Stimulating Sassafras Strengthener

[achildoftime]

Sassafras, vanilla extract, oak leaf, CO2 butter extract, and onycha.

 

It's absolutely similar to a root beer style drink, though I think it actually smells a bit like birch beer instead. It's not as syrupy as most root beers that are widely available, which helps put in more into the birch beer camp for me. It has that bit of fizziness and a bit of vanilla, almost like a birch beer float. I really enjoy it because it has such a fun energy.

[Lucchesa]

After being on my wishlist for sometime, Stimulating Sassafras Strengthener was given to me not once but twice in the last week! So I tried it this morning. In the imp.... Aack, opening the imp, it sprayed in my eye! Do not get it (or any BPAL) in your eye! Aack!

 

Wet on skin, this is some strong sassafras, and it's all I can smell at first. It dries down into warm vanilla root beer. I don't smell any butter (warmth?) or incense, and the oak leaf contributes to an herbal vibe. It is a skin scent on me (which is normal for my skin), average wear given how strong it came on at first.

 

SSS is actually really nice; I'm just not sure there are that many occasions when I want to smell like root beer. I can see wearing this to a carnival or arcade. It reads summer-fall to me, maybe because of the carnival associations, but is comforting enough to stand up to winter. I think I'll keep one imp and swap the other.

[roseus]

Syrupy sweet vanilla root beer! As it dries it gets a bit rich and buttery, and initially has a cool herbal tinge.

[Juliamon]

I've tried this a few times now and each time I keep hoping to come up with a better review, but... this is pretty much just a root beer barrel candy single note for me. It's not bad, it's not great, it is what it is. A novelty scent, not one I really want to smell like but nice to have around for an occasional sniff.

[torischroeder9]

In the bottle: Sassafras with a bit of vanilla It does smell like root beer -- but lighter, not as thick and syrupy as I associate with actual root beer smells.

 

On my skin:

 

The vanilla quickly warms up and amps -- giving the blend a touch of creaminess -- then dies back down. A few moments later, the oak leaf makes itself known, providing a grounding, slightly woodsy tinge to the blend.

 

After several minutes, a different kind of creaminess -- that I would have to attribute to the CO2 butter extract, since it doesn't have vanilla's pronounced scent -- emerges, taking the harder edge of the blend and settling it back toward root beer. Even longer, and the "creaminess" becomes identifiably buttery. It's not overpowering and not at all out of place in the blend. It's almost as if this were a scented cocoa or shea butter body product. For me, the vanilla also starts to make a comeback, which ends up being a nice way to link the buttery note and the sassafras.

 

Overall, this takes longer than average to settle on me, but I don't mind since none of the stages is unpleasant. The fragrance stays pretty close to the skin on me, which is also probably my preference for a very non-traditionally perfumey scent.

[frizzlechicken]

Holy moley, I got this in an imp from someone recently and tried it this morning on a whim. It’s gorgeous! On me I get a strong creamy vanilla mixed with, yes, a soft root beer note, but not too sweet or anything. I don’t know what Sassafras smells like, so that must be the note I can’t place, but I like it. It’s light and not too overpowering. 

[monocainsheresy]

This is an interesting one! Definitely a bubbling, effervescent scent. Due to an allergy I can't compare it to root beer like a lot of the other reviewers have, but I will say that it reminds me of the flavored gloves that kids' dentists use. Specifically the orange and bubblegum flavors.

Verdict: I'm gonna say carbonated bubblegum - I'll be doing more experimenting with this one. 

[melandie]

Wow I like this! I got this as an imp as a potential scent for my husband...and he couldn't get past the medicinal odour from the imp. Today on a whim I decided to try on me...at first, holy ROOT BEER! Which I love but don't think I need to smell like all day. But it doesn't take long for the vanilla and butter notes to come into play and it turns into a sweet scent with a vaguely root beer undertone. I'm not sure that I would buy a bottle, but I am certainly enjoying this, and enjoy having taken over this imp.

 

[spookyumbrella]

Everybody says this smells like creamy root beer.

Everybody's right.

 

One word - delicious.

[follis]

I uh... bought this without realizing sassafras is a root-beer ingredient that I actually don't really like the smell of. Haha! Honestly I probably bought it for the butter. Still worth a sniff:

Starts off strongly sassafras and medicinal smelling like a tiger balm or menthol rub for colds. Boy this has a strong throw. As it warms up and mellows I get an aniseedy smell, vanilla background, perhaps the onycha. Quickly it becomes a skin-close scent. Maybe because my skin is thirsty... But it's very quickly gone with maybe a hint of butter and residual sassafras at the end. It's unfortunately really light, so much so that I can't really smell the notes clearly. I don't personally get creamy root beer which is sad, just really STRONG medicine, and then really light 'something'. Oh well.

[donkehpoo]

Wet: Extra fizzy root beer. I swear I can almost feel the bubbles going up my nose; it's pretty impressive.

 

Dry: Yep, it's root beer! Not as fizzy-smelling as the wet stage, but still unmistakably.. root beer.

 

Like root beer? Want to smell like root beer? Try this!

[ladyphlogiston]

Wet, this smelled like fizzy root beer. 

As it dried, it got slightly more complex, with the vanilla rounding it out and the herbal complexity of the sassafras coming out. I think this will be a fun summer scent! 

 

My husband said it smells exactly like the old-fashioned root beer candy sticks his family used to get on vacation in central PA. He's not wrong. 

[Old.cupcake]

This was such a fun scent to smell in the imp. Once it was on my skin it blended well and smelled like warm sugar and rootbeer. If you've ever been to a old timey/western place where they make sassafras rootbeer this is exactly what it smells like. It definitely brought back some childhood memories and made my heart happy! 

[skyturtles]

This is awesome! I think I was expecting something more herbal, but was pleasantly surprised with an ol' fashioned sassafras soda. My partner thinks they smell some sort of citrus in there, but I just get the fizziness. Uh oh, I'm kind of wanting a full bottle... To keep in my desk at work for when I need a pick me up!

[a_bear]

I got this as a frimp, and if someone had asked me if I wanted to smell like rootbeer, I probably would've said "No," but I would have been wrong. Quite a good comfort scent.

[asoursweetsixteen]

~~frimp review~~

 

straight up birch and root beer! I actually love birch beer so it's great to smell like it. I definitely sense bubbles as well. it's just sweet fresh birch beer. not sure if I'd like to actively smell like it, but it's definitely far from bad. maybe a good scent to wear to a birthday party or diner or arcade or something in that vein.

 

now, dried, it's definitely way less sweet and in-your-face rootbeer. the incense comes through STRONG after just 10 minutes after application. it's mainly vanilla-y incense with a touch of the sassafras that made up the soda. it's very pleasant but I'm not super attached.