Thirteen (13): October 2006

[LittleGreyKitten]

In our paean to all the mysteries surrounding this enigmatic number, there are thirteen lucky and unlucky components: cocoa and vanilla beans, Mysore sandalwood, star fruit, orange rind, red amber, fig leaf, mimosa, rooibos tea, bourbon geranium, rose otto, nutmeg, and lavender.

That's weird, I could have sworn I reviewed this. Well, anyway. This is a truly amazing creation. I've been slathering non stop for weeks, and cursing myself for ordering only one bottle.

I smell the vanilla, the chocolate/cocoa, a hint of orange, and something creamy that isn't apparent in the list of notes. It also has this amazing (dare I say it? Normally I would never write this...) powdery note. It's just barely powdery, but powdery it is. And it smells so damn good! It smells seductive, foody, sexy, yet not overwhelming... perfect, perfect balance of scents. I also get just a whiff of tea. The gestalt is a creamy, sweet, hint-of-powder blend with some depth to balance out the sweet/foodiness of it all I would say it's similar in feel to Velvet, though it smells nothing like it... it's just the sweet/creamy/foodiness balanced with deeper sexy base notes that I'm referring to.

I liked the previous 13, but this one I absolutely adore, and it's definitely in my top 10. I sure hope it reappears on the next Friday the 13th!

For me this is a pure 5/5, or maybe a 10/5 really!

[storme]

In the imp: chocolate-orange-vanilla, slightly sticky yet dusty, like the inside of a truffle.

 

On me, wet: this smells slightly foody and slightly woody and slightly floral, but it's hard to distinguish individual notes at all. It's sort of... perfumey and warm, with a chocolate-orange tinge.

 

On me, dry: hello? When opening this, I spilled a fairly large amount over my hand, but all I can smell is a very faint trace of chocolate orange and some warm wood in the background.

 

Verdict: well, there's no point in me keeping this around, really, is there? I wish my skin hadn't devoured it, though - it seemed nice until it went poof.

[tempestteapot]

Chocolate and orange. I wanted to eat the bottle (yes I know the lab strictly advises against such actions)

 

This one says nice and thick chocolate all the way through dry down. With that lovely orange aura. Not overpowering or cloying.

[Ajila]

In the bottle - Lavender, geranium and earthy cocoa

 

Wet on me - Lavender and digestive biscuits

 

Dry on me - Soft and creamy with a soft citrus on top. Like a lemon sponge soaked in cream

 

Overall - I like it, but it doesn't excite me.

[theseagrows]

tried this at a friend's house. all the foodiness had initially turned me off to this scent, but once i tried it i was in LOVE and must now find a bottle! the cocoa isn't overwhelming and it's a warm vanilla-orange-chocolate scent, but somehow it's not too foody for me i'm not sure about all the other notes. i think i can sense the underlying tea, sandalwood and red amber, which gives it a nice warmth. luckily the sandalwood and cocoa don't go overpowering on me as they have in other blends.

Edited December 30, 2006 by theseagrows

[sarada]

The spectrum of ingredients in this version of 13 was completely baffling to me. It seemed as though there were so many things thrown in the mix it couldn't possibly work.

 

But after sniffing it, I couldn't tear myself away. There are so many layers to this scent, and each sniff brings a different combination of the strange bouquet -- at once the sweet chocolate-vanilla candy store, a crisp garden of dew-soaked herbs and a warm bowl of tropical fruit. The sandalwood -- one of my favorite varieties of it no less -- ties it all together in a mix that lasts on my skin with a lot of throw, like a stick of very fresh, moist sweet incense.

 

I don't smell a lot of the individual notes, like lavender, but I know that they always add a little bit of magic to a blend, making it sparkle and vibrate.

 

I have never liked any blend with cocoa in it. The first 13 was OK but I never wore it after the first couple tries. This however really takes off on me. I can't get enough. I can't stand foody blends yet the floral, fruit and wood aspects take this out of simply being something that hints at chocolate and vanilla. I think my DH found it too sweet when I first tried it but he was having some allergy problems at the time. I think under normal circumstances this would entrance anyone around the wearer and draw them in until they couldn't take their nose off your neck.

[Tess]

I know I'll love this. I know I will.

 

In the bottle - Rich vanilla chocolate with the smoothness of the amber behind it, a hint of spice and of citrus. LOVE.

 

Wet - The fig leaf and sandalwood immediately darken this down, giving it a woody undertone, making it not nearly as foody as in the bottle.

 

Drying - I'm losing the chocolate here and fast, along with the vanilla. The fig leaf is taking this by force, although I can barely say that as the whole thing is fading like mad. Fading away, except for a little throw. I actually rather like it as light as it is.

 

Dry (3 hours) - Well, it's faded to just a tiny touch of chocolate now, but that's to be expected this far in. My skin eats oil, afterall. However, there was a point about an hour in where I was getting the most wonderful throw, all chocolate and vanilla with a little citrus.

 

Overall - I really do love this, even if it isn't very strong and even if it's not my usual scent. It's lovely for those times when I want to smell sweet and chocolatey. The More Than Friend really likes this one, too.

[keltic]

i've never been big on food scents, and the couple i've tried have not been big on me. smelling like a cookie all day just makes me feel like i'm gaining weight. but with all the hype on 13, and loving the number, i decided this might be the perfect chance for me try try my hand at a decant circle and a "food" scent.

 

when i first whiffed this in the bottle, i was "meh," and glad i only got it to decant. i tried a little on my skin, and was not impressed. it was sharp and just ... too much. a lot of notes,nothing distinct, so it just stayed harsh and "commercial:' smelling.

 

a couple days later, i gave it a try again to see if my decant was really destined to go into the swap pile. whoa.

 

we got something completely different going on here. this time it was beautiful. just perfect, and not something i thought i would like. i was all cocoa and orange at first, but then more sweet from the currants and sharpness from the tea blending in. 12+ hours later, i'm just a hint of the sharpness of the tea with a soft powder smell that i know is the floral note (iris). and no, not that annoying floral to powder smell. this was delicate and soft. the staying power is amazing, and the throw is just where i like it: enough so i pick up gentle whiffs of myself during the day, but not so much i'm worrying about invading other people's noses.

 

nope, i like it. not the usual scent for me, but it really works. really, really amazing. no, i'm holding on to this one.

[bombus]

This is my first real favorite bpal! The go to sent for me. This is the one I wear when I need a pick me up.

 

There is chocolate and orange but oh so much more. It is complex and sweet with out being too sweet. When I let people smell my wrist they don’t want to give my arm back. Strangers in line at the grocery store stand a bit close and tell me I smell Goooood. I smile more than usual.

 

My only heartbreak is that I would have to fall in love with such a limited edition. I guess I have never been the practical sort.

[bellis]

Oh my god yes.

 

I've finally found a BPAL chocolate scent that doesn't just work passably on me, but smells GREAT. It's a bit sharp at first, but then it settles into this gorgeous vanilla, slightly citrus spicy, cloud wafting about, and cocoa and orange and tea if I sniff my skin directly. There's a slight incensey floral smell, and the tea is fantastic. I can't describe how, it just it.

 

Endless love to my Switch Witch for sending me a bottle of this.

[Lexie]

This is a very sophisticated scent. It reminds me of a luxorious pashmina shawl or a cashmere sweater. It's very complex, I can't pick out all individual notes.

 

On my skin it's mostly chocolate and vanilla. The orange is really subtle on my skin, on the bottle it's much stronger. I can smell also the rooibos and the lavender. Later, when it's completely dry, the scent becomes a little powdery.

 

This one is remarkably similiar to MB Underpants indeed.

 

Really lovely, but maybe too sweet and chocolatey for my taste.

[Celestyna]

In bottle: very iffy. very syrupie.

 

after first few minutes. mmmmmmm. syrupie AND woodsie.

like a sophisticated candy corn.

 

later: all that stuck on me was the woodsie scent.

[Brianne]

In the vial:

sweet lavender

 

On me:

I have a tendency to think of some oils as being crosses between two other oils. This is another one of those times where this scent reminds me distinctly of two others scents. In this case, it smells very much like Monsterbait: Underpants and Cheshire Cat. It's an unusual combination because Cheshire Cat is an herbal yet warm tea like scent and Underpants is sweet and sandalwoody.

 

This goes on me mostly sandalwood and vanilla but as it dries, that lavender starts to come forward, with a little orange and cocoa and tea. It's such a strange mixture and yet it's terribly appealing! I have to say I possibly like this one better than the original formulation! Very different, and somewhat foody and yummy and yet not straightforward foody.

 

Final note:

This is really nice, I totally love this blend. Have to get a bottle!

[lightgatherer]

This one was so close to working on me. The throw I got off of it was sweet and lovely - primarily the cocoa and vanilla beans. However, whenever I got too close to my wrist, I got smacked by a harsh perfume note that I assume is one or more of the florals. After quite a few hours the perfume smell has died away, and the smell on my wrist is lovely, but the throw is completely gone by then. For yummy primarily vanilla throws, I have other scents I can wear that won't smack me with perfume. I'm almost tempted to hold on to this one to see how it ages, but I think for now I'll try to swap it.

[laslibres]

I _love_ 13. I was prepared to be disappointed by it, because I liked the sound of the old "chocolate orange" variety, but I came too late to BPAL, so I got the reformulated one in October.

 

But it is BEAUTIFUL! It's very complex, but it's mostly creamy floral, cocoa, and vanilla on me. There are hints of geranium and orange as well, and some green leaves and tea also. It feels very classy and feminine, but not too "dressed up," it could be a casual scent as well as a going-out-to-the-opera scent.

 

What I love is that it's a little different on me every time, because there are so many nuances and my skin chemistry plays up different ones each time, but it's always good. It seems springy to me now, because of the flowers, but I wore it religiously through winter and it warmed me up with the cocoa, so it's good all the time.

[batsy]

For me, it was pretty much the same as the original formulation, only MUCH MORE chocolate! (which is good!) Still love it, still enjoy it!

[bulletslc]

Got a decant on a whim from the LJ forum....oh....wish this was a whole bottle!!!

 

Yummy! Chocolate and orange with the florals and woods keeping it from being boring.

 

Mostly chocolate and bright orange at first, but on the drydown I can smell the florals. They are soft and comforting. And my best friend, amber, is definitly lurking in the back letting me know that this scent will continue to mellow well (amber always does on me).

 

Darn it! How am I going to find a bottle?

 

*Edit* Got TWO bottles!!! Yay! And this is a scent that gets noticed and admired!

Edited May 6, 2007 by Bulletslc

[everanything]

Very weird in the imp. Something almost smells like eraser, but there's a bit of fruity nut and dry cocoa notes on top of that.

 

Wet: what is that note? It's not eraser as much as I thought, maybe more of a wood? I have honestly no clue what note is making that weird scent on my skin.

 

Dry: still the same thing as it smelled in the imp, cocoa powder over dried fruits and crushed flowers. The idea sounds lovely, but it's just weirdness on my skin.

[vylit]

Wet: Chocolate, bourbon geranium, amber, and mimosa. The combination of the scents gives it a cologne smell. It's not masculine, but the smell that men's cologne has that women's perfume doesn't have? That's what it smells like.

 

Dry: It's chocolate, fig leaf, and star fruit. It's sweet, but it definitely isn't overly sweet. It's a comforting scent.

[UploadedLobster]

I think my skin's done something pretty freakish with this 13. In the bottle it's sweet and fruity and faintly woody, the way it's supposed to. I can't say I really smell much chocolate, but ehn.

 

The second it touches my skin? PURE STARFRUIT. Boom.

 

Don't get me wrong, I like it, especially since I don't have a single other thing that makes me smell like starfruit. I'm still kinda "bwuh", though--as in "bwuh, there's chocolate and amber and geranium in this? Noooooooooooooo." Nothin' but starfruit. It lasts, too.

 

Lobster Rating

Better than: bucket hats

Edited May 24, 2007 by Uploaded Lobster

[luna65]

Thanks to Gale for the decant.

 

Vial: Mainly chocolate and tea, slight hints of spice and fruit.

 

Skin: Becomes incredibly herbal on me. I respect that it has a lot of body and layers, but I have to say that it's not really what I prefer.

 

Drydown: This dries down to a very warm and snuggly kind of scent, primarily buoyed by the sandalwood. I like it at this stage but it doesn't last too long. It's got a nice sort of spicy feel to it, not entirely gourmand.

'

[Naamah_Darling]

Chocolate and vanilla make this foody straight off. The sweetness is underscored by a hint of orange zest and a flutter of sweet florals. This is, overall, a cacaphony of the scent in which no one note dominates. Its predominant character is foody and sweet, faint florals overlaid with thick sugar and spice. The incense fills it in, sandalwood and amber, so that it's a very unified, even scent with a smooth body throughout its life.

 

Despite the fact that it contains orange peel, it's not citric in the slightest, and despite the fact that it contains geranium, rose, and lavender, this is not a primarily floral aroma. As it dries, the florals do come up a bit, thinned by the astringent tea note. Rooibos is thick and woody, a very distinctive odor, and I detect it here.

 

This starts as thick and foody, and winds up astringent and sort of wispily herbal. I like it very, very much.

[LadyCrow]

The big surprise for me in this version of Thirteen was the bloom of rooibos that comes out on me after the chocolate and orange notes have dried down to sandalwood. It's this nice sandalwood with all of the various notes blended so skillfully I have great difficulty pulling them apart, and then WHOOM, rooibos. I can't quite tell the difference between Jamaican and South African, but that's the real thing. By that time, the sandalwood and a vanilla-sort-of-floral layer are backing it, so it hovers beautifully above those notes and is almost visibly red. I never stop being amazed by the Lab: since rooibos is both a flower and a tea, you don't know whether to inhale it delicately or want to eat it, sort of the way you have that feeling sometimes with pikaki/jasmine sambac. Yum-azing blend.

[pyrokitten]

i've finally figured out that the imp i have of 13 is this version (thanks to ivyandpeony), and i love it. i can't really pick out any of the individual notes aside from chocolate because it's so well blended. it's kind of a fruity, herbal-y chocolate, which sounds weird but smells great. when i wore i to work a co-worker said i smelled like donuts. yum!

[jewelbug]

Bottle: A chocolate blend, yes, but I actually smell more sugary, deep vanilla than chocolate. The result reminds me of a less chocolatey candy-butcher. This also has quite a bit of fruitiness, though I can't pick out what sort of fruit.

Wet: Oh yes, quite a bit of tropical fruit feel to this, and still quite a strong vanilla aspect to the scent. The chocolate is an afterthought. .

 

Dry: In the mid-dry, this maintains is sugary vanilla with light fruits and chocolate scent, but it gains some herby floral--its got an almost minty herbal smell (though its slight, I really have ot huff to get it). During the last stage (2-3 hrs and later), this settles into a very sugary sweet vanilla with hints of cocoa and fruits (no more herbs/florals).

 

Overall: It's the lightest and sweetest of the 3 13's I've tried (haven't tried July 07 yet)--very sugared vanilla smelling, way less chocolate than the original. I like it. I originally bought 2 bottles, but I think one will do me (I don't wear these types of blends often), so I swapped the second away. A very comforting scent!

 

ETA: THAT'S IT!!!! Somethign was bothering me, as the sugary sweet vanilla scent was reminding me strongly of something and I couldn't put my finger on it. The answer is LICK IT AGAIN!!!! It smells like LIA minus mint, plus fruit and a hint of chocolate. I feel better now.

Edited July 27, 2007 by jewelbug