Forest & Woods Scents (with and without evergreens)

[sionnac]

I love Wolf Moon. Masculine and great, big pine/cedar note. Dee is wonderful too, I agree about walking through the woods to get to the room full of old books - perfect!

[venividibitchy]

I'm new to woodsy scents as perfumes, aside from the sandalwood cologne my Father always used to wear.

 

Of course, I know pine from Christmas, and the smell of our neighborhood fireplaces in the crisp winter air, but I don't know which type of wood that'd be.

 

I'm trying to find a scent more reminiscent of California forests...Sequoias, Redwoods, the giant fern forest up by Gold Bluffs beach. The only real other dealbeaker would be if it had icky cinnamon in it, or a poignant ginger note, which I'm not fond of. Oh, and no loud patchouli. Otherwise, all recommendations are welcome. If you happen to know a BPAL that reminds you of New England fireplaces, as well...by all means, please recommend that, too.

[portalkat]

I'm new to woodsy scents as perfumes, aside from the sandalwood cologne my Father always used to wear.

 

Of course, I know pine from Christmas, and the smell of our neighborhood fireplaces in the crisp winter air, but I don't know which type of wood that'd be.

 

I'm trying to find a scent more reminiscent of California forests...Sequoias, Redwoods, the giant fern forest up by Gold Bluffs beach. The only real other dealbeaker would be if it had icky cinnamon in it, or a poignant ginger note, which I'm not fond of. Oh, and no loud patchouli. Otherwise, all recommendations are welcome. If you happen to know a BPAL that reminds you of New England fireplaces, as well...by all means, please recommend that, too.

One of my favorite pure wood scents is Carceri D'Invencione in the Salon category. It has a lovely redwood note.

[venividibitchy]

One of my favorite pure wood scents is Carceri D'Invencione in the Salon category. It has a lovely redwood note.

 

Thank you.

[jhernandez]

Hi. I'm new to everything, but have pinpointed BPAL as the place where I WILL find that elusive "perfect scent" I've been seeking for years. I have spend hours reading descriptions, rating them, choosing my favorites, but have yet to order any because I'm not sure they are what I want. I was hoping that some of you out there who have similar tastes can help.

 

I am looking for the the scent of a walk in the woods. Of course, there are myriad notes to such an event, but they would include dirt, moss, leaves (both fresh and decaying), wood, perhaps ivy or mushrooms, etc. I am extraordinarily sensitive to smells, and very particular. I don't like very floral scents, or sweet ones, or aquatic ones. I like woody and musky smells, like sandalwood or cedarwood or patchouli, but want a fresh, green element to be added to them to make them more like a forest. I don't really want pine or yew, those are too wintery. I'm looking for a late spring venture into a thick, deep green and brown forest.

 

Any ideas?

[Mrs.Black]

Hi! Welcome to BPAL!

 

If I were you, I would begin by ordering imps of Incantation, Magus and Black Forest. They are the three winner "walk in the woods" scents in BPAL's general collection, IMO.

 

There have also been a few limited edition scents on this theme. You may want to try Chant d'Automne, October, Samhain, and November. Because these scents were Halloween LE's and are no longer available from the Lab you would have to post in the Wanted section of the forum to see if any forumites have decants for sale.

 

One more LE you should try is Hexennacht. There have been two different incarnations of this scent, one in 2005 and another in 2008. The first had a strong bonfire element; the second was more fresh woods.

Edited May 10, 2009 by Mrs.Black

[Ahania]

I tend to avoid green scents (they make me sneeze), but Deep in Earth is a wonderful dirt scent for layering.

[donnatron]

Destroying Angel has a very strong dirt/moss element to my nose. It's more of a walk in the woods in the early spring after the snow has melted but before any of the vegetation has started to grow.

 

A few others:

 

Black Annis damp cave lichen and oak leaf with a hint of vetiver, civet and anise.

This is a really dark and slightly threatening scent. There's a very strong rocky, dirty element to it, something slightly damp (although it's not a traditional aquatic, it honestly smells like cold, wet rocks) and then a musky and feral sense from the civet.

 

Burial deep, brooding forest scents, including juniper and patchouli. The scent of upturned cemetary loam mingling with floral offerings to the dead.

Like Black Annis I find this one really damp as well. I'm not sure how the florals will work with your chemistry but it's a very interesting scent.

 

Robin Goodfellow Dark musk, moss-covered wood, ragwort, heather, and sage.

A bit cleaner and more traditional than the rest I've mentioned. A nice walk on a well maintained forest path with a stunningly chivalrous gentleman.

 

The Jersey Devil Pitch pine with blackberry leaf, cranberry, cedar wood and tomato leaf.

A bit warm and sweet along with the beautiful, sappy, sticky scent of pitch pine.

 

Samhain (any year) damp woods, fir needle, and black patchouli with the gentlest touches of warm pumpkin, clove, nutmeg, allspice, sweet red apple and mullein.

It just smells like autumn--like the description says. It's a past LE but it's returned every year since inception and is fairly easy to pick up on the forums.

[lamenteuse]

I would suggest my favorite scent ever, which is Death of Autumn. It's an LE, so you'll have to look for it on the boards.

[scarrengirl]

Ohhh I'll be paying attention to this thread, for sure.

[sqwook]

Two Monsters (from the Salon) totally felt like your description to me - mossy, trees, earth - the whole forest. (The Salons are not available as individual samples from the lab, yet you may be able to find some on the forum.)

 

Yggdrasil is without the soil/earth - all fresh green forest. I love it.

Fire of Love is the autumn- like a carved wood cabin in the woods in fall.

 

You might try Wolfsbane, too.

 

Whatever you order to try, I'm interested in hearing what you think!

[Apple]

Hi. I'm new to everything, but have pinpointed BPAL as the place where I WILL find that elusive "perfect scent" I've been seeking for years. I have spend hours reading descriptions, rating them, choosing my favorites, but have yet to order any because I'm not sure they are what I want. I was hoping that some of you out there who have similar tastes can help.

 

I am looking for the the scent of a walk in the woods. Of course, there are myriad notes to such an event, but they would include dirt, moss, leaves (both fresh and decaying), wood, perhaps ivy or mushrooms, etc. I am extraordinarily sensitive to smells, and very particular. I don't like very floral scents, or sweet ones, or aquatic ones. I like woody and musky smells, like sandalwood or cedarwood or patchouli, but want a fresh, green element to be added to them to make them more like a forest. I don't really want pine or yew, those are too wintery. I'm looking for a late spring venture into a thick, deep green and brown forest.

 

Any ideas?

Here are some other threads you might be interested in browsing:

Woods~, From oiled banister to creaking pirate planks

Forest and Woods Scents (with & without evergreens)

The most natural or lifelike scents?, forest, earth, rain, water, grass, moss and so on...

no floral, no sweet, no food, but not masculine either?

I want to smell like dirt! Dirt, Earth, Soil recommendations

You'll probably need to do some layering to get the effect you're going for, but you might like:

Aureus

(Bewitching Brews) - True, perfect golden light, refined into an incomparably glorious scent.

Smells like the lumber section of Home Depot.

 

Danse Macabre

(Ars Moriendi) - Black cypress with oakmoss, frankincense, oude, and a sliver of toasted hazelnut.

The cypress made this a little sharp and medicinal on me, but you might like it.

 

Mandrake

(Rappaccini's Garden) - no scent description

Smells like faint cedarwood essential oil.

Omen

(Bewitching Brews) - Deep, mysterious, and full of dark portents: oakmoss, juniper berry, myrrh and patchouli.

 

Robin Goodfellow

(Illyria) - Dark musk, moss-covered wood, ragwort, heather, and sage.

 

Sri Lanka

(Wanderlust) - Indian sandalwood and cedar, and the dry incense smoke of olibanum, gum mastic, patchouli and myrrh.

A very dry, woody scent, with just a hint of green and an almost-citrus zing.

 

Ulalume

(Bewitching Brews) - Starry white lilies lend an eerie brightness to the deep black wooded scents of cypress and oak, layered with a touch of crushed dried leaves and the faintest aquatic note.

The lilies in this ended up amping on me, making it too floral. Before that, it smelled very fresh and natural - might work better with your skin.

These are all general catalogue scents that are available in imp-form from the Lab. If you want to try to swap for or buy decants of limited edition and "unimpable" (e.g., Salon, Gaiman, Carnaval Diabolique) scents, I would also recommend:

A Blade of Grass

(2008 LE) - Autumn leaves scattered among blades of grass.

Fresh-cut grass. The smell of summer outdoors.

 

Badger

(2008 LE) - Warm earth, deep-reaching roots, dark myrrh, galangal, and Atlas cedar.

Very similar to

Graveyard Dirt,

with a bit of cedar.

 

Graveyard Dirt

(2005 LE, resurrected 2008) - Pure graveyard dust, spattered with grave loam and dusted lightly with tombstone moss.

Humid, mossy, and mushroomy.

 

Luperci

(Lupercalia LE) - Raw, down and dirty patchouli, Gurjam balsam, and essence of Sampson Root sweetened with the heightened sexuality of beeswax, virile juniper, oakmoss, ambrette seed over honey and East African musk.

 

Meditation in Autumn

(2008 LE) - A desolate scent, dusty, bleak, and withered: old wood, burnt brown sandalwood, and twisted vines.

 

October

(2007 LE) - Dry, cold autumn wind. A rustle of red leaves, a touch of smoke and sap in the air.

This is actually a very bright, fresh, green scent.

 

Samhainophobia

(2006 LE) - Menacing Haitian vetiver, patchouli, and clove with a shock of bourbon geranium, grim oakmoss, and dread-inspiring balsams pierce the innocuous scent of autumn leaves.

Very similar to

October.

ETA: I forgot about Yorick!

Yorick

(Illyria) - Grave dirt, bone, decay, angel's trumpet, and moldering scraps of shroud: the essence of finality.

Edited May 11, 2009 by Apple

[mejuxtaposed]

Hi and welcome. I also recommend Ulalume (although I got a distinct aquatic note on me) totally the Jersey Devil which is spicy tomato leaf and the woods in the summer, and Samhain is all crisp apples over dry leaves and earth. If you want to venture out of the forest a little, Bewitched (Deep, luscious green and berry scents that evoke images of woodland witchcraft and the raw power of nature: blackberry, sage, green tea, wild berries and dark musk.) is like picking blackberries in a field (but not a sunny warm one with the black musk and green tea in it), and Glasgow (The rich scent of wild blackberry breezing over gentle rosy heather.) is a meadow of heather and blackberry but much more green and lush because of the heather. Depraved (A salacious, lecherous, leering scent - dirty and dark, slapped with a wet sweetness. Earthy black patchouli swelling with apricot) is very earthy, I can't wear it because of the apricot. Maybe even the Hespersides (The Hesperides are the Nymphs of the Evening who dwell in a verdant garden located in the Arcadian Mountains, guarded by the terrible three-headed dragon, Ladon. Within their garden lives the tree that bears Hera's sacred Golden Apples. Their perfume is that of sturdy oak bark, dew-kissed leaves, twilight mist and crisp apple.) which is crisp apple and wood. Also I got a distinct mushroom note from the new BPTP LE Motley (Black currant, rhubarb, mushroom, champaca, and myrrh.)

 

I've never tried these but they might be up your alley:

Black Forest - This is the captured scent of a cold, moonless night, lost deep within the darkest wood. Haunting and desolate, this scent evokes images of fairy tale tragedy and half-remembered nightmares. Thick, viscous pine with ambergris, black musk, juniper and cypress.

 

The Potter's Field - Rich loam, fragrant grasses, murky vetiver, wild herbs, and dry cedar bark.

 

Good luck!!

Edited May 11, 2009 by mejuxtaposed

[Kimbernunk]

Nocnitsa. It's all pine trees and night air. Very clean and refreshing and woodsy.

 

If you're willing to deal with apple in with the trees, then the Hesperides and To Autumn (the last one is an LE from last Halloween) are great scents for outdoorsy feelings.

 

ETA: I'd also second Yggdrasil, which is super woody and herbal on me - like stomping on roots and leaves.

 

A couple of other really GREEN scents are Envy, which is super herbal, and Rosalind, which is more grass in the morning than trees. You could probably do a lot with layering to get the exact feel you want.

 

Another scent that doesn't get a ton of love but which screams outdoors to me is Sunflower (one of the salons) - sunflowers are the epitome of the non-floral flower, and the scent smells exactly like the outdoors in August - leafy and slightly burnt.

Edited May 12, 2009 by Kimbernunk

[KatharinaNordh]

Hi.

 

First, I am sorry if this is the wrong forums or if I am perhaps not at all allowed to post things like this here.

 

For several years I have been looking for the perfect perfume/smell and always been let down

 

In reality, it is two smells I am after, both for female users.

 

1.) The first would be something a small, Impish Forest Troll with wild hair and dirty toes would smell like; think deep, dark Scandinavian summer forest, moss, trees, a small stream, minimal sunlight sneaking in through the branches, but yet a clear smell of magic, darkness (but not evil, just ancient and mystical)

 

I am aware this doesn't actually mention Smells as such - but that is the feel I want it to give.

 

2.) The second is that of the Swedish Huldra; the insanely beautiful forest women with fox tail under their skirt and hollow backs, who lure men deeper into the forest with their beauty and gets them helplessly lost; slightly wicked, powerful, self-sure, lustful, alluring and yet very foresty here too.

 

I'm literally about to give up, I am sorry for this post, but I am desperate - does anyone know anything that can help me?

[maproot]

I would suggest Lawn gnome-smells earthy , yet theres a bit of lightness (like a blade of grass instead of just dirt:D

 

But then again, you might want something darker, but for me lawn gnome is an earthy blend like what you describe!

Ive been to scandnavian summer for midsummer, and lawn gnome seems to me tobe trees and earth with a bit of sultry and what you described as earthy! (IMHO)

Edited August 13, 2011 by carwoman

[calivianya]

For the Huldra, I'd suggest Vixen from Ars Amatoria - "Lascivious, flirtatious, and vampy as hell. A true heartbreaker's perfume. The innocence of orange blossom tainted by the beguiling scents of ginger and patchouli." Patchouli is such an earthy smell that it makes this blend very outdoorsy to me, and the ginger adds a spice to the sweetness of the orange blossom. For something more foresty than earthy but still sexy, I'd recommend Bohun Upas from Rappaccini's Garden - "A deceptively tranquil scent: heady fruits, dry bark, and deep green leaves, enveloped by a dark and sinister murk." The fruits are definitely present, but the "dark and sinister murk" makes this scent a lot more than just a fruity scent. If you can get ahold of some Banshee Beat, which was sold through Urban Outfitters but is now sold out, that might be a good fit, too - "A tousled, sexy mix of patchouli, vanilla, and hemp." This can be a little bit hard to find as it's a favorite of a lot of people, but you still see it pop up in sales and swaps.

 

Coyote from Excolo immediately comes to mind for the Forest Troll - "The warmth of doeskin, dry plains grasses and soft, dusty woods warmed by amber and a downy, gentle coat of deep musk." I get more grass than woods from this, but it just smells wild to me.

 

And I'm out of ideas.

[backthatelfup]

Dawn: Cernunnos strikes me as a dark foresty scent, hence why I love it so much

[HighPriestessIce]

I'm seconding the rec for Dawn:Cernnunos. "Terebinth pine, basil, green sandalwood, fig leaf, armoise, lemon balm, cypress, myrrh, black cedar, and juniper." It's a great dark forest smell which is lighter on the pine smells than others. I get more of the deep dark woods and it's a bit airy.

 

If you want something murkier and a little more earthy Yorick is great for that. "Grave dirt, bone, decay, angel's trumpet, and moldering scraps of shroud: the essence of finality"

 

Black Forest is also nice "Thick, viscous pine with ambergris, black musk, juniper and cypress."

 

You might also want to check out the Rappaccini's Garden section too.

 

As for your fox tailed woman:

I think Kumiho could work really well. "Nine-tailed fox demon of Korean lore who transforms into the visage of an irresistible beauty in order to seduce men and lead them to their doom. A sharp, biting blend of crisp white tea and ginger"

 

I also like:

 

Wanton "Palmarosa, red sandalwood, attar of rose, patchouli."

 

Ravenous "Red patchouli sweetened by orange blossom."

 

Bathsheba " carnation, sensual plum, and Arabian musk."

[sunshinedaisybliss]

Hi Asinya

 

Well.. those are both really interesting stories for the smells you're trying to find!

 

I can think of several Limited Edition blends that would probably be just right, but they can be hard to find since they're no longer available.. so I'm going to stick to the general catalogue of BPAL. So let's see - for your impish forest troll, how about:

 

Bayou - A lazy, warm deep green scent with a thick aquatic undertone: Spanish moss, evergreen and cypress with watery blue-green notes and an eddy of hothouse flowers and swamp blooms.

Goblin - black coconut, gnarly patchouli, and sweet benzoin.

Ekhidna - mandrake, dark myrrh, seaweed, swampy moss, black pepper, pimento, opoponax, tobacco absolute, and tarry clove.

And of course.. there's Troll - this is a gruesome blend of ghastly greens and blacks: vetiver, pine pitch, troll musk, black basil, clove smoke, and scorched cumin.

 

For your Swedish Huldra:

Imp - devilishly playful: white peach, amber, golden musk and patchouli.

Nocnista - her scent is that of a lightless fir wood, nighttime air, wet forest mosses and upturned earth.

Bewitched - deep, luscious green and berry scents that evoke images of woodland witchcraft and the raw power of nature: blackberry, sage, green tea, wild berries and dark musk.

Fae - a brilliant, ethereal scent: white musk, bergamot, heliotrope, peach and oakmoss.

The Forest Reverie - a sunlit ancient forest, dotted with wild roses, grape vine, and queenly lilies, clothed in swirls of opium smoke.

 

I'm also thinking that you might enjoy one of the Black Phoenix Trading Post's atmospheric sprays (for scenting your rooms and linens) - Fae Forest: Mist-shrouded woods: Siberian fir needles, white pine bark, aspen leaf, wild lily, bergamot, wood violet, thimbleberry, sun-star, golden bell, snowdrop, heartsease, and bloodroot.

 

I've probably interpreted your request too literally, but perhaps you'll find something amongst those suggestions that will pique your interest

 

Since you're international, to save yourself the cost of shipping from the Lab if you just want to buy imps.. I would suggest looking through the 'For Sale' section here on the forum - you'll find people selling imps at very fair prices and with reasonable postage costs so that's a great way to grab a whole bunch of things to try, without having to spend too much.

 

I hope you find what you're looking for!

 

Edited to mention.. this post would be better in the 'Recommendations' topic - but don't worry, it will get moved by a forum moderator if that's the case

Edited August 13, 2011 by sunshinedaisybliss

[Little Bird]

I'd suggest checking out these:

 

*Fenris Wolf (Diabolus) - "Rosewood, amber, red musk and a dribble of red sandalwood."

*Golden Priapus (Love Potions) - "A truly carnal, energetic men's blend: vanilla and amber with juniper, rosewood and white pine." One of my favorite pine/forest scents, the amber and vanilla sweeten the scent and make it sensual and unisex for me.

*Ochosi (Excolo) - "His ofrenda is the soft shea he shares with Obatala, forest herbs, and sprucewood arrow shafts." I find this to be a sweet, sunny green blend with a sensual softness to it.

*Ranger (RPG) - "Untamed wilderness: buckskin accord with Terebinth pine, Russian birch, black ironwood, elder bark, hay, armoise, juniper, patchouli, galangal root, Spanish moss, and cabreuva."

*Rogue (RPG) - "Soft, well-worn black leather, hemp, and rosin."

*Voodoo (Bewitching Brews) - "A midnight scent, evoking images of flickering golden firelight reflecting off the sheen of glistening skin and the jerking shadows of bodies suffused with spiritual ecstasy. A deep, powerful, resonant blend of myrrh, patchouli, vetiver, lime, vanilla, pine, almond and clove."

 

For earth/dirt scents that are still a bit feminine:

*Death Cap (Rapaccini's Garden) - "A warm, soft, ruddy scent, earthy and mild."

*Destroying Angel (Rapaccini's Garden) - "Papery white notes evoke the grace of this fungi, grounded by thin, crisp soil."

*Penny Dreadful (Bewitching Brews) - "Soft perfume evocative of noir heroines over rich red grave loam."

[patina]

I'd like to suggest Robin Goodfellow for the troll- Black musk, moss-covered wood, heather, and sage. I find it smells like a forest floor. Some people find the sage a little too guyish, but I haven't had that problem.

 

Ranger and Troll might work, but they're not as murky. I tried Bayou, but it was mostly bright flowers and cedar on me. Black forest is good though it's all pine. Omen (patchouli, oakmoss, myrrh, juniper) is another dark forest floor blend, but the juniper is overwhelming and masculine on some people.

 

From the LE's- which you might be able to find on the forum- I think Montauk project would fit, since it has lots of different dark woods and a bit of a spooky forest feel.

 

For the Huldra, someone else suggested Kitsune-Tsuki or Vixen and those fit the theme, though they're not especially foresty. Fae is good too. I've tried The Forest Reverie and was amazed at how much it actually smelled like a sunlit forest, despite the grapes and opium.

Edited August 13, 2011 by patina

[Lorna Brigid]

I would actually suggest

Faunalia for either one of them.

 

FAUNALIA--The scent of a thick, starlit, unspoiled forest, with a burst of wild musk, opobalsamum, black bryony, mandragora, and hemlock.

[KatharinaNordh]

What fantastic people you all are, to be so helpful with this - thank you

 

I'll make a list of the so far suggested ones and read the reviews of users too, and then narrow it down from there to a managageble amount and then comes the ordering and testing

 

Thanks again - this will be so much fun

[KatharinaNordh]

Just as a "whee, excited" update, I read and read and read and then ended up with:

 

Bewitched, Black Forest, Faunalia, Fae, Lawn Gnome, Imp, Vixen, Hollywood Babylon, Black Phoenix, Fenris Wolf, Kitsune-Tsuki, Troll

 

Some of these are, as you can see, not necessarily related to what I asked for, but I decided to treat myself to 2*6 of what you appear to call "Imp's Ears" and wanted to test some different stuff too - I am So looking forward to these now - question though; when I do get them and test them, I'm allowed to write in reviews and be all "whee" or "blurgh" yes?