Zombi

[blu°]

Dried roses, rose leaf, Spanish moss, oakmoss and deep brown earth.

Ah, Zombi... sometimes it is too harsh for my nose, so I don't wear it all that often these days, but I still love it and cherish the days when I can wear it. It's a lovely, lovely sweet rose note combined with that shroomy dirt note... Slightly green smelling, too. A garden smell, if you wish. Or just something cooling and grounding. It's quite lovely in the hot summer months, actually. ^^

[Geminirubyshoes]

What's this now? A dirt smell that I can actually wear?! I had all but given up even though I love the dirt note in just about all Bpal's, but they have never lasted on me.

I tried this on yesterday at work and bought it within the hour. It's is so haunting and subtle but creepy! I dont really get oakmoss, just dry crumbly dirt and brittle roses. They blend so well together, I love this. The roses get more prominent after about 1/2 hour but the dirt is still there! Yay!

 

ETA for iPhone spelling typo fail.

Edited February 16, 2011 by Duskinhereyes

[RhinestoneHousewife]

Mostly dirt, mushroomy and rose smelling goodness. Then I amp the rose and it takes over. Too much rose for me, unfortunately.

[innocentlyscentwilled]

Yay! First review.

 

Alright so I received my first BPAL order ever today and just had to try one, lucky the frimp I got was on that I was really interested in so I decided to try it out.

 

Bottle: The first whiff of this and I instantly think cleaner, I was a little sad about that because I was hoping it wasn't so. But I figured since I'm new might as well dive in without holding back.

 

Wet:I almost immediate smell what I'm going to say is the spanish moss, very wet smelling almost like after a rain storm. And the same cleaner smell so now I'm thinking hmm, what else could go wrong with this.

 

Dry down: I swear it only took a minute for the smell of brown dirt to peek it's way through, finally getting rid of the cleaner smell and a small amount of wet rose leaves starts to form, faint but nice.

 

Dry:At last a small amount of roses sticks through the strange journey of smells that have hit my wrist. Still the strong smell of spanish moss, with a warmer touch of the dirt smell.

 

Final thoughts: This scent was definitely a journey for my senses, it went from unsure and sad to warm and nice. It's not a scent that I would usually wear because of how earthy it is, but I might on occasion just slip it on to enjoy. Out of 10 I rate this smell 5.

Edited March 4, 2011 by innocentlyscentwilled

[frecklestars]

In the bottle: dirt and dry moss. the dirt is cake-like, very thick and a little moist. the rose is subtle at best, very much the leaves rather than the petals. reminds me of an early, shy spring, with pouring mournful rain.

 

On my skin: more thick dirt, and the roses come out more strongly on me, like someone finally decided to let go of petals that had been crushed in their hand. as it dries, it heads towards a more traditional rose, a la The Peacock Queen. still dirty though, like you tore the plant out by the roots.

 

Last thoughts: I like the roses and dirt combination, if only because it's unexpected. the moss keeps it from being too moist, and both the moss and dirt do a good job at not letting the rose sweetness get overpowering. leaning towards an even higher rating (i.e. four stars), but the staying power leaves something to be desired.

[Monday]

In the imp: Argh mildew! Alright this is my first encounter with the infamous dirt note, will try again. Actually it's more of a freshly tilled earth scent.

Wet: Lots of dirt and a bit of rose coming through.

Dry: The moss is making an entrance and the rose is amping up the dirt note is still very prominent.

 

I'll have to see if this is actually wearable.

[imaginepageant]

In the Vial: I smell pretty much everything listed: dried roses, leaves, moss, and soil. The soil is the most surprising part - it's so nice! It gives a nice earthiness to the roses, which usually don't impress me. This smells like shopping in a gardening center at the start of summer.

 

Wet: Oh, no. The roses are doing their usual thing - blocking out every other scent while turning into a powdery soap. I can just barely still smell the soil.

 

Dry: Rose, rose, rose, rose, rose. Oh, and rose. It is a little darker than most rose blends I've tried, though. So I'll give it that.

 

An Hour Later: Yep, pure, soapy, powdery rose.

 

Overall: So I guess my skin's penchance for amping rose notes hasn't gone away over the past five years. Good to know. Goodbye, Zombi! How I wish I could have loved you.

[virusq]

I don't like dirt or roses, so I got this one for my sister. Here is her review:

 

BOTTLE: Floral. Kinda soapy.

 

WET: Wet dirt. I don't know what kind of dirt it smells like. I don't think I would classify it as graveyard dirt. I don't know what graveyard dirt smells like, though. Maybe I should go around sniffing graveyard dirt. Anyway. It's like potting soil. The mineral enriched kind. It has kind of a green smell, though. Like fresh dirt. Good fresh dirt.

 

DRY: Smells like crushed roses. No more dirt. I liked the dirt. I bet this would layer well...

[Cheeks1206]

This is all roses all the time on me! I honestly didn't get any dirt or oakmoss at all. This is my first rose BPAL, so I'm not sure if it's that I amp roses or if the dirt or oakmoss that just doesn't work for me. This is in my swap pile, but I may give it one more try.

[KittyHawk]

Words can't express how excited I was to try Zombi. Unfortunately, I have yet to do more than sniff because it's just too much for my super-sensitive olfactory nerves. It's so strong to my nose, in fact, that I had gotten a teensy bit on my finger as I was opening the imp and it's all I could smell ALL DAY. It overpowered everything and I couldn't wash it off, even with repeat scrubbings. I can tell it's a lovely and unusual scent, but for the time being at least, my nose won't allow it on my skin. It was instantly headache-inducing.

 

But I am a persistent lass and will keep trying! I'm going to skin test this come hell or high water.

 

ETA--In the imp, it was a bushel of roses tossed in dirt and let to wither. I understand why many find this scent soothing.

Edited July 26, 2011 by KittyHawk

[starfish327]

periodically there are blends that just shouldn't work, and almost don't get tested because all of the notes just shouldn't work. they almost never work. even with blends where rose doesn't go rancid on me, i tend to just not like it, and dirt's really hit or miss. i'm not familiar with moss as a note but it sounds green and green and i don't play well together.

 

except that zombi works, and it works in a really big way. the only downside is that it is a fairly potent blend and i always forget that when i first apply it. oops.

 

in the imp it's very much classic bpal rose and dirt.

 

on the skin it starts to alternate what's amping and when, so that sometimes the rose is forward and sometimes the dirt's forward. there is definitely a green element there in the background.

 

there's a public rose garden in buffalo where a lot of people get married. it's next to one of my favorite sections of my favorite parks in the city. this smells like that- it smells like late season rose garden where things are starting to wind down.

[DeCuvieri]

I really, really wanted to like Zombi because most BPAL florals go plasticky on me, and rose seems to be the only thing that works. Plus, ask any of my friends or look around in my personal space and it'll become obvious that I have a thing for zombies. Unfortunately I find this blend to be so harsh that I can't really see myself wearing it. There's almost a chemical quality that persists well into the dry down. The dirt and rose would be so lovely without the 'cleaner' trait ruining things. It's much the same problem I had with Embalming Fluid.

 

I'll hang on to my imp and hope that I come around, but I can't say I'm overly fond of Zombi of right now.

[TurpentineChai]

Decided to give this one another try today after a holding the imp for a few years but never deciding if I liked it or not.

 

And damn, I still don't know. Its so lovely to smell, all dirt and wilted roses but something about my skin picks up a surprising amount of "decay". Like feel it in the back of my mouth foulness just behind it all. Makes sense with the name, but I'm unsure if its something I want to smell like. I'm just recovering from a rough flu so I could be "off" on my skin/smelling. I want to love this.

 

My boyfriend and I went for a walk around town when I was wearing it and I learned it has quite a throw on me when he pointed out that "you can tell its fall when everything smells like dry leaves and dying flowers" before realizing it was me. It definitely smells more autumn on me then Samhain ever has.

[iamzuul]

Out of the bottle: First impression - OH MY GAWD IT SMELLS LIKE DIRT. After this initial spazing I calm down and try to identify the scents. This most definitely smells like dark, rich loam - not the kind of dirt you often find down here in Florida. It's the kind of good, earthy decay you smell after you scrap back the thick layer of half-crumbled leaves at the base of a tree, down to the dark, cool, loose and earth-wormy dirt beneath. None of that gross wet decay most people associate with rotting vegetables. No, this is like fresh wet grass clippings and the kind of dirt you just want to stick your hands in. (yes, i am a gardener, why do you ask?)

 

The green-ness of the scent is probably from the rose leaf, the hint of sharpness that isn't quite as acidic as pine needles probably from the spanish moss. (i now have an over-whelming desire to comb my campus for spanish moss so I can huff it and be sure.) I really don't detect any sweetness from the rose, but that's probably because they're 'dried' roses - the sweetness of a fresh rose would probably ruin the scent and tip it over into the sweetly gross decay of vegetables. That or I'm just not very sensitive to rose scents.

 

Right after application: I put a thick line on each wrist and rubbed together. I also put a swirl in the hollow of my throat. The throw is thick and delicious - again with the fresh grass clippings and dark earth. My partner is too congested to give me an opinion, but my cat seems torn between 'get that away from me' and 'meh'.

 

One hour later: On my way to work I stop by a kwik king where the grass is being cut, and it does not in fact smell at all like what I'm associating with cut grass in this scent. It must be the rose leaves. It definitely has a sharp, green odor that makes me think of greenery, but it isn't as readily identifyable as say tomato or cucumber/squash leaves. There is a rose near the apartment office where I work; I'll have to huff it along with the spanish moss to be sure. The throw is still apparent enough that I can pick up the green scent just sitting still - my mouth waters in a way that has nothing to do with food, but rather with the desire to go outside into the cool shade and roll around on the grass and clover. Why did they name this Zombi, anyway? It smells too good to smell like a zombie!!

 

Four hours later: Man, my skin just eats these things up. By the time the first hour is up there's barely any throw at all, and by four I can barely smell it even on my wrists. It is still lovely and green though, when I can catch a wiff. I guess I'll just have to carry imps around for touchups or something.

 

Final impression: OH MY GAWD IT SMELLS LIKE DIRT. This is amazing, but at the same time kind of saddening; very little in Florida smells like this, and it makes me miss Washington (state) something awful. This is absolutely positively going on my wishlist, but I'm torn between wearing it and using it as a room scent. If I were to pick an occasion to wear this, oddly enough I think of a funeral - not because the dead might rise, but more because this strikes me as a wistful scent. Not quite joyful, but not quite full-on mourning. Dang I love this scent. Dang you maoric for dragging me to bpal!

[OctoberGwen]

Zombi nails it: so creepy and disturbing, I can't wear it.

[Fjaer]

In the imp: this smells like tangy potpouri, not entirely unpleasant, that's just what it reminds me of.

 

Wet on skin: it's interesting, still really tangy. There's that unmistakable dirt note in there, along with sharp, tangy rose. Zombi seems like a really fitting name! If a girl zombie waltzed into a party, I can imagine her smelling like this!

It's like heat dried roses sitting next to a grave that someone's just clawed their way out of.

 

Drying: It's mellowing out quite a bit. The notes haven't changed though.

 

Overall I do like this, I love the idea of dirt scents, though this one isn't really me. It's a really evocative scent, wont get a full bottle, but I'm sure I'll use the imp from time to time

[Drae]

In the imp: Earthy yet clean, with a subtle lemon-like note. Very quiet and peaceful.

Wet on Skin: Fragile rose starts to come out. They are dried roses, but they're cut with a freshness which I'm guessing is the mosses. It still remains slightly astringent with the lemonyish note (I'm not familiar with the scent of the mosses so maybe that's where I'm getting lemon from)

Dry: The astringency is gone as well as the earthy/dirt note and this is a lovely, light wispy rose, I adore it

 

Verdict: I jumped the gun on ebay when bidding on my first ever bpal scents, and after 7 fails this is finally one that I would wear, it's absolutely lovely and understated and fresh. I'm in love with the rose in it and kicking myself for not getting imps of Seance and Alice in my order last week.

 

ETA: After 2 hours the moss and dirt have returned and eaten up all the roses. The scent on my wrist is sort of...funky, for lack of a better word, and it's not as pretty as the initial drydown. This oil truly lives up to it's name and is a bit unsettling. I had put some of it behind my ears, and went to sleep and lo and behold, I dreamt of zombies

Edited November 24, 2011 by Drae

[stellamaris]

I have sort of a Lyrics Tourettes, meaning some things make certain lyrics jump into my head, and then I have to play the whole song. For instance, my imp of Zombi over here, so happy to get this frimp, I have been wanting to try it! I will have to retest, as I did not get the dirt thing, just flowers, flowers, and more flowers, and a bit of that murky thing like Bayou and "Do you like to take a yo yo for a ride? Zombi I can see you're qualified, you Zombi be born again my friend, won't you sign in stranger" curtosey of Donald Fagan et al.

[bibzerneth]

I first tried Zombi as an imp. Wet it had a sickenly sweet smell of rotting flowers that kind of gagged me but after it dried it smelled like roses and dirt, which is what I really wanted. I LOVED it!

I used up my imp right away and then eventually I ordered a bottle, but, sadly my bottle only smells like roses, no fleeting scent of decay and NO DIRT! The rose smell is quite lovely but I really wanted the dirt smell.

Has anyone else had this experience with Zombi? I'm so bummed. I've abandoned it to the back of my sock drawer and hopefully the dirt will make an appearance with age.

[ResinManiac]

I don't really like dirt very much but I'm obligated to try every frimp, so here it goes:

 

Bottle- Like Deep In Earth, just more rosy.

 

Throw- I don't get any mosses at all, just an old ladyish rose.

 

Drydown- Pretty in a way, but not in my way. I just don't have a thing for dirt/patchouli.

[TheHuman]

It smells exactly as you would expect it to smell; of roses and dirt. A bit musty. But there is a sweetness here that takes over on my skin.

[yuniper]

Smells like a bunch of roses in a vase that has been standing around for too long. A gentle rose scent combined with the smell of rotting flowers.

[hexnut]

ZOMBI

 

In Vitro Roses.

 

Wet When freshly applied I smelled roses with something mildly spicy underneath. After two minutes the "spice" was gone leaving roses only.

 

Drying Perfume-type, not-dead roses that lasted for another three hours before fading away.

 

I am of two minds on this oil. My mature self accepts this as a perfectly respectable rose perfume, but the petulant inner child is having none of it. "Where's my dirt? I wanted dirt!" Ah well, i'm keeping the imp regardless as maybe the soil and moss will come out later.

 

3

[Gnostril Probostril]

At first, all I could smell in the vial or on my skin was grass. A shrill grass note, very accurate, interesting but too piquant to wear much during a season of sneezing. Of course, I was pretty sure my sneezing had nothing to do with the Zombi, but the association bothered me. I've had the sample for a few weeks now, and when I opened it Saturday the grass note was no longer noticeable.

 

Left was a garden smell and a dirt smell, all of it sweet but none of it sharp and cloying like, for example, narcissus. It was sweet in a plausible way. It had a depth and subtlety. Others have said it's like dried roses; I would say it's like a real rose with the high notes suppressed, so all that's left is a deep plantlike warmth from the heart of the flower.

 

My mother noticed it in the car and said it was "very nice," and when I asked her to describe it she said, "It's like a musk." (Neither of us are great connoisseurs of perfume. My mother puts on lipstick twice a year, and a dress once every two years.) I said, "It's supposed to be like flowers and dirt." She said, "Hmmm... maybe flowers."

"But not too sweet, right?"

"No, it's very nice."

 

At the train station I sat, in my trench coat, beside a woman with her arms and legs exposed. I was sweating and the perfume was blossoming on my skin. She wore a different, more obvious fragrance and I wondered whether she could smell mine, and whether I should view this as a dialog or a battle. I wanted to ask her whether she could smell my perfume, but in retrospect it probably would have been fruitless because she is a slatherer whose nose must be just as dull as mine. Some whiny-voiced kid kept asking the woman dumb questions about the train schedule, and I thought, "He's paying attention to her because her limbs are naked, and it's fortunate that he can't really see me."

 

A good five or six hours later I wound up in a dive bar, but was relieved to find there was an excellent DJ. Dancing to Christian Death, Ween, and Lords of the New Church (And who has heard Lords of the New Church in public during the last ten years?), I was wrapped in the smell of myself and aspects of a garden. The fragrance was protecting my inward-ness and giving substance to the air around me. I eventually asked the dude I'd come with what he thought of my perfume. He said, "I can smell it from here. It blends with your natural scent. I wasn't sure you were wearing perfume at all."

"What's it like?"

"Kind of sweet. Hard to say; I really like it."

I had been repelling advances from this person for the better part of a year, so I tried to handle this delicately: "It's supposed to smell like dirt."

"You do NOT smell like dirt."

"I don't know; it smells kind of like dirt and flowers to me. But I guess I can't tell what it's like from a few feet away."

"No, you can't smell it because you're inside of it."

"Shit! I need to get someone else to wear my perfumes."

"It's no good; some of it is your smell."

"I will never know what any of my perfumes smell like!"

"It's no good; you will never know."

 

So I was left with the troubling thought that Zombi could lend itself to the corrupt use of persuasively and secretly enhancing one's natural fragrance. At the end of the night my friend told me he'd been with a girl whose sweat smelled very sweet and pleasant, but she'd always denied wearing perfume. Eventually he'd detected the same scent... on another woman!

My friend's stories about women often end with a note of traumatic disillusionment.

 

So, this perfume is a hit with my mother, my old pal, and presumably with other people. It's like a haircut that disappointed you, but everyone else thought was a drastic improvement over the green and black mullet. Everything I choose for myself is like a green and black mullet. By promises of grave dirt and undeath, I have been fooled into wearing a sophisticated and subtle perfume which makes me seem like a lovely young woman.

Just not sure how I feel about this.

 

Two other thoughts:

 

Zombi meets several important criteria. For one, it has a good throw. A perfume you can only smell by putting your nose to your wrist is hardly a perfume.

 

This is one of the few fragrances I like, so far, which could be considered diurnal. I love Sloth but feel stupid putting it on in the morning, and it has to fight the day. It's trying to create its special atmosphere of carefully researched perversion, and the brightness of noon is separating the sweetness from the spices, making it incoherent.

Not so with Zombi, which has a combined darkness and lightness, and is not in some kind of fundamental opposition to the concept of daylight.

Edited May 21, 2012 by Gnostril Probostril

[holborne]

Ok, I'm going to just cut right to the chase: this one smelled like rotting vegetables on me. (Sorry, I can't be more specific than that -- cucumber skins, maybe?). It's only the second BPAL where after putting it on, I squeaked and ran to the bathroom to scrub it off. (The other was Saturnalia, if you're interested.)

 

Nuh-uh. DO. NOT. LIKE.