Achluophobia

[Invidiana]

ACHLUOPHOBIA
Fear of darkness. Oppressive, stifling, suffocating, blinding: black patchouli, tobacco absolute, opoponax, and inky black musk.

Menacing, in the best possible way. Let me explain.

This is a scent that conveys the feeling, the very idea of thick, impenetrable darkness through the sum of its parts. You have to give this a chance to dry down a little before you can really experience its true beauty. Wet the first thing I get is patchouli but it's so much more than that. Patchouli just has that tendency to dominate the wet stage of things. It slowly starts to reveal its true nature on the drydown, like the many layers of darkness that make themselves known as the night grows deeper. The oppoponax has an almost syrupy quality to it, and by syrupy I mean dense and rich rather than saccharine--think sticky resin rather than sugar syrup. My skin does tend to bring out the sweetness in oppoponax but nowhere near cloying capacity. The tobacco gives it a pleasant (and very fitting) smokiness, and the dark musk wraps it in a sheer black veil of sensuality. Once you have one sniff of this you will get completely lost in it--and you might not want to be find.

[Ella LaRose]

Fresh from the mail and on my wrist because I have been the most excited about this blend!!

It is DARK!!

First thing I get is a strong tobacco, like the single note but with dark layers underneath. Next is the patch, but a soft version like the black patchouli, adding a depth and dark earth note to the sweet tobacco.

The oppopanax has a very murky black ink feel. Like dark enchanted pools that you can't see but that cloud the world with an ominous feel.

This is the darkest most goth scent I have. A perfect Halloween scent! Mysterious and other worldly! I am in love!! It would be amazing in a BAD boy, and stunning on a girl who likes to walk the dark side of the edge!!

Edited October 5, 2013 by Ella LaRose

[welcometothefamily]

In The Bottle: Earthy, sweet-ish, syrupy. Can definitely smell the patchouli, it's like Lush's Tramp shower gel except sweeter.

 

Wet: Very much the same as in the bottle, except maybe a little more caramelized. It's got a slightly syrupy, mapley thing going on. Can definitely smell the patchouli in the background though.

 

10 mins: Not sure if I like this...it smells a lot like Perversion on my skin, with the maple thing. I didn't like Perversion at all, and this is pretty much Perversion rolled in earth.

 

Drydown: Hmm. It is becoming a little more earthy vanilla now, not as harshly MAPLE. Maybe sliiiightly smoky. Ish. Can still smell the patchouli in the background. I like the drydown more than wet for sure, but I really wish there was more patchouli in this. -brainwave- I've been trying to think what this has in common with Perversion, and I think it must be the tobacco absolute that smells like maple to me -sigh- I was hoping for dark, smoky, earthy deliciousness. Stupid tobacco >.>.

 

Verdict: At the moment, I don't think I like this. It's not repulsive, but not amazing either. I might sit on it for a while and hope that it'll age more patchouli-like.

 

2.5/5

 

ETA: This has had a month of aging on it, and the tobacco is a little less harsh on my skin now. I still don't like it, and honestly, I don't think I ever will. This would be interesting to smell on my man, but otherwise, I'm gonna pass it on.

Edited November 13, 2013 by welcometothefamily

[Dark Alice]

This is dark. Thick darkness. The kind of darkness you feel in the summer time or in the fall when there is a thick fog on a dark night. Sweet...thick..but beautiful. I need a bottle of this. STAT!

[Zii]

Wet, this was all patchouli and reminded cheap club perfume in it's bitter simplicity. But as it warmed up, I got the tobacco coming to the fore and it's much better. It's still very much in the vein of the patch heavy men's colognes, but the artificial bitterness is now completely gone and replaced with a subtle dark spice.

[sarandipitee]

This is awesome wet but on drydown it's all patch. Which is not awful... but I want opoponax! I need that to sweeten up the musk and smoke and patch. These notes should in time smooth out but right now I'm unsure whether I should spring for a full bottle because it's a little rough for me right now. Will for sure keep the decant and tuck it away for at least 6 months.

[Redillon]

I LOVE IT !!! Incensy, spicy and sweet. It has a nice throw and lasts on my skin. BOTTLE WORTHY!!!

[OctoberGwen]

ACHLUOPHOBIA

 

This is indeed an inky blend. Patchouli, tobacco, and black musk are almost always my friends, but opoponax usually tends to be just a bit too sweet for me and that is the case here.

 

I will say, though, that this blend captures the concept of suffocating darkness quite remarkably. Something about that syrupy opoponax and the bite from the tobacco makes me feel uneasy...and a little fascinated.

[Poenari]

Yes! This is dark, sinister, and I love it. Tobacco and black patchouli loud and clear, with that inky musk. This doesn't have any pine pitch listed, but it has that feel to it too. A little reminiscent of, though not the same as, my beloved Night Hag Visiting the Lapland Witches. If you liked that one, you will like this one. Getting a bottle for sure.

[patina]

Flat, dark and a little sweet. I find myself wishing this had a tiny bit of spice. (Though the tobacco is almost spicy.) Maybe clove or something to give it a little extra dimension? Still not bad.

[MCS4096]

This was amazing when it first went on-- deep, sweet, and a little spicy, as others have commented. Then.... it went almost pencil shavings woody What. I dont even know what note is doing that on my skin because everyone listed should play nicely. It was glorious at the start, but I cant handle that final scent, darn!

[zankoku_zen]

If darkness had a smell, it would be this. It's a deep, thick, slightly sweet, slightly spicy patchouli and tobacco dominated blend. No single elements really stands out to me but it just seems blended seamlessly.

 

And that entity is a dark, moonless night, with no star light or moon light to pierce through the all consuming darkness. It smells thick, dark, all encompassing.

 

THIS IS STUNNING. EPICALLY PERFECT in execution.

 

So, having been into BPAL for 8 years now, some blends bring out an immediate and visceral reaction. And this one is one of them. And it's a scent experience. I wouldn't wear this as perfume, but its so evocative and perfect and true to the concept that I wonder how Beth and company managed to capture smothering darkness of a frightening night into a bottle.

 

This is not for everyone. This is not something anyone can wear. But for all the coveting gothic hearts out there, if you ever wanted to wrap yourself in night, and wear darkness like a fucking cape, and have command of that prickle in the back of your neck, wear this. So you won't smell pretty, but fuck pretty when you smell like dark power.

 

It brings to mind something I just read recently: "You celebrate Halloween by nibbling on candy; you celebrate Samhain by pouring whiskey over a bonfire." To carry on the metaphor, this is Samhain. This is power. This is darkness.

[LadyMedb]

I love this scent!! It starts out pretty overpoweringly patchouli/tobacco (apply sparingly!) and dries down to the deepest darkest wood/resin combo in BPAL existence (I love opoponax). Yep, it's pretty one-dimensional in its darkness, but it's sweet and enveloping and comforting.

 

Behind every fear is a wish, and so this is a wish for darkness. So beautiful.

 

And I'm really pretty obviously starting to love tobacco accord, too. Who knew?

[AngelDragon]

Even though I am pretty much of a Bpal "virgin" I do know what I like and what I don't like.

I am a huge fan of dark, sensual, thick scents. The ones that have a somewhat mysterious and strong character.

 

Achluophobia is THE scent for me and I am so happy that it was picked out for me by Dalandra - she managed to find this beauty for me.

 

Out of the bottle the smell is very strong, almost too much to take. My opinion would be not to Judge the scent out of the bottle as it does not do it justice.

 

Wet, directly on my skin; Patchoulli! Tobacco! Leather! All of those and very strong. A real thick, strong scent but wonderfully mixed together in a marvellous blend. Once rubbed on my skin it starts to develop into a mystic, somewhat spicy, dark and full scent.

 

After 10 min; The warmth of my skin makes this scent develop into a full, rich patchoulli/musk/leather one, with a hint of Tobacco. I like how it develops.

 

This is definitely a keeper! Happy I bought a bottle. Even after a full day I can still smell it and the next day (in the morning) I had a hint of Tobacco/patchoulli on my wrist.

 

More scents like this one please!

[lookingglass]

This smells like the dementor love child of Old Demons of the First Class and Antikythera Mechanism; the golden glow, richness, and spices of his parents has been sucked dry. It's slightly sweet but not creamy; the tobacco reminds me of a fresh pack of smokes. It's very soft for a resinous patchouli musk. While I think of classic perfumes like leathery Bandit when I smell it, it reads as masculine to my nose. Achluophobia creeps me out like only Zombie does, though they don't smell the same. This is a masterful conceptual blend. Don't be afraid of the dark...

Edited November 29, 2013 by lookingglass

[thekittenkat]

In the bottle: Very dark patch, but not too earthy/rooty.

 

Wet: The slight sweetness of the tobacco and opoponax shine through the darkness.

 

The dry-down: Everything has blended together wonderfully. Great scent for a club night. A pack of clove cigs would just add to this.

[colbyxcheese]

this was one of my first purchases from bpal and I have to say Im totally in love! when I read the description of this scent I knew it had to be mine. Achluophobia is so dark and smoky and bit oppressive(in a good way) with the tobacco and what im guessing is the opoponax. I constantly smell myself and think, damn I smell sexy! I would love to see how this smells on a man.

 

 

[cherrycherry]

Soft, sweet, darkness. This is the best of this year's phobia blends by FAR. It reminds me of Perversion in some ways and I adore Perversion. Ahem.

 

It is mainly tobacco and black musk on me. I am wearing this currently and amping it like mad - bloody loving it and knowing I smell like dark heaven. If this ever comes back as a bath oil, room spray or hair gloss then I will be one very happy little kitty. It's just so... deep. It's almost thought-provoking in its complexity and yet the notes are simple and honest and quite gentle. I need to try this on my husband ASAP because I know that he will wear it very well indeed. Sexy, inky madness. Love.

[mymymai]

ITB: Oh, this is resinous and darkly enticing: patchouli, opoponax, and heady tobacco with black musky tones underneath.

 

Wet: On my skin, the patchouli and tobacco are a bit stronger, giving me the impression of dark, inky blackness set against woods in midnight.

 

Dry: After 12 hours, it's tobacco and patchouli - dark, smoky, with a touch of musk.

[milo]

Masculine, inky black blend. I rather like it, but I'll never wear it. I'm getting the black musk and tobacco, mostly with a touch of patch. I'd like to smell this on a guy, but it's too masculine for me to wear.

[Monster]

When first applied, this is almost a tobacco single note. As it dries, the black musk and patchouli come out more. Uh! Come to mama! I am in resin heaven! Achluophobia is exactly the sort of scent I love, it's dark, rich, earthy, slightly bitter and a little smoky. The final dry down is black musk in the front supported by tobacco and patchouli. This has amazing throw (a little goes a long way) and wears for hours. I'm guessing this one will age beautifully. LOVE

[porcelina]

Achluophobia is a THICK, DARK scent. It lives up to its name and description very faithfully. It has this amazing heavy resinousness and some yummy black musk. And tobacco! At first I thought, "…maple?" But then my nose corrected itself and i realized it was a delicious delicious tobacco note, which becomes the dominant note on the dry-down.

Rich tobacco backed up by musk and dark sticky resin. It has great throw, too. I love it!

[miamaslegi]

This is definitely very dark, rich, and drop-dead sexy! Wet, the tobacco is dominant - it's not as . . . spicy/nose-tingly as the French Tobacco SN, but still rich and sweet and deep. As it dries, the black musk and opoponax come out - I just love it! I never get more than a breath of patchouli, which is fine by me. This is so very sexy - I'd love to smell it on ye olde man-thing.

[elka_knits]

I wore banshee today so that might be coloring my perceptions

 

Gritty patchouli with something peppery tickling my nose.... cayenne? Went in for a sniff to figure out what spice was bothering me and got wafts of tobacco. Once it dried I still had chewy patchouli ala wet banshee but no softness from vanilla. Deep dark and murky. After a few hours I am getting mainly tobacco with musk.

[Blood onmy hands]

This is one of my favorite Halloween blends, and I really like it on my husband. You can pick out all of the listed notes, but they meld together into this dark, earthy, resinous delight. Opoponax is a super sweet, syrupy resin scent with a peppery tone to it, and always makes me think of resin made into molasses. The black musk is a little powdery, especially as this has aged, but still dark, plush and musky. The patchouli is earthy and grounding. And the tobacco adds a bit of sweet smokiness. So good.