Paladin

[roseus]

Immaculate white musk, sweet frankincense, bourbon vanilla, white leather, and shining armor.

 

I did not get much of the metal or balsam aspects. This was a base of soft white leather, frankincense, and clean white musk, ever so slightly powdery in the best way with a little vanilla. A sweet and warm scent. I think I'll need a bottle!

[Casablanca]

Dominant frankincense, with white musk and white leather coming up behind it, backed by some smooth vanilla. This is sweet and creamy, with very little graininess from the frankincense, despite its prominence. I think I also smell an unlisted sandalwood.

 

More than an hour later, sweet vanilla musk is strongest.

Nicely balanced and evocative. I'm much more drawn to this than I ever was to playing a paladin.

[ghostnaming]

Oh man, this is not for me. On my skin this smells like nothing for about 30 minutes, then smells like hot metal and a touch of powder. Almost completely faded after 3 hours, and it's not a pleasant enough scent for me to want to reapply it. Bummer!

[lizardskin]

Paladin was one of the first RPG scents I tried, I'm surprised I haven't reviewed it yet! I was always a little on the fence about it--it's a soft leather + musk on my skin, and while pleasant, I found it sort of boring. I held onto it because I liked layering with other scents sometimes, but I didn't really pay too much attention to it. I tried it the other day again and, after years, for the first time noticed the frankincense and a metal note. They don't last very long, but they do add an extra layer to the scent that I had been missing. I think I'm going to start reaching for it more often.

 

Anyways, it's a very pleasant scent, good for occasions when you don't want to wear something too strong but don't want to forgo perfume entirely. It also layers very well with neutral.

[Lucchesa]

Paladin is a very bright and feminine scent on me. I'm still not sure what frankincense smells like, but the bourbon vanilla stays sweet and clean and doesn't go all funky like some vanillas do on my skin. Not much throw but good staying power on me. I'm looking forward to experimenting with layering with some of the other RPG scents.

[achildoftime]

I was wary about the vanilla because it doesn't often work for me, but this is a surprise win. It's a nice soft leather and a very clean musk. There is a smidge of vanilla, but it's not overwhelmingly sweet like it can go on me. The whole scent is very subtle and stays quite close. I'm very pleasantly surprised by it and it will be wonderful for days that requite a soft but steady scent.

[torikitty]

Having just reviewed Drag is for Everyone, I can pick up some of the same notes. The musk and the frankincense standout the most. The bourbon vanilla makes it to sticky, sweet for me. I can get how a previous reviewer said it smells like OFF bug spray. I'd say that's more of a periphery smell, rather than a direct one. It starts out sweeter, staying close to the skin. I think the frankincense overtakes the musk and the leather, so I end up with this sweet floral that waffles between OFF and generic brand name perfume.

[Juushika]

Frimp from the Lab.

 

In vial: Clean, pale, ozone-y.

 

On me: This is an incredibly faint scent. When sparingly applied, I get a beautiful but indistinct frankincense with a light, white vibe; a reverential but comforting scent that suits the inspiration. When slathered, it's still light and has no discernible throw, but goes more perfumey, more ozone, almost floral while still being distinctly frankincense; despite the lack of throw, it was too much for me and I had to wash it off.

 

Verdict: I went searching the BPAL catalog for more frankincense-heavy blends as soon as I smelled this--frankincense is such a beautiful note, and there's a lot of potential in this pale take on it, especially alongside white musk. But the ozone/armor and the shyness of this scent kill it for me.

[torischroeder9]

In the imp: White musk and frankincense. 

 

On my skin:

 

Wet, the frankincense is dominant. As it dries, the frankincense remains in the foreground, touched by a bit of white musk and a bit of bourbon vanilla. It's a soft, round, creamy, sedate blend. I'm curious to see how it will pair with both busier, more effervescent RPG scents as well as with heavier, darker ones. 

[queenshaboo]

What a surprise, it's nothing like I was expecting from the listed notes. I was expecting sweet resiny incense, I got generic laundry liquid/ baby shampoo. Wet there's a fruity note from the bourbon vanilla and soap from the musk.

 

Can't distinguish the frankincense from the blend nor the "shiny armor" unless it's the frequent washing with baby shampoo that makes it so shiny lol.

 

As it dried down the leather emerged which made it better but it was still baby shampoo + imperial leather soap so had to scrub it off as I HATE smelling like supermarket toiletries, I had to use these products growing up and my childhood was sufficiently miserable for me not to need to be reminded of it. Overall I find this one deeply disappointing. 

Edited July 18, 2020 by queenshaboo

[Spookynerd13]

I got this as a frimp yesterday. I was blown away by how good it is on me and how long it lasts. I put it on before bed and it was lingering on my skin this morning. It has a strong incense smell which I’m assuming I’d the frankincense and something bright that I can’t describe. It fades into this nice vanilla musk. I don’t get any leather though.  I will be obtaining a bottle ASAP 

Edited January 28, 2021 by Spookynerd13

[Luna Fatale]

In the Imp: Bubble wand soap (like the kind you used to blow bubbles as a child).

 

On the Skin: Initially clean and soapy. White musk is apparent and  a little too strong for me. S: It seems like it might give me a migraine because of how strong it is. u_u The sweet frankincense adds to the clean scent of the white musk. Bourbon vanilla begins to appear after a few minutes and the musk calms down a bit, much better!

I do smell something reminiscent of leather but no obvious metallic note. Not a bad scent, but not one I would get a full bottle of (Not for myself at least). I must try it on my fiancé o:!
 

[alyelle]

In the imp: Very sweet musk topped with bourbon vanilla and a cypress- or mint-infused leather.

 

Wet: Vanilla, frankincense, soft white leather and steel.

 

Dry: This is a morphing mystery! Champaca? Tobacco flower? Something pale and strangely gaseous but viscious simultaneously. The whitest musk, a whiff of leather, and pale frankincense, with a strong throw and long lifespan.

 

Stars: ★★★½: 

[MolyH]

What little I can catch of this scent is amazing--gentle, soft leather and sweet frankincense and creamy vanilla. But unfortunately, it's also extremely weak, almost nonexistent. I slathered it on because I kept not being able to smell anything, and still, I can only catch the barest whiff every now and then. Even in an oil burner, it's weak and dies fast.

[crow-toes]

This is the scent that really rejuvenated my interest in perfumes and guided me toward finding blends that really work for me. My first bottle bought after testing an imp in years, and after more exploring it still fits like a glove.

 

Warm new leather, vanilla, a hint of whiskey and incense. Incredibly cozy.

[Ennikar]

Agree with above that Paladin is a very mild scent. On top of that, white musk and I usually don't get along, and that holds here - altogether too clean for me. I do also get some leather, and maybe hints of the other notes. If you like mild, clean, leathery scents this may be your thing. ETA: After the first hour or so, I do catch some drydown wafts every so often, and now it's more of a clean skin musk - still not my favorite, but I may actually reach for it under my-skin-but-better circumstances.

Edited February 10 by Ennikar