Xiuhtecuhtli

[Wildbriar]

Patron of the Aztec pantheon, he is the personification of light within darkness, warmth in the cold, and life in, and after, death. He is a creative and destructive God of Fire and Light, and is appeased only by sacrifice, trial, and the slaughter of his people's enemies. Copal, plumeria and sweet orange and the smoke of South American incense and crushed jungle blooms.

In the imp the notes of citrus and copal come out strongest. Wet on my skin its similar with a light floral note at the top, probably the plumeria. As this dries it deepens and the spices come out to play with the citrus while the floral evaporates. The copal is very subtle here, but definately present. This wants to smell like citronella bug spray on me, but thankfully never fully gets there and instead stays a georgeous, spicy citrus with a deep resinous base that lends a creamy quality to the blend.

I love this as it is but I'm wondering what it will do as it ages as I've found that resins tend to get sweeter with age on me. I may have to get another imp so I have one to wear and one to age. Yummers!

[Naamah_Darling]

This is an very odd scent. In the bottle it comes across as very densely smoky with a squeeze of orange layered over it. Not unlike Hellfire and Froot-Loops. It's very strong, very dark, and slightly bitter. It's also very velvety and deep, but the orange gives it an edge.

 

On, it opens up a little and becomes really pretty. This is clearly incense smoke. It's thick, creamy, and golden in character, resinous and soft, and over it is the melting orange glaze.

 

I'm not a big fan of citrus scents, but this one is really neat. It's a dirty, smoky citrus, and while that doesn't sound like a combination that'd work, it most definitely does.

[jasmine]

I have no idea how to pronounce the name of this, and I have a strong tendency to mix it up with Tenochtitlan and Tezcatlipoca... not because any of them have similar notes, but because they all fall into "Another Aztec perfume" in my head. I need to remember that Tezcatlipoca is the one I don’t own and want instead of repeatedly trying to buy Tenochtitlan. Anyway...

 

Xiuhtecuhtli is quite sweet, but not in a sugary fashion. It’s sweet like the scent of sweet flowers. The orange is dominant, with a layer of something vanilla-ish below. The flowers are there as well, but it isn’t a flowery perfume -- they just bolster the rest.

 

I thought the smoke would come out, but it never does. I never manage to pick any note out that I recognize as incense or smoke (but I’m not complaining.) After an hour, this is a light, clean-smelling citrus bolstered softly by the fragrance of tropical blossoms and the faintest touch of rain. And after two hours, it’s almost entirely gone.

 

Xiuhtecuhtli doesn’t fit its name at all -- slaughter, fire, light... not a chance. It doesn’t have a very strong identity (actually, I find myself wanting to buy Xiuhtecuhtli-scented hair conditioner) but there’s nothing bloody or hostile about it at all. This is a lovely, refreshing summer scent.

[LadyCrow]

Ah, Xiuhtecuhtli: the official scent of former Scripps-Howard National Spelling Bee contenders.

 

In the imp: Floral.

 

Wet: Hmm, smoky floral. I could get to like this.

 

Drydown: Ah, here come the copal and orange blossom -- and that's pretty much what I get for the rest of the wear time. That's nice and all, but I wish the smoky note had hung around longer. Throw is minimal on me; this is something I might wear when I felt I desperately needed to wear some scent, but needed to be sensitive to others who might be bothered. My perception of this is sunny-incensey, like an extremely mild version of something like Ahathoor. Maybe in a locket, it wouldn't be so shy?

[prettybird]

I got Xiuhtecuhtli (hee or shee-oo-teh-coo-tlee, don'tchaknow) both out of my need to have all the Central American scents and because I'm a giant copal nut. Unfortunately, I can't find the copal in this. That may be because I'm used to the real deal, which is notable more for its effects than its scent.

 

It smells about the same in the bottle as it does on me, which is just way too sharp. It's got a lot of orange blossom, but in a bad way. Somehow, it comes around the bend and ends up almost medicinal on me.

 

And that's how I learned I've got to stay out of the florals, as tempting as they might be.

[rockchickie]

Wet: Starts off really sort of generic perfume like. I can smell the orange in there, which unlike every other BPAL orange does not crush all the other notes.

Dry: Mmm, and it develops! Wow this is complex but familiar. Smokey, floral and the orange is still very much there. There's something in here that reminds me of a feminine Tweedledum. Not as rounded but definitely in the family, it's got the same sort of kick. Strong aura.

 

I keep trying this one and I'm conflicted. I like it but I don't think it's for me.

[Miseraya]

In the imp: Thick heavy florals, sweet and heady.

 

On the wrist: Pretty much the same as in the imp, this is a very sweet, creamy floral blend on my skin. Nice, but not really me.

 

Drydown: Uh-oh, my skin found that incense note and ran with it. This turned into that headache inducing powdery scent that my skin loves to create.

[303marlena]

Xiuhtecuhtli is without a doubt one of my OMG blends. Besides the fact that I adore anything Aztec, the imagery behind this one also caught my interest. In the imp--actually I should say in the little plastic jar I decanted my imp into, as my imp top broke off half way in the imp and I couldn't recap it so scrambled quickly to find an alternate container --anyway, in the container, it smells overwhelming sweet but also mysteriously compelling and sexy, the copal I am thinking, since I have never (knowingly) smelled it before.

 

On the flesh, this is simply divine. Otherworldly. Aztec! It is smokey, with a sweet resin vibe and the sweet orange and (by me at least) unidentified tropical blooms peeking through. It has good throw and excellent wearlength too.

 

Sexxxxxy, sweeeeet, resinnnny goodness with an orange twist. I love it!!!!

Edited July 19, 2007 by marlena

[brit_brat100]

Imp: A mix of citrus and floral notes, but I get a burned smell too.

 

Wet: The same. Throw like whoa.

 

Dry: Same.

[ariosa]

I wasn't sure how I felt about this one when first putting it on. It smells like something that just won't work on me, since most of BPAL's orange blossom combinations don't seem to work on me. I love Tenochtitlan, however, so I knew I must try this.

 

This actually works, though I feel that it smells kind of commercial on me. It's citrusy and smoky, and there's a hint of sweet vanilla like stuff on the drydown. I think I like this. It's not a WOW, the way Tenochtitlan smells on me, but I like it. It'll need a longer linger on my skin to determine for sure whether it's a keeper.

[MaidenGenevive]

Xiuhtecuhtli

 

In the vial and upon first application, the first thing I notice is the smell of sweet orange. Almost immediately, soft florals chime in. This is bright, warm, and summery. It is lovely and feminine. This scent certainly is unique. Even as it sets, it remains invigorating and bright.

 

[1 - Hate] .. [2 - Dislike] .. [3 - Like] .. [4 - Really Like] .. [5 - Love]

 

2 : I love how unique this scent is, but the sweetness of the orange combined with the florals are a bit too much for me and are making me feel slightly ill.

[sheridankm]

This is a steamy, thick, oppressively heavy scent on me. It instantly creates the feeling of standing in smog. The smoky base of incense and resin is lovely, and the jungle flowers sweeten it up and summon tropical heat, but then the sweet orange takes over. Ugh. I would love it if it were a citrusy orange, but this is a rotten, overripe orange, swollen and cloyingly sweet with a distinct odor of decay. It's even heavier than the orange in Ravenous, which sent me running to immediately scrub it off and /would not go away./

 

Oddly, this becomes a very light incense/floral/zingy citrus blend when I have my period. No idea how others smell me then, but to me it was worth buying for that one week of perfect, tangy orange.

[tartchef]

Nyomnyomnyom.... oh golly this is tasty. It's like Green & Black's Maya Gold in perfume form - clean, snappy orange zest & a hint of spice over deep dark chocolate. I was bracing myself for cloying Creamsicle orange, which peeps out when it's wet, but then quickly deepens into a smooth, almost smoky orange... the copal wafts in & out, as do some white florals, but I would hesitate to call this "floral" at all. It's not really foody, either, at least not traditionally so. It's a really nice alternative to the heavier incense scents I usually wear, and yet not totallly out of character...

 

Ya know? /ramble

[olympia301]

I got this as a frimp and didn't know what to make of it...at first. Xiuhtecuhtli is something you should NOT dismiss out of turn. Give it a real chance to win your heart, and you may be sacrificed to the gods of good smellies. This one really reminds me of Black Opal without the camphor note in it (which is not my favorite part of Black Opal which I do love a great deal however). Xiu. is excellent. Very zesty, almost mineral or mineral with no almost to it. I think there is yuzu in here without any qualms at all about it's being here. It has a big throw, is strong and clean but at the same time very sexy. I call it unisex and it would do on a man as well as a woman. !This is good and powerful stuff, amigos!

[hkhm]

imp: i'm getting strong orange and copal which, at first sniff, smelled just like freshly-ground nutmeg.

 

wet: very crisp and clean. there is a strong spicy/creamy/floral scent that makes me think of cakes baked in early spring. like a lemon cake with vanilla spice frosting that's sitting next to a huge boquet of fresh-cut flowers.

 

dry: this dries to something exceptionally crisp and clean. like sun shining over rain-wet leaves. this is like no other blend i've ever smelled. i don't know if it's something i'll get a bottle of, but it's one i certainly want to try a bit more of.

[Pyrebi]

An imp from the darling schackjj!

 

In the bottle: There's something so dark in this bottle. It refuses to be identified, but the most accurate I can get is a hot fire made of orange-wood that has been suddenly doused in cold water. I can't stop sniffing!

 

Wet: Instant florals. All of that lovely darkness has been replaced by something that smells amazingly similar to roses. Still, though, they seem to be cool, wet flowers--I think that's the orange lending a bit of acidity to the sweetness.

 

Dry: There's an overall coolness to this scent. Unlike most floral notes, these don't instantly go to soap on me. They lean that way, but something else yanks them back a bit. Feels like water and blossoms--for me, an almost cruel mixture: being lost in the jungle as night sets in and the rain starts pouring.

 

Later: Gr, soap. My old nemesis.

[Ravenclaw79]

This smells tasty. And perfumey. It's like the antifreeze scent -- you know it's not food, but it smells sweet.

 

First off, I got a red-orange scent, like oranges and berries. As it has dried, a vanilla-like note has emerged, though I know it can't be vanilla -- I'm guessing it's the interplay of orange and plumeria (though what is "sweet orange," anyway? Maybe it IS vanilla?).

 

Overall, it's a pleasant, warm-sweet-orange sort of smell. I don't get a whole lot of floral, and I haven't gotten any of the smoke/wood smell that some others have gotten.

[dreadeddragon]

In the bottle: Is that cactus? Smells like cactus mixed with light florals.

 

First on: I can definitely pick out the orange, but it all blends together so nicely to create a true representation.

 

Drydown: This is really nice. I still pick out the orange, bu also the incense and plumeria, and still the cactus scent.

 

Overall: Yay! Really makes me think of parts of Mexico I haven't been to but want to.

[AEris]

Sweet, mandarin oranges with herby florals and a hint of incense.

 

It's bright and sunshiney, but a little too much so for me to wear. Very fruity (someone said Froot Loops cereal, haha now that's all I can think of).

 

It's a very young, fresh scent, and I can see why so many people like it. Just ain't my thang.

 

3 out of 5

[Laurel the Woodfairy]

Xiu is one of the many perfumes that I tended to overlook b/c my brain went, "name I can't pronounce...move along...these aren't the imps you're looking for..." and then I read comments and reviews and realized I needed to try it. I wasn't disappointed! This is a gorgeous scent that immediately reminds me of Limited Editions--Dia de los Muertos (from its first run) springs to mind, and also Candy Butcher's drydown. It has a rich foody coca-bean base that isn't overly sweet; it seems to get it's sweetness from florals instead. Fresh citrus (orange, I think?) and incense lighten it up make it more "fresh". It smells like a limited edition--really complex, well-balanced, and expensive somehow. An entire jungle in a bottle. I think it's very cool that it's in the general catalog and easy to come by!

[Gwydion]

I'm fond of the symbolism, but my skin really amplifies citrus though. In bottle: Orange with spices and incense. Wet: Orange Peel. Dry: incense and a touch of flower over soft orange. It's not bad for citrus, but it fades fast.

 

ADDED 5/18/09:

 

In bottle: Sharp orange peel dominant. Wet: I generally don’t do orange well, but really, this is lovely, with the incense and unusual flower combination creating an excellent balance with the orange. It’s unusual and does an excellent job at evoking a temple in a rainforest. Dry: Rich incense, exotic florals, and sharp orange, weirdly appealing really. This is the best orange blend I’ve come across for my wacky skin chemistry.

[jarvenpa]

A frimp from the dear lab. As usual I didn't check out the notes before trying; hey, I like the risk.

 

But after making my notes I can't believe there isn't some vanilla in here. (does copal smell like vanilla???) because--well, my first sniff, after slathering on wrists and inhaling, was lots of vanilla stirred into cocoa with a squeeze of orange and a bunch of highly scented flowers somewhere close; that is: deliciousness matched with high floralness (floraltude??).

 

And something I can't quite identify (copal? plumeria? I'd think I could detect smoke of incense).

 

This one is perplexing. I like the vanilla or the phantom vanilla and I am quite fond of flowers and the cocoa (which has vanished) was pretty nice too. There's also an edgy herbal thing that pops out every so often and then runs away, chased by the vanilla smoothness (um, that vanilla smoothness that may have nothing to do with actual vanilla).

 

Interesting. I think I'm going to have to try this a few times to figure out what's happening and if I love it dearly or want to let it go.

[cute_toaster]

This is the first GC that I've ordered unsniffed. I was looking for plumeria scents to recapture the smell of Hawai'i, and came across the reviews for this. Somewhere in the first few pages it was compared to Gucci Rush, which was one of my pre-BPAL perfumes, so I grabbed it, and waited nervously.

 

When I opened my bottle, my heart thudded. This is an incredible scent! While it doesn't capture Hawai'i, it makes me think of sunlight streaming into an old stone temple that's built on the edge of a tropical forest near the beach. I can smell the incense burning.

 

It's hard to pin down all of the notes, because on me they work so well they all blend into something beautiful. Everyone at work complimented it.

 

This is a keeper. Heck, this is one of my new must-haves! It's probably the closest I'll ever come to having a "signature scent"

[Lyrical]

In vial: orange (the sort of pure orange oil in Terry's Chocolate Orange) and flowers.

 

Wet on skin: a sweet, smoky orange, which is almost chocolatey!

 

Dry on skin: this is very strongly orange - a dark, smoky, incensy orange. It's really very nice, but not quite me.

[semuelle77]

I think this one gave me a headache.

 

In the imp it was all floral. I keep thinking florals can work on me. Someday I will accept the truth, but for now I keep trying them.

 

On the skin this goes very sweet. It does not do the weird plasticy thing that the BPAL sugar notes does, but it is nearly overwhelming. I could smell the scent CONSTANTLY. This would not be a bad thing if I adored the scent. Gotta give it points for throw and wear length. Eventually I just smelled like very sweet floral soap. Oddly, while it seemed overwhelmingly strong to me, my mom (who has an incredibly sensitive nose) had to sniff my wrist to detect it.

 

I can see how this would be lovely on someone else, it just does not jive with my chemistry.