I am taking my first faltering steps into the world of perfume, which has a vast and mysterious vocabulary akin to that of wine tasting. I quite clearly don't know what I am talking about at this point, but I'm learning as I go. Please bear with me as I attempt to suss out what I like and what I don't (or perhaps more to the point, what works on me and what doesn't).
Snake Oil, from Ars Amatoria
Tested 28 February 2008
By far, our most popular scent! Magnetic, mysterious, and exceedingly sexual in nature. A blend of exotic Indonesian oils sugared with vanilla.
In the gleeful and eager chortling that immediately followed the arrival of my very first imps from Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, Snake Oil became my first tested scent by accident. There is an art to popping the top off the tiny vial that I had obviously not yet mastered, so a little of the thick, dark stuff dripped on my wrist as I tried to open it to take a sniff of BPAL's most popular blend.
In the imp, I got a big ol' whiff of incense of the kind found in shops that cater to a hippy-chic clientèle. Whoa, strong stuff.
Wet on my skin, that patchouli-hippy-incense smell continued to dominate. I learned that a little bit really does go a long way, which makes me think that these sample-sized vials are generous indeed.
As it dried, perhaps a hint of vanilla developed, but I sure wasn't getting the spicy vanilla goodness that so many people rave about. It wasn't unpleasant, but it didn't bowl me over as perhaps I expected the Lab's most popular scent to do. Still, it was unlike anything I'd ever worn before, so I kept sniffing my wrists more out of fascination with the novel sensory experience than anything else. I don't think I care to smell like sweet incense akin to the kind sold at novelty shops like Spencer's.
Of course, it's possible that I have a defective nose, because M's first words upon sniffing my proffered wrist were, "Whoa! Vanilla."
Smelled this one very dry and long after original application. The first biggest impression was definitely vanilla. Not much else around it for me. Smells good.
After a time, though, he started to catch a lot more of the incense/patchouli. I don't think he was too sad when I scrubbed it off before bed. There is hope, however: I've read that Snake Oil in particular improves with age, so maybe I'll try it again in a few months to see if that smooth, exotic vanilla makes its way to the forefront.
[this is good] Cool. Vanilla is nice.. but wow - lol re smelling like incense.
You must not be allergic to any of these - that's wonderful!
I have an awful time buying any kind of cologne, perfume-- the only three that don't give me heachaches, etc. are made by Estee Lauder (Estee, Beautiful, and Private Collection)-- and then some of the super-light sinlge-note spritzer things -- as soon as they start mixing things in I'm in trouble.
Have you sneezed at any?
Posted by: Robbbiedobbbie | 03/04/2008 at 01:10 PM
I still have high hopes for finding a vanilla BPAL that doesn't come with Extra Bonus Eau de Head Shop. ;-P
I've been lucky in the allergy arena thus far. I was a little worried about headaches because the "perfume alley" in most department stores tends to make me feel a little ill from all the clashing odors, but I haven't really had a problem with these. The stuff is pretty much pure perfume oil rather than being diluted in alcohol, so only a tiny, tiny bit is required. I sneezed while wearing one I tried out today (Miskatonic University; review pending), but that could be a coincidence.
Posted by: Elisheva Chana | 03/04/2008 at 05:14 PM
HI people Cool. Vanilla is nice.. but wow - re smelling like incense.
You must not be allergic to any of these - that's wonderful!
very interesting info I found one of that one in Online Pharmacy
Posted by: Brittany | 11/03/2009 at 11:16 AM