Bien Loin D'Ici

[lookingglass]

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

Oooh, yeah! This is definitely a Top 10 for me.

This really does not smell very much like Smut to me at all (Which I love and have plenty of...it was just exciting to see the comparisons in previous reviews). It does have plenty of red musk, like Scherezade to my nose...but more layered...complex. It behaves much like incense on my skin as well, being heavier when wet and drying out in a smoky way. It is, however, a dryer scent than I expected~like Hecate was on me~suprisingly not creamy despite the sweetness. It is not as caramely as Arrival at the Sabbath and Homage to the Devil, and so if you are jumping on this baby for the caramel, love her for other reasons; she is sweet like expensive incense, not like candy. I think she is Sed Non Satia's sister for sure.

I wore this to a party last night. A friend embraced me, and breathed in Her scent. "Smeeellll heerrr!", he insisted to all of the surrounding people. These were some of the comments:

~you smell like a new baby
~like laying in bed in the sunlight
~like a haram girl
~like a bitch
~like sex
~just edible
~like honey
~nothing could be sexier
~oooh, I smelled that in the air earlier and couldn't figure out if it was something blooming or incense!

DH said, "What are you wearing!?!". I gave him my little imp and he slathered it on! Big bottle NOW. I love scents we can share. Edited April 24, 2007 by lookingglass

[LiberAmoris]

Yeah, Bien Loin D'Ici smells less like Smut to me and more like a supercharged Sed Non Satiata. Actually, what it smells like, and it took me about a month to suss this out, is a mingling of the Chinese Bee & Flower soaps Jasmine and Sandalwood. So good.

 

As much as I love the way this smells, it's the kind of blend I'm more likely to use in my incense burner than wear. It's incredibly incensey, almost amazingly so, and the smell of this in the air around me is just such a great balance between incredibly calming and incredibly sensual. I would buy a bottle just to use for that purpose alone.

[Salvia_spathacea]

In the vial this smelled like spices, with a strange note that smelled almost rancid. But I went ahead and tried some on and the scent reminded me of an East Indian grocery - a blend of raw spices and incense, with a hint of ghee. After a few minutes the rancid note dissappeared completely, and left me with spices and musk. To me this smelled less like red musk (which I love) and more like an animalistic, heavy musk (which I love more!) After about 2 hours I finally smell a soft caramel, with a hint of benzoin over a wonderful musky base. I don't really smell the honey at any specific point, but it's presence is definitely there - a faint underlying sweetness that ties together initially discordant notes, and deepens the musk. I think this is a new favorite for me!

Edited April 27, 2007 by Salvia_spathacea

[lavinia]

This one is fabulous.

The name from Baudalaire appropriately enough translates to "quite far from here" and it does transport you.

I wore it today and woo hoo, got so much attention, I think I need to save it for when I need to bring out the big guns!

On me, it reminds me like others have mentioned, of a blend of Scherazade, O and as I am sniffing right now, I am getting Hexannacht if it were more honeyed.

O + Hexannacht...mmmm

It does seem to have a touch of jasmine which gives it a richness. The jasmine hint reminds me of New Orleans.

Seems from the reactions to be a real hit or miss type scent and fortunately for me, its a hit!

The honey and caramel accord here is sexy and not overly foody or sweet like in Red Lantern or Sugar Skull which works best for me.

I say, this oil is for when you need to amp it up and get what you want

[valentina]

When I first tested this scent, I loved it sweet incense quality. It reminded me of a store that I used to frequent that carried import jewelry and clothing. They carried only one scent of incense, and the store always smelled of that unburned incense, which was sweet, a bit floral, yet spicy. I always loved the smell of newly-purchased clothing from that store. So I decided that I like this scent enough to wear it into work, and um...oops. Something is amping too spicy and perfumey on me, in a very traditionally perfumey way. I can smell myself, and that's not good. Whatever is included in "spiced ungents" is overwhelming the musk and caramel, two favorite notes. For me, it's not Smut or Sed non Satiata, it's entirely too perfumey.

[nevermore]

From the bottle, this kinda scares me - it doesn't smell like something I think I would wear. Once I've put it on, it smells like a scent I tried when I was new to BPAL, but I can't put my finger on exactly what it is. It's very heavy on the incense, at least at first. As it dries down, it turns more sweet. The final scent is heavy on the benzoin, which I'm very happy about. It also has a bit of caramel and honey, and a touch of spice. Very nice!

[ribcaged]

I quickly snappped up 5mls of all the Baudelaire inspired scents because I am a tart like that!

Lo and behold none of them seem to work and I am actually. very. frustrated. My boyfried took Fleurs du mal which he mixes with a bit of Wolf Moon (another scent that hates me) but I don't know what to do with this one!

 

Let me think. Inm the bottle it smellt quite like vomit to me but I was brave today and put a good amount on my wrists. I was very much looking forward to spicey inscence notes sweeted with caramel and honey but I got talcum poweder. I really dislike talcum powder florals ((

NOOOO! Saying that though there is a really strange gorgeous undernote (perhaps a nice faint sweet coffee scent?) that is battling with the foggy flowers. Come on little guy, win!

[sedona]

On first sniff in the imp, a sweet floral..whoa wondering where that came from looking at the notes

 

Wet - Oh, I can pick out the honey now along with other familiars that I can't quite name.

 

Drydown - This was a true morpher, going from a floral spice to slightly green, then slightly soapy growls at my skin, then musky metallic

 

After a few hours it mellowed out into quite a warm, wearable blend but I'm not sure of its antics beforehand!

 

May keep it to try again.

[blu°]

Bien Loin D'Ici doesn't work for me. It's not at all the rich and sultry scent I pictured it to be, but a rather harsh and - somebody said metallic and that seems to get close - blend.

 

It actually smells very much like some general Indian incense stick base. And not the bestest kind of Indian incense sticks. Like, when you are in one of those Indian hippie shops, and you sniff some incense sticks way to close from the package. Bien Loin is that incense scent and it stays like that. It felt like something alien on my skin, because it didn't seem to join with my skin chemistry.

 

I got a strong and unusually high-pitched patchouli albeit it not being listed. I did not smell any kind of smoke-able consumer goods in it, neither weeds nor hash. It's rather the incense sticks.

 

The oil also immediately reminded me of Tisiphone. I classified that one as a cheap incense, too. I'd definitely file those two together.

[voodoobaby]

In the bottle: Uh, wow. This is...strong. And floral? Where did that come from? I'm pretty sure I smell some kind of lily.

 

Wearing: I was hoping this would get better on the skin, but I don't think it has. For a little bit I get a hint of something sexy and spicy, but it's still overpowered by the floral smell. A second after sniffing it I get a remaining hint of honey, which is odd. For the most part, this is really really sweet, and my skin is turning it to rubber bands like it often does blends with creamy notes (it must be the caramel). It does smell exotic. It's just way too sweet and floral on me, and my skin is otherwise not doing pretty things with it. It will go to someone who will appreciate it.

[Victory]

Wow, in the first ten minutes of wear, Bien Loin d'Ici is gorgeous. Sultry, sexy, sweet- yeah, wow good. Once it's dry, BLd'I becomes... greenish smelling. Not sweet, not really bitter, but at to my nose, unpleasant. Maybe it's the unguents? I really thought about washing it off several times, but stuck it out. But hours later, the sweetness comes back. It's not as gorgeous as the first ten minutes of wear, but very nice. I wish that the wet oil dried down to this- I'd get a bottle. I just can't stand the middle stage, and it really lasts. But, like in Passion, the red musk here isn't peanut buttery- awesome! I think that this may be an oil that I wear just before bed, because then all I'd smell would be the wet stage.

[Alchemy21599]

In the vial: red musk and Moroccan spices. Yum.

 

Wet: Spicy, musky (in a come hither way) and slightly sweet.

 

Dry: This scent becomes insanely sweet on me once it is dry. The delicious spices are now cloying. It must be the dreaded honey amping. Drat.

[500ml]

This is very strong and heady, with a good throw. It's too heady for me, it's turning into little old lady and not in a good way either. I get musky incense after a while, but in all this just isn't working for me.

[Rouge]

I think I've just found my new bellydancing scent. I usually wear Temple Viper or Snake Oil but I think this has the perfect darkness and smokiness I'm after.

 

In the vial - Thick, spicy and smoky. Not quite as sweet as I was expecting, but I have hopes that it will develop on the skin or that it will develop with age.

 

Wet on the skin - There's a strong incense note which I presume is a mixture of benzoin and the Moroccan spices, with a tiny hint of caramel.

 

Dry down - Deep, spicy incense.

[cassandrakfreaq]

wow this is all musk on me. in fact its almost masculine it is so musky. I get very little sweetness at all. When the musk finally settles just the wee bit that it does I get whiffs of the morrocan unguents. the reminds me of hot spicy deserts. Its sexy in a middle eastern way. scarlet red definitely comes to mind.

 

I am wearing this again because looking at the notes it seems like SUCH a winner but sadly it jsut does not work for me at all. Its to sharp for me and just altogether wrong.

Edited December 5, 2007 by cassandrakfreaq
Removed Lab description --Shollin

[Ajila]

In the bottle – Sharp red musk

 

Wet on me – Sweet incense (the unguents?) and just a hint of caramel

 

Dry on me – Very little waft, but close to my skin, warm sensual spices, which make you feel pampered

 

Overall – I’m in two minds, the initial incense it too heavy for me and I’d like a little more waft on the dry down, but the final skin scent is gorgeous

[Nisaba]

This is just Stunning. A rich deep coating of a honey so dark it's almost savoury, which anchors mysterious Morrocan spiced unguents. This is hot, heady, decadent, lush sex in a desert under a deep red tent amongst opulent velvet cushions And I love it

[Naamah_Darling]

Musk, honey and benzoin resin make this a warm but surprisingly open scent whose chief appeal lies in its sweetness.

 

On, it becomes more fiercely incense-y, spicy, like the incense section of a new age bookshop. This is a wonderful, soft musk blend with some real depth to it, supplied by the beautiful resin notes. The caramel and honey are influences only, not really topnotes. The whole thing is just beautiful.

[ClareN]

Sometimes I wish I could dress like an expensive 19th century prostitute all the time. So bring on the old-fashioned-whorehouse scents, I say! The more the better! I like Bien Loin d'Ici even more than Bordello.

 

When first applied, it invokes a strong scent memory of visiting Nepal when I was thirteen. I get images of rhododendron trees by the road, a dark teahouse, a crowded little bookstore. There's some distant burning incense in the background behind the scent of jasmine tea - and I mean real jasmine tea, unbelievably, not the funky BPAL-jasmine note we all hate. If you love real jasmine tea but don't get along with BPAL's jasmine blends, you need to try this one.

 

In the drydown, it changes to a lovely sweet floral resin-incense - not too heavily floral. There's a honey note that doesn't go the slightest bit powdery and a mysterious smoky note lingering in the background. Gah, I just love this too much to describe it accurately but I will say that it is very unlike any other BPAL scent I've tried. And I do believe it beats the likes of Lust and O for the sexiest scent in the BPAL catalogue. I'm not surprised that it's a recent addition to the catalogue - it seems like Beth is getting better at her job all the time.

 

Just to make the deal sweeter, throw and lasting power are very impressive. Why haven't I seen more hype about Bien Loin d'Ici on the forum?

[CrazyPretzel]

Usually red musk scares me off, but I've had a lucky day today with Red Moon '07. If red musk + amber works well on me, maybe red musk + all these delicious things will, too!

 

In the imp: It smells *wonderful*, thick and heady like incense in a magick shop. Like nag champa.

 

Wet on me: Honey comes out strongly first -- this is different from other BPAL honeys I've tried. It's richer, darker. Lickable caramel. This is really good. If it does fail on my skin I'd like to hang on to it and put it in a scent locket, when I eventually get one.

 

After five minutes: Musk is definitely noticeable, but the resin seems to keep it from turning evil, the way red musk usually does on me. I hope it lasts. There's something woodsy about this. Still delectable honey and caramel.

 

Drydown: A little bit of a soapy edge that doesn't detract from the deliciousness of the scent: rich dark golden honey and smooth nag champa.

 

Lust, Ravenous, and Seduction all started off wonderfully and then my skin turned them rank. I've finally found a scent in that general family (the family of Hot Liquid Sex) that suits me, and I'm very pleased.

[madeleine]

I really liked the idea of this, but on me...not so much. It reminds me a bit of the way my skin reacted to Madgdalene - turning everything into cigarette smoke. There is kind of a cigarette smokey undertone, but mostly it's a lot of musk and spices and (I think) the caramel accord.

 

On a guy, I think this would be really sexy. On me, I feel a desperate need to wash it off.

[porcelina]

bien loin d'ici smells like cheap incense and some sort of cloying, stinky flowers on me. it's kind of bitter as well and it makes me sneeze! to the swaps!

[Czarina]

Oh, break my heart. This just smells like aldehydes on me. Chanel No. 5. Meh. Damned body chemistry.

[Medici]

In the imp: Wow, now that's what I call exotic. It's a heady musk, a touch of floral, a grazing of spice, and a heap of benzoin. Very feminine, and very proud.

 

Wet: Red musk, a hint of honey, and more of that good old Moroccan spice. As it warms, I feel as if the scent matures, almost. It's not something I'd see on a younger lady. There's a definite air of sophistication, and sultry seduction involved in this blend.

 

Drydown: Sex in the imp. Pure feminine prowess. At five minutes, the caramel comes out, sweetening the blend as a whole, and making it a touch more dusky. Really incredible.

[beachbabealways]

This is not a scent I would wear in public because it smells like marijuana (sp?) and that's the last thing I want to smell like. It is nice in it's own way and I have a full bottle so maybe I will just wear it around the house but have to make sure I won't have any visitors.