Black Opal

[rivki8699]

A play of geological darkness and jagged brilliance. Soft and luminescent with flashes of black fire.

I have this down on my excel spreadsheet as "love, love, love, love." But this morning when I put it on I couldn't figure out why. It goes on a very sweet vanilla with nothing really special.

But a couple hours later (especially with a second application) it becomes this creamy, gorgeous scent that I can't really describe. The vanilla is still there, but something else has kicked in. It's very sweet and creamy with a bit of sexy. I remember why I loved it so much. This is my current BPAL favorite.

[minnalavender]

Ohhhh. The first time I applied Black Opal to my wrists and sniffed, I got all verklempt. I think I may have found a GC substitute for my beloved Snow White '04.

 

In the imp and wet, it's the same creamy, soft white vanilla and coconut, with a top note of one of the florals in Ode On Melancholy, I think. Is there amber? Something is powdery, too. When it's wet there is an intriguing hint of fresh potting soil there as well, tying it beautifully to the concept. This is the sweetest, softest sigh of a scent. There must be flowers but I can't identify them. Overall, it's just sweet, creamy, icy-soft goodness. It's a very white scent, which I normally can't do - pale white flowers give me migraines. Not Black Opal! I love this and so does my messed-up head.

 

The throw is almost nonexistent, but that's fine: I love quiet scents. I can tell this is one I'll slather and reapply, too. This is a def. 5ml with my next lab order - probably two bottles. I want to age one to see if it grows as strong and lovely as SW.

 

My mom once told me that it's bad luck for those not born in October to wear opals. I'm glad there's an opal I can safely wear now!

[roxyhead]

I can't identify what it smells like in the bottle or when wet on my skin, really. At 8 hours, this scent still hasn't gone all cigar smoke on me, after trying Dragon's Milk and finding it mostly tobacco rather quickly, I'd thought it might be the vanilla. I can't tell the vanilla right off the bat on my skin, or in the bottle, but as it dries it turns rather yummy. The musk comes out later on, and I'd think there was some non-cigar type smoke in there if I weren't just smelling it on one wrist! I haven't really gotten anything mineral out of it, but I think I'll try it again, I seem to like it, even though it doesn't scream "foody". I agree with the not much throw until it crawls out of the woodwork at random assessments.

[alliekat13]

On me, Black Opal smells exactly like Ombre Rose, like another reviewer said. Boo. I was hoping for a variation on Antique Lace (my fav BPAL) but all I could smell was a powdery floral musty scent. Oh well.

[ktesedale]

I'm a bit surprised how much I like this scent!

 

In the vial, it's sharp and metallic-smelling - and mineral-like.

 

Wet, I can still smell that sharpness, but I also smell a strong vanilla.

 

Dry, this turns into a gorgeous creamy scent. This is what I'd hoped Antique Lace would smell like - creamy and rich and warm, instead of the cooler, more plasticky (on my skin) Antique Lace. Despite that warmth, though, it's not foody at all. I think it's the 'mineral' like scent that grounds it.

 

It has surprisingly good throw, too, despite being a 'gentle' scent. I think I'm going to have to get a bottle of this one!

[Toby]

Huh. How... odd.

 

I got an imp of this because everybody was saying it smelled like vanilla, and I've been on a vanilla kick recently. However, when I tried this on, I had no idea why people liked it so much -- it smelled fresh to me in the way that soap smells fresh, with perhaps a hint of fresh loam. It wasn't terrible, but it definitely wasn't what I was hoping for (though oddly enough, it smelled exactly like I would expect opals to smell).

 

Minutes later, it's morphed into a foody-ish scent that isn't quite vanilla with a backdrop of delicate florals that (I think) were creating that original soapy scent. It's very light and feminine, and while I like it, I'm not in love with it.

 

...And now it's fading away. Ah well.

[LadyMedb]

This is pretty - it smells like sweet, sweet vanilla, coconut, and musk, and probably some darker spicy thing I can't identify. I think it's really well-composed, but as much as I like the idea, and love opals, it's just a little bit too sweet and girly for me - kind of baby powdery. Now that I'm reading that other people are detecting floral notes in the above reviews, I'm thinking it could be heliotrope that's the deal-breaker. It goes into the swap pile, but with a recommendation for those who like sweet scents.

Edited February 13, 2007 by LadyMedb

[Tess]

Reviewing scents with no notes listed always makes me worry that my nose will be completely off.

 

In the vial - This is odd. Very creamy, although I'm not getting vanilla. I can sense what people are calling coconut, but it's more like green coconut husk to me. There might be some tonka in there, too.

 

Wet - That sharp, not-quite-coconut scent is really out there on me. And yet faint.

 

Drying - This is very hard to tie down, as that sharp scent is completely beyond my abilities. I keep thinking "coconut water," with that dirt-like scent, but I just don't know. I can smell the tonka now quite clearly and there's a powdery musk note in there, too, I think. But it all mingles with the sharpness.

 

Dry (30 minutes) - It hasn't moved beyond tonka/powdery musk and green coconut husk. The sharpness isn't quite as overpowering anymore, but the scent in general is light. It hasn't faded at ALL, though.

 

Overall - This is one odd little creature. I can't see myself wearing it. It's not BAD, just not something for me.

[Carmencita]

In the vial: Intoxicating. Clear, sparkling, deep, dark, sinister. I can't pick out specific notes.

 

On my skin: Cave water, green flower stems, and something creamy.

 

I don't love it but I love black opals (they're my birthstone and my zodiac stone). I think I might have to get a bottle anyway.

[India7]

Aaaaand I know what my next purchase is going to be!

 

First of all, I'm indebted to the Lab for sending me a frimp of this along with my beloved bottle of Kyoto! You just made another sale and a very happy customer!

 

To me, it smells like a beloved favorite of mine, Shalimar, mixed with an old old perfume my Mom used to wear when I was a kid called Evening in Paris. I love them both, and I get a definite vibe of Shalimar with a tiny drop of Evening in Paris mixed in. I'm completely in love!

 

Thank you, lab!

[lightgatherer]

This is a subtle one. I think there's amber in here as I get definite amber warmth while wearing it. It's a soft skin scent, though, and I only really noticed I was wearing this when I got close to my wrist and smelled the sweetness. I'm not sure how often I'll wear this as it's much more subtle than I like my scents to be, but I definitely like it.

[Rchll]

I just couldn't get into this one. I got it as an imp's ear and thought I'd give a try but I'd put it on (it was really soft to begin with) and then fifteen minutes later, the scent was gone. I tried this a few times later to give it a chance; my skin does the magic vanishing trick every time.

 

That said, definitly vanilla while it lasts and nice soft smell.

[vegasblueblood]

It is amazing how the lab managed to recreate the scent of what an opal should smell like. Opal is my birthstone so I had to try this scent out. It's a creamy metallic vanilla that seems to capture that swirling fire that opals have inside them. There is something dark about this scent. It is predominantly vanilla so vanilla lovers will adore this one, I think.

[Kimocean]

This is an odd scent on my skin. It has a creamy soft side and a hard metalic side. I keep thinking that it smells a bit like a wet rock and sun-tan lotion and a hint of the smell after a thunderstorm. It does fit really well with the concept of the opal, hard but creamy with a blaze of fire, but I don't think I'd wear it as personal perfume.

[isabella]

dusty gold vanilla....almost amberish to me. it very nice.

[maribouquet]

Strong, smooth "island" vanilla. I can see why this is a favorite for so many, but on me it smells too much like bathroom cleaner or a taxi cab air-freshner.

 

eta (10/30/07): Giving this another shot, and while the wet stage is still the same as above, it is over pretty quickly, and I think I like the drydown. It's soft, and I get a soft vanilla musk and some of the mossy/minty notes that others have mentioned. Neat!

Edited October 30, 2007 by maribouquet

[lapillus]

Wet dusky sweetness, nice but not overwhelming and a little weaker than would make me crave a big bottle.

[Muppetk]

Huh! Aquatic Vanilla! Whodathunkit!?

 

Seriously though, it's a soft, aquatic vanilla with a hint of musk and more than a hint of soap on me. The soap just ain't working with my skin. Hmm... actually I think I may be mistaking soap for sunscreen, which is how coconut goes on my skin & to my nose. So it's an aquatic/coconut/vanilla. Interesting, but not me.

[bryghtrose]

Powder, powder, acidic, earthy powder.

 

Did I mention powder? I wanted to like this scent. Black opals are one of my favorite gemstones, and while the perfume is nice in the bottle, it goes straight to powder on my skin.

[Emera]

First BPAL review - hurrah?

 

IN THE IMP: Sharp and fresh, like sandy, upturned earth a day after it’s rained.

ON SKIN: Mellows out to a fresh, dusty-mineral bite on top of this incredibly pillowy, luxurious, creamy vanilla. I LOVE IT! It’s not as warm as I thought it would be, but it’s unusual and clean, in an earthy way, and comforting. How is this sharp and soft at the same time??

LATER: The mineral-sharpness is gone after maybe 45 minutes, leaving just the creamy vanilla. (I’m beginning to suspect that I amp vanilla notes. Which is far from objectionable, but, well, so vanilla!) Fades off after about three hours, though I can still smell the faintest vanilla well over 24 hours later - but I think I’m hypersensitive.

 

This is definitely a keeper. Love it!

Edited June 4, 2007 by Emera

[cvelis]

My first experience with Black Opal was AWFUL, as in it gave me a huge headache. I also had my monthly friend at the time so my hormones really didn't play nicely. Now a month later and well, I like it. It's a soft, gentle, vanilla cream. It's a tad bit powdery on me and that's what made me sick before. Off to the swaps.

[porcelina]

it smells like someone threw a pack of amber incense onto a campfire. *i* don't want to smell like this, but i want my room to!

[Nessa]

When I started reading all these reviews and saw everybody saying "Vanilla! Vanilla!" over and over again, I was thoroughly perplexed, because when I sniffed the imp which came with my most recent order, I didn't smell "vanilla" at all.

 

I gave it some time (a few days) and sniffed it again, and I still don't smell Vanilla in the bottle.

 

On my skin, I'm getting a baby powdery softness with some underlying dark floral.. maybe even some woodyness. Something is under there that is definitely dark. There's vanilla there too, I think... but it certainly wouldn't be my first thought if asked.

 

It's very warm, comforting, sweet, and feminine. Somebody else called it "ladylike" and I tend to agree. It's very ladylike. I think this is a scent I'd like to wrap around me like a blanket or a shawl. It's clean, it's homey. My grandmother always wore opals, and though she didn't smell like this, it has a bit of grandmotherly comfort to it (though I'm not saying it's old ladylike.) Wintry warmth, maybe the marshmallows in your cocoa.

 

I can see opals smelling like this. A wide range of colors swimming against a mat background.

 

In my opinion, anyway. =) Just lovely. Very much considering buying a 5ml... but I am so poor.

[Nimthiriel]

In the vial (initial impression):

It's the smell of damp soil and wet underground caves.

 

Initially on (wet):

It's like... smelling a wet rock, but with vanilla in the background. *sneezes*

 

Wearing it (dry):

10-20 mins after application: vanilla, moss, dirt - it's an oddly cold scent! It's like it's fresh without intending to be. Only the vanilla provides a tiny hint of warmth to the cold rocks.

 

20-30 mins after application, it's a bizarre and surreal mix of nearly electric cold dampness, and a warm pleasant vanilla. Woah.

 

An hour later, it's the essence of bizarre alchemy. Awesome to try, but not for me.

 

Finally:

Not a keeper, but a nice (and weird!) scent.

[waternight]

In the imp: Very light. Vanilla, white musk, and – yes, something chilly and stony.

Wet/Drydown: Still very light, but blossoming gently. Amazing – I smell the vanilla and the delicate white musk, but sure enough, there really is something like stone in here, something “geological”. Someone described it as clean rocks next to a river, and that’s exactly right. The vanilla is warm, but the white musk and the stone are definitely chilly. This is just absolutely elegant, delicate, and comforting. Just gorgeous. This is an… intimate scent. It’s what I want my lover to smell on me.

Dry: Light and fresh. The edges of the stone note have softened, but it’s definitely still there. This blend ends up as a light, sweet vanilla with a touch of musk and a stony edge.

 

There will definitely be a 5 ml of Black Opal in my future.

Edited July 22, 2007 by waternight