Banded Sea Snake (2006)

[SultryWolf]

Snake Oil with oakmoss, sea moss, and olive leaf.

in the decant: Earthy, a bit masculine. Again, the Snake Oil is not particularly evident.
on: Mossy-earthy; dark vanilla of Snake Oil develops gradually on drydown.
Tried this on hubby and ...
He may need a bottle.

[grrrlennyl]

at first: a heavy, dark scent.

on: definitely mossy, but aquatic, too. there are some spices in the background. interesting.

2 hours later: green and aquatic.

4.5 hours later: softer, but still a bit aquatic.

overall: this is ok on me, but not really something i would wear.

[dcmo]

To start with, I am sooo not a green or aquatic lover. I didn't think this would be me at all, but really I don't get anything green or aquatic from this. I really smell the snake oil amped up but it is a slight variation that does seem brighter and creamer as others have mentioned. I am really loving this. Others mentioned it has no throw or stays really close...not so much for me and I didn't really slather. I can't stop smelling myself but don't have to lift up my wrist because it is wafting up to me as I sit here. Really happy with this one!!

[princessbeena]

Banded Sea Snake doesn't scream "SNAKE OIL" to me. It smells a little masculine...like a light men's cologne...it very much reminds me of Dorian, but a more aquatic version of Dorian. This is very fresh and clean smelling....it would be great for a man or a woman......I find myself wearing this one as a comfort scent......I do really like this alot

[myoubi]

Banded Sea Snake is one of the snakes that I instantly passed over in at first. I am sooo glad I found an imp.

 

As many have remarked, it's tough to get a handle on -- and particularly since I don't wear mosses /or/ aquatics, I have no idea what the notes I'm sniffing really smell like. However, on my skin it's an androgynous-to-masculine blend that's warmer and smoother than the original Snake Oil, and less sugar-sweet. I get a little of the saltiness that other people have mentioned, but what comes out most prominently on my skin is the rich olive leaf -- over a backdrop of the Snake Oil spices. You'd never mistake BSS for Snake Oil, but the Snake Oil base is definitely noticeable. Although BSS has a somewhat masculine tone, I don't find it at all difficult to wear -- it has a gravity and depth that's different from my usual cold scents and I'd feel comfortable wearing this with a power suit to the office, or curled up beside the fire on a winter day. On me it hugs fairly close to the skin, but my nose is defective so YMMV.

 

Once I scrape some more cash together I'm seriously contemplating a bottle of this 'un.

[Mianjo]

I looked at the notes on this one and instantly said, "Pass!" But at a mini MeetnSniff with a friend, I sniffed her bottle and knew I had to get some of my own. Generally speaking, it's rare that I smell something and want it--I have to get it on my skin and see how it fairs.

 

In vial: Green! But a dark green. And I smell a little of the Snake Oil. The combination is a little "men's cologne," but in a good way. A "this is going to smell sexier on ME than HIM" way.

 

Wet, on skin: I smell tea and sugar. At first when I put it on, I thought, "Gennivre!" But as it sunk into my skin, I thought, "No, closer to Dorian." All the while, that Snake Oil is slithering around in the background.

 

Dry: This to my nose is Dorian, but soooo much better. Dorian on my skin is a little...iffy? I want it to be sweeter than it is. This Banded Sea Snake is just so fresh and so clean (clean). But I still smell sugar, which I totally didn't expect. If I put my nose right up to my arm, I smell something else--I suppose it's the mosses that's giving this that "tea" feeling? Either way, I love this one.

 

Yet another Snake to hoard. I don't know if I should follow that last with a or a .

 

seems appropriate. It can go either way.

 

ETA: I did a quick skim of the other reviews, and it seems like others see (smell) the Dorian connection as well. I was thinking maybe my chemistry was off--turning mosses into sweet tea!

Edited March 17, 2007 by Mianjo

[PurringPulsar]

Banded Sea Snake

 

In the imp: powdery green mosses, with the oily-sweet scent of olive leaf.

Wet on skin: powdery but wet mosses, fruity-sweet-oily olive leaf, and a hint of springtime greenery.

Dry: mmm, this is surprisingly nice! Oak moss and sea moss are nice mosses on me, smelling green and softly powdery as opposed to some mosses that smell like humid swamp lichen. The olive leaf is the star here though-it’s a note that is pleasantly oily, and sweet, and fruity and green all at once, but doesn’t smell like olives…though I’m sure I’ve smelt an olive oil moisturiser with this scent as it is oddly familiar. I also smell crushed leaves and grasses and soft sweet notes that are almost foody…and a little hint of a sea breeze wafting over it all. It actually reminds me of Lyonesse meets Tzadikim Nistarim with a hint of one of the greener mossy scents…

After a while: it smoothes to a very soft, gentle, sweetly green scent. It’s mossy and creamy, and also surprisingly sweet (maybe that’s the Snake Oil?), with an aspect of fresh wet greenness to it, like cut grass. This is very smooth and also surprisingly soothing, it reminds me of a good quality moisturiser-it’s got an oily creaminess to it, like a luxurious balm I’d like to rub all over your skin…it also reminds me of an aftersun cream, but that’s probably because of the strong summery feel this scent has, it’s almost like a summer holiday scent even if it doesn’t smell stereotypically tropical. It’s green and gold, sunlight streaming through trees into clear sea water…

And over time, this really does become like Lyonesse’s serpentine cousin. That’s probably why I love this so much. It has that same creamy beachy mossy vanilla musk feel to it, only with a bit of olive leaf added. So gorgeous. It also has impressive throw. It brings to mind the image of a beautiful mermaid-type woman that has a snake’s tail instead of the tail of a fish. (And seeing other reviews, I definitely can smell something like Dorian in here!)

Verdict: this 'Snake Oil on the beach' scent really, really took me by surprise in the best way possible. I originally thought ‘hmm, mossy Snake Oil. Could be nice, could be a bit meh, not sure about the olive’ but then I tried it…and now I’m besotted by this slithery, summery snaky scent. It smells mossy, for sure, but this is the wonderful soft powdery vanilla-moss-musk with ‘a hint of the sea’ from Lyonesse, one of my favourite scents. And the olive leaf in here is amazing, it is oily, but in the best way possible-think the sweet, golden ‘anointing oil’ scent of Tzadikim Nistarim, it makes this whole scent smell like a luxurious fragrant body oil or cream that I want to slather all over. And it also makes me think of summer and exotic beaches, even though it contains no salty aquatics or typically tropical notes. It seems as though Snake Oil actually transforms into a gentle, gorgeous, Dorian-esque vanilla-musk when mixed with softer notes (the same also happened with Green Tree Viper and Cottonmouth) instead of smelling heavy sweet patchouli and spiced incense, and I love this reaction. This beautifully smooth, sensuous scent will be worn a lot during the summer months when regular Snake Oil may be too heavy to wear-I need to get a bottle or two of this unexpected hit from the Pit!

Emoticon rating:

Is it a keeper? This is surprisingly good, actually. Definitely a bottle candidate for summer.

If you like this, try: Green Tree Viper, Lyonesse, Cottonmouth, Tzadikim Nistarim, Yemaya, Haloa, Lycaon, Snake Oil, Dorian

[savage_rose]

At first I smell the olive leaf most strongly, very green, and then it gives way to a salty green smell, and yes, that hint of mystery mint. And the whole lovely scent is undercut by the warmth of snake oil, like the ocean and its sandy beach alongside. A beautiful scent, and slightly contemplative.

[sarada]

Although I like mossy scents, I couldn't imagine it working well against a Snake Oil backdrop. I was, of course, wrong!

 

This is mostly a gentle, sweet moss on me, and Snake Oil is an afterthought. It only lends a little sweetness and throw, but overall is a powdery, mellow, gentle green moss grounded in an earthen vanilla.

 

This is different enough from the other Snake Pit scents that I've accumulated bottles of that I think it might warrant its own, eventually. Most mossy scents are very sharp and green, but this is is warm and soft. It would probably work well in a combo with something like RM Renfield, for a taste of both the sharp and soft sides of moss.

[Kimocean]

This is a very unusual scent and definitely one of my favorites from the Pit series. I've worn this all day and have been trying to decipher the notes. It's sweet, succulent and smooth. It has a beachy feel with a brown sugar finish. It swims and slithers around my senses, slipping in with a whiff of the ocean slipping out with a hint of rich olive leaves. It is gentle yet deeply seductive, overall a gorgeous scent.

[Belladonnastrap]

Mmm!

 

First Sniff:

Snake Oil drowned in the bottom of the sea.

 

Wet:

While orginial Snake Oil doesn't really work for me, the Snake Pit does (well parts of it)! Banded Sea Snake smells more aquatic wet then Snake Oil, although there is just that tinge of Vanilla at first.

 

Dry:

Ah there is the snake oil! It's much wetter though (does that make sense?) and the oakmoss really really comes out to play. I must be the only person in the world who loves the smell of Oakmoss. Mayhap it's because I'm a virgo and we dig teh earth?

 

 

 

Aftermath:

Another solid winner! If Snake Oil on it's own hates you then try the Snake Pit! The combination of Snake Oil + other really changes the dynamic. Banded Sea Snake is an excellent aquatic for those who hate aquatics as the Snake Oil element prevents it from becoming too seaish

[Naamah_Darling]

This is slightly green and bitter, a little woodsy, over the expected Snake Oil smell. I like it! Let's try it on.

 

This still smells Snake Oily, but there's a distinct greenness here that I like. It's a deep, slightly dirty green, though it's cleaner than the rest of the Snake Oil smell, if that makes sense. It's mossy, indeed. Briny and bitter.

 

The salt and green notes persist even into the drydown. Very nice, if not exactly my thing.

[phedre]

In bottle: mossy green, a touch of lemon cleaner.

 

Wet: this is pretty! Still a bit lemony, but nice nonetheless.

 

Drydown: mosses and leaves. This is ok, but not something I will wear.

[supremegoddessofall]

In bottle: A slightly aquatic snake oil.

 

On me: Aquatic snake oil. At least it's true to form. Pretty.

[bibliophile]

I didn't think I could wear aquatics before the Carnaval came to town. First, I fell in love with Thalassa... and now, Banded Sea Snake. Wow, this is delicious. The Snake Oil vanilla comes to the foreground as soon as I apply, though the spices themselves stay subdued. The moss and olive leaf notes work more beautifully with the sweetness of the vanilla than I would have expected. I can see this one getting a lot of summertime wear, so I had better order a bottle soon!

[steffanina]

Banded Sea Snake-

 

In Bottle: Herbal-sweet. And there is some rich creaminess in there too; it smells a lot like Dorian!

 

Wet: Whoa, it's that same sugary tea smell of Dorian! I mean, it seems almost identical. Fortunately I adore Dorian.

 

Dry: I can't get over how much this smells like a rich version of Dorian, with the underlying creaminess beneath the light sugared tea smell. I could eat this up.

 

Overall: I love.

[lapillus]

Wet: spicy florals with some citriusy ozone/aquatics

Dry: initially the ozone comes out more florals, spice and citirus all moderate but not a weak scent the way ozones often are. After a bit it all smoothes out and blends very nicely into a complex scent that I keep on expecting to be lighter than it is.

[deleahrium]

It turns kind of soapy when on, but not in that ew get it off of me soapy way. It actually smells like a nice clean soap, and it's sort of reminiscent of Antique Lace. I don't smell Snake Oil in there at all. It pretty much disappears when dry, and just kind of has a lingering greenness. For an aquatic, this is nice.

[eatingthesea]

i bought this as a newbie who had never before smelled snake oil on its own (for shame, i know!). so i had no idea what to expect there, but i already knew i loved moss scents, so i figured banded sea snake could do no wrong. and i was right. i was a little unsure upon initial application because it reminded me of tree bark floating in olive juice - really - but after it dried down, i couldn't detach my nostrils from my wrist.

 

i don't know how to describe this one; it's not slithery like some watery scents, and it doesn't have the earth/dirt of many moss-based scents. it almost reminds me of a cream-and-sugar-covered moss, and this scent has introduced me to the scent of olive leaf, which i believe is front and center here. a very unusual combination of elements, and i love it; it is, i'd venture to say, one of those perfect blends that is at once mysterious and simple. added to this, it is THE longest-lasting bpal oil i've tried thus far. i usually have to reapply my oils every few hours, but not so with banded sea snake. another plus: it smells even better on the boyfriend than on me. and this doesn't make me jealous; it makes me...happy

 

must purchase another bottle (or two...or three) long before 2008 approaches!

[bulletslc]

Num, num, num!!!!

 

I love BPAL mosses! and I love Snake Oil!

 

The "green", deep scent of moss and olive leaf with the sweet vanilla of Snake Oil to ground it. Oh, yumminess!

 

The dry down on me smells much the same as the wet...only milder.

 

It does smell slightly masculine. If you love sweet scents on your guy (or if you ARE a guy who likes the sweeter masculine scents) you'll probably LOVE this!

 

[Meg]

In the bottle: Mossy mossy moss.

 

Wet: Oakmoss liek whoa, nothing much else.

 

Drydown: It becomes... weird... I can't really explain. The moss has gone closer to the skin, and there's this rubbery plasticky vibe from it. It's also pretty sickly sweet, as moss is wont to be.

 

Overall: No, I'm really not a moss fan. I didn't get much olive leaf from this, it was too imbricated with the moss to come out.

[Tess]

I'll say straight up that I don't do aquatics, so I'm not holding much hope for this. That said, I loved the olive leaf of Haloa and the oakmoss of King of Clubs, so maybe....?

 

In the vial - ...love. It's masculine, yes, with a minty freshness to the moss that I'm dying over. This reminds me of... something. Yggdrasil?

 

Wet - Wow, that's some fade out you got there.

 

Drying - Seriously, this hit my skin and poof! Gone. I reapplied and I still can't smell much. My S.O. can, though, so we're going to rely on this nose a bit. And... he likes it. He does admit to it clinging to my skin like mad and he's picking up a baby-powder note to it. I'm getting some of that, too. There's no Snake Oil in this to either of our noses, though. And it is really, really faint on me.

[LadyCrow]

To echo some other reviewers of this scent: This really is the best experience I've had with an aquatic/wet scent. It's very salty at the beginning, incredibly evocative of the scent concept. The olive leaf comes forward, making me really understand it as a perfume, rather than food, ingredient! The sea moss is astringent, and the oakmoss is kind of a bridge (over troubled waters?), bringing the aquatic stage logically into the earthier appearance of the Snake Oil well into the drydown. The Snakes I've had the fortune to handle so far really have been beautiful, and this one is no exception.

[doganddoobie]

I like Snake Oil. I don't love Snake Oil. I ADORE this stuff. There's Snake Oil down there somewhere, but it's drowned under a deep haze of heavy, wet, dark, green, mossy, oily, salty goodness. Reminds me of rainy days in Florida - the wooded swampy parts of Florida. Banded Sea Snake is sort of heavy and in-your-face, but it's beautiful and unique, and it feels like home to me.

[goddessrobyn]

This is a great blend for people who WANT to love Snake Oil... but just can't. This is all that I wanted Snake Oil to be - spicy, creamy vanilla, and just warm and sexy...

 

This reminds me of hot nights on a bayou or somewhere on a deserted coast... drinking mojitos to the sound of some local band playing softly in the distance almost drowned out by the sound of the night... sitting up late... sweating from the heat of the evening... and the heat of the passion between you and the one you're with...

 

I absolutely love this one... its not so over powering that you can't wear it for that extra boost of confidence during the day... but it's not tame and could easily step out at night.

 

I need a gallon of this one!