Oya

[gwyllgi]

... Oya’s ofrenda is a Nigerian potion of love and war, sweetened by darkest plum. Oya winiwini!

When I first tried this, I noted it as a very strong fruit scent, like the plum version of Kabuki. Revisiting it, I think that it was entirely unfair of me to pass it off that way, as this is a lovely, lovely fruit scent that deserves to be loved on its own merits.

Before BPAL, I never knew that I would like plum scents. It never even occurred to me. Since then, though, I've discovered that plum is one of my favorite notes - no only do I love it, but it loves me (which is a welcome change). This is a stronger plum than most of the others I've tried, with a bit of spicy-sweet-ozone in the background. Each time I sniff, trying to pin down that background note, it shifts to something else. I think I smell honey, then I think I smell opium, then I think I smell ozone, then I think I smell orange. The plum is always there, but the constantly-shifting notes supporting it are what make this blend particularly special.

After trying this the first time (and passing it off as a plum Kabuki), I tossed the imp into my storage box and figured that it was okay, but not anything that I needed. I'm now wondering what in the world possessed me to think that, because this is such a beautiful, complex scent that it's only the fact that I've already got three outstanding orders that's keeping me from putting one together just for this.

[provocateur]

in bottle: Oooh! Fruity!

 

on skin, wet: mm! plum! just lots and lots of my one of my favourite bpal notes. after a while, the ozone starts to creep out subtly.

 

on skin, dry: spicy plum and air.

 

overall: i do believe that this is the first ozone blend that has decided to like me. This one is going to the bottle list. 4/5

[Ajila]

In the bottle - Bubble gum, coconut and red muck, at least that's how it smells to me.

Wet on me - Almonds and red musk.

Dry on me - It quickly turns floral lavender/jasmine floral. It gets soft and green and very faint, before disappearing altogether.

[Ryvre]

In the imp: Honey and plum.

 

Wet: The plum takes over. Very fruity, and a little spicy.

 

Dry: Kind of candy like. Overly sweet fruit.

[grrrlennyl]

at first: sweet, dark plum.

on: this is definitely sweet, but i can't really pick out the notes aside from the initial plum. it's very pretty.

1.5 hours later: this is still mostly sweet, but with a sharp, soapy edge to it now.

5 hours later: still soapy.

overall: this is really nice at first, but my skin messes it up.

[Melantha]

My first sniff from the imp seemed a bit strong, but almost immediately after I put her on, she calmed down to a beautiful, smooth, fruity floral. She's not strong, so slathering will have to take place, but oh! I don't have a problem with that at all.

[Spastik_Kitty]

In the bottle: Sweet, resinous and herbal.

 

First on: Juicy plum and dark herbs.

 

After a bit: The plum fades a bit, and it becomes this scent I can't really describe, it's slightly sweet, dark but carries a fresh light quality, I dunno. I like it though.

[Miss Lynx]

At first sniff I wasn't sure how Oya-like this seemed to me, but as it's settled into my skin, I can definitely see how it suits her. Initially there was strong cherry/almond sort of note, which I found jarring, but it faded quickly. The remaining scent is deep, dark, rich, spicy and just slightly sweet, and very evocative.

 

Unlike Osun, this one stays fairly close to the skin. It doesn't advertise itself; you have to get up close and personal to encounter it. That also seems appropriate to Oya -- she's not a come-hither kind of goddess, she's one you have to work to get close to.

 

The scent is absolutely beautiful on my skin, and far more of a "me" scent than Osun, but I don't think I could wear it as a perfume, because, as with that one, it's so evocative of the Orisha it's named for that I would be more inclined to reserve it for working with Her.

 

Grade: as scent, A; as deity link, A+

[brownbear]

Usually scents go really sweet on me, but this one doesn't really. Actually this one fades pretty fast on my skin.

It starts out as being kind of sour cherry. But it really blends into my own skin smell and makes it hard to pick out notes. There is a tiny, little bit of something fruity and bitter though.

[yeahbutnobut]

Oya

 

In the imp: yup, cherry. Smoky cherry almond, with a bit of wine?

Wet on skin: mmm, now I can smell the plum rising from the smouldering cherry…

Dry on skin: this is interesting! to me, this is like the more feminine version of Hellion, or a darker, more mysterious Bandersnatch. There's plum in here-sweet and dark, but it's also a little bit sharp-like a true plum can be. Tangy plum with sour cherry-yup, that's it, I can smell sour black cherry in here as well. There's a smouldering darkness underneath, like incense, maybe some woody notes? I smell some warm dark spices too-maybe some clove, and a few others. I also see where people are getting the 'wind' note (how appropriate for Oya!), as I get something fresh above the stormy swirl of deep notes, almost like ozone.

After a while: I think this has the same 'stewed cherry-plum' note from Bandersnatch, only it's not as sweet here. I now get a sharp, bright, almost perfume like note surfacing…it reminds me of something I've smelt in sophisticated perfumes-it's quite nice. I think there maybe some musk here too, probably the same musk as Hellion, and a similar incense scent-it also reminds me very slightly of the burnt woods and musk mix I got in EOM. I also think there's pepper in here-possibly black pepper. I also detect some green herbs. It's a very complex mixture of notes, that's for sure! It also gains that 'autumnal smoky fruit' drydown scent I get in other BPALs, which I am very fond of. I also get a little floral at this point, and it reminds me of Sheol, but with the earthy fruit vibe of Gomorrah, and the smoke of Hunter Moon.

Verdict: this is a tempestuous swirl of chaotic, complex, and powerful notes. It's a deep, almost boozy plum, reminiscent of the stewed plum on Bandersnatch, with a dark sour cherry note, and a host of other scents including a background of woody incense, smouldering and giving off fragrant smoke, a little bit of something herbal and some spices (almost like clove, or even carnation, as well as pepper), some dark musk, a note that reminds me of sophisticated perfume, and even a little bit of something like ozone. it settles down into something more balanced, a deep floral-fruity-incensy-musk scent which reminds me of the drydowns of various other BPALs. This is a more intense, complex Bandersnatch and a sister scent to Hellion, on me. I really like it and I may keep the imp, but I do prefer Bandersnatch to this so I'll keep the imp but don't need a bottle. However, I think this is another 'autumnal plum' scent-whilst Bandersnatch is a sunny autumn day in September, Oya is a stormy autumn night in November. A very well crafted scent, it seems very fitting for the goddess it's named after, with it's stormy yet sophisticated mixture of notes.

Emoticon rating:

[ChupaChup]

If I ever run out of Lenore (which I hope is never!), Oya will be a great substitute for me. Plum is an iffy note for me, it's usually too sweet and headache-inducing. But in Oya, it's lovely and dark, a little bit spicy. Oya is less complex than Lenore and doesn't have the really dark notes of vetiver and patchouli, but it's lovely all the same.

[sophia_helix]

Hmm. I like the dark plum in this, but there is too much rich, headache-inducing spicy/herbiness in this scent for me. It reminds me a little of the Masque, because there's something smoky in this, but it's too sweet.

[Thursdae]

Oya didn't work for me. I love Hellion, and plum in general, so that wasn't the problem. It was one of the floral components, maybe, like the sweet pea in Desdemona, which made me shudder. I doubt this would affect anyone else, because it's a case of Oya's bringing up an unpleasant scent memory for me.

[TrailerTrashPrincess]

frimp from the lab (as always, i'm grateful)

 

impsniff: smells like grape jolly ranchers.

 

on skin: this smells familiar, but i can't quite place it.

i get no almonds, no plum...

but i do get lots of purple flowers.

 

i slathered this on quite thoroughly and an hour later can only just barely smell it.

[edenssixthday]

Oya reminds me distinctly of Frumious Bandersnatch. While I haven't tested them side-by-side yet, if I were doing a blind sniff-test, it would be difficult to tell them apart when initially applied. When first sniffed on my skin after the oil is first applied, all I smell is fruity plum. It's not overly sweet, it's just pretty, uncomplicated fruity. However, as Oya begins to dry, she also becomes somewhat musky, and reminds me also somewhat of a sweeter, more innocent Smut. Once Oya has completely dried down, however, a thick, spicy scent becomes the dominant note, overpowering both the sweet fruitiness and the dark muskiness. I would say I'm 80% certain that the spiciness is not spice per se, but rather the floral spiciness of carnation, which is another reason this blend reminds me strongly of Frumious Bandersnatch. The spicy scent does not recede and continues to be the dominant note throughout the rest of the life of the scent on my skin. The scent lasts a good 4+ hours on my skin, and has really good throw when enough is applied. Since it's so similar to Frumious Bandersnatch, and since I already have a bottle of Frumious B, I don't think I'll wear Oya very often, but it certainly is a pretty scent. I just wish the spiciness would tone down over time.

[moon_lemming]

Plum, eh? I can't really pull plum off, I smell too candle-y, but I loved the description of Oya, so I had to try.

 

Oddly enough, the plum wasn't really a problem in this blend. In the imp, Oya smells very much like tropical fruit salad. (I know, this doesn't sound like what everyone else smelled -- weird, huh?)

 

On, it stays the same, but has a whiff of hairspray. The hairspray ruins it for me. I'm not sure what it was that translated to "hairspray" in my brain, although I'd like to know so I can avoid it in the future. Oh well.

[Voleuse]

I'm not sure how to describe this one, as the plum is obvious on first sniff, but it's not just that at all. The blend is faintly sweet, but balanced with florals and a bit of spice, as well. I think there's a hint of musk, but nothing very strong. It's a light and ephemeral scent, pretty but never settled.

[cuervosueno]

Oya is not at all like the notes would suggest to me. I was absolutely shocked to see that there was plum in here. What I get are strong ozone, which seems suitable to me considering it is Oya's ofrenda. there's also a hint of booziness that is interesting. but mostly this smells like some sort of eau de toilette to me....you know, where at first you get a strong alcohol note?

 

I don't like the scent particularly, but it does suggest Oya to me, esp. that strong ozone opening. And I didn't get it to wear anyway.

[sofiaviolet]

This puts me in mind of the kinds of products black people use in their hair. I don't know why, but I think it's an association formed in childhood. I just can't pick out any notes. It reminds me of a girl I knew many many years ago.

 

On my skin, the sweetness that must be the plum comes forward, but the initial image remains.

[aidenraine]

My first sniff of this was an "Oh yes!" kind of moment. Delicious, bright berries with an undercurrent of musk. I could almost taste the red and purple.

 

As I lean forward to sniff, however, there's something under there that's strangely.. chemical. It's slightly sour, almost body odorish, and also somewhat like hair-dye. Y'know how many hair dyes try to cover up their smell with floral/fruity perfumes? Yeah, like that.

 

 

I keep giving it another hopeful sniff, wishing that the top notes were the only ones, but that backdrop just doesn't agree with me!

[Dymphna]

In the imp: Rich, dark, spiced fruits. The plum, I guess. This smells purple, with red and brown speckles. Very juicy.

 

Wet: Still rich, but heading toward cough syrup territory now. Is there cherry in this?

 

Dry: Yeah, it smells like cough syrup. Very expensive, unusually spicy cough syrup, but cough syrup all the same. After a while, though, the fruitiness calms down and I get more of the spices and maybe some incense. It's very rich and interesting, and I've felt somewhat drawn to Oya for a long time, so I'm going to give this one another try to see if the spicy richness is worth the cough syrup stage. I'm not ready to give up on it yet.

[PilotKitten]

Wow... not at all what I was expecting. There's a strange shot of fruitiness that knocks me over right away... I'm assuming this is the plum? I haven't sniffed a plum note before but this is exactly like a note I sniffed in one of my Chaos Theories < hops > It's so nice to know what that is finally... lol. This settles into a fruity, incensy blend on me. I can still smell the fruity sweetness of the plums, but there's something in the background that seems a bit darker, more sinister....

[storme]

In the imp: wow, sweet plums and cherries.

 

On me, wet: mostly cherry and some florals, with a touch of musk. This is sweet but light.

 

On me, dry: this fades pretty fast, but i lovely - a light, musky sweet plum scent. There's some spicy floral in here - maybe carnation - too, I think.

 

Verdict: If it wasn't so faint, this would be a big bottle candidate - sweet, spicy warm plum. I'll keep the imp around, I think.

[azhure]

In the vial: Sweet and sharp at the same time. I get a lot of berry notes.

 

On the skin: At first I thought that this was going to be a light, fruity blend. Something in my chemistry turned it dreadfully awry. Yes, this seems to be another scent that gives me the dreaded BPAL headache Damn.

 

Dry: Now, almost twelve hours after I applied it, Oya is still present as a delicate skin scent. If it was like this wet, I suspect that I wouldn't have any headache issues. I still get that berry scent - it's kind of like a dark and smokey cherry. I've also been getting whiffs of a yummy vanilla-y incense over the evening.

[hologhost]

Plums and incense and smoke. But it disappears almost immediately