Urd

[ophymirage]

Muscadine, black and red patchouli, cereus and nag champa.

Urd came as a frimp with my BPAL order, and can't find it on either forum or site, so.. new scent, first review! Go me!

From Wikipedia: In Norse Mythology Urd (ON: Urðr) is one of the three Norns (old crones). Her name means that which has become, and is related to the English word weird. She was also called the Dís of Death.

Also see Well of Urd, the holy well supposed to harbor the head of Mimer the giant and the source of water for the world tree Yggdrasil.

In bottle: Strong floral on top, slightly citrusy/sharp, and musk/smoke undertones. Something sweet in the smoke as well, incense-y?

Wet: VERY incense, and almost soapy. Round, sweet florals float on top of the incense, sharp tang I noted in the bottle mellows out almost immediately. Strong throw!

15min: Floral has softened down a little, and the smoke/incense/musk notes are more prominent underneath. This smells very much like the incense I used to burn in college, in fact.

Unfortunately, it's also starting to give me the throat/sinus-tickling sensation I get from a lot of the 'warm' oils. Still need to figure out what that common ingredient is..

30min: The throw is definitely incense. Nag Champa? one of the devotional ones, anyway. At the wrists: nose-tickling smoke, sweet floral, sharp tang mostly gone. Throw wafting off my wrists is definitely inducing slight dizziness - wow, it really is just like college.

1hr: Floral and incense have mellowed out and blended a bit more. The 'smoke' smell has suddenly expanded and become more - earthy? maybe a salt smell, almost? that is, it doesn't smell like salt, but like salt tastes. the tickly effect has gone away somewhat.. throw is still quite strong.

2hrs: Smoke and incense smells much less prominent, floral still strong, musk making a reappearance. (This is not uncommon on my skin, and I have no idea why..) Throw still medium-strong, wow.. I'm liking this scent a little more two hours in, as components fade away.

Final judgement: This scent is a little discordant - I'm not sure if it's the sharp musk-tang, or the incense/smoke combination, but I don't see it as harmonizing well with the way I like to smell. Am sorry that I don't have more experience to be able to compare it to other BPAL fragrances, and say "it's like this" or "it's not like this."

I might use the imp again if I were going into a situation where I needed a strong scent against other bodies (like a club or something), but it's more likely that this will go into a swap pile.

Merged with existing review topic. --Shollin

[supremegoddessofall]

Red wine and patchouli. Not the overwhelming patchouli, but a nice subtle one. Pretty and earthy.

[theseagrows]

smells like fruity incense, but incense in a headshop way, which isn't my thing. too much patchouli i guess? reminds me of strawberry incense sort of, even though i know it has a grape note. urd is just too hippy/earthy for my tastes.

[lanablade]

This reminds me of Montressor, only MUCH MUCH lighter. I don't get anything smokey or deep from it, just light happy berries.

 

Lovely, but not me.

[akw]

Urd is sooo interesting.

 

At first, I found the combination of fruit and patchouli somewhat disconcerting, but after a few minutes they integrated. The combination creates something that reminds me of the musk scents, but no musk is mentioned. The champa comes out after the fruit and patchoulis start working together, and the whole thing is lovely.

 

After 30 minutes or so, the fruit comes out again and the patchouli recedes, and eventually, as it fades a little, it integrates once again.

 

Very interesting morph throughout. I wish that first stage of integration lasted longer and that the reemergence of the fruit would happen a bit later in the process, but overall this is an interesting, exotic, unusual blend.

[klavierbarrette]

imp: woo patchouli.....i ordered this from the raves of the forum members, and because i ordered the other two sisters, and couldn't leave urd out! afraid of this oil, really....overly heady scents give me AND my mother headaches. and i already have one.

 

skin: yay patchouli. though my skin amps that stuff like no other...let's wait a few minutes.......a minute or two later, SOMETHING is trying to peek through....i think its the muscadine.

 

i'm sorry urd...but i can't keep you... my head just can't take it.

[loverstreet]

I received Urd as a frimp from an Ebay purchase (yea!), and quickly looked up the reviews before I tried it. I was expecting the worse, as patchouli and I aren't speaking - BUT! I really am amazed by this scent!

 

Wet - No grape, only patchouli, and as mentioned on another post, pencil shavings - which is ok, because really, who doesnt' love pencils?

 

Dry - What is that UNBELIEVABLE, golden, round, gorgeous smell floating all around me? is it the nag champa I've heard so much about? (for some reason when I read nag champa, I always imagined a chewing mare). I can't keep from rubbing my face all over my wrist, a la my kittycat.

 

What a lovely surprise!

[Analise]

Woo, red patchouli strikes again and in a good way!

 

So far every scent from bpal that I've absolutely adored on me (there are a few of the "foody" ones I really like, but on me, I just smell like something to eat. Which isn't a bad thing but..er, anyway...) has had this as a common note.

 

After trying Skuld and being rather disappointed in smelling like grapey cat pee, I was a little wary of trying her eldest sister. However, one sniff of the imp cured me of that and I went on ahead and slathered some Urd on. And man, am I glad I did. Lovely and warm and I am one happy Ana with this one.

[Electra]

First impression, sniffing the imp - WOW! That's definitely a hippie drinking grape Kool-Aid!

 

On my skin for a while it settled down into hippie shop, but now the grape is seriously overpowering the patchouli. If they made Smuckers-scented incense, that would be what I smell like right now.

 

This has throw like crazy.

[urbanruralferal]

Urd has been on my wishlist for a very long time, and I was happy to be able to try it after getting some in a swap. As soon as I opened the little imp, I had to slather it on. My ddaughter said, "Are you sure you gonna like that stuff?" and I said, yeah!

What a wonderful scent in the imp, as much hippie headshop as ever promised.

And on the skin, wet, too. The sweetness was okay by me, as the patchouli (and maybe the champa) grounded it and I do love patchouli.

Once it was truly dry and settled into my skin, though, it lost it's deep deep appeal. It took on a waxy quality, and I found myself wondering if it contained sandalwood, a big deal breaker on my skin. It just went into meh-land.

I thought this might be my Grail, and it isn't.

[Vindaloo.curry]

Came as a frimp when my last eBay buy brought me a 5ml of The Ghost.

 

Most definite muscadine notes when wet and on drydown. (Muscadine grapes have a much heavier scent and taste than table grapes.) The patchouli comes through on me as a dry earthy smell. A very heavy fruit smell with strong earth notes. One of the previous posters compared to the smell of an old head shop, and that's not far off on me.

 

After a couple of hours, I've decided I'm not the biggest Urd fan on earth. 3 out of 10.

 

(But neat coincidence--I just finished American Gods, in which Urd's Well, and its water, plays a role.)

[jasmine]

Smells like exotic dirt: ah, patchouli. I haven’t learned to pick out most of the other notes yet, but the patchouli is really enthusiastic.

 

Given a few moments, the blend warms, the patchouli backs off, and I discover to my surprise that I like it. It’s a low, mysterious scent. With many scents that I try, I find that the scent immediately suggests an environment -- scents for a winter day, scents for after work only, and so forth -- but I really have no immediate impression from this scent. It’s a calm, composed scent that seems dark brown in hue.

 

It’s had both a warm phase and a cold phase. I like it better in the warm. As it goes cold, it thins out and seems sparse. The warm phase had power; the cold phase seems frail. It’s starting to smell earthy again, which is, while quite expected, not particularly appealing. I have no desire to smell like dirt.

[vegasblueblood]

I love Nag Champa so I was hoping that this would be the prominent note on me but right now, about 30 minutes after applying, I'm getting a strong grape scent. In the imp, I had smelled a bit of that smokey incensy scent but I'm not a huge fan of grape so I'm hoping that the patchouli and nag champa start to emerge more. The scent is still very beautiful and right now, smells almost like a strong tea to me. I've noticed that after several hours on my skin that BPAL scents smell really differently then when I first applied so this will probably morph as well. I'm looking forward to finding that nag champa in it!

Edited March 6, 2007 by twistedophelia

[Poenari]

I can't believe I waited this long to try Urd! I bought an imp after reading all the reviews that say it smells like a headshop, because I've always loved that scent, although I'm not at all the type anyone would think of when they hear the word "headshop." I should have just gone for a bottle right away.

 

I love the way this smells on me- at first, it's all Nag Champa and I didn't get the patchouli, which is odd because my skin usually amps patchouli. But after about 30 minutes, hello! There's the patchouli, too. This is also a long-lasting scent on me. I put it on about 6 hours ago, and it's still going strong. I catch wafts of it whenever I move or reach for something.

 

This one is not only a keeper, but is going straight to the top of my "must never be without" list. I'm going to have to order 2 bottles right away!

[Lari]

I'm finding this one just bizarre. Welch's grape juice and patchouli. Unfortunately, my skin LOVES patchouli (though I do not) and so within about ten minutes it amps that up to the point that there's nothing else there. Eek. Swap pile.

[metaldog32]

Received this frimp compliments of the Lab..again I appreciate the generosity. I have read in other posts that this might be a suitable substitute for Queen of Spades…so I am hopeful.

 

Initial sniff from imp: Hmmm..this sort of reminds me more of Phantom Calliope without the spicy kick than QofS but I will push on nonetheless. It’s fruity..kind of grape-like…maybe cherry???

 

Applied wet on skin: Yep…it’s more grape-like..a tad sharp for a second but then it mellows out and is now sweet fruit. Patchouli is here..but it seems a bit lighter in this blend..not so much giving the scent it’s earthy slant it usually does…tail end I get a bit of the nag champa..it’s nice.

 

Couple of minutes on skin:The fruit has softened a bit..and now it’s more of the nag champa and patchouli in the drivers seat…more nag than patchouli..with the wisp of fruit now in the back. Sort of like sweet/dry incense..with a touch of fruit. I like it…but I don’t see it as a substitute for my beloved Q of S.

 

Twenty minutes later: Incense…nag champa specifically..with a wisp of fruit straddling the patchouli which is restrained in this blend.

 

Drydown: Incense with a dusky echo of the fruit..

 

Bottom Line: Urd seems like a suitable option for fall…the musky/musty grape with the nag champa is a nice combo…but ultimately..it’s not enough for me to go for a 5ml. Nice olefactory trip though.

[space girl lost]

okay, so which patchouli is it that hates me? b/c it doesn't seem to be present here. i don't get the full-on grape juice that others mentioned, but do smell something very ripe and juicy in a fruit sense.

 

i smell the nag champa there and it's pleasant. this makes me think of the incense section of a bookstore i frequent. very calming. earthy (not too much so), dusty and fragrant.

 

i like this!

[steffanina]

Urd-

 

In Bottle: Cherries and patchouli and something a little musky.

 

Wet: Cherry-chocolate bubble gum, it smells like! It's that Juicy Fruit Gum scent under it all.

 

Dry: Fruity and sweet to the end; I like the alcoholic/wine note!

 

Overall: I like.

[AliBabble]

i coulda sworn i'd reviewed this one, i know i've tried it before...this was a frimp from the lab. in the imp, it's mostly patchouli, a little dusty and smoky, with something bright in the background - the grapes. on my skin, i get a smell like the one in cathedral - i call it "wet cement" - like stone, and i like it. maybe the wet cement smell is the champa? this scent is a bit confusing to me...it's actually pretty pleasant - a little dark and church-y. again, it reminds me somewhat of cathedral, with the addition of a slight grape smell. i might try this again, but my guess is, it's not soft or girly enough to be worn very much by me.

[stellans]

Imp: Very grapey, but there's an underlying earthiness which speaks of the patchouli and nag champa to come. I don't know what cereus smells like, but this blend is starting out really well, IMO.

 

Wet: oh yum! On, the patchouli is more to the front with the muscadine giving a lovely smooth sweetness. I've always loved nag champa incense, so I was happy to see BPAL used it in some blends. I'm trying to get imps of them all to try out. This smells so good wet, it can only get better dry!

 

Dry: Hardly any muscadine/grape smell left -- but the nag and patchouli (red and black) are. And they are lovely! I keep sniffing and I don't have to bury my nose in my wrist because the throw is excellent. Also, it lasts a long time so I didn't have to renew but 3 times the whole day. That, to me, is a sign that this is a keeper, and one that I want to get in a larger quantity. I also tried this in a scent locket, and the grape scent hung on throughout the day in there. Evidently my skin chemistry digs the nag-patchouli and gets rid of the grape!

 

Verdict: Want More.

Edited February 9, 2009 by stellans

[LadyCrow]

In imp: Yup, that's some patchouli right there.

 

Wet: ... and it just fell into my grape soda.

 

Drydown: This is actually a much lighter scent, both in terms of throw and overall presence, than I would have suspected from two patchoulis (and from other users' reviews). If you want to work backwards from other scent descriptions, you could say it's a bit like Montresor walled up Fortunato inside a headshop -- although I'm personally not getting much of the nag champa during most of the wear time of this scent; it's mostly an after-note, while the grape and the patchoulis work it out on top. It's much calmer as a patchouli blend than either Malediction or The Coiled Serpent; if you take it easy and don't slather, you could carry this off at a workplace without being randomly stopped and searched for marijuana. The sophistication of this even makes it a bit more "feminine," for those who see scents that way -- although I still think a man could wear this perfectly well. A nice blend for the discerning patchouli lover, assuming they like grape.

[Nia]

The nag champa & patchouli combination makes me smell like a hippie who hasn't seen the inside of a shower in three months. If I don't think of it as a perfume, it might make a good room scent if I'm in the mood for nag champ-ish incense sticks.

[Myotis]

mmmmmmmmmm I'm liking this one a lot. PATCHOULI!!

I got this as a frimp and I'm glad I did! I just might have to get me a bottle!

I get the Nag Champa and Patchouli the most, with a hint of something sweet and fruity.

Smells pretty much exactly the same on me as it does in the bottle!!!

It's all thanks to Jayzoe for sending a frimp of this. I might have never discovered this one otherwise!!!!

[funkmoppet]

Well, something in here doesn't play nicely with my skin.

 

I'm getting sweet floral. For a second I checked the lab notes for jasmine. Nope.

 

I'm not getting any nag champa, and the patchouli is drowned out by the odd sweet floral note. It's soapy and I'm going to have to wash it off.

 

Dang. I had hopes for this one.

[Punkylarue]

Well, something in here doesn't play nicely with my skin.

 

I'm getting sweet floral. For a second I checked the lab notes for jasmine. Nope.

 

I'm not getting any nag champa, and the patchouli is drowned out by the odd sweet floral note. It's soapy and I'm going to have to wash it off.

 

Dang. I had hopes for this one.

 

 

Me too! I was hoping for some patchouli and nag champa and was not sure how the grape would turn out. Upon first sniff, I did get a Blood Rose type wine scent that was far from "grape" but on application it turned into a strong gardenia type floral and had a spice similar to how Old Morroco smelled on me. Reminded me of White Diamonds which is my least favorite of all perfumes. It dried down to a sweet vanilla-ish scent similar to the one in Siren. I got absolutely zero patchouli, grape or Nag champa in this. Not even in the bottle. I almost wonder if I got the wrong bottle somehow. I really really wanted to love this but the White Diamond smell ruined it for me. Maybe it is just my crappy chemistry.

 

 

 

*edit*

 

I must have had a broken schnoz when I reviewed this due to the 14 hours car ride I had taken before coming home to a much awaited bpal package. I still do not smell any grape and only a hint of patchouli, but it definately has a headshoppy champa smell and that is what I wanted. I cant figure out what the floral note is but that noxious white diamonds smell is no longer there when I wear this. It is now not only tolerable but nice. My husband likes it alot. He thinks it smells like the incense tent at the NY state fair. He can pick up the patchouli notes that I can't detect. On that note it is official. My nose is retarded so please take all my reviews with a grain of salt.

Edited August 9, 2007 by Punkylarue