Gomorrah

[LiberAmoris]

One of the Biblical Cities on the Plain, destroyed by God with fire and brimstone because of its people’s pride, prosperous ease, deceit, hedonism and indolence, and their callous, uncharitable hearts. A gritty, sordid and languid scent: ripe fig, date and currant with black herbs.

Mmmmm, Gomorrah is light, sweet figs and black tea on me---such a great combination.

I wanted to love Intrigue, but Gomorrah is much more up my alley. It smells just like blackcurrant tea, fresh from the tin. So good.

[atomic*orange]

In bottle: Fruity/figgy and dirty herbs

 

Wet, on skin: Rapidly losing the fig and there's a soapy spicy smell that reminds me of Silk Road. Gets more and more soapy.

 

Dry, on skin: The fig comes out to play, the soapiness fades and it gets fruitier by the minute. I can't tell if it's fig, or currant, or date, or whatever but the herbs keep it from getting too kool-aid like.

 

I like the figgy drydown, but that weird sharp-soapy phase kills it for me. Nonetheless, it was a pleasant surprise to find a fruity scent that didn't turn to screaming berries. If fruity notes tend to go crazy on you, this would be a good blend to try.

[stardreamer]

I ordered this because I've had reasonably good luck with fig/currant notes. Unfortunately, that seems not to be a universal.

 

First impression: Patchouli? Something NewAge-y, at any rate. Applying lightly.

 

Fresh on: Now I'm getting some fruity undernotes, but they're distinctly secondary. That's odd; usually currant jumps out on my skin.

 

Drydown: Fruity patchouli, Batman! I smell like a cross between a winery and a NewAge store. While I wouldn't label it obnoxious, it's definitely Not Me. However, I think it's a good representation for Gomorrah; I can get both hedonism and darkness out of this blend. For some reason, it also reminds me of Lust, so I'll probably offer it to my friend who wanted that one.

[tinyvulture]

in the bottle it smells like a Fig Newton. on my skin, it smells like figs with a hint of dirt. i thought it’d be sweeter, because of the currant and date. but it’s not a strong scent at all -- i have to keep applying more as i write this review -- so i’m sure i’m missing something.

[brownbear]

yum!

At first sniff in the vial this smelled so good and tasty and deep. Once on my skin I started having second thoughts, but after it dried it turned out very nice. It smells like fig and some kind of peppery spice. I could swear I'm also getting a hint of sweet coconut in here too. mmmm a keeper

[niter]

Imp

Fragrant fig is the first note to jump out from the imp! Yea!!

 

Wet/Dry

At first, I thought "not Eden" but the current is rising up, sweetening the mix. What a lovely juxaposition of spice and sweet. It is not Eden. But Eden is not Gomorrah. I love the different plays on the fig note. There was a point when the smoky note bloomed and then it tapered off to a hint. I love the whole mix!!

[PurringPulsar]

Gomorrah

 

In the imp: fire and brimstone??? Well, almost. It's more of a dark fruity-herbal with something burnt and destroyed about it. Very apt!

Wet on skin: dark, dark herbs and gritty fruit notes.

Dry on skin: I think the best way to describe this scent is…apocalyptic. This scent has a real feel of destruction and darkness about it. There's a dried currant note with blackened fig, darkened herbs and maybe some date too. The scent is scorched, smoky, dark, and dirty (as in, earthy). That being said, this is actually a very nice fragrance, it's unisex, it's like a dried fruit mix with cooked herbs…

After a while: the scent lightens a bit, the fruit notes are much clearer now…but there's still a definite fire/smoke scent, like burning pyres of fragrant resinous woods, to this. I love this stage of the scent! It's got a good balance of sweeter fruits and smoky, incense like wafts here and there. This part of the scent actually smells really autumnal, like bonfires and dried leaves and dried Mediterranean harvest fruits, and I love that!

Verdict: another highly evocative Wanderlust scent-though the images this one evokes are not so pleasant like the others. It is a scent that has a feel of something scorched, destroyed, and darkened. At first, this is a truly apocalyptic blend, very true to the name. It's like dried fruit and herbs, but with a disturbing undercurrent of smoke, dryness…fire and brimstone even. It's a dark, yet strangely pleasant scent, which would suit both men and women, but I'm not sure I'd want a bottle yet, because it is a very dark and chaotic blend of intense and gritty notes which is lovely as it is, but I'm not sure if it's really 'me'. However, it calms down to this lovely sweet-smoky drydown that is smells like autumn, and it was a fascinating scent experience and another evocative scent journey that Beth captures so well.

 

As a side note, Olympia's icon for this scent TOTALLY ROCKS.

[cupide430]

Deep dark and heavy at first. A big initial hit of vetiver followed by a deep sweet fruity fig. Very dark fig with a hint of a creamy edge. There's a touch of spice here too.

[pekeana]

Fig, fig, lots of fig -- and the herbs smell like wood.

 

Kind like it, kinda don't.

[Saliekat]

In the imp:

Tangy, smoky and a bit sweet.

 

 

Wet on skin:

I don't know my notes well enough to identify them! But it smells strong, churchy, sweet and a little bit fruity, that must be the fig, then.

 

 

Dry:

Disappears quite quickly, leaving a fresh but resiny scent - herbal and quite sweet. I get some tea from it after a few minutes.

 

 

Le boyf's opinion:

"Talcum powder. Gomorrah in the bottle, Sodom on the wrist. A low 2 out of 10...maybe even 1.9"

 

 

I like it, but it's not really me.

 

ETA I like it more now! It's much fruitier once left alone for a while.

Edited December 18, 2005 by Saliekat

[AngellicMystique]

This is thick and sweet, lazy and decadent, but with a smoky destructive note accenting it all. The fruits stay in the forefront, but the herbs gently waft over it all. The effect really sums up what I always had in mind about Gomorrah.

[slave1]

In Bottle: Woody herbal.

 

On Skin: The fig is nice, a bit dry and not juicy. But the black herbs really make this scent powdery and a bit dirty. I think I might smell anise in there? The description fits nicely because I am reminded of brimstone and fire right away. There is a smoky earthy note, and the entire scent is very dark. It gives me a bit of a headache, I’m not a fan of smoky scents.

[jjean]

I had never really intended to try this scent because the idea of figs makes my stomach turn just a bit. However, I was purchasing some imps and the seller had a partially used imp of Gomorrah that was rather cheap, so I thought, why not?

 

The first five minutes or so on, I actually thought that it was a little bit, well, disgusting. But, oh, that changed as it settled down.

 

As it turns out, I probably shouldn't have been hiding from figs like I have. On me, the fig actually smelled rather good, bordering on delicious. A very heavy, decadent scent.

 

The problem was that, like the Bloodlust I also purchased, it turned to powder in less than an hour. And not even nice, clean baby powder. Grandma powder. Just, old ladies everywhere. That's what it smelled like. If only it wouldn't do that, I'd love this scent so.

[gingersnapp]

Mmmm... I really love the Lab's fig blends. This one just might be my new favorite. It's a "dirty" fig... very earthy. I would guess that that's the black herbs. It's a sensual, rich fruit smell... not particularly sweet, but very sticky and very rich.

 

Absolutely gorgeous!

[Laurel the Woodfairy]

One of my favorite non-BPALs is "Fig & Cassis" from Thymes Limited, so--since I like to be loyal with my sniffies--I've been looking for a few good figs at the Lab. Eden just didn't do it for me, but Gomorrah sounds promising.

 

Yep, this is pretty much all fig and date! That dark, slightly nutty or gritty quality I associate with both of those. Surprisingly dry, though. This is definitely NOT a sweet figgy-pudding fig. It's dark and stern. A good interpretation of the theme. The fig search is over! I'd say Gomorrah is a pretty definitive fig. I think, though, that I'm not actually a true fig fan, just a faux-fig with floral fan. Oops.

[herdivineshadow]

Somehow, this turns into Cadbury's Fruit and Nut chocolate on me. Which is strange. Probably to do with the currants and date. It's an ok scent, but nothing I'm crazy about.

[omly]

Wet this seemed like attack of the patchouli. I am not a fan, so I thought that this might be the end for me. Within minutes the patchouli faded to the back and fig came out more prominently. There is a slight sweetness to it, but not at all saccrine (from the currant?). This scent stays very close to my skin.

[jasper17]

In the bottle, I get something kind of herbal. First on, it smells like cinnamon and a dash of chocolate - sweet and spicy. After a little while, the spice has disappeared and right now it seems to have gone all the way to greenish herbal with a tiny bit of fruit behind it. Very earthy and sensual - definitely going on my *big bottle* list.

[Meg]

In the bottle: dark herbs and... earth? yes, it's very gritty and quite astringent. It smells like the Mediterranean - Greece, Italy... there must be some herb in this common to those regions.

 

Wet: Earth, still, and fruits... it's very discrete.

 

Drydown: I can smell fresh figs and currants, I think, over a herby scent. It sweetens up and seems to dry a bit. All kinds of nice smells come up, something akin to liquorice... actually it smells quite syrupy and woody at the same time.

 

Overall: There's a gritty, woody/herby note that's quite strong, mixed with a sweet fruity one which is a mix between fig and blackcurrant. It's nice, but it's very discrete on me - understated. A very earthy scent, close to nature. I'm slightly disappointed that it's not more powerful, specially in the fruits department. It's actually quite fresh and close to nature. Wouldn't buy a bottle, but I'll keep my imp.

[WidgetAlley]

Frimp from the Lab .... wonder if they're trying to tell me something?

 

In the Imp: Strong... something. Wow. This is hard to pin down. It's a very unified, coherent scent-- so much so it almost smells like a single note-- but what that single note could be, I have no idea. I think I'm getting some patchouli, ginger, and an earthy sweetness that might be fig, and definitely the fruity-but-sinister currant. There's something else in here that's very dry and hot, too, almost ashy. Vetiver, maybe? Some vetiver smells like sweet, fuzzy golden grass on me, and some smells exactly like wood ash. Whatever it is, it recalls the rained-on remains of last night's bonfire, mixed with the sharp scent of the local red clay, and only a faint kiss of rich dark wine lingering in the air to remind you of the previous evening's revelry.

 

Wet: The same strong ginger I get from Siren, only cut by the woodiness of the patchouli. The fig is a slightly sweet brown background, the currant a sinuous hint that reminds me of spilled drink. This is my first experience with date, but I imagine that's what's adding the slightly sweet topnote. The vetiver seems to have softened a little; still quite burnt, but not so strong. Something about this reminds me of an herbal tea (not the brew itself, but the dehydrated loose leaves.) There's nothing shy or delicate about this one, ladies and gents. This is languid, entitled debauchery, right here.

 

Dry: Date-fig-currant slinking through patchouli-ginger-vetiver. A little sweeter, now, but that's about it. This is still very indolent, shadowy and earthy. A sort of dark brown fruit blend, not bubbly at all, underscored by dirt and wood. It's very evocative and really quite pleasant (and still reminds me of tea!), but I don't think I'd ever wear it. It's just not very me, y'know? Off to swaps.

[Sycorax]

Ripe. Sultry. Decadent. Earthy.

 

That's how I'd describe Gomorrah. It easily evokes an image of it's namesake. And that's good, isn't it? I mean, that's part of the point. There's something almost smokey beneath all that sun-ripened fruit and eastern spice.

 

Ordinarily, an oil like Gomorrah would be far too rich for my blood. That said, it gets major points for smelling ripe and full-bodied without being cloying. Of all of the "earthy" perfumes I've tried from BPAL, I think that this is easily the best.

 

Sadly "earthy" isn't really my style. I think I'll keep the imp, though. Gomorrah is lovely.

[cal_steph]

Got this in a swap with WidgetAlley.

 

In the imp: This is a dry, earthy fig..not too sweet, but not too bitter. It's just right.

 

On me: HERBS! is all I get for the first minute or so, but as it dries down, a sweetness that I think is the date note emerges and mingles with the heavy incensey scent. It becomes a slightly less sweet Scherezade, which I also love. I'll definitely keep it.

[Wench457]

Gomorrah ITB: fairly sweet, like far-off honeysuckle.

 

On: smells like resins - myrrh perhaps. Still has that hint of sweetness though.

 

Dry: Much sweeter, like ripe peaches, must be the dates I'm getting. Has a hint of something spicy - almost sandalwoody.

[Miss Lynx]

Hmmm, nice. It's strongly fruity, but with a dark, earthy undertone that I quite like. And much less sweet than you'd expect of something with three kinds of fruit in it, but then, dates and figs are pretty earthy as fruit scents go.

 

Unfortunately, it fades kind of quickly. It's not one of those don't-blink-or-you'll-miss-it scents like Mantis or Silk Road, but it pulls a pretty quick fade. I can still faintly smell it with my nose right to my wrist, but that's about it. I'd say it had mostly faded inside of half an hour.

 

Oh well. Maybe I just need to experiment more with putting on more of it, or in different places, because it's quite nice apart from the short duration.

 

Grade: B

[summer]

Oh man. I didn't think Gomorrah was my type of scent at all, but I love the concept, so I gave it a try. Now, I should state up front that normally I cannot wear fig. It has the most bizarre, plastic doll heads scent on my skin. However, the fig in Gomorrah is just not-sweet enough that this doesn't happen. Hallelujah!

 

It smelled dark and sultry when I first applied it. A deep, dark, herby scent, but with this remarkable, sexy smoothness. Which, clearly, I suppose, is that creamy date and fig. YUM.

 

As it has dried down, it's only gotten sweeter -- in a good way. This is still a kind of dark, naughty sweetness that I am loving. It's one of those perfumes that takes me by surprise -- every now and then I'll catch a whiff of something wonderful-smelling, and then I realize it's me.

 

All in all, this is a unique, but very wearable, sexy perfume. It doesn't have an enormous amount of throw on me, and it tends to fade fast, but I'm so thrilled that I'm actually able to wear and enjoy the elusive FIG that I'm thinking of getting a bottle!