Thirteen (13): June 2008

[mgrazulis]

In our paean to all the mysteries surrounding this enigmatic number, there are thirteen lucky and unlucky components, including white chocolate, dark chocolate, apple blossom, honeysuckle, frankincense, allspice, nutmeg, black tea, tonka, and sandalwood.

When I open the bottle and take a whiff I get that gorgeous white and dark chocolate, I know I'm in for a smell sensation!! The mix of both is incredible and buttery.

On my skin, the chocolates deepen with the warmth from the tonka and spices and the woodiness from the incenses. The apple is only there for a peek, no honeysuckle for my skin. They are there somewhere in the sweetness, but not out forward. The black tea and chocolates are a wonderful wake-up!!! This is not particularly a foody scent on me--much more like chocolately incense.

I'll be huffing this one for a long time!! I can afford this much more than I can afford trips to Schokolad!!!! Gorgeous....

[sleepingdahlia]

I was really surprised at the dry down, I enjoyed the wet in bottle smell..but now I'm going to have to find a couple bottles to horde. That being said, the review bit. The very first thing I can smell is a really expensive smelling white chocolate followed by a dark powdered cocoa which goes amazingly well with the honeysuckle. The throw is lovely; I can smell it on without it being horribley cloying or a shell of scent in my wake. I can definitely smell the all spice and nutmeg for sure. It's shot to my fav. of the 13s!

[kikithepirate]

YAY! Finally, a BPAL chocolate scent that actually WORKS on me! Boomslang smelled like "old Pepto Bismal" on my skin according to my mom, and Hunger made me feel like I was in a hospital ward. Candy Butcher started to smell like cheap plastic.

 

This 13 is just PERFECT. The way that the chocolate (it's more of a light, dusty cocoa note, really) blends in with the apple blossom is just AMAZING. The apple in Agrat-Baht-Malaht made me naseous, it was so overwhelming and sweet, but here it just makes me want to huff my arm all day. You can tell that there's other stuff in there, because there's something that keeps this scent very grounded - I'm guessing it's the spices and sandalwood, both of which usually take over on my skin, but I can't even pick them out here.

 

This is now going on my "top favorites" list. Which sucks, because I'm going to have to con people out of their bottles, as I only bought one. Woe!

[akw]

This is beautifully blended, and I don't find the chocolate at all over powering or foody. It adds richness and depth to a complex, spicy blend. The sandalwood provides a good base note that carries everything else along.

 

Florals and I don't get along, but the honeysuckle isn't a problem. I'm guessing it may be what gives it a little brightness, but it never veers toward soap.

 

I don't get much tea at all, but I don't buy a lot of tea blends, so maybe I don't know what to look for.

 

Medium throw and long-lasting. By the end (most of a day) I smell primarily tonka, but it's still lovely.

 

Love it!

[Kippy]

Wet - pure chocolate. Bitter dark chocolate.

 

Dry -

 

Chocolate

Chocolate

Choco..

 

bugspray!

 

Chocolate

Chocolate

 

*eyes honeysuckle suspiciously* The bugspray scent doesn't get out of control though, as chocolate is rounding out the edges and keeping whatever it is from leaping out. This will merit a second chance.

[teadragon]

Oh, this is beautiful. I'm not yet good at identifying notes, so do forgive, but I'll give it my best (my first review!).

 

My first sniff in the bottle was almost pure chocolate, but I can pick out the apple now. It's most certainly a blossom, not food; despite loving the smell of apple, I can't stand smelling of apples, so I was worried about this. It's fine. The blossom and other scents round out the chocolate and keep it from being foody.

 

It's strongly chocolate on me, but I don't feel like a bakery. I think I'm getting the spices, but more as a general "spice" to accent the chocolate. I get more apple blossom in the bottle than on the skin. Drydown's a nice cocoa.

 

I was initially worried that it would be too much like El Dia De Reyes, but that's supremely foody and this isn't. They've got a similar feel to the chocolate, but they're very different scents.

 

ETA: Wet, this gives me a blast of strong chocolate throw. Once it's dry, it wears a little closer to the skin, and late drydown has more spice with less chocolate.

Edited June 29, 2008 by teadragon

[beachbabealways]

This is lovely! Yummy without being too foody. My 9 year old 3rd cousin is spending the summer with us and I had put this on and she walked into the kitchen and said ooooh can I have some coffee?? I said "No, and there isn't any anyway" She said "YES there is, I can smell it and it smells delicious" I had to stick my arm under her nose so that she would believe me. What is it with all the kids today?? They think adults are just yankin their chain until you prove that your not.

 

Is it a keeper?? Yes

[Brianne]

This is less foody than the other 13's in my opinion, there is something slightly dryer and more incensey in this version. It's like dry cocoa and a general incense smell backed by the faintest apple scent.

[savage_rose]

This is the most complex 13 on my skin. In the bottle it's CHOCOLATE, and it's my skin, and...there's an immediate rush of something almost medicinal smelling. Then it's chocolate (of a lower case, normal intensity) with a hint of apple blossom. I can smell a bit of the tonka. And a bit of the medicinal smell...wait, is that frankincense? It usually smells like incense on. If that's frankincense in this, it's the undiluted essential oil kinda frankincense.

 

I think this might be my favorite of the 13s just because it's so complex, and is chocolatey without being foody. It's sweet but not off the Glycemic Index sweet. It's the kind of scent someone will smell on you, and will find comforting and intriguing at the same time.

[Lamia]

This reminds me quite a bit of "Wulfric The Wolfman", and "Forbidding Foyer" - chocolate and cognac and vanilla. DELICIOUS!

 

I get no apple, but a companion said "hmmm...caramel?" What smells to her like caramel smells to me like burning sugar, I can see how they're similar.

 

There was, briefly, a blush of something floral, shortly after application, but that wenbt away quickly, leaving only the glorious cognac-y chocolate scent. Divine!

[jizatt]

This starts out all chocolate on me, but then goes through a variety of stages. I get the honeysuckle very distinctly at some points, with a cocoa undertone. The chocolate is still there now, but warm and soft under -- something that I can't quite describe. I do love this one though =) I'm wearing it in a locket for the more chocolaty smell now too -- my skin can't seem to hold on to that part.

[taramarie]

In the bottle, this 13 is all chocolate. Wet on my skin, it's chocolate, apple, and spices. Basically, chocolate and spiced apple cider. As it dries, the apple slowly pushes the chocolate into the background. This is very nice, though not what I was expecting.

[TPOD]

This is my first 13 and it reminds me of Willy Wonka's experimental gum that tasted of all the courses of a complete meal in sequence.

 

Instead of experiencing the top notes that then give way to base notes, I keep getting discrete bits of them all in random rotation. A breath of honeysuckle, a puff of apple, a medicinal little waft of nutmeg and slathers of gorgeous dark melted chocolate. There is also a smoky woodiness that is very lovely and very autumnal. I was surprised to not see more wood in this blend.

 

Thirteen fades on me at mid-day, but I wouldn't mind reapplying this gorgeous scent. And I have a feeling I'm going to need more of this come autumn.

[Suu4LC]

Sniffing this in the bottle, I would describe it as "Omnomnomnomnom."

 

Rich, chocolatey bliss! *swoon*

 

On my skin, the other notes come out-the frankincense, allspice, nutmeg, and sandalwood specifically. These keep this blend a little darker-so that it never ventures too far into sugary chocolate mode. Not getting much apple blossom in this-oh wait-I get a whiff of it here and there...lovely! This is such a gorgeous and complex blend!

 

This stays wonderful on dry down. Rich decadent chocolate and spices-I am so glad I picked up a bottle and am sure this will be a fall/winter staple for me!

Edited July 1, 2008 by Suu4LC

[Stephanie]

This a very dry herbal chocolate. I do smell a bit of fresh apple (blossom?). But overall it's a very dry, herbal scent--overlaid with dark chocolate. I can't detect the spices right now.

 

Definitely more chocolate-y then the previous 13's.

 

Sadly, it seems too bitter on me.

[lostluckkitten]

Ooooooooooooo Iloveit.

 

When I first put this on, it's all chocolate and apples with a hint of spice and it is SO GOOD. Sadly, that phase fades almost immediately. After being bummed for about ten seconds, I get over it and relish in all the lovely combinations that come off of me. It's the same white chocolate note in Pumpkin III (2007), and it's tempered with rich, warm, dark dusted cocoa. The spices make it feel so comforting, and very much like autumn. The nutmeg is obvious, and the sandalwood adds just enough dry-dusty woodiness to keep this from being too rich and sweet. At times, this is almost nutty.

 

On my wrists, this stays dry spiced chocolate. In the crook of my arm where it's warmer and softer skin, the apple blossom and honeysuckle are hanging around.

 

This will be SUCH a good fall/winter blend.

 

ETA: Oh, forgot to say... the boyfriend got "burnt sugar" from this when I put it on.

Edited July 1, 2008 by lostluckkitten

[porcelina]

way less chocolatey than the other 13 i have (the april 07), which is a very dry, spicy cocoa on me. there is a little bit of chocolate here (it's very creamy in the bottle) but what really pops out is the apple. it is a very autumnal scent- apple, wood and spice, with a bit of sugar and some vanilla. it smells like you took a craft store and made a high quality perfume out of it. i enjoy it quite a bit.

[maribouquet]

Chalk it up to a strange combination of misfiring nose and wonky chemistry, but this just smells like chemicals to me. So odd!

[motdakasha]

In the bottle:

Rating: 5

Notes: dark chocolate, honeysuckle, allspice, apple blossom

Comment: Smells so tasty!

Wet on skin:

Rating:

Notes: white chocolate, frankincense, black tea, tonka, sandalwood

Comment: Very delicious smelling, and totally different notes come out on my skin.

Dry on skin:

Rating: 4

Notes: white chocolate, apple blossom, dark chocolate, nutmeg

Scent Intensity: 3

Comment: Very delicious. My only wish is that it had a longer duration.

Misc:

Duration: 2-3 Hrs.

Keyword(s): gourmand

Color: N/A

Smells like: N/A

[Malista]

I got this version because it didn’t have any listed fruit components. Apple blossom doesn’t smell like the fruit, to me. I’ve gotten very tired of the fruity chocolate tone of several of the 13s, and was excited to see one that might not be quite so…sweet and juicy.

 

This 13 does go through stages, but in general it’s the overall impression that stays with me. The floral notes pop in and out, mostly in the throw, but underneath them, closer to the skin, lies cocoa incense, which has to be the combination of the dark chocolate, frankincense, spices, tea, tonka and sandalwood. I love it!

 

The final dry down, a few hours later, is basically white chocolate, which I find cocoa-buttery and bland to the point of being boring (not a fan of white chocolate scent, can you tell? ), but not unwearable; it just smells like I just applied some “natural” hand lotion, and I can live with that until I have a chance to reapply.

[ladyver]

wet on skin: chocolate allspice and nutmeg, & maybe sandlewood, the other notes trying to decide whether they're coming out or not…

drying: ok, here are the flowers and the tonka (just in time to stop me contemplating how it would taste), for a little while something (honeysuckle?) was verging on going soap on me

dry: but not to worry, the chocolate launched a fight back with the incense and sandlewood and it has throw (i can smell it through my jumper) and i amp dried sweet spices. YAY!

 

the flowers, tea and tonka make it lighter, more floral and a touch sweeter(?) than velvet. the tea seems to be playing an important blending role here as i can't decide whether to group it with the choc-spice-incense-sandlewood or the flower elements

[Katherynne]

This is a rich, spicy dark chocolate on me. It smells like straight chocolate in the bottle and once I put it on, it mellows into autumny spices and deliciousness! I love this so much more than I thought I would

I never thought I was very foody but this one does it for me!

 

I'm trying to decide if I want to keep the bottle though, because while I love it, I am uncertain of how often I would wear it. I can see it being divine with Red Lantern though!

[UploadedLobster]

A chocolate-covered strawberry is giving me a manicure. Or maybe she's an apple or a lychee or something; she's an indistinct red fruit, anyway.

 

"Oh, sweetie," she says, busily scrubbing acetone onto my nails. It's strong acetone. "you just can't let yourself expect too much, you know? 'Scuse me." After just a few minutes she takes off the chocolate coat and gets back to work.

 

"I mean you can't get attached. Try it on, sure, but before you know it the spice is gone." She sighs theatrically and starts filing. The dusty scent of nail powder replaces the acetone, and I don't have the heart to tell her that not only is the spice gone, there never was any spice at all.

 

She files and buffs for about five minutes. Frankincense comes in and she waves, but he's just in to get some cuticle creme and doesn't stay long. Ten minutes later, while she's putting a really light nutmeg color on my nails--really really light, it's almost like wearing nothing at all--Sandalwood drops in to wait for his appointment.

 

"All done!" she says.

 

"That didn't take long," I say. Half an hour of work and my nails look almost exactly like they did when I came in. A little smoother and glossier, but that's about it.

 

"Honey," she says, "I told you you can't expect too much."

 

I pay and leave, and as I hurry out I hear her telling Sandalwood that he really just needs to let go. I'm not going back to that salon any time soon.

 

 

Lobster Rating

better than: cat hair in your sandwich

[Andrea912]

Wet: I love cocoa blends so much; while Bliss was a bit plastic, this is authentic. Spices and darkness...

 

Verdict: my body takes well to food notes, especially cocoas; thank goodness the frankinscence and sandalwood is toned down, as my body tends to turn to a head shop when those notes are added; I am i love with this scent!

[Lyrical]

In the bottle: rich, dark, powdery cocoa with incense and spices.

 

Wet on skin: no chocolate at all! I think I can smell tea, frankincense and sandalwood, with lots of rich spice. The cocoa reappears in the background, grounding it beautifully. This is so rich and decadent!

 

Dry on skin: too much frankincense, but warm, dark and spicy, with cocoa powder ever-present in the background. The other 13 I've tried was the one from Oct 2006, and I love that lots, but this is very much darker, richer and spicier. The combination of black tea and cocoa is a little weird, though not unpleasant!

 

Not a lot of throw at the moment. It's strange that I get no apple at all. This isn't foody, despite the chocolate, but all chocoholics should try some!

 

One hours later - where did it go? There's only a trace left! Short wear length on this one! I reapplied and when I woke up in the morning there was a comforting, although unusual, smell on my T-shirt. Unfortunately, I've been itching like mad all day in the areas where I applied 13!

 

Testing again on fabric: the morphing process is very similar to how it was on my skin, perhaps a little milder and sweeter at first - almost foody. Too much incense for me. The jury is still out on this one - I'm hoping it will age well.