Djinn

[kittycatpurr]

... The scent of black smoke, of crackling flames, and smoldering ashes.

In the imp: For twenty seconds, a gorgeous soot smell. Then it scrubs out my sinuses with Comet and a steel brush. Yowtch. Seriously, I'm tasting tile cleaner in my mouth. Edited June 26, 2008 by Shollin
fixed BPAL tags

[galahad]

In The Bottle

Pine!

 

On Application

Pine with a smokey background

 

Dry Down

5 minutes into the drydown I can definitely detect ginger which is making this more bearable. Actually quite nice when it has completely dried down but not for me.

 

Rating (0-5)

1.5

[Indigo78]

If there's Cinnamon in here, the nether place must be freezing over, because this blend more than works for me. Cinnamon topples a blend for me more often than not. In this blend I can definitely smell it plain as day, yet I love it. I guess...another Bethicle (= Lab miracles like this)

 

This is highly meallic and bright, with sinister edges that gleam. I can smell the faint char of wood, coin and Earth cleansed by Electric Fire Single Note.

 

Evocative, schmevocative - - Djinn is downright uncanny. Bottleworthy, & instantly on my list.

[brsis]

Initial thoughts: I have an unhealthy love of the smell of burning things (Nice things, like toast and wood, obviously, not like burning plastic). That, and I have a certain soft spot for any creature that falls into the 'servant of the Prince of Darkness' catagory - even before reading Terry Pratchet, I imagined it was something like being an underpaid civil servant in a really sucky office with the boss from hell. Literally. They aren't actually mean, honest, they're just taking out their frustations on you because as long as they have your passport/drivers license forms/student loan application they have one tiny little iota of power.

 

I'm a weird kid.

 

In the imp: Smoke, wood ash and Lemsip o.O

 

On the wrist, wet: No, that's not Lemsip... I'm tempted to say either tea tree or eucalyptus. This is definately more herbal than burnt on me, although there is a vague sort of wet woodash kick to it.

 

Twenty minutes later: Hmm... this smells unendearingly like burnt Vics Vapour Rub, wet vetiver and hot ash. It's a no go for me - for one thing, it's a bit too similar to the bastard child of Ligur and Snake Oil, without any of the redeeming qualities of either. Shame really - I was so looking forward to a nice potent smoky blend.

 

Verdict: Swap pile

 

Tl;Dr: Vetiver and burnt ich.

[thelaurenator]

Definitely an acrid, eye-stinging, flaming scent. Not for the faint of heart, but it definitely is the essence of "fire."

[porcelina]

too much vetiver or something... maybe sage? there's a weird citrus thing somewhere in there, too. it does smell burnt, but it's not the kind of burning wood or leaves smell i love so much. i am going to keep djinn to try and layer it with other scents, though. i think, hidden away enough, it could make a nice addition to some autumnal blends.

[carbide]

In the imp, it's smoky and a bit green. Not my territory and edging a bit too far towards masculine, but I'm looking forward to seeing what Magical Sweetening Skin Chemistry does to it.

 

On my skin, we have a few wet minutes of the smoky, and then...it's gone. Totally, completely, can't-tell-where-I-applied-it gone. Nothing reemerges.

 

I've retested, and it keeps doing this. I'm not devastated, but I am really amused by the vanishing act. Poof! Djinn-be-gone!

[Coldfire]

Imp: Sharp…..Fire…Smoke…

Wet on Me: Pine? I smell a resin-y pine-y trace

in the fire and smoke.

Drying Down: Smokey pine. What it smells like after your

Campfire/bonfire burns out.

Dry: Still that post fire scent. Reminds me of fall evenings.

I like this. Different and quirky for me. A little dark and unexpected.

Keepin the imp. This is magickal!

[isisonearth]

I'm getting pine and cinnamon plus a campfire smoke that burns my eyes maybe just a bit to realistically.

 

After a while it dries down to more of an ashy burned out fire smell like a campfire the next morning.

 

Artistically amazing and I'm so glad to have experienced it.

[Seismogenic]

Fire is a big part of autumn in southern California, and while it scares the crap out of me when it's actually going on, I have to admit it's pretty fascinating nevertheless. I wanted to try Djinn because I was curious how the smell of fire (rather than just the smoke afterward) could be replicated and bottled.

 

In the imp: Thickly smoky, of the acrid and more chemical type rather than of burning brush and wood. It's quite a bit like Moai, only without the rocks.

 

Wet on skin: There is definitely vetiver in here. Thank goodness I realized I'm not actually allergic to it after all! But yes, thick and smoky vetiver.

 

Drydown: Freshly dry, it's still smoky vetiver, but it's registering to me as a scent more green than conflagrant. It's got quite a bit of throw, too. Not much changes over the first hour or two. Smoky vetiver, definitely heated, but still more green than fiery.

 

Five hours later: Still not much change, other than a decrease in intensity. Still with the smoky vetiver, though the balance has tipped slightly in favor of smoke now. I guess, if I think about it, the smell of really blackened wood is under there.

 

End of the day: Only the slightest wisp of smoke on my wrist.

 

Overall: This really wasn't what I was expecting, thought it does make sense for the nature of the spirit it means to portray. I guess I had this mental image of burning brush and trees - a natural wildfire - even though a supernatural acrid almost tangible fire makes more sense for a djinn. This scent is hot and malevolent...and yet it's still more smoky green than active flame to me. Something about all that vetiver makes it a sort of dark blackish green. Maybe I'm also somewhat associating it with the sulphurous smoke smell in Moai, which is similar to the smoke in Djinn, only Moai's is a bit less aggressive/sweeter and has the added bonus of rocks. (I like the rocks, yes.) In looking at other reviews of this, though, the opinions seem to be very disparate and varied, so I guess it feels good to not be the only one to not get much actual fire out of this. That said, I won't give it up yet, since some people remarked that it improves with age, but I'm still intrigued by potentially finding that brushfire scent in another oil. I'm disappointed I didn't get some of the wood/tree notes that other people got from this one.

[Iceblink]

This smelled just like the description--smoke and flames! It's a great concept but I don't really want to go around smelling like ashes. But thumbs up for the idea.

[marared]

Frimp from a few weeks ago. This doesn't smell like smoke or ashes or anything burnt, at least not on me; it smells like old pine or one of those other particularly fragrant trees/shrubs. It smells like I took a walk through wet woods hours ago, pushing branches out of my way, and the sap/resin left behind on my skin has dried and faded. I understand the Comet cleanser reference, although it doesn't quite have that same overwhelming chemical smack.

[jizatt]

I only tried this because it was a frimp, and I try everything that passes through my hands. I don't even sniff vials anymore, I just put them on and sniff over time. Nevertheless, I found this one scary, and almost didn't try it.

 

Strangely enough - I liked this one. Its strange and evocative. As I turn most of what I wear sweet, this was a sweetish, smoky scent that really begged to be sniffed at =) I won't buy a bottle, but I think I'm keeping the imp!

[DarthArwen]

I'm a bit of a pyromane and was hoping for a nice campfire smell, but what I get is dirty pine-ish cleaning liquid. Euagh

[goblinshark]

In the imp: Oh no, this smells a lot like Jersey Devil, minus the berry note. This is bad news for me, since JD SCREAMED AND SHRIEKED until I was sick from it.

 

Wet on skin: uh-oh, very piney

 

Drydown: pleasantly, turns into fireworks smoke and black pepper. I really like this but I am not sure whether or not I can weather the sharpness of the initial stage. Luckily I can already tell it will prob. smell great on my dude.

[innocent]

Unsettling and unpleasant. This reminds me of a chemical fire. I don't do well with smokey scents, and this one is worse than most on my skin.

[rayvn1]

This was a generous decant from the lovely Cam This went on smelling very hot with something very spicy like cinnamon coming through loud and clear. This settles down after a few minutes into a slightly sweet, piney, (eucalyptus?) scent with decent throw. Almost an aquatic tinge to it but I may be losing my sniffing-marbles. I like it!

[milo]

This smelled great in the imp, but on my skin, I got the dreaded cedar or vetiver note, (can't really tell the two apart!) which does not work well on me. This faded to what I get as a harsh cleaning agent smell, not great at all. Then it fades to something floral. Strange how it morphs from three distinctive and different smells, all of which I don't like, oh well.

[Odinite]

This is my first review so hang on; here we go!

 

In the Bottle- Lots of vetiver, something very green, a hint of citrus, and a tiny bit of dirt.

 

On Wet- Very sharp and green, the citrus is more apparent, the vetiver fades a great deal and there is a bit of a generic mens cologne smell ( though it is very slight and not a bad thing).

 

30 Mins later- Softer and a bit powdery, maybe some sandlewood and the sharp greenness has fallen into the background but is still there I don't get the citrus anymore.

 

2 Hours Later- much the same but the greenness is gone.

 

 

All in all it has decent staying power and although is nothing like I expected it is a very nice scent. Not sure if I would wear it enough to get a bottle.

[totheo]

This is my first review as well and because my nose is absolutely nothing compared to the rest of you perfume buffs, I'm just going to have to go with what's natural. Whole scents and memories.

 

Djinn is a big scent. I couldn't smell the smoke, myself, or the fire. At first it was a strong incense, with a tang at the back. It stays acrid in and out of the imp, my throat still burns when I smell it on my skin about 45 minutes to an hour after I put it on. The effect is lessening slowly now, the scent is mellowing out.

 

About twenty minutes ago, I figured out what it really smells like. Incense at first but then... bushfires. Australian bushfires. When the fires start around Sydney, you can smell them everywhere. When they get really bad, the scent reaches the centre of the city, and people start getting spontaneous nosebleeds and weepy eyes. Where I live, north of the city, on the beaches, I'm surrounded by gum trees. If we drive slightly further inland, to the hills, the scent of the forest is even stronger. When the bushfires come, and they can come very close amongst the hills, if you're in a safe area, you can smell the healthy green eucalyptus gums and the acrid smoke all at once.

 

That's what Djinn smells like.

 

At around an hour in wearing it, the smoke begins to dissipate, like the fireys have one and the air is finally clearing. Or the wind has changed and it's just a short, sweet reprieve. Then it's like standing under a healthy gum tree, completely at peace that it's still alive and growing. Though it could be the first to go next summer.

[Allumina]

I wish smoke worked on me! This starts a bit soapy, goes to sweet and a bit metallic. Smells like a men's soap but not like cologne. Sweet, exotic, incense, a bit of veviter. Smelled very "chemical" on me.

[lothien]

I got this as a frimp, and it is another one of those that is thoroughly not what I expected.

 

It's not really giving me as ash or scorched vibe. Dry, bright, and not nearly as smoky as I was afraid of...

Part of this off the top is sage and lavender. I have a Bert's Bee's sage and lavender spritz deodorant that smells just like parts of this.

Then I get some sort of citronella behind it? eucalyptus? lemony-but-not, and my first impression is a patio deck, so I am guessing citronella or whatever smells like that. Lemon balm (but I usually get Pledge from that)? Verbena?

Once in a while I get a fleck of ash smell but it's mostly herbal.

 

Actually, I think this would be nice in late summer when flowers or musk or something sweet would be too cloying. (That's when I use that spritz - when it's sticky and I want to feel less so. ^^ I don't know how well it works as deodorant, but it's refreshing. That said, I love lavender. I know that goes icky for some folks.)

 

It's a combination that might also deter bugs, which would make it a great picnic party scent! (I hate wearing something out then finding out hornets or bees like it, especially when I'm somewhere I can't wash it off! To wear one that makes them avoid you and doesn't smell like bug repellant??!!! )

 

[Veronica]

Whoever said tile cleaner was exactly right, this scent is giving me headaches from its fumes. Smells like scrubby floors and hazardous chemical cleanser.

[stonetotem]

This is the very first I've tried. I was really looking forward to something smoky, but not one little bit on me. I'm not at all skilled in differentiating different notes -

 

in the imp it was very sharp and what I think people refer to as metallic

 

it immediately went to my sinuses and said "warning! warning!" and I should have listened then...

 

after a few minutes it got overwhelmingly sweet and cloying, and then powdery/soapy but still with a sharpness or shrillness (seems contradictory but that's how I experienced it)

 

the thing is, I kind of thought that it was a nice scent, but it just made my head ache

[silvertarna]

Last night where I live was the annual 'light lots of bonfires' night. When I stepped out of the house today, the air smelt exactly like Djinn. As an execution of a concept it's amazing, but it's not something I want to smell of, so I'll be swapping this.