His Station and Four Aces

[shelldoo]

 

His Station and Four Aces, C.M. Coolidge.

Lilac fougere, white musk, and leather accord.

 

in the bottle: leather and cleanliness.

 

wet: whoa white musk. which always has a clean almost fresh scent to my nose, w/ a backdrop of leather.

 

this is a very true to the bottle scent for me, i get all white musk and leather, not really any lilac. it is masculine. much like a freshly showered man, in a deep leather seat.

[filigree_shadow]

Ahhh. This smells good. See, now why can't all blends with flowers in them smell this good? I really don't like the lilting or heady florals at all -- I like the ones that have depth and richness to them. In this one, the lilac is very obviously there, but it smells deep and solid.

 

I think this smells intriguing and mysterious. I can imagine it being at home on the right man, but on my skin the lilac is strong enough that it really seems more feminine to me.

 

Also, this scent is nice and strong. There's nothing timid or shy about this one.

 

All in all, I like it a lot.

[edenssixthday]

His Station and Four Aces - Well, I would have never thought of putting lilac and leather together, but now that I smell it, it makes complete sense. Leave it to Beth to perfectly blend the oddest pairs of scents! This is my favorite lilac perfume of all time because as much as I love lilac, and as true to life as I find most lilac perfumes (especially BPAL), the lilac is always too strong and heady for me, making me feel self-conscious about wearing it, and often giving me headaches. However, the lilac in this blend is soft and muted, which must be because it's lilac fougere and not straight lilac. No matter what, I just love it. The leather co-dominates the blend with the lilac. It smells to me like the same leather that is used in Whip -- black, bold, leather. The musk lends a touch of a crisp, crystalline quality to the blend, providing the perfect backdrop for the lilac. This is a really unique and fantastic blend. It also doesn't strike me as being particularly gender-specific. It's really fantastic. Great throw and moderate staying power.

[sarada]

Lilac is one of my favorite smells in nature -- in early May I stop by every lilac bush I pass and stick my noses in them, moaning at how beautiful they are. I'll pull off the road if I see a good stand of lilac bushes to run out and stick my nose in them (on country roads, that is, not the Turnpike!).

 

Lilac in perfume though doesn't always work so well -- it is the definition of the "powdery" scent, since it is very reminiscent of bath powders and sprays when it's used in perfumes, even in beloved BPAL.

 

But here we have the perfection of lilac in perfume form. Seriously -- if you like lilac but don't think it can work on your skin, try it. The leather and musk bring it to life, make it deeper, stronger, less powdery and project it around you as though you were a walking lilac bush.

 

There is a type of loose incense I've loved for years and years, by Wild Berries -- a lilac that burns deeper and stronger than any other, without ever smelling like a powder puff. This is definitely the perfume version of that scent. Slightly smoky, weaving through the air in thick pale purple tangles. I am in lilac heaven. You'll pull off the road to sniff ME now!

[minilux]

I couldn't wait to get my hands on this puppy, because lilac fougere + leather sounded awesome. Alas, I am getting mainly lilac and the leather hasn't made an appearance at all, so I actually find this to be more feminine on me than my favorite BPAL lilac, Villain. I'm going to hold onto this bottle, though, and see if the leather doesn't make an appearance with a little aging.

[GypsyRoseRed]

I *love* this scent. In fact, it was love at first sniff which happens so rarely for me. In the bottle it's lilac and leather straight up, but on the drydown, the white musk comes out and rounds the blend out a little, makes it creamier and richer. It's so simple, yet very sexy. I could easily see myself wearing this to go out, but then again, I only have the one bottle of it. This could be one of those scents I just have to hoard.

[forspecial_plate]

Right away I can tell this isn't going to work. The lilac is too strong and piercing for me. I can smell the leather, and I was hoping after a bit the musk would soften the blend. After over an hour, it's still not a scent I really like. Just not my kind of floral. Very clean smelling, almost soapy, but not quite. It has a kind of dewy quality. I think maybe I don't like fougeres in general, although I do like Theodosius a whole lot.

[Browneyes]

Imp: Very faint lilac and something sharp - musk?

Wet: Mmmmmmmmlilaaaaac I do love lilac bushes at this time of year. And there's the leather. Can't pinpoint the white musk, although I'm sure it's there, giving this some depth. I'm astonished at how real this lilac smells. I can smell newly opened lilac blooms on the bush as well as those that opened a few days ago that are beginning to decay slightly (and I mean this in a good way!) Swirled together with some smooth leather and white musk...

Dry: Wow this is stronger than I expected too! It's strong sweet and realistic lilac, with a clearly discernable strong leather note, very smooth. And somewhere in there is the white musk. I think I'm in love. And I am positively kicking myself for not ordering a bottle of this! This is extremely sexy, pretty, and wearable.

[euterpe414]

This is quite a morpher on me. In the bottle I smell lilac and leather exclusively. On my skin, the lilac disappears within two minutes and it's all dark, dark leather with a hint of musk. It doesn't have a lot of throw, but lasts for quite a while. It's definitely a dignified scent, airing a bit on the masculine side, although not entirely so. Usually dark leather scents tend to give me a headache but this one works just fine for me. I am not usually a very dressy or fancy person but this scent would be very appropriate for when I do feel in the mood to be decadent.

 

Another funny thing about this one: it sort of comes full circle on me; in it's very very last stages it smells faintly of lilac and musk, but no leather.

Edited May 10, 2007 by euterpe414

[Blood onmy hands]

I was hoping that this would be a dreamy blend for my boy, but it's not as smooth or creamy as I imagined it would be.

 

White musk can either be crazy-sharp and reminiscent of cheap hair spray and chemicals on me, or it can be chilly, creamy, slightly sweet, and gorgeous. The white musk here is of that sharp variety to my nose.

 

On me this is that sharp musk and cold leather. On my boy, it's pretty much just leather - cold and dark and very much not him.

 

Where is the beautiful lilac fougere that I was anticipating?

[gingersnapp]

This is a whole lotta lilac when I first applied it, but over the course of the day, it's faded into a soft, light musk. Again, no leather apparent on me.

[storme]

In the imp: leather and white musk, like very clean leather.

 

On me, wet: hmm, lots of leather, a little musk, and a very slight trace of lilac. C'mon, skin, amp the lilacs for me!

 

On me, dry: leather. Not much musk any more, practically no lilac. Wah.

 

Verdict: I really wanted something with a bit more lilac kick to it; I guess this won't be replacing Whitechapel for me any time soon.

[clover]

His Station and Four Aces

 

Sniffing from the imp: Lilac!

 

Upon application: Lilac is a scent that I love (what's better than walking past a lilac bush in the spring and getting whiffs of it's fragrance? Nothing.)...but generally doesn't agree with me. It tends to go a little bit sharp. But in this fragrance, it's not going sharp at all. I'm not sure if that's because it's a lilac fougere (I always equate fougere with fuzzy and soft), or if it's the sweet leather and musk that are tempering the lilac.

 

After a bit: I love the combo of leather & flowers (I think it works beautifully in Les Infortunes de la Vertu, too, which is a scent that gives me a similar vibe to this one), and when the soft sweetness of white musk starts to come through, this scent turns downright heavenly.

 

Conclusion: *love*

[dzurlady]

In the imp: Lilac mostly, and also leather and a hint of white musk.

On me, wet: A sweet, gentle lilac, with a soft faint background of leather and white musk to give it a little deapth.

On me, dry: The same as wet. A soft and feminine lilac, with only a hint of leather and musk. It's nice, but I was hoping for a less dominant lilac and a more complex scent - I can almost smell it with more leather and white musk, and I would love it. As it is, I just like it.

Not a great deal of throw, and it seems to fade fairly quickly.

[jesvet]

I always, always guess wrong with BPAL. If I think I'm going to love it and get a bottle- meh. And if I just get an imp- love.

 

So my imp of this is just amazing. The leather scared me off after having such a hard time with it in other blends, but this blend is pitch perfect. Lilac is one of my favorite scents ever- the combination sounds bizarre but it's really superb. The leather recedes and adds a masculinity to the lilac without being overpowering, and the musk is an additional sexy note.

 

Gorgeous, and utterly unique.

[jade_starlight]

I can definitely smell the leather in this, but it's very clean and actually blends very well with the lilac, which I hadn't really thought that it would.

[slave1]

HIS STATION AND FOUR ACES

 

In Bottle: Pungent lilac

 

On Skin: This scent is very strong, the lilac is pungent and almost overwhelming. The white musk is nice and clean, and the leather gives an elegant backdrop. This is sophistication at it’s finest. I see a man sliding out of his Mecerdes Benz dressed to the nines for a night of socializing. Freaking sexy as well. This is a very unique BPAL scent, not like anything I can remember reviewing. And the lilac fades very quickly and it becomes a leather musky cologne, perfect for my taste. Masculine to the extreme, my husband MUST try this. I get a very white feel from this, clean and dashing. The scent is so pretty, I wouldn’t mind it rubbing off him onto me. Bottle worthy for sure. It has a medium to strong throw and long wearlength.

[supremegoddessofall]

In bottle: Men's cologne.

 

On me: Still very masculine. More leather than anything else and fairly musky. Me like.

[Silvertree]

Lilacs are my favorite flower, and quite possibly my favorite smell in the world. My parents have a row of lilac trees lining one side of the front yard, and every May I would drag a chair outside and read under the blooming lilacs for hours. At the Botanical Gardens, every year I contemplate building a tiny cabin in the lilac grove.

 

Although I am not generally fond of floral perfumes, I will always make an exception for scents with lilac notes. I'm exceptionally glad that I didn't pass up this particular blend, as it is a knockout in its own right as well as a stellar lilac scent.

 

The first thing I smell is a heady rush of fresh lilac blossoms. Nothing cloying, sweet, or overpowering”” just a noseful of gorgeous lilac aroma, like sniffing fresh flowers after a gentle spring rain and getting the lilac-frangranced raindrops all over your face and hair. The same white musk note I loved in Oisin starts to brighten the scent, and it soars upward almost to the point of getting too perfumey. But just before it reaches that headachy high note, the leather surfaces and yanks it back down, grounding everything with a soft earthiness.

 

This is so different from what I usually wear (musks and ambers and resins and spices). It's also unbelievably gorgeous. Sophisticated without being standoffish. Dressy without being stuffy. Just... just perfect.

[Eemia]

I LOVE this! LOVE! Unbelievably unique on my skin and very bold. I feel like I'm making a statement every time I wear this.

 

The lilac and leather blend together seamlessly into a gorgeous, strong perfumey scent. The leather is not at all what I expected....it's not as noticable of a leather note as it is in Whip or Loviatar. I like this version of leather much better!

 

I am going to scout around for another bottle of this b/c one will ot be enough for me.

[LadyCrow]

In imp: Deep, clean lilac.

 

Wet: Lilac, and yum, there's that white musk behind it.

 

Drydown: Aha, and backing it all up comes the leather -- a subtle leather, like the one in Severin, not so much like the aggressive leather in Dragon's Hide. The leather accord gradually becomes dominant, but calmly and elegantly. I could wish for a bit more wear time, but the skin-scent stage is still quite pleasant.

 

I sometimes find I have less to say about scents that I really like than scents that I don't -- but suffice it to say that I'm thrilled, not only to have found a Dogs Playing Poker that I can wear (all others except Kelly Pool contain tobacco, which burns our lungs, precious), but that I will wear.

[Naamah_Darling]

In the bottle, this is . . . umm. It's a fougere. This is the same general kind of scent as Villain, Old Scratch, The Scales of Deprivation, and so on. It smells a lot like Villain, actually. What I took for lavender initially is supposedly lilac, but it still smells like lavender to me.

 

On . . . ahh, no, that's lilac. And leather. And a liquid, silvery musk. This has a lovely, alluring throw, half cologne, half perfume, all beautiful. Up close, the leather gives what would otherwise be a total miss of a scent some depth on my skin, and some sex appeal.

[funkmoppet]

This makes me smile, laugh and feel a little sad all at once.

 

Why? Because it reminds me SO much of a smell that will always remind me of old men, dressed up in their best. Aging friends.

 

This is a PERFECT replica of classic, old cologne from decades ago. The very kind that's still worn by old blokes, who still sweep their now thinning hair back into the same wave and side part they've worn since their young days. It's like stepping into an RSL club. Pure nostalgia.

 

And nostalgia makes me smile, laugh, and feel sad - all at once.

 

This is just so wonderful. Not something I want to personally smell like, but absolutely something I want to be able to smell. Because it's just SO evocative.

 

Wonderful, Beth. Just wonderful.

 

[zeebrat]

Imp: This was a rather sharp leather to me probably due to the musk. There is a faint background of something sweet as well but I cannot really place it (I am still new at picking individual scents!). I know what leather smells like though lol and it's almost tangy!

 

Wet on skin: Still a very fresh, sharp, leathery scent. The leather is not old, dry, tough sort of leathery smell but rather the smell of newly oiled leather (like horse saddles). The musk definitely shines through as well but the dominant note is still leather.

 

Dry down: Sweet leather! This is soooooooooooooooooo yummy! Whatever the sweet scent was it comes through better now. The sharpness has been dulled by the sweet and the leather is definitely still there but the combination is beautiful. It lasted for a good 6+ hours too!

 

Conclusion: I think my skin works well with scents that have musk in them and the scents also tend to be prolonged. I love that it turned into sweet leather and this imp is definitely a keeper A unique scent that works!

 

I won't smell like all the other generic perfumes around college and the workplace

[zankoku_zen]

In the imp: Masculine cologne

 

On Skin: Lilac and masculine cologne.

 

On Drydown: Less masculine, softer, slightly powdery.

 

Verdict: This is very masculine. I'm going to try this on the husband!