Sybaris

[ChupaChup]

The pinnacle of wealth, luxury, self-indulgent pleasure, voluptuousness and sensuality. Bright violet with sweet clove, Mediterranean incense notes and tonka bean.

 

I really wanted to like Old Sybaris, but violet is another note, besides rose, that hasn't been working for me. I love the smell of violets, just not on me. The wierd thing about this oil is I kept hoping for the violet note to fade since the spices under it smelled so nice. But after the violet did fade, this ended up smelling like Scherezade (which I love) but with some funky note that made me wash it off.

[Shollin]

First sniff: Are there such things as chocolate-covered flowers? That’s what Old Sybaris smells like in the vial – a hint of deep purple flower under sweet smooth cocoa.

 

Wearing: The first touch on my skin is all chocolate – it’s more aggressively sweet than the other chocolate scents I’ve tried. It’s very slightly powdery too, and after a few minutes the florals start to peek out again. While it was drying, it turned old-lady-powdery for a couple of hours, but by the time it settled completely it was back to cocoa and flowers, and the end result is fantastic. Lovely stuff.

[sarahj]

Old Sybaris

 

in vial: violet and tonka; with a faint hint of banana (?)

 

wet: at first application, I smell banana...but not fresh banana...artificial banana...banana candy? bleah

 

drying: the banana slowly disappears, leaving a wonderful smell of violet and tonka and clove...I like this

 

1 hour later: the spicy clove scent has disappeared, leaving the sweet scent of violets and tonka

 

4 hours later: same as above...lasting power seems very good

 

verdict: this is the exact same problem I had with Le Serpent qui Danse...it seems like the combination of violets and tonka (or vanilla, in the case of Le Serpent) smells like bananas on my skin. And even though I like the end result, I don't think I like going through that banana "phase."

[AnnetteL]

I purchased this after reading the BPAL/Lush similarity thread - I adore Lush's Skinny Dip shower gel, but the scent doesn't last much past towelling off, and this was reputed to be similar.

 

When wet on my skin it is mostly violet, but as soon as it starts to dry down the violet begins to step back and a mix of sweet, spicy, vanilla (i.e. tonka) notes come in. I can definitely pick out the clove, yum! On me the violet continues to fade steadily, so that after 4 or 5 hours it is almost gone completely leaving just a soft, slightly powdery, slightly cakey scent.

 

The first couple of hours of wear have a touch too much violet for my tastes. (It's sort of "old-lady-ish" for a while.) On my first application I thought it would be fantastic blended with a single note of tonka or vanilla, just to dilute the potency of the violet a little, but after a few hours I realised that would make the violet drop away even faster, and while I would like it to stay discreet it's the violet that makes this interesting, rather than just another gourmand vanilla-ish scent.

 

Despite the shifting balance of notes, I do greatly enjoy this, and it's deliciously similar to the Lush. (Minus the white chocolate, but the other notes make a similar combination.) I suspect that frequent, light reapplication might be the secret to maintaining the optimum level of violet - when I make this into a perfume spray (as I am doing with all my BPAL) I will dilute it well so it can be refreshed throughout the day without getting too pungent

 

Minor qualms, but overall a winner.

[Northernminx]

Love is too weak a word for this scent. It started off very much like snake oil, the vanilla of the tonka bean predominant and I was very kinda "eh generic bpal scent" on it for the first half hour. It's a lovely smell, but nothing that in and of itself would make me buy more.

 

But then oh then... helloooo clove and spice. A gorgeous clove goodness under the tonka bean starts to emerge and blends beautifully. This is exotic, decadent, rich, and spicey and golden. A DEFINITE keeper.

[VelvetSky]

Sybaris is a perfume that I'm constantly on the fence about. One day I'll absolutely love it's sweet, spicey exoticness...the next day it will be almost unbearably foody and nearly sickening. My overall impression is that Sybaris is a complex, heady, cakey, smooth blend. One of the notes pierces my sinuses when I wear it, but I always want to smell my arm when I'm wearing it.

 

Odd...I'm usually pretty decisive about my opinions, but Sybaris makes me waffle.

[Lucretia]

first on:violet candies, very similar to the raven

then: clove and I guess tonka come out into a really sexy, seductive blend. Very luxurious, like silks and velvets somehow. Like a woman hidden behind scarves.

I really like this one simply because this is the one blend with clove that has worked out for me. All the other ones end up too spicy and dry, the violets keep this one soft and toned down.

all around a winner I say!

[amunnefret]

Thanks to a gorgeous impful generously sent to me by fallow deer am able to review this classically beautiful fragrance.

 

Sybaris brings to mind lush velvet carpeted theatres, lavish ball gowns, fabulously expensive diamonds, crystal flutes of Dom Perignon. Elegant, refined, supremely self-assured - Sybaris is sublime, faultless, intelligent, accomplished.

 

I'd wear it all seasons, all times of the day and night and I imagine would be especially good for those moments when you need an extra boost of self-confidence and assertiveness.

[gdogs]

this morning i really stumbled over what oil to wear. i picked sybaris out of my "to try" box. usually i test a scent at home before putting it on to go out for the day, but this i just slapped it on.

 

oh. love. i hadn't read description in a long time, and had never the reviews, so it was all impression for me. definitely a spicy sweetness. i got clove and chocolate, but not a foody chocolate. more of a florally chocolate. just now, after reading the reviews, did i realize - oh! VIOLET!!!!

 

this feels very sophisticated to me. sexy and strong. and it lasted 8 hours, still smelling strong. i re-applied it only because i wanted to. not because the scent had faded at all.

 

i had a big meeting today, and i felt clear and intelligent and articulate. so it MUST be the sybaris!!!! i'm putting it on my big bottle list.

 

thank you, beth and lab!

[tempete]

Lovely, another note to add to my "avoid at all costs" list. My skin amplified the clove note in Sybaris to the exclusion of all others. Because I don't want to smell like I slathered myself in clove, my Sybaris imps will be heading to the swap pile.

[LiberAmoris]

Like powdery violet candies with a touch of myrrh. Sybaris is delightfully dark violets, like violet incense that hangs on the air. It’s smoky and sultry and beckoning. And yet, it's also elegant and refined. Like a staid tea party after which the ladies pull out the ouiji board and close the curtains.

 

This is one of those BPALs that I know will slowly wear me down until I decide I absolutely can’t live without a bottle.

[vitawash24]

Hmmm. The scent I got from this was very sweet at first, but then it somehow dried down to a sort of green, aquatic note. I think I could still smell the violets, though, because it was definitely different from say, Ulalume, which has a similar effect.

 

But there was clove? Weird. I'll just have to try it again...

[darkling]

Doh! All I got from Sybaris was the same nasty green incense that drove me away from Delphi. I could not catch a hint of clove, violet, or tonka bean. The incense was somewhat watered down compared to the harsh assault that it was in Delphi but it was still unpleasant and obliterated all other notes.

[anaethema_x]

Bottle: Flowery...sweet flowers kinda yummy

 

Wet: girly in a good way. I wasnt repelled like I am with GIRLY GIRL scents at all. This is good stuff

 

Dry: didnt turn to powder on me, so thats good. its a light, candied violet, slightly incensy. Very nice!

[TheDarkMother]

Violets, Cloves, and tonka bean...oh my!

 

In The Bottle: What an odd combination. Its fairly soapy and incensey. How did that happen?

 

On Me: Um...ew. This smells like stale rubber gloves on my wrist, but the air has a beautiful aroma! But on me....just ew. I'm not going to keep something just because the air around me smells nice, while I smell like a used condom. No thanks. Off to the swap piles.

[Rheliwen]

In the bottle:

 

A light incensy floral. I don't really detect the cloves or tonka bean.

 

Wet:

 

There's the clove! Wow, it's totally overpowering this entire scent. If I get my nose right up to my wrist I *think* I can smell violet. It smells like a headshop full of light flowers.

 

Dry:

 

I keep getting whiffs of this as I type and can't get the headshop aspect out of my mind. If I sniff my wrists I can smell more sweetness, but when it's left in the air, it's all clove and incense.

 

Overall:

 

I don't want to smell like a headshop . I'm also sad that I can't detect the tonka bean at all. I think I am coming to realize that clove is another scent that gets amped up by my skin. It smelled like it had so much potential during the wet stage when I could get good whiffs in.

[requieminblack]

First sniff from the bottle- Soft breezy violets.

 

After 10 minutes- When I first put this on it sort of smelled like Dragons Milk, which is one of my favorites. Then after a few minutes, it just...disappeared completely!

 

Summery-Huh, that's weird. That is the first time my skin has actually ate a scent all together. Well, poo. I really was looking forward to this one. Maybe I will try it again tomorrow and see what happens.

[shelldoo]

ok so this one took me by complete surprise.....i do not like violets they always go permsolution on me...well always did:

 

in the vial: no way omgah this is lovely tonka vanilla blend no violets in sight whew

 

wet: same i find myself drooling on my hand

 

dry: this is going on my top 10 list and i am getting a 5ml w/ my next order i am in awe really was not expecting to find one i adore so much in this sniffing session

[Falathwen]

On my skin this was a dense floral scent, both rich and sweet. The violet stood out most strongly, and something that seemed like gardenia, though that is not in the list of notes. Unlike most floral blends this did not go powdery as it dried. Instead it became creamy, which I am guessing is the influence of the Tonka Bean.

[Jasminepearls]

I smell a sweet floral at first.

...now I smell cinnamon. And clove. I swear there is cinnamon in here though, I miss the first floral whiff...

attack of the spices, the clove has taken over. It smells like I imagine clove incense would smell, sweet and slightly smokey, very spicey. There is a hint of vanilla underneath.

This is a pretty blend, but a bit too spicy for me.

[phaedrine]

I wanted this one for the clove, as clove blends tend to work really well with my skin.

 

NOT this one.

 

Bright violet with sweet clove, Mediterranean incense notes and tonka bean.

 

 

In the bottle, it was so sickly-sweet that I almost didn't try it at all. I had to remind myself of the sometimes violent ways that bpal changes on the skin, and tried it anyway.

 

VIOLET. VIOLET violet violetvioletviolet. No clove. No incense, no tonka. Just violet.

 

Blech. And I can't get it off, either, I've scrubbed twice and I still reek of violets.

[sh1mm3r]

I used to wear violet perfume when I was younger, so part of this scent makes me think of the me I was then, and it is too distracting.

 

Also, strangely, this scent is really strong. I applied the same amount that I would usually apply of my daily scents (Snow White, Old Glasgow) and it is very overpowering, still now, almost six hours later. I have my office door closed because they're working on the carpet in the hallway, and I've felt a bit heady.

 

I love the scent that I small right on my wrists, which is tonka bean. But the throw is the sweeter, fruitier, pure violet scent that just isn't me. Apparently the violet loves me!

 

I'm sure someone will appreciate it in a swap though!

 

Ooh and Beth, I love the Wanderlust scents in general, and hope to see many more!

[Faerykin]

Sybaris

 

Swiped across wrists and along collarbone.

 

Initial Wet (815-8:45am): This is a bright, light scent with a bit of sour, tangy … something. It is hard to identify anything specific here. The bright tanginess may be the violet … I’m not sure.

 

Initial Dry (8:45-10am): Thankfully this sweetens as it dries. I detect the violet and an undercurrent of the tonka bean. I do hope the clove shows up later, as I was really looking forward to that.

 

Throughout the Day (10am-on): This is now all tonka bean surrounded by what I can only describe as the Mediterranean incense notes – ‘cause it isn’t violet and it isn’t clove. It is quite lovely … calm and gentle. Just not sure if it’s something I’d wear again.

 

This really doesn’t change much. Every once in a while I can detect a floral, but it is mostly tonka bean and incense. Too bad the clove wasn’t more prominent on me. *shrugs* Doesn’t overly impress me, so off to the Swap Pile.

[byrdie]

Vial ~ Freshly opened, wet, ripe fruit.

 

Wet ~ Sweet with a light floral. Very round scent, can't quite place it.

 

Drying ~ It's turning powdery. It's still round, but there's an odd sharpness starting.

 

Drydown ~ A soft, sweet, powdery floral.

 

Dry ~ A soft, sweet powder. I don't know where the heck the flowers went, but all I'm getting is *poof* now.

 

Fade ~ The floral seems to have glided back, but only slightly.

 

Final thoughts ~ I think I'll keep this imp, but I'll have to try it a few times to see if it grows on me further. It's okay, but not amazing on me right now.

[Julilla Regina]

In the vial this smells like beautiful violets. I love the violet scents I've tried so far. Violet does wondrous things on me, and I want the clove to work so much. I love the smell of clove.

 

When I first put it on it's really nice and pretty. After a few minutes though, it turns candy sweet and the clove is totally gone. I think my skin must eat clove or something. Finally there is a bit of violet soapy powder with an underlying sweetness. It's nice and probably would work wonderfully well on someone whose body chemistry could bring out the clove to full effect.