Tezcatlipoca

[filigree_shadow]

... Deep cocoa laced with patchouli, leather armor, ritual incense, and a touch of Xochiquetzal’s flowers.

Lots of cocoa in this, and it's fantastic with the leather and incense. It's sweet and deep and rich. This is really a great scent, and it smells even better when it's aged. Edited June 30, 2008 by Shollin

[sd357]

Wet: one of the few scents in which I can smell the cocoa note, but it's a muted cocoa, with an almost-but-not-quite metallic undertone to it. It reminds me of a deeper version of Velvet - one of my all-time favorite comfort scents.

 

As it dries, the incense starts to come up. I keep expecting a blood note here, but instead I get more a bit more of the florals, but they come up as green, not flowery.

 

Dry, it's a clean, deep scent with the tang of forged iron underneath and a subtle element of mystery. There is a 5ml of this in my future.

[ribcaged]

I was given this as a freebie by Beth in my biiiig order. I put them all in my box and did a lucky dip and quickly tried this on not knowing what it was. It was very dark chocolate-y slightly dirty and I was really impressed. I couldnt figure what was in it but I was a lot happier that it wasnt rotten on me like Anne Bonny was previously (where I began to smell like stale pee, it works well on my boyfriend though).

 

As it dried it still had that chocolate note (dont you just love bliss!) and I smell a hint of leather which peeks out a tiny bit just to add a flavour and a rush of insense. I really like this scent. There is nothing sweet about it, it is soft, warm and smooth, nice and smokey like an incense filled, warm room with melting chocolate, I don't smell the flowers but no doubt theyre in there somewhere! It is quite woody as well! If this was a colour, it would be burgundy. It doesn't smell that masculine on me unlike most patchouli blends (and sandalwood! my god does that smell manly on me) so I think I'll wear this for cozey nights when I'm feeling dark.

[naeelah]

Oooh, this is nice. It's a pity I have to amp patchouli so much. For that reason, I don't think this one will work on me. I will edit this review a little later, when my sense of smell has returned [have a cold]. I just wanted to make some notes while I was wearing this.

 

Wet, it's very strong on chocolate, with a dry, spicy earthy note -- must be the patchouli. As it dries, the cocoa fades a little and becomes more candy-like, as bpal's chocolate note seems to do for me. The patchouli is so strong on me that it overpowers the other notes, but I can detect hints of leather and something a little smoky, which must be the incense.

 

The throw seems to be light, on me. Because of the cocoa note, it seems to be a little bit short lived on my skin, but that could also be the patchouli effect -- everything will fade right away, except for the patchouli, which will linger until the end of time.

 

This one's a little bit different and very rich. The cocoa isn't foody here, it contributes to a rich and spicy texture. It's very nice, especially if you like incensey fragrances. If you amp patchouli, beware, because that may be the only note you get. It doesn't strike me as being masculine, but it is definitely gender neutral.

Edited May 16, 2007 by naeelah

[prettybird]

I simply had to try this, since I'm in Mezoamerican studies. I was skeptical in the bottle; in fact, my initial imp review (for another site) read, "If I had to pick an unfavorite, it would be Tezcatlipoca (it smells like bitter chocolate and leather), but it's growing on me." Boy, was I wrong.

 

The chocolate note never becomes "chocolate" on me, but stays cacao, which I enjoy. There's just the slightest hint of an alcoholic smell to it, which is nice. It has throw, but never too much. I feel powerful and self confident wearing it, which is so appropriate for Tezcatlipoca.

 

This is my favorite oil after Elegba, and if you take the two of them together, I'm told it's exactly what I smell like. It's a good thing!

[metaldog32]

So I received this frimp compliments of the Labbies..thank you again for your overwhelming generosity!!!

 

I like the idea of the deep cocoa with patchouli, leather and incense..so I am hoping it works well on my skin. Centzon worked well on me..maybe I will be 2 for 2????

Initial sniff from frimp:Yep..definitely some deep cocoa wafting out to my nose…and I get a bit of patchouli. Don’t get the leather or incense yet.

 

Applied wet on skin: Still the cocoa is the prominent note…and surprisingly the patchouli is really more of a subdued note…kind of supporting the cocoa..if the leather and incense are here..it’s very well blended. Surprisingly..this blend is actually quite contained on my skin…doesn’t give out a lot throw…kind of just hovers.

 

Couple of minutes on skin:Hmmm..interesting. The cocoa note is now pretty much MIA..and it’s the incense with a touch of the leather and the patchouli grounding this whole thing that is in the forefront. Again…this doesn’t waft out aggressively on me…it does stay close..but I find it very fascinating..this somewhat incensey/patchouli combo weaving in the leather note that I sometimes have a real problem with..but in this blend works on me all over the base of the cocoa which started out in the lead but now becomes the foundation. There is a touch of sweetness which I can’t figure out where it some from..perhaps it’s the incense but it adds a nice touch.

 

Ten minutes later:It’s just now the holy trinity: patchouli/incense/leather with a touch of sweetness. I don’t get any breath of flowers..and that’s fine. You would think that this would be an overwhelmingly strong scent but again..it just sits on my skin…not screaming..just sitting there..and when I bring my wrists to my nose and take deep whiffs..I get the heady mélange. I am not bowled over by it..but I am enjoying it.

 

Twenty minutes later:This has kind of become very much a skin-like scent with traces of the former three star players..huh??? I guess I expected this to go on forever; instead it’s winded down fairly quickly. Very much an intimate scent on me.

 

Drydown:Skin scent with a barest flush of the patchouli and the incense.

 

Lasting power is pretty darn good…I got 4+hours with the throw being soft.

 

Bottom Line:Tezcatlipoca is deep and a tad heady/heavy..with the patchouli, cocoa and incense..but on me it actually translated into more of an intimate fragrance. I think this would be nice in the winter. I liked it but it doesn’t hit the “personal fragrance” chord within me…so I will hang onto the imp for now but cross it off my list for a 5ml.

[Extispex]

This was recommended to me on my search for the not-too-foodies. After pondering the notes, I sprang for a bottle unsniffed. I have no regrets.

 

In the bottle, its chocolate and incense. Kind of sweet. A little too sweet.

 

Wet, on my skin. Mmmmm.... love love love love love. Its not chocolate anymore, but dry, bittersweet cocoa, scattered across rough, warm leather. Oh man this is good. Cocoa and leather - who knew the two smelled so good together?

 

As it dries, the incense gets a lift, but the leather is very assertive on me (I do tend to amp leather to a certain degree). The cocoa is still evident, but blends so beautifully with the leather and incense. I never get a huge amount of patchouli from this - its little more than a grounding, earthy element. I occasionally catch a whiff of what might be the ghost of a floral, very elusive and playful among the darkness of the other notes.

 

Did I mention I love this blend?

 

After long wear, it does go very sweet on me. A dry, incensy sweetness.

 

I really want to age this to see how it develops, but I'm not sure I can keep my paws off of it. I might need a second bottle to hide away for aging. In the meantime, this needs to go on my top ten.

 

(edited out the dumb)

Edited July 4, 2007 by Extispex

[Ishtar]

In the imp, Tezcatlipoca is pure cocoa. Far from sugary chocolate sweetness, this is high-quality, dark, dry cocoa, the kind that would be sparingly used to dust a beautiful cake.

 

The second it touches my skin, however, the cocoa disappears and is replaced by a combination of earthiness and leather. The overall impression is that of a certain dryness that I tend to associate with wood notes.

 

The patchouli and florals only make their presence known after drydown, bringing some airiness to the deep base notes. This is a very masculine scent, yet it stays rather light and never gets overpowering or sharp on my skin.

 

There is a serious, almost solemn quality to this blend that is quite fit for a god. It is a bit too masculine for me to wear on a regular basis though.

[funkmoppet]

Wet, this is cocoa, leather and patchouli. And I really have to now admit that I am not a cocoa fan. It's the cocoa note that stops me from wildly loving this - because the leather is divine. Same leather that I adore in Western Diamonback, with wonderful earthy patchouli to play with.

 

As it dries, the cocoa recedes and I'm liking it a whole lot more. The flowers peek out gently and the leather'n'patchouli duet mellow out in a warm and lazy way.

 

Shame about the cocoa though - the wet phase isn't one I'm wild about, but the dry down is lovely.

 

Not a bottle, though I might hang onto my imp.

 

ETA: Nope! Gone to Doom Powder! The resins in this are the kind my skin hates. *sigh*

Edited September 5, 2007 by funkmoppet

[cranberry]

This is from a bottle I got soon after this was released so it’s been aged for a year or more.

 

In the bottle, I can smell mainly dark cocoa and patchouli.

 

On the skin, the cocoa and patchouli start out but the cocoa soon gives way to the patchouli. It’s smooth, rich, and mixes so well with the incense. As it wears the leather peeks out and mixes with the incense and patchouli. I think age has mellowed this scent, I seem to remember the cocoa in particular being a lot stronger. The incense is smoky, not so much the raw resins. It doesn’t have any sharpness.

 

It’s a dark, rich scent - unusual. The patchouli and incense in here are gorgeous and they play here equally, neither one dominating the blend. If I had to choose one word for this oil, it would be smooth.

 

I’m so glad that I have a bottle – it’s fantastic.

[AutumnQueen]

This is BPAL's only chocolate scent that I can wear. All of the others are nauseatingly foody, so I always felt like I was carrying a mushy chocolate muffin in my pocket. Ugh. Tezcat manages to blend the dark cocoa scent with the rest, so it's a rich hint of chocolate instead of ICING! all the time.

 

At first, Tezcat smells like Reese's Peanut Butter Cups on me, which very nearly turned me off the first time I wore it; I think it's the initial shock of chocolate and leather together that smells like peanut butter. Luckily, the peanut butter goes away after about ten minutes, and all that's left is a dark, rich, delicious perfume. Tezcat smells like chocolate sex. Dirty, whips-and-chains, chocolate-covered sex. Mmmm.

[feralstrumpet]

Tezcatlipoca scent starts off like bitter Mexican chocolate...the kind that comes in triangles with the yellow label. And there's the smell of steel with it, until it gets on the skin. Then, for about an hour, it's like a chocolate left on your pillow in a posh hotel...crisp linen with a hint of bleach underneath, until the sandalwood creeps out and then it just soaks in mellowing to smoky sweet wax. Wearing it, I feel a bit sneaky and invincible.

 

I made my husband try some and on him there was definitely more resin, more of the leather and smoke. In other words, hotness. Whew!

 

I love this so much I've ordered a big bottle.

[Neely]

In the bottle: chocolate! Just lovely yummy chocolate.

 

Wet: chocolate and something bitter, with dragons blood and a low key floral. Houston we could have a problem.

 

Dry down: the dragon's blood has amped up, my skin always does this with db, and some florals. This may be a loss. But wait, woods and smoke and chocolate beat the db into submission and trample the flowers. YAY!

 

30 minutes: incense smoke, and db which continues to behave, all on a base of chocolate. The chocolate isn't foody either.

 

Conclusion: I love the God of the Smoking Mirror. This is shagaliscious good. Not foody, not floral, for those who worry it would be. This is so damn good. Big bottle list, if I ever get to order GC cuz I am always after LEs.

 

Rating 1-5: 5

[Browneyes]

Imp: Cocoa, patchouli, leather, florals and tropical fruits

 

Skin: The cocoa fades to the background quite quickly, remaining only faintly, underlining the leathery base. The scent is a soft sensual tropical blend (without being generic tropical if that makes sense) - earthy, sexy and floral, but not overpowering. it's very lovely!

[alicia_stardust]

Tezcatlipoca is the most fantastic mix of cocoa, leather, and patchouli that I could have possibly imagined. It doesn't come across as foody to me. Instead it's exotic, deep, calming. I can't really express how amazing this blend is. It has a long staying power and ends up being heady and intoxicating but not overpowering.

[tziporra]

I love the lab's cocoa note, and have been casting my net for a non-foody blend that works on me.

 

Tezcatlipoca is very deeply chocolatey in the imp, like a shot of Godiva's liqueur even. My skin amps the patchouli once it's on, and for awhile very little else can come through. Then the chocolate comes back, tinged with a little something I think must be the leather. This is very nice, but still too masculine on me. Where Velvet was all dry chocolate and sandalwood, this is all dry chocolate and patchouli. Nothing to soften the edges, so to speak.

 

Maybe I'll try it on my husband and see if I want to eat him up

 

Tzi

[HatterRenoAxel]

This was one that a friend of mine suggested.

 

In the bottle: Chocolate rich and yummy

 

Wet: Same as in the bottle just a little weaker

 

Dry: The incense comes out with a bit of the chocolate no floral what so every which is fine with me.

[Northernskygal]

Hmmm.. I don't know about this one.. I smell the leather fairly strongly. The cocao is there.. but it is almost like.. a dusting of cocao powder on leather. It smells a bit sour to me.. stupid patchouli.. always has to ruin all of my fun..

There is no flowers.. and not really any incenseyness happening either.. just.. sour dusty cocao on leather.. I will be making Eindwarg (my lovely boyfriend) try this on today.. as I think it might be wonderful on him.. hopefully he will pop up with his review later.

[azhriaz]

I wouldn't have expected it from the description, but I think this may be the chocolate scent that works best on me.

 

When it's wet, the patchouli is quite overpowering... but the drydown is a rich chocolate. Definitely more chocolate than cocoa. It does remind me a bit of Bliss, but Bliss went very plastic on my skin. Tezcatlipoca just smells like.... chocolate.... I never thought I'd find a scent that actually did that.

 

I'm not sure why I'm not getting more of the other notes. Either they're all blending in to form a rich backdrop to the cocoa, or my skin chemistry has done something right for once!

[donnatron]

Imp: Cocoa powder and honey.

 

Wet: The chocolate comes out loud and strong on my skin. It reminds me of Bliss but instead of the pure chocolate smell of Bliss, this goes a bit dusty and darker smelling.

 

Dry: Wow! Finally a leather note that doesn't require dragon's blood to stay present on my skin. The dominant note is leather with an undercurrent of dark chocolate and incense. The florals are around but are there to lend a heady fullness to the scent.

 

Throw: Average. I find that leather scents are better if they're close to your skin anyway.

 

Overall: What a nice scent. That seems to be the overall effect. It's nice. I'll use my imp up. I might order another imp. But it doesn't quite grab a hold of me enough to bother with a larger bottle.

[Electric Maenad]

This was one of a set of imps I got to try out on the man. It's a much darker and richer scent than Tombstone, which was his favourite, but after a cautious sniff, he agreed to wear it. (I think he was afraid of the patchouli.) This is also a very sexy scent on him. No trace of eau de hippy, just dark chocolate, incense smoke, and enough leather to balance out the flowers. Tombstone is comfy, rugged, sitting around a campfire toasting s'mores before cuddling in the tent sexy. This is dressing to kill and ordering wine like a true connoisseur sexy.

 

Great stuff - I think this will be his second bottle.

[matokie]

In the imp and when first applied to my skin, Tezcatlipoca smelled so much like yummy Mexican chocolate to me I literally wanted to eat it up. Now about an hour later I can smell more of the patchouli and floral notes, but they're being kept nicely in check by the rich cocoa and leather. This is a fantastic blend, and I can only imagine how good it would smell on a dude if I like it this much on me!

[Scanmike]

Here goes my chemistry again.The dark chocolate fades so quickly. All that is left is smoke, like burnt wood in a fireplace. No chocolate and no flowers what so ever. I don't mind not smelling the flower note, bur where did the chocolate go? And it was so promising in the bottle. Maybe I will give it another try and see if either it ages or my chemistry changes.

[dansemacabre]

Wet and in the imp, all I could smell was a rich chocolate. As it starts to dry down, I notice the patchouli start to come out. As it's drying down, the chocolate smells fades and the leather starts to emerge. It almost smells a bit masculine. The incense is slowly starting to make an appearance, making this a bit more smokier than I anticipated. After the incense mellows, all the smells slowly come together, chocolate being the faintest, giving it a slight hint of sweetness. I kind of like how complex this smell it. It continues to morph and while I like some stages more than others, it hasn't turned me off. It's kind of alluring, mysterious... something I stumbled upon but wouldn't have given a second smell.

[gchris]

Initially, cocoa with mossy dampness. Then, aged wet wood, almost a little foody. There is a burned smell in the background.