Moai

[lisawoj]

Volcanic ash and Easter Island palm.

 

Definitely volcanic ash, although a little too sharp straight out of the imp. Nice to evoke memories but I don't think I could wear this.

[slave1]

In Bottle: Extreme ash and smoke

On Skin: Ashy/Smokey scents are my least favorite. This is not doing well on me. The ash is very dominant and very dark and sooty. The palm does offer a very light clean tone that peeks out from the background. It becomes a bit stronger as the scent develops. Still, it remains very smokey and not me at all. I have to wash it off… I have that whole campfire feel about me now. Strong throw, unsure of wearlength.

[Ginspu]

I got this as a decant from the lovely doulsen and finally got 'round to trying it. What I'm smelling is smoky and humid - like a campfire in the midst of the rainforst. Wet and green with smoke drifting through. It's different enough that I'm very interested in the scent, glad I got the decant.

[Scylla]

Whoa! Moai definitely is evocative of volcanoes! It is smoky and earthy at first, but it quickly begins to morph. As it starts to dry down, I can smell the green of the palm and vetiver peek out. As it dries down further, I detect a manly cologne. Not for me, but I think I'm going to have to try this on my husband--if he makes it past the initial volcano smell!

[fairnymph]

In the bottle: Smoky greenery and resins and deep, dry woods. The palm is strong, and the ash note reminds me of Brimstone. Definitely some vetiver, and also some sweetness (maybe from resins), as well as a tropical feel. Rather masculine.

[septima_pica]

This is right between Brimstone and Caliban. It's got the acrid smoke from Brimstone and the sweet soft palm from Caliban, and the resulting scent is soft, wet, smoky, and surprisingly lovely. Not getting the cologney masculine things other posters describe at all -- in fact, by the time this dries down to its final state it's quite mellow and not human-smelling at all.

 

I got it 'cause I'm a geology dork, and I'm not disappointed. That volcanic sulphur is there for sure. When I visited Hawai'i this spring, there was a smoke plume from Kilauea settling down over the desert, and then it rained -- this here is remarkably close to the smell of wet volcanic ash. I'm glad I grabbed this decant.

[zankoku_zen]

Smoky rocks? I get the smoke, but there is also something 'rocky' about this blend. I guess it must be the palm --- but no, seriously - smoky rocks.

 

I'm impressed, confused and still hella impressed.

[Seismogenic]

Things like this are why I should never under any circumstances look at reviews of past LEs that I may never be able to get my hands on beyond a decant or two. I saw the words "volcanic ash" in the description, I knew my geo-nerd sensibilities would not let me get away without trying this somehow. Many thanks to Tempest Teapot for the decant!

(Also, the Easter Island heads are just plain cool, even without the volcano factor. But I found out that the name Moai not only refers to the statues, but also to a rapidly growing seamount that went from zero to volcano in only a couple hundred thousand years - a blink of the eye geologically.)

Here is the part, though, where I admit that I don't actually know what volcano smells like. I have read descriptions, but my own nose has not experienced the reality. I'll see if this lines up with what I think from reading.

 

In the imp: A very sharp scent, almost acrid, which falls in line with what I'd expect for volcanic fumes. There is also a green sharpness that is distinct from the other sharpness. I assume this is the palm.

 

Wet on skin: If anything, this is sharper on my skin than in the vial. There is immediately more of the fumey smell, and less of the palm. It makes my nose tingle, not in an allergy way, but in a, "Wow, that is a strong smell!" way - even though there doesn't seem to be much throw at this point. I'm definitely getting something that smells like wet rock, too. Pretty much a dead ringer for wet rock, actually. Whoa!

 

Drydown: Freshly dry, this is all acrid sulphurous rocks still. At the one hour mark, it has become less strong, but is still all about the rocks and volcanic gases. Either I have no clue what palm actually smells like, or I amp geology like crazy, to the point of excluding many other notes. (Not that this would surprise me.)

 

Five hours later: The scent is much fainter now, and also much less biting. It is still predominantly rocky, though more like a soft ash than recently-cooled lava still spewing sulfur. Maybe the palm is peeking out a little now, since I'm getting a bit of something less mineral. This progression makes sense to me - after the eruption, plants reap the benefit of the fertile volcanic soil.

 

End of the day: Gone.

 

Overall: This is an amazingly artistically evocative scent. I may have never smelled a volcano in action, but the wet rocks and moist ash are so very true to life, and I would actually be surprised if the sulfuric smoke in this blend is different from the smell of a real volcano in anything but the most superficial of ways. I am so very impressed that the scent of the active earth itself can be put into a little bottle in this way. Much much love!

I cannot, however, think of many occasions that would call for volcano perfume. Geophysics conferences are probably some of the few places for which it makes sense, luckily for me! I think Moai complements my Mt. St. Helens t-shirt nicely...

I'm also trying to convince myself that I don't need to find more of this, even though the principle in and of itself makes me gleeful, and the actual smell is so accurate. But I also need to make sure there is enough of this left for me to compare with the way Kilauea smells, since I miiiight get to go there in the spring.

 

 

EDIT: Just looked at some of the other reviews. Vetiver? Seriously?! But it didn't make my airway close off or my nose itch incessantly! Perhaps I maligned it prematurely on account of its relation to citronella. Maybe the allergen in The Coiled Serpent was patchouli after all, rather than vetiver.

Edited September 4, 2008 by Seismogenic

[lacyjae]

I thought I'd reviewed this. I'm also glad I didn't read reviews first, as I get absolutely no vetiver out of this at all, thank the gods. No shrimp sauce. Yay!

 

When I put this on, it stays very close to my skin. I can smell wet ash, smoke, and some lightness from the palm. To me, this isn't an acrid smoke smell, but very nice. To me, it smells like my skin is made of smoke. I really love it.

[dawndie]

Wet: uh oh, ashtray

 

On skin: yep, lots of gritty ash. Can't say I'm surprised

 

Half-hour later: just when I couldn't take it anymore, this one softens a bit with what seems like juicy hearts of palm

 

In conclusion: I was afraid this would be a "yuck" blend, but it ended up pretty interesting. I would enjoy this as an incense, just not as a perfume

[voodoocatwoman]

In the bottle: Ash and green wood

 

Wet: The scent is a bit woodier now

 

Dry: Softens and sweetens a bit but still rather woody and ashy

 

OK but not magnificent.

[DigitalCoyote]

Bottle: Wright's Hickory Seasoning, also known as liquid smoke. It made me homesick. My mom smells like this when she's been barbecuing.

 

Wet: Campfire. Angry, burny, smoking campfire.

 

Dry: This is where it gets interesting. I'm not exactly sure what palm smells like, but after the smoke burns itself out...this gets really sweet on my skin. Not a foody sweet, like Beaver Moon, but not a flowery sweet either. It's very clean and appealing at that point. Fresh rain and happy plants clean and appealing.

 

If this were to be reissued, I'd hope that they could make the smoke tones shorter.

[Shollin]

First sniff: Smoke in the jungle. Harsh, bitter smoke and wet green leaves. I can’t get the image of the “smoke monster” from LOST out of my head.

 

Wearing: The wet greenness is definitely different – it’s a really interesting contrast with the dry, acrid smoke. But Moai is in the same family as Djinn and Brimstone, and I can’t wear those either.

[lamenteuse]

it the bottle: this smells like what I would expect a volcano smells like. All ash and bitterness

 

on n' dry: there's still that ash scent, but the green really pulls through once you've let it dry.

 

This is one of those scents that you have to give some time to. You can't jut slather and walk out the door, but need to let it dry properly so the full scent comes out. It's not...terrible, but I prefer to layer it with the sweeter smelling Luaus. This way, the bitterness of it can tone down the sugariness of the other scents and balance everything out.

[Monster]

In the bottle: Perfect smoky vetiver. Love love looovvvveeeeeee.

 

Wet: An almost "airy" smelling vetiver...like a tropical breeze is blowing through the smoky ash. This is lovely. There's a green quality to this too, just hint of something lush.

 

Dry: This gets even better as it dries. Maybe I'm crazy but I smell just the slightest hint of cherry o-O (??) Maybe my nose is playing tricks on me. The vetiver isn't as smoky anymore..it's still very prominent but has now alllowed more of that airy, lush quality to come through.

 

Overall: One of my favorite Luau scents by far. I had to track down an extra bottle of this since my husband and I both love to wear it. This is by far, the most beautiful version of vetiver I have ever sniffed!

 

Husbands Review: "This smells like antique clothing from a haunted mansion....with the faint memory of an old perfume left in the garment."

 

I love his reviews!

[surf-tormented]

Reminds me a lot of Serpent's Kiss minus the dragon's blood. Really nice, but I like Serpent's Kiss more and SK lasts longer on me. It is smokey though! Fab!

[strahlend]

I love Moai. It's smokey and earthy without any of the usual extras that make a scent go either way for me. It's a straight forward, smooth, earth that doesn't have the spikes or sharpness that other earth scents might have.

My partner said it reminded him of being in Hawaii and that until he sniffed Moai he hadn't even realized that he had a scent association. It was the first time I saw him amazed that a scent could so strongly communicate the essence of a place. It was pretty cool.

Two thumbs up!

[filigree_shadow]

Ash and palm? Er... this is pretty much just vetiver on me. Except for something that reminds me slightly of ... um... I hate to say this, but toilet cleaner. Are my scrubbing bubbles palm-scented? Maybe so. There are very few BPAL perfumes that just really don't work at all on me. This poor little guy is one of them.

[Teaotter]

I heard about this one as a smoky scent, and I had to get a decant. I'm so glad I did! It has the note I love so much in Havana!

 

Wet: Wet lava rocks. Sulfurous, mineral-rich, smoky rock smell.

 

Dry: Still very smoky, but the sulfur backs off a little and a hint of dry sweetness comes out. On me, this has good throw and lasts for hours, just like Havana.

 

I've been trying to figure out if the note I like so much in Havana is the palm or the snakeroot, and I think this may just prove that it's palm (from what other reviewers have said above). Now to go out and try all the blends with palm in them....

[Bunbun]

Today it's Valentine's Day! Lupercalia or some deeper ancient Greek celebrations have unfolded for centuries. I wanted a scent to remind me of the most ancient of these celebrations.... I searched my BPAL collection and everything was lovely, but just not hitting me with what I needed. But, then......... back in the dusty corner of one of my storage boxe's, the Polish wooden one, with the pretty wood burned and colorful painted butterflies.... An un-tested bottle of Moai. WOW!!!! I'm so happy!!! So SAD that this is discontinued.. If anyone has any of this they don't need anymore, I'll take it straight away. PM me Instantly!

 

I don't have the labs description and I really don't care what is in it. I L U U U U V this. AND NEED MORE!

 

Signature scent for me.... Yippy!

Edited February 15, 2011 by Bunbun

[Aviatrix]

I am not entirely sure how I feel about this.

I got a decant because the concept was intriguing, and it certainly is different! It is mostly smoke, but rather faint smoke at that, and perhaps a little bit of something else in the background. But yeah, mostly smoke.

I guess I was hoping for more of a tropical feel?

 

Anyway, give it a try if you like things like vetiver, or if you're a little adventurous!

[LizziesLuck]

What a neat scent! It smells like hot rocks! Something about it feels cleansing to me - like a sauna! I do get hints off ash, but that doesn't make the scent feel dirty or gritty at all, like I would usually find. I don't really get any palm that I can pick out. Mostly just hot rocks. How does Beth DO that? As much as I am totally fascinated by this and can't stop huffing my arm, I can't see ever wearing it as a perfume, so I will likely pass it along to let someone else experience Beth's artistry. What an incredibly cool scent.