Eden

[Imbrium]

At the center of the Garden of Eden stands the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Though modern interpretations of the Bible claim that it was an apple that the Serpent of the Tree offered to Eve, it is widely believed that the true Fruit of True Knowledge was, in fact, a fig. This oil contains the innocence of the Garden, coupled with the Truth and Erudition found in the fruit of the Tree of Evil: fig leaf, fig fruit, honeyed almond milk, toasted coconut and sandalwood.

I bought a bottle of this, unsniffed, because it sounded so good.

Immediately on, this smells like almonds - tons, and tons of almonds, with a bit of coconut in the background. I don't smell any of the green notes I keep hearing about. Interesting.

The almond fades as Eden dries, and sadly, most of the scent seems to fade with it. Within about ten minutes, I smell a faint milk and coconut scent, which is itself quite pretty, but also, well, faint.

At this point, there's a bit of fig coming out - and I think I'm starting to be glad it faded, because the fig doesn't overpower everything else - it's more like a bit of sweet fruit stirred into coconutty, milky goodness.

I actually tried this out last night, before trying it again today to review, and perhaps I applied it more strongly then, but it didn't fade like it has today - and it smelled strongly of fig. Either way, Eden is a nice scent, and I suppose I'll have to keep experimenting before I peg down exactly what it does on my skin.

[Ishtar]

I fell in love with the description of Eden when it was released: so many fabulous notes in one single blend!

 

In the imp and just after applying, the almond does its usual "now you smell me, now you don't" routine: for the first ten seconds, it lends an overpowering medicinal smell to the blend but it evaporates almost immediately and gives way to a very interesting sweet greenness, or maybe it is a green sweetness?

 

The most prominent notes on my skin are the fig (as always with the BPAL fig, it is a darker, earthier note rather than a straigthforward fruity one) and the fig leaf, which is what I was most looking forward to.

Coming from a part of the world when fig trees naturally grow, I am in love with the green, yet milky, yet earthy, yet fresh scent of the leaves and it is what I am actually looking for in fig blends. Bingo!

The slight sourness of the honey plays up the greenness quite nicely, while the sandalwood grounds the whole blend beautifully.

The coconut is present but probably in small amounts as it stays in the background, even though it is a note my skin tends to amplify dramatically.

 

A very lovely blend, admirably balanced and that features my beloved fig leaf notes. Joy.

I must admit that the first time I tried Eden I found it nice but not outstanding. Now that I am trying it again, it is really growing on me. Highly recommended.

[Aredhel]

Rating (on skin): 2/5

Summarised in a word or two: Coconut.

 

In the imp/bottle: This is very, very green -- but a bright, lush green. Beneath that, coconut.

 

On skin, wet: A dark, bitter green. Very leafy, with an undertone of coconut.

 

On skin, dry: The greeness starts to fade after a few minutes, and I slowly start to get this very sweet honeyed almond, dusty coconut, and a very fruity fig. The coconut ends up the same way it almost always does on me: chalky, dusty, and overpowering. After a while, the fig, still very fruity, becomes very plastic and fake.

 

Conclusion: This is very... lush, and sweet. Unfortunately, the way the coconut ends up ruins it for me; the blend ends up smelling wonderful... beneath a heavy blanket of burnt, chalky, heavy coconut, and plastic fig.

Edited June 1, 2008 by Aredhel

[astrid]

Wow! In the bottle and wet on me, it’s rather green! I’m guessing this is the fig leaf. I do get an underscore of something smooth, which is probably the coconut. If this is the fig leaf that I’m smelling, it’s quite potent, yet very pleasant. Dry down: less green, more coconut. Overall, I think some people will adore this. Me, I like it, just maybe not *on* me! I want my husband to try this, cause I think it would be a sexy guy scent! Oh, and this has a really long staying power…

[emzebel]

I had fully expected to adore this scent and seriously considered ordering a bottle instead of an imp, but I played it safe.

 

Mostly, I like this alot, except for the sharp bitter green note (the fig leaf, maybe?) that hung around dominating my wrist all day. I could smell all of the coconut, honeyed almond milk figgy goodness trying to make itself known underneath, but this bitterness just wouldn't let me be.

 

Perhaps I will try again for another batch, but based on the imp I received, Eden does not work for me.

[pkwench]

Ah, lovely Eden, how I adore you. This may sound strange, but it "feels" like a daytime version of Velvet to me - probably the sandalwood, I'm thinking. It's very smooth on me - a lovely wafting of coconut over sandalwood that's sweetened up so nicely with what I guess is a combination of fig and honeyed almond milk. I too get a touch of that green note, but it's faint and just seems to add depth to the whole shebang. My first thought after having this one for a few minutes was "ADD TO THE BOTTLE LIST!"

[leapylees]

In the vial: almond and coconut.

 

On wet: Fig and coconut

 

Dry: Fig, coconut and something that's almost coriander. It reminds me of Thai food.

 

*rereads lab description* Hmm.... how odd. Usually sandalwood is very prominant on me but I can barely detect it in this blend.

 

Overall: This is nice and comforting. Not a favourite or a 5ml but definitely a keeper.

 

Edited for typos due to wonky 'v' key.

Edited September 2, 2005 by leapylees

[LiberAmoris]

Eden is another blend I bought a full bottle of unsniffed due to the incredible description. I love it, but I really have to be careful how much I put on, as it is tremendously strong, and I find it cloying to the point of nausea if I overdo it.

 

Eden goes on green, like the fluid from the inside of dandelion stems, green and bitter and milky. The almond has that near-cherry scent that is also uppermost. But as it dries down, the coconut, fig and sandalwood blossom and are just gorgeous.

[leahcat]

Eden

 

In the bottle: a surprisingly musky garden scent – not green but.. *reads the description* a ha! Toasted coconut indeed.

Wet: toasted coconut, almond milk definitely. Oh! there’s the fig leave. Unique. Complex.

Drying/4 mins: Definitely interesting... my nose isn’t sure what to make of this!

Dry/14 mins: Worth further testing.. not sure it’s for me but it’s a very interesting scent.

[niter]

Bottle

A very sweet almond first radiates outwards and a second sniff reveals the sandalwood and a new scent to me. I would guess it is the fig.

 

Wet

The almond scent is still very strong. I am really dying to know what that extra scent is..it is not quite fruity, not quite sandalwood. It must be the fig. The entire mix smells very decadant and complex on my wrist. As it dries, it gets spicier.

 

Dry

I keep thinking the Land of Milk and Honey and of a biblical paradise. I really think this one was named really well because it smells like what I would think Eden would smell like. This scent is very opulent. If I breathe in really strongly I smell a more subtle underscent that is quite lovely as well. The woodsy scents of the fig and sandalwood mix well and layer over the delicate and sweet combination of almond and honey. No coconut yet...

 

I am going to be after a bottle of this!

Edited September 13, 2005 by niter

[jewelbug]

Bottle: Complex. First I get an almost astringent leafy/woodsy smell. Followed up quickly by an almond coconut pair. No fig yet. No honey yet.

 

Wet: Sandalwood and almond. And most importantly, there's the fig. (I love fig) Floating in the background is creamy sweet coconut, but not of the suntan-lotion type.

 

Drying: The almond disappears. The fig is doing its cedar thing on me--I love that. It's sweet and creamy on top of the fig. This is warm, round, earthy, sweet, creamy, and downright sexy.

This goes to a sweet coconut/almond tempered by woodsiness (sandalwood and fig/cedar). It gets a sharp freshness at the end--is this fig leaf?--it helps to brighten the scent.

The warm sandalwood grows more predominant as it dries, but it's backed by a warm sweet fig and almost smoky coconut. Around the hour mark, its starts to sweeten considerably--very honey, but still with the wonderful cedar of fig and sandalwood and coconut. This is just so complex and wonderful.

 

Overall: This ends as a mostly honey and sandalwood blend. I can still get the coconut and fig, but predominantly a wonderful honey and warm wood/fig. Intrigue has been my favorite scent since I started Bpaling (about 60 scents ago). But this beats intrigue--its more earthy, more woodsy, warmer, and has more throw (intrigue definitely has more fruit, though), and lasts far longer. Eden is so complex, mysterious and sexy. Wow. Simply wow.

 

I need a honka-honka-big-bottle of this!

Edited January 1, 2006 by jewelbug

[sh1mm3r]

I was torn about ordering this one, because fig=bad, but sandalwood=love in the past.

 

In the bottle, I smell coconut and almond. I adore it, but am skeptical because my skin loves coconut so much that it eats it as soon as the oil touches my skin.

 

Wet - yep, coconut disappears on contact. The almond is really strong at first.

 

Drying - I get a whiff of sandalwood as the almond dies down, but the strongest element is pure fresh leafy green. Green green green. This scent is what Survivor would smell like if we had Smellivision.

 

Dry - Ah, there it is. Nasty little raisiny fig. Sorry, it's just a rancid note on me. The green hasn't disappeared, but is more in the background.

 

ETA: I was given another imp of this in a following order and it doesn't turn rancid on me. It might be a different part of the batch but it is still really green.

Edited October 25, 2005 by sh1mm3r

[brownbear]

This one changed quite a bit on me.

In the vial it is pure deliciousness. It's all sweet almond and fig.

Then it goes through a horrid rancid stage. I was thinking I'd have to swap it.

But then later it comes back to a really nice toasted, meaty coconut with a tiny bit of honey. I never really got any sandalwood from this.

ETA: I'd consider a bottle of this.

Edited September 23, 2005 by brownbear

[quimerula]

It starts with almonds milk, honey and coconut. I can smell a bit of fig behind those notes.

 

Dry the honey goes stronger, making it more sexy and interesting.

 

Eatable and soft, almost creamy. It's bottom line lasts ages and reminds me of O.

[aessedai]

Some green, some creamy, very interesting but I also got something plasticy in there, so I had to swap it.

[Penance]

Origin:

 

Lagniappe from the Lab.

 

Preconceived notions:

 

If it weren’t for the almonds of doom, I might very well like Eden, but I just don’t see this working for me because of the presence of my arch-nemesis.

 

My impressions:

 

Warm and almondy with a honey sweetness and a background of coconut and sandalwood. I don’t get any of the fig in here, just a warm cream/beige kind of scent. I can see this being comforting smelling for someone else, but for me it’s, unfortunately, stomach-turning because of the almond.

 

The bottom line:

 

I can see the appeal of Eden, but the almonds kill it for me, just like I’d expected.

[shayelea]

Oh. My. God. This is my new second-favorite scent. (Nothing has yet to displace Dorian from the top spot.)

 

In the bottle: Sort of delicately sweet. I don't get anything partiucularly interesting about this scent just from the bottle.

 

Wet: Oh, nice. It smells very rich right away, with a combination of rich, deep fig fruit and a strong, sharp (but very pleasant) green smell that must be the fig leaf. This is unlike any other BPAL fig scent, which all invariably go powdery on me. This is never powdery. Oh, yum.

 

Drydown: Love it even more. One of my favorite scents is this fig-scented candle made by a company called Pacifica - this is the perfume version of that scent. The green fades on drydown, but other slightly spicier scents come out and it's just *fantastic.*

[~AmusedMuse~]

My Impression:

Wow the greeness of this one. I can't detect any fig at all. It is somewhat sharp while wet but upon drydown it softens into a very outdoors type of scent. I smell pine and some other herbal notes that I can't identify. But this is definitely all outdoors to me. I think this would make a great air freshener or room scent.

I am sure I could not wear this as a perfume oil. My scale of 1-5...2.5

[feline.by.design]

I really do not care for the almond note. The fragrance is just so sweet and cloying; it will ruin a fragrance for me. Hence, I don't really care for Eden, although the "almond milk" note is a lot less potent than the traditional almond note. I don't detest it, but it's definitely not a favourite. Still, as always, I'm willing to try pretty much anything the Lab would send to me. But that won't mean I'll love it.

 

-doreen

[Sistinas]

a review of Eden

 

Vial ~ first thought, was ewwwww, get it away from me. The coconut is very

strong in this scent and I don't like coconut. I gave it another sniff and

noticed that it was sweet too, I don't think I will be liking this scent,

but in all fairness, I will give it a try.

 

Wet ~ On my skin it is not as sickly sweet, but the coconut is still there,

well at least it does not smell as bad as it did in the vial.

 

Drying ~ I am getting the almond milk and the coconut is no longer blaring

in my face

 

Dry ~ Now I am not so sure what I am smelling, the coconut is fainter but

I think what I am detecting now is the almond milk and sandalwood, maybe

even some fig.

 

Fade ~ As it fades away the sweetness begins to pick up again, but it is

soft and light, the coconut is hardly noticeable.

 

Final thoughts ~ Okay, this scent started out as something I could not

stand. I had it pegged as one of those scents that would not be for me,

because I disliked one of the components so strongly. I will have to admit

that it is not as bad as I thought it would be. I most likely keep the imp

I have, but I am doubt I will buy a bigger bottle of it. On a scale of 1 to 5, I give it a 3.

[Ancientgirl]

I ordered this to round out a pack of imps, and I'm glad I did.

In the bottle: Toasted coconut.

Just on: More coconut. When I read the description, I thought the coconut might make this scent smell like suntan lotion, which I didn't want. However,it isn't pina colada coconut, it's more like macaroon type coconut if that makes sense.

After a few minutes, the sandalwood comes out. The coconut doesn't step down, but it's willing to share the spotlight now.

An hour later: There is a hint of fruitiness. I don't know if I would have pegged it for fig if I hadn't read the description. I really feel like I am walking through the garden when I wear this scent. The various notes seem to take turns coming to the forefront.

Two or more hours later: The notes have blended together into a warm, spicy-fruity melange. Another complex and lovely blend from the lab!

Ancientgirl

[Loligo]

What a fascinating scent! It starts out with a strong blast of sweet sawdust and bitter leaves -- a bit scary. Then it quickly turns to green leaves and watery fig; I'm not sure why, but fig is never a strongly sweet fruit on me. I really love this scent once the toasted coconut and sandalwood kick in; they make a delicate spicey scent almost like a very refined cinnamon. The fig and honey provide just enough sweetness, and the green leaves keep rustling in the background. I've never smelled anything quite like this, and I'll have to go count things up to be sure, but I think this might be in my general catalog top ten now. I do wish it lasted longer, though -- it's gone in four or five hours.

[sarada]

Eden is another one I wasn't interested in because I didn't like most of the notes -- coconut and almond are both (usually) no-nos for me, and anything with honey or milk in it is also suspect as far as my preferences go.

 

But I do like sandalwood so let's see what happens!

 

In the imp this is overwhelmingly sweet and coconutty but I do get a slight sense of that crisp, fresh greenery that others have mentioned. The unmistakable BPAL fig is also present -- a slightly fruity, slighty woody note that I like a lot.

 

The coconut dies down within about 15 minutes and the fig is the strongest in the next stage. Otherwise it reminds me somewhat of Nemesis without quite as much greenery and wood...and with a lot more sweetness. It's more the sweetness of something like Perversion...a slightly smoky sweetness to me.

 

I like the drydown, which is fig and wood shavings and a faint sweetness. I'm not so fond of it in the wet stage but I think I'll keep the imp in case I get a fig craving!

[stardreamer]

This is a nice blend that doesn't change much with wearing. I mostly get the coconut note, with an underlying rich sweetness that could be the fig (comparing with Carnal -- yes, that's the fig). No sandalwood at all, and if the other notes are there they stay very much in the background. It's not too strong for daytime, and the holding power is excellent -- 10 hours after application, it's still very present on my wrists. This is a definite keeper.

[Shollin]

First sniff: …Huh. I’m not entirely sure what I’m smelling. There’s a light note, a milky sweetness, above the deeper base.

 

Wearing: Oh, lawzamercy. No wonder Eve couldn’t resist. This is one of the most gently seductive scents ever to grace my nose. It’s mysterious, it’s alluring, it’s soft and sweet and… damn. Y’all gotta try this one on, 'cause in the vial it doesn’t smell like much, but damn. There are moments when it smells very much like the lovely White Tropics tea from Adagio – that tiny hint of coconut and greenness. And really… just… wow. *shambles off into drooling incoherence*