Looking for a BPAL that Resembles a Favorite Perfume

[Alchemist]

Is there any bpal oils that resemble to old-fashioned perfume Lancome Magie Noir?

 

Here is the description:

 

Magie Noir, black magic in French, is a heady, and enveloping scent in the classic oriental tradition. Exotic top notes of hyacinth, cassia, bergamot, rasberry, and galbanum,a sensual heart of jasmine, ylang-ylang, Bulgarian rose, lily of the valley, narcissus, honey, tuberose, and orris, and rich basenotes including spices, sandalwood, ambergris, cedarwood, patchouli, oakmoss, musk, civet all combine to create real "black magic". Magie Noir - The Source of Enchantment!

[ivyandpeony]

This comment is just to point out the differences in skin chemistry & perception, of course, not to invalidate Beevee's comparison - her post just jumped out at me because Brit was one of my go-to scents before discovering BPAL and I still get fond memories when I smell iam very fond of it although I can't remember the last time I wore anything other than a BPAL perfume. (I still get the shower gel in my Christmas stocking from my MIL. )

 

On me, Brit has/had tons of lime and green notes, and even after drying down it never was anywhere as warm and spicy as Morocco. But then again, on my skin, Morocco has lots and lots of carnation that never goes away and I don't get any vanilla from it. (Add to that the batch variations you get from natural perfumes - enough occur in Morocco that I think there's an entire thread in Chatter discussing the variations in Morocco, whether your version smells heavily sandalwoody or carnationy, etc., and you can really start getting confused )

 

It has me thinking, though, if I personally were to want to replicate Brit, I might be able to layer Morocco with something a little bit green and citrusy.

 

I wore Anais Anais in college and I haven't been struck by a BPAL that reminded me of it yet.

 

 

[ifinena]

I've finally figured out why Man with Phallus Head smelled familiar. It's almost identical to a perfume my nana used to wear called White Linen. Also The Haunted Palace smells like a perfume called Samsara that my mother loves.

 

<snip>

 

 

HighPriestessIce I'm surprised! Have you sniffed/tested bpal's Numb? *That's* a dead ringer for White Linen. But Man with Phallus Head? Goes to show how wildly people's chemistries vary!

[parrot_suspect]

Is there any bpal oils that resemble to old-fashioned perfume Lancome Magie Noir?

Here is the description:

 

Magie Noir, black magic in French, is a heady, and enveloping scent in the classic oriental tradition. Exotic top notes of hyacinth, cassia, bergamot, rasberry, and galbanum,a sensual heart of jasmine, ylang-ylang, Bulgarian rose, lily of the valley, narcissus, honey, tuberose, and orris, and rich basenotes including spices, sandalwood, ambergris, cedarwood, patchouli, oakmoss, musk, civet all combine to create real "black magic". Magie Noir - The Source of Enchantment!

 

I've tried Magie Noire; I think you should look for a dark, rich floral that has some fruits in it. Sacred Whore of Babylon comes to mind. I'm not a big floral lover, but maybe other forumites might have some suggestions.

 

I know I'm a year and some months late but after having tried Morocco, I cannot get over the fact that it smells extremely similar to Burberry Brit.

 

That's funny; I never would have thought of that comparison. On me, Morocco is VERY similar to the niche fragrance Costes, and in the same general ballpark (not identical, but with a similar feel) as Donna Karan's Cashmere Mist. We are all so different!

[Indigo78]

Is there any bpal oils that resemble to old-fashioned perfume Lancome Magie Noir?

 

Here is the description:

 

Magie Noir, black magic in French, is a heady, and enveloping scent in the classic oriental tradition. Exotic top notes of hyacinth, cassia, bergamot, rasberry, and galbanum,a sensual heart of jasmine, ylang-ylang, Bulgarian rose, lily of the valley, narcissus, honey, tuberose, and orris, and rich basenotes including spices, sandalwood, ambergris, cedarwood, patchouli, oakmoss, musk, civet all combine to create real "black magic". Magie Noir - The Source of Enchantment!

 

 

I find some similarity to Magie Noir in Xiuhtecuhtli. It is a dark scent, rich with herbs on a base of sexy copal. Lab's note listing: "Copal, plumeria and sweet orange and the smoke of South American incense and crushed jungle blooms."

 

I realize that the aesthetic isn't "French" at all, but I really do get a similar feel from it-- at least from what I remember. (I lived in Magie Noir for awhile during my early teens )

[MinxyMinou]

Anyone know of anything that smells like Agent Provocateur's "Maitresse" or Coco Chanel?

 

Rapture reminds me of Maitresse

[jewelbug]

I have a friend who is in love with "Oud Wood' by Tom Ford (I think its a limited edition). But its kinda too expensive for her, and she mentioned wanting to find one of "my" perfumes (aka BPAL! ) that smells similar. The description is here:

 

"An exotic rose wood and cardamom, blended with exuberant Chinese pepper, envelope the wearer in warmth. Eventually, the center exposes a smokey blend of rare oud wood, sandalwood and vetiver. Finally, the creamy scents of tonka bean, vanilla and amber are revealed."

 

Has anyone out there had a chance to try this, and has it reminded you of any BPAL?

Edited November 4, 2009 by jewelbug

[modillian]

Anyone have an equivalent for Lucky You for Her?

 

I find Megaera (Orris, black amber, bergamot, plum and grapefruit) is an even BETTER version of Lucky You (Ruby red grapefruit, crushed green leaves, blue poppy, and star jasmine, lower notes of sandalwood, amber and musk), though it's a bit fruitier.

 

Cheshire Cat (Grapefruit, red currant, dark musk, Roman chamomile, delphinium, and lavender) or Kitsune-Tsuki (Asian plum, orchid, daffodil, jasmine and white musk) may also fit the bill.

 

 

And a request: Anything resembling Hugo Boss's Deep Red for Women? To me it smells almost chocolate-y with a some florals and a heady waft. The 13 series might be appropriate for what I'm looking for, but there are so many of those by now that wouldn't even know where to start.

 

Scent description of Deep Red: Green and sensuous, with citrus, woods and spices. Rich fruity fragrance with powdery undertones. Contains Black Currant, Tangerine, Ginger Blossom, Freesia, Sandalwood, Cedarwood and Vanilla.

 

I'm pretty sure it's the combination of the foodyness of the currant and vanilla that translates as "chocolate! " to my nose, with the tangerine imparting a fresh sensation and very little detectable wood notes. I've already tried Megaera, Cheshire Cat, and The Candy Butcher, which are good but the last two were too foody for me (I want to nom off my hand when I wear them!) So if y'all've got suggestions for anything else that's...mmm, chocolate-and-floral-seeming(even if chocolate isn’t a listed note, LOL), or currant-tea-floral that doesn't have too much musk in it, that would be helpful for me.

Edited November 5, 2009 by modillian

[Ishtar]

Another suggestion for fellow Lolita Lempicka lovers: with its progression from sugary liquorice to sweet floral to powdery gourmand, La Befana reminds me a lot of her first perfume (the one that comes in an apple-shaped bottle and is sometimes called The First Fragrance).

[moviegrrl]

Here's a BPAL that smells like something else...

 

I got an imp of Casanova last week, and it remind me very strongly of Roget & Gallet's Jean Marie Farina Extra Vielle.

(Which made me very happy indeed as my mom used to wear that, many moons ago and its sits better on me than her other perfumes)

[Salem]

I'm hoping this is the right place and I won't get slapped wrists.

 

Absynthe by Christian Lacroix - My OH smelt this in one of those scratch and sniff catalogues and really liked it. Now, he already has a couple of BPAL imps and isn't one for store bought chemical perfumes so I'm wondering if there's a BPAL that's close to it instead. It's unlike him to want something that could be potentially tested but I don't want to poo poo his interest as I'd love him to wear more smells apart from the occasion dab of Whitechapel (which I love) or Fenris Wolf.

 

The description is -

 

"Seductive fresh spices and earthy greens infused with smoky woods"

 

Thanks!

[Apple]

I'm hoping this is the right place and I won't get slapped wrists.

 

Absynthe by Christian Lacroix - My OH smelt this in one of those scratch and sniff catalogues and really liked it. Now, he already has a couple of BPAL imps and isn't one for store bought chemical perfumes so I'm wondering if there's a BPAL that's close to it instead. It's unlike him to want something that could be potentially tested but I don't want to poo poo his interest as I'd love him to wear more smells apart from the occasion dab of Whitechapel (which I love) or Fenris Wolf.

 

The description is -

 

"Seductive fresh spices and earthy greens infused with smoky woods"

 

Thanks!

Not to be obvious, but have you tried Absinthe?

Absinthe

(Bewitching Brews) - Fall under the spell of our Green Fairy! An intoxicating blend containing wormwood essence, light mints, cardamom, anise, hyssop, and the barest hint of lemon.

I've not tried the Lacroix fragrance, so I'm not sure if it actually smells like absinthe. I can assure you, however, that the BPAL version definitely does. To my nose, the strongest note in both the beverage and the BPAL is anise. You can find other anise-containing blends here.

 

You might also take a peek in these threads to get layering ideas:

 

Recommmendations for Green Scents

Campfires, bonfires, fireplaces, burning wood and leaves...

[lookingglass]

Is there any bpal oils that resemble to old-fashioned perfume Lancome Magie Noir?Here is the description:Magie Noir, black magic in French, is a heady, and enveloping scent in the classic oriental tradition. Exotic top notes of hyacinth, cassia, bergamot, rasberry, and galbanum,a sensual heart of jasmine, ylang-ylang, Bulgarian rose, lily of the valley, narcissus, honey, tuberose, and orris, and rich basenotes including spices, sandalwood, ambergris, cedarwood, patchouli, oakmoss, musk, civet all combine to create real "black magic". Magie Noir - The Source of Enchantment!

Not that I have found. I actually just bought a new bottle of Magie Noire. Loooooove her. It smells like rapberry dark chocolate, dried roses and incense on me.

I have a friend who is in love with "Oud Wood' by Tom Ford (I think its a limited edition). But its kinda too expensive for her, and she mentioned wanting to find one of "my" perfumes (aka BPAL! ) that smells similar. The description is here:"An exotic rose wood and cardamom, blended with exuberant Chinese pepper, envelope the wearer in warmth. Eventually, the center exposes a smokey blend of rare oud wood, sandalwood and vetiver. Finally, the creamy scents of tonka bean, vanilla and amber are revealed."Has anyone out there had a chance to try this, and has it reminded you of any BPAL?

This is exactly what I'm waiting for from a BPAL oud. It's a hot note right now in the perfume world. I want it dark, dank, and dirty!

[Alchemist]

I'm looking for the old version of Avon's soft musk which my mum used to wear in 90s . Here is a picture of the bottle:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/SOFT-MUSK-COLOGNE-SPRA...1QQcmdZViewItem

 

 

She has loved this one very much. She said that the current ones being produced are not same as the previous. She said that one was a strong perfume.

 

I couln't find the notes of this one. I do not have any idea if they share the same perfume notes with the current ones. Here is the description of the current one:

 

Warm, woodsy musk with bright notes of rose, jasmine and ylang-ylang.

 

Could you help me please to find a bpal oil that resembles the old version Soft Musk? I'm planning to give as a gift to my mum at her birthday

 

[Salem]

I'm hoping this is the right place and I won't get slapped wrists.

 

Absynthe by Christian Lacroix - My OH smelt this in one of those scratch and sniff catalogues and really liked it. Now, he already has a couple of BPAL imps and isn't one for store bought chemical perfumes so I'm wondering if there's a BPAL that's close to it instead. It's unlike him to want something that could be potentially tested but I don't want to poo poo his interest as I'd love him to wear more smells apart from the occasion dab of Whitechapel (which I love) or Fenris Wolf.

 

The description is -

 

"Seductive fresh spices and earthy greens infused with smoky woods"

 

Thanks!

Not to be obvious, but have you tried Absinthe?

Absinthe

(Bewitching Brews) - Fall under the spell of our Green Fairy! An intoxicating blend containing wormwood essence, light mints, cardamom, anise, hyssop, and the barest hint of lemon.

I've not tried the Lacroix fragrance, so I'm not sure if it actually smells like absinthe. I can assure you, however, that the BPAL version definitely does. To my nose, the strongest note in both the beverage and the BPAL is anise. You can find other anise-containing blends here.

 

You might also take a peek in these threads to get layering ideas:

 

Recommmendations for Green Scents

Campfires, bonfires, fireplaces, burning wood and leaves...

 

Oh I have Absinthe already. The Lacroix perfume doesn't smell like the tipple at all, unfortunately. Thanks anyway!

[Faeriequeene]

I am new to BPAL and would love to find a scent that is similiar to Gio by Giorgio Armani. I used to wear it, but it's been discontinued.

It's the only perfume that ever seemed to work with my chemistry. I got so many compliments when I used it.

Gio is described as a flora and fruity blend.

Notes are hyacinth, mandarin, jasmine, gardenia, rose, orangle blossom, amber, sandalwood and vanilla.

I'm overwhelmed with all the BPAL choices but excited about placing an order! I'd really appreciate any recommendations.

Thanks for your help!

[emily2531]

I am new to BPAL and would love to find a scent that is similiar to Gio by Giorgio Armani. I used to wear it, but it's been discontinued.

It's the only perfume that ever seemed to work with my chemistry. I got so many compliments when I used it.

Gio is described as a flora and fruity blend.

Notes are hyacinth, mandarin, jasmine, gardenia, rose, orangle blossom, amber, sandalwood and vanilla.

I'm overwhelmed with all the BPAL choices but excited about placing an order! I'd really appreciate any recommendations.

Thanks for your help!

 

I recommend that you try Jezebel. I don't know what Gio smells like, but it sounds like you're looking for a soft fruity-floral with a slightly gourmand base. Jezebel has some very similar notes: honey, roses, orange blossom, sandalwood.

 

in addition to Jezebel, maybe:

 

Les Bijoux: Skin musk and honey, blood-red rose, orange blossom, white peach, red apple, frankincense and myrrh.

 

Belle Epoque: Sweet opium, Lily of the Valley, vanilla, mandarin and red sandalwood.

 

Fae: white musk, bergamot, heliotrope, peach and oakmoss. Maybe more sweet and fruity than you're looking for, but the musk and moss give it a nice base.

 

[HamletsKeeper]

I am new to BPAL and would love to find a scent that is similiar to Gio by Giorgio Armani. I used to wear it, but it's been discontinued.

It's the only perfume that ever seemed to work with my chemistry. I got so many compliments when I used it.

Gio is described as a flora and fruity blend.

Notes are hyacinth, mandarin, jasmine, gardenia, rose, orangle blossom, amber, sandalwood and vanilla.

I'm overwhelmed with all the BPAL choices but excited about placing an order! I'd really appreciate any recommendations.

Thanks for your help!

 

I recommend that you try Jezebel. I don't know what Gio smells like, but it sounds like you're looking for a soft fruity-floral with a slightly gourmand base. Jezebel has some very similar notes: honey, roses, orange blossom, sandalwood.

 

in addition to Jezebel, maybe:

 

Les Bijoux: Skin musk and honey, blood-red rose, orange blossom, white peach, red apple, frankincense and myrrh.

 

Belle Epoque: Sweet opium, Lily of the Valley, vanilla, mandarin and red sandalwood.

 

Fae: white musk, bergamot, heliotrope, peach and oakmoss. Maybe more sweet and fruity than you're looking for, but the musk and moss give it a nice base.

 

I have Les Bijoux and it's very peachy sweet with a powdery character. It's not sophisitcated and lacks the wood which Gio has which would make it feel more adult. For a sophisticated fruit scent try Marquis De Merteuil, it has that classic perfumey tang to it and a bouquet of white flowers amoung the fruit. I think Gio is more tangy, aquatic & bright than many of the soft florals above, so I would also recommend 51. The notes aren't the same but that doesn't mean much in the land of BPAL. What you'll find is that mandarin here for example will have a different character to synthetic mandarin in commercial perfumes. So finding a match based on listed notes alone doesn't always work. Better to describe to the forum what Gio smells like on you, then we can point you in the direction of fragrances that might have that same character.

 

We mostly come here in the beginning looking for something similar to... but at the end of the day you will probably find BPALs that you love for their own sake and soon forget the old perfumes you left behind. I came here looking for something like Lancome's Miracle and have since found many scents which make Miracle smell like dishwater. There's nothing in commercial perfumes now I would want to pay money for, BPAL has trapped me for all time.

 

Whatever you end up doing and testing, have fun with it.

Edited November 16, 2009 by HamletsKeeper

[Faeriequeene]

I am new to BPAL and would love to find a scent that is similiar to Gio by Giorgio Armani. I used to wear it, but it's been discontinued.

It's the only perfume that ever seemed to work with my chemistry. I got so many compliments when I used it.

Gio is described as a flora and fruity blend.

Notes are hyacinth, mandarin, jasmine, gardenia, rose, orangle blossom, amber, sandalwood and vanilla.

I'm overwhelmed with all the BPAL choices but excited about placing an order! I'd really appreciate any recommendations.

Thanks for your help!

 

I recommend that you try Jezebel. I don't know what Gio smells like, but it sounds like you're looking for a soft fruity-floral with a slightly gourmand base. Jezebel has some very similar notes: honey, roses, orange blossom, sandalwood.

 

in addition to Jezebel, maybe:

 

Les Bijoux: Skin musk and honey, blood-red rose, orange blossom, white peach, red apple, frankincense and myrrh.

 

Belle Epoque: Sweet opium, Lily of the Valley, vanilla, mandarin and red sandalwood.

 

Fae: white musk, bergamot, heliotrope, peach and oakmoss. Maybe more sweet and fruity than you're looking for, but the musk and moss give it a nice base.

 

Thanks so much for the suggestions Soledad!

 

[Redillon]

I have found a few department store scents that I love and they almost are always discontinued!!

 

Bath and Body Works had a great scent that they got rid of that I'm hoping BPAL can come close to. It was Blackberry Amber. It was dark, sweet, and actually musty! I liked it a lot but apparently, most other people did not. If any one who has smelled the Blackberry Amber from Body Works and knows of a BPAL scent that would be close, please let me know!

 

Thanks All!!!!

 

PuppetMistress

[Faeriequeene]

I am new to BPAL and would love to find a scent that is similiar to Gio by Giorgio Armani. I used to wear it, but it's been discontinued.

It's the only perfume that ever seemed to work with my chemistry. I got so many compliments when I used it.

Gio is described as a flora and fruity blend.

Notes are hyacinth, mandarin, jasmine, gardenia, rose, orangle blossom, amber, sandalwood and vanilla.

I'm overwhelmed with all the BPAL choices but excited about placing an order! I'd really appreciate any recommendations.

Thanks for your help!

 

I recommend that you try Jezebel. I don't know what Gio smells like, but it sounds like you're looking for a soft fruity-floral with a slightly gourmand base. Jezebel has some very similar notes: honey, roses, orange blossom, sandalwood.

 

in addition to Jezebel, maybe:

 

Les Bijoux: Skin musk and honey, blood-red rose, orange blossom, white peach, red apple, frankincense and myrrh.

 

Belle Epoque: Sweet opium, Lily of the Valley, vanilla, mandarin and red sandalwood.

 

Fae: white musk, bergamot, heliotrope, peach and oakmoss. Maybe more sweet and fruity than you're looking for, but the musk and moss give it a nice base.

 

I have Les Bijoux and it's very peachy sweet with a powdery character. It's not sophisitcated and lacks the wood which Gio has which would make it feel more adult. For a sophisticated fruit scent try Marquis De Merteuil, it has that classic perfumey tang to it and a bouquet of white flowers amoung the fruit. I think Gio is more tangy, aquatic & bright than many of the soft florals above, so I would also recommend 51. The notes aren't the same but that doesn't mean much in the land of BPAL. What you'll find is that mandarin here for example will have a different character to synthetic mandarin in commercial perfumes. So finding a match based on listed notes alone doesn't always work. Better to describe to the forum what Gio smells like on you, then we can point you in the direction of fragrances that might have that same character.

 

We mostly come here in the beginning looking for something similar to... but at the end of the day you will probably find BPALs that you love for their own sake and soon forget the old perfumes you left behind. I came here looking for something like Lancome's Miracle and have since found many scents which make Miracle smell like dishwater. There's nothing in commercial perfumes now I would want to pay money for, BPAL has trapped me for all time.

 

Whatever you end up doing and testing, have fun with it.

 

Thanks so much for the recommendations and tips HamletsKeeper!

 

[septima_pica]

lookingglass -- Oud seems to be in only 3 BPAL scents: Danse Macabre, Snooty Rose, and Aelopile. And if "dark, dank, and dirty" is what you want, I'd have to suggest you try the first (although to be honest I haven't tried either of the other two).

 

PuppetMistress -- both Bewitched and Lady Una sound like they're pretty close to that, have you tried either of those?

[Redillon]

No I haven't! Actually, I haven't gotten any thing yet? I'm waiting PATIENTLY by the mailbox. Who am I kidding, not so patiently!!! I will definitely try Betwitched and Lady Una on my next order!!! Thank you!!

[Klepz]

I tried on Black Pearl today, and it smelled exactly like Victoria's Secret Mood Ripe. I remember having that back when I was a freshman in college, and I think it smelled like fig, which isn't listed as a note in Black Pearl. I'll have to try it again to make sure my nose isn't broken

[cecukemon]

I've searched the forum and found quite a few references to various Rochas perfume, but none to Eau de Rochas specifically:

 

Eau de Rochas is an amazing cascade of sparkling fruit and floral notes from the Mediterranean countries, such as mandarin, grapefruit or verbena. Mountain narcissus and wild rose mingle in a whirl of wild notes before blossoming on a deep background of ambre and sandalwood.

 

And I think I read somewhere that it has a bit of patchouli too. Maybe Zephyr? Would love to hear your suggestions

Edited November 18, 2009 by cecukemon