Whitechapel

[LiberAmoris]

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 loving Whitechapel. Wet, it's strong lemon/lime. Very strong. But as it dries down, the citrus gets creamy and mellow and the lilac and musk really blossom. I love the Lab's white musk, it's so dreamy.

 

This is another blend that would be great during the dog days of summer, when it gets really hot and I don't want to be surrounded by an incensey perfume. I'm keeping the imp, eventually I might have to get a bottle.

Edited February 3, 2006 by LiberAmoris

[hangingfire]

In the imp: Straight-up citrus, evenly balanced between citron and lime.

 

On, wet: Overpoweringly lime. I'm not really getting much else from it at this point.

 

Drydown: Still mostly lime. The lilac finally makes a rather vegetal appearance; unfortunately it ends up going rather sour on my skin, as lavender often does. I can also get a little of the white musk, but unfortunately the lilac just isn't working on me.

 

Darn shame. Normally I really like citrus scents, but the lilac and I don't seem to get along.

[smallvoice]

It does smell really strongly of lime, but in a good way. I can immediately pick out the soft lilac scent, and it is really gorgeous. I think I love white musk. I do in this blend, anyway. Everything about this is light and fresh and lovely without being girly- and it's certainly not your department-store-style perfume. I love this imp. I may have to buy a bottle. Decisions, decisions...

 

UPDATE: (9/30/06) Whitechapel is possibly my favourite scent! The white musk is brilliant on me, and the lime balances so perfectly with the lilac- it is smooth and understated and it makes me happy when my mood is bad. I was wrong- It IS girly, but in the best possible way. The citrus is wonderfully uplifting, and lilacs just downright make me happy, and I love the beautiful way this is blended.

 

Oh- and I do have a bottle.

Edited September 30, 2006 by cordia

[ice queen]

LOVE Whitechapel

Starts off all citrusy , clean, sharp - lots of lime and citron

As time goes on it turns quite spicy - really lovely - not at all "perfumey" but a gorgeous elegant scent

If I am being really picky the only thing I do wish is that it had a tiny bit more throw

[Hanyaan]

Whitechapel is one of my absolute BPAL loves.

 

Wet, it's sharply citrus. Couldn't be happier; I grew up around citrus constantly, and I adore the scent. It starts to get a dazzling edge as the citrus mellows out, and when it's fully dry, for almost the next ten hours I can smell that beautiful sparkling white musk. I love BPAL white musk, especially in Whitechapel.

 

My skin normally eats perfume, BPAL included. Yet somehow Whitechapel sends tendrils of sparkling scent up to my nose for far longer than any scent I've ever tried in my life. It's lovely and has a slight edge to it. (It reminds me of one of my favorite character archetypes in fiction; the man or woman who's always a little too happy and a little too polite and has more tricks hidden up those sleeves than anybody else would ever guess.) It makes me feel special and vibrant and ready to take on the world with words alone. I could slather my entire body in this stuff.

 

EDIT: I put Whitechapel on my wrists over 12 hours ago. I have taken two showers in the interim and it still is giving me sparkly citrus flowers and white musk. For comparison, I slather Oneiroi on every night in much greater quantities, and there's no trace of that scent left in the slightest even if I only slept for five hours. This stuff is amazing.

Edited February 11, 2006 by Hanyaan

[Caltha]

Whitechapel

Surprisingly sweet and not at all masculine. This is basically a flowery scent, lilac or lily of the valley. Then the lime comes out and oh how I adore lime. It all comes down to a nice, cute, girlie, powdery blend of lime and sweet flowers, Jack the Ripper's victims rather than the ripper himself. I might have liked it better if it was more fresh lime and less sweet flowers though, it is a bit uncomplicated and young and innocent, hardly a Whitechapel whore but perhaps her misguided choice of alluring cologne.

[damuddymeg]

Initially, I was worried that this really would be too much of a "gentleman's" scent for me--citron, musk and lime could potentially go either way. Still, worth a shot.

 

Imp: Lime and citron. And soap. Figuring the soap smell is the lilac. I'm still hesitant, but Beth has rarely steered me wrong.

 

Wet: still really all about the lime and citron. The soapiness doesn't manifest on my skin. There's a slight whiff of something sweet and dusty, I'm guessing some combination of the lilac and musk.

 

Dry. The citrusy top-notes depart within about an hour. What I'm left with is a light scent of lilac and pale musk. It's a very gentle, soothing, alluring scent. Not overpowering in the least; this will be a perfect spring/summer scent. 5ml, minimum, will definitely be in order.

[loves_requiem]

mmm soft citrus...

 

oh good lord this is nice....

 

kinda powdery, but not in a too femme way...

 

gonna jump chad later and make him wear it for me

[sophie-au]

My first review, so please bear with me...

 

As others have said, Whitechapel is horribly underrated. Remember, this is the 21st century people! Gender lines have never been more blurry, so step out of your comfort zone and try something that may be referred to as "masculine." Because by limiting yourself, you are missing out on some wonderful olfactory pleasures!

 

This was the second BPAL I ever tried, and this had me ensnared at the outset. I'd bought a bottle from an eBay auction a year ago, and after trying it, I fell for it - hook, line and sinker. So what did I do? I did what all grateful addicts do: I made sure my first order to the lab included a 10ml of Whitechapel so I could freely slather the gentlemanly goodness

 

Don't be afraid of the citrus in this: the lime and citron are oh-so-smooth. The white musk and lilac are a lovely base to make them more long-lasting.

 

After an initial burst from the citrus top notes, they recede somewhat and come together with the lilac and white musk to make a mesmerising combination that envelops your skin with just a hint of powder.

 

It has throw, yes, but this is no brassy powerhouse scent. It's a genteel sophisticate that politely accompanies you without broadcasting itself to all and sundry.

 

This is a scent that cunningly slithers and insinuates its way into your presence rather than brazenly announcing its arrival. And when it has arrived, you just don't want to let the smell go.

 

It is truly a superb gentlemen's blend, but it's just as lovely on a woman! Give it a try - you KNOW you want to...

[Victory]

Oh, this is lovely. I got this as a frimp, happily. At first, the citron and lime stand out but after a half hour or so, fade behind the white musk. I don't smell any lilac, which is all right, since the musk is so lovely. I've worn white musk before, but never liked it so much. It's very powdery on me, and I mean it in the best possible way. It's like jumping into a flour bin and smearing the flour powder all over your skin. Lovely.

 

And for those worried about the gentleman part- maybe it's the way Whitechapel wears on my skin, but it's very, very feminine on me.

[sarada]

This is an irresistable, can't-stop-sniffing scent though it's not necessarily an ideal perfume for me since my skin eats up stuff like this.

 

First you get a sharp juicy slap of lemon-lime (heavy on the lime), followed by the sweet pale purple powderpuff of lilac, all strengthened by the invisible white musk that I can't really pick out but know must be working behind the scenes.

 

Lilac is my favorite flower in its natural state, though as a perfume it veers a bit toward the scent of a lilac bathroom spray I am sure I have encountered at some point and becomes a bit too much like baby powder. Still, lilac and lime are a winning combination, a pale green and pale purple, springtime sort of scent.

 

It fades so quickly on me I never really get to enjoy it and I know that it would probably smell like baby powder to most people around me. So I would have to put this on the long list of things I'd especially enjoy in a bath product or lotion of some sort if I could be bothered to mix some. Oh what a nice lotion this would be to put on before going to bed!

[septima_pica]

Reminds me first of Nyarlathotep in its pale citrus notes -- lime and citron, I guess. A bit cologney perhaps. However, it lacks the black smells in Nyarlathotep and replaces them with lilac, which is both distinctive and unexpected.

 

The overall effect is just as the description suggests (that's unusual) -- that is, exactly what I was hoping initially to get from Dorian. It's sharp, light, clean, incredibly unisex, and I keep finding myself sniffing at my wrists. Today's the first day I've noticed the real summer heat, and much as I like that, it's nice to have something this cooling to wear in it sometimes. Wish the lime had a little more throw, though.

 

I'm a fan. A bottle of this is going on my to-buy list for sure.

Edited June 1, 2006 by septima_pica

[undream]

out of the imp, it is a combination, for me, of lime & lemon pledge. on the skin, it is all lemon. surprisingly nice & mood-lifting! (surprisingly because lemon/lime scents do not generally appeal to me.)

 

also; oddly, this oil makes me thirsty. !

 

the throw is a soft, warm powder. the oil overall is lovely & sweet-natured. gentle. i don't know that i like this enough on me to keep it, but it would definitely make me sing praises were i to smell it on someone else!

[Ryvre]

In the imp: A whole lot of citrus. Smells like cleaning supplies.

 

On my skin: Still a bit like cleaning supplies, layered with very heavy orange. The description says a gentleman's blend, but I'm not getting that at all.

[Shollin]

First sniff: So light I almost can’t smell it. What I can make out smells very specifically like lime zest. Not lime-flavoured anything, or even lime juice, but the green confetti you get with a microplane grater.

 

Wearing: A sudden flurry of pale purple flower petals, settling into a truly gorgeous nonpowdery floral aura with a hint of white musk. And the wrist-scent is all that plus lime, though the lime doesn’t waft at all. I wonder if my guy would consent to guinea-pig this one for me, just to see what it does…

[Miss Lynx]

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.

 

This doesn't really come across as a men's scent to me, though I could see it working on a guy. I'd call it more gender-neutral than anything.

 

It's a very light scent, and when first applied, very citrussy. It smells more like a scent you'd find in a soap or shower gel or something than wear as a perfume -- not soapy in itself, but something you'd want to scent soap with. But as it dries down, the citrus fades a bit and the lilac comes out more, along with the musk. Right now, after about an hour of wear, that's mostly what I'm getting.

 

It's not bad at this stage, but not really that interesting either. I like actual lilacs, but lilac perfumes rarely work for me. Ironically, Baobhan Sith, which doesn't to my knowledge have any lilac in it at all, smells more like an actual lilac bush to me than this does.

 

Grade: C+/B-

[desu]

I've wanted to try this one for awhile now because I love citrus and lilac, and naturally it showed up as a frimp from The Lab.

 

In the imp: Sharp lime.

 

On my skin: The ubercitrus eventually fades some, allowing a musky lilac to come forward. I'm seriously loving this one due to its chilly nature and yummy lilac. I knew I'd love this one.

 

Later on: The ubercitrus is mostly gone now, but the musky lilac remains.

[Meg]

In the bottle: Violent citrus with a hint of lilac.

 

Wet: Dish cleaner? Citric acid? Seriously, this packs a very artificial-lemon punch.

 

Drydown: I still get the detergent lemon smell, with a veil of lilac over it. It's a pity that there's the detergent smell in there, because the lilac is the most gorgeous, realistic sweet lilac scent ever. It just regularly gets drowned out completely by the citrus. And the musks smell plasticky on me, as a bonus.

 

Overall: Plastic lemon detergent with a hint of lilac. No, it doesn't work with me at all. I love lemon blends and I like the lilac note, but this really didn't work out for me. Pity, it was a good idea in theory. In practise, it smells sickly sweet from the lilac and violetly acid from the citrus. Dang.

[PilotKitten]

Lemon Pinesol!!

 

Oh where have you been my whole life you delicious scent you? < swoons >

 

Okay... I was just kidding. Pinesol = blech.

 

After the drydown it's not bad at all. A delicate floral with a sweet citrus sideshow. It gets one of my 'average' scores.

[HennaFairy]

bottle:

citrus (lime) and musk

 

wet:

lime/citrus, hint of floral

 

dry:

same - really nice! Not too musky or floral

 

overall:

nice!

 

rating: 7/10

[eggplant]

I love this one. First applied, it smells like strong lemon/lime cleaning fluid but it quickly morphs into a beautiful lilac scent with just a hint of tang. I actually hate to reapply it during the day because I feel like the two phases clash with eachother! I would love a big bottle, but I'm afraid because of the lime note it won't get better with age.

 

I was surprised that this was a "gentleman's blend"-it's extremely feminine on me.

Edited June 19, 2006 by eggplant

[strangemusic]

This is one I'd wanted to try, but hadn't put in my actual order-- so I was very, very excited to see it was one of my frimps. And this one smelled ... off, but in a good way. There's something spiky and sharp in this, buoyed by a delicious, dim, quite pale lavender-coloured (yes, coloured) odor... no, wait. The sharp smell and the quite pale lavender-coloured smell are at war with each other. Also a very slight sourness, that of something shut up.

 

Wet: Mmmmmmmm...... Oh, yummy. The QPLC odor turns to this glorious floral delight, threaded with a clear brightness and still fending off the sharp edge of what I could now figure as lime. Charming yet corrupted? Oh yes. The day I tried this, I hadn't looked at the description-- in fact, I couldn't guess the floral note at all, but I was entranced.

 

Dry: Apparently, lilac does good things on me, especially when supported by musk. The two together are so very complementary-- the musk sustains the lilac and prevents it from getting too sweet, yet enhances its throw (not so much as to be overpowering, though... that wouldn't be gentlemanly at all, would it?) The scents play off each other, lime and musk, citron and lilac, lilac and lime, citron and musk... the noble impulses fending off The Beast and vice versa, no one quite managing to succeed. I only wish it lasted longer, but I'd have no trouble at all re-applying this during the day. Big bottle of this...

 

Originally posted to my LiveJournal 22 May 2006; slightly edited. I wear this when I want to feel deliciously, corruptedly, Machiavellian and butch-ly... it's the war between lilac and lime that make this scent, for me. Hideous, soulless core, indeed.

[jakey]

Straight out of the bottle, this reminds me of La Fée Verte. It's Fruit-Loopy... not something I'd consider masculine, or that I'd particularly like to smell like myself.

 

Maybe it's just skin chemistry that is turning this disgustingly sweet. Maybe it'll be nice on the BF...?

[opaleyes]

Mmm. I'm not usually fond of citrus scents, but there's more lime than lemon in this one on me and it has a good bite to it. I'm going to have to try this one on the boyfriend for sure!

[edenssixthday]

Whitechapel - I must be insane to have put Whitechapel toward the end of my GC list. It is simply stunning. I’d heard it’s one of the best lilac blends out there, so when I tried it on, I fully expected to smell lilac; however, the very first scent I noticed was lime -- lots and lots of bright, sparkly, crisp lime and in the background, a bit of lilac. I dabbed a bit on my wrists and went for a walk outside and as I walked, I could smell the scent wafting all about me. As it dried down, the beautiful soft scent of lilac became more noticeable and the lime dissipated a bit. Despite having such great throw initially, as it dried, the level of throw decreased, and 40 minutes after I applied, I couldn’t even smell the scent when sniffing my skin up close. It’s a lovely, bright scent full of late spring sunshine and I’m going to figure out a way to wear it if it kills me – I’ll be pulling my scent locket out for this one.