Carnal

[luxuria]

Bold, bright mandarin paired with the sweet, sensual earthiness of fig.

I wasn't sure what fig smelled like but I think I know what it is after this. And I want more!

It's like a rich, reddish fruit smell. My skin doesn't pull out much mandarin overall. So I'm left smelling very much like fig. It's sweet and juicy but not quite 'sparkling' the way some fruity scents can be. It's also surprisingly strong. This one REALLY wafts.

I'm not sure if I want a bottle but this will be nice and comforting for some occasions.

[Gin]

Figgy and fruity, this is a warm scent. It makes me think of spiced fruit. Yum!

[Andromedii]

Today I am wearing CARNAL and I LOVE it!!!

 

It wasn't initially a combination that I thought would work, but the mandarin and sweet fig meld so perfectly together, like a tart, yet sweet dessert. So much so that at first, before I remembered the scents that were in it, I thought I was smelling a light, fruity sherbet, but couldn't place the fruits. Now that I know, I'm very very happy.

[judas_kiss]

I'm afraid this didn't really work for me. I've found out now that while I lerve figgy goodness, I need it to be combined with other, non-fruity scents to work for me.

 

In the imp: Very bright orange scent. A bit of the earthy fig, but not too much.

 

On: Wet, this is very orange-y. It's a ripe, full, juicy orange smell. Not at all Orange Cleaner or synthetic. Very nice and juicy. Before it was dry, the fig came out in all it's figgyness. This was a very earthy, juicy fig. Very Very sweet and earthy.

 

Overall, not my cup of tea, but I'm sure those who are looking for a very earthy, sweet, fruity oil will LOVE this.

[Rheliwen]

When I first applied this it was a bit candy sweet. As it gradually dried, it just got better and better! Carnal has made me realize how much I really love fig.

 

Carnal is has a touch of spicey orange and fig. It has a kind of muskiness that really makes this blend pop and prevents it from staying candy sweet. As it dried it got a little powdery, but it was a nice, spicey/musky powder...something I can definitely live with.

 

This reminded me of Nemesis minus the woods, R'Lyeh minus the aquatics and Bathsheba. I wouldn't have picked this one out for myself for some reason, but this is now on my big bottle list.

[lucymoonstar]

I really LOVE this one - my initial impression wet was sweet/spicy orange. When I applied this to my skin it got even more interesting - what I am smelling is orange spice and candy corn!!! It smells like sweet orange - it must be the fig that is giving the sweet smell but on me it smells like orange candy corn! This rates as another favorite - the only down side is that I have had to re-apply a couple of times - it just doesn't seem to be a very strong fragrance . I'm still thinking of getting a 5 ml. and hope maybe the next batch will be a little stronger!!

[tinyvulture]

On me this smelled very strongly of oranges and I couldn't detect anything else. A little too sweet for my taste.

[tempete]

Carnal is very close to the fig single note (at least on my skin). I can detect a slight citrus zing in the wet stage, which must be due to the mandarin orange. But otherwise, this is a figalicious scent on me. Not sure if it reaches big bottle status for me, but I'll definitely enjoy my imp.

[Renny]

In the bottle - Smells exactly like apple pie to me

 

On me - The apple pie smell remains, but a deeper scent comes out... something warm and spicy, but also sweet. It's a warm fruit pie. Smells nice, nice free imp from the lab, but I don't think it's something I would order a bottle of.

[Witch's Dagger]

Carnal

 

I got this as a freebie from the lab, ironically along with Ravenous, so I can compare them right away.

 

Preconceived notions: mandarin and fig? Okay. Perhaps too fruity.

 

In the vial: Ooh, I think I like fig! In the vial, this smells nothing like Ravenous, because there’s a lot more fig than there was patchouli. So, Ravenous smelled pretty much “straight up orange”, whereas this is more of an orange-flavored fig.

 

On me: No, now the orange is as strong as the fig, which I like less. I like the fig. Wait, no, now, I can barely smell it at all.

 

In 5 minutes: It’s gotten a little stronger, but it’s still very faint. This is a very relaxing scent. The fig has returned to prominence, and the mandarin is giving it a bit of fresh juice. I’d like to be massaged with this, or wear it on one of those “comfy rainy days” that don’t ever seem to exist except in my imagination - you know - you don’t get up until noon, then you lounge around reading or being creative, the patter of rain is comforting, rather than annoying, lots of blankets, candles, etc. The color of this scent would be a very muted mauve. Season - mid spring (April)

 

In 20 minutes: This is a very dark smoky fruity scent. And the basic image I have is still the one above - comfortable rainy day, all blues and greys...

 

This one faded very fast, in less than an hour, I think (though I could be wrong - I stopped tracking it because I got caught up in the Saturn Return stuff in the Old Paths forum), but the basic scent didn’t change significantly.

 

Overall: I’m going to keep it, and depending on how often I’m in the mood for it, I may end up with a bottle. Oh, and I didn’t find it to be anything like Ravenous at all.

[Cat]

I'm starting this review out by saying I had no idea what fig would smell like. I guess I know now because I am having a hard time finding any mandarin in there.

 

I don't think I like this. Not on me anyway. You know what it smells of? It smells of a Christmas Glade airfreshner I got a couple of years ago. Exactly like it. I don't mind my house smelling of that at Christmas, but I don't really want me smelling of it the rest of the year.

 

This is the first oil I have had that screams a colour at me. That colour is a deep berry red.

 

Boy, the more I sniff this the more I am reminded of being down the airfreshner isle at the supermarket.

 

I will wait till I get some chocolatey scents and try layering to see what happens then, but otherwise this may be off to the swap pile.

 

You know what, I was just thinking, it smells like a slightly warmer and darker version of the Cranberry Chutney Yankee Candle votive I got over Christmas. Again, nice as a room fragrance, at Christmas, but not on my skin.

Edited March 9, 2005 by Cat

[puffling]

I'm writing this review of Carnal and still haven't decided if I like it or not. I dont get any mandarin or even orange at all. What I do get is juicy dark sweet cherry, maybe cherry pie but with a hint of some kind of incence. I dont like incence and I think thats whats bothering me. It smells a bit like jossticks and its a lot sweeter than any fragrance I'm used to so maybe i just need to leave it for a while and get aquainted with it. I dont find fig in this scent either. Interesting though

[kythryne]

Aieeee! Lovely sexy goodness in the vial, horrible bubble-gum scented room freshener on my skin.

 

*flings imp into the swap pile and scurries off to scrub wrists*

[anmorata]

Carnal:

 

Wet: Definitely fruity, bright orange.

Drydown: I can smell the fig, and it's toning down the boldness of the mandarin. It almost has a hint of raisins..

Final: It's all fig. Like Fig Newton cookies. I like the smell, but it would work better as a room scent than as a personal scent.

[shelldoo]

entirely edible yumminess

 

wet i for some reason thought almonds?

 

but yes as it dried it became yummy fabulous juicy fig w/ a slight touch of mandarin this is sweet, sunny, warm and gorgeous. it literally makes my mouth water

[Spastik_Kitty]

In the bottle: Oh my gods. Juicy plump fig and sweet mandarin.

 

First on: Sweet, juicy, lush, rich. It smells the same on as it does in the bottle.

 

After a while: The fig becomes the dominant note here, but it's still divine and juicy. It carries very close to the skin, but that's ok with me. I almost want to keep this scent to myself and not share it with others around me.. my little secret, my slice of Nirvana.

 

I need a 10ml bottle of this. It's sexy, sultry, comforting and damn near irresistable.

[empi girl]

A nice balance between the fig and the mandarin, it is slightly smoky fig, with ripe mandarin on top. Soft, not bright. Very nice.

[Thorne]

Pure plastic fake fruit smell on me, from start to finish. I've tried it twice and had to wash it off both times. Waah!

[ccdoodleme]

WOW I feel like I am on SUCH a lucky streak right now!

 

This makes the 5th scent I adore..out of many many others tried

 

 

I LOVE Carnal!!

 

I'm so not good at picking out single notes.

 

Carnal smells spicy yet sweet...LUSH is a perfect adjective for this scent.

[Reinaluna]

Carnal: This smell just like the description, Mandarin and fig. It is very sweet and candy like. No bottle but im keeping the imp.

[matilda]

This stays pretty much the same from vial to dry down on me, so I'll just go ahead and sum it up as: Glühwein (hot red wine with spices and fruits) without the wine's tang. This instantly takes me to outdoor markets in fall and winter. I don't know that I'd invest in a bottle because this scent is something I'd rather drink than wear, but it will be fun to sport at holiday parties!

[joseybird]

WOW! I like this!

 

It's a lovely gentle orange...not neroli-like, Hi-C, or insanely sweet...I think the fig mellows it It's....a mellow fruit! It's also pretty light on me, but...wow! There's a very slight tartness, but only very slight, and I do get a damp juiciness from it.

 

Not what I expected from a scent named "carnel"

[Penance]

Origin:

 

Lagniappe from the Lab.

 

Preconceived notions:

 

I'm not normally fond of fruit scents, but I do like mandarin and fig, so I'm curious to see if I like this or not. I'm guessing it'll be too sweet and girly, but I won't know until I try.

 

First sniff:

 

There must be something wrong with my nose today because Carnal smells like March Hare to me...like a tart, complete with the crust. It's definitely not identical by any means, but they're strangely similar to me right out of the bottle.

 

Wet on skin:

 

I think it must be the fig that's reminding me of March Hare, strangely enough. Fig has always smelled more like pastry of some kind than fruit to me, for some inexplicable reason. Either way, Carnal and March Hare (on me, anyway) smell far more similar than I would have even imagined possible. There's no common ingredients but they just smell alike on me. Very weird.

 

Dry down:

 

Now the mandarin's coming out and making this more unique. I actually really like this. It's sweet and fruity but not girly fruity...more earthy, decadent fruity. Grown up and debauched fruity.

 

The bottom line:

 

Apart from the uncontrollable urge to wear March Hare that I get when wearing this, Carnal's been a very pleasant surprise.

[ianastar]

Traditionally I have always been fond of fig notes. This one is no exception. Its nice and sweet but with a sophiscated spicey kick to it. I rather like it, but dont see it being a staple.

[Mayfair]

After I tried the single note of Fig, I discovered that I love fig scents. So I hunted around my imp box and found Carnal, which I had tried only once before.

 

The initial smell was of warm, sweet, ripe figs. Then the mandarine peeped out and added a sort of bitter touch. Later the fig becomes more prominent again, in a sort of dried fruits/raisin sweetness. Now both nothes are balanced really well, with neither being overpowering.

 

I like this A LOT.