Tushnamatay

[jj_j]

Pure internal harmony and spiritual bliss: the perfected meditation blend.

I am going to be so embarassed when I find out what's actually in this one; it'll be one of those "smack-yourself-in-the-forehead" moments, because I *know* these scents. If Beth didn't do such a good job of blending them, this would be much easier.

My first impression was a drop of chocolate, a mystery floral that shouldn't be a mystery, as I've smelled and reviewed this note, and touch of cloves. I mean it when I say a touch of cloves; I really have to search to identify it before my chemistry shoves it into overdrive, but it's enough to throw me off the track on the floral note, which I'm beginning to suspect is frangipani.

Tranquil and soft, like an old shirt you've worn soft ... but better. There's peace and contentment in this, with a hefty dose of depth and disconnection blended in. Subtle, with strength and nobility.

[Shollin]

First sniff: Wow. I’m normally not a huge fan of sandalwood, but Tushnamatay smells so much like the sandalwood massage oil my first serious boyfriend and I bought a zillion years ago… it’s very evocative of the warm, intoxicating, forbidden atmosphere of the hotel room we rented when he drove up to college to see me. It’s very slightly sweet, and has that raspy-dry feel sandalwood always has to my nose, but mostly it’s just heady stifling warmth and the intimidating but thrilling prospect of our first night alone together. (Apologies for the TMI implications.)

 

Wearing: On my skin this is very soothing, which I wasn’t expecting after the scent-in-the-vial. It’s a deep, relaxing warmth – again I’m reminded of the Tayledras Vales from Mercedes Lackey’s books, the smooth stone and almost – but not quite – unbearable heat of the soaking-pools. I can’t pick out specific notes, and I’m quite possibly wrong about the sandalwood, but the colour of the scent (not the oil, the scent itself) is a deep, clear golden-brown, and it’s very smooth – no rough edges at all despite its somewhat incensey overtones. I really, really like this, and it might go into my “soothing scents to wear to bed” pile alongside Oneiroi and The Apothecary.

[TygherRayn]

In the bottle: This is indeed very pure. It invokes crisp, clean white linens waving in a gentle breeze .. scented with a touch of incense from a brazier. A calm, white scent.

 

Wet: somewhat powdery, but this one, of all the scents that seem powdery to me, is nicer. It's another incensey smell .. like something one would burn when practicing yoga, or meditating.

 

Wearing: I like this scent. It's calming, soothing. It's a scent I could burn all over the house in an incense, and use as a linen spray as well, in addition to wearing the heck out of it. Slightly woody, but not in the scratchy way that cedar seems to do to me. Warmer .. softer .. like a sturdy walking stick used by a age-weathered wizard. I -really- like this one, and imagine it will be a 5ml purchase.

[Ina Garten Davita]

First Impression: Bliss, indeed. I love sandalwood, but it's different this time.

 

Second Impression: This is a very unusual blend...cloves and sandalwood and something underneath that gives the impression of sweetness, though it's not a sweet scent.

 

Final Analysis: Well blended, warm and soothing. Smells lovely and peaceful on my skin.

[Lexy]

This is a very quiet scent. It smells like the undercurrent of many scents. You know, the quietest part of the scent, usually overpowered by some other, louder note. I kept expecting something to shout "hey, over here," (in a smelly way) but it never did.

 

I smelled a vague sweetness, and some sandalwood, but everything is so perfectly blended that nothing distracts from the scent as a whole. Definitely good for meditation. I put it on before bed and couldn't believe how perfectly suited it was for relaxing.

 

Edited to add: On the second wearing I still love this, but now I'm smelling cedar very strongly. I almost started to think of hamster cages, but there's something that's adding depth and stopping the rodent images. I'm thinking now that I might really really like this on a male person.

Edited July 1, 2004 by Lexy

[minilux]

I'm thinking there's some cedar in here too. I usually do not get vivid image associations with scents (other than Lolita being a red lollipop), but this one threw me for a loop. When I tested just a dab of it last night (along with a few other scents) I really liked it. When I decided to wear it to work today, I immediately started getting very conflicting images in my mind of a woodshop and/or a banana split. I don't really want to smell like either one, but it was my strangest BPAL experience so far, so I had to report it.

[Donnababe]

First Sniff

 

Ooooooh this is very much like Seraphim.

 

 

Drydown

 

I'm still smelling Seraphim. It's not so floral obviously but it's very very similiar. I think there's a strong presence of frankincense here.

 

After a While

 

It's not quite so 'green' and incense-y now and it's mellowed considerably. The initial notes are still there but I'm getting a warmer, softer feel, it feels rather like a rich lather but without the soapy smell if you know what I mean. I sense vanilla too.

 

Final Verdict

 

This is very quiet and calming. I like it but as I initially find it so similiar to Seraphim it will be a toss up between the two when it comes to a repurchase.

[ipb]

i love it, but hot damn, it didn't last more than a half hour.

[Aurelius]

I had trouble sleeping last night so I decided that a drop of this might do the trick. It smelled light and soothing in the bottle.

 

As soon as it touched my skin it changed. Something acrid...and tangy...mustard! But something sweet too...

 

OH MY GOD, I SMELL LIKE A CORNDOG!!!

 

 

I washed it off. It's hard to fall asleep when you feel you should be working at Hot Dog on a Stick.

 

I promise to try this one again, hopefully when my body chemistry isn't set to "crazy."

[UltraViolet]

I smell light smooth sandalwood, and what seems like a watery scent under that. it's very light and very still. I've been looking a for a good, light, meditative sandalwood and this is it.

[Electra]

Holy crap! This smells exactly like my uncle. No, I mean it. EXACTLY. It's kind of creeping me out, actually!

 

It smells like a combination of cigarettes and whatever fruity gum he chews to try to fool people into thinking he didn't sneak a smoke. Doesn't sound like a nice scent, but it's actually quite pleasant.

 

I can't wear it, though. I keep looking around for him =P.

[clover]

First impression: Wait! Where have I smelled this before?? It's so familiar...

 

After a few minutes: Has turned pretty powdery on me. Call me crazy, but I'm getting little whiffs of nutmeg. And carnation, too. And maybe some sandalwood or rosewood. In fact, this kind of reminds me of Old Morocco.

 

Conclusion: I like it, but I don't think I want to wear it. It's just too calm for me. It would be lovely as a room scent, though.

 

P.S. - Oh, and I think what I was reminded of was Jo Malone's Nutmeg Ginger perfume. I think.

Edited August 2, 2004 by clover

[ViolentKitten]

Tushnamatay is gentle and serene but with backbone. It’s softly sweet, slightly herbal and reedy, with a hint of floral. I’m probably way off, but I think I can smell white sandalwood, jasmine, a soft white musk, pale thin reeds, and the barest suggestion of vanilla and/or maybe blood orange for sweetness. There’s a quiet spiciness too, it might be cardamom, or as Clover said, carnation – I definitely get a hint of that. I would not have expected it for such a hushed scent, but if I put too much on, it catches in the back of my throat, it’s a hint of bitterness. I’m not sure what it could be, but when it does blend in with my skin, it’s all very soft and seamless. Not a favourite, but definitely lovely and soothing.

 

PS: The first time I smelt Tushnamatay, I was reminded of MMU Love Potion (vanilla, jasmine, blood orange and musk). With one on each hand, both have a very similar soft sweetness, but their differences come out on the dry-down. Tushnamatay is a more pure scent, soft greens and yellows, calming...perfect for what it was intended for I guess! Love Potion on the other hand is very pink with a different musk which is slightly powdery, and the jasmine and blood orange poking out more; a lovely blend for a different mood, it does have a slight plasticky dry-down in the perfume oil, but may not in a lotion, so it might be interesting for layering!

Edited August 26, 2004 by ViolentKitten

[grrrlennyl]

at first: this is an oil that i'd probably always skip over, since the description is pretty vague, so i'm glad the lab put it in my order so i could try it. it's herbal with a touch of sweetness. very pretty.

on: beautiful. seriously. gorgeous. i just...love this. it's amazing. i can't describe it; it's just...perfect.

2 hours later: a little lighter, but i'm still in love.

overall: this is just unreal. i love this so much. needless to say, i'll definitely be getting a bottle once i use up my imp.

[glampyre]

This one is:

 

Walk in the door, drop the suitcases, grab him and start fucking on the floor good.

 

I have no idea what the individual parts are, nor do I care.

 

I have been clobbered over the head. Deep, dark, musky, resiny...I don't detect any flowers or trees. They might be there, but I really can't think or care about them at all. I can't even think.

[Lady_Ell]

Damn, glampyre! I wish it did the same for me!

 

Alls I get is baby powder with a hint of cocoa. I ascribe that to red sandalwood, which goes powdery on me the same way this does. It smells nice after about 2 hours of wear, but the first few hours are overpowering POWDER. This is very strong on me, and the sandalwood overwhelms anything else that might be in the mix. Oh well.

[Northernminx]

Warm, soft, soothing. Herbal and sandalwood in the bottle, but I'm having a very hard time placing notes in this blend.

 

A clean, warm scent, like worn linen sheets freshly washed, or lounging in a cool dark room on a hot day. It's exotic without being spicey or overly floral, but has an almost herbal honey tone to it that's beautiful. A very calming and relaxing scent. Sadly this didn't last on me at all so I will swap it on to someone it DOES last on.

[Penance]

First Sniff:

 

This reminds me a lot of Old Kathmandu. It smells like pure cedar to me, although it may be sandalwood. Sometimes my nose confuses the two and I don't know why. My dad said I smelled like "wood" though, once I had it on, so I guess it's not just me.

 

Wet on The Skin:

 

Whee, another linear scent. It smells almost exactly the same as in the bottle, perhaps a little stronger. I'm still smelling cedar although it seems to be turning slowly into a true sandalwood scent. I don't know if it's just a placebo effect or what, but the moment I put this on, I felt so much calmer. I'd been having a bad day and was desperately in need of some inner peace and, lo and behold, this did the trick.

 

Dry Down:

 

Yep, that's sandalwood alright. The cedar smell has gone and has been replaced by a light sandalwood scent that's very calming. It probably helps that I associate sandalwood with meditation, but I feel so much better with this on. My only complaint is that it's fading pretty quickly as opposed to, say, Old Kathmandu which lasted all day and all through the night to the next day on my skin.

 

The Bottom Line:

 

Lovely, just the kind of scent I gravitate towards when I'm feeling overwhelmed and overworked. Very centering, it would make a lovely room scent if I had one of those oil rings, but, alas, I don't. I really love this, I just wish it lasted longer.

 

~ Penance

[Witch's Dagger]

Tushnamatay

 

Preconceived notions: Sensual (jj_j’s comments about cloves and chocolate), and decadent. Also some said it looked like it might be a good sandalwood based meditation blend. I love sandalwood for meditation, and this became my number one pick for the “Meditative” category.

 

I got it in a swap from Aurelius - thank you!

 

In the vial: I definitely am getting some sandalwood, and is there amber in there? Whatever it is, there’s something sweet, but in a sharp kind of way, which is why I’m thinking amber. There’s also a touch of spice. This smells wonderful.

 

On me:

I’m definitely getting some exotic florals in there, along with what I’m still pretty sure is amber and sandalwood. Perhaps some honey, as well, though it’s hard for me to distinguish between amber and honey. Also, I recognize the sharpness from Loviatar and the smokiness from Haunted - maybe some musk? I’m thinking amber from Loviatar and dark musk from Haunted, but I’m not sure. This is turning out to be a nose-centered review, which seems way too cold and analytical for the warmth and sweetness of this scent. It’s very decadent and incensy - again, I agree with the sandalwood comment. This is a woman who doesn’t try to be sexy - she just is, and she knows it. She isn’t pampered, the way Decadence or Jezebel are, but her movements are all sensual and relaxed. And every day, she goes to put sandalwood on the censer for peace of mind. This is exotic, relaxing, and luxurious. It also seems like a dusk, sunset kind of scent - when the fireflies are just coming out, and the cicadas are starting to quiet down.

 

In about 15 minutes, I definitely think there’s some honey in here, along with the amber and sandalwood. And now the sandalwood is taking over, and may I say this is one of the most beautiful sandalwoods I’ve ever smelled.

 

In less than an hour total, it’s all gone.

 

Final impressions: I want more.

[pekeana]

I love Tushmanatay -- I'm not big into sandalwoods or patchouli (and I do get patchouli in there), but this is just so calming and soothing.

 

I get patchouli and sandalwood in the base, with some spice and a touch of chocolate and a hint of floral. Tushnamatay is both dominant and submissive in alternate breaths, mingling together to calm and soothe the nerves and de-fray the edges of the brain.

[summer]

I fell in love with Tushnamatay right away. Something about it just connected with the comfort/relaxation center in my brain!

 

It is a smoooooooth, soft sandalwood that smells incensy, but somehow soft and light at the same time. It's not heady or overwhelming, surprisingly. Just smooth, like soft caramel-colored suede.

 

Simply gorgeous.

[requieminblack]

First sniff from the bottle- Sandlewood powder.

 

After 10 minutes-Sandalwood is the dominate scent here for sure but there is something powdery and floral blended in it too. I am thinking maybe cocoa and violet? I think I smell a hint of amber in this too.

 

After 30 minutes- It is still sweet sandalwood but the flowery bit is turning powdery on me. It is very soft and faint.

 

Summery- Like the other Egyptian blends this would make a perfect meditation oil. It is very calming.

[joseybird]

Mmmm....light, sweet, fragrant sandalwood...a touch of cloves...something creamy-sweet. I can definately see this as a great meditation blend!

[laochodia]

This smells like sandalwood, sweet cream, a touch of almond and a drop of honey. Perfect meditation or relaxation blend, for me. mm.

[Splendid Molerat]

Tushnamatay

 

Wisps of white smoke rising through spruce branches. There's a background sweetness, and a general feeling of cool air.

 

This does remind me of Kathmandu, but the smoke is more distant.