Dragon's Blood

[stardreamer]

Powerful, commanding, blazing with strength.

In the imp and fresh on: That's odd, I'm getting almost a floral note from this. It reminds me of the lily-of-the-valley in The Death-Horse, but not as in-your-face as that was.

Drydown: I've worn blends with Dragon's Blood in them before, and this is nothing like them, and still more floral than anything else. It's weird.

Long-term: Very little change. Staying power is lower than I expect from a resin -- 11 hours and it's mostly gone.

Bottom line: Not at all what I expected, and nothing like the description. This one's a swap, although not for the reason I thought it would be.

[GoddesShel]

Ok, here goes. Please bear with me, as I'm not experienced at reviews or picking out notes. I got Dragon's Blood as a frimp from the Lab. I had not even looked at the Ars Draconis part of the site because, as odd as it sounds, the thought of smelling like anything's blood icked me out a bit, and I'm not a big Dragon fan. But...since I had the imp, I had to sniff it. And it smelled so good in the imp I had to try it.

 

In one word: Glorious.

 

It is a floral on me, too, but not one that I can readily identify. It's like the most gorgeous floral blend ever, with possibly a hint of sweet orange. If a scent could be a color, this would match the color of the oil in the imp - bright blazing pink-orange. It doesn't morph, and what I got in the imp is pretty much what I got on my skin, only warmer. It stays true for HOURS and a little goes a long way on me.

 

Definitely a bottle, and now I have to try the rest of the Ars Draconis line...Thanks, Beth! Apparently the Lab knows me better than I know myself.

[madscientistdh]

Purchased from Babypopje!

My preconceived notions were that this would be a strong cross between cherry, rose, and patchouli. I was in a hurry this morning so I slathered liberally.

 

In Bottle: LILAC HELLO

 

On skin: Lilac and jasmine maybe? Very floral and not at all like what I was expecting

 

Drydown: My brother said this has tremendous throw (in so many words), and I have to agree. It's also mellowed down quite a bit, and has a bit of a resinous spicy quality now. Still very floral though, I would have never thought this to be so light and purple smelling. Very odd.

 

Verdict: The jury is out. I like it, but I was hoping it'd smell of ethereal power and musk. Perhaps I'll have to look into it again. Curiously enough, I DID start getting menstrual cramps while driving along and smelling myself, wonder if that has any merit. Also, my sinuses frowned when I said "I think I'll inhale deeply to pick up anything I'm missing."

[Quillifer]

I've tried nearly all the Ars Draconis blends and slightly to my surprise, this is my favourite so far. It is a little like lily or rose but just the sweetness, without the twisty extra notes. I find it sweet but powerful. To me it's comforting in the original sense, ie strengthening. I guess I'm mainly surprised that I should like such a consistent scent - I normally love morphers. This doesn't change, but I find that despite that knowing exactly what it will smell like is itself a reassurance if I feel tired or wobbly. It's like hearing a simple octave, of something warm like G, if that makes any sense.

[Dissendium]

This one on me is insanely strong. I only need to dab a little on my wrists and it's like the blood crawls all the way up my body from there. Its very strong but not in a cloying way I actually love the strength of it and it smells beautiful.

 

The main note I get is a kind of heady Jasmine and I'm sure my body amps it up cause it's almost all I can smell there's some kind of sweet note lurking behind it which really rounds the scent off but it's mostly Jasmine on me. It's got a warmth to it and if I sniff deeply I get a bit of smoke which makes me cough, a little a little like incense.

 

It's definitely got the air of internal fire flowing through the veins of a Norwegian Ridgeback to it anyway

 

Love!

[Atrous]

I've tried a boat load of Dragon's Blood scents, mostly because Dragon's Blood is my go to oil for rituals.

This is without a doubt the BEST DB out there.

Its powerful and commanding the way a good DB should be. This one also has longevity and tons of throw. Super happy I bought a bottle of this.

Edited April 25, 2013 by Atrous

[Heatherzilla]

This smells very floral and sweet but not in an overpowering cloying way. After a few hours I found I couldn't smell it on myself anymore, but the people around me still could.

[mymymai]

ITB: Thick, heady, sweet, subtly fruity, resinous, and faintly smoky - this dragon's blood blend is sumptuous and just so lovely.

 

Wet: It's still very similar to the scent in the bottle. It feels like there is a dark fruit somewhere, but it is beautifully heady and gives me chills when I inhale deeply.

 

Dry: The scent gets a little powdery and slightly floral, but it still maintains the dark fruity sweetness, the heady resinousness, and the subtle smoke. Brilliant!

[Ajila]

In the bottle - A sharp metallic scent with just the hint of something floral in the background

 

Wet on me - Still the sharp metallic scent with a green earthy undertone

 

Dry on me - A soft almost musky floral

 

Overall - I like the dry down but it's not for me

[GreenDragonfly]

I am LOVING the Dragon's Blood!

On me, it smells almost entirely of fresh lilacs which is one of my favorite scents! I've never smelled that before when attempting to find something like that so I was really surprised when this mellowed to pure lilac on me. I was very surprised (happily) that it didn't just smell like incense and smokey on me as there are plenty of scents to do that, I don't need EVERY selection to smell that way so YAY!

Not too strong either, at least on me. It doesn't seem to amp up on me as it does on others so I'd have to re-apply every 5 hours or so which is really pretty good!

I could see myself wearing this with a few dabs of Dragon's Milk as well which would be super yummy I will have to try the whole dragon line. I know that for sure!

[Deliciousness]

I've had this imp for a while, I can't believe I haven't reviewed it yet.

 

Dragon's Blood smells like a sweet floral in the vial. I am surprised because it's called Dragon's Blood, you'd think it'd be more masculine or metallic, but it's quite lovely!

 

Wet on skin, this scent just blooms. It's very floral, and fresh smelling and reminds me of the Lilac Festival. It's a festival held in a park which grows hundreds of lilac bushes of varying age and colors, from pale pink to deep magenta, blues and whites all intermixed. Anyway, this scent reminds me of springtime wandering around all these fragrant blossoms.

 

I find during the dry down, this becomes a touch sweeter, and a little bit deeper - a muskiness perhaps? Yes, I'd say it was musk - but not too strong, just enough to lend a little complexity as it wears.

 

I find the wear time is pretty strong, as is the throw on this. If you like sweeter fresh florals, or something with a touch of muskiness, I'd say give this a try.

 

I really like this blend, although I haven't reached for it too often. It's a beautiful scent none the less, and I do believe I should bring my imp out of hiding.

[Soshoni]

This is one of the truest from bottle to skin, and from wet to dry scents that I have.

 

It's a strong and fresh floral. Jasmine comes across pretty clearly. Its a warm, wet scent, not dried and powdery like some florals tend to go.

 

While still wet, this is a bit overpowering - I wouldn't apply it fresh right before heading out. It mellows somewhat as it dries, without losing any of its tones.

 

I can get a couple of hours wear from this.

[JuliskaMarie]

I did a double review of this with my husband, since most of the Ars Draconis scents seem very unisex.

In the imp:

Me: Warm, musky resin. Not a human musk, more like what I imagine a dragon's musk would smell like.
Him: Warm & smoky.

Wet on skin:
Me: Sweet resin. Definitely very dragon-ish, but also light.

Him: Smells like a flowering wood - like a cherry oak or similar.

Dry on skin:
Me: Slightly smoky, sweet resin. Nice, but very neutral.

Him: Christmas! I smell like a fresh pine tree! (Me: It really does smell like a pine tree on him!)

After a few hours:
Me: Unchanged. Still quite strong too.

Him: The pine has faded, but this still smells like Christmas.

Verdict:
Me: Nice, but a bit boring. This would likely work really well for layering with other perfumes or deepening any of the other Ars Draconis scents.
Him: Not bad, but strange. I can't see myself wearing this.

[doomsday_disco]

In the imp: A very potent white floral note (is it jasmine?) hits my nose at first, but I think it may be accompanied by a cherry note and some musk?

Wet: There is definitely a floral note present, and I do think I am getting cherry. It is stronger than it was in the imp. A bit of spice emerges.

As it dries down, it is predominantly a spicy floral, but the cherry is still present. The scent is quite strong.

Dry: A somewhat sweet, strong spiced floral note along with a resin and some cherry? It definitely smells more resinous now.

Verdict: I always thought dragon's blood was a problematic note for me, but I guess I was wrong. This is not something that I see myself wearing, but it is nice to know that I don't have to avoid a blend just because it contains it in the future.

[DoktorDandy]

In the Imp: Syrupy, Tingly, Exotic. Looking forward to it, as I love Dragon's Blood incense and other such things.

 

Wet: Sweet, almost fruity, red-fruit- swiftly changing. Pure, warm scent, hard to pin down and perplexingly familiar. Engaging, fierce but almost friendly.

 

Dry: Quickly settles into a stubbornly red scent, and stays that way. Runs with it's theme, and has a deep purple underbelly and red-orange scales. It's cleaner than it is dark, and it's purring warm tones are comforting rather than hyper, the fires don't blaze about wildly. Has an incense or amber like tone, hiding somewhere, but not at the forefront- it's own notes are the center. Feels like sandalwood's well-traveled brother. Exotic, round, and clean- like a rich, exotic soap, wrapped on pretty, textured, scented paper. Puts me in mind of being in shops that sell pretty carved wood Indonesian creatures with tusk-like fangs and eyes like targets, painted in gold leaf and bold colors. I'll keep the imp, but not sure I am getting a bottle?

 

On another try: I had one of my worst days at my new job, and the next day, on a strong impulse, I put on Dragon's blood. I am happy I did, I swear it brought me luck and comfort. It could have gone badly, but it went very well, and it was a friend and a sure source of strength giving and a small smile. My further diagnosis is that this scent is long lasting enough to be grounding and earthy and soothing through a difficult work day. Recommended if you want a friendly boost, I think.

[Veronica]

Straight dragon's blood resin--sweet, red musk and a hint of spice. I love this as a component note, but it just doesn't do anything for me on its own.

[sunlitgarden]

Imp of unknown age.

Hmm... I've tried and reviewed blends containing Dragon's Blood before, but not just the basic Dragon's Blood itself. I did sniff it when it was carried at Knows Perfume, though.

In the imp it reminds me primarily of "spicy cherry" with a backdrop that's kind of chemical; it smells a bit leathery or like wood varnish.

On my skin, it smells a lot more floral. It's like a light, sweet, white flower like non-neroli orange blossom. This stage is pleasant and non-cloying but does remind me a bit of scented soap. It's very springy!

As it dries more, the "spiciness" I smelled in the imp starts to return, but it's not too strong. The scent overall is still quite sweet and light. I don't smell the "chemical" smell I got in the imp.

[lexyOZ]

I was a little bit worried about this as I thought I'd ordered Dragon's Milk, but oops, I got mixed up and got Dragon's Blood instead!

I shouldn't have worried because it is lovely.

Wet: I'm getting a gorgeous creamy, almost fruity floral. It's gardenia-like (which I love) with a wee bit of a musty resin underneath. This was totally unexpected. I thought it would be a lot more resin-y and sharp.

Dry: it remains a sweet floral with a wee bit of a powdery resin underneath. I really like this and I can see how another reviewer would call it comforting and earthy. It's much prettier than I expected and not at all fierce or dragony.

This is the kind of scent I'd wear if I had to sit in a cubicle under fluoro lights so I could huff it and pretend I was in a glorious garden full of honeysuckle and fresh turned earth.

[lucycat]

This was a frimp with my Lupercalia decants from meaganola.

 

I have tried a few of the Ars Draconis blends over the years, but this is my first time trying Dragon’s Blood without any extras.

 

Those blends have taught me that dragon’s blood tends to be strongly floral It can be overpowering, so I’m wary of it. This is much what I expected: very floral dragon’s blood resin, like old-fashioned soap. Like many of the above reviewers, I smell jasmine in this. And yes, it’s a very red scent.

[JTobias]

Rancid, rotten rose milk. I do not love this

[kattalog]

Wet: Sweet, some spices. Very… red. Resin and flowers (lilac)?

Dry: Lilac. What. Very surprised: dragon’s blood is lilac. A bit deeper than the lilacs Im used to and hint of a darker spice. But very much a pale purple lilac.
Dragon’s blood changes between lilac, spicy lilac and sometimes resin mixed with lilac. Still very much lilac.
Ends as spiced, warm lilac during the third hour.
The red notes from its wet stage did not show up later on.

Dominant notes: Lilac.
Type: floral(!)

Lasting: 3.5 hours… of lilac

[roseus]

This smells like a cherry-toned, almost spicy gardenia on me. Not really my fave thing.

[LizziesLuck]

Somehow, I didn't really expect this to be straight up Dragon's Blood, but it is, on me. The Lab seems to have several DB notes, and this is the candy-sweet, slightly spicy, floral smelling one. Though I do like DB in some blends, I am not a fan of this on its own, at all.

[lizabelle]

So the syrupy note I didn't like in Dragon's Milk was this all along! It's quite odd on me, sweet like fake candy fruit but with a very sharp, almost metallic edge, and cold. It's also making my wrist a bit itchy, and while there's no visible signs of irritation it's getting scrubbed off right now. I'm not sure I can do the dragon blends, after all.

[Spaztic]

I am not going to be able to write the best review on this because the scent association I get with this is so strong that I can't really pull the scent apart at all

Smells like the bath beads my mom used to use when I was young, she would let me use them every now and then. So when I put this scent on I can almost feel myself squishing the bath beads as soon as they became soft enough.

So I find this scene extremely comforting which was unexpected

I wish I could remember which bath beads they were but all I can remember is that they were a blue dominate teal