Philologus

[yokaitenchi]

PHILOLOGUS
The Philologi are scholars and philosophers that have dedicated themselves to the pursuit of knowledge, utilizing their extended lifespan to further their research. They are usually reclusive, and some were once Transeo that have rejected the bustle of human society in favor of solitude.

Ancient books, crackled parchment, faded incense, and candle wax.

The softness of old books without the musky smell--I'd imagine soft, clean skin that barely remembers incense. The wax is sweet, as BPAL's wax tends to go on me. Soft and lovely scent that mostly sticks to the skin, yet has random wafts. This vampire spends much of his time in the library, but he took all of today off for me ^_~ so the scent is more of a memory than being IN the bookstacks.

Mmmm~

[Gwydion]

In bottle: Sweet rich incense over ancient library. There is a touch of decay. One can almost hear the rustle of bone dry skin over delicate parchment. This too beautifully captures its concept. Wet: The wax comes out a little more, warming the whole thing. It’s quite delicate and lovely, the soft library scents support the sweet complexity of the incense. The candles make the whole thing strangely welcoming. Dry: It goes a little strange. There is a sense of moldering and imminent storm. It trails off, its sentences fading even as I try to track what it really smells like.

[edenssixthday]

Philologus - This opens up with a blast of men's cologne, but quickly settles down into something warm and slightly sweet. I can't distinctly identify any of the individual notes, but the overall impression is that it's masculine and full of golden warmth, a hint of smoky woods, and a trace of sweetness. It's really, really gorgeous and makes me wish I could convince my DH to wear BPAL! I'd love to snuggle with him while he's wearing this scent. It's not particularly sexy, but more warm and comforting and snugglicious.

[milo]

Wet, this is quite cologney. Dry, it is still quite incense/cologne, but more subdued. I was expecting more of a dusty paper. For some reason, I get a touch of violet in the background of the cologne vibe. This really is quite hypnotic for me, for some reason. I can imagine a hot library geek vampire seducing me with this perfume. After a bit, it becomes even more violet-like to me, and much more wearable, but ultimately, it is not really my kind of blend.

[talula_fairie]

This is awful. It smells nothing like I imagined -I was thinking something Gypsy Queen-esque without the floral notes. Instead, I got something that smells like a very strong men's cologne. It reminds me a lot of Polo Ralph Lauren. I'm really, really disappointed.

[DraloreShimare]

In the vial – Cologne, slightly musky, in a good way.

On the skin – Still cologne, but a bit smoke-y and waxy.

 

I was hoping for more dust and paper in this, but sadly, non. I do still really enjoy this, though. I'm beginning to love masculine scents on me.

[Lycanthrope]

I tried this before my trip.

 

In the bottle it reminds me a little of Aziraphale with that dry cedar-y... paperosity. There is a pretty homogenous, sweet overtone to the scent, and plenty of index card.

 

Yes, this smells kind of like a ream of 3x5's when you break them open from the shrinkwrap, fan the paper between your thumbs and smell the insides. Or when you buy a textbook (dermatology, let's say) and spend a few minutes smelling the paper and hearing the binding crackle.

 

Um... not that I do either of the above...

 

On my skin, it smells like paper, sweet, strange inks, and dusty cedar.

[brilliantcat]

I have to agree with talula_fairie, this was nothing like I expected, but perhaps it was just my chemistry. I got generic men's cologne from wet to drydown. NOTHING evocative of books, parchment, candle wax, or that sexy vamp in a library I was hoping for I was so diappointed. I'm still searching for that perfect bibliophile scent for me. I really need to get some Miskatonic U

[whisperstilled]

In imp: What an incrediblye smell. Leathery old books with incense and creamy parchment pages. Absolutely delectable.

 

Wet: Similar to VILF, which I have on my other wrist, but without the muskiness. This is a clean man working with books bound in leather.

 

Dry: Absolutely delicious. The definitive book smell with leather, incense, and what I think is a touch of beeswax. Love love love it! 5/5

Edited September 5, 2010 by Whisperstilled

[strahlend]

Not what I was expecting. This smells like skin musk, a touch of honey and a whiff of gardenia to me. I like it but it's not the paper/library scent I was hoping for.

[reconditarmonia]

Oy. Smells just like cologne when I put it on - it's really, really familiar for some reason, but I can't place exactly what cologne it smells like.

 

Dries down to a slightly warmer/manlier/more cologne-y (incensy?) version of Dee (leather and books). I don't pick up the wax per se, but that's probably what's warming it.

 

I may finish my decant (thank you glasspillars! <3), despite the terrible start it gets off to, but I definitely wouldn't buy a bottle. Alas, the perfect book scent evades me.

[Little Bird]

I think that this smells like a clean laundry type of scent. It reminds me of clean clothes and dryer sheets.

 

It's not really what I was expecting from the listed notes. I don't get anything like books, incense, leather or wax.

 

My husband smelled this and just said that it smells clean and fresh to him. Not for us, unfortunately.

Edited November 11, 2012 by Little Bird

[crebbsgirl]

Dry and smooth, the parchment and beeswax are standouts here. I can definitely see how people are getting a man's cologney smell from this, as the more it wears the more it does that on my skin. It's sweet, and a little sharp.

[chocolateaurora]

In the bottle, it definitely smells cologney, with a dry waxiness in the background.

Wet, it's similar, but the the cologne scent fades a bit. It's still not evocative of libraries or parchment though.

As it dries down, I am getting a bit of sweetness (wax note maybe), but no great morph.

It's like Dee, with less personality. Pleasant, but not much else.

[meredevachon]

In the bottle: Furniture polish. Not something like lemon Pledge or whatever, but really good furniture polish

 

Wet: Still mostly furniture polish, although I could see why others are getting a cologne-y scent from it.

 

Dry down: As it dries, it gets less intense, and the idea of incense and wax kind of grows from what was furniture polish. Then I start to get a musty-sweet scent that reminds me of very old books.

 

Dry: More of the same, with hints of parchment if I sniff up close. Throw comes and goes, sometimes sticking very close to the skin, other times I get a sudden waft (usually of the incense and wax, which stay married throughout) even if I'm not moving around.

 

Overall: Not exactly what I'd expected, even though the notes are there. I think I like it, but I don't think it'll be a bottle I reach for all the time.

 

Impressions: Flickering light over highly polished wood. Muted purple. Shiny but delicate like crisp cellophane.

[rinster]

I probably shouldn't pre-read the reviews before I test because they tend to affect my perceptions, but I gotta agree with all the folks that called this one masculine cologne. It is unisex and actually not bad, but not the scholarly grail I had hoped for.

[ravenscanary]

Source: Decant

 

In the decant: wax over a cologne-like base.

 

Wet: unisex cologne, very clean-smelling. the wax disappeared.

 

Dry: no change.

 

Pretty disappointing. This one smells very much like some generic mainstream unisex splash on scent, just without the unpleasant alcoholic edge. It is pleasant, but not remotely what I was expecting. I'll be sticking with Aziraphale for my "bookish" scent.

[galahad]

In The Bottle

Surprisingly sharply cologney

 

On Application

The "cologne" scent is the faded incense, I think. This is really not what I expected.

 

Dry Down

This eventually deepens and becomes smokier. It is not until about 15 minutes into the drydown that I get The old dustiness that I was expecting. And the candle wax comes though gently. I like it and I would wear it but the beginnig is somewhat confusing.

 

Rating (0-5)

4

[angelicruin]

This starts out smelling so fresh and clean on my skin. Very much like cologne. As it dries, I get a bit of smoke and melting wax. A little too masculine for my taste.

[deflowerkid]

I bought this scent for my husband, and it is so drool worthy on him!

 

In bottle: men's cologne. I don't really get any of the specific notes, more of a blend.

 

Wet: On my husband I'm getting the wax smell; very pleasant. Reminds me of huge bookstacks with long pillard candles to read by.

 

Dry: After a few minutes the individual notes come out to play.

 

Love it!!

[obsidienne]

Unexpectedly, this smells very masculine and like an elegant cologne wafting through an old library full of old books and lit by candles. Key word: cologne. The wax, perhaps because it is so faint, doesn't really smell like beeswax to me, so I am unsure if its meant to be that or another kind of wax. It's musky, a bit incensey, and as it dries down, the paper notes develop. I like those notes, but I wish they were paired with something a bit sweeter and less cologne-like. But they can't all be girly blends, I know!

[zankoku_zen]

Sweet cologne, beeswax (probably helping with the sweetness) and a touch of paper. It's much lighter and masculine than I expected. As it dries, the combination of beeswax and paper make it smell like some odd sort of band-aid on me.

 

Poo on you, skin chemistry.

[raisin]

My first reaction was "what it says on the label." But in retrying it, I am finding it much fresher and lighter than I expected. It doesn't have much throw, and I can definitely see where the "cologne-y" description is coming from. It's got some wonderful papery notes, some wax, but I'm thinking those candles must be ocean scented, because there is a definite freshness to it.

Still, I had worried about the incense, and that's not something I'm getting out of this at all. May have to become a bottle purchase.

[Leopard403]

I knew I wanted to try Philologus because I would love to smell like old books, and Ü was such a disaster on my skin. Sadly, I don't think this one is a good replacement.

I was also hoping the candle wax note would be similar to that in The Lights of Mens' Lives, but no such luck.

 

When sniffing straight from the decant vial, this is *very* perfume-y, the kind of scent I tend to avoid. Wet on the skin it is very similar to strong, generic men's cologne. It definitely settles down as it dries, but it sort of loses all its character as well. Once it is dry on the skin, it smells aquatic to me, and way too masculine for me to wear comfortably.

 

Sad.

[Truelove]

Philologus - wow - is this one coloney and masculine. I like the scent, hopefully it will work on hubbie. Very clean & crisp. Just not for me. Nothing like the description.