Harigata II

[reynardine]

Coconut, white amber, hazelnut, and anise.

Very pleasant coconut and hazelnut. Didn't get anise at all. It's a keeper.

[midnight_aeval]

A coconut that doesn't go to plastic doll head! Interesting. Fresh coconut, not getting a lot of anything else. Would be an awesome scent if you're looking for a not too sweet coconut scent.

[spanishviolet]

Historically speaking, I hate coconut. But BPAL has enabled me to find it tolerable, almost pleasant at times.

 

This is one of those coconuts. It's smooth, not too chokingly-sweet or stomach-churningly rich. (I think I ordered this because I really like anise.) The hazelnut reminds me of Black Pearl minus the heavenly iris; the anise echoes Paduan Killer Swarm, but more subdued & less sweet. Pleasant, not long-lasting; a decant will do.

[ljaylh]

Yeah.. loving this one! When first applied, the anise is strong but the coconut is right there with it. Who's going to come out on top? Anise steps up in front.. coconut comes up from behind.. coconut leaps forward, anise jumps ahead.. and so it goes for the first ten minutes until they finally get to a point where they share the lead. And that's when Harigata II hits its sweet spot for me - I get a beautiful soft, creamy coconut/anise mix that's really quite beautiful.

 

Thankfully, no hazelnut in the early stages - that was the only worrisome note here for me. There is a very waxy tone to this blend though, which could possibly be from the hazelnut but I think is more related to the coconut. And the white amber.. well, I'm not finding that one much in here either - there's a hint of amber, and it's brighter than the 'standard' amber (which generally adds a powdery element on me), but really the stars of this show are the coconut and anise. Which is just fine with me, because they are a fantastic combination - the sweetness of the coconut is beautifully tempered by the weight of the anise and together they blend seamlessly into a softly sweet and rich licorice/coconut smell that I'm really enjoying. Over time, the anise fades more quickly than the coconut - so that's my only complaint here really.. it's a shame they don't both hold their own equally through to the end. Oh, and finally after about an hour.. the hazelnut appears! But it's subtle, which is good because I do tend to amp nutty notes.

 

I've been searching for a good anise for a while now - and this may just be it.. Harigata II could become a bottle purchase for me

[DrKate]

Deep, rich coconut with a hint of hazelnut. There's just the teeniest suggestion of the anise but it's barely there at all. I absolutely love this, a definite bottle purchase, maybe even two.

[puddingirl]

I only have one other coconut blend so decided to try out this one, I quite like anise and amber but have never tried hazelnut. The imp smells like nougat! Yummy! On and wet the coconut and anise have mixed to form a lovely slightly sweetly spiced fresh coconut, the hazelnut has added a slight nutty quality to it. I'm not sure if I can pick put the white amber, maybe it's mingling with the anise to cause the sweet spice. The anie is getting stronger as it dries, which I should have guessed really because I amp spice notes. The notes have really mellowed out on my skin, it's almost like I have finished my bar of nougat. I do like this scent but not enough to buy a bottle.

[Melenass]

I was afraid of anise, but I dared to ask for a bottle of hazelnut ingredient, smell that I adore. But Hazel did not appear until near the end, and very subtly. This is especially coconut. No sticks, anise, but it does give an exaggerated dry for my taste.

[milo]

Wet, boozy sweet coconut. Maybe the anise is translating to booze for me? It for sure isn't rum. Dry, extremely sweet dry buttery coconut with a bit of husk. I can't believe how sweet this is, it really reminds me of a cocoa butter I used to use that smelled like this. Great stuff to wear to the beach. This is REALLY sweet, however, liked flaked coconut on icing. I imagine some foodies would love this, but for me it's a bit too much. I'm now craving coconut cream pie.

[ACVail24]

In the Bottle:
Coconut & Anise - strange but pleasant combo.

On my Skin, Wet:
Suntan lotion coconut.... (ETA 4.14.2011 - suntan lotion phase is mostly gone, now it's the same as the 'in the bottle' phase)
then a strong anise emerges....and lingers between suntan lotion coconut & a strong anise.

On my Skin, Dry:
Soft, toasted coconut and a whiff of anise.
I get a very mild buttery note too, maybe the hazelnut?

Verdict:
I expected to love this one, but I don't.
It's unusual, and I do like the toasted coconut that I get, but the wet anise stage borders on being too much for a while.
I'll let this one sit for a few days and revisit....maybe I'll get a different result after the scent has 'settled'

[pinkgyrl]

Initially, I get a blast of plasticky coconut - but I'm hoping that the coconut will smooth out as it settles in - and indeed it does become creamier and more well-rounded. Besides, the coconut and cream feeling - I get a slight nuttiness. It's a very unoffending and uncomplicated scent (as the notes seem to meld together into just a rounded coconut and nut scent on my skin). I like this, but I will definitely have to try this against some of my other coconut favorites and see if I need another coconut scent.

 

I was hoping that the anise would peek out more, but I'm hardly getting any of it - so if you're afraid of that note in this blend - never fear - it only gives the scent the tiniest whiff of spice and that's it. I'm super curious to see how it ages!

Edited April 25, 2011 by GirlinDenial

[karihan]

In the bottle: Light coconut is all I'm getting. Maybe a hint of the anise.

 

On wet: Oooh, there you are! Sweet coconut and warm hazelnut, given a bit of depth from the anise.

 

Drydown: I don't think I've ever tried white amber before, but it doesn't go at all powdery on me, which other ambers do at least a little. It's keeping this sweet, delicate scent from going all foody, but it's not announcing itself loudly. This is still mostly the coconut's show, with the hazelnut and anise supporting.

 

Conclusion: Very pretty! Don't be scared off by the foody notes, non-foody people. I get something very delicate and unique from Harigata II, not anything that makes me want to gnaw my arm off. I'll need another test or two to decide if it's really me, but I'm glad I tried it.

[aleciarivas]

This is pretty, and the coconut and anise blend VERY well together to make a very nice scent. But it's a little too "soft and sweet" for my tastes.

[brilliantcat]

Sweet coconut, anise, and maybe a hint of the amber. It's very bright and warm. It goes funky for a short while, I think because I have issues with some ambers, but smooths out into beautiful coconut with a hint of hazelnut.

[lohengrin]

In the bottle: Oddly, I want to say this is almost a musky scent. Must be the amber giving me that impression. No coconut, hazelnut or anise.

 

On skin, wet: There's the anise! Still that musky/amber scent in the background, but still no hazel- or coconut.

 

On skin, dry: It's actually very hard to pick out individual notes at this stage, but the anise is mostly gone. It's still kind of musky, but it's gotten warmer. I couldn't say for sure that the new type of warmth is coconut, but it's there. No real trace of the hazelnut, though.

 

After an hour: Still a very well-balanced, well-blended scent. It's not the coconut party I was hoping for, but it's pretty nice. Will re-test at a later date, but this is probably a keeper.

[yakiguri]

Nummy coconut and hazelnut, with a little oomph from the anise. It veers a bit too cloying and foody for my tastes though, as I'd rather drink this (not literally of course) then wear it.

[Ajila]

In the bottle - Soft gentle coconut

 

Wet on me - A warm rush of coconut with a touch of something watery beneath

 

Dry on me - Like flakes of desiccated coconut have been dropped into a melting vanilla scented candle

 

Overall - Whilst I was intrigued by the hazelnut and anise all I got from this was coconut and vanilla. That's still yummy, but not what I was expecting

[Gateau]

This is a delicious creamy coconut on me, sort of fruity and vanillic, but the hazelnut and amber accentuate a bit of the woodiness coconut can have, that bit of husk. The nut adds to the creaminess of it, while the anise (a note I love) eventually blends in on the woodier side. I don't love when hazelnut is prominent, but here it's a supporting player. It's a very nice coconut scent, that evokes all the warmth you may associate with coconut, but without making you smell like a beach.

[MiasmaResonance]

Fresh from the box! Gotta love a good swap.

 

In bottle: Light anise and amber coconut. Um, YUM.

 

Wet: Light sweet nutty coconut and the anise is just bareeeeely there.

 

Drying: Yummy slightly buttery nutty coconut. Good lord is this yummy. It reminds me of like, mildly sweeted condensed coconut milk, with hints of hazelnut and anise.

 

Just amazing for this coconut lover!

[Balame]

Ooh, Harigata II. Where have you been all my life? (Actually don't answer that, considering "harigata" means "dildo." )

 

This is a delicious, creamy blend, and as the Coconut Queen, I am very pleased. It smells like soft coconut flakes with just a hint of nutty warmth swimming in a milky base.

I had avoided this for years because of the anise, but I finally tested it out since some of the reviews said it wasn't too noticeable. Luckily, they were right!

I could sort of pick out the anise fresh on my skin, but it wasn't heavily licorice-smelling (which is what I dislike). I would say it was a little sharper during that stage, but it quickly settled down.

 

I actually think this is one of the best BPAL coconut blends overall, definitely the truest smelling - very close to fresh coconut milk.

I just tried Arcana's Fresh Coconut layering note a while back and I think this is even more realistic than that, since the layering note is on the sweeter side (but still very lovely).

How fortunate to find another favorite blend so late in my BPAL-sniffing career. It's especially perfect for the hot summer we've been having. Soft and refreshing yet sultry.

[aquazoo]

Coconut to start, both the meat and the husk.

[LizziesLuck]

I am a coconut freak. Why was this not on my radar until now???

 

 

Wet: Ermagerd, yummy foodie coconut - like shredded dried coconut, sweetened a bit. The hazelnut just enhances the overall nuttiness of it. The anise is the faintest hint, and the amber sweetens it further and makes it smooth. Mmmmmmm.

 

 

Dry: Yuuumm! The coconut and hazelnut are present in equal measures. This is a warm cozy coconut, like in baked goods, rather than a tropical beachy coconut. I like it a lot! It's really different and interesting. Another coconut win, I think!

[torikitty]

Delightful! Coconut and hazelnut. Sweet and creamy. A deeper, sweeter alternative to B&BW's Creamy Coconut. Low throw. I'm glad I got to sample this, but don't feel like I need a whole bottle.