The Book

[LizziesLuck]

Old, yellowed parchment paper, tattered leather bindings. There's a distinct warmth to the scent, though it is ancient and brittle.

Wet: This is a really warm scent. The paper reads almost as wood to me, but the kind of wood I like. It glows. This is much sweeter than I expected. The leather isn't horrible (some leather notes are on me). There's much more depth to it than I was expecting, and I am really enjoying it! I wish I knew how aged this imp is - I am guessing since release, as it's Lab labelled. There is something so soothing about this. It really does feel like curling up with a good book (one of the best feelings in the world, for me).

Dry: There's almost some spice or something to this! Its really enjoyable. I quite like it. Trying to decide if I would ever wear it. I can't really describe the scent, other than homey and comforting. I guess it does actually smell like this used book store that I love, when I think about it. Just really pleasant and nostalgic.

[Lucchesa]

I have just a tester of The Book. I have tried several BPAL library scents because of all the time I've spent in libraries and archives, plus I love soft leather and beeswax as notes. And I think they are all beautiful (the other Book, Scholar's Tower, Buggre All This Bible, etc.) and my skin eats them right up.

 

I tried The Book about an hour before bed last night. I can still smell it this morning. Not strong, but there, unlike La Petite Mort which was on the other wrist. This is shocking. My middle-aged skin rarely allows me such staying power. The throw is low, even when wet, making this a very appropriate work scent. On me, at first it is all warm dusty paper, and then the worn leather emerges as it dries. It is very soothing, as LizziesLuck mentions. I definitely need more than a tester!

[goblingrin]

In the decant I got leather and parchment right away and it smelled warm but very cologne-y. Wet on my skin, the leather amps with a strong throw. As it dries, more of the woodsy parchment and warmth comes out, but at this point it's very close to the skin. If that drydown scent just had more of a throw then this would easily be a favorite.

[doomsday_disco]

In the imp (it's a carded imp): Brown leather and yellowed parchment, and perhaps some sandalwood.

 

Wet: I think this may contain yellow sandalwood. There's this woody, dusty warmth to the scent, which I think could be from this sandalwood. I am also getting the brown leather and the brittle quality from the description, like the pages could easily fall apart if the book isn't handled carefully.

 

Dry: The scent has calmed down a lot. The leather is softer and cozier now, and I get more of the yellowed parchment, which is also softer (and sweeter – I wonder if there's tonka in this parchment note?) now. This is more yellowed parchment than leather on me. I'm still thinking this one has sandalwood in it, but I'm not sure if it is the yellow variety anymore. I definitely don't think it's the dry white sandalwood, though.

 

Verdict: This is a lovely book scent. It's warmer than a lot of the other book scents I've tried, and I like that it has brown leather instead of black leather (and that the paper ends up being stronger than the leather on me). I'm not sure if I need a bottle, since I already have a few book scents, but I'll definitely hold on to my imp and see how much I reach for it before deciding, because I really like this.

[tinyvulture]

Alll leather! I don't own leatherbound books, so this doesn't have a bookish association for me. Just straight up leather, with a sweet astringent note like, well, remember ditto machines and you would sniff the fresh ink on the page when teacher passed them out? Showing my age? Ha. That's what I'm getting here, not old parchment but paper with fresh ink. That undertone. I might not wear this, but my husband might.

[aquazoo]

I do get that rose. I get that leather. The rose fades into old paper. It’s like an old volume with roses pressed between the pages.

[patina]

For reference, this is a very old decant. I remember being unimpressed with the scent when it first came out.

I get a very soft leather and the powdery vanilla scent of old books, but there's something sweet as well that almost smells like an incense. Someone mentioned rose but it seems more like sandalwood to me.

If this doesn't fade away to nothing like Dee does this might be a go-to book scent.