Galvanic Goggles

[LadyLuckDoubt]

Metallic notes with Indian musk, tobacco flower, and African balsam.

In the Bottle
Somewhat cologney and thick-smelling, I'm getting ozonic notes with vetiver and balsalm.

On Me
Stays pretty much the same. It's lovely-- and the metallicness is coming through on this quite strong-- very brassy and cool. I'm not getting much in the way of florals, but I don't mind: I like it for what I'm getting here. It's not soft and pretty, but it's not meant to be, and there are other steampunk scents for that.

This is TOTALLY the fragrance I'd wear out if I was going for a steampunk look, too. Moreso than any of the others I've tried.

It's a strong, loud, very cool and unisex fragrance-- and I don't regret getting myself a bottle at all.

[Lethran]

In bottle: Sweet vaguely flowery metallic musk. The balsam adds a pleasant herbal edge that smoothes the edges nicely. Wet: Green and musky with a rich flowery edge. It’s more jungle than forest. The tobacco flower is really lush when combined with the balsam. The whole thing smell wet and a touch mechanical. It was not what I was expecting, but this is a floral, I might actually wear. Dry: sweet musky vegetation. Surprisingly sexy and unusual. I’m not sure goggles would smell this way, but I’m okay with it.

[filigree_shadow]

I think it’s the balsam with metallic notes in this one that are making it smell strange to me. It’s a sharp scent – sharp as in pointy. The tobacco flower is barely noticeable, but the musk gets stronger as it dries. When it’s totally dry, it seems like a musk & balsam scent with a metallic undertone, but it’s not as weird as that sounds. I think it smells pretty good.

 

However, this scent is a bit too bold for me, and it’s a little too cologne-y for my tastes. I’ll give this one to my husband and see what he thinks.

[Nightroad103]

I have to agree with everyone who's said this is sort of a James Bond scent. I also have to admit that when I opened the imp and smelled this for the first time, my thought was *nom nom nom* -- and don't ask me why.

 

In the imp: freaking AMAZING. It's a very green scent -- I almost couldn't detect the metallic notes in the imp.

 

Wet on me: Still very green, and the Indian musk amps up a bit, which results in a vaguely soapy scent on me. Hope this doesn't last -- I'd hate for such an amazing scent in the imp to turn into soap on me.

 

Drydown: Thankfully, it's not soapy anymore. The musk isn't so strong, and the metallic notes have come out more. This is turning out well.

 

Dry, initially: It's mostly metallic on me now, with the greenery and musk balancing it just enough to give it more depth. So far, it has a decent throw -- I catch whiffs of it as I'm typing this. Still AMAZING.

 

ETA@1917: I can still smell it -- it's been about 6 and a half hours now.

 

I am definitely buying a big one of this. It may have even pushed Fenris Wolf and Dee off of the top on my list.

Edited July 21, 2008 by Nightroad103

[zankoku_zen]

This is a very masculine scent on me - it's a metallic musky scent. It sort of makes me think of oiled leather and gleaming polish. The musk is the most prominent aspect.

 

This is the smell of the guy that builds a time machine, wears long and fitted coats and recites a sonnet when he sees you.

 

ETA: Tried a sniffie of the prototype. Much more cologne like, the musk is sharper and perhaps there is a touch of leather to it.

Edited September 11, 2009 by zankoku_zen

[jehrichardson]

In the Imp: Bright and sharp and musky. Very refreshing. Nice!

 

On the Skin: Mellows a bit, the musk is amping up. I'm not getting 'balsam' per se, but I think it's what I'm perceiving as 'fresh' and 'invigorating' about this one. I'm not getting much floral off this one, which I find a relief.

 

After a While: Soapy musk that fairly quickly morphs into a delicious fragrant non-soapy musk. Reminds me of Ralph Lauren Safari. This is outstanding!

 

Verdict: Nice! I want a big bottle!

Edited August 10, 2008 by j4r

[edenssixthday]

Galvanic Goggles - This is a masculine, warm, bronzy scent. It smells strongly of metal and lemon zest and is very bitter. It's got intensely strong throw and staying power. It's too masculine and metallic for my taste.

[maika]

In the imp...I can smell the tobacco flower...assuming that tobacco flower smells like tobacco, of course. But there's also a sharper note in it that is making me sneeze uncontrollably, so sadly, I'm going to have to leave this experiment...which is sad, because what I smelled smelled good, it's just a shame it doesn't appear to like me.

[hypatia]

For some reason, this reminds me of Wilde (though it's been a good long while since I tried Wilde, so my memory of it may be a bit off). It's got that same cologne-y and yet herbal and earthy quality about it. It's quite green on me at first, then a sharp clean almost aquatic note comes to the fore. The tobacco flower, or possibly the musk, warm it up a bit. On me, the metallic notes are just barely, barely there, if I stick my nose right up against my wrist and concentrate. Nice, though not my favorite of the Steamworks so far.

 

Also, I dabbed this one on 11 hours ago, and it's still going! It's definitely an all-day kind of scent.

[Blood onmy hands]

I've tried this a couple times now, and Galvanic Goggles just doesn't seem to agree with my skin. I think that I smell soapy, dryer sheet ozone and the sharp musk, drowning out the other notes. This also comes off as very masculine to me, in a cheap cologne sort of way. In the drydown, this gets really musky on me, and I don't care for the musk in this. The musk bothers me in the same way that cheap, drugstore brand white musk bothers me. It sort of smells like sharp hairspray & chemicals on me. After a couple hours, this softens and is a clean, soapy muskiness, not quite as sharp as it is in its earlier stages, but it's still not that great on my skin...

 

I think that Galvanic Goggles goes a little too sharp and soapy for my tastes. I have a hard time pulling off certain musk scents & ozone, so the Indian musk plus ozone in this is probably a little too much for me...

[Pika]

This goes straight to bland, slightly florally soap on me. The musk and balsam notes listed had me hoping, but this was really a dud when it hit my stupid chemistry. I think I agree with the ozone noted by others when sniffed from the fresh imp, which is also a nemesis of mine.

[lothien]

Wow.

First of all this was one that went off and back on my imp list about 4 times, because of the 6 I had picked out GG would be the 3rd Steamworks scent, and I really wanted to try the other two (Antikythera Mechanism and Phoenix Steamworks).

Wouldn't you know that this was the one of the three that knocked my socks off.

 

In the bottle I was intrigued by and terrified of the bright cologney part; it reminds me of something I liked worn by some boy in my past. I can't remember what scent or which boy, but it's promising behind the cologne, and I decided to be brave, put it on and sit outside for a few minutes in case it became omggedditoff...

 

And it was so not. ^^ Once it dried I was no longer scared of it. And hour later and it's all softly musky and warm, and the balsam - which I think I typically associate with men's products - is way back. So on me it smells sort of masculine until the balsam settles, then it's lovely. And I really rather enjoy the "James-Bond-fresh-from-the-shower" stage, though I expect that will get more subtle as it ages.

 

So, yay! At least one bottle-worthy pick from the first batch (I have a few more to try).

I really like the other two Steamworks also, but of the three, this is the one I will buy a quantity of - at least for now.

[Deyja7]

I recieved this as a frimp, and upon opening it for the first time, i recoiled as it assaulted my sense of smell. Then i sniffed it again,.. It kept calling me back, until i dared to do a skin test. And you know what? I can't stop smelling it. It's almost addictive.. I think i'm amping the balsam like crazy. After a little while, i get what must be the metallic notes, something cold and clean, i can sense the musk, and the heady balsam is receding.

Really, i don't see myself wearing this alot.. But it's going to be awesome to come back to every now and again.

[oldgentleman]

From imp to drydown: Distilled essence of Gold Dial soap! The scent that permeated my grandparents' bathroom and still makes me miss them. I can't get beyond that, and I can't stop huffing it.

 

This also is the perfect, sexy, clean, shagalicious men's cologne.

[MCS4096]

In the Imp: I can see this as Dial dishsoap as well It is mostly musk, with tobacco flowers close behind.. the balsam holds it together, and the metallic note is only just hinted at.. hope it comes out more once applied.

 

Wet: Pretty much the same.. this is a very crisp, clean, cool (as opposed to hot) shining scent.. not grease monkey in the least. Definitely cologney. I'm not sure I really think of metal when I smell this.. It's the crispest musk and tobacco flowers.

 

Dry: WOW! Ok.. what I'm getting in the way of metal is actually more of a taste in the back of my mouth when I sniff this deeply. It's silver and highly polished. It's a much cooler scent than I generally prefer on myself, and would be far far sexier on a well dressed dude.

[TrailerTrashPrincess]

i'm standing next to a guy wearing WAAAAY too much of one of those Axe-type body sprays, in the walk-in humidor of a cigar shop.

but, the guy is cute... and sweet...and .... oh, hell. too bad i'm married

 

this is masculine, but not unwearably so. although i bet it would smell fantastic on a certain kind of guy...

[Dark Alice]

I wore this today on a whim.....

 

Manly cologne....with slight hints of metal and oil. It smells like a sexy Daniel Craig with goggles on...when I wear this I picture him wearing the welder's suit plus the goggles....too much man for me....so I gave it to Ed my trainer....he loves it...and well...considering his physique....(black Daniel Craig body type, just older) it suits him.

[septima_pica]

Well, that was unexpected...

 

At first, this is an absolute dead ringer for a cologne that one of my former lovers wore for some time. I don't know what it is, but it's a pleasant association, and it smells pretty awesome on me, although a bit bright. There's a tiny bit of a light musk, a little darker than "white musk" a la Whitechapel but not anywhere near red or black. At Kalirren's suggestion I tried adding a little bit of Death Cap to tarnish those metal notes a little, and it was an excellent match.

 

However, an hour and a half after application, the musk and metal notes are dying off a lot. Now what I'm left with is a warm golden balsam note like the one I love so much in Bezoar, and a spicy warmth that I can only assume is the tobacco flower. It's changed characters completely, although unfortunately it's lost a bit of throw too. I don't know what stage I like better, honestly.

 

This, like all the Steamworks scents I've tried, is a well-dressed scent. Not fancy like the Salons, but the sort of thing that would go well if one were wearing sharp business dress. Which I, alas, am not (time to do laundry!). Definitely earning a place in the collection.

[Ajila]

In the bottle – Carbolic soap

 

Wet on me – Washing powder, quite astringent washing powder

 

Dry on me – It settles to a softly herbal, musky kind of scent

 

Overall – Whilst pleasant this scent is really not me

 

[CynicalPink]

Imp: Woah! This is a manly scent for manly men.

 

Wet: Tobacco, metal, and musk

 

Drydown: Bright, clean cologne

 

Overall: It's pretty nice cologne, just not for me

[Pottersville]

Another random imp from the shoe box o' doom. I didn't check the notes before trying this one so I didn't realize that "metal" was in there. The Lab's "metal" and "ozone" notes pretty consistently get my hackles up, making me vaguely uncomfortable in a way I can't put my finger on. So I found GG pretty unpleasant! Scentwise, it came off as a cheap men's cologne on me. Ick!

[Allumina]

I don't know why this doesn't have more reviews... I absolutely adore this scent.

It has crazy throw, so I always have to remember to just put on the teeniest dab. It's definitely Perfume with a capital P, and I can see how some people would really dislike it, but it makes me smell like a delicious fancy gentleman. Metallic and musky and sharp and male and soapy. Classy but also a little dirty. Lovely! My favorite of the Steamworks hands down.

[Caerphilly]

I didn't wear this oil long enough to give this a proper review. It smells very herby, metallic, and alcoholic. It's the smell of aftershave. Very nice smelling, sexy and clean, but very very masculine. And VERY STRONG! It bothered me a bit. I gave it to my boyfriend though, so hopefully he will use it.

[donnatron]

Imp: Vodka? It smells like alcohol. Like very strong proof alcohol. WEIRD!

 

Wet: On my skin Galvanic Goggles become more of a metallic scent. Bronze metal for sure--although I can't really identify any of the notes wet on my skin I definitely get a sort of dark golden haze from this scent. Very steampunk.

 

Dry: Once the tobacco flower situates itself on my skin this is working wonderfully. The metal remains sort of as a background note, the musk warms everything up and then the tobacco flower is really the star of the show. While it's definitely a unisex, possibly more masculine type of scent, my chemistry is definitely sweetening it and making it more feminine.

 

Throw: Moderate. It's not a giant cloud around me but it's fairly strong.

 

Overall: I like it. It's unusual and interesting without being incredibly weird or dischordant on my skin. The sort of scent you wear to a high stakes business meeting. Will definitely be hanging onto this imp.

[ouch!]

Ooooh Indian Musk = It's a pity it's not there very long though. It fades quite quick and I'm left with a masculine, fresh and kinda watery/aquatic blend. Not too in your face masculine though. It smells familiar for some reason but I don't konw where I've smelled it before.

 

A girl could definitately wear this..but I think it's tipped towards the male side more. The really dry stages are the best, it's becomes very clean smelling and masculine.

 

Like it, but not my favourite, I wanted the Indian musk to kick ass but it didn't really.