Perversion

[raisin]

The perfect scent to wear to your next bondage ball, dungeon adventure or sojourn to your favorite pleasure dome. Smoky rum and black tobacco with a whisper of steamy leather with a splash of crystalline chardonnay, layered over a sensual, sweet, and deceptively magnetic base of tonka.

I did not think I would like this at all. In the imp it was just overpowering and sweet.

But after a few minutes, I'm getting fabulous tobacco and leather. I think I'm getting the tonka as well, but I'm losing the rum and chardonnay in the haze. It doesn't scream "perversion" to me, but it's nice and smoky and mysterious.
I think, despite my first impression, I'll be holding on to this one! It would be divine for evening wear. Edited March 12, 2010 by raisin

[melrose]

If this is perversion, I gladly admit to being a pervert! Or something that doesn't sound quite so creepy.

 

First on, it was booze, all booze, with the chardonnay being the prevailing note.

 

Near drydown, the rum came out with a vengeance, with the other notes tempering it a bit.

 

Far drydown - freakin' awesome! I absolutely can not stop sniffing my arm - these notes morphed into something sweet, soft, powdery, and boozy, and the whole is so much more than the sum of its parts.

 

I swear it's a top 10, and that's 2 in a row.

[wvgemini]

I definately pick up the tonka and tobacco. Very nice. I think I am getting hints of leather in the background too. This is like classy naughty. Not in-your-face bawdry like Bordello (which I also love), but more "I'm wearing this on our date so you KNOW we're gonna get dirrty later."

It is like something I would want to drink (the rum having some influence, perhaps?) and I'm pretty sure this is going to be in a bottle order.

[puellacaerulea]

I got a frimp of this with my recent clocket purchase, and I'm glad, as the tobacco/leather would have kept me from trying this on my own. It's much, much sweeter than the description suggested to me (the tonka and chardonnay notes, I'm guessing) -- almost too sweet when I first put it on. The tobacco and leather amp up on me pretty fast, though, without overwhelming the sweeter notes. Very mature and sexy without being in-your-face about it -- this is definitely going to be a bottle order for me.

[cherrycherry]

Perversion is one of my new favourites. It's one of those that has a lot to live up to, given the dramatic name and I have to say that it certainly does.

 

It's dark and sweet and penetrating. I kept reapplying it last night, just so I could get those first few waves of wet scent, where it is at its most potent. The leather is a sensual backdrop to playful coconut and chardonnay and I can totally visualise the 'bondage ball' mentioned in the description. I can see partygoers dressed in their S&M best, drinking rum-based cocktails and smoking as they chat and size one another up before playtime begins. The tonka note wasn't too obvious to me at first but after wearing it for a few hours, it was definitely there and totally yummy. If 10ml bottles were still available, I would buy one of Perversion right now.

 

Also, my husband adored the scent of it when bedtime came last night. 'God, you smell amazing' is something I have heard before, but he said it repeatedly with regards to Perversion.

[wrestlingentropy]

I'm really surprised at how well Perversion works on me. It actually wears a lot like Black Lace, but I think I like it even better. The tonka is a lot smoother than BL's vanilla cream cotton, which can sometimes feel like it's sticking in the back of my throat. I also love that I don't get clobbered by the tobacco and leather here; they're deep and well-worn and mellow, definitely just supporting cast. Booze notes tend to work really well on me, and the combination of rum and chardonnay is no exception here.

 

All this being said, Perversion is straight up prettier than I was expecting it to be, in a good way. I usually wear Black Lace as "work drag" on days when I want to come across as feminine and professional and put-together, and Perversion surprisingly achieves the same effect for me--and, a lot sooner in the day, at that. (I usually have to wait several hours for BL to mellow into its yummiest phase.) Quite lovely! I'm going to savor my imp and consider a 5 ml.

[imaginaryheroes]

For me, Perversion smells REALLY strong, despite the small amount I put on. It smelt sweet in the bottle, heavier when I first put it on, and then sweet again a few minutes later. I also think it's getting stronger the longer I leave it on. Tobacco and vanilla! My chemistry does seem to like the combination, and I think I do as well; I want to get a few opinions from friends and family members, though! It makes me feel intense.

[ami226]

On the skin: I think I am mostly getting tobacco and the rum with a smooth sweetness that must be the tonka. Wow, this one is strong. Must have put too much on.

 

Huh, it is actually really growing on me. I think I need to try this one again only with more of a dab than slather.

[milica]

Leather, leather, tobacco and a bit of tonka. Pretty strong and lasts for ages, smelling mostly of leather. I think it lives up to it's name, I've had some interesting thoughts while wearing it.

 

Leather scents can go wonky on me, bit this one is pure love!

Edited July 8, 2010 by milica

[saralaughs]

Rum is always an iffy note on me. At the best of times, it can go sickly sweet on me and others, immediate soap bubbles. This isn't any different, in that the rum is the first note I smell and it is all soap bubbles. It's soon beaten into submission though...or at least into the background.

 

The tobacco comes out fairly quickly on this and gives a spice to this scent that is needed. It calms down on the spice note and is very prominent but still not the star. The leather is very quiet as well. Not in your face at all but there to lend a hand and blend in.

 

The star is the tonka. This is very creamy smelling without smelling like cream or a dessert.

 

I really, really like this. Yet there is still that sour soap bubble note in the background. I dunno if I can get over that. We'll see.

Edited June 3, 2010 by saralaughs

[Graphica]

in the bottle: When I first got this imp (with 15 others) and did a "speed-smell", I commented that I couldn't pick anything distinct out of it, but that it smelled familiar to me one end to the other. Well, here I am months later trying it for real, and I find myself in the same position. In the bottle I get a melange of scent that seems sweet almost to the point of cloying, but not in a food-y kind of way, more like a sweet liqueur (which I despise, almost without exception). Not good as a start, But I'll run with it and see where it takes me.

 

on wet: Again, overpowering sweet liqueur. Not good.

 

drydown: Here we go with the different scents on different wrists. My left wrist smells faintly powdery and a little mildewed, my right wrist smells like fancy pipe tobacco. Bizarre.

 

Now on my right wrist, after a few minutes, and at a distance, I smell something powdery and sweetish, but with my nose touching my wrist, I get leathery and tobacco-y with a faintly dusty-sweet base. At the same time, testing my left wrist, I get a warm vanilla-leather smell, with the vanilla dominant. My nose wants more leather, less vanilla.

 

one hour later: Left wrist vanilla/leather. Right wrist vanilla/tobacco. I actually like it at this stage. The initial bottle scent and everything before about 15 minutes on was nauseating, but now I get a mellow, old-world, retire-to-the-smoking-room-and-discuss-serious-things kind of scent, but not overwhelmingly so. My SO commented that he could smell the tobacco when he walked into the room, but to my nose it doesn't appear to have much throw. I have to stick my nose right next to my wrists to get anything.

 

end of day: Faint, mellow, vanilla-like tobacco and leather.

 

compared to official description: I don't get chardonnay, though a hint of that with the rum (and tonka) probably gave me my ack! mixed drinks! reaction (I'm a straight bourbon kind of girl, myself.) I'm sure the tonka is what had me thinking vanilla.

 

notes: The leather and tobacco ended up standing out in this one, which is what I've been looking for all along. Given the stomach-turning reaction I first had, I'm amazed that I ended up liking this one as much as I do. This is the complete opposite of most of the ones that seemed promising to me. I'll definitely be keeping this one, but it will never, ever, come anywhere near my locket. This one requires tempering on my skin to reach it's true potential (at least as far as my scent preferences are concerned).

[Venneh]

In the imp, I'm getting rum and chardonnay and tonka, methinks. On my skin, this is leather, with everything else underneath. Hrm... Ends up being this really sexy wine/rum/leather scent on me, going onto a full skin test. On the full skin test, the leather dominates, with the leather being the note in Liz and CC: Female that I love and is amazing on me, with the wine and the rum resting underneath to support it. Definitely going to be a bottle purchase.

Edited July 4, 2010 by Venneh

[brilliantcat]

I got this as a frimp as it was on my wishlist and whoa boy am I glad I did! I loved it in the imp and now that it's on I am absolute lust with this scent! It was far boozier in the imp than on me. I get lots of vanilla-tonka with leather, a hint of tobacco, and of course the booze. As it warms, I get more of the smoky tobacco and leather playing with the tonka and it's just simply amazing. This is quickly skyrocketing to one of my favorites! It's slightly sweet, smoky, and just a bit dirty. Ummmm, this is love!

[SophieCedar]

Instant love. Ordered a bottle the day after I received the imp from the lab. Perfect mix of sweet sexy and dirty with lovely throw and longevity. Exactly as lab-described. The chardonnay is the keystone for me; otherwise it would be too fatty & feral for my taste. 10 out of 10!!

[FathomBelow]

Got this bottle at Knows Perfume in Seattle! So happy that we can get BPAL in person over here.

In the bottle: A thickly sweet and heavy alcohol note that I rather like, compared to the light, cold alcohol note in, say, Grand Guignol that I didn't take to.

On my skin: As it dries, this gets sweeter and almost foody, like a really good dessert that's more booze then cake - almost like an old-fashioned pudding (NOT Christmas or plum, though, I would recognize those). Or a fruitcake or something.

 

In summary, this manages to suggest all the good things in life, and makes me want to do something ridiculously hedonistic. I absolutely love it, but it's way too heavy for the weather right now; I predict it'll be great to perk me up during cold winter weather.

[DifferentDances]

Imp: Leather and alcohol. Like a bar, but without BO, vomit, or lingering, lung-clogging smoke.

Wet: The rum and leather are sweetened by something like vanilla. Tonka, perhaps?

Drydown: Leather. Slight tobacco and booze. Beautiful warmth...especially in the throw.

Dry: More warm leather.

 

My rating: 4/5, but not really a scent I'd wear.

Edited August 7, 2010 by DifferentDances

[impolight]

:::PERVERSION:::

 

Bondage ball?

Do tell!

This one begged to be looked at from behind closed eyelids... When there isn't anyone else around.

The notes could go either way. From experience, they have...

From the Imp: This is, surprisingly, much sweeter than anticipated.

Ordinarily the Winey notes tend to have a more assertive presence, yet here, the Tonka and Tobacco are, by far, the most prevalent.

The Rum is even a suprasucralose version of itsself...

No Leather yet, which is a crying shame because the Lab's Leather is one of the best things a body can olfactorily experience!

On the Skin: Weird! Astringent, tonsil-nipping sweetness.

For whatever reason, the body chemistry has rendered this into bittersweet chocolate, peanut-skins and hairspray.

Zero Leather.

 

( a shame )

 

This might fly on a silky, estrogen-kissed set of glands and pheremones, but here on Him, it's a creepy cough drop.

No dice.

2 out of 5.

[calivianya]

Oh, this is delicious. Perversion is a boozy, leathery, gorgeous blend. It's a lot sweeter than I expected, probably from the tonka. It doesn't morph on my skin at all, and it lasts. This is totally a winner, maybe even a new player in my top 10. We'll see.

[strahlend]

Call me crazy but this smells like something sweet (tobacco? tonka?), cedar, and fig. It actually reminds me a lot of Intrigue. This has been my impression during two testings that were over a year apart. Weird. I like it but I don't get anything close to what the other reviewers do and I kind of wish I did since I love sexy boozy scents.

Edited March 25, 2011 by Shollin
Removed Lab description

[Redillon]

I've had this imp for a while and was turned off by the tabacco scent right off the bat, but I decided to give it a try when I was reading a post on boozy scents.

 

In the imp: Sweet with an edge. You can smell the tobacco and something...clean. Hummm...

 

On the skin: A little of the boozy scent comes out to play but not much. THe tobacco is still there but little else.

 

Dry down: Candle wax. Why??? Why oh why????

 

Not what I was hoping for.....

[laslibres]

From the imp...not sure what I’m smelling here. Sort of…sweet, spicy leather? Or musk? Interesting.

 

Then on me, yeah, sorta like spicy coffee, which is weird because there’s no coffee in this. I would guess that’s tonka. I do smell some tobacco, but it’s not too bad yet. Or maybe the sweet aspect is coming from the rum, that’s also possible.

 

And yes, there’s definitely leather in this. It seems like black leather, but well-worn black leather. This is pretty nice...it does have some kind of sweet, spicy _something_ in it, and I’m not sure where that’s coming from, but the leather balances it out and makes it sorta earthy and sexy rather than foody. It's not very strong, but then, maybe it's meant for smelling from...close-range, if you know what I mean.

[Floria]

Got this as a freebie with my last order, and it's not really the kind of thing I'd choose for myself.

In the bottle, I got a wine and honey effect that reminded me of Athens, although with more wine in relation to the honey, and a certain smokiness that Athens didn't have.

After I put it on, the smokier qualities came to the forefront, along with some sweetness and a slight sharp, almost acrid quality. My dad thought it smelled like pipe tobacco.

On the drydown, it's smoother and sweeter, but still smokey - maybe a honey-vanilla tobacco? I do pick up occasional hints of coconut or something like it, but it's not very strong.

[coralprincess]

Wow, I get dusty old aged brown leather & smoke. This one makes me a little bit *ahem* frisky. Yep. Definately gonna need a big bottle

[HerbGirl]

I actually love this. A bit of Rum, with Leather and Tobacco...this is really nice, and I think I could wear this.

 

The drydown is nice - smooth and almost yummy? I'm surprised since Rum is a note that usually makes me a bit nauseous.

 

I may have to get a bottle someday, not high priority though.

Edited February 25, 2011 by Shollin
Removed Lab description

[Helas]

The initial phase of Perversion is an eerily perfect evocation of a summer's night out at the nearest Irish pub: cheap booze and leftover suntan lotion and clothes pregnant with stale cigarette smoke. It's an interesting scent experience and brings back some good memories, but it's not very wearable.

 

The drydown, however, smells like pure pheromones. The booze notes fade away, which makes me glad since I'm not particularly fond of them. What's left is a creamy base of tonka and coconut sexed up with a hint of leather and a thin curtain of smoke.

 

I was a bit worried when I read in the reviews that this had coconut, but the coconut here has a very interesting vibe - it's a less fruity, browner coconut, more like a slab of exotic wood than like a pina colada.

 

This one is great for wearing on dates where you mean business; I wouldn't wear it to a job interview, though. Four out of five stars.