Xiuhtecuhtli

[Nekomata]

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.

Very unique, a sweet floral and wet fragrance. Just like exotic flowers. It dries sweet and powdery, still very floral.

This almost seems like it could work well on a guy, kind of assexuak in quality.

[mermaiden]

I ordered an imp of Xiuhtecuhtli because I liked the description (copal is a favorite of mine)

 

Wet.... it's spicy, smoky, with the incense note being strongest. It reminds me a lot of a smell I associate with a trip I made to Taos, New Mexico years ago. Ritual incense and wood burning fire... I love the smell of this smoke!

 

Once dry, it's this amazing sweet and subtle orange. Dark bittersweet chocolate and tangy sweet orange (the sweetness must be the copal). This is very southwestern... mountains, bright colors, warm dry air and blue sky.

 

It definitely gets better and better as the day goes on, and I can see wanting to wear this a lot over the summer. Maybe I'll see if I can get a 5ml of this at some point. lovely lovely lovely...

[joiedecombat]

Yum. Xiuhtecuhtli is one of my absolute favorite BPAL scents thus far. When I wear it, I keep sniffing my own wrist.

 

It's primarily lush tropical blooms, with a trace of something like citrus, but there's a smoky background note that gives it depth and an exotic edge. It's a very vivid scent that makes me think of bright warm colors, scarlet and orange and gold; perfect to wear out dancing on a summer night.

[astridclaire]

I absolutely adore this scent!!!

 

I got a free imp of this from a gracious forumite who threw it in with some other imps I bought from her. Now I'm ashamed to say that I didn't get around to trying this beauty until months later while I was cleaning out my imp box. I hadn't looked up the description so I had no idea what to expect. You should have seen my face when I opened the little imp for the first time and applied it to my wrist. First there was surprise because it was so damn good, then a big happy grin with my eyes closed because my thoughts were being transported back in time...

 

You see, I grew up in Palm Springs, CA and my parents had loads of citrus trees in the backyard: 4 tangerine trees, 8 grapefruit trees, 3 orange trees, and 1 lemon tree. As a kid, I spent a lot of time in the backyard under those trees, picking the fruit, and eating them right there under the branches. This scent captures that whole experience beautifully.

 

Xiuhtecuhtli smells like experiencing all the stages of an orange grove in a single moment. First there is that tangy smell of an orange peel being ripped back to expose the fruit. Then there is the smell of the sweetest slice of orange you've ever tasted, and at the same time, there is the smell of the orange blossoms that bloomed months ago (Once I read the lab's description I realized what I was smelling was plumeria, not orange blossom, but they are similar to me). Then there is the slighty smoky, earthy smell that reminded me of the bark of the orange trees and the cool earth that surrounded them- I think this comes from the copal perhaps. Then, to finish it all off, there is the smell of the orange leaves being warmed by the sun.

 

It is a glorious scent overall and a definite big bottle.

[Meg]

In the bottle: lovely sweet flowery orange, yum!

 

Wet: Orange, less sweet and more tangy than in the bottle, and possibly a bit of smoke, too.

 

Drydown: I still get slightly sweet but tangy orange, and flowers that I can't quite name coming out alongside it. I don't know plumeria very well, but I'm guessing this is what I'm smelling, a soft white blossom scent. There's a very slight smoky scent, extremely discreet, but mostly it's orange and white flower goodness.

 

Overall: It's really a lovely summery sweet scent, but it doesn't last long on my skin before it goes a bit "off". Apparently my skin and orange really don't get along, and while the plumeria stays true, the orange gets too acidic for me, and then it goes quite powdery too. Dang. I'll use this one in a scent locket, I think.

[nerdcraft]

in the vial:

Oh mmmm. This is so unusual. It definitely has a bright citrus note, as well as a bit of a tropical floral, but it's very unique. In the background is a very warm wood or resin scent.

wet:

This is so different from any other BPAL I've tried. It's hard to describe precisely, but the main note right now is the warm resin-y scent. It feels like a very warm scent, with a juicy and fruity note on top.

dry:

Gorgeous. I'm glad the incense is mostly staying in the background, letting the resin, orange and florals stand out.

 

season: Summer.

office-friendly? Yes, I think so, although I probably wouldn't use this for everyday because it's so unusual.

 

overall:

This so reminds me of being in Costa Rica, for lots of reasons, but especially the abundance of tropical flowers and fruit everywhere you go, over the warm scent of polished wood. It's a really unique and evocative scent that captures the idea of jungle perfectly. I also should add that it lasts forever on my skin, at least 13-14 hours.

[maijasu]

Ack, get it off me! Seriously, I can totally appreciate that this is a very well blended, unique perfume, but it's just not me. Too earthy, too masculine, too something. It does have a lot of throw, which would be great if I liked it.

[karengypsy]

In the vial: Soft orange and florals.

 

On me: Man, I wish I liked this. The orange is just a bit too sour, and I'm not sure if I like the incense note in this blend. I don't smell the copal, but I'm not exactly sure what this resin smells like, exactly.

 

Verdict: Sadly going to the sell/swap pile. Oh well.

 

Rating: 1/5

[dragonryder]

This a very neat scent. I can close my eyes and almost transport myself to the jungle. The incense adds to the dream of an ancient ritual.

[shahrazad]

A frimp and an immediately huge favorite. I'm not into florals, but this is unique and wonderful. The plumeria and orange balance out into a lush, wet scent that's never girly-fruity or perfumey. I don't get any smoke or resin notes from the copal, so if my skin hasn't eaten it, it must be holding things down in the background somewhere.

 

It's sensual but also refined, almost cool (!), so I find myself wearing it to work fairly often. On me, it lasts upwards of 12 hours and never goes powdery or soapy. I can't wait for my bottle...

[neuilly]

In the bottle: Tropical with a citrus edge.

 

Wet: It actually almost completely disappears when it hits my skin, not a good sign. Faint traces of orange but really most of the scent is gone...I put on a fair amount too.

 

 

In spite of having virtually no scent, and what little there is being pretty much straight orange, there's also a sort of rubbery undertone. This scent really doesn't like me! So odd, never had this happen before.

[edenssixthday]

Xiuhtecuhtli smells to me almost exactly like my beloved Thierry Mugler Angel. Wow. I'm going to add this scent to unscented lotion to use prior to applying Angel. The scent is phenomanl. On me, the copal and orange are the strongest notes, giving it the woodiness and sweetness that I love about Angel. The plumeria and incense swirl beneath the predominant notes to give this a floral and slightly smoky scent. It doesn't have much throw and doesn't last very long, but it's an absolutely gorgeous and beautifully blended fragrance. I've tried hundreds of BPALs, and this would definitely make it into my Top 10 based on scent alone. It's sooo pretty. I definitely want a bottle of this stuff! And it's so much cheaper than Angel that I think as soon as I run out of my Angel, I'll replace it with Xiuhtecuhtli. I never thought I'd find anything to replace my beloved Angel, but I think I have. Two thumbs up for Xiuhtecuhtli. [Later note: last night, I wore Angel on one arm and Xiuhtecuhtli on the other, and while they are strikingly similar, I definitely prefer the Xiuhtecuhtli over the Angel. Who'd of thunk it?!]

[midnight_aeval]

This is the scent I remember my mom smelling like when I was a little girl.. it's so strange, it's exact. A very comforting scent for me. It's a little like a men's cologne, so I think it would be a great guys scent.

 

My mom now wears Angel, she used to be a fan of Opium and Obsession... this one seems right in line with those.

[fairy]

Holy cow, this is AMAZING! It reminds me a lot of the perfume "Angel". It smells like chocolate goodness and after a while on my wrist I am catching whiffs of orange. Adding this one to the "must have a big bottle of" list

[Seanan]

In the bottle, this smells like lemon pledge. Given that it contains no lemons, that's a little bit unsettling.

 

On me, it smells like...orange pledge. At least that's a little more accurate.

 

I don't know if citrus notes dislike me or what, but this didn't work for me at ALL.

[hologhost]

White and sweet. Plumaria and light florals I can't identify. I like this, although I don't usually do florals.

[audesapere]

In the Imp: sweet, not flowery. Hmmmm...

 

Wet: Very ozone-y air, chocolate-y.

 

Dry: Don't laugh- this smells like incense(not Catholic-style, something else) burning near a super expensive dark chocolate bar with orange.

 

Later-Excellent. Mysterious and dark but not smothering. A new favorite.

[nightbird]

this scent is soft and creamy with gentle florals. I got this in a swap and I think my imp has been around for a while - it's delicious.

[Lanet]

My first impression when I smelled this in the imp is that it's strong and overpowering so I would only wear it to the bar. I set it aside because of that, but eventually got back to it. I tried it on and it just wasn't me. I figured I would save the imp though because you never know when you need a "not really me" scent. On a whim I put it on my husband. OMG - was this created for him?!?! Perfection. We're using it sparingly now because we only have the one imp, but when the 10mL from the lab gets here it will be his signature scent. I can't keep my hands off him!

[Syzygy]

Initially it smells exactly like one of those chocolate oranges. If I were to jump off the roof at this stage, I would not splatter in the street. Instead, I would shatter into tasty little wedges of orange-flavored chocolate.

 

After that deceptively sweet beginning, though, this one turns deadly serious. I still get orange, but not so much chocolate. The notes escape me. The mental image, however, is flashes of dull orange fire glimpsed through thick clouds of black smoke. There's some kind of ritual going on behind that dark screen, and it would frighten me to know what it involves.

 

Serious and a little scary. Don't know how often I'll wear this, but I do like it.

[nancybridget]

Another that I desperately wanted to work on me, but that I can only describe as peculiar.

[azhriaz]

Love this one! The orange is refreshingly tart, nothing like an orange lolly. Frangipani is my favourite flower for two reasons, and the scent is one of them (the other is because the tree branches make pretty good snozzcumbers). Unfortunately it's the first note to fade but the whole scent is so lovely it barely matters (the orange lingers longest). I don't get any smoke, just a light spiciness.

[Eunice]

I received this as a frimp and based on the ingredients, not something I would have chosen for myself. However, this is really rather lovely. The orange isn't foody, more like an undernote to the copal and incense. The plumeria isn't showing itself which makes me happy since I discovered it's a migraine trigger. This smells like a winner!

[steffanina]

Xihutecuhtli-

 

In Bottle: This seems very "perfume-y"; I smell the orange underneath too.

 

Wet: Oh, wow, is that a delicious bloom of spice. Orangey but not so simple as spicy clove orange; there's no clove here at all. A warm deliciousness.

 

Dry: Holy hell, this is beautiful. A lot of throw and staying power. There's a bright floral in here but it's not that sharp ozone-y hot floral; it's very clean and powdery. The orange leaves; it does not feel citrusy any longer. If I didn't have the term plumeria to guide me I'd've never remembered to associate this scent with it, even though I've smelled (and liked) plumeria. I feel like I'm in a huge rainforest with big fat flowers around me, and not wussy cloying roses or carnations either. Aggressive, cruel flowers. It's a delicious scent and I'd never have expected to love something flowery this much.

 

Overall: I love.

[darklorelei]

Very, very aquatic. Ozone-y. However, the cocoa (A very powdery sort of cocoa) gets stronger as you go, and the ozone fades, so if you can stick it out, very nice hot chocolate scent.