Bayou

[feline.by.design]

A lazy, warm deep green scent with a thick aquatic undertone: Spanish moss, evergreen and cypress with watery blue-green notes and an eddy of hothouse flowers and swamp blooms.

Bayou was something I thought sounded really interesting. I like the way spanish moss looks, so I was curious to see if I would like the way it would smell, combined with things such as described by Beth. So I was pleasantly surprised to find an imp of this included in my order.

I put the scent on, and I'll give it one thing: it's STRONG. I only applied touches from the imp vial to my wrists and the fragrance was kickin' for a good fifteen minutes before it calmed down.

I sniffed something that smelled sort of lemony, and it reminded me a bit of nail polish remover (I know, that's horrible, maybe my nose is messed up). Wet, the flowers and blooms were too sweet for me.

After a while, the lemony scent went away, replaced by something that reminded me then a bit of earth tones, which I assume is the spanish moss and cypress. This wasn't as bad as the previous phase, but still, just not my thing.

For those of you who like to gravitate towards the heavier scents, Bayou may be up your alley. I might try and see if Bayou works better on my boyfriend or roommate before I swap the fragrance, since it seems like something maybe a guy would wear. Bayou's not something that I'd really want my house to smell like, so I won't be using it as a home scent.

But cheers to the Lab just the same for sending this to me!

-doreen

(edited to change "interested" to interesting.) Edited September 15, 2007 by Shollin

[fairywingmaker]

Wasn't sure about this one at first. Seemed a little strong, and mossy to me. As it dries down on me, I can smell a sweetness coming through. I have no idea what swamp blooms really smell like, but this has to be it. This one might be a little too masculine for my chemistry, so maybe have my husband try it out. I enjoy the scent, just not on myself.

[asa805]

I really like this scent and was very pleased that it was included in my order as a freebie imp. I love strong scents and this one has got it. At first i got an orangie smell off this and reminded me of kitchen cleaner but i think my nose was just confused then i read the description and was like... "yes this is very blue green".... it really has a nice aquatic note to it and has a good balace with the earthy spanish moss. I really dont see myself wearing this but i would definately burn this as a house scent. I dont see a big bottle in my future but i will keep and use up my imp.

[any_old_actress]

FIRST SNIFF: green...soapy

 

WEARING IT: this definitely turned soapy on me right from the get-go! the spanish moss is really in the foreground while the evergreen and swampy florals back it up.

 

FINAL VERDICT: not for me, but exactly as beth describes it.

[madame royale]

This is a lazy scent, revealing itself in slow, sluggish stages.

 

Bayou reminds me of early summer in the south, before endless weeks of rain and humidity wreak havoc on the season, but warm enough for me to appreciate an occasional breeze. Wet, it is sharp like an undefined citrus, but not citrusy. It’s like the flash of light reflecting off of water—quick and almost blinding. As it dries down, the air thickens into a green cloud. Yes, that’s the moss and trees choking me. I want to turn away, but I catch the scent of water and flowers. It’s coming to me with a torpor that makes it almost still. Breathe deeply. The water and flowers aren’t going anywhere, and neither am I.

 

Don’t rush off, stay around and enjoy the bayou with me.

Edited August 9, 2004 by madame royale

[nenia]

this scent brings me back to my trip in new orleans. it's a swampy, sticky floral. but lazy and relaxing.

 

a heady floral, with hints of spice and grassy notes. it's initially a bit too much for my nose, but as it calms down it blends beautifully.

 

a very warm enveloping scent, taking you away to southern bayou bliss.

 

this very much makes me want to go back to visit new orleans even more.

 

an overall very intriguing, well blended scent. yay.although may be a bit sweet/heady for some.

 

**edit** after wearing for a bit longer, i am getting a headache from the scent. i think i will dilute it in a spray and hopefully it will work better that way**

Edited August 13, 2004 by nenia

[Shollin]

First sniff: Slow-flowing, lazy, murky green with the heaviness of humid summer air and the barest hint of sweet flowers twining around the trees, thickly crowded and draped in Spanish moss, that grow from tangled roots along the bank.

 

Wearing: The scent of Bayou is very familiar. It feels like a hot summer night, utterly still, with the persistent buzz of cicadas rising from the dark woods.

 

About an hour after I put it on, I figured out why it’s familiar… it reminds me of bug spray. Not the sharpness of Deep Woods OFF, but one of the newer softer varieties, Skintastic or somesuch. I don’t know if it actually smells like bug spray or if it’s just an association with hot still summer nights, but there’s definite bugsprayness.

[hypothermya]

First Impression

 

Sticky sweet floral. Definitely smells like big ol' blooms of something with tons of nectar. And humid, too. But there's also something a bit green, and swampy in there...I'm guessing it's the spanish moss or the evergreen or cypress. But it's mainly just a background for that murky, moist floral scent.

 

Wearing It

 

I love the way this smells on me. When it first goes on, it smells very watery (a lot like Tempest or Lightning), and my over active imagination can almost feel the air around me getting humid. But as it dries, it becomes mainly a floral scent (very sweet, almost like honeysuckle?).

 

Lasting Power

 

It's pretty moderate, falling between the other oils I've tried. This one will last for about 3 hours on me before needing any touching up. And the floral scent with the backdrop of green trees and moss, and blue water tends to stay true throughout the duration. It's just that initial phase where it smells super watery and green.

 

I've tried both this and Old New Orleans, and I have to admit that I'm torn between which one I like better. This is a lot more swampy and captures the entire Bayou feel a lot better (guess that's why it's called Bayou, huh?). Old New Orleans is mainly a jasmine scent, and doesn't quite get the same swampy feeling--but I really like the medicinal lemon scent in it, which Bayou doesn't have. Both of them give me headaches (I think I'm slightly allergic to the jasmine or the water notes), and I can't wear either of them frequently (so it's unknown as to why I'm debating which one I like better). But I really do love smelling them, even with the headaches.

[summer]

This smells like a very aquatic gentleman's cologne, but not so masculine that it's unwearable for women. However, the masculine edge -- almost a sharpness -- is definitely there.

 

As it dries down it gets mossier and more green. It's a lovely, calm scent, and although I probably won't wear it much as a perfume for myself, I really look forward to trying it on my husband. He's a Pisces; watery scents smell really nice on him!

[jessamynit]

I like this a lot, didn't feel it was too "gentlemanly" nor chemically (i.e. cleaner, bug repellent, etc - though I can see why people got that) for me. I agree that it's sort of aquatic but it also seems bright and cheeful to me. I can't quite tell what I smell in there, it's very tricky for me to identify, but I do know I like it, it seems to brighten my mood up a bit. I'm thinking I'll try another day with it and may order a bottle! I liked it right away.

[Nepthys]

This was thick and dark green on me. I thought the floral notes might add some sweetness but really it was just a murky, mossy vegetation smell on me. None of the hothouse flowers came through at all. It's funny but I don't find this humid in the least; I think that's because I used to live in a swamp town in South Carolina and this was totally evocative of how the swamps smelled in winter -- dry, spooky and very green.

[Merteuil]

Definitely let this one "bloom" on you.

 

This was not a pleasant smell at first, in the tube or wet on the arm...bitter greens, evergreens, decaying petals, swampy water. However, I'd learned that the in-bottle smell doesn't mean much with BPAL, and I was missing New Orleans so I decided to give Bayou a try last night.

 

For about 20-30 minutes, the scent worked on softening down. The bitter greens and swampiness left quickly and the fresh florals began to peep out, but the scent developed that sharp Deet/bug spray smell others have mentioned. This is not unpleasant to me -- reminds me of hiking and camping -- but it is kind of odd for a perfume.

 

I was rewarded after a half-hour. The bug spray aroma left, and the scent bloomed luscious warm but subtle flowers. This is a scent I've been looking for since my childhood: I'd smelled it on a few beautiful women passing by over the years but could never figure out what perfume it was.

 

I still don't know which notes are doing it for me, but I think I'll need a big bottle of this -- the first BPAL to impress me so.

[Northernminx]

In the bottle green and aquatic (I can rarely pick out much in the bottle.

 

Upon application this is a strong, wet, green aquatic scent. Just a touch of something sweet and mossy and maybe a little floral in there but it's rather androgynous and definitly wet and cool, evocative of shadowed waters and overhung trees that provide small moments of relief from the blistering heat. The scent smells humid, if that makes sense.

 

That was all she wrote....

 

but I've spent two hours trying to figure out why this scent is making me all mellow and happy. It struck me, as my phone rang, that this is really a high class version of Jake's Cologne.

 

Needless to say I'm packing it up for him because while it's nice on me, nothing makes me quite so happy as planting my nose on my beloved neck. Purr

[Vaniclion]

I do have a love affair with Louisiana, Mississippi… all those Bayou areas. From book settings to movies, there’s just something primal about them. The goddess I worship, Frigga, also has a thing for them also… although bogs, which are the traditional places for giving her offerings, might be different.

 

I can very much smell the rich green floral of the bayou, the cool waters hiding lurking danger. However, sadly, it’s just too floral for me. It’s more a perfected bayou, with not enough woodrot or musk to really butch it up for me. It goes the way of Pele, which I like, but is more green than soft pink. I’m definitely keeping the imp, and may pull it out to wear sometime this winter, but I really think it’s too sweetly feminine for me. Of course, suddenly something seem right about calling the bayou feminine. Hmm.

[Belladonnastrap]

Thanks to Diana I have an imp of this

 

First sniff

Well it smells like a green scent that's for sure! A bit minty as well but just overwhelmingly green

 

When wet

Oh wow...it's mossy! Which shouldn't surprise me as this is called Bayou afterall but

whatever. I can smell a bit of lemon in this and juniper? Is that even in this?

 

Drydown

Erk. Hello Moss. Just pure moss with maybe a bit of lemon underneath.

 

Aftermath

Whelp I like Bayou but not enough ot get a 5ml. I'll be using up the imp though as I think it will have it's moments

[Lorencita]

I really like this one. It is an aquatic scent, but darker. It does feel lazy & laid back. The only thing I found with it, is that it smells a little masculine to me... which I like very much. I wear mens cologne sometimes. All in all, very nice scent & there is a big bottle in the works.

[LiberAmoris]

My review for Bayou is long overdue. I got a freebie imp of this in my first order and wasn't immediately attracted to it, even though I lived in New Orleans for a year and have nothing but the fondest memories of the place.

 

Then one day I decided to try it on a whim. Wow. The name made me think it would have swampy overtones, but this is a straight-up aquatic floral to my nose, very feminine and complex. It's turned out to be one of my favorites, never failing to lift my spirits with its classy, polished, verdant finish.

 

There's something humid and sexy about Bayou that does remind me of New Orleans nights, and this would be a perfect fragrance for a Mardi Gras ball or even just a night out at Miss Mae's, drinking $3 whiskeys.

[Lady_Ell]

This is a strong, green soapy smell, as any_old_actress says, and something about it reminds me of Mr. L's old neighborhood in Hawaii - way back in a rainy valley full of flowers. That, and fabric softener.

 

Something about this goes chemical and powdery on me. It's got strong flowery and damp associations, but I think it's the aquatic smells that always go "dryer sheets" on me. This would work on someone else, but it's not for me.

[k00kaburra]

In bottle: Smells like generic perfume that's been in the sun too long. o_O Wilting flowers. Man, I hope it's just my nose.

 

On me: Mmm, it's very well blended and as the notes of this perfume aren't notes I deal with regularly I can't make out any specifics. There's a sharpness, like that which you get with a citrus, but the scent of the citrus itself isn't there. It makes me think of hot muggy days and it's ninety degrees outside – not a reminder I relish. It's turning unpleasant on me so I think this won't be a keeper.)

[grrrlennyl]

at first: a surprisingly bright green swimming in dark blue water with flowers floating in it on a disgustingly humid day.

on: a very strong, green floral. i'll stick with my humid day impression.

1 hour later: this has turned into a generic perfume on me. it's a sharp, biting floral. there's something green lingering underneath, but it's fading fast.

3 hours later: yes. very sharp, almost like strongly-scented soap. i really don't like this.

4.5 hours later: now, mostly like soap. no fun.

11 hours later: obviously, very faint. kind of like i washed my hands in sharply scented floral soap and it's wearing off.

overall: this oil was on my wishlist for quite a while, but it just doesn't work on me. i'll definitely be swapping this one.

[TheDarkMother]

I've only driven through Louisanna, and that was a long time ago. I've thought about staying a little longer one time, but who knows. I think I see enough swamps here to last me a lifetime;)

 

In the Bottle: There was a heavy floral sweetness...is it gardenias, magnolias...I'm not sure. And a musky background that could just be the Spanish Moss. It blends so well together.

 

On Me: This kinda reminds me of a tropical rain candle or laundry detergent. Yeah, definately laundry detergent. Great, my hubby finds another scent that reminds me that I have got to do laundry;) I like the scent though, I like it a lot. I'll definately finish the imp and decide from there.

[ChupaChup]

I've never been to the Bayou in Lousiana but I've been to the swamps in Florida. This is a truly beautiful interpretation, I'm amazed at Beth's artistry. How the hay she gets the smell of humidity in a bottle is beyond me! I'm not familiar with the notes in this but the florals have that languid scent I associate with the south and the moss is green and wet. Brilliant!

[pkwench]

Vial: Green and soapy-agreed.

 

Wet: Super!Soapy.

 

After 10: Sweet, green, and very floral.

 

After 20: Mostly floral and green. It's nice, but not really special on me. I think I'm too tired to be doing that. Or, the Titania was so nice that my nose is poopooing now in favor of it. LOL

[sh1mm3r]

In the bottle, this smelled really floral, but not sweet. Like a bouquet with a lot of greenery, or a forest on a rainy day.

 

As it dries, it goes through a stage I don't like, where the wet and dark smells go away and it is pure floral.

 

Once it dries, the florals take a step back and the swampy mossy smells balances them out again.

 

I really thought I wouldn't like this one, but I do. It's a nice weekend fragrance, but I wonder if it is contributing to my sluggishness today. Oh and I just realized that this is one scent with wood that doesn't overpower me with the woody smells. The woody smells are way in the background. Makes me want to rethink my promise to "never try a woody scent again."

[isyche]

Wow, this is exactly the smell of heat and humidity in a bottle. Heavy, green, warm, swampy, with the sweetness of tropical flowers - like a jungle, or a greenhouse.

 

This completely evokes the bayou to me, but hot, humid, jungle-y is my least favorite kind of weather and I don't think I really want to smell like it – so it's off to swap.