Snake Oil Help! Layering it, Snake Pit scents, blends with Snake Oil

[kmasden]

i agree, they aren't totally like snake oil. I love snake oil, and they all have a base type of snake oil, but are very different. I personally liked asp viper the best, however, i'm a huge almond/marzipan/sweet fan, so this was up my alley. I also like boomslang, but again, i love chocolate. I would say if there is a scent in the pit that works on you (tea, almond, chocolate, etc) then that's the one to try!

[Dinerdulcinea]

Snake Oil is straight up baby powder on me so I don't like it at all.

 

I do, however, like Temple Viper and Death Adder on myself and Western Diamondback on my hubby (it is rather like Quincy from the Dracula series...just with a warm, rich note in it too.)

[hkhm]

currently, i love coral snake more than snake oil. i love apple scents and they love me right back. and even the name gets me all worked up: coral snake. i just love the way that sounds. normally, snake oil is so strong on me it will give me a headache if i do more than put the tiniest dot on myself. but it is a lovely, alluring scent.

[grashopper8]

I tried a whole bunch of 'em and I still like just straight up Snake Oil the best.

Yeah, I'm gonna have to go ahead and completely agree with you there. Snake Oil is ridonkulous and I loooove it and the Snake Pits interesting, but I don't feel like any of them are better than Snake Oil (on me, and in my opinion).

 

 

Snake Oil is straight up baby powder on me so I don't like it at all.

I have a decant of Snake Oil 04 and a fresh imp of Snake Oil from the lab, and the baby-powder-esque note is much more subdued in the aged Snake Oil.

However, I love them both, and the "baby powder" reminds me more of nag champa than baby bums, so you may not find my opinion very convincing....

But if you tried an aged Snake Oil it may be more palatable to you, and might be more harmonious with your chemistry.

[oceandreamer001]

I was slow to come around to Snake Oil, in order for it to work on me, it has to be well-aged. The only Snake Pits that work for me are (in order of love):

 

Banded Sea Snake

Boomslang

Coral Snake

Cottonmouth

 

Of all of them, Cottonmouth took me the most by surprise. Florals and I are not friends. Floral perfumes just give me a headache. Not Cottonmouth. It's stays pretty demure on my skin, almost sinking in and becoming part of my skin, but it still has a really nice throw.

 

I didn't expect to love Boomslang either, because The Candy Butcher didn't really work on me. The cocoa note works without the cream. It smells like a dark chocolate Snake Oil on my skin. When I wear Snake Oil, I feel slinky and mysterious. Boomslang makes me feel the same way, but I feel a little lighter. Not as darkly mysterious, but still sexy mysterious.

 

I'm almost glad the whole pit didn't work for me, because I wouldn't be able to hoard all of them!

Edited November 7, 2007 by oceandreamer001

[emzebel]

I actually swapped my bottle of aged Snake Oil, because I find myself reaching for various Pit bottles when I want that sultry vanilla spice.

[303marlena]

Thanks for the answers. I'm pretty sure that next year, as the end of the Carnaval looms, I will break into a panic

 

2. Saw Scaled Viper, 93 reviews

3. Australian Copperhead, 87

4. Death Adder, 84

5 & 6. Temple Viper and Green Tree Viper, tied at 78 reviews each

7. Western Diamondback, 74

8. King Cobra, 64

9. Asp Viper, 60

10. Coral Snake, 58

11. Habu, 57

12. Banded Sea-Snake, 54

13. Cottonmouth, 52

 

I left out Anaconda due to its limited availability as a frimp with the Snake Pit set.

 

So how does your personal Snake Scale compare with this one?

 

My personal scale:

 

1. Western Diamondback (loves me some leather)

2. King Cobra (loves me some frankinscense)

3. Boomslang (nobody doesn't love chocolate)

4. Asp Viper (not sure why, just love it)

5. Saw Scaled Viper (spicey, smokey good)

6. Aussie Copperhead (fruity goodness)

7. Death Adder (cuz dead smells good?)

8. Cottonmouth (flowery goodness)

9. Habu (sake goodness)

10. Temple Viper (sexy goodness)

11. Banded Sea Snake (mossy,salty goodness)

12. Green Tea Viper (minty goodness)

13. Black Mamba (too many notes too count goodness)

14. Coral Snake (too fruity at times goodness)

15. Anaconda ("I'd love it more if it was more available" goodness)

 

 

p.s. I did try them all. I could not resist

Edited March 13, 2008 by marlena

[naeelah]

13. Black Mamba (too many notes too count goodness)

 

That just confused the hell out of me for a few minutes. I didn't realize you meant Faiza until I searched the catalog for "mamba", because I know there are only 14 snakes. I always just call her Faiza, so I was completely lost...

 

Man. Looking at Faiza's notes really makes me want to try that one again, but it just didn't work for me. I have to remember that. I think I was faintly allergic to it, as well. So, note to self: Give it up and try something new.

 

I did a decant circle for the snakes back in the summer, and I kept the imps for everything until now, because I wanted to see how the scents aged before I invested in bottles. I'm glad that I did, because that has really narrowed the field down for me. And it has also made some of the iffy ones more likable. So, if you're having trouble deciding, I really do recommend finding aged imps, or just keeping them for several months.

[simplyfunjhose]

Thanks for the answers. I'm pretty sure that next year, as the end of the Carnaval looms, I will break into a panic and get them all... leaving time to order back ups of the ones I fall in love with .

 

I have been reading the reviews and realized that maybe an indicator of the relative popularity of the scents is the number of reviews for each. Boomslang is the undisputable winner with 141 reviews. The rest of the Snake Scale (haha, get it?) looks as follows:

 

2. Saw Scaled Viper, 93 reviews

3. Australian Copperhead, 87

4. Death Adder, 84

5 & 6. Temple Viper and Green Tree Viper, tied at 78 reviews each

7. Western Diamondback, 74

8. King Cobra, 64

9. Asp Viper, 60

10. Coral Snake, 58

11. Habu, 57

12. Banded Sea-Snake, 54

13. Cottonmouth, 52

 

I left out Anaconda due to its limited availability as a frimp with the Snake Pit set.

 

I was surprised to see Cottonmouth at the bottom, as I have read praise for it in other threads. Maybe the addition of floral notes alienate the regular resin & spice fans of Snake Oil? Or maybe looking at the number of reviews is the wrong way to gauge popularity?

 

So how does your personal Snake Scale compare with this one?

The problem with this scale is that it only listed the number of total reviews. 64 may have reviewed King Cobra with 30 of them being "blech, I hate it". Where as all 52 that reviewed Cottonmouth may have fallen in love. Ya know?

Edited March 13, 2008 by simplyfunjhose

[scarletgenesis]

I'm just starting to go through CD. From the Snake Pit, I have a 5ml of Australian Copperhead (yummy and fun!), and a 5ml of Western Diamondback on the way (I just know I'll love it)!

 

For the others, I'm trying to track down decants. I am still having trouble with finding a few (Habu, Temple Viper, Green Tree Viper, and a few others) but I think I have about 1/2 the Snake Pit on the way via decants from forumites.

 

Looking forward to narrowing the field down. I kind of hope that I don't love them all, because then it would be awefully hard to avoid just buying the whole Snake Pit, but if I do, I do, and I'd just avoid other 5mls for a month or so.

Edited March 13, 2008 by scarletgenesis

[simplyfunjhose]

I have certainly not tried all but of what I have tried Western Diamondback is head and shoulders above any of the others. I am in . I also have and enjoy Death Adder (it is more of a heavy scent but my skin is vetiver friendly), Green Tree Viper is a crisp and fresh mint goodness, Asp Viper (an overgenerous frimp from a great forumite) is a sweet almondy blend, and Banded Sea smells something of a more typical cologne plus snake oil to me. I am hoping to my hands on some of the other blends to try too. I will most certainly be attempting to get another WD though as I do not see anything else beating it.

Edited March 13, 2008 by simplyfunjhose

[Lethran]

I'm in love with Western Diamondback, Banded Sea Snake, and Boomslang, in no particular order. Habu and Temple Viper are both reasonably pleasing.

[suileach]

I haven't had a whole lot of luck with the Snake Pit blends. I seem to amp the additional ingredients in many of them to the detriment of the snake oil itself. To wit:

 

Australian Copperhead: all acai berry!

 

Temple Viper: all frankincense!

 

Death Adder: all vetiver of doom!

 

Saw-Scaled Viper: holy spices! The only oil I've ever had an adverse skin reaction to, also.

 

Coral Snake: all fruit!

 

Habu: all bamboo!

 

The exceptions have been Green Tree Viper (my least favorite by far; it smelled like penicillin to me ), Western Diamondback, and Banded Sea Snake.

 

Western Diamondback is my absolute favorite. It's amazingly sexy and warm, and I definitely need to get a 5ml before it goes away.

 

Banded Sea Snake, when applied to my skin, smells like Snake Charmer minus the plum. The plum was what made Snake Charmer too sweet for me, so that's a good thing. Inexplicable, but good nonetheless!

[InvinciChicken]

I'm convinced that somewhere hidden in Snake Oil is the richest, most beautiful vanilla I have ever smelled. Unfortunately the throw I get is all patchouli, incense, headshop, and old-lady perfume. Only when I smell it up close do I get that lovely and sweet vanilla...

 

I have tried O (which turns into a disgusting flavor reminiscent of stale popcorn butter on me), Gluttony (which is toffee and caramel, and then turns into the same popcorn butter), Eclipse (lovely but not in the same category), and Blood Kiss (also lovely and with a beautiful vanilla, but not rich enough), all at the recommendation of a friend.

 

Any other recs? I am still looking for that perfect vanilla fragrance!

[NatCatz]

Alice

Dorian

Tombstone

[parrot_suspect]

Have you tried Snake Charmer?

Mouse's Long and Sad Tale?

Antique Lace?

[astarinel]

The thickest, richest vanilla I've ever tried is Monster Bait: biggerCritter, FWIW.

 

I'll second Antique Lace and Mouse's Long and Sad Tale, too.

[OhioSky]

I haven't tried many of the scents recommended but I have had very good luck with Chimera. It's Tonka, which is really just a richer vanilla it seems.

[iiinterstate]

Lyonesse has turned out to be an excellent vanilla blend on me, but it needs a little time to settle.

[Delirium1009]

I would recommend Love's Philosophy, Sugar Cookie, or Dorian for some wonderful vanilla scents (Sugar Cookie is a bit hard to find, though). Also, Pickled Imp is a wonderful clove vanilla without any of the incense of Snake Oil. I also LOVE Black Opal, but it's not your traditional creamy vanilla. It's vanilla rocks

[Aevalin]

I would recommend Love's Philosophy, Sugar Cookie, or Dorian for some wonderful vanilla scents (Sugar Cookie is a bit hard to find, though). Also, Pickled Imp is a wonderful clove vanilla without any of the incense of Snake Oil. I also LOVE Black Opal, but it's not your traditional creamy vanilla. It's vanilla rocks

 

See Love's Philosophy was ok on me but Sugar Cookie and Dorian are two of my 3 favourite BPALs (the other being Snow White), Sugar Cookie is so buttery and warm and vanillay mmmmmmmm. Dorian is a sweetened vanilla tea and is lovely too.

[phantasmmysteria]

As a fellow vanilla-lover who amps incense, I feel your pain! I hear people swooning over the gorgeous vanilla in Snake Oil, but it never shows up for me.

 

My favoritest vanilla blends:

Love's Philosophy (creamy, almost savory vanilla... this stuff is wonderful, and should definitely be tried)

Eat Me (as foody as this is, most people who smell this on me claim to smell incense among other things. So this is my go-to scent when I want to smell a little like incense and a little like cake)

Australian Copperhead (The only Snake Oil variant from the CD I can wear, but I like fruity scents. I DO get the vanilla in the drydown of this Snake)

Monsterbait: Underpants (I know, I know! Rediculously hard to come by, and when it's wet the sandalwood can get a little aggressive -- but the drydown! Oh Mah Guh! )

Edited September 2, 2008 by PhantasmMysteria

[donnatron]

Tombstone: I have to second it. It's lovely. The sassafras and vanilla are gorgeous together and the cedar and balsam give it a ridiculously long wearlength.

Stimulating Sassafras Strengthener: Tombstone without the woody notes. Sassafras and vanilla are very complimentary.

Golden Priapus: If you can wait for the juniper to burn off (anywhere from a few minutes to an hour), it leaves a really soft, clean vanilla-amber frangrance. It's reminiscent of O but instead of the honey (which I think is what turns most people off O, although YMMV) it has a great rosewood note.

Dragon's Milk: Sort of a softer, sweeter Blood Kiss. Dragon's blood can be a bit tempestuous, but it's a great combo.

Euphrosyne: Unless you amp florals something awful, this is an amazing, sweet borderline foody vanilla. One of my favourites and one of the unsung heroes of the GC.

Edited September 2, 2008 by paperrose

[lunaticana]

Mouse long and sad Tail

[Mianjo]

I hate to say it, but: Aged Snake Oil.

 

I have a bottle that's 1.5 years old, a bottle from 2004, and a decant from 2003. As you age Snake Oil, it gets sweeter and deeper and just incredible. And the more you aged it, the better that vanilla gets. There is a BIG difference even between the newer bottle and the older bottle--the spices are almost non-existent in the older Snake Oil.

 

So put some aside and try it again in year. In the meantime, try everyone else's suggestions. I've gotten some great ideas from this thread.

Edited September 2, 2008 by Mianjo