The Coiled Serpent

[pkwench]

The Coiled Serpent

A potent yogic oil that stimulates the kundalini, provokes spiritual awakening, and releases the energy seated in your root chakra.

 

I knew next to nothing about what was in this blend when it was first listed, but I was curious to try it. This has that dry, twist of a hemp and herbal scent to it that I've smelled in other blends - Helping Hand comes to mind. It comes off as a dry, weedy and reedy herbal blend. I think of hemp, dried grasses, and jars of exotic bits. I see this as a something of a working blend. Definately more medatative than perfumey. I think it'd make a good, relaxing incense.

[byrdie]

Bottle ~ Warm, smoky amber. All I'm getting from this one is a wood / resin feel.

 

Wet ~ Wood smoke. That's it. Just wood smoke.

 

Drying ~ It's smelling lighter on the wrist to which I directly applied it than it is on my fingers (from opening the bottle) and my other wrist.

 

Drydown ~ It's powdering down into a resiny incense, perhaps sandalwood.

 

Dry ~ Wow, except for my fingers, it's almost gone; and I have to get my fingers close to my face to smell what oil that's left on them.

 

Fade ~ I think the fading experience made a *wooshing* noise as it passed me by.

 

Final thoughts ~ I'm fond of smoky scents, so this one is pretty nice. It'd be good to wear when I'm not in a sweet scent mood (rare though that may be) or when I suspect that I'll be around a lot of cloying scents. I think this one is a lighter mating of Cathedral and Namasté. Its got a funky holy place vibe to it, like the local botanica. It's also, for reasons I can quite pin down, rather sexy.

Edited February 1, 2005 by byrdie

[britgeekgrrl]

I'm not sure I'd recognize patchouli if it bit me on the leg, but the overwhelming impression I've gotten from my imp of this is a very sharp scent of wet soil. Lovely, clean, fresh-turned soil populated by happy worms, but none the less, it's dirt.

 

On my skin after 15 minutes, it warmed up a little, but it still smelled like I've just spent an hour in the garden after a rainstorm.

 

It's sort of sharp in that 'climbs high into the back of my nose and stays there' way, hich tends to make me sneezy, which can be a tad problematic.

 

As the scent continues to dry down, it's becoming less aggressive and a little more 'welcoming', but I think it's just a bit too much for me.

 

I think I could like patchouli in a scent in which it's not THE dominant note, but I don't seem to be falling in love with this one, which is a shame as I've been reading about chakras and kundalini yoga, and had rather hoped that I could incorporate this oil as I go about doing what I've gotta.

 

- Johanna

[etherealchild]

In the Bottle kinda sharp, earthy......

 

Wet REALLY strong patchouliwood. Like whoah.

 

Drydown It's all fire, smoke, patchouli, earth...... I smell like an old hippie. lol. I dunno, once again the possible appeal of patchouli is lost on me. I just don't get how anyone can like it.

 

Two Hours Later It's an interesting smell, I'll give it that...... but it's the patchouli..... it ALWAYS smells bitter, DIRTY, and overly masculine to me.

 

Verdict I guess it does kinda help with the chakras, and more open sensuality...... but god damn, it stinks!

[wolfie13]

Well - I get mostly strong patchouli from this, both in the bottle and wearing.

 

Coiled Serpent is a little more interesting than that makes it sound, because there are some other notes floating around in the background that I can't quite place, but the patchouli definitely takes over on me.

 

I actually do like patchouli, but more as a note in a blend - not straight-up.

 

And since I haven't been to yoga in a year, the "proper use" aspect of this oil doesn't really apply for me right now either.

 

And oddly (for such a strong scent initially) it seems to fade really quickly on me.

[shelldoo]

i am currently studying to get my yogic degree, so i have been intrigues by this one, and i finally scored an imp

 

in the vial and wet it is straight up patchouli, but i didn't get teh "dirty" patchouli smell *shrugs*

 

dry down it becomes deeper, sweeter, and darker, i am definitely gonna try this during my asana practice.

[lunalight7]

Initially when wet, this smelled of industrial strength bathroom cleaner. It quickly dried down to a mossy wood scent which I find intriguing and strangely alluring....I can't stop sniffing it, yet I don't think I like it. But I can tell that it would be an AMAZING room scent in an oil burner. Will report back after I try it this way.

[laochodia]

in the bottle-- meditation incense? i smell sage, vanilla, thyme, patchouli....

wet- goes on dark and heavy but my skin immediately drink up the patchouli and makes it go away (thank god)

dry- the second this was dry on my skin, i stood up without noticing it, stretched my entire body and all my chakra points lined up and snapped open.

 

With this on, i automatically relax and breathe in counts of 7. This scent is like my personal savior. I want to carry it around whenever i have to deal with some of the more annoying people at school.....

[anmorata]

The Coiled Serpent:

 

This scent hits me as being very resinous and full of incense. I didn't pick up that it was patchouli until after I'd read the other reviews here, but I'd have to agree.

 

I'm not familliar with chakra alignment or yoga, though it's something I've been wanting to try. I may pass this one on to a yoga teacher friend of mine, instead.

[mmcfa2]

I hate having to identify notes, beth must get a real tickle out of our efforts!

 

First, wood, sandalwood i think, then patchouli and vetivert and frankincense. I'm not a big fan of frankincense, and when it swirled up I recoiled from my wrist, but just as quickly it softened and blended back into the fragrance almost seamlessly. The patchouli is a dominant dry one, just lovely and it is lifted and sweetened just a tiny bit by its partner oils. It is lovely! comforting and warm, very woody, like well polished woods...

 

Reminds me very much of cathedral without the incense and adding a strong patchouli note, so it may have more wood in it that I cannot define.

 

I will definitely keep this imp and will ponder a bigger bottle. I want to compare it with anne bonny if I can ever score her imp!

[cormeretrix]

this one actually reminds me of serpent's kiss. to me, they're very similar. i found it to be sweet, yet sharp. i didn't know it was a yoga inspired blend; if i had, i would have tried it in my routine before swapping it! (darnit!)

[alston78]

At first sniff: spicy and woodsy

 

On application: I smell vanilla, sandalwood, patchouli, and pine? Maybe that's just the patchouli.

 

This went away quickly on me, leaving the vague masculine not-quite-BO smell that patchouli tends to leave on me. I think overall it's a bit too masculine for me, and I don't follow yoga, so I'll pass this on to someone who might enjoy it more.

[emilini]

I received this as a freebie with a recent order.

 

Wet and in the bottle it smells like a harsh version of Ace of Pentacles- all dirt but with no promise of renewal. For some reason, I never recognize patchouli in a scent until someone points it out.

 

I put it on wrists, neck and the nape at the hair line (where it doesn't get so much skin contact).

 

Dry Down- Around my head it maintains the dirt scent but on my wrists it is quite soft and sandalwoody with some floral. No vetiver that I can detect.

 

This is a very interesting scent but I don't like it as much as Ace of Pentacles.

[kmasden]

I get a lot of wood from this...sandalwood, cedar, not sure which. I don't get much else, but my skin does that....yet to find a scent with a big wood, patchouli note that balances on me. I'm curious about it's uses in yoga and for cleansing and breathing. But as a scent for general wear. Can't do it.

[quimerula]

Conforting and almost masculine.

I can smell patchouli.

Very unusual, it's like going into a hippie shop.

 

As it dries down incense and myrrh come out, and it looses a bit of the dry feeling that makes it so masculine.

 

Really nice and not classical at all.

[blaqpearl]

At first I was overwhelmed by this. I smelled the patchouli...but there is something else and I cant quite pick it out. There is something medicinal in there because when I take a deep whiff, I feel my nose clear up for a second.

 

At first I said yuck and I am a lover of patchouli...but as it morphs on my skin...I am liking it more and more. This would make a great room scent. Maybe I will try it during yoga (when I learn).

[wickedgoddess]

Origin - imp received in a swap.

 

Wet - I really couldn't name what I am smelling, but looking at the boards I see that it is patchouli. It seems both familiar and darker than patchouli somehow.

 

Dry - The patchouli note doesn't change at all, but I get some frankincense lurking about. This is a strong scent that wafts around me. It's very invigorating. Two hours later it is still going strong, I feel like I am enveloped in a cloud of fragrance. Several hours later this is still going strong, but has mellowed out to a beautiful patchouli scent. I like this quite a bit, but I don't love it, and I already own quite a few patchouli scents.

 

On the wickedgoddess scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being best, this rates a 3.

[Gin]

Patchouli and… vetiver? Maybe some wood notes as well. This is spicy and earthy.

[cupide430]

The Coiled Serpent

When I initially sniffed e=mc2's imp of this I was so turned off I wouldn't even try it. Then the lab frimped me with it and I felt like I should at least give it a chance.

 

I sniffed my imp and then gingerly dabbed a bit on my hand. Its earthy, very earthy. It has a sort of mossy earthy smell to me at first. Now it still smells earthy plus a bit plasticky. The plasticky part has been replaced with a musty note. So not for me. I really get the musty thing with a lot of the earthy scents. This might be good for people who really like earthy scents...

[dreadeddragon]

This is a very good meditation blend for me, it grounds me & makes me almost dizzy & calm. It's all earty scents, patchouli, vetiver, and maybe a musk? It's earth with a slight tang and an almost animalistic quality. I'll be getting a bottle.

[OriginalWacky]

Review The Coiled Serpent

 

Bottle (Imp): I really can't identify this. It's rather fresh smelling, possibly woodsy.

 

Just On: Ooh, I get wood, and herbs. A sort of sharpish wood, but not sting-y, just some sharpness to it. Like it's fresh-cut.

 

An hour or two later: Wood, herbs, and a bit of sweaty body odor? Not the good, just worked out body odor, more like the didn't take a shower and am stale body odor. Poo. Well, it was something I wanted more for The Mate to try. Or it can be a room scent.

 

Around 6 hours: Mostly body odor scent, and it doesn't like me much at all. Will try it for The Mate.

 

12 hours: Ugh. Major body odor, the yucky kind.

 

Overall: Well, it smells good for a little while, but fades into a really yucky body odor as it dries down. Usable as a room scent most likely, especially for chakra work. And I'll be trying it on The Mate to see what happens.

 

After reading other reviews: I'm guessing the vetiver is what gave me the yucky body odor scent. I'm a little bummed that this dries down so horridly on me. I'll try to post if The Mate ever gets a chance to try this, but he's showing no interest right now.

[helarctos]

To me, The Coiled Serpent is all patchouli. It isn't as strongly lingering as your typical patchouli -- perhaps more refined -- but my nose does not detect further notes at play.

[aidenraine]

Wow.... I am an avid yoga practioner and a lover of pachouli. I guess Coiled Serpent was meant for me.

 

It's musky/spicy/peppery - there is something here that smells vageuly ceder-y, like a blanket taken out of a ceder closet.

 

Definitely not an overwhelming scent- it wafts gently up from my wrists every so often to remind me I have it on.

[quikslvr]

Patchouli of the "dirt" variety. Not very appealing to me, unfortunately.

[Ajila]

Wet on me this was very sharp and spicy, almost to the extent of being medicinal, when I took a big sniff it made my nose twitch. When it settled it had become more creamy and resiny (maybe myrrh?) although still spicy. I have to admit this isn't my thing, but I'll be passing it on to my mother who's a yoga teacher, I think she'll appreciate it more than me.