Othello

[pensive]

Arabian musk with two roses and a bevy of Middle Eastern and Indian spices.

In the imp: Roses
On me: Roses
Drydown: Roses. Where's the spice?
Verdict: Well I just don't know about this one. I may keep the imp for a while.

[dreadeddragon]

In the bottle: I can pick out the rose & musk if I search for them, but it's giving off an almost nauseating initial scent. I hope it doesn't translate to skin.

 

First on: The nauseating smell isn't there, but it still reminds me of something. I can't place it though! It's lovely roses without being too dominating, with the musk to give it a kick.

 

Drydown: The musk has mostly gone away, leaving this an almost soapy rose. There's a bit of spice, but it's a carnation type of spice, and it's very faint. zzi like it, but I somehow doubt I'll wear it.

[Tesseljoan]

Is Othello a men's scent? Because to me, it is a crisp rose for the first three hours. Later on, I can smell the musk more then anything, but it is remains a clean scent. Very light too, it doesn't have a lot of throw.

[Celogrl]

This little imp of Othello was a gift from the lab, and I thought to myself, being Saturday night and all, and my honey and I were both home together that we both could wear it and see what the evening brings!

 

I have to say that Othello smelled lovely on me, but it made my husband completely deliciously scented! We both got *some* rose from this, but it's not too floral at all. The spices ground it quite a bit, and it is a sensual, slightly heavy fragrance. As always, beautifully crafted; highly wearable.

[malanna]

White roses with some pale musk and a bit of spice to keep the roses from really being all rose-y and everything. This just makes me think of what the bedsheets of a young, mother in a lovely English estate would smell like. The throw on this is pretty big. After several hours, the scent gets softer and sweeter and more wearable. It's not so spicy and the rose, which wasn't very detectable begin with, doesn't stick out anymore, but just blends in with everything.

[joseybird]

A very traditional, very beautiful rose perfume muted by the musk (which is more of a texture in this blend than its own scent) and a hint of spice. Sensual, exotic, and to my nose very feminine (although I can see the right guy pulling this off).

[gangstaknitta]

In bottle: this is a very "purple" scent--dark and fruity

 

Wet: still very purple-fruity, but not sweet. I'm not getting many spices at all, maybe faintly in the background.

 

Dry: it cleans up a lot on the dry-down, and smells a little like dryer sheets. But the good news is that the rose didn't go powdery on me. Now if I can only figure out which kind of rose...

[Hawke]

Another 5ml purchase unsniffed. I bought it for the spices, before I knew rose didn't work on me.

 

In the bottle: I'm getting floral, though I don't specifically get rose. Almost a commercial smell, with the alcohol bite. And on exhale, powder. This might not work.

 

Wet: Very very floral, but still no rose, interesting. Not as commercial and girly (despite the fact that it's Othello, who's about as far from girly as one gets) but a floral that I don't mind, really.

 

Drydown: It just keeps mellowing and fading, until I'm getting the occasional whiff but nothing solid.

 

Dry: Well, it's pretty much soaked into my skin. I have to put my nose right against my wrist to smell this lovely musky-spicy-notreallyfloralatallanymore scent. Which, some people might not like, but as far as florals go, this works for me. The rose never did appear, so maybe rose scents aren't an automatic no for me.

[Little Bird]

Othello is very perfumey and acrid on me (I'm blaming the musk). It smells sort of like burnt roses, cheap hairspray, and an oddly dirty spice. It makes my stomach churn. I've had bad experiences with "arabian musk" in the past. Musk usually just makes me think of cheap hairspray when it hits my skin. And it's *so* strong.

 

Othello, sadly, is another Illyria blend that just doesn't work on me at all...

[Freyja Lux]

Hmm... smells like generic mall perfume to me. But I react poorly to rose and often associate it with traditionally feminine, mainstream perfumes. The musk is detectable and nice, but I don't find this spicy at all. Rose and musk. Bland to my nose.

[sarada]

I like most of Beth's musks...I like some roses...I like Middle Eastern and Indian spices...

 

This smells like perfumey rose in the imp though, with a heady undercurrent of spices like those in Scherezade. Worth a try...

 

At first I think I might like it, as the Scherezade-like spices come out (but without that marvellous red musk). Very quickly though things go bad and this is a very strong, cologney/perfumey blend on me that makes me feel sick to my stomach.

 

I need to get the perfumey smell out of my nose. What a shame! You never know what's going to work and what isn't.

[LyndaM]

I'm really liking Othello. I'm on a roll of very good luck trying new BPAL blends.

 

For some reason, every Arabian musk note I have tried blends right in with my natural scent, and I love that effect here. Othello is very smooth, with the rose and musk blending beautifully, and I just get the barest whiff of the spices. It becomes a skin scent due to the way Arabian musk behaves on me, so it doesn't have the 'perfumey' feel that others are experiencing.

 

I almost always love rose blends, and this is no exception; Othello just agrees with me all the way around. The musk adds depth. To me, this is a richly feminine scent, and I can't even imagine it on a boy. The rose note seems similar to the Love in the Asylum rose (lurve!) to my nose. I swapped for 5ml of this, and I'm happy to have it. I'll certainly buy more when I run out.

[Oio]

Othello

 

In the imp: Beautiful, slightly sharp, rich floral over a soft musky powder base. Certainly not a masculine scent.

 

Wet on skin: Powder, with slight rose over it.

 

Drydown: Roses bloom, something very like vanilla glows at the base, and a soft musk embraces it all. Something sparkling like peach or plum is also faintly glimmering. Absolutely lovely. After a while, the roses fade, but the delicious vanilla-y musk lingers. I smell delicious.

 

Conclusion: Not a lot of throw, and lasts only a few hours. But, no matter. My first Big Bottle purchase has made itself known. I love this scent.

[grrrlennyl]

at first: the lab tossed this in with my order. tons of spices with a base of lovely roses.

on: very spicy with a rosy background. very, very pretty.

half an hour later: very spicy, with a lovely dusty rose.

1.5 hours later: a bit soapy, but not too bad. lovely rose and spices, and the musk is finally coming out. yay!

2 hours later: mostly sweet musk, with the slightest hint of roses and spices.

3 hours later: musky and spicy.

overall: i absolutely adore this. if i ever run out of it (and my dear rose red), i'll be getting a bottle.

[misfitroxy]

I've been reading for a while now about Othello's place as *the* non-LE rose scent. Since I'm all about roses, of course I had to give it a test.

 

It presents a dark, deep rose on my skin, almost soapy in its richness. The musk isn't distinct to me, but it's evident, as the rose notes are unlike any other that I've tested.

 

I'm unsure what else I could add in an attempt to describe this oil. I think it's truly unisex in its complexity. And very striking. It's not the kind of fragrance I'd be inclined to pull out day-to-day, but since it is a beautiful rose, it's certainly a keeper.

[Aredhel]

Rating (on skin): 1/5

Summarised in a word or two: Rose!

 

In the imp/bottle: Musky rose with just a hint of something spicy.

 

On skin, wet: This does a strange tingly thing to my nose. Perfumey and very rosy. I get faint spices, but nothing remarkable. This seems a so-so blend, but it's very... bland.

 

On skin, dry: Rose. Musky roses of two distinct varieties, but rose all the same. I'm not a fan of rose, so this isn't impressing me.

 

Conclusion: I didn't have much hope for thise one, with its promises of rose, and I wasn't surprised by the result. The imp will find a new home, I'm sure.

[Emu Nymph]

This one was one I've wanted ever since I found BPAL but I'd been passing it up. I finally broke down and bought an imp. I was hoping it would smell sort of like Scherezade.

 

Well I was much suprised it was nothing like Scherezade, which made me rather sad. It was a lot sweeter. But the rose wasn't over bowering though wich made me happy. I think this one will be one that I keep an imp of but not a whole bottle of.

[GemmaCat]

I have a cold, so I'm probably not picking up all the complexities of scents today. That said. . .

 

In the bottle this smells very masculine; sharp and a little sweet and tangy.

 

On my skin it's much more gender neutral. I can smell the spice but it's subdued, leaving a fresh rose scent that is really quite beautiful. These aren't sweet roses for ladies, however, they're deeper, duskier, and very sensual.

 

This smells amazingly sexy on me, and I can't wait to see what it's like on my fiance!

[Heretic]

In the Vial: Sweet and a bit powdery with a little something dark lurking beneath the surface.

 

On my wrist, wet: This smells surprisingly like Dior's original Poison on me, not what I would consider a masculine scent, and one that never quite agreed with me because it always turned sickeningly sweet and strong. The spicy note and the powdery musk in Othello is coming out a little more than in the vial. Nice.

After 20 minutes: Oh my. This is absolutely divine. This is what rose should smell like. The sweetness has dissipated leaving a musky, spicy background on which sits this gorgeous and somewhat melancholy deep red rose. I think this is a very sexy gender neutral scent, and I envision the man who can pull this off as being incredibly masculine and strong without being brash and brawny. Hot damn, bring him!

 

After an hour: Othello has faded down to a very intimate scent without a lot of throw. After the initial drydown on my wrist, I put a little behind my ears. If I can figure out a way to nuzzle my own neck, by golly, I'll do it! This is a big bottle purchase for me. Perfect!

 

ETA: I need to put some of this on Clive Owen and see how it wears. Yes, I think he'd do just fine in Othello.

Edited January 26, 2006 by Heretic

[Scarlettfish]

I can see where the comparisons to Dior's Poison are coming from...this is musky and sexy and dark in the same way.

 

I love Othello. On me, it is a very sexy, spicy, musky rose. Really exotic and gorgeous. It doesn't smell particularly masculine to me, but I do think either gender could wear it. Spicy scents are usually disastrous on me, but this one works beautifully. Even the musk is behaving itself! This is a very sexy, slinky scent and once again I am amazed by the variety of BPAL rose scents.

[Miss Lynx]

Wow. This is supposed to be a men's scent?

 

Rose. Rose rose rose rose ROSE! I guess it would be OK for a man who was obsessed with roses (don't laugh, I know one). On me, though, it smells pretty damn girly. I suppose it's my skin amping up the florals again.

 

Very similar to Spellbound, actually. Roses over musk, though with a little touch of spice as well. Once it dries down enough for the rose onslaught to fade and the musk and spice to make themselves known, it's quite pretty, but man, this is some seriously rosy stuff.

 

Grade: B-

Edited January 27, 2006 by Miss Lynx

[Chrysantza]

I got this as a frimp from the generous Lab, and I've been dying to try it. The description sounds so lovely.

 

In the bottle: A lot like Scherezade (which I also love) plus something almost like candle wax.

 

On me: At first the rose goes sharp and soapy, but within five minutes it mellows out and I get a sweet spice/musk/rose blend. It's warm and very feminine - despite the name! After a while this mellows into an almost second-skin scent. My skin takes on the Arabian musk almost as its own. Othello is beautiful, warm, and surprisingly soft and mellow.

 

Verdict: Bottle time! A new "Top Ten" BPAL for me!

[slave1]

In Bottle: A sweet and spicy rose

 

On Skin: Now this I love and I really love it on my husband. The rose is mellowed out by the beautiful deep musk. It helps even out the tartness. The spices are soft and do not overpower the scent. They actually give a nice but warm clean note. Not overwhelmingly masculine, it doesn’t scream “man” or knock you over with woody or heady notes. I think it is balanced perfectly and is a very elegant but noble scent for a man.

[loves_requiem]

holy god this is awesome!! spicy dark roses....mmm.....

[WidgetAlley]

Frimp from the generous Lab. I had just decided, not three days ago, that I was dying to try this. Psychic as always, Labbies! Also, this is my first Illyria blend.

 

In the Imp: Hmm, doesn't really smell like anything to me. I can catch a tiny bit of clean cool rose I really try, but that's about it. Then again, I find musk hard to smell when it's not on me, and who knows what "a bevy of Middle Eastern and Indian spices" means? Oh, I really do hope this works on me!

 

Wet: Roses! Clean without being overly soapy, a touchy spicy, and ever-so musky. I agree with whoever said this is how dryer sheets wish they could smell. Yum. For some reason I want to say there's just a touch of cardamom in here. This is springy and gorgeous, and does indeed conjure images of sunny mornings underneath a down comforter. There's something pleasantly lazy about it...

 

Dry: From a distance of a few inches away, this is small, wild roses, but nose-to-arm, this is musky, a touch spicy, rosy, and expensive. Call me crazy, but I would absolutely swoon over a man who smelled like this. Hell, I love it on me! It's refreshing, crisp and light while still being exotic. The notes are fairly simple-- a gorgeous musk, a delicate sweet rose, and various low-key spices-- but the overall effect is lovelier than the sum of its parts. I want to experiment with a few more "clean" scents before I decide on a bottle, but this Imp has found a home with me... and I might even slather it on the Boy when he's looking the other way!

 

Othello on one arm, Luperci on the other, and I'm craving man like there's no tomorrow.

 

[edit] When I tested this last night, I forgot dear old Aunt Flo was due in the morning. I don't think my full-moon curse did anything wonky to dear Othello, but I'm going to try it again sometime, and will update if anything changes drastically.

Edited February 16, 2006 by WidgetAlley