Snake Oil

[Lyrical]

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

How could anyone resist this description? However, it didn't seem to like me at all!

In the vial: spicy patchouli. No vanilla yet.

Wet on skin: rich, subtle and mysterious. Spicy, but I can't pick out anything in particular.

Dry on skin: still no vanilla. It's dry and spicy with an unpleasant sourish tang.

Two hours later: it's faded to almost nothing, and now the vanilla has come out! It's nice, but not worth waiting for.

Next I tried some on my cleavage and it was sweeter there but it stung and left my skin red. It's exotic, but I don't much like it.

However, I won't give up yet - I'll try again in a week or so, and if it's still no good, I'll let it age for a while.

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Two months later:

Wow - this is really nice! It's unusual, but yummy! Unfortunately it still makes my skin itch, but it works fine on my clothes! It's very spicy, and the foody vanilla makes it comforting. Edited January 3, 2008 by Lyrical

[lady_pandora]

I have a confession to make. I'm a BPAL heretic.

 

See, I never really tried Snake Oil before today. I'd sniffed it, sure, but that was back before I had much in the way of a nose for the oils, and I was experimenting with a friend's enormous stash at the time and had about fifteen oils in various places up and down my arms, so I didn't get a very good grip on what it smelled like. Evidently, the Lab decided I needed to rectify my error and sent me SO as a frimp.

 

In the bottle, this smells strongly of patchouli and spices, maybe some sandalwood.

 

As it dries down on my skin, I lose most of the spices, and end up with patchouli, amber, and vanilla as the dominant notes. When I was a newbie, I compared everything to O, but this one really is very reminiscent of O, except with patchouli added. Sort of...O goes to a head shop.

 

Dry, the amber is definitely driving the car, with patchouli and vanilla cuddling in the back seat. (I'm a big amber-amper.) It's even more like O than it was before, and it's very warm and comforting. It's sort of gray and dismal out today and Snake Oil makes me feel like I've got the world's comfiest sweater on.

 

I can't decide whether I want to stow this away and age it, or wear it all the time to bask in the wonderful amber note it has. Maybe I need to get some more, age one, wear the other. Thanks so much, Lab!

 

ETA, the same imp aged 5 years: This is much more patchouli than it was before! And I think cinnamon, because this reminds me a lot of Sin. It's that same really sultry spicy patchouli feel. The sex has come out to play. Now I see why people age this stuff!

Edited November 29, 2012 by lady_pandora

[neddykapoozle]

ETA: anything i will say about this being to seductive for everyday...... i lied. this stuff it AMAZING. at first when i sniffed it fresh from the lab I didn't know what the big deal about it was but a few weeks later and it is DIVINE. I seriously cannot remove arm from elbow when i have this on. bottle coming on the way, I may need another. Using the imp now, aging one, then using the other bottle.

I feel like I could wear this anywhere, on me it smells more mature but not out of place on a teenager. I don't get patchouli at all, just yummy, dark spiced vanilla love with some resiny undertones, like you're burning incense in the devil's bakery. It layers well with everything I've put it with. It calms me down but energizes me when I need it to. I could not imagine ever being without a bottle of this. And it is so different from the scents other girls I know wear, I feel like it is exotic but still me.

*sigh*

I know what i'm wearing to my dance friday.

 

I cannot even begin to contemplate the utter gorgeousness that must be Snake Oil aged.

 

review of my 'first time':

when i first opened the imp i was kindof scared as i got a big punch of incensy/resiny/headshoppy-ness and i am somewhat wary of smelling like any of those things, especially with the strength of the stuff coming out of the bottle. i do want to love this one so much!

 

this is the darkest oil i've ever tried, thickest as well

i put it on, and i get the incensy-resiney thing times 10 i want to love this one so bad!

okay, the headshoppy thing dies down after about a minute, much better now

i get a very dark and sinister vanilla with a medly of spices over it........i'm getting the image of a bellydancer, no idea why, as i have never smelled a bellydancer. but whaterver.

ETA I'm remembered i was watching Rachel Brice videos when I first tested this and the association will not go away.

 

it is becoming very second skin on the drydown, if my skin was sexed up with lots of vanilla and spices. but it mellows out and really blooms into a warm comforting kind of scent. it was very icky out today and wearing this made me feel as if i was being wrapped in a hug all day very nice feeling, the combo of sexy/comfort

 

i don't think this will become a bottle, it's nice but i don't feel its OMFG worthy. i will be hanging onto the imp, as i've heard that aged SO is eons better.

but i think its a little too sexy for my comfort zone for daily scents ........ but definately my lounging around the house feeling like an exotic goddess who is wrapped in perpetual hug kind of scent

 

ETA: man this stuff will NOT COME OFF my skin. i wanted to take some off and i swipped an alcohol soaked pad over it 3 times and i can still smell it.

 

ETA: (a few weeks later): my god this is AMAZING. the wet on the skin is still not my cup of tea but when it drys down now, it is fabulous. sexy spiced vanilla-y incence gorgeousness. i don't know if my skin changed or the oil but i like this a heck of a lot better now.

Edited January 20, 2008 by neddykapoozle

[celestia]

Snake Oil

Grade: A+ (4.5/5)

 

(Outside) Imp: This was actually a sexily aged version of Snake Oil sent to me by the lovely Chatrient who i can't thank enough X3. The downside was it had leaked a good 1/4 of the boddy and my hands smelt forever-more of the somewhat spicy and foody scent.

(Inside) Imp: Strong- really really unnecessarily smoky and harsh. It's thick, gooey and rich in dark pigment. It's a very medicinal smell if you whiff too strongly. Maybe that's the hetairae i have (i tried to give that another go = . = eugh.) I detect spicy vanilla somewhere

Chemistry: Oh it’s nice...Berries and as it dries, it gets even more sweet maybe a little decadent. But there’s a hit of something blanketing the scent.. something warm and spicy. Cherries? Mm cherries. Smells like the sweat from berries having sex with other berries. I love this.

Hours later and it still gets better (+1) and the sugared berry scent (+1) thrivesssss on my chemistry. Strangely though, had this scent not have recommendations of being berry-like... I would never have allowed myself to get it. But now that i have and it has bypassed my more-than-strict-grading-system, I need to ask chatrient exactly how she aged it and for how long.. oh god it smells so freaking nice ._. WIN. And to think the name and concept (it doesnt say berries or amber!!!) would have thrown me off.

[persephanise]

I think I might be the only person in the world Snake Oil didn't work for (I'm starting to wonder if any non-clear perfumes will work on me; so far they haven't. Is that weird?)

 

I found Snake Oil too sweet and strong, and i LOVE vanilla. Oh well; I have a friend who loves it so I'll give it to her.

[angelicdemise]

This is my favorite BPAL scent. It works well anytime and anywhere. On my skin it turns to a beautiful incense-y vanilla, sweet but mysterious.

 

This just about got me mauled at the club a couple weeks ago! I get (almost) more attention while wearing it than while wearing the voodoo oils.....

[Josh]

This has been reviewed to death, so my review won't focus so much on the smell itself but my opinion of the smell. Make sense?

 

Let me start by saying I'm VERY impressed with Snake Oil. I only ordered it because I had seen a few people mention it was the best selling bpal oil. If that's the case, I definitely see why.

 

Snake Oil is massive in every way. The color is almost like that of soda filtered through sunlight. It is the thickest oil I've seen and it stains my skin copper. Love it. It feels rich and decadent. If there could be one scent to represent bpal as an entity, I would nominate Snake Oil.

 

The smell is equally rich. There is so much going on here I'm a bit miffed on just how to decipher this one. It encompasses the gamut: calming yet sexy, feminine and masculine at once (which does not mean "gender neutral") - in this oil I simultaneously smell something distinctly feminine and something distinctly masculine, together.

 

I cannot stop smelling my wrist. This is such a unique oil to me. Considering how thick and long-lasting this is I hope my imp will last a while, but when it runs out there is no question a 5ml will be ordered.

Edited December 9, 2007 by Josh

[akiko]

When I first got this a week or two ago, I sniffed it straight out of the mailbox. I didn't much care for it. Now, it's much nicer.

 

Imp: incensey

Wet: changes a lot - goes from incensey to vaguely floral to vanilla with some incense.

Dry: Definitely vanilla, with something else under it. Lightly musky or incensey. I like it.

[dryadfemme33]

I've never been sure how I feel about Snake Oil. I like wearing when I go to bed, because it's warm and sweet and comforting, but I'm not sure if actually smells good on me.

 

When I first apply it, I get the impression of baby powder and donuts. If I put it on when I go to bed, I wake up to a dark rich vanilla scent.

 

I have an imp that's been aged 3 1/2 years, and a 5ml bottle that's also roughly 3 years old, so it no longer has the sharp undertone that new bottle/imps sometimes have.

[ChloeKEvil]

I ordered an imp of Snake Oil with my first order, because it's SNAKE OIL, you practically have to try it, right?

 

I just got around to seriously trying it for the first time (I've had it for a couple of weeks) and I am distressed.

 

I don't have enough noses to shove my wrist under and say "See?! See?! This is why I wear BPAL!"

 

My family is so unappreciative.

 

Okay, back to the scent- at first it's very strange and sort of harsh, not very nice at all, but it quickly mellows out to a vanilla-with-spices, but not a light vanilla, a dark one. I love the colour of the oil, by the way, and the way it actually shows up on my skin. It's really cool. Anyways, I am addicted to this smell. It fills me with so much glee that I think I can't wear it very often just so that my brain doesn't overload and die.

 

Mmmmm, love.

[synestheticheart]

Ooohhh man. FANTASTIC!

 

Imp: Spicy, vanilla, and patchouli.

Wet on skin: Mostly patchouli. I smell some musk, too.

Dry on skin: *drool* Lots of vanilla and a little incense. Delicious!

 

I think I must buy a larger amount, seeing that I only have an imp. Hooray!

[rhiannonsanchez]

Terrific, terrific scent! My husband I both adore it. On my skin its a delicious spicy, creamy scent. And its pretty strong. The first time I put it on my husband told me repeatedly how great I smelled and how we had to get a huge bottle so that we could both wear it as much as we want. I would recommend Snake Oil to anyone!

[VioletChaos]

i intentionally waited to try this one, because of it's following and all the hub bub. that said, i'm starting to see what all the excitement is about!

 

in the bottle: straight up bourbon vanilla. more or less what i pour into my french toast batter.

 

wet on skin: the vanilla gets...thicker. less foodie, but more swoony, if that makes sense.

 

dry down: what i imagine walking through the markets of madagascar would be like: sweet, spicy vanilla, with a strong under current of indian cooking spice. mmmm!

 

a while later: strong, sexy, potent. this is one to wear out to the clubs, for sure!

[saosis]

In the bottle: Exotic. Heady mix of woody notes (cypress?), spicy tones and floral. Yet a little too sweet smelling for me at this stage - guess that's the vanilla.

 

Wet: Smoky, woody. The sweetness is pushed to the background, but is still noticeable.

 

Dry: Strong, spicy and woody. No sign of the vanilla, hint of patchouli? A few hours later it was still strongly scented... a little goes a long way. The vanilla never dominated once applied, which is a good thing on me.

 

Summary: I like this a lot and would look to buy a bottle. Might be a bit heady for work-day use. Identifying the woody note is bugging me, it's so familiar and yet I can't recall what it is.

[angelslurry]

So nearly a year after joining the fray, I caved and ordered an Imp of the infamous Snake Oil!

 

Frest out the vial and onto the wrist---it's mostly high and light, an almost spearmint aura. Ah, but then that reveals itself as sugar, and then a surprisingly unsweet vanilla, if that makes any sense at all. It's definitely pleasant, but it stays on that light hovering-just-above-the-skin plateau for hours, not changing much.

 

Stoppering it up and trying again in a month, then another month or so to see what happens.

[RoseWhite]

OK, heresy; I'm not keen on this. Please don't hit me!

 

It goes on as something very astringent and sour, and pretty potent. Is that what patchouli does? I absolutely hated Angel, which is the only strong patchouli scent I know. Anyway, after about an hour it settles down to a simmering incensey dark vanilla, and I can see why it's nice on some people now but it's probably not for me. My skin turns it very sour. Woe is me.

[allybee]

In the vial: Hmm. This smells very minty, actually, with a slight sweetness. Not at all what I was expecting.

 

Wet on skin: The mintiness has faded slightly, and the vanilla has come forward, along with a sort of spiciness. It smells oddly cold, actually. I'm still not quite sure about this.

 

Dry on skin: Now that's better-- the mint has left entirely, and it smells a lot warmer and spicier. I might leave this to age for a while before trying it again, though: I can definitely see this getting better with age.

[donkehpoo]

Wet: Mmm... slightly spiced vanilla.

 

Dry: This is sexy, spicey, incensey vanilla. This is BEAUTIFUL. It's everything I hoped it would be, and then some! I was told that I smelled "edible" when I wore this.. it can't get much better than that. The throw on this is average, and it lasts a long time. I cannot get enough of this!

 

 

On a scale of 1-5, I'd give this a 5.

I think I need two bottles; one to wear, one to age.

If I'm this in love with it fresh.. I can only imagine what it smells like when it "matures."

[TereFaerie]

Let me preface my review by saying that the lab's vanilla very rarely stays true on me (read: doesn't turn plastic).

 

But Snake Oil has the lovely, sultry, sexy spices that I love and can't for the life of me describe.

It is sweet, yes, and dark, and so perfect for so many occasions. Great for before bed, since its vanilla and spice notes make the wearer so relaxed. It is both foody and sexy/notfoody at once, which I love.

 

My imp from the lab (imp pack) is already dark and thick, so I have no way of determining its true age, but if it gets any better than this, WOW! I must get a bottle to age.

 

Now I have to try the Snake pit!

[pensarepink]

My very favorite. I can't believe I haven't reviewed this yet.

 

Patchouli, vanilla, mystery and sex all in a bottle. This lasts and lasts and lasts on me. I love it. This would be the scent I would want to have as a signature scent; if only I could sit still for that long!

 

It smells deep and spicy and somewhat sweet. Absolutely perfect.

[evanescence]

what she said.

 

I dream of having several bottles, all different ages.... I can't imagine how intoxicating opening a 3 year old bottle of Snake Oil would be!

 

Reminds me of Kiehl's Original Musk #1 - unisex and sexy. There's just nothing like deep dark vanilla musk.

[sadtomato]

my first big bottle purchase and i'm not at all disappointed.

 

in the bottle it was all patchouli and spices. mmm! i LOVE patchouli, so i was thrilled about that.

 

when it first put it on and it was still wet, i smelled a bit like a cupcake - yummy, dark, sweet, vanilla...but with a spicey undertone.

 

now that it's dry, it's just divine!

 

spicy with subtle pathcouli and vanilla. delicious! i'm in heaven and sniffing myself non-stop and making everyone else sniff me, too!

[iiinterstate]

In the bottle: Spicy, alllll spice and patchouli

 

Wet: Same, but vanilla starts to peek out.

 

Dry: Now there's quite a bit of vanilla. Still a lot of spice. Getting sweeter as time passes, and I can still detect the patchouli but it isn't too strong. I usually don't care for that note.

 

 

I don't know what I think. At first I had no idea why this scent is so popular, but the longer its on me the more I'm starting to like it. Its definitely something that would make me stand out in a crowd.

[scarletgenesis]

Snake Oil is so well blended that on me, other than the vanilla (which is not foody vanilla), I just get a wonderful spice blend...nothing really specific.

 

It doesn't have a ton of throw on me either, though I also didn't slather as much as usual.

 

I am loving this though, and can see why it is the best selling BPAL and a favorite of many. I layered it (accidentally) with Samhain 07 last week and OMG was it wonderful...all spice and vanilla scented candied apples.

 

I will eventually have to get at least 1 bottle of this just to age, and maybe a 3rd to play with layering and putting in lotions.

 

Smells lovely, sexy, yet subtle on my skin.

[etienne]

I got a Lab fresh imp of this at first and when I tried it I thought it was alright - not unpleasant but not amazing, either. There was something sharp in the way it smelled.

 

But as I had read about aged Snake Oil, I got a bottle from eBay. I've just tried that about an hour ago and NOW I get what all the fuss is about! It is patchouli (which I always love) softened with vanilla, mixed with something slightly spicy, and I think I detect something smoky, too. Not smoky as in bonfires, though.

 

I can see why everyone thinks this is a very sexy oil.

Even aged I don't think this will be my favourite but I can see this becoming something I wear every week when I want to wear something sensual that others will notice, too.