Callidora

[ladymeag]

Blood musk, Egyptian myrrh, Mayan cacao, 7-year aged red patchouli, Siamese benzoin, and tobacco absolute.

In the Bottle: blood MUSK and PATCHOULI with some cacao. The musk is so strong, my spouse could smell it across a room when I opened the bottle.

On the skin: I'm not picking up much if any of the tobacco absolute but the other notes are all here and playing pretty nicely together. That 7-year-aged red patchouli is peppery, the myrrh is a little woodsy but not over the top, the benzoin is bringing a little sweetness, and the blood musk is both sexy and a little sweet. Normally notes that mention "blood" go terribly sharp (and iron-heavy) or very cherry-bathroom cleaner on me. This one seems to be trying to do both but balancing it in a way that isn't at all unpleasant and is hinting at me that it would age well. Even the appearance of the oil is vampy - it looks very much like blood in a decant or pipette. Sexy but a little sweet, spicy but a little dark, bold but not sharp. Perfect pairing for your clove cigarette and black platform boots.

[Dark Alice]

Wet: Blood musk and cacao!

 

Dry: The Patchouli kicks in strongly...but it is not the dirty hippie patch people love...this one is a smooth patchouli that slithers on the skin. The Egyptian amber comes in to calm the patchouli down warm everything up to this glorious Egyptian powdery gloriousness on my skin! I do enjoy this and I have been wearing it all day. So glad I got a bottle!

[mermaidsdream]

Oh, Callidora - how I longed to love thee!

 

In the bottle: a mixture of different things, all very subtle. Nothing in particular leaps out at me.

 

Applied, wet: The oil is thick, resiny and a little sticky. At first, I didn't get much of anything. After a brief moment, I started getting soemthing woodsy I couldn't put my fingers on, but it's very faint.

 

Drying down: I keep getting whiffs of ... what the heck did I step i..oh, wait. That's me

 

A couple hours later: powdery citrus, with a little pine, and it's starting to turn into a cross between baby powder and soap on me.

 

I suspect it's the Blood Musk - everything else *should* work on me: the cocoa, the red patch, the myrrh. I don't know if maybe I got an off bottle, or it's my body chemistry (I suspect the later), but alas ... Callidora is not the vamp for me

 

Editing a few more hours later: Okay, so she's warmed up to me a little bit - she threatened to turn straight baby powder, but that wonderful red patchouli came out and vamped her up a little, so now she's this delicious, powdery cream. It smells vaguely familiar - like a scent from my childhood, lingering on my memory's periphery. I still don't know if she's a keeper, but she's worth a second shot at a later time.

Edited October 17, 2013 by mermaidsdream

[yakiguri]

Callidora starts off as a peppery cloud of powdery smoke that unfortunately skews waay too close to ashtray levels, a rarity for this tobacco-loving gal. She then hits a phase where the myrrh (I suspect) turns the powderiness up to 11 and would make the blend unbearable if not for the patch finally making an appearance, but not as strong as one as I'd like. Hours later the vamp calms down to a spicy-sweet mix of benzoin, patchouli and peppery musk. Cacao never deigns to make an appearance.

 

I want to like this, but I'm meh at the moment. I'll have to revisit in a few months to see if the notes are meshing better together, otherwise I may have to let this vamp go.

Edited October 19, 2013 by thatbrownelf

[Caper]

This is delicious!

 

I definitely get a hit of red musk at first sniff. This can sometimes be overwhelming to everything else in an oil, but this time it fades away quickly and I'm left with this delicious red patch and cacao. There's small chocolate globules in the bottle but none showed up on my skin.

 

I'm left with something like The Seekim, but sweeter and more delicate.

 

Thankfully the sometimes powdery myrrh and occasionally ashy tobacco are both missing, or only present as supporting notes rather than overwhelming notes.

 

ETA-I'm getting Mme Moriarty too. I knew there was something else this reminded me of!

Edited November 28, 2013 by Caper

[whataboutprom]

LOVE. Even though this smells nothing like how I imagined it, this is gorgeous. At first it screams MUSK with a tiny hint of cacao and patchouli. After a few minutes, the musk calms down, the chocolate disappears, and the patchouli comes forward, dry and woodsy and nothing like the rich earth scent of the more hippie variety. It's almost all red patchouli for a few hours, and then the musk comes back, soft and powdery in the most beautiful way, (nothing like baby powder.) I tested this last night and I slathered it this morning so I can smell it all day at work.

ETA: the tobacco is coming out a lot more today. Rich and warm, like the inside of a cigar box. Love it.

Edited October 25, 2013 by whataboutprom

[HerbGirl]

Just got this today and have had it on for about 3 hours...still going strong!

 

At first, Musk for sure, with tobacco and something higher pitched than I expected...hmmm. This was also quite thick feeling - probably the patch/myrrh/cacao

 

After an hour, I forgot what I was wearing and kept wondering where the gorgeous smell was coming from LOL - me + Callidora

 

After 3 hours, this is just a gorgeous skin scent but with throw! I don't know if that makes sense, oh well. The Patchouli is definitely the Red variety (yum - smooth and rooty, nothing sharp here!), the myrrh is the gorgeous grounding note I recognize from my 8 year old bottle of Lust, blood musk must be a relative to red musk but not red musk...and the cacao is just sitting on top of the blend smiling. No tobacco in sight now (thank goodness!) and I know this one will age like a champ. Smooth, sexy, grounding and comfy. I'd wear this curled up on the couch or out to a club...magnifico!

 

ETA - dry down reminds me of Virginia but I prefer this!

Edited November 24, 2013 by Herb Girl

[Gwydion]

In bottle: Aged patchouli is way mellower than fresh. This is strong earthy patchouli with strong musk support, modified by tobacco, benzoin, cocoa, and myrrh in that order. It makes a unified whole, the design complicates and enriches the aged patchouli while showing it off to good effect. Wet: The patchouli softens on the skin. It stays somewhat dominant, but the benzoin comes out much stronger on the skin as does the musk. The cocoa remains soft and makes excellent support for the patchouli, sweetening it somewhat. The tobacco haunts the background. This is well designed and blended. Dry: Soft, mellow patchouli with a touch of tobacco and myrrh.

[VioletChaos]

In The Bottle: I cannot seem to pick out any one note from this symphony or rich, heady, sweetly resiny stuff. I CAN tell you that I get the same feeling from it as I do with Snake Charmer and Mme Moriarty. This belongs to that same family for sure.

 

Wet On Skin: Usually I pay minimal attention to the texture of the oil but the thick, dark, sticky quality that others have mentioned is certainly a defining feature of this oil and I felt like it needs to be noted- especially since my experience is that thick oils like this tend to require a longer dry-down time...and a longer aging time, too. As for the scent, I'm getting something *very* reminiscent of nag champa incense- I'm betting it's the myrrh and benzoin acting in tandem. It's slightly powdery (like myrrh) and resin-sweet (like benzoin) and just incredibly heady.

 

Dry Down: The champa aspect has died down somewhat, but not the intensity of this dark, potent potion. I stand by my original statement, this scent belonging in some way to the same class as Snake Charmer and Mme Moriarty. But this scent is no copy-cat. It's its' own animal, a stalking black mountain lion going after a lumbering bear. Not a scent of seduction, but of power. Woe be the fool that tussles with you when Callidora walks by your side.

 

In All: Medium to High throw- like many sticky, viscous oils, a little goes a looooong way: test in tiny increments before you grasp the nature of this stuff, else you find yourself overwhelmed by it. As with most scents, I anticipate this one will be favored at specific times of year. With it's intensity, this is a scent for deep Winter, when the winds threaten to steal my breath and I must burrow down into my warmest coat. Only a scent like this can stand up to a blustery time of year like that. Until then, Callidora shall settle in for a long Autumnal nap

[ladyjc]

Oh my...

 

you guys. When this first arrived (a week or two ago) I tried this fresh out of the box and was kinda taken aback. I mean, I don't have much experience with blood musk and it was registering to me as dirty feet for some reason. However, after the dirty feet stage would dissipate, I would be left with the most ~gorgeous~ cacophony of patch, myrrh, and benzoin. So, so, so, so delish. I knew that maybe Callidora needed to age a bit (based on past experience with resins, et al). Needless to say just a week or two sitting in my bpal box and I no longer have the dirty feet stage!!! This stuff is just amazing!

 

Get you some...before I get it all (just bought my back up bottle!!)

 

[JasminDreams2010]

Caution: Callidora has some STANK on her.

 

Not that stank is a bad thing. But this has all the subtlety of the sexy female vampire, hungrily storming a nightclub and bloodletting a handsome stranger right there on the dance floor. He lets her, he's totally into it.

She disappears into the night, leaving a smoky trace of the hellfire she's escaping.

 

this is trampy, vampy patchouli and RED MUSK. It's not filthy hippie exactly but head shop swank. But like a classy headshop, where one can get certain delicacies behind the counter. Other notes? there are other notes in this?

 

Curiously, for all the violent throw, it doesn't last too long. Might be calling for a backup bottle. My favorite of the wenches, though the others were nicely done- this one is HAWT.

 

the boy likes it, too. but I would say NSFW, depending on your job

 

I had to go back and edit this- after time this is only getting yummier. The notes aren't distinguishing on me any further, but rather settling into themselves as one sinks into a comfy couch- for naughty purposes. As amazing as the yules are, I may have to get a backup bottle of this.

 

Also- I purchased one last backup bottle today. I would LOVE to see this added to the permanent collection. It's the best thing since Snake Oil as far as a sweet, dark patchouli type scent. The more I wear it the more I like it. And with some aging, it's mellowed out enough for day to day wear. DROOLS

 

ETA- I think this may actually surpass the rest of everything to make it to the #1 spot. This is my scent now. I've gotten more compliments on this than anything else.

Edited February 20, 2014 by JasminDreams2010

[Poenari]

Well, Miss Callidora, I am very delighted to make your acquaintance! Callidora is a dark, thick, fabulous blood and peppery patchouli scented gal. Strong and long-lasting. Neither Bloodbath bath oil or Silkybat hair gloss worked for me, which disappoints me to no end, but at least Callidora and I will be best friends. Multiple bottles.

[sunshinedaisybliss]

I knew I was in for a treat when I slathered this on and saw that the oil was a rich dark brown colour - always a good sign

 

Oh Callidora, you vampy thang! There is not one note in here I don't like - everyone's a winner baby that's no lie (that's no lie) /Hot Chocolate (and if you get that musical reference, you are simultaneously awesome and ridiculous and I love you)

 

Of course the star of the show here for me is the gorgeous red patchouli - it lays down a warm bed of sumptuous velvet and beckons the blood musk to come lay its voluptuous body down on top. The myrrh sneaks in softly with the slithery sweetness of the benzoin dancing around between its swirls of smokey seduction - these two lovelies get on in there with the blood musk so beautifully that it's as if they were always meant to be together. The patchouli holds everyone close then lets the tobacco rain its soft flakes through the air, its warmth giving off a softly comforting glow. The cacao makes an appearance late in the game but it gets in there under the covers and snuggles right in, adding just the softest breath of warm spicy chocolate. Once everything's wrapped up together in Red Patchouli's velvet wonderland, the magic really starts to happen as the musk sexes up the place... I'm pretty sure these notes aren't just blending - they're fornicating.

 

This is the kind of perfume that makes men swoon, and should therefore be worn with caution - it is not one to slather before going to Tuesday night bingo with your Auntie Sarah. It reminds me very much of my other favourite BPAL vamp - Lucy, Kissed... it has that same lusty throbbing thing going on. It's definitely one of those 'wear if you dare' blends - I agree it's in the same family as Snake Charmer and Mme Moriarty, as the lovely VioletChaos mentioned. Callidora is the BPAL to reach for when you're wearing that naughty black underwear you save for special occasions. It's the BPAL you dab behind your ears when you know someone's going to be breathing there later. It's voluptuous and vampy, and completely seductive. It's Morticia Addams in a bottle.

[Monday]

On my skin wet: Damp masculine musk with a bit of cocoa. It's making me a bit queasy, sweet cocoa and masculine dampness...

On my skin dry: The musk, tobacco and patchouli are really doing their best to not make this a feminine scent. That damp note is really persistent there isn't a wet stone note in here but that's exactly what it smells like on my skin. With added cocoa.

No...just no.

[theseagrows]

holy cocoa! this starts out as all cocoa with the blood musk supporting in the background. it is very strong. after about 20-30 minutes some of the resins come through, i think i'm getting mostly myrrh? mixed with the cocoa and aged patchouli. it smells very dank and musty now, which does kind of remind me of a coffin, come to think of it. sadly, this just doesn't work on me, it's too resiny for my tastes and the cocoa is stronger than i'd like.

[malibusunny]

I've been wearing this for a couple days. It was my favourite of the vamps wet in the bottle, and I like it on my skin as well, but I can't seem to describe it. It shares a quality with Arcana's Holy Terror, though I don't think they share notes. It's well blended in that no single note stands out or dominates on me; I can tell that it throws a sweetness that is normally not able to hold out against BPAL patch because students id it as nag champa instead of patch. it's very unisex, more headshop than sensuality to my skin. In the bottle, it's lusty and musky and wicked, though.

 

I cannot do it justice, and I'm glad I have a bottle.

 

editing to add this: a student who adores Banshee Beat just mistook this for Banshee Beat last hour, "oh, you are wearing that hippie perfume again" LOL.

Edited November 18, 2013 by malibusunny

[OctoberGwen]

Oh, yes.

 

Come to mama, you slutty vampire wench.

 

This smells similar to Marianne and Lust, all red musk (clearly blood musk is red musk in its "Carrie At the Prom" costume) and red patchouli and sex and whatnot. I don't get cacao or tobacco per se, but they are surely adding their unique brand of sex to this sexfest. The myrhh and benzoin give everything a gorgeous, resiny base on which to screw sit.

 

Callidora is right up my alley. I need bottles. Rawr!

[cherrycherry]

Callidora belongs to a certain musky-patchouli scent group that Beth does with brilliance and knowing flair. It's very deep, very strong and very powerful and I can only imagine how beautifully she will age. One needs only a tiny amount for impressive throw and the staying power is fantastic. I'm not getting a great deal of myrhh, but I am getting plenty of warm benzoin, cacao, patchouli, blood musk and delicious, sweet tobacco absolute. This is gorgeous.

 

10/10

[cuervosueno]

Blood musk, Egyptian myrrh, Mayan cacao, 7-year aged red patchouli, Siamese benzoin, and tobacco absolute.

It's always so interesting to read others' reviews since people have such different takes on scents and on notes. Like I don't find tobacco absolutes ashy or smoky usually (more like someone mentioned above, the smell of a cigar humidor). I don't think of myrrh as powdery either, though it can have a bitter edge sometimes. But you know, every one's skin chemistry plays with these scents differently!

 

Anyway, my take on this is pretty close to Gwydion's, and I also agree with CherryCherry that these are scents Beth does exceptionally well. I like everything in this except I pretty much hate musk, but I can wear some of these complex, heavy musk/patch/resin scents that Beth does so well, and this is no exception.

 

The first thing I get is the rich, slightly dirty--rooty!--scent of the aged patch, which is oh so smooth in this, and doesn't scream out "patchouli!" like some scents do. The cocoa is also strong, and I can smell the warm vanillic scent of the benzoin. I get the tobacco later--and it does remind me a bit of the smell of walking into a cigar shop (tobacco, in other words, not burning tobacco/tobacco smoke). But I'm reaching to separate these scents: really, this is all blended together in a rich, dark red lush scent. I don't get much myrrh, and while I do get the overall feeling of some of the red musks I've tried in other blends, I don't, thankfully, get "musk" per se.

 

Mostly this is just very rich and sexy, and what I love about it is that a little goes a long way, and it lasts. I put it on last night, and could still smell it this morning. And also, after awhile, something in this does turn slightly incense-like--I kept thinking I smelled incense, then realized it was me! So I can see the nag champa references, though it does not at all remind me of BPAL champa blends, which I actually tend to find too sweet.

 

This is great, in other words, and I tried the decant, and knew that I had to have a bottle right away! Love it!

[thekittenkat]

In the bottle: That blood musk is most obvious, but tempered by a subtle blending of the other notes.

 

Wet: Much as on cold sniff, but with the tobacco coming forward a little. A little sweeter as well, from the cacao and benzoin.

 

The dry-down: Not really a morpher, though as it dries, there is just a bit more of the wonderful blending. I like this vamp a lot, and might upgrade my half-bottle to a full one. I should mention that I like all the notes.

[thekittenkat]

In the bottle: That blood musk is most obvious, but tempered by a subtle blending of the other notes.

 

Wet: Much as on cold sniff, but with the tobacco coming forward a little. A little sweeter as well, from the cacao and benzoin.

 

The dry-down: Not really a morpher, though as it dries, there is just a bit more of the wonderful blending. I like this vamp a lot, and might upgrade my half-bottle to a full one. I should mention that I like all the notes.

[zankoku_zen]

Apparently, I forgot to post my Callidora review.

 

So, I get giant hits of red musk, with faint swirls of tobacco and cacao. Not enough to make this worthwhile, since its like a single note of red musk on me. As it dries, its more of a red musk + woodsy patchouli.

 

Eh. Pass.

[brilliantcat]

Blood musk must be very, very close to red musk as it's got that same ripe, juicy fruitiness. I amp red musk like crazy, thankfully I love it. The problem is that not many notes can stand up to it. In the decant, it's very complex and rich and I get a sense of the other notes. Not so on my skin. The patchouli is desperately trying to shove the blood musk aside and yell "Look at me!" but the musk just slaps it aside like a gnat. No cacao, no benzoin, no tobacco. I do wish I could have gotten more of the other notes as I had high hopes for this blend. If the blood musk had been another type of musk or dragon's blood resin, this would have been stunning.

[JazzieCazzie]

IN THE IMP: Super medicinal (that is a adjective that, for me, is a positive, not a negative) and very complex. I get mostly patchouli. I thought, on first sniff, I got a whiff of oppoponax -- something cola-like -- but that might be the benzoin or the musk.

 

Dabbed on wrist and in crook of arm (note that will be relevant at end -- I double-test drove this with Tricksy on the other arm)

 

WET: Very wow. Sweetness and cola and patchouli. Then the cocoa amps very quickly and it smells like The Devil's Coke Float ... an absolutely divinely amazing scent.

 

INITIAL DRY DOWN: A very woody and medicinal cocoa without any of the stinky funk I sometimes get from myrrh. I love this SO much ... until ...

 

LATER DRYDOWN: Sadly, this goes wrong on me at the end and since the final drydown is the one that sticks around for awhile, I am bereft. Though I usually like "smoky," thinking of it like incense or woodsmoke, this gets VERY salty-smoky on me with a very strong late kick of patchouli. The parts I loved (the cocoa, the sweetness, the medicinal parts) get lost and overwhelmed by the smokiness.

 

Oddly enough, the drydown from Callidora is almost identical to the drydown of the Tricksy on my other arm. When I sniff about an hour post-application, the two are hard to tell apart.

 

OVERALL: If only, if only, if only, I could bottle the wet scent of Coke Float and keep it forever ... maybe as a bath oil? ... I'd be a happy camper. But sadly, Callidora ends up not working for me for the duration.

 

On a scale of 1-5, about a 3.

[dawndie]

In bottle: vague cocoa

 

On skin: punchy musk and patchouli, woof!

 

Half-hour later: this is lots of dark musk and patchouli, and cocoa is trying in vain to sweeten this up a bit. Blood musk is in Tombeur, a big favorite of mine, and turns out different than red musk on me. Definitely darker and more feral.