Iago

[jiggahava]

Malevolent, dark and shadowy: sinuous black musk, wet leather and vetiver.

This is kind of like a masculine version of Loviatar. The vetiver comes on strong and thick, and I immediately don't like it. The leather evens it out a bit, then it's mostly leather and black musk on me with vetiver in the background. I like it a bit more after it mellows out, but I think it's too masculine on me. When I wear leather I need something sweet to balance it out, and this is just too much for me. Definitley good for a man though.

[brit_brat100]

Iago is really really not my type, but I thought maybe it was something I was missing, as the lab frimped it twice. But alas, no, Iago and I really just don't get along. He was VERY strong and almost alcholic and he stayed like that until drydown, when I got smoke smoke.

 

All I could think of while wearing this was "yuck". I don't like thinking about BPAL like that though. It's sad. But not everything can work for everyone. This one is up for swaps.

[vyola]

Hmmm.

 

De Sade + Queen = Iago?

 

That's what my nose is telling me.

 

Which seems to indicate that the long-lasting, sweet-earthy-heavy note in Queen may be vetiver and/or black musk. I never thought of myself as a musk fan before but I've had some lovely experiences lately with various kinds (ah, Phobos, I love your white musk!) and I'm going to have to see what else works for me.

[LadyCrow]

In imp: Deep black musk, almost boozy.

 

Wet: Enter vetiver, stage left. Man, Iago, you are one seriously bitter guy.

 

Drydown: The leather actually sweetens this and thickens it, making it a dark, nearly foresty, herbal-animal musk. I feel like Iago now: that is, I desperately want to get some Moor. Unfortunately, I have a suspicion that the leather note also cuts into the wear time, as it does in Dragon's Hide. Even so, I'm willing to slather, for Iago... and there are other ways to wear a scent. I seem to recall that Iago knew what to do with a handkerchief.

[bheansidhe]

When I acquired this imp from the lab in April 06, I found it primarily vetiver and black musk, with a leather undertone. Heavy, masculine, and a touch bitter, it was not something I wanted to wear, so I put it in the swap pile and forgot it.

 

I tested it today on a whim. I don't know if I had it in the Magic Aging Configuration under perfectly aligned stars or what, but - man!

 

Let me say that again, with proper emphasis: MAYun!

 

Aged Iago pours on black and smoky, very like lapsang souchong tea. The vetiver lost its pungency somewhere in the past year, and now behaves like a dried sweetgrass note. And the leather - This is the leather to end all leather. This is MAN leather. This is the hard slap of the riding crop, the black jacket on the Harley rider, the flat uncompromising thack of the paddle. Still slightly bitter, like the tang of leather soap, which makes it an even more evocative scent. Is it sweetly bitter? o yes; bitter, bitter, like the ash of burning sinners, smiling as they burn.

 

Ahem.

 

The black musk creeps out an hour or so into wearing, but it only serves as a round bottom note - [okay, no, I SWEAR that when I wrote that sentence it sounded a lot different in my head, but I guess I'll let it stand ].

 

In comparison to other leather BPALs: Quincy Morris and A Bachelor's Dog are both much softer. Doc Constantine is more multi-layered. Hellfire is much more like pipe smoke. Severin, Loviatar and Whip were much sweeter. DeSade had an acrid vanilla note that turned to bug spray on me, but might compare favorably if that's one that works for you.

 

It's still not something I want to wear, but now I've got to try it on the man. Excuse me, the MAYun.

Edited May 20, 2009 by bheansidhe
Removed Lab description --Shollin

[Victory]

The lab kindly frimped Iago to me and, with a certain amount of dread, I gave it a try last night. Vetiver and I do not get along at all. At. All. Wet, the vetiver is strong (but I have to say that I can almost always pick it out, my nose is so attuned to it) and is backed by a darn brown cloud- now that I look at the notes, the leather probably gave the dark brown scent-picture and the musk backed it up. The vetiver didn't smell like the vetiver note I am used to. I'm used to vetiver smelling like death- ghastly, somehow sweet, and sickening. This vetiver was darker without the sickly aspect. It was more of a malevolent note, yes. As the oil dried down, the vetiver backed off and left the black musk and leather. This isn't a scent that I am particularly comfortable wearing, even though the vetiver isn't so bad as I thought it'd be. It might be nice on a man, but it might also be that the lab got too much of Iago into the blend and it's too unsettling.

[Gwydion]

Iago is really scary on me. I think my scent register is not quite deep enough. It smells strongly of playdough and cheap cologne. It is a creepy disturbing scent that does not wear off at work, I might add. I felt like I smelled like a pedophile. After eight hours or so, the playdough wears off, leaving you with the tired scent of the creepy older guy trying to pick up teenagers half his age, but not really believing he'll catch any. Eeew!

[Apple]

Nothing but baby powder out of this one, which was so heart-breaking because I was sure Iago was going to be my signature scent. I have DSH's "Vetyver" and "Black Leather" scents, and I love to layer them for a "standing in the rain while wearing a black leather motorcycle jacket" smell, and I was hoping Iago would be like that. Alas, no.

 

How could such a dark, earthy, "masculine" blend smell so light and innocent and powdery-feminine? I suspect the black musk.

[hkhm]

imp: i know what i'm smelling is musk and vetiver but the impression i'm left with is like i'm smelling chocolate from some really old candy bar.

 

wet: really strong vetiver. one of the strongest i've even smelled.

 

dry: the vetiver has toned down and there's a nice leather note that is really rich while the musk ties it all together.

[jaeyne]

Me likey! Very strong, a little bit totally overpowered the scent I had slathered on prreviously. Must buy to try on BF. This just might be his enablement downfall.

[gchris]

In vial: strong, smells burnt and bitter and also a harsh sweetness

 

Wet: still strong, bitter and sweet balance out a little better, but still very bitter. Almost unnerving.

 

Drydown: I finally figured out what this reminds me of, those thin brown flea collars my cats use to wear when I was little, only this is more bitter. As it drys, the sweetness is coming out more and is more gentle but the bitter is still prominent.

 

This smells like more of a masculine scent, not that it matters to me, I just can't get past the bitter edge.

[ranyart]

This was a frimp in my last Lab order.

 

In the imp: dark leather and vetiver. Scary. I've had leather work for me as part of a long list of notes, but I'm wary about it being a star player. This leather is particularly strong-smelling, so I'm a bit nervous to try this.

 

On skin: vetiver and leather are a good combo, I think. I don't know if I can wear this, but on the right person it would be great. This is not a soft, worn-in, friendly leather; I'm thinking a black leather jacket or a whip. I really don't want to smell like a big piece of leather, so unless this strong note fades soon, I'm going to wash this off.

 

Drydown: Hmm. The black musk is coming out more, I think, and there's almost an element of sweetness. The leather's really grossing me out, though. I'm going to go ahead and throw this in the swap box.

 

I ended up just washing Iago off, sadly. Leather seems to be a deal-breaker in a lot of blends. I can see how this would be a great dark-and-sexy blend on the right person.

[Rouge]

A freebie form the Lab! Leather scents and I aren't the best of friends, but I'm willing to extend an olive branch and give this one a go...

 

In the vial - Very sexy and extremely masculine, full of musk and vetiver.

 

Wet on the skin - Smooth, dark vetiver. It doesn't have the harsh note that I often find in vetiver heavy blends. Instead it's sinuous and rich.

 

Next stages - Supple black leather overtakes the vetiver. Again, it's powerfully masculine and deeply sexual.

 

Dry down - It's just too masculine for me. Definitely one for the swaps pile

[fairnymph]

Sniffed in imp: Sharp, dark and sweet; heavy on the vetiver and musk, with that slippery leather note.

Edited May 3, 2008 by fairnymph

[djsiberia]

wet/in the imp: wow. this is masculine, in fact to masculine for me to even try. i smell vetiver and leather. no musk

[savage_rose]

At first this smells like a gentleman's cologne, mind-mannered, musky with a hint of lavender. And then the vetiver comes through...evil, evil vetiver! But only a hint of it...a very underhanded blend. Perfect for Iago .

[galahad]

In The Bottle

Sweet musk with the vetiver giving a slight sour undertone

 

On Application

A very sweet powdery scent. Smells moist and cologny

 

Dry Down

5 mins into the drydown there is a rich herby scent coming to the foreground underpinned by the leather as the skins warms it up. He musk still dominates. I want to say this a generic scent but it's not....quite. I am undecided if I like this. It might be a bit powdery. 10 minutes in, I have decided I do like Iago. Everything blends together to give a smooth, sweet musky scent.

 

Rating (0-5)

3.5

[marared]

This is Sean Bean in a black leather jacket, shoving you up against a grungy, white-tiled wall with a single bare bulb swinging overhead, casting shadows as he rips your shirt. NNNGGGHH.

 

I realize this is almost four years old, but I LOL'd.

 

This was a frimp. It's definitely straight-up leather... I was afraid it would be more violently leather than this, but it's actually kind of mellow. Alas, I think this also is a little too masculine for my tastes, although I'd love to swipe it on a guy and sniff it again.

 

...I need a guy to swipe it on in the first place!

 

*ahem*

[thomasblackthorne]

Very captivating description:

 

Imp: WHOA VETIVER!

 

WET: Very much driven by the vetiver, I do smell a bit of musk trying to eat its wasy through that root...

 

Drydown: Unfortunately, I am still not getting any leather, unlss it's spicy leather...

 

Overall: I don't think I would wear this too much, may go into swaps, may not, I will probably keep it and try again later.

[greenranger]

Malevolent, dark, and shadowy indeed.

 

Musk? Check.

Leather? Check.

Vetiver? Ah...*that* is what vetiver smells like, at least on me.

 

It's very dark...it's either more masculine or more moody than I think I will wear often, but, it is very interesting.

[tinyvulture]

the combination of leather and vetiver is sure to be an instant favorite for my husband. or at least, i hope so

 

the vetiver is dark, earthy, and a little nutty -- very similar to Devil’s Claw which i’m a big fan of. the leather note is sharp and i would say almost astringent, if that’s possible for leather… i’m picturing slick, black leather rather than rugged cowboy leather. the black musk just adds another layer of warmth and sexiness. super hot.

Edited August 3, 2008 by tinyvulture

[zankoku_zen]

Iago for me is boozy kinda of leather. It's a leather coat fresh out of the rain in a smoky bar. Very masculine. In the bad boy sort of way.

 

This is the sort of guy you know you don't have a relationship with. In fact, you don't even know when he's going to show up and screw your brains out.

[starwild]

I hate to do this, but..

 

EEEEEWWWW.

 

This isn't nice smooth leather, it's sweaty and gross and broken-in. If you like that kind of thing then good for you, but this one is just not my thing. The vertiver is way too heavy for me, on top of the stinky leather. Definitely off to trade/sell.

[MilkAndSugar]

To me, Iago smells like Haunted with vetiver.

That's what I get when I apply it, after the first blast of vetiver is gone. It's very sweet and musky-ambery-powdery on my skin, just like Haunted.

I like it.

 

I'm not getting any leather notes, but that may be a blessing since I did *not* get along with Loviatar.

 

In the vial I smell vetiver and black musk, but on me it goes straight to Smoky Haunted (I don't mind, Haunted is one of my favourites). It's really good, almost hypnotic with the smoldering vetiver.

 

It's not masculine at all to me. But that's probably just my skin chemistry, so don't take my word for it.

Edited September 17, 2008 by MilkAndSugar

[Suu4LC]

This was a lab frimp. I never would have picked it for me based on the notes (though Iago IS a fascinating character!) Vetiver is my mortal enemy, but I have to try every bpal EVAH, so I will give this one a go.

 

Urf, in the imp, this is a vetiver SMACK IN DA FACE. Really strong vetiver and a bit of black musk underneath. Don't really get any leather from it yet.

 

Ugh, yeah, total vetiver-y yuck on my skin. It's all I smell. I don't even like leather and I wish I was smelling leather here instead of all that dark vetiver. Honestly, it is just unbearable to me and I have to wash it off. If you don't enjoy vetiver-STEER CLEAR!