Aziraphale

[Magpie]

Ethereal musk, blonde woods, and dusty Bible accord.

I thought I'd reviewed this, but apparently not, so here goes...

In imp: Flat, resiny wood. For some reason, this scent is the colour white, or possibly the pale tan of cut soft wood.

On: Reasonably faint, very gentle and friendly, but sophisticated. Wood-shavings galore, but I don't really get 'booksmell'. However, I have the same reaction to The Buggre Alle This Bible, which just smelled like wood shavings on me, but not as nice as this. Perhaps I just don't get on with the lab's booksmell note?

Pretty, not my favouritist scent in the world, but the boy really really likes it on me. I suppose partly I like much darker, fruitier or more floral scents by default. This smells a bit like pleasant, light cologne in a kind of masculine way, but still nice. Certainly it was a rounder and spicier scent than when I've tried it before, so it seems pretty sensitive to changes in my skin chemistry. I've tried it a few times and was never fully satisfied. Some times it's been totally horrible sandalwood with no respite, so this is certainly an improvement. Something to wear when I'm feeling gentile and melancholy, I think. Perhaps when I'm wearing a waistcoat...

[Dark Alice]

I love this...

 

It smells like clean..nutty..wood. Like the wood on a good table has been polished with a nutty scent. I don't think I can wear it often....but I do love it...

[sirensea]

Aziraphale

 

After buying an imp of Crowley, I went on a mad search for an imp of this, because you can't have one without the other! Finally found one for a reasonable price, and now the two of them are the OTP of my imp box.

 

In the bottle: This is a clean, androgynous scent. Slightly masculine, but with an air of femininity that seems very appropriate for its namesake.

 

On my skin: Again, very clean. Very woodsy. It smells a little of tea leaves. This is a light, airy scent, one that contrasts nicely with Crowley.

[sadtomato]

this is interesting..musky, woodsy, and a little peppery.

it's very light and not very long-lasting, though.

nice scent.

[Eucatastrophe]

Wet: A musky explosion with some woods-yness. I'm a little worried because my body seems to amp cedar and woods in general and the more time that goes by the more wood I smell (to the exclusion of everything else).

 

Dry: The scent seem to be disappearing quickly into my skin. If I stick my nose close enough I still get whispers of... woods.

 

Darn.

 

I wanted to love you, my favorite bookstore-owning angel.

 

 

[voorishsign]

On wet: Wood, wood and more wood. It's not the annoying, artificial Pinesol kind of wood though, more like oak and light pine. On drydown, the musk begins to appear. I can't quite pick up on the bible accord, which makes me very, very sad because it's the part I was looking forward to most of all

 

Aziraphale is a very polite and safe smell, I'd wear it almost anywhere, but whereas other scents I wear usually make me feel bold and confident, this just makes me feel, I don't know, a bit shy and aware that I'm pleasant to be around with if I'm being nice? I have no bloody idea why I wound up ordering two 5mls. I might sell one, because I'll never finish both.

[Sweetie666]

This is probably one of my favorite BPAL scents ever!. Ever, ever. It smells like an old library and dried flowers! Dusty old books and hidden knowledge.

[crebbsgirl]

In the beginning stages, this is predominantly musk and books. As it dries, the woods come out and really smooth the blend out. It hints at a masculine vibe, but I don't find it unwearable. I really like this one alot, it's comforting and bookish.

[donnatron]

Imp: Musk and light woods.

 

Wet: A very strong, cologne-y sort of scent upon application to the skin. What I would classify as masculine.

 

Dry: A clean, light musk. I don't think it's white musk. Maybe blue? Or a combo? Soft wood and a hint of paper. It smells like a less aggressive Dee. I like my Dee aggressive so this is a little too light and discrete for my tastes. The musk is really the dominant note. I almost wonder if there's skin musk in here. The scent altogether is very light and fresh and clean. Like a handsome, well scrubbed man.

 

Throw: Mild.

 

Overall: This is clean, bright and light. It would smell lovely on a man or a woman and is very professional. The woods are very light so if that's scaring you off, don't hesitate to try Aziraphale. Luckily he's not my favourite part of the book so I'm not too disappointed he's not more of a hit on my skin.

[Venneh]

About to start decanting these boys, Aziraphale's on one wrist and Crowley's gonna be on the other soon. In the bottle, I'm definitely getting the woods and dusty books aspect of this. On my skin, this is woods and dusty books first and foremost. We'll see if this changes at all. Ends up being a woodsy musky cologne on me, pretty unisex and perfumy, not really for me.

Edited March 29, 2010 by Venneh

[girasol]

Wow, this was a real morpher on me. In the imp and when wet, it was kind of a nondescript cologney smell, but when it dried it was totally different. Pretty, ethereal - almost floral topnotes, underscored with a faint soapiness (I assume from the musks). Completely not what I expected, but I love it!

[heywilma]

It's like I'm in an antique store! Aziraphale is all wood (heh heh heh. Yes I am a child), freshly shaved. This isn't something I usually wear, but it's so delicious. I like like this, and as we all know, like like can lead to love

[raisin]

Oh, this is gorgeous. I was expecting something a lot drier from the listed notes, but instead get something very fresh and beautiful.

 

It goes on as a very bitter musk that almost immediately fades to the background. Then out come the blonde woods, smelling much more old and loved and polished than I was hoping or expecting. They're gorgeously fragrant. (And nothing like the lumber aisle of Home Depot that I had originally imagined they'd be. It's reminding me more of this mostly wooden, art-deco-era lobby I've been in.)

 

I get the impression of used books if I look for it, and then it's the most gorgeous, beautiful, stunning, idealistic take on "old book" one could imagine, but mostly it's just a very nice, clean, fragrant, fresh woodsy smell, lightly underscored with musk. I'm totally in love with this one.

[Vega]

Sniffed: Clean, dry and very woody, a bit parchment-like.

 

On skin: Oof, Aziraphale is all sharp, dry, pale woods. Light, thin, incisive and bold, almost spicy with sharpness. Perhaps there is a touch of musk and parchment/paper, but this is all woods. It has a dry, forgotten air, like an empty ancient house, albeit one that is clean and airy and brightly lit. Colour impression is a very light brown.

 

Verdict: I was hoping for more parchment, but alas, Aziraphale is all woods and way too masculine for me.

[undream]

it's been some time since i've been testing/wearing/reviewing my beloved bpal oils&imps, and i feel my nose has fallen a bit out of practice as a result, but i will try my best on this, my first back in the foray!

 

aziraphale is. simply. amazing. it smelled a little masculine to me in the imp, but not so masculine as to scare me away (&believe me, i am as feminine as they come). very natural, of the natural world; evening sunlit forests, dust motes, growing things. once on, it sweetens up, becomes more bookish, but there is also a strange dirt(y) note i can't ever identify but always kind of love? else, this is a sweet cedary perfume, a gorgeous ancient&golden dusty scent that i am. so. keeping. ungh.

 

love. love love love. so glad i swapped for this! (thank you angelicreprieve!)

[Balame]

In the Imp: I'm drawing connections (in my mind only) about Azira and Mr. Ibis (which I love). I think it's the "old parchment/book and musk" combo and the fact that they're both favorite characters of mine from Neil Gaiman. Technically speaking Aziraphale should be more woodsy than Ibis is, and... yes and no. It's very delicate and light, not as heavy as I was expecting from the other reviews. Mainly I get very soft (yet almost spicy at the same time) woods and musk.

 

Wet: Interestingly it seems like there's a floral component in this. Hard to describe. Almost minty, but not. Fresh, like night air. Not obnoxious peppermint but dainty and a bit sweet. The woods gently ground things.

 

Dry: Sweet, light cedar and a musk that's both familiar in a human way and more ethereal. The odd mint has left, which is a good thing. Azira actually does remind me of Ibis, but it's more woodsy.

 

Overall: Something about this isn't quite me. This is lovely and delicate enough that it could probably be passed off as someone's natural scent though, which is pretty amazing.

 

*edit* Okay, I changed my mind. Azira seriously switched up his colors with another hour or so of rest. It's actually become stronger over time, which no other oil has done for me (not over the course of an hour, at least). The wood is still delicate but there's something almost creamy about this. Seems sort of like coconut oil to me? No idea but it's freaking GOOD, not generic in any way. I'll be getting more of this after all. A scent this subtle and fantastic is even worth the long drydown. That smooth creamy woods scent is giving me chills in the best possible way.

Edited February 9, 2013 by Balame

[ami226]

On the skin: A perfumy/dusty parchment. This really smells like a spritz of alcohol perfume with a bit of dusty book mixed in. Very strong.

 

Sadly, not for me.

[KissleMeNow]

Aziraphale was a scent I kept wearing going "Maybe this time it will work!", but I have to finally admit that, no, it won't do what I want it to. The predominant smell is wood shavings – which is a scent I like if I'm in a workshop, but not on my person throughout the day. As it dries the musk backs it a bit, and there is a hint of paper, but just a hint. I will age it, and hope it ages well. But until then, no Aziraphale for me. :'(

[Quanta]

Bottle: Oddly sharp, in an unidentifiable sort of way.

 

Wet on skin: Sharp and dusty.

 

Drydown: The sharpness (must be the woods) is being mellowed out by the musk in a very nice way.

 

Dry: This is quite masculine on me so far, not that I mind. Although the musk is sweetening a bit on me, starting to get almost a vanilla note when combined with the woods.

 

It makes me think of Aziraphale in his shop, carrying a stack of old books. I love it, but I might have to layer it with something a little more feminine if I want to wear it out. Or just see how it ages.

[Monster]

Mmm this was firmed to me in a forum purchase

 

This is an incredibly light, masculine wood scent. There's an underlaying sweet yet dusty feeling to this (musk?). I also think I'm detecting bamboo or something else milady aquatic and green.

It stays close to my skin and doesn't have a lot of throw.

 

I love the way this one smells on me but I think it would be better suited for my boyfriend

[ajodasso]

I hadn't expected the wood notes to play well with the musk, but, sure enough, aside from Crowley, this is the only other cologne-like scent I can carry off.

 

If I layer it with Crowley, the effect is deeper and warmer, and it lasts much longer than either of the two does worn solo.

 

(My OTP-to-end-all-OTPs works smashingly even in scent form. IDK, people. Ineffable.)

[JuliskaMarie]

In the imp: Dusty, musky woods, with a hint of old books.

Wet on skin: Similar, but less dusty. More "wet" smelling (the only way I can describe it really!). More like a sapling than dry wood.

Dry on skin: A light, mysterious Sandalwoody-musk with just a hint of dusty old books! I like it!

After a few hours: About the same as dry, only more faded. Kind of like being in a library, actually!

Verdict: This is a very gentle & subtle perfume (I can only smell it when I get close). It's just unusual enough to be interesting, while still being neutral enough to wear in situations where you need to be/feel serious.

[LiberAmoris]

Aziraphale smells like sun on the pages of a book—something warm and musky, something woodsy and dusty. This wears very close to the skin on me, and has a fresh tang to it that comes out after a while that I can't really account for in the notes, but it's nice.

[Teamama]

Bottle from a forum purchase. My daughter squeed when it arrived. I've tested it, and she's right: another musk that smells better on her than me (even though I like the woods.)

 

Her review: "In the bottle, it smells green and nice.

Wet, aggressively DISH SOAP!

Dry, sweet, nice, vagely floral wood and musk. It smells like an antique perfume bottle at Grandma & Grandpa's house. It's Mine (takes bottle.)"

 

Edited to add: Aziraphale layered with Crowley is much better on me than Aziraphale by itself.

Edited September 3, 2016 by Teamama

[unxolve]

Classy and sweet with cedar/wood. Definitely Aziraphale among the bookshelves! Warm. It's really almost a SN wood with a subtle "something" (occasional sweet drifts from a pretty musk?), and it's not too remarkable (as things go) but for some reason I like it!