Death Adder

[themeaningofV]

Snake Oil with vetiver, black coconut, vanilla, and opoponax.

I bought a sniffie of this as an impulse buy on a recent forum order, and I'm so glad I did. I've never tried Snake Oil because vanilla's hit-or-miss on me, but I might have to give it a shot, because this is wonderful. I get vanilla, coconut, and spices when first applied, and then the vetiver comes out to round it out with an earthy base.

I wish I had more of this now! If this is in the rumored CD comeback, I'm definitely buying a bottle or two.

[mymymai]

ITB: Sugared vanilla, and black coconut are the clearest notes in the bottle. I do get some Snake Oil, but it is a bit sweeter here than it is when applied to the skin.

 

Wet: I get vanilla, lightly toasted coconut (so good!), resinous and slightly ready opoponax, and a hint of sugar from the Snake Oil. It's absolutely gorgeous.

 

Dry: Super heady and amazingly sexy. The opoonax mingles thickly with the vetiver and the black coconut, under which is faint vanilla and Indonesian oils. I want to bathe in it.

[Anathema]

In the bottle: Sweet, sugary coconut with a thick layer of earthy vetiver. It smells exactly like I wanted it to - very similar to LUSH Trichomania shampoo. Gorgeous.

 

Wet: Pure vetiver. I don't smell any vanilla or spice from the Snake Oil at all sadly. The vetiver smell is still nice though as it's a favorite note of mine.

 

Dry: Gasoline. I don't know how this happened, but something with my skin chemistry made this interact oddly and turn to a gas smell instead of earthy and sweet. I gave it a couple tries on different days and it sadly made no difference. I'm sadly re-homing this oil. I really wanted this to work!

[JasminDreams2010]

Death Adder? Oh, hell no. This is not a death adder. This is a snuggle bunny adder. This is muppet baby adder. This is this little cute guy: http://babyanimalzoo.com/sssssnakes-cute-baby-snakes/little-tiny-snake.

But, that's not to say this is dumbed down or lacks complexity. It's a sophisticated oil, it's just really gentle and soft.

 

I like this perfume. It's different than what I thought it would be, but it works. My worries were unfounded. It's not vetiver being a tyrant. It isn't synthetic coconut. It's soft, herby snake oil with a touch of toasted macaroon. It goes to show how weird skin chemistry is, with other reviewers saying it's dark and dangerous, etc.

 

I'm not getting dark and dangerous. I'm getting sweet, earthy, vanilla macarooon snake oil. So far, so good. A keeper.

 

Now off to hunt tiki king or carnaval diabolique for some more edgy coconut.

 

Update- though this never became the powerful coconut I wanted, what it does on it's own right is amazing and hoard-worthy. If this comes back I want all the bottles!

I'm renaming it snuggle adder. And I love it. <3

 

This is my holy grail! I have a million other perfumes but this one is the one that is most me. I can be in any mood and reach for this stuff. It's like snake oil plus cosy, mysterious, lovely sex magic. How can something be both cosy and mysterious?!!! It's amazing.

Beth, if you're reading this I'm begging for resurrection!

Edited April 22, 2014 by JasminDreams2010

[LizziesLuck]

Original: (will likely add my review of 2016 when I get my decants! Can't wait to compare)

 

 

Wet: Wow. The familiar base on Snake Oil is there, for sure. But it's sweeter, and the smoky vetiver and coconut are great together! Mmm. A very non-foodie coconut, to me. Very warm, a little tropical almost. Sultry. Great. It's reminding me a lot of Lamia - I think the coconut/vetiver combo. Love. This is like Snake Oil in a tropical jungle.

 

Dry: Love it. Lamia plus Snake Oil on me. AWESOME.

 

 

ETA: 2016

 

My decant of 2016 Death Adder just arrived today, so it is fresh out of the mail, but I can't wait to try it! I decided not to do a side by side comparison right now, but I may later.

 

 

Wet: Mmm. Warm, husky coconut with nutty vetiver. Sweet and rich. I think the vetiver in this may be more present than in my bottle of the original. But the coconut is as well. Essentially, the other notes are less dominated by Snake Oil in this.

 

Dry: Much more coconut than the original, I think. Warm, husky, nutty coconut. It's amazing. The backing of Snake Oil is perfect. Coconut is one of my favourite scents, and this is one of my favourite coconut scents. Either there is a slight difference between original Death Adder and 2016, or I like this better fresh. Either way, I will need a bottle of 2016. Several, more than likely. This just shot into my Top 10. It may be my favourite coconut scent ever. *swoon*.

Edited May 12, 2016 by LizziesLuck

[annemathematics]

2016 version:

 

I first sniffed this when it was hot [well, nice and toasty warm, actually] off of the mail truck. it smelled of strong foodie coconut over a light background of spiced vanilla. no vetiver nor opoponax and it felt too foodie for my tastes. tucked it aside for a whopping two days and TA DA this potion has morphed into the most glorious magic.

 

the coconut is still present but more creamy and floral than sunscreen or food. the vetiver and opoponax have come out to play and are adding a touch of dark sexy grit to the whole thing. this is a lovechild cousin to a grievous swarm and goblin. there is a sublime dance between the coconut/vanilla and the darker resins. each perfectly complimenting the other. it lasts a long time but the throw is currently rather low (I'll wager good money that the throw will improve with time). can't stop huffing; this is fantastic stuff.

[lizardqueen]

Reviewing the original version; bought a bottle from the Etsy trunk show a couple of years ago.

 

In the bottle, this seems to my nose like a boozy, woody vanilla, but it's on my skin where it really sings. Spicy vanilla, black coconut (which I read as more dry and toasted, as opposed to soft and creamy), and vetiver. Odds are good that if you're not a fan of vetiver, this won't be your thing, but I quite like vetiver, so this is a favorite of mine. It may be the closest to unisex a vanilla-coconut scent can get; also, there's something about it that's always seemed kind of pirate-y to me, which I dig.

[aiobhan]

Dark, dry vetiver keeps the sweetness of the vanilla and Snake Oil from being overwhelming. The coconut is subtle and adds a warm and buttery top note. This isn't a foody scent at all, but it's definitely gorgeous, dry, dark, and a little sweet.

[Casablanca]

Wand: Vetiver, coconut and a little sweet vanilla. I like it on the wand, but I'm highly vetiver- and coconut-friendly. My coworker was unconvinced.

Wet: Once this hits my skin, it's divine. Granted, I love these notes. But I think there's some extra magic here. Rich and smooth vetiver, coconut and vanilla. A haunted beach scent. I wanna slather (and then go to the beach).

Dry: Once dry, the throw drops dramatically -- I need to press my nose to wrist to get it. A bit later, I barely get anything, just a faint spicy vetiver shadow. Layering this on a few times helps, but not enough.

I was gonna get like a four-pack of this, because it's so good, and so me, but, like Boomslang, it's a vanishing act on me.

 

Addendum: It's now afternoon, several hours later, and Death Adder has resurfaced. I didn't apply more, yet I can now smell it on my wrist again from a few inches away. It's now a smooth, spicy, sexy, almost perfumey vetiver.

You sneaky devil, you.

I might need to rethink not getting a bottle.

Edited May 13, 2016 by Casablanca

[sarandipitee]

(Original version)

 

While opoponax is a loved note and I adore SO, this snake doesn't love me. Death Adder is heavy on the vetiver mixed with plastic coconut. There's a faint trickle of snake oil in the background but it's nit enough. This snake needs a new home.

[VetchVesper]

Woah! That's some vetiver ya got there Mr. Death Adder, sir. Smoky and dark with a hint of vanillic snake oil and dark incensey coconut. Yumalicious. I bet this will age well too. I agree with an earlier reviewer's comparison to Goblin, but I'd mix it with a dash of Prurience. A prurient goblin? Oh dear.

 

Anywho, I really like this. On me, vetiver takes the stage on dry down, but the other notes stick around with supporting roles. My friend tried some on, and it went very coconutty on her, but it was still dark and smooth, not foodie or sweet. I want to slather my husband in this and see what happens. I want to slather everything in this and see what happens. Mmmmmmm...

[Bassmastadroog]

Bottle is smoky coconut and hot grass! Super exotic. I didn't know exactly how vetiver smelled, scents I've tried with it don't exactly showcase it as this oil does.

 

Dries to an awesome smoky, milky and dark coconut, with slight vetiver. The vetiver does not dominate this blend in me...kind of sinks back on the dry. The vanilla is probably what milks out the smoky coconut, and I am not sure what opoponax smells like...but even without being sure this is a beautiful, dark, coconut/vanilla smoke.

[Elspethdixon]

2016 version

 

I originally tested this fresh from the decanting circle in May and didn't like it - I'm not a fan of Snake Oil in general, and there was a funky "aftersmell" (like the olfactory version of an aftertaste) that was impossible to identify but distinctly unpleasant (like, objectively unpleasant, not just "I don't like Snake Oil"). After a couple months of aging, I'm retesting.

 

Wet - Snake Oil with smokey vetiver. A more pleasant Snake Oil than the usual funky-medicinal SO wet phase, though. I can't detect any coconut. The throw projects several inches out from my skin; I'm testing Death Cap on my other wrist, and had to literally hold my Death Adder arm behind my back while I sniffed the Death Cap to get a clean read on it rather than Death-Cap-vetiver-Snake-Oil.

 

Freshly applied/five minutes in - The vetiver has vanished beneath a cloying haze of Snake Oil. Maybe there’s a hint of dryness from it? Still no coconut, but I’m not getting the rancid oil after smell I got from this back in May, either. At ten minutes a hint of the “aftersmell” appears, but weaker than last time. Aging seems to improve Death Adder.

 

Half-hour mark - The Snake Oil is already starting to fade, and I keep getting hints of something sweet and fruity as the coconut struggles to emerge from beneath it. It’s gradually changing from mostly cloying Snake Oil to mostly fruity coconut/smokey vetiver, and I like the coconut/vetiver aspect much better. No more unpleasant aftersmell, either. If it was like this from the beginning, this would be bottle worthy for sure. Sadly, it’s already starting to fade, and I bet it will be gone within an hour.

Three hours - I was wrong. Death Adder is much longer-lived than I expected, and is now all delicious, smokey vetiver with a hint of sweetness. No trace of snake oil left (yay!) just vetiver. I have to put my nose directly against my skin to smell it at this point, but that’s still a longer lifespan than any snake has had on me yet. And everything from the half-hour mark on out was good, and from the hour mark outward, great.

 

6-8 hours later, I can still catch faint whiffs of vetiver when i put my nose directly to my skin. Mmmm, vetiver.

 

If I didn't have to suffer through a half-hour of Snake Oil dominance to get to the good part, this would be bottle-worthy. There needs to be some other scent with coconut/vanilla and vetiver but without Snake Oil, because basically Death Adder starts to gel and be lovely once the Snake Oil notes are gone.

[galahad]

In the Bottle: Definitely vetiver and I can pick out the coconut as well with a grounding of snake oil

 

On the Skin: Initially the vetiver is surprisingly light and the play of the black coconut with the snake oil and an extra boost of vanilla is delicious! The vetiver does come out to play a little more as it dries down and the whole is unexpectedly perfumey in a good way (Smokestack this is not).

 

The Drydown: The vetiver certainly plays a feature role in this but never gets out of control. This is not a tame creature but it sure is beautiful. All of the elements promise spectacular aging.

[theredkilt]

I'm reviewing the 2016 bottle, purchased in May. So, i let the oil age for 7 months. I get a sweet smoky vetiver rounded with a hint of coconut, but no SO in sight. I let it sit on my skin and the vetiver just lingers on and no coconut, opponax or vanilla showing up up. By this time it's a one-note party: VETIVER

[gloame]

This could be the one. I love the smell of Snake Oil but it's a little too much for an every day scent for me. I was hoping to find a nice compromise among these Carnaval Snake Pit blends. This is the 4th or 5th I've bought (thank god Carnaval has lasted so long) and it may be the best yet. It's got that sultry, smoky, spiciness of Snake Oil, but the coconut is really mellowing it out. I like the vetiver here, too. Much deep, chewy, earthiness. Much love.

 

Where I'd wear it: Would be great in the autumn, but I think it'd work on a sultry summer night, too.

[torikitty]

It's like a sexy, sugared, dark muskiness with the addition of a sweet, dark, dry, woody coconut and an extra helping of a sexy, dark vanilla.

 

Little Bird summed it up perfectly. Very sexy. Dry coconut and vanilla. I can see this being a good scent for going out on a warm summer evening.

 

Unfortunately, I end up amping the vetiver, and it's just a dry woods smell. But it was lovely until that happened.

Edited June 12, 2017 by Carrie

[Madame Mew]

Death Adder is one of my new favorites. The description is dead on!

A perfect blend of snake oil and for me, balanced by the vetiver. I love the throw and the wear. This is a comforting and autumnal scent to me. YUM!

[Lucchesa]

Death Adder is one of my favorite Snake Pit scents (with Western Diamondback). My decant is from the original series, so I think all the confrontational aspects of the vetiver have been aged out of it, and it's just gorgeous, smooth, dark, sexy goodness. And it swaggers in arm and arm with coconut, syrupy opoponax, and vanilla. And Snake Oil, of course. Wait, isn't there vanilla in Snake Oil? So, redundant vanilla. Love it. After about three hours, the vetiver is largely gone, and I'm left with faintly dark, faintly coconutty Snake Oil. Which, being Snake Oil, lasts and lasts. I wish the vetiver lasted longer; I may have to buy a brand new Death Adder and see how it wears.

[zankoku_zen]

2016 version

I am getting a ton of coconut from this. It's mainly a smoky coconut with spicy vanilla. Good throw and wear length.

[dementia_divine]

2016 version.

 

In the decant: Vetiver and coconut-infused Snake Oil with some opoponax in the background. Vetiver and I are not friends, but I am on a quest to try all of the Snake Pit scents, so here goes!

Wet: The Snake Oil in this is strong. In some of the Snake Pit blends, the Snake Oil is just a light base, but that is not the case with this one. I get lots of coconut with the Snake Oil, the smoky vetiver, and some cola-like opoponax and some extra vanilla.

Dry: There’s lots of coconut, some vetiver (I think it’s the bourbon vetiver of Wulric the Wolfman -- the only kind that has worked for me thus far), and some vanilla and opoponax on a soft bed of Snake Oil.

 

Verdict: I did not expect this one to work on me, but it was a pleasant surprise! I’m going to have to give this one a full-day test to see whether or not I need a bottle, but I’ll definitely enjoy using up this decant!

Edited June 1, 2018 by dementia_divine