Tezcatlipoca

[savage_rose]

... Deep cocoa laced with patchouli, leather armor, ritual incense, and a touch of Xochiquetzal’s flowers.

 

The resins go all powdery, and all that's left is a bit of bitter cocoa and something burning. Not good on me.

[village alchemist]

in the bottle: sooo chocolate.

 

wet: the leather and chocolate kind of mingle to become tootsie roll on me, or at least to my nose.

 

a few minutes later: whoa, where did that spice come from? suddenly very spicy, like incense and smoke. love this!

 

dry: spice retreats some, chocolate comes back a bit, and the floral emerges. kind of evens out and almost smells generically masculine on me.

 

 

overall: for me, it's kind of a roller coaster because i don't enjoy smelling like a tootsie roll but i love it when the spice comes out!

[LizziesLuck]

Wet, I hate this. I can't even describe what it smells like, but it's bad.

 

I waited it out and let it dry, and I'm so glad I did. It's beautiful! The cocoa stays true (not powdery) and the other notes give it beautiful depth. I think I will wear this in the winter a lot.

[Elspethdixon]

Wet, this is very floral/incense on me (well, by my standards of "very floral," which are probably most of other people's "moderately floral"), but after a few hours, it morphs into a lovely cocoa scent. I tried this once at the BPAL booth at NYC Comiccon and was unimpressed on first sniff, but a few hours later my left hand smelled *amazing* and I was wracking my brain to try and remember which oil I'd tested on it.

 

I usually layer this with a stronger but shorter-lived cocoa/chocolate perfume, in order to have some chocolate around to balance the incense/flowers during the first phase.

[ShannonElisabethJones]

Eeek, I don't do well with incense-y notes, but I'll give this frimp a try...

 

In the imp it's pretty much just dark cocoa. Just applied I get this kind of dry spiciness that tickles my throat. Maybe that's the incense? Then within a minute it virtually disappears...

 

After a few minutes (if I get right up in it) it gets more floral. Not too bad, actually! The cocoa is still there, and a spice that now seems separate from the incense.

 

I think I might be able to keep this one! YAY!

[Casablanca]

What a pretty cocoa. This goes on my skin as a more layered cocoa than I thought it would. The cocoa is clearly dominant, but it's allowing for some complexity. I smell cocoa, incense, and a faint floral coloring the whole. I get a vague sense of spices after a minute or so. No leather or patchouli.

If I were to be picky, the cocoa is medium-powdery at first, but this went away in an hour or so on me.

 

Eventually, I find a lil dusting of patchouli under the other notes, but it's not too much for me to handle.

 

Damn. I really like this.

[SecondDreemurr]

I got this as a frimp today and it sounded so promising I had to try, the first sniff is very chocolatey, but also I think the incense. On and dry the cocoa starts to fade but is still barely there, along with a spiciness. It reminds me of my favorite shops on hot summer days, incense and leather, slightly melty chocolate. I really like it.

[Miss Landau]

This smells amazing. Dark chocolate and incense. I could detect something else under all that, but didn't know it was patchouli until I read the notes after smelling. Not sure I'm getting anything leather, is it that faint dustiness? Smells like a similar kind of dusty to Bordello, i.e. a good kind.

[rachelos]

This is actually awesome. I remember ordering it in my first ever imp pack and absolutely hating it. Trying it now, and understanding BPAL better, really makes me fall so hard in love with the lab. At first, no, it does not appear wearable, just totally evocative of it's Aztec inspiration. And then once it dries down it becomes a real perfume, a real expensive seeming perfume, not just art. It's completely unisex.

[gloame]

Mm chocolate. Seems almost to have a bit of cedar in there, but maybe that's the flowers mixing with the leather. The incense is low, but I'm getting just a ping of bubblegum like I do with some incensey blends (can't figure out what type of incense, unfortunately). All in all, it's a pleasing scent, but not a bottle for me.

Where I'd wear this: Chocolate and camping

[doomsday_disco]

I can tell this is a very old imp. The label is no longer white, it says 'perfume oil blend' next to the name of the scent as opposed to listing the Lab's website, and the back of the label possesses a witch on the back with the website instead of the phoenix with a large version of the Lab's logo.

 

In the imp: Cocoa, followed by the leather armor, patchouli, and some incense. I cannot smell the flowers in the imp.

 

Wet: Cocoa-dusted leather and patchouli, along with some incense. After a little bit, those notes calm down, save for the incense, and the flowers begin to emerge.

 

Dry: After a few hours, it's a much lighter scent. The cacao note is still present, along with the leather armor, patchouli, and incense, but they're all a lot smoother now, and the touch of flowers is stronger during this phase (but not extremely prominent by any means – this is not a floral scent).

 

Verdict: The combination of cocoa and these notes isn't really my cup of tea, but if you like the idea of a cocoa and patchouli scent, this will be right up your alley.

Edited December 9, 2017 by dementia_divine

[achildoftime]

All I get from this one is burnt chocolate. I'm sure the patchouli and incense mixing with the cocoa is doing that. It softens to show a bit of the florals once it dries, but it's not worth that burnt chocolate period.

[Lucchesa]

This is quite nice. I used it as a bedtime scent last night -- I knew I liked it from some brief, positive but non-specific notes from first testing -- and am testing again now. Tezcatlipoca is a dry scent. Dry patch, dry cacao, not at all foodie or sweet. I find it pleasantly grounding. A hint of leather and incense emerge as it dries down, and some dry flowers (not dried, just dry. I consider marigolds and chrysanthemums dry, as opposed to lush moist flowers like tuberose). Gender neutral, work appropriate and would make a good confidence scent.

[Ghost of a Rose]

Lab frimp aged about 4 years.  Oil is a clear, pale amber.

 

In the imp:  I first notice a very distinct and authentic cocoa.  Then flowers, equal in strength.  A very unusual and interesting pairing!  I don't normally like foody perfumes, but the realism of this cocoa note intrigues me, and who doesn't love chocolate?  Besides, all the florals prevent the overall fragrance from being foody.  I think I'm gonna like this.

 

On my skin, wet:  Plenty of cocoa, but not as strong as in the imp.  And it vanishes all too quickly - in less than a minute.  The new scent is pretty, though: leather and flowers.

 

At 5 minutes: Leather and flowers, with the leather dominating.  Which seems fitting, right?

 

At 10 minutes:  The flowers have seized control, but the leather is still making a statement.  I can pick up some patchouli if I look for it, but it is surprisingly discreet in this blend.

 

At 15 minutes:  The scent continues to evolve, with the florals taking a backseat to the patch and incense.  It verges on being cloying sweet (could there be some red musk hidden in this?), but isn't  quite.

 

At 30 minutes:  Decidedly incense and patchouli. I'm not liking that almost sickening sweetness, though.  But it may be lightening up.  The patchouli isn't dominant enough for this to be headshop - it's more just incensey.

 

At 45 minutes:  Now mostly incense, with that spiciness that other reviewers have noticed.  It's not a foody spice, though, it's an incensey one.  The sweetness backed off a little, but not enough.

 

At one hour:  Almost the same as above.  I like the spicy incense, but not the sweet note.  It did lighten up a bit more, though.  So hopefully it will go away.

 

At 2 hours:  Yay, the sweet note has disappeared almost completely.  The scent is now a lovely warm spicy incense.

 

At 3 hours:  Considerably faded.  The spiciness has mellowed into a more subtle and gentle incense.

 

At 4 hours:  Almost gone.  Just faint traces of incense, flowers, and cocoa (in that order) remain.  It is interesting how, as the incense faded away, echoes of the florals and cocoa returned to say goodbye.

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Predominant Notes: Leather, patchouli, incense

 

Character:. A real morpher.  Flowery for a short time, then incensey.  Sweet. Unisex.

 

3 out of 6 stars.  I love how perfectly it fits the Ancient Mexico theme.  But the slightly-cloying sweetness that it develops on my skin spoils it for me.  It smells like the unpleasant thing that my chemistry does to red musk, so hopefully that won't happen to other people.

Edited December 23, 2018 by Ghost of a Rose

[cyborgutena]

This smells really good. With that in mind, I'm not sure it's in my 'like a lot' category rather than my 'faves' category.

 

I get a big deep cocoa whiff backed up by the leather and patchouli. Deep, a little herbal and spicy. Not much sweetness, which is normally ideal for me. It dries down to the lovely spicy incense. There's also a vague floral sweet note. I also like being reminded of dark chocolate (one of my fave things) without it being a foody scent.

 

I think the reason this might not have made it to my absolute favourites is that I like the elements of it and have nothing in it that puts me off, but it also doesn't have anything that really wows me. I guess I've been spoiled by some really amazing BPAL scents.

[torischroeder9]

Dang it. I cannot remember if this is a Lab imp (received 3/13) or an imp from a swap (received earlier that week but no known age of imp). 

 

In the imp: Dry cocoa, most like Dia De Los Reyes. 

 

On my skin:

 

Wet, it's the same as in the imp. As it dries, I get a lot more patch and leather, with the cocoa keeping things sweeter and smoother. 

 

Eventually it mellows and fades so it's almost like... fig wood... on me. It's a little drier, and if I sniff carefully, I can make out cocoa and patch and leather. But that's not really the essence it gives off on me. It's soft and almost fuzzy and skin-close but not faint. 

 

I'm intrigued by this one. The scent is very nice though I'm not sure I'd reach for it regularly as a perfume. But I'm interested enough that I'm going to put it in my "keeping" imp box to see what happens. 

 

 

[Supertrooper Omni]

Visible chunks of presumably cocoa in the bottle. A strange wet smell, water chocolate flower mush.

 

I use the full imp, for a full body experience. The chocolate puts me off at first, wet, but as other reviews have mention is dries down. Patchouli, leather, dryness, faint spice, cloud of faint sandy white flower aura. Well-balanced. Soft, warm, smells elegant and "expensive" if that makes any sense. 

 

Surprisingly light and close to the skin for a visibly dark and metaphorically heavy scent. Does not read as heavy to me. This would be fabulous as an every day after shave or fancy lad lotion scent, or if you wanted to smell like a fancy hot classy masc boi at work. Definitely sexy, subtle, and mild. Handsome, definitely.

 

Blood rituals and familial sacrifice to an aloof warrior jaguar god of blackness? not quite there, but I would perhaps follow someone around and admire their smell wearing this. Recommend! 

 

PS. Lately I have a preference for stank stinky loud "I AM WEARING PERFUME" scents, so this is something a bit more reserved than I like.

[Honey]

Wet on, this reminds me a lot of Black Temple Burlesque Troupe - just not as musky, more earthy with the patchouli.

I get dark resinous chocolate, but the patchouli is very sharp and stinky in this one, not mellow and sweet like in some other blends.

It's a bit spicy from the incense and and tart from the leather, but I don't get a floral vibe from it at all.

 

Wow, that smells a bit like arm pits - thanks, stinky patch! 

It's overpowering everything but the chocolate, but it's really not a nice blend on me.

[crow-toes]

I really do like BPAL’s cocoa scent - it’s rich and earthy without being sweet. It layers so warmly and naturally with the incense and leather. The faintest hints of florals add an extra note of intrigue, so different and yet fitting to the blend.

 

I don’t know if it’s my type of sexy just yet, but it is seductive for sure.

[Tungerine]

This is very rich and dark. The cocoa and leather are the most prominent notes. The patchouli stays in the background, and adds a sort of earthiness. The flowers are barely detectable but add complexity. It sweetens a little after a while, but it's never foody, and it remains rich and dark for hours. It's definitely in my top 10.

[gentle-twig]

From an old frimp—

Opens with dry, dark chocolate and a tinge of heady florals. The florals are not to my taste but they dissipate within the first hour and I enjoy the chocolate despite not being a fan of gourmands typically. Tezcatlipoca soon develops a smoky edge, thanks to the incense and leather. I can sense all the notes here but they don’t stick out distinctively at first in my  skin.  They are all supporting players to the chocolate, giving it a dusty, smoky, earthy quality. Gradually patchouli replaces chocolate as the main player but the vibe is the same. 
 

I never would have sought this one out, but I don’t dislike it as much as I thought I would. The lab’s leather notes are usually a miss for me, but the leather here fits pretty seamlessly among the other notes. I won’t be buying a bottle but I’m glad to have tried something to put me at ease with regard to a couple of profiles I usually avoid. 
 

For others, I imagine the frank earthiness of this could be a turn off. There is something reminiscent of stale cigarette smoke going on here. I don’t mind these parts of the scent but be warned that it is probably darker, huskier, dirtier than you might be anticipating.

[flumphlord]

I received this as a frimp with a recent order. This isn’t something I normally wouldn’t have sought out on my own, since I’m not generally a fan of florals, but cocoa and patchouli are favorite notes.

 

In the vial: Cocoa. Not the beverage, but actual cocoa powder in all its bitter earthiness. I need it on my skin, in my life, immediately.

 

Wet on skin: A damp tropical forest. The cocoa and patchouli hold their own against one another and meld with the resiny background notes to form a deep earthy scent, simultaneously full of life and decay. The florals are there, but not so overpowering as to ruin the scent for me. They’re just enough to add to the rainforest vibe and keep things from straying into gourmand territory.

 

For the first few minutes, I can smell the leather if I hold my nose right up to my wrist, but after those few minutes it’s gone, never to be heard from again. This is typical of leather on me, from every house I’ve tried, so those with more typical skin chemistry will probably have a very different experience. Regardless, the leather is a pleasant addition while it lasts, but it doesn’t leave a void when it’s gone.

Dry: The cocoa and patchouli duke it out over the course of the day, with one gradually becoming the dominant note and then the other. I win either way. The florals and incense mercifully remain low key where they are the whole time.

 

Post-workout: Sweat adds a tang that isn’t unwelcome, like salting the cocoa. Natural musk blends with the earthy tones to create something divine. Unlike some scents, Tezcatlipoca doesn’t need natural musk to shine, but with it, this is literally one of the sexiest perfumes I’ve ever smelled.

 

This comes off as a very masculine scent on me, but I suspect a lot of that is going to come down to how your individual skin chemistry interacts with the florals. As much as I love this scent, it’s one I would advise against buying blind. It would be very easy for the balance to tip from that rich, harmonious earthiness I get to something else entirely.

 

I’ll use up the imp just in case I experience any chemistry surprises of my own as the vial ages further, but I strongly suspect a full bottle is in my future.