Amsterdam

[donnatron]

Tulips, peony, fresh flowing water and crisp green grasses.

Oh, Amsterdam. When I put in my first imp order, I was looking forward to you the most. Then in the excitement of discovering the extent of my addiction, I left you in the dust. Come out to play, hon.

Imp: Just a clean, fresh scent. I mostly smell the water and grass notes.

Wet: It smells like a gap perfume I once had. I recall the hives the bodywash gave me and cringe.

Dry: Still that Gap perfume. It's nice, very grassy and clean, slightly floral.

Throw: None. I have to get up close and personal to smell it.

Overall: It's very funny how you adapt into BPAL. Amsterdam sounded most like the type of commercial perfumes I wear and so I figured it would be perfect for me. It's now a bathtime scent. A couple of drops in the water and I'm in heaven but for everyday wear? I need the spices and the florals and the vanillas. We can still play until the imp is done, though. Edited March 10, 2008 by paperrose

[sadtomato]

i thought maybe amsterdam would smell like hash, but it totally doesn't.

i get water, green grass and some light florals here.

i think i'm in love.

this scent just screams summer to me and i must have it so i smell of summer all summer long in a lovely way, not a sweaty way!

[tziporra]

This was a frimp from the lab - Thank you!!!!

 

Amsterdam is such a nice soft floral. Very sweet and, well, flowery.

 

I have to get very very close to smell it.

 

If I were into such things, I would seriously consider this one for a linen spray -- the grassiness and freshness of the scent make me think of napping on a warm green hillside in the sun with some flowering bushes blooming nearby.

 

Best,

 

Tzi

[gchris]

In Vial: Whew! strong and green

 

Wet: a little pungent. This remarkably smells like off spray to keep bugs away. I think this association might ruin it for me.

 

Later: Well it still smells like Off to me. I cannot get past it

Edited April 12, 2008 by gchris

[Scanmike]

I love this! I hadn't the faintest idea what tulips actually smelled like when reading the description. However, after receiving my imp it actually does capture the smell of tulips. Not sweet or overly florally. Has a green note which takes the floral down a notch. Similiar to Danube, but Danube was a stronger floral on me- more lily I think. Where Amsterdam is green, Danube is lily. This is the perfect Spring scent. I am one of the lucky ones who can wear aquatic scents. They actually work very well on me. The only problem with Amsterdam is that it fades so quickly that you have to keep smelling your wrist to get a trace of it. If only it lasted longer, I would buy a full bottle. Danube does last longer, but I think I will just stick with my imp for now.

[savage_rose]

A sweet, pretty floral...predominantly peony, but I can smell a bit of the tulip and grass. Really light and sweet, without being too sweet.

[noirisnoir]

Finally one that works on me!

 

This is everything I loved about Dormouse but with something crisp that keeps the peony from turning soapy. I wish it had a bit more throw, and I don't know if I want a big bottle of it yet, but I'll definitely finish my imp.

[fairnymph]

In the bottle: Exactly as described. Tulips, peonies, grass. Fresh, aquatic, and purely SPRING.

 

Wet: A citrusy note is mingling with the florals and freshly mown grass.Light and feminine, a pale, clean scent.

 

Dry: It's calmed down into a gentler blend, and that brief citrusy note has departed. Peony dominates, and the grass is still strong, but not as freshly mown. The tulip is definitely present as well and blends seamlessly with the other notes.

 

Summary: The tulip amps up gradually to balance the peony perfectly, over a backdrop of new green grass, dewy and shimmering in the morning sun, all wonderfully harmonious. A very classic, light, feminine floral not unlike Clinique's Happy. Decent throw, good lasting power.

 

Getting a bottle of this! Plus, I don't have a classic, light floral. This fills a lonely niche. Ahh, the wonders of justification...

[SarahScent44]

In the imp - I must be getting the fresh flowing water, because the scent that I'm getting doesn't match any of the other notes. There is a sort of very light sweetly smoky / resins scent about it.

 

On my skin, the peony comes out, and a hint of the grass.

 

When it dries - I think what I thought was smoke was actually the peony/tulip? I still get a lot of that, plus clean grass. It fades into almost nothing, so I'll be passing this along.

[theal8r]

I have an imp labeled Old Amsterday in the old, skinny script, so I assume this is aged.

 

Either way -- green and floral! Not sharp, in fact it is a really pretty scent (aged, as I assume it is). This is big, since I generally can't stand florals. Sadly, the florals come screaming out as soon as this hits my skin. Tulips and grass are not for this girl.

[suki]

in the imp: green grasses, and a hint of cucumber.

 

wet on skin: a continuation of the green grassy scent

 

dry down: same.

 

in all: this reminds me of an aloe hand lotion i loved when i was younger. now, however, it's not really for me- too light and floral-y.

[jehrichardson]

Preconceived Notions: I think I'm going to like this one if it's not too floral.

 

In the Imp: Green and delicately floral. Very fresh and clean smelling. Mmm!

 

On the Skin: Still green, grassy, and floral. I'm starting to get a bit of fruityness in there. This is wonderful! Smells like a milder version Calyx by Prescriptives.

 

After a While: Delicate, green, grassy and floral. Very consistent!

 

Verdict: I adore this. Mmm!

[Delirium1009]

In bottle/imp: Very crisp slightly aquatic florals.

 

Immediately on skin: This is very well blended. I can smell pretty, soft flowers and they’re blended with an almost salty crisp aquatic note. In the background is the grass, which isn’t overly green but blends with the water to give this and even more “fresh” type of feel.

 

After a little while: This fades into a very generic clean floral scent on my skin. The flower notes are pretty and lightly sweet with an airy feel to them. The watery note and grasses blend in just giving this a fresh, clean feel. This seems very nicely blended.

 

Overall Impressions: This is a very feminine, clean floral blend. The notes go together beautifully in this and are almost seamless in the way they flow together. It’s not a loud scent by any means, but it is pretty and refreshing. It smells a bit like generic store brand shampoo on me, but if the floral notes came out more I’d imagine this could be gorgeous. I think those that like Dirty or the Unicorn may enjoy this one.

[skepticism]

I really liked the smell of this in the vial. It smelled like Zombi and Deep in Earth but wetter and less dirty. I mostly get the fresh, wet morning grass smell when I try this and no floral scents. What was really disappointing was the staying power. I dabbed some on my wrists and on my collarbone and it disappeared after four hours. I really like this scent, but there's really no point to buying a bottle if I continually have to reply throughout the day.

[Caerphilly]

In the imp: Clean grass, delicate flowers. Very clean, very pretty.

 

After 10 minutes: It smells more delicate than it did in the imp. It's watery and grassy and has faint flowers. But it's fading quickly.

 

After 30 minutes: It's gone. I can't smell anything anymore. And that's very dissapointing because this is truly lovely and refreshing.

 

Overall: I love this scent. It's clean, delicate, floral. It's a little too delicate though. It has slmost no hrow, and no staying power. I would love a big bottle, but there are other scents similar to this one (Helena) that last longer.

[lucy gray]

My first hint that I can't wear scents that evoke freshwater -- it's just too cloying and strong. The equation of horror goes something like floral + water + me = the sweet smell of Nair.

[plunderparlour]

this is lovely. peony and grasses on wet, dry the notes are about the same just more balanced. a little tulip is hanging out as well. this reminds me of the dormouse only sweeter. i think its the peony.

[gingiemay]

Wet in imp - Aquatic notes, fresh grass and a very light floral.

 

Wet on skin - Very strong aquatic notes and a grassy/floral undertone. I can't differentiate between the tulips and peonies.

 

Dry on skin - A pretty, fresh floral with aquatic and grassy notes. To my nose this doesn't smell that different from some commercial perfumes I have tried, so it will go in the swap pile.

[hellomoonglow]

I really like this! Like, BOTTLE like this! I usually (well always) stay from anything w/ grass. Or dirt, for that matter. No dirt here (just wanted to clarify. But dirt, grass, I made an association). Anyway, I almost had to force myself to put this on. It was SO strong in the imp. But I dabbed it on my knee and went about my business for a few minutes. On the dry down, it's a nice floral. Unique! Not a headache floral, but a sweet, calm floral. I'm so glad I tried this!

[indybear]

I like the city of Amsterdam, so I wanted to like its BPAL namesake.

 

In the bottle, I got the water and floral notes. When I applied it to my skin, the water notes receded to background notes and delicate florals come to the fore. But, as Delirium1099 said, they're generic delicate florals, very clean and not cloying but not distinctive. It reminds me of an Issey Miyake perfume I have.

 

This will be a nice summer scent, but I'd have to both slather and continually reapply, because it doesn't last on my skin.

Edited October 10, 2008 by indybear

[lothien]

I got this as a frimp and finally got brave enough to test it out, as I was afraid of the flowers, but the boy likes aquatics and roses and such, and I think he'll like the flowers here, so I give it a go...

 

Fresh out of the bottle that sweet grassy smell makes me say "ooh!" in a good way. Wet grass and the smell of stems like cut flowers just brought in from outside in spring. The flowers are gentle enough I don't think it will go all old-lady on me. No sneeziness threatening at all.

 

Dry, the grass is mostly gone, and the aquatics are soft and cucumbery, not tinny, and balance the florals so nicely that I don't smell one before the other. The flowers become a tiny bit spicy after a while - maybe that's the peony?

As many others have pointed out, it's pretty. I like it after all; it isn't sweet. This is the sort of floral I can wear and feel comfortable in.

(Feels like wearing shorts and laying in the grass in the sun after being cooped up all winter. ^^)

 

So all in all, something I will keep. Fades to a nice background pretty quickly, then stays there for me. Great to wear to visit the parents or in-laws or to wear to a gathering where I have to be up in strangers' spaces. It's not as, oh, let's say "gothic" and heady than a lot of what I wear.

[rayvn1]

This one came as a frimp from a kind swapper. It is MUCH appreciated because I loves me the grass scents!! This is sweet, fresh, and springy. Grassy with a really nice floral I don't think I've run across before - must be the tulip. This is definitely a keeper, I love wearing flowery scents to sleep in

[cymbeline]

Swap test!

 

Smell alike: hum… blank?

 

Color impression: glittering blue

 

On me: After a really short green floral dash (I guess tulips ‘cause it doesn’t smelled peony at all), I only get a faint of marine-ozone note. A bit disappointing

 

Wearing: This one doesn’t get perfumy at all on me so I have some troubles judging ^^;

[ouch!]

This is a sweet, ever so slightly aquatic floral. The Peony keeps it sweet. Thank god there was not alot of aquatic in this because it might have ruined it!

It's nice and fresh and clean smelling. Not a scary floral like I've experienced before.. *eyeballs Black Cat*. The tulip is there too.. but it's quite balanced.

I'm not getting the grass element to this.

 

I would have thought that the grass element might have been something like Hemp or something haha, considering we're talking about Amsterdam and all...

 

The throw is just right I think, it's enough to waft as you walk, but not so much that I'm knocking people out.

 

I probably would never have ordered this oil on my own, so thank you lab for my frimp!!

[sharybaby]

Such a fantastic spring scent... very light, delicate, watery tulips and grass. It kind of reminds me of Gwen Stefani's L.A.M.B., but less perfumey and more natural-smelling.