levels of amber and patchouli

[devon]

.
Maybe someone can help me with the difference between these things:
golden amber, red amber, black amber
patchouli, red patchouli, black patchouli

I'm seeing a lot of variation in this year's Lupers, and even a small amount of information will help me decide what to get.

FWIW, I usually love amber. I have enjoyed light patchouli, but I avoid things that say "black patchouli" because they sound smoky and intense. I hate smoky scents a lot.

Thanks in advance!

Comments

[synecdochic]

Nobody can really say what the difference is; for most of the ingredients it's not really nomenclature used outside BPAL. Speculation is that Beth uses the various adjectives to differentiate between sources, so "golden amber" is from a different supplier than "red amber" or "black amber".

[asciident]

Yeah this is what I've read as well. Same for example when Beth uses vetiverT vs vetiver (no ending t). Ime they do end up smelling differently from each other, which is why she bothers distinguishing I think.

[teaotter]

Yeah, sadly, there isn't a lot of consistency in these things. I'm pretty sure these are all mixtures of scents rather than single items, so the names are suggestive of what they smell like rather than definitive.

Generally, BPAL's "black patchouli" is a woodier, rootier patchouli, not smoky. "Red patchouli" is usually sweeter and closer to what I expect from incense.

Similarly, I find "golden amber" to mean that it smells like a warmer, slightly spicier amber, while "red amber" is a bit more floral/sweet. I haven't had enough experience with "black amber" to give any opinions.