Kumiho

[FireRiven]

Nine-tailed fox demon of Korean lore who transforms into the visage of an irresistible beauty in order to seduce men and lead them to their doom. A sharp, biting blend of crisp white tea and ginger.

In the bottle: It smelled very heady to me, wafting from the bottle. And that biting adjective they use in the blurb? Definitely applicable. I also have to admit that I'm getting more white tea and only a subtle suggestion of the ginger.

 

First application: It actually reminds me of how I always think a magnolia should smell. Heavy and deep, but silky and soft.

 

Drying, first dried: I'm starting to smell like that citrusy antiseptic they use in some bathrooms. Uh-oh.

 

After a bit of time: Wow, a complete turn around. This is a delighfully complex scent on me, mysterious and alluring. I'm enchanting to myself with this scent hanging about me, but I also wonder if it entirely suits me. It's a deep scent, musky and spicy. I imagine it on the skin of an older and much more capable woman. But maybe I'm short-changing myself here.

 

Overall impression: After wearing this all day, I actually wanted a full bottle. Then I decided I should wear it a few more times and see how I continue to like it.

[labeth]

I put off trying this one, because the scent in the bottle made me a little nervous-- some lighter scents like that either go overly floral on me or smell like bathroom soap.

 

This, thankfully, does neither. It's very much white tea and ginger, and it's very pleasant. This is my first experience with a ginger note, but I've always been big on BPAL tea scents. It's a great blend and not overpowering at all. It has just enough throw to be noticable, but not so much that my very-sensitive-to-strong-odors fiancee was put off-- he actually likes it a lot. Like Gennivre, this seems like a very good summer scent. I don't know if I want a bottle, but I'm keeping the imp. We'll see how I like it later.

[crosspross]

When I first put this on without reading the description, it smelled VERY floral; I was especially reminded of honeysuckle and lilly of the valley. I would never have guessed the white tea and ginger until it dried down and ended up smelling EXACTLY like a candle I have been burning lately called...White Ginger Tea. So, it will probably always smell like a "room" smell to me, but I imagine that it would be very charming on someone else. Also, I can not even smell it unless I put my arm RIGHT up to my nose.

 

Edit - I'm also picking up on the 'professionalness' that was mentioned of this scent. It smells like something that a very kind teacher would wear!

Edited July 8, 2007 by CROSSPROSS

[hypatia]

At first, I could have sworn there was a citrus note in Kumiho. Then I realized that what I thought was lemon or lemongrass was really just the white tea. This is a very light, clean-smelling blend; the tea note is clearer and milder than the Lab's black-tea note, and the ginger is more subdued than it is in some of the other gingery blends like Shub-Niggurath or Vixen. Those smell foody on me, but Kumiho doesn't.

 

It's very pleasant and summery, but alas, it doesn't last very long at all; it fades away after a few hours. I still like it quite a bit, though.

[stasha]

A lovely lady sent me this in a welcome package making sure to mention how much she LOVED it. When I read the description I was really nervous. Ginger and I are sworn enemies in scent and in taste.

 

However this is BEAUTIFUL. I smell mostly tea with ginger has a background note which is perfect. This is why I love BPAL, you really have a chance to expand your horizons.

[Trish]

To me this is a more straightforward and non-complex blend than many others, but it is beautiful in it's simplicity. On my skin it is nearly all tea, with the lemony ginger more in the background. The ginger itself is far gentler and "refined" than say Shub or Saw-Scaled Viper, and the tea is crisp and slightly sweet. It doesn't change from wet to several hours later, it just gradually subdues. And it does last - I put some on last night and I could still smell it clearly when I got up this morning. Mind you I did slather it!

 

Overall I find it a fresh uplifting scent, which are not words I normally associate with my faves. But this is lovely and I can see it getting some pretty heavy rotation in the summer.

[alianthe]

Wet - on me - Sweet and desserty, barely spicy, bright and lovely, almost juicy. Rather like something you'd want to put whipped cream on.

Dry - on me - Getting a bit more of the light-spicy ginger, but it blends well into the white tea, soft and bright and lovely. Wearing this, I feel so pretty. Gentle and happy and awake. If this is the scent of a demon seductress, she's my kind of seductress.

 

Conclusions - definitely going into my top 10 list! I think I need to seek more tea scents.

 

ETA - It's such a shame, but this wonderful lovely scent regularly dissapears on me in about 30-60min after drydown. Sadness! I've started keeping it in a locket to make it last longer, but it's so greatly improved by actually putting it on my skin that half the time I just slather it on every couple of hours.

 

ETA again - I tried this again after I went off refined sugar and my body chemistry totally changed.... and it's one of the few that stayed pretty much exactly the same. Happily, it's still one of my favorites. Sadly, that also includes the length of time before my skin eats it.

Edited October 14, 2010 by alianthe

[filigree_shadow]

Mostly a clear, slightly tart citrusy tea scent. A little bit of ginger adds zing. I think this is a lovely scent -- crisp and delicate, and not overly feminine. Refreshing and light. I'm slightly picky about tea scents, but I like this one. I wouldn't have guessed I'd like it, but that's why I keep trying all BPAL perfumes. Not sure if I'd be able to use a whole bottle of this, but I do enjoy wearing it.

Edited September 6, 2007 by filigree_shadow

[zephyloquy]

This is a lovely scent, and one of my favorites. The only downside is that it fades very quickly. It is sweet, clean, and citrussy. The ginger provides a bite upon application, but this tones down beautifully. The sweetness is not at all cloying and it is not overly green or fresh, characteristics that generally drive me away from green/citrus scents. This sort of reminds me of Shanghai Tang's room mist/candles.

[xeresana]

Um..no no no no, a thousand times NO. This smells like cleaning fluid on me. Must be my chemistry because it seems quite popular.

[greencat03]

in imp: white florals with ginger, tea subtly lurking in the back; sweet, but biting

 

on me: ginger, something almost citrus-y (reading others' reviews, apparently this is white tea?), very wet and juice-y

 

after a few mins: now everythings faded to a light, softly spicer ginger and tea, and white florals

 

Overall: love it but wish it were stronger/had more throw. My skin is jealously holding onto this.

[AmyAngel]

In the imp, this is very tea scented, with just a bit of ginger spice. On, it starts out the same! After a minute though, there's a hint of lemony citrus, and the ginger is going slightly cheeto-like. I'm not so sure about this one at this point, even though I love tea scents. It's not nearly as sweet a tea as some are, and does have a hint of sharpness to it.

 

After a few more minutes, it's a definite gingery tea – it's very nice. It's the warmest, spiciest tea scent I've tried, and I'll probably keep the imp. I think I prefer Shanghai's sweet tea with a hint of lemon though. After about half an hour more, I'm thinking I really DO love this one. I think Shanghai will still be the first tea-scent bottle I buy, but this will be on my keep list!

[YoakeNoKami]

Imp: Light citrus and tea... mmmm

 

On/wet: Wow! This is so yummy smelling! The citrus is really clear, and the tea is a nice touch.

 

Drydown: Citrus--lime, it seems... ginger, lemon... lovely, clean tea. It's a deliciously edible kind of scent and I wish I had some tea that tastes like this smells.

[mspixieears]

A beautiful, clean scent – I don’t really know what white tea smells like but as it dries I get the ginger. Wonderful mild scent that reminds me of a better suited version of Dirty, though I much prefer this. Is there a hint of lemon or clean citrus in this? It smells like there might be. Yep, there definitely is – it contributes to the cleanness of this fragrance. Doesn’t have much throw and fades relatively quickly.

[jolarocknrolla]

I'm shocked that there is no lemongrass in this, i could have sworn there was some sort of citrus here. The white tea is probably what i'm smelling (Kumiho actually reminds me of Snow Angel without the snow). Not sure about the ginger really, it smells more like fresh ginger than the spicy ginger i expected. A totally wonderful and clean scent ... though it smells citrusy lemony to me more than anything.

[Lethran]

Mmmm... It's a little like embalming fluid, but richer, tastier. I'm already in love with this one. It smells exactly as one would expect from the description only better. Yum! This is the definate winner so far and going on my must buy when there's money list. Smells a little like coyote too.

[angelslurry]

Clean and sharp, almost citrus but still ginger enough for my liking. I feel I should be wearing this with a crisp white tailored blouse and dazzling someone with a brilliant business idea over cups of white tea in an outdoor cafe on a mildly sunny day. It just has that compelling intellectual edge to it.

[purplemoonshoes]

White Tea and Ginger is one of my fave B&BW scents, so this is right up my alley. It's sharper, more lush then the store blend. Mostly tea on the skin, but undertones of ginger. Recommended for tea lovers, and those who want something a little, I dunno, sweeter and spicier than black tea scents.

[alicia_stardust]

Kumiho is a beautiful, clean scent. It has a nice simplicity: white tea and ginger. I find it to be clean, comforting, and calming.

[taramarie]

In the imp and wet on my skin, Kumiho is lovely ginger tea. Dry, it turned to a little tea and a LOT of lemon. Unfortunately, I must pass this one on.

[CrazyPretzel]

LOVE!

 

This is not a strong, sharp, medicinal ginger like the one I got in Sudha Segara. This is pure, clean, almost-like-lemon-but-more-delicate, and utterly lovely. I need a bottle, stat.

[black_and_bloom]

Kumiho is a very lovely scent. I was concerned at first that it would be too sharp (Embalming Fluid, I'm looking at you). And at first application, it was sharp but it immediately mellowed out. It seems more complex that just two notes - it almost has a light floral component to it. Combined with the warmth of the ginger, it's really very pretty. Two thumbs up - it will be perfect for spring.

[SarahScent44]

In the imp, I get all tea - mmmm.

 

On my skin, it's still clear, nice tea with the slightest hint of ginger-y heat.

 

When it dries, the ginger becomes much more prominent; the tea is almost gone. Nice, but not a WOW for me.

[enderfem]

Imp: The ginger hits first, a sweetly spicy tang, but I can smell the good white tea smell underneath. Like a spicy version of White Rabbit.

 

Wet: Now it is tea with an underlying hint of spice. I like the tea, but I want more ginger!

 

Drydown: This definitely becomes more gingery, which is awesome, but it starts to become a bit soapy. If it didn't do that, I'd be far more tempted to get a bottle. I'll probably use up the imp, though.

[hellomoonglow]

I love this! I didn't think I would, based on the notes described. It smells like a lemon-y Embalming Fluid. Oooooooo, how bottle worthy you are, Kumiho! If you like Embalming Fluid, this is a must try.