Reviews

1. 

   c-j-allison – October 11, 2022

   So incense-y! Normally I hate vetiver, so this imp was really me going out on a limb. I quite like this as an environmental scent because it’s cosy, rather than something I wear on my person.

   The florals can be a little reminiscent of old lady perfume on me, but the jasmine is beautifully balanced and it never becomes *just* a jasmine perfume.

2. 

   Lunashayde – April 4, 2022

   Got this as a frimp, and i love it. The descriptions of new age store, incense shop or headshop is completely true. It bring back memories of smelling all the incense sticks at a ren faire, that certain ashy undertone and a swirl of flowers, ambers or musk. If you see patchouli and are afraid, don’t be. This isn’t the super peat moss, damp earth smell, it’s gentle and supporting of the floral. Try the imp if you are unsure, but you won’t be disappointed.

3. 

   batsworthy – November 20, 2017

   Effective if you want to smell like an incense shop

4. 

   dthornhill11 – July 19, 2017

   This is a beautiful floral incense smell. I can really smell the Jasmine and the patchouli through a smoky haze on my skin. In the bottle it’s almost like liquid smoke and ash in the best way. It’s very beautiful and complex on me.

5. 

   xancanfly – June 10, 2017

   I used to go to this new age store in my local mall, when I was growing up, just to smell the incense. It smelled so good! I have spent my life searching for a perfume that smelled like that place, only to finally stumble upon The Caterpillar! It smells sweet, and smoky, and exactly like the incense section of that store. I can’t stop sniffing my wrist when I wear it 🙂 . I got an imp and ordered a bottle.

6. 

   jessicamccullough98 – June 25, 2016

   This was my first purchase through BPAL. I am always on the lookout for Alice in Wonderland inspired products. I am particularly fond of the Caterpillar, so of course I had to try this perfume oil. I took a gamble based on the description and bought a full size. I was not disappointed! It really is a scent of headshop-meets-funeral parlour. In the bottle, I got the heavy, almost medicinal smell of incense with just the slightest hint of the florals. Wet, it’s almost overwhelming. More floral, but very thick and heavy. Lots of smokiness as it dries. Dry, it’s AMAZING. A perfect balance of smoky incense and florals. I smell it and it takes me to a room full of plush floor pillows, brocade and velvet – and elaborately decorated vases filled with funerary flowers. It makes me think of lush greens, deep blues and vibrant violets enveloped in the swirling smoke of a hookah. The throw is quite strong for a couple hours and then becomes more subtle without completely vanishing. After a few hours of wear, it piqued the interest of my husband, and brought him in even closer…

7. 

   VetchVespers – September 10, 2015

   Caterpillar is the 1st BPAL fragrance I fell in love with and my 1st 5ml bottle. I love resinous/ incense blends and this is still a favorite. Caterpillar is very well blended and none of the notes really stand out apart to my nose. There’s a dusty quality (frankincense?) and a peppery note (carnation) that mix with moss and make me think of crunchy brown leaves. The scent tickles the nose a tad. The flowers keep the fragrance from being too dry but I definately wouldn’t call this a sweet floral. It’s mellow, sophisticated, and exotic, and surrounds me with soft, wispy trails of incense for most of the day.

   I wouldn’t let any one note in this keep you from trying Caterpillar as they all blend so nicely together, but I wouldn’t buy it for one note either. Incense. The most fantastic ever.

8. 

   Heather – April 26, 2015

   The first BPAL scent I’ve ever tried. It smells like walking into a New Age shop redolent of sweet incense. It’s not my thing.

9. 

   [email protected] – October 25, 2014

   There seems to be a floral takeover of this blend and for a rare instance, vetiver has failed me. Will give to a friend to see if she can morph this.

10. 

    Nuri – June 21, 2014

    A lovely grown up patchouli. Like the scent left lingering after a head shop is remodeled into a fancy boutique. The iris adds a buttery element to the ash of the incense, that conveys a fine expensive middle-eastern incense not high mass or hippie. Jasmine adds a voluptuous quality and then bergamot and neroli give the top notes a little tartness to balance everything out. It has a fairly big sillage for BPAL and nice longevity. It could work for women or men, mature to young. In fact I think it could be a nice introduction to incense perfumes for those that have been apprehensive to try them.