Chaos Theory V: Recursive Self Similarity v4

[lothien]

CCCII (302)

 

This is my favorite of the CTVs so far. I did cheat and buy it from forumite marciabee (THANK YOU!!!) with her description - reminding her of SC:R - but only after trying some CTV decant circles. ^^

 

First thing I notice is how much it separates! It's hard to see until I get it into a pipette, but the bottom 70% is an orangish-colored oil, with the top 30% almost colorless. Rolled together it becomes cloudy. It's almost completely separated within a minute. Normally I assume the trip with the postman is enough to have agitated the oils; this one separates instantly, and the top oil smells like "nothing."

Mixed together, Holy Mother of Somebody, it smells good. I pray to the dieties of smellies that it does not turn to play-doh smell. I would cry. I would buy a scent locket.

 

This strikes me as Snake Charmer with some Egg Nog, in the best way possible. It's not sugary or boozy at all - less sweet than Snake Oil, but it's distinctively SO. The Egg Nog I'm getting might be nutmeg combined with the creamy vanilla from the Snake Oil. As it dries it becomes more complex, richer. Amber, maybe. Carnation, maybe. A sweet spiciness like Morocco (also a favorite). I don't get plum, but there's black coconut here that gives it its SC feel.

I also get the barest edge of that creme-orange scent I get from Inez. I have no idea what that is (it's a combo of things I haven't figured out yet) but it's as good here as there. ETA that this could be the sweeter musk in SO, too.

ETA, I think there might be an actual citrus note back here, not an imaginary one. Blood orange, maybe? It keeps reminding me a little of Haunted Palace that way (which has a not un-similar blood orange and toasted vanilla combo).

 

It's also weird that there seems to be no smell on the skin, but it's all around me. My skin has the same faint smell it does the next day after I put on SC:R, but I dare not reapply thinking it's vanished.

 

And no play-doh. ^^

 

Amazing. Pry-it-from-my-cold-dead-fingers good.

Should age amazingly, too, I think. Sad that it's the only bottle of it that will ever be. Happy that I found it.

Edited April 19, 2009 by dragonsidhe

[ffiferoo]

CIII

 

I don't normally get along with Snake Oil, but I can't resist the one-of-a-kind nature of a Chaos Theory, and I figured I could get a bottle and if I didn't like it, I could sell or swap it to someone who would. I am very glad I went ahead and got it.

 

The most prominent note is coffee. A lovely, deep coffee with something sweet underneath - I can't tell if it's caramel, cinnamon, chocolate or some combination of those but it adds a great richness to the blend. Underneath all that is just a hint of Snake Oil, which adds complexity but isn't cloying like I usually find it. I can't wait to see how it will age.

[zee]

CLVII (157)

 

My first impression of this was cinnamon. But I thought the lab hadn't used any cinnamon, as it's a common allergen? Hmm. Maybe I'm mistaken.

 

On a second testing, I slathered a bit more, to hopefully make the scent a bit clearer. It's... it's... atomic fireballs? Fireballs were my life when I was about 13. In the school playground, we'd have competitions to see who could hold the spicy sweet in their mouth for the longest before having to bite down to the sweet centre. And this scent takes me right back to those days.

 

Again, I'm pretty sure there was some kind of cinnamon in atomic fireballs, but now I'm pretty decided that what I'm smelling is anise. Snake Oil and anise? Not a bad combination, but the anise drowns out the SO, leaving behind a very strong and simple scent.

 

Hmm. I think I'll see how this one ages before I decide whether to keep it or swap it.

[Dark Alice]

Because the numbers were rubbed off I had to label these Mystery Snake Oil 1, 2, and 3.

 

1. Snake oil and red fruit of some kind...and did I mention sugar??? This one made my teeth hurt thinking about how much sugar was in it.

 

2. Snake oil mixed with Lovers with rutting cats I don't know if I will keep this one.

 

3. Snake oil and damn amber. Snake oil with golden amber.....how do I know...most amber turns to a cat peeish phase on my skin...and golden amber (if not mixed with other notes) can come on strongggg!!!!!!!!!!!! So it has to be snake oil and golden amber....not a big fan of this one...maybe it can find a good home.

[ShadowsDance]

LVIX

The notes I wrote while trying this only contain one word.. CAKE. Really, it's all cake. A hint of snake oil in the background, but mostly sweet vanilla cakes. Or sugar cookies. Kinda like wearing Snake Oil into a bakery..

[aedes]

CDXXXVIII

 

High John Snake! Definitely smell High John Essence, or something just like it, mixed with Snake Oil. I love high john, so this is perfect-o.

[wl552]

CDLI

 

In bottle: Holy purple lavender, Batman!!! Lavender with the teeniest, tiniest wisp of SO.

 

Wet on skin: More lavender. I was wishing that I liked lavender better at this point and hoping that it settled down.

 

Dry on skin: Patience is paying off. Lavender is settling way down, which is a relief. At this stage, I'd swear to god it was Lilith Victoria all over again. Not bad, but not a top favorite either.

 

Later: Surprise!! Lavender has all but disappeared into something very soft and snuggle-y. Like clean new baby smell with the barest whisper of SO tucked in. It's become very pretty. I wish I knew how to describe it better.

 

Overall: Soft like a fuzzy baby blanket warmed in the glow of SO. I really like this once it gets past the lavender stage.

 

Other opinions: I asked my boys to sniff it. The youngest declared it to be honey. My older boy described it as baby powder. Both in their turn smiled and tried to keep my arm and hand to sleep with.

[Victory]

CCXXXVII (237)

 

Snake Oil! It smells like Snake Oil! Ok, maybe there's some extra red musk in there, and maaaaaaybe something a little herbal, but I'd say 95% Snake Oil, 5% red musk. At least this Chaos Theory I can identify!

[stellans]

LXXXVII = 87
I am a Snake Oil fan, so of course I wanted to try a bottle of this Chaos Theory; and I was well-rewarded for my leap of faith: this blend is amazing! Wet, I get leather, wood, and Snake Oil, which all stay just as wonderful as dry-down occurs. This is like Spanked married Snake Oil then had a wooden baby, which turned into my bottle of good smells. I can't wait to try this again in a year, because I bet it's going to age like whoa. Edited April 22, 2009 by stellans

[crebbsgirl]

CDXLVM

 

I was a little worried when I put this on because the initial rush was a little flowery. But as it dried, the flowers disappeared totally. I'm left with Snake Oil and cloves, with a hint of smoke. This is YUM!

[Ondine]

LVI:

 

This Snake Oil is bananas, b-a-n-a-n-a-s.

 

Why hello, Snake Oil mixed with banana Laffy Taffy! The previous owner had said this smelled "sweet, floral, kinda fruity. Very little SO." I don't pick up on any floral, but I definitely smell the fruity!

 

The initial blast is BANANAS, but definitely banana candy, not like fresh banana. It's like opening a fresh banana Laffy Taffy or biting into a banana Runts candy.

 

After a short while, the banana simmers down and you can smell Snake Oil hidden in the background. EDIT: Actually, it dries down to more like Bastet. So maybe it's bananas + amber + Snake Oil?

 

This is pretty cool and I'm glad I got the chance to try it. I only wish the banana lasted a little bit longer.

 

CCCXXIV:

 

The previous owner had said "Snake Oil with less spice, more fruit- not citrus but very wet fruit." I couldn't place it at first but I've figured it out--Snake Oil and Yule mixed, heavy on the Yule!

 

I can smell the heavy fruity berries of the holly and the mistletoe behind it and just the barest little bit of Snake Oil dancing around in the background.

 

This isn't a great summer scent but this will be awesome to pull out in the fall/wintertime. Tonight I'm going to pull out my decant of Yule and test them side by side because they seem really close.

 

Previously reviewed by Nidaba.

 

 

I like both of these Snake Oil chaos Theories, made even more interesting to me in that they don't smell much like Snake Oil at all (and I like Snake Oil quite a bit)!

Edited May 23, 2009 by Shollin

[Emu Nymph]

I can't tell the number because the silver is fading and smudged. But in the bottle APPLES!! Sexy apples, fresh crisp and tart.

 

Wet it's still apples with an underline snakieness to it.

While it's drying the throw is mostly apples but if I hole my write to my nose it's snake oil.

After it's dried for a few hours it's rich dark Snake Oil with just a wisp of Apples.

 

This really is the lovechild of Snake Oil and Snow Glass Apples

 

If only there were more of this. It's furity it's snakie and's sexy!! must not waste this!

[fairnymph]

cheshire cat's CT V: Snake Oil #4 (numbers rubbed off)

 

Sniffed: Dark honey colour. Green, floral, fresh and bright. Smooth, slick white tea. No apparent snake oil.

 

Wet: Muskier and a tiny bit sweet. I can detect the sort of medicinal/mentholic red musk of SO. Also citrusy - white grapefruit zest. I'm reminded a little of Baohban Sith.

 

Dry: Actually, this reminds me of Shanghai, too. I think there's green tea as well as white - it has that grassiness, and honeysuckle, which always goes a little soapy on me. This stuff doesn't really dry...at all.

 

Later: Grapefruit is fading as usual. This is totally a cross between Baobhan Sith and Shanghia. The green tea has amped, and more and more snake oil emerges over time. It's sweeter, too, with some vanilla.

 

Summary: Honeysuckle, green & white teas over Snake Oil with a whisper of white grapefruit zest.

[Lethran]

DLXXIII

 

In bottle: Whoa…. This is strange and fascinating and hard to pin down. I think it’s raspberry. I’m also guessing extra musk and patchouli. Possibly tea. It’s rich and sweet and summery. The Snake oil is very fresh, but mostly overwhelmed by the fruit. Wet: I just found the snake oil! I thought this wouldn’t work in the bottle, but the berry is doing a happy, happy thing with the dragon’s blood and vanilla. Is that Opium? It’s way more androgynous on my skin. It’s also crazy sniffable. Dry: It’s made of win, really. Rich, fruity, Summery, sexy. It’s rather more ripe womanly, than I would pick for myself but it’s so insanely good I have to keep it.

Edited July 17, 2018 by Gwydion

[voodoocatwoman]

XV (15)

 

Cherry Almond!!! In the imp and wet, this is the old Jergens Lotion... one of my favorite scents on the planet.

 

Drydown says bye bye to my Jergens, but opens the door to Snake Oil coupled with a Cherry Cordial. It is mildly spicy (not sure where that is coming from) but phenomenal!

 

Previously reviewed by sfsassy.

[tielan]

Chaos Theory V - Snake Oil - DL

 

This was confusing the heck out of me until it hit me like a bottle of soft drink: this smells like Dr. Pepper!

 

In the bottle, there's aniseed, some kind of fruit (almost verging on the tropical - like one of those tropical juice mixes), with a dash of something stringent lurking beneath. Hm. At least one of the fruits is cherry - the tropical garnish kind, not the rich black cherry to eat with whipped cream and chocolate cake - but overall, this one really really smells like Dr. Pepper.

 

Of course, in supreme irony, the Dr. Pepper burns away after fifteen minutes to leave...Snake Oil with a whiff of cherry-and-herbs.

 

I must remember to compare this with the regular Snake Oil.

Edited April 30, 2009 by Tielan

[fairnymph]

CDXXXV - 435

 

Sniffed: Goldenrod coloured oil. Incense/smoke/resins. Myrrh, copal, and something more sharp-green and herbal.

 

Wet: Sweeter, with SO's vanilla emerging. Still very copal-y, and slightly mentholic from the green note. I get a sort of sour floral, either rose or jasmine.

 

Dry: This stuff doesn't dry. The base is generic resin/incense at this point - it reminds me of 'standard' cheap stick incense, sort of. I don't like incensey notes in perfume so I'm not great at picking them out. But it's smoky, and a little bitter, and almost powdery (possibly some amber?).

 

Later: The rose is that sour kind from the Empress, and while it has a soapy edge, it doesn't become soap. It stays sour and sharp on my skin. Actually, the incense has a very dark/woody drydown, like burnt firewood - I think there is vetiver in this.

 

Summary: Slightly clean/soapy sour rose, incense/resins, and vetiver over extra vanilla'ed Snake Oil. More musky on final drydown, and smoother/more melded as a blend. Feminine. Moderate throw & great longevity.

Edited April 30, 2009 by fairnymph

[surlygurl]

It looks like CDCXI, but maybe the letters smeared. CDLXI seems more logical.

 

In the bottle: EEEK! Caramel! Run away!!!

 

Wet on my skin: Ummmm..... it's not the dreaded evil caramel after all. More like a burnt sugar. Still very sweet. I can't smell the snake oil. At this point, I'm disappointed.

 

As it dries, I'm getting a bit of spice. Cinnamon? Light cinnamon. Cassia? Just enough to give it a Cinnabon vibe with extra sugar. And I think the Snake Oil is coming out of hiding. It smells kinda pretty. I've never tried Sugar Skull, but I hear there's a burnt sugar in that. This might be the same stuff. In my mind's eye, this has a tan / nut brown color.

 

This isn't a Snake Oil blended with other stuff scent; it is SO infused with other stuff. Cinnabons, to be precise. After it dries, I get these yummy wafts of sweetness from my wrist. I'll have to age this, see how it goes.

[angelicruin]

I swapped decants with a friend and unfortunately the numbers were rubbed off her bottles so I have no idea which number this is...

 

Sniffing the imp & wet on my skin, it's Snake Oil + cherries.

 

After it dries down though, I'm left with just the Snake Oil. I adore Snake Oil, but I wish the cherry-like note had stuck around on my skin a bit longer. Still, I will make this decant last, because I do love that initial throw.

[fairnymph]

CDLVI - 456

 

Sniffed: Goldenrod coloured oil. Clove! And a little crisp red apple behind it. But nearly clove SN - really.

 

Wet: More appley. Reminds me a lot of autumnal scents. The clove is a little spicy, very sharp, and a slightly medicinal. There's a bit of sweetness on my skin that may be the SO base.

 

Dry: Sweeter and much more pleasant. Though this is a very strong clove, it's not doing what clove typically does on my skin - which means it's bitter clove, the one kind I can wear. The apple is less fresh, more like baked apples.

 

Later: The clove is going quite woody, dark and deep. Also, it's a little smoky so that I'm reminded of clove cigarettes - I do believe there is tobacco in this. The apple is mostly gone, but the vanilla still keeps this a bit sweet.

 

Summary: Some really nice dark, sweet musk comes out, subtle but there, and almost boozy. I do get a bit of mentholic-cola SO, but not much. It's basically bitter clove with smoky tobacco, rich vanilla and musk, and a hint of baked apple. Decent throw, fades fast.

 

Not my style, but I bet a lot of folks would adore this.

 

[zenvodunista]

DCLV (655) : Snake Oil is VERY apparent in the bottle and on my skin. In fact, it feels like straight up Snake Oil without vanilla - but with a bit of cinnamon and some kind of wood. But it can't be cinnamon because that goes to plastic on me - but some kind of spice. I'm pleased because I'll definitely wear this one - but I'm not blown away. It's nice enough, but Snake Oil proper is really fantastic too, and it's very very close. But I'm pleased it works. The first CT I've *ever* gotten that worked on me (and two years ago I bought a total of 15 bottles none of which worked on me)! Towards some wearing, some berry comes out - which for me is nice as most berry scents I can't wear (too sweet).

 

D(?)CCIV (704): The numbers are hard to read on this one. Bottle is EXTREMELY full. Frighteningly full. Like it probably overspilled when they capped it. Whoa. This one has some kind of fresh scent to it - and a weird slightly vomity thing going on... It reminds me of the back end of Prunus. On, the Prunus whiff disappears completely (its really only a tiny hint) but this has a bubblegum feel to it that really doesn't work with either my personality or my skin chemistry. It doesn't smell bad - but it doesn't smell like me either. It's nice because there's a mellow spicy undertone which is the SO holding the ground - but the top is more bubblegum and woods. I bet someone out there will really like this. I have no idea who though. It's not even bubble gum... I can't quite put my finger on it.... I want to almost say whifs of marshamllow or spun sugar.... It's sweet but the SO makes it not over sweet. It's growing on me.... but I don't ever think it will be a favorite. It has, as it ages, almost a nice linen quality that is a bit reminiscent of Dirty, or White Rabbit. Neither scent I wear, but I think are nice on other people. This is a SO for people who don't like SO

 

DLV (555): That feels like a special number, doesn't it?! The bottle is again filled to brimming! In the bottle it smells like fresh cream accord. It reminds me of Glowing Vulva. On, there's definitely some kind of crazy wood vibe coming out - teak? It's a dusty spice now and the cream is totally gone. .... As I wear it though, it starts evening out and the cream comes back. My arm is a little hot where I applied it which has never happened to me before. I really like this a lot. I don't know what wood this is - I don't think it's teak, but a relative of teak... It's dustier than teak, and then this hot spice making my arm tingle, the cream, and the SO. I think this needs a bit of age on it for the components to even out a bit, but I'll be holding onto this one, no question. This is definitely one of those: OMG MADE FOR ME CT's. So it was worth the wait. I think this run, this idea of using bases, is a great one. I hope they do it again next year.

 

[voodoocatwoman]

CLIX

 

Wower McWowerson!! I do believe I am detecting an evergreen note... not necessarily pine but something a bit softer? There is a very sweet floral as well... gardenia? This is definitely going to be a favorite.

[nekogrrl]

CDI

 

In bottle: A heavy on the vanilla Snake Oil.

 

Wet on skin: There's something sweet here other than the Snake Oil, but I have no clue as to what it is. This is Snake Oil enhanced. I'm not getting much of anything different from normal Snake Oil, and that's throwing me off a bit.

 

Dry on skin: I'm still getting only Snake Oil. (Not that I'm really complaining too much..)

 

Verdict: Keeping it, for sure, but kinda headscratchy over the apparent lack of extra additions.

[Ondine]

XXII

 

Previous owner said "Snake oil, with lots of lemony goodness on top."

 

YES.

 

This bottle screams yellow (the oil is yellow too!). It says defiantly I AM LEMON. It's like the white "rind" of a lemonheads candy--or am I the only one who peels the lemonheads to get at the sour part?

 

And I love it.

 

Snake Oil? I can't even smell it. But I do get mega-lemon throw and pretty long lasting too. I'm super-happy I bought this cause I love lemon!!

 

P. S. I wore this and it stained my arm yellow, like I'd rubbed dandelion heads on my wrists!

 

Previously reviewed by Emu Nymph.

 

DCXX

 

Previous owner said "This one is baffling wet, it's not herbal, citrus, clean, or foody; dry down is sweet smoke + Snake Oil and a tinge of something I cannot place - and 20 min into drydown I get grape/wine?"

 

Ah, body chemistry.

 

I was so hoping I'd get grapey goodness and smokiness. I wanted a smokey, wine-like snake oil.

 

Instead, I get flowers. It smells like a clean laundry detergent smell--"mountain fresh" or "country breezes," something like that. It makes me think of the Snuggle bear!

 

It's pretty and light and there's a touch of Snake Oil in the background, but not too much.

 

I do get the tiniest hint of grape in the drydown. Incredibly tiny, like if I weren't holding my hand up to my nose and huffing it, I probably wouldn't notice.

 

People who like light florals would probably love this! Alas, I don't think it's for me.

Edited May 23, 2009 by Shollin

[kakiphony]

LII

 

This originally belonged to lunaliquid and made its public debut at the Colorado Meet n' Sniff yesterday (Sunday, May 3, 2009). The general consesus was "Whoa, Nelly! Holy cinnamon!" and "Gah! That's strong!"

 

I tend to like spice, so the almost over-powering red-hot didn't put me off the same way it did other folks. I dabbled just a drop on my wrist and let it sit a while. It turned, soft, mellow, deep, spicy and gorgeous. I was huffing my wrists like a crack-head with a tin-foil pipe.

 

Today, I tried it again and I still love it. Here is the full review:

 

In the bottle: Cinnamon, which we all know can't be in a Chaos Theory so it must be a cinnamon-smell-alike. I would guess cassia (which I've discovered I've been pronouncing wrong for years), but I also thought that was eliminated from the CTs. Whatever it is, it's hot, spicy, and a lot like really strong cinnamon rock-candy. (I'm going to call it cinnamon since that's what it smells like, even though I know it's not.) It reminds me of Lip Venom. I get no Snake Oil at this stage at all.

 

Wet on skin: Cinnamon is the dominant note, but I also get a bit of something sweet and powdery and possibly a touch of clove. This is aggressively spicy on contact, but already less fierce than it was in the bottle.

 

Early dry down (20 minutes): Cinnamon and spice continue to dominate, but the cinnamon has tempered with other spices peeking out. I sense cloves, and possibly a bit of pepper. The sugared vanilla is a sweet, dry presence at the very base, and the sugar almost has a gingery note to it. It's somehow deep and dark, yet bright from the spice at the same time -- a little black dress with a bright red belt and shoes.

 

Late dry down (1 hour 30 minutes): The Snake Oil has finally begun to penetrate the spices enough to be noticeable. It's all SO's base notes and is deep, resinous, with just a bit of a dry and powdery feel. It's sweet, but not cloying. It's spicy, but not particularly foody. It smells the way cinnamon makes your skin tingle (if that makes any sense at all!) It feels like a tradition Oriental perfume, but spicier, closer to the skin, and darker.

 

How it's different than Snake Oil: Clearly, this is spicier than the original. I also think the base has a bit more of something resinous (like patchouli) whereas the orginal has a muskier base. I can't wear the original because the musk overpowers the other notes and leaves me smelling a bit like an old man wearing too much after-shave. This mellows, sweetens and deepens on my skin the way that a lot of patchouli bases do.

 

What it's a bit like: Morocco, Salamander, Spanked, and a tad like Shalimar (but better!)

 

What it's not like: Bengal and Al-Shairan (which both turn into potpourri on me)

 

This is not Snake Oil, it's Snake Venom.

 

Ever since I tried this yesterday I've had the following stuck in my head:

 

My gal is red hot

(Your gal ain't doodly-squat)

Yeah, my gal is red hot

(Your gal ain't doodly-squat)

Well, she ain't got no money

But man, she's a-really got a lot