Whitechapel

[kirsten]

A gentlemen's blend, possessed of dignity, charm and refinement, but in truth masking a corrupted, hideous, soulless core. White musk, lime, lilac and citron.

I'm a bit amazed by this scent, tbh. I was wary of the description as a gentleman's cologne and even warier of the lilac, which I really can't stand. But Whitechapel turned out to be everything I ever wanted in a lime perfume---all lime, all the time.

I really don't get any white musk (which I adore) from this, but it's such a bright, juicy lime, that I honestly don't mind.

[angelamaria]

In imp: a masculine, cologney scent: citron and white musk.

 

Wet on skin: citron, powdery lilac, and lime--it's a mix of all of them, the lilac sometimes coming to the fore, and then the lime now, before switching again, but the citron is usually up top. It's lending an almost minty coolness to the blend. Not as masculine now, but firmly gender neutral. This rather reminds me of the mosquito repellant candles we have though It's definitely a very nice scent, but I'm not sure who would want to smell like that...well, unless you actually do want to repel mosquitoes in which case you could say you smell divine while repelling mosquitoes!

 

Dry: this doesn't really morph so much, but there is a very musty powder that has crept in for me. The musty powderiness is the same sort of musty powderiness that I got from Enraged Bunny Musk--not really menacing, but definitely not "clean"; I suppose they share this particular kind of white musk?

 

Verdict: an interesting mostly-masculine blend, but probably not one I'd be looking for in a guy.

[surlygurl]

The imp of Whitechapel that I have is pretty old, so YMMV.......

 

Fresh on my skin, it is bright clear lemon. Huh. Not very exciting. But..... there's something deep in the background, like a sweet white fog. Detectable, but not solid. As it dries, the lemon takes a backseat and the background scent comes forward. "What is that!!??" It's sweetish, kinda vanilla feeling. Whatever it is, it & lemon get along wonderfully. My mind wanders & hits on 'sweetgrass'. Okaaaayyyyy..... a basket of sweetgrass with some fresh picked lemons nestled in it.

 

This scent lasts & lasts. The occasional waft reaches me and it's lovely. I woke up in the middle of the night and got that sweet-tart soft smell. I can't believe how much I like this!

[rhubarb3point14]

My body chemistry has a unique ability to take even the most disreputable, overtly sexual fragrance and make it as cheerful and guileless as a Trixie Belden novel. And that, I regret to say, is what it does with Whitechapel. It discards the musk utterly, leaving nothing but a fresh-faced waft of citrus and lilac.

 

I have to say the lilac note in this fragrance is stunning. It smells real -- and I am a connoisseur of lilac! But much like Amsterdam, this is a fragrance that I will use as a room/linen spray rather a body scent. My body does not do it justice.

 

I think Whitechapel is gorgeous. I just wish it weren't so unsexy on me!

[lohengrin]

This is a review of an aged bottle.

 

In the bottle: Lime and citron with a very light musk.

 

On skin, wet: Basically the same as in the bottle.

 

On skin, dry: A bit of soapiness shows up--lilac apparently doesn't like me--but it's not such an aggressive soapiness that it can't be ignored.

 

After an hour: True to the initial drydown. The soapiness never gets any worse, and mostly can only be smelled if I put my nose right to my skin. I actually quite like this, it's light and citrusy but not sweet or warm at all.

[Mokiefraggle]

Hm. Not sure what to think of this one.

 

In the imp: powerful citrus (I'm assuming it's the citron, since it's a bit too potent to be all lime) and a hint of musk beneath it. Honestly, it smells a bit like key lime pie.

 

Wet: still powerfully citrus, with the musk fading out under a powdery scent I'm sure is the lilac. It's very, very citrus, and the lilac is very sweet with an underlying dusty quality...strange, not totally unappealing. It does, at least to me, give it the right sort of murky, sinister quality to fit its name under all that sweet citrus and powder.

 

Dry: the citrus has faded out to a much more tolerable little whiff of tartness under the lilac and musk, and the sweet edge of the powder scent has become just a trifle more dusty with the musk. Sort of murky, dry sweetness, thankfully without the overt key lime pie sweetness I smelled in the imp.

 

The intensely sweet edge goes away quickly enough that I think I might be able to wear this without being fussed too much by the initial smell, before it settles into something that registers more as perfume than fruit. I don't know yet if I'll consider a bottle, but I think I'll keep the imp. Don't think I like it quite as much as some of the others, though.

[Gold Dust Kitten]

This smells like Fruit Loops in the vial and my skin. The lime is borderline furniture polish and there's something turning funky on my skin. Not for me.

[Smaragdina]

Preconceived notions: I’d almost get this based on the name alone. I’m hoping it’s clean and bright, maybe with some of that “hideous, soulless core” that eluded me in Dorian.

 

In the imp: WOW THAT’S LIME. LIME. LIIIIIIIIIIIIME. *ahem* It’s the super-sweet, super-tart lime of those popsicles that come in the lime/banana/root beer triple packages. LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIME!!!!

 

Wet: LIME!!!

 

Drydown: The Ripper doesn’t like to stick around, I see. This vanished within five minutes. I’ll have to test it once again…

[sunlitgarden]

At first this smells like some kind of frozen ice dessert, like a lime sorbet, with the sweet white musk and tart citrus. Then the lilac comes out. It still smells like it could be a gourmet dessert of some kind (hey, they put lavender into things, why not lilac?) Unfortunately, it kind of smells like bathroom deodorizing spray to me as it dries.

[Dani87]

Imp: citrus

Wet: key lime pie

Drydown/dry: still key lime, but softer, and slightly powdery.

[whitsunweddings]

It's funny what different scents can mean to different people - if I were to make a Whitechapel, it'd be "Bangladeshi spices being gradually overtaken by the creeping musk of gentrification". Sigh. I wish I could afford London. But anyway:

In the imp: Lime and manliness.

Wet: Lime gummy lollies.

Dry: Smells a bit like ambergirs, eep! Thus, a less than gentlemanly mix of lime and sweaty man armpit :/

[KindKit]

Oh, the LIME, the beautiful beautiful lime. I adore the immediate hit of lime on first applying it, with just the slight lilac sweetness underneath. It does go through a brief furniture-polish phase on me, perhaps because of the citron, but that passes quickly and it's back to lime and the emerging lilac. I was nervous of the lilac, but it's not overpowering or too feminine for my taste, and it works beautifully with that lime top note.

 

The first time I wore this I didn't put enough on and was disappointed when it seemed to fade away after about ten minutes. Now I know to slather this one; it lasts better that way. I need a bottle of this, because it's been a struggle not to wear it every single day and deplete my imp.

[paintednightsky]

The gentleman part threw me off and kind of made me have the assumption I would not like it. Plus I'm not much of a lime person.

 

Wet: Smell a fresh lime margarita. Citrusy, energizing.

 

Dry : Smell the citrusy, sour, mouth puckering lime for a bit... but then it mellows down and I can smell the lilac coming forward being the more dominant scent, while the citrus compliments and gives the lilac a fresh, green smell. It is a very nice, interesting scent. Since I am new to bpal, I've been making a pile of imps to swap and I thought whitechapel would be going in the pile (the name and description threw me off) but I am definitely going to keep it now

Edited October 28, 2012 by paintednightsky

[BoneBone24]

Wet: Key lime pie! Bright and slightly sweet.

 

Drydown: A delightful lime-citrus blend. Not too sweet and not too sour. Beneath the citrus is a pillowy floral. It’s surprisingly sophisticated for such a simple scent.

 

Dry: A pale, citrus-tinged musk accompanied by sparkly lilacs. Creamy, bright, and gentle.

[theredkilt]

Whitechapel smells like baby wipes or napkins. if compared to mainstream perfumery, it resembles down to a T Bvlgari - Blu Pour Homme. I can't stand both of them because of the napkins association.

[kaberett]

In the bottle: Citrus! Cologne and citrus.

 

Wet: Lime & citron being VERY enthusiastic over the top of the lilac. No, seriously: citronella candle, or lemongrass, or something. -- MOSQUITO REPELLANT. IT SMELLS LIKE MY CITRUS-TEA TREE MOSQUITO REPELLANT.

 

Dry: ooh, after about ten minutes it's settled into a really rather nice musk-lilac with sharp citrus highlights. It's trying to go a little powdery on me, but I like this. Very sharp and elegant and self-interested, oh yes. Yes, this can stay.

 

ETA: about an hour in, it smells entertainingly like really classy mosquito repellant. I am endlessly amused. Even further on, it's got over that, and is now understated and elegant and self-interested. Very, very keen on this one!

Edited April 9, 2013 by kaberett

[OctoberGwen]

Jesus, maybe it's all psychological, but this one gives me the CREEPS.

 

It smells like a dirty lollipop. I just...can't.

 

 

[JazzieCazzie]

I know I tried this way back when but apparently never reviewed it ... my recollection had been that while I loved each of the notes listed, it was just too masculine on me. However, upon receiving a frimp from the Lab in my most recent purchase, at least 8 years later if not longer, I was definitely up to the challenge of revisiting it and am so glad I did!

 

IN THE IMP: A combination of a lilac-citrus tang followed closely by lemon lollipops.

 

Dabbed cautiously on one wrist.

 

WET: A very fresh and springlike scent! Fabulous pure SN-like lilac combined with a wonderful real citrus blend. While I can see the "gentleman's blend" description, it's not a real cologne to my nose but rather the way a very hot guy would smell at the beach with sea spray on his body, while chopping up lemons and limes for gin and tonics. Or something.

 

I actually applied more to my wrist and into the crook of my arm.

 

DRYDOWN: The fresh citrus scent doesn't stay, but the luscious lilac does. In fact, on drydown this could be a SN lilac to me. And that is a VERY VERY good thing, since fresh lilac is one of my favorite smells in the world, but so often lilac perfume does not capture that essence.

 

OVERALL: I am SOOOO glad to have been frimped this and am SOOOOO glad to have re-tried it. I need to keep this blend in mind for forumites who ask about "lilac blends." This is one of the best. Very gender neutral.

 

On a scale of 1-5, a 4.8.

[Deliciousness]

In the imp: Sweet lemony goodness

Wet on skin: I'm not entirely convinced this just isn't Lolita with a different name. Sweet and lemony on my skin with a little tartness underneath.

Dry down: WTF? Are you guys sure this isn't Lolita? It smells exactly the same! The description says this is a gentleman's blend ... Lolita in drag maybe?

 

Ok, I did a test with Lolita on one arm and Whitechapel on the other. I find that Whitechapel is slightly less sweet then Lolita, with the barest hint of herbal tones in the background. I am talking nuances here, so much so, that I cannot fathom purchasing both these scents as they are nearly identical on my skin. With that said, Whitechapel is quite nice, a lovely summer scent. I love Lolita, so I guess by default, I love this too

[lucycat]

In the imp and when first applied, I smelled strong, sweet lime. Then the lilac appeared.

 

The lime and lilac balanced each other very well. This smelled so good, I couldn't stop sniffing my arm.

 

I got a very brief whiff of cologne that suggested the "gentleman's blend," but that was all. My fears that Whitechapel would be too masculine for me were unfounded.

 

Now this is all lilac grounded by white musk. Lilac is one of my happiest scent memories, because my grandfather had an enormous lilac bush in his front yard. So I'm glad this is working so well on me.

[milo]

This smells exactly like those hard lemon candies. Dry, different story, kind of like a lemon lotion with baby oil. I really like lotion scents for some reason, they are soft and comforting to me, especially this one. It is definitely not masculine to me, it is soft, feminine and womanly without being sexy. Something how a mother would smell like holding her brand new baby. I like this.

[Missy_killer]

To my nose: Ooooh... This one is very lime and citron heavy! I also detect some mint? At least..I think it's mint?

 

On: This smells like soda pops candy! (or like Lush's Whoosh if you haven't tried the candy) Very bright and citrus-y juuust like I love it!

 

The citrus slowly dies down and the lilac enters the party. There's another BPAL with lilac and citrus that I tried not so long ago (and can't remember the name of) that made the same outcome = citrus and lilacs turn to soap on me. Boo! Very disappointed.

[welcometothefamily]

In the Imp: Nice. White musk, and bland citrus. I say bland because it's not nose stinging and doesn't really have any kick at all.

 

Wet: Body warmed soap. It does have a manly scent association to it though, you know when your dad/boyfriend/other male person steps out of the shower, and they smell just like clean soap? That is this scent.

 

Drydown: Oh noes! The dreaded pooey nappies D: Straight sniff from the wrist is okay, just bland floral soap. But the throw is allllll nappies.

 

Verdict: -sigh- It just wasn't meant to be. The notes sounded so promising too.

 

1.5/5

[alyelle]

In the imp: lemon.

 

Wet: ... lemon.

 

Dry: lemon.

 

 

Lemon is one of the few BPAL notes I can't wear - unless I fancy an instant migraine. I persisted with this in the hope that the initial citrus would die off but it just got stronger. I'm sure it would be lovely on someone else; on me, it does exactly what Lolita does and tries to convince you that you are, in fact, in the middle of an overly ripe orchard with no hope of escape this century.

[quickdrawkiddo]

I bought this off a generous forumite so I have no idea of its age.

 

Wet: LIME. Not so much lime juice as lime candy. Not my favorite thing but I'm curious to see how it develops.

 

Dry: holy crap, that's white musk. SO MUCH WHITE MUSK. I really should have read the description of this one before slathering it on this morning, because white musk is very iffy on me.

 

Over time the lime comes back into the background and I can juuuust get a whiff of the lilac, but this is still overwhelmingly white musk on me. It should appeal to fans of Dorian since it has a similar white musk + citrus + floral composition. Unfortunately this is one of the many blends (like Dorian) in which white musk totally takes over, so it's a big nope for me