Kyoto

[Scarlettfish]

A gentle, soothing blend of cherry blossom, white sandalwood and star anise.

This smelt like cough medicine in the vial, which wasn't exactly pleasant. The cough medicine scent stuck around until it dried down, at which point it became a light cherry blossom scent. Really sweet. However, that only lasted about half an hour on me and now it is almost completely gone. Not horrible and pleasant at points, but not something I'd get again.

[jewelbug]

Imp: Cinnamon, fruit and chocolate. (I realized after reading the description that this is wrong, but well, that's what I smelled….)

 

Wet: Sandalwood, cinnamon, floral? Wait, not cinnamon. Its anesthetic--clove? Or licorice?

Drying: This is lovely, spicy, sweet, lightly floral (for the people like me who like florals as long as they don’t overpower) with that hint of woodsiness. Its like grown up licorice candy (weird that I like this, since I can't stand licorice candy).

30 min: Still spicy, but this has taken on a slight soapy cherry blossom quality, and isn't as sweet as before. It retains a dusty sandalwood. This is nice, but not as nice as it was earlier. Definitely feels very eastern to me, though.

50 min: OH, I change my mind!--this is not soapy at all. Its sweet and slightly licorice and just has a bright cleanness to it, like a pale gentle flower. Surprising, since the other cherry blossoms I tried were super overpowering and powdery. This is light and fresh and clean. In about 90 minutes, it loses the anise. Now it's just sweet, clean floral, but its far away, and fading fast.

Lasts a total of about 2 hours.

 

Overall: Lovely smell. Its just so interesting with the sweet blossoms and dusky sandalwood and spicy licorice. I will look into getting this again come spring. The only downside was the lack of staying power...

[Wench457]

Kyoto: In the bottle this smells exactly like anise cookies - sweet and light.

 

On: The anise becomes a bit stronger, but the cherry blossom comes out to keep it sweet. Not at all foody on.

 

Dry: A medium spicy floral. It's nice, but isn't wowing me for some reason. I think I need to try this one again.

[BlackWingedRoses]

Tried Kyoto on Christmas. This didn't last all day like I had hoped. I bought this one because Kabuki was way too strong and musky on me. Kyoto is a less powerful blend of the Anise and Cherry Blossom. The cherry is bright and pops out right away then the licorice spiciness of the anise gives it some sass. I like this one.

[grrrlennyl]

at first: lots and lots of cherry blossom. lovely.

on: a very sweet cherry. a bit heavier than i was hoping for.

half an hour later: wow. the anise is really coming out. this is pretty discordant on me right now. i'm not sure what to make of it.

1.5 hours later: mostly anise and some sandalwood. much nicer now that it's mellowed a bit.

2.5 hours later: sweet anise with a bizarre soapy note underneath that just came out of nowhere.

overall: this is definitely an interesting scent, but it's not for me.

[undream]

imp; cordial cherries! it is exactly like biting into a cordial cherry. (&i LOVE cordial cherries!)

 

on; this is a lovely scent(!), &it seems to be playing coy on my skin. i can smell cherry and something of a woodsy scent, but there is also a very elusive, playful licorice note that keeps playing hide-&-seek with me.

 

i was intrigued by kyoto upon reading its description before ever having the chance to try it, but the licorice scent that so many seem to get really put me off, as i strongly dislike black licorice. but as i'd hoped, this scent on me, so far, is just lovely. light, spicy, sweet, &at one point i was getting a very fresh, green scent from it, like the stems of freshly cut flowers.

 

the anise is much stronger after about thirty minutes of wear, but it's not turning me off, to my surprise. it is still a lovely scent; it reminds me of making anise cookies with my ex-boyfriend's mother for christmas one year.

 

i think this one's a keeper.

[GemmaCat]

I am *totally* new to bpal, so I don't have an expert nose yet, though I'll do my best.

 

First impression: In the bottle this hit me strongly; the sharp notes came out first, hinting of bitter cherries or sour plum. There is also a very heady floral undertone that made me a little dizzy.

 

On my skin, wet: Really strong cherries, which smells just lovely! It reminds me distinctly of freshly baked Cherry-bakewell tarts, still hot from the oven.

 

After a while the scent evens out nicely with the original note of floral. It's a great balance between sweet and fresh, with a very slight creamy undertone. I agree with undream about the elusive liquorice scent, also. It's works very well with the sweetness.

 

Out of my first 7 imps, this is one of 3 that worked with my skin, and it's my favourite so far. It makes me smell delicious!

[populuxa]

Wet, it was the very syrupy, tangy smell of cherry blossoms. Dry, it evened out to a light floral accented by spicy wood and licorice overtones (the licorice I loved! very unusual!). A balanced and fresh scent, but still it was a little too syrupy-sweet for my tastes.

[Ciircee]

I wore this on one wrist and Neo-Tokyo on the other just to compare and contrast. Also, I love cherry blossoms.

 

In the imp: Ooooh, this is lovely. The sweet, dazzling scent of cherry blossoms with a hint of sandalwood and the spice of anise. Yay!

 

Wet: Cherry blossoms, but the sandalwood disappears under the anise.

 

Dry 5 minutes: Anise. Everywhere. It's tempered a bit by the cherry blossoms but in a deep breath (wafted, not sniffed from the wrist) it's the very last thing I smell.

 

Dry 15 minutes: Anise, anise everywhere and not a drop of sandalwood. It's pretty much the same as before.

 

Dry 1 hour: Anise, though it's calming down. The cherry blossoms are still an after thought but the sandalwood has taken the edge off the licorice note.

 

Dry 3 hours: Oh, I wish this would blend better on my skin! The anise is still the dominant note but every now and again my sweet cherry blossoms make a violent stab at being top dog. It's givng me a headache.

 

Dry 6 hours: Well, fading down. Still anise but thankfully still a bit tempered by the sandalwood. The cherry blossoms are gone, I think.

 

Overall: I wanted to LOVE this scent and in the imp, I really did. I might try it as a room scent. I'm also going to let this age and see if it helps. Also, this has a really great throw. I REALLY hope aging it helps.

[bodegaselkie]

Kyoto is lovely -- it went on sweet and creamy, and the cherry scent is not overpowering as it has been in other blends. (I was not even willing to apply Kabuki to my skin!) Given that I can't tolerate cherry in other blends, I'm quite pleased at how pretty this is, and how well-rounded. The sandalwood and anise are lingering in the background, giving the scent fullness. It's not a "me" scent by any means but I'm glad I got to experience it.

[jazlyn]

At first, Kyoto is a pretty nice blend of creamy cherry and bright sandalwood... not so much the star anise. However, after being settled in on my skin it begins to smell a bit more like star anise; also, the creamy cherry has changed to cherry blossoms... which is fine since I'm not a fan of creamy sweet scents. The cherry blossoms and sandalwood together smell beautiful, but I'm not liking the star anise (which is growing stronger).

[Delight]

First allow me to say that I may be a little biased towards this scent because Kyoto is one of my favorite places to visit. Therefore, I'm likely to love the scent just on its name alone.

 

Right out of the bottle it smells light and tart, like if you held your nose over a just-poured glass of soda and let the bubbles lap at your nose. I noticed the cherry and something very cold and clear (I'm assuming the star anise).

 

When it is first applied, it smells exactly like a cherry cordial - a cherry surrounded by cream in a soft chocolate shell. As it dried it became a sweet, pale floral. It wasn't too strong or too light and it lasted quite a while.

 

In Kyoto there is a long path along this one river called "The Path of Wisdom". It is lined with cherry trees that bloom long past spring. I've caught some of the trees blooming in late July which is a bit odd. This perfume reminds me of being caught between the cold river and the flowering trees.

 

I imagine that I'll need to purchase a larger bottle shortly.

[yeahbutnobut]

Kyoto

 

In the imp: cherry-almond with a hint of anise. Quite sweet, almost like candy, but not in a bad way.

Wet on skin: cherry and anise…like sugared cherries and liquorice.

Dry on skin: I like this, this does smell a bit medicinal at times because of the anise (always reminds me of Bonjela!) but this is indeed, a sweet, gentle scent. The cherry note, although it's candy like, is quite nice, and I think the sandalwood is adding pleasant and cosy dry warmth to the scent. It's a serene scent, yet youthful and pretty…makes me think of a young geisha in a pink kimono resting under the cherry blossoms-it's a very pink scent.

After a while: mmm…it smells a little bit like Lush Sakura soap now! That, with a hint of spicy anise, cherry candy and sandalwood. I like it but I'm not that keen on the anise note here…however I love the calm, soothing feel of the scent, like lying on the ground allowing the cherry blossom petals to fall on you and cover you with a layer of pink.

Verdict: if Neo Tokyo is modern Japan, neon lights, futuristic and metallic, this is old Japan, serene and delicate, visions of cherry blossom petals falling from trees in springtime. This scent is a pink cherry candy scent with anise and a lovely sandalwood background…it's calm, gentle, innocent-and very Japanese, makes me think of a dreamy young geisha in a pink kimono with a faraway look in her eyes. I really like the cherry blossom aspect this scent has as it reminds me of Lush Sakura…I'm not so keen on the anise note-it reminds me too much of medicine especially with the candy-sweet cherry. It's a nice scent but I'm not sure whether I'll keep it or not.

[LadyWilde]

Anise, anise, anise, an itty-bitty bit of cherry blossom, and zero sandalwood. Not bad, certainly interesting, but not what I want to smell like.

 

Why is it that my skin always gobbles up sandalwood? Short of wearing pure sandalwood oil (which I occasionally do, diluted in a carrier oil, of course), I cannot seem to convince my skin that I want to smell like sandalwood. I like sandalwood. I think Kyoto would have smelled a million times better on me if it had a more prominent sandalwood note to ground the anise and cherry blossom.

[batsy]

I don't know if it was the combo of the white sandalwood, star anise, or cherry blossom... I could very much make out the cherry blossom (which, cherries aren't my thing and you think I would have stayed away... )and it smelled like sharp black licorous (which, I also dislike. Argh two strikes!) which literally blew my sinuses out of the water. I managed to wear it two minutes before having to scrub it off.

 

Damn.

[aine]

This is all aniseed lollies to start. Then cherries. Then aniseed lollies. Then cherries. Then aniseed.....well, you get the picture. Kyoto is a big, round fruity fragrance with plenty of liqourice throw.

 

Imagine my surprise when an hour later I can smell balloons. Sure enough, Cherry and Anise have finished their passionate love making and wandered off, leaving a rubbery reminder behind.

 

Not for me unfortunately, wish Kyoto had stayed a bit longer. And taken it's *ahem* rubbish with it when it went!

[storme]

In the imp: cherries with a hint of anise.

 

On me, wet: aniseed and cherry. Licorice, if I'm honest.

 

On me, dry: The anise takes over, as the cherry blossom vanishes - the exact opposite of what I wanted. Having eradicated and erased all traces of other scents from my wrist, the anise doesn't linger on much longer.

 

Verdict: I think I should stay the hell away from any scent with anise in. At least it faded fairly quickly.

[abbycomix]

Got this as a frimp in a swap. Would never have picked it because I don't like licorice and anise. It was better than I would have guessed but still didn't totally work out. Sweet and pretty though just not me.

[themerrybaker]

You can tell a perfume is going to hate you when it flies out of the imp and smacks you in the eye. Briefly, there was the dreaded Play-Doh smell. It passes, but a very sweet light fruity scent stays around. On drydown, some smoky sandalwood comes out. I am surprised to find that I actually like the drydown phase a lot. Kyoto doesn’t really hate me, it just has a funny way of saying “Hi”.

[aedes]

Whooo! *cough cough*

 

This mule's got some KICK!

 

If there were a Cherry Sambuca, this would be it. Smells downright boozy for 5-10 minutes on the skin, then quickly fades. Thought I could smell almond in there, but it must have been the combo playing tricks on me.

 

Might like to try a liqueur flavored like this, but I don't want to smell like it myself.

[Medici]

In the vial: Cherries and sweet almond!

 

Wet: Cherries and sweet almond.

 

Drydown: Cherries and sweet almond and bubblegum.

 

Verdict: Fairly consistent, fairly sweet - too sweet, in fact, for my tastes. After about five minutes it goes into its bubblegum phase which, while I think its kinda fun, I'd rather Aunt Carolyn and her Joy Mojo (strawberry hubba bubba) instead of cherry bubblegum.

[bookishgrrl]

On me, Kyoto stayed a spicy anise/licorice underscored by candied cherries from start to finish. Not bad if either of these are notes one is into, but I'm really kinda bleh on licorice smells, and if I was really in the mood to go outside my normal notes for anise, Black Annis was much more complex and potent on me...

 

Mild to medium throw. Lasted about an hour and a half.

[kourika]

I got a bottle of Kyoto in a swap, and I was a bit nervous about how sweet it smelled in the bottle because I wasn't sure if I could tolerate it on my skin all day.

 

On my skin it is still sweet, but the anise perks up a bit, so there's a light bite to the cherry smell. Overall, it's a very pink scent though, so I mainly wear it outdoors. I suspect that it will be lovely during the summer months.

[mirutai]

A less sweet, less in-yer-face version of Kabuki. The star anise still gives that initial rush of "OMG! LIQUORICE!", but it rapidly dies down to become a pleasantly sweetish, spiceyish, fruitish note. Cherry blossom gives a faint, light, sweet floral topnote, while the sandalwood grounds it all and stops it from becoming nauseatingly sweet.

 

Much more wearable than Kabuki. Very pleasant!

[draconix]

In the bottle: I do smell a bit of sandalwood in this. However, there's a very sharply sweet note in this that's undoubtedly cherries. It's not overly sweet though, there's a balance.

 

On my skin: Wet, very cherry! Sweet and girly (which is nice, but not really me). Dry, the sandalwood comes out in force, pushing that sweet, cherry smell to the background. It's a nice blend, another light scent. There's something almost liquorice hiding underneath that adds just a bit of spice to it. I smell like a candy... um... Good'n'Plenty! That's it!

 

Final Thoughts: A nice, light, slightly sweet scent. I don't normally like the sweeter oils because, while they smell great, they're just not ME, ya know? But this has just enough kick to it that I like it. Not sure if I'd wear it a lot though... retest later.

 

RETEST: Yeah... I'm not sure if it's just today or what, but this isn't anything like it was the first time. It's very alcoholy (not boozy) with just a bit of cherry.