Vixen

[calivianya]

Lascivious, flirtatious, and vampy as hell. A true heartbreaker’s perfume. The innocence of orange blossom tainted by the beguiling scents of ginger and patchouli.

I received this as a frimp from the Lab! We'll see how it goes. Ginger makes me hesitant because ginger can sometimes turn a blend into ginger SN on my skin.

In the vial, I smell the orange blossom, ginger, and patchouli. However, when it hits my skin, it does immediately become a ginger SN. After about ten minutes, the orange blossom braves the ginger to peek out and I begin to smell the patchouli. As it further dries down, it does begin to smell creamy instead of just harsh. This is a keeper and a pleasant surprise.

[yakiguri]

Vixen started out a nice spicy orangey floral, but quickly morphed into plastic upon drydown. Oh patchouli, you were SO nice upon application, why are you being so mean now?

 

EDIT: Seems I was a bit impatient, as after the above-mentioned plastic phase Vixen morphs back into the beautiful spicy orange floral that was there before. Seems like the patchouli just wanted to have its 15 minutes of fame. Bottle-worthy!

Edited August 5, 2011 by thatbrownelf

[sabrebabe]

In the bottle: sweet, heady not quite floral. Definitely the patchouli and the orange blossom. Not smelling the ginger.

On the skin wet: Lots of patchouli, lost the floral, though. Still no ginger. Almost pure patchouli, but not *strongly*. Almost like a light incense. Headshop fare, definitely.

Dry: the patchouli has finally mellowed and I’m getting a nice balance with the floral. It smells very feminine without being “girly”. No, she’s all grown up and knows it! There’s a nice sultry feel to it.

30 minutes: someone has added cream to the mix. It still smells like a nice balance, but creamy, like a very thick body butter should be. Still not bad, just…odd. In fact, this would be a *perfect* scent for a body butter! ::makes note::

Much later: gone rather faint and creamy sweet, and certainly “not me”, but this would make an absolutely decadent shower gel or body butter. In fact, if there was such a thing, I’d go ahead and use it! But as a perfume, I’m going to pass on it. Into the Trade pile!

[magcat]

This is my first review so I don't really know what to say...so sorry if it's a bit short!

 

The first few times I tried this, it was ALL patchouli, the entire time. And it was a bit overpowering. I was hoping for it to be more orange blossom and ginger, with just a hint of patchouli, so I didn't touch it for about a month. I put some on a headband that I keep on the bottom of my imp box, and it's held the smell really well so it at least has good lasting power!

 

I just tried it again about an hour ago, and it's definitely aged well! Dry, it's still pretty much all patchouli. After 30 minutes, it's kind of creamy and reminds me of Snake Oil. I'm not great at picking out notes but I think the orange blossom is coming out. I haven't smelled anything very gingery yet.

 

So, my conclusion is that it gets better with age! I'm going to save it for another month or so and try it again, to see if it's changed. I would give it a 3.5/5 for now. I'm beginning to think that my skin really amps up patchouli, which I don't mind in small amounts, but as a single note it's just too much.

[TheFrenchWaffle]

I don't know if the patchouli went bad but this imp just smells musty on me, and not a good musty. Combined with a very sweet sickly scent and some sort of floral. This just isn't working out...but wait after a few hours it brightens up a tad...but not enough. hopefully this will find a good home, swaps it is.

[orata]

Wow, I was ready to wash this off immediately when I first put it on; when it was wet, all I could smell was patchouli, which I HATE. But I kept it on, and after a couple of hours and a walk through a soapy, faintly ginger phase, it bloomed into the most gorgeous, alluring scent--the patchouli fades into the background to give it a skin-richness: it is to the mixture of scents what umami is to a mixture of flavors. I don't get ginger in this at all, but a sweet, intensely appealing, creamy orange blossom, with almost a vanilla note to it. Intoxicating.

[Incendiare]

Smelling this for the first time, it was on the wonky side. One second it smelled like one thing, the next, something completely different. My initial reaction was "ech." Sniffing it more, my nose is starting to separate the notes, and the ginger is warming up. Next, I detect something in here that actually reminds me of Snake Oil. It takes me back to when I got my first fresh imp of SO from the lab and it smelled like a head shop to me. That is what I got from it, but I couldn't figure out why since I didn't even bother looking at ingredients. It can't be red musk, then what is it? Whoa, it's patchouli! And you mean to tell me I'm not recoiling in horror? I normally hate the stuff, but here, it is playing very nicely with the ginger (actually, I've noticed in the past that the few patchouli-containing scents I like are loaded with spice, so there is a correlation there). On me, it's mostly ginger with a hint of earthiness from the patchouli. I could detect a hint of orange in its initial stages, but after only a few minutes, it's gone. I actually kind of like this.

 

After around ten minutes, this is kind of getting dry. And a little sharp. It's still better than what I was expecting but ultimately, I can't see it ever being bottle-worthy. I'm very curious to see how this one will age, though.

 

One thing I got out of Vixen is it has shown me that there is a definite chance that SO contains patchouli. Before, I never believed it since I could never detect it, but now? I swear they both have the same patchouli in there.

[MidnightFury]

This scent did not get along with my skin chemistry...it was just a thick, noxious cloud of patchouli and no ginger or orange at all.

Patchouli and I usually get along, so I don't know what was going on with my skin at the time.

 

I gave it to my sister and she loves it, though, so it worked out in the end.

[Morsigne925]

In the imp: I smell a little orange, and a *lot* of patchouli; it almost has a piney smell to it, with a little bit of sweetness.

On skin wet: It starts to smell more like orange oil, and more woodsy to me - must be the patchouli's getting stronger, I'm not overly familiar with how patchouli smells on its own. I'm getting the ginger more finally as it dries a bit.

As it dries: The patchouli or whatever the woodsiness I was smelling is calming down, and it's becoming a really nice spicy orange smell.

After a while (1-2 hrs): Really starting to love it - as others have said, the patchouli calms down a lot and gives way to a lovely spicy-sweet orange smell - love it the best if I sniff from a few inches away; smells a bit more powdery

End of the day: Most of the sharp notes of the patchouli and the ginger have faded out, leaving a sweet, lightly spiced orange-vanilla-y smell. I give this 4 stars, because I can imagine myself liking other smells better but I'd definitely wear this one

EDIT: Coming back to the imps I've rated highly to see how I feel about them now - this one has fallen slightly from favor with me. Right after it's been put on, it's turning directly to a baby powder smell on me that is familiar as Snake oil does almost the same thing, but with Snake Oil I can stand it. I'm going to have to bump this one down to 3 stars I think, as I *might* wear it occasionally but not much would make me choose this over Snake oil.

 

EDIT AGAIN AUG 2014: Again going back thru my imps - this does indeed smell almost exactly like Snake Oil does on me after a little while - very much an incense smell. A ginger-y patchouli powder smell. I don't hate it, but I also don't love it - it's not quiiiiite the baby-powder issue I've been having with some scents, but I'm not sure I like the outcome of this one, either. MY previous 3 stars knockdown stands.

Edited August 21, 2014 by Morsigne925

[Eliyetres]

In bottle: golden. Smells red sandalwood, woodsy and a bit orange. No ginger, this one is very thick and dark musk. On its floral with a bit orange and mostly wood/musk or whatever that is. It gets sweeter bu time, but I don't think I'll keep this.

[becca_s]

Vixen is really not a good match for my skin. I already knew that ginger generally doesn't work on me, it turns bitter and sharp. So all I get from this is a strong soapy scent from the orange blossom and then a sharp hit of ginger. The Pathchouli must be in there somewhere but I wouldn't have guessed it was an ingredient if I didn't check what was in it.

[mymymai]

In the Imp (ITI): The orange blossom is rather sweet and when paired with the ginger, it’s almost candy-like. Oddly enough, I can’t really detect the patchouli like I would have expected.

 

Wet: I get the patchouli now on my skin, and it seems to bear equal weight with the ginger and the orange blossom. It’s sweet, but not cloying.

 

Dry: It’s taken a while, nearly 10 hours, for the scent to morph to the extent that I consider it somewhat pleasant. Now I sell a faintly resinous orange blossom, which is innocently sweet, not as sultry as I would have expected.

[elka_knits]

I have had this bottle of Vixen sitting around for about 5 years now so it is well aged....not because it isn't lovely but because there are so many many things to smell and wear that sometimes something slips through the cracks. Anyways patchouli is the note of doom for me. Always has been and probably always will be. Not to start an argument but a while ago I remember reading something about patchouli being considered one of those sexai smells however in reality it is off-putting and gross. So anyways whenever I tell The Flame I dislike patchouli he seems surprised because it is such a universally known sexy scents.

 

Vixen is what I WANT patchouli to smell like~ earthy but sweet and mellow. Unfortunately the wet stage is please poke my eyes out horrid patchouli smell. Thankfully the wet stage only lasts oh half an hour and once the headache eases I am the happiest girl ever. I do have a friend that steps away from me whenever I wear patchouli {and totally turned me off mme moriarty which I had loved and stockpiled until then} so I am going to test this one around her. Anyway all this patchouli hate is to encourage those who normally don't get along with it to give Vixen a try. She really does mellow into something sweet and sassy!

[karykeion]

In the imp: ...Eh. I like patchouli, but I don't like this particular spicy patchouli. It has a kind of woody bite that I'm not a fan of.

 

On me, wet: Gingery patchouli. I like patchouli and ginger but I guess I'm not a huge fan of them together. I don't really know what orange blossom smells like, so I can't really pick it out. After about twenty minutes, I could swear there's vanilla in here, and the whole scent starts to take on this kind of creaminess that I actually really like. The ginger and patchouli blend together better on the skin than in the imp, I think, and I'm still not getting a lot of orange blossom but I like what it is that I am getting.

 

On me, dry: Oh my god, I don't believe it. The unpleasant woody bite of the patchouli/ginger combination is gone, and the blend is now a kind of sexy patchouli with a sweet background of ginger, orange blossom, and what I swear on my life is vanilla. I do not know how, but somehow these things combined to smell exactly like Snake Oil on my skin, but without the red musk and therefore perfect and BO-free. Need a bottle now.

[mimieux]

Like so many others, the first time I sniffed Vixen there was no love affair. In fact, it smelled of mostly ginger and orange and not much else. I really was let down, because my dear friend LOVES Vixen and I really wanted to love it, too. Fast forward 8 months later and the labbies send me a frimp of Vixen. Fast forward 4 more months and that frimp has aged...HOLY JESUS!! This is my newest favorite scent. It is so much like Snake Oil which I adore, but it's got this super feminine edge to it. Snake Oil, to me, while incredibly sexy isn't uber feminine--really sexy though. But Vixen, it is all woman and does have this feminine edge.. Someone else said this makes them feel like Joan from Mad Men. And that is the perfect way to describe Vixen. Picture your sexiest girl-crush and Vixen would be how she smells....Patchouli, orange blossoms and a touch of ginger. Decadent and sweet. Monica Belluci in a bottle.(At least for me ) 5ml on the way. So excited since my precious frimp's almost empty and this will be my Spring/Summer fragrance.

Edited March 28, 2012 by mimieux

[Hazel Dormouse]

I had such hopes for Vixen, but alas it didn't work for me. Actually the reason I bought my first batch of BPAL was because I was nostalgic for the orange blossom scent of the orchards back home.

 

Expectation: Fresh orange blossom with a sparkling twist of ginger, and patchouli to ground the scent, adding earthy spice.

 

Reality: Ugh! Sharp biting stink. I get no orange or orange blossom out of this. The sharpness must be coming from the ginger, but as much as I love intense ginger tea or spicy ginger soup, I'm not getting the fragrance of ginger here, just the burn.

 

Even after drydown it's only better because it's less potent. I aged my imp for about a year and tried again, but still no dice. Fortunately a friend of mine said she loves the scent, so it's off to a better home.

 

Similar scents: Siren

[ami226]

A dirty orange blossom with a hint of spicy ginger. Hmmmm, the patchouli kinda takes over really quickly and smells to me like dirt and orange with a side of blossom. Slightly makes me think of Ravenous, only lighter on the fruit and heavier on the blossom. I like it, but it just isn't me.

 

Later: this one loses all the dirt and instead becomes all lovely, sweet orange blossom. I like it in the dry down, but I'm not sure if it's me.

[SPOOKEYKATT]

Whoa, this is a thick, dark orange-brown oil. No orange blossom or ginger yet, the patchouli is smothering everything.

 

After about a minute the ginger comes through a bit. As it dries the floral comes out, and immediately turns soapy. Ugh, not for me.

[cosmoblue]

In Imp, Perfumey patchouli.

 

Wet, patchouli and orange blossom very vintagey. This is the type of thing I can imagine Donna Reed wearing.

 

Dry, Sweet orange blossom with a light patchouli and a tiny hint of ginger. It is nice but not awesome. This has quite a throw on me. I like but do not love this. I look forward to this aging though

[whitsunweddings]

In the imp: Sweet, almost chocolatey patchouli.

Wet: PATCHOULI!!! PATCHOULI!!!

Dry: Dried into a sweet and fruity patchouli thing. Hmmm, pass.

[stellamaris]

Love, love, love. Love this. Really. Orangey, juicy, grounded with a gorgeous patchouli, so beautiful. This smells like 1967 to me, not quite Filthy Hippy but Love Child.

And if you like this, try that Ira Bath Oil. OMG gorgeous and so rich.

On those days when I really need a stronger scent these two are perfect, I prefer Vixen over Snake Oil, it has that citrus note that lightens everything up for me and makes it less goth, more cerebral.

[madscientistdh]

Purchased from Babypopje!

 

In bottle: Patchouli with a sweet ginger undertone.

 

On skin: My nose went wonky for a second, because I swear I smelt something reminiscent of Pain, like an herbal mint tone! This is pure ginger, freshly grated by someone wearing patchouli.

 

Drydown: More of a sweet floral peeks out, mellowing the ginger and playing off the patchouli very nicely. After my chemistry gets ahold of this it becomes SEXY, certainly lives up to its name!

 

Verdict: I JUST LOVE VIXEN. I could see this becoming one of my favorites, if not THE favorite. At first I worried it would be more like "health foodie yoga instructor" but gladly I was mistaken Wouldn't mind acquiring more of this scent!

[laforetnoire]

This is the patchouli I get from Snake Oil!

 

Just imagine Snake Oil without the cocoa or vanilla notes, and just yummy patchouli. That’s exactly what it smells like to me.

[Erinofhere]

Oh my!

 

This was a frimp from the lab.

 

I really don't need another scent to add to my growing list of full bottles to order but Vixen just made the list. I may need to get a part time job, or eat less. Regardless I'm hooked and the only cure is full size bottles.

 

In the imp: I sniffed and smiled. "Good" I thought. I don't like it. It smelled like old spice after shave and patcholi with orange rind.

 

To be fair I put it on the back of my hand and went off to cook dinner. A free imp demands that I take the time to really test it out even though I am secure in my assumption that I won't like it. My bank account took a sigh of relief.

 

I would smell the back of my hand a few times and was still getting straight up after shave. I shrugged it off because like I said before I really don't need my BPAL wish list to get any longer.

 

I started to smell it everywhere around me. One little dot of oil and it was taking on a life of it's own. I also should note that dinner was pretty strong smelling. Vixen stayed strong through all of it. It also started to change for the better.

 

I started to pick up on the ginger. Slowly the orange rind turned into orange blossom. Then out of nowhere vanilla showed up and dominated the scent. ODD!

 

Ohhhhhh I like this. It really is the more girlie version of snake oil. Snake Oil and I didn't get along very well but Vixen and I will be fast friends.

 

And hours later its still there going strong. Yeah this one is pretty amazing. It makes me feel pretty and flirty. I'm very much in love with this one.

[NuadaVixen]

Like many people here, I didn't like this oil much on my first sniff. Patchouli... it was like the chick trying to act misterious when she's not.

But when I put it on my wrist, the "sexy" side started to emerge: Orange Blossom, ginger, chocolate.

I used to always go out with my imp on my hand purse until a male friend saw it and made a weird face like "I want to make fun of her but it may hurt her feelings".

Now I always associate Vixen with his face and it isn't pleasant