Cairo

[Heaven_Star]

The essence of holy Kyphi, beloved incense of the Egyptian Gods.

 

Imp: Incense. Sweet - honey and myrrh or wine? Definitely honey and something adding sweet, spicy depth as well. (And it’s BRIGHT yellow on my skin.)

 

Wet: Citrus! Honey coming in after. little bit of incense spice. I think there’s cedar in here? Adding to the lemon? And certainly something honey-wine like. That’s where I’m at here, cedar lemon honey wine

 

Drying: Ugh, it’s turning somehow, there’s a distinct sour note at the bottom. Syrupy is probably the right word! It smells like cheap lemon/honey candies - like throat lozenges?

 

Dry: nope. Washed off and into the swap pile. I'm part of the headache brigade for this one, too.

[lady_pandora]

This was a frimp from the Lab, and like Djinn last night, one that I might never have gotten around to if I hadn't been frimped it. Thank you, Lab, because this is utterly beautiful. I'd been expecting something like Khephra, which was also really beautiful but which skewed masculine enough that I pretty much never wore it. But Cairo was nothing like what I expected.

 

Opening the vial, the predominant note was a wine note. This was a little surprising to me, as I came in blind and hadn't read other people's reviews or a description of what was actually in Kyphi (Bad witch! Bad!). But definitely wine, I think the same wine note that's in Excolo Lilith. There's something a little camphoraceous, too, when I first dab it on, which thankfully calms down to an incense scent. I think I smell myrrh and also a lighter resin, and some spices, maybe a little cinnamon.

 

As it dries, the wine and incense hang around and then...rose? Is that rose? Yes, it's rose, and it's so soft and pretty. I love rose with resins--resins seem to be the only things that keep rose from flitting away off my skin.

 

It was at this point that I decided to look up the ingredients of Kyphi! From Wikipedia, wine was definitely in it, so was cinnamon, and myrrh and frankincense and a variety of other resins. So apparently my sniffer is mostly on target. There was also a mysterious "thorny shrub" that no one has identified. I wonder if the rose is the Lab's stab at what it might have been. If so, I'm really glad they put it in there, because it's gorgeous.

 

Dry, the lighter incense resolves into something more obviously frankincense, and comes to the fore. Rose is still there but fainter, wine is also still there, and I think there's some myrrh holding it all together.

 

This is seriously amazing. It's the scent of a world where the sensual and the sacred are one. I want to use it ritually, but I also want to wear it just to huff myself all day. I definitely need to keep my eye on how quickly i use it--it might well be a bottle purchase. I LOVE this. Thank you Lab.

[agirlnamedfury]

Wet: This is certainly incense-y, but sickly sweet. It has an almost medicinal, herbal quality -- it actually smells almost exactly like some varieties of cough drops.

 

Dry: This has suddenly turned to lemon-scented furniture polish on me, with a strong incense backdrop. Plus it's starting to give me a headache. Pass.

[d0gbones]

In the imp: sharp and sweet.

Wet: Sweet shop!

Dry: I got a lemony note testing this just now that I've never noticed before. Something odd going on with my skin today, clearly.

That did go away after a while and left me with the kyphi and myrrh scent it usually does. Phew.

[Veronica]

Interesting and unexpected. I get a sweet lemon-y note over a sweet, slightly musky base (very faint)--this must be kyphi which is not a note I'm familiar with. Not unpleasant, but not outstanding.

[Marla Moreau]

In the imp: This does not smell like kyphi to me, although I do like it. Nahemoth smelled more like kyphi than this blend, and is entirely different. Incense, wine, pine, citrus.

 

Wet on skin: very very syrupy/sickeningly sweet fruit and wine, some incense, bit of pine

 

Dry down: it warms up I start smelling spices, but also, oh f*ck... there's rose in this. Amp amp amp. Old lady perfume and headache. So sad. Nothing but rose. Why did you put rose in this? Whhhy...

 

:/

 

To the "to frimp" pile. I'm so glad I decided to get an imp first, I didn't realize there was rose in this blend and since kyphi is my all time favorite scent I was just going to buy a whole bottle without testing. Freaking rose...

Edited August 8, 2015 by MarlaMoreau

[Anita]

In the imp I smelled it and said to myself no way is this touching me. It smelled so, aggressive.

 

Wet on my skin, all I get is honey flavored Halls cough drops. But then as it is drying I get rose, which I amp like a mofo. At this point that is ok, since I don't like smelling like cough drops, and they seem to be keeping each other in check, but in a weird way.

 

On the dry down, the rose wins. Again. ugh.

[LizziesLuck]

This is not like any incense I have ever smelled. Granted, I mostly stick to Myrrh and Frankincense. This is really interesting, and I don't know what to make of it. Super helpful review, right?

[sunlitgarden]

In the imp: Incense that smells very fruity, and sweet, almost like fruit flavored candy. Possibly some wine (there's a definite "grape" aspect to the fruit candy).

On my skin: Citrus (lemony) smelling at first. The "fruit candy" aspect does start to fade, leaving a sweet resiny scent, but it continues to smell citrusy for a while. After a couple hours the lemony aspect does fade, and it's just a nice warm incense scent.

I don't think this is something I would wear as a perfume, but I put the imp on my altar and might try using it in an oil warmer.

[PrinceofcatS]

This was all lemon spice on me? It wasn't a bad lemon, like a cleanser, but it wasn't bright either. The incense-y elements - powdery, resinous, spicy, idk - were there in some degree, but I couldn't pick up anything specific, just lemon. Neither what I expected nor something I particularly like, I'm afraid, but I'm sure there's got to be someone who would find this scent a must-have.

[Casablanca]

"Cairo! City of the living!"

Bottle: Faint floral and lemon incense.

Wet: A syrupy and odd lemony honey, like a cough drop. A little myrrh. A pale honey-yellow scent.

Dry: Even more lozengy than when wet. I feel like I just put a cough drop into the wrong part of my face.

Nope.

[sarandipitee]

Citrus and honey. Something just a little sour in the background. Very much like a cough drop. Not unpleasant, but nothing I want to smell like. Off to the frill pile.

[Cali]

Oh, I didn't expect the citrus/lime notes in there at all, but it's quite nice. Not too sharp.
A bit smoky as well, and some spices in the background on my skin. image-evocative, very interesting!

[roseus]

Starts off sweet and smoky and then goes straight lemon drop candy. Bizarre!

[VetchVesper]

Hmmmmm...

 

Lot's of lemoniness. I'm going to guess lemongrass b/c lemon verbena goes yuck on me. This is not going yuck, but it's very lemony. There is something darkly sweet and fruity I detect which I posited as "dates?" b/is probably what others say is wine. I smell myrrh. Mostly, I smell lemongrass at first though, over a sort of golden warmth that is hard to describe. It doesn't smell like incense to me. It's interesting and calming, but not really my type of fragrance.

 

As this dries down, I begin to smell rose, it becomes less lemony, and a dry dustiness starts to come out that could be frankincense. I still wouldn't classify it as incense smell, but I could see saying incense is among the notes. I'm actually liking it more now and have decided to keep my imp.

 

It strikes me as a well blended, calming scent, something I'd put on after a bath to relax and be clean - more like something I'd anoint myself with rather than perfume myself with if that makes any sense at all. It reminds me of Tzadikim Nistarim in that way.

 

Pleasant, calming, serene, warm. Check this out if you like lemongrass or sort of ... zen scents.

[doomsday_disco]

In the (very aged) imp: Grape-y incense.

 

Wet: Super grape-y wine with some incense in the background. The wine note is so grape-y that it actually has a grape jelly vibe to it, but there's still the tartness of the wine accompanying it.

 

Dry: Much grape, rose, and incense. The grape is not as strong as it was during the wet phase, but it is still too strong for my liking.

 

Verdict: Well, I was not expecting this to be a grape party, but alas, that's the case on me. I do not like grape, so Cairo is not for me.

[Lucchesa]

Cairo.  Wet:  Grape Hubba-Bubba.  

Early drydown:  Lemon and grape Hubba-Bubba. 

Drydown:  The grapey sweetness recedes, and things get interesting.  Lemony incense, offered with a breath of red wine.  And while it seemed like I had to get pretty close to my wrist to smell it, it actually had quite a bit of throw at a distance.  I nearly asked the woman I was having lunch with what scent she was wearing until I realized it was Cairo I was smelling, and enjoying.  I can still smell it faintly on my wrist this morning.  This one is kind of intoxicating.  

[monocainsheresy]

On me this is totally incense and pez candies! Mostly myrrh and wine - cool and lightly fruity, but still has that musty incense effect I love.

[elinox]

*Note: I applied this after I’d tried Small Brown Cat earlier in the day. Since that had faded, I washed it off and decided to review another imp.

 

First Sniff: Pinesol lemon; yikes that’s lemony fresh!

 

Initial Wet Application: Yup, definitely the same lemon as in my Mom’s cleaning spray from my childhood. This is the reason I’ve hated lemon for years! 

 

Dry Down (first 15 minutes): Still just “lemony fresh” yuck! Egyptian kyphi is supposed to be: cassia, cinnamon, mastic, mint, henna and mimosa. There’s nothing citrus/lemon in it so I have no idea where the lemon I’m getting is coming from.

 

My Reaction: It’s light and fresh, in a “pow in your face” kind of way, but that kind of lemon is most definitely not my thing! I’ll re-test this, but so far, this will likely go into the swap pile!

 

Rating: 1
 

[artisjok]

Cairo is thick lemon sweet on me, and I’m thinking lemongrass or something, because it’s powerfully long-lasting. Honey would fit the sweetness, especially as it conjures the throat lozenge comparison for some. 
I tested blind, and didn’t think wine or grape at all. It reminds me of a lemon-heavy Arcana, so I know there’s frankincense, and others have mentioned rose, and I could see that, or rosemary like Arcana. It starts to become quite powdery after a while. 
 

It’s interesting and I like the strength. I have a bottle of Arcana, though, and I am more connected to it’s theme, so I doubt I will reach for this in the future. Potentially good for oil burner on cleansing days.... 

Edited March 9, 2020 by artisjok

[fairybites]

This is a scent that I wouldn't have bought on my own, but I was gifted a bottle of this. It's fantastic! Very sugary and fruity, like the fruit flavored lollipops (mostly lemon and grape) with touches of incense and a little bit of florals. I don't know the age of this bottle, my guess is new since the sweet notes are a lot stronger than the incense. I think with some aging those notes will mellow down and be more wearable for some people. 

 

As it fades, it turns into a powdered sugar scent. Love this, very grateful that I was gifted this because I wouldn't have tried it otherwise!

[skyturtles]

I've got a frimp that I received from a fellow bpaler.

I don't love it, but I don't hate it?

Wet on my skin, I get a sort of incense with like, lemons and candy grape candy.

As it dries down, I'm getting some roses and the slightest bit of powder.

It's sweet! It's not overpowering, but it's memorable. It's just a bit too floral/soapy for me, I think. I can see why people would like this!

[Sunny the Wizard]

I got this one from the incense sample pack, and I've been waiting to test it out of nervousness that I wasn't going to like it. Turns out I needn't have bothered; it's wonderful.

 

The notes I get from it are sweet and clean, I think I smell myrrh and I definitely get lemony incense notes. When wet the smell strongly reminded me of wax melts from a candle company over here, there's some beeswaxy quality to it that I think is the honey scent note. It's gotten a bit less sweet and more incensey as it's dried, I think I might be getting some wine-grape or raisin notes from it. All in all, it's lovely, it makes me think of the warmth of the sun on my face.

[MamaMoth]

i love kyphi incense. cairo doesn't smell like any kyphi i've tried before, but i know that there are many different recipes out there. 

 

it opens very sweet, bright, and lemony, but not actual lemon... some lemon-smelling herb or resin.  whatever it is, i think it's also found in no. 93 engine, but i don't know which note.  balm of gilead? lemon balm? there's a resinous undertone, and also something ever-so-slightly herbaceous. perhaps anise-like.  there's a little honey/beeswaxy sweetness.  it's a pleasant, refreshing blend, and i started imagining myself reaching for this on hot sticky summer days... 

 

then rose happened.  rose and i are not friends. it quickly drowned out everything else, reeking of stale 20-year-old cheap soap. 

 

sorry, cairo.  it's me, not you. 

Edited July 8, 2022 by MamaMoth

[MolyH]

Oh god. The way the slightly fruity, sour notes and the wine notes blend in this reminds me exactly of the smell of my throw up after a night of drinking entirely too much sake.