Serpent's Kiss

[ryokokoro]

Seething with passion, yet utterly cold-blooded. Dragon’s blood, vetivert and spice.

In the beginning I very much smell the vetiver and spice, dragon's blood just around the edges letting you know it's in there. I definitely get a sense of the "seething with passion, yet utterly cold-blooded" nature of this scent. It's also very dark and dense green. It makes me want to wander into the woods in the middle of the night with the boyfriend and a blanket...and have my way with him.

[LadyLuckDoubt]

In the Bottle

it's a gorgeous, intense red, and it's called Serpent's Kiss... how come the lab chose his for me? It sounds like something I'd jump for, but for some reason I didn't notice it until the lab-lovelies (who seem to know my tastes better than me!) sent me an imp. How the hell did I manage to NOT NOTICE THIS? Ah, well, let's give it a shot...

 

I can smell vetiver (yum!) and Dragon's blood faintly, also almond, I'm guessing. Already, it's looking promising.

 

On Me

Oh, nice. This stuff likes my skin, and is a radiant, strong blend of the aforementioned. One thing that's intriguing here is that Dragon's Blood doesn't usually go sweet on my skin, but this has a sweetness-- maybe because it's up against vetiver? Not sure what's happening here, but it's a spicy, warm, sexy blend. There is a touch of incense, but it's kept to a subtle, respectable level, and compliments the rest nicely. And I'm sure there is cinnamon and pepper in there, too. While the Dragon's Blood dominates, everything else works in harmony behind the scenes, putting a new twist on the DB blend.

 

In honesty-- lately I've been on a Dragon's Blood kick and have been finding it hard to distinguish between a lot of the "Blood" fragrances, but this is gorgeous, and it seems to last well, which is what I'd look for in such a perfume.

Edited April 4, 2008 by LadyLuckDoubt

[alsatia]

Expectations: This could be fabulous. I love dragon's blood, so it depends on what "spice" is referring to.

 

In vial: Warm, and sweetly spiced.

 

On skin, wet: From a distance, I smell nothing but dragon's blood. It's quite strong. Up close, the spices come out. Maybe a hint of ginger and sweet cinnamon?

 

On skin, dry: Wow. As this dries, it's starting to smell quite like Three Witches. Not identical, but there's enough similarity that I could learn to love this one as much.

 

After time: At 30 minutes, I figured out that this smells like Three Witches layered with the good stages of Blood. It's fairly strong, and the throw is good even with the application spot being a less-than-ideal one.

 

Conclusion: I'm in love! I'll probably keep looking for similar scents to test before settling on this one, but Serpent's Kiss stands a good chance of going in the bottle section of my wishlist.

[eyeska]

This was cautiously interesting, though I'm still very edgy around cinnamon scents. Keeping in mind that both Priala and Tanin'iver were lovely on me, I took a breath and applied this to my arm. After ten minutes, I have hot cinnamon candy arm.

 

Now, it's the most delicious cinnamon candy EVER; my mouth is actually watering. If you like cinnamon candies, this could be great for you.

 

But I don't like smelling like food. :/ I'm going to wear it out, see if it goes anywhere interesting, but I'm pretty sure this sucker's getting swapped or gifted.

[theseagrows]

got this as a frimp from someone. i'd always avoided it because dragon's blood isn't my thing, but i was kind of curious to try it anyway. this is a very fiery scent. all i really get is cinnamon and dragon's blood with maaaybe a slight hint of vetiver in the background. not my thing, so it shall go to swaps.

[Delirium1009]

In bottle/imp: Smoky dragon’s blood.

 

Immediately on skin: Very sweet and deep and rather smoky. This is red, resinous and sweet dragon’s blood with smoky vetiver wafting about. The dragon’s blood hits my nose first, and then I feel and smell the very smoky vetiver.

 

After a little while: This has mellowed slightly and the spice has come out a little. The vetiver has also died down to the point that I can barely smell it anymore. It gives the blend a darker tone, but it doesn’t really smell smoky any more.

 

Overall Impressions: This is a nice slightly darkened dragon’s blood fragrance with a hint of spice. It really doesn’t come across that different to me from other dragon’s blood dominated scents, so I’m not really wowed by it personally. If you’ve been looking for a darker, more rich dragon’s blood than this might be something worth trying.

[galahad]

In The Bottle

Dragons Blood with some vetiver

 

On Application

Strong vetiver and dragons blood.

 

Dry Down

Basically just Dragons Blood for me. A miss.

 

Rating (0-5)

1

[skepticism]

I got a lot of warm, spicy cinnamon from this. Cinnamon is one of my least favorite notes, but of course I'm always open to try it if the blend sounds right. It spread like cinnamon wildfire down from my wrist down my whole arm when wet. Talk about throw! Too bad it the scent nauseated me.

 

However, I decided to layer it with one another imp. I believe it was Ave Maria Gratia Plena or something with jasmine, I don't remember exactly. The results I smelled were fantastic. To put explain it better, it was everything I wanted Sacred Whore of Babylon to be. It was a complex blend of cinnamon with white floral/jasmine/humidity.

 

I don't know if I want to buy an entire bottle just for the purpose of layering, but I just might have to do that. Seems like an easy way to add new kick to my other favorite blends.

[voodoocatwoman]

In the imp and wet: I find this super-sweet with a spicy peppery edge.

 

Dry: The cloying sweetness has backed off and I detect vetivert, cinnamon and something very herbal. This is nice but not something I would wear often.

[toomuch]

I think this should have been named Serpent's Bite instead of Serpent's Kiss, because it has a very sharp bite to me. When it settles down it turns to a bitter, stale powder (old cinnamon sticks?). This is the first dragon's blood scent that I don't like. I think it would work better on a man.

[obsidienne]

I put this on my swaplist even before trying it, I [thought I] hated dragon's blood so much. I was wrong.

 

This still smells like dragon's blood, but even moreso like a warm woodsy spice with lots of cinnamon. Not so much cinnamon that it burns, although it might like to. I had/have no idea of what vetivert smells like, but if this is it, I'm all over it, baby!

 

Very sexy.

[zankoku_zen]

This has got to have juniper in it because it smells like spicy gin.

 

...

 

I know, right?

 

Pass.

[sirensea]

In the imp: Vetiver. We're not friends, but you like the wife, so I figured I'd give you a shot anyway and if you didn't work out, you'd go to her. Well, you're still kind of a bitch. You'd probably slit my tires, if given the chance. You strike me as that type.

 

On my skin: The dry-down is... strangely pleasant, if you can get past the initial reaction of 'oh, wow, that's SCARY strong!' I smell spice. Lots of spice. And something cold. It's not a friendly scent.

Edited April 9, 2009 by sirensea

[milo]

I can't believe I actually guessed the notes on this one! This is all DBR, cinnamon, and something "dirty", which I guessed could have been vetiver or cedar. DBR is a much too sophisticated scent for me, but the vetiver and spice makes this blend somewhat more wearable. Not enough for me to keep, though, off to swaps.

[tinyvulture]

At first, I smell dragon’s blood and complimentary spices like cinnamon and ginger – a very ‘potpourri on Christmas Eve’, kitchen-y, cozy scent. And then…I smell vetiver. Now, normally, I am a huge fan of vetiver. Can’t get enough of it in those woodsy, outdoorsy blends. But it doesn’t belong in my holiday kitchen. It’s jarring to my sense of smell, mixed in with all these spices. It seems dull and heavy. Oh well -- can’t love ‘em all!

 

Note -- after about 5 minutes the vetiver has calmed down a bit and is mingling more evenly with the other notes. But still, the vetiver-cinnamon combo isn't really doing it for me.

[Iceblink]

Spicy dragon's blood with a dark edge to it from the vetiver. One of those BPALs that ends up smelling of potpourri or scented candles on my skin. Alas! I do like the spiciness of it but it just smells a bit artificial.

[ouch!]

God I'm LOVING this!!

 

This is the nicest Vetiver blend I've tried (usually I hate them), and it's because of the Dragon's Blood. Also..I'm not a fan of cinnamon in perfume but this? Ooooh..likey like!!!

 

It's a big burst of all components, Vetiver (But not crazy vetiver), Dragon's Blood & and sharp spice that could be cinnamon or cassia. There are other spices too I think but I don't know what.

 

The dragon's blood dies down after about 10 minutes, and the vetiver takes the lead. The Vetiver is in front of the spice element now too. But it's a vetiver that I like. It's not that horrible massive circumference vetiver. I can smell a green element somewhere luriking in the back at this stage too and possibly some anise.

 

I think this is turning into a bottle want! It's sexy and seductive and I think this will prbably smell really good on men more than women. Don't know why..it's just got that masculine sexy vibe.

 

The vetiver turns EVEN nicer when it's completley dry, the spices and it and have come together to form a gorgeous blend that I want more of!

 

 

[sarajane]

Ugh ugh ugh. I like to test imps without reading the description first, and this was a POOR DECISION in this case.

 

Vetivert! Vetivert! Vetivert! Vetivert!

 

Vetiver hates me. So much. I can smell some nice spices, kind of like spiced cider, underneath the VETIVERT!, but... ugh. Vetivert.

[greenranger]

Dragon's blood(the lilac/floral version), vetiver and ...cinnamon? The spices come and go, as does the vetiver. The dragon's blood stays constant.

 

This is a little too floral for me, mostly due to the way the dragon's blood is showing up on me. It's interesting, though, and the vetiver does lend it a slitheryness that is intriguing.

[Aldercy]

Oh my. Oh my.

 

This. Is. Intoxicating.

 

And that's coming from someone who thought they hated vetiver. It's normally really scary on me, but Serpent's Kiss is hot. It's not that I can't smell the vetiver-- it's definitely a violent main note-- it's just that this combination apparently works. Dragon's blood is normally so strong on me that it overpowers all other notes, but vetiver can seriously stand up to it and just transforms the blend into, I don't know... freaking lava. Lava sprinkled with cassia or cinnamon bark. Amazing, and completely unlike anything else I've tried.

 

I would like to point out that this particular imp is aged. I'm pretty sure that's making a huge difference (for the positive) with the vetiver.

 

On another note: I have a lot of other "dragon's bloody" imps and I've sometimes noticed a slight pink staining of the cap, but Serpent's Kiss has actually completely infiltrated the plastic and turned it dark, furious red. Crazy.

 

ETA: Serpent's Kiss lasts forever. I went to sleep with this still on a couple of days ago and my pillow still smells true to Serpent's Kiss. And then my face does as well for about an hour after I get up. No complaints, but be aware that it's persistent!

Edited September 7, 2009 by Aldercy

[Ankica]

Just some spice... strange and brown.

[jamethiel]

In the imp: Vetiver and... almond? :/

 

Wet: Oh, nice! Some kind of heady floral. Maybe dragon's blood? Don't know what it is. It's good.

 

In 5 minutes: Y, halo thar, almond. Yes, my note of doom makes an appearance. There's some other stuff there (? dragon's blood? Heady floral and cinnamon) but there is ALMOND so my nose is kind of obsessed.

 

15 minutes: Settling down to something soapy. I would say it's marginally less offensive, but as the ghost of almond lies unslain underneath all and cries for vengeance, it's not really :/

 

In conclusion: ALMOND. Will be giving this away. Or possibly ritually burning it so the evil spirit of the almond does not escape and haunt my house.

 

(As a note, almond on someone else in limited quantities is fine. Almond on me=evil)

[Juushika]

This was a frimp from the Lab, but I've been curious to try it.

 

In the vial: Spices and smoke. The combination leans towards foody but doesn't quite reach it.

 

On me: This isn't vetiver as I'm used to it—dragon's blood is so juicy that it washes out most of vetiver's harshness; what remains reminds me of liquid smoke: a thickened, darkened, somewhat woody scent that's so smooth it's almost wet. Surprisingly the dragon's blood isn't distinct outside of this effect—it may add a bit of roundness and redness to the scent, but it's very subtle. The spices (which remind meof traditional western baking spices, but are not foody) add warmth and dimension. This is an odd scent: warm, reddish, smoothly smoky—yet while all of those aspects sound cuddly and warm, this blend leaves me feeling cool. Scent-color is dull, dark burgundy; throw is moderate to low.

 

Verdict: Serpent's Kiss is at once exactly what it says on the tin and nothing like I was expecting. All the notes have the potential to be very bold, but instead they're toned down: a wet, reddish resin; a smooth smoke; a hint of warmth and depth. The combination is warm, dark, and spicy, though not quite "seething with passion"—but it is certainly cold-blooded. The scent has a sense of distance, coldness; I feel like it's pushing me away even though I'm the one wearing it. So while it's pleasant enough, nuanced and skillfully blended, I don't imagine I'd wear this much. I like a scent I can cuddle up in, and this isn't that. I expect I'll trade away my imp.

[Leopard403]

I can't smell anything but the vetiver. Sometimes I hate my nose.

[heathercaley]

How amazing!! Dragons blood is usually too sweet and cloying for me, and vetiver is a complete note of doom. Combined together, and including notes of win (cinnamon), Serpent's Kiss becomes a new favorite. The cinnamon is able to overshadow the dragons blood by just a little bit, and the vetiver is just around to lend a smokey atmosphere. I'll be wearing this more often!