Snake Oil

[Convallaria]

By far, our most popular scent! Magnetic, mysterious, and exceedingly sexual in nature. A blend of exotic Indonesian oils sugared with vanilla.

 

A classical "oriental" - spicy vanilla, not of the yummy variety. Of spices, I think I recognise sandalwood and maybe some tonka bean as well. I tested fresh oil imp and 2009 vintage bottle simultaneously. Sandalwood is sharper in new one, making it almost woody at the opening. Aged has much more mellowed edges. I think I might actually prefer the new one, though the aged one is fine as well and probably better-suited to polite company. It's also one of blends that leave more visible stains, so beware.

[Sio Bhan]

After reading all the rave reviews on this I felt compelled to investigate and purchased a wee imp. When I opened it and sniffed I was transported back to childhood and smelling my mother's perfume; She had a vial of deer musk extracted from the glands of a stag. This smelt almost exactly like that musk! Except there was more sugar in Snake oil. It has an intoxicating aroma. It's mysterious, but wouldn't suit everyone. People around you definitely notice it, for better or worse. It seems to have a profound aphrodisiac effect on some individuals and It is a marvelous gender neutral fragrance. As it ages, the thick oil just becomes sweeter. Needless to say, I promptly purchased a large bottle to apply it more liberally, perhaps a little too heavily! Oh my! It does stain fair skin, I have noticed. It lasts bloody ages, even if you're working all night in a sweaty kitchen; Snake Oil will not relent!!

[Foodie]

Well, there isn't anything that I can say that has not been said about the wonderful and glorious Snake Oil. I will tell you that the reviews are all well deserved... Snake Oil is just as sexy and awesome as everyone says it is. Strong vanilla with some indescribable spiciness to it. I feel super sexy and confident wearing this. Also, this was the only scent that, when testing out all of my new goodies (thanks lab!), all of my kids said they loved and was their favorite! So not only a hit with men and women... children like it too! I can't not buy a bottle of Snake Oil. I need this in my life.

[ginger-mancer]

I've had my imp of Snake Oil for a little over a year. I don't use it every day, of course, but it's a good day when I bring it out of the storage case.

Just a swipe of Snake Oil carries me from 6 am to when I get home and shower (normally 8-10pm).

 

Wet, it's lovely: deep incense sweetened with vanilla.

Dry, still a treasure: mostly vanilla with hints of spices.

 

I don't get a particularly strong throw with this scent, which I prefer since it's so sensual.

[MischiefofRats]

I have to say, I get it. I do. I totally understand why people are raving about this scent. It's sweet and complex and deep, and the dry stage is gorgeous. I can understand the attraction and the cult following.

 

That said, for me Snake Oil is just noooot in character. I tend towards spice and wood and incense, golden amber, herbs, and certain florals. Even though honey is a seriously hit or miss note for me, and sugar is almost always right out, you'd think this would work... but. For me, this is a somewhat psychologically unsettling conflict of innocence and sex, and far, far too sweet for my taste. It's beautiful, but I just can't see me ever wearing it. I tried it once before, about a year ago when I got it, but I didn't like it much then either. I'll give it one more shot next year, when I'm not in "PUMPKIN SPICE ALL THE THINGS!!!!" autumn mode, but I think this is a pass for me. Pity. :/

 

Editing to add, a year later, I've tried it aged, I've tried it fresh, this stuff VANISHES on me in under an hour. I don't know if I'm just completely noise blind, but I think my skin just drinks it

Edited October 6, 2017 by MischiefofRats

[Moranna_Morgaine]

This really lives up to the Snake Oil of the 19th Century. I love the incense-like notes as well as the sweetness. It reeks (in a positive way) of innocence about to cross into experience through danger. This really made me even more excited for an upcoming masquerade ball the hubby and I are attending. It's like candy filled with absinthe or rummy cakes, anything that mixes innocence of sweet with the raw sensuality of deep spice and woodsy notes. LOVE it!

[Psycry]

I dragged this out of the imp pile tonight, finally brave enough to try this.

 

I'm also going to mention that this is a dark, thick well-aged imp. I believe I got this as a frimp with my first order back in 2008.

 

And there's no other way to describe it but this:

 

My.

Skin.

Hates.

This.

 

It morphs from a weirdly antiseptic/play-doh smell, to straight Johnson and Johnson Baby Powder, until the full drydown, and it's antiseptic baby powder...slightly sweeter than Gold Bond.

 

Damn it.

[KezzieZ]

The reputation for this one had me jumping on an imp purchase during my first BPAL order (also got a full-sized Nasty Woman, imp of Morocco, and some frimps). Technically, this was the one I was most looking forward to out of the imps/frimps I received.

 

I didn't try this earlier since the dark color had me worried it would be skin-staining and I try things on after work (since perfume isn't allowed in my workplace and it's a rule I follow since it's important). It didn't stain my skin anyway, but probably will when it ages.

 

In Bottle: I'd say... vanilla, cinnamon, and clove? I'm definitely interested.

 

Wet on Skin: I feel that something resinous is coming out with contact on my skin and that somewhat amps the clove as well, to my nose. For a moment, it almost smelled cigarette-esque (HUGE turn-off if it stayed that way; I hate the smell of cigarettes), but the clove seems to have quickly lightened up and I think I smell more cinnamon? I'd say the smell is pleasant... maybe handsome?

 

Approx. 1 Hour Later: I can see where some people get the impression of Play-Doh from this one, but that's not exactly what I'm getting here. Definitely still smell cinnamon and clove, but there's something else. It's like a mintiness, but more warm than sharp/cool? It smells a bit familiar, but I can't figure out what it reminds me of. There's a small sugary tinge as well. In a way, it sort of reminds me of those chalky heart-shaped candies sold around Valentine's Day.

 

------

 

It's not bad, but I'd be lying if I said it lived up to my expectations. I was hoping for a warm and smooth vanilla with a nice peppering of spices, but this is sort of medicinal in a way I can't put my finger on.

 

I'll try setting aside the imp to age and hopefully test again some other time since a lot of people hold out hope and get rewarded on this one.

 

EDIT: Scratch the no staining thing. In sunlight, I have slight yellow stains to my wrists. I'll have to put it in a more subtle spot for actual wear.

 

I also almost forgot to mention that animals seem to like it on me more than people do. A kitten in the house liked pressing her nose against my wrist and sniffling. I also got chased around by a bee outside during a walk and I think a butterfly tailed me for a bit. When I told a friend, she jokingly asked if I was wearing a Snow White perfume.

Edited November 18, 2016 by KezzieZ

[BridgeKeeper]

Got this scent to see what all the fuss is about. I like it... but that's all. It's not anything particularly amazing. It doesn't put me off, but it doesn't draw me in either. My undiscerning nose can definitely tell there's vanilla, sort of like a vanilla-oak candle I used to have. Very much meh.

[lizabelle]

My first Snake Oil! It takes a very long time to warm up on my skin, which is surprising. It starts almost bitter on me with what I would guess is a red musk/vetiver combo, but of course I could be wrong. Very heavy incensey vibe. The honey/vanilla combo comes into play extremely slowly but once it does it forms what I've heard people describe as "BPAL smell." It smells just like my imp box! Once it gets past that it's simultaneously sweet, powdery, and dark, and while I like it I might try aging my imp to see if it improves. This surprisingly has very little throw that I can detect and I think it would improve with time.

[renfair]

So, I really debated whether or not I should post a review of this, because for the moment it's so negative. However, I always find it interesting to read different takes on scents, and also from what I understand Snake Oil gets amazing after it's well aged, so I'd like to post my initial thoughts now then add to the review at a later date when I can re-visit the scent. So, on to the review! I will try to make the criticism as constructive as possible! (and will keep staring at that imp in the back of my case, willing it to age faster! I want to love this one soooo much!)

I got this Snake Oil as an imp I ordered right from the lab. I was so insanely curious to try it, knowing it's BPAL's most popular scent!

First Sniff Impression: Key Lime? There's something there I can't place. It sort of reminds me of another, commercial perfume. It's somehow not what I expected. More citrus-y, less musky.

Wet in Vial: In vial I get some kind of key lime smell. What is going on here??

Drying Down on Skin: Wet on skin I'm actually getting disposable baby diapers O_O. Like the "baby powder" perfume they put on them, especially brands like Luvs. Having a really, really hard time getting past the fake baby smell. But as far as a learning experience goes, I now know what it means when someone says a scent gets "powdery" on them. Crossing my fingers this will resolve with aging!

Dry on Skin:
--"Fake baby" is still kind of strong. I guess it's getting a tiny bit more herbal, like maybe oregano? Not one of the herbs I'd want to actually wear. So now it's like oregano lime baby powder.

-- After 10-20 minutes I'm picking up on that Play-Doh scent others have mentioned in reviews. I might need to shelve this one for a few months and see how it goes.

-- After a few hours mostly just the vanilla remains. It smells nice, but it's not worth the other overwhelming, not-so-nice notes to get that far. Sad face.

Conclusion: For the moment I prefer this one in the vial to on my skin, though I'm not a big fan of it in the vial, either. Vial's kind of old, decayed lime-rose cologne. On skin it's gross fake baby powder. So this one will definitely be left to age. As far as I know, this is the first scent I've ever tried that goes totally south on me, so hopefully I have skin chemistry that generally likes BPAL and Snake Oil just needs to age. Cause really, I'm dying over here to smell what everyone else is smelling! Will check back in after a few months or so, since the imp should age much quicker than a full bottle.

Edited February 26, 2017 by renfair

[Salazar]

Snake oil smells amazing!

 

This is my first bottle from Bpal and I have to say I am impressed. It's a spicy and slightly Smokey VANILLA on me. Emphasis on the vanilla here. Not only do I like it but in the last month I have received a few compliments. One co-worker started sniffing around the room trying to find what smelled so good until finally she stood in front of me... and her eyes lit up. She told me it was the best thing she's ever smelled.

Another person stopped me to ask what I was wearing - stating that I smelled like Smokey/vanilla goodness.

 

It lasts for ages too. All day on my skin.

 

Definitely worth getting another bottle.

Edited March 18, 2017 by Salazar

[Nikki Scarlet]

Decided to buy an imp of this since it's BPAL's most popular scent and I've been trying to find a nice vanilla scent, and thought something with a little added spice would fit the bill.

In the imp and on me, wet:
Ugh. Guh. Ooof. Yeah, no. The incensey part of this REALLY doesn't open well for me. I'm reacting to this very similarly to the way I first reacted to Sin, which is a big no. The vanilla is making it more bearable than Sin, but . . . no.

On me, dry:
Whatever it is that's doing this (patchouli?) is weird for me. It starts off awful, but drying lightens it, and when it's lighter it's quite pretty. I'd love it if it just WAS that subtle, brighter version of itself the whole way through. But this starts off dark and dreadful, briefly becomes light and lovely (at which point I like it in combination with the vanilla), and then returns to dark and awful. And my skin seems to amp it. The vanilla is not strong enough to tame it.

Verdict:
If it was like the brief, bright middle point the whole way through, I'd probably enjoy this a lot more, but alas, this scent is much too moody for me. Having read some of the recommendations in the reviews, I'm willing to wait a while and let this age before trying it one more time, but if it's anything like this first attempt then I definitely won't be wearing this ever again afterward and will swap it. Even after trying to scrub it off twice, it still clung to my skin and . . . honestly, I felt a bit nauseous.

Edited June 30, 2017 by Nikki Scarlet

[Sionnanful]

I decided to get this as an imp a while back ago, because it's the most popular scent and why not indulge on it?

I realize now that I've made a terrible, grave mistake in doing so.

I want 12 bottles of this, all aged at different times like a fine wine.

 

Out of the Imp: It smells of a gorgeous incense, and reminds me vaguely of my local mystic shop that always has soothing music and incense seeped into the carpet. Don't get me wrong, either, I love that place. Note though, it did take a while to age and get to that smell. When I first opened it a few months ago, it was just a slap to the face of spice.

 

After Trying It: Thereeeee it is, the spiced vanilla I was waiting for. The incense is still there, but there's definitely a nice vanilla to it that I love. Reminds me of the coffee that I drink that has way too much creamy spicy vanilla goodness in it. Although, what's odd is that different people get different smells of it on me. My friend said it smells like baby powder, while one of my former coworkers said I smelled really good one day and I had a little bit of this on. I'd prefer the latter, however, seeing as I would've ever want to smell like baby powder. (One of my most hated smells.)

 

 

Needless to say, I can see how this one would be popular. I think since it aged, there's less baby powder too, so that's always a plus. Definitely on my list of purchasing a full bottle of someday.

[Lucchesa]

Snake oil has lasted

Nearly twenty-four hours now

(No, I've not showered.)

 

Ghostly vanilla

All that's left of the famous

Indonesian oils.

[Fjaer]

Wow this is crazy! I usually wear perfume daily to work, just for my own sake, I enjoy being able to have a faint whiff of something nice around me.
However, for the first time, I've worn Snake Oil to work. I only got it a few weeks ago and haven't worn it much.

I work at an art gallery in India, New Delhi. And the gallery assistants have been passing through transporting pieces of art work.

They keep saying things like 'areyy Khushbu aa rahi hai!' meaning 'ooh there's a lovely scent in here!' and asking me if I can smell it.

They also keep saying they can smell clove and cardamom.

I've also been asked if I've been eating something sweet (lots of candy and mouth freshers here contain sweet spices)

"Strange it only smells good in this room!" one of them said.

 

Also had more people chatting to me today! One of the gallery assistants being his chatty slightly flirty (marginally creepy at times) self even more so today hahah.

This stuff is potent I guess!!!

I do like the scent. I'm usually drawn to the stranger scents; dirt scents, spicy/ foody ones and occasionally florals. But this really is something different,

[gloame]

Warm and spicy. Smells very natural, but enhanced. Like being in a tent in the dessert, watching someone work magic.

Where I'd wear this: Burning Man

[mishi-bear]

Snake Oil is popular for good reason.

 

Anyway, I love it. I actually got a frimp of it a while ago, and just never got around to trying it for nearly a year. That was actually a great coincidence, since Snake Oil only gets better with age.

 

It's a very sultry vanilla, and not overly sweet. It's also got great throw and lasts basically forever. Most bpal disappears on me within a handful of hours, this lasted on me overnight and only went away after I showered.

 

I definitely recommend trying it, and I'll definitely be grabbing as big bottle of it ASAP.

[roseneurosis]

I received this today, so this is my review of a fresh bottle.

I've been basically huffing my wrist for the past two hours.

Okay, here goes:

 

In bottle: Very dark and smokey, but there's a sweetness to it. Smells like if I bottled the scent of my local head shop (a cloud of incense smoke and the curiously ever-present sugar cookies available for paying customers)

Fresh on skin: Spicy, but in the way incense smoke bites your nose when you smell it directly. No vanilla just yet.

Dry on skin: Mmm, smoked vanilla with a twinge of spice. Smells like the vanilla scent of old book pages.

Imagery: Someone reading a very old book near a stick of lit incense, while eating ginger snaps and sipping masala chai. Spicy. Smokey. Mysterious. Lightly sweet.

 

Verdict: I work at a public library and let me tell you...if you're looking to be the "sexy librarian" trope, this perfume is for you. In my 6 years of librarianship, I have not gotten hit on so much! Guys, gals and nonbinary pals alike will be allured by this seductive smokey/spicy vanilla scent. I received my bottle today and have just purchased another bottle for aging purposes. I'll continue to wear this fresh bottle, and once it is spent, I will have an aged bottle ready to review!

[Beary Strange]

In the bottle, it's very sweet; and directly on, it smells woodsy and maybe a bit spicy. On the it's way to drying down, it smells very much like what happens when I mix Eat Me and Greed, only not as strong and the slightest bit plastic-y. And after it's dried down a bit it, it's all spicy vanilla with a hint of cherry-heavy fruits. It's definitely strikes me as similar to Eat Me + Greed, but more wearable in public. There's not a lot of throw, but it does seem to be lasting.

Edited November 18, 2017 by BearyStrange

[achildoftime]

I finally got my hand on some newer Snake Oil so I can compare fresh vs. aged. My aged imp is at least 5 years old, but is likely older than that.

 

Freshly applied, for me the newer one has much better throw. I can pick it out much more readily. It's smoky and spiced. The vanilla hasn't turned to baked goods as it usually does for me, so that's good. The aged one is actually faring very similar. It's not quite as smoky and actually smells a little dulled down. However, it does seem to hold it's strength pretty well. Even though it isn't as strong out of the gate, it doesn't fade out as much as the newer one. They don't actually smell that different to me. The longevity is really the big difference when they are dry. They are both nice enough, being softly spiced and vanillic. I'm not crazy about it as a smell, but that probably has more to do with my general aversion to vanilla than anything else. It was interesting to try them side by side, though.

[theredkilt]

Can't believe i haven't reviewed this before. I became a BPAL fiend in May 2011 and among my first BPAL purchases was an aged 2005 or 2006 bottle (white paper label) of Snake Oil.I heard all about the excitement surrounding Snake Oil and i had to experience it myself. After i finished my aged bottle, i purchases another one in May 2016 from the Lab and let it age and today i cracked it open.

 

I will say that in order to experience the beauty of SO you have to age it from 1 to 2-3 years.

 

Snake Oil to me is an exotic, slinky concoction that may read as incensy, but to my nose it's a spicy resinous vanilla with a tingling sensation. Having tested this throughout the years, i've come to the conclusion that it contains vanilla, patchouli, musk, benzoin and possibly some other spice.

 

All in all, it's a unique oil in the sea of BPAL blends and any vanilla aficionado should try it..

[Juliamon]

I pried open my fresh (received from the Lab last week) imp just to give it a sniff, having planned to age it first since it's the Thing You Do With Snake Oil, and somehow ended up holding the wand between my fingers with oil dripping down one. Guess I'm gonna find out what it's like fresh on me!

 

My initial reaction, straight from the vial, is: I recognize this smell. If you've been to Tucson for the gem & mineral shows in February, this is what half the international vendors' rooms smell like. It has a very particular vibe, exotic and enticing.

 

Once spread out onto my skin I can only describe it as a very dry smell that almost (but not quite) makes me want to sneeze. On my fingertips where the oil was most concentrated there's just the slightest whiff of tire rubber, like a hardware store. On my forearms where I rubbed the excess, my skin is already eagerly amping the vanilla. It's mostly a smoky (not smoked) vanilla there, sort of like a chain smoker eating vanilla ice cream. It's a mood-conflicting smell as I hate cigarette smoke and love vanilla ice cream. Holding my fingers against the opposite arm I can get a more even mix of scents, which helps block out the smoke but not the rubber.

 

Fresh Snake Oil is certainly not for me. However, I will age the rest of this imp and try again in the future. Hopefully that rubber note and the smoke mellow out, it could be a real winner for me if it does.

 

1-month Update: most of the cigarette smoke has aged out already, and the rubber is less prominent. I aaaalmost get that Play-Doh smell, but not quite. It's overall less intense, more rounded and comfortable. I'm really excited to see how it continues to age.

Edited April 24, 2018 by Juliamon

[SoundlessEchoes]

Not that another review of this lovely is desperately needed but... My imp is 2015 vintage, and initial review notes are all from when it was fresh.

 

In the imp: Sharp spice floating over a bed of soft vanilla. Definitely reminds me of incense and sort of a head shop/exotics shop type location.

 

5 to 10 minute drydown: I found a smoky, slightly unpleasant burnt note came out on drydown, heavier on one wrist than the other. The combination of sweet and smoky seems like it should appeal to me but I don't really like it at this stage.

 

1 hour drydown: The burnt notes went away and the vanilla and incense notes regained control. It's not my absolute favorite and feels a bit strong for summer but I do like it!

 

Over the years, I've found it melllows. It no longer gets that burnt note on initial application, and the vanilla feels richer and less foody. I find myself wearing it a lot more now than I was ever eager to when it was new.

[elinox]

First Sniff: Soft and sugary vanilla

 

Initial Wet Application: This is powdery soft so I hope it doesn’t fade into nothingness! There’s some sort of woody, plywood in this too. Sandalwood, is that you?

 

Dry Down (first 15 minutes): Wait...is this becoming more gentle vanilla again?

 

My Reaction: I tried this because it’s the labs #1 seller and because I love vanilla and have been looking for the perfect, sugary sweet vanilla for ages. I wanted to like this, I really did, since it’s so popular, but I just don’t care for the dried out plywood that sandalwood becomes on my skin. It seems to go back and forth between plywood and faint vanilla. It was alright, but still not the vanilla I’m looking for.

 

Rating: 2.5