Laudanum

[RhinestoneHousewife]

The essence of the most debauched hunger encapsulated into a perfume. Desire beyond love, anguish beyond sanity. Nutmeg, sassafras, black poppy and myrrh.

This was a frimp from the lab.

In bottle: Sassafras! I love sassafras so I eagerly slopped some on.

Wet on skin: Sassafras and slightly medicinal.

Dry on skin: Hmmm...something has happened. Something nefarious. It now smells very medicinal, like a dentists office. And clove cigarette. Like someone is smoking a clove in the dentists office. It's made me feel tense and anxious (the smell of a dentists office always makes me feel like that.) At the same time, I feel slightly woozy and high. Ugh. This is just not working for me.

Verdict: Not for me so it's off to swaps.

[lou77]

Does anyone remember coal tar soap? That's all I could smell on the first try. Second time I get a slight whiff of sarsparilla, but it's quickly back to coal tar soap again.

 

There's a note in this that I also smell in Love Me. I don't really like it in either scent.

[INFJ4w3]

Someone said this smells like coal tar soap. Yes, that's it! Coal tar soap with a touch of sickly sweetness and a layer of medicinal bitterness. It's mostly bitter and medicinal on my skin. I don't think so. 2 stars out of 5, feeling generous. Not the bottom of the barrel, but far from the best. Might work well on a Gothic junkie?

[SophieCedar]

Wet: whoa. Myrrh and sassafras rush towards my nostrils first, then followed by the black poppy. Very rich, dark, and all encompassing. Color impression, dark red and brown with flashes of golden orange.

 

Drydown: Nutmeg comes out and sadly this blend turns mostly towards that. There's a faint trickle of poppy and sassafras in the background however I smell mostly nutmeg. I still like it but wish the others could (basically do the chemically impossible and..) stick around longer.

[brilliantcat]

In the bottle: Definitely nutmeg and a root beer kick from the sassafras. Not much of the poppy or myrrh in-bottle.

 

Immediately after application: Fairly similar to the bottle with an undercurrent of the myrrh now. I smell like cinnamony nuts and root beer!

 

Warming up: This is darkening into something wicked. The root beer-y note from the sassafras has faded into a lingering sweetness but now I'm getting opium from this. The poppy is definitely coming through. It's not the smoky opium of hookahs though, it's a sweet resiny opium.

 

Fading: Sweet, sticky opium. No smoke here. *presses Johnny Depp to her opium-infused breasts* We'll be awhile.

 

Faded: Medium fade time and it stayed that opium poppy with sweet undertones.

 

Overall: I've always liked the smell of opium incense and the sweet, pungent scent of this is right up my alley. I'm fond of the sticky sweet root beer start as well but as it warms it morphs into that fantastic sweet poppy smell that's almost intoxicating. Definitely the type of sexy, sultry scent I tend to like.

[imaginepageant]

In the Vial: The first thing that popped into my head was: woodsmoke. I'm guessing that's a combination of the sassafras and myrrh tricking me. Upon further sniffing, I can pick out the sassafras for what it actually is (and it smells oh so slightly boozy in this), as well as the nutmeg, and maybe the black poppy in a generally floral kind of way.

 

Wet: Warmer and sharper than it was in the imp, making that woodsmoke vibe even stronger. After a minute, the sassafras and myrrh start to separate and become more individually noticeable. And it gets a bit sweeter.

 

Dry: This is sitting by a bonfire with a hot mug of sarsaparilla in your hand. As time goes on, the myrrh really picks up speed and starts to overtake the sassafras.

 

An Hour Later: Very heavy on the myrrh now, with hints of sassafras and nutmeg. The sweetness has vanished completely.

 

Overall: Interesting! I liked it best in the early stages, and wish the myrrh hadn't gotten quite so strong. Will probably keep the imp, but don't need a bottle.

[Urpflanze]

Now this is what the lab is all about! Unexpected and wondrous. Nutmeg lovers, look no further. I have to respectfully disagree with the judgment that this is medicinal. The term is ambiguous, but seems to suggest that this is somehow either boozy or acridly herbal or antiseptic or sickly sweet. It is none of those things. I am pleased to find a nutmeg scent that is not foody at all.

 

Laudanum is deep, smoky sweet, spicy, nutmeggy myrrh that steadily reveals more and more caramelly sassafras and tarry opium. Laudanum has subtle, natural, spicy sweetness that increases after two or three hours. The nutmeg is strongest at the outset but stays there throughout. All four notes are here now (after 4 hours) - good throw, great wear length. Drug, indeed. I think it does have a noticeable effect on one's wits, not unlike the effect of caffeine (i.e. the very mildest of manias). Clearly this one is a matter of taste, but if it suits yours, I predict you will not just like it but love it as I do. While I think this leans a little masculine, it is definitely unisex, especially in the later, sweeter stage which lasts for hours.

 

Laudanum is a perfect basic for the adventurous type that craves a little bitterness, a little spiciness, a little mind-bending vegetal sweetness to liven up the mortal coil.

 

It should be noted, however, that loving laudanum is one of the side effects of smelling laudanum and that I may not be in my right mind as I write this.

[Circaea]

I have to agree completely with the previous reviewer: this is adventurous, bold and atmospheric; though initially, I do get Vintage Medicine Cabinet, as the dry spiciness hits my skin. As the scent settles, the sarsparilla retreats, the nutmeg comes up and I have the impression of a druggy, smokey Victorian Christmas, the kind where the black sheep of the family drops in with the best of intentions, but as usual screws things up and is shown the door, with orders to get straight or get lost. Alone, he wanders through the foggy streets and finds himself in a haunt of vice, where he proceeds to indulge his worst impulses.

 

I don't think Laudanum is the kind of thing I could wear often enough to justify a bottle, but I believe I will use up this imp, and replace it at some point.

Edited August 1, 2011 by Circaea

[TurpentineChai]

I'm definitely getting Root Beer soaked band-aids too.

 

My first thoughts were- this smells like a dirty old doctor's office, I don't like it. And yet I find myself with nose firmly attached to wrist several times a minute. It really is an amazing scent and although it's not something I'd want people to think I smell like- it is something I like to smell. If that makes any sense. :eyeroll:

 

Also, tried it on a co-worker and it reacted different to her in the way that made me exclaim how much she reminded me of how my mom used to smell when I was a kid. I called my mom and go figure: she used to wear YSL Opium.

 

Overall, I don't have any plans of buying this but I may keep the imp as a curio.

Edited August 26, 2011 by TurpentineChai

[Grimwitch]

Mmm, sassafras. That's all I could smell in the bottle.

 

Dry on my skin the myrhh is coming out, making it less sweet and more spicy. I can see why people are thinking cloves! This is a hot scent, I can feel warmth on my wrists. It's like the embers of a charcoal brazier - poke them and you'll get fire, but if you let them be it's just the faintest hint of a glow in the darkness.

 

7 hours later it's almost all gone, sadly. I'm still getting the scent when I sniff my wrist, but there's no throw anymore.

Edited September 15, 2011 by Grimwitch

[KindKit]

Initially I got very strong nutmeg from this, which soon developed into a more rounded spiciness and an almost-organic earthiness underneath. I'm not familiar with sassafrass as a note, so I'm assuming it's the spiciness that isn't the nutmeg. There is something of the same spice bouquet that you find in good quality, natural root beer, but without the sweetness.

 

As it dries, the myrrh comes out, bringing a warmth and a resinous, very slightly medicinal quality. The black poppy isn't detectable to me as a separate note, but I guess it contributes to the earthy/organic thing.

 

Overall there's a spicy, faintly smoky complexity to this scent. After a few hours it turns to mostly myrrh, as myrrh blends tend to do on me. I wish it kept the other layers longer, but I like myrrh fine as a lingering base note.

[KissleMeNow]

The primary notes are sassafras and the poppy, neither of which I am very familiar with, so I can't assess whether one or the other is predominant. The nutmeg is there, strong but not like a typical spice scent. The myrrh is present but not dominant. It's quite robust without being overpowering, herby and slightly woody. I find it somehow strengthening – grabbed it out of the box at random on a morning when I felt I could hardy get out of bed, and it perked me up. Laudanum is just great. (In some history dorkitude, I now want to try layering it with a honey scent, since a lot of laudanum mixtures involved honey).

[{Aurelius}]

Laudanum is my current favorite of all the scents created by BPAL.

 

It is going to be hard for me to describe exactly why I like it, because it is just it's own experience to me, wearing this fragrance

 

Well, I'll start by saying that I love the "medicinal" air that never leaves Laudanum's side. This.."medical note" is the most noticable note in the blend. It smells sort of like unglazed porcelain, yet there is a sort of spice to it. The fact that Laudanum has that medical attribute is rare in a perfume oil. I know that not everyone would agree, but I think that is very unfortunate

 

Underneath the sweet hospital-smelling bite, there is a note that resembles latex. However, it is not unpleasant, only interesting. And there is the faintest trace of a very aged cologne in here somewhere. Laudanum is most definitely unisex, despite the faint cologne note mentioned.

 

If you are not a fan of medicinal fragrance oils, you best pass Laudanum up. If you are just assuming you won't like them, however, then give it a try - it is very interesting indeed, which is a big part of what artisan perfumeries are all about!

[fufu_berry]

This smells great on - getting a lot of clove and nutmeg, and just a hint of sassafras. It smells like a slightly more medicinal chai, very light and warm. In the imp and wet on the skin, the "green" smell of the poppy combined with the smoky/spicy background makes it smell pretty similar to another kind of "green" herb (if you catch my drift), so you might want to be careful of that!

[Scorianelle]

I should start by saying that I strongly suspect the imp I got of this was quite aged. My experience was of an abrasive and not really pleasant scent. The sassafras and black poppy dominated and together caused this to become dry and biting. The Myrrh and nutmeg didn't show, so there wasn't much colour or body to it overall. It wasn't terrible but certainly wasn't something I'd ever want to wear.

 

Colour association: Black smoke.

[catalyst]

*sigh*

 

I've been wanting to try this one really badly, and just got it in a swap. I definitely get that medicinal note strongly when it's wet, and after about 15 it's still there faintly. It reminds me of a veterinarian's office, where you get that medicinal twang mixed with something furry and a little musky. I like the sassafras in Tombstone, but here it's clashing with something in a bad way. Off to the swaps.

[SweetBastet]

Imp: Dark, Smoky spice

 

wet: goes sour on my skin, definitely medicinal. Is the sassafrass the licoricey bit?

 

Drydown: smoke returns, very clove cigs-y, i get that. very From Hell, I agree. strong.

 

Dry: nope, don't like it. it wavered in and out of me territory, but settled into something i might try to wash off. Boo, I was hoping for the spicy rootbeer

[BoneBone24]

Wet: Sweet root beer.

 

Drydown: Root beer and opium, which make a really nice pairing. Brighter than I expected. A fascinating duality as its both fizzy and smoky. Rich, glowing browns and shiny coppers.

 

Dry: Opium soda (you heard me) partnered with sweet, smooth myrrh. A touch of astringent nutmeg layered just beneath. The perfect amount of throw. Quite lovely.

 

 

 

I wish I had more to add to the description, but really all I keep thinking is "Ooooh, that's nice."

9 out of 10 bones

Edited October 20, 2013 by BoneBone24

[ND¢]

Many previous reviews have eloquently captured this evocative scent, so I'll confine myself to saying that it smells exactly, EXACTLY like the herb store I used to go to in Albuquerque, down by the university. A nice fond memory whose comparison doesn't break down with long nasal inspection. It *does* feel like an 'old' oil in the most positive connotation of the word... as if I'm privy to something secret, almost. The slight, light sweetness underneath the almost somber overtone sets it off perfectly. Will definitely keep the imp, and I'm so glad a kind forumite gifted it to me in a sale! This would layer well under a light, gentle, subtle blend, I think; maybe a SN. It works well with Tamamo-no-Mae on me.

[Deliciousness]

The essence of the most debauched hunger encapsulated into a perfume. Desire beyond love, anguish beyond sanity. Nutmeg, sassafras, black poppy and myrrh.

 

Imp: minty lemon/lime medicinal smell

On skin: same smell with hints of goose down

 

I don't know whats wrong with me and my nose and skin, but I'm not getting nutmeg or root beer

I've got this crazy mint thing going on which is odd because there is no mint even listed as a note - where is this coming from?!

In a previous review, someone wrote that this was "medicinal" smelling, and I agree with that assessment. My own notes include lemon/lime, goose down, mint and pee (sorry Beth - please don't be mad)

In short, my nose is weird and my skin sucks. I wish I could enjoy this scent like many others have, but this just doesn't work on me.

[Atrous]

In the Imp: My, this is weird. Not sure what I'm smelling but it's making my head spin.

 

Wet: Medicinal. Not in a good way.

 

Dry: Ick! Medicine and sometimes I get a whiff of what smells like burnt engine oil. Its got a butt load of throw and makes me a bit woozy when I smell it. So odd.

[Alainn]

This is one of those oils that serves to remind me how important it is to skin-test everything that comes into my hands, because the smell in the vial can be very deceiving.

 

In the imp: Yikes! I don't even know how to describe this one. I get each component individually--warm myrrh, rounded out by sweet sassafrass, with a kick of spice from the nutmeg, and a high, sharp note from the opium poppy. These notes seem so inharmonious, even though I like them each individually, so I'm a little scared to put this on my skin.

 

Wet, on skin: This is not a pretty wet phase for me. The opium poppy is high and sharp and very "perfumey," for lack of a better word, although the other notes are trying valiantly to make themselves heard. Behind it, the sassafrass is syrupy-sweet, with a spicy edge. It smells like a big stinky vase of flowers floating in spicy homemade rootbeer.

 

Dry: it takes about an hour of mouth-breathing to get there, but all of a sudden as I'm typing I start to get these whiffs of warm, sweet, spicy myrrh. The poppy finally said what it needed to say and receded into the background, and the myrrh warmed up to round out the sticky-sweet sassafrass. The nutmeg is still there, but instead of smelling like a spice cupboard, it just adds a slightly bitter edge that gives the blend complexity. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I really, really like this once it's had a chance to figure out how to work together.

 

The comparisons to YSL Opium are apt; my mother was, and is, a big Opium fan, and this, on me, is a lighter, sweeter, simpler version of that. For the positive association alone, I find this oddly comforting, and will definitely have to hold on to the imp, and possibly track down another for my mom to try.

[lucycat]

In the imp it's pungent, like a strong herbal cleaning product. It's not unpleasant, though.

 

Wet, I get that same pungency, which I think must be the myrrh.

 

Briefly, Laudanum becomes a spicy root beer scent. Then, sadly, that vanishes.

 

When it dries down, this smells just like YSL Opium. Unfortunately, that equates to stale old lady perfume on my skin. Oh well, they can't all be winners. I bought this hoping for the spicy root beer that others have described, but I have Stimulating Sassafras Strengthener for a root beer scent.

[milo]

First off, this one is STRONG! I'm definitely getting the myrhh here, and something that smells like black musk, but it's not listed. This reminds me of a sophisticated, expensive oriental perfume. Spicy, evocative and a 'night on the town' scent, in a plush cabaret, high heels, little black dress, and exclusive members. I like this, but will definitely will not slather next time. I'm going out in a bit to the gym, and a little worried about my scent choice.

[Zii]

OH MY GOD GT IT OFF.

 

The sassafras is so overpowering and rotten smelling. I cannot wear this at all.