The Dodo

[TarynPage]

Red musk, lemon peel, sugar cane, cassia, white sandalwood, mango, and agarwood.

 

I received a vial of this for free with my order of some Carnival Diabolique scents. I love it. After sniffing it for hours, I still don’t know how to aptly describe it. Floral and musky (which is not even my go-to scent profile) with a slightly sweet undertone. More pefume-y than anything I have ever worn, but wildly feminine. The draw of this scent, for me, is it’s funky naturalness. I almost feel as if I’m a wild girl who’s spent all day in a meadow. Or a girl whose family told her not to go far, but she wandered off anyway. This is a primarily daytime scent for me.

 

Bottled: Strong, strong, strong. Extremely floral and musky.

On *my* skin: I would say it goes from floral–>flowery on the skin. A wispy or ephemeral flower and musk scent. Undertone of vanilla and grass (I know those aren't mentioned above, but my skin does weird things to scents).

[LizziesLuck]

Wet: Yum! Sugary, spicy, fruity musk. This is instantly really appealing. I can pick out the mango, the cassia. the musk. Maybe a hint of lemon peel. It's tart/sweet. I like it a lot. It's different than the other spicy blends I have. I do amp cassia though, so hoping it stays in check as it dries.

 

 

Dry: I'm undecided about this. I really like the combo of sweet and tart mango with hints of spice. But it's really light on me, and fades really quickly. I'm also not sure if it's something I would actually wear. I think I will need to do a full day test. But I do really enjoy this combo. Beth is brilliant.

[joopjoop]

This is lovely. Fruity and light. For me the mango is the real star here. I do love the scent of mango, but it can often be overpowering and just a little bit sour. Not so with The Dodo - the other notes are blended beautifully and it all works.

 

But I do agree with LizziesLuck - this one is really light and fades fast. Still, I'm considering a bottle, just wearing it is really cheering me up!

Edited September 17, 2016 by joopjoop

[gloame]

Top note: pink cinnamon (cassia)

 

The sugarcane and sandalwood do come out and mellow it a bit, but even after full drydown, it's basically just a cassia house party on me. My scents spreadsheet says I felt the same way a few years ago. Bummer!

 

ETA 1/24/18: Still like cinnamon-sugar bubblegum.

 

Where I'd wear it: To a kid's Valentine's Day party.

Edited January 25, 2018 by gloame

[lizabelle]

I had no idea what to expect from the notes, but on me this is surprisingly foodie. It's fruity like a cobbler rather than plain fruit, and there's something spicy and bready adding to that. Maybe it's the mango+lemon+cassia and sandalwood+sugar that are doing it? Again this sample looks slightly aged, so that might have something to do with it too. It's much lighter than most "gourmand" scents, and I think it would be wearable even in summer since the sweet notes are tempered by tartness. This is a fun scent, and one that I'd love wearing in spring and summer. Adding it to my list!

[freyasfae]

Okay, wow, I never would have guessed these were the notes in this. I got this in a GC swap with someone, and when I tried it without reading the description it smelled mainly licorice-minty on me - basically, it smelled medicinal on me.

[ramblingrambler]

I'm torn on this. I want to love it, but the mango--always the damn mango (or coconut)--kills it for me. For some reason, my body does not play well with "tropical" fruit.

 

Wet: Mango and cassia. It's intensely each of these, inasmuch as you can tell that there's a lot of mango and a lot of cassia separate from each other, and then together, they're pretty intensely mingled.

Five minutes in, the cassia swells and tempers the mango (thank god), but the mango's still there.

 

Intro drydown, this becomes a slightly dry, fruity scent. I think the musk and cassia makes it read as dry and warm, and the mango, lemon peel, and sugar cane sort of make it... sharp and tart. I wish the cassia stayed for me, but since I love cassia, of course it disappears .

 

Oddly enough, as it moves toward fade-away, it becomes green and grassy. I can only imagine that's my mind playing tricks on me, thinking dodo birds with croquet and mallets in the grassy yard. Or maybe there's some greenery in there...

 

Dodo Bird could be a win if you like mango, but it's a nope from me. This will become a frimp.

 

ETA: I forgot to mention that my BF said I smelled sort of stinky wearing this about midway through, like rotting fruit and garbage. You must believe me when I say that it's just my skin chemistry turning what could be absolutely lovely into something absolutely terrible.

Edited May 22, 2017 by ramblingrambler

[agirlnamedfury]

Mostly cassia in the wet stage, but it's pretty mellow and not too spicy. Doesn't seem to give me a skin reaction, which is great! Unfortunately it becomes mostly just a woody scent after the drydown but it's still pleasant enough. I can see myself wearing this from time to time.

[Pave.Gurl]

Got this as a frimp in an order, and I'm trying to work through all of my imps - this jumped at me today. Thanks, Labbies!

 

I'm really shocked in reading other reviews here, because for me, this is crazy complex and fascinating.

 

When I put it on, I slather this because it's light - the lemon and sugar balance each other really well but they want to fly, so I'm guessing it's the agarwood that's grounding it. The sandalwood gives it a deeper body, and the cassia is only peeking out if I really huff myself. I am getting almost none of the musk or mango (which is good, because mango is not my favourite). It's been pretty hot and muggy where I am for weeks now, and this is somehow refreshing without being chilly.

 

Two hours later: all gone except a bit of sugary wood wafting by. I'm really feeling woody and mossy scents right now, so I'm pretty happy to have this available: it's a really nice grounded-but-airy scent.

[TheresaRedSkull]

This is one of those scents where I read the reviews and I think, "Are you guys sure you actually have noses?" This smelled like awful fake banana to me, not a hint of cassia, but with all the burning and redness of Inferno.

 

To the swap pile with thee!

[Cali]

hOOOOooooooooonooo this is awful in the imp!! What!!! Decaying cakes and fruit. Plus some vines.

Doesn't morph at all, or not fast enough, in any case- washing it off.

[doomsday_disco]

In the imp: Cassia-riddled red musk and lemon peel.

 

Wet: Cassia and red musk dominate, followed by some fruitiness. But it's not long before the red musk rises over the cassia and ends up taking the center stage. I'm not particularly fond of red musk, which loves to stomp all over other notes on my skin.

 

Dry: It's mostly red musk, cassia, fruit, and sugar cane. Alas, it kind of smells like cinnamon bubblegum on me.

 

Then, the agarwood shows up, which, combined with the red musk and fruit, smells really awful on me. There's this smokiness and fruitiness to it and it just smells really off on me.

 

Verdict: The Dodo is definitely not for me, but I'll be holding onto my imp, like I do with all things Mad Tea Party.

[roseus]

In the imp: Woody and sweet. Cinnamon (the sweet kind) is discernible. As with the Mad Tea Party scents in general there is something silly about it (in a fun way of course!)

 

Wet: red musk and a juicy mango Woodiness lingers underneath.

 

Dry: Sweet, juicy, fruity, wood. The barest hint of cassia shows up again. Very funky.

[torischroeder9]

In the imp: Sweet mango. I can't tell if that's just the mango note or if I'm also detecting the sugar cane sweetening it. 

 

On my skin: 

 

Wet, the mango jumps forward as does the cassia. It's an odd combination, yes, but not actually unpleasant. 

 

After a few minutes, the lemon peel and the sugar cane start to come forward more. Now it's sugared lemon and mango with cassia still in the background. 

 

The sugar cane actually increases for a while until it's the main note. The throw of sugared lemon and cassia is impressive. At this point, the woods start to come out near the skin. 

 

... and then the woods disappear, and it's sugared lemon cassia again. 

 

I'm a little confused by this blend. Usually red musk is pretty dominant on me. Lemon too, but in that I AM LEMON PLEDGE kind of way. The sugar cane, I think, is really helping here to make this a much more wearable scent for me. 

 

Not sure where the red musk went, though.

[monocainsheresy]

Sugary MANGO and cinnamon - smells like super sweet fruity syrup. As it dries the musk and woodsy notes start to peek out.

[follis]

Frimp of unknown age (orange red in colour).

Wet: like a fruity but red grape wine. The sandalwood is making me think it has that red wine quality I think. If I read the notes I pick the mango but I originally thought it was currants.  The mango and red musk is prominent as it dries with cassia notes giving this a powdery and slightly spiced feel (definitely not cinnamon hot).  The lemon peel and sugar cane lends some subtle sweetness to this blend without it being foody. It's rather lovely, like a mulled wine. Sadly the throw is a little low on me.

 

Update: I decided to try it again on another imp (less red in colour more orange).

Starts off with mango (still feeling like red currant), sandalwood and red musk. The cassia is still not overly cinnamon but adds a certain dryness to an otherwise creamy scent. As it dries the mango disappears and citrus takes over with more red musk. Sandalwood recedes into the background with just enough hint of sweetness.

Good throw and much better wear than the other imp surprisingly.

Edited July 26, 2019 by follis
Tested again

[spookyumbrella]

This one was a disappointment. All I get is sour cassia (which smells kind of like cinnamon for the uninitiated). Perhaps the sourness comes from the lemon peel, but I can't be sure. I can't pick out anything aside from unpleasantly sour cassia. I tried this twice and got the same result both times. 

[FebruaryOwen]

Received this as a free imp with an order.  

In bottle: medicinal and sweet

On skin: Wow, this smells exactly like the ancient cinnamon sticks at my parents' house.  I like the smell, though it may be a bit strong to have as a perfume.  

After a few hours: woody and musky.  Not really my thing!  Will probably swap imp.

[pommelo]

it's just straight up mango on me. only a sliiiiight hint of cassia if I snort really hard, and none of the other lovely woods or spices at all. and the cassia says bye in 5 minutes. 

 

not as tragic as some of the other reviews here, but still. pretty sad my skin just amps any and all fruits and I just end up smelling like a cheap bath soap sometimes

Edited November 16, 2020 by pommelo

[DiZZysTARdust]

Damn i was not expecting to love dodo like i do. Normally i would not even consider something so fruity, esp with citrus peel which tbh i hate. But i see this get recommended a lot in red musk threads, and i found it while trawling through my imp box on a red musk kick, so.....

 

I am SO glad i broaded my horizons for this because it's a great red musk. Red musk can be like grapey/winey on me but it blends perfectly with the lemon to be like a nondescript sweet fruit toned. No hint of cassia which i am also glad for. The woods must be giving everything something to stick to, but this is not a woody blend to me. I would almost describe it as like a kool aid, which sounds fruity and sour, but in a perfumey musky way.

 

ETA i am wearing this again and this time i distinctly caught a whiff of cinnamon in the throw as i was applying! Still not detectable on my skin tho 

Edited February 4, 2021 by DiZZysTARdust

[Honey]

This is very fruity. Mostly a sweet lemon (a bit dish-soapy) plus a red current or berry scent that comes from the red musk note.

There is only a faint musky quality to this. Also not very dry or woodsy initially.

 

This has become really woodsy and spicy after drydown. I guess it's a combination of the cassia and the agarwood.

I can't really put my finger on it, but the spice read as myrrh or something other that's quite herbal and resinous for a moment.

The spiciness is layered on a fizzy and soapy orange scent, coming from the lemon and mango I'm sure.

 

What a weird scent! The fruit and wood notes clash a little on me and don't really come together in this blend.

It's very fruity first, and very woodsy and spicy later. Hmm.

It's not awful but also not super amazing.

 

 

[skyturtles]

The Dodo is immediately syrupy sweet to my nose. There are berries galore, maybe I can tease out that mango, and of course, sugar. On my skin it mellows out after not too long, revealing the red musk. There are also some other spices that my noob nose cannot yet identify. I received this as a factory frimp. I'm not too big of a fan of sweet fruity scents, so this one just isn't quite for me.

[Rane.]

Received as an imp. Bright, fruity & citrus, sweet, faint woods. Mouth watering. I need a full bottle!

[PumpkinGuts]

I suppose being so unusual is fitting for the Mad Tea Party collection, but... all this reminds me of, and I'm so sorry, is chewing Big Red gum while sipping on an overly syrupy mango cocktail. The woods save it a little as it dries, but it's too sweet and fruity for my liking (and I don't want to smell like anything even remotely similar to a mixed drink).