Debauchery

[Naamah_Darling]

A sinful, licentious scent: self-indulgent and luxurious. Mingled heady civet and red Egyptian musk, thickened with opium.

This is raw, muscular musk glazed with the faintest opium high. Once it's out of the bottle and on the skin, it acquires a sharp overtone that is juicy and dirty. This is a very animal musk. No doubt that's the influence of the civet. It's a profoundly . . . biological scent. Not off-putting, but definitely animal. This part of the scent stays close in.

Red musk is the most sexual of the musks to me. It's deep and rich, warm and fuzzy, sexy. It lacks the clean refinement of the pale and white musks, but what it lacks in charm it makes up for in warmth. It has almost the depth of black musk, but without the singed, tarry scent that often comes with black and dark musks. It's unique, warm and enfolding.

The opium is an incense note that sits behind the musk. Opium is usually very high-pitched, but the smoothness of the musk and the darkness of the civet are pulling the high note down a bit, and this is a better perfume because of it. Here, it's not the dominant note, but a spicy, tingling smoke scent that lingers in the background.

Civet is . . . different. It's hard to describe what it smells like, but it's immediately noticeable and very distinct from the red musk, even though it is itself a musk-type smell. It's sweet and rich, but also very animal. It's as though the musk has to go through a refining process; red musk would be in the middle. White musk would be on the far end, as refined as it gets, black would be on the near end, and civet would be the raw ingredient they started from.

Though it is a completely pleasant scent it seems like it's being parsed in the same part of my nose/mouth/brain as other strongly animal scents, like cat butt-musk, human body odor, and, yes, the smell of . . . sex. A body smell. Intimate. Almost embarrassingly so. I can see the parallels people are drawing to cat pee, and all perfumers admit that raw civet is, to put it politely, "fecal" in character. Nevertheless, it's not a bad smell.

The throw is moderate, but smells less intense than the close-in odor; the waft is a gently fruity musk with a smoldering screen of opium mixed in and just the barest hint of something arresting. Pleasant, dark, but not overwhelming. Only up close does it start to smell catty and feral. A ripe, redolent scent with just a hint of danger, a scent that is as much a warning as an invitation. Very nice. Well, not "nice," but you know what I mean.

The slightly acrid bite of civet lingers past the opium and the full flush of the musk. The throw dies back, and it's a deep animal smell, close to the skin, at its full drydown. This one would definitely work on a man, so I'm classing it as unisex.

I like this. I like it a lot. But it is very bold and extraordinarily animal. Debauched? You bet. This is the smell of a guy who has done nothing but drink, f**k, and smoke hash for three days, but who still manages to smell good. It's utterly debased and feral. Edited April 8, 2008 by Shollin

[Trish]

I got this as frimp from the lab, and although I immediately recognised it as one I had on my list to try I couldn't remember a single note it contained. When I first opened it I immediately recognised red musk which I love, along with another note I first thought was vetivert. Upon looking it up I realised that was civet. I've never tried an oil with civet in it before, but I know it's something that a lot of people can't wear.

 

Luckily it appears I am not one of them. Wet this is all red musk along with the civet which on me at least is a somewhat dirty sex scent, but not in a sharp way. It's smoother. The opium soon appears too, giving it a perfumey smoky layer. As it dries the civet softens but never disappears, just giving the rest that darker edge. It has average last and has only a little throw. This is surprising as usually red musk throws like crazy on me, however I did only put little on.

 

I like this A LOT. It's warm and sexy, but with a hint of a dark side to it. Like someone who's into S&M but very few people realise it.

 

Possible bottle.

[LunaClaire]

Name: Debauchery

 

Bottle: Very sweet, heady and perhaps a bit medicinal. I smell the civet, and also something like clove, which may be the opium.

 

Wet: A clove scent seems predominant, but with a twang . Definitely sweet, but with dimension

The name works, as if there is something sweet and addictive about this scent. Ever so slightly medicinal.

 

Dry: Dries down to a spicey cloud of powder. Still very sweet, with a twang; the opium/clove scent prevail. Still mediciney.

 

Furthermore: Initially, I felt a headache coming on from the continuous sniffing of my wrist; but then something relaxed me; the opium I suppose. A hazy veil that dulled the pain a bit. A dissolution. Feeling ever so slightly buzzed.

 

ETA 6/22/07 to add: I tried debauchery again late last night; the fumes were heavy and a bit noxious and I fell asleep to them; I was in this surreal dream where I was very high and could not ground myself. The dream culminated to my witnessing my car being run over by the huge wheels of a truck. In the dream, I was so high that I couldn't focus enough to scream, but I was trying to scream "Stop!". I woke up to hearing the sound "Stop!" in my head. Do I think Debauchery had anything to do with my dream? Absolutely. I'll pass on this one.

Edited June 22, 2007 by LunaClaire

[tartchef]

Ugh. Count me in on the civet-haters. I grabbed this & slathered it on this morning, thinking it was Depraved... you can imagine my dismay when, instead of sticky apricot & patchouli, I was enveloped in a fug of ripe cat's butt & burning rotten leaves... It was a generous frimp from a fellow forumite, but alas, this must leave my house post haste...

[idoru]

In the bottle: sharp-dark, almost pine.

 

Wet: almost clove, but not Christmassy; smokier, slightly medicinal. I don't seem to have the same skin-hatred of civet that a lot of people do, but nor do I seem to be among the 3% in animalistic lust with it.

 

Dry: "clove" scent backs off, mingles. Dark, dark, luxurious and rich; I see an Oscar Wilde-esque library, all dark mahogany, a men's velvet smoking jacket, pipe smoke, a leather settee. About half an hour in, the "medicinal" bit dissipates enough that I stop feeling like I have diluted Vapo-Rub under my nose (sensation only, not odor).

 

I like the throw much more than I like it close to my skin. :[

 

Not unpleasant, but not me. Opium den mystique, but I like my scents to be delicious ON my skin as well as wafting..

To the swaps!

[MaidenGenevive]

Debauchery

 

Impression from vial, a heavy musk. Wet on skin, a heavy, spicy musk arises. I can picture a football player, or some other big athletic guy wearing this. This is unmistakably masculine. Sweaty, gritty, masculine. Not the kind of masculine that I'm attracted to.

 

[1 - Hate] .. [2 - Dislike] .. [3 - Like] .. [4 - Really Like] .. [5 - Love]

 

1 / 2 : My husband likes light and fresh scents, and that works for him. This is not something I'd want him to wear, and definitely not for me.

[Medici]

In the imp: Holy crap musk and civet. That is insane. It’s a combination of very dry, very animalistic, and very heady.

 

Wet: Dark, spiced and dry musk – almost to the point of being dusty. The opium’s doing a fair job of smoking this out, drying out the whole blend to an almost cracked-woodlike smell.

 

Dry: This isn’t for me, but it does smell sort of classic and Victorian.

[ravenfeathers]

in the bottle the name of this alone is enough to make me want to like it. it is heady; in fact, that's what i wrote down while i was sniffing. there's a soft whiff of anise to it in the bottle and it smells, unfortunately, a bit like rootbeer gone flat.

wet on skin you know what this smells like? pleather.

dry on skin okay, interesting. it's turned into the smell of expensive cologne being used to cover up sex sweat. no, really.

two hours later about the same, just faded. and the weirdest thing about debauchery? i don't actually hate it.

Edited September 25, 2007 by ravenfeathers

[taramarie]

I tried on Debauchery before I knew the notes. On me, it smells like dragon's blood resin (which my skin chemistry turns to plumeria) and deep musk. Looking at the notes, I have no idea where the db is coming from, but I'm not complaining -- this stuff is very nice.

[Lunaratu]

This is all civet and some kind of wood in the background trying to get through when initially on. This scent is really making me cringe I must admit. It’s just a bit…much and I have to clear my throat and blink each time I sniff it. Ok, I’m sorry but I cannot stick with this one, I just have to wash it off—I just keep having a very instinctive “get it away from me” reaction each time I go to sniff it. That is not a good sign.

Rating: 1/5

[Lyrical]

in the bottle: I didn't think I'd like this one ... but now I'm not so sure. It's very strong and masculine, and smells a bit like medicine too, but it's rich and woody - with a slightly unpleasant edge to it.

 

wet on my skin: it's rich, rounded and woody. Definitely masculine, but pleasant. The sharp edge that was there in the bottle isn't there at all now. After 10 minutes or so it's getting sweeter and there's a fruity note there which I can't quite define. It makes me think of redbush tea. It's no longer clearly masculine. Mmmmmmm I like this! It's not the perfect scent I'm looking for, but I will probably wear it. It just doesn't match its own name at all!

 

The longer I wear it, the smoother it gets! But I prefer this one on the wrist. And it's too masculine!

[Beazlebabe]

My skin chemistry has a sense of humour, let me tell ya what.

 

It totally ignores the civet and musks and puts the spotlight on the opium and something that smells fresh and. . . woodsy.

 

It's how my (male, cute, possibly gay) English teacher should smell.

 

That, or I've an olfactory blind-spot to civet. Though I'm quite familiar with the scent of cat urine and from this blend I detect nothing like it.

[maribouquet]

Sooooo gross and poopy on me.

 

The far drydown is interesting - I think that's the musk? But overall this is just horrible with my chemistry.

[CrazyPretzel]

There's a rumour going around that civet smells like cat pee. This particular scent, the first I've tried with civet as a listed note, smells *nothing* like that. The red musk is powerful but smooth and sensual, and even rather sweet. The opium is clean, piercing, almost soapy but not quite. The civet musk is a surprisingly smooth scent that I really enjoy. Nothing to be afraid of here!

[Sealgair]

I got to try this imp through the Civet Evangelism Sniffing Circle!

This is my second time trying this - last time the opium overpowered everything... and I'm not a fan of opium, but I'll give it another try.

 

in imp: opium & murky musk

on wet: 7:20 - a bit spicier, but still... opium in the main, like the (was it Dior?) expensive women's cologne.

drydown: 7:35 - the red egyptian musk is coming out a bit, but still mostly what I'm smelling is OPIUM!

8:05 - this is a little more complex and interesting than the cologne Opium, but my skin is amping that note to the exclusion of all else. And I'm afraid I just plain don't like that scent. eh.

8:22 - maybe a bit more musk, but pretty much still all opium, all the time. Ah well.

[anairdna]

the imp i bought is aged over a year

 

my verdict: sex in a bottle.

 

just YUM

[porcelina]

i was nervous about debauchery. others' less than favorable (and that's an understatement) reception of various civet blends had me concerned- but i love musk. i can wear musk very well, the darker the better. this is deep but, believe it or not, not musky enough for me! on my skin i mostly get the opium. for some reason the scent of a lot of opium blends reminds me of the field museum in chicago. i have no idea why (what are those curators doing during off hours, i wonder?), but i love the smell so this isn't a bad thing. but, yeah, this is musky and delicious. raw and a little wild. more civet please!

Edited December 12, 2007 by porcelina

[mspixieears]

Very musky and boozy, reminds me of Smut and a little of The Parliament of Monsters. It’s very sultry, and think it would be fantastic on a fellow. There is something n it that reminds me a little of leather.

[Czarina]

I tried this one without reading the description first.

 

In the imp: whoa patchouli.

Wet: Holy Headshop! It smells like patchouli. Really really strong scent.

Drydown: very nice, strong incense/musk/opium.

 

Imagine my surprise to learn this was a civet scent. Lovely, but not for when I am trying to be subtle. This is a knock-you-down-with-my-boobs kind of a scent.

[sadtomato]

this is such a strong, musky, dirty scent, i love it!

 

in the bottle i really get the civet and patchouli, smells a bit floral, too.

 

once i put it on, though, damn my chemistry! it turns all masculine and i smell like i've been sitting around old men smoking pipes and cigars all night. no kidding. on my skin it smells strongly of STRONG tobacco and nothing else.

 

it actually gave me a headache so i can't even wear this one. i'm so bummed 'cause i love the smell on others and in the bottle, but it just doesn't work on me and debauchery IS my middle name...

[Luxari]

very musky and sexy, but a tad too heavy on the civet oil. Let's see how this one ages =)

[laforetnoire]

I was very curious about that oil and decided to get a imp of it. Bad idea. In the bottle, it smelled a bit floral, like patchouli (other people mentioned it before). But when applied, it went horrible! I guess that I must have that problem with civet too. (I am so Bpal-unlucky lately...)

[Reaver]

Debauchery

Ars Amatoria

Fresh onto my skin, this is civet, and just civet. It dries down to let the opium ooze out, the musk taking a backseat but just tickling my nose. It’s suprisingly fresh and bright, more fun burlesque than delicious debauchery. It’s got a touch of class, and is reminiscent of the smoking rooms on the Titanic. Or what I imagine them to be like. This scent courts you like it should. It brings you flowers, then screws you in the back of the stagecoach.

 

Conclusion: Keeping the imp. I have Faustus so there is no need for a bottle. They both evoke the same kind of toffee-nosed sex appeal in tight pants and frockcoats.

 

8/10.

 

ADDED 9/5/09:

 

Gah... second review - sorry, I missed this one?!

This is aged for 3 years, and quite different!

 

This is very firey and musky... debauchery indeed! The civet is really strong in this, it's almost hot in my nose when I go in for a sniff. This has got killer throw and the throw is all musk with me. This is such a deep red oil, it even looks 'vivacious'?! I think that this smells awesome but I think it might be an acquired taste. I should also add that my imp was with my first BPAL and that was near on 3 years ago, and this smelt far too civet-y to wear then. I think the musk has gotten better with age, and hold it's own a lot more. The opium just makes it a bit sweeter to my nose.

 

9/10. I really like this. I'm keeping it for back-up ammunition when I need to bring the 'vivaciousness'. Word of the day, much?! I might even have to get a bottle to start the aging process to make it amazing.

Edited May 23, 2010 by Shollin
Removed Lab description --Shollin

[brit_brat100]

Imp: Heavy, like velvet, and very exotic, but I can't pull out any notes.

Wet: Pretty much the same.

Dry: A very alluring scent, but I think it's a little heavy for me.

[twilighteyes]

I think the imp I have is really old. It smells like stale perfume. I found another imp of it in my extras box. One is lab fresh from lab month, the other was frimped from an ebay person. hmm.

 

They both smell a little stale. Dark heavy perfume. Musky.