Scorpio 2007

[tamburlaine]

Fixed Water: the essence of passion.
Dark musk, wormwood, basil, dragon's blood resin, galangal, and opoponax.

I've been looking forward to this blend since Beth started doing astrological signs again. I'm a Scorpio moon, and I relate very strongly to the sign, so I of course was interested to see how BPAL would interpret it. Add this to the fact that Scorpio is a very weird sign -- it's a firey water sign, full of mysteries and paradoxes -- and you end up with a very curious perfume consumer, i.e. me. So how has Beth contained "fixed water" in a 5 ml bottle?

In the bottle: At first whiff, I can smell the resinous ingredients. It smells sweet...

On my skin: The opoponax and dragon's blood resin arrive first on the scene, accompanied by that unmistakable dark musk scent that reminds me of very sexy dirt. (Yes, very sexy dirt, I said.) I'm waiting for a herbaceousness -- something that I agree should be in all Scorpio blends to mimic a bayou atmosphere that the sign lends itself to -- but it's not here! The dragon's blood resin and opoponax are overpowering this blend. I wouldn't mind that so much, since those ingredients work well on me, but thus far the blend isn't particularly exceptional. The dry-down hasn't arrived yet, but I'm still disappointed that there's no galangal, wormwood, or basil on the scene.
Dry-down: The dominant note here is most definitely the dragon's blood. The sweet opoponax and vaguely spicey dark musk complement it well, but I only get the most minute hints of the bitter herbal quality that comes with wormwood and mild piney scent that comes with galangal. No basil! And I love basil!

Unfortunately my skin isn't feeling very adventurous when it comes to this blend; it seems that my Leo sun is bringing out the more fixed and passionate aspects of Scorpio 2007 (the sexy resins) and isn't interested in exploring the more mysterious, watery notes (the wormwood, basil, and galangal.) I'll have to try this later in the month, maybe things will be different.

I categorize this blend as an oriental/resin, first and foremost. The resins are sure to be present on everybody. But there's a part of this blend that has yet to be realized (oh-so-Scorpio,) and it might only get recognized on a few people who have a sensitivity to more herbal/dry woodsy ingredients.

In conclusion, it seems that Scorpio 2007 is a real Scorpio of a blend. It's very mysterious and Scorpio-like insofar that there are notes in it that I know exist but I can't get at them! As a perfume on the whole, the blend isn't very dramatic or exciting, but it's the concept that I always consider the most important when reviewing Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab blends, and I think Beth has successfully captured the concept of the Scorpio personality. Edited November 25, 2007 by Shollin

[monsteralice]

Crush basil and wormwood in one fist while letting some resin and sliced galangal warm up in the other; now empty both hands and sniff both at once. That's Scorpio. It has an occult flavor from the resins combined with the mystery of bitter herbs. I didn't get a sense of aquatic from it, but nonetheless it was dark mysterious Scorpio.

 

The resins last longest, like they always do - I don't have a problem with that. I have Scorpio as my sun sign and I think this scent is a good representation of it.

[The_Merf]

In the bottle this really smells amazing--the opoponax, the pine of the galangal and the dragon's blood are a lovely blend that has a bit of earth, but is perhaps more reminiscent of the Gothic resin blends (Darkness, for example). It also reminds me a lot of Penitence. In fact, as I put in on and in the wet stage, Scorpio '07 is a dead ringer for Penitence on my skin. It's all oozing black-brown resin, with perhaps the slightest bit of red, black and purple mixed in with it. Something about the oil seems to invite you to engage with it at an intimate level, but it is also a frustrating oil (at least with my skin chemistry) because of the dominance of the opoponax. I know there are other notes lurking behind the resin, but I can't really reach them (one could argue that this means Beth has perfected the duality of Scorpio in this scent!). As the scent dries--and thankfully it does not disappear as it dries because these are long-lasting resins-I can start to smell a bit of the dragon's blood that I caught in the bottle. The scent continues to get more complex as it dries--from a bit of a distance I can more easily catch a whiff of the wormwood, but up close it is still resins and dragon's blood, warmed the slightest bit by basil. I think will get even more lovely with age, as the resin blends tend to do, and I'm quite glad I picked up a bottle, as I almost turned this one down. It is the first of the 2007 astrological blends that has really caught me (I am a Scorpio ASC).

[urraca]

I'm one of those Scorpios who would have bought this if its sole note had been attar of Labbie belly button lint, but to be honest, when I read the actual notes it contains, I was quite nervous. Dark musk and dragon's blood are both iffy to say the least on me and the wormwood and basil made me nervous too. I like it much more than I would have thought, especially after it dries down.

 

At first I get strong herbal notes backed by distinctive BPAL dark musk. "Oh dear," I think. But the musk backs down and the herbs mellow into an almost licouricey scent. It is very autumnal, with an almost Samhain feel, a dark spooky Samhain (as if Samhain weren't dark and spooky already). The herbs back down in the ry down, and the resins really show through. This is the phase I like the most.

 

It is going to be a great scent to wear in the autumn, and when I'm feeling my most Scorpio-y.

[Rheliwen]

Interesting. The wormwood and dbr combo are giving off an anise or dr pepper vibe in the first stage.

 

Once that settles down I smell the dbr most, followed by the wormwood and resins. The dark musk is not at all overpowering here but it is very present...it's almost fuzzy. I do smell the basil way in the back but you'd have to know to look for it.

 

After a while this turns into a musky, dry, herby scent.

 

As a scorpio I am excited to add this to my other original bottle. They are both different but similar in feel which is nice. It isn't mind-blowing but it is a nice, warm, comforting scent.

 

I wanted to add that as I sniff as it fades it smells much more similar to the original.

Edited October 10, 2007 by Rheliwen

[Lethran]

In the bottle: mostly like dragon musk with the wormwood noticable, and the other ingredients lightening it and making it smell more herbal and outdoorsey. On the skin, the initial impression is a sweeter version of Dragon musk. The galangal, worwood, and basil adds complexity as it settles, making it more botanical and outdoors smelling. I'm betting the very faintly floral note is the opoponax, but it's barely noticeable. If you like dragon's musk, I'm guessing this is up your alley. I know I'm liking it.

[JennyGardener]

At first sniff, Scorpio smelled vaguely aquatic, but with something musky and sinister swimming in it. Like a great dark muskrat. On the skin, the water quickly fades away, but I am left with a richly spicy and resinous coating. Something lightly floral and innocent waves at me from time to time, as if all that darkness is just a stinger or claw to protect the loving heart within. And then on the drydown, the sweetness melds with the sexiness, to remind me of a passionate lover in bed. As it dries further, a soft almost cola smell is left, with specks of pungent spices still lingering. I'm not so sure this scent reminds me of my Scorpio hubby, but it does remind me of that boyfriend in college - you know, the one that was passionate but short-lived in my relationship history. The one you never forget.

[flyingpizza]

Oh, yum! Delicious myrrh-y goodness. Do try if you're a fan of Minotaur or Priala. I'm so happy that I took a chance on this one.

[sookster]

straight sniff from bottle is very remin"scent" of my beloved schwarzer mond

 

sweet, heady, resinous the basil and dark musk are just too gorgeous for words...

 

omG...once applied this is like basil and dragon's blood incense...by far my

favorite of all the astrological blends so far! i am thrilled to pieces and am

thrilled i ordered this gem...beth is a genius!!!

[Viridian]

Oh, my. I was terrified of how this sounded, because I was afraid it was going to be just too heavy on me. But I am a Scorpio, and a fairly typical one, at that, so I felt the need to try it, at least.

 

It. is. gorgeous. Lab musks are often incredibly soft on me, nothing like the drugstore musk perfumes I used to wear in high school (Skin Musk, anyone?), which were just too... too. Still I tend to shy away from them in spite of having found that they soften beautifully when they hit my skin.

 

Scorpio, on me, turns into, bizarrely, a slightly more intense version of Death on a Pale Horse. Where Death on a Pale Horse is pale and cool almost whisper-light, Scorpio is a touch warmer and more assertive, but there's something watery about it without screaming aquatic. I like it very, very much. As others mentioned, it's got a myrrh-y note to it, which surprised me, though as Darkness was my first and favorite scent, I was pleased to have it show up in Scorpio. This one is truly wonderful. I have to be careful with resins, but this one had me sniffing my wrist happily all day. A clear winner, for me.

 

 

Edited review: at some point this started going very un-complex and almost powdery on me. I don't know what happened, but it makes me sad. It was so nice those first few times!

Edited July 18, 2011 by Viridian

[alicia_stardust]

SCORPIO

 

Wet: Musks, herbs, and a deep "red" scent.

 

Dry: The musks and opoponax hit first, and they are so soft and deep and dark; layered, sultry, sexy, passionate. This is the strongest part of Scorpio. Beyond that, there is a nice sharp bite that is the typical dragon's blood resin "tingle". For a short time I can smell a hint of basil and... something that reminds me of very light, sweet anise. Whether that's a trick of the nose or something related to the wormwood, I do not know. All I know is that the overall "red" mood of this blend is amazing! The velvety musks, the resins, EVERYTHING about this is passionate, soft, and sexy!

[grashopper8]

Wow, this is special....

 

The first time that I applied Scorpio this morning, I got incense and woods with a faint smokey sweetness. One of the gorgeous spices from Snake Oil was swirling around....

 

I just re-applied, using just a touch rather than slathering, and it is mostly musk this time. It really depends on your chemistry, maybe.

 

This is a sensuous, deep, scorp-orific blend. I am sooo happy I have 5mL! I will be enjoying this scent on days (and nights) when I need a little extra Scorpio come-hither hip-swaying sensuality.

 

Sexy!

 

ETA: I've let this age a little, and it's even more seductive! One of my favorite BPALs! First applied, I definitely get the same initial impression, with incense, woods, Snake Oil notes, and musk. Dried down, it's the loveliest myrrh scent ever! It's similar to Queen of Clubs once it's dried down, so if you like QoC, you should seek out some Scorp 07.

 

4.8 out of 5

Edited March 1, 2008 by AEris

[slave1]

SCORPIO 07

 

In Bottle: Dark sweet resin

 

On Skin: Oh yes I love this. I have an obsession with dark resins… Schwarzer Mond, Mme Moriarty, Minotaur…. and this. So dark and sexy, seductive beyond any measure. It’s much lighter than Schwarzer Mond which was a thick sticky resin on me. Scorpio, is more thinned out and wearable for anyone. The resins float around me and warm me up instantly on this cold day. The basil and wormswood add to the earthyness. The Dragon’s Blood is sweet but very faint. I get a slight black liccorice feel from this, but nothing overwhelming. I love Scorpio! It’s an ace in my book for sure. I will be wearing this a lot without a doubt, and would love to smell it on my husband as well since it’s freaking sexy! Medium throw and long wearlength.

[jolarocknrolla]

something between Minotaur and S. Mond so if you liked those two you will desperately need this. deep and dark and resin-y but somehow not too dark to be like curb-stomping your nose. there's also a sexy sweetness in there. super sexy yum!

[euterpe414]

Add me to the chorus of those who were reminded of Minotaur and Schwarzer Mond when they tested this. I find Scorpio to be a touch sweeter than the previous two blends, perhaps due to the wormwood in the blend. Anyway, it's nothing short of fabulous if you are a resin lover, and lasts for an incredibly long time with a fair amount of throw. I love the addition of the basil, it adds a unique herbal kick to the blend that sets it apart from all the other dark resinous beauties. Plus, it's interesting that two blends with basil in them (Troll and this one) smell incredibly, completely different, yet both delicious

[QueenFae]

This is soft, subtle, muted yet has a slight kick. This smells the most like wormwood and dragon's blood; although there is a hazey, resinous base that floats underneath. I can detect a hint of the "watery" essence in this blend. It really is quite contrary! This strikes me as somewhat masculne, but not too masculine for a woman. It's not typically a scent I would go for, but it certainly intrigues me for some reason.

 

Scorpio doesn't have a lot of throw, it clings very close to the skin. Definitely a fascinating scent!

[deleahrium]

Watered down, red dirt.

 

I was interested in this blend for the basil mostly, and I don't detect it very much. But it's still so interesting! The wormwood comes out strongly, with the dragon's blood right in tow. I think I would absolutely love this on a man. It's sweet and dark, and definitely sexy dirt, as tamburtaine said. And it definitely clings closely to the skin. This scent is a turn-on like crazy... you'd have to get really close to someone to smell it, and man would I be happy to be that close to someone who smells like this.

[LadyCrow]

I am so very, very glad to be getting a bottle of this scent from a fellow LiveJournaller.

 

In the vial: Deep, dark, resinous.

 

Wet: I get the wormwood and basil as top notes very sharply, in astringent contrast to the dark musky base. The resins predominate very quickly.

 

Drydown: O HAI. I CAN HAS DRAGONZ BLUD! In fact, this makes me think of a much more complex, and very smoothly blended, almost Salon version of an Ars Draconis -- say, Dragon's Musk amped up like The Great Red Dragon and the Woman Clothed With the Sun -- in that my beloved note is readily detectable, but shares center stage quite nicely with the opoponax, galangal, and musk.

 

The Dragon's Blood Diva Decrees: I was predisposed to like this based on the listed notes. Then everybody started raving about it and making comparisons to Schwarzer Mond, prompting me to seek out a bottle even before my decants arrived. I don't think those comparisons are so crazy (although Brian used some wacky ingredients like zdravetz, which would make a fabulous Scrabble play if you had the Z and a blank tile), and I think this is some damn fine stuff indeed. Strong throw, with the greenness oddly lending an almost root-beer-ish tone to the resins at times. This is why we all go nutsy and spend so much money on this stuff (and time acquiring it, decanting it, etc.) -- this sort of blend could validly be described as "Gothy," I suppose, but is so very much better constructed as a scent palette than any simplistic description implies.

[ceiswyn]

In the bottle: There is no one single note that predominates. This isn't a particularly strong scent, but it is quite complex; something musky, something almost a little menthol, a sweetness that isn't fruit or flowers, and something vaguely herbal/spicy that isn't green. Very odd.

 

On the wrist: That suddenly became a little stronger! I'm surprised there's no patchouli in this, because it smells slightly patchouli-esque, with a trace of aniseed that must be the wormwood, and the earthy touch of galangal. After a few moments the slightly cherry scent of dragon's blood becomes just barely detectable on my right wrist, but mostly this is a dark and smoky blend.

 

One hour later: The scent is rather pleasant; musky and smoky, a little earthy with a faint dragon's blood sweetness. But it has almost no throw, and no staying power. Drat!

[Brianne]

A very deep and resinous scent, this is sort of mysterious and I think something in it actually smells quite a lot like anise (must be the wormwood?). If I had known it was going to smell so anise-y I would have bought a whole bottle!

[laliloo]

I'm still horrendously bad at picking out individual notes in blends. I ordered this more out of interest and on a bit of a whim, as so far dragon's blood has been a huge fat no-no on my skin. My bottle arrived yesterday and I touched the lid to my skin and was pleasantly surprised that I didn't get the cloyingly sickly smell that I usually associate with dragon's blood. Yaay!

 

So today I decided to test properly (ie, without having Pirate Moon and Beaver Moon dotted around me - yes, I smelt a little, err, odd, yesterday afternoon!). I put a decent amount on my wrists and neck before going out for my run in the woods. It's another gorgeous glowing autumn day here (and warm!) and Scorpio so perfectly matched the weather and the scenery. I thought October had captured the season perfectly but I have to admit, Scorpio just overtook it in perfection stakes. Softly green and muted brown - that's the colour of Scorpio to me.

 

I find it more earthy than anything else, and I cannot for the life of me pick out any of the separate scents. It sits on my skin and becomes a part of me and I am just happy to let the gorgeous soft, musky whiffs of gloriousness waft over me. It's not really like any other blend I've tried so far, although I can smell some similarity to the lovely Hunter Moon.

 

It's a very dark oil, so perhaps be aware of that if you're wearing light clothes.

[yeahbutnobut]

Scorpio 07

 

In the imp: mmm, deep rich resinous musk, reminds me of Minotaur.

Wet on skin: musky resins with a twist of basil and dragon's blood.

Dry on skin: I like this. It's heavy on the opoponax, something I was hoping would pop up in Aries, and for now the dragon's blood isn't taking over (though I can definitely smell it, and in here it's quite metallic). I also smell the basil, which in here smells a little bit like green anise…or is that the wormwood? I'm not familiar with the scent of wormwood itself but there's something absinthe-like over all the musky resins. A slight greenish, ghostly whisper of herbal anise over the dark musk, which is sweet and viscous and dark, and merges nicely with the opoponax.

After a while: the herbal absinthe note does fade by now, and I now smell more of those fabulous musky resins. The dragon's blood is incredibly well behaved here, like the DB in Red Moon was, only here it's a lot more obvious but it fits in with the other notes. The mix of opoponax and musk is fabulous-rich, dark, this is mysterious, sweet and deep and enticing. It's like a dark room, a dark cave, something unexplored and shrouded in shadows, tempting you, there's that same feel that I got from Minotaur of wanting to discover this scent and get lost in it. It is a thick and almost oppressive sweet darkness, but it smells really nice.

The dragon's blood does get strong and does threaten to take over…and in here it smells bloodier, with that bite of iron to it, and less floral. Now this smells like the Cracked Bell and the Telltale Heart, a metallic resinous musky affair, with an ominous, foreboding vibe to it. It then stays like this until the end, remaining that blood-stained sweet musk with a hint of sinister incense.

Verdict: this one really took me by surprise! This looked like it would be like a musky-herbal Aries, which sadly, despite being my sign, smelt weird on me, but this smells far better than my own sign's scent! The dragon's blood, which I usually amp to high heaven, is subtle here, and the opoponax, which I adore, is nice and strong, boosted by the musk. There are hints of dark herbs at the start which are really nice, but they fade, and the scent then becomes dominated by that fantastic resinous musk. It reminds me of a blood-tinged Minotaur or Schwarzer, with that same blood note that I got in things like the Cracked Bell. This also reminds me of Dragon's Musk with a bit more oomph and a bit less dragon's blood. This scent is gorgeously dark and full of depth and mystery, and it smells both dangerous and sexy, and I love that. This is one I'm definitely keeping my bottle of. I think having my sun (and Mercury and Venus) in the Scorpio-ruled eighth house might explain why this is really good on me.

Emoticon rating:

Is it a keeper? yes!

If you like this, try: Dragon's Musk, Telltale Heart, Cracked Bell, Blood Amber, Event Horizon, Minotaur

[Pepperminx]

In the bottle it smells almost minty, I’m kinda guessing it’s the wormwood. It’s a dark herbal smell, with a little freshness to it, which I guess might be the basil. When I put it on it immediately turns quite sweet and VERY resinous. I can clearly smell the dragon’s blood resin, even though I don’t own that many oils with dragon’s blood, it stands out a lot at first. The opoponax is sweetening it up a whole lot - or it’s the dark musk which tends to go very sweet on me, or more likely, it’s a combination of the two.

 

Reading up on Wikipedia, galangal is supposed to give a faint hint of citrus - that explains the freshness. No real hint of basil, but I’m sure it’s adding to the herbalness of the blend.

 

This is a nice resinous/herbal blend that I’d probably wear a lot if I were into resins more. I can imagine this being a fantastic room fragrance!

 

I'm no longer selling or trading my stash, but if I were I'd still keep this, and not just because it's my sign.

[spiralmissy]

tested and reviewed 11/12/07

I will heartily admit that I purchased this only because I am a proud Scorpio and indentify with anything having to do with the sign. Including this wonderful, orgasmic blend!

As soon as I opened the bottle, I knew that I would need several bottles of this scent.

In the bottle

Deep, dark velvety resin with a crisp undertone of pine? herbs? Take another whiff - sweet then bitter, but not bittersweet, if that makes any sense.

 

Wet on skin

Smoky - but not in a way that smells like smoke. Hazy blend of warm fragrances with no note dominating, but all blending nicely. Threatens to start smelling like "hippie" with a scent reminiscent of patchouli, which I can barely tolerate, but it subsides and develops into a painfully beautiful kiss of incense.

 

Dry

Deep musky, dark and solemn on my skin. Stunning. This blend has staying power - I can put it on in the morning and smell wafts of it throughout the day. I have to be really careful not to overdo it - a little goes a long way and a lot increases the chances of smelling like a head shop - which is fine if that is what you want.

 

Conclusion

This scent reminds me of everthing that I know about Scorpio personalities:

Intense/Dominant - not at all coy or subtle

Passionate - this is a sexy smell, oozing sensuality - the Scorpio IS ruled by the genitals, you know

Dualistic - either you love it or you hate it (or rather, the Scorpio loves you or hates you) there is little in between

Interested in the Occult - with the hint of incense and smoky resins, you can imagine yourself getting your tarot cards read to you in a dim room by a toothless old woman (OK, so that is not particularly sexy, but definitely mysterious)

Mysterious/secretive - keeps you guessing - what is THAT smell? What is coming next?

 

10/10 for me. I have 2 bottles and definitely want to hoard some more! This scent was so perfect for Scorpio, I am committed to getting each Sun Sign oil - I have a few and love them all so far!

Edited November 14, 2007 by spiralmissy

[cranberry]

This is resinous heaven. It reminds me of Schwarzer Mond, a very good thing as that is an amazing oil. It has a little bit of a root beer vibe when first applied, more sarsaparilla really than root beer, but in that family nonetheless. It could be the basil mingling with the opponax and as it wears the basil comes out more strongly. This is such a gorgeous scent – rich, dark, resinous, musky, and sexy as hell. In terms of perfume it’s definitely in the Oriental category. I never thought basil would smell so damn good in an oil. At this point, after about a ½ hr, it’s mainly basil, opponax and musk. And just fucking gorgeous. I haven’t gotten any wormwood yet, maybe I’m biased as it makes me remember picking and sniffing it on the side of the road on a hot sunny day overlooking Kachemak Bay (and this oil just does not evoke that image to me). Wormwood is also known as stinkweed, has a distinctive smell and is used as a traditional medicine. Anyway, this is a gorgeous blend and I’m so glad that I tried it.

 

Although I’m a Libra, I do have a Scorpio Moon, so I don’t feel bad that this is my absolute favorite of the Zodiacs so far.