Banshee Beat

[SophieCedar]

A tousled, sexy mix of patchouli, vanilla, and hemp.

Ok this is the golden ratio of smellies.

Wet: warm meaty sexy patchouli and deep slinky vanilla combined with woody, green, sweet grass-like, yet distinctive, hemp (think rope or seed). Sexy and tousled for sure! I went completely feral. Sometimes the simplest combinations are the best. Hubby loves this one.. and he's PICKY.

Drydown: Very straightforward and not a morpher. This is my new go-to scent. I can catch wafts of it even hours later! Back up bottles on the way...

[lahdeedah]

Simple and simply wonderful. I love the contrast of the sugary sweet vanilla against the grassy hemp and woody patch. Throw like WHOA. I can only imagine the greatness once some aging has occurred, and glad I sprung for two bottles (unheard of!) unsniffed. Delightful.

[Geminirubyshoes]

Good god this is fantastic!!!! It goes lost straight dark vanilla on me a first, then the patchouli comes out, then all 3 notes meld together to form a smooth, sexy and elegant scent the likes of which I've never smelled before. OMG. Now I see what all the fuss is about!

[surlygurl]

Okay. I was hoping for something wonderful and Banshee Beat it did not disappoint. Fresh on, it's sweet warm vanilla & patch. And something a little green. I can see where people would call it hippie-ish. It's more retro-hippy ('cause a bus full of touring Deadheads never smelled this good!).

 

Ya know what it reminds me of? Glowing Vulva. Like this is GV's teenage kid brother. Lithe, playful, flirty in a gender-neutral sort of way. Being so young, BB tires easily and fades to a warm woodsy vanilla after a bit. I can't wait to see what happens when this bottle ages!

Edited January 6, 2011 by surlygurl

[Champagne]

I received a sniffie for the lovely Suusje and from the moment I tried it hastily in the cold street I was scared I could fall madly in love with it. It happened, it`s the most amazing black vanilla mixed in equal parts with green hemp and a natural patchouli. I don`t like pachouli at all but here it seems so natural and delicate. The blend just glows from the wrists of gold and dark green, I verily love it .

[miaa]

In imp: Hemp almost tobacco

On me: Starts out as raw- mother nature. Continues to be hemp, hemp HEMP! It started out with "oh, no. I have bottle coming to me in the mail. 5 minutes hemp. 10 minutes: One of the most complex scents ever. Raw-heavenly vanilla. Becomes better and better. Not foodie, but vanilla. No more hemp. Love it.

 

Edit: This scent smells way to woody for me after the original review I got a bottle in the mail a few days after. Never used it.

 

My scale: 2/5

Edited April 21, 2011 by miaa

[fetish911]

Finally I ordered 2 bottles of this from UO. Unsniffed I love me some patch & vanilla so I am not worried.

quick note- This just got off the UPS truck. I cannot wait days for it to calm down to test, so this review may change.

 

wet- Patchouli! grassy, earthy-sweet hemp. I can juuuust smell the vanilla underneath. This stuff is strong!!

 

dry/15+ mins- Wow. It is all I was hoping for. Earthy vanilla! I do still smell the hemp but the vanilla has mixed to make such a complex scent. Like nothing I have smell before. The vanilla is getting stronger as it wears on...I cannot keep from huffing my wrist. I love this scent!

 

5/5 ! Not many blends get a 5 from me either <wink>

[JLH]

I just tested this at my local Urban Outfitters (if anyone in/near NYC wants a bottle of this, they have plenty at the UO at 72nd & Broadway).

 

In the bottle, I got mostly the sharp, herbal smell of the hemp. There's also quite a bit of patchouli that comes out as well. Not really much vanilla to speak of.

 

When it was wet, the hemp was also very prominent, green, and herbal. On my skin the vanilla also came out, while the patchouli took a back seat. I never thought hemp and vanilla would work well together, but the sharp greeness of the hemp and the soft sweetness of the vanilla provide nice contrast.

 

After a few minutes, the hemp lightened up a bit and the patchouli came back into the picture. As it dries down, I found that the patchouli and vanilla become more prominent as the hemp dissipates.

 

In conclusion, the description of this scent is very accurate. I thought this would smell very "hippy/headshop-y" on, but I think that on me the hemp actually brightens it up and keeps that from being the case. I like it!

 

ETA: I washed this off after a couple of hours, because I was wearing "samples" of three different scents and they were all competing with each other. Or, I thought I had washed it off. The next day, more than 24 hours later, I splashed on a light commercial perfume. When I smelled my wrist, I realized I wasn't smelling that perfume, I was smelling Banshee Beat! Not only does this stuff have major staying power, but it had mellowed out to a lovely warm vanilla. Now I really might have to buy some of this!

Edited March 18, 2011 by JLH

[calivianya]

Banshee Beat has taught me that my skin makes the hemp/patchouli combination very similar to vetiver. This smells like a vanilla vetiver scent on my skin, very smoky and mysterious, but with just the right amount of sweetness to round it out. I wasn't really expecting to be crazy about this, but I may just have to hunt down a bottle now. It's divine.

Edited April 19, 2011 by Shollin

[Gin]

Ohhh... this is delicious. The patchouli and vanilla combine to produce an almost cocoa scent. The vanilla is so good and sweet. The hemp and patchouli give it a little bit of a smoky, earthy (but not dirty) feel. Seriously, so divine.

[subtlesiren]

Wow. Just wow. Banshee Beat is AMAZING! I wanted to go around to everyone just telling them how good I smelled, and thanks to BPAL, I smell good everyday, but this stuff is . The patchouli revs up the oil, making it a raw kind of sexy, while the vanilla smooths it out into a creamy sexy. I'd never worn hemp before, but this experience makes it a win note! Good throw and longevity sends Banshee Beat up into my top 5.

[Melenass]

I was hoping it something deeper and stronger, but I see a subtle perfume and I'm not sure I wanted to retain.

Edited May 11, 2011 by Melenass

[gniwle]

On me, Banshee Beat is ...light. Not much throw on me at all! It's all hemp and patch, too. I don't smell any vanilla at all until it's been on for a while, but until then it's alllll hemp and patch. Not necessarily a bad thing, but it's something to note nonetheless.

[Monday]

This starts out pretty faint and I thought it would stay that way, boy was I wrong. This is a scent that hovers above your skin.

It's a beautiful dry vanilla, I think the hemp adds to the dryness of the vanilla, with patchouli taking the back seat. Dry, sweet somewhat earthy.

This is the closest a Bpal vanilla blend has gotten to smelling like cotton candy in my opinion. It has quite some throw and staying power!

[filigree_shadow]

This is strong on me and has a significant amount of patchouli in it. It's not a scent for someone who likes "just a touch" of patchouli -- it's for someone who really wants to smell it. It's fairly evenly vanilla and patchouli when it dries, which is dreamy, and there's a dry, almost green haze over the top of it. I guess that's the hemp.

 

I'll be particular about where I wear this, but I will definitely wear it. I know some people who got tired of the scent of patchouli a long time ago and don't want to smell it anymore. Personally, I've been smelling it for 20 years and I'm not tired of it -- as long as it's good patchouli. This is for sure a good one.

 

ETA 4/29/2012: Got this out again to do some side-by-side patchouli death matchin', and whoa!!! The vanilla has emerged as super strong on aging! Very smooth sweet vanilla. Overpowers the patchouli. Honestly I might want to layer some Voodoo with this now to balance out the vanilla a bit.

Edited April 29, 2012 by filigree_shadow

[brilliantcat]

Oh wow do I understand the insane love for this blend now. I was pretty sure it was going to be hoardable just because of the patchouli and vanilla, two of my favorite scents, so I ordered it unsniffed from a recent GO. I opened the bottle, sniffed, and just about swooned When I recovered, I managed to slather it all over myself. I agree with the other reviewers who classed the hemp as being medicinal and green, this is NOT a marijuana smell at all to me. It fades pretty quickly into a rich, heady blend of amazing patchouli and deep, dark vanilla with the slightest green edge to it from the hemp. It stays pretty evenly patch/vanilla as it warms and it last a LONG time on me, easily overnight. I woke up smelling of gorgeous vanilla and patchouli the next day. Needless to say, I jumped on another GO while this is on sale. The only thing keeping it from perfection is the medicinal hemp smell at the beginning but I'm thinking that will mellow with age.

[imaginepageant]

In the Vial: First and foremost, eternal thanks to mxtine for frimping me some Banshee Beat to try! I am so excited right now! Okay. This is exactly what the description promises: patchouli, vanilla, and hemp. It's gorgeously sweet and earthy. A little reminiscent of Snake Oil, but without the spices.

 

Wet: Yep, yep, mmhmm. MUST HAVE A BOTTLE OF THIS IMMEDIATELY. This is so perfectly balanced. The vanilla is without a doubt the star, but it's not all up in your face. I'm not a fan of strong patchouli, but the patchouli here is calm, soft, and mellow. And the hemp is giving it a solid foundation of warmth and earthiness. They all blend together unbelievably well.

 

Dry: Another amazing thing about Banshee Beat is that it doesn't really morph, like 95% of blends do on me. The patchouli has gotten a bit stronger, but otherwise, it's still the same incredibly warm, sweet, earthy, woody scent. I freaking love this.

 

An Hour Later: My nose and hand have been intimately attached this past hour. There was a brief phase where the patchouli flared up and got somewhat sharp and smoky, but then the vanilla stood up and was all, "Hey, settle down now, let's all be friends," and then it was perfect again.

 

Overall: So damn good. No, SO DAMN GOOD. This is by far the best patchouli blend I've tried, and I'd recommend this to anyone who doesn't have the best relationship with patchouli. Banshee Beat is the sweeter, mellower, cleaner cousin of Urd - both absolute hippie scents, but each has its own distinct texture and feel. I love Urd, and I love Banshee Beat even more. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go hunt down a bottle.

Edited May 31, 2011 by imaginepageant

[biocarolyn]

Thanks to Monday for frimping me a decant of this. I never would have tried it, and I would have eternally regretted that.

 

So- do I not know what patchouli smells like? Seriously, I have smelled many hippies who claimed to smell of patchouli, and they certainly smelled of something but it wasn;t this!!!!

 

I think it is the vanilla. This is a gorgeous, warm syrupy sweet vanilla but I guess it is the patchouli that tones this down so it does not give me a toothache. This is really close to Snake Oil on my skin. If you told me t was one of the Snake Pit scents, I'd totally believe you.

 

Yum. Also, on sale on the Urban Outfitters website. I just spent more money

[Iceblink]

Oh hai Banshee Beat; I see what all the fuss was about you!

The three notes here are nicely balanced. Wet, the patchouli is the strongest (and it's a great patchouli!)...then I start getting more of that lovely ropey/grassy hemp note. A perfectly smooth, warm vanilla balances the blend. This is GREAT. I was worried it would be overpowering but it really isn't. Just good and warm and sexy.

If you're on the fence, get a bottle!

[Suusje]

Patchouli, hemp, vanilla, they're definitely all there. It really is well balanced. It's earthy, sweet, warm, smooth and sexy. But as wonderful as it smells, I really have to be in a certain mood to wear this 'cause boy it is strong!

[Urpflanze]

Yes, it lives up to the hype. The overall effect is a smoky vanilla. Evocative of the spectral dark. Nothing to complain about here. A perfectly blended scent. The hemp note binds the vanilla and patchouli well. I don't find it too woodsy, but then I don't find straight up pine and juniper too woodsy. This one is a no-brainer, the french fries of perfume. What's not to like?

 

Men could wear it too, I think, especially fans of vanilla. I find it a tiny bit sweet for my personal tastes - nice for lounging about the house but maybe a little too sweet vanilla incense scented for work. I am now looking for another blend with hemp and patchouli together, that combo is unexpectedly wonderful.

[ami226]

This scent starts out veeeeeery dirty on me. Definitely not ever wearing this one to work! A dirt/earth scent with the feel of warm straw. Huh.

 

I get the vanilla a bit later, but it never gets very strong on me. I don't think this is for me, but I will have to try it again!

 

-ETA-

Trying this again. As much as I want to love this one.... I just can't. The dirt is just too strong and I never get as much of the beautiful vanilla as I'd like. This really has the perfect vanilla note though. Not a hint of plastic!

Edited July 8, 2012 by Catseyes

[Roogna]

a touch of sweetness from the vanilla and hemp. it's almost like eucalyptus or vicks or something. medical-rub meets hemp. there's some earthy patchouli too, but it's hard to distinguish it from the hemp. the "mediciney" quality grows - not what I want to smell like

the patchouli comes out more too, overall this is a strong scent - you better like the notes

[invisible iris]

Banshee Beat is so amazing, simple, and basic, that I've put off writing a review because I have no idea where to start.

 

In the bottle, freshly applied, and dry: It is a straightforward blend, it does not morph. It smells like patchouli, black vanilla, and hemp. It's one of those blends where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The fibrous quality of the hemp in combination with the deep and complex patchouli makes the overall scent like sticking your nose into a freshly-split, moist, sticky, and earthy vanilla bean. It's amazing, beautiful, sweet and black and earthy and sexy and prescription-strength comfortable.

 

Verdict: I die for Banshee Beat every single time I put it on. It is without a doubt the single most nose-pleasureful blend I've yet tried. I stashed over ten bottles, thinking that would give me a few extra to swap or whatever. But in all seriousness, I don't know if I'll ever be able to part with any of them. I want Banshee Beat forever, and I'd like whatever I don't use please to be entombed with my dead body for use in the afterlife.

 

And just to imagine how good it will be when it ages!!!

[arrow]

Confession time: I was sort of hoping I would hate this blend, because the notes sounded so perfect for me and yet I didn't order it from Urban when I had the chance. I knew if I loved it after that I'd be very cranky with myself! I'd ordered a 1/4 imp from a forumite figuring I should test it first, and before I knew it it had sold out.

 

Finally tested yesterday.

 

Invisible Iris' comment just about covers it and I can't even begin to describe the perfection on my skin. It's like Snake Oil with fewer spices (making it less rich, so better for everyday wear) plus an extra jolt of gorgeous vanilla, of which I can't get enough. I totally get the comparisons to Tombstone, another of my all-time favorites. The creaminess of the vanilla just blooms on my wrist. Oohhhhh, that dark and sexy vanilla.

 

Edit: Forgot to mention the gloriously strong throw. I just put two dabs of the imp wand on the back of one wrist and have been enjoying beautiful wafts of scent all evening. 3 hours into wearing it it's as strong as it was when first applied--not overpowering, just wonderful.

 

Last night I was mourning the fact that I only have 1/4 imp (damn my decision to be sensible and not order unsniffed from Urban!) but was thrilled this morning to have had the good fortune to suss out a bottle from a very kind soul. I will buy this as frequently as I come across it in the hopes that I will never run out, because I could wear this every day forever and be okay with it. Seriously, if you are reading this and have a spare bottle you want to sell, contact me. I will probably buy it, and also send you the best karma ever.

 

:wub2:

Edited July 27, 2011 by arrow