Machu Picchu

[yeahbutnobut]

Machu Picchu

Sweet tropical fruits burst through deep, wet rainforest boughs, enormous steamy blossoms, over thin mountaintop breezes, mingled with the soft, rich golden scent of Peruvian amber.

 

In the imp: mmm, smells like a colourful rainforest! There are green damp notes here with sweet fruits and hints of floral.

Wet on skin: the green rainforest boughs are strong here, with scents of tangy fruit.

Dry: oooh, I really like this. Like Manila, this is another scent which captures a damp, humid, tropical jungle scent perfectly, though this one is much fresher, greener and with tangy fruit notes…I’m not sure what fruits are in here-maybe mango? Grapefruit? Kiwi? Papaya? I can’t guess from first sniff but these are tart fruit notes, possibly something citrus in here and I’m also pretty sure that there’s mango in here. There’s also the green, deep, wet scent of the rainforest greenery. However, I also get a definite cool breeze sensation from this scent, a soft breeze tempering the sticky heat of the jungle-to me, this breeze note is not really a blatant ozone note, but more of a ‘feeling’ than a scent. I don’t get florals and amber yet though.

After a while: holy moly, this scent has done a backflip. Before it was all tart fruits and green leaves, but now it’s sweeter, softer and smoother…it’s like breaking out of the dark shadows of the rainforest into a sunny clearing. The scent is now of glorious sweet fruit (I think mango is one of them, maybe guava is in here too-and something reminiscent of peach), soft heady flowers, and possibly the amber adding depth and richness. The scent is bright and golden now, sweet and lush. I think there may be frangipani/plumeria in here-I get that heady, creamy floral scent-but I could be wrong. Hints of greenery and cool breezes still linger, and the scent is now a lot warmer and smoother. This stage lasts through to the drydown, though sometimes the tangy fruits return every now and then.

Verdict: at first this is another one of those tropical scents which evokes the heat and humidity of the rainforest, though this one has a coolness to it that freshens the scent, it has dark green notes evocative of the thick foliage of the rainforest, and tart fruit notes. But then, suddenly, after about 20 mins, it all changes. The scent then sweetens and becomes golden and bright, smooth and sweet, with a gentle layer of yellow fruits, heady blooms, and amber. This is my favourite part of the scent-it’s gloriously exotic and warm. I’ve not been to Machu Picchu but I know my dad has, and I gasped in wonder when he told me about it and showed me pictures of those amazing Inca ruins. I know that if I ever go there, I’ll definitely take this scent to enhance the experience. This scent is my new favourite of the ‘tropical’ scents, the perfect fragrance to escape the winter cold. I may have to get a bottle soon.

Edited February 25, 2006 by Shollin

[Wench457]

Machu Picchu ITB: fruity with a spicy edge. Delicious!

 

On: jasminey, but not as bad as jasmine usually goes on me. There seems to be another floral softening it - white ginger perhaps?

 

Dry: a lush floral with a lot of spice. Very smooth and pretty and incredibly well blended.

[Aredhel]

Rating (on skin): 3/5

Summarised in a word or two: Floral

 

In the imp: Very floral, but I can't really pick out any individual notes. Sweet and a bit grassy.

 

On skin, wet: ...Huh. Nothing. No, really. Nothing. Like, Pele nothing. o_O.

 

On skin, dry: As it dries, it thankfully becomes stronger. As it does, it becomes a soft grassy floral -- though I still can't identify any of the actual floral notes -- with a wee bit of sweet fruit. No sign of amber, however, which is kind of disappointing. While it's stronger, it's not very strong or noticeable on my skin unless I have my nose near my wrist.

 

Conclusion: Lovely, really, but too floral for me to want to wear very often at all; I'm just not a floral kind of girl. It is pretty, though. I'll keep the imp around for occasions when smelling like my normal fare isn't in my best interests.

Edited February 22, 2006 by Aredhel

[Miss Lynx]

This one seems to be kind of in the same ballpark scent-wise as Xiutehcutli and Yerevan -- sort of a wet fruity/floral mix, with in this case a strong herbal undertone as well.

 

I want to like it, but my skin is amping up the florals enough that it's very sweet on me. And there's a note of bitterness in the herbal component that clashes with rather than balances the sweetness. I think I liked it better when it first went on, when the fruity notes were a little more prominent and the florals hadn't overcome them yet.

 

Oh well.

 

Grade: C+

[ariesathena]

My first reaction is that this smells *exactly* like Prescriptives Calyx except without that harsh alcoholic note of most commercial perfumes. It's a very green floral. There's a note that seems to soften it and I'm wondering if it's threatening to go powdery on me. As it dries down, it seems to fade pretty quickly and I wish it was a bit stronger, but it's still fabulous. There does end up being a slight powdery-ness too it, but mostly it's just a musky, green floral. And okay, so the powder only seemed to last a minute before shifting into...well it's like it hums, as odd as that sounds. (I just started writing down random notes and thoughts throughout the day, if that wasn't obvious.)

 

I ended up reapplying it twice during the day, which is probably a testament to both how much I loved it and how little it lasted. I'm going to buy a 5ml and likely go through it ridiculously quickly, but it's just so pretty.

[gingersnapp]

This definitely started out fruity, but I couldn't tell what the fruits were. Looking at the description doesn't really help, but I guess they do smell tropical.

 

As it's dried, the florals have taken over and this very much reminds me of my summer in Hawaii years ago. It's heady and steamy and rich and warm. Like walking through a botanical garden on a rainy summer day.

Edited April 6, 2006 by gingersnapp

[Cielamara]

This was a frimpling from the Lab, yet another scent that I don't recall ever really noticing all that much, simply because I tend to zero in on certain things. But it's a nice one all the same.

 

In the imp: This smells like...shampoo. But good shampoo, not unlike that kiwi stuff that makes my hair so shiny. Nice.

 

Wet: This is really an interesting blend. There are a lot of layers to this one. I have found that lots of times the airy or watery fragrances that aren't specifically floral-related don't really do a whole lot on me. They either don't change or they change into something strange. But this is nice. There's that fruit blend that's got center stage, but it's got this soft sweet vaguely floral airiness singing backup. This is really quite nice. I get this kicking jungle feeling from it, like a cool rainy morning--surely they have cool mornings in the mountains, even if it IS the tropical rainforest?

 

Drying down: There is no trace of amber. Just this breathy wet jungle smell, all soft fragrant blooms and rich ripe sweets dripping with a fresh cool rain, with traces of mist billowing in the air. This is a lovely, unique blend. I don't know what its future will be in terms of bottle purchase...I'm probably going to say no to a bottle for now, unless I find that I really like this for summer or something. All the same, I'll drag out the imp now and again.

[klio]

Quick sniffy impressions:

 

My grandmother's candy dish, those jelly-fruit wedges with the crystallised sugar, sharp and sweet and sour altogether. An undercurrent of stone porch scrubbed clean with lemony bleach. Sunlight on wild fruit trees.

[strawberry_star]

I really, really like this one. I had ordered it in the same batch as Manila and I was worried from their descriptions that they would be similar, but I was soo wrong. This is waaaaaaaaay better than Manila.

 

I love fruity scents and this is definitely that. But it's not sour, or even really sweet. It's really mellow. Bananas and melons kind of mellow. Very tropical and reminds me of a quiet beach. Definitely a keeper.

[filigree_shadow]

Smells fruity but not overly. Smells floral but not overly. This one's not a stand-out for me. It's not offensive, but there's nothing in it that grabs my attention. Plus it's very soft.

[juniperus]

Bottle: sweet. fruit. mango? also some of the sweet floral underneath, but it's hard to pick out.

Wet: even fruitier. I smell like a tropical fruit salad. much harder to find the floral, for some reason. sinus-grippingly sweet.

Dry: the floral has come back, but still stands behind the fruit. no hint of the amber yet.

Later: Thank god the fruit has receded. the floral, a light, almost cloyingly sweet and nectar-y floral is right up front with just the barest hint of the amber tying it loosely to the ground. Eventually I'll probably like it fine - most scents with musks and ambers eventually fade to just those notes, but I can't deal with the fruit for so long before it reaches that lovely grounded balance as it fades.

Well, I pushed my envelope again, but my general rule of thumb regarding me and sweet fruity scents still stands - ugh, ugh, and more ugh. Tomorrow I have to make sure to get something musky or resin-y just to compensate for these last two duds-on-me. Tintagel, maybe. And I'll review neo-Tokyo for Hilly as soon as it arrives. I've bidded on these large or mystery lots expressly to force myself to try stuff I wouldn't otherwise and so I can get a better handle on notes, clarify my already known preferences, and learn. I have enjoyed picking things out by name, actually, as n00bish as I suppose it is, since names can me a thing for me (a cologne called Smells Like Ass, even if it was the divine incense of the gods that made me irresistible to the world, would still be hard for me to grok) and I know many of the stories and references so well

[kourika]

I didn't have a terribly strong reaction to Machu Picchu when I tried it mainly because I didn't have much to compare it to at the time. I liked the scent in the imp, but it seemed a little too floral for me to wear. I'm bigger on spicy or foody scents.

 

I've kept the imp to use for simmering oil, but it still hasn't stuck out in my mind as anything exceptional.

[nerdcraft]

My very first review! Yay.

 

preconceived notions: Makes me think of cloud forests, humid rain, green lush jungles, Peru, etc etc.

 

in the imp: Wow oh wow. Smells exactly like fresh-cut fruit - the smell of the peel of mango and papaya.

 

wet: Still quite fruity. I can't put my finger exactly on what it is...there's definitely a "tropical fruit" scent on the top, and some bright clean florals underneath.

 

dry: This is so lovely. I don't really get any amber coming out, although I could see how it's the background scent, holding things together. A soft, lush, tropical fruit scent.

 

season: spring, summer

 

office-friendly? Yes. It's light...almost too light. But yes.

 

 

overall: I love almost any tropical scent, and this is no exception. This is lighter and cleaner (less sweaty/humid feeling) than Manila and Santo Domingo. I got mad love for Machu Picchu. Indeed.

[Dandelion]

I love it in the bottle. It smells like tropical fruits and flowers mixed with the forest after a hard rain (or, you know, I could just call it "rainforest" and not sound like a prat). I definitely get the smell of the greenery and trees, and they make the smell much more complicated and interesting while the amber gives it a warmer feel.

 

When I put it on, the fruits and florals fade into the backround (and I really liked them!), the green takes the forefront, and the amber turns into a hint of eau d'rancid. Broke my heart, that did. I was so excited when I smelled it in the bottle! I don't want to let go, so I suppose I'll try it in my hair or in an oil burner at home (excuse to buy an oil burner!) before I lose hope.

Edited May 13, 2006 by Dandelion

[abberlaine]

Ooh, today's a good day! The first time I tried Machu Pichu, I got a weak fruit bar squished over florals. Today, I had a much better experience:

 

Wet to drying, I get unripe plantains, apple, cool honeydew melons, a wet breeze (?), and nondescript white flowers. It's on the light side and has the feel of both fresh dryer sheets and clear fruit juice.

 

A few hours later, it's a wonderfully subtle and fresh melon over the honey sweetness of the sweetness. If the amber's playing a part, it's a supporting role. I'll be sad when this fades. If it behaves this more often, I just might fall in love!

[kayte]

In the imp it is a bit citrus-y (lemon? grapefruit?) and much like big juicy fruits. I don't smell anything that shouts out to me as being especially floral.

 

Wet it doesn't change all that much.

 

Dry it is soft, light, and airy, I'm finding it difficult to pick out any particular scent. It is very ozone-y, the whole "mountaintop breezes" and "wet jungle" smell. After awhile the amber comes out and it really is pretty, soft, and warm smelling, reminiscent of Florence but much lighter, less *mature*. I don't even really know what to say about this one. It is so soft and so hard to pick out individual scents, but what I do smell is gorgeous. I really like it.

[desu]

In the imp: Orange Julius

 

On me: Sweetness balanced out by greenness and what I think is the amber.

 

Later on: This one has faded away.

[lady_pandora]

I want to say this was a frimp from the Lab. I'm going through my imp box at the moment and trying out scents I've underappreciated or not tried yet. It's like getting a new shipment of BPAL, except without cleaning out my funds!

 

On me, this is a bright, refreshing orange, with a slight touch of amber underneath to mellow it out.

 

Compared to other BPAL orangey scents I've tried:

--Less bubblegummy/candyish than Akuma

--Stronger orange note and less prominent amber note than Forbidden Fruit

--MUCH less amber than Haunted Palace; MP is an orange scent for summer, while HP is more of a fall/winter orange scent, if that makes any sense.

 

This is a great scent for hot days, very "beachy."

[gwyllgi]

This is a very, very green scent, but not grassy. It smells like an aloe leaf when you first crack it open, sharp and clean, with a faint, earthy scent underscoring it.

 

I really like this scent, as it's one of the few green scents I've come across that don't promptly go grassy on me. My skin devours it, though; within an hour, it's almost completely gone. It's definite a big bottle for me, but I think I'll be using it primarily in an oil burner or a locket to try to draw the scent out.

[Celenth]

In the imp: This is STRONG. Complex, a little soapy or like nice shampoo -- there's definitely a lot of sweet, floral notes to it. Smelling it for more than a few seconds almost makes me sick, though.

 

Wet: Man, this is a sweet floral. The amber's pretty clear in it, but there's almost candy-like sweetness on top of it. It seems like something sharp in it, almost like mint, but a bit more floral and citrus-y.

 

Drydown: There's a grass quality that has really come out of it, the scent has toned down a lot. It's sweetly complex, like there's an almost herbal grass layered with amber and very sweet and sugary flowers. There's the faintest aquatic note and something that seems like... damp, sweet earth? Definitely that.

 

The throw was nice, but it vanished very quickly on me, just like Pele. It just left behind the barest hint of grass and lillies on me. I won't buy a big bottle of this, but I think I'll definitely use the imp every now and then.

[Spastik_Kitty]

In the bottle: Wet, light, clean and floral.

 

First on: This is very fresh and grassy with some ozone and citrus

 

After a bit: There is a citrus note in here that is rearing it's pretty little head, I think lemon, but it's hard to tell with the grassiness laying over top. Still clean and fresh though.

 

A bit more: This is very beautiful and airy, I could sniff at this all day.

 

Def a keeper.

[maijasu]

In the imp and wet on skin, this was a lovely, lush, tropical green scent. I couldn't smell any fruit or amber. After a while on my skin, it developed a sour note that drowned out the wonderful greenness. I think this is a great blend, but unfortunately it's one I can't wear.

[portalkat]

I have absolutely no idea what I'm smelling, but I love it!

 

On me this is mostly a floral, although I can't even tell what flowers are in it, there is a tiny hint of fruit and the amber.

 

After a few hours it mellows a bit and the amber comes to the forefront. The florals are receding slightly and there is a bit more fruit coming forward now. It drove me crazy that I could never determine the notes in this except for the amber.

 

The throw is fair, but I wish that it lasted longer and was not so light. Whatever is in this little imp, I'm ordering a larger bottle.

[sophia_helix]

A very fresh, fruity scent. I'd agree with the poster who thinks it smells like shampoo, though; there's a very "bath products" quality about the scent. After a few minutes it gets sharper and more generically "fruity." I wish I could pick out individual notes better, because the overall scent is just sort of "eh." I like Beth's more complex blends better.

[m13]

From "really nice shampoo" as other reviews here noted -- and straight to stinky hairspray on me within 15 minutes of application.

 

I had the same experience with Fruit Moon, so this is obviously a personal issue between me and fruity scents. Machu Picchu was nice enough for the first five or ten minutes to encourage me to try it again in a couple of weeks, when we're deep in summer and I'm not on my moon, and see if there's any change in my skin's reaction or my response. I'd love to be able to wear fruity in the summer.