Snowblind

[Imbrium]

The perfect vanilla mint.

I love Snowblind. It's absolutely fantabulous.

Buttercream frosting, with a minty edge - it's warm and comforting, with only a hint of vanilla, but it has a buttery, foody quality that actually makes my stomach rumble. The mint is stronger when it's wet; dry, it has an almost boozy quality to it - a boozy background. However, I only smell that note when I put my nose to my skin. If I just sit here with Snowblind wafting up at me - and it does have a fair amount of throw - I just smell buttercream, with the barest hint of mint folded in.

Someone please remind me that I shouldn't drink this stuff? Edited January 7, 2006 by Shollin

[pekeana]

THIS is what I was hoping Lick It would smell like on me -- thick, mint candy. Not a lot of creaminess, just peppermint. GUH.

 

MORE PLEASE.

[Phaedra]

I was lucky (or naughty) enough to receive this in my Inquisition and am so happy I did. This is the one I was hoping I'd get- yay for Puddin' and the goblins! On to the review- wet this is creamy and sweet vanilla. It's also a bit sour like the cheesecake note in Chaste Moon and Beaver Moon. I also get fleeting hints of mint. When first on this is sweet, frosty, sparkling mint. It warms into a creamy vanilla mint. This is a very light and soft blend on me. It's like a more mellow and warm version of Lick It. Absolutely beautiful!!!

[Inanna9]

Snowblind is deceptively simple. It does smell exactly like butter mints, but it its just so beautiful and creamy, with many layers. In the bottle, I get a strong whiff of butter, and the golden color looks exactly like that liquid stuff they pour on popcorn. Once on, the mint takes the stage.

 

And it is the most beautiful mint I've yet encounted--not a sharp mint like Lick It, or a cold one like Nuclear Winter, but a warm soft creamy mint. The butter note is strong, but the mint helps temper it some.

 

Upon drydown, the mint fades a bit, and a sugary vanilla remains in place of the butter. It's so pretty/yummy. This is definitely a case where I'm tempted to 'Lick It'.

 

This is a gorgeous, masterful blend. I'm not a foody, but Snowblind is really nice, although about as foody as I can tolerate.

[yeahbutnobut]

Snowblind

 

In the imp: butter and mint. It's a buttermint scent…but I'm worried the butter will be too much for me…

Wet on skin: now the butter fades and it becomes more minty and vanilla-y…it really smells like Murray Mints now.

Dry on skin: yum! This really does smell like vanilla and mint! It bears a striking similarity to Murray Mints, or buttermints, but with more of a buttery vanilla scent which makes me think of raw cake batter! I'm getting a buttery scent throw around me-I'm not sure if this is from my skin though, or some I accidentally spilt somewhere, because on my skin it's not very buttery now, just pleasantly so. It is different to Lick It, this one has a more creamy and foody vanilla scent to it, whereas Lick It was vanilla-musk and mint. It also cools the skin slightly.

After a while: this scent has warmth to it, oddly enough. It felt cold at first, but now most of the mint has burnt off, I get a wonderful vanilla cream scent that is warm and very comforting to smell. It's like wrapping yourself in a blanket of sweetness. It reminds me of the creamy vanilla background of Beaver Moon, but with a slight hint of mint instead of cinnamon. This is a very soft scent; it's a scent you want to 'bite' into, like dough or cake.

It lasts for ages too...and the drydown after about 6 hours smells just like sugared almonds! You know those almonds in a pink/silver sugar shell you get at weddings? That's exactly what this smells like now-I've been looking for a BPAL with that smell, and I found it.

Verdict: I'm very pleased I acquired an imp of this pretty legendary scent. This is the scent of buttermints and cake batter-a delicious foody vanilla mint scent. There's a definite butter aspect to the scent that is not too bad in this. I love the soft vanilla scent of this-it's different to Lick It, as this one is richer and foodier, it reminds me more of raw cake mixture, whereas LI was candy canes and vanilla musk. LI is cooler, and has a harder 'texture', whereas this is warm, and feels softer and 'chewy'-I know this sounds odd but that's the only way I can describe it. I'm still undecided about the slight buttery throw the scent has for the first ten minutes, but I adore the creamy vanilla cake drydown-it's a bit like a minty Beaver Moon-and the drydown after 6 hours is like those wedding sugared almonds-and I love that smell! This is a fun, delightful, cosy and creamy mint scent and I'm glad to have an imp of this…it's a wonderful scent for winter, and I may want to hunt down a bottle one day.

Edited January 6, 2006 by yeahbutnobut

[Voleuse]

This is all mint on first application, with a perfect dollop of sweetness. It's very much like Lick It on me. (That sounded unintentionally dirty. )

 

As it dries, however, the vanilla of the blend starts to come out more strongly, balancing the mint perfectly. After that point, the strength and throw of the blend stays relatively the same. This is quite delicious, but I think I would have been just as happy with a bottle of Lick It.

[melange]

Bottle: those vanilla mints served at weddings... but with booze mixed in. Now I'm thinking naughty thoughts: forget spiking the punch!

 

Wet: creamy vanilla minty goodness.

 

Drydown: mint, mint, mint with vanilla. I'm not getting the powdered sugar smell at this point, which is good.

 

Worn: the vanilla and mint balance each other nicely without blending, and I enjoy the periodic wafts rising up from my wrists. It's a reasonably settled scent, not one that shouts out, "I AM MINT! FEAR MY WRATH!" After a while, and after the mint fades further, I almost think I smell a hint of coconut.

 

Conclusion: I'm hoping the person for whom I pled Naughty will like this, especially since the other two scents wouldn't have worked out (I know she'll adore the tee)... yet if it winds up too girlie for her, I'm sure it could find a loving home. By the way, I really like the bottle design, how the name and BPAL are easy to read (with the name being larger) while the imp-and-Naughty give subtler depth in that dark red.

Edited January 7, 2006 by melange

[binkyboots]

it's like mint buttercream on vanilla cake!!

 

I adore snowblind, it's not very strong on me, but I swear you'll have to pry this bottle from my cold dead hands!

 

it's just, buttermint, that's all I get, the best, most wonderful minty bpal ever.

[Andromedii]

Icing sugary sweet vanilla with just a hint of peppermint.

 

It is perfect as a vanilla, but I was hoping the mint would stick around a wee bit. Kind of reminds me of vanilla toothpaste.

 

I think Ms. Snowblind needs to have a blind date with Mr. Lick It. I think they'd have a rousingly freshening ménage a deux.

[AngellicMystique]

This smelled like butter mints on me at first, but then the mint took over and it got a definite pencil shaving hint on me. This wasn't a good blend on me. I can only wear small amounts in my hair at one time. I really wanted to love it.

[graycat]

ahh man, this is such a sarah smell! minty, creamy and buttery like melt in your mouth butter mints, it's very foody. on the skin the mint comes out and really jumps around but as soon a it drys down a bit it kinda takes a back seat. it really turns into a sweet creamy foody buttered vanilla. i love every bit of it.

[maewitch]

I am so so sad.

 

I was so excited to get this, but there's that note, the one that killed Beaver Moon for me. This sorta dusty-plastic thing lurking under the fugitive mint.

 

The drydown, hours later, was soft and creamy-sweet, but as good as that was, it just couldn't erase the memory of Great Plastic Dust Bowl of 2006.

 

It's gone off to a better place, where it will be loved.

[puck_nc]

 

I so wanted to love Snowblind. I wanted a gentler version of Lick It, one that wouldn't clear my nostrils when I wore it.

 

In the Bottle: Heavenly! A lovely buttercream with a tantalizing undertone of mint.

 

Wet: Oh, this is exactly what I'd hoped for! A gentle mint comes to the front, high and clear and oh-so-sweet with the vanilla and cream in the background!

 

Drydown: It holds for ten minutes. For twenty. At the 30-minute mark, after I've written my notes with triumphant glee, I sniff once more...

 

And I am crushed. My husband says it's coconut (which he hates). I am smelling soapy plastic and it's getting nastier by the second.

 

Verdict: Snowblind has taken my skin chemistry, chewed it up, and spat out the pieces. Off to eBay with you!

Edited February 4, 2006 by puck_nc

[blood*rose*flowers]

Decant Group

In the imp:

This is one of those pillow mints

 

On wet:

Imediatlly I get the same thought this is one of those sweet melt in your mouth pillow mints. The mint first on is so beautifully crisp and clean and then my curse of mint begins to turn a bit "fake". It smells a little bit like mint lip balm.

 

Drydown:

I am so shocked that this one seems to have taken a nice turn. This one is all it should have been and that shocks me since mint has been pure evil for me up till now. This one has soften to a creamy mint smooth and delicious with nothing to over the top. Really nice!!

[rubbie]

I get more compliments on this than anything. The vanilla and mint are perfectly balanced. It has fantastic throw and lasts forever. I scented all my favorite scarves with it.

 

Funnily enough, people say they can smell chocolate in it when I wear it. I can't smell that at all, but as long as they keep telling me "ohh, you smell soo good..."

[zillah37]

In the vial, Snowblind is minty buttercream. Mmm...I want to drink it! On my skin, it's a very smooth buttery mint and it pretty much stays that way. It's gorgeous and warm and delicious. There's an icy coolness to it that is oddly warm and comforting. I really wish I didn't have to sell my soul for a bottle of this because alas, I apparently need my soul! Didn't you see that episode of the Simpsons when Bart sells his soul to Milhouse for $5 and then it all goes downhill from there? I don't want to be stalking someone at 3am to get my soul back only to find out they ended up trading my soul for Alf pogs.

[Laurel the Woodfairy]

Huzzah! Now that I have an imp of Snowblind, I have tried all the Inquisition goodness ('cept the coal lump, which didn't interest me). Whoo, it's a strong one! Unmistakable buttercream frosting right out of the imp, with mint appearing right after. What a fabulous scent--a balance of warm/sweet and cool/frosty. This combo always drives me wild--I even have Vanilla Mint toothpaste, 'cuz I love how it's both clean and yummy. Which sums up Snowblind, actually: clean and yummy. Perfect for winter, but the mint would be fun for summer too. An instant BPAL classic.

[QueenFae]

Definitely smells like Buttermints! Those remind me of my late Grandmother, so that's a really nice smell for me. There is a lovely balance between the mint and the buttery note; I'm not big on mint, but in Snowblind it's not overwhelming. The Coconut Hut, an online store where I order bath stuff, had a winter fragrance called Sticky Peppermint Snoball, and it also smelled exactly like this. Mouthwatering, Snowblind is the perfect winter scent. I don't think I need a bottle, as I'm already a Lump of Coal junkie, but I'm so glad I was able to get an imp of this and I will certainly treasure it.

[Ina Garten Davita]

I wasn't expecting this to be so different from the prototype, but it is and that's a good thing. In the bottle is very minty. On my skin it's a very creamy vanilla mint. I'm not getting the overwhelming butteriness that I experienced with the prototype. I like that it's very different from Lick It.

[malanna]

Crapulence! I don't actually feel like applying Snowblind and keeping it on as the sole scent of the day just to re-review it, so I will be going on memory. Snowblind starts out slightly buttery and smelling slightly fizzy, almost like a Sprite, but mostly like the carbonation of a soda. It gets really buttery over time. It smells a great deal like Spooky, actually, except it didn't smell like mint so much as it smelled like...well, I don't remember. Perhaps peppermint? It's really, really buttery and the butteriness dominates the scent.

[slave1]

In Bottle: Buttery vanilla mint

 

On Skin: A pretty basic description that fits the scent completely. This is a beautiful vanilla mint, with a heavily buttered base. So many people have compared this to those buttercreme mints and I whole heartedly agree. I used to use my allowance to buy a box of those a week and I am instantly trnsported back in time to greedily digging into a box. They way they’d disolve in my mouth and leave a little of a greasy feeling from the butter. They were so good!! I usually don’t like minty scents, but this one works so well on me. I would love to wear it during the holidays, it’s so festive! It’s delicious! A minty version of Milk Moon, I’d love to have a bottle!

[LittleGreyKitten]

It is divine. I have to say I do like Milk Moon just a bit more, and Spooky, but oh MAN this is a close third. It's different from either of them, though. It is not like Lick It either (which I also love and hoard). Lick it is so strongly minty it actually burns when I apply it, and Lick It is like a piercingly sweet intense cold mint with some vanilla and spun sugar, but not creamy at all really.

 

This instead has a gentle, cool but not icy mint note wafting lightly out from my wrist when it's wet. The mint lasts maybe 20 minutes on me, it's pretty fugitive, but that's OK. The whole scent is so beautiful, I don't mind that it changes as it evolves. Initially the creaminess beneath the mint is very like the Milk Moon thick cream scent; it's not milky or really vanilla, it's definitely thick, clotted cream, with that almost-too-intense scent that I love so much about Milk Moon. As it dries longer, it evolves to become more like Midway than Milk Moon or anything else. Sweet, creamy, amazing. Until BPAL I didn't know foody scents would amuse me as much as they do.

 

This and Lump of Coal are like... wow. Yeah. So amazing they make me kind of inarticulate. My friend who also likes BPAL laughed at me snuggling the bottle of this today, and told me that I was definitely an addict. Observant girl!

 

The only sad thing is that my dry skin eats this, and it only lasts maybe 2 or 3 hours max. Possibly the fact that I won't slather it affects that.

 

5 out of 5, and drat Beth anyway for making such devilishly delicious scents that are so hard to find.

[ashtonrose]

Opening the bottle, I was unsure of how this would smell on me. Buttercream frosting was the first thing that came to mind. After I put it on though, the buttercream scent quickly faded and left a strong minty vanilla smell. It lasted for hours never changing.

 

[anmorata]

My experience with Snowblind was almost identical to Penance's - very strong when applied wet, almost akin to a "whoa, Vicks VapoRub" menthol smell. It faded within a few minutes to a delightful creamy mint. I'm in adoration.

[Aredhel]

Rating (on skin): 5/5

Summarised in a word or two: Love!

 

Preconceived notions: I think Snowblind will be divine -- I love vanilla and I love mint, so why wouldn't I love it?

 

In the bottle: Yep, already in love. Mint and vanilla, what else can I say?

 

On skin, wet: Yowza. Crisp, cold mint and impossibly smooth and slightly warm vanilla. Being the mint fiend and vanilla fiend I am, how could I not adore this?

 

On skin, dry: I'm not quite sure how else to put my crazy desperate love for Snowblind into words...

 

Conclusion: Snowblind reminds me of two things: MLS' Shamrock Shake lip balm and Somethin' Special's Jack Frost. I adore Jack Frost, but Snowblind's mint is colder, and the vanilla is a hair sweeter, and much creamier. I also prefer Snowblind over the Shamrock Shake balm, as the balm's vanilla seems very plasticky at times. That said... Snowblind is even better than I expected. I luff ivyandpeony for swapping it to me, and you (anyone) can have my bottle when you can pry it from my cold, dead hands, etc etc.

Edited April 23, 2006 by Aredhel