Carnal

[Sheila]

Bold, bright mandarin paired with the sweet, sensual earthiness of fig.

Fig and mandarin, huh? Then why do I just get dust and dried apricots?

*kicks stoopid skin chemistry*

I think it's the fig that doesn't work for me. Off to swaps.

[jazlyn]

Aww... Carnal smelled a lot more like mandarin in the imp! On me, this is fig and dried orange peels; it's giving me a bit of a headache.

[Brianne]

In the bottle:

A bright fig

 

On me:

This is a lovely, bright and sparkling version of fig. It's not quite as earthy as fig normally comes across, because that mandarin really adds a bit of juiciness and brightness to the blend. The mandarin is much stronger in the wet stage than it is in the drydown, but it does stick around. But fig is definitely the star of this scent.

 

Final note:

This is very pleasant and I think fig lovers would enjoy it. If you don't like fig - I don't think the mandarin is going to change that for you But it's a nice scent all in all. I will keep an imp but it's not really enough for me to buy a bottle of it.

[Lizzie]

In The Bottle Spicy orange!! I don't know where on earth I'm getting a spicy note from, but I swear it's there!

 

Wet On Mmmm, yup, oranges and fig with just a little hint of something warm and almost-but-not-quite-spicy.

 

Dry OMG does this ever smell yummy. Holy Oranges Batman!!! Oh this is good. This is very good. This one is going into the "buy a bottle of me!" pile. The mandarin and fig blends so much better than I ever thought they would, and I just cannot stop smelling my wrists. The scent makes me really happy. Somehow it seems like a warm, comforting, safe, fall scent, whereas I was expecting fresh spring or summer. If I had to describe it in one word - YUM.

Edited February 10, 2006 by Lizzie

[Wench457]

Carnal ITB: very slightly citrussy, though it smells more like lemon than mandarin to me. It has almost no scent at all to me in the imp.

 

On: citrussy - but now more like grapefruit, which I have discovered is how my nose interprets mandarin.

 

Dry: a lovely, light citrus scent, which for some reason I read more as grapefruit than mandarin. Noses are funny. Either way, it's beautiful, and definitely onto my bottle list.

[moon_lemming]

Wow, I haven't reviewed anything in over a month because of moving busy-ness, and I've almost lost what little knack I had. Witness the sadness: at first I thought Carnal smelled like lemon bars. Wet on my skin, it moved from lemon bars to a cheap "lemon bar" candle.

 

Once dry, I was thinking the scent in the background was tea, but that didn't seem exactly right. After reading the description, I realize it's definitely fig. There's a sheer layer of citrus on top, definitely more mandarin orange than lemon.

 

It's a strange but pretty scent. It does remind me more of a candle than a perfume, though. An imp's worth is probably all I'll need of this one.

[Rhowan]

In the vial and wet on my skin for just one second, I smell apricots! It quickly passes and I am left with a beautiful fig and orange scent. These two notes are not blended but 2 distinctive notes.

 

I am going to cut to the complete dry down here because this doesn't really change until it's been on my skin for a while. This dries down to a beautiful warm orange scent. It's not ORANGE like a fresh peeled orange but maybe more like picking a fresh orange off a fig tree.

 

I have sampled this when I was a noob. This is definitely a 5ml.

[damuddymeg]

In the imp: Apricots? Warm, sweet fig and a little citrus. And spice? My nose is broken?

 

Wet: Still spiced apricots over citrus glazed figs. Reminds me quite a bit of March Hare.

 

Dry: Ok, here we go. I think both the spice and the fruit note I'm getting are both tag-alongs of the fig, which in this blend is beautiful and not nearly as earthy as I normally find fig to be. The citrus lurks around the edges, giving a fine glimmer to the scent, but it never becomes dominant. It really is just sweet and lovely.

 

I got 2.5 ml of this in a rollerball bottle as a bonus in a swap, and I love it!

[quinctia]

When I put this down, I got a very...warmish sort of orange scent that reminded me quite a bit of the blood orange note I got out of my Akuma when the bottle was fresh.

 

Now that it's dried down a bit, though, the blend is very reminiscent of March Hare...definitely going to have to compare the two. I think I like this one a bit better...it's more like what I thought March Hare would smell like, if that makes any sense.

[Miyabi]

In the imp: Wow, oranges oranges.

 

On skin, wet: still no sign of fig, though the oranges are reminding me of LifeSavers now.

 

Drydown: OK, it's going between spicy and then sorta cleaning fluid like.

 

Off to swaps.

[mirutai]

I really like the smell of this in the imp - bold, bright mandarin backed up by yummy deep spiciness. Yummy! And, on my wrists, the scent stays true, wafting gorgeous clouds of spicy-fruit goodness...

 

... for about an hour, after which the fig/spice note disappears, and the fresh mandarins turn into sickly-sweet fake-orange candies. Nooooo!

 

Maybe one for a scent locket.

[BrightRedScream]

This is my first experience with anything that has fig in it...

 

When I sniffed the imp - I was convinced that what I was smelling was roses...and maybe grapes? I don't know...

So I went back and read the description....mandarin and fig?

Well..ok.

Not sure what a fig smells like...but alright!

 

I didn't LOVE what I was smelling in the imp....but I didn't hate it.

It was sweet.

Light and sweet.

 

Is the name Carnal really appropriate for this?

 

On the skin it was still light and pretty - the mandarin was really powerful, and there was this ripe juicy undertone of SOMETHING with it....but wow, it's nice!

I guess that's fig?

 

Still not seeing the name Carnal with this though..

Spring time sweet - maybe.

Carnal?

No.

 

After about 20 minutes of dry down the fig starts to smother the mandarin - the mandarin is still there - but it's less influencing.

*sniff*

Mmmmmm...so ripe...juicy...yummy.

I think if all fig scents are like this - I may be a fig convert.

I really really like it.

 

I honestly still don't see the whole "Carnal" thing for this scent though...

 

I will be wanting this in a 5ml.

 

Edit: After a while this went very sweet on me - almost candy like..

I still like it

Edited April 29, 2006 by BrightRedScream

[RavenVelith]

In the bottle: I can definately smell the mandarin in it. Ohhh I can almost taste it! Reminds me of a body wash I once used and loved. There's another fruit-like sweetness there. Must be the fig.

 

Wet: That sweetness is dominant and the mandarin is taking a back seat ride at the moment. Oh! Nevermind! There it is! That bodywash smell is definately gone now. I like this combo of the sweet-like fig and the citrusy mandarin. Currently, both are battling it out but in a nice blended way. I like this so far.

 

Dry: DING DING DING! Mandarin wins the battle! Oh...nevermind. Fig came back and smacked it with an oversized trout and took over. Oh I like this smell. Are all fig smells like this? It's nice. Reminds me of a candy I used to like. Kinda sweet, kinda tart. Not very carnal though. ::.giggles.::

 

 

Overall, I like this scent Hurray!

[gwyllgi]

Fig, why do you hate me? We used to be such great friends, spending long summer afternoons together, content in each other's company. Now, it seems that you go out of your way to kick over my sand castle.

 

I just can't get past the fig in this. The mandarin periodically peeks through, but the fig generally strong-arms it back again. The fig stays so overwhelming that it nauseates me. Sadly, this doesn't change much as it dries, so I think that this just isn't an oil for me.

[brownbear]

mmm fruit! I really like this. It is so simple, but smells so good. I wish it lasted longer. It is juicy, tangy, and sweet mandarin and fig. mmmmm I need more.

[catrinella]

Imp: Warm orange - the fig is evident but not very strong.

 

Wet: Strong sweet oranges.

 

Drydown: After 20 minutes in which I smelt of orange LifeSavers, it mellowed a bit - still an artificial orange scent, but a much classier one (expensive bodywash or candles).

 

45 minutes in: It's warmed up a bit with the fig, but still pricey fake orange.

 

90 minutes in: Completely gone. I've got my nose right on my wrist, and...nothing.

 

I've decided fruit notes don't work on me; I need to review Swank, but the pomegranate there did the same expensive-candle thing. Perhaps I'll make shampoo or bodywash with these imps, as I think Carnal would be a fabulous day-starter in the shower! Just - not particularly carnal with my skin chemistry.

[Tallulah]

Wonderful sweetness and earthiness definently

 

Intitially i get a bit of soapiness for about a miniute when i put it on but after this the smell is glorious.

 

I am getting the mandarin in the background but the fig comes through and is enveloping in its nature. It makes me feel very sensual and wanton at the same time, can't be bad eh

 

Bottle list ahoy!!!

[themerrybaker]

Carnal was a surprise. The name conjures up "skin" or "flesh" so I expected something musky (this came as a frimp). The fig and orange develop into a ripe, syrupy apricot on me. A fruitier less woody version of Yerevan. Although I'm fruity enough with out assistance from my perfume, I'm glad I got to try Carnal.

[cybra111]

Carnal

 

In the bottle: Sweet orange

 

On me: Orange and a sharp, fresh earthiness (just as in the description). I am unhappy because orange scents just don't like me or maybe I don't like them on me.

[LiberAmoris]

Candy-sweet orange and mint? Strangely enough, at first I get a citrus-mint rather than a citrus-fig from this. Then it starts to dry down and that most mouth-watering fig note arrives. With the mandarin, it's almost like candied fig. Yummy.

 

This has the same 'feel' to me as Hunger, Siren, and Sin. It's straightforward but powerful and signature. I'll definitely use up the imp!

[cranberry]

In the imp and on the skin, I get mainly the bright fruitiness of mandarin orange. The orange remains strong and dominates the scent. There’s a bit of spice adding warmth to the scent. It reminds me a bit of Russian tea – a blend of orange, cinnamon, clove and tea. It’s yummy! After its been on a bit, the fig peeks through and adds to the general fruitiness of this scent.

 

This is a happy, juicy, upbeat scent. I smell edible. Maybe not carnal but definitely like someone could take a bite. I like it.

[neuilly]

In the bottle: At the first second it smelled exactly like a fig newton (ok, basically just fig) and then the mandarin came out...bright yet mature. Yummy!

 

Wet: Mostly mandarin, but still some fig in the background.

 

Dry: A lovely combination of the two main ingredients, it doesn't have a lot of throw though so I'll have to slather, but that's fine with me! Also some hint of spices in there...they combine really well with the fig.

 

 

Was thinking I probably wasn't going to like this but boy was I wrong!

[theblackcloud]

This is my first review... so here goes.

 

Pick me. Pluck me. Eat me. No I'm not fruit fresh off the branch or vine, but I do smell as I've been running through the orchard. Oranges swirling with a sweet sticky sugar and hints of berries. As time goes on I slowly fade, though my sweetness lingers and you'll still want a taste, a lick or even a drink as you might mistake me for orange chai. Because I'm starting to smell orange chai. Yum.

[Bagfish]

Carnal smelled like orange sherbet on me, very sweet and fruity, but more like a sugary candy than a perfume. Its not unpleasant but not how I want to smell.

 

Off to swaps with you....

 

 

 

Edited for v.poor spelling.....like not being able to spell the name of the oil properly

Edited July 22, 2006 by Bagfish

[Miseraya]

In the imp: Juicy and fruity. Crisp, clean and citrusy. We are off to a good start. I love this smell. It's sweet and spicy and oh so sexy...

 

On the wrist, wet: The orange is coming out a bit more, and the spiciness as well. Not sure where the spice comes from, but that's ok, it smells incredible. This is a very grown up smell, I think. A woman who smells like this knows what she wants and isn't afraid to make you beg to give it to her.

 

Drydown: Almost a christmas type of smell to it, but without losing it's sexy edge. This is great.

 

Final Analysis: Sign me up for a big bottle! I want to bathe in this stuff!