The Infernal Lover

[Imbrium]

THE INFERNAL LOVER
She ceased. While She spoke, a thousand opposing sentiments combated in Ambrosio's bosom. Surprise at the singularity of this adventure, Confusion at her abrupt declaration, Resentment at her boldness in entering the Monastery, and Consciousness of the austerity with which it behooved him to reply, such were the sentiments of which He was aware; But there were others also which did not obtain his notice. He perceived not, that his vanity was flattered by the praises bestowed upon his eloquence and virtue; that He felt a secret pleasure in reflecting that a young and seemingly lovely Woman had for his sake abandoned the world, and sacrificed every other passion to that which He had inspired: Still less did He perceive that his heart throbbed with desire, while his hand was pressed gently by Matilda's ivory fingers.
—The Monk, MG Lewis

A creamy, sensual, honeyed red musk.

Oh, wow, am I really the first to review?

I've been on a honey + musk kick lately (I'm looking at you, Judith and Holofernes), so this was the Halloweenie scent that I knew I had to try.

Wet, on the skin and in the bottle, it smells sharp and a bit perfumey. This, I think, is the red musk; while I've not smelled that on its own, it smells very reminiscent of the wet stages of other scents that reviews often identify as red musky (I'm thinking of LaFlamme, here). The oil itself is a rich, dark color, that stains my pale skin a bit, but I don't mind!

As it dries, the honey comes out a bit and sweetens things up, but I'm surprised to see that it's not really a strong presence in this one. The musk really does predominate on me (not too surprising, since I seem to amp lighter musks--why not these, as well?) though it loses the sharpness and, as it smooths out, sits closer to the skin, making it a very sexy scent in part because I think it is a very intimate one, the sort of thing that someone is only going to smell if you two are in, ahem, very close quarters--not so much a seductive scent as one for when you've already been seduced.

The verdict: I like it. It stays almost entirely musk, and very little honey on me, so I may hang onto it for a bit and see if the honey comes out a bit more with aging (I'm telling you, me and Beth's honey note have really got somethin' goin' on, if you know what I mean) but even now, it dries down to something really lovely on my skin.

Edited to add: I've been wearing this, well, every day since it arrived, and I think it's not quite right to characterize the wet stages, or even the red musk itself as "sharp"--it is, but more and more, I notice this juicy side to it as well, as though the "red" in red musk is owed partly to some sort of delicious, ripe, red fruit--plum, berries, something. Really nice.

[Dark Alice]

This is red musk single note with a little bit of honey added to it! I don't truly know what to think of this. There is no cream per se just red musk, juicy red musk with a hint of honey. This will be a keeper for sure...but I am curious as to all hell how this will age!

[minnalavender]

If you love red musk like I love red musk, you'll adore this scent. I too get pretty much red musk single note when first applied, but there is a hint of cream and sweet, powdery honey there that comes out in the drydown. I'm a slatherer and it has decent throw, and lasts a good eight plus hours on my skin.

 

I really love the combination of notes in this scent. So glad I gambled on a bottle of it unsniffed!

[violetblue]

The minute I put this on, I could swear I made a mistake and put on Lucy, Kissed (which is really weird because Lucy, Kissed has so many more components). This is a tad sharper though but yummy red musk nonetheless. Very long and lasting throw. The honey is quite faint in this blend on me and just gives it a teeny tiny sweet edge on the drydown which is a touch powdery on me.

 

Edited 1/27/11

I swapped for an advertised non red musk blend of this and This is clear, super sweet, and reminds me of Dragon's Milk. It dries to a super soft very sweet candyish musk/dragon's blood scent. Crazy! Wonder how different versions of this happened? I don't get honey out of this at all which is nice, since honey normally goes sweaty sweet funk on me.

Edited January 27, 2011 by violetblue

[Poenari]

The Infernal Lover is the perfect red musk scent and I agree with Mattie that it's very nearly a single note red musk. It is exactly what I had hoped Smut would become: where Smut is "slam you down, dirty sex", this scent is the kind of sex that is slow, seductive, and builds to a climax. It definitely has a strong throw, and the honey is barely noticeable until later in the drydown. This is a very sexy scent and I need to order multiple bottles!

[hlemonds]

When I first tested this yesterday, I must admit I was a bit disappointed. All I got was flat red musk that just smelled sort of powdery and off. I am pleased to note that it has already improved after a night at room temperature. I should've know better than to test it straight out of the hot mailbox. I'm still not getting any honey or "creaminess", but it is a very nice, slightly sweetened red musk. This ends up smelling very traditional on me, a very old-fashioned, nostalgic sort of scent. Which makes sense, considering it is inspired by Gothic Literature. I had hoped for more honey/creaminess, and perhaps that will present itself with age. My overall impression is that this is nice, and will probably be awesome for layering when I want to add a red musk note to something. However,I don't think I need my back-up bottle, one should be enough. This is very potent on my skin, I really only need a tiny drop or two to get good throw, and it seems to last well.

 

ETA: I had to come back and edit this review after this scent rested for a couple of weeks. I was sooooo wrong about this one.

 

Initially it was very "meh". All I got was a lightly powdery red musk, which I though would be great for layering, but not really unique enough to hoard. Well. Imagine my chagrin when I finally got it out again and I was blown away by the deliciousness. I should've known better than to sell the back-up bottle, because I ended up having to swap to replace it. What a doofus. Basically, after a couple of weeks, the cream and honey aspects are both present now, and it is utterly f-ing gorgeous. Is it still a simple scent? Definitely, but now, rather than being boring due to simplicity, it has blossomed into something beautiful. My husband loves it. I feel much more confident and womanly when I wear it. And yesterday at Toys R Us the cashier complimented me on it. I'm sold. Now the only question is, how much to hoard?

Edited September 15, 2010 by Hillary

[alizarin]

Straight up red musk in the bottle, and stays that way wet on me.

 

Then the honey turns up & threatens to go powdery on drydown, I was afraid it was going to stay there but the powdery stage doesn't last too too long before settling into a soft, sweet musk.

 

It's a very close to the skin, intimate scent that's soft but has a nice, sexy depth to it. I'll be curious to see how it ages.

[kikithepirate]

Holy Lord, this stuff is powerful. Slatherers, beware -- even if you love how you smell, this is definitely one of those scents that could become overpowering to those around you. It is a strong, powerful red musk, and the sweetness has an incense quality. To me, it smells very much like something you'd expect a hippie to be wearing out on a date. I do like the way it smells, I just think it might be a bit too much for me, personally. I'd love it as a room spray or candle, though!

[Lorelai1945]

In the bottle this smells just like Marianne. It is definitely RED MUSK!!, with not a whole lot else going on. I can tell there's sweetness behind it if I sniff closely, but it's waaaaaay in the background. It doesn't seem to be doing anything unpleasant (like my horrible Smut latex gloves and nuts experience). It's rather potent, and the oil is very red in color. I don't hate it, and could see myself wearing it out on a date in fall or winter. However, I already have Mircalla and Marianne...so I'll have to think about whether I need to keep this one too since it's pretty similar. I do love the label!

 

ETA: I tested this again alongside my other red musk scents, and it does have a honey sweetness and a freshness present that the others don't. If this ages in a way that brings the sweetness out, it will be amazing. Definitely keeping this around.

Edited September 6, 2010 by VioletFemme

[ow1goddess]

I love red musk- it's one of my favorite notes- but this is awfully close to a single note on me. It's sexy, no doubt, but even dry I can't smell the cream or the honey except as a vague sweetness. However, this may be because I tested it when I was, ahem, hormonal and red musk seems to amp up even more than usual at certain times of the cycle. I'd heard that was possible but this seems to be the only note that really changes on me. Anyway, I still like it even if it wasn't what I was hoping for, so I will definitely try it again in a week and see how it goes. It's also really strong, like people in the next state can probably smell it.

[DeltaCat]

Red Musk Red Musk Red Musk!!!! YUM!!!! On day down there is a little bitty sweet note that peeks out, but mostly just RED MUSK!

[CiCi]

This is the first bottle that I ordered in the Halloween update and I was so excited to receive it. It is very strong but it is tempered by the honey and it is one that does last all day. I found that a little bit goes a long way. Brand new the red musk does smell "young" but I believe that in a year it is going to be really fabulous! I am going to purchase another bottle to age and see if I am correct in my assumption.

[wl552]

Bwahahaha! Honey, you are defeated!! You shall not amp on my skin in the face of the mighty Red Musk!

 

I am absolutely thrilled! I love red musk and this could be a single note, but since I do amp honey to high heaven, (in a horrible way), it makes the red musk noticeably sweet. A dreamy, creamy sweet red musk. The red musk keeping the honey from going gross on me at the same time. I adore The Infernal Lover. If things work out, I'm definitely going to need a second bottle of this, no doubts. I have a feeling it will be highly sought after when it comes down.

[childoftime]

Warning: do not slather this the first time you try it! This stuff is STRONG!

 

As others before me have said, this one comes out Red Musk SN all the way, and it takes about an hour and a half to calm down.

 

However, once it does, it turns into the most beautiful creamy, honeyed red musk I could ever desire.

 

If you're a lover of red musk, this is a must-buy!

[Carolyn]

Wow. So I guess that's what red musk smells like, since everyone says this is practically single note. My first reaction was, "Hellooo, Snake Oil!" So does that mean SO has red musk in it? Because it has quite a SO vibe to me.

 

I mixed Infernal Lover with The Girls Love Vanilla by Possetts and it was great. I imagine it will be great mixed with O or any number of other vanilla creamy scents.

 

I feel it's a little head shop-ish, but it's nice for hanging out at home.

[birdiefu]

Definitely fresh red musk, it's almost civety. I don't smell any honey at all, alas. This is a great scent if you want to get as close to a red musk SN as possible. I bet it will be fabulous aged, but fresh it's a tad bit sharp. Very close to Smut, and as I have 4 bottles of various vintages of Smut that are barely used, I doubt I will get a second bottle of The Infernal Lover. However, I will not be giving this bottle away, it is still a keeper even though I have many red musk scents.

[ElizabethOSP]

This one seems like red musk single note on me, too. I like red musk in blends--it adds a nice depth for me. However, when I put this on I mean SLATHERED it the first time, I got a funny but unfortunate connection to my childhood. I won't elaborate. Anyway, I let it sit for some time, then tried it, more LIGHTLY, again. It was better, but I was still wondering what to do with it. Layer? Swap? Enable a friend? Well, I still might eventually do one of those, but after reading the reviews of my more experienced companions in here, I am going to hold onto it for a while. You Ladies are saying that our Infernal Lover may age nicely. I'll join the waiting game! I mean, after all, I'M aging nicely, so.....

[spiresinthesnow]

This smells like straight up red musk when first put on. The same red musk I get in so many other scents that I love. Sweet, deep, red musk. It hit me unexpectedly, what makes this scent so special is its dry down. The red musk slowly burns away into a honey whipped cream scent. To me this is a much sweeter creamier honey then in other blends I've tried. Definitely need a bottle!

[SophieCedar]

Reading the description, I couldn't send payment fast enough for a bottle of this...

Wet: whoa! holy throw! this is strong and incredibly sexy and feral. All notes in order. The red musk is strong but it's amping the honey too. Smells like heavy cream was poured over it too.

Drydown: the red musk is in check and everything is awesome.

 

I visited my hubby at work after testing, last nite. His reaction.... "Oooh! What are you wearing? *snnnniiifff* Mmmmmm! *sssssnnnniiiiffff* Grrrrr!" Needless to say, he loves it. Combined with Boo 2010 it's amazing.

[brilliantcat]

Like many others, I had damn near a single note red musk. It definitely has some powerful throw and an almost-incensey quality on me. I never got the honey or creaminess. I wish I had, I expected to love this one and instead it's just meh.

[topaz]

A sweet red musk. My beloved Scherezade without the spiciness. Oh yes! Must have two bottles of this one- I bet it will only grow better with age!

[mxtine]

This smells like Smut in the bottle. This is one of the strongest BPAL I've tried yet...red musk is very in your face. It was almost unbearable on my skin for a couple minutes (need to apply less next time . There was a sharp cedar and even rose smell that I was afraid of, but the sweetness of honey tamed the beast that is red musk.

 

I want another bottle of this, because I know its going to age beautifully. It's in the same category as Snake Oil, Smut, and Mme Moriarty and I LOVE all of them to death.

[CynicalPink]

Little bit of a leak in transit that I think is coming from this bottle. Sniffing the oil covered label, it smells rather like a Hot Topic...hmmm...

 

Imp: Mmm. Spicy.

 

Wet: That sure is red musk. Sweet, too.

 

Drydown: Red musk. Sweetened with honey. Just what it says on the tin, I guess.

 

Overall: I like me some red musk, and this does smell nice, but I guess I'm just looking for a little more out of a scent of this type. Red musk is pretty sexy, but I'm not the type of person who wears a lot of these "sex in a bottle" type scents. If I am going to wear them, I need a little more than this. Mme. Moriarity and Mania are great, but between those two and Womb Furie I definitely don't need a bottle of this.

[SeaMonkey]

This is STRONG! I only put a swipe from the decant on my wrist and in my cleavage and it was almost overpowering all day.

 

I get a smut/dragon's blood vibe from it. I'm not sure if I'll get a bottle for again or not.

[Aldercy]

Yep, single-note red musk (not the sometimes medicinal, stale kind I occasionally get, but something very similar to Snake Oil Bath Oil-- which I find to be just a little more red musky and less vanillic than the perfume oil). It's a dark, sweet, metallic, maroon scent.

 

It's quite strong on its own, but I imagine this could be good for layering. I think it would be really good for adding just a drop of sexiness to complimentary, but less powerful blends.