Bordello

[Digital_Hypoxia]

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.

I was instantly sold on Bordello, even before it hit my skin. When I was a teenager, my mother used to buy me an incense called "Vampire". I loved thescent, and burned it so often (to saturate my clothes and hair with it) that a lot of people assumed it was perfume. Bordello smells just like that.

Sweet and berry with just enough amaretto to nix the coug syrup for me. I have no talent for pickingout notes, but there is a definite smoky, incense aspect to it.

I've already ordered a big bottle....ah, addiction

[enantiomorph]

bordello smells just like mentos' cassis flavored candy. which I eat like there's no tomorrow. I was expecting bordello to be dark and sophisticated but was surprised to find it's much more obvious and bright.

 

out of the bottle I get fruit and red wine, a deep, flush, red scent that is loud as hell. it's mouth watering. on my skin, bordello doesn't change at all, save a mild emergence of red wine. I like this scent a lot, but I don't think I would wear it that often. when I'm feeling devious, I like to go for more mysterious scents. off to the swaps, to someone who will appreciate her more.

[anmorata]

Bordello:

 

I wasn't sure I'd like this scent, given the description. It hadn't really come to mind until some items I'd purchased from another forum member showed up in my mailbox, with a small decant of Bordello as a gift.

 

In the imp, this scent is strong.. a very strong amaretto smell, which inevitably brings to mind the thought of cherries. I smell a definite berry undertone (the currant, perhaps?), though I can't pinpoint if it's cherries or even a faint memory of a much-beloved strawberry-scented oil I'd had as child.

 

On my skin, Bordello turns into a pure Crème caramel. Sweet yet lusciously tempting. The berries start to fade and a more almond-y note wafts up, in addition to a faint wine note.

 

Sadly, Bordello faded on me quickly. I can't quite tell if it's my sinuses this week (I've been sick, so I haven't done any imp sampling at all) or if it's my body chemistry, so I'll definitely have to give it another try.

 

Thus far, I do believe this is my favorite BPAL scent. It is, quite simply put, incredible. Let's just hope that when I'm back at 100%, Bordello will stay a bit longer.

[surf-tormented]

Hmm...the plum family...Queen of Spades, Lady MacBeth, Midwinter's Eve, Bewitched, Ice Queen...HELLO PLUM!

 

In fact most of the above and Bordello smell like pure plum/grape on me and it is hard to tell them apart.

 

Bordello is like the "sweaty" version of the plum family tree above. It has a salty sweat like vibe to it, probably fitting to the name.

 

It's very sweet. Almost too sweet, like someone is trying to hide something!

[Emu Nymph]

Bordello:

As soon as I smelled this one I knew it was one that I needed a bigger botle of.

In the bottle is smells like asweet almost berry candy. But it's not to overly powering sweet that it's sickly. As it drys on my skin a lot of the other notes come out and to balance the sweetness. Over all this is a scent that I would wear often and am glad I have more of than just an imp.

[Pixie-elf]

In the Vial: Sweet Plummy goodness!

 

Wet: A little less sweet than it was in the Vial, but still, a yummy sweet plum... I love this scent.

 

Dry: As it dries it gets more depth to it and a bit less sweetness, once it is dry it smells like some yummy plum mixed with blackcurrant and maybe the wine, too.

 

Conclusion: I like this scent a lot. I think later on I'll have to buy a bottle of it, but it's not on my list of priorities to get. But once I get a few other bottles it will be! Good thing I have a second imp to tide me over til I get it. Also if you love this, you'll love Midwinter's Eve.

 

ADDED March 5:

 

Bordello, Yum...

 

In the Vial: Plum, and a little alcohol.

 

Wet: Sweet and Plum-Like, very nice. Deep, Plum, so yummy, Alcohol is all gone.

 

Dry: I can really smell the Plum mainly, and the Blackcurrant comes in stronger, no alcohol. But it's sweetish in a berry way... Now sometimes it winds up being sweet in the sweet way, it depends on what time of the month it is. Sometimes a LITTLE alcohol peeks up but not much.

 

Conclusion: I'm gonna buy a bottle of it, one day. It's very nice, I love the scent, and if you love Plum, or Midwinter's Eve, I'm sure you'll love this! I find it deeper than Midwinter's Eve. But the Amaretto doesn't come out much

[tsita]

I'm very sensitive to scents because of my migraines. Most of my triggers are overly sweet, cloying scents. Because of this, and of the description, I bypassed Bordello while drooling over the goodies on the site.

 

However, someone sent me an Imp of it. Even battling a wanna-be migraine, I can waer this! I can smell yummy!

 

First impression: Sweet, but not overpowering.

 

On: French whore, but in a fun, good way.

 

After a while: Still French whorish, still fun, but now it seems like I can smell well used leather. Odd. I don't smell the amaretto. Unless it's coming to me in the leather smell.

 

Overall: I want to wear my garter belt, thigh highs, and naughty undies. I want to go have fun. I'm buying a 5 mL bottle of this!

[Diedra]

In the vial: sweet, fruity and juicy. This scent was a surprise for me, I assumed it would be darker and heavier.

 

Applied: still fresh, but getting sweeter.

 

After a while: now I can smell some darker undertones. The scent becomes very sweet, almost candy-like. I can't smell black currant anymore, now it's mostly a plum/amaretto blend, but I could swear there's also a hint of incense in there!

 

Summary: Bordello won't be very high on my BPAL ranking, but still it is a great scent for anyone who likes sweet but non-floral blends. Recommended!

[shelldoo]

wowser, this is yummy plum, boozy, smoke scent, i adore it i want it, sigh this is just delish

[Spastik_Kitty]

In the bottle: Strawberry Gonesh incense

 

First on: Strawberry Hubba Bubba with a faint aroma of alcohol and spice. This is very sweet and juicy. It reminds me of that a lush red lipgloss should taste like.

 

After a few minutes: It's smelling less like strawberry and more like plum and black currant. I'm getting an alcohol type smell but I wouldn't define it as either amaretto or wine, there is also an underlying note of incense. It's making my mouth water.

 

After 30 minutes: Sweet lush plum and deep red wine still with an underlying note of incense.

 

After an hour: It's staying pretty much the same now, plum wine and incense. It's sweet, but not cloyingly so.

 

I like this, enough to use the imp up but not sure if it's enough to purchase a larger bottle.

[bexone]

In the vial: yummy! Sweet, juicy fruits with a sharp edge (that'd be the wine) and a soft, creamy background.

 

Wet: similar to Lady Macbeth from yesterday -- a quick splash of berries -- but different. Bordello isn't as crisp. I suppose I'm missing whatever it was that gave me the citrus-y edge yesterday.

 

Drying: The fruity note fades very quickly, but it doesn't go away entirely, and the amaretto seems to be coming out. I had hesitated over this one because normally any kind of sweet almond-y smell makes me gag, but this is more just a creamy, buttery, nutty sort of note.

 

Dry: Okay, this faded into that background air freshener scent they use at Bed, Bath, & Beyond. Which isn't bad, but it's kind of an odd thing to smell like.

 

I'll try this again later, because I really like it in the vial.

[misty]

I really thought I would like this when I sniffed it in the imp. Call me crazy, but for some reason when I put it on, I thought it smelled "cheap". Oh well. I guess Bordello was just not for me.

[Julilla Regina]

Berry tartness! Then it smoothes into what I could swear is a touch of leather and blackberry pastilles. This is yummy and booze/foody! It has really good staying power and it's very playful. If it were a saloon girl, she'd be wearing a corset, pantalettes and cowboy boots and be drunk on berry wine.

[Finny]

Boozy, fruity, yumminess.

 

I love this one, it is fresh and sweet, with a dark streak running underneath.

 

I get a fruity wine note, then a wonderful musky spice. I think I'm going to need this in a 5ml, thank you lab for gift imps!

[misfitroxy]

Wet, all I get from this is cherry syrup. Not necessarily a medicinal kind of syrup but more like the ones you find in gourmet coffee shops. Ultra sweet with the slightest bit of a kick behind it.

 

On my skin, it’s cherry candy to the extreme. Though it quickly darkens into something less sticky. This scent is all crimson to me. I think the plum and amaretto are a perfect combination (I’m not normally a fan of almond-esque scents but the fruit really helps balance and control the nuttiness).

 

Bordello makes me think of holiday candies (or the kind of sweets I associate with the Winter holiday season where you have the hard fruit lozenges with a burst of syrup in the middle). But there’s something deep and complex underneath it that makes this a more grown-up kind of blend as opposed to a lollipop sort of tartness.

 

I’d be curious to see how this would mix with one of the Lab’s spicy oils. I know this is a keeper even if I wouldn’t have too much occasion to wear it. But it’s distinctive and fun and totally delicious.

[theshapeshifter]

In the imp: Fruity, but in a very dark, sexual way. I believe I emitted an audible "nnnnggghhh" when I sniffed it at first.

 

Initial application: Oh, GORGEOUS. It's like sitting across the table from a potential lover, sharing some kind of decadent, dense, almond-berry-plum cake and drinking syrupy liqueurs. I'm in scent heaven!!

 

Later: It becomes slightly less sugary, more debauched, but fundamentally doesn't change much. Beth wasn't kidding when she called this "bawdy"! It's sexy, but the kind of sexy where there's a grin and a wink amongst the depravity.

 

To my heartbreak, though, this proved the most fleeting of the BPAL scents I've tried so far. After about three hours, I was hard-pressed to find a trace of it. Normally, that would be a deal-breaker for me, but I adore the scent SO much that I must still have a bottle of it... I'll just have to experiment with ways of prolonging its life.

 

Edited to add: After getting through all the other new smellies that needed testing, I came back and gave Bordello another try, this time putting a couple of imp-wand-swipes of it in my hair, and it worked brilliantly - lasted all day and into the evening. Bordello is DEFINITELY going to be a 5ml purchase.

Edited April 17, 2005 by theshapeshifter

[Splendid Molerat]

I have a bottle of this on order.

 

Bordello is juicy, creamy and bright. You would absolutely want to chase down and eat, drink or screw whatever pretty thing was wafting this scent.

 

Similar in fruitiness to Swank, but not as sharp or energetic.

[girlmadasbirds]

each note blends so well with the other in this. plum and amaretto with an edge of wine. it's also got great staying power.

[quimerula]

Berry bubble gum!

 

Plum, black currant and wine when wet, amaretto comes out when dry making it less sweet and more acid.

 

Stays for years on the skin.

 

Again not my cup of tea.

[cuervosueno]

Berry bubble gum? yeah, kind of on me too. Or maybe a berry pastry as someone else noted. I do get a hint of booziness as well. Overall, too fruity on me. Don't know why I ordered the imp--I don't really like fruit notes--maybe it was the name that seduced me.

Alas, the scent does not. I'm off to wash it away, now.

edited to add this: I didn't wash it off, because I was too busy trying to catch up on my reviews. And lo and behold, it turned. Now its sweet amaretto with just a touch of berry underneath--that nice boozy/almondy smell. It smells very delicious, as if it were an ameretto cherry pastry. I want to eat it, but I'm not sure I want to smell like it.

Edited April 14, 2005 by cuervosueno

[tsarina]

It's smokey plum to me, faint and lingering. I'm not hitting any other notes here, which disappoints me. Alas. I recognize the plum from Midwinter's Eve, but it is less sweet and more fleshy here. It's a nice scent, but not for me.

[Phaedra]

Wet this smells very juicy to me, and I detect pear. It goes on very strongly at first but then starts to change pretty quickly. It smells like strawberries and cotton candy, very feminine. This one is intriguing. There's definately something about this that I like but it's not on the "must have a bottle of this" list. I'll have to try it a few more times.

[tinyvulture]

Luscious, juicy plum and other dark, decadent fruits - currant and grape. Just sweet enough, not cloying. Reminds me of the ripe fruity scent of Hollywood Babylon, only with plums rather than strawberries. There’s a hint of amaretto too, but it smells rich and almond-y, not boozy, and really complements the fruit.

[Brianne]

Just got this in a big batch I got today, and wanted to review this first!

 

In bottle:

Bright smelling, strong, a little sweet. I think I'm mostly getting the black currant right out of the bottle.

 

On me:

Wow. I didn't expect to like this one a lot to be honest, as I was expecting it to be too "berry" for me, but it really isn't! The amaretto really warms this right up and creates a warm, glowing scent, with just a touch of sweetness and berry smell. It's definitely not an overwhelming berry scent. It's not too sweet either, which I really like about it

 

Final note:

I really like it - I haven't decided yet if this will be something I need a full bottle for or not, but I'm leaning towards yes lol. Also, my dog Loki totally loves this scent, he's just crazy about it, as odd as that sounds! He won't stop pawing at my arm and smelling my wrist! So Loki gives this two paws up!

[aritei]

Cherry-flavored migraine for me. It's a shame too, because I love all the individual notes in this. I mean - black currant and amoretto? Yum! *sigh*