Recs for Longest Lasting Oils

[Constance]

I recently ordered several imps, including Cheshire Cat and Shanghai. I really love Shanghai, and like Cheshire Cat a lot as well. Only problem is, neither one of them has much staying power. Are there any other BPAL scents which smell similar to these two, but with more staying power? Thanks in advance for any recommendations.

[donnatron]

On the Shanghai front, you could try Cordelia from the Illyria section. It's sort of a clean green tea scent. Embalming Fluid from Ars Moriendi is a favourite among the forum and the musk note tends to help it linger.

 

You might want to try other fruit scents from the Mad Tea Party for Cheshire Cat. Frumious Bandersnatch is a spicy plum/carnation scent. Tweedledee has a really lingering kumquat.

 

If you're willing to buy a limited edition bottle, Carnival Diabolique from CD is a really lovely spicey lemon scent. It's got the citrus element but is a bit more sweet/musky than Cheshire Cat and Shanghai.

 

ETA: You can also try the Beyond Perfumes section in BPAL chatter. It has a lot of handy tips on improving wearlength and throw from mixing in with carrier oils to using a scent locket.

Edited July 4, 2008 by paperrose

[Constance]

Paperrose, thanks very much for the reply. I will check into your suggestions, Carnivale Diabolique sounds like it would smell really good. But I don't think I could bring myself to wear something called Embalming Fluid.

[lysithea]

I have found that Cheshire Cat lasts much longer once it has aged a bit. The musk settles in nicely in the blend. The grapefruity top notes do disappear a bit, however.

 

If you can do vanilla/tea scents, I'd suggest Dorian. It has a quality that rings somewhat "similar" to the white musk in Cheshire Cat. It has a medium-to-long wearlength.

 

I never could get Shanghi to last on my skin. The notes just poof right off. I would second the recommendation of Carnaval Diabolique. That is some long lasting goodness!!! It has a depth to it that I think you would enjoy as well.

[Dracoo9]

I agree that once aged Cheshire Cat stays a lot longer. For me my skin soaks this particular scent up very quickly, along with other grapefruit notes. I put it in my hair, that way I can still enjoy it and I dont need to worry about my skin soaking it all up

 

As for Shanghai for me Morocco is similiar but more distinguished and a little goes much longer.

[lameir]

I love Shanghai as well, and have the same problem -- it's gone within minutes. So sad! I'll have to second the Embalming Fluid recommendation just because the two scents are so similar to my nose. I do prefer Shanghai because it's softer and subtler than EF, but at least I can still smell EF an hour later ...

 

I've been trying to come up with alternatives that are less gruesomely named, but honestly, nothing I've tried comes closer to Shanghai than EF. (I adore Morocco, but it smells completely different to me.)

[fairnymph]

If I REALLY slather Cheshire Cat, I can get it to last about 6 hours.

 

Shanghai, no matter how much I slather, won't even last an hour.

 

I love both scents too, but especially Shanghai. I never even GET any honeysuckle at all from the latter, but it has the best green tea note ever.

 

Some blends that remind me of Shanghai: F5 (LE but not impossible to find), Embalming Fluid, Phantasm, Holiday Moon (LE, semi-rare)

 

Some blends that remind me of Cheshire Cat (note, I never get ANY grapefruit or red currant from this but citrus often fails to appear or quickly evaporates on me): Rome (more floral with a strong rose note, but otherwise, there's a lot of similarity), Dyan Moon (except way more floral overall, but the herbal-woodsiness of Dyan Moon is similar), Envy (minty, but the lavender and herbs are reminiscent), King of Hearts (though woodier and more floral), Lurid (probably the most similar of all), Mad Hatter (except pennyroyal mint)

 

The blends which are similar to Shanghai are much more similar than the CC blends. I think CC is fairly unique in the BPAL catalogue.

Edited July 5, 2008 by fairnymph

[AcadianSidhe]

Being an oily Sicilian, I've always had trouble getting any fragrance to stay on my skin for more than two hours. Even perfume oil fades before too long- so much so that I use up my imps in a matter of weeks. Which oils have you noticed have the best staying power? I don't want anything too pungent, but I do want something that will last.

[jizatt]

longest on me so far: Bien Loin d'ici

 

(lemme think a bit and I'll come to try to update a couple more)

[galahad]

For me so far:

 

Anubis

Hand of Glory

Shub-Niggurath

 

have major lasting power

[Monster]

Mme. Moriarty

Antikythera Mechanism

Dionysia

Graveyard Dirt

Samhain

Urd

Carceri D'Invenzione

 

All of these last a really long time on me...even when i go to the gym and sweat my butt off, I can smell the oil on me afterwards.

Edited August 27, 2008 by Monster

[sweetjane]

The general catalog scents with the best longevity on me:

Blood Rose

Defututa

Embalming Fluid

Hollywood Babylon

Lady MacBeth

O.

 

The LE that lasts the best is Christmas Rose.

 

This is a good question for me. I tend to only bottles of scents that will last so although there are lots I love, they just don't linger on me even if I slather them. I love the wafting of whatever I'm wearing each day.

 

This will give me some ideas for new things to try.

[donnatron]

It really depends on what scents like your skin and what scents also appeal to you. For instance, Satyr lasts days and days on me. That would be wonderful if it hadn't been a multiple shower ordeal to get the hideous scent off my skin. So if you hate something but it's lasts, it might be something of a gift of the magi situation

 

From experience, the longest lasting scents usually have some sort of wood, resin or component that is largely non-floral or citrus. If you like those:

 

Lust: With the exception of the ylang ylang, this scent is great for longevity. Myrrh, red musk and patchouli.

Snake Oil: If you don't like sweetness, this may not be for you. I find it lingers, but the sweetness is really strong after awhile. I like it, but if I fall asleep wearing it, it sometimes smells like molasses when I wake up.

The Caterpillar: It's got a base of patchouli and vetiver, which I find helps it hold onto the incense and floral notes better. It also has jasmine which tends to amp up on a lot of people's skin, so if you like jasmine and it stays true to scent on your skin, it will probably last a while.

Hermia: The pink pepper and the passion flower give this throw like nobody's business. It's actually a bit of a lighter floral, but it tends to cling to skin.

Black Annis: One of my favourite scents involving civet. Civet is a contankerous note and sometimes it can smell like something festering (Satyr) or it can lend a really interesting, animalistic note to a complex blend, such as in Black Annis. For civet, I haven't tried Debauchery yet, but it's got fairly positive reviews and it appears to also have a fairly long wearlength.

Eat Me: Especially fresh, this one is like "HI! DO YOU LIKE CURRANTS? BECAUSE I SMELL LIKE CURRANTS! SO MUCH CURRANT! CURRANT FOR ALL!!! Oh, have some cake, too." I'll put this on before work and still smell it loud and clear at the end of the day.

Dee: It's a combination of strong, masculine notes (rosewood, leather, incense, parchment, tonka) and it has lots of throw and staying power.

Twilight: The best straight up floral I've found for lasting power. Honeysuckle, jasmine and lavender. Clean, fresh and pretty.

 

If you check out the Beyond Perfume forum there are a lot of discussions about alternate uses of the scents and ways to increase throw and longevity. Mixing the scents with alcohol can work because then you can spritz the scent over your clothes as well. Using a scent locket or making lotion or dusting powder can also help because then you're doubling up on your scent as well as covering a larger surface area on your body. Good luck with your orders--hope you find something that not only lasts but that you love.

[Scanmike]

I find that Snake Oil, Shub Niggareth, TKO, and LE Red Moon and Chrysanthemum Moon last the longest on me. The shortest is Dan O'Shee and Egg Nog, which virtually disappears.

 

 

 

It really depends on what scents like your skin and what scents also appeal to you. For instance, Satyr lasts days and days on me. That would be wonderful if it hadn't been a multiple shower ordeal to get the hideous scent off my skin. So if you hate something but it's lasts, it might be something of a gift of the magi situation

 

From experience, the longest lasting scents usually have some sort of wood, resin or component that is largely non-floral or citrus. If you like those:

 

Lust: With the exception of the ylang ylang, this scent is great for longevity. Myrrh, red musk and patchouli.

Snake Oil: If you don't like sweetness, this may not be for you. I find it lingers, but the sweetness is really strong after awhile. I like it, but if I fall asleep wearing it, it sometimes smells like molasses when I wake up.

The Caterpillar: It's got a base of patchouli and vetiver, which I find helps it hold onto the incense and floral notes better. It also has jasmine which tends to amp up on a lot of people's skin, so if you like jasmine and it stays true to scent on your skin, it will probably last a while.

Hermia: The pink pepper and the passion flower give this throw like nobody's business. It's actually a bit of a lighter floral, but it tends to cling to skin.

Black Annis: One of my favourite scents involving civet. Civet is a contankerous note and sometimes it can smell like something festering (Satyr) or it can lend a really interesting, animalistic note to a complex blend, such as in Black Annis. For civet, I haven't tried Debauchery yet, but it's got fairly positive reviews and it appears to also have a fairly long wearlength.

Eat Me: Especially fresh, this one is like "HI! DO YOU LIKE CURRANTS? BECAUSE I SMELL LIKE CURRANTS! SO MUCH CURRANT! CURRANT FOR ALL!!! Oh, have some cake, too." I'll put this on before work and still smell it loud and clear at the end of the day.

Dee: It's a combination of strong, masculine notes (rosewood, leather, incense, parchment, tonka) and it has lots of throw and staying power.

Twilight: The best straight up floral I've found for lasting power. Honeysuckle, jasmine and lavender. Clean, fresh and pretty.

 

If you check out the Beyond Perfume forum there are a lot of discussions about alternate uses of the scents and ways to increase throw and longevity. Mixing the scents with alcohol can work because then you can spritz the scent over your clothes as well. Using a scent locket or making lotion or dusting powder can also help because then you're doubling up on your scent as well as covering a larger surface area on your body. Good luck with your orders--hope you find something that not only lasts but that you love.

[steelfaerie]

For a light, appley scent, I am really amazed at how Hesperides is capable of lasting at least a whole day and sometimes two. I put it on at 8 AM, it's 4:30, and I can still smell it strongly without even huffing my wrist. o_o;

[ClareN]

Being an oily Sicilian, I've always had trouble getting any fragrance to stay on my skin for more than two hours. Even perfume oil fades before too long- so much so that I use up my imps in a matter of weeks. Which oils have you noticed have the best staying power? I don't want anything too pungent, but I do want something that will last.

Oily skin should actually help your perfume last longer! If your skin is already oily, it won't "eat up" the perfume oil as quickly. I sometimes rub jojoba oil into my skin before I apply perfume and that seems to help.

 

Sometimes you simply don't notice your perfume after you've been wearing it for two hours, because your nose gets accustomed to it. Ask a friend if they can still smell it. I once complimented someone on her perfume and she said "Really? I put it on hours ago, I thought it had faded away," but I could smell her from a couple meters away.

 

But, to your original question - Scherezade, Eat Me, Vixen, Snake Oil, Death Adder, Western Diamondback, De Sade, Djinn, Umbra, and Tombstone are some of the longest-lasting oils I've tried. Depending what you mean by pungent, some of those scents might not be for you, but read some reviews and you'll get the idea.

 

Oh! And try putting the oils in your hair, if you have long hair. When I put TKO in my hair before I go to sleep, I can smell it throughout the next day, until I wash my hair.

[Lethran]

The Phoenix lasts at least a full 18 hours with copious sweating and excercise in the outdoors. O.o

[melrose]

Constance, I feel your pain. I've tried so very many BPALs that were gorgeous, yet faded within 30 minutes.

 

Here are the ones that have real lasting power on me:

 

Antique Lace

Aureus

Dee

Lust

Namaste

Spellbound

Tintagel

Vechernyaya

Velvet

[OhioSky]

I have found some scents last longer than others, but I have also found that depending on how I apply it, some scents last way longer than themselves, too. For example, Velvet disappeared in 30 seconds flat the first time I tried it, because I put it on my wrists. If you put it on the inside of your elbows, it lasts all day.

 

Also, I use coconut oil with my BPALs. Just take some oil, (doesn't have to be coconut) and put a few drops in your hand, and add a few drops of BPAL, and apply to neck and wherever. For some reason this does loads for wear time, and doesn't affect the scent much other than making some of then (Like Black Phoenix) a little less heady initially, which I have also found to be a benefit as some scents are so incensy to start off with that they give me a bit of a headache.

[Cereus]

Windward Passage lasts over 24 hours on me. I can usually still smell it on my wrist when I wake up. It is a light scent on me, though, and is eventually overpowered by my lavender soap.

 

The High Priest Not To Be Described is complex for several hours on me, but has a long, dry, chamomile single note for the rest of the day.

Edited August 30, 2008 by Cereus

[Cereus]

Mysterious 20 minute late double post? Ugh, sorry. Nothing to see here.

Edited September 1, 2008 by Cereus

[jupiternf]

Sugar Skull and Antique Lace last almost 24 hours on me. Strangely, my skin eats La Befana, which should be a sucker punch combo of both and therefore last FOREVER.

 

Scent free moisture helps things last one me as well- but anything with spf seams to eat or distort scent on me. Sugar Skull seems to be the only thing that can withstand spf.

[Lethran]

I just woke up after twelve hours sleep still smelling like De Sade. O.o

[fireweaver]

black tower lasts a long time on me.

[ami226]

I have found that Phantom Queen, Rose Cross, and Tiger Lily last forever on me. All three are lovely, though I have especially fallen in love with Phantom Queen! Sadly, others like The Unicorn and Harlot seem to fade so quickly.