Chaos Theory V: Recursive Self Similarity v4

[catatonic1242]

LI

 

In the bottle: I feel like I smell something different every time I sniff this bottle. Mainly, I get either oak or teak plus leather.

 

On, wet: Yes, there's certainly leather in there. It's a much more masculine blend than regular Snake Oil.

 

On, dry: Oddly enough, I feel like the leather dominates the Snake Oil. This is smelling a lot like spicy leather without some of the traditional Snake Oil characteristics. As it settles, I pick up more of the wood note that I was getting straight from the bottle. Overall, I like it, but I feel as though the same effect could be achieved by layering De Sade with Snake Oil.

 

Later: There's something underneath this that is just the slightest bit sour to my nose, but I couldn't say what it is. The longer this stays on, the more it smells like damp leather.

[naeelah]

Heh, funny that my review would come right after one of CXCIV!

 

It can't be overstated - be careful with the writing on the labels. Mine was already half rubbed off just from shipping, so I've covered it with packing tape.

 

 

CXCV - so far, I can't detect any snake oil component. In the box, something smelled like Miskatonic U. Wet, it smells strongly of lemon (very tart and cleaning solution-like) and tart cherry. There's an undercurrent of dusty paper and wood that comes out as it dries.

 

The lemon burns off, so once dry, it smells primarily of paper and polished wood with VERY faint hints of lemon and cherry. I cannot pick out Snake Oil, per se, but there's definitely some kind of anchor here. (ETA: after several hours I do get a distinct sense of snake oil, but it is a light base note. I think it will get a little stronger with age.)

 

I'm really curious to see how this one smells in a month or two. As it stands, I'm calling it Miskatonic Lite, because the combo of wood and paper here smells just like Miskatonic minus the coffee (the snake oil provides just a slight creaminess, taking the place of irish cream). It's a BPAL fan studying with a mug of herbal tea.

Edited March 30, 2009 by naeelah

[wl552]

CCLIII

 

in bottle: snake oil with a bit of smokey wood smell. I'm scared.

 

wet on skin: the horror!! The unadulterated HORROR! I only really hate a handful of notes... just a few really. And of course I would get that in my CT. Disappointment is putting it mildly.

 

drying: I'm really trying to give this a shot and as much as I hate smokey wood smell, I'm huffing deeply trying to pick out some redeemable notes. My eyes are watering. I'm smelling snake oil and charred wood still.

 

later: it's mellowed somewhat and isn't making my eyes water anymore, so I can huff deeply. There is maybe the wee tiniest bit of incense-y smell in there, barely worth noting... the snake oil really would like to dominate, but it has a fight on it's hands with the charred wood smell and now a very, VERY sharp rusty metallic smell. I don't think I really could've custom ordered an anti-scent and nailed it this good. I'm actually thinking this has to go, but I'll let it sit around for a few months and retest it.

 

Overall: This is my perfect anti-scent.

 

EDIT: I've let my bottle rest a bit and diluted it into an atomizer. OMG! What a complete 180! The smokey wood smell stays neatly in the back, grounding it nicely... making it sexy. There's a sweetness that's neither floral nor foodie that wisps delicately to the fore. This has become indescribably beautiful. I wish it wasn't a CT, 'cause I'd order another bottle of this in a New York minute.

Edited April 14, 2009 by wl552

[minnalavender]

Version CCLM

 

This is the easiest review ever: cherry and Snake Oil. Seriously! That's all I can smell. The cherry is bright and sweet and red and juicy and the Snake Oil base is as delicious as it always is. The two blend beautifully with each other in the wet phase, and by drydown the cherry is just a whisper above the SO. LOVE IT. I'm so freakin' glad I gambled on a bottle and got such a lovely scent!

[suki]

this is my first ever participation in a Chaos experiment, though i've been down with BPAL for a couple few years now, and i gotta say, so far so good!

 

first up: LVVI

 

in the bottle: this is the sweet smokiness of Death In Autumn. not the vetiver that usually amps beyond control on my skin, but just deep, rich smoke, staying put, with a slight edge of her Lady snake Oil under it- but not much.

 

wet on skin: sweet darkest resin, the rich smoke still holding strong. this is a "winter" scent as is.

 

dry down: a little bit of leather is coming into play here, which is normally a deal-breaker for me, but is not leaping out of the fray, it's just mingling beautifully with the other rich dark notes.

 

in all: when walking to my friend's house near the woods in mid fall, there are smoldering piles of foliage everywhere- rich colors and a beautiful evocative scent of sweet burning leaves that instantly set me down in a corn maze in a town i've never been to before.

this is that scent, that feeling, bottled.

Beth, you are so totally a genius.

 

Next: XCIII

 

in the bottle: fruity, fresh Snake Oil. reminds me of Coral Snake a bit, or SO with a dash of Clemence thrown in: Snake Oil and Acai?

 

wet on skin: same, but the acai/tart fruit note is gaining in strength.

 

dry down: This is a refined mix of tart fruit and Snake Oil- it's as simple as that.

 

in all: as with Snake Oil in general, this clearly needs a bit of aging. but even so, it'll be the perfect summer counterpoint to that dark one listed above

 

 

can't wait for moooooooorrrrrrreeee!!!!!!

 

 

 

[gaai]

LXVIII

 

Okay........it's SO with.......some kind of flower........but which one?! I'm not typically a floral-wearing girl, so I'm not good at picking out what flowers I'm smelling.

If I had to guess, I'd say chrysanthemums........but....yeah......not sure.

 

This is a lovely womanly version of SO though......it goes through a *very* floral stage which lasts about 15 minutes and then settles into Snake Oil with just a hint of something floral. The floral note takes off the slightly bitter, medicinal note that SO sometimes has on my skin......this smells soft and lovely, but with a sexy edge. (now that I've typed that......that's exactly what it is....sexy.....but a unisex kind of sexy)

[Champagne]

CCXIX(219)

 

This is perfect for me. It starts with a light and evanescent boozy sugar note and slowly the acai berry mixed with black berry come to light. Not too tart, not too sweet. The end is berry and just a hint of SO, with a burnt sugar edge. It has only notes I deeply love, it`s pale yellow compared to SO, and I will call the younger brother of Australian Copperhead.

It`s love and it`s filled to the brim too !!!

[mineralgirl]

I can't read the number on my bottle.

 

It's SO and FIG! I like it ...

[lucyintheSkywithDemons]

I can´t read the number on my bottle...*sigh*

 

All I get is some kind of fresh and sweet fruit - guava or papaya.

Lovely and true - but absolutely no SO.

 

Opening the bottle is like cutting open a guava and inhaling the

fresh and natural smell of the fruit -

its WOW, but strange enough no other notes.

 

I am surprised bout my first chaos ever -

and I really like it due to its very true to nature smell.

 

[sfsassy]

mine is CTV: Snake Oil XV . I got this one second hand and it was described as "Strong notes of Cherry and Whiskey, followed by smooth SO spice"

I wanted it because of the Cherry note and got it. I was scared on the Whiskey note being too strong. Much to my surprise its pretty much just SO with a warm red cherry vibe to it. I could not ask for a better CT at all!!

[vampkat]

OMG...worst fear ever..I LOVE my chaos blend, yet I have NO idea what is in it. It's DIVINE though.

CC1X I wish they made more than one bottle..I would hunt this down like nobody's business.

[GardenCat]

Can't read the number, but - no overt Snake Oil scent to speak of - instead a very sweet lavender, ending on an even sweeter coconut toasted marshmello note - and it lasts ALL DAY! Very pretty & soft - a perfect soothing scent. Ahhh.

[femmefatale]

CCCXXVIII:

 

Surprisingly, very little snake oil. But what I do have is beautiful. I am not a floral person, so I'm having a hard time picking out the flower in this, but it is gorgeous. This is the scent of the south on lazy evening when it's hot and humid, minus the dirt. And it doesn't go soapy on me (so it's not a white flower)! It's lazy definitely sexy, in that hot and sweaty, let's do it outside kind of way.

Whatever it is, I love it. It's just perfect for spring and summer and I will NOT be letting this one go.

 

 

ETA: I'm pretty sure one of the notes in this is chrysanthemum. And once it's dried down I do get brief hints of the SO. I think this will age extremely well.

Edited April 17, 2009 by Femme_Fatale

[kohaisama]

Most of the numerals on my bottles were rubbed off, so I'm guessing with what little bit I can see.

 

CCXVII (217) :

 

In the bottle: spicy and resiny

 

Wet: soft snake oil base and a punch of dark vanilla, stronger than normal but not in your face.

 

Dry: it's really softened down to something similar to chai tea, but creamy, oh so creamy. the throw has also diminished. I'm starting to get hints of amber, but it's just wafting in the background. Yeah. That's amber. It's going powdery, but not in a bad way. It's making the snake oil delicate and smooth.

 

I imagine this one might age very well.

 

 

CCIII (203) :

 

In the bottle: HOLY CRAP FLORAL CANDIES

 

Wet: Shaving cream and snake oil?

 

Dry: There's a whole lot of floral action going on here, but I can't quite pick out what they are. It's almost like a mix of white florals and violets. It's an interesting combo with the snake oil drifting around. The throw is decent.

 

15 minutes later: Lavender!? Wow. That was a hidden one!

Edited April 3, 2009 by Gunny

[TheOneTheyCallLuna]

CCIII:

 

Snake oil with smoky violet incense...this one is pretty morphy. Starts out a bit spicy with clove and a breath of lavender, and in this stage it reminds me of (sorry!!!) an *ahem* adult, incensey version of Lilith Victoria. Dries down to a whisper of violets and snake oil spices. I really like this one!

 

Previously reviewed by Gunny.

[Malista]

Snake Oil Series CCCXI (311)

 

At first I think the citrusy top note is lemon oil, but once on, it quickly goes more creamy than lemon oil (which I love the scent of) does, and I think it must be lemon flower, instead. On the dry down I get more and more a neroli sense, though, so now I'm seriously not sure. If it's just neroli, it's the sweetest, smoothest neroli I have ever encountered when first on, so I'm thinking there are some other notes that have very short lives on my skin that I get at the very beginning, but the dry down is totally Snake Oil and neroli (I amp neroli, and I get it as a slightly bitter citrus scent, a little rough rather than smooth and creamy). Oddly, I really like this, even though I think I would have adored SO and lemon blossom.

 

The neroli/citrus helps to modify the aggressiveness of the red musk in SO, which by me is a good thing, and allows the vanilla to sweeten things up without being cloying. I like this, wonder how it will age (I prefer aged SO usually, because the musk backs down and the patch smooths out), and intend to wear it as is and through the aging process. Very nice!

[Brianne]

CXXIV -

This one just eludes me. I can smell it well, it has excellent throw. But I just cannot pinpoint what I'm smelling. Definitely some Snake Oil, but I think there is a resin in this also - frankincense maybe? And also a touch of floral? I just cannot say for certain here, I AM fairly sure there is resin added to that Snake Oil, I just don't know which one!

 

EDIT: I feel certain now that there is orange in this. It's very obvious in the bottle, but not at all on my skin.

Edited April 4, 2009 by Brianne

[megank4]

CLXI (as far as I can tell)

 

Very grapefruity with a slight undertone of SO. Maybe a very slight bit of chocolate.

Nice but just not me.

Next!

 

XI

Mainly SO with a bit of red musk (Lust, is that you?)

In the bottle it reminded me of Mme Moriarty, but not once applied.

A tiny little bit of nutty/resin.

Will have to see how it develops before deciding whether to keep or not.

[greenranger]

CXCI ? The label is smudged already. I've had this for over a week, now, and have tried it a couple times trying to get a better handle on it.

 

Wet, I smell lemons and Snake Oil.

 

Dry, the Snake Oil takes over. The lemons are gone underneath the spicy spicy musky vanilla that is Snake Oil on my skin.

 

It may even out a bit over time? As it is, this is mostly Snake Oil once it dries, and I already have some of that.

[hespera4523]

I received my bottle today and bolted upstairs to type while getting first impressions: My number is CCCXLII.

Which according to Roman Numerals For Dummies works out to 342.

 

First impressions: Holy smokes, that is one full bottle. Like up into the neck full. Like if someone even breathes on me while I open it my entire computer, bed, and likely my cat is going to get splashed. Must...be...careful...

 

In bottle: Hmmm. This smells very very Snake Oily indeed. Young, fresh, bitey Snake Oil. But there's a whiff of something else that's drowning in it, and may just be to shy to stick its nose out yet. I know it's there, and it knows I know, but it's not coming out until its sure its safe.

 

Wet on skin: Yup, still Snake Oil. I begin to wonder if there's been a mistake...

 

Dry: No, no mistake. There's something else there. Spicy something. I am not an expert, but its

not clove or nutmeg. Part of me wants to say there's a slight dribble of jasmine-type floral, since it seems nocturnal. And there's a very slightly ticklish bit of something gray and dry. If that makes any sense (and it probably doesn't but its hard to type with my nose stuck to my hand so I am trying to keep my ideas simple.) Wait, I know...Snake Oil with a little bit of Spanish Moss? It reminds me of New Orleans. Nola Snake Oil.

 

I likes.

 

ETA: I still likes. Aging has made this even more delicious. It is dry and soft but not powdery. Amber and/or Benzoin? There's no floral that I can pick up. It's got a creaminess that isn't milk but might be some extra vanilla. Mmmm. Mine, all mine...I will cry when this is gone.

Edited December 8, 2009 by hespera4523

[schackjj]

LV (55)

 

In the bottle: Gingerbread with a dash of cinnamon (yes, I know there isn't any cinnamon, tell my nose that)

 

Wet: Ginger, Snake Oil (light), and cinnamon again. The Cinnamon-that-isn't gets stronger. Reminds me of those little red hot candies

 

Drydown: As it dries, I get a hint of cake to go with the other notes. This is a Seriously Foody Scent. Wear length is several hours and good throw too. This should age spectacularly well, but I don't see myself wearing something this foody. Nor do I love SO enough to cellar it. Off to swaps

[nineveh]

CCXCIX

 

This is almost entirely a cool, watery orchid, which is one of the very few florals that I can wear or enjoy. In the wet stage, a fresh pine is also present, but it burns off quickly. I can detect the faintest shadow of Snake Oil way in the background only if I search for it. I'm reminded of Dark Delicacies stripped down to its essentials, or the Premature Burial without the smoldering earth aspects. I just wish that Snake Oil had a stronger presence, but that's an easy fix.

[fortytricks]

I can't make out the Roman Numerals on this one.

 

Pretty straight-forward Snake Oil and Pine, I think. I like Snake Oil with some age on it, so I'll probably hold on to it until the Fall and see if it becomes the lovely cold weather scent I believe it's going to be.

[hackess]

The numerals were almost completely rubbed off of mine. I see very faint Cs, and at least two Xs at the end. I *think* it's CCCXXX -- 330.

 

In the bottle, there's a very faint trace of the Snake Oil, blanketed heavily by what I think is violet and something vaguely tropical. Passionfruit?!

 

Wet on my skin, I detect notes of coffee, some kind of wood, and a very sharp floral. As it dries, cotton. This is a really weird and schizo scent, and contains very little SO.

 

 

 

 

[EspressoSnail]

Bottle CCXVI

 

When I first opened this I thought it smelled a little woody. Now about a week later I don't smell the wood but I'm getting a orangey floral/herbysomething vibe. It reminded my mom strongly of Garden Ridge at xmas time. She thought it smelled of balsam (like a xmas tree) at first but then wasn't so sure, she also agrees with the citrus. After much sniffing and debating we think it also has some clove in it. This blend is rather light on the Snake Oil.

So we think it's an orange clove with possible balsam snake. It seems pretty nice, kinda bright and shiny. I'll have to actually wear it a day rather than sitting here huffing my arm to decide if I want to keep it.

Edit update on April 13th: Opening this again I can smell the tree. It does have a xmasy vibe to it so I think my mom is right that it is balsam.

 

Bottle CCVII

 

I had the hardest time trying to figure out what this is. It is stronger on the snake oil than CCXVI but still not terribly strong and it blends extremely well with whatever else is in it. I put some on and tried to indentify what I was smelling... sometimes it smelled a little like apples but that went away quickly. It kinda reminded me a bit of Lilith Victoria and once it dried down I knew why. This is lavender snake oil. It's not bad, though I wonder if there is more to it and my nose is just poor because I swear I smelled some apples at first.

Edited April 13, 2009 by EspressoSnail