Chaos Theory V: Recursive Self Similarity v4

[ljaylh]

Bottle CCXIII (213) - Snake Oil + Peach

 

Sounds weird? Well it's NOT! It's seriously LOVELY, like deliciously lovely. The peach is all warm and fuzzy - it mixes perfectly with the Snake Oil, which is there but very much in the background. This is so beautifully blended that everything is in balance - I can still smell the vanilla and the rich velvety spices in the Snake Oil, but the warmness of the peach is floating over the top. After one hour on my skin, the peach is still there, it's pretty much the same lovely even mix as it was when it first went on.

 

My only complaint about this is that there will only ever be one bottle of it.. I'm going to cherish every drop!!

 

Bottle CCXXI (221) - Snake Oil + Rose

 

Rose, in general, is not my friend. Whenever it's present in a blend my skin amps it up so much that it makes a big noise and dominates everything else that's in there to the point where all I can smell is rose. Well, Ms Rose, you've met your match! Here, the Snake Oil is dominant.. but sitting demurely in amongst all that spicy goodness is a very soft rose - I'm thinking pink, rather than red - very light, very pretty. After about an hour, the rose is very soft.. the Snake Oil has come up stronger, but the rose isn't gone completely - there's still a nice balance.

 

Out of the two, I'll wear the peach more.. it's just gorgeous. But the rose is lovely too.. I might just have to keep them both

 

If those clever creators of chaos ever happen to read this.. I'd like to say congratulations, you've done a beautiful job with these two.

 

[Blood onmy hands]

I had a friend send me decants from her Chaos bottles, but she said that she couldn't make out what numbers they were. Anyhow.

 

In the vial, this smells like Snake Oil's dark, incensey, smoky vanilla with yellow cake & buttercream frosting. Snake Oil smells a little bit like gummi bears to my nose, and I get a hint of that candied fruitiness in the vial as well.

 

On my skin, it's Snake Oil's dark, slightly smoky vanilla with yellow cake and coconut buttercream frosting. I definitely smell a creamy coconut. Over time, I think that I smell a bit of clean, creamy white musk in here as well.

 

Sooo... Snake Oil vanilla, yellow cake, creamed coconut, buttercream frosting, and white musk?

 

It's nice, but I don't love it for some reason.

[nenia]

CCCXIII (3 & 13 are my fave numbers too!)

 

my second SO CTV.

 

YAY. Like my first (CXXIX), this is another berry/plummy blend.

With this one though, it's warm and not super headache sweet like the first.

I'm not sure about particular notes, maybe some apple in it too as it's reminding me a bit of

Coral Snake which I also adore. Also has Dragon's Milk kinda vibe? So far I'm very happy with this one and it's a keeper

Edited April 6, 2009 by nenia

[SeaMonkey]

CCCCI I'm getting amber and incense. It's kind of like snake oil and black lace........I couldn't wear blace lace, but I can wear this. I can't wait to see how it ages. The oil is really thin and almost clear

[AlarmAgent]

I've got CCCXL---maybe a J at the end? Which would make it, I'm fairly certain, 340...J.

 

 

In Bottle - Very sweet and sort of non-descript-candy-like, not at all picking up on Snake Oil. The oil itself is thick and amber-gold.

 

Wet on Skin, First Applied - Violet candies, a general sort of 'pink' scent, berryish just a touch. Mostly violet, that sort of sweet, candy-violet. Reminds me a lot of Serpent Qui Danse, and in that, a little bit like Mr. Bubble. Less soapy, more candy, and I'm picking up on a little dragon's blood, or a little red musk, or a touch of both. One of the more effervescent musks or incenses, at least. Very pretty, sort of a young scent, but without coming off as possibly naive. Sort of a 'My First Incense!' scent. Definitely reminds me of the sort of thing my best friend in middle school used to love to burn. Which was, if memory serves, some sort of dragon's blood. Also, like I said, sweet violets. Very gentle, but not a weak or wilting scent. I definitely enjoy it.

 

Dry, on Skin - The incense and/or musk strengthen as the blend dries, and it is just gorgeous. It never gets very heavy, which is fine by me; I have so few incense-y blends that aren't ...smoldering. This one is fresh, which is hard to find in in a blend containing a lot of the notes I enjoy--as they tend to be the heaving type. I still don't pick up on a lot of Snake Oil--which is definitely fine by me. I like Snake Oil tons, but I was hoping the blend would focus more on the add-ons than the base; just for chaos' sake. I wouldn't sell or swap this for anything! I'll be grabbing a few more Chaos Theories before they're off and gone.

[Nidaba]

I got my decants today! Here are reviews of the first 3 I tried.

 

CCCXXVI: Almost smells like cough syrup in the imp. It calms down a bit on the skin, but still smells of something like cherry liquor and patchouli almost. Not a winner for me. To the swaps pile.

 

CCCXXIV: This one has a strong liquor smell at first too, settles down on the skin, but ends up smelling like body wash. Good body wash, with fruit and almond maybe, but a soapy background. Probably another swap one.

 

CCCXXXI: Smells a little resiny in the imp. A bit strong and promising, woods and resins and spices. On the skin- it disappears. Haha. If I stick my nose right against my arm I smell a bit of a Snake Charmer thing, which is great, but it is crazy faint. May swap this one too. =/ ETA: Gets a bit stronger with time.

Edited April 9, 2009 by Nidaba

[forspecial_plate]

The numbers are a little rubbed off, but it looks like CCXCVII.

 

I first tried this with moonarcana, and we each wrote down our (very different) impressions without saying them out loud. It was fun!

 

Wet on the skin, I got the suggestion of black licorice, big time. Moonarcana smelled hay and/or grassy notes. As it started to dry, I began to think it might have a hint of leather. I smelled a very little bit of Snake Oil, and moonarcana didn't smell Snake Oil at all!

 

Upon drying down, we both agreed this scent changed a lot. I still smelled a leathery note, but I also picked up on a big metallic presence with ozone. Moonarcana smelled tobacco leaf, and some kind of wood note that she couldn't pinpoint. Something like mahogany. She eventually smelled the Snake Oil component, and I smelled it stronger than the wet stage.

 

SO.......after we shared our impressions, I can see where she gets a grassy note because something reminded me of Scarecrow, a little bit. And I agree that there could very well be a deep wood note. She agreed with me that there could be some leather in there.

 

To sum it up......this could possibly have: leather, anise, grass, hay, metal, ozone, wood, and tobacco, with Snake Oil. I think of it as the love child of Iago, Scarecrow, and Snake Oil [conceived at the Steamworks & Research Facility?]. When I tried it again the next day, the Snake Oil was much stronger. Definitely a winner for me!

Edited April 9, 2009 by Forspecial Plate

[milo]

I think the number reads XXV. Straight from the bottle, this is the juiciest, lush Raspberry. I used to make a Raspberry Cordial, and this smells just like that, the juiciest and freshest raspberry. On, some mint comes into play, and a bit of the sultry snake oil pokes through. I am sooo excited over this blend, what a nice combination for summer!! Kind of reminds me of Australian Copperhead meets Green Tree Viper and they have berry, minty babies. Sounds odd, but it really does work!!

Edited April 9, 2009 by milo

[Reedsong]

My best guess for the number is CCXXVI, and in the bottle, it smells bracing, clean yet dark, perhaps a blend of a few different musks.

 

I apply it to my skin, and something heavy, murky, and oppressive emerges; this must be black musk, a death note for me. I also detect something resinous, perhaps either benzoin or opoponax. This reminds me very much of Schwarzer Mond, and I think anyone who loves Schwarzer and Snake Oil both would adore this blend.

[naeelah]

CLXXI - Wet, this smells basically the same as Green Tree Viper. Pronounced Snake Oil with at least 2 kinds of mint (definitely spearmint). It has a fuzzy, powdered sugar quality, like Green Tree Viper. (I wonder if that's the combo of the spearmint and snake oil.)

 

As it dries, the mint becomes less fuzzy and much sharper. Aha, that's eucalyptus. It's really strong at first but after a minute or two, it dissipates into the background, leaving it smelling like Green Tree Viper again, just with a brighter, cleaner after taste (er, scent).

 

I'm not picking out much else. Basically, strong Snake Oil + spearmint + eucalyptus.

Edited April 9, 2009 by naeelah

[tielan]

CIX: Snake Oil base, on top of which I got honey or skin musk while wet, with something delicately leafy and green in the drydown stages to finish at a pleasant plummy fruitiness that hasn't gone bad on my skin. Hooray for fruit that doesn't go overripe! It reminds me of one of the Odes - Makhanitis.

 

CXLVII: Snake Oil Base. This one's a chameleon. I picked up ambrette, tonka bean, and champaca in the wet stages, with sandalwood in the drydown - red, I think, but it's hard to tell. Still, even the sandalwood vanishes when dry, and what's left is the ambrette and champaca. A very delicate scent and quite lovely, not one for me.

Edited April 9, 2009 by Tielan

[aedes]

Can't read the number, it's completely smudged off. But I got it in a swap from Jadys.

 

But wow, this is a weird one. Definitely smell the Snake Oil in there from the get go, but holding hands with the "snow" note. Is it piney? Minty? Ozone? All three? It's The Abominable Snow Snake! Slithering in a winter wonderland. Okay, not abominable, kinda cute and fuzzy. So... a green, legless weasel. Yeah. I'll go with that.

[Dark Alice]

I couldn't read the number on this one either. But it is Snake Oil...with a bright red juicy fruit and sugar. Spun sugar at that. This is the one that I have decanted for my PIFs. I hope the others can identify the fruit....I won't wear it that often but I do love the fruit in this and the sugar...its

[SmileCat]

CCCXCVIII I think that's the longest string you can get for a while! Snake Oil and...smoke I think. Like pipe smoke or a really strong black tea. I was hoping for something fruity or floral. I always end up with really strange Chaos Theory blends. The last time I bought one, it smelled like seaweed. This one doesn't smell like Snake Oil at all, but part of that would be because it was blended up hours before I got it. But whatever this smoke/tea note is, it's really strong. In the bottle there's also something vaguely minty. Right now on my skin, it's being all patchouli, all the time the way Snake Oil sometimes is for me.

 

For the right person, this blend could be awesome, but I don't think that person is me.

[mineralgirl]

The number was already long gone by the time I unwrapped it. It's a very long number tho..I can see a little silver all across the label. I hope they can come up with some way to prevent that from happening in the future.

 

This my second bottle of CTV: Snake Oil that I got (a third is on order) and this one smells like someone was eating breakfast in the lab and spilled their orange juice in my SO!

 

It's a bright and orange-y delight. Fun! It's a bit like those orange rolls that come in a can.. it kinda reminds me of the frosting on those. My first bottle was fig ... so I'm hoping my third is like cake or sugary ..... just keep those nasty florals away!

[schackjj]

Since I clear-coated the roman numerals with nail polish the second I unwrapped my bottles, my CT V is definitely CCCXCI (391). Mine got a big dollop of SO base.

 

Wet: Primarily Snake Oil, but a hint of citrus struggled to come through too. It failed, so I couldn't ID it.

 

Drydown: SO and a really dirrrty musk, nothin' clean and frilly about it. Could be patchouli, but my nose says good-morning-darlin'-what-was-your-name-again musk. Good strength too. Two hours-plus later, it's much softer and sweeter, and very close to the skin.

 

This will be seriously kickass with some aging, but I may not have it that long

[suki]

this is for bottle # CCCLXXIX

 

in the bottle and wet on the skin, there's a strong vetiver note in here, with the scent of warm/rich Snake Oil as an afterthought.

 

on the skin, this magically transforms into the love child of Mme Moriarty and Snake Charmer. i can't even believe that either of those scents could possibly be improved upon, but here it is! the sweet and the sexy and the rich, all rolled into one astounding scent.

 

this is my third Chaos V Snake Oil series, and not one of them has disappointed, not in the least!

 

 

 

:wub2:

 

 

 

[topaz]

CCCLXXVII (377)

 

OMG! Wow-- just wow! Oh how I wish this was one I could order gallons of! This is a Snake Oil with a campfire smoke/ tobacco leaf overtone. Sultry, smokey, and dead sexy!

[suki]

version # CCCXLLL

 

in the bottle: it's all heavy lemon verbena. not just lemon- this is important. this is clearly the plant not the fruit. to my boyfriend, it smelled like Lemon Pledge. but to me, it was yummy and plant-y.

 

wet on skin: it takes on more of a plant note, like a bit of fresh sun-warmed mint has been added into the equation. i cannot over emphasize how much like actual living, growing plants these notes are.

 

dry down: the barest trace of Snake Oil with a beautiful, muted Verbena on top, and a little of that mint to round things off.

 

in all: a perfect scent for a late spring or early summer day, i'm betting it's only going to get better with age.

 

 

[naeelah]

These are the Snake Oils from my decant circle:

 

CDXIX - Snake Oil + a tart berry and a sweet berry (cranberry or huckleberry and cherry?), black incense and brimstone, black poppy, black amber...

 

the love child of Lampades and Al-Azif (without the maple syrup overtone). Strong cranberry note while wet, and a dark incense note. Not sure of everything that's going on here, but that's the effect. As is typical of my skin chemistry, the incense note gets stronger and stronger as it wears, and the cranberry recedes. The incense is pretty pitch black and has a brimstone-like residual quality. But, it's well balanced by the cranberry and snake oil, so while a dark scent, it doesn't scream ash and oblivion.

 

The Snake Oil is present but not in such a way that it calls attention to itself. So, rather than smelling like Snake Oil with some stuff added to it, this smells like a wholly new blend.

 

It's really quite nice, if you like dark incense blends. I like it way better than Al-Azif. After an hour or so the Snake Oil becomes a little more noticeable and hours and hours later only a gritty, smoky note remains.

 

UPDATED 5/5: This is much the same, but now I get the sense of black poppy in the mix (there is definitely a floral note), and perhaps black amber. It smells like cough syrup when wet, goes through a cola-like phase, and settles into something that resembles On Darkness.

 

CCCXCIX: This is a weird one. I can't place everything. My best guesses so far are: Snake Oil + tangerine, lotus, maybe apple blossom, maybe red musk

 

There's definitely mandarin (or perhaps tangerine). There's some kind of lush floral. The floral and non-citrus notes get stronger as it dries, because of course the citrus begins to evaporate. Snake Oil is present, but as a base note. I feel like something is warming my nose and throat, and it reminds me of the wasabi note in Nostrom Remedium.

 

It goes through a funky, dry musty period at first, but after about 15-20 minutes that goes away, and it's a nice, sweet orange floral snake oil. It reminds me alternately of orange sherbet and of fresh Coral Snake. The lightly spicy note seems to go away, or maybe I just don't detect it when I'm not sitting around huffing my arm.

 

UPDATED 5/5: I still smell tangerine, still smell a lush floral that I now think may be lotus, because there is a bubblegum-like quality present. I think there might be red musk, but in small amount. The mystery sharp, warming note reminds me less of wasabi now, because the prickliness is totally gone once dry, and that's why I'm starting to turn to red musks.

 

Once dry, after about 20 minutes, it's not spicy at all, the weird mustiness goes away, and it still smells very similar to fresh Coral Snake. So I'm sticking with my conclusion, warm sweet orange Snake Oil.

Edited May 6, 2009 by naeelah

[beliefunwrought]

Eeek! My first review!

 

CXVI

 

Very full bottle, almost too full. In the bottle I don't detect even the slightest hint of Snake Oil, just something vaguely herbal/spicy.

On my skin: I wish I knew exactly what this is, but I don't. It smells like some kind of sweet herb or spice. Reminds me of a flavor of spice drops or Necco wafers. It's really familiar but I just can't place it. Something like a cross between black licorice and root beer, and it's STRONG and it lasts forever. And either this herb/spice completely covers the Snake Oil or it was really light to begin with because it never comes through. Very interesting, but I'm not sure it's really my thing.

 

 

XCI

 

In the bottle: Ah there's my Snake Oil! With sharp leather (think De Sade) and maybe just a hint of vetiver?

On my skin: This blend seems to be pretty heavy on the Snake Oil, but the sharp leather really wants to be up front and in my face. One sniff it's creamy Snake Oil (maybe a little extra vanilla or something? seems a little sweeter and creamier than regular Snake Oil) but the next time it's all strong, biting leather. I'm not sure if this does have any vetiver, because I can't smell it at all on my skin. Again, very interesting, but a little heavy on the leather for my tastes.

[whisperingmachines]

CCCLXV:

Death Adder Lite? I think it might be black coconut or something. I like this a lot, wish I didn't have only an imp.

 

CCCLV:

Hmmm... I honestly have no idea! It's definitely a warm, slightly spicy scent though. Sandalwood? Maybe some herbs?

[femmefatale]

CCCXVIII

 

If I could create my own snake oil blend, I could not have picked a more perfect one.

It starts out a bit of SO with coconut (more black, less foody) with a hint of smoke. As it dries down, the smoke comes out more and reminds me a bit of the smoke note in Moai, but not quite so acrid. Drying down more the smoke fades and the most gorgeous coconut comes out again, balanced with the faint snake oil base.

This makes me think of dancing close on the patio of an outdoor bar on a summer night, with the lingering smell of an earlier beach bonfire mingling with the coconut oil left on warm skin. It's such a beautiful and sexy scent.

 

I love it. I just wish I could buy it by the gallon. This is my holy grail scent.

 

 

[aedes]

CLIII

 

Ginger Snake! Definitely got the spicy playfulness of ginger, with what I think is a creamy copal dry down, mixed of course with the spicy smoothness of Snake Oil. What a keeper!

[milo]

In the bottle, this is snake oil with a foody coconut. On, this is a more incensey, resinous snake oil, I don't get a lot of coconut on, it is there, but barely. It's actually quite masculine at this stage, like Crowley's younger brother. I'm a bit bummed, as I don't wear masculine scents.

 

After 10 minutes or so, it is not masculine anymore, this is snake oil with some white coconut and a extra jolt of warm vanilla thrown in. What a morpher!! I like this quite a bit.