Tombstone

[Rackham's Vanity]

A celebration of one of the first commercially produced perfumes of America's Old West. A rugged, warm blend of vanilla, balsam and sassafras layered over Virginia cedar.

I really, really didn't expect to like this one. But dear god, it is amazing.

It's a vanilla, so dusty and windblown, it almost carries the faint scent of tobacco and leather. But is that me just being wistful about cowboys again?

So good. This is a tough broad scent. Annie Oakley would approve.

[yeahbutnobut]

Tombstone

 

In the imp: strong, sweet vanilla with woody notes of cedar, and possibly balsam.

Wet on skin: vanilla and cedar, with the balsam (which I think is a fir note) adding freshness.

Dry on skin: oh yeah, I like this a lot. This is vanilla, raw and rugged, with a solid dry base of woody cedar and balsam notes…I smell something else in here that I can't put my finger on, maybe it's the sassafras? (I'm one of the few people who hasn't drunk root beer before, I'm afraid to say!) the vanilla in this scent is identical to the single note I tried, it's sweet, deep, and slightly foody, in here it reminds me of vanilla extract and ice cream-it's very strong! I love the way the vanilla and cedar go together in this, vanilla always plays nicely with wood scents.

After a while: this smells almost identical to Velvet at times…only with grittier, less gentle notes, with the sandalwood replaced with cedar. But the scent which dominates is pure, sweet, powerful vanilla. I think I'm getting a bit more of the sassafras at this point as well-or is that the balsam?

Well, after about an hour or two…where's the cedar? The balsam and the sassafras? It's pretty much all vanilla now. Pure vanilla SN, and very foody vanilla which has incredible throw. Which is nice, but I was hoping the other notes would stick around to add more complexity.

Verdict: not many BPAL vanillas amp up on me, but this one does, in a big way. It's not a bad thing, I like vanilla a lot, but I was hoping that the other notes weren't crushed by the vanilla…this scent started out very interestingly, with rich sweet vanilla on a base of dry rugged cedar, and the balsam and sassafras flitting through every now and then. But then the vanilla takes over and that's the only note I can smell-and it does get overwhelming at times. It also happens to smell very much like the Vanilla Bean SN which means it will be a good substitute when my imp of VB runs out. I do like it, but it's a lot more vanilla-y and foody than I expected.

[fiddlehead]

Tombstone is a luscious blend of things that I didn't think would work together. Vanilla is the strongest note, but it's kept from being boring old vanilla by the cedar, balsam and sassafras. Those notes sort of weave in and out of the vanilla and make it interesting. I like this better than any of the other vanilla scents I've tried except for O. I suppose it could be said to be a bit masculine, but the vanilla tempers that for me. To me, vanilla = female blend, no matter what else is in it! Silly, I know.

 

This will probably eventually be a 5ml purchase for when I want to smell of vanilla without the sexual vibe of O

[amrita]

I have a sad story about Tombstone. I tried the imp and thought it was beautiful. The only note I could pick out was the vanilla; it smelled like vanilla and light musk on me. It seemed like it could be worn by a man, so when my husband came home I tried it out on him. His first reaction was that it smelled like scented paint thinner! I sniffed his arm, and it was indeed paint thinner-esque. Now Tombstone is ruined for me... whenever I smell it, paint thinner will haunt me...

[ovxi]

THIS IS IT. This is what I have been looking for. I love Snake Oil, but it's for specific days, to bring out specific moods. Tombstone is The One. It doesn't last as long as Snake Oil on me, nor have the same throw. I went through most of my imp in less than a week, because it's so horribly addictive. All the more reason to buy a 10ml, which I intend to do as soon as I've figured out a couple more imps to go with the order. (Have to throw in little extra presents for onesself, after all.)

 

It starts out a bit sharp, but within ten minutes it mellows to the most incredibly delicious herby, rounded vanilla I have ever smelled. I get sage and cedar with the vanilla. Don't really notice any root beer or mint, but that's fine. This is exactly what I have always wanted a vanilla scent to be. It's going to be the signature scent, no question. The juniper-and-sage really is very Western-- it reminds me of New Mexico, where I lived for a long and miserable year, but only the good aspects. Completely. Completely. DELICIOUS. I remember someone saying earlier in this thread that they wished it smelled more of leather and tobacco, but as I myself provide those scents with attire and unhealthy habits, I don't really feel any lack there.

 

I only wish I had as much trouble getting it off as everyone else seems to. Then, it may just be that I want every single breath I take to smell more and more like Tombstone while I'm wearing it, so it's impossible for me to get enough.

[nancybridget]

Sassafrass, indeed! Wow! This is bubbling rootbeer fuzz. The vanilla is like those little bubbles that fizzle at the top of your soda glass, and the cedar gives it the rattlesnake's bite at the end. I'm not gunnin' for a big bottle, but it's fun to play...

[Miss Lynx]

Hmmm... Not bad, though it has a bit of that root beer note that I dislike in Laudanum. However, as with that one, that note fades some as it dries down, which is a good thing. The vanilla is fairly strong, and thankfully not too Play-Doh-y, and there's a sort of bitter herbal undercurrent that keeps it from being too sweet or foody.

 

I do think it smells like something that would probably work better on a guy, though some of BPAL's "traditionally masculine" scents work very well on me too. But I could see it being good on some women, though it's not really my thing exactly.

 

Uh-oh -- as it dries down further, I might have to take back the "not too Play-Doh-y" comment in the first paragraph. Vanilla so often does that on me... Damn.

 

Grade: C+

[Bagfish]

Wow. This is lovely. It reminds me of a sweet vanilla pod in a fragrant wooden box. I only get a little bit of cedar right when it is wet. It is a very "dry" scent too and my goodness it lasts. I'm on about 11 hours of wear now and it has lasted all day, and is still wafting from my wrists.

 

There is something else wafting up as well as the vanilla and sandalwood - it may be sassafras, but being an English-type person I have never had the pleasure of drinking root beer, so I wouldn't know if that's what it smelled like. Anyway, this note whatever it is is soft and rounded and marshmallowy.

 

I was thinking of splashing out on a 5ml of Velvet (which has real similarities with Tombstone, but is slightly less 'rounded' and has more of an edge) but I have now been thrown into confusion as I love Tombstone as well - which one should I choose?

 

 

Reposted after 1st March post lost

[Heretic]

In the vial: Sassafras.

 

On my wrist, wet: Sassafras and something sharper-- cedar perhaps?

 

After 20 minutes: A friend of mine used to live out in the state forest on the north edge of the county. Her land that was full of cypress, larch and sassafras trees and I would dig up roots of the latter to make tea. I get that woody, earthy, root beer smell in this blend.

 

After an hour: I'm your huckleberry: Tombstone's all vanilla root beer on me. A unique and complex scent. I really like this one and will definitely use up the imp-- may even consider a bottle.

[aine]

Tombstone is like bathing in a Sarsparilla Spider. Thick vanilla, thick vanilla and more thick vanilla on me.

 

It's big. It's loud. And it stays true to type for many, many hours. My skin takes vanilla and throws it back at everyone within slingshot range with wicked glee.

 

Off to swaps before someone gets hurt.

[Caltha]

Tombstone

Now this is interesting, a cowboy who has not bathed but drenched himself in sickly sweet vanilla perfume for a night out. Very true to the description. It's interesting how it can be so very dry and masculine and at the same time so boozy vanilla sweet. It's like dusty gravel, dry wood, smoke and cinnamon drenched in vanilla sauce. A little nauseating perhaps but original enough to keep. Heed my warning, it's strong!

[arabella]

First Impression: Sweet almond and cedar.

 

Dries down to: Feels like smoky amber.

 

Additional Comments: I think it was the combo of vanilla and sassafras that came across as sweet almond in the beginning. The cedar is, surprisingly, tame - I thought it would be overpowering but it isn't. And, what I thought was amber was balsam. On the whole, this was much, much nicer than I expected it to be.

 

Lasted: Several hours.

 

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

[Meg]

In the bottle: wood and... something slightly chocolatey?

 

Wet: Still rich cedar wood, mostly.

 

Drydown: As it dries down, the cedar becomes spicy - apparently this is sassafras. I don't get much vanilla, but maybe that's what makes this blend a bit smoother. It's hard to describe, I don't know the ingredients that much, but to me, it smells like wooden stables on a scorching hot day. And tobacco, somehow.

 

Overall: A very masculine blend, lovely woods and spices. It reminds me of nature... hay, sunshine, freshly chopped wood and fresh tobacco. The vanilla becomes stronger on me after a while, and the blend sweetens, but I think it would be much nicer on a man. Still a keeper, though, it's a very comforting scent outdoorsy summer scent.

[batsy]

In the vial: hrm, vanilla cedar wood.

 

On the skin: This is foody. You can totally smell vanilla and sassafras. I like vanilla sometimes, but it has to be a right combo to capture me. This I think would work for once in a while, when I wanted something different than my normal staples. It's a rugged vanilla, if that makes any sense. I like Cedar anyway.

[septima_pica]

The vanilla here is kept down by the cedar and (my old friend) sassafras. Not sure I know what balsam smells like, though, and I can't pick out any unidentifiable scent here...

The boy said "yum", though, when I accidentally sent the lid flying through the air and he got oil on his fingers picking it up. For no reason I can name, it *does* evoke the high Colorado Plateau deserts -- power of suggestion, or is there some common smell?

[Thursdae]

I love it when I breathe in a new perfume and an unexpected memory is pulled forth from the back of my brain. With Tombstone, I thought, "Stables!" but what was really underneath that was the feeling of walking out of the sunshine into a dim, old barn, with its mingled dry plant aromas of sawdust, hay, and alfalfa seed, the sweetness of the molasses barrel and bran mash, and a bit of leather. Yummy. After a few minutes, the sarsaparilla stepped forward, making the blend sweeter and less woody.

 

I didn't expect this result from Tombstone, but .

[juniperus]

Bottle: cedar and sassafras, hint of the vanilla

Wet: vanilla goes wild and covers the sassafras, plus the cedar

Dry: Yep, the vanilla has totally overtaken as it usually does on me. The sassafras and cedar are mere hints, now, and the fir has not appeared at all.

Later: The cedar has come back some, it's neck-and-neck with the vanilla, and the bit-o-balsam underneath takes on a leather-feel and the sweet of the sassafras is discernible, but barely. Warm ... the wood and vanilla and leather and sassafras notes come together to invoke images of a general store. Would be a pleasant and light gender neutral scent for a cowboy-wannabe, but isn't for me.

[Aurelius]

Hee! I smell like a root beer float! Frothy, vaguely carbonated, and sweet. After about twenty minutes something goes a bit off. Bring the float back!

[DeliberateAngel]

I recieved an imp of this with an order and didn't even try it my skin for months afer sniffing the imp.

On initial sniff, it smelled like the cedarwood Elvis jewelery box I had when I was a kid.

On firts application: This brings to mind an old ghost town. The dusty air, the dirt, the wind, the emptiness....... I definately smell the cedar with an almost root beer like note (similar note, I dont know how sassafras or balsam smell) in the background.

 

2-3 hours later: The Cedar and other note die down and blend together with a new vanilla scent.

 

3+ This smells just like Antique Lace.

 

I am suprised I adore this scent. I would have never picked it out on my own. On me, its not masculine. Its a tough girl who has a sexy side.

 

I am going to use the imp and see others reactions and decide if I want a bigger bottle (at this point I would always want to keep an imp around).

[Elrianra]

I pop the cap off the bottle and take a whiff; suddenly I'm sitting at a picnic table in the desert with a can of cream soda in my hand and the foam on my lips. First sniff is cedar with a tangy note of balsam coming up fast, almost bitter, then playful sassafras and warm vanilla swirl in to the picture and this goes sweet and naive all at once. My skin grabs the cedar and vanilla in this one and a close sniff is very woody - then a moment later the sassafras lifts off and there's a caramel and cream note just floating about a half foot above my wrist and informing me politely that it is there. This is a very confusing scent, on me it's at once cedar and sassafras - which I would like to tell you is a complicated blend to try and explain! After it dries (and there is no need to WARM for this one), it's all woody and vanilla with a background note of sassafras which is truly unfortunate because it's a sweet caramel but not food sort of note that I would definitely kill to get a single note scent of.

[joiedecombat]

In the bottle: It must be some combination of the vanilla and more masculine notes, but I swear in the imp this smells weirdly like honeydew.

 

On my skin: Cedar leaps out first, but it's smoothed and sweetened a bit by vanilla underneath it, keeping it from instantly smelling like sawdust, and the sassafrass adds a higher note.

 

As it dries down, the high note recedes. When I actually sniff my wrist I get cedar first, but vanilla dominates the throw with cedar and a whiff of sassafrass beneath. I am liking it more than I initially thought. The vanilla in Antique Lace is a little overly creamy-sweet; Tombstone is a bit more rugged, and it's nice in a unique way.

 

Edit to add: Bizarrely, the place where I tested Tombstone on my wrist has acquired a yellowish tint. I wonder if it's something in the oil, or some sort of reaction with the metal of my wristwatch, but I can't recall this happening with any other BPAL oil. Buh.

Edited May 26, 2006 by Joie de Combat

[lookingglass]

Gah! DH just dumped half his imp on me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

It is sharp and cypressy...Then it gets like pencil shavings and balloons.

 

That is my 4 word review.

 

I love vanilla, but I am not feeling the love here...

[themerrybaker]

I had an odball experience with Tombstone. Out of the imp it reminded me chewing gum, but settled down into cedar and leather. No root beer or vanilla for me - maybe I got the Diet version.

[ladymissspyder]

I'm testing from a tarted imp, so I think I'm doing a review of some very aged Tombstone here.

 

In imp: vanilla and...leather? I guess that leather's the cypress and balsam blend.

 

Wet: Leather with a twist of vanilla. This is very thick, and is taking a long time to dry down.

 

Top notes: I'm getting the cypress and balsam, which still smells very leathery to me.

 

Middle notes: Now it's a little more herbaceous, with a bit of a hay note.

 

Base notes: leathery balsam sweetened up just a little with vanilla.

 

Overall: I like it. It's kind of like a less-sweet version of Perversion on me.

Edited June 9, 2006 by ladymissspyder

[TrailerTrashPrincess]

wet on my skin ... smells like brownie mix or bittersweet chocolate chips

 

as it dries.... it becomes sassafras and sandalwood with the eeeensiest little bit of cedar in there somewhere.

 

half an hour later.... vanillabean icecream and rootbeer.

or a rootbeer float (as someone has already described -- and nailed it)

 

not something i think i'd ever want to wear, but an amazing combination.