Obatala

[AliBabble]

... Obatala’s ofrenda is soft, white and pure: milk, coconut meat, shea butter and cool, refreshing water.

this scent feels very nurturing to me...warm and sweet...like coconut oil that's been warmed by the sun and smoothed luxuriously onto your body...it's actually not overly coconutty-sweet...i think it's the shea i smell more...it feels healthy, warm, and well, - nurturing is the word that keeps springing to mind. it's not very strong.. i have to keep reapplying, and it doesn't last long on me, but i like it a lot - it is calming, creamy, and beautiful. a bottle will probably be needed....

[Ryvre]

I love the coconut in Perversion, and everyone has been raving about Obatala, so I decided to give it a try.

 

In the imp: Sweet coconut milk.

 

Wet: This immediately morphs on my skin, and not to something good. I couldn't place what it smelled like, so I hate my boyfriend smell it. He wrinkled his nose- "ferrets!" It smells just like the ferret room at my parents house. I don't know how that's possible- there isn't even musk in this.

 

Dry: Still ferrets. Ick!

 

I had to wash it off after about an hour. Am I the only one Obatala doesn't work on?

[abberlaine]

Fresh on, I get some sort of a whipped coconut drink, maybe with a little bit of lemon rind of a pinch of mint garnishing it. It's sweet like a confectionary, and whipped to thick, fluffy cloud proportions. It's very, very milky -- this is the aspect that makes me want to butter up my arms, pull up a hammock and a drink, and take pleasure in the feelings of comfort that arise. There's a vague hint of something sour, but it's not strong enough to knock the blend out of balance.

 

Even as the scent settles into my skin, I can smell the shea butter, coconut water, and flakes of coconut meat being offered in turn.

 

Sadly, five minutes later, Obatala turns to a slighty sour shea butter -- it reminds me of body butter that's been stored in the heat. Here and there, it switches to a coconut puff scent that's somewhat more sugary than I'd like it to be.

 

The coconut note in here, by the way, isn't the toasted, caramel-tinged coconut that I get from Elegba or from Red Lantern. Obatala's coconut's is white, sugared, and has no intention of baking in the sun; it's more along the lines of Snow White's coconut.

 

As such, Obatala's too sweet for me to feel sexy, or even refreshed in it. (Ever eaten candy on a hot day without washing it down? Know that sticky-sweet taste that stays in your throat? Obatala evokes that.)

 

On the right person, I imagine that this'd make for a glorious comfort scent.

Edited June 3, 2006 by Shollin

[astridclaire]

In the Imp: Milk Moon + some aquatics! Woo hoo! Milk Moon!

 

On Wet: Definitely milky, but there seems to be some sort of floral in there with a little salt water. I'm not getting the coconut at all, which is too bad because I love the scent of coconut milk.

 

On Dry: Very soft and clean, it almost disappears. It smells even more floral now with the smallest hint of lemon, but there is a milky butter still there behind it all.

 

This blend is really gorgeous but I wish it had more lasting power and some throw. I think I'll try making it into a spray to see if it helps it stick around.

[Eunice]

This certainly does smell like suntan lotion but not in a chemical way. Obatala is rich coconut meat without all the sugars and additives. This is the coconut smell you get right after breaking open a fresh nut. There is also a light creaminess with just a touch of sweetness. Very lovely!

[harmonyfb]

This smells just like Milk Moon, without the vanilla. And that makes me so darn happy.

[grrrlennyl]

at first: light and sweet: coconut and milk, with a bit of shea butter.

on: amazing. very soft and comforting, like the softest white blanket you can imagine.

1 hour later: still soft. water and lovely. i adore this.

overall: i'm not going to give this a "full" review because all that really counts is that this is the most serene, comforting blend i've ever smelled. i am thrilled that i decided to go for a 5ml right away. i can't imagine a situation or season this wouldn't be perfect for. it is achingly beautiful, and is a close second to snow white in my list of favorites.

[storme]

In the imp: hmm, slightly rancid coconut.

 

On me, wet: oh, the rancidity is the shea butter, I guess. Now it's on my skin, this smells a lot like cocoa butter moisturiser - creamy and thick and rich.

 

On me, dry: this is a much softer coconut smell now - more like the coconut milk than a moisturiser, but still with a weird hint of a skincare product to it.

 

Verdict: I think I was hoping for something a bit fresher. This is nice, but so much like a moisturiser that I might as well use one for this smell.

[abejita]

The second I opened my imp and inhaled I was immensely pleased that this is a GC scent. For me it stays pretty consistent through its wet stage, drydown, and through later wear. The coconut is superemly rich, the milk creamy, the shea butter richer still. But somehow the cool water is very present, keeping the scent's richness from going heavy. This is a pristine white scent with a shimmer of gold. I can detect a similarity in the coconut with Tarot: the Star, but this is less sweet.

 

10/10. This is one of my favorite blends, ever. I already bought a 5ml.

[lushiejane]

Oh my...I LOVE this one!

In the bottle it is sweet milky coconut and shea, comforting and warming, yet a great warm weather scent. It seems familiar but fleeting in my head.

 

On the skin wet- oh soooo good in the milky shea and sweet (not cloyingly sweet).

 

As it dries- retains it scent very well. The coconut becomes more complex, the shea and other milkyness carries forward nicely.

 

I'm gonna need a lot of this- it is my comfort scent! Similar to Milk Moon but more complex and rich. If you love Lush's Silky Underwear powder, you will simply adore this.

Thank you Beth for this perfect brew!

LushieJane

[judas_kiss]

I like lushiejane's comparison of this to Silky Underwear. It's gorgeous.

 

For thos of you looking for a light, airy coconut scent...look no further. This is downright gorgeous.

 

In the bottle: Milky coconut. I get a bit of the aquatic note at this point. This is so pretty. Can't wait to slather.

 

On me (wet): Coconut!! Creamy, sweet (but not overly so) coconut. The aquatic and other notes are in the background, waiting their turn patiently.

 

Drydown: Mmm...shea and seriously complex milky coconut with an aquatic base running through....This scent conjures up the image of beautiful Jamaican boy standing on a beach, wearing all white.

 

Overall: Perfect for summer...heck, I think this might work year-round. It's SO beautiful and comforting..yet sensual enough to feel sexy in. I'll be buying more of this. Gorgeous!!

[Scrangie]

Smells like light, cool milky coconut and just a hint of an aquatic note. I think I do smell a little shea in there, but that could also just be the power of suggestion.

 

On my skin it smells the same as it does wet. It's very smooth and milky, and it smells to me like Milk Moon with more coconut milk. It doesn't come across to me as being overtly coconut. It's milky. I think that's the best I can describe it as. Milky, but light.

[Bagfish]

Oh dear. I really thought Obatala would be so right on me. Instead I get the plastic meltdown of doom and a mssive headache

 

It starts off for the first 30 seconds smelling like Red Lantern - yes, this is what I thought it would be like, but segues off into melted plastic almost instantly. I can smell the shea underneath the plastic, but the coconut has disappeared. This one is NOT for me.

 

Worst of all I ordered a 5ml a month after I ordered this imp, so will be looking for a new home for both

[Spastik_Kitty]

In the bottle: A heavy cream and suntan lotion.

 

First on: Buttermilk and suntan lotion.

 

After a bit: Alright, now the butter milk has morphed back into a heavy cream because the shea has come forth, the coconut also lingers about with a slight saltiness lurking in the distance. It's become more defined instead of smelling like suntan lotion.

 

A bit more: Now it's gone back to smelling like sun tan lotion, but more refined.

[sophia_helix]

Waaaah, delicious coconut for two minutes, then the minty-milky note from Milk Moon that I dislike so much. It wavered between the coconut and the milk for most of the evening, but it danced on the edge of sour so I will have to give this up. Whyyy does my skin hate cream so?

[yeahbutnobut]

Obatala

 

In the imp: oh, this is gorgeous! Sweet coconut milk! Nothing Milk Moon-ish here, just summery coconut.

Wet on skin: mmm, coconut milk, sweet and delicious, with a hint of something almost woody/dry at the back-the shea?

Dry on skin: coconut milk. This is a lot nicer than I expected-it smells like summer! A white, fresh, sugared coconut milk…but there's more. There's something a bit sharp and green and almost like wood? I'm not sure what that is, I'm assuming it's the shea-but this does calm down after application and the scent smoothes out and becomes creamier and milkier, but with a hint of freshness at the back-the water, I think. This is perfect, white coconut flesh, with sweet sugared milk (this is lighter milk than Milk Moon) and a splash of water.

After a while: now I see why everyone is raving over this…this has become the most wonderful, summery, soothing coconut ever. It's coconut milk with sugared milk (yup, I get a slight dairy milk scent here, but not a sour one-this is chilled milk, the way it should be) and dry coconut flesh, and a little bit of creamy shea and cool water which makes the scent so fresh. Yes, it does have something to it which reminds me of suntan lotion, but that's no bad thing since that tanning oil scent makes me think of summer holidays and that always cheers me up. The scent also has a hint of soft dryness that brings to mind cloth…white cloth even, which is fitting for Obatala. Such a stunning scent.

Verdict: I'm so glad I succumbed to the hype-this scent really deserves it. All the Milk Moon comparisons made me apprehensive since that was sour milk one me, but this isn't at all. this is the perfect coconut scent-the ultimate summer fragrance. after about five minutes or less on the skin, it becomes the most beautiful, creamy, coconut flesh and sugary chilled milk scent, with a hint of fresh water adding a delightful coolness, and a hint of dryness, like grated coconut or soft cloth. There's a hint of suntan oil to this scent, but that's no bad thing since it reminds me of an old French sun lotion which I adored the smell of, but as this is BPAL, there's a little bit more to this scent than just sun lotion-but this scent is undeniably summery. I adore this scent-it wraps me in a soothing, soft cloud of milky sweet coconut-it's very comforting. I will need to succumb to a bottle of this!

Emoticon rating:

[Lanet]

My first impression out of the bottle was cheap, dirty suntan lotion. When it dried the cheap & dirty smell went away (thankfully). Now it's just the faintest hint of coconut on top of a warm, spicy scent. I have no idea what that could be - it's something familiar that I just can't place.

 

I like it a lot and I think it's warm and spicy enough to wear year round, but not at all heavy. I have to actually put my arm to my nose to smell it. I'll probably end up getting a bottle of this one.

 

ETA: I recently smelled this again more than a year later (finally bought a bottle) and it's way better than I remember. It's a very creamy toasted coconut smell. Not overly foody. Not beachy.

Edited September 10, 2007 by Lanet

[rhubarbbear]

wow, this is crazy good! it really is an aquatic coconut...can't describe it any other way. i don't get much milk from this which is fine by me...mostly just coconut and aquatics. becomes more floral as it dries, but the coconut is still predominant. doesn't go sour or plastic (yay!).

 

it's cool cause it's a sophisticated coconut scent! nothing one dimensional or childlike here, just pure lovely

[Electra]

If nothing else, Obatala is noteworthy on me as "the first time that coconut has not turned to evil plastic." I generally can't wear BPAL coconut. This is an exception.

 

I definitely get the Milk Moon comparisons - except Milk Moon was unwearable on me (plastic again), and this is not. The description of this scent as "heavy cream and suntan lotion" is bang-on. It's buttery and milky and white and very beachy and summery.

 

It's nice, and very evocative of the season, but I doubt I'll need more than an imp. It's just such a casual scent that I can't see myself reaching for it all that often.

[cybra111]

Obatala

I have been longing to try this and thanks to a swap from Reedsong, I can!

 

In the bottle: Creamy sweet, oh yeah this is delicious!

 

On me: Milk and coconut with a hint of shea butter. Tropical in a non-fruity way. The coconut isn't as strong as the scent that I recognize from traditional suntan lotions. No, much more fresh, clean and oh so lovely! I have described some scents as juicy and this does make me want to lick my own skin, but I think this is better described as creamy luscious.

I can't express my happiness in finding this scent! Unbelievably wonderful! A new precious!! Must have more!

Edited July 3, 2006 by cybra111

[kakiphony]

In the imp: Very light suntan oil.

 

Wet on skin: Mounds candy bars. I am salivating.

 

Early dry down: Oh no! This scent is doing something very weird on my skin. The coconut is turning sharp and herbal. It's a strange sweet, yet astringent, almost floral odor. It smells like something, but I can't quite place what. On my left crook of the arm it almost smells like bug spray!

 

Late dry down: Hmm. I think what is happening is that I am amping the "water" note (an unidentified aquatic) and that note is turning sharp, floral, and astringent on me. The coconut is under the surface and I get hints of it once in a while, but overall it's the odd, sharp floral. The coconut sweetens it just enough to imply a little bit of sickly rot. I need to wash this off before I go to court this afternoon.

 

I am soooo disappointed. I just knew I would love this and now I have to totally rethink what I know works on me and what doesn't. I truly thought all coconut was a safe bet, but it turns out aquatics can ruin it. Maybe because I'm a true fire sign?

Edited July 6, 2006 by kakiphony

[eggplant]

In the bottle: Yum! I can't place it, but it smells delicious.

First applied: Burnt sugar

 

This quickly morphs into the faint plasticy scent that I got with midway and occasionally snow white. I can smell the coconut and shea butter but it's blended with melting plastic and burnt tires. The coconut is dominant so it's not entirely unpleasant but sadly not for me.

[moon_lemming]

Oh Obatala. First, I had problems with Milk Moon; I know they've been compared, but Milk Moon was too buttery for my chemistry. Obatala, on the other hand, is too dry, and then after the dryness goes away, it's too sweet.

 

It starts off as a pulpy, milky coconut scent with a layer of dust on top. I still haven't figured out what it is that causes that dry, "dusty" scent.

 

As it dries, it dusts itself off and becomes a scent full of coconuts and sugared millk. If it stayed there, it would be perfect, but it gets sweeter -- TOO sweet, which is so weird for me to say -- until it smells like the middle of a coconut bon-bon. Or the "white" layer of those neapolitan coconut bars you can get. Just doesn't work with my chemistry at all.

[Gin]

Obatala

 

Love at first sniff! The coconut in Obatala reminds me of Elegba, but this is Elegba on the beach. Sunny and soothing, it makes me think of a sparkling sea, white sand beaches, and coconut drinks. Obatala is utterly gorgeous.

[any_old_actress]

FIRST SNIFF: clean laundry, vanilla, a hint of coconut.

 

WEARING IT: this is SO lovely. it's similar to black pearl, but not as intense and WAY better in my opinion. it's smooth and milky, still smells faintly of clean laundry and lasts a really long time on me. definitely a keeper.

 

VERDICT: i'm so getting a big bottle!!!