Coin Trick

[Franny]

Shadow had done three years in prison. He was big enough and looked don’t-fuck-with-me enough that his biggest problem was killing time. So he kept himself in shape, and taught himself coin tricks, and thought a lot about how much he loved his wife.

The best thing—in Shadow’s opinion, perhaps the only good thing—about being in prison was a feeling of relief. The feeling that he’d plunged as low as he could plunge and he’d hit bottom. He didn’t worry that the man was going to get him, because the man had got him. He was no longer scared of what tomorrow might bring, because yesterday had brought it.

Glittering gold and silver, rolling over knuckles – concealed in palms – and pulled from the sun, the moon, and the stars.

It reminds me of a bright elegant classic women's perfume. There is something familiar here and I can't figure out what it is. I'm really not sure what the notes are. Every time I try to pin it down I think, no that's no right though. There are elements that almost seem citrus but its not that, it just feels bright like citrus, like the sun. It's very pretty, feminine, but has that element of "perfume" to it so I couldn't call it a light scent. This one feels potent and has weight to it. Beautiful but not to be taken lightly.

[TrailerTrashPrincess]

i had very little interest in this because i figured it would be amber or jasmine or metallic or just not my cuppa.

 

boy was i wrong!

 

i can't tell you what's in this, and i'm not entirely over my Swamp Plague so my nose isn't working as well as i wish, but.... for fans of old BPAL scents: The Evening Star, House of Mirrors (the perfume oil, not the hair gloss), Wolf Moon '04, or even Berenice, you're gonna wanna try this one. maaaaybe even if you loved Siberian Musk SN but haven't tried the other ones i listed?

 

it is close to the skin without much throw, but that's ok. it's clean - like a clean skin musk - and like air and water, but not ozoney. almost floral, but then again not. not the most helpful review, i know, but mostly i wanted to get it out there how much this one reminds me of some srsly old-school BPAL scents. 'cuz i figure there are some folks out there who loved those, and rarely wear them, and this is one of the first blends in a long time that reminded me of those.

Edited May 11, 2017 by TrailerTrashPrincess

[galahad]

In the Bottle:

Pale but warm musk

On the Skin:

A soft musk definitely with the labs gold note. Elegantly shimmery and slick.

On the Drydown:

Almost lemony but not quite. Such a difficult scent to pin down, mainly because it is very close to the skin but also just undefinable. Becomes more metallic deep into the drydown - more bronze than gold. I like it

Edited May 19, 2017 by galahad

[ForeverLastcXs]

Coin Trick smells like...shampoo? Not in a bad way, but as I was testing this and trying to pin the scent down, all I could say to my boyfriend is "it smells commercial...but not in a bad way!" A few seconds later I realized that it smells like shampoo. Again, not in a bad way! But that's totally what this reminds me of. Something bright and fresh, easily accessible, and very unisex to my nose. I like it a lot just because it's so different to anything else I have, but I don't know know yet if I'll seek out more than the decant I have.

[Dark Alice]

Fancy upscale perfume. Hints of gold, silver, metal. It's definitely more masculine, but once it dries it smells like a coin trick of sorts. I like it.

[zankoku_zen]

Shimmery, elegant feminine musk. Watery, airy, and just so unique. Unfortunately, this has almost no throw or wear length on me and vanishes within 30 minutes.

 

SAD PANDA FACE.

[Soupy Twist]

Unpleasant generic old lady floral. So much throw I'm gagging on it. merciful Freya, this is so not my jam.

[whisperstilled]

Shampoo says it, this smells a bit like some of the conventional perfumes my friends wear. It's nice and clean, very elegant, a touch aquatic/metallic, but otherwise just not particularly distinctive. Much, much softer than I would have anticipated, with very low throw.

[sqwook]

This is so beautiful! Before trying it, I had thought it might be metallic or harsh and it is NOT, at ALL.

 

It is airy, light, with a light-citrus air to it, and just really like the glimmering light of sun moon and stars, NOT the other notes that bpal often uses to signify those concepts. For me, the dominant image it evokes is the silvery golden glow of sun moon and stars. Air and light and glimmering, and possibly sparkling rain in the sun.

[muteddragon]

This reminds me of those perfume samples that come in Macy's catalog. It's the perfume counter of the department store as you walk by. Maybe a DKNY scent? J. Lo Glow? Something from my childhood that takes me back to the early bird hours with my mother.

[LizziesLuck]

So far I am really loving testing my American Gods decants. Even the ones I haven't loved have been so accurate and evocative. Beth did brilliantly with this series.

 

Wet: The Lab's metal note, but not quite as strong and horrible on me as say, Torture Queen. It's pretty unpleasant though. I guess I really amp that note, which sucks cuz I'm not a fan. Hoping whatever other notes are in there can come through once it dries (was hoping for some golden amber or something!).

 

 

Dry: Cold metal and main stream cologne. *sigh*. I need to give up on metal notes.

[sarandipitee]

I love the Lab's metal note (unfortunate shopping cart is amazeballs) and this one doesn't disappoint. It's a classic metal meets classic magazine sample page - you know, the ones advertising Gucci or DKNY or CK? You'd lift the tab and rub the scent all over your wrist.

 

This is that scent.

 

I'm keeping my decant for sure but I'll wait and see how fast I use it before committing to a full bottle.

[Little Bird]

Coin Trick is another that just falls flat on me. It actually smells similar to Mister Wednesday's clean, generic, slightly soapy cologne thing. Musky, clean, light, metallic cologne... almost a little lemony and turns soapy on me in the drydown. It reminds me of Axe body spray.

[happygoth]

I bought this blind, because I read the reviews and they all sounded so nice. Elegant, expensive perfume! How could that be bad?

 

I put it on, has strong throw and looooong wear length.

 

And smells like Off bug spray on me, from the initial application to two hours after drydown. I can see how it might be lovely on someone with a different skin chemistry; underneath the DEET smell on me is something lovely and beautiful. Sadly, not for me, though.

 

Oh, well, maybe I can swap it for something.

[tlk]

I just got this from a decant circle yesterday. It does smell like an expensive perfume sample from a glossy magazine!

 

It immediately made me think of Davidoff's Cool Water. It has this water/aquatic-but-not-really note on my skin. It also lasts f-o-r-e-v-e-r.

It's clean and makes me feel like I'm wearing something extravagant. Definitely getting a backup bottle or two.

[Casablanca]

A citrus and white musk perfumey perfume. The fruit comes across on me like a clean, clear, watery, lemony grapefruit. As the blend progresses toward its heart, I think I smell a little of the orange lollipops thing neroli does on me.

 

It smells commercial, but I get the desired shimmery metal from it when I slather it.

Edited June 20, 2017 by Casablanca

[rachelos]

Well, this is a winner for sure. Totally did not expect this to be a bottle purchase, because others describe it as commercial, and commercial-smelling Bpals haven't worked for me before. But this is the feminine-leaning androgynous scent I've been searching for in all the unisex commercial colognes I've tried to make work for me. I'm excited to send this one to my aunt as well, who got me into unisex clean perfumes from the get go. She will love this, maybe even more than me! I'm not sensing citrus from this, just shiny mineral bright.

[Lucchesa]

I love reading other people's reviews partly because I'm fascinated by the diversity of responses but also because often someone will pinpoint for me exactly what it is I'm smelling. When I put on Coin Trick, my response was "fancy perfume." But the reviewers who said it smells like the scent samples in magazines or catalogs nailed it. That is my experience -- it smells like a 1980s copy of Vogue. Which is a coin trick of sorts. It has pretty good throw and wear length on me, too. I'm just not sure I would ever wear it.

[milo]

This one smells so fresh and clean. Very welcome after one too many glasses of red wine last night. *ahem* This one may appeal to those who are new to bpal. It's very mainstream to me in a good way, and smells like an expensive perfume counter perfume. Something by CK comes to mind. Fresh, clean an metallic with a touch of citrus. This is a win, but I probably don't need more, as I don't really go for this type of blend. Thanks to JenJin for the frimp!!

 

eta: I coloured my hair last week, and it smells quite similar to the chemicals now that hair colour contains.

 

eta: I guess I should wait before doing a full review. The chemical phase is brief, and the bright, fresh fragrance of Coin Trick shines through. I quite like this.

Edited August 27, 2017 by milo

[morriganswitch]

I don't get the citrus that other people get. It smells like Clinique Happy to me.

[VetchVesper]

A silvery musk. I think there's probably some citrus in here, maybe bergamot but the overall vibe is the fresh musk.  Both Clinique's Happy and Arden's Sunflowers came to mind.  Pleasant, but not me. 

 

ETA. Yes!  Neroli!  Someone mentioned it up thread, and I think that's what my nose is latching onto as "citrus."

Edited August 4, 2020 by VetchVesper

[doomsday_disco]

I got a ton of cologne-y metal from Coin Trick at first, but later got lots of musk and citrus mingling with the metal note. This really does have a glittering quality to it. It smells like a department store type of perfume to me, so if love the Lab's spin on commercial types of scents, this may be up your alley.

 

This one isn't really in my wheelhouse, but I am glad I got a chance to try it.

[MoonRayne]

I don't get any of the metal or citrus that everyone mentioned. On my skin this is straight up white musk and aquatic florals, unfortunately no coin tricks. Classic 80s department store fume is not my vibe.