Scherezade

[nightbird]

A master storyteller who possessed unfailing courage and compassion, a sharp, quick wit, and a true understanding of human nature. Saffron and Middle Eastern spices swirled through sensual red musk.

After liking Nefertiti so much, I was eager to try more scents that involved spices and musk. Scherezade is not working on me; the scent reminds me of some kind of food that I don't like, and I can't put my finger on it. It reminds me of incense as well - if it weren't for the funky-what-food-is-that note, it would be nice.

rating: 0/5 Edited August 10, 2006 by Shollin

[furiana]

Like kettu keiju said in her review, Scherezade smells generic until the saffron kicks in. I like the smell of generic incense, but I wouldn't wear it; the saffron is what makes me reconsider. I do like it enough to use up the imp, and depending on how it ages, I might like it enough to get a 5mL bottle. We'll see!

[Taniwha]

This makes me feel very sexy, very warm. Makes me want to take up Middle Eastern Dance and turn off the AC. Ok, maybe not that last part...

 

This is definitely the scent of a master yarn spinner, an entrancing and intoxicating beauty. I've never smelled saffron before - this is so lovely and spicy. I'll be sniffing myself all day.

[finecurvedhips]

first whiff - musky and warm. easily brings to mind wandering through a street-vending marketplace with incense and crowds of people.

 

on me - sooo good. another sex-ay scent! very much a musky scent, with a good dose of incense. i'm not sure if i smell the saffron or not - darn untrained nose again.

 

my husband calls this my 'hippy' scent. *grins* a bottle is in my future.

[hologhost]

There's something about this that I can't put my finger on, but I don't like it. Musky with wood notes. There's a touch of civet too.

[blackfelicula]

My nickname for Scherezade stuck with me: "Eau de Headshop". Seriously, this stuff reminds me of that delicious blend of incenses, resins, and perfumes that form the characteristic smell of every head shop I've been in.

 

Don't get me wrong, I love the stuff. It works great on my skin, which seems to love incenses, resins, musks, and myrrh. I don't think I'd be comfortable wearing it in a professional environment, but for casual wear -- especially in a pagan/hippie/goth environment it is perfect.

 

I'm debating over whether to get a bottle of this. I love the smell, but do I want to smell like a headshop when there are so many other BPAL oils to try?

[maijasu]

On my skin and to my nose, Scherezade is Snake Oil without the Vanilla. It's warm and spicy and delicious, and I must have a full bottle of it.

[TrailerTrashPrincess]

i *heart* teh Smut and am much afeared for when i run out.

 

someone suggested that Scherezade might be a possible replacement...

and it is very Smut-ish. minus at least one of the three musks, and without the sugar.

 

layered over the Body Shop's White Musk and Woobie's Sugar Cloud.... i have very-nearly-Smut. and i am very-nearly thrilled

[luna65]

Thanks to bloodpoppies for the imp.

 

Imp: Very sexy sweet spicy musk. I know Red Musk is often a spicy type, and this blend is gorgeous.

 

Skin: This too reminds me of Smut, in that the red musk in that blend must be very prevalent, but this has a different kind of ambience, not as "dirty."

 

Drydown: The spices are sweet on me, and this is where it also differs from Smut for me. The saffron is not as strong, I don't get its' dryness. I'm guessing there's more aniseed and nutmeg, maybe (?), coming out.

 

This is definitely a favorite, because it beautifully blends many of my favorites into a wonderful melange - it's not just musk, not just spices - all these elements become something else entirely. . .much like a well-told story.

[Luhtarian]

This is incense, incense, incense, like a little New Age store hidden away in a basement, and anything you buy from the store will smell like that magical incense for years. It's nice. The scent isn't at all like a perfume, which could be a plus or a minus.

[Trish]

I ordered a bottle of this after sniffing a q-tip. Then I got a frimp of it in a later swap from the same person!

 

In the imp: Sweet spicy incense.

 

Wet: The same, but with musk.

 

Dry:Still the same, this really doesn't change on me too much. It's sweet but dry, warm, musky and spicy. It also makes my skin very hot, but doesn't irritate it either.

 

1 hour: Still pretty much the same, but it has softened (in texture not strength) a bit and become rounder and smoother. It's a very warm golden brown scent, and definitely brings to mind a middle eastern market stall and dry desert breezes. When I sniff my wrists it doesn't seem very strong, but it's got a fair bit of throw and I can smell it wafting around me.

 

 

I am so glad I have a bottle of this on the way! I absolutely love it. So does my partner judging by the way he kept sniffing me last night!

Edited August 23, 2006 by Trishek

[gaai]

On me, this is Smut minus the booze and the sugar note..........and with less musk.......Yes this is Smut-Light

Needless to say I will be ordering a bottle of this!

It's just spicy goodness and I can't stop sniffing the back of my hand

[kunoichi]

In the vial this is a slightly sweet, rounded musky smell that is quite pretty. On my skin this stays rounded, though perhaps becomes a little deeper and more mellow – it’s almost creamy with it’s smoothness, as the saffron, spices and musk are well combined in this scent - it is reminiscent of Morocco. After a few hours on my skin, this has faded to a soft, light fragrance with a breath of sweetness to it.

[Diva Urd]

In the vial: MUSK!

 

On me, I believe I do get all the notes. The musk, the spices, the saffron - they were definitely there. And yet, I had somehow hoped for something... more. That's the only way I can say it.

 

I smelled my wrist and went, "Meh". I asked my husband to smell it, and he went, "Meh".

 

"Meh" is good enough for keeping the imp for when the appropriate mood strikes me, but I don't think I need more of it.

[forspecial_plate]

The first waft smelled a lot like incense to me....then Scherezade smelled a lot like several other things, too. It reminded me of Snake Oil, I guess because of the spices. I also smelled anise in this, which could have been the saffron playing tricks on my nose. As it dried it kept reminding me of anise and, thus, of Blood Kiss and Kabuki. I'm not sure I ever really picked out the red musk, which was what I really wanted to smell in this. Have to try it again but as a whole, too much like those other bpal's I mentioned to really make me excited.

 

It is spicy, sexy, and exotic though. And it clung to me even after taking a shower...5 hours and a shower later and I can still detect it on my skin.

[shirasade]

I got this one for one reason only: My online nick has been a varation of this most famous of storytellers since the beginning.

 

Imp: Musk and spices, a hint of smoke.

 

Wet: I start to smell the saffron. Quite an unusual musk scent, warm and definitely Middle Eastern.

 

Dry: The strong musk recedes a bit, turns into a scent of Bedouin tents and Arabian Nights.

 

Overall: Normally I'd never have tried this scent, because I'm not a fan of musk, but this is really lovely - definitely keeping it, although it's still very unusual for me.

[tinyvulture]

to me, this smells like jasmine and nag champa incense, warmed by musk. i can’t pinpoint the saffron. incense scents are always winners with me and this is no exception. it’s feminine, sexy, and exotic. it also reminds me of Smut, only less sweet and not quite as strong.

[azhure]

In the vial: Red musk! Yummy.

 

Wet: Seriously strong musk, reminding me of Blood Moon, but without the underlying notes.

 

Drydown: The musk is all I get from this scent, and it fades to a lovely, almost smoky scent.

[Inanna9]

I've been starting to cool on red musk a bit lately. Not because I don't like it, but because it's got so much oomph that I was starting to feel like one red musk blend is like the other.

 

But Scherezade is all the best qualities of the red musk blends wrapped in one; teh sex of the musk, the smoke of incense, and the sweet warmth of spice. I'm especially glad that the spices are subtle and sultry rather than sharp and hot. I'm not a huge spice girl, so this to me is absolute perfection

 

And I love that one of my new favorite blends ever is named for a master storyteller. How great is BPAL?

[Precis]

After applying, my "first sniff" impression of scherezade was that it was a fairly standard dry and exotic scent. A great scent, but "typical," you understand. I tried it, passed it off as a good oil and neglected it for a while, waiting for an incense craving. I revisited this at a later date and got the same impression initially. As it dried, however, it became increasingly tantalizing and I could not resist bringing my wrist to my nose every couple of minutes and taking a deeeeep breath. I could not identify the notes, but it is a gorgeous scent that is very evocative of the Middle East. Also, this is indeed very reminiscent of a less foody Morocco with more incense.

[steffanina]

Scherezade-

 

In Bottle: A little grape-like, with spices.

 

Wet: Not so grape-like now, more sweet and...yeah, this smells very like the scent that clung to the bags I brought home from the shopping at the middle eastern boutique! Mmm, memory.

 

Dry: That soft sweet scent is gonna haunt me. I don't get it as prominently after a while, but it was great while it lasted. I wish it had been a stronger part of this scent overall.

 

Overall: A note in there that'll bring me back to it.

[arcticwolf]

In the Bottle: Musk and spices, and resins?. Intriguing. Very Middle Eastern.

 

Wet: Spicy and warm, it smells like my favourite esoteric bookstore. You know the kind. Beaded curtains, and incense burning in the back, crystals and aromatherapy oils on one wall, with books and statuary elsewhere.

 

Dry: Hasn't really changed in the drydown, which I'm loving. The musk is definitely there, with spicy undertones. Not sure what saffron smells like, so I'm not sure if that is the unnamed yumminess I smell, but whatever it is, it is divine.

[SultryWolf]

Imp: Patchouli (though, apparently, it is a musk )

On: Lovely, gentle, "bookstore incense". (Heh Heh - I see articwolf felt the same!) Sultry and beckoning, with moderate throw and wear length.

[zankoku_zen]

In the imp: Spicy Muskiness.

 

On Skin: It smells very much like a less feral version of Lust, and less rosy than Spellbound. It's spicy and warm.

 

On Drydown: Again, I can't get the comparison to Lust after my head. It's less floral though.

 

Verdict: In general, it's a slightly spicier and more tone down version than Lust. My skin likes red musk so Scherezade and I play well, but I am not bewitched by her. It's a pretty nice scent. Less intense than Lust, less floral than Spellbound and no cherry smell like Hollywood Babylon.

[PilotKitten]

Spicy red musk. I rather like red musk I think. This one smells really good too. It has the muskiness that I liked in Mme Moriarty without the overblown patchouli overtones. I'll definitely keep this imp around.