The Red Rider

[tauntonlake]

Red leather, red moss, and balsam.

 

I LOVE everything about this scent. LOVE LOVE LOVE. I amp leather like crazy for some reason, and the smell of it just makes me happy. I need about 20 bottles socked away in a drawer for the future, before it disappears forever. I'm in the minority here, I know, but it always seems to be typical for me to love scents, that other people hate... (weirdo, LOL).

[Lucchesa]

This is a powerful leather scent, and it makes me, as a vegetarian, a little uneasy (I know no cows were killed in the production of this perfume, but it's not really what I want to smell like. It's that realistic.) I'm not sure what red moss smells like, but it has a musky edge to me. Pretty good throw, which is characteristic of scents I'm ambivalent about. I'm swapping this with someone I hope will appreciate it more.

[doomsday_disco]

In the imp: Moss and a smoky leather note that I have not encountered before!

 

Wet: The leather note dominates, and I'm also getting some of the balsam, which I recognize from Tombstone. Then, the moss note emerges. Others have compared this to walking into a leather store, and I do get that from this scent. The leather note seems to be getting stronger over time.

 

Dry: The red leather note continues to reign, accompanied by a bit of balsam. It reads as a brown leather to my nose. The moss note has calmed down significantly. It's predominantly a super realistic leather scent.

 

Verdict: This is really realistic! While this particular leather note is too masculine (and strong) for me, I'm glad I got to try it!

Edited December 5, 2017 by dementia_divine

[Myrrha]

I don't care for the "leather" note in this, it smells harsh. On my skin the "red moss" smells a lot like red musk, not as sweet and fruity as most red musk but otherwise similar.  There is also a men's cologne note in the background, possibly the balsam. After a half hour it all blends together and I don't smell the cologne note. The effect is rich and sensual. If someone were looking for a scent similar to red musk but not as sweet and fruity they might like this one.

I don't care for the "leather" note in this, it smells harsh. On my skin the "red moss" smells a lot like red musk, not as sweet and fruity as most red musk but otherwise similar.  There is also a men's cologne note in the background, possibly the balsam. After a half hour it all blends together and I don't smell the cologne note. The effect is rich and sensual. If someone were looking for a scent similar to red musk but not as sweet and fruity they might like this one.

[melandie]

Reviewing this one for my husband...I got this for both of us, but it's absolutely a "him" scent. 

 

Definitely the leatheriest of the Riders, and must be applied some time before going out! He likens it to smelling like he's in a tannery. I really love it on him, but it's definitely a mood thing.

 

For reference as to how leathery this is, he recently wore it to a metal show where leather jackets were in abundance, including on him. All you could smell on top of all the leather in the house was Red Rider. Overall, I think it's gorgeous.

[dancingchair]

The red moss here also reminds me of red musk more than moss. I get smoky, musky red leather. The balsam note is a tiny bit sour to my nose, but it fades away after an hour or two of wear.

 

I feel lucky to be so spoiled for choice with BPAL's leather perfumes. The leather note in this is nice, but there are other leather perfumes I prefer since I'm not the biggest red musk fan. I do like how powerful the leather note is. Most leather perfumes fade away after an hour or so on my skin, but The Red Rider sticks around.

[ShadowEtienne]

I got this as a frimp, and it's not something I ever would have bought for myself based on the description, but it seemed worth trying since my experiments in beard oil from BPAL have shown me that leather notes while iffy for me are sometimes just fine (Jolly Roger and Dee are my I will accept this leather scents so far). Moss is also often an iffy but sometimes works note for me.

 

There is nothing inherently wrong with The Red Rider, but it's definitely not a me scent. It's a very tannic leather, and I think the mos combination brings me almost to leather in the process of being tanned. The basalm's resinous woody-cinnamony note is entirely the saving note of this scent for me. I like basalm, and it does come forward as the scent dries on me.

 

Verdict: like the basalm element, don't enjoy the rest of it, though it's not awful and I think does what it aims for, just not for me. Will be passing it along to someone who will enjoy it more.

[Fancyfetus]

In the bottle and wet on skin, this is LEATHER. I specifically associate it with leather shops in Mexico, because the smell of tanned leather is so overwhelming as you step inside. I love this scent.

 

In the drydown, you get the balsam and moss creeping in, but leather stays dominant here. It's like you've opened up a box stuffed with new leather goods on a bed of moss. Just the lightest softening of the leather note around the edges.

 

This is the perfume I would slather on on days that I want to smell like I drive a motorcycle and I'll kick your ass. It's leather fingerless gloves and a chip on my shoulder. It's a toothpick in my mouth and a skull tattoo on my forearm. Rowdy and young and full of bluster.

 

Next comes heartbreak. After the balsam and moss make their appearance, The Red Rider completely dies on me. It disappears with no trace of having ever been there. 

 

Last night, I was overcome by the urge to try it on a friend. Applied on them, The Red Rider has a different attitude, though I don't detect any change in the scent itself. On my friend, this perfume smells trustworthy, not rowdy. Like the youth you've hired on to care for your horses, or the park ranger who leads you back to the trail head when you get lost in the forest. This rider is wholesome, clean cut, and earnest.

 

My friend also reported that Red Rider lasted on them until the next morning. It's with a heavy heart that I'll be passing my imp onto them.