The Most Magnificent Christmas Tree

[cfrancesca]

She lighted another match. Now there she was sitting under the most magnificent Christmas tree: it was still larger, and more decorated than the one which she had seen through the glass door in the rich merchant’s house.

Spruce pine with hints of silver birch and warm, dark woods.

I love pine scents (Black Forest is my favorite) and I'm always on the lookout for new ones to try and was very excited about this one. On me it smells like a very atmospheric and realistic pine tree and soft woods scent, like walking through a pine forest looking for a Christmas tree. When I smell it up close I get smokey woods (which I'm not loving too much), but from afar the wafts are all gorgeous pine tree, birch with some slightly smokey, earthy woods. I really like this and I love the throw it gives off, but I think I might prefer it as a room scent. This actually reminds me of a cleaner version of Phyllocrania Paradoxa v6.

[Invidiana]

This definitely smells like a Christmas tree, but it's a wearable Christmas tree scent rather than the pine-on-steroids Black Forest goes to on me. I think it's the sweet balsamic sap and warm background woods that tame this one, and I'm not familiar with what silver birch smells like on its own but I'm sure that has a part to play as well. It has a certain comforting sweetness on the drydown that is surely coming from my skin amping the sweetness in the sap note, and I love that. Beth has taken a classic Christmas tree scent and made it so it remains true to the theme of a Christmas tree, but smells like more than just a Christmas tree. Beautiful.

[Soniadevi]

Preconceived notions: I bought this because I was hoping to recapture that wonderful smell of Christmas tree that I remember from my childhood.

 

Wet in bottle: sweet pine .

 

Wet on skin: very sweet pine.

 

A few moments later: pure sugary pine sap, very sweet, very piney, with some sweet cedarwood supporting it all.

 

As it dries down: this is like someone made some hard candy out of Black Forest to me. Maybe it's just me?

 

Overall impressions: I can't believe how sweet this smells to me. I don't know if it's my skin chemistry or what, but I smell like a Christmas Tree that has been frosted quite heavily with powdered sugar. It's quite festive!

 

Rating: 4 out of 5. I'm dissappointed that this doesn't even remotely smell like my childhood Xmas trees, BUT, the scent itself is quite beautiful, and once I've gotten over it, I will revisit. I think I also may be suffering from perfume overload, as I got my booty today and I have a headache from sniffing.

Edited December 21, 2011 by Soniadevi

[GypsyRoseRed]

I can't wear 'tree' scents - pine usually smells like BO on me. Yes, really. I wish I was exaggerating. In any case, The Most Magnificent Christmas Tree magically manages to dodge this bullet, and while it smells like a freshly cut tree and pine needles, there's also some definite warmth and sweetness in there that balance this out and prevent the dreaded sour note. If you like woodsy scents or pine notes, this is a scent you NEED, even if you have dozens of others. The only downside for me is that I never get to wear pine scents, so to wear one that smells lovely is a distinctly odd experience.

Edited December 18, 2011 by GypsyRoseRed

[Ashmedai]

Pine and birch, and a wallop-o-sugar - a previous review mentioned that, and it's spot on. This is sugared pine the way Hope is sugared rose and Faith is sugared violet, and I immediately love this blend. The pine note becomes more subtle on dry-down and the birch becomes more prominent (sugared birch, mind you), behind that, other wood notes that do smell warm and dark (is there a bit of oak in this, and maple?). This is definitely a chistmas-sy scent that put a huge smile on my face because it's just that good. It almost has something magical about it, and it's impossible to be in a bad mood sniffing this. Definitely wanting a back-up bottle!

[Geminirubyshoes]

I wholeheartedly agree with the above post, there definitley is something magical about this one! Totally evocative of being around a tree thats been lit up overnight and the branches are warm...I put some of mine in an oil diffuser and it makes the house smell insanley good. On me it gets a little faded but still has the same glowey effect.

[yeahbutnobut]

The Most Magnificent Christmas Tree

 

In the vial: yes, it does smell like a Christmas tree! Maybe a bit more resinous?

Wet on skin: still smells like a Christmas tree, but with a hint of dark pine sap.

Dry on skin: this smells just like a festive coniferous tree, but with more complexity. It’s not snowy but it evokes something a little wilder and outdoorsy than the usual smell of a Christmas tree. Maybe it’s the dark woods and gloopy sap that I smell, as well as crushed needles, that gives that impression. It reminds me mostly of Stranger in Camp, which has a wonderful pine forest scent to it with a lot of resin/sap, but in this the birch gives a very slight chilly backdrop, as opposed to the warm summer grass of SiC. I agree that there is sweetness to the scent but it’s not overly sugary-in fact it smells more like vanilla or amber.

After a while: could there be some kind of musk in here? Or maybe it’s an effect of one of the wood notes…but this now smells like Christmas tree with a warm, sweet, velvety smooth base that reminds me of sandalwood or teak, or vanilla, maybe tonka. It’s gorgeous! It smells approachable and comforting, no longer chilly. There’s a hint of very subtle spice to it, maybe cardamom, and there’s a glow of amber too. But the scent of deep green pine needles is still dominant.

The scent turns into sweet velvety woods with a hint of pine, woods with a soft yet deep vanilla musk scent.

Verdict: this scent is so aptly named. It really smells like a Christmas tree…but better! Not only is there the unmistakable scent of pine needles and evergreen sap, triggering festive childhood memories, there’s the addition of a warm, sweet, vanilla-wood undertone with musk and resin elements to make this scent even more of a delight...evocative in the wet stage of the tree in its forest, before sweetening and mellowing into a cosy and velvety drydown that brings to mind a really sweet image in my head-a purring cat sleeping under a Christmas tree. It’s the fuzzy and musky (reminiscent of the mammal-themed musk scents) sweetness that makes me think of this. I think this is the best evergreen/pine scent Beth has made.

Is it a keeper? yes and I want more! Maybe even a backup.

If you like this, try: Stranger in Camp, Waltz of the Snowflakes, Black Forest, Golden Priapus, Woods in Winter 2011

Edited December 30, 2011 by yeahbutnobut

[puck_nc]

Origin: decant circle

 

Initial Thoughts: I will almost always try a wintertime wood scent in the hopes of finding something that will mimic Skadi. The trick is finding ones I can wear as perfumes rather than use as room scents.

 

In the Vial: Pine and cedar with a backdrop of sweet, as others have mentioned.

 

Wet: I feel bowled over with cedar, as if I've opened up the chest in the bedroom where I keep the linens. It's rather interesting, as I'm used to evergreen BPAL scents relying on pine or fir. This is the first time I feel I've gotten so much cedar.

 

Drydown: Very little morph through the drydown for me. This stays as close to what I would imagine a BPAL single note of cedar would be. It's bringing back memories of the cedar trees my dad would cut down on our property for Christmas, and how much of a pain they were to decorate.

 

Verdict: I'm loving the cedar experience, but I'm not sure I'd go through a bottle of this. Must ponder.

[patina]

The sweetness here reminds me of the sweet sap note in Slobbering Pine. This seems deeper and more complex than Slobbering Pine, though. In fact, this seems deeper and more complex than any lab evergreen scent I've tried. There is cedar, but it doesn't take over the whole scent like it usually does on me.

 

This is pleasant, but I can probably be content with a decant.

 

Edit: As time goes on, this gets sweeter until I can tell what people were talking about when they mentioned confectioner's sugar. Since the pine's gotten lighter, this is really pleasant and may be a bottle buy after all.

Edited December 30, 2011 by patina

[coldandsleepy]

Like others mentioned, this is much sweeter than I expected. To me it's sweet spruce and a TON of sweet birch-- almost birch beerlike at times. And yet it's not candylike or cloying at all... the sweetness makes it almost sparkle to my nose. Like a glittering Christmas tree.

 

This scent is so beautiful and straightforward to my nose. Doesn't morph on me at all, stays true for hours. I'm totally in love with it.

[kakiphony]

In the imp: A very true to life Christmas tree scent. This is how my living room smelled with the blue spruce in it.

 

Wet on skin: Pine, pine, pine. This really is a very life-like pine, not pine air freshener or fake pine candle. Very fresh, very sappy, very PINE.

 

Early dry down (10 minutes or so): I'm not getting much of the sweet that others have mentioned, or much in the way of base woods yet. I am really amping this top note of pine. My wrists smell like your hands do when you crush spruce needles in your hands -- very sappy and green with that very distinctive pine smell.

 

Later dry down (about an hour): The amp and throw has calmed way down on this. It has sweetened and deepened a bit as the time has gone on. I still get a spicy spruce top note, but as I keep sniffing I get a sweeter wood base - almost like honeyed cedar. It's quite pretty.

[Blood onmy hands]

Christmas Tree smells like a Christmas tree air freshener on me (reminds me of all of the pine scented offerings at Bath & Body Works around the holidays). It's soft, sweet pine with a bit of a sour edge and a touch of woodsmoke. It goes more sour on me over time, sort of reminding me of BO.

 

I love the smell of real pine trees, but something about this is too strong and artificial on me, enough to give me a headache. I prefer bpal's Mistletoe for a pine scent (or Golden Priapus from the GC, as that is nicely softened by the vanilla and amber).

[zankoku_zen]

This smells like a cross of Mistletoe and Black Forest - dark pine and birch, surprisingly wearable.

 

This is how Christmas trees should smell like.

[calivianya]

I'm pretty sure there is just a hint of BPAL's snow note in this, or BPAL's snow note includes a faint hint of one of these woods, because this goes the way of anything with BPAL's snow note almost the second it hits my skin, which is to say that I smell like a giant dryer sheet now. Maybe it's the pine?

[porcelina]

at first the magnificent christmas tree is all pine, but very fresh green, like an actual forest of pine trees. it's cool and fresh and bracing. then the woods start to warm up- the "warm, dark woods" in this scent are gorgeous, reminding me a bit of the teakwood and oak of antikythera mechanism.

 

it shifts to a warm, polished wood scent with sweet pine on top. there is almost a dark, resinous element to it. it dries down to soft pine and rich wood and it's one i will keep even though my collection is FULL of pine and wood already!

 

it's almost like this blend tells a story- from walking through the cool, snow woods to find the perfect christmas tree, to the tree in a warm, festive home, lit with glowing candles. it's really lovely.

Edited January 13, 2012 by porcelina

[Spork]

this is a lovely pine scent. very strong pine with a back drop of smokiness and a touch of some spice, the pine fades a little bit and it gets a touch cologne-y but it is rather magical, very evocative of the holiday season!

[Lethran]

In bottle: It’s a lovely evergreen forest scent, spruce dominant, with a complexity of woods framing the spruce. I love how warm this smells and the way the birch complements the pine. Wet: Even warmer on the skin. The individual woods really pop as the skin warms it. It’s like you can smell the individual needles, leaves, bark, and sap. Lovely an a paragon of it’s type. Dry: Sweeter in the dry down, with the elements more balanced in relation to each other and more blended, less distinct. Still the eidos of Northern forets, still warm and wonderful.

[Caper]

so i really like this one!

 

i got a partial bottle left over from a decant circle and at first i thought it was just a nice tree scent, but wasn't sure i wanted to smell like a tree. i tried to sell it but had no takers. i tried it again yesterday and WHOA! i am so glad it didn't sell!

 

it's a warm tree scent but it has depth and nuance. it makes me happy.

 

vedict: keep!

 

ETA- I have worn this for the last two years when we go to pick out our tree, and I will contribute to wear it until my bottle is gone. Wonderful scent associations that will last for the rest of my life and remind me of when my children were little. Thank you, BPAL!

Edited November 23, 2013 by Caper

[ami226]

This does smell like a Christmas tree! Well, not exactly like the Christmas tree I had this year. This scent has more of a... dirt note to it?

 

After a bit, that slight dirtiness fades and it just smells like tree. Very nice, but not for me!

[thekittenkat]

In the decant: More hardwoods than pine or birch.

 

Wet: Still more hardwoods than pine or birch. No sweet notes so far.

 

The dry-down: Now, finally, there's a hint of a sweetish note. However, this doesn't smell like the live Christmas trees of my childhood, nor like the ones that can be bought in the Christmas trees lots (actually those never have as much scent as I would like). It's a pleasant woody scent, and I will see how it does on the bf, as I read this as a masculine scent.

[ajansuz]

I could have sworn I reviewed this already, but apparently I didn't. I bought this based on the reviews left by fellow pine lovers. I'm SO glad that I did.

 

In the bottle, for me it comes out way more spruce and birch than pine. Very strong, sharp crushed spruce needles over crisp, slightly sweet birch. Amazingly aromatic and not in that, "This should be a room fragrance instead," way. (Although it would doubtless be lovely as a room fragrance, too. I just don't want to waste it on that.)

 

Wet I amp the evergreen note really high. It's very strong spruce with a grounding of hardwoods, birch and oak, maybe even ash.

 

Dry down is when the magic happens. The sweetness others have mentioned comes out in the spruce. It's a sappy sweet smell, and it never overwhelms the rest of it. It just makes it creamy and a little soft.

 

This has amazing throw and lasting power. It goes for hours without changing much past that last sweet spruce woody phase. I often layer this with the BPTP BO Silent Forest. SO GOOD.

[milo]

Lots and lots of pine, the same one as in Golden Priapus. The difference is, the pine stays in this blend, and GP the pine fades, and smells warmer than this. I do have a bottle of GP, which is amazing aged, by the way, so don't need this. This is cold piney Christmas tree, and would smell great as a room scent.

[JazzieCazzie]

Working my way through my collection, A-Z, reviewing or revisiting everything as I prepare my complete swaplist AND wishlist ... This was tested from my own decant from a 5 ML purchased from the Lab when the scent was released in 2011.

 

IN THE IMP: Definitely true to the "Christmas tree" smell but with something added that I can't put my finger on.

 

Dabbed on one wrist because I was with my aunt (whose favorite scent in the world is Christmas tree) and I didn't want to go TOO strong but wanted to get her opinion. I also let her sniff the wand from the imp and she kind of wrinkled her nose like she was puzzled LOL.

 

WET: For whatever reason, this was surprisingly "men's cologne" on me. Which is better than Pine-Sol but not as good as real, fresh Christmas tree. I'm not sure what note in it turned on my skin like that, because it doesn't appear anyone else had this issue with it. But it was strong and it was unmistakable. On me, it was much more like a mass-produced scent that high-end department stores would sell for men around the holidays.

 

DRYDOWN: Fortunately, it didn't have too much throw or too many legs, so it faded reasonably soon, just leaving its powdery cologne-ness.

 

OVERALL: Admittedly disappointed and now I understand why I've had the bottle for more than a year and never actually worn it. But I was disappointed more because I'd been hoping that my aunt, the lover of all things Christmas tree-smelling, would have liked it and I could have given her an imp (or the bottle). Sadly, she sniffed my wrist and just said "it's not for me."

 

On a scale of 1-5, about a 2 and onto the eventual swap list, both imp and bottle.

[mymymai]

ITB: Pungent yet comforting, scents of spruce, juniper, and crisp pine blend together to very much invoke its title of a magnificent Christmas tree.

 

Wet: Gosh, the cool, crisp tone of this scent is amazing though the pine and spruce. I still feel like there might be just a tad of juniper here.

 

Dry: It softens up a bit, but the image of a lovely Christmas tree set in a toasty living room pops into my head each time I sniff.

[alterosen]

I love this! I really enjoy the scent of evergreens but haven't had much luck with them in perfume form. They seem to work much better on the husband than me or the piney top note fades too quickly. This one is strong, sweet & makes me happy! It reminds me quite a bit of the Schwartzwald Atmosphere spray, which I also love (and use year round).