Doc Constantine (2006)

[zillah37]

As you pass the tiny stage, you come across a large canvas tent, illuminated within, the exterior dotted with odd splatters. In front of the tent stands a scorched wooden cart covered in a jumble of bottles, jars, vials and twisted steel implements, and an elaborate, gold-gilded sign reads:

“Doc Constantine Cures What Ails Ye!
Liniments, salves, potions and elixirs for every malady of the body and spirit!”

A scream splits the air, jarring you. You see shadows move jaggedly within the tent, there is another scream, and all is suddenly still and silent. After a long heartbeat, the door flap opens. A man steps out wearing a crystal-eyed schnabel mask in the style of medieval plague doctors, carmine streaking his sleeves, vest, and the blonde hair that crowns him. He pulls off the mask, and you see a handsome figure, almost beatific. He rolls a cigarette, lights it, takes a deep pull, and winks at you slyly as he gestures at the multitude of concoctions he has for sale. A bent crone, her body as bowed and knotty as an ancient oak, shuffles up to the wagon with rosy-cheeked, tow-headed maiden following her at a small distance. As she approaches the doctor, the crone gestures at herself, running a gnarled hand down her body in a sweeping movement, and casting a sideways glance at her grandchild. Smiling an angel's smile, Doc Constantine hands the old woman a potion the color of cold, congealed blood. She drinks it quickly, gasping. Before your eyes her body shimmers and blurs, and a shower of dark sparks seems to engulf her. Where the crone stood, there is now a voluptuous, raven-haired vixen, vibrant, sensual, at the prime of her life and sexual vitality. Her shriek of joy is interrupted by another's scream of shock: the rigors of age have not vanished; they have moved aside, and the young woman has aged horribly, taking on the crone's burden.

Sheer musk, cedar smoke, fir needle, black amber and leather.

In the bottle: Ohhh. This is fir and leather and musk with amber in the background. This is all the things I love on men all rolled up in one. I'm going to skin test it on myself, but I really think this is going to be immediately slathered on the boy when he gets home tonight.

On my skin: Immediate throw as soon as it touches my skin. It's fir trees and cedar smoke. It's a crackling fire in the middle of the woods and leather from a well-worn saddle. It's kind of soapy on me, but I don't care. This is just so, so sexy.

Final verdict: This is one of the most wonderful manly scents I've smelled. It's rugged and sexy and somehow refined as well. It makes me want to lick my arm and frankly that kind of worries me. But it really makes me want to decorate the boy!

[slave1]

In Bottle: Musk, leather and fir

 

On Skin: This is the holy “man” scent for sure. This screams I am godsent sexy stud and you want to jump all over me. I am the biggest sucker for masculine lether scents. I make my husband wear almost all of Beth’s leather blends. This one is so crisp and you smell each note perfectly but they also blend together beautifully. The leather is dominant (yay!) and the cedar smoke is soft but dark and drifts among the other notes proudly. The amber is very dark and strong and gives this scent roots. The fir needle cuts through with a nice fresh zing, and the musk coats it all in a super sexy blanket of manliness. Yes, this is a man’s scent, I couldn’t even imagine a woman wearing this but that’s just me. It is gorgeous… you all need to get a bottle of this for your man. Strong throw and long wearlength.

[SueDonym]

I disagree that this is a man's scent. It's one I had an early sniff of and I liked a lot...and not because it smelled masculine. Sexy & leathery yes, but not MALE in capital letters.

 

In the bottle:

Mostly I get the fresh and clean scent that I assume is the fir...which is different from the tester in the lab, which was mostly leather/musk if I recall. To *me* this smells very light, and slightly aneseptic/medicinal...which is only appropriate.

 

Wet:

Leather & pine.

 

Drying:

But it warms up almost immediately. The fir kind of catches fire, resiny. Like throwing a pinecone on a fire. I guess that's the cedar smoke and amber...which are really nice and not abrupt or in your face about it. The musky leather deepens and balances. You know, what this is really reminding me of is 'tamjan' -- a particular type of incense that Eastern Orthodox priests use. I'm totally loving it.

 

Dry:

Musky, spicy, incense-y

Not in your face. Not vanished. Not a huge throw (apparently my skin is binge-eating scents today...haha! one more to swallow up!...so YMMV).

Leather & resin

 

Very pleasant.

[Alchemy21599]

In the bottle: resin and musk.

 

Wet: resin, musk and leather.

 

Dry: This is one of the most wonderful scents ever! This reminds me of walking into a warm cozy tack room after a long hard ride. I don't know if women should wear leather scents, but I am certainly going to wear this one. This scrumptious scent would make any man swoon-worthy.

[nineveh]

My favorite CD scent so far!

 

This is like the wood and leather of Dee plus the pine needles and darkness of Geek all mixed together with some clean musk.

 

The musk was a little soapy while it was wet, but now I'm not getting any soapiness.

 

As it dries down, the sharpness of the fir needles fades and the amber comes out as a sweet thickness.

 

All in all, a warm, sweet, leathery, sexy scent. I love it.

[sarada]

I probably look kind of weird, nuzzling my arm like this. Mmmm, hello arm, how are you? You are looking very sexy today, arm.

 

This is phenomenal. This is completely unique among what I've tried from the lab, which thus far is something like 600 blends. Oh I recognize little flashes of leather and pine and cedar from other fragrances but all together like this, it is entirely new -- yet an instant classic. I feel like this was here all along.

 

In the bottle it seems very light, and just fainty musky and resiny -- I can't really get a handle on it. I smeared some on my arm, waited a little bit and......oh. Oh my. First, I'm reminded of lumps of pure resin, smouldering on coals -- but outdoors, with evergreens all around on a smoky, starry night just on the cusp of autumn. Dry, hot resiny incense on a crisp, clear night.

 

All of the smoky crispness of autumn with the warmth of snuggling under a blanket, rubbing your face against a stubbly chin, reclining into a soft bed of evergreen needles.

 

I wear what would probably mostly be considered masculine scents myself but I really need to try this on one of my mustachioed test subjects to see how it works on them. I'd follow someone to the ends of the earth if they smelled like this.

[Nachtwulf]

Bottle: Piney musk. Not pinesol pine, though, thankfully... fir, I guess, has a softer edge to it than pine-pine, but it's definitely evergreeny. No leather, though, so far as I can tell.

 

On me... Whaaagh, evergreen! O_O It's pure unadulterated fir, with maybe just a hint of salty musk in the background. And then, the evergreen dies down into leather... ish. Leathermuskfir. And....pepper. I swear I can pick up a pepper note, too. This says 'Western' all over it... not so much the concept of Doc's 'frontier medicine'... but more like the cowboy that's just stomped into town from a long day's range-running, and considerably before he's boozed-and-whore'd up enough to qualify for Tombstone. It's all worn chaps and lariats and saddle oil and hot sun and sweat.

 

It's nice. It's actually really nice. I think... it's probably too manly for me, but at least it's not 'Manstink'. I keep thinking this'd be great in soap... not because it's soapy, but it's got an edge to it that I think I'd like better in a bath product than a skin scent.

[tinyvulture]

When my husband wears this, I keep saying, “you just smell so rugged!” A truly masculine scent, not a typical men's cologne. The leather and fir are most prominent. The musk and amber are what makes it deep and warm and balance well with the sharpness of the fir. The cedar smoke comes out after drydown. Woodsy and outdoorsy, perfect for autumn. I love the lab’s leather concoctions and this one is the best yet, in my opinion.

[Diana]

In the bottle: ambery/perfumey (probably from the musk)

 

Wet: The amber & fir needle notes are the first to erupt, with just a slight hint of leather. It reminds me a bit of Dee, but a little less sweet.

 

Drydown: This reminds me a bit of Torture King from Carnavale Noir; the same dark, rich leather note is used in conjunction with a soft, subtle "smoke" note, but without the heavy vetiver basenote.

 

This is probably a more typical masculine blend, but this, like TK from last year, may be the surprise winner of the bunch for me. I just love the way it smells.

 

Oh my. This is so sexy. I want to slather it everywhere.

[LiberAmoris]

Doc Constantine smells like coming in from being outside in late fall. Like the way one's clothes might smell after taking in all of those scents from the outdoors. Very sexy in a natural way. The leather here is just perfect. Not too much, not too little.

 

Eventually this becomes a smoky black amber on me, like the smell of burning leaves in the air. It's something I would love to smell on my boyfriend, not just to see what his chemistry does with it, but also just because.

 

Like nineveh, I also smell parallels between the good Doc and two other amazing blends---Dee and Geek.

[shelldoo]

in the bottle: leather, fir, and musk

 

wet:wow, strong thyrow. very masculine. leather, fir, and smoke w/ a bright musky outline

 

as it dries it stays very similar to the wet scent. very sexy.

 

and i agree, there is a similarness to dee. not the same scent but related

[lorajc]

This one is growing on me. Let me first just say that I can't normally wear the Leather blends of Beth's as her leather note amps on my skin. This one isn't that bad. It's not really my thing, aa I don't really care for fir needle and cedar smoke, but even so this is oddly alluring and growing on me. Too bad my husband won't wear fragrance, as this would be lovely on a man. I may keep my bottle around for a whilte to see if it grows on me a bit more. It is softly smoky and woody and as very well blended.

[blueroses]

There are a lot of "firsts" for me in my Carnaval Diabolique order, and this was my first masculine scent and leather scent, so bear with me.

 

In the bottle: Musk and fir. I like it.

 

On: LEATHER, leather, leather.

 

Drydown: Smoky, musky, leather. I'd like this on a guy, but not on me. My skin is amping the leather like crazy.

[Tramp]

Hello sexy boy! *Looks around house for cute man to slather it on - damn no man* This is all woodsy leather with a TON of throw. This is how you would want your sheets to smell after a really good night. Masculine, sexy, male. Swoon.

[zenvodunista]

Leather pine boy.

 

Geek without the dust or darkness.

 

Dead Man's Hand whittling wood.

 

Gentle De Sade.

 

*Manly.*

 

I'm putting this one with the BF's other scents.

 

 

n.

[The_Merf]

In the bottle: Wow, fir trees and nothing else. It almost smells like a car air freshener.

 

Wet: Again, the fir is strong, but other notes start to come in. I can detect the amber and leather, and the musk seems to be hanging around in the background.

 

Drydown and wear: The notes I listed above continue to grow more prominent, and sometimes when I smell my wrist I can detect a whiff of the smoke. I think that the comparisons to Geek are apt; this scent is certainly in the same family. This is a cooler, more wintry version. In fact, I think this is one of the most "wintry" scents I have tried (granted, I have not tried a lot of favorites like Snow White, Rose Red, etc.). This strikes me as the older, more complex brother of Black Forest--you get that same bleak "bare, tall trees illuminated under a pale moon" feeling, but the amber and leather give it just a touch more warmth.

 

I'm still not sure whether or not I'll keep the bottle, as the final stage of this scent is really, reallly similar to Geek, which I have lots of, but it is a beautiful scent and the initial cool stage is very intriguing.

Edited September 9, 2006 by The_Merf

[heartbeast]

Wow, this is a pleasant surprise! I was expecting it to be too masculine for me to wear, but on me the good doctor is very unisex. The fir brings freshness, the amber brings sweetness, the musk is perceptable but is exactly as the description says, *sheer*, and the smoke and leather--especially the leather--step right up in the middle of all that fresh sweetness and infuse the whole thing with *spine*. So, masculine, but not in a rugged butch way--this is exactly what it should be: A beautiful angelic blond man with a quirky smile. However, it could just as easily be a stern, commanding woman in a very expensive suit with an excellent quality leather coat, shoes and handbag. Her hair is up in a bun that looks professional and elegant, not severe, and as she cocks one eyebrow at you, you suspect she might be a dominatrix in her off hours--but you would never dare to ask!

[savage_rose]

Sheer musk, cedar smoke, fir needle, black amber and leather.

 

In the bottle: Fir. Fir and...cedar smoke? Zesty yuletide forest!

 

Wet: Fir still present, but amber is in the forefront. Leather is present as well, but not as strongly.

 

Dry: Hmmm, I don't know about this one...I normally love masculine scents on me, but there's something very "biker gang" about this one (smoke and leather, maybe?). And occasionally I'd smell a plasticky whiff, although it seems to be morphing out of that. This smells like it would be a great layering blend to me, because it smells so different, and so strong. I'll slather my husband when he walks by, to see what it smells like on him, as well.

 

Dry after 5 minutes: The fir is coming back, and the amber is "lightening". I really like it. And on my husband? It smells like a combination of fir and the berry scent from "Yuletide". Maybe a hint of amber, no leather, just a clean outdoorsy scent. It's amazing how body chemistry makes the scent unfold!

[Bagfish]

Leather and smoke are the overwhelming themes of Doc Constantine when I wear it. But the musk and amber does something to the leather that makes it far more wearable than most of the other leather BPALs I have tried.

 

This scent conjures up the outdoors, walking in a coniferous forest on an early Autumn afternoon where the sun has warmed the trees until the resin starts to smell good. As you walk, you scuff up the fallen needles, waking a piney, woody, humic scent. There is a hint of smoke from burning brash in the air, and your SO is walking next to you wearing a battered old leather waistcoat.

 

Have just swiped this on Mr Bagfish whilst he puts up some shelves, I'm hoping it smells even better on him than it does on me....

[TrailerTrashPrincess]

hm... my initial reaction is that this is a combination of Tombstone and Snake Oil...

 

but as it dries down it becomes Dead Man's Hand and a freshly sharpened pencil. there's some dark amber in there keeping things yummier but... well, i'll wait and see how this is on the boi.

[Laurel the Woodfairy]

This sounds like a very masculine scent, so I'm reviewing with my DH in mind (who just happens to have the same first name as the Doc!). At first sniff, Doc Constantine is oddly sharp, almost medicinal, and I could swear I smell ambergris-bouquet, but that isn't listed; it seems to be the way the amber and leather combine. Smells like an old apothecary's shop, or possibly like Haunted for boys. On Brian, the medicinal topnote was more alcoholic--"like gin," quoth the boy. Too acidic for his taste, even on the drydown, so off to swap!

[yeahbutnobut]

Doc Constantine

 

In the imp: the sexiest leathery amber ever. Rich sweet amber (it smells like Jacob's Ladder amber!!) over black leather. This smells shaggable.

Wet on skin: on the skin, the woodsy notes, like fir and cedar, appear out of the leather. now the scent does remind me of Geek.

Dry on skin: mmm, I like this. Very much a sexy man scent, this is the smell of deep green forest notes of fir and smoky cedar which makes me think of a smouldering bonfire, with deep leather and a hint of golden sweet amber. I think I get a hint of fresh manly light musk too. This is a much more sophisticated version of Geek, it has none of the spiced wildness of that scent, and this is much more gentlemanly.

After a while: there is something reminiscent of Jacob's Ladder to this, most probably the amber. It smells very golden and sticky, different to other black amber scents but also different to most golden amber notes as well-at times it almost reminds me of frankincense. The woods and leather work wonderfully with it, and I get a gorgeous incense like vibe from this scent at times, very much like Dee.

Eventually, the amber becomes the most dominant scent, with hints of leather behind it. What a gorgeous amber scent it is too-though the disadvantage is that it's quite faint on me. But it's such a moreish scent!

Verdict: I was hoping that the Doc would be too masculine on me, just so that my wallet wouldn't be hit too hard. But he's won me over completely with this scent. This is a stunning men's scent which can be pulled off wonderfully by women. On me, it is sexy Jacob's Ladder. That same wonderful resinous amber with a leather undertone, and hints of cedar and fir. The amber drydown is gorgeous and I want to bury my nose in whatever skin smells like this-be it my own, or any future boyfriend. There's one problem-it fades so fast on me. I'll give it a try again since I may not had applied much oil and that's why it's faint. But this is another CD that will need to be bought as a bottle.

Emoticon rating:

If you like this, try: Loviatar, Jacob's Ladder, Dee, Bow and Crown

Edited September 28, 2006 by yeahbutnobut

[theshapeshifter]

Doc Constantine initially seemed quite strong in the bottle, but once applied it became this lovely, subtle, close-to-the-skin cedar-smoke scent, with just a bit of leather. I've been looking for something like this for a long time!

[Tesseljoan]

In the bottle: smells cologny, erm...

 

On skin: the leather is very dominant. I like it, but I'm not so sure if I'll be wearing this one much. It's not overly masculine in my opinion, but it is a bit strong... and pitch black

 

After half an hour: Woah! The musk and amber come out to mingle with the leather, and it has a sweetness to it too. Lovely scent, it's getting a sticker slapped on the cap and will be moving into the bottle-box after all.

[LittleGreyKitten]

Ah. Yes, it's manly. Pine like whoa. A hint of leather. Some other major sharp thing happening in the background too. Not sure I'd like it on my man, not sure he'd like it on him either. Though he does love Talvikuu, so I'll probably douse him at some point. (He has actually broken down and requested a scent- Dracula. Shocking! I may convert him yet.) Anyway, I'll run this by him but I don't have a huge hope for it- it's just so sharp. Might age OK, but I'm finding that several of the CD scents are weirdly sharp and green on me, this one is no exception.

 

For myself, it's a no-go; perhaps unfair to rate it, but I'd call it a 1 or 1.5 really, out of 5. We'll see if it's better on the boy.