Kelly Pool

[Ah Xia]

 

Kelly Pool, C.M. Coolidge.

Worsted wool, teakwood, and bois du rose.

 

Who could know what this one would smell like? I'm a knitter so I had to get the one that smells like worsted wool. I was a little afraid of the woody notes, though. I was shocked to try it on and find out on me it smells *exactly* like Numb. That must be the worsted wool part. I don't smell any wood notes at all, just maybe a bit of dryness under the aquatic "wool" note. If you are a fan of Numb, don't shy away! This blend is no where near as dry and woody as the description makes it sound. To be honest, I prefer the wooliness of Queen Alice, but this is definitely a unique blend.

 

ETA: On the drydown, there is defintely a bit of polished table poking through. Clean, classic elegance, and one of the more "perfumey" blends that appeals to ozoney, sophisticated, unisex scent lovers. This ain't your grandma's wet mitten perfume and it ain't no dirty poolhall with a sticky floor either. This is a classy joint!

Edited September 13, 2007 by Shollin

[shelldoo]

in the bottle: soft, almost powdery

 

wet: something in this is reminding me of numb.

 

yup this is numb's sister. anyone missing numb should check this out

 

edit to ad lol i didn't even read the above review, and even had to go sniff through my l.e. box to see which le it reminded me of, if only i would have read hers, mine would have takne less effort.

Edited April 14, 2007 by shelldoo

[edenssixthday]

Kelly Pool - This is my second-favorite of the DPP blends, and my second-favorite Salon scent overall. I have to disagree with the other reviewers, as on my skin, this doesn't remind me of Numb at all. The first note I smell is rose, which surprises me, as I expected a strong rosewood, which is a note I don't like -- but apparently I like it in this blend! It's a warm, wood-based rose that's slightly powdery (maybe that's why the other reviewers referenced Numb?) and there's a touch of a warm, slightly heavy scent far beneath the woody rose that I'm guessing may be the worsted wool (?). As the blend dries down, the wood notes definitely become stronger and the rose recedes a bit. Still, it's predominantly a rose blend with woody notes right behind it. It's very regal, classy, and sophisticated. I really love this blend.

[grrrlennyl]

at first: add another knitter to the list of people who had to get this. it's a watery, light, sweet wood scent in the bottle.

on: there's a heavier, darker wood scent to this now, along with a nice dash of rose.

1 hour later: a powdery, slightly soapy violet has taken over. there's a hint of damp wool in the background. as the reviewers above mentioned, this is reminiscent of numb, but it doesn't feel as cold to me. it's a more comforting, cozy scent.

6 hours later: a very full floral scent with a hint of wood notes in the background. i'm not sure about this one.

7 hours later: a very damp scent, there's till that violet scent, but with what i swear is some wool to it. crazy.

overall: this is lovely. not quite as much wool as i would like, but lovely. i'm glad i grabbed a bottle.

[sarada]

I spent all day wearing and reapplying Kelly Pool to try to figure out how to describe it.

 

I went in prepared for it not to be the woody teak scent I had expected, but also not really knowing what worsted wool smells like except in dim childhood memories.

 

The main impression that I get from it is softness. Not the pure fluffy gauzy down of, say, Bunny Musk, because it lacks the sweet and floral elements. It's more of an ethereal softness, with a trace of something like sawdust. A boarded up room with a ray of light seeping from one window, dust motes suspended, casting shadows on faded and torn pastel wallpaper. Soft woolen blankets are still piled on the forgotten bed.

 

As it dries, I am reminded of Yog Sothoth. Yes, it distinctly smells just like Yog did when it was fresh. In other words, the Numb comparisons do make sense to me, but this is not cold or frosty to me, and does not have that violet tint around the edges. Just the weird floating tufts of slightly musky, dusty wool, and I supposed I can convince myself that I smell something along the lines of rosewood. There's a scent also like the dust of many kinds of incense that have built up on your countertop over the course of weeks of burning stick after stick. That incense dust quality increases as I wear it and apply a fresh layer.

 

You know what, though? I like it. I like it a lot. I liked Yog a lot too. I don't know quite how to describe it otherwise except that it is a fragrance unique to BPAL and worth experiencing. I'm glad I got a bottle! For a heavy hit of teak I'll reach for Pulcinella. But this is a unique addition to my stash.

[bibliophile]

I like violets, and I like Numb. I also really like Kelly Pool, which is similar, but not identical, on me. I am not really getting much wood at all, but I do get wool! It adds a warm fuzziness to the violet. I'm glad I tried it in time to get my hands on a bottle.

[flco]

Kelly Pool, in the bottle, is the weakest of the Dogs, in my opinion. That's why I wore it to dinner tonight, because I can hardly smell anything in the bottle and I wanted to see what it did on. I think that it's next to undetectable even though I marinated myself in it. It got a little stonger as the night went on, but by the end of dinner, I decided it was not a keeper despite the fact that I rather like the sparkle it has going for it--I passed it off as simply too subtle for me, a scent that would better suit somebody with a more meek personality, perhaps? Though "meek" is certainly not a word I'd use to describe the painting.

 

But then, as we were walking out of the restaurant, John told me I smelled good. He had put his arm around me so his face was kind of close to my hair. Kelly Pool will need further testing, and I want to see if it gets a bit more pungent with a little aging. I'll set it aside for a few weeks.

[forspecial_plate]

Ooh, this rubbed me the wrong way. I could tell immediately that it's not for me. Very soapy and sharp. I wasn't expecting this sharpness, I thought with the wool it would something softer. And I like wood so I had hopes that this might work. I've had it on for almost half an hour now, and there's no need for me to keep it on any longer....I can tell with certainty that it's not my thing. Piercing, soapy and floral.

[supremegoddessofall]

In bottle: Indistinct.

 

On me: More rose. Nothing special, but pretty.

[vylit]

This is the hardest scent to describe.

 

On my skin it goes on a little sharp and a little soapy, but it settles after ten or fifteen minutes. Once it starts to dry, it smells like a gentleman's club from the 30s would smell like. It smells like a wool suit and it's not tobacco but there's a scent that's akin to tobacco in it. It has that same earth-y warmth to it. It's lovely, and don't get me wrong, it's not a strictly masculine scent, but there is something about it that makes me think of men and men's wool suits.

[Blood onmy hands]

In the vial, this is one of the sharpest, soapiest scents I've ever come across. On my skin... the same. I wanted to know what 'wool' smelled like, but I don't think this is it. I asked my boy what he thought it smelled like, he said, "Cheap dish soap?" Then he refused to let me try it on him. I can't say I blame him. Kelly Pool is just awful on me.

[euterpe414]

Hm. In the vial it smells exactly like how I remember Numb smelled (sorry to make comparisons, but I can't help it!) . This one smells very strange on me- kind of like a vintage clothing store (that "old clothes" smell- not dirty, just old). There is also something weird and soapy that wafts up to my nose as well, but it isn't always there, just intermittently. I think this one definitely matches the painting but it is not something that I would like to smell often. Glad I tried it, though.

[gingersnapp]

Whoooo..... SOAP. Do not pass Go, do not collect an oil that smells like worsted wool, teakwood and bois du rose. SOAP.

[t_for_tau]

Dusty violets, a hint of wood, and...chalk? Well, that fits with the pool theme... A pleasant, elegant, ladylike scent. Very pretty, and definitely not for me.

[storme]

In the imp: hmm. A very sweet and slightly soapy rose.

 

On me, wet: Very sweet and slightly soapy rose - are there violets in this too?

 

On me, dry: Oh man, this is, as other reviewers have said, very like Numb. Lots of soapiness here.

 

Verdict: Oh, I think this can happily leave my imp box at some point soon.

[shadesong]

In bottle: Yep. Wool. How does she *do* that?

 

On me: And the rose comes up. This is... great-gramma's wool sweaters, stored in the closet, liberally spritzed with her perfume.

[slave1]

KELLY POOL

 

In Bottle: Eeek!! Numb???

 

On Skin: This reminds me of Numb right away. What about it? The fact it smells like antifungal foot cream. This is just terrible on me. I’m going to keep it on long enough to review, then wash it off. I love teakwood and don’t get that note in here… and I’m a seamstress and am around worsted wool quite often and don’t get that from this either. All I get is powdery, medicinal foot cream. I do get the tart and sour rose, not a note I normally like either. So kind of a cross between antifungal foot cream and a really strong soap. One of my least favorite BPAL scents, sorry. Must wash this off now. Strong throw by the way, for the short time I had it on.

 

Also, I wrote this without seeing the other reviews... so I see it's not just me that is reminded of Numb...

[filigree_shadow]

This smells almost like cologne to me at first, strangely. It also reminds me of my grandmother more than a little. I guess that would be the worsted wool.

 

It's a warm scent that smells familiar and comfortable. Not exactly like freshly laundered clothes that still smell a bit of dryer sheets, but almost. Like a big warm blankie.

 

This could very easily become my comfort scent that I wear to bed. There's something about it that seems so homey to me.

 

(Also, I think I should mention that this smells nothing at all like Numb on me. No soap, either.)

[dzurlady]

I can definitely smell the wool - it's really interesting! The woods are a softer background. I'm glad to have smelt it, and I love that Beth's captured the scent of wool, but I don't want to smell like it, so I'll pass it on for someone else to try.

 

ETA: Corrected spelling.

Edited June 3, 2007 by dzurlady

[LadyCrow]

In the imp: Sharp.

 

On skin: Very much woody rose and violets at first; close to the skin, with not a great deal of sillage. I only get the soft, fuzzy wool effect much later in the drydown. When I do get there, maybe an hour in, everything is well balanced and it's very nice. It's genteel, cultured, mature -- sort of what people would expect an English professor to smell like, as opposed to the Bloodlust I actually wore when I compiled final grades this year. But by the time I get there, I've endured an hour of smelling like very traditional cologne, and it's unsettling; it feels like playing dress-up. It's just not really me.

 

At least I've discovered that my skin amps the Lab's violet note, so theoretically one dab of Faith on me should turn the universe purple for miles around. It's just frustrating; Kelly Pool was one of only two Dogs that didn't have tobacco in it -- I'm allergic -- and it's like not getting any cake at the birthday party when it's apparently so magic on others!

[yeahbutnobut]

Kelly Pool

 

In the imp: Parma violets and washing powder. Smells like, yes, Numb, but sweeter.

Wet on skin: it still smells like fizzy violet sweets and a fizzy white musk-ozone-soap scent.

Dry on skin: this is an unusual scent! It smells like wool which has been washed and perfumed, cleaned wool-not the smell of the fabric, but it's texture, felt like and fuzzy, and the smell of the perfume/soap it has been scented with. The scent itself is violets with a fizzy white musk, a touch of ozone and a lot of powder. It smells like Numb or Yog Sothoth, but also reminds me slightly of the wet stage of Stardust (after it stops smelling of hairspray), it's a very retro perfume scent, but quite old fashioned. The wood is there, a soft hint of rosewood underneath it all, and it adds a hint of roses to the overall scent.

After a while: the Numb-ish violet powder gets stronger and more powdery. It now smells more like washing powder with a whiff of old ladies' perfume, like a woolly scarf that an older lady wears. The rosewood is very strong underneath it, smelling floral and woody, also a little pickled as rosewood sometimes can smell, but it adds depth to this pale, powdery scent.

The scent becomes a highly powdery 'old' rose over time, a dusty, faded, musty scent.

Verdict: this really isn't my thing. It's wool that's washed in very strongly scented washing detergent, dusted with scented old-fashioned powder, and sprayed with old fashioned perfume. It reminds me of a scent that one of my old au-pair's used to have. A smell of dust and untidy home filled with lots of old nostalgic objects like little dolls and plates and trinkets that have been crammed onto wooden shelves gathering dust over the decades, mixed with washing powder and soap from the bathroom. There's a wooden aspect to the scent, and at drydown the rosewood becomes dominant and smells of roses-normally I don't mind that but in here it smells like a really old stuffy 'granny' rose scent, much too mature for me I'm afraid. This one will need to be swapped.

Emoticon rating:

Is it a keeper? no, it's a little too 'old fashioned' for me.

If you like this, try: Numb, Séance, Pulcinella and Teresina, Taurus, Winter of our Discontent, Gha'agseblah

[indicolite]

I have never smelled worsted wool. I smell the rosewood, but it is forcibly reminding me of a soap (probably the same soap Numb violently reminded me of). I do not mean that it turns into soap, as I have had one scent so far (Ozymandias) do on my skin, when I realized the Dread Soap Curse. Instead, it seems that somewhere in my youth or childhood, I was exposed very strongly and completely subconsciously to a soap that smells like the common ingredient in both Kelly Pool and Numb.

 

I will hold to it for a while, as it is a great disappointment, and I hold out the hope.

[funkmoppet]

I think I came to BPAL a week before the Dogs came down, and I was SO dissappointed. Kelly Pool was the first one I'd earmarked to buy - I mean, worsted wool. Want!

 

Now I get to try it and, after practically willing myself to love it, I have to admit that it's not what I was hoping for at all.

 

In the imp, I can absolutely smell the teakwood, and something that may just be the wool. It's got all the promise of what I wanted.

 

As soon as it hits my skin, the rose amps up like someone turning the volume knob. For a brief patch, it IS lovely. It's an antique rose smell, like walking into a bric-a-brac store in the mountains where every crafty hand in the community sends their hand-made goodies - all presented in lovingly restored antique furniture. At this stage, I'm prepared to like it as a very comforting room scent.

 

But the dry down loses everything woody and wooly and turns into rose potpourri.

 

I'm very glad I got to try this, and might hang onto the imp and let it age. But alas, Kelly Pool isn't the woolen men's vintage clothing and woody rose scent I was hoping for.

[lilacea]

Rosewood and perming solution. Yup, it's perming solution that I smell.

 

Slightly powdery and soapy, perfumey, and heavy on the rosewood. It's kind of an odd blend. Slightly woody undertones.

[tinyvulture]

to me, this smells like a soapy washcloth -- a nice creamy, rose-scented soap on a soft clean rag. i’d like my clothes to smell like this when they come out of the wash; it would make a nice scent for a dryer sheet. i have no idea what worsted wool smells like, but this is pretty.