Ask The Nearest Hippie

[GypsyRoseRed]

An olfactory guide, created to assist you in locating nearby hippies: patchouli, hemp, smoky vanilla bean, and cannabis accord.
(No, there is no actual weed in this perfume, silly.)

 

I really couldn't imagine that I would like this, because who wants to smell like weed? Except this smells REALLY GOOD. It's herbal with just the right amount of patchouli so it's not heavy or incense-y. After a half hour of wear time, it smelled sweet and slightly smokey with only a light whiff of Mary Jane.

[IronMollyBlack]

Hot out of the mailbox, so I may need to edit once it settles.

 

I definitely get more of the hemp and cannabis, and less of the patch. The vanilla is just barely peeking out on dry down. This is a lighter/less earthy patch than the one in Goblin/RR HG. I do think it needs some time to settle down from the journey.

 

Update: This one really creates a scent memory for me. It's the smell my jean jacket probably had way back when--a roach of cheap columbian in the pocket while wearing patchouli.

Edited August 4, 2015 by IronMollyBlack

[Lydialove]

In the bottle: Oh noes! Medicinal liniment of some kind.

 

Wet: Very sharp and pungent. Vetiver and woods - maybe that's the hemp? Patchouli as well. None of the notes are blending together and if there's vanilla or cannabis in there, they are being very shy. I gambled on a bottle... I hope it actually registers as a perfume I'd wear for fun soon.

 

Dry: Oh... oh, wait. It's changing so fast. As it drys it sweetens. Smoky, woody... hello, there vanilla! I'm glad to see you! And what a nice vanilla you are. Barely sweet and a little dark. It's a whiff of vanilla in a grassy meadow. There's a bonfire somewhere but not too close. But not a whiff of weed! How will I find the hippies without the weed? It is a little herbal, just not that particular herb.

 

I do feel like my gamble has (mostly?) paid off. The dry down is a bit of a journey, but it's a quick one. All of the notes that come out to play are really really good on me. I generally like to wear my perfumes very close to the body so it's weird for me to want a more assertive throw, but in this case I could really use more. This sits very very close to my skin and I think it may be fading rather quickly as well. Hm.

Here's my hope: that as it settles down from shipping, that elusive herbal sweetness comes out a little bit, and that the throw and wear develops a bit as well. I can see myself wearing this often, but I'd hate to have to re-apply throughout the day.

 

Edit: Why... yes the cannabis note has emerged and I quite like it. Also, the throw does seem to have increased, as well as it's staying power. It's gone from pretty good to pretty great.

Edited October 15, 2015 by Lydialove

[Angel Cruz]

Ok, so I love BPAL, like LOVE it.

Why do I love it? Well, because it's the only perfumery that understands my love for all things smokey, spicy, woodsy, and most importantly SEXAYYY.

Snake Oil, Dragons Milk, and Smut are amongst my favorites. However, I have love for each oil individually because I respect the work that is put into each scent. I've learned that hard way that YOU MUST buy the larger bottle of something if you love the imp, like RIGHT AWAY, because it can be gone at the blink of an eye, and you may not be able to get your hands on it. I still weep for 'O' as I hold on dearly to the last droplets on the bottom of the imp glass vials. (Shameless plug to bring back O , or surrender your bottles!)
In addition to being sexy I love marijuana, she's one lovely lady. I love the way it smells too. I also really enjoy patchouli, and most definitly vanilla. So when I saw the description for this oil, I knew I had to get my hands on it. I got Jiggery Pokery too.

 

1st impression: I couldn't wait, so I smelled it right away. Of course I felt it was way too something. I always feel the oils are way too something right when I first get them. So first impression was WHOA HOLY PATCHOULI... just a smack in the face, WHAM. No vanilla, it was dissapointing really... but I do love the patchouli... At this point I decided, well this will just be another Kundalini grounding meditation oil type of thing... like The Coiled Serpent.

 

HOWEVER- Several days later, I cannot spend the day without thinking about my Hippie Oil. I've been wearing it for the past couple of days, and my oh my do I love it. It has excellent throw, so every time I move, I smell it. People at the office watching me like I'm nuts shuffling left and right. But I don't care, I am having an olfactory extravaganza, they can't recognize- ya dig!?

 

The blend between cannabis, patchouli and vanilla is so perfect. I think you have to be one of those like "I DON'T GIVE A DAMN" about a thing kinda person- to wear this. It's not for everyone. It's got-a punch but in a very sophisticated way- a sexy bookworm/nerd stoner-vibe. The vanilla adds that warm and sensual touch to it. It really helps to mellow out the sharp bite of cannabis. This reminds me of the Hempz lotion line. The Hempz lotion contains shea butter and cannabis. So I can definitely recognize the cannabis in Ask the Nearest Hippie, and it's very prominent.

 

So overall. Strong cannabis smell, however, people won't think you just walked out of a smoke room or anything, because the patchouli and vanilla blend perfectly to make it sexy and warm.

It lasts pretty long, I'd say like 8 hours... but that depends on weather and my mood... The smell changes as it evaporates-The cannabis mellows out and lets vanilla play with her patchouli friend, but cannabis is always there watching in the back, taking leisurely puffs from a blunt Enjoy

 

Update: So I have not been able to put this one down. The strength dims down after a couple of hours, but you can still smell it. Especially if I am a bit warmer, I can get a whiff of it by just moving slightly. The vanilla really nicely encapsulates that harshness of cannabis and patchouli. Both canna and pat are beautiful smells, but can smell very medicinal. However, I must say the vanilla here really brings it all together. It's a beautiful blend. I will probably get one more bottle so that I will have a back up. Men and women can wear this.

Edited August 12, 2015 by Ismellgoodyo

[ljaylh]

As a proud member of BPAL's stinky hippie family, of course I had to buy this

 

If you ever do in fact need assistance to locate nearby hippies, this oil will do the trick. Like bees to honey, the hippies will come to you because never in their wildest dreams (and you know hippies have the wildest dreams) could they hope to smell this good. It's patch, it's hemp, it's vanilla - all smooshed up together and making me feel warm and snuggly, like getting into a sleeping bag filled with puppies.

 

The vanilla is definitely smoky rather than sweet, so if I were to compare this to my beloved Banshee Beat (sorry folks, but the comparison is inevitable given the similarities between these two blends) - where BB has that rich heady sweet vanilla making the patch and hemp warm and syrupy, Ask the Nearest Hippie's vanilla is smoky and dry and wispy - overall, the blend is much less gnarly than BB although the hemp in ATNH is not shy. I thought maybe they'd be like brother and sister, but for me they're more like cousins - the connection is there, but with a couple of degrees of separation. BB smacks you in the face, ATNH brushes your cheek. BB is Janis Joplin, ATNH is Joni Mitchell.

 

And let's talk about the cannabis, shall we? Yes it's there. No, you won't smell like the couch at Willie Nelson's place. Or bong water. Or Snoop Dogg's hair. But there is a definite true cannabis scent here - if you've ever smelled fresh, sticky buds then that's the smell you get - and that may scare some people off but it's actually more subtle than obvious, plus it's tempered very nicely by the smoky vanilla and the earthy patch. I also find that once it's been on my skin for half an hour or so the cannabis smell has pretty much gone and I'm left with this gorgeous dry vanilla-patchouli thing going on, which is really quite lovely. A couple of hours down the track and it's faded down to a soft hint of patchouli with hemp in the background, but in the end it's the patch that sticks around the longest for me.

 

In the end analysis this doesn't really knock my socks off, but it definitely does loosen them a little. I'm just happy to have another lovely BPAL to add to my little stinky hippie collection

 

[DiesMali]

In the bottle: Uh oh, I don't think I can wear this out in public.

 

Wet on my skin: ...On the other hand, I DO live in Colorado. And this smells like the uh, candies, I occasionally use to help treat my medical issues. Smoky hemp vanilla indeed.

 

Dry: Something about the combination of ingredients in this makes it smell slightly like cocoa butter on my skin. Hemp-infused cocoa butter. When I sniff deeper, I can definitely pick out that smoky vanilla, sweet cannabis, and patchouli, but I swear it combines to smell a bit like the (completely legal in my state) chocolates I've eaten on occasion. It's a good scent on me, somehow fuzzy and comforting. The throw from it is almost all vanilla, now that it's warming on me, but there's definitely a tint of sweet cannabis in that vanilla. The earthy hempy patchouli sticks closer to the skin, but is quite strong up to a few inches away.

 

Edit: After it's been on for a while, the cannabis fades quite a bit, and now it's mostly that warm, dry, smoky vanilla and patchouli. Mmmm.

Edited August 28, 2015 by DiesMali

[Haltija]

Like SSDB I am a member of the stinky hippie family so I knew I needed this without question.

 

Now this is a hippie scent to summon us all from all stretches of the world. It's magnificent. I do see a BB/RR comparison but this really is more tame than any other patchouli scent I own. Way tamer than Sumatran Red Patchouli and even East African Black. I don't really even get patch when it is wet. On that stage it is all cannabis and a very small whiff of vanilla. It goes on quite herbal and very strong, not that I mind though.

 

The more it changes, blossoms and blooms it becomes even more lovely. The patchouli makes it's presence known and the vanilla comes out a lot stronger and I agree with others saying it's more along the lines of a smoky sweet and not straight up one or the other. The cannabis is still there but it's more subtle now than before and it doesn't even begin to try and overwhelm anything. This blend as a whole is incredibly well blended and every note feeds off of each other and makes each other that much better. I don't think one bottle will be enough for me. Winner!

[Poenari]

Another member of the stinky hippie family here! This one was an instabuy because of course I need another patchouli scent in my collection. So, about the cannabis... I haven't smelled the real thing in decades, but upon opening the bottle, woah did that bring back memories! Upon application, the cannabis was the first hit I got but it was immediately followed by the patchouli, vanilla, and hemp blend. I was a bit nervous at first that I would never be able to wear this out of the house, but the cannabis dries down very quickly and within a half hour is only there if you know to look for it. I really don't think that it would be noticeable unless I stuck my wrist up to someone's nose and pointed it out. I love my Banshee Beat, and this contains a drier, much less sweet vanilla and patchouli combination. It's not as sweet as Sumatran Red SN nor Goblin, and more along the lines of #occupy wall street without the cocoa. It also doesn't really waft after the drydown and stays surprisingly close to the skin.

 

This has much less throw and is not as long lasting as BB and after the first hour, is a soft herbal vanilla blend, with even the patchouli not as in yer face as usual. I'm glad I bought this, but one bottle will suffice.

Edited September 3, 2015 by Poenari

[Numanoid]

In imp: Yep...definitely a "weed" or strong hemp smell.

 

On skin: Oh wow... this warms up immediately on me... I get the smoky vanilla with the hemp and it is gorgeous! Creamy and sexy too!

 

Dry down: Ok.. I need a bottle of this!! If you like the Revenant Rhythm items, you will love this. It is a perfect balance of the hemp and vanilla. This is coming from a person that despises anything hemp/patchouli smelling, and if I love this, just think how it will be for you patch lovers!!! Mmmmm..... perfect! Medium throw and not overbearing.

[LiberAmoris]

Ask the Nearest Hippie, indeed. Looking at the notes, I wondered if this would be the kind of scent I could get away with wearing to work, as wafting hemp and cannabis might really put the rumor mill into action. But the cannabis is really only present in the first 20 minutes on me—wet, this goes on all vanilla and cannabis, with a shadow of patchouli. Cannabis has that herbal tang to it that's pretty distinctive (smells like college!), but it's not a note that I love in large amounts. Luckily, it recedes, and I'm left with a velvety patchouli and vanilla, with a bit of what smells like tobacco or smoke and a hint of pot. It sounds odd, but the balance ends up being great.

 

Definitely reminiscent of Revenant Rhythm, like if someone wearing RR toked up and the smoke clung to them a little. If that's your jam, I wouldn't puff puff pass on this.

[lucycat]

In the decant: Cannabis and hemp.

 

Wet: The same. I’m glad I took the precaution of testing this on my day off!

 

The unmistakable cannabis smell does disappear after about ten or fifteen minutes. I’m left with hemp and patchouli on my arms. The patchouli is doing its familiar freshly-sharpened pencil impression. On the back of my hand, though, the vanilla comes out and makes the whole blend much sweeter and smoother. If this is at all like Banshee Beat, then I can see what the fuss is about.

 

My decant is still pretty fresh, so I want to see if aging brings out the vanilla. Right now, though, I don’t see myself needing a bottle.

[milo]

Patchouli and cannabis. Yup, this definitely smells like a hippie! It's a soft, sweet patchouli, but even after the cannabis wears off, it does not compare to Banshee Beat. At least on me. Fades quickly, no vanilla, the cannabis accord is too realistic, (and I don't like the smell of it!), and I'm worried it may come out when I sweat. Not for me...

[cyberpuff]

Let me first establish that I am not a member of the Stinky Hippie Family. I have lived amongst the Stinky Hippies my whole life and have actively if not violently separated myself from that tribe whenever possible. It's an ongoing ordeal.

 

Ask The Nearest Hippie was something I uh, got for a friend. Yeah, it's not mine, it's my friend's...

 

I tried it on and got a very toned down patchouli. It doesn't scream cannabis to me, but my apartment hallway is constantly a cloud of that (again- not me!!!) so my nose might be desensitized to a more subtle rendering of it. I sense a bit of leather. You know what this smells like? Soil and money. If this is a hippie then it's the one who lives on Mount Tamalpais with an eco friendly home who hosts fundraisers for Al Gore with $35 bottles of Sonoma Chardonnay from the 2011 reserve. Or she lives in Laurel Canyon and has her own bamboo/modal tshirt company and loves to tell she'll totally let you stay in her place in Bali- did you know it has a saltwater pool?

 

Wow, that was a tangent. But that's what this scent does- it conjures up that level of hippie lifestyle. It stays close to the skin. It makes me feel like I should follow my bliss. It doesn't seem like it would get the drug sniffing dogs barking, it is patchouli with earth and an extra very rich j'ne sais quoi.

 

If it also helps, I wanted to love Banshee Beat, which smelled like dirt syrup on me, and OccupyWallStreet was a nice idea for me but a disaster in reality. This is a patchouli for the patchouli haters, a gateway patchouli, if you will. My friend has to get her own now, this one is mine.

[sarandipitee]

This is some strong stuff. The weed smell (and it's strong - for me it was very much like when you het a whiff of it in the air or on a person's clothing vs sticky buds) dissapates almost immediately and then I'm left with just a dry patch. No sweetness.

 

I prefer Goblin for my strong patch needs but I'll retest in a few months and see if I like it aged better, before I decide if it's bottle worthy or not.

[zankoku_zen]

OMG WEED.

 

Seriously.

 

This smells like fresh cannabis. Like the plant. Just green. (No, don't ask me how I know this). It's a fresh, botanical green, scent that is very distinctively cannabis. With maybe a touch of vanilla to sweeten this up.

 

Fresh, green, weed.

[skyelyric]

I had to get a bottle of this unsniffed and was hoping for a more unisex/masculine leaning variant of BB. I've worn this several times the last few days and not so much with the similarity...on me this is close to a patch single note, but it's much smoother and softer than either of the SNs, and almost has a cedar-y vibe, a bit like Aureus to my nose. Hippie also stays much closer to the skin than some other patch blends I've tried, so I can have my comforting not-quite-dirty hippie scent at work with no problems.

 

HOWEVER, it is the first perfume where I've noticed a distinct shift during shark week (pardon the TMI), and the first few minutes after application, I get wafts of skunky weed. It burns off after a bit and I'm left with my nice soft patch skin scent, but sheesh. Even though I live in CO, that's not really gonna fly at the office.

Edited October 27, 2015 by skyelyric

[agirlnamedfury]

I bought bottles unsniffed of almost all of the Scalias because I loved the theme and names, but this one I particularly bought because of the notes. And that list of notes is damn accurate. This is lovely, though -- it's a mellow, earthy skin scent and there's something very comforting about it. It definitely does smell like weed but it's pretty subtle.

 

Not positive I would wear this one to work, but I will totally wear it hanging out at my apartment or casually with friends.

[LizziesLuck]

Decant, fresh out of the mailbox. May need to retest once it settles.

 

 

In the imp it is all Patchouli.

 

Wet, it's a lot of marijuana. A LOT. No vanilla yet, which is sad. Not gonna lie, totally hoping the dry down smells like Revenant Rhythm, as some have suggested. Unless the vanilla shows up soon, this is going to be a pretty epic fail on me. I do like that it's really close to the skin though. I have to stick my nose right on my arm to get any of it. It's actually very 'woody'.

 

This is actually fairly nice when dry. Very close to the skin as others have mentioned Just not very much vanilla. I will retest in a few days. May try layering with something sweet and vanilla-ie too.

[kitsch]

This is gorgeous. The most beautiful and perfect "hippie stank."

 

In the bottle it's all scratchy, woodsy patchouli. Once on the skin, it's patchouli with this soft smoky vanilla. The vanilla almost has a burnt, carmelized tone to it, with a touch of smoke to it. Imagine a vanilla candle once you blow it out (if that makes any sense). Once it dries down the cannabis comes out to play and adds this sticky sweet note. I. AM. OBSESSED. I wear a dab of this on both wrists and in my cleavage. Great throw, but still soft, never overpowering. Lasts nearly all day on me, too.

 

I would buy this in the gallon if I could.

[Lani]

This is such a fun scent. On me it opens smoky sweet vanilla, with a heart of green, herbal hemp and cannabis. The base is rich patchouli with more weed. There's definitely some stank in there, but to me nothing that would actually make someone think you were smokin the reefer (I live in Seattle, I smell the real thing A LOT these days, haha). A great scent that definitely lives up to its name!

Edited November 11, 2015 by Lani

[Geminirubyshoes]

I was told by my scent twin months ago that I needed this but I had not had an opportunity to try it until tonight. I am enamoured with it.

 

In the bottle light patchouli and hefty cannabis accord. I was worried at first because I had to stop wearing Baba Yaga when I had it because it smelled waaay to much like weed. I cannot work in a retail environment and smell like pot, it is not a good mix. So I did not want this to end up like that. Luckily, it does not.

 

The cannabis disappears on the drydown and I am left with a softer version of Banshee Beat ot Revenant Rhythm (take your pick). It is extremely comforting.

[Minh Scent]

Absolutely love this one! It indeed smells just like weed and cozies into a light patch/vanilla eventually. This magical patch/vanilla combo is not as strong as it is in Revenant Rhythm, but it is a good substitute while waiting for that oil. Cannabis is a beautiful note- so earthy and huffable!

[dementia_divine]

I've been afraid to try this one, because of the very realistic cannabis accord note. I feel like now is the time to give it a chance, though!

 

In the decant: Cannabis and patchouli. I feel like my decant has really embraced its hippie self since it has had several months to age. The smoky vanilla note is faint, but present.

 

Wet: HIPPIE LIKE WHOA. The cannabis accord dominates, but the patchouli note isn't far behind. The hemp note is pretty strong as well. Where art thou, vanilla?

 

Dry: The cannabis accord note has gone away, and now the patchouli and hemp reign, with the patchouli being the dominant note. I can smell a bit of the vanilla now, but it isn't a main player on my skin.

 

Verdict: I wanted to see how similar this was to Revenant Rhythm. There is a similarity, with the patchouli and hemp, but I get a lot more hemp from this, the vanilla in this is different, and the presence of the cannabis accord make this a lot more hippie-ish than Revenant Rhythm is on me. I don't want to smell like the cannabis accord at all, so I'll be sticking with Banshee Beat/Revenant Rhythm for my vanilla + patchouli fix.

[boomtownrat]

Scalia's passing inspired me to wear this today and finally review it. (Obligatory disclaimer: even though I didn't like his politics, I do feel for those who are mourning him.) I've had the bottle since it was first released and worn it sporadically since then. As it has aged, it's gotten smoother. I can imagine it becoming my second favourite patchouli scent after Goblin someday.

 

When I put it on while getting ready for work this morning, I forgot all about the cannabis accord. That's because I really don't smell it either in the bottle or on myself. There might be a passing similarity to the fragrance of The Good Stuff, but if so it's all snuggled up under the patchouli and vanilla. I've got quite a few patchouli scents from the Lab and this is probably the most subtle. On me, Ask The Nearest Hippie is a softer version of #occupywallstreet that I can wear without knocking people over. My boss, who has a pretty keen sense of smell and never fails to comment when I wear something with patchouli in it, walked right past me earlier and didn't say anything about it.

 

Heretical though it may be, I think I like this more than the Revenant Rhythm bath oil. There's just something so mellow and comforting about Ask The Nearest Hippie. I haven't compared it to Banshee Beat because I'm hoarding my precious decant. Goblin is still my #1, but this is good for times when I want a patchouli that's not as loud and sweet.

[roseus]

This potentially an all-time fave. Definitely an all-star. Fresh on it's all patchouli, and it leans spicy and is very woody. But then the patchouli becomes velvety-smooth, with some lightly sweet vanilla, and it's pleasantly kush-y. It's warm, a little smoky, and very sexy. I agree with a previous reviewer that this is a bookworm stoner. I cannot fully express the intense love I feel for this scent.