Ravenous

[cyanidenoir]

An utterly feral, thoroughly rousing perfume. Red patchouli sweetened by orange blossom.

I don't even know where to start. Ravenous is one of the most glorious scents I have ever tried!

When wet on my skin, the patchouli really stands out but as the oil dries down, the orange becomes dominant and the patchouli takes on a spice fragrance and I detect a hint of musk and vanilla with honey. It smells like gingerbread. I adore it![/font]

[ladyl]

Oh my... this is so weird I could have sworn I wanted or hoping Snake Oil will smell something like this. I got the orange note when wet. Not my fave but it dries down to a tarty, plummy vanilla like smell.... OMG i'm so in love. * adds this to 5ml list*

[angelicruin]

Sniffing the imp, it's deep, dark orange scented.

 

Wet on the skin, bursting oranges. As it dries, I am getting a wee bit of the patchouli note, but the orange note owns my skin.

 

I LOVE this scent. I'm a sucker for orange notes and this scent is amazing on my skin. Will be ordering a bottle of this amazing stuff.

[tragedy]

Very nice!!

This is a nice spicy orange, it reminds me of pomander balls.

Its absolutely beautiful, but it fades within mere minutes on me!

[aquazoo]

Orange candy! The heavy sweetness fades, but definitely orangey.

 

[Indigo78]

Somehow I've missed reviewing this one, even though I think the imp has been in my box since the "early days" (a whole year ago! ) I know that I've enjoyed the scent every time that I have chanced across the imp, but I always seem to forget to order a bottle -- probably because it's GC.

 

In the bottle this smells very clean to me. It isn't the same patchouli as what's in Urd, Imp, or any of the Lab's other fruit/patchouli blends. On second thought, it may be the same patch... Maybe the orange tempers it a bit? I don't know. The imp I have is at least one year old, and I think that it has aged very well. It is more mellow than I remember, and the oranges seem to have become creamier and less tart/sharp.

 

The overall effect is not hippie-ish at all to me. In fact, it reminds me of a Hermes perfume (at least I think it was Hermes) that I had a sample of, but never could smell or find again.

 

The orange and patchouli blend on my skin like they were made for each other. This is what I expected from Imp (a sad story of pure and utter fail).

 

It tilts toward being a dark scent, but is also sensual and glittering from the oranges. I can see this being a very good year-round fallback scent, as it can dress up or down easily. I'll definitely add a bottle to my next order.

Edited September 2, 2009 by Indig0

[gingiemay]

This is a sexy, sexy floral. I get mostly orange blossom, and in this rare case the note is a true orange blossom that doesn't go sour or soapy on me, tempered with a sexy undertone of red patchouli. It's not dirty or hippie, but it's sexy and seductive. This is a gorgeous scent! Bottle!

[melrose]

Wonderful! When first on, it smells like Old Spice, but quickly settles down to OS with a spicier, sweeter note. I've received compliments all day. Bottle-worthy for sure!

[lunareclipse]

I don't know why, but I'm getting a musky cocoa scent off this, with a whiff of orange in the back. It's a little like the orange shaped chocolates you get around Yuletide - the whack-to-open ones? I love those things. Chocolate + orange + mild violence: what could be bad? Despite the reminder of a yummy treat, though, it's not foody, somehow: it's the impression of the food without any of its edibility.

 

It warms into a warm, rich, deep accord; very sexy, very sensual. I still get a chocolatey vibe, and some orangeyness, but there's still no food component: I don't smell like a bakery, I don't want to nibble on my own wrist, I'm not getting the weird and unplaceable urge to go make something in the kitchen. The promised feral component isn't there either: this is a very rousing scent, but to me, it's reminiscent of satin sheets, velvet lingerie, and candlelight - no less passionate, but a decadent passion rather than a wild one.

 

Yum.

[fairestrocza]

In the Imp: very sweet orange (like the jelly inside chocolate orange sticks)

 

Wet on Skin: Initial blast of candied orange, then it starts getting good

 

While Drying: almost foody sweet; The Boy says 'cinnamon' but I don’t get any of that

 

After a Little While: more incensey than the wet phase, almost gritty (this must be where The Boy is getting the cinnamon)

 

Later: the patchouli and the orange blossom are pulling together, but now the scent is sticking close to the skin

 

Final Thoughts: I'll have to try more blends with red patchouli - it seems a bit harsh, but has potential; I was hoping the orange blossom would head toward the same vanilla scent that it brought out in Vixen, but this orange blossom is more candy and fruit.

Ravenous earns a 4/5 on my skin.

[Venneh]

Pretty straight up patchouli in the imp. On my skin, the orange blossom comes up a bit. Not quite sure what to think, we'll see what happens. Ends up being darkly sweet, not anything I think I need a bottle of, but I'll definitely keep the imp.

Edited January 20, 2010 by Venneh

[lwhitesel]

This is a sweet, incense-y patchouli. I'm really liking orange blossom lately, and it blends with the patchouli really well, so that I can't really pick out the individual notes, but I know they're there. It's yummy.

 

In the bottle, it made me think of Vixen, but I like this so so much better than Vixen, since it's sweeter and a bit more floral, and Vixen is borderline "hippie" on me.

[voorishsign]

Frimp from the lab. I like patchouli but have never given much consideration to orange blossom. I hate orange itself as a scent, but hope orange blossom will be different.

 

In the imp - nope, quite a bit of orange - but freshly squeezed, sun-ripened, light orange, not at all artificial or sour.

 

On wet - freshly squeezed OJ. I feel like I'm standing in an orange orchard. Sunny and fresh.

 

Drydown - the orange calms down a little and the patchouli tames it. A light, friendly smell, perfect for a summer day. A pleasant surprise.

[Lorelai1945]

I'm getting lots and lots of orange out of this one. I amp citrus, and that's really all I can smell. It's nice, but it's like sticking my face in a glass of fresh-squeezed OJ. There is a hint of floraliness (may be my nose confusing the patchouli and orange) way in the background, and also some spice in there, but the orange gobbles them up.

[DraloreShimare]

In the vial - Citrus & a musky spice.

On the skin - Woody oranges!

Dry - More of the same, but more spice, less orange.

[strahlend]

I recently got this scent as a frimp and quickly purchased a bottle. I love putting dabs of this oil in my hair, it smells musky and woodsy but not heavy - it smells clean and light but not super floral or in any way soapy. After wearing it for a while it mellows into this fantastic musky, woodsy, vanilla with the nicest hint of oranges and spices. I can't stop slathering this stuff all over myself . I'm so glad this is a GC scent, it's really working for me. Ravenous has a secure place in my top 10 favorites.

[Invidiana]

I'm not alwasy quite the best of friends with orange blossom, but whatever kind is in this behaves beautifully. It's really more of a fierce--not sharp, just full-bodied--citrusy scent fired up with red patchouli. Maybe it's the blending of the orange blossom and patchouli that has that effect with my chemistry, I don't know but I couldn't stop huffing my wrist.

Edited November 8, 2010 by Invidiana

[aquazoo]

Fruity citrus candy! This draws the nose in the same way Jailbait does. It draws me in with the promise of being very, very tasty.

[cinnamonster]

I'm going to review two versions, since they are two versions, nothing alike.

Version one:

2007 imp

I love this perfume, there's something of Shalimar about it, it will certainly divide people into two camps, something in there people might smell as old lady, but not to me. It has huge throw, hence why my imp has lasted me. Yes it's patchouli but also a hint of orangeyness and vanilla. It's snake oil that has been stored for a year in a dried orange

Version two:
2010 lab fresh bottle

What is this....almost fizzy orange! It's cute, it's fresh, but it's not what I thought I was getting. There is NO patchouli in this to the point where I think it's been forgotten in the lab. It's orange-vanilla, within two hours it has become a sweet sugary vanilla and doesn't really go far beyond that.


I'm actually kinda sad about this new one. It's a whole different perfume. Ravenous is my wear when I need to smell strong and need a boost perfume, mainly worn at night just for me, and the new one is by contrast perky and too smily. It's like Garfield side by side with Nermal, if Nermal were glittery. Or a movie star from the thirties next to an 80's smiling blonde cheerleader.

 

ETA 8/17/16: I have reviewed this before and used to love it. I ordered an imp recently to see if the bottle I got that had no patchouli in was a one off mistake. Sadly not. I have no idea what has been done to this, it just has this awful chemical smell. Like it used to have essential oils as got switched for the cheapest synthetics available. It's actually vile. I will treasure my original imp as that scent is clearly long gone.

[Suu4LC]

Hrmm. I love orange blossom, but generally can only take patchouli in small doses. This smells delicious in the imp! Sweet creamy vanilla orange-blossom. Barely even notice the patchouli. Omg, I hope it stays like this on my skin!!!

 

OMG this is so yum! Sort of like a darker, more sexy version of Tweedledee. Warm, creamy, vanilla orangey goodness-the patchouli is way understated in this. Gorrrgeous! Haha, this really is sexy Tweedledee to me (which is sort of a horrifying image-though thanks to rule 34 I am sure the fanart is out there!). It does have a period where it gets a little weird/chloriney while it dries on my skin if I get my nose to close to it..

 

On full drydown it does go a bit powdery, but it loses that weird chloriney smell. Becomes sweet vanilla/orange with a tinge of patchouli/darkness. A really great blend! If you are scared of patchouli but love orange blossom, I still would give this one a shot!

[Altaira]

Orange very prominent at first. The brightness of the citrus is deepened by the patchouli. It reminds me of an chocolate truffle filled with orange cream.

[ami226]

Wow! A slightly earthy orange. This is actually really good! I can't believe I haven't tried this before! Not much throw as far as I can tell, but this one is a really good close to the skin scent! It is just so..... sniffable!

[sparkleyturtle]

I definitely am getting a warm orange smell. It is almost like depending on the waft, I can get the orange or the patchouli. Definitely going to use up this imp and figure if I want it as a bottle.

 

edit to add: after further dry down, I think the pathchouli overtakes the orange. While it isn't bad, I think it is just too strong.

Edited June 22, 2011 by SparkleyTurtle

[Invidiana]

I am thoroughly in love with red patchouli. It's warm and sensual, fiery without being spicy, passion encapsulated in scent, just hot. The orange blossom here is not sharp but gently citrusy, creamy and even a bit vanillic though that may be my skin. There is a bit of a creamsicle tinge to this scent though it's not foody. I'm so glad I finally sprang for a bottle.

Edited July 30, 2011 by Invidiana

[JunkieCosmonaut]

This was a frimp from the lab.

 

Dry down smells spicy. After like 2 minutes the orange scent starts to come out (It's so lovely)! It's warm and crisp at the same time.

 

Edited to add that this scent doesn't last very long on me, which is very unfortunate because it smells sexy.

Edited December 2, 2011 by JunkieCosmonaut