Snake Oil

[wickedgoddess]

By far, our most popular scent! Magnetic, mysterious, and exceedingly sexual in nature. A blend of exotic Indonesian oils sugared with vanilla.

I finally figured out what to do with my Snake Oil!

Let's start with the review. In the bottle it smells heavenly, but wet, it smells of exotic spices with a touch of vanilla and...a touch of that plasticy scent that I also get off of Egg Nog. Ugh! But if I leave it on for 4 or 5 hours, it's heavenly. Faint, but heavenly. So them I layer more on to strengthen the scent and...yuck plastic.

I have been debating whether to keep this or trade it when I decided to try something different, so I layered it with O, another scent that is lovely but barely perceptible on me. And it worked!

Layered with O, it's a creamy vanilla, with exotic spices and just a touch of amber. Best of all, no plastic smell, and it lasts and lasts. Yay, I can finally love my Snake Oil the way I wanted to.

[olympia301]

When I placed my first BPAL order, I had to have Snake Oil if for no other reason than its inspired name. Love that! It was the most popular oil, so I wanted to see what the shouting was about. When I got it and put it on, I said "Hippy Perfume...not me." Swapped it away. It just smelled like the inside of a headshop to me at that time.

 

Later I got Perversion, and I thought "Phffft, big deal. Pleasant, can't say 'headshop' but close." Tried it again, and started to daydream about Perversion, then got a 5ml and it is a backbone of my scent wardrobe. Perversion has some of the notes of Snake Oil in it, so I started to think hard about Snake Oil. The point? My nose was getting attuned to BPAL and away from the artificial fragrances. I reordered a 5ml of Snake Oil which I just got.

 

To me, it's TONKA BEAN. At first I thought it was amber, but now I am believing it's TONKA BEAN. That's what gives it the "I'm a relative of vanilla" smell. But it lingers far more and has a toasted spiciness that vanilla doesn't have.

 

Bottom line, it's an acquired taste for many of us. I love it and consider it wonderful for itself as well as a dandy "back up group" to a lot of scents which need a bit of depth. If I had a scent which was much weaker than Snake Oil (like Severin) I think I would put Snake Oil on my skin, and Severin in a scent locket and watch the fun!*

 

If I had to guess as to what makes up the blend, I'd say Tonks Bean amped by vanilla and amber. That would be a blend of true genius, especially in these vanilla loving times.

 

Snake Oil will always be in my perfume tray. I have learned to appreciate it and love it. It lasts and lasts and loves my skin. It's never intrusive and has a great deal of head as well as heart.

 

*Nothing like putting a world class machochist in a cage over a pit of hissing snakes, now is there?

Edited May 21, 2005 by olympia301

[empi girl]

Snake Oil is one that I love at the end, and wish were a little softer at the beginning.

 

On me, the spices in Snake Oil are very prominent, with rich vanilla underneath but overshadowed. The spices smell "burnt", (maybe toasted is a better word), as if they were all seared over flames to heighten their scent, and then a few drops of vanilla added to the mix. It is strong, spicy, and this lasts a long time.

 

Eventually the spices fade and I am left with the most beautiful vanilla. Yum.

 

I wish the initial spices were a little softer in the beginning, but still reach for this because of that vanilla.

[quimerula]

Wet I smell more the vanilla note each time I use it, as someone else has said.

 

Oriental with a hidden fresh point; tobacco?, bergamot?

Maybe musk, patchouli or even myrrh? I can't pick up any clear note beside the vanilla one.

It has a soft medicinal tone, maybe labdanum? OK, I have no idea and I'm totally lost.

Misterious, warming and a bit bizarre. Quite intriguing.

 

Anyway, it goes better as it dries down, and it's quite unisex.

I bet it's better when aged. And it would be quite sexy in a man.

 

I recognize that, since people say that it's an aquired taste, I gave it another try to find out that it's even worse. We don't match. We hate each other.

Snake Oil sinked into every pore until it reached my brain and left me sleepless and with a continuous dizzyness, despite I surrendered and washed my hand with a lot of soap!

I'm not saying it's a horrible one, nor even a bad one... it's just that we can't mate.

 

*runs away before being killed*

[Aredhel]

Rating (on skin): 5/5

Summarised in one word: Sexy!

 

In the imp: Musky, sugary vanilla. Also, something like honey? Absolutely lovely.

 

On skin, wet: I'm already officially in love with this. Spicy-sweet vanilla.

 

On skin, dry: Something in this is very earthy, almost musky. I've heard it's patchouli, but the vanilla and spices overwhlem it, so I really can't tell. Whatever it is, it grounds the scent nicely.

 

Conclusion: Absolutely beautiful. It's musky and spicy and sweet and intolerably sexy.

Edited November 29, 2005 by Aredhel

[Thorne]

This is one of my favorites, although when I first tried it, I wasn't sure. It had a really strong burnt/smoky smell combined with perky vanilla when I first tried it on. Thankfully it mellowed into a sweet, spicy, incensey vanilla, which I like a lot better.

 

I've noticed that when I wear Snake Oil, I move a little differently - a little more wiggle, a little more confidence. I could break hearts, wearing this.

[requieminblack]

First sniff from the bottle- Sweet vanilla with a hint of spice.

 

After 10 minutes-This is the same vanilla that is in 'O', Golden Priapus and Old Morocco and a ton of other BPAL blends. It is the vanilla that notoriously turns to play doh on everyone. I like the spice blend in this but I don't like the honey vanilla base scent. It just smells too plastic to me.

 

After 30 minutes- Spiced play doh.

 

Summery- On paper this should have been a favorite of mine. If the vanilla used in it was different like the vanilla in Antique Lace or actual Vanilla Absolute I would like it much better.

[cormeretrix]

wow. i was very surprised by snake oil; i was hoping to like it, but i didn't expect to love it! it is utterly fantastic. warm and sweet, and all the guys at work couldn't stop sniffing me!

 

yay!

 

i've got a yummy sexy scent now!

 

whoohoo!

 

you know... i am almost disproportionately overjoyed by that...

[slave1]

In Bottle: Sweet and almost cookie like.

 

On Skin: This scent just drips sexiness and the vanilla makes you just want to lick it off your skin. It goes so well with my body chemistry, I wear it all the time. It also fades to a powdery sweet spicy scent that makes you want to snuggle up and sniff it even closer. This is my second favorite BPAL scent after “O”, I always get compliments on it.

[shelldoo]

vanilla, sugary, sexiness. this is a spicey smoky lovely scent, it is very long lasting too. i love snake oil

[Tournesol Noir]

This scent does the most wonderful things on me. At the beginning of my cycle, it's all sweet vanilla -- the spices fade within twenty minutes of application and Snake Oil becomes a "skin scent," a scent which, in an ideal world, my skin would always smell like. The further on in my cycle I get, the more vanilla is eaten and the less spices, and therefore the more sexy the scent becomes. Fortunately, I like both vanilla and spice, so Snake Oil is perfect for me on any occasion.

[oatmealneko]

Vial: Slightly spicy. Vanilla too.

Wet: Lots of spices & sweet vanilla.

Dry: Burnt spices with sugary sweet vanilla. I think there's a burning plastic smell too. I wanted to try this to see what all the fuss was about, but knowing how much vanilla doesn't like me, I knew this wasn't going to end well. Even if it weren't for the burnt plastic smell, the vanilla is sickeningly sweet.

[purely_cosmetic]

From what I had heard about snake oil, I was expecting something screamingly sweet and vanillaish.

 

Instead, I got snake oil, lol.

 

In the bottle I smell really deep spices, which smell slightly "burnt" as someone else said. This is how I imagine "old spice" to smell like quite frankly.

 

On the skin the spices become hugely powerful, and make me feel a bit sick, but I can begin to detect the vanilla underneath.

 

As it warms up on my skin I get stronger whiffs of vanilla, but the horrible "old man" spice smell is still lingering, taunting me. There is something incensey about it, which I loathe, as I can't stand incense!!

 

In total opposition to most other people out there, I would argue that this is the MASCULINE version of Golden Priapus, rather than the other way round.

 

If you like dark deep spice smells then I'd get this - if you're looking for something sweet, then Id steer clear.

[Mofo]

in the bottle this smells a little sharp and nothing at all like how it develops on the skin, that's when it comes alive.

 

This is a delicious warm brown sugar vanilla with a hint of something perfumed. Not overly foody just warm and comforting.

 

I've had 3 compliments today - no wonder it's a popular scent.

Edited April 29, 2005 by Mofo

[amberlox]

All I will say is although I didn't find it to be anything extraordinary at first I have never gotten more compliments wearing any other scent than I got wearing "Snake Oil". My flat-mate called it 'edible'. I didn't mention it... he was just sniffing around trying to find it... "Where is that wonderful smell coming from?"

then my boyfriend said I smelled "Yummy".... heehee. The compliments never end when you don this scent.

[kmasden]

Have I not reviewed this? There's no little indicator that I have, but how could i have missed it. You know, it's funny, but I almost want to tell all newbies to either smell the standards like O, Chimera, Snake Oil, Dana etc..and then keep them and smell a couple months later, or resist smelling them to the very end. They are commonly recommended scents and yet i think for the new to perfume oil person, they are hard to appreciate.

 

When I went through the reviews and catalog for my first bpal order, snake oil was on the list. How could i refuse such a well-liked scent. When i got it, i thought it was okay, but the tone to it was weird to me. How can this spice be mixed with this powder and there is such a bizarre skin thing to it on me.

 

I disregarded Snake Oil and then tried it again recently, and OMG. Love! I have experienced tons of bpal now. My nose is more educated, my brain more used to sensory overload and picking things apart. More understanding of my chemistry. And how is it that I get this sexy, milky, spiced, vanilla...I almost want to say it's like hot milk with sugar and spice, being consumed by a perfumed goddess. You walk into a room and you have this mingling of hot woman and hot spiced vanilla milk tea....that is snake oil.

 

Flipping sex queen!

[helarctos]

Sadly, Snake Oil on me smells like harsh grocery-store vanilla extract. I can still smell it after trying to wash it off.

[misty]

I was hoping so badly to fall in love with Snake Oil. Yes, it is a spicy vanilla. But something about this smells like air freshener that is used in public restrooms. Maybe I should let it age and see what happens.

[Eros]

Ahhh, the ever popular Snake Oil Amazing I'd not tried this one before.

 

Reminded me immediately of O but lighter. Warm, spicy vanilla, sweet but not icky sweet at all. Stayed true through drydown but faded quickly.

Added it to my "get a big bottle" list because layered w/Bordello, SO very yummy! Creamy, sexywethotsex warm, spice...delightful!! Also picked up a hint of cinnamon when layered, interesting...

Also layered, lasts and lasts....

Yep, this one is big bottle worthy

[Digital_Hypoxia]

I was so sure I’d love this; the description was just perfect.

 

Once I put it on, however, I was quite disappointed. It was vanilla, to be sure, but mixed with a powdery/chemical note reminiscent of play doh. The spices were no-shows, and I chucked it in the ebay box.

 

Two hours and one term paper later, I caught a whiff of my wrist. It was sweet, soft, golden vanilla. The powder was still there, but not in a kids modeling compound kind of way. The spices showed up, making the oil very addictive as far as my nose was concerned.

 

Needless to say, I retrieved the imp, and ordered a bottle today.

[Ajila]

Wet to me this was warm spices and baking, very similar to Gingerbread Poppet or Sugar Cookie, but without the butter. About 2 hours into wearing it it went through a distressing 'aftershave' phase which actually made me feel uncomfortable, fortunately that only lasted about half an hour and now I'm left with creamy, gently spiced vanilla. I love the start and the end, now I just have to decide if I can cope with the middle bit, I think I might stick to O.

[borealis]

After reading through these reviews, I'll definitely give it another try, in a week or so. But my initial reaction is ambivalent. I like the spiciness. I honestly don't detect much vanilla at all (leading me to doubt my nose!) After an hour or so, the most prominent scent I detected was amber. Hardly anyone here has mentioned amber, but that's what I'm getting from it...

 

May 31st update: Have tried Snake Oil again a couple of times, and it is growing on me. The spiciness is lovely. I'm now getting the sweetness of the vanilla, too. This isn't an instant love like Velvet was for me, more like an aquired taste for something exotic and piquant.

Edited June 1, 2005 by borealis

[Celogrl]

Oooooooohh! No doubt in my mind why this is BPAL's top seller! I loved every single nuance and stage it went through from application to drydown and beyond. The vanilla was always at the forefront, but so much more complex than vanilla alone. It had a lovely sugary touch and the throw and amazing tenacity of this fragrance makes it a must have IMHO. This was an imp I ordered, and I will surely acquire a large vial of this magic elixir! Lovely job, Elizabeth

[pickman's model]

So about how Snake Oil is the bestest thing ever.

 

I got this as a freebie imp with my order. I wouldn't have originally ordered it, but I'm so absolutely in love. It made me feel super sexy, and others seemed to agree.

 

When I first put it on, it kinda made me feel, for lack of any other way to describe, like some high-class nineteenth-century courtesan. Think Satine in Moulin Rouge.

 

Then it went through about 15 minutes of being this really odd old-man aftershave thing. That was less cool.

 

Finally it went into the sexiest spicy vanilla smell. It reminded me of the vanilla perfume oil I wore through high school, only cooler, yummier and grown-up. After a couple hours, the toasty-ness came in and all I could think was "sex and cookies".

 

Snake Oil lasted incredibly long on me. Like 18 hours.

 

I'm so very happy that imp got sent. Thankee:)

[dreadeddragon]

I was not thinking I would like Snake Oil since I hated O and generally don't like vanilla. I really like it though, so I'm glad I tried it! Thanks Beth!

 

In the bottle: A hint of spices, lots of vanilla, and an almost alcohol scent that I'm assuming is from the strength of the vanilla.

 

First on: Honey-vanilla powder, like the karma sutra honey dust. People were asking why I smelled like baby powder, but kept saying it smelled really good.

 

Drydown: The spice has left the building, and the powder scent comes out more, which is odd since my skin doesn't turn even amber into powder. I'm generally not fond of baby powder scents, but everyone keeps complimenting me, so I'm not complaining!