Inez

[theal8r]

Golden amber, vanilla musk, myrrh, cedar, carnation, and red sandalwood.

This is like a creamy mellow sunshine in the bottle. I want to lick it all over!

Wet: Uhm? Nuts? Creamy nuts? Whu...? Who invited the nuts? I smell like creamy hazlenut coffee. Not in a good way.

dry down: This is so disappointing. I was sure this was going to be a winner from this batch. But now I smell like spoiled milk and hairspray. WTf.

[LunaLovegood]

Inez: Its ok on the bottle, I though I would like it better since people keep raving about it. On my skin it goes incency and foody. Reminds me (but very slightly) of underbed, like a hint of chocolate. Its hard to explain especially since it doesnt have chocolate, but it reminds me (vaguely) of NYC Serendipity's Frozen Hot Chocolate, which is what Underbed smells like to me. I might get a bottle, because its a nice scent, despite the fact that it doesnt wow me.

[sookster]

straight sniff from bottle is peanut buttery, sweet incense....

 

once applied, the myrrh in this is fantastic...the best the lab has to date...with the

amber and vanilla i am in olfactory heaven ...remains very

incense like...amber is to D-I-E for should you be keen on that note...

 

this has great throw and i am in complete awe of the complexity, love and artistic

impression that went into the creation...love absolute!!

[forspecial_plate]

This smelled so, so good for the first half hour or so. I really like the myrrh, and I think the carnation just adds a touch of spice. I was absolutely sure that I would need a bottle. I didn't find it foody, more like woods and resins, and a little spice, and to me the perfect example of gender neutral.

 

After about a half hour, the scent just went flat on me. At that point I mostly smelled vanilla musk, and the other notes just kind of faded into the background. I'm glad I got to try a friend's bottle, and I might have to get a decant for myself, just because that first short while was so incredible, and I'm sad to give up on this scent.

[Athenae]

Inez is the only one of the ladies I wasn't sure about, and it turns out that of my decants, she's the only one I truly adore. All warm myrrh and musk, but not in an animalistic sense. She smells like someone you'd like to get closer to. Bottle list.

 

A.

[Stephanie]

Okay I've been testing this since last night--and I'm still not sure about it.

 

And I got a horrible comment from my husband this morning: As I was applying it, he said it smelled "like pee"!

 

...

 

I don't think it smells like pee--but there is a potent, honey-like note that is very apparent when it's freshly applied. Honey can turn urine-like on me. Maybe the amber used has honey as it's major component?

 

On drydown, it's sweet and soft and a little bitter.

 

I think I like it and I think it will get prettier as it ages. But I think I'm a little traumatized from that pee comment.

[gecko]

Finally one of the ladies I can get into! I apparently have no idea what will work with my chemistry because I thought this one would be too strong but it's well balanced. It starts off like vanilla hazelnut, which I think is caused by the intersection of vanilla musk and the woods. After it dries, I get this carnation-myrrh-vanilla blend over a woodsy base. The carnation is a nice combo of sweet and peppery. It's like my skin but warm and spicy. The husband though it was sexy.

I can see how this would work for men too. On me it's a bit sweet but with male chemistry I bet it would amp more wood/incense. It's not especially girly per se.

[whisperingmachines]

Soap. Pure soap *cries* Why me? It must be the carnation or the cedar. I don't even get hints of anything else- just floral soap. Really weird. The bottle art is beautiful though! I have a feeling that if those two notes weren't in there, it might work better.

 

I just started the red tide this evening, so that may have something to do with it. I'll give it another shot in like a week.

[tativa]

alone, this is way too much carnation (i think i amp it)... but it layers really nicely with other deep woody or ambery scents beautifully!

[filigree_shadow]

I've had this on for about half an hour, and so far I really like it. It feels honey-ish to me without being a honey scent. Sort of thick and smooth like that. The amber and carnation seem to be the most noticeable notes -- the amber might be going a wee bit powdery on me, but mixed with the dry sandalwood I think that's going to be all right.

 

I have a bad history of carnation sometimes going funky on me later in drydown, but when it doesn't do that I tend to enjoy it. I'm holding out that hope that it will stay dark and spicy on me and not descend into funky territory because I like this scent a lot.

 

I'll have to come back in a few hours and update.

 

ETA: Seems to have been fine! Yay!

Edited July 4, 2008 by filigree_shadow

[PurringPulsar]

Inez

 

In the bottle: spicy and foody vanilla. Whoever said ‘cookies’ is dead on!

Wet on skin: ah, now I smell the carnation and amber stepping out of the spicy vanilla!

Dry on skin: ohh, gorgeousness! This smells like the perfect blend of amber, vanilla and carnation! Like a more golden-red Morocco, a gentler Hermia, a spicier Mouse’s Tale, this has elements of some of my favourite BPAL scents in it, but is also fabulous as it is. The vanilla still has a spicy scent to it and also a creamy aspect, but has lost it’s cookie scent. The carnation is strong and red and clove like. The amber is sublime, as usual, and the woods are a perfect background-the cedar is a bit like the one from Aelopile, but not as strong, the sandalwood is more obvious.

After a while: after a short moment of ‘oh noes, it’s getting faint…please don’t leave me’, the scent actually amps up more than before, and smells even more beautiful! now the amber, carnation and vanilla musk have become warmer, richer, more rounded, the scent just glows beautifully off the skin. the sandalwood also joins in, and I think there’s a hint of myrrh. This is magnificent. I’d imagine this would go beautifully with L’Estate (the soap, and probably the other inquisition scents).

The scent then turns into an ambery vanilla-infused Morocco, that same mix of carnation and sandalwood and musk made golden and sweeter. And then the amber becomes a tad stronger and this turns into a sweet amber carnation which is just irresistible. At times the vanilla and sandalwood comes out and this smells like Underpants with amber…in fact, this may be better than Underpants.

Verdict: I love, love, love this one. I think this my new favourite amber-vanilla scent, and I can see it becoming the Snake Charmer of the Grindhouse. It is glowing amber gorgeousness and sweet vanilla cuddliness with spicy carnation and warm woods. It reminds me of Morocco meets Mouse’s Tale meets Underpants, a perfect combination of beautiful notes. The scent is soft but it shines on my skin, radiant and golden-orange-pink like a sunset. It is warm and sweet and sophisticated and comforting and sexy all at once, perfect for all seasons-I love the way it wafts in hot weather, surrounding me in a cloud of sweet amber loveliness, and yet it smells cosy and warm for colder days. It’s hard to pull my nose off my wrist when I wear this…it’s a shame this isn’t GC because I adore it so much, I’m going to have to hoard this scent-two bottles won’t do!

Emoticon rating:

Is it a keeper? Yes and I need multiples!

If you like this, try: Morocco, Mouse’s Long and Sad Tale, Hymn to Proserpine, The Lion, Hermia, Wezwanie/Hold

[Little Bird]

ETA: Most of the lab's Carnaval blends smell completely different if you purchased a bottle when it was first released and then a bottle a year later. I think they must have ran out of components and substituted some. My bottles of Inez and Priala, especially, smell nothing alike if I compare them.

 

My original bottle of Inez is very warm and sweet, with a rich, resinous amber that doesn't turn powdery, a heavy & creamy-sweet vanilla, and gentle, soft wood notes.

 

My later bottles of Priala smell like the dry, sharp musk in a man's cologne plus soap and a very baby powdery amber. It smells cool and clean. Completely different. I hate buying bottles from bpal and then finding out that they've been completely reformulated. The lab should really post notices for these things.... I wasted a lot of money buying backup bottles of Inez, Priala and others that don't smell anything like the original version.

Edited May 8, 2013 by Little Bird

[jesvet]

Wow, I think I am the happiest girl in the world right now. Wet, this smells JUST LIKE Underpants on me. I don't know how the nuttiness translates to saffron on me, but it did. And dry, the nuttiness gives way to the mildly powdery amber that, like others have said, is reminiscent of MLST (which is another favorite.)

 

I'm definitely going for a big bottle and I hope to GOD it is not a significantly different batch than the one I have now from my decant circle, because this is amazing.

[inurbanus]

This is what I wanted Anactoria to smell like. It smells like amber with a little bit of vanilla mixed in. Out of all the ambery BPAL blends that I've tried, I think this one is my favorite. It's not quite as golden as I was expecting. It's darker...more autumnal. I tried this as soon as I got home from work, and even though I'm sitting here in my uniform with my make up rubbed off and my hair frizzy, I feel pretty, sophisticated, and relaxed. Very nice! The only problem I have with this is that it's too soft.

 

4/5

[AmyAngel]

This is how Inez worked for me:

 

Me: Hi!

 

Inez: Hi, and welcome! Would you like some cheese popcorn?

 

Me: Umm... No thank you!

 

*a few minutes later*

 

Inez: How about some kettle corn?

 

Me: Um, thanks, but no.

 

*a few minutes later*

 

Inez: Well, OK then! Bye!

 

*Inez walks away, leaving a faint hint of amber and musk perfume behind under the scent of popcorn*

 

 

This one was not a winner for me, unfortunately.

[lefthandmade]

Mmm yes in the vial and I love all the ingredients but on my skin she was horrible. She is clearly not for me. After a few minutes she went completely sour on my skin. She totally broke my heart.

Oh Inez, how could you...

[NatCatz]

Inez: I smell wonderful in the bottle, put aside your reservations about amber and give me a go..

 

Me: ooh, yes you're right.. You do smell wonderful, so feminine and resin like.

 

Inez: Aha! The joke's on you! *soap soap soap*

 

Stupid skin.

[angelfish323]

*sigh*

 

I had high hopes for Inez. I loves me some spicey carnation. But . . .

 

Well, at first she's pretty. But instead of going "oh my god LOVE" I'm kind of "meh" about her.

 

So I wait.

 

And she morphs a bit.

 

But . . . she becomes woodsy and myrrh or something? I'm failing to remember the other notes. If I inhale too deeply, Inez is almost sharp. She kinda hurts.

 

And, while I can tell my beautiful carnation is still there, she's buried under too much not-for-me goods . . .

[abejita]

I don't know what it is with me and myrrh lately. It sees like anything with myrrh is just extra special good. This is a clingy skin-scent, the kind that sends bursts of scent as your body warms. I get mostly the myrrh/amber/vanilla/wood thing, but it's very warm. Something about it reminds me of the texture and heft of chamois cloth. The spicy carnation adds just the right amount of bite to the whole thing. It's another of my beloved golden scents, with a burst of red from the carnation.

 

I predict that this will work on 1/2 the folks who get it, and they'll be madly in love. I'm one of those people. Try this if you like O, L'Estate, and Haloes. Or try it if you wanted to like any of those, but they just didn't work out on you.

Edited July 7, 2008 by abejita

[butcherbaby]

ah, inez- how do i love thee? enough that i'll be buying at least two bottles!

 

picking this one was pretty much a no brainer, as most of the notes are ones that i love to death. i was not wrong. this smells like candied incense, but without being foody in any way. everything blends perfectly to a delicious sweet, smoky, spicy, and yes VERY SEXY scent. i can imagine it's namesake lounging on a velvet fainting couch, long silk skirts flowing to the floor, hair & bodice slightly disheveled, and langourously picking at fresh ripe fruits & drinking honeyed wine as she waits for her next client. my only question is what such a lovely & wicked courtesan is doing slumming it at the carnival whorehouse instead of seducing courtiers & noblemen.....fulfilling a secret and naughty wish to see how the regular working girl lives, or a convenient hideout after a one of her cunning intrigues failed? we may never know....but we can thank our stars that she's willing to share her most lovely scent with us.

[tarotgirl99]

When this first went on, I thought...light normal perfume.

 

But Inez lasts and lasts and she morphs into sheer loveliness within an hour of application.

 

Damn it, another bottle!

 

***

 

Lasts and lasts and lasts...when I went to bed at 3 a.m., Inez was still going strong and beautiful.

Edited July 8, 2008 by tarotgirl

[HappyLoveJoy]

This smells almost identical to Black Opal on my skin, only Inez is better. They share that sugared vanilla note but where Black Opal has a wet, steamy rock scent blended in, Inez has more of the airy-fresh, clean and pretty creamy lemon-like florals. Even though it's very different from Mouse's L&ST, I can see the comparison because the personalities are very much alike in that they're both ambers that just so darned sweet and gorgeous. Inez is soft like flannel pj's that have just come out of the dryer on a cold night, and just as clean and fresh. I get nothing spicy or resiny but then I can never smell the spices in Morrocco, either. I will search for a bottle so I can slather.

 

*edit for spelling

Edited July 9, 2008 by HappyLoveJoy

[northatlantic]

I was so looking forward to Inez, and she smelled beautifully ambery and cedary in the bottle.

 

Wet: WHOAcarnation Standing and yelling through the microphone on a red sandalwood podium. O...kay.

 

5 minutes later: Still shrieking carnation...and Keri lotion?

 

10 minutes later: Keri lotion.

 

Yeah, no. Inez, how could you do this to me?

[darkblade]

AmyAngel, I'm sorry it didn't work, but your review cracked me up.

 

On a test from the rim of an empty bottle, I got a looot of creaminess with vanilla tones. Agreeing with the cookie assessment. A couple hours later, I'm getting some of the spice. I didn't really get much myrrh, but I need to retest from the actual decant to be sure this is how it will run. (My hands were too bad to open imps this morning.)

[midnight_aeval]

Wow. I know this scent. It's so rare, so familiar, quite lovely. Dare I say it? Storyville?

 

When I apply the two, Inez is less rich, less full-bodied than Storyville. Inez is also a lighter scent in the wet stage... Storyville has a sharpness to it that I would have never picked up on if I wasn't comparing something side-by-side with it.

 

There is almost zero difference between Inez and Storyville in the drydown stage on my skin. I wore Inez in my Clocket today and thought I was wearing Storyville. Inez is a scent for those that love Storyville and Wezwanie/Hold - the common notes are unmistakable.

 

Love x 1million. Must stock up.