Xiuhtecuhtli

[shriekingviolet]

Category: Bewitching Brews Excolo

 

Site Description:

Patron of the Aztec pantheon, he is the personification of light within darkness, warmth in the cold, and life in, and after, death. He is a creative and destructive God of Fire and Light, and is appeased only by sacrifice, trial, and the slaughter of his people’s enemies. Copal, plumeria and sweet orange and the smoke of South American incense and crushed jungle blooms.

 

Initial Impression:

Floral, white but sweet enough to interest me so it's not just a "Diana-hates-random-florals" scent. Lily maybe? There are other floral notes that I can't quite trace, but there's also something sweet here. Perhaps a light almond note or honey.

 

After Wearing It:

This a really light, white, sweet. brings up images of the pale new light at dawn. The sweet note is what tickles me most, it smells like either honey or almond. I can't really pick out the individual floral notes, but they all have a mellow yet glorious aura about them.

 

Final Thoughts:

This is a very subtle & polished scent. I liked it a lot. It smells like something that would be divine in a lotion or body cream. Perfect for someone who wants scent but doesn't necessarily want to smell like perfume.

Edited September 15, 2007 by Shollin

[jj_j]

I am just amazed at the recent batch of samples Beth has sent me. This is the fourth amazing Imp in a row.

 

Not much floral or whiteness in this for me, but rather a sugary, earthen firepit with aromatic logs smell. It's dry without being dusty, earthen without being loamy, and sugary without the faintest bit of fruit or dessert sweetness. Light, but not fleeting.

 

This scent is a bundle of contradictions, and they're stellar. I'll wear it year-round because it's fantastic, but it would be perfect for autumn.

 

It's not poetic or terribly descriptive, but it's all I can come up with, as I'm stunned by this one ...

 

Wow.

[Shollin]

I got a prototype of Xiuhtecuhtli.

 

First sniff: This one keeps changing even in the vial. At first I thought it was one of those flowers that smells fruity, then it turned citrusy or berryish. It’s not a creamy scent at all, but it has that texture – like cocoa butter, something rich and comforting to slather on before bedtime.

 

Wearing: This is really beautiful – enormous tropical blossoms in the bright sunshine, ruffled by a gentle breeze. I thought I smelled grapefruit under the flowers on my wrist. Gently smooth-sweet and fruity-floral and just really gorgeous. A perfect scent for the beach – it’s definitely going with me to Virginia this summer.

[eclecticaurora]

I just have to say...WOW! This was one of the extras in my package of imps and well...I got into this one first - even before I got into the scents I picked. It is just such a *beautifull* scent. Once I smelled it I couldn't get the scent out of my nose...and it just HAD to be the first scent I tried. I am so amazed at how the scent just floats around me rather than feeling as if it is ON ME.

 

I am addicted already!

 

~eclecticaura~

[supasonicsage]

I can put my finger on it, but this smells like something I have worn before...

 

Xiuhtecuhtli stays about the same wet to dry on me, and it has a pretty remarkable staying power. It is also one of those that has a lot of throw.

 

That being said, this is a really nice smoky floral. I definetly get a lot of the incense smell on me. It is a clean incense smell, though, not cheap or grungy smelling.

 

This is one of the most sophisticated scents that I have worn and liked. I would wear this one on a job interview or dinner with a new boyfriends parents.

 

Very pretty... I need to wear it a few more times before I decide on a bottle. I have gone from trying to find a signature scent to trying to keep the bottle collection below 100. Damn Beth and her genius!

[any_old_actress]

FIRST SNIFF: white flowers, spicey orange

 

WEARING IT: i can't place the top note, maybe copal? the sweet orange and plumeria are definitely in the background, but the orange isn't overpowering like it can be in some scents, it compliments everything so perfectly. this scent is really mellow and relaxing. i can see me wearing this in exotic locations under the moonlight.

 

VERDICT: this surprised me, i got it as a freebie and really love it. it's not for everyday - just for really special days when you feel a tad exotic and want to show it off

[Astarte]

Wow this is so not what I was expecting from the description. This is almost as grown up as Unseelie or Queen Maab. It smells so sophisticated. The most prominent note I can smell is the grapefruit, then something almost gingery behind it.

 

A wonderful combination for when you want to smell exoticly sophicated.

[TygherRayn]

In the bottle: Sweet! I think my chemistry's going to grab ahold of that sweetness too .. but I like it. Definitely a Sun God scent. This is more of what I'd hoped Aureus might smell like .. this is definitely more sunny and brilliant and warm than Aureus was to me.

 

Wet: Spicy .. ginger maybe? And sweet .. smells like orange candies. This is a heady, cloying scent, but not really overpowering. It's smoky, like standing in the jungle heat, surrounded by lush flora, the flowers open as the temple priests burn resins and woods in massive braziers.

 

Wearing :Beautiful. I -really- like this scent .. and it's not the type of scent I usually like. As it dries down it's more of a spicy scent .. the insence overpowering the florals as you draw closer to the temple. It's got a nice bite to it. This is defintiely not an innocent floral. This one's rich and grown up and oh-so lovely.

[alizarin]

Got this as a bonus in my last order, wasn't thrilled with it when wet, I'm not a big fan of florals and it was a bit too sweet for me.

 

But oh, once it dries this is just gorgeous. The smokiness buries the sweet and leaves at as this light undertone with a tinge of orange. The description "light within darkness" is perfect.

 

Love it, worship it. Definitely getting a bigger bottle.

[grrrlennyl]

at first: beth added this as an extra in my order. i smell mostly incense and flowers, with a slight tang of orange. very interesting.

on: this smells slightly citrussy, and a teensy bit floral. beyond that, i can't quite describe it. really beautiful, though.

1 hour later: this has really changed. it's sweeter, with a lovely incense / floral blend. completely different from how it started, but still beautiful.

3 hours later: this is now mostly sweet, with just the slightest tinge of flowers and bite of incense. it's nice, but not very interesting.

overall: this is nice, but that's all. it just goes too sweet on me, which makes it seem pretty ordinary. i'll probably try this one in my oil burner, since the smell wet is so much better than when it dries on my skin.

[pekeana]

In the imp: spiced orange juice and smoke. I haven't had any luck so far with BPAL's citrus scents, but I put this on anyway...

 

On me: The orange vanishes, replaced by spicy incense notes and hyper-sweet plumeria. After about an hour or so, the orange is reincarnated as a sweet lemon -- almost like a lemon drop.

 

I'll have to try this one again to make sure what I think I already know... but at this point, I do so love it. It's delicious without being foody.

 

ETA: After three hours, the orange really does come back, but it's more like a dry orange peel than the actual orange segments. I'm not complaining -- this is delicious and it's making me crave orange juice.

Edited July 21, 2004 by pekeana

[reina]

I had a Harry Meets Sally moment with this one. something in my mind went

oh, yes. yes! YES! :D:D

 

This is IT! This is what perfume should smell like. oh, wow.

 

The orange and incense notes are pretty prominent in the beginning, but after a few moments the sharpness fades away and gives all the room for a gorgeous, soft, slightly powdery and very exotic floral - just the right amount of sweetness.

 

I tried this one Tuesday evening before going to meet a guy out of town, spending an action-packed night together. To be honest, I felt radiant wearing this, very much in my comfort zone yet still sexy. When he picked me up from the central bus station, I let the guy smell my wrist, and my neck, and he was wowed. he said it reminded him of the drydown of his favorite perfume, Angel for men. I don't know, it doesn't smell like that to me. Xiuhtecuhtli smells amazing, and Angel isn't that. Anyways, just wanted to let you know that this, for the time being, is my favorite perfume. three cheers to Cinder who sent me this among other imps, and to Beth for creating a masterpiece.

 

ADDED Aug. 13:

 

Wow, this smells creamy yet floral, very, very similar to Gucci Rush, but with a better dry-down, a bit more earthy ( I guess from the copal).  I would definitely recommend this for anyone who likes Rush.

now it clicked! that's why I smelled something familiar!

Rush happens to be one of my all-time favorite perfumes.

 

You see, Rush and Xiuhtecuhtli are cousins - first or second degree.

both are florals with that unique "somethin' extra".

 

They are much into the same things, but there are differences:

 

I imagine Rush as a young woman of 20 or 21, beautiful and sensual, very stylish, knows where to go on the weekends, what to wear to those latin-house music parties at her favorite club, she's a bit of a flirt, and knows that when she walks in the room, men *will* look her way. confident and cheerful, loves to dance.

 

Xiuhtecuhtli is more of a rare bloom. she's slightly older than Rush - I'd say 25 or 26. again, they have things in common, but for example, whereas Rush is happy with Latin house, Xiuhte goes to a different club where real Latin music would be played. Just as stylish, and radiant, but deeper than Rush, more worldly and aware of her surroundings. More laid-back, artistic and sophisticated. Men do look at her, but Xiuhte attracts a different type than Rush would.

Edited November 30, 2004 by Shollin

[maiden]

I can see why reina's friend was reminded of Angel by this because it has a little in common with Angel but without the heavy pacthouli. I get a grapefruit note and some florals and a soft cocoa note that I love (but maybe that's just the combination of incense and other notes). Anyway, it's pretty, refreshing, and yummy! Long lasting too. I was surprised by the amount of citrus in this one, but I like it a lot.

Edited July 31, 2004 by maiden

[twistygirl]

Oh, this is stunning. Absolutely stunning. On my skin, I don't get any of the citrusy notes that others have mentioned. Wet, it's a sweet (but not sugary) floral with a bit of a spicy/mellow kick. As it dries down, it just morphs into this exquisitely sophisticated, creamy, exotic spicy-sweet floral blend. It's definitely a womanly scent. It's subtle and sensual and sexual. It reminds me of something a courtesan would wear. It's the scent of a woman who starts the evening with intellectually stimulating conversation, somebody who probably speaks several languages fluently, who knows about culture and can pick out a great wine or a fine cigar, and who finishes the evening with the sort of sex that makes a man think that he has encountered Aphrodite herself. It is also probably the longest-lasting of any BPAL fragrance I've tried so far. Perfection.

[Tesseljoan]

This was another unexpected 'o how I love this' freebie from the lab.

 

At first the citrus-ness is mosst prominent, but not in it's usual, biting sharp way. It's in fact a very gentle scent, which turns a bit powdery floral after e few hours, in a very, very good way.

[Donnababe]

First Sniff

 

Smoke and spice.

 

Drydown

 

A creamy floral is trying to peek through but it's being overshadowed by a fruity spicy waft of smoke.

 

After a While

 

Oh my. I'm finding the fruity smokiness of this *way* too strong and cloying. I'm guessing here but I think it's the orange that's the culprit. I'll try to wear this for the duration but if it says like this it'll be washed off.

 

Final Verdict

 

The cloying stage passed after an hour or so and the end result is nice but this one will be swapped. A pity as I had high hopes but at least my cashflow is eased (a teeny bit.)

[sarabeegee]

Wow, this smells creamy yet floral, very, very similar to Gucci Rush, but with a better dry-down, a bit more earthy ( I guess from the copal). I would definitely recommend this for anyone who likes Rush.

[malanna]

To me, this was a very masculine scent. A dark orange bloom you would find in the rainforest, covered in the ash of a volcano. After a few hours of wear, it doesn't seem quite so masculine, but only because it isn't so strong. I think I could like the four-hours later scent, but it takes too long to get there.

 

Edit: spelling

Edited June 23, 2005 by malanna

[nevermore]

I can’t pick out any individual notes in this perfume except the orange. That said, I adore it. I’m not entirely sure why I like it so much, but I know I need a bigger bottle of it soon. Xuihtecuhtli is incense-y, orange-y, and slightly creamy, all at the same time. It’s slightly masculine for the first while on my skin, but not masculine enough to stop me from wearing it – or to make me smell boyish. The only problem is that when people ask me what perfume I’m wearing, I can’t tell them, as I can’t pronounce it.

[Ina Garten Davita]

First Impression: This reminds me quite a bit of Underground Scent Plant's Mayan Gold fragrance and is slightly reminiscent of Angel.

 

Second Impression: This doesn't have that alcohol bite of the above scents and is deeper, rounder and more mature. This really does evoke ancient Mayan temples, not the ruins but when they were inhabited by high priests and slave girls, all gold glinting in the torchlight.

 

Final Analysis: Gorgeous, mysterious and glorious. I'd consider a larger bottle of this.

[Belladonnastrap]

YAY for Diana (shrinkingviolet)! She sent me a bunch of perfumes I had shipped to her house and gave me some of her extra imps...one of which was Xiuhtechutli.

 

On first sniff it's a lovely white floral that's very vcery creamy. Sort of if a very rich decadent vanillaish orange creme was smothered in lovely fragrant blossoms. It invokes images of soaring for some reason. I couldn't wait to try it.

 

 

On me the scent stays pretty much the same as it is in the imp but my chemistry brings out the orange a bit more then normal. It's a very light sweet floral and great for days when you want to wear perfume but you just sort of want it to trail. The staying power of this is pretty long, I put it on around 5pm and it's now almost nine hours later and if I turn my head I get a whiff of it. This is LOVELY and the orange really makes the floral come out for some reason. I see a bottle of this in my future.

[autumn24]

A hot, damp breath over spicy orange, waxy, creamy tropical flowers that are just starting to decay and wilt from the heat. The air is so stagnant, the smoke from far-off incense hangs in the air. This scent sticks to your skin and blends with summer body perfectly.

[ChupaChup]

I have to agree with the other people who said this reminds them of Gucci Rush. That is one gorgeous perfume and I think Xiuhtecuhtli is just a tad better. There is something fresher about it, and it's a little more creamy and spicy. I'm really amazed at how complex it is, I can count at least ten notes before my nose gets confused so I'm sure there are many more. It's just beautiful, with good waft for about 4 hours.

[TrayLynn]

This oil reminds me of the beaches in Mexico. Softly floral but with an edge. It's a very fresh scent on me and very long lasting. It was one of the first big bottles that I *had* to have.

[hadaverde]

This beautiful exotic floral goes on blended so well that it is nearly impossible to pick out individual notes. It does have a very lightly resinous undertone - the copal, no doubt - which is almost spicy, but not strongly so.

 

As the oil wears, the orange note is occasionally identifiable, but for the most part weaves itself seamlessly with the floral notes. This scent is unique, I've never smelled anything quite like it before.

 

Quite lovely!