Upa Upa

[Dracoo9]

Spiced rum, coconut, pineapple, and vanilla.

In the bottle: Rum...but a creamy carmel kind and coconut. This is kind of what I wanted a pirate scent to smell like. If I breath in real deep I can smell the vanilla. So far I'm really enjoying Upa Upa and I havent even put it on yet

On: ....I think I may need a backup bottle of this. Its really simply amazing. The pineapple becomes more detectable, the vanilla stepps forward more and the rum and coconut fade a bit into the background. I cant stop sniffing my arm its so amazing Its not as foody as I thought it would have been so I think that food lovers and non foodies will enjoy it as well.

4/7/08
Now that the bottle has lost its shipping oddities and calmed down a bit the rum isnt as strong and the pinnaple comes out more. It also lost its slightly cinnamon like scent. Edited April 24, 2008 by quantum spice

[frances92307]

I had really high hopes for this one, and although is does smell really nice, it wasn't what I was hoping for. I smell the spiced rum primarily, no vanilla and no coconut. When I apply it on my skin I get the pineapple then back to spiced rum. I bought it for the coconut, which my skin does not pick up on at all. I'll keep it, but it smells more xmas-ish to me than tropical.

[Heavenlyrabbit]

The Pineapple and Booze form an unholy, but intoxicating, union and actually manage to lull the coconut into a liquored-up trance.

Coconut is there but it's very submissive.

 

There is something providing some sort of warmth. No, not cinnamon. Ginger? It's not on the menu... I mean Notes. Maybe it's just my nose getting woozy from the booze.

 

This would NOT quench my thirst.

 

Of the three Tiki Bar blends I just tried, this is the hottest/sexiest and most evocative of a hot summer night and beating drums.

Edited April 4, 2008 by Heavenlyrabbit

[tuesdaynexxt]

I get the coconut & pineapple & a creamy vanilla initially. Just lovely! After a few minutes, it starts to heat up, with the spiced rum coming to the fore.

 

Unfortunately, a few more minutes and it's starting to all Yankee Candle on me!! Maybe if I wait a little longer...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ETA: A little more sniffing, and a quick look at Heavenlyrabbit's review, and I am definitely getting a cinnamon note. Specifically, a Trident Cinnamon gum note!!!

Rats!!!

Edited April 4, 2008 by tuesday

[CrazyPretzel]

Initially this smells surprisingly dark and spicy - that rum really means business. I think Heavenlyrabbit's right; there might be a little bit of cinnamon in the 'spiced' half of 'spiced rum'. The pineapple is not as forward and fruity as it is in Rangoon Riptide.

 

After a minute or so on my skin, the vanilla steps up, and that's when this starts to get really good. This is a creamy, sweet, and spicy scent more than a fruity one. I can see frances92307's point that there's something a little Christmassy about the spices, but I can definitely smell pineapple and coconut in here and that keeps it firmly tiki rather than tinsel.

 

The more I smell this one the more I love it. Such gorgeous spices! And the bikini babe on the bottle is adorable

[Brianne]

I REALLY want to like this one... no, I want to LOVE this one. It's one I bought a bottle of immediately because the idea of coconut and pineapple with rum was too much to pass up on!

 

Unfortunately, it just didn't work out on me the way I thought it would Some of the above reviews took the words right out of my mouth. I don't get pineapple or coconut in this - except for two seconds when I put it on I think I might smell pineapple. Otherwise, it smells like RUM. And... cinnamon. Which isn't a listed note, but I swear that on me, this smells like a cinnamon Christmas Yankee Candle. Not a bad thing, just not what I was expecting People who like a good warm rum scent might really enjoy this (so don't be discourage automatically by the coconut or pineapple notes!)

[inurbanus]

I've smelled this before! This smells like Red Lantern without the tobacco, or a strange mixture of Gluttony and Grog. It's one of the few foodie scents that doesn't immediately go plasticky on me, which is a plus, but it's not what I was expecting. In a perfect world, Upa Upa would be creamy coconut (think Eden) and juicy pineapple, but this is not the case. In fact, this one isn't even that fruity out of the bottle. If you're a rum fan, this one should be right up your alley. If not, it would be better to seek elsewhere.

 

3/5

[dawndie]

In bottle: creamy pineapple

 

On skin: sweet, creamy pineapple and coconut. Since we were just in Vegas I'm reminded of ambrosia, the omnipresent dessert in any decent buffet: pineapple and other fruit in mounds of whipped cream

 

Half-hour later: spicy boozy rum with coconut sweetness

 

In conclusion: this reminded me of Elegba, but the spice at the end gives an extra kick. Elegba went a bit plasticky at times, and Upa Upa seems to stay sweet & boozy enough to avoid that. Delicious without being too foody, a really fun blend!

[hkhm]

bottle: rum! but with that bizarre scent that spiked punch had that smells... vinegary... i suspect it is the pineaple...

 

wet: yum! this reminds me of a tropical version of creepy. this is all coconut, vanilla pineapple rum. i am so in the mood for an umbrella drink right now.

 

dry: this is increduble! it smells just like a pina colada on my skin. a definite keeper.

[Leopard403]

To me, this smells identical to Isle of Eden's Pineapple Stars scent (when IoE does it right, of course): Delicious pineapple with soft vanilla and the teeniest whiff of sweet boozy rum. A wonderful summer scent that I just might need more of.

[porcelina]

first, i love the labels on these atomic luau lounge bottles. so cute!

 

now... upa upa.

 

i get a lot of rum. there is something almost like flat, watery cola about it. rum scents have never really worked on me (except for mary read)... this smells like grog, and i swapped that pretty much instantly. the vanilla takes on the waxy candle-like aspects of love's philosophy and the pineapple is hiding. i am so disappointed... i wanted to smell like a pina colada and instead i smell like a cheap candle.

[Honeygirl]

Bottle: rum and pineapple

 

Wet: Like a classy pina colada

 

Drydown: There's a touch of vanilla, almost like a frozen pina colada with ice cream in it. Kinda foody, but I like it.

3.0 outta 5

[Pepperminx]

It's amazing to see the different scents that people compare this to. To me it's Sugar Skull and fruit punch, and that is a little different than I had expected. But I am liking it enough to keep the bottle!

 

* * *

 

Edited to add that testing this again today I get Egg Nog with a splash of pineapple and a tiny dash of coconut. Freshly applied there is a slightly fakey note to it, but it fades rather quickly.

 

All in all, love it, still!

Edited April 16, 2008 by Grynet

[pugmom]

I too love seeing what people compare this too, everyone has such different takes! on me it is extra rummy egg nog with a hint of pineapple that is there early on but fades. After that, to me it is back to spicy egg nog. No coconut to be found.

 

I like what it dries to, and I might be inclined to grab this in cooler months, but not summer.

[kelpsoda]

All I'm smelling in this is the rum. There's some fruitiness from the pineapple, but it's very faint. While the rum is nice and foody, I wish the pineapple would stick around more. What it really reminds me of is Red Lantern, though it's more a refreshing-caramel scent than a smokey-caramel one.

[lefthandmade]

This was a huge disappointment for me because i thought it would be so gorgeous one me.

In the bottle I get the rum and it's very nice, but once it hits my skin, the pineapple comes out. I had forgotten how I feel about pineapple: I like to eat it but the smell -not so much.

 

I wore it for a while and I like it much better than TE PO, but there was something in there that made me nauseous. I have enjoyed the rum in other scents like ELEGBA and GROG, but here it has this sidekick that I just can't take, and i don't know what it is.

 

I will let it age and see if it gets better with time though.

[Laurel the Woodfairy]

*perches at the Tiki bar; stares blearily at a nearby parrot*

 

Ok, time for another round! Upa Upa is majorly strong--I don't even have to lift my wrist towards my nose to smell it; the wafting works just fine. I can clearly smell pineapple and coconut, and something sweet and boozy that actually reminds me of Misk U without the coffee, though I know it's actually rum. I like it, but I would love it more if the fruits were stronger and the booze less so. So far, I don't have a favorite Lounge scent, but I do like them all and feel that they are perfect expressions of the theme!

[CiCi]

Upa Upa reminds me of a Hot Rum Toddy. It has that type of strong rum with almost a hint of clove in it. There is that almost bitter spice smell that cloves and cinnamon have. After warming up, vanilla makes it's presence known and it is very delicious. My body doesn't amp the fruit at all, just the rum, vanilla and spices. When I put my wrist up to my nose to smell, I touched my wrist with my lips and they stung! Ohhh! Another use for Bpal!!! I wonder if I can use this to plump my lips too????

[HappyLoveJoy]

Upa-upa is weird on me. It smells like a spicy, flat 7-up in a rusty can at first, and then the coconut starts to rise up and it's not a sweet coconut but more like the oil that comes from a fresh, opened coconut that's been lying in the sun . It's not bad, honestly, but that spicy note makes me think more of colder weather and makes it a brown scent. It doesn't stay spicy, which is good, and when I asked my kid what it smelled like he immediately said, "Coconut!" On me this is dark, dusty, dirty coconut with a slight waft of rum. Or... Capt. Jack Sparrow made me a yummy drink in a coconut shell with bits of husk in it and then in his drunken stupor he dropped it.

[grrrlennyl]

At first: Lots of rum and buttery coconut.

On: The pineapple really comes out when this is on. I like this a lot.

1 hour later: Wow, the vanilla is really coming to the front now. It's made the other notes blend better and gives the scent a nice, smooth feel.

2 hours later: The vanilla and rum are the strongest parts of this now, but I can still smell the pineapple and coconut.

Overall: I adore this! I've been waiting for a BPAL like this for a while, and I'm so glad I finally have it. I have the feeling I'll be wearing this a lot.

[suileach]

Spiced rum, and how! In the vial, it reminds me of Egg Nog.

 

The flash of vanilla fades quickly on my skin, and the pineapple comes out to play. And it gets spicier! Goodness me.

 

There's a cool, creamy component to the throw that isn't apparent up close...I think it's the coconut. When I get near my arm, I'm overwhelmed by the spicy rum.

 

Drydown is a cinnamon candy scent.

 

On the whole, I prefer Egg Nog as my rum scent, and the fruit and coconut in this fade too quickly on me for it to be unique enough to be worth getting.

[savage_rose]

In the bottle it smelled overwhelmingly foody. I thought, "Well, better try it anyway." But on, WHOA! The pineapple and coconut fade a bit, and the rum (which normally smells bizarre and not good on me) smells more like a spiced warm beverage. But summery! It's creamy and warm and perfect...nothing like what I was expecting. But even better!

 

Now it's smelling like cinnamon...like a gorgeous, expensive perfume version of The Pirate's Wench. LOVE.

Edited April 18, 2008 by savage_rose

[pamplemousse]

Testing newly-arrived decants!

 

This was one for which I had super-high hopes. In the imp and wet on my skin it is a delicious sweet pineapple with a hint of rum. I mean, want-to-lick-your-arm, expecting-sticky-yellow-juices-to-be-dripping-down-it, sweet pineapple.

 

As it dries on my skin, the intensity of the pineapple fades and I get some of the spice from the spiced rum.

 

And then a strange thing happens, after about 20 minutes -- it disappears completely on my skin.

 

I love this, but will evidently need to wear it in a scent locket. Sigh... probably no bottle purchase of this one for me.

[requieminblack]

Upa Upa, how I love you so! This one was love at first sniff. Love! In the bottle this is warm and creamy spiced coconut cream PIE. Once on my skin the pineapple comes out and mingles with the coconut and the rum. It stays a gorgeous spicy coconut rum on me for hours and fades slowly into a pina colada-custard. For me this is the only of the Tiki bar scents that had staying power. I can still smell this on my skin after 24 hours. OMG I can't get enough of this. Must order more!

[dixiehellcat]

i figured this would be totally foody, too much so for me. But what a surprise! The spices in the rum predominate on me. The fruits dance around in the background doing arm rolls like the Pips, but the spices are Gladys singing lead. And it lasts. Yum! I need a bottle or 2.