Aelopile

[ACVail24]

AELOPILE

Smoldering coals heat the device from below, and steam hisses through two curved pipes, rotating the shining brass sphere.

 

Glowing amber and citrus, labdanum, verbena, cedar, and oud.

 

First?

oh my!

 

In the bottle:

Nothing jumps out, though it smells smooth.

 

On my Skin, Wet:

A blast of citrus! this is the entire citrus family, not just an orange or lemon. It seems to be mostly lemon and grapefruit to me, but there's also some orange and possibly some lime too - I LOVE the lab's lime note!

There are no other notes that I can distinguish in the wet stage, though I can tell that there's more to this than the citrus orchard I'm getting.

 

On my Skin, Dry:

Amber appears - warm and inviting amber.

this mixes very well with the citrus notes - I had secretly been wanting an amber & citrus blend for a while but figured it might be too weird.

I am starting to get the oud, and on me oud has a ever slightly bitter tone to it. This is fine since it remains very subtle.

I hope I can smell the cedar eventually, though the amber and citrus are both strong and delicious!

 

Verdict:

Delightful! Wonderfully fresh citrus paired beautifully with very smooth clear amber.

Thank you BPAL!

[galleywest]

Hello everybody, and thanks for joining us tonight! This month one of the big hits on the BPAL forum is Antikythera Machine, a scent that's wowing audiences with its smoky vanilla and heady tobacco notes. One of the other scents that's making its debut, however, is Aelopile. This soft, classic scent has a more feminine edge, yet don't let it fool you--this is no timid floral, but a full-bodied citrus with a few surprises up its sleeve. You'll never guess, as it leads you on its twists and turns--where it will end up.

 

CAUTION: SPOILERS AHEAD

 

The perfume opens as so many of them do, in an imp. Aelopile is a lovely golden orange color that, when opened, seems to be a strong, woodsy scent. That's cedar, who takes over at the initial stages. We smell him here as a note similar to the one he plays in Grandmother of Ghosts, which is somewhat overpowering but not unpleasant. At this point the other notes are definitely in the background, though you'll definitely recognize the early stages of citrus. And you exotic wood fans: watch for oud peeping out in the background!

 

Once applied to the skin the plot begins to morph for this bunch of notes. We can see they're all from very different places, different backgrounds. How will they all learn to work together? is the question we're all asking. It doesn't seem possible that they can all learn to work together.

 

The first note to come out and declare dominance is defintely verbena. Verbena, verbena, verbena. Now, as a reviewer and a perfume wearer, I should make it clear that I've had a rocky relationship with verbena. I've seen some promising scents get overtaken by verbena and was disappointed by the overall performance. Whitechapel, which, with those notes should have been a blockbuster, was completely overpowered by her style. At first I'm sure that's what going to happen here. But what's that? There's cedar, holding his own! Oud, who should have a slightly more complicated role than this, is there too, but hanging back. Citrus, bless her, is doing her best to get in on the action and sidestep verbena.

 

Then comes the drydown, and the final twist. Amber, who's been silent until now, finally makes her move. She and citrus stand up to verbena. Now, it would be easy for me, as a reviewer, to paint verbena as a one-dimensional, overpoweringly lemon note. I can't do that, though. Here we finally see some depth to her character. She's able to work through her differences with citrus and amber; amber--calm, sophisticated amber--suddenly becomes the star of the show. Cedar has been watching throughout, providing that background stability he does so well (I always like cedar in this kind of role rather than a starring role. His competance as a supporting note is commendable here).

 

Finally, like the prodigal son, oud comes back out. The only real question one might be asking now is, "what about labdanum?" To be honest, labdanum didn't add much to the plot. I hate to say that, but it was a bit part that could have been played by almost any note: davana, neroli, Gwyneth Paltrow, you name it. I guess all those late nights out and being chased by paparazzi have taken their toll on labdanum's career!

 

Just before the credits, in the final stages of drydown, we get our happy ending. Now, some people say happy endings are cliched and overdone. I say that if a happy ending involves a beautiful amber/citrus/woodsy scent, than give me cliches every time! Credit has to be given to the labbies and BPAL for directing these notes in a way that was surprising--I never knew how the final scent was going to go. I'm glad it didn't end in a hail of gunfire and a trip to the Swaps Forum!

 

3 stars.

 

ETA: We have been advised by labdanum's legal counsel that labdanum did indeed work on this scent and that she is present in the drydown approximately 1/2 hour after application. Thus, in the interests of accuracy (and under the threat of legal action), we humbly submit a retraction of earlier comments regarding labdanum. Our apologies.

Edited May 5, 2008 by galleywest

[Brianne]

Oooh! At first it's a blast of bright citrus - lemony and fresh. On my skin the cedar starts to become more clear, offering a woodier, drier base for this. The amber smooths it all out and what's left is a very nice warm, citrus blend with a slightly bitter, woody background. I really like this, lovely and golden!

[penemuel]

I really want this oil to smell on me the way it does in the imp. The initial imp scent and first wet stage on my skin is a beautiful mix of warmth and citrus, and it's just so golden and glowing. As it dries down, citrus keeps battling back, but the cedar is trying REALLY hard to go to pencil shavings on me. I keep getting whiffs of the sweet, bright citrus, but then there are those darned pencil shavings. I love cedar and I really wish it wouldn't do this. And I'm not getting any hint of the amber at all...

 

I'll have to try this again on another day and see if it behaves better. If not, I'll try it in my hair or in a locket, because that wet stage is just so lovely!

 

And about an hour and a half later, hello, amber! The pencil shavings have died down -- now it's a nice subtle wood scent, with the sweetness of amber coming to play. Not too much citrus at this point, though.

Edited May 6, 2008 by penemuel

[Delirium1009]

In bottle/imp: Warm, glowing cedar and citrus.

 

Immediately on skin: This is a strong citrus and cedar combo… very complex with hints of lemon, possibly lime, and strong verbena with the cedar blending in. The combination reminds me of anise almost, and is so sharp it almost makes my nose burn a little. It’s a very high, shrieking scent right now. The amber is there, but very subtle. It brings the scent down and grounds it just a tad, and blends nicely with the cedar.

 

After a little while: This morphs into a golden amber and cedar scent with a hint of citrus. This just feels very warm and dry. It’s not a sweet scent, and has a very grounded quality to it now. The citrus (lemon, I think) adds just a touch of airiness to the blend.

 

Overall Impressions: This is a great blend for those who like cedar, or people who don’t mind it and may like warm, woody scents. The lemon adds a little sweetness and lightness to this, but mostly this is very woody, golden, and dry. This is definitely unisex, and seems like a nice cozy scent.

[devilbunnyart]

On my skin and to my nose, I get the warm citrus from Carnal. But instead of that fig and tea feel that I get from Carnal, there's a sharp bitter...almost medicinal background to it. As others say, maybe that's the wood.

 

I prefer Carnal for this kind of scent, but this is nice.

[Honeygirl]

Bottle: Cedar and amber

 

Wet: Very warm and sexy. The cedar and amber combined with the citrus make it complex and inviting.

 

Drydown: The citrus makes this a very 'me' scent. Love it, need a bottle.

3.5 outta 5

[Heavenlyrabbit]

Verbena, citrus and cedar combine for the brightness.

 

The resins are the core material being consumed.

 

Unique. It fills a niche in this Incense/Resin lovers collection.

 

If you love resinous BPAL and have waited for or wondered about an Incense and Citrus blend... we've got one.

 

Perfect for summer. And workouts.

[savage_rose]

At first it's all spicy, tart lemon. Once dry for a while the lemon dwindles to the faintest of notes, and it's mostly cedar. It's okay, but somehow I think the blend falls flat with my chemistry.

[lysithea]

I did get a lot of citrus from this blend initially. Unfortunately, the entire blend just screamed on my skin. Cedar definitely lasts a long while yet it isn't too woody or fresh. It is a pervasive blend. I got a thumbs down from the hubby. Amber has a tendency to amp like crazy and take over a blend when I wear it and that is precisely what happened in this case. It is a warm scent in feeling. Amber lovers should really dig this blend.

 

Throw is above average.

Wear length is well above average.

 

Disclaimer:

I knew going into the Steamworks scents that most of the notes were not the kind of things that usually work on my skin. Aquatics, ozone, leather, etc. all tend to amp and turn into masculine cologne for me to varying degrees. This entire line is very unisex, by nature. I love the concept and feel that the blends deliver exactly as described. Even if I can't enjoy them to their fullest, I can appreciate the intent and artistry behind them. I hope that all our BPAL fellows have a ball with this new line. I imagine that there are several blends here that will totally rock their socks. I only wish I could turn my hubby into one of those guys because I know there are several things here that would smell amazing on him.

[alicia_stardust]

Wet, this is cedar, amber and citrus. As it dries, there is a soothing layer of sticky, golden amber that is brightened by citrus and verbena. I like that the citrus and verbena doesn't come across as any one type of citrus fruit to me; rather, it's just a general jolt of citrus. As time passes the cedar grows stronger and drier until it has an almost cedar dust vibe to it. This is a good blend for those who like wood and cedar especially. The rest of it is very unique and I love the way the amber and verbena play off of the cedar. Average throw and wearlength.

[Alchemy21599]

In the vial: verbena and cedar.

 

Wet on skin: very cedar-y. I tend to amp cedar like crazy, so YMMV.

 

Dry: The amber and laudanum really round out the scent and take the edge off the cedar and citrus. This scent did not have much throw and stayed close to the skin. A lovely scent that can even be worn in the most conservative office.

[Reaver]

On me, this is a pure jolt of lemon and lime fizzpop. After about half an hour, it calms down to cedar softened with the amber which is extremely pleasant but I had to put up with a sweet astringent shower gel scent for longer than I appreciated. This may be one to apply lightly, but it's such a light fragrance as it is that I find it hard not to slather. Two hours, and it was GONE. Also, where did that wierd apple note come from?

 

It would be nice to wear for a cheer-up bright citrus, but I now have Bed of Nails for that. Will be keeping the imp to see if the citrus dies down and the amber grows with a little aging.

 

Conclusion - I usually back the underdog, but this is just too flat.

5/10

[akiko]

I like this much better after it dries.

 

Imp: When I first took this from my mailbox, I sniffed the imp and said, "ooh, citrus!" and made my SO sniff it. He said "eew." I was perplexed until I sniffed it before applying it this morning. It's a weird, metallic, icky smell.

 

Wet: The weird icky smell persists briefly, until the citrus kicks on. Slowly, cedar makes an appearance.

 

Dry: Gets softer and softer, and I don't think this will last very long, unfortunately. The cedar fades out, and this becomes a strictly resinous scent.

[tereshkova2001]

Wet, citrus predominates in this one, but in a good way. It's a warm orangey citrus, not a lime or lemon. After several hours it's all rich resinous wood; both cedar and oud really shine here. That was a very dramatic change, but I like both aspects of this blend. Amber tends to amp all over my skin, but it doesn't here.

[Wwindy]

On initial application, I get a lot of citrus out of this. Weirdly, depending on where you sniff (left wrist, right wrist, neck, general throw) the citrus is either very sweet or has a very sour edge to it. I know, sounds crazy, but I asked my husband to smell a couple of spots and he actually thought there were different blends each place he sniffed!

 

As Aelopile dries down, the good stuff (the resins and woods, as far as I'm concerned! ) does intensify and the citrus backs off a bit, although it continues to make intermittent appearances. Unfortunately, something about the overall impression reads as classic men's cologne to me, and I just can't get over the random morphing citrus.

[gchris]

In Vial: Lemon and root

 

Wet: Smells like lemon candy but stronger and woodsy. There is a background scent of something vanilla.

 

Drydown: When I was a little girl my Grandmother use to make sassafrass tea for me from the bark. This scent, to me, smells like that tea with the addition of honey and lemon.

[greenranger]

In the imp...I can't discern notes, but, the scent seems sweet and golden.

 

 

Wet on me, the citrus is coming forward first, but I can tell the cedar is there...the other notes I either don't know what they smell like yet, or can't separate them out.

 

Yum, so far.

 

Drying, on me, mmm. This is a brighter golden scent than some that I like. More sunny and less sultry. A daytime scent, but with something interesting and spicy grounding it.

 

This is another scent where what is appearing on my wrist is different than on my elbow or the back of my hand. It's dissapearing on my wrist, but, wafting nicely from the elbow and hand.

 

Over time, the citrus vanishes. It might still be around as a slight sweetness hanging around the edges of the cedar. The amber hangs around a little longer, but, eventually all I get is the cedar. It's a nice cedar, though, and it stays around a good long while like cedar usually does on me.

Edited May 25, 2008 by Aerinha

[Ajila]

In the bottle – The citrus and the verbena and, well I would have said vetiver, but clearly I’m wrong. This reminds me of one of the Voodoo Blends, but I can’t think which one

 

Wet on me – The scent that rises up off my skin is the cedar, but if I sniff my skin I get the citrus and the verbena

 

Dry on me – A warm cedar blend that softens and develops a creamy edge as time goes on

 

Overall – The dry down is enjoyable, but on the whole I think that there’s too much cedar for me

[sparkybish]

In the imp: Citrus and cedar, with a hint of something warmer

Wet: At first the citrus amps up, but then it fades back and the cedar comes on a little too strong

Dry: It's settling into something that is cedary, and pleasant, and somewhat nostalgic, though I don't know of what. Maybe it is school. Pencil shavings and soap. It's growing on me the longer I have it on though. I would love to try this on my husband, but he is anti-smellies for himself. boohiss!

[vultureguy]

 

I wasn't sure what to expect from the Steamworks range. I've got Mechanical Phoenix (one of my first bottle purchases) and Aelopile is nothing like it.

 

As other reviewers have said, this is cedar. I was a little worried at first because sniffing it in the imp it doesn't grab me and shout "come dance!". In fact, I'd probably stand in a corner alone sipping my rum and coke if this were my dance partner and I went off initial impressions. It's cedar and lemon but without the citrus component of the lemon (that must be the lemon verbena playing in the bottle). But there's a vague almost soap-ish (?) undercurrent that I can't put my finger on.

 

Immediately upon application it is Lemonheads/acid drops. The verbena became bold and demanded that dance from me! She settled down though, did a graceful jitterbug with the cedar and both behaved impeccably.

 

It didn't last very long, it's faint now and mostly cedar a few hours after application, but it's a nice cedar and not sharp or pencil shavings.

 

This is a nice scent, it can work as gender neutral but some men might find it too lemony, some women might find it too woodsy. It's worth stepping out in your good shoes and getting an imp though! Let it do a little dance on your skin to see if it's your style. It will be interesting to see how this ages. We ordered on 2 May, got it out of the PO today (CnS 22 May) so it hasn't had a chance to settle too much yet.

[thatpirategirl]

Cedar, citrus, and something smoky. It starts out a little too lemony, but warms into a perfect wooden yumminess. It's quiet but curious, and it's not particularly feminine or masculine. Something about it is so utterly steampunky to me, it makes me glad I decided to try it out!

 

It's not the kind of thing I usually like to wear, but honestly I'm too enamored with it to give it away. It would be a perfect relaxing scent for sleeping, and provoking adventurous dreams.

[tartchef]

(approaching this with trepidation - amber & citrus could be a disaster...)

 

Wet, Aelopile is very much HELLOOOOO verbena! There's a quick flash of something soapy, but that thankfully vanishes within minutes. As it dries, the verbena eases off & allows the oud & cedar to come forward, a lovely woodsy, sticky resin scent. I love this stage, and wish I could stop the drydown here & now.

 

After an hour or so, though, the stickiness fades, and I'm left with a strangely mushroomy, rooty scent - really odd, not entirely pleasant. I'll try reapplying & see if another dose of oils helps things along a bit - right now, Aelopile is a candidate for the scent locket or the swap pile, I'm not sure which...

 

ETA: Nyerp. Even with another application, I still end up smelling like fungii.

 

ETA2: Oh now this is maddening. I'm sitting here, 9 hours later, and there is the most heavenly trace of scent on my wrists - smooth, warm cedar, with a sweet, crunchy resin over top. Absolutely divine. But I smelled like mushrooms for the bulk of the day. But... but... I smell really yummy now. Do I keep this? Oh, the suspense!

Edited June 3, 2008 by tartchef

[slave1]

AELOPILE

 

In Bottle: Sweet, smokey and citrus

 

On Skin: This is a scent full of contrasts. I smell the sweet woody cedar right away, followed by the tart citrus and verbena. The amber is very soft, slightly sweet and powdery. The labdanum and oud offer dark and resinous contrasts… so pretty. A gorgeous light smoke base. This scent would be beautiful on anyone I think. Very gender neutral. A unique scent that makes a statement without being loud or heavy. It has an average throw and long wearlength.

[Bagfish]

Aelophile is bitter and woody and has an overarching top note of verbena/citrus which is almost throat-catching in its intensity. I also smell a warmed metal scent - this is not listed as a note, but I can smell heat on unpainted metal, like the smell of a knife heated over a flame.

 

The amber is not at all obvious on me, it may be smoothing the scent down and playing in there with the woodiness.

 

Overall, this is a difficult, spiky, spiny scent on me and is not at all relaxing to wear. It's interesting, and I will give it another whirl later, and maybe try some of it on Mr Bagfish too.