Neo-Tokyo

[Penance]

A scent that captures a meeting of the serenity and elegance of ancient Japan, the vibrant, shining, neon-lit and ultra-modern splendor of today's Tokyo and the fantastic electric fantasyland of post-modern manga fantasy. Urban metallics and an ozone-tinged breath of electric light mingled with reedy bamboo, crisp mountain air, cherry blossoms, delicate orchid and a splash of playful, wet fruits.

First sniff:

Very clean. It smells like bamboo and...something metallic? I can't quite put my finger on it, but it's very fresh smelling.

Wet on skin:

The bamboo is very strong. It smells very clean and unobtrusively green and somehow reminds me of raw sugar cane without the sweetness. The scent combination reminds me of what the Garden Botanika store in our local mall used to smell like. It's looking very promising so far!

Dry down:

Still getting mostly bamboo, which is wonderful. It reminds me of fresh cut green wood, very clean and fresh and natural smelling if that makes sense. There's also a light floral beginning to peek out, but since I don't know daffodils from snapdragon's, I couldn't even begin to try and identify it. I'm thinking it's likely the orchid the description mentions. Whatever it is, it's not at all offputting like florals usually are for me.

The bottom line:

I tried this on a whim (and apparently I was meant to as I've gotten two more freebie imps of it with some recent swaps) and I really like it! I feel like I'm not even wearing perfume with this on, more like I'm fresh out of the shower and standing outside in the spring air. It's floral, but in a very understated way. It's green without being masculine. It's light and airy and, above all, fresh. A surprise winner!

[grrrlennyl]

neo-tokyo

 

at first: a watery floral and...soap? interesting and light.

on: definitely floral, but with something sharp underneath. very different.

4.5 hours later: a little soapy and biting. i'm not sure if i'll end up liking this.

6.5 hours later: lighter and not as biting. nice, but not much more.

overall: i like it, but not enough to keep it.

[TheDarkMother]

In the Bottle: Neo-Tokyo smells utterly fantastic! Cherry blossoms and Orchid make a beautiful combination, with a hint of sharpness that is very hard to explain.

 

On Me: Wow, the first thing that comes out is the ozone/air scent. Crisp, clean, and lofty. The cherry blossom/orchid mixture is far in the background, giving the impression of standing on a high moutain top over looking a valley of cherry trees and a villiage. Is that also Japanese Pear I am smelling? YES! I know that scent!! I wash my hair in that scent!!! Oh I am SO layering this on Japanese Pear and Ginsing!

 

This is divine! Utterly divine!! Especially with the fact that I can slatehr this one me and not feel guilty in any way!

[tempete]

Neo-Tokyo is delightful at first: the cherry blossom and fruity notes are balanced nicely by a strong green note (I'm guessing that bamboo is responsible for this). Unfortunately, as the scent dries down, the green note dissipates and leaves a mostly fruity scent on my skin, which is dominated by the cherry blossom. Since I don't like fruity scents unless they're balanced by other notes, I have to pass this one onto the swap pile.

[jj_j]

As soon as I sniffed the imp of Neo-Tokyo that the Lab sent with an order, I had to order a bottle. The soft, sweet grassy note of the bamboo - more leaves than stem for me - and the crisp, clear, dew-laden blossom that gives this a transparent sparkling feel are an amazing combination.

 

While I wish it lasted a bit longer, that's just the way it is with some of the lighter notes out there. Dry down has me thinking of elegant, expensive designer guest soaps that are so good they don't smell like soap.

 

I have an instant picture of Neo-Tokyo as the perfect scent for a formal evening in the springtime, and I think it wil be a good fit for crisp, cold, snow-laden days that almost seem to have no scent of their own.

[Fulltiltredhead]

I don't know how it happened, but tonight while going through my imps, I realized I had Neo-Tokyo and had not tried it.

 

OH! I love it so much. I cracked the imp open and thought "SPRING!" Spring means rain on cherry blossoms here, and that's what hit my nose first. Then the bamboo. Then citrus zest - more the peel than the fruit. Then orchid. All making a symphony of pure uplifting YUMMMMMMMMM. It's an instant spirit brightener in a bottle. It's the breath of angels.

 

If you're familiar with classic non-BPAL perfumes, this is, to my nose, a sort of floral aldehyde in the manner of Arpege.

 

Another masterpiece.

[starrykitten]

I was surprised by how much I loved this. The bamboo is very clean and grounding, but the metallic bite of the ozone gives it a nice, faraway feel. The cherry blossom and orchids are there, adding a wistful and delicate note at the end, but they certainly don't overpower.

[phaedrine]

I really wanted to love this one...

 

For the first hour or so, I did love this. It is terribly fresh and clean and crisp, all bamboo and light florals.

 

Then, almost an hour to the minute, it turned in to eye stabby pain drugstore perfume.

 

Dammit.

[magikfanfic]

In the bottle: Now, that's a plethora of scent. I'm sniffing it going, "Huh? Ugh. Hmm" because I cannot discern one scent from another. I'm also at a loss to describe it because it's a fruit floral one minute and then it grows darker the next time I sniff. Well, I'm pretty ready to try things after my pleasant experience with Danube so on it goes.

 

Wet: Cherries. I do not like the smell of cherries on my skin so I'm hoping this fades. Quickly. There's a breath of floral cherry, which is much nicer than just cherry. Oh, you're nice. What's that? This changes. Every time I smell my wrist something new is entering the picture. It is bright and metallic with soft edges full of flowering trees and big eyed girls.

 

Dry down: I think the orchid is getting prevalent on my skin. The cherry has, thankfully, faded out leaving this fairly strong floral. I'm not positive that it is the orchid but I hope so because I love them and this is nice. It's still bright and fresh. I smell the crisp air and the floral with the metallic there to provide a pleasant base off of which the other notes explode. The orchid has something of a soap quality to its undertone. One sec. I'm going to compare it to my orchid lotion. My lotion is sweeter but that's definitely the floral. More metallic now and maybe some of the bamboo. I don't know what bamboo smells like but this scent is green but lacking the fresh floral tone of the orchid. This smells so much better on me than in the vial where it's cherries, cherries, cherries.

 

Dry: This smells older than me. The metallic and the bamboo are more prevalent. I miss my pretty orchids. Hmmm, also the mountain air seems to have faded leaving a very old yet fresh scent that does remind of the Japanese girls with their big eyes and manga style clothes. It's pretty, but I don't know about wearing it often. I'll play with the imp, wear it a few more times at least as I'm still undecided on whether I like it or not.

[Caitfish]

An amazing scent. It stays very true on my skin, though I know that this is not the case with others who have tried it.

 

It really does smell... metallic somehow. I suppose that must be ozone. It smells like sharp, shiny, cold metal. If that were all, it would be a fairly uninspiring scent - but there is more. If a floating garden could grow in the middle of all of that metal, that would be Neo-Tokyo. Fresh, light - spring green scents - the reedy bamboo. Little, sweet, unintrusively beautiful cherry blossoms lend just a tiny bit of softness around the edges. And finally, something lush and wet - that must be the "fruits".

 

My *only* complaint about this scent is that I wish it lasted a little bittle longer. It sticks around upon very close inspection for about an hour, then it's gone. I can't decide if I should order a huuuuge bottle of this and slather it on or just let it be what it is and move on to things that stick to me with a little more vigor.

 

I think it's worth a huge bottle.

[LunaSea]

Neo-Tokyo was one of my imp-pack selections in my very first order. In the bottle, it smells wonderfully fresh and crisp. And citrus?

 

On the skin, still fresh, but with a faint sweetness underneath. And green. I can't really put a name to any note, as they are all blending so beautifully.

 

After a few minutes, the sharper notes (ozone?) come out and make this very fresh and clean. I remembered reading recommendations for this one as an after-shower scent, so I am wearing it after a shower and have to concur. But, the sweet notes are also coming out, trading places with the sharp, crisp notes. I smell one, then the other.

 

Later, oh no... powder. I am heartbroken! I am not going to give up on this yet - I'll give it a few more tries. But, damn. I am another one in love with Tokyo, and this was so lovely before my skin chemistry decided to mess with it.

[couscous]

Oh...lovely. I wore this while watching a Godzilla flick

 

I smell...bamboo? Some sort of green plant, but light and woody. The light wood is tempered by some ozone notes and makes this one extremely fresh, extremely clean, and very "un-perfume".

 

This would be great in shampoo, soaps, etc. It's so "anti-perfume" that I think it would work best in bath products. But a beautiful, light, airy concotion.

[rhubarbbear]

neo tokyo is a very fresh, light scent. i don't really get the metallics, but the ozone is there, and the bamboo and the blossoms...i don't get the fruit, either. still, its a very fresh, green, floral, and i love it! it's calming. i can see it being a great summer scent, and i'll probably order a big bottle in a couple months. i do wish it had more staying power- as caitfish said, its gone quickly!

 

its a good bedtime scent, too, and that way i don't notice it fading quickly

[nevermore]

Neo-Tokyo isn't really my style - green and aquatic, with a touch of florals. I wore it a few times, but it wasn't really somethink I wanted to smell like. Last night, after a bit of a spat with my parents, I decided I needed a really nice bath and not having any good bath products at hand, I tipped the entire imp into the bath tub. It was wonderful. I think I may have to buy a bigger bottle of Neo-Tokyo just to put it in my bath.

[Amaryllia]

As the single most anticipated smell in my very first BPAL order ever, I really wanted to love this one so bad -- AND I DO!

 

Sharp, green, mettalic, sweet cherry, it's all there, giving it a big zing initially which melts into a lovely metal-chill cherry flower (but not 'floral') scent that is both clean and sweet and fresh and very, very DIFFERENT. I feel like anime when I smell this. It's awesome, light and unobtrusive and nothing like the perfumes I've smelled before - the cherry blossom is unique in a way that makes me want it as a 'signature' smell, and I'll definitely be ordering a big bottle. It strikes me as very much a nighttime-in-the-city neon lights and concrete smell, something to wear out in wintertime wanderings downtown.

 

[Julilla Regina]

When I first applied this, I got something apple-y. A crisp fruit smell. After about half an hour though, it smells like...chrome. I know, I know, how can you tell chrome from steel or brass? But I can, and it really reminds me of shiny, ultra bright chrome. There is a very mild green flavour to it, I think it must be the bamboo.

 

I like it, but I don't think this is particularly me. I think it would be really great for someone who wants a non fussy, bright, mild fruity/floral scent that would be appropriate for day time. And of course it would be perfect for a neo-Geisha to wear during a tea ceremony or while playing shamisan. If you have ideas about crowded, busy, ultra modern Tokyo and it's history, it's all here for ya!

[paperdoll]

Initial Sniff: I smell green, ozone, and cherry blossoms. This is not really my kind of scent, but I'll give it a try!

Wearing: This scent is very cool and distant. It doesn't really warm up at all on my skin, in fact it stays pretty true to the scent in the vial. I'm really not getting much in the way of fruits with this one.

Final Impressions: Pretty, but not at all me!

[purely_cosmetic]

To me, this smels very similar - if notthe same - in the vial as it does on the skin - which is the first bpal to do so for me.

It smells of diluted fruits, and yes, blossom is a prominant scent on me. It might be the bamboo I can smell, as there is something grounding this to prevent it from being too....vague if that makes any sense.

 

In fact, this smell reminds me strongly, neigh, is virtually the same as a perfume I used to have hen I was very very young which I think was by Nina ricci. Does anyone know what Im talking about? It came in a green twirly bottle.

 

It's a very fresh, light smell. However, the lightness is deceptive. Just because its not overly heavy doesnt mean it's any less invasive!! The other two smells I was testing on my arm smelled like this after ten minutes!!! lol!!

 

Nice...I dont know about getting a bottle but Ill keep the imp.

 

I think my problem is that it reminds me of being 12 and wearing the nina ricci!!

 

If any-one's interested Ive tracked down the exact perfume it reminds me of

 

Floral, Fruity, Green. Designed by Nina Ricci in 1996, Les Belles De Ricci is a refreshing, floral fragrance. It is the result of the following top fragrance Notes: bergamot, citrus and peach. The middle notes are: lemon, honey and orange blossom and the base of the fragrance is: vetiver, oakmoss and sandalwood. Les Belles is recommended for daytime use.

Edited January 27, 2005 by purely_cosmetic

[Gin]

I'm so surprised that more people haven't mentioned mint. At first, Neo-Tokyo is all mint to my nose. But maybe that's just my wonky nose and it's not mint at all?

After the mint-that-might-not-be mint, Neo-Tokyo stays very sharp, but changes into the metallic-ozone scent others have mentioned, over a green and floral backdrop. It's somehow shocking and beautiful, sharp and soft, all at the same time. Eventually, this softens a bit into a a softer, clean, soapy scent. I like this quite a bit, more than I expected to. In fact, I like it more and more every minute. It's seems so clean, it makes me think of spring and the first pale green leaves unfolding on the trees. This would make a perfect linen spray or a fantastic candle scent.

[oatmealneko]

Wet - smelled the lemon right off, it reminded me of Embalming Fluid.

 

Dry - Lemon fades away, but it's replaced by a smell I can only categorize as crisp & clean. It feels light & airy, but with green undertones. It also has that metallic-ozone scent that the others have mentioned. The florals are balanced well by the bamboo, which I'm guessing is the "green" smell I can pick up. On me, it's not too strong, nor very weak.

 

I've worn this scent a few times already. It usually lasts the whole day on me. It's fairly strong within the first hour or two, then softens to last most of the day.

[aurianrose]

I really smelled the cherry blossoms when I first sniffed it in the imp. It smelled a little too fruity for me at first, but it really settled down when I put it on. I didn't smell much of the ozone/metalic scent, but that might just be my nose. Sadly, it doesn't feel like it's lasting very long on me -- maybe that's just because it's a really light scent. However, I really like it. Maybe not a big bottle purchase, but I will definitely use my imp.

[requieminblack]

First sniff from the bottle- Woh! Smells like clean wet laundry!

 

After 10 minutes- This is very clean and lemony smelling. It's a soft scent, not over powering at all. All I can think of when I smell this is 'Snuggle' fabric softener.

 

After 30 minutes- It has almost faded completely. I can detect a faint whiff of something soft and clean (ozone?), but that is all.

 

Summery- Neo-Tokyo is a great scent if you want to smell shower fresh clean. Not my cup of tea, so off to swaps it goes.

[tokyogirl]

My first BPAL scent, and my first review!

 

I really, really, really wanted to love this. Oh god, how I wanted to love this. My first order was a 5mL of Neo-Tokyo.. and that's it. I bought an imp off of a forum member in my impatientness.

 

My reaction (my second reaction, because I hadn't rolled it first and I wasn't prepared - eww, dollar store perfume!) is almost exactly the same as Gin's. I'm not too great with notes, but..

 

Bottle: Yes, mint!, and a light, sweet, citrus-y note - an orange in a bed of flowers. Not surprising. I love mint, so yay!

 

Skin, wet: More flowers, and a metallic tone. Crisp.

 

Skin, dry: I can smell the ozone now, and I like it! It's so very fresh.

 

Half an hour later: The scent is almost totally gone - My nose was pressed against my wrist. After the nice fresh stage, it started alternating between oh-so-fresh and oh-so-synthetic, and now it just smells like I took a tour through the perfume department at Walmart.

 

Overall: It was really, really light the whole time, which isn't a terrible thing. I did like the first stages, but I'm sure someone who didn't take the time to pick out the notes wouldn't - and that's a big thing to think about in high school! It blended strangely on my skin. Damn! I'm going to try this with my 5mL bottle when it comes in, and I'm keeping the imp. I hope I can adjust.

 

(Note - this review is coming from a girl raised in an anti-perfume family. My dad is 'allergic', so I'm not adjusted to any sort of perfume. I was hoping for something more 'non-perfume-y', but if you're used to normal scents then follow another's words. )

 

ETA: This didn't smell like Tokyo to me, either, except the metallics. Death at my skin.

Edited February 18, 2005 by tokyogirl

[Bard]

I love this scent. So much so that, I'm not sure that I could possibly be at all critical. As others have said, it's a very clean scent, the fruits, florals and greens kept very light, and the ozone sets it off perfectly.

 

It seems to last for a few hours on me, which is just enough for it I think. Those that said this would make an excellent bath and body wash fragrance hit the nail on the head. Into my soaps and lotions it shall go.

 

The beauty of this scent is it isn't very strong, but it's so lovely that it makes you want to lean in and get a closer whiff. I can imagine many pleasant mornings lost to the exploration of this scent.

 

By midday it may be gone, but then you can pick out something sultry for the evening. Not a bad trade-off from my perspective.

 

 

Neo-Tokyo Haiku:

Caught in the spring rain,

Wetting the swelling blossoms

Of her yukata.

[mmcfa2]

To me this is the smell of early spring! Young green things and soft young flowers without being cloying or overly sweet. It makes me think of daffodils poking through the snow. I clearly get the bamboo, but the impression is of crisp, cool new growth. It is cool and very green. This is a granny smith apple in the mountains, or a new cane pole at a cool river. Very nice, very nice indeed.

 

Sadly the lasting smell on me went grapefruit smelling as scents sometimes do, but the early impressions are enough to make me try it again.

 

edit: the grapefruit smells ( likely the metalics) are slowly going away, but i still liked it wet best, might be a scent to try with a scent locket or in a candle or something... very clean overall, almost like lever soap in the pure rain scent, actually I sniffed a bar and it's VERY similar.