Ü Mütter Museum

[CiCi]

Ü
A mélange of balsams, leathers, and raw vanilla designed to evoke images of unearthed secrets and dusty, ancient libraries.

The Label is Black with a White border with skeleton heads all around it. It has Mutter Museum at the top and a giant U in the middle. Very Nice. The oil itself is very light with soft leather and very light vanilla. I can smell the balsam which smells faintly of paper but so very lightly that it is almost imagined. I really thought it would be heavy, perhaps have a dusty note in it but it doesn't at all. I guess that's why Beth said in the description that is was designed to evoke images of unearthed secrets and dusty, ancient libraries.
Even after an hour it still smells really nice and strong. The leather is still the dominant note and the vanilla is there but very much in the background. At this time I don't smell any balsam note at all, just the deep, comforting notes of leather. This is going to age very well and only get better.

[cfrancesca]

This is very different from what I was expecting, but I love it!

 

When I first sniffed U from the bottle I get a whiff of creamy vanilla, leather and the balsam gives it a resiny, slightly cooling, green/planty scent, it reminds me a little of aloe.

 

On my skin I got almost the opposite experience from GoldenRubee- the leather faded almost completely, the balsam softened and became beautifully blended with the vanilla. About 20 min. later my skin is amping the raw vanilla and it's an amazing vanilla. Like a vanilla flower just blossoming and it's not a sweet, cloying or foody vanilla. I am in love with it. Very "grown up" and fresh smelling.

 

It's a really beautiful blend. It's unique and it's quite a morpher for me.

 

[angelicruin]

It smells a lot like fresh grass on my skin right after application. The balsam notes, perhaps? The leather gets stronger on me the more it dries on my skin. The vanilla is very trace for me. It just arrived today so it needs time to settle a bit, but I think this will age really well.

 

I will try to do updated review in a few days once it has time to settle,

 

[fairnymph]

Sniffed: Lots of balsam on top, beautifully piney-fresh (but not like the BPAL pine note, like real pine) with just a bit of resinous depth, lightly sweet, very natural vanilla (it's almost musky, not foody or heavy at all), a definite sort of beautifully ephemeral dusty paper note, and soft leather - to my nose, it smells like a very light 'old leather' note. This reminds me quite a bit of Quincy Morris, though this is of much less sweet and has that strong top balsam note.

 

Wet: Balsam like WHOA; this is extremely woodsy, a deep, beautiful evergreen forest, cool and densely wooded. Very, very evocative. A little sweeter, but this vanilla note - it's unlike any vanilla I've ever smelled. It really does smell RAW, and is the least-sweet vanilla note I've ever smelled - it's very subtle, and I'm not sure that I'd peg it as vanilla in a blind test. I get more of the paper note, quite a bit, and to my nose it merges with the balsam - kind of a wood pulp sort of note, really interesting and again, evocative. The leather is so faint still that I'm still not positive of its type. This brighter, less subdued and no longer dusty on my skin.

 

Dry: This dries pretty quickly, and as it dries the vanilla immediately starts amping and gaining sweetness. Now it reminds me of opening a jar with a vanilla bean in it - not a crushed vanilla bean or the paste or extract - but whole bean sniffed before it's been opened. The balsam is still strongly in command, but it's less overwhelming. It's a bit deeper now too, more resin and less greenery - though it's still quite bright. It works well with that lovely paper note (which is a new note to my nose). The leather now emerges more; actually, I do think this is LEATHERS, multiple types. I get a little old leather, and a little of the leather in Sacrifice - fortunately no chemical-plastic-powder De Sade/Spanked style.

 

Later: The balsam continues to soften, though this is still a very masculine, green scent - it's turning more dry-wood-pulp/papery - I think there is another wood here, or else just a balsam I haven't tested before - I get something like a dry sandalwood, almost cedary but not quite. This may sadly be too woodily dry for me. The vanilla is really something! It's sweeter yet, but it has an almost balsamic tone - it's very much raw, very natural, outdoorsy, masculine. Dark but not in that boozy way or a smoked way. The leathers are fainter - they were never strong, and they fade on my skin over time - a sure sign that there's none of the sharp leather note, which always amps on me.

 

Summary: Sweet, rich, almost musky crushed raw vanilla beans and piney/wood-pulpy sawdust - this does go dusty on me, and the balsam loses nearly all of its greenness after a couple hours, going to dry, dry wood. There's definitely a strong dry wood in here, I think a sandalwood of some type. I get only a little hint of old suede leather in the drydown, it's really the vanilla that eventually takes the reins, though the dry woods are just below. The vanilla is almost too intense for me, and the woods almost too dry - I think this would be much more awesome on a man.

 

It's a beautiful scent, but I'm not sure I can pull it off - I should also retest when I'm at a better point in my cycle. I do think this blend will make many people very happy!

Edited February 2, 2010 by fairnymph

[MCS4096]

SO much balsam! Heavy vanilla second and only a touch of leather when first applied. It's really reminding me of something but I can quite put my finger on what Drying down it's almost entirely vanilla explosion, no leather at all. Up close under by nose I get probably the best "dry old book paper" note I've smelled yet from the lab, which makes me very happy.. even if the throw is heavy vanilla. At least I'll get to enjoy the paper note

[Invidiana]

There was no way I could resist a scent based on a morbid museum, not a chance. I have to admit I was a little skeptical when I first saw the description because there was a chance it would be eau du musty attic--I assure you it's anything but. The raw vanilla in this is nothing short of amazing. It's rich, wild, a bit earthy, just sweet enough without being cloying. It starts out a bit "green" at first, but that quickly disappears on my skin and only gets deeper and sweeter as it keeps drying down (my skin has a tendency to amp sweet notes and sweeten stuff up which I don't mind one bit ). It's like jungle vanilla, if that makes any sense. The vanilla rests on a bed a deliciously deep and resinous balsam that blends so well with it you'd think the two were one note. Then comes the leather background. This isn't the really butch leather in Iago or De Sade, which I love to just smell, but not on myself; this is well-worn, buttery, I daresay even lightly spiced brown leather that gives the vanilla a smooth "vintage" background that stays true to the concept of dusty libraries without literally smelling ancient and dusty.

 

This stuff is nothing short of incredible and I can't wait to see how it ages.

Edited February 4, 2010 by Invidiana

[saralaughs]

This is gorgeous. I think this one even surpassed my expectations. :love!:

 

When first applied, the balsam is very green smelling, I will say that. It quickly deepens into a rich resinous scent that is joined by vanilla. But not foody vanilla. No, not at all. It's a vanilla that gives something age and quickly lends that ancient feel. It's kinda creamy but not. More smooth than creamy is the feel I get.

 

It's very deep, brown, and slightly dusty but smooth. The leather is there as well but not as a star runner. It's not in your face, it is more a "part" of the scent. Like a leather book cover is part of the book, as a whole. That's kind how this scent is. Very, very well blended and comforting to me.

 

I think it would smell awesome on a man but it is very woman friendly as well. Not really a sexy scent, per se but very comforting and casual.

[Chapanis]

Very different from any BPAL I have ever tried. U reminds me strongly of a better (more complex and sophisticated) smelling Lush Butterball. The vanilla and balsam are similar to my nose. The balsam isn't piney at all, it is more fresh and green like in Snow White. The vanilla is unlike any other BPAL vanilla. Wild and fresh.

There may be some leather lingering in the background initially, but it just serves to ground the scent. I am not detecting any dusty smells.

I applied this 6 hours ago and it is still going strong.

[ami226]

At first this scent smelled kinda... woodsy? Must be the balsam.

 

When things start to dry down, this turns into a LOVELY vanilla wood. It is amazingly sweet and light! The SO isn't here to give his opinion, but I have a feeling that this is going to be one of his favorites!! Wow! This slightly reminds me of Bow and Crown of Conquest....

 

After a half hour or so, the wood starts to disappear and now I am getting some of the leather. Mmmm! Vanilla and leather!! This leather isn't in your face though. It just supplies some lovely depth to the vanilla.

 

Wow! I have fallen in love with two blends in a week (Cthulhu in Love and Ü). How is this possible??

 

I have a feeling that this is going to smell amazing on the SO, but this scent to me is very gender neutral.

[Xanon]

This is gorgeous! So glad I went with my gut on this one!

In the bottle and wet, this smells green as others have said. I get a green grass and leather from it initially.

After about 10 minutes the balsam mellows out and I finally get the first hints of the raw vanilla. Raw vanilla is so much different then any of the other vanillas that I have smelled in the labs blends before. It really is like cutting open the bean and letting the aroma come forth. And the leather? It's like a well worn leather. Not plastic/pleather, but more of a warm leather. Really beautiful.

After 20 minutes this has become a dusty vanilla and leather scent with hints of parchment... exactly like what I was hoping for from the description. But better.

 

This blend is unisex, but in a totally classy sort of sense. Throw is between light and moderate. Absolutely stunning!

Edited February 6, 2010 by Xanon

[abejita]

Oh, wow. If I love this so much already, what's it going to be like with some aging, especially with notes that are so prone to deepening with age?

 

I don't find this to be green at all. I find it to be golden sunbeams from high windows with dustmotes floating in the air. The vanilla has a strong raw characteristic, as described in the notes. This is only raw vanilla-- not bean, not orchid, not foodie. It has its own distinct character. The balsams are sweet and have a nice texture to them, as does the leather. It's an odd mix of nappy suede and smooth, worn leathers. I love it. I really, really love it.

 

I ordered this for a librarian friend in my life and I'm so glad I got one for me as well. I hope she adores it like I do!

[samarablackcat]

This is more than I had hoped for.

 

I get more green, no vanilla that I am aware of, and if there is leather here, it's hiding...

 

There is something oddly familiar in this scent, almost old books that have been weathered in an ancient barn, kept dry by the hay but still affected by dampness. But no dust, thankfully; to me that usually means orris, which, of late does bad things on me.

 

Yes, I definitely get the recently unearthed bit. Reminds me of being a child, foraging through old, deserted barns, covered with vines, finding old magazines and books, forgotten and aged by wind, dust and water. Summer excursions, with the sun warm; pulling away the weeds to reveal hidden treasures. The green/brown resin that is left on your hands after pulling the weeds away.

 

Almost resinous, no, more herbaceous. An occasional whisper of what I think is vanilla.

 

I am certain that this will only get better with age. So evocative in its youth, this will grow into a seductive scent.

[misscoldheart]

WHOA! This is WILD! Okay, so in the bottle it really does smell woody. Barely piney, but I agree with other folks that it's a pulpy smell for sure. I put it on and it's really strong. It kind of made my stomach seize up, not in a nauseous way, but it was just a lot to handle at first. Definitely green wood at first, but the vanilla was also present. Once the wood calmed down, the vanilla comes forward...it's definitely not the kind of vanilla I usually think of when I imagine what it smells like, but its definitely VANILLA! Mixed with the wood it certainly does remind me of old books, which is one of my favorite smells. I love that it's sweet, but not foody. I think I am getting a slight hint of leather, but it's hard to tell now that everything is blending so nicely.

I think I will wear this one in the warmer months because it is a stronger smell, but I don't think it's too heavy. At first I wasn't sure it would be a scent I'd wear too regularly, but the more it settles down, it really is quite charming. I think it will become a favorite of mine for sure!

[scarletgenesis]

WOW. So when first on, this is very heavy on the leather, with a slightly smoky scent. The vanilla is there, but in the background. It's beautiful and like an old archive, but one that's well kept, and not particularly dusty. I do get the wood notes mentioned previously, but on me they're less OMG TREES and more just a nice smell of the kind of fresh cut wood you smell at a hardware store or in new wood furniture.

 

As this wears, the leather and vanilla even out more to a lovely, relaxing, and yet sensuous (yes I think books are sensuous) blend. It's gorgeous really and just what I'd hoped for on me.

 

Even better, I could still smell this on myself a full 24 hours after first applying. By this point, it was smelling like amazingly gorgeous smoky vanilla.

 

This is beautiful at all stages and has probably the best staying power of any bpal oil I've ever tried.

 

I hope to buy another bottle sometime soon, because I think that this blend just shot into my top 5 list.

[krissstephens]

I've been wearing it for 4 hours. It's still going strong. It's a spicy vanilla on me, that at first was woodsy and amazing but now it's starting to turn powdery on me and it's breaking my heart

[Venneh]

Just got a decant of this. In the vial, this smells like leather and a hint of grass for whatever reason, which might be the basalms. On my skin, the basalms are woody and green and taking precedence, to the point that I can't smell the leather or the vanilla. Whether or not the leather and vanilla assert themselves is probably going to determine whether or not this stays. This actually lasted barely fifteen minutes, cause the basalms were so strong that it was borderline making me gag; had to wash it off.

Edited February 8, 2010 by Venneh

[naturalcyber]

OLD BOOK! My dream scent; I have found it!

 

I've been pouring through descriptions and reviews since I found BPAL looking for an "Old book" scent and this is definitely the one.

 

It is very green to start but then the green fades a bit and it really does smell exactly like an old book to me. My nose has been glued to my wrist ever since the dry-down started, but the beginning is very nice too. :D I get wafts of vanilla too, but I don't smell any when I sniff my wrist. Hmm.

 

Either way, I must get more of this. A whole bottle, at least.

[edenssixthday]

Ü Mütter Museum - Seriously? People love this shizzle? Really? Honestly, I'm shocked. To me, this smells ghastly. It smells like someone made a reduction of dead people and poured it in a bottle. I washed it off, smothered my arm in deodorant, and the foul odor still worked its way through.

 

So everyone else loves it. I guess that means I need to give it another try in a few days in case there's something hormonally wonky going on with me.

[Schmoozy]

 

Bam! Right off the start this is all balsam. Green, sweet, woody...heavenly. After drydown the balsams seem to burn off and move to the background, and in it's place leather and vanilla appear. The vanilla is slightly sweet, the leathers are well worn and broken in. Leather is not prominent, just present. Together they meld with the woody balsam and leave behind a beautifully blended scent.

This is simply gorgeous.

[Lorelai1945]

Hmm. At first, I got straight up balsalm. Lots of trees. Then it went through the musty book stage, and I could get more and more of the raw vanilla peeking through. I totally get "raw" vanilla- straight from the plant. It feels very earthy. After letting it get really dry, I'm smelling snickerdoodle dough and pine trees- strangely, though, not in a bad way. It isn't very strong, which is the thing that makes this not a mess. I don't think I'm getting any leather, but it could be mixed in there well enough that it doesn't pop out at me. I really am starting to like this. It's really strange, but I like that it's really strange.

[syrenemyst]

I wanted to love this, but it was just alright. For the $12.95 I paid to have 3 bottles shipped, I expected a heck of a lot more.

[kerikeri]

As a librarian I always have to try these book/museum/library-themed scents, but so far most of them either don't work on me or just aren't very evocative of the theme in my opinion. This, however, is surprisingly a huge win.

 

I was expecting it to turn to cologne or be overwhelmingly leathery, but instead it's a light, slightly "green" woodsy scent rounded out with a gorgeous non-foody vanilla note and the lightest touch of leather. To me, it smells like something an adventurer-scholar of any gender would wear-- a scent equally at home exploring old ruins in the wild outdoors and studying in a cozy dark old library. I'm not sure if the mainstream would consider this a seductive scent, but it's quite alluring to this bibliophile. I think I need to hoard this.

[beachbabealways]

On me this starts off very green (from the balsams) but within 5 mins the vanilla kicks in and the leather is right behind it. The Balsams are still there but in the background. It's so warm and cozy and reminds me of something I have smelled before. 6 hours later it's still going and I am loving it.

 

I was so worried because it cost $25 +shipping (and I could have spent that money on my new love TKO) but I worried for nothing. phew!

 

Edited February 12, 2010 by beachbabealways

[milo]

Wet, and for about half an hour or so, this is a 'green' smell to me. Not unpleasant, but not really something I'd wear, either. As it dries, a lovely 'raw' vanilla comes out, as other's have described. This is a sweet blend, but a natural sweet, if that makes sense. Every so often, the 'green' comes out, but I don't get any leather yet. I think this is really a blend in the making, and while I enjoy it now, I'll probably love it later. The balsam green note is somewhat off putting to me, but it really doesn't last all that long, and makes intermittent brief appearances. A bit of a morpher all right. A keeper, I think, but only time will tell...

[Dark Alice]

Green....but musty. Balsam?) Raw vanilla is lurking in the background...and papyrus. Fresh Papyrus. I don't know if anyone has ever smelled the fresh paper plant but this is dead on for it! I also get wood, polished wood at that. It smells like a library. It's pleasant...I just wish there was a little more vanilla in this I think aging this will help a little.

 

ETA: There is no leather in this for me. Normally I amp the hell out of leather...but here the balsam has taken over.

Edited February 17, 2010 by Dark Alice