Banded Sea Snake (2006)

[lothien]

Snake Oil with oakmoss, sea moss, and olive leaf.

I have to start this out by saying that Snake Oil is usually not my friend. It's either too medicinal (fresh), or (aged) the vanilla goes all playdoh and nasty on me.

Banded Sea Snake is none of those things. It's more what I was hoping SO *would* be.

It's definitely Snake Oil, creamy vanilla and spices, balanced beautifully by the mosses and olive leaf. I have to say that I don't think I have tried anything that has olive leaf in it, so I couldn't pick it out, but something definitely tempers the moss, which can be overwhelmingly "fuzzy" in some scents I've tried, and can drown everything. I'm not sure of the age of the decant I have, but this is amazing and smooth, with no astringent quality to it, and the vanilla is creamy and beautiful under and around everything else. I am loving this and already have contacted a forumite about a bottle for sale. Yay for frimp WIN!

Really a sweet surprise after the SO family members I've tried that just didn't go my way.

[DigitalCoyote]

Wet: Uh.....root beer....? I'm pretty sure I smell like A&W, maybe faintly of cream soda.

 

Drying: Root beer and the dreaded baby powder.

 

Dried: Still root beer and baby powder. Pretty strong throw, though.

[DeltaCat]

Creamy lovely vanilla with a hint of spice on wet. On drydown I get the sea moss and it fits in so nicely. This is such a warm smooth comforting scent. Def. bottle worthy!

[reynardine]

In decant: this is another Snake blend that doesn’t smell much like Snake Oil—very fresh, green scent.

 

Wet: Something in Snake Oil always smells a bit plastic on my skin. The other elements do a bit to cover it up, but that underlying note is there and it just doesn’t work with me.

 

Drydown: I do like these mosses. They dry down beautifully.

 

Later: Still too “Snake Oil” for me. Again, will try to age and see if that doesn’t soften this down a bit.

 

[tailoredshirt]

Wet: I get the SO, and something aquatic but not really aquatic. I'm thinking this is the moss, but I'm not good at identifying moss quite yet so I can't say for sure. I agree with the "fuzzy green-brown" mentioned above, because that's what this smells like. Vanilla, spice, and something green-brown and fuzzy.

 

Dry: I'm not really getting that this is a "green" scent. It doesn't feel very fresh and herbal to me. That green-brown fuzzy scent is still there, and now I feel like I'm getting something sort of dry and earthy, like patchouli. I also agree with the person somewhere above that mentioned it smelling a bit like chocolate. This is reminding me more of Boomslang than any of the other Snake Pit scents I've tried. On me, Boomslang was all patchouli over a very thin slice of spice-vanilla-chocolate, and this is similar just with a little more vanilla. I don't actively dislike it, but it's not really doing much for me either.

Overall: I get a lot of patchouli and green-brown earthiness from this, over a layer of vanilla and what could be chocolate. I don't think this is for me.

[crebbsgirl]

Unfortunately, this went straight up SO on me. The beginning stages were much more complex, with the moss a hint of aquatic coming out. But eventually, it just went to SO. Nice, but I have plenty of SO to keep me company!

[Greensleeves]

In the bottle: Dark orange oil. Smells like Green Tree Viper, minus the mint, with instead a very incensy, mossy richness.

 

Wet: Mmm, sweet, dark, mysterious greenness layered with vanilla and incense.

 

Dry: I feel like a sexy forest goddess, the scent is so rich and green and sweet, and very deep and grounded. It is not a meadow greennness, but a seductive, moonlit greenness. I think this might possibly be even better than Green Tree Viper.

 

After a few minutes: Suddenly everything has gotten somewhat bitter. I detect a faint hint of really bad tasting cough syrup, but overall it still smells good. I'm also feeling something sort of burny on my wrist.

 

After first hour: The bitterness has faded and again I'm getting dark green richness mixed with the spiced vanilla of the Snake Oil. I want to hump my own leg again.

 

After two and a half hours: Rich woodland moss and vanilla spice. Eminently sexable. A woodsy sex cookie, lol.

After 5 hours: Soft green and vanilla.

 

Final verdict: Wow, this is awesome. Another one for the keeper box.

[lahdeedah]

I had the strangest experience with BSS.

 

Sniffing the vial, it seemed like SO, only tempered, smoother, with a slight aquatic feel. This boded well. Wet on skin it maintained that same initial scent impression for a few brief minutes, then dried to down to a quite masculine, musky scent. Maybe the oakmoss is the culprit? And for the rest of the day and night (did I mention this stuff has amazing lasting power on me) that's how it stayed, and I swear it smelled exactly like Dorian does on me, though that seems more than peculiar given the lack of notes in common. I often like things that lean toward the masculine, but I do draw the line at actually smelling like a man, which is how I feel about Dorian--sexy slightly unwashed man.

 

One last note about the strength of this: I put a teeny tiny bit on my scalp, and I swear I could still smell it even after a shower or two. That's by far the strongest BPAL I've encountered.

[RhinestoneHousewife]

It's like a soft, powdery version of Snake Oil on me. Soft and not much throw. I do get a very slight hint of rootbeer or sarsaparilla on dry down. It's not a winner on me so off to swaps it goes!

[Helas]

I was lured into trying Banded Sea Snake by the reviews that compare it to Lyonesse mixed with Snake Oil, since Lyonesse is probably my all-time favourite perfume at this point and I want to try all the scents that are like it. I haven't tried Snake Oil yet (blasphemy, I know).

 

Upon application, I was a bit disappointed. I don't get any ozone from this one, nor do I get sea moss. Banded Sea Snake is damp to me, but not aquatic - more like breathing in the green scent of a patch of moss after a rainfall. There is also a hint of something that evokes spicy wood to me, I suppose the spices from the Snake Oil, and a bitter drizzle of olive, and a waft of vanilla sweetness. Once I got over my disappointment over it being nothing like Lyonesse, I started enjoying this one a lot. It's a clean, organic mossy vanilla scent, laid-back and natural and not at all cloying.

 

Edited to add: over time, this has grown into a new favourite. It's incredibly sexy, haunting and dark and I always get compliments while wearing it. An easy five stars.

Edited April 24, 2011 by Helas

[Penance]

Origin:

 

2-year-old 5mL from Wolfie79

 

Preconceived notions:

 

The Snake Pit blends are generally winners for me, but I've been putting off trying this one because I was worried it would be aquatic because of the name, and the sea moss, which I don't think I've ever tried in anything. I'm not a fan of aquatic scents, so that's a big concern for me.

 

But curiosity eventually got the better of me, especially since I love the idea of a mossy version of Snake Oil.

 

First sniff:

 

Mmm, nice! I can really smell the Snake Oil in this one (unlike some of the other Snake Pit blends), but it's covering a base of soft, dry moss. The oakmoss is definitely putting in an appearance. I'm not entirely sure what sea moss smells like, but I gather it's a type of algae, so it should have a seaweed-type smell, which I'm not getting from this (yet, anyway).

 

Wet on skin:

 

Mossy Snake Oil. It's sweet, but dry and green from the oakmoss. There's a little bit of something that smells a tiny bit like seaweed here, but mainly it's a dry, mossy vanilla-musk-spice scent.

 

Dry down:

 

This has to be one of the most unusual Snake Pit blends I've tried. The spiced vanilla musk of Snake Oil is still putting in a strong appearance, but there's an almost equally strong layer of various shades of green. Crumbly, dry grey-green from the oakmoss, a brighter, springier green from the olive leaf (just a touch, it's very subtle) and an even subtler hint of what could be damp seaweed.

 

I wouldn't call this an aquatic scent, personally. Instead, it's like Snake Oil had a baby with Mole and raised it on a wooded cliff overlooking an ocean tidepool. It sounds strange, but it works.

 

The bottom line:

 

I really like this. It's unusual, no doubt about it. I have a feeling that this is one of the Snake Pit blends that works best when it's got some age to it (although I haven't tried it fresh, so that's just a guess) so that the richness of the vanilla, musk and spices in the Snake Oil can smooth over and pull together the other notes.

Edited June 15, 2011 by Shollin
Removed Lab description

[biocarolyn]

This is snake oil with clear olive leaf, a note I'm coming to really enjoy. I recognize it from Halloween New Orleans...green and deep. It also feels a little brighter, more aquatic than Snake Oil. Really nice, like "summer" snake oil

[filigree_shadow]

This bottle has been sitting in my BPAL box since 2007. I originally intended to let it age for a little while, but... I kinda forgot about it. So it's just been sitting there. I remember thinking it was too green for me when it was fresh.

 

It's still green, but it's more mossy/dry now, and the Snake Oil is stronger than I remember. When it's dry I can barely even smell any of that green/aquatic scent.

 

I like it better now that it has aged, but with all the other Snake Pit bottles to choose from, this one isn't in the "favorites" category. So far I like all the Snake Oil combinations I've tried, but I like some better than others, so I have to be picky.

[KittyHawk]

Sea moss is one of my death notes, so I wasn't too hopeful about Banded Sea Snake, but I thought the Snake Oil base might keep the moss from beating everything else into submission. Let's just say the sea moss took a mallet to the other notes and left them for dead. Aquatic notes just hate my skin, and unfortunately, this is no exception. I bet this is a stunning blend on an aquatic lover, but it is not a snake for me.

[loubric]

Oily, sweet soapy leafy goodness in the IMP... on me the oil is thick and golden in color and smells like rich warm smoky oak. It evokes images of leather clad books filling an old 18th century castle library. The romantic heroine curled up by the fireplace, her handsome Duke at her side ...

 

Unfortunately as much as I like the fantasy I don't really want to small like it all day ... although it would do very nicely in a bath or in an oil burner.

[pekeana]

Oak moss usually doesn't do so well on my skin, so I was surprised by Banded Sea Snake. I get a lot of salty, briny green-ness out of it before the green notes disappear entirely and I'm left with salty Snake Oil with a hint of seaweed (if you squint and close your eyes and only smell with one nostril for just a fleeting second) and a touch of something vaguely linen-ish.

[surlygurl]

This oil was purchased in a decant circle when the snake pit was new. I remember not liking it very much but seeing (smelling) potential in it. So I put it away and ignored it.

 

Today I put some on. It started off snake oil-y with a musty dusty funk. Oh geez.... now I remember. But I kept getting something pleasant between blasts of mustiness. After a long wait, a sweetness came out. It eventually chased off the funk, because now it is lovely. A sweet cotton-candy powder with an oceanic feel. Other reviewers mentioned sea moss and forest; I can see that. It's not an aquatic or a spice. It's just different. I like it!

 

When the Carnival returns, I'd like to get a fresh decant to compare.

[GoddesShel]

Aged imp I bought off the forum. I think Banded Sea Snake just broke my winning Snake Pit Streak, though - meaning that it's the first one I've tried that I'm not absolutely crazy about.

 

I got it because I learned from the pass-around sniff box that oakmoss is nice....but it doesn't appear to work for me in this. As the previous reviewer said, I also get "musty" from this, as well as a hint of salt. Not doing it for me, I'm sorry to say. It's a very sharp Snake Oil, and I like my Snake Oil with the edges a bit smoother.

[vanilla323]

I'll admit I wanted this scent simply because Banded Sea Snakes are one of my favorite snakes! They're awesome!

 

The scent is nice but not a total win for me. I do like Snake Oil but I like it more mixed with other things. This is just a little too masculine (maybe the oakmoss) and not foodie. And by foodie I mean the Snake Oil vanilla goodness is not prominent. It is a nice scent and I do like it but it's not love. It is aquatic though so if you love that kind of scent you have to give this a try!

 

It had ok throw and not much staying power oddly. And yes I LOVE the label.

[dementia_divine]

This decant is from 2007.

 

In the decant: Aged Snake Oil (stronger on the vanilla, yaaaas) and moss.

 

Wet: I’m met with a blast of glorious, aged Snake Oil with some moss. The moss is kept in check by the Snake Oil, so it’s not allowed to go into soap territory. This is aquatic Snake Oil, and I am really enjoying it so far.

 

Dry: This is the perfect balance of Snake Oil and moss. Some of the Snake Pit scents only have a light Snake Oil base (or perhaps that was originally the case with this and the Snake Oil came out with age?), but the Snake Oil in this one is prominent, and its lovely vanilla and spices pair really well with the moss.

 

Verdict: I never thought moss and Snake Oil would go so well together. This is amazing. I’m going to hold on to my decant and see if I can get a decant of the current iteration of the scent to see how it compares.