Velvet

[idoru]

Envelop yourself in the soft, sensual embrace of gentle sandalwood warmed by cocoa vanilla and a veil of deep myrrh.

Wet: My initial reaction was worry -- it reminded me of a "warm vanilla sugar"-type scent, which, blah. Thankfully my nose was off that day, because I've never since thought the same.
Dusky, chocolatey, mild sandalwood.

Dry: Oh, yum. The ESSENCES of cocoa and vanilla [not the sugary foodstuffs] with the dark, biting hint of myrrh, layered over sandalwood. I love putting this in the crooks of my elbows.

Overall: Love. It's a 'close' scent, but it lingers pretty well on my skin -- the lasting impression being more "sweet, dark sandalwood with a hint of something herbal" than the initial cocoa and myrrh, but it's still gorgeous.

This is possibly the first scent devoid of either amber or musk that I've fallen in love with. Wow. Bottle list.

[Honor]

In the bottle, all I smell is cocoa vanilla. This is a good sign for me as sandalwood tends to go nuts on my skin. Not smelling it in the bottle means it may not be strong on me.

 

On skin: Still cocoa, but not so much a cocoa vanilla as just a smooth "milk chocolate" scent. Similar, but different. There's also a waft of sandalwood, which seems to be completely seperate from the chocolate. Hard to describe, but the two aren't blended at all, rather I get a waft of milk chocolate, and then a seperate scent of sandalwood. The sandalwood is threatening to become strong and pencil shaving like...but upon dry down it settles into the soft sandalwood smell that I adore, but can rarely get on my skin. This is the very first scent so far from BPAL w/ sandalwood in it, wherein it doesn't take over and smell like pencil shavings, or worse on me. I was always sad that for some reason BPALs sandalwood didn't like my skin, but finally something works.

 

Throughout the day I get sniffs of chocolate and soft sandalwood, again, the two don't seem to blend, but come seperately, complimenting each other. I was surprised also with the lasting power on this. The throw wasn't great (had to be close to me to smell it, and I couldnt' smell it unless I put my arm to my nose) but it was still evident to some degree on me after being on for 6 hours.

[fountaingrl]

I dearly love this oil. It is one of the best on me and I am so glad that it is GC! In the bottle it is a little tangy and sharp, and wet on skin it smells a bit over-vanilla, but the resins take the blend in hand upon drydown and it only gets better.

 

I love anything with myrrh just about, so Velvet starts with a leg up from the get-go. Pair the myrrh with sandalwood, so that it mellows and softens, for smooth incense-y love. But, this is not a 'head shop' vibe here because of the cocoa and vanilla. The two sweeten up the resins, but somehow don't become too foody.

 

I was so relieved to see that. If you are one of the people who get disappointed by most 'foody' blends, or who wish chocolate notes would work on you but they don't, try this one. On me, bpal cocoa is much better than bpal chocolate. I swapped away the Candy Butcher because it didn't do much on me, and disappeared quickly, but this one becomes deeper and rounder as it mingles with body heat, and lasts all day long on me.

 

Highly recommended, 5 out of 5. I like this one better event than Dorian and maybe just maybe better than O.

[waternight]

In the imp: Sweet, rich, and heavy, but very well-blended. It's difficult for me to pick out any individual notes.

Wet: The cocoa blossoms on my skin, really dark. In a way, it's a non-foody chocolate, though it almost smells like honeyed cocoa. I do get the myrrh, but I get it not as an individual note, more of a deep undertone. The sandalwood doesn't stick out, which is sad, as I adore sandalwood. I'm really loving the wet stage - it reminds me of Anubis, all deep and resiny and sweet and sticky, without being TOO sweet or foody.

Dry: Unfortunately, as this dries, the delicious cocoa fades and is taken over by the myrrh. I was afraid this would happen - myrrh tends to take over a blend on me. I'm not ready to give up on Velvet though - the wet stage really is evocative of "velvet", and it's so gorgeous and sexy. I'll give it a second chance.

[vegasblueblood]

I got this as a frimp from the Lab and I'm really glad I did. It is like a woodsy chocolate. I'm not getting much vanilla yet, mostly cocoa and the woods. I'm hoping the vanilla emerges soon because I think it will add a sweetness to this. This is definitely a warm, dark scent, I'm imagining brown velvet. As I'm writing this, the vanilla is starting to peek through. I love the Beth's blends that contain vanilla--well, I love the majority of Beth's blends--but something about BPAL's vanilla is just gorgeous and unlike most vanillas I've ever smelled. Try this one out, it's very lovely.

[theal8r]

Velvet is my first BPAL purchase and I love it. I have noticed, since moving from Michigan to Florida, that it doesn't smell the same on me any more. It gets an almost sour smell. I don't get it and it makes me so very sad.

[furygrrl]

In the imp: Straight-up cocoa beans - powdery and almost bitter.

 

On wet: Chocolate. Then the sandalwood tries to peek through - not enough to be distinct, though, so I currently smell like a Reese's PB cup, lol!!

 

Drydown: Mmm...starting to get a little sweeter (vanilla), a little woodier (sandalwood), a little smokier (myrrh). Hey you - myrrh - yeah, you! I think you need to calm down a bit, buddy - you're getting to be a tad too acrid for your own good. We really don't want to pull another Priala-fiasco, now do we? I want to amp choco-vanilla-sandalwood, darnit - NOT smouldering erasers.

 

Overall: I still smell...burnt...and somewhat sweet. I am a blackened campfire marshmallow - my charred exterior is hiding all that perfectly edible vanilla goo underneath. Not what I was looking for. I blame this unsatisfying result on wonky-PMS-skin chemistry, and will keep my imp to test again when I am *not* all hormonally unbalanced. At the moment, though, this ranks a majorly disappointing 2/5.

[KaliVerra]

Cocoa and spooky myrrh/sandalwood mix... like a haunted Coco-Puff!!

I put it on at bedtime last night... definitely a good sleepy-time comfort scent.

I loves it!!

[cosmicjellybean]

Velvet:

 

I recieved this as a frimp from the lab, so I'm happy to say that it didn't fail to live up to expectation because I didn't really have any for it to begin with (*cries for snake oil*) In the bottle, it was vaguely vanilla/chocolate-y, but the chocolate was of a non-Hershey's bar variety and I didn't smell anything spicy at all. I can't make the comment that the scent changed a whole lot on me, but that's more due to my own wacky skin chemistry than anything else, so be warned. Once Velvet was actually on, it got pretty foody on me--more of the cocoa and vanilla, very edible, with a hint of the myrrh and sandalwood, although I've read that this isn't the case on other people. I'm not so sure it's an edible foody scent, but I can imagine this scent being expelled from a high-end confectionary factory easily enough. It smells old, but not of old velvet, however. (Maybe that's a good thing, though--old velvet clothing tends to smell absolutely repugnant to me.) Well-aged, I'd say, and in that respect maybe not for everyone. It's almost like the smell you'd encounter in the attic or master bedroom closet full of old-but-still-shiny weird things in your eccentric grandmother's 1910-built house, only minus the old clothing smells.

 

Overall, definitely a three and a half to four out of five. Well-rounded, not too overpowering (that would be most citrus scents for me, gah!), but not enough of my thing to make me go out and get a big bottle. If you like foody scents, I'd say give this one a go.

[TheOneTheyCallLuna]

Okay, so Sandalwood and Cocoa, two of my fav smells ever. In the bottle and on the skin velvet is much subtler and softer than I had anticipated. This is because the two fragrances are perfectly blended and the cocoa is not of the foody chocolatey bloated variety, but rather lends a rich depth...a sultry smoothness...like Billy Holiday's voice. This fragrance is smooth, sultry, subtle, and sexy as hell. It completely lives up to its namesake as it is exactly like soft velvet. I love this scent and wear it on days I want to inject some sultriness in a subtle way. Very well done!

[Dinerdulcinea]

I wanted to love this one. It sounds so delicious. but...

 

*sigh*

 

Maybe it is the myrrh...that note used to be so nice on me...and then...one day...it bitch-slapped me with a sudden sour, powdery awfulness.

[Megara]

In the imp I get the cocoa note, but when I put it on, it goes to pencil shavings and peanut butter (?).... The sandalwood takes over and pretty much runs the show from there, occasionally I get the tiniest impression of coconut.

[Baru]

What i smell - I definitely smell that cocoa. It's super strong but the sandalwood underneath it gives the cocoa kind of a sour/sweet smell. I'm not sure how i'll like it since that cocoa smells so funky.

 

Wet on skin - Cocoa. Cocoa, cocoa, cocoa. There's nothing else i can say. I smell like a giant Hershey Bar.

 

Dry - That cocoa is still so strong. But i'm definitely starting to smell the sandalwood and vanilla in this. The myrrh is kinda there but not as strong as the vanilla that's covering it. But gosh, that cocoa and vanilla blend is something crazy.

 

Overall - I was pleasantly surprised. The cocoa that i smelled at first ended up turning out pretty ok. After a while tho, that vanilla/sandalwood combo smells like a mix between vanilla babypowder and those lipsmacker lip glosses. That's a big thing. It definitely smells like that chocolate lipsmacker. Which is good but i don't know if i really want to smell like a lipsmacker :[

 

However, since this smell is so warm and comfy, i probably will keep this imp and use it again~!

[Lyrical]

In the vial: chocolate and sandalwood. It's both dry and sweet at the same time.

 

Wet on skin: rich yet dry, chocolatey and somewhat smoky.

 

Dry on skin: the chocolate is gone and it's woody, smoky and just a little bit fruity!

 

A week later: this is gorgeous! It's reminiscent of a mug of creamy, spiced hot chocolate! Warm and lovely.

Edited November 6, 2007 by Lyrical

[Jocelyn]

Wet on my skin this smells like bliss does, which is to say it smells strongly of peanut butter. Theres a hint of something herbally, so it's like hippy dippy peanut butter.

After a while it just goes a sort of stinky herbal smell.

I'll probably be swapping this one.

[blacklacestatic]

In the imp: OOOOOOH! The cocoa is sweetly seducing me into putting this on my wrist immediately.

 

Wet:The sandalwood and cocoa combination is wonderful. The sandalwood is the stronger note at first, but you can still smell the sweetness. It's incredible. I hope I can describe this right. The feel of velvet fabric is completely represented in this scent. I'm reminded of wearing it, feeling the soft, luxurious fabric grace my skin.

 

Dry: Um, where it go? I had such high hopes for this one! It faded really quickly. There are still traces, which I keep desperately sniffing for all day. But alas, it's just a faint trace of sweet warmth.

 

Overall: I would give the scent a 4 out of 5, but i really wish it would last longer as it is quite beautiful on me at first

[erraticprophet]

Initial Impression: myrrh, hint of cocoa

 

On Wet: where'd it go? I smell only the barest hint of myrrh.

 

On Dry: gone

 

Final Impression: Damn.

 

Rating (on a scale of 1-5): 1.5

[SarahScent44]

In the imp, this is cocoa lightly backed by myrrh. Very nice.

 

On my skin, it's cocoa and vanilla (which really works for me) - I'm not really smelling the sandalwood and the myrrh has disappeared.

 

When it dries, the cocoa and vanilla blend with the sandalwood myrrh - and I'm not sure they're playing well together. On paper, this should work for me - but on my skin, it's not working. It's very strange. On to someone who will love it like it deserves!

[Juushika]

In the imp: Dry pale powdered cocoa. I don't dawdle over the in-imp smell of this because I love how it smells on me so much, but it's actually quite pleasant and true to the wear scent.

 

On me: A lovely blend of cocoa and sandalwood. The cocoa is the dry powdered dark chocolate, maybe even baker's chocolate--it's not sweet and not foody, but has a rich cocoa scent nonetheless. The sandalwood melts in perfectly, giving the scent a velvet texture—powdery (the powdered cocoa variety, not the baby powder variety), not quite smooth, but minutely textured and very fine. It's quite a subtle scent, but not understated--has a low-to-moderate throw, which makes it perfect for leaning in and smelling deep. It's at once both refined and comforting, the way that chocolate should be. Doesn't change much during wear.

 

Verdict: Both the boyfriend and I love this scent on me. It's comforting, perfect for a chocolate-lover, and it's always a delight to smell—a good thing, as it sticks around a fair while (5-8 hours). The boy's only complaint is that it makes me smell good enough to eat, and I can live with that. This was one of my first purchases from the Lab, and is still one of my favorites. I adore it.

[n3m3sis42]

In the imp:

All I smell is sandalwood.

 

Wet:

Sandalwood with a hint of cocoa. We'll see how this works out... I can wear sandalwood EO, but the Lab's sandalwood note sometimes turns to pencil shavings on me. As this dries down some, I can smell exclusively sandalwood... and then all of a sudden, pickles. PICKLES? That can't be a good thing.

 

Dry:

Wood, and pickles. Nope. Off to the swap pile!

[synestheticheart]

In the imp: Milk chocolate.

Wet on skin: Chocolate and vanilla.

Dry: Sandalwood, vanilla, and a little chocolate.

 

I was immediately turned off by the sweetness of the chocolate when I first opened the imp. I knew before putting this on my skin that I wasn't going out today, hence the reason I chanced applying it. However, I do like the way it smells on my skin now that it's dry. It's a different type of scent than the ones I usually choose. I'm sure it would be very nice if I wore it on a date.

[jwhxtna]

IN THE IMP: Chocolate and sandalwood. Sweet but dry and woody. Huh. I've never smelled the two together before, so it's a bit odd to me.

 

WET: Oh, the chocolate and sandalwood are mixing quite nicely. It smells really luxurious, like I'm lying on velvet sheets.

 

DRY: Mostly sandalwood now. It's still sweetened by the chocolate, but I can't distinguish the actual chocolate note anymore. Not my type of scent, since I don't really go for woodsy. I wish the chocolate note was stronger on me. But I do actually like this, so I'll probably at least keep the imp.

[samarablackcat]

In the imp: I sniffed, and thought, not for me. So I sniffed again and thought...RED VELVET CAKE! I'm not a fan of foodie scents, but I ( not reading the essences), decided to forego my usual impulse (hehehe IMPulse) and give it a shot.

 

Wet: still Red Velvet cake, but not in a bad way, just not me.

 

 

Intial dry: The aroma is reminiSCENT of dry cocoa, just before you start mixing with vanilla and sugar to make brownies.

 

Drydown: OMG! The myrhh is gloriously mixing with with the vanilla and chocolate and this is one of the most pleasant surprises ever. It is a scent that triggers a memory of an ancient temple with wafts of incense rising in the air. And to think, it almost went into the swap pile.

 

I must admit, I have never been a fan of vanilla; I have avoided scents with vanilla because the always turn yucky on me. But the vanilla from Beth is the best!

[scarletgenesis]

I put this on last night after taking a bath, so I had no other scents on me. I just wanted something really comforting and relaxing while I went to sleep.

 

In the bottle: Very rich chocolate.

 

Wet/Once applied: Still a gorgeous chocolate, and something else that smells like clove. In fact, it reminds me of Lush's Skinny Dip a bit.

 

Drydown: Now, in addition to everything else, I'm getting some myrrh, and the smell (or more sensation) of clean, warm, skin. Additionally, there is something else here, almost like a very mild lavendar that is mixing with the cocoa and just smelling lovely.

 

This scent was indeed incredibly comforting and warm. I wish it would have stayed longer, because it was gone in a few hours for the most part. Because of that, I may not get a bottle (but I may change my mind). This would be a great scent for those depressing days I just want to curl up with hot chocolate and eat a bowl of ice cream (diet aid anyone?).

[Honeygirl]

Bottle: Sandalwood and cocoa

 

Wet: Thankfully I don't seem to have the problem that some have with this oil of smelling like pencil shavings. It smells of decadent cocoa dessert with sandalwood incense surrounding it.

 

Drydown: I'm smelling the sandalwood a lot more than the cocoa now. But I still like it!

3.5 outta 5