Bien Loin D'Ici

[little_galaxie]

The Scarlet Woman, aglow with sensual indolence: red musk, benzoin, caramel accord, golden honey, and spiced Moroccan unguents.

This is super!incense here, this is. Also agree w/above poster in that there's somthing animalistic and musky in here, though definitely not civet-like. If it were, I wouldn't touch it with a ten-foot pole. But this is growing on me, I think. Wouldn't wear it often, but it's an interesting blend.

[PurringPulsar]

Bien Loin D'Ici

 

In the imp: incense! It does smell slightly headshoppy and also herbal…almost along the lines of nag champa. Very exotic though.

Wet on skin: herbal and rich and a little spicy, with a hint of musk…and it reminds me of jasmine tea!

Dry on skin: wow, this is really intriguing. I don't smell any of the caramel (which is unusual as usually that note really takes over!) or the honey, I do smell a bit of musk but I do get some amazing, mysterious herbal, smoky, spicy notes here, like incense burning. I take it that those are the Moroccan unguents. There is the slightest hint of something almost like cannabis to this, (I'd never smoke it, but I love the smell!) I also smell something to this that strongly reminds me of Chinese jasmine tea-not jasmine flowers at all but like an infusion of dry jasmine petals and tea. I also smell deep woodsy incense, herbs, teas, and patchouli, with bitter, dry smouldering myrrh (like the light myrrh SN). It's not as sweet as I expected but really intriguing…it does make me think of new age shops at times though (in the best way possible).

After a while: this is one of those scents that smells different when smelt far from the wrist. The throw is much sweeter than the close-to-wrist scent, which still has that dark, unusual scent of dark green herbs, incense and a hint of tea. I still smell the myrrh in here-it reminds me of the myrrh in Black Lotus but not as strong, as there are other smoky and spicy mysterious notes swirling over it. I swear I even smell some tobacco or even hookah smoke! (and yes, I still smell a hint of pot to this…). The myrrh note then increases and eventually the scent smells like ancient incense burning. There's also something woodsy at the back, it's a very dry scent. There's a passing resemblance to Cairo with this myrrh incense base, but without the fruity sticky sweetness. The honey is like the subtle, dry honey-dust notes I get in Luperci and Great Cry in Egypt, more like beeswax than runny honey. Still no caramel. A slight amber-like sweetness lingers far from the wrist though, and the barest pulse of musk can be detected…though this is certainly not Smut-like on me.

After a few hours, it is still smoky and dark and herbal-spicy with myrrh, but I smell a little hint of sweetness and musk peeking out. The drydown becomes smokier and smokier, like herbal incense mixed with resins, it smells remarkably like loose incense burning, and I really like that. Then the scent loses it's dark greenness, and instead becomes a gorgeous, dusty-golden, honeyed sandalwood with incense and musk, very similar to Great Cry in Egypt/Scherezade now, and one of the Lupercalia scents as well-either Chintamani Dhupa or Svad…but with that dry smoky myrrh base.

Verdict: the scent's name, translated as 'very far from here' is appropriate, as this smells like a scent from a distant, exotic desert marketplace…a very faraway scent. I smell very little of the honey, benzoin, and caramel…bare hints of musk. This is all about those mysterious unguents, which in here smell like a deep, green incense mix, like thick, dark green smoke. The most dominant note is a dry, smouldering myrrh note, but I also smell some healing herbs, spices, earthy notes and smoky notes reminiscent of patchouli and tobacco, as well as something strikingly reminiscent of jasmine tea. And something else…one thing's for sure, on me, this scent is NSFW! Why? Because there's a note to this that smells suspiciously like hash! (Shelldoo was right, it seems…) I'm actually very surprised at how low-key the caramel is in here, it's almost non-existent. I really like the drydown though when the scent becomes dusty and golden, very exotic and almost Scherezade like with a hint of beeswax. It's so different from anything I've smelt from BPAL despite very slight similarities to a few other scents-very unique, and such an intriguing scent…it hypnotises and lures me closer. I really like this scent a great deal, but I was hoping for more of the sweeter notes to come through, they were pretty much blocked out by the hippy-ish unguents. That said, I like it, I'm keeping the imp…but I'm not wearing this one to job interviews or in the office, that's for sure!

Emoticon rating:

Is it a keeper? I'll keep the imp as it is such an intriguing scent.

If you like this, try: Black Lotus, Luperci, Cairo, the Caterpillar, And There Was a Great Cry in Egypt, Scherezade, Red Lantern

Edited March 30, 2007 by yeahbutnobut

[EauQue]

In The Bottle:

I get this wonderful spicy, acidic citrusy SPRINGTIME note!

 

On me wet:

Still this undefineable citrus hit, plus baby powder and spices. Very spicy, in a way that makes me wanna bellydance. (OR at least have the costume!) The honey hasn't hit yet. But I'm liking it.

 

Dry:

The musk is strong at first, palpable, but within 20 minutes has mellowed and the honey/caramel take over.

After 30 minutes: the throw is minimal on me. And yet I am still entranced. This is the kind of fragrance that were I dancing or creating body heat, it would be VERY powerful.

 

1 hour:

This is starting to smell like my step-grandma, who was a hag.

 

How can something so nice end up SO BAD???

 

Oh well :-(

Edited March 31, 2007 by EauQue

[ilona]

I usually love the red musk blends, and this is no exception, although it was touch-and-go in the beginning. I have been wearing BPAL long enough to know not to judge a scent in the first few minutes. I also love honey, but have burned by it turning sour on me, but not all the time.

 

Wet, this is worrisome, a little too sharp. A little to musky.

 

Dry, this is spicy and sexy. I detect a note that I can't identify that makes this unlike any of the other red musk blends I've tried. Dunno what it is - slightly powdery and sweet, and a little perfumy.

 

I like this more and more the longer it stays on my skin.

[tinyvulture]

i believe the benzoin is what i’m smelling when i first apply this – a piney, sweet resin. i’d have to sniff a benzoin single note to be sure. but regardless of what it is, it’s really lovely. the sexy warm red musk and gorgeous, rich honey (favorite notes of mine) compliment the benzoin beautifully. i don’t smell any caramel, and i’m not sure if i’m getting any “unguents” or not. it’s an exotic, complex, resinous blend. it’s not really masculine or feminine. it’s just wonderful.

[forspecial_plate]

This scent is sensual, but may be too sweet for some. Basically it smells exactly like a sweet Indian incense. You have smelled it before. I would have guessed honey is in it, but not caramel, at least not at first. As time goes by, the caramel starts to come out more. Red musk is nowhere to be found by my nose. It's a really pretty scent, but I fear too feminine for me. Very sweet, but not powdery to me. I would not call this gender neutral. However, I had my imps in a cigar box and this one leaked just a little bit. Now my box smells very lovely. I doubt I'll get any wear from it.

 

I prefer Chintimani-Dhupa with its woods over this. If you like honey scents like Bengal you might want to try this.

[GoldenRubee]

This is a beautiful, warm, exotic blend of spices, citrus, caramel and a rich honey. When I first applied it, all the scents seemed to be afraid to blend together. It was like, "you stay over there caramel, you stay over there spice." Then they are got together and had a nice conversation and decided to play nice. It gets better and better the longer I wear it. I did not smell any musk at first, but after an hour or so the musk really amped on my skin and this became a WOW factor!

I has lasted several hours now and still is going strong! I love this!

[moon_lemming]

Oh my. This is very incense-y in the imp. I'm a little wary as I apply it.

 

Something in the blend is way too high-pitched for me. An herb that has an astringent smell to it -- that's all I can smell once Bien Loin d'Ici is dry on my skin.

 

This one was kind of chancey anyway since it has the oft-dreaded red musk in it; I was just hoping the stuff I love (honey, caramel accord) would balance it out. But the red musk isn't even at the party, it's just that one herbal scent dancing by itself! Sadly, this one is definitely not for me.

[supremegoddessofall]

Ooh, now this is pretty! Lots of honey and musk. Lightly spicy, but not overwhelming. Love it!

[dronzeka]

Add me to the Bien Loin d'Ici lovers! I'm crap at IDing notes, especially these notes, but it's wonderfully sweet and spicy without being at all foody or floral. For me, it deepens a little as it wears. I do NOT get the kind of fake hazelnutty caramel ick that ruined Gluttony and Misk U for me - in fact, I don't get a lot of caramel at all; perhaps in the first sniff from the imp, but on me it's primarily spicy incense and what I presume is red musk - rich without being heavy. It lasts really well - I tested it out a few hours before I went out for some exercise, and kept lifting my wrist to my nose so I could check it out while I sweated! It's a very sophisticated scent, and makes me think a little of Mama-ji - for me, Mama-ji was too far outside my usual light/fresh/citrus/floral range, but this is still different and exotic (for me), without being over the top.

[euterpe414]

I agree with yeahbutnobut. The first thing that I thought when I smelled this scent on me was: . This is a really headshoppy scent, and I mean that in the best way, since I LOVE headshoppy scents (I am burning some headshop-py smelling incense as I write this, lol). The primary notes that I get in this are honey first and foremost, spice and caramel. There is something in the background that is making it quite smoky, too. This is super sensual and exotic. Definitely not for wear in a 'professional' environment. However, that's OK cause I am not a professional kinda gal and I will be wearing this one an awful lot! My only caution would be that it is very potent, so be careful not to apply too much- I sorta did when I tested it and now I feel a bit overwhelmed. Anyways, to sum it up:

 

[nikkoblue]

Immediately from the bottle i'm getting lots of redmusk with some spices and a touch of that sweeeeeet honey. However, the honey somehow 'goes' wtih the musk, which is great because usually i'm not a honey fan.

 

On my skin, the caramel and benzoin come out; I never find benzoin to be really sweet and that weird 'skinness' that benzoin has is tempering the honey. This caramel is almost salty, so I'm getting a rich red musk with a caramel that's not sugary (almost like how Tez is sweet but not at all sweet). The spices are playing on top of the other notes and this is really sexy and beautiful and totally ME. Which I'm pretty surprised about.

 

Love this one.

[Spacekitty]

Jesus. This one just jumped out of the bottle at me and started smacking me repeatedly over the head with musk. Good for me - musks like me.

 

But then it quickly turns from MUSK! to Old Lady and then Headshop on me - which is weird because there's no "traditional" old lady/headshop notes listed: heady florals, patchouli, incense, etc. - it stays that way for over an hour. Are these the unguents? Must be.

 

Another change happens. Fast and strange.

 

I start to get slight intermittent wafts of the caramel over the hippie smell but that might just be the power of suggestion and/or my imagination. It doesn't last long. It's replaced by the very sharp and sickly honey note that never works on me and then turns into something distinctly woody - fresh woody like trying to tear a stubborn young branch off an old tree.

 

At two hours it's green and herbal and incensey..... and then the musk reappears, soft and sweet.

 

I never get Smut. (I luuuurve Smut so I was hoping to get it's little sister.) I never get O. Luperci, maybe. But this is totally a Love scent to me. It's very complex and I admire it, but I don't think I can wear it.

[AmyAngel]

I had high hopes for this one, but sadly my skin turned it into something very sharply like cat pee.

[smallvoice]

I turned a blind eye to the red musk and stubbornly jumped at the chance to own a bottle, unsniffed.

 

Bad me.

 

Everything else smells heavenly, but the red musk! Gah. It simply will not back down, and turned my afternoon headachy. Yeah. Ultimately, the only sign of this blend is the overpowering red musk... ah, well.

[PilotKitten]

This is all sharp, suffocating, heavy, warm musk on me with some bitter spice notes. I can’t pick out anything but musk and spice. It smells sort of cheap and off to me, like a cheap musk perfume that my mother used to wear that was way past its prime. I was hoping for something sweeter and more sultry, but this falls flat on my skin.

[Em-]

Wow, a caramel accord I can wear!

 

Red musk is almost always a winner note for me, honey is one of my true loves, and benzoin and Moroccan spices sounded like a most wonderful blend - so I decided to take a chance that this would be the one caramel blend that did not turn to burnt something on my skin, and I am glad that I did.

 

This starts out a very light, almost golden musk - not nearly as smoldering as many of Beth's red musk blends, with the honey and benzoin creating a sweet almost creamy base, with a hint of floral and a beautiful overlay of rich incensy spices. This blend is like looking through a lamp of Middle Eastern stained glass mosaic...beautiful and subtle and sparkly, all at the same time.

 

My only regret is that it stays so subtle on my skin - oddly, with such strong powerful notes, my skin drinks this in like it's own scent - I get whiffs of it off and on, but this is a scent I will need to put in a roller bottle and apply often.

[theshapeshifter]

When first applied (and for about the first half-hour), even from a teeny swipe of the imp wand, this was "OMG HI I'M MUSK HI HELLO!", which is usually not my favourite sort of thing, but this is such a lovely sexy musk that I decided to wait it out and see where it went from there. In the drydown, the initial blast calmed down, and the spices and honey start to work their way in. I'm not really getting the caramel, but that's okay - caramel notes sometimes amp on me, so I'm glad it's playing nice.

 

Overall, this is a very heady scent, in a sexy-incense sort of way. Not for wearing to work, I don't think, but a definite winner for nighttime.

[minnalavender]

THE most complicated, morphing red musk scent I've yet tried! I am also lousy at picking out any complicated notes and Bien Loin d'Ici has a LOT of them, so I apologize for the vagueness of the review.

 

Smut is one of my top five favorite scents. Contrary to its name, on my skin Smut is sweet and sexy but never lascivious. I also love red musk in every other blend I've sampled it in - all big bottle purchases. Whether it's blended with a fruit, flower, or booze, red musk is candy sweet on my skin. So whatever is behaving all civet-y and sour on my skin during the first hour is not the musk.

 

In the bottle this is almost all sweet, Smutty red musk - love it! Once it hits my skin something goes awry. Below the sweet musk lurks a note suspiciously similar to cat pee. HOWEVER, after about a half hour the red musk amps up again and it's gorgeous.

 

On me, the throw is almost non-existent - I have to put my arm up to my nose to smell it - and every time I do I smell something slightly different. I never detect any caramel, but after an hour the honey is doing a baby powder thing What a morpher!

 

I'll try layering Bien Loin d'Ici with Sugar Skull or Red Lantern to amp the caramel note. It's not my favorite red musk blend, but it's pretty in a strange, exotic, dark and unguenty way and I like it.

[hepkitten]

The comparisons to Smut almost scared me off, but I'm soooo glad they didn't. This is gorgeous.

 

I don't get anything like Smut here; if I had to compare it to other BPALs, I'd say that this is Scherezade with a *touch* more sharpness and sweetness. I barely get the caramel or honey here; what I do get is red musk and spice. I did also get the same result as others upthread that my skin just seems to drink this in...but I don't mind slathering if the results are this yummy.

[wikkidraven]

my boyfriend sniffed this and told me i smelled like cheap, stale perfume. i was really hoping to get some honey out of this one, but the red musk drowns everything out.

 

i may age this one a bit, but otherwise it's off to swaps.

[Miss Lynx]

I was most worried about the caramel in here, since that note is usually awful on me, but it's not very caramely at all, thank the Gods! What I do smell most strongly at first is something that's not even on the list of notes -- jasmine! Maybe it's in the Moroccan unguents or something. Certainly appropriate for the Scarlet Woman...

 

Jasmine usually amps up tremendously on me, but here it seems to be behaving itself fairly well. Fairly well as in, while it's still the dominant note, at least I can still smell the others. On the whole, it's like a richer, sexier Peitho, which is pretty much the only other jasmine-dominant scent I can wear.

 

Apart from the jasmine, it's a strongly musky/incensey scent, and quite reminiscent of the scent of an Indian incense store. Not bad at all, but it does kind of waver back and forth between being a little too jasminey-sweet and just being a nice musky-incense scent.

 

After a couple of hours, it settles down to mainly just a soft jasmine. Pretty nice, though not exactly my usual sort of scent. Not sure if I like it enough to keep it or not, but it's possible... A jasmine scent that I can wear is rare enough that I'll at least try it another time or two before deciding whether to swap it or not.

 

Grade: B, maybe B+? We'll see.

[flyingpizza]

This is far, far more floral than I anticipated. I love Red Musk and Morrocan spices, but sadly for me, they did not come through.

 

For those of you who love Chrysanthemum Moon and Mama-Ji, try this one. It is a very haute, regal, intense, and powerful woman. Very opium-esque with that mysterious scent that on me spells like urine but on others apparently smells like awesomess. I'm sorry, this was so bad on me that I don't know how else to review it! But if this is your type of scent, you'll love its intensity.

[sofaking6]

This seems to be really different for everyone.

 

I'm bewildered by this blend. Wet, it smells like straight up musk and dirt, and I don't really enjoy it, but I have to keep sniffing. It's kind of mesmerizing.

 

The caramel and honey start coming out as it dries, but only if I keep my wrists away from my face. Up close, still musk and dirt. I'm glad that my coworkers will get to smell the sweeter throw.

 

I definitely get the cannabis, as welll...definitely no more wearing to work! I should have read the reviews first. I get the feeling it won't scrub off easily, either.

[Bagfish]

I get the same initial "peanut-butterness" from the red musk in this that I got from Smut.

 

The benzoin, spices and caramel fail to appear and the musky smell just gets stronger and stronger and more and more powdery as the day goes on.

 

Off to swaps