Steampunk perfume...

[H. MacHinery]

The scent  leaps to my mind for me:

"Well-weathered leather, hot metal and oil, the sun, the country air..."

Perhaps more dieselpunk then steampunk....

[Flynn MacCallister]

I'm perfectly happy to look steampunk, but I'm not so happy about the idea of deliberately smelling steampunk... Whatever my environment and my gear may smell like, I'm always going to smell faintly of rose, lily, amber, sandalwood, and just a suggestion of frankincense. (Anyone know it?)

[Orlando]

Hey Owl,

Did you get the Threadomancy warning then?

Warning: this topic has not been posted in for at least 120 days.
Unless you're sure you want to reply, please consider starting a new topic.

It's cool with me - I think some topics need to mature a while until new ideas/people come along and existing members get something new to say.
I reopened Victorian names which ought to be revived and there's been as much new activity as was there before.

I've not got much to add to the existing ideas....

Lavender, which I grow in the garden has got to be a favourite - I believe the name has an historical connection with the French "laver" = to wash, and "lavandres" = something about washing laundry - I'm sure a Francophone will put me right on this,

Humidors and freshly lit cigars have an expensive smell,

Clan pipe tobacco,

Incense/perfume products described as "opium" often smell good to me - I wonder what real opium smells like?
There's got to be someone around who actually knows, but then how do you describe a smell ?

Patchouli - it's the old hippy in me, I'm afraid,

Earl Grey Tea (scented with Bergamot Orange) - not to be confused with the garden bergamot (Monarda.didyma) which has a similar smell (I've grown it in the garden),

Leather - makes me think of sports cars and creaky leather jackets.

I once spoke to a very knowledgeable sales assistant lady in an up-market store when buying after-shave.  She must absolutely live for perfumes/scents, she was so enthusiastic and interesting.  She sold me a couple of eau-de-toilettes, and then threw-in a half-dozen different  sample bottles and a promotional pack of Sybaris products which had just come out at the time.
She was really cool, so I asked her what scents women like to smell on men.   She said that in general men tend to choose oily, spicy smells for themselves hence the popularity of Old Spice, for example.   But women like floral, soapy smells as it's the freshly-washed smell of cleanness.

Orlando.

[Flynn MacCallister]

(Surely it's better to revive an old topic than to cover the same ground again and again and again... like, say, the multitude of tea topics that appear here in Anatomical...?)

[Lady Penelope]

I'm perfectly happy to look steampunk, but I'm not so happy about the idea of deliberately smelling steampunk... Whatever my environment and my gear may smell like, I'm always going to smell faintly of rose, lily, amber, sandalwood, and just a suggestion of frankincense. (Anyone know it?)

No, but it sounds like a luscious blend!  My personal fragrance is (let's see if I remember now, as it's been a while since I mixed it) two parts frankincense to one part myrrh, with about a quarter part of Egyptian sandalwood, and a small drop (no more) of cinnamon oil for added warmth.  I fell in love with the fragrance of a candle I bought at a Ren Faire (called an "Altar Candle," and allegedly scented according to the recipe used by some church in Ireland), and did my best to replicate it at home, and those proportions came closest.  Though I also love lavender (usually in soap) and amber, and like some rose scents if they're more subdued rather than cloying.

[Flynn MacCallister]

Hehee, It's actually Cacharel's Anais Anais, and I know I'm not alone in thinking it is the most devine perfume ever invented.

Ooh, that sounds like it would be really beautiful... and kind of mysterious...




(Heh, you mustn't be a Catholic, hey? >_o)

[Lady Penelope]

Hehee, It's actually Cacharel's Anais Anais, and I know I'm not alone in thinking it is the most devine perfume ever invented.

Ooh, that sounds like it would be really beautiful... and kind of mysterious...

Oddly enough, I used to use Anais Anais in my college years.   

(Heh, you mustn't be a Catholic, hey? >_o)

Nope, but the much larger side of my family is (I'm half Filipina), so you could say I've been exposed.   

[CapnHarlock]

"Myrrh? myrrh? They bring myrrh to a baby shower? I hate it when Weisman's bring gifts..." 
    ---  Rita Rudner.

[Lady Penelope]

"Myrrh? myrrh? They bring myrrh to a baby shower? I hate it when Weisman's bring gifts..." 
    ---  Rita Rudner.

Yeah!  Kinda like bringing formaldehyde to a baby shower.  Tends to make a mom look at you all funny.... 

[Flynn MacCallister]

Hehee, It's actually Cacharel's Anais Anais, and I know I'm not alone in thinking it is the most divine perfume ever invented.

Ooh, that sounds like it would be really beautiful... and kind of mysterious...

Oddly enough, I used to use Anais Anais in my college years.   

Yeah, I'm that age...

(Heh, you mustn't be a Catholic, hey? >_o)

Nope, but the much larger side of my family is (I'm half Filipina), so you could say I've been exposed.   

XD My family are... it was just the quotes around the "Altar Candle" that got me...

[Lady Penelope]

Ahh.  Well, the quotes were due to not knowing if the candle fragrance really was copied from an Irish altar candle recipe, or if that was just a marketing ploy.  I've never smelled candles like that in any of the liturgical churches I've visited, Catholic or Protestant, and it's not at all like the much heavier scent of incense i've occasionally seen used in those Masses.  So for all I know, someone could've just mixed together some frankincense and myrrh and said "Hey, this is Alabama, buckle of the Bible Belt; let's call it an Altar Candle and it'll sell like hotcakes!" 

(And it did...but mostly 'cuz it smells purty!  )

[MPsy]

After watching 'Perfume: The Story of a Murderer' I been wanting to try my hand in making perfume.

[Owl]

Hey Owl,

Did you get the Threadomancy warning then?

Warning: this topic has not been posted in for at least 120 days.
Unless you're sure you want to reply, please consider starting a new topic.

It's cool with me - I think some topics need to mature a while until new ideas/people come along and existing members get something new to say.
I reopened Victorian names which ought to be revived and there's been as much new activity as was there before.

Oddly no, I didn't, or if I had I must have been too sleepy from staying up late tinkering on my latest project and simply not noticed.

Topically, I do enjoy lavender quite a bit, as well as amber, tea and white roses (although honestly, not all in one perfume). Lady Penelope, that combination you described sounds divine! I'm not too sure if I want to smell of oils and gears either, but I do have a bit of the "Phoenix Steamworks" on the way, as it sounded the most subtle.

MPsy, let us know if you do pick up the alchemical process, it'd be interesting to hear about.

[clairdelune]

After watching 'Perfume: The Story of a Murderer' I been wanting to try my hand in making perfume.

Well, I do hope you'll employ another technique of scent acquisition!  Most books on essential oils and aromatherapy have guidelines for making "natural" perfumes and Essence and Alchemy is a wonderful book which covers a little bit of everything.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1586857029/ref=pd_cp_b_0?pf_rd_p=317711001&pf_rd_s=center-41&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0865475539&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0XANBMK3QDV8CJEQEW9W
gorgeous movie,btw.-I really need to read the novel.

[Ginny Blundy]

Hi, I'm new, nice to meet you all.

I see that Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab has already come up a few times in this discussion, so I thought it would interest everyone to know that they now have a collection called "Steamworks." Review fragrance descriptions here: http://www.blackphoenixalchemylab.com/steamworks.html

I've been reading the list of Steamworks scents over and over and deciding which ones I want. I can vouch for the quality of BPAL's products; I wear my Tristran from their Stardust collection almost every day, and I've a friend who has and adores many scents from the Mad Tea Party collection.

[Cassandra]

I adore BPAL (my favorite is Fae) and my next order shall be full of stuff from the Steamworks, but I've found that the easiest way to smell steampunk is to simple rub yourself all over (delicately) with old books. Have I tried this? Why, yes. Yes I have.

[Vienna Fahrmann]

     I'm using one of my summer scents right now-Lemon Verbena.

     Vienna

[Captain Briody]

The true scent of steampunk is coal smoke! for full effect, sit in a locomotive smokestack for fifteen minutes. drives men wild- especially the firefighters!

[MPsy]

MPsy, let us know if you do pick up the alchemical process, it'd be interesting to hear about.

Actually since making that post I been doing a bit of reading on the fine art of the Perfumer.  Hopefully by next month when my schedule opens up I'll try my hand at conducting a few notes.  And if all goes well perhaps even market them.

[Qvixotic]

Hi, I'm new, nice to meet you all.

I see that Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab has already come up a few times in this discussion, so I thought it would interest everyone to know that they now have a collection called "Steamworks." Review fragrance descriptions here: http://www.blackphoenixalchemylab.com/steamworks.html

I've been reading the list of Steamworks scents over and over and deciding which ones I want. I can vouch for the quality of BPAL's products; I wear my Tristran from their Stardust collection almost every day, and I've a friend who has and adores many scents from the Mad Tea Party collection.

Oh my goodness, these are spectacular. Thank you !

[p0stal b0b]

I reckon a steam scent would have to be a combination of solder, machine oil, leather, sandalwood, pipe tobacco, scotch, & the smell of old books. Definitely old books.

[CapnHarlock]

I adore BPAL (my favorite is Fae) and my next order shall be full of stuff from the Steamworks, but I've found that the easiest way to smell steampunk is to simple rub yourself all over (delicately) with old books. Have I tried this? Why, yes. Yes I have.

I, for one, would find this quite irresistable (in non-allergy season, when my nose actually works as intended ...)

[Francis Skinner]

I have found the Hypnoze from Lancome is a rather steamy fragrance. It has a light, musky smell that becomes sweeter a the day passes.

[Ginny Blundy]

I got 6 samplers of the Steamworks fragrances for my birthday recently - BPAL offers these delightful samples they call Imp's Ears, which are excellent for those who are a little put off by the idea of buying a fragrance before trying it.

The ones I got are:
Galvanic Goggles
No. 93 Engine
Ether
The Antikythera Mechanism
The Coil
The Obsidian Widow

I adore the first 4. When I run out, I'll have to decide which to buy - or whether I should just get more Imp's Ears of those, along with some other fragrances.

The other two are nice, but are just not me. The Coil is very green and clean smelling, and The Obsidian Widow is very dark and spicy. Opposites, and I'm sure there are some here who would adore either of them.

As to whether or not any of them smell specifically steampunk - I think we've made it clear that we all have different takes on what that smell should be. I think they smell romantic and classic - and I prefer my Steampunk with classic style and romance. So they fit right in for me. They smell very good, and do not smell like a standard designer perfume, and I prefer that. The descriptions of them here http://www.blackphoenixalchemylab.com/steamworks.html are very accurate.

I also like giving BPAL my business. They make quality products. They sell some special editions for charity. When sending my Imp's Ears, they even threw in two extra (non-Steamworks) Imp's Ears for free.

[SteamKit]

Excuse me, how much actually comes in an Imp's Ear? About how many uses, would you guestimate?