Voodoo

[faifai]

A midnight scent, evoking images of flickering golden firelight reflecting off the sheen of glistening skin and the jerking shadows of bodies suffused with spiritual ecstasy. A deep, powerful, resonant blend of myrrh, patchouli, vetiver, lime, vanilla, pine, almond and clove.

The notes are "myrrh, patchouli, vetiver, lime, vanilla, pine, almond and clove", so how in the WORLD is it possible that all that translates into Cherry Coke or Dr. Pepper? How?! Because just like everyone else said, it really does smell like those sodas. I was shocked when I smelled it. And I loooooooove the smell of Dr.Pepper, although I despise drinking the stuff.

Voodoo is not foody, not woodsy, not spicy, not resin-y...it's a combination of all of those, and you end up with a smooth soda scent. If Voodoo could be translated into an object of some kind, it'd be a high collared, skinny-sleeved, long dark red velvet jacket with a satin lining. You'd have to have the right style to wear it, whether you're a man or a woman, but when it works, ohhhhh....it works.

Voodoo doesn't quite work on my skin but I am using it in a scent locket to fragrance my car. I feel like I'm driving a sexy car now, even though it's a '92 Toyota stationwagon. The voodoo you do, Voodoo, indeed!

[jarvenpa]

another gift imp from urbanruralferal, who knew I was looking for "dark, spicy" fragrances.

 

First smell: okay, Dr. Pepper! Or maybe Cherry Coke (and not Pepsi). I expect to find sticky cola stuck to my skin. It's not a bad fragrance, but...do I want to smell like a soft drink?

 

A few moments later (I didn't check the notes: must Do It Myself, else how will I learn???):

HELLO VETIVER!!!.

 

Actually, I love vetiver. I wish my partner were around though, to see what he thinks, because back in the day when I slathered myself with lovely vetiver straight on, he, and all my children, believed I smelled like kerosene.

 

Now, I thought I smelled lovely.

 

(*looks around bookstore seeking unwary customer to casually stroll by. If they choke and ask about kerosene I will know that vetiver doesn't love me, though I love it*)

 

(went and coralled youngest son. He didn't flinch, and agreed mommie smells nice. Didn't mention kerosene.)

 

Ummm, nice. Softer, sweeter, sort of powdery scent wafting now. I still get the vetiver, but with something else. Maybe amber? Amber makes nice powdery sweetness for me. Or possibly some light musk???

 

For me it's kind of a head shop type smell (nothing wrong with that); makes me think maybe I should change out of my blue crinkled silk top and black homespun-ish pants into tie dye. But I don't have any tie dye handy.

 

Actually, I'm liking this more the longer it's on; it's settling into a just slightly exotic sweetness.

 

Thanks, urbanruralferal!

[zankoku_zen]

Another generous imp from jewelbug.

 

Admittedly, this scent isn't what I would wear normally, but I do have a boy in mind when I asked to try it out.

 

In the imp: Smells like Dr. Pepper.

On Skin: An herby Coke. It's got a certain sweetness to it but it contrasts with a sharp herbal smell.

 

After a few hours: The coke like comparison lingers, but I get a warmer and muskier feeling from it. It has quite a bit of throw since I put it on close to 10 at night and at 6 AM the next morning, I could still smell it lingering on my skin.

 

Verdict: Usually myrrh and patchouli are amped all the way up, as well as the vanilla in certain blends. On the other hand, I don't know how everything combines so well that you get this manly soda. And yes, to me this scent is very manly. It's comfortingly sexy like a jean jacket. Now, let's see if the boy's chemistry works with this...

[edenssixthday]

Voodoo - Smelling Voodoo wet out of the imp, I didn't think I would like this at all. It is just sickeningly sweet. But we all know how BPAL scents can change once you actually put them on your skin, so I thought I'd try it out. For the first 15 minutes or so, it was nauseatingly sweet and unpleasantly pungent. But after about 15 minutes, the sweet and acrid notes faded away and what replaced it was an incense-like, pine scent. I was instantly whisked away to the evergreen forests where my family would camp when I was a kid. I smelled just like fresh pine. And then, only a few minutes later, I smelled distinctly like fresh pine dusted with ... baby powder? What an incredibly strange (and not particularly pleasant) combination. What this has to do with Voodoo, I have no idea. If I were making something called Voodoo, I'd make it smell like the deep Louisiana bayou -- but that's just me. If you're a person who likes pine, then this might work for you. On me, it just doesn't work. Fortunately for me, the scent faded within 90 minutes, until I was left with a whole lotta nothin'. No, I won't buy a full bottle of this and the imp will be going up for swap and hopefully it'll work better on whoever ends up with it!

 

Edited 2/17/10: My skin chemistry has changed dramatically in the past 1.5 or 2 years, and so I've been re-testing a lot of scents that didn't used to work on me, but which seemed now like they should. Voodoo was one of the first BPAL blends I ever swapped for and I initially disliked it. Now, I have a full bottle of it. I love it. It starts out with a strong almond note over myrrh and pine and lime. As it dries down on my skin, the almond sweetness fades significantly, the myrrh comes out even stronger, the clove doesn't amp on me as it usually does, but instead accents the husky/spicy myrrh gorgeously. The patchouli doesn't overwhelm and the vetiver is hardly even noticeable. The vanilla is also barely noticeable. The lime is present and does an awesome job of pulling all the other notes together in a really lovely way. This has become one of my go-to blends. Who would have ever thought?

Edited February 17, 2010 by edenssixthday

[sarahj]

Voodoo

 

in imp: I smell vanilla, myrrh, patchouli, with a bit of Dr. Pepper thrown in

 

wet: the pine becomes more apparent...at this point I can only describe this as "interesting"...the pine and patchouli seem to be fighting each other

 

dry: a lot better...heavy on the myrrh, with patchouli, vanilla, and pine...the notes are not fighting anymore, they have settled down and blended quite nicely

 

verdict: I don't see myself wearing this that often, so I will keep the imp but there is no need for a bottle

[cranberry]

In the imp and initially on the skin, this smells a bit like cherry coke. After it’s been on a while, it doesn’t smell exactly like cherry coke any more, but I’m at a loss at how to describe this. It’s a tad masculine, and I think it would smell really good on a guy.

 

I can’t get beyond the cherry coke imagery in my brain for this scent.

[Caltha]

Voodoo

Pine and vanilla, as I remember from the description. I don't find pine very "voodoo". In the drydown it's more like wood and vanilla, pretty much like the vanilla-drenched dry wood in Tombstone. Perhaps a bit more balanced and warm and cosy and spicy than Tombstone though. Not quite what I expected (where's that lime?) but I like it well enough. I don't know if I need another Tombstone, but I think I prefer this blend to Tombstone so I guess it's a keeper.

[Ryvre]

In the imp: Lemon/lime and strange spices. Really kind of gross, but I'll try anything once.

 

Wet: Almond, lots of myrrh, and lime. Smells like soda, or maybe shoe polish.

 

Dry: Definitely shoe polish.

[gypsybaby1]

Ahhh Voodoo.... I got Cherry Cola smell out of the bottle when I opened it yesterday. Upon application, cherry went away and was replaced with something spicy... WHOA SPICY!! It made my eyes water for a few moments as I sniffed and sniffed, trying to figure out what it was - very familiar scent. So, I went and looked up the components and figured out it was the cloves. Whoa Nelly! 10 minutes after application and it's still clove-y.

 

Fortunately, I never smelled any pine. If I had, I would have washed it off immediately. After 20 minutes or so, it softened down quite a bit. I could smell the clove still, but it wasn't as slap your face strong. The whole thing morphed into a beautiful, warm smell that reminded me of fall days and holiday baking.

 

Today, however... oh dear... I applied it to my wrists, elbows, the cleavage and behind the ears. Immediately the clove reached up and slapped me in the face and made my elbows sting and burn. I've had this happen before and it's just a minor skin sensitivity - thinner skin in the elbow crook. But what's troubling me is that the scent is vanished!! It's just gone!! Maybe I didn't put enough on this morning in my mad rush to get out of the house... and maybe it'll come back in a little while.

 

Verdict is, I do love this scent and it's a definite keeper!! I can definitely see a bath and lotion suite out of this scent.

[sofiaviolet]

In the imp: Really dark and masculine. We were passing the imps around the table and Dad said it smelled like men's aftershave. I forgot the notes and guessed bay rum.

 

On me, wet: Still dark and masculine. Unless it really morphs, I won't be able to wear it. It kind of smells like Cathedral did - like the musty old chapel/mausoleum at Ursuline Academy (NOLA) where I had music class in middle school. Voodoo is the pleasant version of this scent.

 

On me, dry: Add a note of dust to the above and shake gently.

 

Verdict: I really kind of like it, but I really cannot wear it. I can pull off "male" scents, but only light ones.

 

EDIT: Whoa, vanilla note coming through! It's a vanilla frosting note, which I find quite nauseating.

Edited July 17, 2006 by Sofia Blackthorne

[filigree_shadow]

One of the first BPAL oils I fell in love with. (Awwwww.) Normally I don't like pine, but I think it's perfect in this blend. It gives the whole scent a very grounded, earthy, and clean quality. I'm pretty much always going to like myrrh, patchouli, and vetiver in everything -- and all three in one blend is a definite sure-fire win for me. I'm really surprised that I can smell the vanilla at all in this, but I sure can. It provides just enough light creaminess to save the scent from being too dark.

 

I think Voodoo is a masterpiece. I can't say enough good about it. It's a must-try for anyone who likes patchouli.

[Miseraya]

In the imp: Curious. I woud have a hard time describing this, so I will move on to...

 

On the wrist, wet: Ooh! I am pleasantly surprised, this is nice, but again... I can't really pick out any notes or describe... there is something... "pointy" in this blend. Something sharp.

 

On the wrist, dry: Oh blech. It's clove. I hate clove. Of course naturally since I hate clove my body chemistry has to isolate and amplify it. Now that's all I can smell.

 

Bleh. Bad body chemistry combined with a pre-existing hatred for all things clove ruined this one for me. Off to the swaps.

[lunareclipse]

In the imp: citrus-y sweet... lemon Pledge? There are some interesting dark spices under there too...

 

Wet: morphs immediately - woody, spicy and murky. The citrus sweetness disappears almost as soon as it hits my skin.

 

Drydown: wood and spices, with vanilla. Heavy and heady.

[forspecial_plate]

Voodoo is a dark, warm, spicy and earthy blend. It reminds me a lot of Blood Kiss, I guess because of the clove mainly. But this seems to have a richer earthy background, giving it more depth on me. I can picture near naked bodies writhing and dancing by firelight when I wear this. Very much my cup of tea! Not something I'd wear on a first date, but maybe with an old flame.

 

ETA....Love this even more now, it's what I wanted Port Au Prince to be. Darker and just delicious. I do get the cola throw too.

 

edited AGAIN: Oh, FUFF! What happened? After 3 hours my skin turned this into generic, cheap after-shave!! How disappointing!

Edited August 23, 2006 by Forspecial Plate

[blackfelicula]

In the bottle: First off, I catch a whiff of patchouli, lime, and vanilla. It’s spicy and resinous, but with a smoothness that ties it together. I think that I can smell pine, just beneath the blend of patchouli and lime. It smells dark and earthy, but sensual as well. Drat, the lid of my imp is cracked somewhat. It seems to be holding up for now, but I’ll have to be careful with it.

 

Wet: This blend thrums. It’s interesting how it manages to carry an undertone that reminds me of Van Van, even though it isn’t likely to share many if any of the same notes. Down side is that, while this is fine where I put it on my wrists, I’m getting a burning sensation where I put it on my neck. Ah well. Considering what’s in there, that’s likely the clove. Funny, it burns more on the right side than the left, and that’s where a red mark is when I look in the mirror.

 

Drying down: I spread the oil out by rubbing it in more, and that lessened the burning. I’m definitely smelling the clove more now. The myrrh would likely blend in with the rest so as to disappear itself. I’m not catching any of the almond, unless it’s working with the vanilla to soften things up in the background.

 

Dry: Voodoo is definitely dark. It’s a strong scent, vibrating. The notes work together to paint a picture of a midnight woodland alive with ritual energy. I envision fire and candles, an altar stained with honey and blood, and dancers in the throes of possession. It’s alive with prayers and chanting, stories and drums. The patchouli steps back and the myrrh steps forward when it is dry, so that the blend works together well.

 

Later: It has mellowed a bit, but is still delightfully spicy. The burning is gone and so is the red mark on my neck. I love this scent!

[space girl lost]

i was pretty sad when i got this cracked cap frimpy in my last package as i saw the label and knew this was one i had seen mentioned a lot. luckily none leaked and i salvaged a cap elsewhere.

 

i tried it for the first time last night and didn't think much at first. i could distinctly smell all the notes separately and it was a bit ... odd. sure they didn't clash, but ... generally i'm horrible at picking out notes. i could smell the lime hiding back there. mostly was woodsy, but kind of a sharp woodsiness. i'm not big on real sharpness in my sniffies. i like some wood and spice, but in general i like things to be a bit darker and fuller.

 

i forgot it for about an hour or two and then sniffed. holy... where did this amazing incense smell come from?!? the sharpness went away and it was a nice mellow, smooth incense-like woody smell. ALMOST reminds me of how nag champa smells. that sort of strong, but smooth quality. THAT. it's amazing.

 

the next morning i'm smelling it in my blankets. this is definately going on the list for eventual bottle buys!!

[sophia_helix]

Wet, and for the first hour of drydown, Voodoo was perfectly delicious. I got the infamous "cherry coke" smell for only a few minutes, and then this fantastic spicy, sweet, incensy, rich, and a little unnerving combo of patchouli, clove, lime, pine and vanilla, with a hint of vetiver. Eventually, the vetiver totally took over -- which isn't that bad, because I'm one of the rare folks who likes vetiver a lot, but apparently I amp it to the exclusion of other scents. I will probably hang onto this for the yummy first hour's scent, and since I don't mind the vetiver single note effect, but I wish I got the blended version all the time.

[yeahbutnobut]

Voodoo

 

In the imp: sweet vanilla-almond with an earthy undertone and lime. Reminds me of Baron Samedi.

Wet on skin: here comes the vetiver, along with a fizzy lime note and vanilla, almond is fading.

Dry on skin: I smell something very similar to Coca-Cola here, with lime. As the advert says, put the lime in the Coke, you nut. I like this a lot…it's effervescent, it sparkles, but it's very dark. It's sweet thanks to the vanilla and clove, the lime note is bright and mingles with the pine, but underneath is the dark, grounding scent of patchouli and myrrh with a gritty base of vetiver which doesn't take over. Very nice so far!

After a while: eventually the 'Lime Coke' scent fades and the vanilla, vetiver, patch and myrrh come into their own. This reminds me of the likes of Organ Grinder, Sloth, Omen, and Baron Samedi, but nicer. The vanilla adds a wonderful creamy sweetness which the myrrh enhances, the patch is subtle yet earthy, the pine adds a little hint of something evergreen without smelling blatant, and the vetiver works really nicely with it all, adding it's greenish, smoky, ashen scent to it all.

The drydown is so nice, a delicious, gently smoky fusion of Sloth/Omen and vanilla. I get a 'vanilla incense' feel from this which is delicious, and the vanilla and vetiver combination is very nice indeed.

This stuff lasts. I still smelt it the next morning. Even a shower didn't shift it. Ah, the tenacity of vetiver, how I both love and hate it-in this case, it's definitely a good thing.

Verdict: out of the patchouli-myrrh-vetiver scents, this is my favourite. This is a sweet and dark scent which is warm, rich, intense and unisex. At first it smells like Lime Coke, complete with fizz, but then this fades and the scent becomes a vanilla dominated incense scent, with vetiver ashes at the base. This is lovely for the cooler months, I think, thanks to it's warmth, creamy sweetness, it's hint of pine and dark smokiness. This has serious staying power-lasts ages on the skin-not one to be used lightly, and has loads of throw. Not one for a bottle yet but the imp will be kept for now.

Emoticon rating:

If you like this, try: Omen, Sloth, Tombstone

Edited September 28, 2006 by yeahbutnobut

[surlygurl]

Voodoo

 

I had a handful of oils with me at work one day, and decided to try on Voodoo for the first time. When I smelled it in the imp earlier, it was sweet, warm, kind of bitey, so I figured it was ok for work. I dabbed some on.

 

And I GASPED.

 

OMG it smelled soooo goood! On my skin it said "I am Sex Goddess - kneel before me!!" Not exactly what I want to convey at work When the scent calmed down a bit, I hid in the corner and did my work. When I walked, I walked with a roll of the hips; when I glanced up from my desk, I shot 'come hither' looks at everyone. I just couldn't help it.

 

Oh yeah, the notes are like everyone says. I could smell the individual notes as well as the combo. And, yes. It Thrums.

[TrailerTrashPrincess]

we is "meh" about myrrh and vanilla

we hateses the vetiver, pine and almond

we loveses the patchouli, lime and clove

 

this had so much potential to be so good.

but the pine and vetiver just were too much, and the almond made me gaggy.

 

let someone else use the power of voodoo (who do? you do! do what?)... this one's not for me.

 

besides, i've got swishy hips anyway my boi prolly couldn't take it if i used the mojo.

[Dark Sparkle]

A wonderful frimp !

 

I also get the dr. Pepper vibe from this oil immediatly from sniffing this but when I concentrate I can distinguish lime, pine, vetiver, patchouli and clove in that descending order. Originally I would never have considered ordering this myself as I would have feared it would be too masculine for me.

 

However, it is not. It is such a unique, complex, sexy scent and it has swept me away to voodoo-land with its spine tingling components. The fiancé almost ate my wrist when I wore this one the first time.

 

Why must I love so many oils?

[maijasu]

I am definitely getting a soda pop vibe from Voodoo. It's quite wafty, and I think it would wake me right up if I were sleepy! It's fun and effervescent, but has a deeper aroma too, which stays close to the skin. I like it, but I'm not sure I'd wear it often.

[aquazoo]

Starts almond bleah. Oh, now the other bits are coming up. Oooooh! My nose keeps being drawn back to this one again and again. Hmmmn, the almond is coming back, not so obnoxious as in the beginning.

[steffanina]

Voodoo-

 

In Bottle: A sort of cherry-patchouli smell.

 

Wet: The same, joined with something a little spearminty. Nice!

 

Dry: This is interesting. I do get the clove and almost-cinnamon off this; it's not quite as yummy or lovely as I'd hope but it's not bad.

 

Overall: Conditional.

[supremegoddessofall]

Very interesting combination. I'm getting a lot of vanilla and clove. I do get a bit of pine. NOt getting myrrh or lime at all.