Sin

[Chantarelle]

Thoroughly corrupted: amber, sandalwood, black patchouli and cinnamon.

Yipes! This is so strong. I was a little afraid to be around people today, because I felt like it was coming off me on waves. I think I like it though. It's heavily sandalwood, with a strong patchouli undertone, which is very reminiscent of high school for me. At the end of the day it fades into a bit of baby powder scent, which is probably the amber. And sadly I never got much cinnamon.

I'll have to try this again, using a little less so that I can smell it without wincing, before I can make a final decision.

[LushNatty]

WHOA! Patchouli oil. In the bottle, on initial application, and on drydown. This smells no different at any stage from the patchouli oil I get in the health food store. I have a feeling that the imp might just be straight patchouli oil—either Beth formulated this batch with a loooooo-ooooot of patchouli and (possibly) forgot to put in the other oils, or someone snowed me in a swap, because that’s how I got this imp.

Didn't pick up any sandalwood or cinnamon at all, which is surprising given the other reviews--it's just not there in my imp at ALL.

On a scale of 1 to 5: 2.

 

ETA: I got a different imp of this from a trusted source, and it is totally different. So different, in fact, that I think I might have gotten a doctored imp the first time. The oil smells like a quality blend this time, it's completely different in color and consistency, and I can actually smell the cinnamon straight off like everyone else. I'm really, really glad that I got a different imp, because I absolutely love it this time, and straight off it has become a favorite. I have a hard time carrying off patchouli and sandalwood, but the cinnamon (and then the amber, as time elapses) make this a winner for me. I'm so glad that I have found a scent that my inner hippie can wear. It smells exactly like an old and very beloved brand of cinnamon incense that I used to buy all the time in high school, but has since become unavailable.

I love it. And I'm kind of irked that there is a doctored one out there.

On a scale of 1 to 5: 5!

Edited November 9, 2005 by LushNatty

[feline.by.design]

Sin is definitely heavy on the patchouli. I thought I reviewed this already, but apparently I didn't. Anyhoo, Sin lightens up once it has made contact with my skin. This smells like a darker, dirtier Hollywood Babylon (must be the amber). There is a bit of sweetness on my skin that I attribute to the mingling of cinnamon and sandalwood with the amber. It prevents Sin from delving into a dark patchouli abyss.

 

After maybe ten minutes of wear, the cinnamon spice becomes more prominent in the blend. This is a very smooth, woodsy cinnamon, not too sharp, but then again, I love cinnamon and wouldn't really give out any complaints.

 

If you like Vixen and Anne Bonny, I can't see why you wouldn't like Sin. Sin, to me, is the darkest out of the the three and would be the best candidate for those into a darker, unisex scent. I would be willing to buy a bottle to share between Brent and I, if I could wean him off of Black Pearl. I'd probably wear it more.

 

-doreen

[WidgetAlley]

A frimp from the Lab in my last order!

 

In the vial: Hello patchouli and sandalwood! Smells a good deal like Snake Oil without the vanilla to me-- that same weird incensey baby-powder scent. But I liked Snake Oil on, so... *crosses fingers* Can't smell the amber or the cinnamon, but I hope they come out to play. I do love them.

 

Wet: Wet definitely isn't the right word for this. This smells bone-dry to me, but delicious as well. I can smell the cinnamon very strongly, the sandalwood makes it dry, the amber smells almost honeyish in the background, the patchouli is definitely in there somewhere... man, I am loving this. It's so warm and dry and sexy. This could very well become my favoured incensey-blend. A word of caution, though-- I went to swipe a fuzzy off my face with my hand, and my wrist touched my cheek... and now it's a bit... tingly. The cinnamon-sensitive should beware.

 

Dry: Mmm, this is lovely. Predominately cinnamon with just a touch of patchouli, a backing of amber and an overlay of sandalwood. Since this is my first really grown-up, dry, incense/hippy-ish blend from BPAL, I may do a little more exploring before I settle on a bottle, but the Imp will see a lot of use, particularly in winter! If I wanted something not quite so dusty, I think this would layer beautifully with Wanda.

 

[edit] I was listening to Tori Amos's Raspberry Swirl when I wrote this, and after some contemplation I realized that's exactly what Sin is like-- dark, heavy, a little harsh and discordant, even, but still incredibly sexy... mysterious voices layered over a grinding beat. I think I need a 5mL of this.

Edited October 25, 2005 by WidgetAlley

[lookingglass]

This one goes on very hot and dry. Not usually what I go for in a perfume, but this is going in my top 10 for my choice for cinnamon. It will be replacing Eclipse, which I was just orgasmo over, until I discovered that I could mix Sin with O for something even more delicious! (Eclipse is quite like O once it is dry on me).

 

The patchouli is the darkest that I have ever smelled; the sandalwood is fresh and true; the cinnamon doesn't leave my skin red, as Eclipse did (yea!). It is a red and black scent for sure~harsh, a little bitter, but so spicy and sexy. As it dries, the amber warms and softens the blend, but only the teensiest bit, so as to not deny the true wickedness of the blend. It melts beautifully into my skin (what I love about amber....umph...) while remaining the black fire that is the wonder of Sin...I see burning embers...I think this is what Hell smells like...

[VorpalBunny]

Sin was on my wishlist forever because it has some of my favourite notes. A very wonderful swapper sent it to me as a frimp.

 

When I first sniffed it in the imp, I was a little worried because it said PATCHOULI! and sometimes it gets along with me and sometimes it doesn't (I love it as a SN but some blends go wrong on me). As soon as I put it on, it was a predominantly patchouli and amber scent, and just wonderful. A few minutes later the cinnamon came out, STRONG, and kind of took over, then it faded into the background and I was left with a lingering blend of patchouli, sandalwood, and amber. Just lovely and sexy and sweet and great. None of that overpowering headshop smell, or the sourness that some patchouli blends have on me. And it had great staying power, all day through work.

 

I really love this one.

[Voleuse]

This is really, really viscous in the vial, and dark. I'm oddly fascinated by it. On first application, the cinammon is evident right away, which is interesting, because I expected the patchouli to dominate. Instead, they're almost perfectly balanced. It's heavy and sweetly spicy.

 

After a bit, however, the sandalwood blooms and overtakes the other scents, making this a fascinating, smoky blend. I can't smell the amber specifically, but I think it's what makes this such a warm fragrance.

 

Over time, this becomes a sweet, dark incense, with a strong note of spice. I really like this, and it lasts quite a while on me. I don't know if I'd wear it very often, but I think it merits a bottle.

[sarahj]

Sin

 

in vial: very faint scent of sandalwood and cinnamon

 

wet: still very faint

 

dry: a lot stronger now...amber and cinnamon, with and underlying chemical scent that reminds me a lot of insect repellant

 

verdict:not for me...I think I will pass this along to someone who may get better use from it

[porcelain_doll]

I had to re-read the notes on this one, just to make sure I hadn't goofed. And for once, I think my nose finally "got" what all was supposed to be in it. A big THANKYATHANKYATHANKYA to Sarah J., my Switch-Witch, who sent me this one.

 

Wet/in Imp: Heavy on the sandalwood and patchouli, which isn't a bad thing a'tall.

 

quick swipe-across wrists/collarbone: Still heavy on the sandalwood and patchouli, but the amber sneaks in and out. I'm wondering if this is an older form of amber, if there is such a thing as maybe black or red amber, because anything with golden amber in it smells like oranges on me. This doesn't smell like oranges, or the least bit fruity.

 

All-day sucker: Love it, love it, love it! The sandalwood and patchouli seem to buoy up the amber, so to speak, drying down into a soft, powdery, almost musky dry-down that lasts well into the wee morning light. More earthy than smoky, and more temptress/seductress than outright siren or slut. Quite nice, actually, and it may be time for yet another order, preferrably for a rather large bottle of Sin.

[girlmadasbirds]

this is almost all cinnamon & patchouli on me (which isn't a bad thing since i love those scents) with the amber & sandalwood lingering in the background. spicy!

[SeaMonkey]

All I'm getting is cinnamon. In the imp it was patchouli with a tiny bit of amber, but on my skin, its all cinnamon. Thankfully, no red welts, but over powering cinnamon

[Rhowan]

*SIN*

 

I got this imp because I was on a cinnamon kick for awhile - looking for the right cinnamon has proven to be harder than I thought but then came SIN

 

 

In the bottle: Patchouli and Sandalwood is what hits my nose first. If I try hard, I think I can catch a small hint of cinnamon. I am already to give up on this one since I really don't catch the cinnamon...

 

Wet: mmm... Sandalwood, then amber, a bit of patchouli...then the cinnamon hits!! Nice, warm, sensual cinnamon - glad I didn't give up on this!

 

Dry Down: As this dried, I lost the patchouli (which was a good thing) and the cinnamon kept getting better and better! The sandalwood and amber really sweeten up the cinnamon so it isn't the bitter cinnamon I have experienced with other oils.

 

Conclusion - VERY SINFUL ! The best cinnamon I have tried! This is very sexy, warm, and sensual. If you have sensitive skin or are sensitive to cinnamon - DO NOT try this ! as it is VERY potent!!! In my personal opinion, I think this is way better than either of the Three Witches old or new! Save your $$ and get this catalogue scent!

[shadowsong]

this smells exactly like some of the other scents i've tried that have gone powdery on me, but i can't remember what. spellbound maybe, and penitence.

 

vaguely scented baby powder. i think i can smell amber and patchouli, and maybe sandalwood. mostly just powder, though.

[Batgirl]

Wet this is really sweet - it seems to have the same sweetness as many of the voodoo blends, which I really don't enjoy. It almost immediately dries down to a smell that reminds me a lot of LUSH's departed Middle Earth Turned to Rock soap and the also departed Cosmic Dreamcatcher massage bar. It has a kind of woodsy-spiciness with a very faint sweet top note. I can't decide if I like it or not, but I'm leaning towards not. It has suprisingly little throw for such a heavy blend.

[lady_pandora]

This is an all-out sexy scent, perfect for all sorts of vamping. The cinnamon is the dominant note on me, but the other notes team up to add an incensey goodness that keeps the scent from turning Big Red. YUM. Highly recommended if you like cinnamon.

[Meg]

In the bottle: mostly amber, sandalwood and patchouli, I think. I don't know patchouli very well yet.

 

Wet: discrete and earthy with a hint of amber to warm it up. The cinammon and sandalwood are slowly rising out of it, and the patchouli is becoming stronger.

 

Drydown: Okay so *now* I know what patchouli smells like, and I have to say I quite like it - reminds me of new-agey/hippie shops. The sandalwood and the cinammon seem to be fighting it so that they can come out too, but the patchouli seems to be keeping them down quite forcefully. I'm actually stunned that the cinammon hasn't gone Red Hots on me yet.

 

Overall: Mostly patchouli with a hint of sandalwood and cinnamon. Not overwhelming, actually pretty understated. I don't find it voluptuous - someone said something about shady deals going on in back-alleys, and I think that's a good description for this blend on me.

Edited January 20, 2006 by Meg

[young_devilry]

In the bottle: I can smell the patchouli, but it's softer than I'm used to [which is nice, since I'm usually not that enthusiastic about patchouli]. I'm thinking the amber is probably the cause.

 

Wet: Definitely patchouli, though the cinnamon has come out as well.

 

Drydown: When my wrists are at a distance, the sandalwood is the most prominent, with just a hint of the cinnamon coming out. Considering that I barely put a dot on each wrist, the throw is nice. Up close, it's all melded so well that I wouldn't be able to tell one note from another without knowing what they were to begin with. After a while the sandalwood fades into the background, and I'm left with somewhat sharp, spicy scent that really does remind me of the word 'sin.'

 

Final note: This is actually the second time I tried Sin. The first time it was fresh from the lab and the patchouli completely overpowered everything else. I let it sit for a few weeks, and now I like it enough that while I don't know about buying a bottle, I will definitely keep the imp and wear it.

[kourika]

In the imp my nose loved Sin, and Sin loved me right back. Unfortunately, the minute I put it on my skin, the black patchouli amped up significantly and nauseated me and gave me a headache. Oh well...at least I can enjoy sniffing the remainder of my imp.

[Ayln]

I'm surprised to see patchouli in this, as it wasn't that strong in it. I got more cinnamon, but overall, all of the notes sort of muddled together and I couldn't really discern one from the other. Heavy scents are not my thing, anyway.

[mandragora]

In the vial, Sin is heady and strong. Wet, sandalwood is very noticeable with undertones of patchouli. As it dries down cinnamon notes waft here and there. Very good throw as well. Frustratingly, it turns to a powdery scent on me.

 

Another lovely scent that did not work with my chemistry.

Edited January 29, 2006 by mandragora

[provocateur]

I love every single note in this blend so I thought I would give it a go...

 

in bottle deep and heady. *swoon* I can smell thick rich spiced black patchouli (from the amber, sandalwood and cinnamon).

 

wet: mmmm the same as the in the bottle.

 

 

drydown: the sandalwood is bursting through all the other notes. This is where I start to lose hope.

 

5 minutes later: it's a sweet sandalwood, I think it's the cinnamon and amber, the patchouli is pretty much non-existant.

 

dry: and this is where I cry. Everything but the sandalwood has disappeared, except for a powdery puff of the amber.

 

It's a beautiful scent, but not for me as it's dry.

[sophia_helix]

This was spicy, warm, and incensy. And then...a perfect dupe of Snake Charmer.

 

No idea what's up with that, but since Snake Charmer is, uh, a FAVORITE, to put it mildly? I'm not at all sorry.

[strawberry_star]

I love freebies from the lab as it gives me a chance to sniff oils that I normally would never order. I never would have ordered this because it has cinnamon in it. It wasn't as bad as I would have imagined though.

 

Cinnamon usually leaves me feeling sick to my stomach just like it does when I smell cloves. It did that a little bit and I expected it to be very harsh due to the patchouli as well, but it smelled a lot like Big Red gum instead which wasn't so bad. It's a very sexual, hot scent.

 

Definitely not the worst I've tried by far and it's a lot better than I would have expected, but it's going to a friend that will appreciate it more.

[Lizzie]

In The Bottle deep Patchouli goodness!!

 

Wet On Patchouli and Cinnamon!! This is beginning to smell like I hoped!!! I'm desperate to find something that smells similar to Lush's Blue Skies and Fluffy White Clouds (which is Patchouli, Cinnamon, and Frankinsence.)

 

Dry well this is close, but no cigar. My skin amps up the cinnamon too much. Maybe after an hour or so it'll smell more like patchouli. It's still lovely however. I don't know if I'll be buying a bottle, but I can see myself always wanting to have an imp of this handy. It's a very soothing scent to me, yet a bit sensual and sexy at the same time. Yum.

[Alchemy21599]

I received this as lovely frimage from the Lab

 

In the vial: the liquid is dark and viscous. Mmmm, patchouli! The scent is deeper than just patchouli. Kind of dry woodsy.

 

Wet: Wow! Now the cinnamon is very strong. Now the sandalwood is fighting with the cinnamon.

 

Dry: The sandalwood has won. I think this scent is Omen's big brother. Sin is a great scent, but there is too much sandalwood for me. I think Sin would be a great scent for a man.