 5ml is green I still like it but...

 

Not sure if they are just different batches or if it changes a lot as it matures.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think it's a different batch thing. The first imp I got of Hemlock was a gimp from the lab, it was pale colored and had a lime zing to it, no strong eucalyptus hit. I got it right before the scent was released so it might have been a prototype. A few months later I ordered an imp for a friend, it was completely different smelling - was a much brighter green and MUCH stonger in the eucalyptus/pine department. Still lovely but completely different from the first imp.

[amrita]

I think Fallow Deer is right about the Aureus. Amber changes a *lot* over time. In the course of even a few months, it gets a lot sweeter, syrupier, and richer to my nose. Fresh amber to me smells a little thin and faint. And after a year, even kept in the dark, it really degrades to a scent that I can't stand.

 

I also have no idea about The Star.

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I have a lot of essential oils, and a few of them were bought as 10% dilutions in carrier oils since they would've been prohibitively expensive pure. I recently sniffed a few that I hadn't used in a long time (6 months maybe?) and I could smell that the carrier had gone rancid! I was pissed but this also let me know that I need to go through dilutions within 1-2 years or I might lose them.

 

I know Beth's blends are mostly perfume oils (I think the site says something like 85%)... but is it possible that the little bit of carrier is going bad over time, in blends where the components don't have enough natural antioxident properties to prevent that?

 

I know you can buy a blend of inert gases that you squirt into the tops of bottles of perfume/essential oils to protect them from oxidation (it pushes all the air out)... maybe that's something to consider for big bottles...?

[Pixie-elf]

Augh, I got an imp of Lolita that smelled DIVINE, like Cotton Candy, from Coffee With Spoons (thank you so much sweetie. ) And, I ordered one from the lab. The one from the lab had something CITRUSY in it and wasn't so sweet. Now I dunno if I should order a big bottle or not. :/

 

So for now, my next order, I'm just going with Dragon's milk.

[dinaofdoom]

Hmm.  The 10ml of (Old) Morocco I received today smells nothing like any of the imps/bottles I'm in love with.     

 

This is very woody--almost straight Cedar.  No cream, no spice.  *sigh 

If the lab won't fix it, I'll have to send it to Penance. 

 

Has anyone else received a wonky Morocco? 

 

If it smelled even remotely similar I'd hang onto it to see if it will improve with age. 

 

*sigh  Off to write the lab.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

you know, my old morocco 10ml is nothing like my 5ml OR my imps!

i thought i was going crazy.

it's way woodsier.

i'm really disappointed in how different it is-- it's like another perfume entirely.

[kimmer]

Hmm. The 10ml of (Old) Morocco I received today smells nothing like any of the imps/bottles I'm in love with.

 

This is very woody--almost straight Cedar.   No cream, no spice.   *sigh

If the lab won't fix it, I'll have to send it to Penance.  

 

Has anyone else received a wonky Morocco?

 

If it smelled even remotely similar I'd hang onto it to see if it will improve with age.

 

*sigh Off to write the lab.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

you know, my old morocco 10ml is nothing like my 5ml OR my imps!

i thought i was going crazy.

it's way woodsier.

i'm really disappointed in how different it is-- it's like another perfume entirely.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Let the lab know.

 

I was curious about mine and they recommended allowing it to age--they also offered to replace it. I opted to hang on to it. That particular bottle never has smelled like Morocco.

 

I've also found I have better luck with 5ml's, but I have received a good 10ml in the meantime.

 

I do sympathize

[Penance]

Damn, if I knew I was going to get a super woodsy bottle, I'd buy some Morocco even though I hated the "Morocco smelling Morocco" that everyone else loves.

 

But on topic, the two most recent bottles I've gotten of Anne Bonny have smelled different than my original bottle and imps. It's more like the slightly rotted cedar note that BBW Cedarwood EO smells like. It's not bad, just very interesting because it's not like the original and because I know it's the red mysore sandalwood that's the culprit here. I'm wondering if the Lab had a new supplier for the most recent batches or something. I like it anyway, I'm just curious.