Ambergris

[Dark Alice]

Sperm whale intestinal glop, oh how the fragrance world adores you. Ambergris is born from a sticky, black bile secretion that gloops forth from the intestines of sperm whales. When fresh, it possesses a rank, seaweedy fecal odor, but once it has been embraced by sea and sun, it transforms into a uniquely intoxicating perfume fixative. This precious substance has been used in cosmetics for ages untold, and is said to be a potent aphrodisiac with the power to increase psychic sensitivity and induce prophetic dreams.

Our ambergris accord is lightly balsamic, slightly woody, almost tobacco-like marine musk, and possesses a distinct salty animalic note that borders on sweet. The scent is extraordinarily versatile, and adds depth and complexity to a wide swath of fragrance families.

No whales were harmed, fondled, scraped, prodded, or offended during the creation and production of this accord. It is 100% vegan, and has never seen the inside of a whale's tummy.

First review:

Clean, slightly aquatic while wet.

Dry: Clean, musky, tobacco note. It definitely lives up to its description. So glad I took a chance on it and bought it.

[whataboutprom]

Beth does a much better job of describing this than I ever could. I agree on all of the notes listed. When wet, this smelled a bit one dimensional, and that one dimension was the type of soapy musk that can somehow also smell like BO on me. Thankfully the scent evolves quite a lot as it dries, and now it is wonderfully complex. If you think you will like this, you're probably right. This is what I hoped for in an Ambergris SN.

[jizatt]

first applied, wet - I was almost disappointed which would have broken my heart. But, take heart dear ones, and give it time

 

dry, not even much later -- I got a bit of an aquatic note, but more of the musky animal note I expected too

 

dry, later -- oh this is Lyonesse =)

 

dry, much later -- clean, wispy, animalic, musky, dreamy, EGADS I LOVE IT

[SmileCat]

Shexy shexy whales.

 

Unfortunately, it is nearly impossible to describe the smell of ambergris without resorting to "well, it smells like ambergris." Ambergris is one of those things that is used as the basal descriptor. Other things smell like ambergris; ambergris smells like nothing else.

 

Ambergris SN on me is sweet without being sugary, musky and decidedly marine without being aquatic. For the first couple hours it is *strong*. I used one small drop and walked around in a cloud of glowing sperm whale essence, probably much to the confusion of my fellow BART train riders. It doesn't turn you on, but it definitely turns heads. I'm not sure how Beth managed to get this to smell oceanic without smelling like ocean, but she managed it. It doesn't smell so much salty as the memory of salt. And sunshine and waves.

 

It eventually fades down to a softer, fuzzy amber-type scent. Deep down it's still cavorting whales, but maybe baby whales instead of mature adults. I imagine that time and aging will round out the baby whale dry down into something truly magnificent.

 

Not bad for being finely aged whale poop.

 

I think I need multiple bottles.

[tziporra]

Have you ever tried a lovely aquatic that seemed like it was going to be perfect on you but one note spoiled the whole effect? Say Waves of Mist was ruined by the lilies, or Angry Crab by the Petitgrain?

 

No more, my friends. Run out and immediately snag yourself some Ambergris Accord.

 

I can see up thread that some reviewers have gotten a marvelously beautiful and complex scent, but for me the single notes really have remained single. This note is absolutely the primary scent I get in most oils labeled "aquatic" on the forum. As I'm sitting here sniffing it I tried to figure out if I would ever have labeled this scent as aquatic all on my own - does it really smell of the sea or am I conditioned to believe it does because it is the main note in some "sea spray" perfume?

 

I have a large bottle of single note amber from an oil supplier, and with this single note I can see why people first named this "ambergris" or gray amber. This is a soapy, soft amber, with none of the earthiness I get from actual amber. Amber set off to sea, as it were.

 

From a perfume standpoint what this boils down to (very stretched pun intended) is a soft delicious subtle soapy muskiness that my husband adores. It very much reads as "perfume" (this is important to me as I dislike smelling like food or weeds). It's the perfect everyday scent, and while I find it simple, I can't imagine layering it with anything. I just really want to smell like whale vomit and nothing else thank you.

 

So glad I snagged this. Could become my signature.

 

Tzi

[VioletChaos]

I personally get no aquatic element from this single note whatsoever. What I DO get is that this is absolutely the dominant note in last year's Silver Bat, which is a blessing for me, because that was definitely, without a doubt, my most favorite scent to come outta Bat's Day last year, and indeed, one of my top 20 favorite BPALs, period. Warm and sweet, without being at all foody, this scent also reminds me a little of the warmth in Tombstone. This is one of the more highly wearable Single Notes and I'll definitely be stocking up on several bottles as I can tell I'll want to layer it with some of my other scents that have Ambergris so as to amp up that aspect a little bit more.

 

Totally precious, bottle-hoard-worthy!

 

:wub2:

[littlebeky]

Bad review as I have never smelled ambergris before and don't think I own scents with it as a note. I took a chance and ordered this, as I missed out on French Tobacco and it is a lovely SN, and didnt want to make the same mistake.

 

Not for me I think. My bf said "soap". It isn't a bad scent, a soft grey scent with a bit if soapiness. Lovely on someone else I am sure, but not a scent I see myself wearing. Womp. I thought I would score!

[hexnut]

AMBERGRIS

 

 

I tested this at Will Call in March and liked it enough to purchase a bottle. With the deadline approaching I thought I'd better do a formal review.

 

In Vitro A slightly lemony and "fresh" scent.

 

Wet The lemony quality diminished leaving a faint, fresh smell and a possibly salty note. A few minutes later I detected a tiny hint of vanilla.

 

Drying Ten minutes after application it was faint, fresh, and lightly sweet. A very short time later it was barely detectable, and throughout the morning I kept sniffing my right wrist in disbelief. I put on a generous dollop, where did it go?

 

About two hours in I smelled something again, this time the "vanilla" that I got from Golden Priapus and that I associate with amber. Now I remembered why I bought this. It is still barely present, without a hint of the rubber smell I get from real vanilla, almost twelve hours after application. This single note isn't strong on my skin but few scents are; what is more important is that it behaves nicely. I'll keep this bottle and see what Ambergris does on cloth.

 

 

87

[Gwydion]

In bottle: actually, the company description is quite apt. It’s mostly balsam and marine musk. There a delicate wood and tobacco feel to it. It is sexy and oceany, basically, with a touch of wooden ship and sailor’s tobacco. Wet: On my skin the marine musk pulls ahead of the balsam in strength, though the balsam stays strong and balances out the weight of the blend. This much sea and balsam would be individually too much alone on my skin, but together it actually works. As it warms, the woodiness comes out. The result is complex and works on my skin in ways I didn’t expect. It has a lot of throw, so apply with caution. Dry: It gradually shifts into a musky amber. It’s quite lovely.

[OctoberGwen]

Seriously, SmileCat's review from upthread is nearly perfect. The "memory of salt...sunshine, and waves." YES. THIS.

 

I do not like aquatic scents on me, generally, but my skin loves this ambergris accord. Probably because it is not watery in the least, it's clean and slightly powdery and slightly musky. When first applied it's almost citrusy, then it dries into this delicious silvery grey-colored smell that is so distinctive, so evocative of the sea...without smelling of the sea at all.

 

I will treasure every single drop of this bottle.

Edited April 3, 2013 by OctoberGwen

[kashmira]

I recognise this note from other perfumes that I have sniffed over the years. It is comforting and kind, like being gently touched on the forehead with a kiss from the ocean. It is perfume smelling without smelling like perfume. In a touching way, it reminds me of how my mother smelled when I was a child(due to her own love of scents).

[MCS4096]

This is the strongest BPAL I've encountered in quite some time! I can't tell if it really is potent, or my skin just amps it like mad. It has tons of throw for me, and lasted through a shower.

 

So it's a good thing that it's so amazingly wonderful As others have said, ambergris is a complex scent, and it's sometimes hard to describe. My description is just a reiteration of what has already been said really..

 

It's aquatic without being watery-- it's musky and ambery and deep while still having a distinct airy saltiness to it. When first applied there is a definite "masculine aftershave" quality while the wood and salt is strongest, this is followed quickly as it heats up by a feeling of traditional womens perfumes and toiletries.. sophisticated and soapy. Once it has melded with your skin oils, the musk and amber notes show up.. it becomes deep, warm, and slightly animalistic. This is a beautiful scent, and I plan to buy a back up bottle as I can see myself using it very often.

 

If you are a fan of musks, amber, and clean scents you'll love this.

[greenranger]

It's a complicated smelling scent, and it has a sophisticated feel to it. Classic, expensive, and outside fashion just enough to never be trendy. It has a more "perfumy" feel to it than I am used to liking....at least when it is first applied.

 

But, it is musky and salty and sensuous, once it dries down and settles in.

 

Date night scent, to be worn out on the town with a fantastic dress and sexy underthings.

[lilithsnake6]

In the imp: mmm musky sweetness, perfume-y slightly dirty

 

Wet: It's not as strong as one might suppose and that's not a bad thing here. I think a little goes a long way, especially if you were layering like the single notes are created for. It adds a sweetness, muskiness and salt. I think this is pretty unisex. It would be kinda sexy on either sex. I definitely get the woody/balsamic/tobacco thing going on but it doesn't seem like it is smoke or wood. Sweet musky is what I keep coming back to.

 

Dry (after an hour or two): my skin eats scents pretty fast, this has dried done to salty sweet skin scent. I wished it lasted longer but I love it so much I don't care if I have to re-apply it over and over. Hopefully, aging will increase its longevity.

 

Verdict: Love! Need a bottle. My French Tobacco was caramel-smoky sexiness, this is sweet-musky sexiness.

[heygraycatbird]

I wish I could mirror all of the positive reviews above...

 

In the bottle-

Light and almost purely lemon.

 

I applied to the inside of my elbow and back of my hand.

 

On skin, wet -

Crook of elbow: I'm getting decent throw, even with my arm lowered. Slightly powdery, slightly lemony. It's similar to what I get from The Black Temple Burlesque Troupe, but I'm not sure if it's from the musk or tobacco aspect. It's more pleasant than BTBT though, and I fortunately don't feel the headachey queasiness coming on this time.

On back of hand: This must be reacting with my morning hand lotion or something, because it smells like Off! bug spray... I'm going to ignore it for the rest of the review.

 

30 minutes in -

Crook of elbow: The lemon is gone, but the slightly sweet powder remains. Getting a little headachey, not bad, but enough to make me refrain from the deep sniffing.

 

About 2 hours in -

Crook of elbow: I feel like something else is trying to peek through... something perfumey, but it's faint and I can't really describe it. I keep holding out hope for some saltiness, but it's not making an appearance for me.

 

8+ hours later -

Crook of elbow: A pleasant, slightly sweet skin scent remains.

 

I had high hopes for this... I was looking for the salty marine note of Lyonesse, but I'm not getting that at all. It's just powdery and slightly sweet the whole way through.

It's pleasant enough, but I can't see myself wearing this as is, and I don't think I have the patience to let it age.

I'm glad I tried it, but I think it will have to let it go...

Edited April 12, 2013 by heygraycatbird

[Gateau]

Hard to improve on any of the prior reviews or the Lab description. This is a salty, sweet, ambery, oceanic musk. If you want something marine that isn't a soapy aquatic, you need this. If you love Lyonesse, you need this. Utterly wearable. Immediately snagged a backup bottle.

[windbourne]

Does what it says on the tin A+ x a thousand-thousand.

 

I love ambergris, and on my skin, if it's in a scent, this SN is pretty much exactly what that scent smells like on late drydown, absolutely regardless of what other notes are involved. It's pretty awesome to have that scent bottled and stronger.

 

Throws curveballs (now only I smell it, now half the room is looking around trying to figure it out), lasts for hours with minimal change.

Admissibly, I didn't really -need- this bottle, but I'm happy to have it anyway. :3

[livingdead71]

Another amazing SN! I got three lovely stages of scent with this oil. First lemony, then aquatic - it really smells like the ocean at this point!, and finally it dries down to a beautiful, sweet musk. Again, I'm glad I took a chance on a bottle of this one! I said this about French Tobacco and I'll say it again...if you have the slightest interest in this, grab a bottle while you can or you will regret it!

[London]

As stated above, this is sweet musky sexiness. It has a perfume like feel to it as well.

[alterosen]

I had high hopes for this since I like some blends that have ambergris in them, but it was not to be.

 

I don't get anything musky & schmexy from it - no, I get aquatic bubblegum. Sigh.

Edited April 27, 2013 by alterosen

[sunlitgarden]

The Ambergris SN is very difficult to describe, but quite pleasant to behold (besniff?) It's a bit salty, musky, almost earthy-woody, all at once. It smells musty, but in a pleasant way, like discovering a treasure in your grandpa's attic that had been lost for decades.

 

This isn't something I can wear on my own, but I am glad I got to sniff it in isolation, because now I find it much more easy to pick out in blends that contain it.

[tdiym]

I had truly hoped this wouldn't really have muskiness to it, but what could I expect after reading the reviews?

Musk is a note of doom for me, and I was hoping people were describing it as "musky" just because there wasn't any other word fitting to describe it. Nope, I was wrong. Muskiness is in there, and I can't get past that. It's sort of sweet and musky/soapy on me. Not for me. I'll hang onto it and hope that it will age into something deeper and more sophisticated somehow. I just can't deal with musk at all.

Edited May 1, 2013 by tdiym

[milo]

Lovely oceanic scent without being salty or aquatic. This definitely reminds me of the ocean, which is sadly very far away from my home. Becomes slightly musky, while retaining the ocean vibe, this really reminds me of fresh Lyonesse, a blend that I prefer fresh rather than aged. Thanks to Gateau, I sprung for a bottle, as really wasn't interested in a SN ambergris, and the comparison to Lyonesse was too much to pass up. Lasts a good four or so hours on me. I love this fresh, but will add it to my very aged Lyonesse bottles to make them smell the way I like them. I'm guessing the lab's ambergris note is not a great ager, though, if it fades so fast in Lyonesse, unless it's the vanilla that maybe gets stronger with age. LOVE THIS!!

[Monday]

Fresh laundry by the seaside, this scent feels like a holiday. I don't get musk just a pleasant, slightly sweet, balmy laundry scent, it hints of the sea without soaking you in brine. The only drawback is that it's really faint.

[Little Bird]

I have a bottle of the original Ambergris single note, and I don't think that this one smells very similar. This single note has more of a bright, soapy aquatic feel to it, where the original doesn't smell aquatic/clean to me at all. Smells like soapy, salty aquatic with a hint of green and a hint of something like powdery, resinous amber that turns slightly smoky in the drydown. Has a bit of a men's cologne feel to it. After a while, it reminds me of Histoires de Parfums' Ambrarem fragrance. I actually like this more than the original Ambergris SN, but it's still not a favorite for me.