Bien Loin D'Ici

[elka_knits]

The Scarlet Woman, aglow with sensual indolence: red musk, benzoin, caramel accord, golden honey, and spiced Moroccan unguents.

 

I'm going to be totally upfront and honest by saying I didn't expect to like this one. Oh I did when I purchased a bottle many moons ago but fairly recently I sniffed all my bottles and set aside the ones that wrinkled my nose. This is one of the nose wrinkles.

I was pleasantly surprised when I put it on. The sticky sweet honey note [which translates to day old sweat socks on me and is so consistent about it that I now skip the skin morph and associate that note to the point of not honey ... sweat socks] didn't appear at all on my skin. Until later. MUCH MUCH later. Like 8 hours which makes this one wearable. The smell was oddly familiar and soothing. At first I thought it was sandalwood and then, after a day thinking about it, I realized it was the smell of my old boss from 1983 at language lab. He was an Indian man and I always loved how he smelled. I guess it is a combination of all those exotic unguents , incense, and spices. Actually he was my high school friends dad which is how I got the job but hey I always loved that smell.

Very comforting, extremely long wearing~ it has been 24 hours and it is still going strong, and very beautiful. I do think that, due to old boss association, it has a masculine vibe in my head. A drier, more woody Morocco, that probably should be an atmospheric instead of to wear. I vote this the love child of CARCERI D'INVENZIONE and MOROCCO. Make that a boy love child with all of the sandalwood amped and less of the carnation and frankincense.

For those that love honey it did get the honey in there at around the 8 hour mark on me, as mentioned above, and during that time the woods made it what I wished SMUT had been. I totally get other reviewers commenting on the similarity to smut as well. The woods ground the honey in such a wonderful way. This bottle has moved from the icky pile to the test further pile.

[Rho]

Er... nothing at all like I expected. The notes sounded great, but I just get stale flowers over a murky musk. Alas!

 

I think I sense a pinpoint of caramel trying to sweeten things up, but it's being smothered by... what? Moldy flowers? I just don't get it, and definitely don't like it.

[Kayah]

This is what I imagined O to smell like.. this is Smut, amped and sexed up.. This, for me, is NOT something I would ever wear outside of the house. It would be the perfume equivalent of stringing a dildo on a chain and wearing it around my neck. If I ever do wear it, this scent calls for f-me boots and a mini - it is not often that a perfume will dictate what should be worn with it. This one definitely does.

 

When I first got this as a frimp in 2010, I smelled it, put some on my wrist, wrinkled my nose, and put it far away. The red musk was too much - the whole thing was too sharp, I got no honey out of it, and it was generally underwhelming.

 

Fast-forward over a year.. I decide to start trying my hoard of imps, writing reviews, etc. I put it on again...

 

 

This is the scent of a darkened boudoir - it's daytime, sun shining outside but the curtains are drawn and only a sliver of sunlight penetrates into the room. It's furbished with velvets, heavy silks and richly colored materials. The room smells like incense is burned here regularly - it's not smoky or overpowering, but it flavors the whole room with its presence.

 

There is a huge four poster bed, with many pillows. On it, a naked woman lays - she is damp with sweat, and you can smell her skin - it's a warm scent: like sun-warmed caramel and musk. Smiling, she sees you and begins to drizzle honey on herself...

[portalkat]

 

Wet: nag champa incense.

 

Dry, the headshop i like, which is always burning nag champa......

I had to quote this review because this is spot on. I bought a bottle of this when it was first released, but I never really wore it. I was testing it tonight and it seemed so familiar to me, but I could not place it until I read this review. This smells so much like Temple Incense perfume oil from Song of India, maybe a little more of a wood note, but pretty similar. I love Song of India and I am happy that I found a BPAL to fill my nag champa needs.

[undream]

My first thoughts were, "Incense & dirt!" (A good dirt. A good smell.) This is a beautiful blend, very musky, very earthy. There is a sweet feel to it, but when I tried to hunt down the note responsible it ghosted away(!), and all I could detect was that gorgeous incense, that lovely, subtle bite (that translates, to my nose, as dirt). Overall an incredibly calming, sensual oil: a definite keeper.

[Lethran]

In bottle: Sexy in a resiny sort of way. Benzoin is strongest with red musk in support, sweetened by honey and caramel, with a spicy edge. Wet: The honey is stronger on there skin, though still third after benzoin and musk. It’s a subtle shift of balance more than a drastic change. It’s a good design for its concept, rather overwhelming on me, as red musk often is. Dry: Smells a lot like sandalwood, which isn’t a listed element, only a touch wetter than sandalwood.

[Midnight Eris]

In bottle: musky and a little incense-y. I'm intrigued.

On, wet: Uck. The musk takes over and it's all I can smell. It's almost nose-wrinkling. The first time I wore it I decided I hated it and scrubbed it off, but I really wanted it to work for me, so I tried again and let it sit.

Drydown: I noticed this beautiful, somewhat sexy scent all around me. I sniffed everything until I found it on my wrist. The oil had morphed into something incredibly gorgeous and yes, super sexy. The caramel came out to sweeten the musk a little, but it's not a foody scent at all. It's just warm and delicious!

Dry: it doesn't really morph any more, just stays yummy and sexy. I LOVE this! I ordered a 5ml with my Halloweenies and then didn't wear it again till it arrived, I didn't want to run out! This has surpassed O as my absolute favorite BPAL oil. I never want to be without it!

[Zaani]

Boo, it seems that I am one of the sweaty-socks honey people that elka mentioned Super disappointed, this one smelled really nice in the imp.

 

ETA: OK, so I wasn't ready to give up on this one. I think maybe the salty caramel plus unfamiliar musk was the thing making me think of sweat, and when I went back and tried it again a few more times, it was less objectionable. I'm still not sure that I like it, but it's not a total loss.

Edited November 9, 2012 by Zaani

[Cimorene]

On wet: Whoa there, spiced Moroccan unguents/red musk! (I can't tell which one) On first sniff it's really heavy, kind of like what I imagine incense would smell like, which isn't necessarily a good thing since I associate this kind of smell with much older ladies =/

Drydown: It's become a bit lighter, I can't tell which notes have receded or come to the front but it's a little more bearable than before. Let's see if that honey or caramel is going to make an appearance anytime soon...

Dry (10 minutes): Honey! Warm golden honey, with something else making it just the teeniest bit salty/heavy to keep it from getting too much. Sometimes it even smells a bit like the nutty lotus paste I love in my mooncakes and steamed buns. I'm liking where this is going. Unfortunately it seems to be fading fast, I have to put my nose right up to my wrist to get a good whiff.

Dry (30 minutes): Almost completely gone now, and it's starting to smell like honeyed baby powder

 

So this is only my second review, but so far my body's been amping up soapy, cloyingly sweet notes while devouring ones I actually like, like the honey in this one. I'd've been so happy if Bien Loin D'Ici had longer staying power, but it's not the case. Scumbag body chemistry =___=

Edited January 14, 2013 by Cimorene

[mymymai]

In the Imp (ITI): It's oddly floral with something that reminds me of cucumber.

 

Wet: Benzoin is the strongest note, followed by spices, red musk, and something that reads as a light floral.

 

Dry: Red musk is flying its flag. I get honey after that, as well as caramel, but the musk steals the show.

[JazzieCazzie]

Hmmmm, mystery imp for me. It was in my imp box all clean and fresh which means I got it from the Lab at some point not TOO long ago, but it was not part of my recent February impapalpooza. And since it's in there I may have ordered it (the notes would suggest that) but I never reviewed it and (inexplicably, as you'll see) I kept it.

 

So, yeah. From reasonably fresh Lab Imp:

 

IN IMP: Something fruity and slightly, for lack of a better word, "icy." Sweet. Not what I expected, though certainly the caramel may have contributing to the sweetness (and, I guess, the honey but I can usually recognize that).

 

Dabbed lightly on wrists.

 

WET: Wow. This is not working for me AT ALL and it's deteriorating quickly and surprisingly, I tend to play really well with musk, benzoin and honey but none of those notes seem to be in play here at all. Just an ineffable perfumey sweetness that is making me a little nauseated, not a usual BPAL response for me.

 

DRY: Just department store perfume. Tristesse. Adieu, Bien Loin. You will make someone else a happy imp someday.

 

OVERALL: 1. My third washoff of the day so think I'm gonna stop testing for now. Maybe it's just a bad chem day (though I was also testing the ones that I thought might not work, since I knew I'd be home and could do washoffs if needed). .

[LittleMissAspie]

Aged imp, bought a few years ago. Smelt like jasmine at first, I was reluctant to put it on because I hate jasmine. Went ahead and the jasmine did die down, but someone a few pages back mentioned lily and I think they may be right as I recognise it from the Ichabod Crane blend, I think it's lily with a bit of jasmine. They blend together pretty well. Top notes have gone now and it smells like chalk dust with flowers in the background, I almost expect to cough and splutter as I breathe it in. A dusty deep floral on me. I was very surprised to read caramel in the description, there is definitely no sweetness or creaminess here. Would not buy again as heavy florals aren't for me.

[Deliciousness]

In the imp: A sweet resinous floral.
Wet on skin: Wow! I'm smelling lily. It's very sweet, a little powdery with a touch of mustiness, like an old lady perfume.
Dry: Very similar to the wet stage. Sweet lily and old lady.
After more than an hour: I can now detect the faintest hint of red musk and caramel accord. Alas this is so faint, I can barely smell anything.

I think my skin chemistry is playing a nasty little trick on me. Normally I amp musk and I can hardly detect it here. Honey and spices normally work for me too, but they're undetectable.
Stupid skin chemistry.

[welcometothefamily]

In the Imp: Honey, red musk, maybe a slight hint of caramel.

 

Wet: Honey is gone, I think I'm smelling the Moroccan unguents with red musk and an underlying note of caramel. No wait...maybe a hint of honey.

 

Drydown: Still Moroccan unguents and red musk, the honey and caramel has completely disappeared.

 

Verdict: Disappointed in this one unfortunately. Hoped it'd be sweeter. Not for me.

 

2.5/5

Edited October 30, 2013 by welcometothefamily

[Teaker]

I'm totally obsessed with this scent. "Scarlet woman" indeed- this is drop-dead sexy. I don't know if I'd want to wear this outside of the house. If I did, I'd have to be in the right mood, because Bien Loin D'Ici is a scent for a confident, sensual, in charge woman. Probably one wearing thigh-high leather boots! I think this would be the perfect perfume for a dominatrix.

 

Oddly, it doesn't smell like any of the listed notes, except for the red musk. To me it smells like musk over leather and a touch of floral- maybe lily. I get no honey out of this, but as it dries the caramel does start to come out. I don't get any spice or incense as some other people have mentioned, but there does seem to be some underlying heat to the scent.

 

It's musky and earthy and sexy, and utterly unlike anything else that I like. But I just can't stop sniffing my wrists whenever I wear it! Positively bewitching.

[adr_enne]

Wet: Smells like clean porta-potties as it first hits my skin. Fortunately, it quickly becomes something earthy and slightly damp, with cleanser. Is that the benzoin, perhaps? As it dries it's all musk, though. All musk.

 

An hour later: Unfortunately all I'm getting still is the red musk, which is almost smokey it is so intense. That may be the "unguents" but it's not doing anything for me.

 

Much later: Ok, NOW I'm getting the caramel and honey in the musk, with a bit of the smokey. Which is really nice, surprisingly, but has very little throw ... so between the initial stench phases and the lack of throw, there's not enough to make me love this.

 

This was just not what I was expecting. It should have been a hit out of the ballpark for me, but ended up being a composition that just didn't work on my skin. Science is fascinating. Seeing as these things can age, and not knowing how old this bottle is (got from the forums here), I'm going to hold on to it for a while and try it again some time.

[Zii]

Wet: These are exactly the same sour Moroccan herbs and spices that make Snake Oil so awful for me. It smells like stale urine. No musk, no caramel, no benzoin, just sour spiced honey. Off it comes.

[Magycmyste]

In the imp: Soft musk with a subtle sweetness to it.

 

Wet on skin: Soft musk, but now with a bitter note instead of the sweetness.

 

Dried down: The sweetness is back! And now it's gone! It's playing peek-a-boo. When I get it, the sweetness is more like grape than caramel. Whenever it disappears, it turns into that bitter herbal note I keep getting tonight.

 

Throw: This has a little bit of throw. I keep getting whiffs of that almost grape-y sweetness. At a distance, it actually does start morphing into sugary caramel.

 

Verdict: *** This is nice, but I think I'm enjoying discovering it more than I am actually wearing it.

[ResinManiac]

I've always looked askance at red musk, it was always too sour of a note for me to enjoy. But now I know how to make it wearable and pleasant, sweeten it up! Honey and Caramel combine to make this scent lovely, I can't explain it but once it hits the skin it starts to bloom into the most perfect incensy exotica on me.

 

Everything I was looking for in an itinerant caravan of wonders :wub2: 4stars.

[Mokiefraggle]

I seem to keep forgetting to review things lately, and I can't believe I'm forgetting this one! It's a big favorite--no surprise; love the red musk!--and yet another addition to the bottle list.

 

Wet, I get a lot of red musk and spice, and a nice honey sweetness. It's thick and deep, and definitely a bit of an evening scent, though I've worn it on days when I just want something that'll hang around.

 

Dry, it's all thick sweetness and musk, with a grounding spice and a hint of what I can only assume is the benzoin, given that it's a slightly incense-y, slightly vanilla-ish. Very nice, and with a slight burnt-sugar caramel quality and lighter spice profile that sets it enough apart from Snake Oil, besides the lack of an earthy note that's present in SO that's not here, that I'd definitely consider them two completely separate scents. This one is rich and sexy in a much more subdued way, while SO is just sex, full stop. Also, this has yet to attract as much attention as me wearing SO, so it's clearly the more subtle of the two.

[boomtownrat]

Every note in this should add up to near-perfection on my skin. Inexplicably, the combination of notes somehow adds up to some kind of bad animal musk with a hint of stinky pee flowers. The only note that I haven't tried in anything else is the spiced Moroccan unguents, so I'm going to assume that's the culprit.

 

The imp is quite a few months old now and I've given it a try on several occasions, but it's always the same. Every time I've tested it, I've needed to wash it off by the time it's dry. What happened? At least this was a frimp, and I'm glad I was given the chance to experience it even though it didn't work for me.

 

ETA: I should note that other scents in the same family usually work on me. Snake Oil and Morocco are two of the scents that work best on me. Smut is another good one. Red musk and honey are notes that I usually amp to good effect, but I don't even smell them over the animalistic funk. It's got to be the unguents.

Edited December 14, 2014 by boomtownrat

[GoddesShel]

I love red musk, so I thought this would be all win. Unfortunately, something in it (maybe the rosemary, or the unguents?) isn't playing nicely with either the red musk or my skin chemistry. I'm getting a very funky sour herbal thing going on.

 

Well, I'll just have to console myself with Smut, Snake Oil, and Mme. Moriarty...

[Veronica]

Ugh, the honey in this goes sour on me--mixed with the spices this is very unpleasant.

[agirlnamedfury]

Testing location: left wrist

 

In imp: sweet incense

 

Wet on skin: powdery musk w/ hints of exotic spices

 

Dry: unfortunately this has gone quite powdery on me. There is still a nice musk, but I have a lot of these musky/spicy/"oriental" scents so I'm trying to be choosier with them... can't say this one is my favorite.

[LizziesLuck]

This is all sweet sweet musk on me. It's nice, but not for me. From reading the notes, I had actually held out a faint hope that it would smell something like BBW Cashmere Glow - alas, nowhere near it. It shall be passed on to someone who shall love it better.

 

 

ETA: Testing a different imp, over a year later - this is nothing like what I smelled before. Not sweet at all, it smells like musky plastic. Weird! I wonder if that's a skin chem change, or batch variation, or if this imp has aged badly, or what? Makes me want to experiment and test a few different imps of this.

Edited February 2, 2017 by LizziesLuck