The Star

[Shollin]

The Star, from Tarot Oils.

 

First sniff: Bright white. There are several scents that are almost here but the second I think I have one pinned down it runs off to smell like something else. Almost coconut, almost powdery-but-not-too-sweet candy, and something that’s almost lemon comes tickling around the fringes of the aftertaste just when you stop inhaling. Star and Luna remind me very much of each other, which is interesting – the same sort of unidentifiable white sharpness.

 

Wearing: This is such a complex, bright and interesting scent! In the first five minutes I had it on it smelled like coconut, lemon and lime by turns. If I sniff my wrist directly it’s a bit too sharp, but the aura is lovely. The coconut is true meaty coconut, not the too-sweet pina-colada smell of suntan lotion. After a few hours’ wear it settled into a gorgeous bakery smell, not overly sweet but warm and homey. I might need a full bottle of this one.

[viciousviolet]

I first have to compliment the loveliness of the bottle. It is beautifully simple: no logo, no words, just a tiny print of the card from the Rider Waite deck. I have several of the tarot blends, and will not stop til I have a full deck! The scent is very difficult to describe and is as complex as the card itself. A hint of the warmth of coconut, an aquatic tanginess, perhaps ambergris. It’s so light though and oddly subtle. It doesn’t have the overpowering, sickening smell of the kind of cocounut you’d find in something like a tanning lotion. There’s another scent that reminds me of frankincense but I’m positive it isn’t. It’s like violin bow resin. This really is a beautiful, light, otherworldly scent. I feel I just can’t find the words to do it justice. It is the scent of the color soft white. Not a blinding white, but a gentle, ethereal glow. A nimbus. Wearing this perfume makes me feel like I, myself, am glowing softly.

[nic]

Oh my, I smell absolutely delicious. When I smelled this in the bottle, I had a hard time picking out any notes but when I put it on it had a very strong candy scent, like lemon drops. Once it dried, it instantly reminded me of Key Lime Pie - but the shot not the desert. The coconut is there but, as the others said, it's a different coconut, very deep and, on me, it comes out more the longer I wear it. It makes the scent much more complex and keeps it from being too sticky sweet. This is going on my "buy a big bottle" list as I plan on wearing it all summer and would love to blend it into a lotion.

[Sierona]

This was so yummi in the bottle! It was like freshly squeezed lemon/lime with a decent waft of fresh coconut (not suntany coconut at all). I dont find this one sweet at all... very citrusy. On me this isnt so nice unfortunately... my skin turns this into lemon pledge <cry>... my sister tried this and it smelled just as beautiful as it was in the bottle (she begged me to get a bottle for her lol).

[Laivine]

I'm wearing this now! And while I can vaguely smell the citrus, to me, it's much more of like a sugar cookie, coconutty, vanilla on me. But I adore it. Weird becauce normally coconut is something I absolutely DO NOT eat. On me though, it's like I've turned into a sunny glowy baked good.

 

It's the Aquarius card and it totally makes me feel smart and independent and groovy. I agree entirely with viciousviolet when she says it makes you have an aura. It so does.

 

It is also long lasting. Absolutely amazing.

[Polexia]

I really have no idea how to describe this. At first I thought it smelled like almond but then I see y'all say coconut! hhhmmmm....Nice warm scent, but just not my bag

[Lady_Ell]

Wet: a coconut-mint-lime scent (non-foody) with a hint of something sharp and bright, kind of like that tang and bite that is sometimes happening on the back of your tongue in guava or passion fruit.

 

Drying: unsweetened coconut, lemon peel and maybe even some pith, and that same bright note. Not flashy-bright, but bright-sunlight-on-water bright. A little unsettling and astringent, and hits you high up in the nose.

 

Dry (up to 6 hours later): I smell like a coconut macaroon, in the best possible way. The bitter part of the bite is gone, and it still smells bright and light and airy, even though it's still very sweet. This is a different sweetness than Snake Oil, though - it's much more ethereal.

 

It's great. And it has great staying power.

 

This is really, really wonderful. The perfect summer scent.

Edited April 16, 2004 by ladylatemar

[lucymoonstar]

I am wearing this today......my initial impression of this scent wet was lemon-mint with a hint of coconut. In fact the mint gave it a cool feel to my skin.....after it started to dry I could definitely smell more coconut - not real sweet but a sort of clean lemon-lime coconut smell. I've had this on for a few hours now and what I mostly smell is more of sweet coconut smell - this smells fantastic!!! In fact I wish I had a coconut lotion to go with this - this is definitely going to be one of my summer picks.......

[shriekingviolet]

Initial Impression:

Sweet and fruity. I'm not really smelling the coconut others have mentioned. I can't put my finger on what the note is though. Kiwi? A splash of pineapple. It smells tropical but very light.

 

After Wearing It:

When I applied The Star this afternoon, I still smelled that sort of pale yellow/green tropical fruit note that I had sniffed earlier in the vial, but it laid quietly inside something equally as subtle yet somehow more arresting. During the first few hours I had this on, every time I sniffed my wrist I was reminded of the scent of a single burning candle. The smell that accompanies the spark of a match, warmed, soft white wax. The oil invoked vivid images of lighting petition candles in dim chapels as I had done (and still occasionally do) when I was younger. It was a spark, a beacon of hope, a prayer for resolution. It was a quiet act, small but powerful. That small light in the dim room was very much like a star itself, a source of guidance, protection and comfort during the darkest hours of the day. A light at the end of the tunnel, which is so overwhelmingly appropriate for the meaning of the card. The Star card represents, faith and hope, both in your own power and in those of something higher. It's a very positive, warm and cool at the same time, inspirational and quietly joyful, all of which I felt with this scent.

 

The affect the scent had on me didn't seem to carry over to the people around me though. I had two comments on it (which is unusual since I don't seem to be exposed to very scent oriented people), both of which echoed the sentiments of most of the reviews already done for this scent. A customer asked me if I was the one who smelled like coconuts, and I told her that I probably was, even though I couldn't smell them. She liked the smell and said I smelled very much like a pina coloda and had a sort of relaxed, island-holiday sort of smell. A coworker concurred that I smelled like coconut, and like pineapple which would agree with the pina coloda idea.

 

Anyway I did keep sniffing my wrists to try to get a less emotional, more objective idea of this fragrance. Occasionally I did get a whiff of the coconut that everyone else seemed to smell, though it was a very subtle smell. Very fresh and not too terribly sweet. More often than that though I smelled some sort of light colored tropical fruit like pineapple, kiwi or some sort of pale melon. There was also a sliver of something sharper among the more warm, floaty notes, perhaps a twist of lemon or bergamot and a very light garnish of mint? It kept the fragrance from smelling too tropical, sweet or warm, but still keeping it very light (both in weight and in "brilliance" level) and airy. All of this though was wrapped in that pleasant, heated wax smell.

 

Final Thoughts:

I'm of two minds on this scent. On an objective level, it doesn't appeal to me much at all . It's too light and too fruity, and I'm not at all a fan of the smell of pineapples. But on an emotional level, I have a hard time dismissing the Star. The energy behind the scent is so positive and soothing that I have to keep it and will continue to wear it, possibly even repurchase it, just for the serenity and quiet optimism it inspires. It's also a truly wonderful interpretation of the card, so would be good for meditations on the card.

[twistygirl]

Ah, this is gorgeous. I love the way the coconut smells without being too sweetly candy-cocunutty. I can't make out what else is in here but there's something warm, and (on my skin) something almost just a *wee* bit fiery or woodsy (a resin?)

 

It feels very white-golden, very protective, very positive, very hopeful, very loving. This is an oil I will always want to have on hand. I am totally in love with the way this makes me feel.

[Tesseljoan]

To me this smells like lemon curd, creamy coconut and pineapple. In the most positive way imaginable. It is warm, creamy and yet so fresh and bright. *adding to my bottle wish list*

[allamanda]

Mmmmm Bounty bar plus lime. Very coconutty with a sharp twang of lime. This smells boozy and makes me want a cocktail.

 

This remains very fresh and tangy on me. Lovely smell, I like this very much.

 

From first application right through dry-down this seemed to have a hint of mint in the background. I kept thinking Crème de Menthe which prompted me to try layering with Pain. Absolutely stunning!! Now I need a larger bottle of both.

[alizarin]

This started out very pina colada and then turned into coconut macaroon. I actually said "Eek, I smell like cookies!" out loud on the subway. It's mellowed into the soft, sweet scent of something baking with a tinge of coconut. I'm not sure how often I'll feel the need to smell like cookies, but I do like this a lot.

[ViolentKitten]

Fresh and foody – delish!!! At first, a touch herbally – lemon verbena and a touch of mint? I feel refreshed! About 15 minutes later, my man smelt it on my neck and said, “Mmmmm! What is that? Sugary…foody…” I mentioned lemon and he said, “That’s it, lemon sherbert!” And he was right, the bright sweetness of lemon sherbert, with fresh coconut shavings starting to emerge. I took another sniff and my mouth was watering! Another comment in the office was that it was like coconut lemon cheesecake…he sits a few metres from me, so I think the sillage must be good – at first anyway, it does seem to soften quite a bit after an hour or so. Finally, it becomes a cakey lemon coconut tart like I used to get from a Chinese bakery, which brings back lovely memories for me. Gorgeously invigorating and comforting!

[Mitzy]

this did not work for me at all. I LOVE coconut, but BPAL has a limited amount of coconutty scents to choose from... aww.

 

when I put this on I thought: a coconut and a lime are fighting to the death on the back of my hand. they are ruthless in their determination to out-smell each other. this is a chaotic scent. I would call it biting.

 

Doesnt work for me at all, the scents never mellow out or settle down and behave, and its quite disconcerting.

[quinkel]

I am deeply in love with this one. I got the imp last week and have been using it eversince.. Somehow it is the summertwinsister of my beloved Spooky, it's Spooky with a hint of lemon

Must be the coconut, cause I adore that note. Can it be it contains mint as well? when i put it on it gives a cold tingle on the skin for a while.

 

*adds on order list for a 10ml*

Edited June 11, 2004 by quinkel

[Ishtar]

In the vial, The Star smelled strongly of fresh coconut milk, with an undertone of something sharper. Lovely!

 

On my skin, it turned into a gorgeous mix of coconut and pineapple with a very fresh note that prevented it from being too foody and cloying.

After the blend mellowed out, I smelled exactly like a pina colada served in a chilled glass whose rim had been frosted with lime sugar.

 

Delicious, unexpected, brilliant. I need more of this!

 

This is a joyful, bright, uplifiting scent, which I believe perfectly befits The Star card. Very well done. It stayed true, wet and fresh until the end and had a rather good staying power on my skin.

[TygherRayn]

With Aquarius as its ruling sign, The Star is a card that looks to the future. It does not predict any immediate or powerful change, but it does predict hope and healing. This card suggests clarity of vision, spiritual insight. And, most importantly, that unexpected help will be coming, with water to quench the Querent's thirst, with a guiding light to the future.

 

In the bottle: Several people have said coconut for this one. I don't get that. It's very strongly lime on me. I guess maybe I don't know what coconut milk smells like, and that may be why I don't get that scent .. but it's like a bunch of fresh limes to me.

 

Wet: There's the coconut smell. Took it just a minute to warm on my skin, but it's peeking out through the lime .. which apparently my chemistry loves. This one is a very bright, sparkly scent .. it's a star. It's clear and brilliant, and kind of smells to me like a lime popsicle .. which I can't ever find, and love!

 

Wearing: The lime popsicle scent remains .. the coconut smell others mentioned never quite came to the forefront on me. I'm rather fond of this blend, really. It's sparkly. I'm discovering more and more how much I like lime in things .. and that's what I smell most from this. It's like venom .. kicked up a few notches. Yum.

[deandra]

I love coconut. I wish BPAL had more coconut fragrances; maybe they will add more.

 

When I first put this on, I can smell the coconut and lime, but then a pineapple scent creeps in and it becomes pure pina colada. I smell so much like one, that The Pina Colada song runs through my head all day. "If you like pina colada, and gettin' caught in the rain..."

 

It's yummy. Would be a good pick-me-up in colder weather, when you crave something tropical.

 

My dilemma is that I am not certain if I want to smell like a pina colada every day. So this is on my short list of "favorites so-far," right up there with Old Venice, and the description of the full-size bottle is definitely tempting, but I'm not sure if I am ready to commit to a 10ml....

 

I may have to update my review after I've worn the imp's ear a few more times. So far I have only worn it on two days, from morning til night both times.

 

Still searching for my perfect BPAL perfume and having fun doing it.

Edited July 23, 2004 by deandra

[Ms. MSGirl]

This was perfect for me, as I knew it would be. In the vial it is pina colada with a twist of lime. Going on, it is sweeter than I expected, with almost an almondy note while it's wet. Very creamy. I agree that there is definitely lots of pineapple and coconut cream.

 

I will LOVE smelling like pina colada every day. I really might have to have a big bottle of this. I love the card, I love the sentiment, I love the smell, and I'm even an Aquarius. I want to stick a little drink umbrella into myself. It doesn't smell "beachy" to me like some people think, but just pure sweet drinky-drink goodness.

[Scylla]

In the vial: Lime and coconut. Kinda reminded me of that Bath & Body Works Lime Coconut Verbena, I think it's called.

 

Wet: Pina coladas with a lime twist. And something lurking in the background. Oddly enough, I want to say cilantro/coriander!

 

On drydown: I really like this, but will probably wait to purchase until the Spring. Dries down to a coconut baked goods smell with a little tang. The coconut is nice because it's not a fake "suntan oil" coconut smell.

 

Definitely bright, comforting and warm.

 

One of my Top 10 BPAL scents, already!

[nevermore]

Wet, this smells like lime meringue pie with a little coconut sprinkled on top. Once it dries though, it’s mostly coconut with a touch of lime and maybe some lemon. The coconut is a very authentic smelling coconut – like the sweetened dried coconut that you buy for baking. Very nice and summery.

[grrrlennyl]

at first: super-sweet coconut. like coconut that's been drenched in pineapple syrup. very interesting.

on: fabulous. like a pina colada on a really humid day, but with something dark underneath. there's a bite to this, too; maybe a bit of lemon or maybe even orange.

1 hour later: a bit sweeter, but still coconut and pineapple. wonderful. i'm loving this.

7 hours later: much lighter, but still present. this one definitely has good staying powder, especially considering that i've been using a computer all day. the slight tang of what i am now calling lemon is still there, but it's still mostly coconut and pineapple. wonderful.

overall: i love this one. it's unique for a perfume in general, but is even different from any of the other bpal oils i've tried. i'll definitely be getting a bottle of this once i run out.

[pkwench]

The Star:

 

Vial: Very bright, lightly minty, and sweet.

 

Wet: The same with strong candy overtones.

 

Drying: A lot of lime, a lot of candy sweetness, and a touch of coconut and something else to give it a tropical, bright sort of zing to it.

 

After 10: As someone mentioned, yes, this is like Bath and Bodyworks' Coconut Lime Verbena. Only it's MUCH more potent and drool-worthy. It's what Coconut Lime Verbena would want to grow up and be like. God, I like this. *sniffs self*

 

After 25: Cannot stop smelling hand. Lovelovelovelovelove!

[Astarte]

My first reaction to this is "Antithesis in coconut", at first the lime is the first and foremost note I can smell directly to the area I apply it to, whilst an aura of coconut surrounds me. The lime dies down after a while and the coconut shines through, it becomes sweeter after a few hours.

 

Very nice, bit strong at first and then settles into a perfect summer scent.