Machu Picchu

[grrrlennyl]

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.

 

at first: this was a freebie from the lab. all i'm getting is flowers and maybe some woods.

on: wow. very fruity. i think i'm smelling starfruit. yummy.

1 hour later: this is really nice. i think i smell some amber. it's a bit powdery, but not too much. mostly very damp flowers and amber. lovely.

3 hours later: this is much lighter now. mostly powdery, but still pretty consistent.

overall: i don't think i would have picked this out for myself, but it's great. very different from the other oils i have. i really like it.

[Ishtar]

Machu Picchu lent itself to a fun little experiment the other night. I was in a restaurant with another forumite when the waitress, at the end of the night, came to our table and started chatting with us. Well, before you know it, my fellow BPALer had wiped Machu Picchu not only on her wrist and mine, but also on the waitress' and her brother's arm! Now that's what I call a good enabling job!

 

It was very interesting to see how Machu Picchu morphed and reacted on our four different skins. On mine, it started as a sweet fruity/floral blend with a tropical creaminess to it. As it started drying, it became increasingly airy (not light, mind you, but crisp and fresh). Upon drydown, the amber came through and added a lot of depth.

 

For such an airy scent, it was surprisingly vibrant and had amazing staying power. I enjoyed it very much, but I will have to try it again when I can pay it more attention, because frankly, having three people sticking their wrists under your nose and demanding that you sniff can get distracting

[Shollin]

First sniff: Oh, this is pretty. Big lush flowers in the rain, and I seem to smell cold stone underneath, though I think that’s more an association with pictures of Machu Picchu than anything I’m actually smelling.

 

Wearing: There’s a fruity ripeness in among the flowers, and a splash of citrus. It’s fresh, sweet and very pleasant. In the vial it’s raining, but when it dries it’s the sun after the rain – the leaves are still dripping, but above them is warmth and light. I LOVE this and cannot stop sniffing myself.

[rainbow]

In the bottle this smells like a collection of tropical flowers and fruits to me. I'm imagining big, lush red hibiscus blooms and Hawaiien leis, as well as a good whiff of pineapple. It's very pretty, very floral, and very feminine.

 

On my skin this goes instantly floral, and within a few minutes softens even more. There are aquatic notes here now, along with the florals, and ever so often I get the slightest whiff of bubble gum or cotton candy. That sounds like it might be awful but BPAL does it beautifully. There's a hint of citrus, too, possibly lemon, that develops as well.

 

As the scent progresses, very well-mixed tropical fruits, like a fruit salad, come through, and an hour or so later I get the amber notes as well, but they're faint. The only unfortunate thing about this oil is that it doesn't last all that long, and requires frequent reapplication. After a couple of hours this has dried down to just a faint scent of sweetness on my skin. Overall this is soft, feminine, floral and just lovely.

[rugiada]

It's sweet, but not too sweet. Fruity, but not too fruity, and floral, but not too floral: the perfect mix! A touch of creamy-tropical scent makes it original, not banal at all. Very feminine. And it lasts forever on my skin!

It's definitely on my top-ten!

Edited November 13, 2004 by rugiada

[Eris]

Ooh, very strong fruity, tropical scent upon first application--a very yellow and peach colored perfume. It's very nice, but as it settles, it starts to take on an almost candy sweetness that isn't really my normal type of fragrance. It stays pretty consistent in this smell as time goes on but also fades rather quickly on me. This seems to be another that's just "one off" from my chemistry, but based on that lovely, intial scent, I bet it works beautifully on others.

[helarctos]

I really, really like Machu Picchu. Its first impression is the sweet smell of heavily ripe tropical fruits -- I think mango, papaya? maybe others. Soon a smoky incense mingles with the fruit scents.

 

My preferred use for Machu Picchu thus far is to mix it up with baking soda a la andrabell's lazy girl bath soak recipe and retreat to the tub with a CD of Andean pipe music (mine is Kusicuna). A scent to be suffused in.

 

If Machu Picchu were an animal, it would be a golden lion tamarin.

[stardust]

At first: Amazing! I can smell a green-ness, like just-cut flower stems, along with water, fruit, exotic flowers, and a hint of incense.

 

Later: Becomes strongly floral and fruity. Something in this is giving me a headache, but I refuse to wash it off.

 

Much later: This one lasts a long time. I love how it smells when it gets very faint--like a soft, wet floral.

 

Verdict: I wanted so much to love this, as I'm very interested in the place and plan on going there sometime. But something--either the aquatic note or the intense floral--does not agree with me.

[TheDarkMother]

In the Bottle: Machu Picchu is a tropical paradise that reminds me of the beach around here on a hot steamy evening.

 

On Me: Sweet florals of tropical flowers, maybe some passion fruit as well, hybiscus, oh so sweet! This is so lovely! I feel like I should check my room for a lei and a grass skirt and head out to a luau!

 

I swear, if my hubby pumped this scent into a Hawaiian themed hotel room, put me in a little grass skirt, turned the lights down low, and played soft music, I would be in orgasm heaven! No kidding though, this is so sexy to me! This is like making love on a deserted beach on a drak steamy night where you have to go through the jungle underbrush to get to the sand. This is your own deserted island getaway!

 

Oh a gallon must be bought of this one! A GALLON!!!

[Ice]

My nose, sadly, is not well-trained to pick out the subtleties of BPAL scents yet... in the bottle, Machu Picchu smells like fairly generic perfume to me.

 

Once on my skin, however, I can start to pick out a few things. It's sweet, but not too sweet, and feels very green and warm gold (the amber, maybe?). Fruity, and very *wet*. I wouldn't call it a *wild* scent, quite, but it's not tame. The name is probably influencing me a lot, but I imagine a crumbling old clifftop fortress, completely overgrown with leafy trees and ropy vines, all perpetually rainforest-damp and lush.

 

Over time, it faded slowly, but stayed more or less the same (to my newbie nose, anyway). Really, really beautiful scent.

[LunaSea]

I am so sad about this one! In the vial it smelled of yummy fruits with a clean, green? scent underneath. Unfortunately, almost the moment it hit my skin it turned into a sharp, soapy scent. But wait, it gets worse. The sharpness remained for a long time, and it was joined by, yes, powder. I thought this one would be great - tropical fruits and fresh green yumminess! But maybe amber and I don't get along either. Le sigh. Another one for the burner, perhaps?

[Nyx's Phoenix]

smells very strong out of the bottle, like the broken stems of jungle flora. It's very green. The scent is more floral than fruity; I'm really seeing tropical flowers. There's whiff of incense in the background.. it's getting better by the minute on my skin.

[rhubarbbear]

machu picchu is a scent that has really grown on me. i was dying to try it for ages, and finally got a hold of some in a swap. at first i was rather disappointed- it smelled mildly sticky- like film left over from candy on a desk. i didn't get anything tropical, no insence...just sticky and a little green.

 

i stuck it out, tho, and kept trying it, and eventually (change in skin chemistry?) i grew quite fond of machu picchu. i still get the stickiness, but now it reminds me more of jungle-esque humidity. and its combined with tropical blossoms, and wet jungle leaves. i'm still missing the incense, but overall this is a lovely scent!

[Macha]

I bought this as a 5ml, untested, from another forumite. I thought the notes sounded nice and I liked the sound of it. A bit of a risk, but I thought I'd like it.

 

In the bottle:

Sweet and a little tropical. I smell greenery and tropical fruit, with flowers. Very nice.

 

Wet, on skin:

Wow, this is a complex scent. It's really hard, I mean really, really hard, to break it down into individual components. It's a floral/fruity/aquatic? I can smell fruit, passion fruit perhaps?, and jungle, and the wet lushness of jungle blossems, but it's almost impossible to pick out individual notes.

 

Dry, on skin:

The basic character of the scent remains unchanged on my skin. This is one of those scents that is very difficult to describe in terms of "tropical fruit with orchids, fern, and aquatic notes" although I logically know it would probably be something like that. Instead, I can't smell this without having an intense image: Traveling down a lush jungle path, vine-crossed, the plants that crowd in on me alive with cattleyas and lycaste. The plants part to reveal a clearing lit by the golden light that filters down to the jungle floor. There, the mossy green cliffs allow water from a nearby volcanic vent to trickle down the sides, forming a pool of gently steaming water at the base. I bathe in the warm water, and when I'm done, rest of the ground next to it to dry off, on a carpet of tiny clovers and small white flowers. The sounds and smells of the jungle are all around me and yet, far from feeling danger, I feel peace.

 

Conclusion: I found this scent highly erotic, but also highly private. I wouldn't wear this for a seduction. I would wear it, however, for circumstances which were just for me. I have no trouble at all agreeing with Helarctos about using this in a bath. This would also be fabulous as a message oil scent, or hammock lounging with a good book. A really beautiful scent that is incredibly evocative, lush and pampering. I suspect this will be top on my list any time I need to baby myself.

[ViolentKitten]

Oh yes, this is wet rainforest, one which is overflowing with brightly coloured flowers and ripe tropical fruits! It's not a big floral on me though, I mostly smell the fruits and something zippy in there. Zippy...yes...I'm getting 7-Up! Green and zesty lemony and some warm orange. It's quite strong at first, but after a while, a hint of sugar comes out and now I'm thinking of fizzy Fruit Tingles lollies. I probably wouldn't get this one full size, as it can be a bit overpowering on me, but if I dab on just a little, it makes a fresh and sweet summer scent!

[luxuria]

I'm no good with identifying notes in light, fresh, clean, floral, or citrus-y scents. I just don't wear them often. With that said, this smells like a tropical Empyreal Mist to me. This is clean and green. I'm undecided on it. I liked it a lot at first because I smelled more of the fruits but it's pretty floral now.

 

As it wears, the amber comes out and grounds it some. Wow, I like this a lot again! and I don't like amber so (like with Hollywood Babylon) it's saying a lot to say that amber improves this. It makes it less sharp and clean.

 

I'm keeping it but not ordering a bottle. Will be good for the summer when I feel particularly tropical.

[Jasminepearls]

Hmmm, this smells balmy and sharp at the same time, almost as if grapefruits were being sliced in front of someone's sleeping nose while they sprawled out on a warm damp spread of soil. (tired, sorry if I'm not making sense)

It does not last as long as I would like it to, in fact it faded so quickly that I am left with a flowery fabric softener smell...still nece though. Not a big bottle, but I will use my impie up.

[requieminblack]

First sniff out of the bottle- Mmmm, clean smelling and fruity!

 

After 10 minutes-This smells kinda like Awaphui shampoo...with freshly snapped aloe vera, pear and cucumbers mixed in. It is very refreshing -clean sweet and 'wet'.

 

After 30 minutes- Now I just smell a nice 'fresh out of the shower' clean scent. Like that Awaphui shampoo.

 

Summery- Machu Picchu is a great scent if you want to smell like you just got out of the shower all day. Unlike the other scents that smell soapy, this one just smells 'clean'.

[Wren]

MACHU PICCHU

 

In The Imp: Smells light and vaguely flowery. A nice overall scent.

 

Wet On Skin: Still light and sort've warm. As it starts to dry down, it gets richer and warmer with hints of citrus. I can imagine that this is what sitting down in a rainforest on some tropical isle with your eyes closed smells like. It seems like the more I go back to sniff it, the more the scent changes, and different notes pop out. Very lazily romantic. Rich, without being overly cloying.

 

Dried: This fades away after a couple of hours, but it's worth it to keep reapplying. Would probably work nicely in a scent locket.

 

Overall Opinion: I'm definitely wanting a bigger bottle of this. It lingers around me without being too heavy, and considering how little I actually put on...it's amazing. Makes me think of summer in Hawaii.

 

Randomness: I ran downstairs to give my mom a taste of this, and she refused to give me back my wrist until I promised to go back upstairs and get the imp so she could wear some. *giggle*

[Diedra]

From the vial: woody/green blend, very refreshing.

 

Applied: floral and woody, with strong pine note. There's also something what reminds me of Ocean Breeze air refreshener.

 

After a while: the scent is softer now. I can notice flowers and fruits. Pine is still there, but much softer, perfectly blended with other notes.

 

Summary: what a fantastic scent for summer heats! Great alternative for citrus blends - refreshing, but more original. It would be great to apply before going to work: Machu Picchu is not as disturbing as flowery, fruity or foody scents, so it will be appreciated in any place where many people have to work together.

[vitawash24]

At first dab, this was Holy Mango, Batman! I had one for breakfast that morning and I was primed for the scent. Delicious!

 

On the drydown, the fruitiness mellowed and blended into the florals and amber. Rich and glamorous as a scent. It's driving me mad because it reminds me of someone I know and I can't figure out why! My money's on the amber.

[HappyLoveJoy]

Machu Piccu The mood of this scent is just as it says. The tropical fruit I think I'm smelling is unripe banana (could it be banana leaf?), still slightly green and tart. There may be pineapple and there's something that reminds me of citrus. It's fresh and green-smelling which makes me think of lime. Can't figure out the blossoms but Plumeria would fit in nicely here. This is a great scent for hot Summer. An earthy floral it seems to be.

[Mayfair]

Weird scent. I find it really difficult to pick out any notes. When first applied it's sharp and bitter with a citrus note, almost like insect repellent.

 

When the fruits finally showed, they were very subtle and almost powdery. Not bright and juicy. They are kept in check by the florals mostly. There is something extremely familiar about this scent, but I just can't put my finger on it! Is there white musk in this?

 

It's very soothing and comforting somehow, like someone takes you into their arms and strokes your head after you've had a nightmare. This is a mother's scent.

 

Not really me I'm afraid, though it's a very pretty and light floral.

[Ajila]

In the bottle this smelt like slightly rotting fruit to me, I was slightly put off by the busy-ness of the scent, I was hoping for more of the amber. On me I didn't get chance to sample it, it was gone in less than a minute. What a disappointment .

[anmorata]

Machu Picchu:

Wet: Rain. Some sort of fruit.

Drydown: Something comes out of the background that makes this almost -creamy-. I can't quite place it, but it's gorgeous.

Longterm wear: This one seems to fade pretty quickly, so I'll have to remember to reapply. I bet this would be -fabulous- layered with something a touch creamier. This is what I wanted Mata Hari to be, but this is something better. This was Beth knowing my body chemistry better than me.