Bordello

[WidgetAlley]

A decadent, deep perfume, lusty and luxuriant. The scent evokes images of velvet-lined Old West cathouses, tightly laced corsets, rustling petticoats and coquettish snarls of pleasure. Bawdy plum with amaretto, burgundy wine and black currant.

Imp: In the imp, this is lovely, rich plums and amaretto and something almost like polished wood behind it. Dark, almost sharp black current and strong sweet wine provide the backing. Very sexy, very rich, and definitely an attention-grabber.

Wet: Wow, I would have thought this would be strong, but my skin almost ate it! Of course, it's not a good time of the month for me, so that might be-- oh, wait, no, there it is again. This is like The Red Queen, but tarted up... sexy dark fruit, boozy amaretto, something like a sugared wine and sleek, expensive wood. I swear I'm getting a hint of mahogany. The whole thing had the potential of going plastic on me but it stays, just barely, on the realistic side of sweetness. Smells like Wanda, but without the trimmings.

Dry: A touch of sandalwood and incense seem to round this out after it dries, but otherwise the sweet, sugared wine and fruits remain. This is drop-dead sexy, and I have a feeling this imp will be used up pretty quickly!

[mejuxtaposed]

This one was sheer sadness for me.

 

I was expecting a delicious juicy plum, but the booze notes overtook everything. It smelled like a sticky sweet fake red candy. It had such a big throw, I ended up washing it off (it took a few washes) because it was wafting heavily in my very small cubicle.

 

I love the plum note but the booze won this round. (Doesn't it always though?)

[Evengloam]

Bottle: All of the notes here blend rather nicely. This smells really yummy. Rich, dark, and full-bodied.

 

Wet: The wine and black currant catch my attention. Nice. I can't smell the plum as well as I could in the bottle.

 

Dry: Boozy fruits. Velvety. I like this. It makes me feel devious. The wine and currant are prominent on me.

 

1 hour in: Same as it was dry but softer.

 

This lasts quite a while on me. About 5 hours. Will be considering a bottle.

[topazphoenix]

I was expecting a darker scent, but Bordello is really light and fruity and cheery and candylike, like a Jolly Rancher.

[Argentwolf]

I had a hard time envisioning plum and currant as an appropriate scent, but this fits the bill entirely. It really does seem like the sort of perfume that a five-dollar whore would wear (in 1880 dollars). It's sweet and feminine but definitely not innocent; it's one of those ladies that makes a point of putting a roll in her hips to make sure you keep following her up the stairs. Lasts all day, like a working girl should. Another winner!

[bubblefish]

This certainly is a deep, rich perfume. I'd say more that it's a greeny, jungle-y scent than anything. It's moist, green, luscious, rich, and dark. It's like silk for my olfactory receptors. I get mostly the wine/boozy scent when it is in the imp, and more of the black currant and plum when it is on my skin. And seriously, yum!

[kattharia]

I don't usually like fruity scents, but this one really surprized me! Maybe it's the booze or the naughty nature but I really like it!

[ladyhyacinthe]

I ordered this because I was on a "fruity scents" kick and people mentioned this is a good one. WOW am I glad I listened!

 

Warm, rich, dark red fruits - plum and what smells almost like sugared cherry? The amaretto is definitely there, keeping it from getting too sweet. Oddly, though, I'm not getting much of a "boozy" scent from this at all. That's fine by me!

 

Definitely a keeper! This may even replace Lampades for me as my go-to dark-fruity blend, we'll see.

[claudia6913]

I must say, I was pleasantly surprised by this scent! When I'd first received it from a lovely forumite, I'd looked up the notes and immediately set it aside, cringing at the fruit + booze. I shouldn't have given up so easily. Thankfully, I didn't get rid of the imp and now that I've learned to at least try it before I cringe, I can say I'm in love and want a bottle right now.

 

In the imp, it's a sweet, if a bit sharp smell. If I didn't know there was amaretto in it, I would've assumed a cream was there.

 

On my skin it is just wonderfully sweet, creamy, with a little bit of a sharp scent lingering in the background that takes you by surprise. So far, nearly an hour later, it's lasting on my skin without needing a refresher (unlike some I've noticed that are gone 20 mintues after application). It's wafting lazily around me and makes me smile every time I catch a wiff of it.

 

This is definitely a bit sexy, very smooth, with a little bit of a playful bite. I will have to get a bottle of this as soon as I can!

[BuxomM]

It's very sweet, at first it smells like bubble gum, then it's plum and amaretto. It's subtle and powdery.

[sirensea]

Imagine my surprise when I tried on Bordello and the first thing I said was, "This reminds me of my childhood!" After sniffing a few more times, I realized that was probably because of the banana smell... it reminds me of those candies that came in a pack, the ones that looked and smelled like miniature fruits. Before it dries, this smells identical to the banana candy.

 

Now that it's dried, there's sort of a floral note there that makes it less sweet. It doesn't last very long on my skin, or at least I don't smell it very strongly, but that's cool! I'm grateful for the nostalgia kick.

[vampbarbie]

Loved this on first sniff!

I got it from a swap and have been slathering it on when the right occasion presents itself.

Dark, fruity and rich yet with a sweet undertone. Definately plummy and damn sexy.

 

I walked into a lift (elevator) yesterday and just after the door shut a man exclaimed loudly 'Someone smells REALLY good', tis the intoxicating nature of Bordello.

[Alexanne]

• If this oil had a color, it would be a light burgundy color, with specs of gold floating about.
• The first note... there really is not a single first note I smell. If I had to take a guess, I would say a sugared plum.
• The rest of the notes, in order is amaretto and wine. The currants are last, mostly keeping everything from becoming too rich and boozy.
• Dry, it smells like the exact same as it is wet. Candied plum, swimming in amaretto, with wine drifting in and out and a bite of tartness at the end. Edging towards the line of being too sweet, but the wine keeps it dry enough to keep from becoming sickly.
• The scent made me feel luscious; luxurious, like I was swimming in warm velvet and silk. I felt very comfortable. Would make a great cold-night-in scent.
• This lasts only a little while. It only takes half an hour before it fades, and the fade lasts for about two hours.
• The throw was ehh. As soon it dried, I could only really smell it by putting my nose up close to my hand. I did get faint wiffs while walking around, though, so maybe if I slathered a bit more on...
• Verdict: I really REALLY wish this stuck around for longer, it would make this an automatic buy. I'll stick with my imp for now (so it can age), and hope I find a similar scent with more lasting power. If not, I'll buy a bottle at that point.

Edited November 9, 2009 by Alexanne

[verbranden]

In the imp, this smelled nice and fruity/boozy, but it turned to fake plasticy pseudoplum on me. It makes me sad because I had really high hopes for this scent. I guess I just have to resign myself to the fact that fruit scents just don't work on me. Another imp to the swap pile.

[hlemonds]

Delicious! I had avoided this one, thinking that with amaretto and wine it would be waaaaay too boozy for me. But after getting Countess Willie, which i love, and seeing that many likened her to Bordello, i knew Bordello was a must try. I am so glad that i decided to try it when i had a chance at Whole Foods. I immediately knew i needed a bottles. This is rich, fruity, sweet, and warm. Bordello is quite decadent, and i do find it similar to Countess Willie (without her red musk and Bordello is a bit sweeter i think). I would say if you like either one of these scents and haven't tried the other, you certainly should The strongest notes on me are the plums (sweet and ripe) and amaretto. The wine is in the background, adding soft warmth and maybe a bit of a wood note (like wine aged in oak). Overall a fabulous scent, although my skin does seem to eat it. Just means i have to slather and apply often, but i don't mind since it is a GC scent!

[Yoginispirit]

Hmm. Smells like Eat Me without the cake

 

It is veeerrry sweet. Like purple sweet tarts. It actually doesn't change on the drydown either. I've been looking for a nice candy scent! Not a favorite but very nice.

[redderz]

Both in the bottle and wet on my skin, this smells exactly like strawberry Hubba Bubba bubble gum! It's nice, but I was expecting something dark and sexy.

 

Dry, it reminds me of something that I've smelt in The Body Shop. It's much better now, but I don't think I'll get a bottle! Still, I'll use my Imp!

[Caerphilly]

In the imp: Deep burgundy! Sweet and juicy. Cherries, wine and almonds.

 

Wet: Very strong scent, well rounded. Still juicy. Not as sweet as in the imp. Sexy and feminine.

 

Dry: Now it smells like a fruity candle. A bit waxy and generic red fruit. Like a red berries Christmas candle, or something like that. OH!! Or a barbie doll covered in sweet fruity girly perfume. Alice mixed with berries. Morphs completely.

 

Overall: LOVE it in the imp. Don't really like it in the drydown. Not a fan of plastic scents. Might keep it for my oil burner. Would have to reapply every 15 minutes to get the 'in the imp' smell all the time,

[Beckiemort]

Wet: Bright sugar-y fruit scented candle.

 

Dry Down: It starts to have a more vanilla-ish vibe but still really light and innocent. It is morphing into a vanilla scented candle, which is odd with no vanilla notes, unless that is the amarretto I am detecting. I am finally detecting why it is called Bordello now it really does seem like something you might find one of the 'girls' wearing. However, it reminds me of a vanilla incense stick my parents used to burn, at least on my skin which is a lovely scent but not something I want to smell like all the time.

[lensflaaare]

Wet: Berry gummy candy. Very juicy smelling.

 

Dry-down: It's a little less girly now. More rounded and womanly, slightly heady. Still berry candy, but with a dash of amaretto. Also a bit grapey. Oh wait, I think it might be the wine! At some points it comes close to potpurri-land, but it's always held back because of the wine.

 

Dry: Intoxicating, womanly berry.

[reynardine]

In imp: rich plum scent

 

Wet: Oh, heavenly! The black currant and amaretto mix with the plum. This is almost creamy!

 

Drydown: Nice creamy plummy scent

 

Later: Not a lot of staying power…only lasted a couple of hours. Will use up the imp, though!

 

[Finch]

Bordello reminds me of sweet candied violets and petit fours. Not so much bawdy, but delicate and lady-like and tinged with a naughty whisper of juicy plum.

Edited January 26, 2010 by Finch

[kunoichi]

In the vial, this is a sweet, bright, light and fruity scent - so juicy it's delicious! On my skin it becomes richer and deeper, a sweet boozy note calming down the almost bubblegum-like juiciness of the fruit scents making it a more rounded, yet still delicious, scent. After a few hours the fruity scent fades, leaving a soft breath of sweet scent on my skin.

[KesHiro]

Forgive me if someone has already said this, but this scent reminds of the warm, friendly brothel in East of Eden BEFORE Kathy/Kate poisoned Faye and turned it into the scary den of humiliation.

 

I bought this because so many people were comparing it to Countess Willie, which sounds glorious and somehow made her way into my cart when I placed my last order. I *almost* regretted the Bordello purchase after the first test, but if I've learned anything it's that you always need to give an oil a second chance.

 

In the bottle, this is a scary super sweet tutti-fruity with a slight bubblegum element to it. This is teeny-bopper hurt your teeth sweet and that is so. not. me. Wet, the amaretto and wine kick in and the boozy notes, while not diminishing the sweet plums and currants, definitely take that teenage edge off this scent and give it a slightly more adult kick. During the drydown, the wine fades and the amaretto takes over as the main booze note. Dry, I'm left with a very sweet plum/currant candy scent with just enough boozy almond to make it playfully adult and not bubblegum popping jailbait.

 

This scent is more bordello candies than bordello itself and is all ruffles, lace, giggles, and shimmering wallpaper. I do not think I will wear this scent outside of the house but it's going to get a lot of use when I'm at home. Even though I'm not into the super sweet, this one is growing on me and it's one of the few times I'm glad I'm amping that booze note.

 

Definitely a keeper.

 

Edited to add that I agree with the other reviewers: it fades faster than some of my other oils. I don't mind, though, as I'm left with a pleasant skin close scent and not a super strong sweet one.

Edited February 1, 2010 by Kejiaron

[lilwhiterabbit]

On a whim, I picked up a 5ml bottle of this at my local retailer this afternoon and I am so glad I did!

 

In the bottle, Bordello smells very wet, sweet and fruity to me. I get a lot of the plum and black currant, with just a hint of the wine. No amaretto to speak of, it's just all fruit. Very jucy.

 

On me the fruitiness fades and the amaretto comes out to play. The fruit and amaretto blend seamlessly and deliciously. My dogs agree, as they keep licking my wrists, trying to 'taste' the smell. The wine has faded into the background for the most part but I get a tiny bit of it now and again. The scent doesn't seem to last long, though--maybe three hours tops, but that may have something to do with my dogs' attempts to taste the oil. It is one of those scents that wafts. I occasionally catch a whiff when walking or lifting something.

Edited February 5, 2010 by lilwhiterabbit