Silk Road

[Elanya]

A panoply of cultural treasures, spanning the herbs, flowers, oils and balms of the Romans, the Byzantines, the Mediterranean, the Levant, Northern China, Eastern Europe, Iran, the Bulgar-Kypchak, Mesopotamia, the Crimean Peninsula, Anatolia, Antioch, and North Africa.

 

This smelled very muted in the imp... mostly like saffron

 

Wet, I can still smell mostly savoury spices... saffron and maybe tumeric and ginger, but maybe a hint of clove underneath. I'm half surprised it isn't a litte more peppery. It smells very smoothe and warm... maybe a little powdery. Like a subdued spice market, or the scent of one carried on a warm breeze.

 

As it dries, the saffron top note remains dominant, but I can smell amber, cinnamon, and pepper underneath, and it reminds me somewhat of the Lion, only sharper.

 

A very lovely blend!

[Splendid Molerat]

I've just added Silk Road to my 'next order' spreadsheet.

 

'Swirling' is the best adjective for this fragrance. I can't pick out any one note, they all come together so seamlessly.

 

I am awe-struck at the skill that went into this.

[wolfie13]

Wow. Really surprised here. Yet another scent that from the Lab description and reviews sounded nice but not really "me".

 

Turns out I REALLY like it. Silk Road smells largely the same in the vial, wet and dry on me, though less grassy when dry. And it really is hard to describe. First overall impression is the smell that hits me when I walk into my favorite occult shop.

 

The main notes smell to me like green grass, ginger, and amber accented with bits of pepper, and perhaps frankincense and saffron flowers? (I could be totally wrong on any and all of this, of course)

 

It is green, spicy (but NOT in a sweet or foody way), a touch floral and yes, incensey on me. (I know that might disappoint some folks) But I LOVE incense scents, and this is sort of a kinder, gentler one in that category - well-suited to someone that loves the heavy stuff but wants something lighter for day, office or summer use.

(Also - it gets MUCH lighter on the "incense" aspect after 30-60 minutes and dries down to a scent that I think most would love.)

Edited April 20, 2005 by wolfie13

[quimerula]

I smell orange blossom, saffron, clove and cinnamon almost for sure.

Maybe bergamot, ginger or orange peel too?

 

It's an oriental scent, but not a classic one. It's exotic, sexy and smoothes with skin like heaven.

 

As it has been said before, it gives the impression of an expensive perfume, with a luxury feeling. Like a silk sahri in purple and orange with gold lines and flowers. Lovely indeed.

[Jessica]

It's definetly a spicey scent. It sounds interesting, and I can envision all those places (or what *I* think they look like!) when wearing the scent.

 

Unfortunetly, I didn't get to the dry down/wet/2 hours later phase of the blend. I think this one has cinnamon, and I'm allergic. I got some little red welts on my wrists from the blend. If it isn't cinnamon, then its something else I need to stay away from!

 

Oh well, in theory it was divine, in practice... well not so much.

[magikfanfic]

In the bottle: Very spicey in it with something that kinda smells fruity as well. This is very exotic. I think I can detect some cardamon in this, but I'm not sure. I'm wary of all the herbs and spices because it's already make my eyes tear a bit.

 

Wet: Wow. Pepper. Something strong and herbal with a slight pepper bit to it. It's very...it's very me going through and sniffing the various spices we have in our kitchen and then not being able to tell them apart because I've just smelled all of them. It's...there's something very familiar in it even though I have no idea what it is.

 

Dry down: Now there's something vaguely fruity/herbal in there. Still making my eyes tear a little and the herbs are still a little strong for me. This smells a lot like walking into a pagan store and getting hit by all the incense or the little Indian store we have at the local mall. The fruity smell is kinda green and sharp. The pepper is mostly gone, but the herbs are still nice and strong in this. I get more herbal/spice than I do floral, but the itchy eye thing that's going on does not bode well.

 

Dry: Ummm...tonka. Something chocolatey or...I still think there's cardamon in this. I'm almost positive. Also...ground ginger. This is very Indian smelling to me. Unfortunately, just like that lovely Indian shop, it's giving me one of the worst headaches of my life so off it must go.

[feline.by.design]

On first sniff, something in Silk Road reminds me of really nice... soap. I've been rockin' Clarity body soap and lotion from Thiravama, so maybe that's why I got that odd association. I sensed something powdery in the background, but not very strong to have an overall affect on the perfume.

 

I love spicy fragrances. Some of my favourites are Laudanum, Morocco and Scherezade, so it's no surprise that I love this one as well. The spices of Silk Road are strong, yet not as sharp as Laudanum. There is a bit of clove oil, but it's not like Three Witches, another scent I adore. Other than that, I couldn't really distinguish the spices in Silk Road too much. I did smell something sweet, like some sort of exotic, yummy fruit.

 

I've had Silk Road for the past week in a film canister with four other imps, and I've been wearing Silk Road more than all of them this week. Originally, when trying on Silk Road, I was kind of ambivalent about trying yet another spicy scent. Yeah, I'll probably like it, but I have enough spicy imps already... The imp was actually a freebie from the Lab, I think. But now, I think I like Silk Road better than Morocco, though it smells too different from Scherezade.

 

My boyfriend gave me an unsolicited compliment on Silk Road, which gives me reason to like it even more.

 

All in all, I really like Silk Road, but if I'm going to buy a whole bottle of a spicy/oriental scent, I'd pick Scherezade first, then Silk Road. Or I'd buy them both at once, like the spice fiend I am.

 

-doreen

 

*Update! I have a bottle on order as of the 29th of August, '05. And I did order Scherezade in a previous order, so I did wind up ordering Scherezade first, then Silk Road.*

Edited August 31, 2005 by feline.by.design

[evil_laugher]

Spicy and sexy. After reading lots of Plutarch today, this scent feels very Cleopatra-appropiate. It doesn't last strongly all that long on me, however, but it's still lovely.

[Nadirah]

Warm cinnamon spice . A touch of floral, is this saffron peaking out? This is just gorgeous, This is 10ml worthy because not only do I love it on myself, but I love it on my boyfriend too. It seems to last a good amount of time. I think the best thing about Silk Road is that its not at all perfumey, it lasts and is not as strong as Morrocco (which began to smell of yeasty bread) This has hit the top of my favorites list, my only regret is that I got a 5ml rather than a 10ml.

You should try this if you love spicey warm scents!

[Penance]

First sniff:

 

Wow, this is complex! This really encapsulates the smell and feeling of a bazaar. I honestly can't tell what's in here, all I can say is that it's simultaneously floral, spicy, herbal and resin-like and that it fits perfectly with the inspiration behind this blend.

 

Wet on skin:

 

This seems familiar...it's almost like Empyreal Mist, Neo-Tokyo and one of the resin/spice blends somehow mated. It's initially a very clean green scent on me (which was totally unexpected), but even before it begins drying it takes on a floral edge and then becomes slightly spicy but still clean, like some sort of Middle Eastern launder detergent.

 

That's not a bad thing at all, mind you. It's actually quite pretty; it's just the only way I can think of to describe it.

 

Dry down:

 

All I can smell now is laundry detergent, strangely enough. I'm positive it's my skin chemistry, so I may not be the best person to review this, but, honestly, I like it. I'm rather fond of the smell of clean laundry so even though I got "Eau de Clean Clothes" instead of the expected bazaar-type scent, it's not really a disappointment.

 

The bottom line:

 

I like this but on my skin it's not living up to its potential, so I'm going to give someone else the chance to bring out its best side. Off to swaps with it!

[minouska]

Silk Road starts out as a lovely, complex, feminine scent. Spicy, floral, warm, sexy.

 

Unfortunately, after less than 10 minutes, I had giant red welts on my skin and had to wash it off, so I have no idea what it dries down as. I am almost positive this has cinnamon in it, so others with cinnamon allergies watch out!

[Orodemniades]

Oh, tea.

 

Yeah, Silk Road is light, spicy, green tea.

 

It reminds me of old, musty books left forgotten in corners, of dim lights and dust motes.

 

I want to like it. But there's this really, really, really sharp note of...something. I don't know what it is.

 

Another one to try in a few weeks, methinks.

 

Oro

[joseybird]

Spicy and cinnamony and green and herbal and a tad floral...at first it smells like spiced leaves, then mellows down...I think I can detect some incense in there...this is a very complex scent, in a similar way that Dia de los Muertos is =) this quickly becomes a "skin" scent...it makes you smell like you've spent a day at a bazaar, not doused yourself with spices...very subtle

[surf-tormented]

Silk Road is disappointing to me. In the vial it smells really spicy. Almost like an autumy Samhain type oil.

 

But when I put it on, it smells like a very light spicy floral. I had to ask boy what it smelled like to him and he said the same thing. We were both very neutral to the oil.

 

It reminds me a little bit of AIRS's Silk oil, which isn't made anymore, but it is light flowery musk with a slight spice to it. I think I like Silk much better. In a strange way, it reminds me of Snake Oil with flowers instead of honey in it.

 

It disappears very quick. I just put it on about an hour ago and it is all gone. I was hoping for a more foody bazaar type oil and got a sort of girly deordorant scent. I can't really recommend it, for even if someone wanted someone girly and spicy, I would tell them to get Dragon's Milk or Snake Oil instead.

[blackrayne]

This reminds me a lot of a Russian Spice tea we get occasionally. I smell cinnamon in it, though I don't feel it (I almost always instantly get a rash from anything with cinnamon in it - could this one be the exception?).

 

Warm spices, strong teas, light incense, dusty bolts of silk fabrics, and a fresh sweetness that mingles so perfectly with the rest.

 

It is an amazing scent... not one I'll wear often, but something I could see myself wearing while trekking through Chinatown on a hot summer evening.

[Mayfair]

Wow this is really complex indeed, like the other reviewers I have a hard time picking out any individual notes.

 

At first it is really spicy and floral, but not spicy as in cinnamon or clove, but just a bit sharp smelling. It softens up pretty quick though and smells almost spicy-creamy now. I think I can definitely pick out carnation and maybe some myrrh and ylang ylang. I usually don't like florals, but this is really special. I don't think this will be a big bottle for me, but I think I'll get another imp of this at least.

[AlectoNox]

In the vial - first thoughts were 'floral? spice!'. Not a strong spice, more of a silky undertone. This is interesting.

 

On my skin - I really *love* the spice that is in this. It smells edible without smelling too foody. It's not the sort of spice that slaps you in the nose, it's one that tricks you into leaning closer and is having a party in your sinuses before you figure out it's gone. It doesn't smell like cinnamon either, which I'm immensely grateful for because too much cinnamon gives me a headache. You know that undertone in Velvet, not the chocolate, but that interesting edible smell? Sort of like that, but not quite myrrh. I wish I knew what this was so I could try more oils that have it in the blend.

 

As it is drying the florals have faded and the interesting spice is the strong note now. There is something soft and buttery way in the background here. It really adds to the edible yet non-foody scent. The florals remind me of a very faint, non-cloying gardenia, or lotus flower, maybe even white oleander. It's not your typical bouquet, that's for sure. I'm not good at indentifying flower scents, but I can say it doesn't really smell like rose, jasmine or lavender to me. The florals do not clash with the spice at all, they blend together very nicely.

 

Drydown - I am getting some 'red' from the scent now. Red spices, red flowers, red something. I'm crossing my fingers and hoping it doesn't turn into cinnamon. Maybe cardamon? A touch of chai? Not sure yet. If there are herbs in this I have no idea what they may be. I imagine I smell a touch of frankincense, but it's hard to pick out.

 

Conclusion - I love the uniqueness of this, and I'm madly in love with the spices/resins used. I'm pretty picky about florals and the flower scent in this is perfect, not too much, just a soft touch to even out the spice. There must be a drop of cinnamon or cardamon or something in it to give it the 'red' scent, but not so much that it upsets my nose. I love the layers in this...floral, spice, and then things I can't even idenitify that play around with your nose for a while and then settle down together into something very complimentary. I would say this is worth swapping to get an imp of even if you don't like florals or spices, just for the olfactory experience alone. Your nose will thank you for livening up it's day. =)

[shadowsong]

i really wanted to like this one, on the name alone. i was hoping for middle eastern spices, and possibly the smell of raw silk.

 

what i got was floral and sweet, with a tiiiiiny bit of spice. not *bad*, but not worth keeping.

[wickedgoddess]

Origins - Imp received in a swap

 

Wet - cedar, spices….wow!

 

Dry - cedar, cinnamon, tea, incense; this is the incensy scent I have been looking for! The cedar doesn't overwhelm, like it does on me in Cathedral; this is perfectly blended! Love it!

 

On the wickedgoddess scale of 1 to 5, with 5 begin best, this rates a 5.

[glampyre]

Remember in Troy, when Achilles smelled Polydora's hair and knew she was a Royal?

 

Well, this is what the oil her hair was scented with smelled like.

[Shollin]

First sniff: Wow. This is a big chaotic mishmash of spices and figs? and almonds? and herbs and flowers, but mostly spices – I definitely smell cinnamon. It’s a loud bazaar where every hawker is trying to get your attention to buy something fragrant.

 

Wearing: On my skin, Silk Road stages a very sudden explosion of flowers that quickly subsides into spice again. Cinnamon is still the dominant note. Followed by… carnation? Eh? It reminds me quite a bit of Queen of Sheba, but less almondy. Queen of Sheba didn’t quite do it for me, and… this really doesn’t either, unfortunately.

[cindyrella]

Wow, this one went on my big bottle list when I first sniffed it. This is the first spicy scent I can wear in the spring and summer!

It smells like an oriental bazaar. It smells very eastern and mysterious. The name says it all, I visualise the all of the places from the Silk Road when smellling this.

I don't think I can wear this to work (a bit too much) but it's lovely for hot summer evenings

[slave1]

In Bottle: Spices and incense.

 

On Skin: Spicy! Cinnamon or clove maybe? Wow! That burns the nose a bit… so I’m thinking it may be pepper. A pretty floral halps even it out. I also smell and incense or resin that gives a smoky depth. There is a sour tart note, lemon maybe? I think I also smell tea. I like this scent… it makes me think of cooking and a spice cabinet, but it is not something I’d wear. Maybe a fragrance for a kitchen?

[yeahbutnobut]

Silk Road

In the imp: a bright, tangy green smell with a hint of spice.

Wet on skin: I think I can smell something like cinnamon under the fresh green smell, maybe some sandalwood too.

Dry on skin: this is interesting. I can't really tell what's in this, but I think there's some green notes, woody notes, spicy notes, lemony notes. There's something in there that brings to mind grass or crushed leaves in bamboo forests, maybe some lemongrass, and a hint of cinnamon, saffron, pepper, ginger, curry??? However, this isn't foody at all, but very fresh, almost cologne or aftershave-like, very clean, yet so complex! And now I think I've worked out the green scent-green tea!!! I think I can definitely smell green tea in this, and cinnamon. I'm pretty sure there's something citrus-y in this, maybe lemon, or lemongrass. And maybe some woods, like sandalwood, which to me always smells warm, and cedar which adds to the scent's greenness. But it's the tea that's strongest on me, and perhaps saffron.

After a while: still dominantly green tea and saffron/lemongrass/ginger, but I think I can smell a bit more of the cedar/sandalwood, and green herbs. I was expecting this to morph into something incense like. There's a scent that reminds me of freshly washed fabric in this…freshly washed silk??

After an hour, something horrible happens. It goes sour. It's smelling a bit sickly now. I was really hoping this wouldn't happen...please go nice again!!! I'm really hoping this is just the result of it being 'that time of the month' and that if I try it again, it won't do this! Luckily, this doesn't last too long.

But after a few hours, there's a nice sweet tea and sandalwood smell. Now the smell has turned nice again!

Verdict: at first, this is lovely, fresh and clean, with a distinctive green tea scent with spicy accents. It reminds me of spicy chai tea made with green instead of black tea, it's like a bamboo forest leading to an Eastern spice market. It's very complex yet not 'messy', it's very clear and bright. It's perfect for summer as it's quite light. It's different to what I was expecting (I was hoping the incense and florals would come out) but impressive none the less.

But after an hour it gets really sour on me. Not nice.

But that sick smell doesn't last long. after a few hours, there's a nice sandalwood-tea smell, and it smells lovely, a bit faint because it's faded, but still nice.

Edited May 14, 2005 by yeahbutnobut

[Ishtar]

I loved the concept behind Silk Road as soon as I read about it and I had to order it right away. I am glad I did, because it is both very nice and very interesting.

 

Having said that, it is next to impossible to describe.

Just like the countries along the Silk Road were and still are fascinating crossroads between cultures, this scent is a whirlwind of notes competing for attention, each contributing its riches, each adding its own twist to the mix and constantly reinventing the whole blend. Somehow, miraculously, it manages to avoid chaos and cacophonia. No one knows how or why, but it works.

 

What better way to illustrate the Silk Road, really?

 

Oh, but you wanted notes? OK, here is what I can smell- without any guarantee of accuracy, in order of apparition: mandarin, maybe tangerine. Tea. Cinnamon. Aromatic herbs. More cinnamon. Maybe a touch of musk.

After complete drydown, Silk Road reminds me of a more complex and less spicy Hamadryad. I quite like it and will have to give it many more tries to exhaust its countless facets and layers...