The Lovecraft Collection.
Scents inspired by the works of H.P. Lovecraft and the Cthulhu Mythos.
Iä! Iä!
PERFUME OIL BLENDS
Presented in an amber apothecary vial.
Miskatonic University Perfume Oil
$7.50 – $32.00
Miskatonic University Perfume Oil
$7.50 – $32.00
A venerable New England university, whose vast library holds many rare, diabolical and obscure arcane works, including one of the few surviving legitimate copies of the Necronomicon. Home to innumerable scholars of the esoteric and the occult, and the notorious Dr. Herbert West.
The scent of Irish coffee, dusty tomes and polished oakwood halls.
Reviews
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graceadelaney –
This oil goes on smelling a little like sunblock on me (not in a bad way) and after a short time fades into old books with a sweet undertone. I really like that this scent is sweet without being feminine!
ccc914 –
I first received this as a sample. Immediately ordered a large bottle. Just received that today and right after I applied it I couldn’t stop sniffing my wrists. Has an almost butterscotch scent to it, dry down is lovely. Funny but it does remind me of a library full of old books with a cup of sweet coffee in front of me. So of course I just ordered a second bottle. Hope this stays on as a regular scent from BPAL.
David –
I usually get an initial burst of polish and books before drydown then it’s delicious delicious coffee all day. Long live Miskatonic University!
bros4425 –
Smells really weird in the bottle, almost like movie theatre popcorn oil. Initially smells strongly of sweet coffee and then fades to a dusty smell. Very different & unique.
Cory Mason –
I don’t have a very refined sense of smell like other reviewers so I can’t offer lots of commentary on the aroma in Miskatonic, but I can say that I loved it in the imp enough to order a bottle. I’m really picky about what I wear and this one really caught my attention. I know that it’s rich, warm, sweet, not at all harsh on the nose, and my girlfriend loves it, so that’s also a big plus.
c.denise.hancock –
On first application, the heavy sweetness was overwhelming to me. I thought to myself “ugh, not wearing this one again.” After about 45 minutes it faded to the pleasant dusty old library scent and I couldn’t resist bringing my wrist to my nose again and again. It is pleasant with only the slightest whiff of sweet behind the paper and wood. A great scent for reading or studying on a weekend morning. This was part of my first two Imp Packs from BPAL, and I am really enjoying the sensory experience of how the perfumes settle and adapt after application. You have to engage with it to understand it.
bfcaicoya –
What a fun perfume! In the bottle and wet it does smell like super-sweet, super-boozy Irish coffee, but as the day goes on it settles into the scent of paper, wood and polish, losing 95% of the sweetness. The transformation is amazing, and it does feel like your nose is living its best life in a parallel universe where mornings are for coffee with your scholar colleagues and the rest of the day is spent in diligent research in a library.
kenzie –
As a huge HPL nerd, this has been on my list for about 2 years… finally bought it and don’t regret it. The smell is delicious and even matches my style. Love it!
Serena –
I just want to say that 1. I love this and 2. if anyone was wondering, for me this smells extremely like Bigelow’s vanilla chai black tea.
Laurie –
I ordered an imp of this one and I was really excited to try it. I love the smell of Irish coffee! When this first goes on, all I could smell was sweet, delicious Irish coffee. It stayed like this for probably about an hour. Then it changed to a wood polish smell that I wasn’t crazy about. But a few hours later, when I sniffed my wrist, it changed to vanilla buttercream which I do enjoy. I definitely like foodie scents. I’m not sure if I’ll get a full bottle. I might try the Irish coffee buttercream oil instead because I’m not entirely sure about the wood polish smell. I’ll have to try it out some more before I decide.
mtibay1993 –
Delicious caramel-coffee scent for about an hour or so on me before it dries down to a scent reminiscent of an old library. Wished the coffee scent lasted longer on me, though.
Jae –
Gorgeous!
kat_9074 –
I bought this blend as a full size, and as my first scent from BPA. I opted for the full size because when reading the reviews, I noticed that the people who bought it as an imp commented on its sweetness, which wasn’t what I was after. When you first put it on, it definitely is sweet, but also definitely Irish cream! I felt like I had spilled baileys on myself. However, as it dried the other smells really came out. I was overwhelmed (but in a good way!) by the smell of old books–it really does smell like you’ve just bought a hundred-year-old book and cracked it open! My fiancee also said she could smell the woodiness of it behind the books, which is awesome. I’m so thrilled with this, it’s exactly what I wanted!
tinam283 –
Good scent. I bought an imp of it, mostly because I don’t know what Irish coffee smells like, and it sounded great. Like some others, I would like a stronger parchment/light dust scent, but it’s very good as is. It’s been difficult to find a scent that my fiancé would enjoy. As soon as he smelled this, he lit up and said “That one!”, so I’ll be ordering a full size soon.
chriskatonic –
I bought this blend as an imp, and use it as a morning scent, due to its cheerful sweetness.
In the imp and wet on the skin, the scent is of extremely sweet Irish cream coffee, with brown sugar and caramel.
About an hour after application, the sweetness fades away, and is replaced by a dry, dusty, sour scent, that brings to mind old books on dusty shelves, with sour, yellowed pages. This is not an unpleasant scent, but it is rather unusual.
The “sour old book” scent is fainter than the “sugar and coffee” scent, but lasts much longer.
I heartily recommend trying this scent out, but I would advise one to test it out as an imp before considering a full bottle. I give it four stars because I wish that the sweet coffee note of the beginning would last longer. On my skin it quickly fades to the “old book” scent.
ecstaticennui –
Honestly, I bought this scent for my husband while discreetly thinking that I’d be the one who loved it and used it all the time. He hasn’t worn cologne in the entire decade plus that I’ve known him, but now he’s wearing this every day! It has that gorgeous, buttery caramel coffee scent on him but it quickly dries down into a woody smell with faint leather notes. It’s a professorial, studious aroma and I can’t wait to buy the full size once it’s back in stock.
artimisia –
Exactly what it says on the tin. Coffee and wood polish. Coffee lovers would probably like this. I was more lukewarm.
Courtney –
Do not put too much on! I love the scent right out of the bottle, but I made the mistake of putting too much on, and after a couple hours…it became cloying. Use sparingly…and it is the best warm smell.
Destiny –
When first applied to my skin, it is very sweet smelling. The coffee note is very strong. As time goes on, it becomes very dusty and the coffee becomes less apparent… Sort of how old books smell, which I don’t mind. When I ordered this, I was also sent an imp of Inferno, which smells of cinnamon and musk. I like to layer the two together and create something new. Adds a bit of a dusty quality to a spicy smell.
Hayden –
I’m not gonna lie to you guys. I’m gonna be one hundred percent honest. I want you all to know so you can be aware when buying this scent. On me? This smells like waffles. 100%, undeniable, butter and maple syrup in the morning waffles. I still love it to death. But it might smell like waffles on you too. Be careful. Be aware of the waffles.
bpresley9789 –
I’m seriously addicted, I can’t stop smelling my wrists.
When I first smelled it in the bottle, I was a little nervous, because it smelled strongly of butterscotch. It smelled the same wet on the skin. However, once it dried, the scent was completely different. Coffee heavy with sugary Irish Cream, mingling with the smell of old books (luckily not the sour, water damaged variety). I was instantly hit with intense nostalgia, the smell dredging up long forgotten memories of sitting in the library of my stepmother’s church while she preached during three services, coffee in a styrofoam cup in my hand, surrounded by and immersed in very old books. It doesn’t smell like a perfume or something artificial meant to be vaguely reminiscent of something, it smells like being back there in the library, a moment in time perfectly captured in a bottle. I wish I could bathe in this scent, wrap it around me like a warm blanket. My only gripe is that I can’t possibly get enough.
lotuseaterarts –
A lovely gourmand.
Smells like Irish coffee (subtly minty) and my favorite vanilla cupcake lip balm.
etarletons –
I wore it for a little while, but didn’t end up holding on to my bottle; the alcohol note was too strong.
luedi97 –
I got an imp of this in my first order. In the imp I smell the irish coffee and vanilla, i think. The same when it’s wet on the skin. When it dries I get more of the dust. One time it got more and more dusty the longer I was wearing it, but right now I have it on and I smell more of the polished oakwood. Like an old polished table but the sweet irish coffee is also still there. I don’t know if I’ll go for the big bottle but it’s a nice and interesting scent.
Gloame –
I’ve had several frimps of Miskatonic University over the years and finally decided to go for a full. On first sniff it’s hot, gooey vanilla, then sugared coffee. In my 5ml, I’m getting a Play-doh undertone on drydown, which has never shown up in my imps. Weird. It’s still nice, but I think I’ll use this bottle for layering now instead of wearing by itself.
Vanilla, coffee breaks, heat.
kristydiez2 –
I got a free imp of this with my order, being an unapologetic foodie I immediately fell in love with the gorgeous caramel latte scent. It really has terrific throw, I wore it out while shopping one day and strangers kept asking me where I got my coffee from. Also, the staying power is awesome. It faded a little but I could still smell it until I washed it off at night. This wasn’t one that had caught my attention to order but now that I’ve tried it I’m hooked and will be getting the full bottle.
amewoldt –
Definitely a gourmand smell. The coffee is very sharp at first, but then it mellows beautifully and does remind me very strongly of being in a university library, surrounded by my coffee, a scone, old books, and wooden tables. I didn’t get a parchment smell so much as hints of what I would swear are leather and tobacco. I’m certainly planning on getting a full bottle once my imp runs out.
lcaruso17 –
It’s so interesting how scents manifest differently on different people. For me, at first it was extremely sweet Irish coffee but the dry-down kicked in quickly and has an extremely smoky, dusty smell on me. Like a combination of a campfire and an antique store. I can see it being an endearing smell that tells a story on someone but it does not sit well on me.
Emily –
I originally bought this scent for the old book note because I have always loved the smell of a good old novel. However this perfume is predominantly Irish Coffee scented and not much else. Directly after application and after the dry down I still only get the Irish Coffee scent. Not a huge fan but it was worth the try.
Lunashayde –
In the vial it has a lovely irish cream and coffee scent with a hint of parchment. On me it still had the irish cream scent that later turned almost like a cinnamon roll. I adore this scent, it truly makes me think of being wrapped in a blanket, enjoying a good book and a good cup of coffee. ‘if you like gourmand scents i highly recommend this one either for wearing or using in a candle.
Lunashayde –
In the vial it has a lovely irish cream and coffee scent with a hint of parchment. On me it still had the irish cream scent that later turned almost like a cinnamon roll. I adore this scent, it truly makes me think of being wrapped in a blanket, enjoying a good book and a good cup of coffee. ‘if you like gourmand scents i highly recommend this one either for wearing or using in a candle
Elizabeth –
When I first put it on, it smelled lovely, like fresh cupcakes and a steaming mug of Irish coffee. After a few hours though, the dry down is why it’s one of my all-time favorites. To me, it smells exactly like a university library — that subtle sweet smell of old books, and ancient polished wood. Every time I wear it, it conjures up such wonderful thoughts and memories.
TheMoon –
Yum! Wet, this is coffee and caramel. Dry, burnt sugar. As other reviewers have mentioned, I don’t smell parchment per se. I received this as an imp and will be getting a full bottle.
astronomical –
I got this as an imp. In the bottle it smells foodie delicious, like caramel coffee creamer. When I first got it, it had a nice mildly sweet, kind of dusty scent, very much like the smell of old books. It was nice, though not very strong, and not much staying power.
However, around the 4-month mark, the scent changed. It still smells really good in the bottle, but when I wear it, the sweet vanilla note is completely gone. I can still detect the parchment, but since the sweetness is gone, it smells more like dirt and dust. I’m planning on using the rest either in a scented candle or an oil diffuser, since it still smells good when it’s not mixing with my skin.
Meghan –
Received as a frimp, it stayed in my bathroom drawer for years. When I first received it, the sweetness was cloying, and though I usually like foodie scents, there was something that turned me against it. But, luckily, I found it again recently and was shocked. It’s caramel coffee deliciousness! A little goes a long way, and it doesn’t fade very fast (on me anyway), so be warned you’ll have people all day asking if you’ve been baking cookies. I wish the drydown had more parchment, but it’s pretty darned wonderful without it.
[email protected] –
I only gave this perfume a four-star rating rather than a five because I felt it didn’t quite fufill my expectation of what it would smell like. As a huge Lovecraft fan, I was super excited by the name and liked the sound of the perfume (especially because I felt it was perfect for a scent inspired by the Miskatonic Unniversity); I was expecting more of the coffee/woodsy/dusky scents from the description, I think. That said, I really like the scent, and I’m liking it more and more as it ages (as with most BPAL perfumes). My husband really likes this one and it always gets his attention when I’m wearing it (surprisingly, even more than Snake Oil, which I think of as much more sensual). He says that I smell like vanilla cupcake batter when I’m wearing it…except it’s not as foody-sweet as that description may suggest (if that makes any sense). Basically, it’s a very comforting scent, in my opinion perfect for fall and winter days. It may not smell like my idea of the home of the Necronomican, but it certainly conjures up daydreams of snuggling down in a cozy sweater and drinking an Irish coffee while reading Lovecraft 🙂 I’ll be buying the full size bottle this fall/winter for sure.
Stacy –
Just be warned that people will be drooling all over you when you wear this. It’s heavenly.
jennifer –
Its better than i imagined it to be! When i first opened the bottle it smelled like sweet coffee but when i put it on my skin i got more of the book and wood smell. None of the smells were too strong and it evened out well, it is different on everyone though. Overall its amazing and i’ll be buying more bottles of this.
[email protected] –
I received a frimp of this in my latest order. On me this blend is Irish coffee and when drying down, hints of books come out into the blend. It is a bit foody and sweet, but all things considered (I usually can’t do foody things) it isn’t bad with my chemistry. Not sure if I love it enough to get a bottle, but it certainly is interesting.
xaglow –
There is little to no scent of paper or parchment, however, there is a strong sweet cream smell that I found intoxicating! When wet the buttery cream is all powerful, but as it dries this scent becomes so much more complex! Spices start to emerge that makes this one a real pleasure to wear!
I will be buying this in the larger bottle!
Alaina –
As the other reviewers have commented, this scent never really fades to paper or parchment, so if that’s what you’re looking for, this may not be the scent for you. However, I’ve found that it smells a lot like irish cream coffee creamer and something a bit more warm and buttery, akin or caramel or vanilla. I absolutely love that, myself, and it lasts all day on me.
My boyfriend says is smells more like coconut than anything else and I can detect that sort of nutty-milky scent, but it’s not as obvious to me as it is was to him.
otterling –
Far and away, this is my favorite scent and the one that drew me into Black Phoenix as a permanent customer. The scent seems to change as it mingles with your skin and while I can still smell the lingering parchment and tobacco scents, I have been told by many that it lingers on my skin like the smell of warm cinnamon pastries. I have turned heads with this scent and stopped conversation (as well as started some) just by wearing it in crowds. It’s sure to please anyone with a love of soft, sweet smells but it lacks the cloying nature of many other more flowery perfumes which I tend to avoid.
Nuri –
I love Miskatonic University though it is more for gourmands then book worms. It opens with a warm rich caramel that is good enough to eat and then you pick up the coffee. As it wears down you catch a paper or papyrus like scent that is nice. I love MU and wear it all the time, though I bought it hoping for more of an old book scent. My fiance loves this scent on me and it always draws him in for extra hugs and nibbles. It has a pretty health sillage and longevity. If you are looking for an unusual gourmand give Miskatonic University a try.