Casanova

[donnatron]

...Who says librarians can’t be sexy? A rakish blend of leather, anise, lavender, bergamot and amber with tonka, lemon peel and lusty patchouli.

Imp: Anise and ctirus with leather and patchouli running amok.

Wet: This immediately goes "general men's cologne" on me. So I wait.

Dry: The citrus dominates with the leather and patchouli sort of lurking below. This is still very manly but a lot more complex than it initially smelled. It's a very dry scent, my skin has not been able to sap the slightest sweetness from it.

Throw: Very polite and reserved.

Overall: It's a clean, fresh scent that would probably work better on a man, but I am happy to wear it to work or on a Saturday afternoon running errands. Edited November 4, 2008 by Shollin

[soonyi]

out front and strong are the lavender and bergamot. thankfully, the lavender is not as sharp and offensive as it often is. leather is thinly underneath, its characteristic is strangely pungent and kinda like...er, um ass. this leather-ass note does dry off later. it all blends well together, but there is no real way i could see myseld reaching for this. it is too much like a spicy men's aftershave.

[MissEyre]

When I first smelt this the citrus element was very strong, but after only a few seconds it mellowed out and I could smell the what i think may be the leather and tonka. They created this delicious muskynes adn I literally said out loud, "Oh my god this smell like guy." I agree that it is a very masculine and sexy scent. If only I had a guy to slather it on.

[filigree_shadow]

Hmmm... lavender and leather, a little bit of citrus, and some fabulous patchouli. Yep, this smells awesome. Exactly the sort of scent I'd like to smell on my husband. Perhaps I can persuade him to get a bottle.

 

I personally would not be able to wear this scent. Not that I don't like it! Only because as I've been sitting here testing it and seeing how it dries down, every time I sniff it I start singing the Pet Shop Boys' song "Casanova in Hell" in my mind. And then I start humming. And before you know it I'd be quietly singing the song. And frankly, I do not need to be absent-mindedly singing, "And above all... his erection... will live... in... history," while I'm out in public somewhere. But my husband never absent-mindedly sings anything, so he'll be safe.

[savage_rose]

Although this reminds me of something my Dad used to wear that came in a grey bag (Grey Flannel by Paul something?) and smells like a homey, masculine scent to me, I think it could smell sexy on the right person. But to me it also smells like that grey bag that the scent came in, and my Dad's dresser with his change, tie clips, and trinkets. The little pewter schnauzer that always reminded him of our schnauzer that had passed, and the little fuzzy leopard that my parents got from the zoo. The pictures that hung above his dresser...my parent's honeymoon picture. My Mom's college picture where she always looked so beautiful to me, and the pictures my parents took fishing.

 

I'll definitely keep this scent to remember, although there's too much linked to it for me to want to smell it all the time.

[femmefatale]

So I had no intention on trying this myself, but the imp broke on me so...

 

 

Wow, this screams "man!". Or should I say "gentleman!". It's not musky and sweaty, it's all manly sophistication. I smell mostly leather and amber with a touch of patchouli. It actually reminds me a bit of my dad, I have no idea why. Maybe it was an aftershave he wore when I was a kid or his office at work? Maybe that's where the leather comes in?

 

After I realized the father association I couldn't possibly get some for hubby, but I would love to get an imp just to sniff now and then.

[isisonearth]

Imp: A herbal lemon with a hint as something darker.

 

Wet: This is really not what I expected. It is very fresh and bright. There is that leather undertone that says manly to me but I could wear this. It really brings to mind sexy cologne and a fast car with leather seats.

 

Dry: It mellows an blends more as it dries but my impression remainsthe same. Same guy just now he is old money...more subtle.

[skepticism]

Vial: Wow. Leather, tonka, and anise all ganging up on citrus and attacking my nose. Can't figure whether this is going to be a good thing or a bad thing when wet and dry.

 

Wet: Citrus, leather, and a hint of lavender. Not as domineering as it was in the vial. Kind of wishing it was at this point.

 

Dry: Anise, leather, just a little bit of citrus. Looks like the lavender was fleeting.

 

 

A very masculine and overpowering scent. If any of Bret Easton Ellis's male characters wore BPAL, I think Casanova would be it.

[Iceblink]

Men's cologne. *Nice* men's cologne, but it's just...cologne.

On the other hand I'd like to give props to the leather for NOT stomping all over the rest of the notes like it usually does!

[thomasblackthorne]

Casanova...what do I say?

 

It is indeed a very fine masculine blend. I do regret that after applying right after my shower, it smells alot like my deodorant, but far more luxurious.

 

I did notice right off the bat the lavender and bergamot, however, I am unfamiliar with Tonka bean, and the leather doesn't seem to have come out of hiding...

 

However, the wifey loves it, so this will definitely be a 5 ml purchase...

 

I had a pretty rough day, sorry for the lame review.

[stillalive]

I have just found the perfect scent for most leaders of organized crime in my stories. O_O Definitely a guy scent... or maybe you would smell it on a girl as she left the wearer's office, straightening her skirt. It smells slightly like cologne, but then so much more.

[cymbeline]

Smell alike: Well I lack references concerning men’s perfumes ^^; But as it had been said, this is really a gentleman fragrance, sharp yet very sophisticated

 

Color impression: Fresh then velvet green

 

On me: I was hoping for a more aggressive scent (lavender + citrus = ) but I ended loving this blend. It started all punchy daredevil then got rounder thanks to the musk and the tonka. Yet, this fragrance keeps being quite cynical overall (I think because of the anise spicing up the lingering leather)

 

Wearing: I don’t think I’ll end up wearing this one myself because it’s definitely a man scent (and a smart one I'd say!). But I am gonna strongly push mine toward it

Edited November 12, 2008 by Cymbeline

[GalaxyLei]

Wet that is just straight-up man...expensive men's cologne--not overpowering, but definitely male. As it dries down I can smell some of the individual notes better. The lemon peel comes out a bit and it gets more fresh-smelling, as in, here is a man who is freshly showered and ready for business. Slightly more unisex then, but still I think too masculine for me to wear often.

[AlarmAgent]

In Bottle - Smells like a high school's homecoming dance. Gagging and thick in the air, it is a terrible flashback. I'm wary to apply, but I figure it won't be that bad on.

Wet on Skin, First Applied - Nah, pretty much a high school dance still. This is awkward to wear, even just sitting here at my desk. I feel like I should be shuffling around, loosening my dad's tie and trying to cop a feel. They keep playing that one Nelly song. So this is what the male experience is at one of these events. I never had much fun myself, but it would've really sucked to have to stand around smelling like this the whole time in addition to all the other lame things at a dance.

 

Dry, on Skin - Definitely calmed down, it's now a perfectly reasonable men's cologne. I mostly smell leather and patchouli, with a bit of the old lavender to soften it a bit. If I were a man, this would be worth the wait-through the terrible homecoming memories. I'd also enjoy smelling it on a fellow, in it's later stages, of course. Smelling it through the first ten or so minutes might spark a deja vu situation, wherein I run off to the girl's room throughout the rest of the evening to giggle and obsessively reapply eyeliner. Oh, homecoming.

 

Very masculine scent, at all stages.

[melrose]

On, wet - very sharp and masculine, but just you wait - it softens to something freakin' fantastic - almost addictive - I love this!

[Lyrical]

In vial: lavender and leather are a really unusual combination! It smells like a leather jacket that's had lavender flowers rubbed into it - with some bergamot and tonka.

 

Wet on skin: lavender and leather with other good things. Masculine but pleasant. I could enjoy this on a man.

 

Dry on skin: surprisingly good. I would never have ordered this, but I rather like it. A bit too masculine for me to wear much, but the leather balances the lavender perfectly, with lemon, bergamot and tonka playing along. It is sweet, creamy and fresh and perfectly blended, and thankfully I get no patchouli or anise.

[awesomeoverlord]

If I try really really hard, I can distinguish all the composite notes in the imp. Very masculine -- too masculine for my tastes -- but nice and complex, if rather generic.

 

Once it touches my skin, it becomes obvious that Casanova and I are just not meant to be. He smells like my younger brother once he's soaked himself in whatever it is that teenage boys seem to think embodies the essence of manliness before heading out to the mall on a Friday night.

 

Mehhh.

[Ceri]

In the vial: Bergamot and lavender.

 

Wet: Bergamot, lavender and leather. A spicy, masculine scent.

 

Drydown: Mmm, anise, lavender and leather. Much more anise that I would like but still quite lovely.

 

Overall: A masculine scent that I could definitely see the boy wearing, maybe me. Will test it on him before testing it again.

[rayvn1]

Dry, dry dry lavendar, bergamot and sharp citrus. As someone who loves masculine scents, this is one of the few where it's so cologne-smelling in a pleasant way that I think I'll pass it off to my husband. I was hoping for the earthier scents of leather and patchouli, but instead I get a very well blended herb combo. Sharp and dry. Decent throw.

[marared]

Woo strong citrus. This is definitely a man's perfume - not SO masculine a woman couldn't get away with wearing it, but the overall impression is that of a man. It's strong, too - I got a coworker (one who sometimes remarks on whatever BPAL I'm wearing) to let me use him as a guinea pig, and one liiiiittle swipe of the wand on his wrist was very noticeable from a couple of feet away. I thought it would be darker and grittier with the leather and the patchouli, but neither of them are strong enough to really stand out; they just keep the citrus from exploding. I look forward to testing this on anyone else that'll hold still long enough...

[crebbsgirl]

The combination of leather, citrus and lavender always smells of MAN to me, so I freely admit to having preconceived scent notions about this blend. And as I suspected, this one is just too masculine for me. Having said that, this is a truly magnificent blend. The leather is smooth, and provides an awesome accompaniment to the lavender and lemon. The anise isn't overly sharp here, as I was worried about. I think on my fiance this would be swoon-worthy. On me, there's a juxtaposition that's just unsettling.

[tragedy]

More leather please!

I like this, I get leather, lavender, and a bit of the sweet tonka...

But after a bit on my skin it just turns into a leather + cheap shaving cream scent.

Will definately have to try on hubby before giving up... as his chem. is different than mine.

[Bluestocking]

In the imp: Herbal lavender, sweeter anise and tangy bergamot and lemon peel. It's more tart and herbal than sweet at first sniff, and it reminds me a touch of Wilde, but there's just enough anise to soften and sweeten—well, Casanova does know who to seduce the senses, right? I get a whiff of warm leather beneath, but no patchouli. It's clean, bright and dashing, gender neutral but tilting towards masculine.

On, wet: LAVENDER and citrus, under a soft haze of anise. The leather and patchouli make a nice base for the more herbal scents, and I'm getting just the tiniest hint of sweeter tonka and amber. Very herbal and almost aggressively clean and fresh… but somehow, I really like it. It isn't a biting lavender, even as out there as it is, and it's fusing nicely with the anise—a little reminiscent of Baku, but with more lavender and less anise.

On, dry: It's a bit sweeter and less strongly herbal, now that the amber is warming up and pulling it all together. It's now a very nice balance between the lavender/anise, leather and sweet amber—clean, but not soapy, and fresh without feeling like you have a spike of lavender stuffed up your nose. It's very appealing, sexy in its way, though not debauched, as you might imagine. Instead, it has an almost courtly, aristocratic aspect, with the warmth of the amber and leather shining through.

Later: Now the tonka's joined the party, and this has really flipped from the balance it originally had, which was mostly fresh, with a tiny thread of sweetness. Now it's primarily a warm, spicy, sweet tonka-amber-leather blend, with just a hint of that earlier herbal quality. It is much more sensual now, as though he's shed the aristocratic costume and gone straight for the bedroom.

Overall: Very nice, if not something I would really wear. Casanova is definitely a cousin to Wilde, what with the lavender, bergamot and amber, but it's more citrusy and less green, and the anise blends very pleasingly with the lavender to soften it up. The dry down is delicious and very seductive, and throughout, the throw was very good. It does come across as a very masculine scent to me, though I didn't feel uncomfortable wearing it… I just think it would smell better on a man, who would probably sweeten it up less and have a better balance of crisp cleanness and sweet sensuality.

 

 

[Coldfire]

 

 

 

Imp: mmmmm bergamot and lemon and man

Wet on Me: mmmm more bergamot and lemon and man

Drying Down: total man’s cologne. Sexy man. Hot sexy man. Really smlling good hot sexy man.

Dry: little bits of leather in this fine man scent. I want to slather this on my honey and just inhale him for hours.

 

[angelicruin]

This is patchouli and lavender on my skin during the wet stage. As it dries it kind of takes on a men's aftershave scent on my skin. Too masculine for my skin.