Bastet

[httpoo]

... Luxuriant amber, warm Egyptian musk, fierce saffron and soft myrrh, almond, cardamom and golden lotus.

 

Wow, this was not what I thought it would be. I don't get any amber, musk, saffron, or cardamom at all. It's mainly almost-bubble-gum lotus and almond, and disappears in about half an hour. No spice, no musk, just sweetness that's gone too soon. WAH!!

[bella_delirante]

I'm lazy, so if a blend inspires me to post, especially to one that's been commented on as much as bastet, then it must be amazing. And oh how it is. It's been on my "I'm gonna order this" list since I was introduced to bpal and I hate that it's taken me this long to get it. When I open the bottle I get that cherry/almond smell with something warm and smooth behind it. When I put it on, the cherry disapears and it is distinctly creamy almond on me. After about an hour the almond is less present and the spices really come out. It doesn't smell very strong on me (which is good because I'm a slatherer, and scents with a lot of throw usually cause me to put too much on), and sadly it disappears after a couple of hours. My skin just eats it up, but I don't mind frequent reapplication because it's SO GOOD. On a side note, this is the first bpal my boy seemed to really like. He kept leaning in to my neck to smell me all night when I first wore it, and cuddled me A LOT.

[Naamah_Darling]

I believe the term is "just right."

 

This is like almond honey spice with a flush of amber and florals. Throaty, golden, and heady, Bastet has a freshness under the spicy sweetness that really draws this one out, even in the bottle. The almond is almost overwhelming in the bottle, but it settles down on the skin.

 

On, it gets very smoky, heavy, and warm. There's a superficial resemblance to O here, with amber and some sweetness that isn't precisely a honey note – it doesn't have that rasp. No, this is saffron and cardamom, and a truly beautiful musk that is radiant and bright, like golden glass. The amber is warm, deep orange, and heavy, right down there with the myrrh, like temple incense. The lotus is just a wisp of a scent, a sweet and fruity freshness that keeps this from being too earthy.

 

This is throaty, rich, and silky, one of the most beautiful blends I've tried. It's a perfect mixture of incense, perfume, and spice, without falling firmly into any one category. A distinctive, signature scent with a great deal of allure, a lot of subtlety, and just a little bit of a thrill. One for cuddling up to, for sure.

 

Radiant, absolutely radiant.

 

(I have to note that while my own cats ignored this completely, a friend's cat physically attacked me while I was wearing it, without provocation. Make of that amusing tidbit what you will.)

[Martini]

Imp: Sweet cherry fruity candy

 

Wet: Oh, my! Did I just put on a cherry lollipop?

 

Dry: After about 5 minutes, the cherry fades down and leaves a warm, spicy amber

 

After a couple of hours, still warm amber with a hint of powder.

 

Although it smells nice and I love the warm "idea" of amber, I don't know that I really like amber to wear.

 

Only time and many more reviews will tell.

[porcelain72]

I had to order this one, the SO's nickname for me is "Kitty."

 

In the bottle: sweeter than I expected, given the description. I'm not getting musk at all.

 

Initial application: how is almond so far down on the list of notes? That's why I'm predominantly getting, along with a fruity sweetness.

 

Drydown: oooh, I'm liking this. It's creamy and sweet, but not rot your teeth out sweet. The almond is light and blessedly not cloying, it doesn't have that artificial smell like a lot of almond-based lotions. I don't know where the musk and amber is, but I'm not really missing it this time.

 

Smiley rating:

Edited September 5, 2006 by porcelain72

[copyshopclerk]

In the imp: Almonds

 

Wet: Almonds, but sweeter. Nothing else really coming forward.

 

Dry: Spicy, like cinnamon. Can still smell the almonds. Reminds me of potpourri. After about 10-15 minutes, the almonds fade and smell more like cherries (almonds and cherries smell nearly identical to me), and it reminds me of a nutmeg-ginger lotion that I bought one time, and really like.

 

I don't think it's bottle-worthy, but it's pleasant.

[Clementine]

This is a soft, warm scent. I definitely get soft myrrh and subdued almonds. It's pretty enough, but it's not amazing. I will use up my imp, though.

[likie]

In bottle: Wow, is this strong. I don't know what saffron smells like, but if that's what I'm smelling, 'fierce' is a great description. Also have the myrrh, a swath of amber, and a hint of almond. This would probably make great incense; I think it cleared out my sinuses!

 

Wet: Less sharpness, more musk. There's also a slight increase in the myrrh and the almond. Nothing floral about this.

 

Dry: Ack. Even more musk. It went incredibly powdery on my skin, to the point I started sneezing (allergy I don't know about? Unsure...). I smell the almond too, still, and little else. Blah!

[Trish]

In the imp: Sweet almonds

 

Wet: Sweet almonds

 

Drydown: Very sweet almonds. More like cherry actually. I can detect something underneath it, but I can't make out what. In fact I can't even make out what it's vaguely like because the almond is just so dominant.

 

Dry: I can make it out now, it's creamy spices that remind me of Morocco. Almond is still the top note but it's more subdued. Quietly seductive. It's threatening to become powdery but hasn't as yet.

 

 

I kind of like this, but I'm not a huge fan of almond as a perfume so I doubt I'd wear it very often. However this is an absolutely superb room scent! In fact make that a house scent as 3 drops added to wax in an oil burner filled the entire house.

[Galatea]

In the Imp: Warm, slightly sweet and a bit almondy.

 

Wet: Yummy almond goodness - I like almond goodness.

Unfortunately as the wet phase winds down the almondness gets less and less promenent and there is a stong Amber note that takes over.

 

Dry: Powdery with just a hint of the sweetness from the almond. There is some kind of spice I can't identify, it's not bad, but not whoohoo great either.

 

Throw: There is a little bit of a fragrance cloud around me...

 

Overall: Meh, not impressed with the overall "Yet again, amber from BPAL will turn into nothing but sweetish powder" tricks. I don't like perfumes that smell like nothing but sweet baby powder. This blend turns into a two note wonder on me unfortunately.

 

Rating: +/-

[littlefarmgirl]

Wet:

The almond is very strong, not the amond-extract smell I was expecting, but a more natural almond, with something hovering just behind it. Saffron? There is something else, that smells like that cherry italian soda syrup, mixed with almond extract. Cherry extract. I'm not at all sure what I think of it.

Drydown:

The cherry extract has receded into the background, so far as to be almost imperceptible. The almond has mellowed out a little, too, and given way to something incensey, but sweet enough that I can wear it.

I like?

I love!

A little later:

It's gone soft, probably the amber letting itself peek out a little. It's simalar to the lion, but without the overwhelming cinnamon/powder smell.

2 hours later:

I smell honey!

Mmmmm.

Edited September 25, 2006 by littlefarmgirl

[sofaking6]

Next to Black Phoenix, I think Bastet is my favorite scent so far. I'm surprised I didn't post a review earlier but I was too busy hunting for a bottle in the swaps and ebay I guess.

 

In the bottle: almond and amber. No matter how many times I sniff this bottle, every single time it fills my mind's eye with a golden light. Instantly it has me anticipating the application.

 

Wet: myrr and saffron. If someone made a blanket from a cat goddess' fuzzy tummy, it would smell just like this. Too sexy to be truly comfortable and too comforting to be truly sexy, it's joyous and fascinating.

 

Later: spicy amber. My one complaint is that Bastet fades very quickly on me. Or, more to the point, I love the wet phase so much that I have to keep slathering.

 

Frickin - YUM. Not to mention, it attracts men like flies.

[changeling]

In the bottle: Initially heavily almond. I smelled it again two or three days after receiving it and it had mellowed. I suspect the heat of the day it arrived had something to do with the almond amp-up.

 

Wet: Nice, very evocative of marzipan but nice

 

On drydown: Marzipan calms down and leaves a complex, warm scent behind. A few hours later the scent has dimmed but is still warm and spicy.

 

Final thoughts: To me, this scent says, "I've got your back". It's great for times when I need a little extra confidence.

[fiddledragon]

Fresh, this is bowl-you-over sweet marzipan-y almond until it's had several minutes to dry. But dry, or even wet once it's aged a few months, this is the most glorious saffron scent! Saffron takes first place, with a beautiful soft musk, sweet lotus, and all sorts of wonderful unidentifiable things in the base somewhere. It's very evocatively fierce and sensual and loving. Layered with something honeyed like Sudha Segara, this stuff is Sex on a Stick.

[Honor]

In The Bottle: Almond-Cherry, with a hint of sandalwood.

 

(upon seeing other reviews, I'm glad I'm not the only one who smells cherry even though it's not present)

On me:

 

Wet: A vanilla-y cherry (I think that's almond that smells vanilla) with the sandalwood emerging and now a hint of feral musk...like animal musk, but not in a bad way

 

(then again, I kind of think ferret musk smells comforting...uh, should I admit that?)

Drydown: As it dries, the cherry dissapears, and the musk comes out more...although it's morphed from "animal" musk to the more "golden" musk everyone else talks about.

 

Complete Dry: Although almost nothing like it was wet, this is really really beautiful. It's taken on a dusty, warm, golden musk, and the saffron has finally come through. Strange, that I only smelled the saffron now but I think the strong nature of the musk earlier masked it.

 

Overall, it reminded of a warm, dusky skinned woman standing admist a golden dry desert.

Not desolate, but exotic.

 

I've never gotten such a mental evocation from a scent, any scent, before.

 

Wow.

[Eros]

In the bottle, immediately I think of the spice in Bengal. On, the amber, musk and saffron quickly make an appearance. Quite beautifully I might add. As it dries it only gets better and better, the myrrh and lotus remain quietly in the background and I get none of the almond(a good thing!), and there's also a touch of a soft, buttery note in there. To me, this is similar to Scherezade and Skuld but different enough that it warrants a bottle.

Sleek, warm, exotic. SO glad I finally snagged a bottle! My honey, btw, loves it, too

[eanewsom]

How better to review Bastet than to say that it smells exactly a scent with that name should smell? Bastet the goddess is luxurious, beautiful, and friendly, but perfectly able to be fierce when she needs to be. It makes me think of a cat sitting regally, quiet and still, waiting for prey.

[gypsybaby1]

ohhh warm! It's the ALMOND scent I've been wanting! At first it's all sweet marzipan-y almond, but that quickly fades away, leaving me with that delicious almond memory while the musk and the amber comfort me. Oh man oh my, definitely a keeper!!

[cinderfallen]

Oh wow. I've had Bastet a while now, and I absolutely love it. I just put some on, and the smell is drastically different from when I last put it on (last night, to sleep). Usually, Bastet is a lighter, higher honeyed almond-spice grounded with amber after it's settled on my skin.

 

Now...now, when I put it on now. :swoon: The almond has drastically retreated, and this beautiful blend of other notes has taken over, and it's richer, deeper. It's smoother, with a different type of throw to it--less top-note heavy.

 

Hormones, I really hate you most of the time, but thanks for this one treasure during this frankly hellish month you've put me through.

[littleacorn]

i received a ton in the mail, various imps and bottles, and i have to say this was my favorite.

 

in the bottle: it smells musky to me...like my grandma wearing imari from avon (which isnt a bad thing).

 

dry: it smells like cherries and musk mingled together, the amber really comes out but the pungent smell of the musk pretty much dominates this heady scent.

 

wet: the amber and musk, on me, come out a bit more. its a very strong scent where a couple little rubs will do.

 

overall: love it. absolutely love it and may buy a couple bottles, one to drop liberally on myself and the other to age in a darkened corner.

[kwsix]

In the bottle: Sweet, syrupy almond

 

Wet on my skin, Bastet is mostly sweet almonds and amber, with a hint of saffron. It's a very warm, golden scent that is perfect for a cat goddess.

 

As soon as it starts to dry, the musk takes over. All of the lovely almonds, amber, and saffron are virtually indetectable. It still smells good, but it's just too musky for me.

[jesvet]

This is gorgeous. This is the almond I wanted from Dana O'Shee, the amber I wanted from O- two huge disappointments on me.

 

The almond doesn't amp into OMGCHERRYALMONDBOMB like it usually does; it's a nice grounding note; the musk is quietly humming in the background; the amber is soft and golden. Perfectly blended. Definitely bottle worthy.

[jasmine]

I want to like Bastet, but it reminds me wet of Bengal... which turned into instant Play-Doh. Let’s see how this goes.

 

Wet, it’s a slinky scent. The musk is very prominent (and I really think this is the exact same skin musk scent as Bengal used.) I catch some spices and a trace of floral shimmering through the musk, and, as the scent settles, the musk/honey combination fades, much to my immediate relief. This isn’t going to go bad the way Bengal did. I’m so glad!

 

In fact, it’s becoming rather pretty -- a delicate melange of various odors, sweet and dry at the same time. I can detect the almond most distinctly, but also sense the saffron. I can’t spot the lotus very well.

 

Still... although Bastet isn’t going fully Play-Doh, it just doesn’t seem to be my kind of thing. There is a clayishness about it that makes me wrinkle my nose. I have concluded that I don’t like skin musk. I’ve now tried several scents that are supposed to be sexy and sensual with skin musk in them, and it just doesn’t appeal. (O seemed to have the exact same resonance on me.)

 

As if aware that I disapprove, Bastet is now settling down on my skin -- definitely present, but subtle and quiet. This is becoming a second-skin scent, now: something that could be mistaken for the scent of my skin, but actually isn’t. It has a trace of pretty warmth, and that’s nice, but it’s still skin musk. Even if this is what it’s supposed to smell like, it doesn’t do it for me.

 

Half an hour later, it’s developing throw... quite an enthusiastic throw. Bastet, dear, I’m done here, I really am... no matter how much you purr at me, you will be hard-pressed to inspire love.

 

Bastet has staying power, too... it remained true to its skin-musky-self for a good three hours without metamorphosing or fading in any way. A good scent for others, I’m sure... just not for me.

[Pachelbel]

I put off reviewing this because I wanted it so badly, and then when I got it, I didn't like how it smelled on me. But, several months later, I'm turning into an absolute fiend for incense smells so this was begging for a second chance.

 

IN THE BOTTLE: Saffron and almond. Sort of a bright, enticing smell--very golden.

 

WET: Amber! I've missed you. And I think that's myrrh, too, which worried me at first--myrrh likes to throttle other notes.

 

DRY: Almond, but not the wet-pseudo-cherry smell you'd expect. It's like real, dry almonds, slivered and toasted. The amber blends with it, and even the myrrh is behaving. Yup, very glad I gave this a second chance.

[nancybridget]

This is buttery almonds to my nose. Too sugary and creamy. It smells so different in the imp and then on my skin. Slowly some gentle spices creep out. I'm not in love, but it's ok.