Perversion

[myoubi]

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.

NEW REVIEW because after looking back, I was unhappy with my old one.

Mrrrrow.
Of all the GC's I've tried, Perversion is my uncontested favourite. On me, it smells like sweet rich tobacco with a grounding underlay of leather, that dries down to a very sexy tonka. It's a warm, sly, slinky scent -- it's not an aggressive come-on like Lust is, but it's what I wanted Snake Oil to be. Leather scents don't usually work on me, and my skin usually amps sweetness like crazy, but this stays sane and not-sickening and grounded. I'm powering through my imp, and I know I want a bottle. Edited December 24, 2006 by myoubi

[jiggahava]

OMG. This is a scent for a night on the town. Smoky bars, restaraunts dimly lit by candlelight... This is my second favorite leather scent after Loviatar. I never dreamed leather and tobacco, of all things, could smell so good on my skin, but it does. I was in total euphoria once I rubbed it on my skin. DEFINITLEY not a work-safe scent. Some of the more "sexy" scents I can wear to work, like O or Morocco. Definitley not this one. It will inspire lustful thoughts in men within a 20 mile radius of you. This is a big bottle purchase for sure. It was love(lust) at first sniff.

Edited December 10, 2006 by Hava

[lanablade]

Ack. This is one of my favorites, and I've never reviewed it! That said, I have an imp of this that is almost a year old, and a bottle that's about a month old. I'll try to differentiate between the two.

 

In the imp/bottle: The bottle is mostly tobacco and chardonay/rum. Slightly sharp and definately the scent of a bar minus the ick of the actual burning cigarette bit. The imp is stronger, sweeter, and yes, it does smell like coconut a bit. Tobacco and rum are also present.

 

Wet: The imp is sweeter and more subtle, I've noticed. I can pick out the leather more, and the tobacco isn't as overpowering. Which is good and bad because I love tobacco, but this smells so fantastic I can't mourn it's lessening. I can pick out the chardonnay better in the imp, but the rum is more subtle than in the bottle.

 

Dry: The bottle dries to tobacco rum and a hint of sweet creamy vanillay tonka. The imp is softer, sweeter. The rum and chardonnay give it the smell of some very old very fine very EXPENSIVE bottle someone's kept in their spot at a prestigious club for ages, and they only drink it on special occasions, like the day their grandson was born. The tobacco is softer and sweeter, too. Fine cigars, almost. The leather is there, winding it's way, so sweet and wonderful. Like a leather corset from the eighteen hundreds that was worn and cared for so lovingly that it's still supple and lightly scented with the vanilla of the woman who wore it.

 

I love this perfume more every time I wear it. I have a friend who smokes, and when I go to her house wearing this, the smoke from her cigarettes that sticks to my clothes, you know the stuff that smells terrible? It melds with the tobacco in this perfume, and actually ENHANCES it. It makes that 'day after' smell bearable. Definately my favorite. Ever. *snuggle* Thank gods it's GC.

Edited December 14, 2006 by Lana Blade

[maijasu]

How is it that I haven't tried this wonderful oil until today!

 

I have a decant from another forumite, and based on some of the above descriptions, I think it may have aged a little while. It's very smooth and sweet, not nearly as aggressive as I was expecting. The leather, tonka, and tobacco blend just perfectly into a surprisingly warm and comforting blend. Not something I'd associate with the name, but hey, it works, so I'm not complaining.

 

This blend is absolutely swoon-worthy, and I must once again bow down to Beth's olfactory genius.

 

I will be purchasing a bottle or ten just as soon as I recover from the massive update.

[cinderfallen]

Fresh on, it's a blend of leather, coconut, and something sweeter, almost foody: must be the tonka. The leather dries down, moves into the background more, but it's still a very blended scent that goes a bit sweet, but dry.

 

I'm sure someone else will love it, but it smelled too "mature" for me, darker than my tastes run.

 

ADDED 7/14/08:

 

Whoa. Talk about the importance of skin chemistry! I tried this out on a whim while going through my swap box and the change is startling! I got the imp about two years ago and have tried it periodically and I never got any of the lighter notes. It was a very dense, coconut/leather-heavy blend that smelled about 20 years older than I was because it was not very sweet. The texture was like dense velvet that clung with definite presence a few inches away from my skin, but it smelled strong, unpleasing, and off-balance to my nose.

 

NOW, wow. I can smell the crisp, lighter notes--like champagne bubbles over a creamy, vanilla-like tonka, wrapped in a sexy suggestion of leather and smoke. It's super vanilla-sweet which I would never have suspected a year ago!

 

Actually, I think the vanilla note I love so much in Snake Oil is contributed greatly by the tonka in Perversion.

 

I would love to have a full bottle, but I know it won't smell like this. Batch variation is truly a sad thing.

Edited July 16, 2008 by Shollin

[Druby]

Smells sweet in bottle, maybe can smell coconut. On me leather and coconut come together and smell good togther, can lightly smell tobacco, not sure if I can smell tonka. I don't think this is my type of scent.

Edited January 8, 2007 by Druby

[Lionesse]

I grew up in a city that had a lot of tobacco warehouses. And I always loved the smell of them. As soon as I opened the imp, I could smell sweet tobacco, then coconut, then vanilla, then wine.

 

On me, it was wonderful smelling all the different notes releasing and vying for first place. Coconut, then wine, then wood(?), and then finally that sweet tobacco with vanilla.

 

I adore it. And for once I'm smitten with a GC scent!

 

[Brianne]

In the vial:

All booze

 

On me:

At first, this actually makes me think of marijuana. The tobacco and booze smells combine to make a VERY heady, sticky, kind of sweet, almost dizzying scent. It's almost sickly sweet smelling, and I don't like it at all in this stage. It's so strong and very overwhelming. So during the first 5-10 minutes, I feel like I'm one of the few people who just aren't going to like Perversion.

 

HOWEVEVER - the very unfortunate pot similarity goes away thank goodness and the heady, overpowering throw of this one finally settles down. And THEN I can finally understand why this blend is loved. For me, the tobacco and rum in this are very nice but it's the LEATHER in this that really makes it awesome. It's just such a slick, wet black leather smell and it's dead sexy. And it still has pretty good throw too.

 

Final notes:

Once the initial 5 minutes are up I really like this blend for it's gorgeous leather note. Sexy, warm, slightly sweet and smooth.

[Browneyes]

Imp: boozy

Wet: the sweeter notes come out to play; the tobacco and tonka I presume!

Dry: I do understand the coconut associations, although there is not coconut in the blend, nor does it actually smell like generic "OMG tropical" sun-tan lotion on me. But the combination of notes do recall a sweet coconutty feeling. I get no leather though.

 

This is extremely wearable, I suppose one might call it slinky I like it alot!

Edited February 9, 2007 by Browneyes

[Dark Sparkle]

Perversion is MUCH sweeter on my skin than I would have imagined. To begin with I get a lot of the chardonnay and rum, almost fruity sweet on my skin, but drying I get more of the leather and tonka. I don't really pick up any tobacco in Perversion but I can almost *feel* something reminiscent of it lingering in the background.

 

I think I like this more when it has calmed down a bit and I get wiffs of sultry, sweet leather and tonka goodness. It's a funny mixture of sophisticated and sexy/dirty girl which leaves me intrigued - but maybe it's too "loud" and glam rock to my taste. Still, I cannot stop sniffing my wrist

[Punkylarue]

Okay I must be weird because I would have never thought coconut if I hadn't read the other reviews first. My first impression of this was bubblegum. After the initial shock of sweetness I smelled like a perfumey red hot. Cinnamon was all I could smell. This actually burnt my neck where I applied it for the first two minutes and I worried if I should wash it off. I was afraid I was having an allergic rection but after about two minutes it stopped. I haven't seen any other reviews that have picked that up so maybe my sniffer is off. Anyway after it dried down I could deffinately smell the coconut and a faint buttery vanilla. The cinnamon faded completely and I wonder if it wasn't the tobacco note I was smelling. There is also something that wants to be tart but can't quite compete with the lovely creaminess of this scent. Maybe this is the chardonay. I don't get liquor from it though. It is hard to pinpoint and gives this blend a mysterious quality. It is intriguing. I keep smelling it over and over because it is hard to figure out. Over all I really like this. It may be a little to perfumey for me because I tend to lean torward warmer, foodier stuff but it is awesome nevertheless.

Edited February 10, 2007 by Punkylarue

[filigree_shadow]

It's a boozy vanilla at first, but when it dries it's a robust leather scent with that vanilla/tonka sweetness to it. Still boozy underneath.

 

This is a great scent -- it was one of my first 10mls. When I first got the 10ml I thought it was a different scent because it smelled like coconut. The imp I have is older, and I can tell the sweetness is from that boozy vanilla combination, but I don't really smell any coconut. So the 10ml has been sitting in my BPAL box aging for quite a while now.

 

Like I said: Great scent! This is one of my favorites.

[GlowJob]

This just plain smells evil.In the best way possible.Body warmed leather with a hint of wine is what I'm smelling.Maybe a faint tonka bean perfume rubbed off from some writhing female slave.So naughty!

[zankoku_zen]

I was very intrigued to try out this scent... since I haven't really tried anything with a leather note.

 

In the imp: caramel and coconut smelling. There is also a strong woody undertone, so it isn't completely sweet.

 

On skin: caramel and coconut smoke swirl together. Again, there is a woody tone to it.

 

On drydown: I get a rich leather scent with a hint of sweetness and the wood tone comes out to the forefront. Very potent. Good throw and staying power.

 

Verdict: The sweetness fades quickly and instead I get a woodsy leather like scent, very rich and heavy. Perversion's leather and wood notes seem to love my skin, but I'm not too keen on them truthfully. On the other hand, this was a very sophisticated and dominant blend and I think on the right person, and in the right mindset, this would be a powerhouse of a smell, sexy and dominant.

 

I don't think I'm a leather note girl but I'm really glad I got to try this!

[mspixieears]

How can something be so sweet and manly at the same time?! The tonka kills me with its sexiness. Maybe it’s the rum but I swear I get dark berries or something similar from this. Nevertheless, it’s stunning and I can see why it’s so popular. I love it!

[eatingthesea]

i really really wanted to like this one. and i thought it couldn't go wrong since it has the base note of tonka, which normally works well with me. i think what caused perversion's downfall was the alcoholic notes (chardonnay and rum), which made the whole scent go stale. or perhaps it was the tobacco...or leather! gee, i guess i was hoping for tonka to redeem the whole shebang. in actuality, though, this one didn't morph into anything disastrous, but it did seem very stale on me and just overall unimpressive. i guess it's probably due to the fact that i prefer my scents to have at least a small amount of flower or musk to even out an otherwise "hard" scent. in the end, this one gave the impression of how i might feel after being out at club perversion (in hollywood)...stale smoke in my hair, various alcoholic drinks on the breath, taboo memories to sift through...guilt for doing things i can't remember! not my cup of tea anymore i know, a useless review. oops.

[Naamah_Darling]

Hmmm! There's that fusty, smoky swirl of tobacco drifting over a strong dash of spiced rum, with a fizzy shot of champagne off to the side. I like this in the bottle. Let's see what it does on me.

 

Oh, hell yes. Yes, yes, yes. Smoky, slightly foody, and sexy as hell. This has a salty, tangy edge that I think is the chardonnay. That note is at once fruity and light, so this scent, while slightly sweet, isn't overwhelmingly sugary. Also, the strong rasp of rum and tobacco help tame the sugar, and there's a persistently delicious scent from the tonka, which smells a little like a very warm and debauched vanilla who's been having lots of sex with amber. The tobacco and rum notes blend with the way tonka always smells a little like both amber and vanilla.

 

This is the sort of smell that, if you found it on someone's skin, you'd bite them. You wouldn't be able to help it. This is so carnal a scent that it's practically a taste, anyway. Perversion, indeed, because this begs to be taken advantage of in the nastiest imaginable ways.

[ralenth]

Bottle: Sour tangy scent of leather.

 

Wet: A bit sour on too. Nothing else really comes through.

 

Drydown: The sour scent fades, thankfully. The leather is evocative and deep, underlying the sweet crush of the tonka. It reminds me of a sweeter version of what club night used to smell like: leather and sexy, with a bit of clinging smoke, yet still feminine.

 

Dry: Warm and full, sultry. Oh, I am in lust with this one.

 

Overall: Yes, yes, yes.

[cassandrakfreaq]

I don't know what the heck is wrong with me....in the bottle is smelled wonderfull.

 

On me it smells JUST like mildewy dishrags.....its horrible....like bile inducing.

[dragynsidhe]

wet: As I recall it was mostly leather and a bit of spice. Not unpleasant, but rather strong.

 

dry: This is heavenly! I get hints of a powdery softness that must be the tonka, and again a spiciness that puts me in mind of cinnamon--I don't know if that's the leather mixing with the fruit and my own scent, but whatever it is, I love it! There is something edible here too, must be the fruit--I'm fighting the urge to lick the crook of my elbow.

 

Oh, I know. this reminds me of pomander balls, where the scent of the fruit itself is extremely faded but the spiciness lingers on--pomander balls and leather with a trickle of--chocolate? Yes, chocolate. Maybe that's the rum.

 

**the more I sniff, the more notes i make out--this is certainly a complex one!**

 

I'm starting to get the impression that my skin amps up and runs wth anything vaguely spicy. I had this happen yesterday with whatever it is I tested out and didn't review, like a silly. Good thing I'm a fan of spicy scents.

[dorothy humbird]

This perfume is so good it sends shivers down my spine. Seriously.

 

I put off testing Perversion for a few days because I wasn't really impressed with the scent right out of the imp. It smells... slightly cleaner-antiseptic (I'm guessing from the chardonnay), with an underlayment of tobacco. Not totally unpleasant, but not at all promising.

 

PFFT! What did I know? Give Perversion about 1 minute on my skin and oh. my. god. Suddenly there is this haze of creamy deliciousness wafting all around me. The first time I put it on I was thunderstruck by a similarity to my original imp of Blood Kiss (first love!) that I thought I detected... but all of that association has faded. Perversion is incredible in its own right on my skin. I can see where people are getting a coconut association, but that is not my strongest impression... in fact the notes blend so well on me that I don't get a single dominating note, just a smooth, heavenly potion of gorgeousness. I actually have difficulty picking out what the contributing notes even are... my best guess would be that tonka has finally lived up to all my hopes for it. (Dee, Aeval, Great Sword of War, Horreur Sympathetique... all pretty underwhelming, all hazarded in part for the promise of a fragrance "reminiscent of vanilla, almonds, cinammon, and cloves.") Way to step up to the bat, Perversion!

 

I was worried about the leather note, as I have yet to have a good experience with it; no worries anymore - it's not even comng up on my nose-radar. Similarly, I don't really think of this scent as "smoky"... but what it is, is amazing. Perversion... SO GOOD.

 

 

Update: I must've been in a weird spot when I first fell in love with Perversion, because the passion has faded. There is something about it that causes me to think "Perversion!" when I walk past the vents piping air out of people's dryers on laundry night. Laundry detergent?? Really?? Peversion would be my last suspect, but there you have it. That and I am now noticing much more the tobacco note. It's still good, but far from my illustrious favorites.

Edited October 2, 2007 by dorothy humbird

[500ml]

Surprisingly enough, I fell for this immediately. The tonka does make it a bit too vanillary sweet (quite foody in the vial), but then the leather comes out and it turns really fresh 'n fruity. Unique kind of scent, well blended and overall just very nice.

[luna65]

I bought this as part of a lot sale on eBay and I was so excited to try another BPAL classic! So imagine my dismay when. . .

 

Imp: Initially all I can smell is the chardonnay, and I get that "pickle juice" thing that people have noticed with other blends. Very astringent.

 

Skin: Luckily that top note burns away fairly quickly and I start to get more of the tobacco and leather.

 

Drydown: I really like how this evolves although I wish it weren't so much of a skin scent, I'm afraid it's going to fade too fast on me like the DPPs do. It's got a dark type of sweetness which suits the character of the inspiration. But it's definitely masculine and sexy and right up my (scented) alley.

RAWR!

[crosspross]

To me, this blend is evocative of the old West. It brings back a lot of memories of small towns that I've stopped in while on road trips, with their antique shops and old buildings where booze and cigarettes have seeped into the walls. It also reminds me of going to summer camp on a ranch in East Texas - saddles and boots and wooden cabins. So because of this, I find it pleasant to smell for a little while, but I would never consider wearing it again because it is very masculine, and not the kind that is easy to get away with, either. It has more throw than any BPAL I have tried yet and lasts a long time. To sum this review up, you should buy Perversion as a gift if you know any cowboys.

[Beazlebabe]

 

I'm broken. I must be.

 

On me, Peversion was sweet, sparkling chardonnay, then something I would have loved to have worn to my grade 8th graduation, then ... powder.

 

...

 

I'm going to try this one again after I correct my eating habits. Back when I first got into BPAL, even De Sade (which, in the Imp, smelled like very strong pipe tobacco and leather) turned sweet on me. Not fruity, not sugary, just sweet. I also survived off candy and fast food. When I ate like a proper adult stuff smelled as it should on me. So, the verdict isn't out yet. I will smell like the pervert I am, oh yes indeed.