Bengal

[catslash]

A sultry and unruly blend that emulates the ambient scent of the markets in ancient Bengal: skin musk with honey, peppers, clove, cinnamon bark and ginger.

 

I'm brand new to BPAL and still learning my way around which notes do what on me. I've found that black musk amps to high heaven and then turns to powder, but I wasn't yet sure if it was just that or the darker musks in general (I've found I can wear white musk, thank goodness). So when I received this imp and checked the description, I was wary of the "skin musk" note, since I wasn't sure what that meant.

 

So I applied Bengal carefully and sniffed more carefully as it settled down. The cinnamon came out first, and then - uh-oh. Is that - is that? Powder? Noooo - oh. No. No. It's going away! Yaaaay!

 

The cinnamon stays steady - present, but not overpowering - and then a rich sweet note that I do believe is the honey comes into play too. I've caught a few whiffs of, randomly enough, raw cookie dough, but that goes away and the rich cinnamon honey comes back. I'm not really catching any other notes, but that could be because I'm just beginning to learn. This is pretty now, and I think it will be fun to try out again with a more educated nose.

 

ETA the next day: It's been over twelve hours since application. I was sniffing at my hand to see if the potent lotion I used last night before bed had worn away so I could test another imp, and lo and behold, I found the faintest whiff of a lilac-like floral scent where the Bengal was. It bears no resemblance to what I was smelling last night. I wonder if it reacted with the lotion at all, though I'm not sure how cinnamon honey + coconut = almost-lilac.

Edited July 2, 2006 by Cathryn

[edenssixthday]

Bengal is a really spicy scent. Initially, it smells like spicy, spicy tea, but as it dries down, the tea scent fades, and it just smells like spices. There’s almost an emptiness to the scent in that all I smell are spices over… nothing. I feel like there is something missing, something the spices should be attaching themselves to and interacting with. It’s a very “empty” scent to me, despite the abundance of fragrant spices. I believe this scent would layer well with something that needs a little kick (I’m going to try it with Rage first), but doesn’t have legs to stand on when it’s on its own.

[Taniwha]

It feels funny to be enjoying this scent on a hot July evening, but I am enthralled with it. It's all creamy, milky, spicy warmth and comfort. I don't ususally enjoy spicy/oriental fragrances, but this one is truly lovely -softer, somehow, less biting and harsh. It will be an excellent fall staple.

[valentina]

Bengal is one of those scents that I would have been afraid to sample a year ago, as a BPAL neophyte. But now, I just blaze away, just the way Bengal smells in the imp -- its predominant notes are very blazing, warm spices. And on my skin, Bengal blazes away for 5 or 10 minutes! I'd guess it's the pepper and cinnamon bark, but it does make me flush a bit. I waited it out and it went away with no ill effects. For about the first hour or so, Bengal is largely a very spicy blend, with all the components happily melding together with no one spice taking dominance. After that, the body musk and honey take front stage with the spices lurking in the wings. It's really a beautiful, natural, yet exotic scent. It may be going on my "buy a bottle" list, because I'm willing to handle a little skin flushing in order to smell so wonderful!

[Aiglet]

I really wanted to love this one, but it wasn't meant to be.

 

In the bottle: Smells like spices and honey, this should be good.

 

When I tried it on, I didn't let it get all the way dry, but it started out smelling sort of oatmeal-y (that's how my nose registers honey and cinnamon) and then went interestingly spicy.

 

Sadly, that's when I noticed that I was getting a rash on the inside of my elbow where I'd put it on, and had to go wash it off. This is an absolutely lovely scent for people who like the spicy ones, but if you've got sensitive skin, I'd recommend trying it in a small dose before slathering.

[beccabluesky]

Bengal walks a fine line. There is enough cinnoman in this blend to almost make it a cinnoman-dominated oil, and yet there's no denying that the other notes are present, and work to balance the cinnoman. Still, if your skin amps cinnoman, I can't imagine that you'd fare well.

 

The cinnoman does fade slightly on drydown, allowing the other spice notes to come out more and saving this oil, in my opinion (I like cinnoman, but not *that* much cinnoman!)

 

Interestingly, I get very little musk from this (would prefer more musk), and for a spicy blend, it doesn't have much staying power. I'll have to experiment with applying more oil to see if it's possible without overpowering an entire city block with cinnoman-scent...

[Inanna9]

Upon application, this is warm and creamy and spicy. Kind of like wearing a cinnamon roll--so not for me, I'm afraid. Pity, since I have a real soft spot for this place.

 

The long-faded drydown is much more my thing, since it finally allows the skin musk to emerge (and whatever "skin" musk is...it's the best thing evah). But I just can't see myself making it through the Cinnabon stage to get there. I will find this one a new home where it can get the love it deserves.

[Bagfish]

Bengal starts off really dried-fruity, like mashed up raisins and dates. For the first hour or so it reminds me very strongly of Serge Luten's Arabie. However after this fruity start, Bengal goes flat (I can't think how else to describe it), it becomes one dimensional and doesn't zing on my skin or even meld with it. It just sits there being "meh"

 

I've now had it on for about 8 hours and I am getting a sort of parma violet soapy powdery sort of smell which is rather odd and not very exciting. Bengal is certainly not offensive, but just really doesn't do much for me. Definitely one for the swaps.

[portalkat]

Mmmm, very aromatic, cloves, cinnamon bark, pepper and sweetened with honey. Pretty, but it doesn't grab me. I check back about 30 minutes later and the musk has appeared. I love musk so this is looking better. The spices soften from the addition of the musk and add interest to the spiced honey. This would also be nice used as a layering scent. On the list it goes.

[maijasu]

Oh, yummy spicy goodness!

 

I adore this on its own and can't wait to try it over a vanilla scent. I smell all the spices, plus a bit of sweet honey (not too sweet though) and a hint of musk. I think this will be a staple for fall and winter, and I tested it in time to buy a 10ml!

[Shannihilation]

This smells so good. Soft and sweet with a spicy undertone that makes it very intriguing. It's very foody in the imp.

 

On my skin it smells even better. Very sexy and still the sweetness of honey and clove with the spice from the cinnamon bark and peppers peering through. Unfortunately though, the cinnamon hates my skin and within a minute or so I was red and itchy and burning. Bengal is going to have to be washed off and added to the sell/swap baggie. That's really disappointing too because this is a fabulous blend. It smells so good!

[Emma2403]

In the bottle: predominantly honey... very spicy too.

 

On my skin: honey with some more pepper. I'm not crazy about it.

 

After a couple of hours: pepper, pepper and some extra pepper.

 

Verdict: I had read the most amazing reviews about it but it certainly doesn't work for me.

I'm not really surprised because I'm not fond of spicy scents.

[fairy]

Haha, I liked Bengal until I read the description. According to that I should be sneezing in great succession and wrinkling my nose. Which is why I like to form an opinion before reading other reviews or the description. And the beauty of imps...lets you try things you wouldn't normally be drawn to.

 

Bengal is my final BPAL imp...the rest I have left to test are decants. It smells somewhat watery to me...I do smell the spices but they aren't overpowering to where you want to wash it off immediately. Overall I find bengal to be a quite interesting and complex scent. I'll keep the imp

[steffanina]

Bengal-

 

In Bottle: I agree with the person who said it reminded him/her of crumbcake! Cinnamon and sweetness.

 

Wet: Once it's on, I get a medicinal whiff. I think that might be the clove, as I associate clove with a numbing effect. It's mellowing some--so far this is nice.

 

Dry: The fade on this is not as interesting as the start. It feels like it's over quickly, too. However it never gets noxious! I'll try it again, maybe using a little more.

 

Overall: Smells nice, but fades fast. I'll try it again and see.

[malanna]

From what I'd heard about Bengal being spicy, I was expecting it tobe a spice-a-palooza. It is sort of spicy in the beginning, with hints of skin musk/honey, but then it becomes super honey. It's really viscously sweet; it basically smells like honey poured on skin. The spices are definitely there, but they're not so apparent. Bengal is so sickeningly sweet, they don't seem like spices. They're muted by the honey. It's really sweet. I sort of like it, but I think it's too sweet to wear as a perfume (for me).

[abejita]

Oh, Bengal, whyever did I wait so long to try you?

 

I got this as a gracious gift from Deana. In the imp it smelled like spicy honey. On my skin, though, it opened up into a lovely, familiar scent. When I was living in the Krishna temples, we often brewed chai to offer our Indian guests. There were two kinds of chai, though. One was very bland to me. It was the quick kind brewed with Lipton's (decaf) black tea and a handful of spices tossed in. The other, though, was made by our Bengali devotees. Much more lovingly brewed, it was a mixture of spices, sweetened with honey. And that is what Bengal smells of, to my nose. The skin musk is what makes it even deeper, more wearable.

 

As others have cautioned, this contains cinnamon and can irritate sensitive skin. If I apply it after showering, I don't get a full on burn like I do with Eclipse, but I do get warmth and redness.

 

I love this one and will be picking up a 5ml my next order.

[Nycorson]

Bengal -

 

In the bottles spicy honey, smells so good, so I slather a little bit on, inner wrist and elbow, only one arm.

 

Mmmm... honey and spices I think I am in love. I work ignoring my arm...

 

Hmm.. what is that odd tingle? I look down ACK!!! No... no no... please don't do this.. my arm and elbow bright red and welting.. no!!!! You smell so good you were on my bottle list, I love you...

 

Stares at arm fixedly, hoping it will go away. Nope, welts getting bigger. Sobs and goes to wash arm.

 

But I love this... scent locket you may have made a sale.

 

 

EDITED:WTF?? Okay I go to wash it off crying the whole time and figure I will go back to redo one of the ones I am thinking about a bottle of, one I have tried before and.. BOOM.. arm red and welting.. WTF?? So.. now I am hoping as it is that evil week that it is just chemistry.. I am going home to do a test of Bengal, Sarandapal, and Wrath on my arm to watch and see what happens. I have tested about 50 oils and this is the first time I have had ANY reaction.. but also the first evil week to come along.. so we shall see.. I want my Bengal

Edited August 22, 2006 by Nycorson

[gypsybaby1]

I'm totally in the dark about this one. I tested it out last night, hoping for a spicy chai scent - and wound up with sour 5 days unwashed bodies. Unpleasant...

 

Just from reading the assorted reviews, I'm going to give this another try in the near future, hoping it was just a bad chemistry day.

[dawna]

In the vial: Almost a sweet honey yet spicy scent. Its kinda faint to my nose though. I suppose I am used to the bowl you over spicy love from Three Witches, this is much softer.

 

Wet on the skin: The honey runs to the back of the pack and the cinnamon and peppers come forward. This is a truly lovely scent. The honey blends so well with the spicyness of the oil. I have a feeling this is going to be one of my new favorite GCs.

 

On drydown: The clove and ginger come out to play as it dries and mixes well with the cinnamon/pepper and honey love that is goin on. It isn't a super strong scent though, which is surprising considering most of the spicy scents I have tried have been very strong. This is gorgeous, it is light but yet spicy and very foody. I love this and will need a bottle *adds it to my list*

[Torrilin]

This starts out as pure, screaming honey on me. It eventually calms down and settles into something like a slightly spicier version of Perlier Honey lotion on me. However, I really only like Perlier Honey lotion layered with Magie Noir so I don't feel like I fell into a vat of sugar. And well... this is just too much honey.

 

And if I put too much on, my skin itches. And forget about putting it on after a bath... burning itching that needs to be doused with lotion and leaves red marks is not good. I didn't think my skin was all that sensitive but apparently I was wrong.

 

Kalli

[ND¢]

In the bottle: Honey and cinnamon.

 

On me: At first- pure cinnamon. It does smell a lot like tea sweetened with honey but the spices aren't sharp or cloying. Thankfully, the cinnamon mellows out quickly and it seems like a peppery honey-cinnamon. It'd be a nice room scent for the upcoming fall.

[lady_pandora]

*reads notes* OK, no wonder this smells like Sed Non Satiata. My skin amps dark musks and honey, so I'd get a big whammy of those out of both scents.

 

This scent? Is love.

 

Wet, I get mostly cinnamon, with a mellow but undefinable sort of sweetness underneath it keeping it from smelling like Red Hots.

 

As this dries down, cinnamon stays around, but I also get ginger, and the yummy dark musk/honey combo that loves, loves, loves my skin. It's a lot like SNS, like I said, with the difference being that SNS has patchouli and Bengal has the spices, but the musk and honey are similar, and I get the same sort of yummy "nuttiness" from Bengal as I did from SNS as well. A definite keeper!

 

It does go mostly honey after a few hours, but I can always reapply it!!!

Edited September 10, 2006 by lady_pandora

[Precis]

In the imp: Bengal smells arts-and-crafts store cinnamon-y, like one of those cinnamon brooms.

 

Applied: Ah, there are other notes now! Whoever mentioned chai hit it on the head, that is exactly what I am getting. The musk is only noticeable if you lean in and sniff deeply. My first thought was that this will be a great imp to have around for layering to add an extra kick of cinnamon to certain other oils, and I see reading the reviews that this is a common idea. I'm sure this will be a great oil for the fall and winter months.

[likie]

In bottle: Ooh... lots of honey and clove! Great for a steamy summer day. Ginger is a nice touch, too.

 

Wet: Tons of cinnamon. In fact, everything's gone but the cinnamon and musk. I hope it comes back!

 

Dry: Wow, where did it go? I put on enough to wet a square inch of skin, and now I have to try to inhale my arm to smell it. I actually smell the pepper (not terribly pleasant). Still has clove, ginger, and musk, but the smoothness created by the honey is gone.

[deleahrium]

Cinnnamon, like woah! Spicy spicy spicy. A little peppery too, but not like Three Witches. It would be really nice as a marinade/rub for poultry, but not so great for my skin, haha.