Snow White

[Scylla]

A chilly, bright perfume: flurries of virgin snow, crisp winter wind and the faintest breath of night-blooming flowers.

 

I REALLY REALLY REALLY wanted to love Snow White. I just KNEW it was going to become my new favorite BPAL oil. But, alas, my body chemistry did NOT agree!


On me, Snow White smelled liked buttered popcorn Jelly Belly jelly beans and plastic! Buttered popcorn jelly bellies are my LEAST favorite jelly bean, and they are gag inducing if I happen to eat one by accident. *sniffle*

ETA: Leslie260 hit the nail right on the head when she said it smells plastic-y like Scotch Brand Magic tape (or cellophane). That's EXACTLY it! THAT kind of plastic.

[riddel]

Snow White 2004

 

In the bottle: I didn't think much of Snow White in the bottle. It reminded me of Dana O'Shee, like Dana O'Shee made sweeter. That scared me a bit, to be honest, as Dana O'Shee, while I once liked it quite a bit, has been doing bad, bad things with my skin chemistry lately. But oh, how I wanted Snow White to work on me. Still, I put it off for days, sampling the other Yule LEs I received first. I knew I'd get to it eventually, though, as I know BPAL oils can surprise the heck out of you once they bloom (or wilt) on your skin. I make it a point never to let one pass without at least trying it on.

 

On my skin: Oh. My. Gosh. This is just absolutely friggin' amazing. I haven't found a BPAL scent that loves my skin this much since Maiden. (Okay, okay, so that's not exactly true, as Rose Red loves my skin just as much and I tried that just a few days before trying Snow White, but I speak in very broad terms sometimes.) Snow White touches my skin and makes sweet, sweet love to it. It smells like buttercream frosting with just the barest hint of buttermint. I say buttermint because it's not a sinus-clearing peppermint but a buttery peppermint, rich and creamy, floating around in the background, giving the scent as a whole a light, light chill. I do think I can pick out the coconut others have mentioned, too -- or maybe I, in my furious sniffing to find it, have simply convinced myself it's there. Still, oddly enough, Snow White isn't what I'd call a "foody" scent. Maybe it's the winter blossoms adding backbone and I just can't consciously pick them out. Whatever the case, wow. Just. Wow.

 

Final thoughts: If you haven't already guessed, I love Snow White. Love. It. I love it so much I might want to get my hands on another bottle of it within the next few months. I love it so much were it never to come out again I'd cry. Okay, so maybe that's a bit melodramatic, but I'd be really, really sad could I never get my hands on a fresh bottle of this little piece of art again. It lasts a wicked long time, too, which is just the cherry (or should I say shredded coconut?) on an already sweet slice of angel food cake.

Edited December 23, 2004 by riddel

[Belladonnastrap]

(this review is for the 2004 version)

 

First Sniff

It smells like a more tropical version of Dana O Shee. There has to be coconut somewhere in this because I keep smelling it. It's a very white sort of scent, sniffing it I get this overbearing feeling of just pure whiteness.

 

 

Wet

Coconut and coconut and more coconut. I get a bit of whatever it is thats in Dana o Shee that makes me lovely (milk maybe?) but this is just a lovely sublime scent. Very subtle but it's there....I mean the UPS man commented how good I smelled when I signed for a package.

 

 

Drydown

Milk and honey and SNOW. Oh god. This is so nice. That coconut smell mellows out and all that's left is a lovely milkhoneyfloral. Mmmm. And the staying power is insane, I put it on yesterday around 4ish and when I woke up this morning at 7am I could still smell it.

 

 

Aftermath

So so so so glad I bought a bottle of this. It's everything I hoped for and more, a perfect comparison to her sister Rose Red.

[pekeana]

Oh yeah, that's what I'm talkin' about... The imps of Snow White that pkwench gave me were starting to de-scent and lose some of the elements of the blend that I loved so much, and boom -- full bottle, chock full of happy, happy delight. This is the holy grail of scents for me -- simply buttery, soft floral that's so light and pretty that doesn't fade for hours. *adores Beth & worships at her feet*

[Rheliwen]

Wow! This is nothing like what I was expecting...it is better! I was a bit worried that it would smell too white floraly. Boy am I glad that my worries were unfounded!

 

This is so quintessentially Snow White. It's warm and inviting and chilly white all at the same time. The smell is the same in the bottle and on my skin, which is wonderul!

 

I've been having a weird run with scents lately. Everything seems to be going to crayon wax on me. I've been in a bit of a body funk and it might be the weather. Scents I've worn before never used to do it, so I'm hoping it will go away. Snow White is doing this a bit on me...but it's yummy unscented beeswax instead of crayons.

 

I really don't know how to describe Snow White, it is blended so well that I can't pick out any familiar notes. Snow, muskiness and and light frozen florals.

 

This has definitely exceeded my expectations 10-fold.

[jessamynit]

I hate to say it, but I was disappointed as well. it smells a lot like dana o'shee to me, both in the bottle and on, which I was also REALLY prepared to love but didn't. both make me feel like a barbie doll

I guess it's that same kind of super sweet almost plastic smell scylla's talking about. when I wore it I was like, yeah, this could be alright. but why go for just alright when I've got dozens of gorgeous scents to wear now! and someone else would LOVE to have snow white! so I put it up on ebay and am hoping it gets a much better home.

[Ina Garten Davita]

First Impression: A bit snowy, but more milky.

 

Second Impression: A much thinner scent that I thought it would be, it's a bit buttery and bit creamy and a bit like snow, but not icy at all. I can understand the comparisons to the drydown of Dana O'Shee. It's a little wisp of a scent.

 

Final Analysis: Not overly thrilled with this scent, in the bottle or on my skin. The idea is wonderful as is the name.

[isyche]

In bottle: Yummy, similar to Dana O'Shee as everyone has said, and I LOVE Dana.

 

On me: At first, it's a very very light delicate floral with that almondy scent underneath, but so light! it's barely smellable. A bit later, it's a creamier white scent that's easier to detect, no longer floral – maybe a bit of coconut here? Almond, coconut, and milk, I think.

 

Snow White is so pretty. Very white. I don't get a sense of cold from it, but it's white and delicate and fluffy like powder snow.

[Lorencita]

I am totally in love with snow white! If i had to wear only one perfume for the rest of my life, this would be it. I have a lotion called snow drop from elariia, that goes so stuningly perfect with this, i cant even begin to explain! Next year i will order 10 bottles. I am sad i only have 2! I will love it to the very last drop though!!!!! I worship beth beyond imagination!

 

EDIT: This was in all caps; I made it stop screaming. --Shollin

Edited December 24, 2004 by Shollin

[Eris]

Dana O'Shee all the way! Except DOS on me ends in a sort of soft, rounded finish that fades pretty quickly. Snow White is a little drier on me, with more of a stretched-out, wispy finish that lasts much longer. Kind of sweet and creamy, a little floraly. Nice stuff all around.

[Astarte]

The 2004 version works even better on me than 2003, it smells like coconut and vanilla. Much like Dana O'Shee and Lush's Snowcake as mentioned previously in the thread, which I'm ecstatic about as I love both scents.

 

Its absolutely adorable and settles into a gentle mist of snow around me, its very festive and will be a favourite for the year to come.

[phoefromelsewhere]

Snow White 2004:

 

In the bottle: This smells like frosting made out of snow (which someone else said but I forget who).

 

Wet: Coconut. Big time. Here’s hoping it doesn’t go horrid on me like Black Pearl did (am beginning to think I should stay far away from the coconutty blends). No, it develops into a coconutty vanilla. Somehow this has turned very warm and comforting, like a big vanilla candle with the fire going. There are the lightest of florals in the background, and I sincerely hope they stay there as it is already bordering on too sweet for me.

 

Drydown: Now it smells like freshly baked macaroons…huh? I’m not getting any snow, wind or anything vaguely cool. Which is a bit of a bummer.

 

Later: I’m trying to stick it out but my skin just amplifies coconut to icky proportions. Well bum. I wanted to adore Snow White in her winter world but she seems to have stopped off at the Carribean to work on her tan. Not for me. Off to the swaps to someone who loves her.

[Imbrium]

In the bottle: It smells sweet and foody, like butter and coconut.

 

On: On me, this smells identical, be it wet or dry. I can smell the coconut still, with some kind of light floral underneath, but mostly I smell like a cookie. I want to eat my wrist.

 

Mm, if this is truly anything like Dana O'Shee, I'll be ordering a big bottle of that soon.

[leslie260]

Snow White is GORGEOUS. Slightly minty, slightly floral and just perfect. In a really odd way, it smells like Scotch brand Magic Tape...which is a really good thing. I associate that smell with wrapping paper and Christmas, so when I smelled Snow White, I nearly fainted with happiness. It smells exactly like a winter smell should!

 

(sorry for the lame tape analogy.... )

[SilverGarland]

In the bottle: Ozone-y, snow-y and coconut.

 

On the skin, wet: A frosty, cold scent with coconut.

 

Completely dry: Snow and warm, freshed baked coconut cookies.

 

I might give this to my supervisor at work, since this scent seems to be betteer fitting for her.

[Dianella]

It's funny how different people can be when smelling and wearing these perfumes. I don't get any mint or almond and only the barest hint of coconut. What stands out on me is the flowers. There really prominent, and they're backed by a creamy, sweet, milky note. There's a note in there that makes me think of a perfume from The Body Shop called Leap that I used to wear. It's nice, but not entirely what I hoped for. I'll probably swap away one of my bottles.

[silverangel]

I also get mostly floral notes but I get coconut slightly and a bit of almond. It's very cold, very snowy, but what is the coconut doing? It warms it up, maybe a bit more than I'd like it to. it makes it too tropical for the snow. but overall the coconut fades and it is a serene blissful snowy day and I adore it.

[Caitfish]

I've not smelled Dana O'Shee, so I can't attest to its similarity. I'll just describe what I can.

 

In the Bottle:

Dominant notes: Hmm, indistinguishable florals, and something fresh - almost aquatic, and yes - a buttery note, though it doesn't smell like almonds to me. Perhaps I am simply wrong on that count.

Impressions: I just stepped outside, it's just finished raining, and it's very very cold. The background of Snow White smells like that, amplified - fresh, light and cold.

 

Initial On:

Dominant notes: The florals are much stronger, the freshness remains.

Impressions: This still smells cold to me! After all of the reviews describing almonds, I had decided that this would be a warm blend, despite the description - but it's so cold and refreshing, it's beautiful!

 

After a While:

Persistent notes: General florals - though not overbearingly so. The fresh, cold scent.

Staying power: Decent, better than Egg Nog, but nothing like Hearth. It lasts a couple of hours, but without a lot of throw.

 

Overall Impressions:

This is a beautiful blend! I am so pleased that it's refreshing and light on me, since I have so many warm, spicy holiday scents. The florals are beautiful. I wish that I knew what was creating this fresh, cold scent! I don't like green scents or mint scents, and I am so glad that this is cold without being based on either of those, but it is a mystery! Gosh, this is lovely!

[LaLisa]

I bought Snow White at the urging of a grown up, and while in the bottle it smelled weird and plasticky, there was also a very beguiling and seductive almost musky lure to it.

 

I also bought Red Rose, but that's another review. My husband, like the guy who suggested SW prefers SW to RR.

 

 

For the first twenty minutes or so of wearing Snow White I smelled a weirdly sexy plastic smell, which I finally recognized as narcissus, aka paper whites, those lovely bulbs that flower now until spring--plus I figuredout why I associate them with plastic KIDDLES--does anyone recall those two inch high soft platic dolls that came in lockets and were named andscented after different flowers? At a certain point they all smelled the same and with man-made material underscent.

 

Anyway, back to the review:

 

My friends and spouse loved the way Snow White smelled on me, so I decided to keep at it, and throughout the day would sniff my wrist, pleasured by the faint muskiness and the narcissus which seemed to be heightened with a cool green.

 

I really love this as a winter and early spring scent, it has a frostiness that melts into heady passion and I'll def be wearing it lots this season.

[Electra]

It took me quite a few wearings to get to know this scent, which is why I haven't posted my review until now.

 

First, this smells absolutely nothing like Dana O'Shee on me - Dana went to playdough on my skin (the little bit of it that I could smell, anyway). No similarity to Snow White.

 

Snow White is very linear on me - it doesn't change from the wet application to what I can still smell of it 10 hours later (yep, it's very long-lasting). It somehow manages, without being minty or sharp, to capture the bite that you feel and smell when you walk outdoors on a really cold day. I think that's the coconut. It doesn't do what coconut usually does on me, which is turn into a plastic scent. Nor does it smell tropical. Just cold. I can't identify any florals as such. This really smells just like snow.

 

As a perfume, I don't think Snow White is for me. As an artistic creation, however, it's very impressive.

[sihaya09]

Ohhhh. I have found my "curl up with a book and a mug of hot chocolate as it begins to flurry outside" scent. I'm picturing an overcast sky heavy with snowclouds, the hush that falls over the street right as the flurries begin to descend. This is indescribably wonderful. It is a white scent, very buttery and smooth. I find it strange that I can't pick out any individual notes. It's not floral on me at all, and although I did smell the plastic at first, I tried it again after my cycle was done, and they plastic-y note vanished.

 

This smells like ice cream made with fresh snow and buttercream. It is both warm and delightfully frosty at the same time. I'm in love with this amazing scent, so sad that I only got one bottle. Lucky for me, one application seems to last forever-- for as light as it is, this scent sticks around.

Edited December 22, 2004 by sihaya09

[Spanglemaker]

Snow white is absolutely lovely.

 

I've had to wear it a few times before I figured out what it reminded me of.

 

Pastel pillow mints! Those mints that sometimes resturaunts have sitting in a bowl as you walk out the door or are sometimes served at weddings: they are creamy and minty and melt in your mouth.

 

Snow White smells like those mints taste.

 

Of all the BPAL I've tried, this is definitely in the top five.

[Faerykin]

Snow White

 

Swiped across wrists and along collarbone.

 

Initial Wet (8-8:30am): This goes on sweet and a bit powdery. There is something lying underneath that I’m not certain I like.

 

Initial Dry (8:30-10am): Thankfully, the individual notes dry into a nice blend. It is a bit chilly, and I can almost picture a fresh snowfall – with the big fluffy flakes that stick to everything, looking like pieces of cotton candy. This is almost like one of those early snowfalls – when the flowers are still blooming, so they still peek out from under the fresh blanket. Beautiful.

 

Throughout the Day (10am-on): The florals are really beginning to shine through. This is such a lovely scent (I was worried after the initial wet phase). This is definitely a winter scent – and unless I’m testing other oils (or I find something more appropriate), this will more than likely be the one I wear on a more regular basis this season.

 

There is something sweet here that after reading the reviews I thought may be coconut or vanilla, but it isn’t coconut or vanilla – if that makes any sense. It is a bit smooth and semi-foody, and it provides a very nice background for the florals.

Just like if there is mint here, it is unlike any mint I have ever smelled – whatever it is, it adds a bit of a sharp bite, which is very nice.

Also, the florals are unlike any florals I’ve smelled before with BPAL. I smell a bit of something like lily – but it is a cold, almost frozen lily. Someone mentioned the scene in Legend where everything that was once warm and inviting is now cold and frozen in a crystalline blue-white winter. Yeah, this is the scent of that scene. Complex and wonderful!

 

This progressively softens into a sweetness that is unlike anything I have ever experienced. I shall have to wear this more often just so I can determine what all of the individual stages of this very-complex scent are.

[Fyre_in_Winter]

Oh my goodness, where to start?

 

I'll work backwards then... this smells so freakin' good on me, I can't believe it. It just emanates from my skin and is so soft and breathtaking. It is definitely an unusual scent, with something familiar about it that's nagging my memory. The only way I'm even guessing there is mint in it is the slight cooling tingle around my nostrils when I inhale and exhale. The first bit I smell is a cool, extremely mild vanilla bordering on cream, which deepens and warms with the swelling of coconut and what smells to me like a tropical floral. It might be my nose tricking me, but there also seems to be a teeny hint of pineapple there too. Then it's just a cool, dry vanilla for the few seconds until I need air again. I have to get close to smell it, but then again, I apply sparingly.

 

Now, when I sniff at the opened bottle, I get this funky thick, wet floral (is that the lily musk, maybe?) and it's kind of frightening until I remind myself how great this smells on me. I will definitely be buying a bottle or two of this every year.

Edited December 28, 2004 by Fyre_in_Winter

[magikfanfic]

In the bottle: Now, Snow White scares me a little because of some of the reviews on the forum, which I didn't read until after I bought the bottle. Almonds and coconut. I don't wish to really smell like either of these. I bought it, and it's here so let's try it out. Coconut and almond and something vaguely floral. It really doesn't smell like snow to me yet as it's too cloying.

 

Wet: There's the crisp snow smell I was hoping for. I may hate snow, but I do like the smell of it. The way it makes everything seem clean and fresh. It's sweet and kinda milky, but not overpoweringly so. I can still detect a faint trace of maybe almond, but that coconut reek is gone. (I hate coconut.) This is nice, but it doesn't scream me. I don't even really like it all that much. It's creamy and rich and very...very cream colored in my mind. This is the beautiful milk maid. This is Buttercup in The Princess Bride. But I'm not Buttersup or even Snow White. I'm more like Rose Red.

 

Dry down: A milky kind of floral. A little trace of lingering almond. Also some of the coconut, but it smells like what I imagine coconut milk would smell like rather than the plasticy coconut you buy in flakes at the store. I don't really like this as a scent for me or for the house. It's too...cream, which doesn't even make sense outside of my mind.

 

Dry: Still a milky, almondy kind of flavor. I know this is a lab favorite and a forum one, too, but I just don't like it. I guess I should be glad my skin didn't turn it into anything revolting.

 

After washing some of it off it was more like a rich vanilla smell, but I have lotion that smells like that and I don't really want to go through the other stages to get to the vanilla one. Oh well, you can't love them all.