Graveyard Dirt

[yeahbutnobut]

... This is the scent of pure graveyard dust, spattered with grave loam and dusted lightly with tombstone moss.

Graveyard Dirt 08

In the imp: mmm, that lovely wet mushy mushroom-y smell of watered soil.
Wet on skin: smells just like mossy tombstones, wet soil and decaying plants.
Dry: mmm, this is gorgeous! It smells uncannily, realistically, just like the smell of forest soil after a hard rain. Very similar to the first incarnation, actually. Only this time I smell more in the way of forest-y notes, I can smell bark and leaves and bids of decaying wood, old soil, mushrooms, moss, even hints of greenery and at times, a hint of spiciness or nuttiness. This is Graveyard Dirt, but with an autumnal twist. Now I really want to layer this with Blade of Grass for the ultimate ‘autumn in the woods’ scent. Sometimes I swear I smell a hint of eucalyptus in here as well, or camphor.
After a while: like the previous version, this seems to fade rather fast, but even though it is fainter after about an hour, a trace of scent remains, and this smells really nice. It now has this haunting catacomb like scent…less like a cave and more like a crypt, I can smell cold stone, there’s a moss note to this which is green and a bit dusty. I smell cool lightless underground air. Hints of coffin wood. and all around, a slightly unnerving, yet oddly comforting sweetness, of all things. I’m amazed at how catacomb-y this smells, it reminds me of the way the air smelt inside the Capuchin catacombs of Palermo. It reminds also me a bit of Queen of Clubs with the fruits and flowers removed, but the earthy notes remaining.
Verdict: I loved the original GD, but comparing them, this is my favourite. The mushroom scent I get in both versions is less pronounced in 08, and a bit too much for me in 05. This one is a bit softer in scent, but seems to stick around longer. There are also hints of that ‘autumn in the rain’ scent of wet mushy leaves and decaying vegetation that I’ve smelt a lot in real life these last couple of months, a melancholy but beautiful scent of nature. 05 was a wetter soil scent, like soil that’s just been watered or rained on, this has that aspect to it too but there’s also a stony scent, like tombstones or crypts, a damp stone scent which I love…this comes out more in the drydown, adds a really subterranean scent to it all. A marvellous improvement on that amazing dirt scent that was the first Graveyard Dirt. I’m not sure I’d wear this often unless I was writing a story or setting a mood (as in I could wear it because I love it, but not as a ‘public perfume’, ie for going out), but I’d love to use it as a room scent or layered with something else. It’s a masterfully blended, very authentic scent.
Emoticon rating:
Is it a keeper? Yes! this is the ultimate dirt/earth/stone scent!
If you like this, try: A Blade of Grass, Penny Dreadful, Zombi, Premature Burial, Burial, Madeline, I'm guessing most of the Graveyard Book scents (even though I haven't tried any yet) Edited December 15, 2008 by Shollin

[Saya]

In the Imp - 2008 version

This kind of smells like a swampy cave. It definitely has moss and dirt. The dirt in this blend is a moist rich type of soil scent rather than a dry dusty dirt. Hopefully that makes sense.

On My Skin

Swampy cave still but now the dirt is reminding me of those huge bags of soil you can pick up from a plant nursery. Actually it smells just like that.

 

After a Bit

This faded pretty quickly on my skin, but I can still catch hints of dirt every now and again. From what I can tell it didn’t really change much from the wet stage.

 

Rating 1-5 (5 being the best)

Scent - 1.5 Throw - 2 Longevity – 1.5

Overall (not an average) – 1.8

Final thoughts

Interesting concept, but not something I would ever want to smell like. Pass.

[Celestyna]

I remember the first time I smelled Demeter Fragrance's Grass. This was the first time I'd ever smelled anything that was an exact replica of a nature-occuring scent.

That being said...

DEAD ON!

 

... and gross.

hahaha.

 

but seriously you might want to layer it over something aqua or floralish, it smells really wild together.

[othelloperrello]

My goddess, I want to smell like this all the time. I am lying bellydown on the soft earth, my nose is in a pile of thick dark moss, and I am inhaling, inhaling, inhaling...

 

xo

[futureyuppie]

Years ago I almost fell in love with Demeter's Dirt, my only problem with it was that it faded to almost nothing a few minutes after being applied.

Graveyard Dirt '08 has exactly the rich soil and moss smell that I have been looking for and it doesn't do a disappearing act on me. I'm so happy I ordered this but I wish I had thought ahead and ordered two.

[pinkpoodle]

It reminds me of planting flowers in the spring. Freshly upturned soil. I like it! My only complaint is that it fades quickly.

[tajana]

This review is for the 08 version.

 

Wet on my skin it's all moist, dark green moss, decaying leaves and wood, mushroms pushing through dampened, upturned soil. I really like dirty and earthy notes, but the mushroomy note is a bit much for me. As the oil dries on my skin, the scent seems to get drier, too! It smells almost dusty, and reminds me of stone... quite appropriate for the name! The end result is primarily dark black dirt accented with stone (it makes me think of cool night-time air, but underground) with a bit of moss. I'm blown away by how realistic this is! The decant is totally a keeper, but I probably won't need more of it because if I wear this out and about, it'll probably be layered with something else.

 

EDIT: Sigh! Sigh sigh sigh. This fades far too quickly on my skin (it's just a whisper within an hour), and this isn't the kind of scent I'd wear in a locket; I've found that dirty scents actually smell nicer on my skin than they do in the locket. So it looks like I won't be keeping Graveyard Dirt after all.

Edited February 20, 2009 by tajana

[kjirstiben]

Initially on, this is loamy dirt. The first time I tried it, I swear it smelled just like fresh mushrooms to me, though on consecutive wearings it's more like real dirt--but loamy, rich dirt.

 

As it dries down, this becomes really, really light, and what was rich and wet-smelling becomes dustier in character. It turns very gritty and dry over the next couple hours, then fades away completely.

 

What a fun and unusual scent! Probably not something I'll wear often, but it's perfect for what it's supposed to portray. A perfect Halloween scent, and has potential for layering.

 

Recaplet: Wet dirt, then dusty, gritty dirt.

My rating: 3 of 5 (Nice enough.)

Color impression: Gray-brown.

[MisterShrapnel]

I'll admit that this scent kind of freaks me out! I got goosebumps when I tested it. I don't know why that is--it's a natural smell after all-- but this makes Graveyard Dirt my ultimate Halloweenie in terms of spookiness.

When wet this is the richest, darkest loam, saturated with nutrients and probably home to lots of earthworms. It's positively mushroom-y and I think it's this part that scares me the most. It smells alive to me.

As it dries the scent itself seems to "dry out" a little, and a mineral/dark cave kind of feeling comes forth (though it's still very much DIRT). So atmospheric! I have no idea if I'd ever wear this, though, layered or not.

[tinyvulture]

the true scent of dirt, undiluted by florals or perfume as with some other BPAL “dirt” blends (I love Penny Dreadful, I’m just saying this is different). it’s like opening a bag of topsoil and taking a deep breath. if this smells like anything other than pure dirt, it would be the occasional breath of mildew or dust, and that’s about it. i’m glad this made a return appearance for halloween ‘08. it can be a spooky and evocative scent... a haunted crypt in an abandoned graveyard at midnight... of course, it also reminds me of working in my little garden on a sunny spring morning. so it can go either way.

[Dianora]

This is the smell of fresh, damp earth. It's that smell exactly. If I really sniff, I can pull out something like moss and a note that reminds me of damp tombstones. It's just... delicious. (Yes, I know I'm strange. I used to eat dirt when I was a kid.)

 

However, to be honest, I didn't go on a hunt for this bottle to wear it on its own. Instead, I recently found myself wearing Jazz Funeral more and more, and really loving that dirt note. Then, as I was wearing other scents, I'd say to myself "you know what this is missing? Dirt". Right now, I'm sitting here typing while slathered in Sin and Graveyard Dirt. It's divine. It's Sin in a Graveyard. I have a feeling that this is going to be a new favorite layering note, for when I'm craving that freshly-crawled-out-of-the-grave smell.

 

(Graveyard Dirt '08, if it matters to anyone)

[sprocket21]

I can't believe how realistic this smells. It's dirt, dirt, dirt, and nothing else. Also, did I mention that I amp dirt? When I put on Zombi once at a meetup, I had to go wash it off because nobody else could smell anything but dirt. So GY Dirt is a very STRONG dirt with LOTS of throw on me.

 

It's very unique and interesting, but I prefer my dirt with other notes, such as Nosferatu.

[spoilsofwar]

In the Bottle: Definitely dirt. Wow, and I don't think of anything but a graveyard for it, but that could just be my own preconceptions.

 

Wet: The SECOND it touched my skin, the dirt gave way to flowers and something minty. It's interesting, the combination.

 

Dry: It dried very quickly, and I have a feeling it's not going to last as long as some of my others, so I'll have to slather it on, but WOW. I really do love this. It smells like fiddling around in a flower bed with cared for soil and plants after a good hard rain. I really enjoy this, and will have to test it out in public.

[ShadowsDance]

In the bottle: yep, it's dirt!

On my skin.. dirt! Deeply rich and earthy, slightly moist, and definitely mossy. There is really nothing more I could add, that says it all.

[tragedy]

This was so hard for me to come by that I received it a week ago and just been eyeballing the bottle not wanting to try it and use any up!

 

In the bottle: The best dirt ever! I love dirt, I have been on the huntdown of the perfect dirt scent, and while theres some good ones (premature burial is lovely) I wanted a singular note, and something that wasnt too "potting soil" flavored. This is pure dirt, with roots and moss, but theyre not "seperate" from the dirt, its a tangled mixture. It doesn't smell like bagged dirt, it smells like freshly upturned Pennsylvania shovel dirt.

 

Which was exactly what I wanted.

 

Wet: the same

 

Drydown: I really hope this lasts forever on my skin. This stays the same from bottle to dry.

 

Verdict: I dont ever want to even use this!! The most precious of precious. Best scent ever!

[GeorgeJr]

From a 08 bottle in celebration of Halloween 09 !

This honestly smells like nothing less then freshly turned , damp , dark earth . If you've ever worked in a garden , pulling weeds , tending to your plants , you'll know this smell . Whether you will embrace it like others ( including me ) have is totally up to you though . I could see this being a real love it or hate it kind of scent , with very little middle ground . My GF said to her it smells like algae , like from a fish tank . I can see where she's coming from a bit . It isn't totally dissimilar from that smell . But to me it really smells like when I used to get up early , turning over the ground in my parents garden to search for big , fat earthworms for fishing

[arsenicsauce]

Trying an 08 bottle!

Wet: fresh sliced button mushrooms. The exact smell. I'm not opposed to it, but I don't really like mushrooms so I'm hoping there's something else there.

Dry:...No, it's still mushrooms. Much fainter, and I think I do get a whiff of soil, but mushroom seems to be its primary note on me. I love dirt scents, but unfortunately that's not what I'm amping.

Edited November 15, 2009 by arsenicsauce

[tragedy]

I already reviewed the 08 version of this, which Im a big fan of... I managed to obtain a bottle of the original, and while I ususally cant tell a whole lot of difference in my fav's between original and ressirected, theres definately one in this...

I even had hubby side by side blind sniff it and the original is richer and stronger. Its dirt amped. Im wearing it today to get a bit of nature freshness (in a way ) and its lovely.

So glad I managed to get this!!

[doublehelix]

This is very mossy... very strange. I had my mom who's a gardener smell this, and she said it smells like moldy dirt!

[SophieCedar]

I'm very thankful that a friend sent me a testable sniffie of this. Pure sweet dirt. The lab's loam note loves my skin. This turns sweeter and sweeter the longer it's on! Mmmmm...I'm in trouble because now I want to find more...

[strahlend]

I tested several dirt scents looking for the perfect one. I love Death Cap and Yorick but Graveyard Dirt is The One. There's no extra stuff that gets in the way, it's just pure, perfect dirt. Fantastic for layering or wearing on its own.

[mxtine]

I tested Demeter's Dirt years ago and had a strange fascination with the smell. I've always loved the smell of fresh, wet dirt; and this perfume has captured that completely (it's making me crave mushrooms). There's something sweet in here on the dry-down, too.

 

I truly love this and I'm happy I bought a whole bottle. I can't wait to layer this with my floral imps.

[Myotis]

How is it that I hadn't reviewed this before?

I love dirt scents and Graveyard Dirt is EXACTLY spot on.

It smells of fresh, recently rained on, dirt!

I am amazed at how true this scent is to the real thing!

LOVE IT.

[coralprincess]

Jesus. I applied this to the back of my hand & it was like a suckerpunch to the gut. I was hit with memories of my Dad's funeral, pertty much transported back to it actually. The flowers, the smell of the damp earth, the feel of my heels sinking into the mud on the hill at the side of the grave, the grey sky.

 

 

Very evocative. I don't know if I could ever wear this without feeling heartbroken but it certainly achieves what it set out to.

[Gin]

('05 version) Graveyard Dirt is really just that. Dark, damp dirt. I find it a little unsettling.