Rakshasa

[Iceblink]

This haunting, exotic scent is named in honor of the shapeshifting demons from Hindu mythology. Sandalwood with rose and patchouli.

Simple and straightforward--almost pure sandalwood with just a hint of rose on me. This smells like the sandalwood incense I burn sometimes. It's a "dry" scent, and has decent staying power.

[lapillus]

In bottle: old gold, thinnish liquid. tart orange

 

Wet: oh there’s the patchouli (it must be red since it’s not making me ill – hurray!), with some sandalwood and a bit of rose – still getting a citrusy tang, too. The scent is clear, deep, and complex. I’m liking it a lot.

 

Dry: citrusy bits have gone and the scent has unified. It’s staying lighter and clearer than I thought it might, while still being sensual and rich. You’re someplace with rich woods, fresh roses and good ventilation

 

Later: Once it’s unified it’s very stable.

 

Summary: It smells like the inside of one of those tiny Indian shops full of carved boxes and quirky brasswork. I’m not sure it’s a “me” smell but it’s so evocative (and I’m so happy to find patchouli that doesn’t make me ill” that I’m going to keep and enjoy this tons

[Dymphna]

This was a generous frimp from the Labbies, and I had to try it despite the presence of rose because it just smells so good in the imp. I'm glad I did! (Also, I love the name. It's so much fun to say. Rakshasa. Rakshasa. Rak-SHA-saaaaaa. )

 

In the imp: I definitely smell the rose, but it smells spicy-sweet rather than just sweet or soapy or pickle-y. I can smell the patchouli, too, a bit, and I think the spiciness is coming from the sandalwood. It reminds me quite a bit of Seraglio.

 

Wet: Just a drop, since rose scares me. Soapy, but not in a horrible way, and spicy. It reminds me more of carnation, actually, just as Seraglio did.

 

Dry: This reminds me almost exactly of the Bee & Flower sandalwood soap that I used to use. I always bought extra to put in my linen closet and dresser drawers. The only difference is that this has a tiny hint of rose, which is actually a lot of rose, but it mostly smells like soap (but again, not in a bad way) and only a little like rose. It smells mostly like sandalwood when dry--finally, a rose blend in which the rose doesn't take over! Mmm, wow. I smell good. I smell like a health food shop, which is where I always bought the Bee & Flower.

 

I don't know if I'll wear this enough to warrant a bottle, but I'm definitely keeping the imp so time will tell. My only reservation is that this stuff has some serious throw, so I'll have to be careful. I only applied a tiny dab to one wrist and it's surrounding me like a cloud. It's quite a lovely cloud, though.

[filigree_shadow]

I don't remember what this smelled like when it was wet, but when it's dry it's very strong on the sandalwood. I can barely detect the patchouli, and I can't smell rose at all.

 

Luckily, I like sandalwood.

 

It's a warm, sweet, dry scent. It smells almost golden. If I didn't know better I would have sworn there was a little bit of honey in this. It has a creamy undertone.

[isabella]

spicy rose....a little too much patchouli in mine. almost reminded me of a spicy Zombi

[xoe]

On me sandalwood and rose are battling for dominance in Rakshasa. The race is too close to call.

[Diana]

wet: rosey-sandalwood. very soft.

 

drydown: rosey without being overpowering—the sandalwood tempers it nicely. it is very soft & pretty. oddly, i don't get patchouli from this at all, and i'm a hardcore patchouli-lover.

[LadyCrow]

Oh! Where is my old Advanced Dungeons & Dragons First Edition Monster Manual? I'd scan the Rakshasa illo and make ever such a nice icon for this...

 

In the imp: Citrusy rose.

 

Wet: Sharp, citrusy patchouli.

 

Drydown: The patchouli is strongly dominant on me for at least the first hour; it reminds me very much of the citrusy patchouli note in The Coiled Serpent. Here, though, it's tempered by the sandalwood, which allows it to stay balanced rather than rampaging all over the place. When I finally get the rose, it's a genteel tea rose, nothing obnoxious; the ultimate drydown of this blend is a nice combination, one that remains spicy enough to pique interest without being particularly wafty.

 

Others have brought up this blend when reviewing Pulcinella & Teresina. I can see the comparison, not only in the wood-plus-rose combo, but that in that in each blend, I need to wait for the top note to burn off (the heavy teak in P&T) before getting any rose out of the experience. The rose comes more quickly, and is more of a player, in Rakshasa. (In neither case is it my primary consideration, but not everybody is the All-Woods-All-The-Time channel!)

 

Rakshasa could still be played as a unisex scent, but it's definitely on the more feminine side of the spectrum -- and the guy would have to be content smelling like a hippie. I love patchouli, personally, so I don't mind having it dominate and transferring it to my husband, clothing, etc. etc.; it's just something to be aware of if your skin, like mine, amps that note.

[DifferentDances]

Imp: Rose.

Wet on skin: Roses with a vaguely medicinal quality. Patchouli, maybe?

Dry down: Lemon and roses. Soaked into a sandalwood fan.

Dry: Faint, pretty, with a hint of pledge-yness to the lemon.

 

My rating: 3/5. It's not a bad scent, it's just not very strong or particularly unique.

[JenM]

In the imp: A bit of rose made pungent by patchouli and sharp by the sandalwood.

 

On the wrist: It stings. Not a good sign. The patchouli comes out and drowns the sandalwood, but the rose puts up a fight.

 

After 20 minutes: Still slightly burning, and the patchouli won't blend or go away. I'm not fond of patchouli, so I wash it off. Can't bear to wait to see if the sandalwood makes a reappearance. 2/10, though if you like patchouli this is a nice compromise between hippy/goth shop and floral. Swaps ahoy.

[The_Merf]

In the imp: rose and patchouli

 

Wet: Patchouli first, and then immediately rose.

 

Drydown and wear: This becomes a soft rose/sandalwood.

[ClareN]

I loved this as soon as I put it on, and was surprised to see it was so simple when I looked up the notes.

 

To me, it's a spicy, fiery rose - more rose incense than a fresh rose on the bush. It makes me think of someone recounting ancient legends around a campfire. It's sort of an aromatherapy scent too, one I'd use when I want to think clearly about something (not that I have any knowledge of aromatherapy).

 

The drydown, after an hour or so, is not as much fun - it gets faint and sort of dusty, but not unpleasant. I will keep the imp for the lovely initial stage, but I won't need a bottle.

Edited August 24, 2007 by ClareN

[Delirium1009]

In bottle/imp: Spicy roses with a subtle earthy base.

 

Immediately on skin: This is a very spicy scent… sandalwood, but also some sweeter spices as well like nutmeg or something. The rose adds a subtle floral note, and the patchouli seems to be giving the blend a nice base, but it’s not obvious. This smells almost cola like on my skin.

 

After a few minutes: This has settled down to a spicy dirt scent. I’d imagine there are people who love the smell of dirt, but I’m unfortunately not one of them. I only smell a touch of the rose note, but the patchouli and sandalwood really scream in this blend.

 

Later on: I swear this is a little woodsy after a few hours, but it may just be the patchouli. It’s sweet and earthy, but definitely not for me.

[idoru]

Aww. I wanted to love this. Unfortunately, Rakshasa was the first scent that taught me that patchouli hates me.

 

In the bottle: sharp rose, sandalwood.. a hint of citrus?

 

Dry: Despite the utter lack of neroli/bergamot/lemon/other citrus notes, I got a strong citrus smell, fading to rose with a little smokiness.. and the throw included this vague, sharp something that wouldn't let my nose be. Oh. Patchouli. My burning nose and eyes thank you.

Smoky citrus rose, I could probably wear and enjoy. Neroli-rose-smoke directly into my mucous membranes: SO SAD.

 

In other news, I'm very happy that this works so well on people who get along with patchouli. It sounded so pretty in the description...

[CrazyPretzel]

In the imp: hm! Quite a spicy rose; I'd almost swear there was cinnamon in this.

 

Wet on me: It reminds me of Harlot, though it's not as hot - almost straight-up cinnamon and rose. It soon begins to mellow into sandalwood, warm and dry. Makes me think of an antique shop.

 

After a few minutes: Rose with a more mellow spice - now it's more Lucy's Kiss than Harlot. The patchouli is deep and warm but the rose smells a little soapy and I'm not sure if this will dry nicely or not.

 

Drydown: Spicy wood chips dominate; rose is in the background.

 

Ehm, it's not bad, but unfortunately it is really reminiscent of potpourri on me. I don't know if I'd enjoy wearing it or not. I think I know a better home for it.

[daiconharuko]

I dunno why, but this scent reminds me sooo much of CAMPING! I love it!

 

The rose is very light in this, which is great because most rose gives me headaches. I think the sandalwood and patchouli balance it out. It kinda smells a tad minty to me, but maybe that's my imagination. I love this!

[KaliVerra]

Yummy, spicy, roses in a sandalwood box.... uuuuuuuurrrrgh! I love this scent! The patchouli is just a depth-maker in this one for me and couldn't be more welcome... full-bodied with just the right amount of throw... slobber... slobber...

[mspixieears]

The first thing I get from this is lemon. As it begins to dry, the sandalwood emerges as does the patchouli. The rose is lovely but barely discernible. This reminds me of something else from BPAL but can’t remember what. Maybe it’ll change but too lemony for my liking so far. The rose is becoming more prominent fifteen minutes later making it more pleasant. It will be nice in a scent locket or as a room fragrance.

[aquazoo]

Strange blend... It mellows into a nice rose. A teensy bit sharp, and it turns out to be really nice.

[hkhm]

imp: rose hips. very spicy rose hips.

 

wet: this blend does not do well on me at all! it ends up smelling like (brace yourself) overcooked broccoli. it's the oddest thing and it took me twenty minutes to figure out what it reminded me of. i know rose isn't great on me but both the sandalwood and patchouli should have come to the rescue!

 

dry: the broccoli has faded and it smells more lemony/spicy. i can not for the life of me figure out why this blend smells as it does on me.

[fierylioness]

First sniff, I got a ton of rose, with a hint of wood at the base. Wet... rose. Lots and lots of rose. A vaguely sweet note... don't know if it's my skin interacting with the oil, or the patchouli. (Or at least patchouli as I know it.) Drying, the rose and sandalwood make a nice, comforting, warm scent. No sign of the patchouli. At all. Definitely a must-have for me.

[erraticprophet]

Initial Impression: roses, spice

 

On Wet: sandalwood, roses, the tiniest bit of patchouli (I usually amp it and smell like a head shop the rest of the day, but this is behaving nicely)

 

On Dry: rose and sandalwood. Mostly rose.

 

Final Impression: A beautiful spicy rose. I wasn't such a fan of rose scents until BPAL.

 

Rating (on a scale of 1-5): 4

[Trish]

This was a freebie from the lab that I would never have bought myself as rose and I have a love hate relationship: I hate it and it loves me.

 

The first thing that hit me was that it was unexpectantly spicy! Wet it was nearly all cinnamon but with a touch of floral. As it dried the cinnamon gradually faded and the sandalwood emerged, so that it dried to a spiced incensy woody subdued rose. After an hour or so it was sandalwood/rose with just a touch of spice, and quite nice as I love sandalwood and spice. Unfortunately with more time it does what every rose scent (bar Blood Countess) has done - become almost straight out rose. At least this one takes far longer to get to that stage than most!

[djsiberia]

mostly this smells like sandalwood and patchouli - the rose doesn't really pop out at all.

 

second time around it smells like old lady smell

 

the boy dislikes this scent so it has to go.

[donnatron]

Imp: An antique sandalwood armoire freshly rubbed with lemon polish.

 

Wet: Why hello, Mr. Patchouli. You gave me a bit of a start just popping up there. Who's that behind you? Oh, I barely noticed you, Rose, but you're so essential to this scent. This is shaping up to be a lovely party.

 

Dry: Mmmm... spicy, sultry, earthy wood touched with floral. It's like I opened the armoire from the imp scent and the interior was bursting with fragrant woods and roses.

 

Throw: Excellent. Very long lasting and has enough throw to satisfy me but not freak out anyone sitting near me.

 

Overall: This came as part of an ebay lot. I wasn't even that excited about it, but it's definitely going on my 5 ml list.