The Caterpillar

[lizzieborden]

Heavy incense notes waft lazily through a mix of carnation, jasmine, bergamot, and neroli over a lush bed of dark mosses, iris blossom, deep patchouli and indolent vetiver.

This scent definitely sent me for a whirl. Sweet almost to the point of cloying but in an intoxicating way. It was definitely a layered scent, with light flowers on top, but still a heavy darker smell at the bottom that you had to concentrate to smell, and other levels inbetween. I really don't know the individual smells of most of Elizabeth's oils yet, and this is definitely a loaded scent (look at how many are listed just in the description!) so it was very interesting but frustrating to try and analyze it. All I can say is it is one of the most complicated florals ever, which will probably lead to mixed results. But I'm keeping my sample for now

[twistygirl]

I agree with Lizzie Borden... this is one COMPLICATED scent. It's green, but it's not "green"... it's floral-y, but it's dark and woody and mossy... in other words, it is exactly what I would expect The Caterpillar's domain to smell like. If you are looking for a deep, mysterious, complex scent that smells good and will smell like nothing you've ever smelled before, give this one a try!

[lavinia_short]

i agree completely with twistygirl - this smells precisely as i imagine the caterpillar's living space to be... it's mossy and green and earthy, but still kind of clean... so far, it's my favorite of everything... and it wears well, too... very often i don't like the lingering dry down of a perfume, but i really loved this one.... it just got sweet and lovely, like the woods at night...

[allamanda]

Jasmine hit me as soon as I opened the sample but my nose thought it could smell rose too. As it is drying, and with great concentration, I can just catch the carnation, a slightly peppery effect. On second wearing the carnation is very noticeable

 

As it dries this blends on me in such a way as to make separating the individual scents difficult if not impossible.

 

Some time later I am once again getting a very faint curry odour. I have noted that my body-chemistry has done this with several other perfumes. I thought it was sandalwood + neroli/bergamot that was doing this on me, but I'm not sure if sandalwood is in this one.

 

I want new skin-chemistry. This perfume was lovely until it dried completed and my skin messed it up.

[jj_j]

Lots of lush jasmine, with a hint of carnation. The moss and iris are gorgeous, too - they turn this into a hidden, impossible garden in the depths of the forest. Earthy soil upturned for the plantings ...

 

If I were a caterpillar, THE Caterpillar or the every day kind, this would be a good place to live. Comforting, pleasing, a haven from the surrounding world.

[shriekingviolet]

Initial Impression:

This is a perfect scent for The Caterpillar. Earthy like his home among the fungi on the forest floor yet spicy and incencey. This is all nonsense passed off as wisdom and cryptic statements. "Who are you?" indeed!

 

After Wearing It:

On me this was very earthy, almost loamy. Brought up images of of walking through a great, dense forest at dusk, where you have to focus on the moist earth, scattered with decaying leaves so you want trip over a fallen tree branch or exposed root. Any incense notes I smelled (I think I caught some frankincense) served to make the earth tones more grainy. The moss, patchouli and vetivert notes were what really played prominently on me.

 

I couldn't smell the floral notes here much at all. I could make out suggestions of iris every now and then, but other than that I couldn't detect them at all. The scent overall portrayed the home of the caterpillar, but *after* he'd been gone for a while.

 

Final Thoughts:

Disappointing! The note list made this seem like something I would adore, but it ended up being *too* earthy and more than a little masculine on me. Not a bad scent, just not something I would wear.

[blackrayne]

Definietly a rather complicated scent! I smell the jasmine right away, with a hint of the carnation mixed in. Add a bit of mossiness, and I feel like I am lost in a forest being stared at by strange little creatures!

 

While I like this one, as with the Alice, it is making my skin burn...I am guessing the bergamot disagrees with me terribly.

[Shollin]

First sniff: Lazy, heavy and reddish-purple. I can picture the Caterpillar’s smoke smelling like this as he lounges about on his mushroom, though it’s not overtly smoky. "How cheerfully he seems to grin, how neatly spreads his claws..."

 

Wearing: This almost has a dark musky berry flavor to it, and reddish-purple is definitely the right colour – it’s the draping fabric of a harem tent. I’d expected this to be more of a green scent, given the notes, but it’s very earthy and warm.

[paperdoll]

Initial sniff: A gorgeous, complex, dark floral that is colorful, whimsical, and earthy.

 

Wearing: This stayed fairly true on my skin. The floral and earthy notes are in harmony - both are there wafting lazily about. To me this scent is a shimmery forest green that flashes iridescent purple in the proper light.

 

Final Thoughts: I am so ordering a big 'ol bottle of this. Despite the fact that this is both earthy and floral (two categories I am always slightly wary of), it is a truly beautiful blend that i wear well!

[eleventhousand]

One glorious moment of sexy chaos starting with jasmine and forest and ending with carnation.

 

Carnation.

 

I think I am especially sensitive to carnation...if it is in a blend, carnation is ALL I smell. It blocks everything else from reaching my nose. I don't know why this is.

[Donnababe]

Sniff Test

 

Eurgh! What is that musty smell? I think it's the jasmine, I really don't get along with that, I was hoping it would lurk in the background, dammit. To me it smells mildewed, it's not earthy like patchouli either. Let me try it again - huh, this time I'm getting a lovely sweet smell.

 

After Application

 

Darn, all I'm getting is the musty smell again. I do not want to smell like mould.

I'm so tempted to wash this off.

 

Drydown

 

It's been on for just over an hour and although the mustiness is still there, there's a pleasant green smell behind it. This is better.

 

After A While

 

It's been on for about three hours and it reminds me very much of a sweet version of Oberon. Very nice but fading fast.

 

I reapplied after approximately three hours and was relieved not to get The Horrid Smell again. Instead, it just revamped the sweetness.

 

Verdict

 

Apart from the early stages this is lovely. It's not quite as heady or complicated as I was expecting but I like it. I certainly don't smell carnation, patchouli or neroli, all the notes are blended too well to pick up specifics (apart from wet jasmine). I don't think I could buy a big bottle but it's something I might have as an Imp's Ear if I fancy a change.

 

 

 

Update

 

I'm wearing this again the first time since I reviewed.... no mustiness this time, just a beeyootiful florally sweetness Body chesmistry is a thang!!

 

I'm so tempted to get a big bottle of this now.

Edited May 10, 2004 by Donnababe

[Becky]

I just recieved this in a swap and so far I'm really liking it! of course I immediatly dabed a bit on my wrists and it has become a really wonderful scent. in the bottle it did smell slightly musty, but not enough to turn me off of it. now its very incensy, with just a touch of sweetness, not making it sweet, but keeping it from being bitter.

I'm going out on the town tonight with a bunch of friends, so that will be the true test. as of now, I love the sweet heady incense-y-ness of this scent. quite origional!

 

 

ETA: the initail intensity of this wore off after about an hour and all night long after that I would get sporadic wafts of the Caterpillar. it was kinda fitting though, knowing the caterpillar from the story, the little breath of scent passing by my nose every so often was nice and proper. I love this scent! I had it in my purse and it didn't spill but when I open it I still get a waft of Caterpillar. its very good!

 

Edited May 11, 2004 by Becky

[janelle_hell]

i just got this one in a swap...and it's another scent that matches the idea perfectly...smelling this,i could easily picture the Caterpillar perched haughtily on his mushroom demanding to know,WHO are you?" A very complex scent that matures over the time that it's worn;i couldn't pick out the moss scents first off,but in awhile there they were,along with a heady incence smell. Very nice indeed!

[leslie260]

Honestly, I bought this for the name. The Caterpillar is my favoritest Cure song and I will always have an affinity for anything with Caterpillar in the name.

 

That said, this scent is really beautiful. It reminds me of an incense that I used to burn when I was in college...sweet, churchy and musty. It reminds me more of the Caterpillar's hookah than its dwelling place.

 

I am a convert to BPAL now...thanks to this scent. I'm getting ready to place a second order.

[with coffee spoons]

Hmmm. This is indeed quite complex, but sadly my chemistry kicks up all things jasmine, a scent I don't get on with all that well. Underneath there was something I can't quite put my finger on-- my best guess is that it's the moss? It smells very brown to me, There's a touch of earthy patchouli, but it's more moss and jasmine than anything else. I don't get any carnation and don't think I detect any iris. It's not offensive on me, but it's not something I would wear. I tried layering it with single note Carnation, which made it a bit more appealing for me, but I eventualy swapped it, because it just wasn't me.

[any_old_actress]

FIRST SNIFF: herbal, moss

WEARING IT: smoky jasmine with moss shrinking in the background

 

VERDICT: not for me, perhaps it was the incense notes that just didn't work well with my body chemistry.

[Ina Garten Davita]

First Impression: When I first opened and had a sniff from the bottle, the earthiness turned me off. I put it away without trying on. There were others in the swap packet that HAD to be put on.

 

Second Impresson: I just applied this and the earthiness plays second fiddle to Beth's gorgeous Jasmine note. I just love it. The incense and patuchouli keep it from being too floral and sweet.

 

Final Analysis: This smells very nice on my skin, that's Beth's genius alchemy. The other flowers peek out as well as that smoky incense the longer it dries. I love this more than I thought I would. If it's long lasting, then it's on the re-order list.

[Red_Hot_Mama]

I, too, received this in a swap & I'm glad I did.

 

The Caterpillar is not a BPAL scent you can "pin" down with only one application. (And no, sniffing the Imp doesn't count as a test.) You must try it & try it a couple of times to know it's personality.

 

He's a very changable critter. Certainly all of the floral & mossy scents are there but they create a synergy that is greater than the sum of it's parts. You can't judge this one my the individual list of oils alone.

 

Jasmine is my signature oil but carnation makes me ill. This blend was a fragrance journey for me & a delightful one at that.

 

The perfect fragrance for going to the garden center. Well, that IS what I did today.

 

Put this one on the big bottle list, for me anyway.

 

Enjoy!

[Vaniclion]

Fresh on, one can easily remember the scene from the animated Alice where the smoke billows and weaves almost like an extension of the Caterpillar's will. The patchouli, vertiver and jasmine start off this powerful blend as the heavy hitting notes, playing around the softer center. Honestly, it's so well blended that all I can actually pick out is the jasmine. It's both darker and brighter than usual, if that makes any sense. Less sweet with more punch.

 

Patchouli turns powdery on me, so I'm unshocked when this does the same on drydown. The smell is SO FAMILIAR to me. It's a nagging tug at the back of my head, I just can't put my finger on it. I like it, but I'm unsure I'd wear it often. It tickles my sinuses something fierce, like smoke, and it is very potent. I'd say this is a night scent.

[VelvetSky]

Yes yes yes, this is a changeling.

 

When I first applied The Caterpillar, my first impression was, 'ehh, ok, carnation and jasmine with a little citrusy thing." But as it starts to dry, it just morphs into that lovely green springy moss underneath the flowers. After a while, I start to get the incense and patchouli, which sort of 'grounds' the entire scent and pulls it together.

 

I can't stop sniffing my arm; everytime I do, I pick up something a little different. I'm not sure how I feel about wearing something that is so quixotic. I think with this one, I just have to go with it and let it be what it wants to be.

[fallow deer]

This oil smells very complicated in the bottle. The jasmine is predominant but I can definitely make out the bergamot and incense notes too.

 

Wearing, The Caterpillar sweetens somewhat into a heady, mainly floral perfume, which I think is a little too heavy for me to wear often. It’s going slightly soapy, in fact, which is often the story of jasmine for me unfortunately.

 

I'm going to try again, though, since from other reviews I can tell this is a very chamelion like oil & I'd love to experience the more earthy side of The Caterpillar.

[JazzieCazzie]

I could have sworn I'd posted on this yesterday but it's nowhere to be found ... anyway, when I first got this in a set of imps on my first order I thought I'd like it a lot based on the description, but it did nothing for me at all ... to the point that I swapped it away.

 

I got another imp of it as a freebie in my most recent order and decided to give it another try, and it's really growing on me ... but this morning I figured out EXACTLY what it smells like (and apologies to those who hate comparisons to other existing scents): Crabtree and Evelyn's Nantucket Briar line.

 

REVISITED AND REREVIEWED MARCH 2013

 

Purchased as part of an impapalooza order from the Lab in February

 

IN THE IMP: Spicy incense, with the incense and the carnation the two predominant scents. Which is a good thing.

 

Applied generously to wrist, crook of arm and cleavage as part of dual-scent-testing morning.

 

WET: That delicious "comfort pharmacy" scent for me. Clean, sacred, grounding. Despite all the outdoorsy notes that are listed, to me it's a very "indoor scent." Someplace safe and clean and cozy.

 

DRYDOWN: Remains true to its original scent, which, to me, is incense and carnation, two of my very favorite notes. It has good legs and slight throw but is not "in your face" at all.

 

OVERALL: This is something I need to get in a big bottle. It's a light and lovely scent I feel I could wear anywhere at anytime, that would make me happy but not be offensive to anyone around me.

 

I do still see why I made the Nantucket Briar comparison ... it has that clean spicy woodsy gentle scent.

 

SCORE: On a scale of 1-5, a definitely 5.

Edited March 1, 2013 by JazzieCazzie

[Ishtar]

I must admit that the description of The Caterpillar did not appeal to me and I wouldn't have ordered it. But then I got to smell it during a imp-sniffing session with Chin, and I was pleasantly suprised to find that it was nowhere as earthy and mossy as I expected it to be.

 

So I gave it a try.

 

It is very incensey indeed, which works well on me. I was actually burning incense when I first tried this, and both scents perfectly complemented each other. The moss and patchouli, far from making this a gritty earthy scent, give it depth and spiciness, further underscored by the carnation. It smells perfectly unisex to me; the floral notes prevent it from being overly masculine.

 

During the first half-hour, I thought this was similar enough to Old Cairo minus the citrus and sweet notes. After complete drydown, it sometimes turns just a little bit soapy (probably the jasmine and iris), but this is a very pleasant soapiness. I smell as if I had just washed with a really, really good carnation and spice soap, like one of the Roger&Gallet soaps that my dad used to love.

 

I tried this fearing that I would smell all musty and mossy, and instead I feel clean, uplifted and almost refreshed. A very nice surprise

[summer]

MmmmmMMM! The Caterpillar is a heady, lazy, hazy, incensy sweet floral that achieves perfect head-shop hippy femininity. Very jasminey and round, with a hazy, earthy element that is sublimely relaxing. I find that this becomes more incency on my skin as I wear it, which is just fine with me, for it's a sweet, cool, floaty incense rather than a heavy, church-like one.

 

Having spent the past 5 days in Amsterdam, I can tell you that this fragrance was MADE for spending a decadantly warm, golden summer afternoon in the park lying in that thick, hearty Northern European grass while the fragrance of the plentiful flowers mingles with the occassional wafts of sweet herbal smoke coming from the blankets of nearby sunbathers.

 

It's warm, calming, a little bit subversive, and unabashedly feminine and luxurious.

 

LOVE it, basically.

 

[Summerpixy]

I haven't worn anything this grounded and complex in awhile. At first I seemed to be swathed in a musty cloud, which eventually turned lush and green, yet still maintaining a hint of that smoke. It's not my kind of scent, but it's definetly a very nice one