Wolfsbane

[bryghtrose]

Notorious for its properties for protection against werewolves and curing lycanthropy, this nefarious plant also has a fine history of use as a virulent poison. Clasically, Medea employed it in her many works of vengeance. This concoction of ours has none of the lethal qualities, but still personifies all of the herb's dark history beautifully.

It smelled like dirt, patchouli, and pine mulch. And it throws.
It's too heavy for me. Edited December 13, 2008 by Shollin

[CrazyPretzel]

Eh. Very, very woody and musty on me, like cypress or cedar or something.

 

I just can't do notes like that. Not for me.

[aquazoo]

Virulent poison, yes I can see that! Very much a medicine scent. Now it's getting dusty, which isn;t bad, but with that liniment beginning I can find better dusts. It is starting to smell quite nice now.

[Styx]

Wolfsbane (?? colored)

 

Post Frimp (thank you!) : Spicy and woody incense. Very dry smelling.

 

Skin: while wet, it had a slight aquatic feel to it, even a bit nutty, but when the oil dries its cedar and vetiver on me. Plus spices.

Its sweeter than it was in the imp. This is pretty strong stuff, and needs to be applied with a light hand.

My imp was actually broken when it arrived, so I didn't have enough oil to check the color, but the contents scented my parcel as if I had received my goodies in an expensive cedar box. I didn't get any pine notes from this, so I'm hoping its not as if a few notes evaporated before I tried it

 

Heavy weight, room temperature, Autumn blend. I put this in the same family as Gomorrah, Ouija, Kathmandu.

[Gwydion]

Eeeww! It smells like medicinal herbs and vetiver. This stuff is super strong too. Maybe a hint of mint and leather, though the leather might be my watch. No. Just no.

[MaidenGenevive]

Wolfsbane

 

Initially, sweet dirt with a splash of rubbing alcohol. The rubbing alcohol impression becomes astringent, reminiscent of juniper. It's flipping between the astringent and rubbing alcohol, all the while flirting with juniper and dirt. There's a bit of sweetness hiding in there, that resembles baby powder.

 

[ 2 - Dislike ] None of these notes are doing it for me.

[Northernskygal]

This smells actually very good just as a scent... not a scent I would wear, but.. it smells nice. It's kind of.. imagine walking into a green housey type store that was maybe.. next door to a lumber yard. There is a.. not dirt smell so much as a.. freshly planted smell. There are touches of sweetness, though they are more subtle, and there is a tree-ish/woody smell. If you owned a log cabin, with a garden right outside the back door.. and a little forest not too far off.. I think that, must smell like Wolfsbane. It only brings up lovely images and again, it does smell good, as in, I would love to be around someone who smelled like this, I just don't want to smell like it myself..

[Veresti]

In the Bottle:

Holy herbal! Astringent, and very much like freshly harvested flora. Not sure which are what part of the flora the notes are pulled from, but it certainly isn't your typical daisy or rose. Of course I mean this in the absolute best sense. It isn't overpowering, but it also isn't dreadfully played down either. It's a very clean scent, in spite of the underlying musk. I am sheepish to admit that my first thought was Belladonna- it has similar notes in it or at least a common base note. Of course I ran out of my Belladonna imp ages ago (woe).

 

On Skin:

Pretty much the same, still just as sharply herbal.

 

Two Hours Later:

Still the same, a little more musk is coming out to play.

 

Four Hours Later:

Jeesh, this has a lot of staying power. It still is very herbal, but what smells like some sort of wood or dried pulp scent emerges and mixes surprisingly well with the flora. There are few scents I know of that can pull off that without getting this weird under note to it that makes my noise twitch.

 

End Note:

I didn't smell pine at all - not once during any of the times I've used it. The only pine scent I've been able to tolerate is Voodoo, which really doesn't count. So I know if any of you out there are like me and loathe the piney fresh scents, give this one a try - it really doesn't have that scent! I'd be personally surprised if it did, but I could be wrong since I ended up loving Voodoo, as I mentioned before.

 

All in all, I give Wolfsbane four stars. It isn't quite up there with my love for Deadman's Hand, Dorian, Jack, and Asphodel, but it is certainly a well loved scent.

 

P.S. No citrus notes either, blargh, that would be utterly fowl I think with the herb notes in here along with the wood and slightly musky scent.

[VioletChaos]

in the imp: oof! straight up medicine, like liniment, as others have said.

 

wet on skin: more of the same. pine and vetiver in VERY strong combination.

 

dry down: vetiver and more vetiver. it's all i smell.

 

in all: i happen to like vetiver, for it's grounding and earthy and good in mixes. i would likely use this in a mix with other oils in the future, but not likely all on it's own.

 

ADDED Aug. 2:

 

in the imp: dirt, patchouli and vetiver. dark and earthy. nice!

 

wet on skin: same, but the patchouli is amping a bit now.

 

dry down: almost straight patchouli.

 

in all: a nice patchouli scent. if you like this note, you will adore Wolfsbane.

[GingerGunlock]

On me, Wolfsbane smells much like buttery, creamy, cedar chips. Maybe not hamster cage per se, but it is certainly evocative of going into a store that has cedar planks for the walls and the flooring. It's a pleasant scent, and one that I'll keep around, but I'm not actually fond of wearing it. Perhaps I'll fashion sachets or something to keep in my drawers.

[coldandsleepy]

In the bottle: whoaaaaah, whoa, someone's hitting me with the sandalwood stick.

 

On me wet or dry: sandalwood and cedar bobbing in a gooey bubbling pool of vetiver oil. There's just the tiniest touch of patchouli. The scent is sharp and astringent, yet it's got a sweetness and a richness to it. It does not change one bit on me as it dries down.

 

Throw and duration: big throw, long duration.

 

Overall: I'm really surprised by how much i like this. It was a frimp from a forum sale, and wasn't anywhere on my extensive wishlist. I really, really dig this, though. I can't stop smelling it. It's sorta... feral? ... without being at all musky, which is neat. On me, it's woodsy bordering on foody. It's... it smells kinda sexy on me. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, we have found a BPAL scent that smells sexy on me. I'm alarmed by this, yet somewhat pleased.

 

Anyway. I can see why this would turn a lot of people off. It is a very sharp scent, which may be what equals medicinal for a lot of people who've tried this. If you like a good stomp through the woods followed by a roll in damp leaves, though... Wolfsbane may be the one for you.

[forspecial_plate]

Hmmm....light, minty wood, slightly musty. Interesting combination of notes. I think I'll keep the imp to remember my time as a villager (in the werewolves game). : )

[alsatia]

Expectations: Well, that description doesn't say much about what the actual scent is. So I'm guessing at dry and herbal, and probably not something I'll care much for.

 

In vial: Herbal, but not so dry. It reminds me a little of rosemary.

 

On skin, wet: Pizza spices sprinkled over Vicks Vaporub.

 

On skin, dry: It's not dry yet, but I must have gotten some on my fingers and then they got near my eye. Oww, that burns. I didn't even actually touch it, I don't think, but my eyes are so sensitive. Must be super careful while finishing the review. Now that it's dry, I smell like I'm buried under a brush pile at the edge of a forest. Not a pine forest though, as some reviews would have led me to suspect.

 

After time: After 35 minutes, I'm still under the brush pile but the scent is a bit less overwhelming.

 

Conclusion: This isn't an offensive scent by any means, but I would neither want to smell it on myself all day nor have people around me realize I was the source of that smell. Add in the fact that my eyes seem super-sensitive to it, and I think I'll be passing this one along.

[lilirose]

Frimp from the Lab, wasn't one I'd have tried on my own. But...OMG.

 

To me this is vetiver and aconite and nothing else. And it smells freaking fabulous on me. I love vetiver and this is the most feminine vetiver-y blend I've found yet. Definitely buying a 5ml.

 

(Also, smelling this knowing that the plant Wolfsbane is aconite allowed me to work out exactly what the Lab's aconite note smells like...it's also in The Snow Storm, and I also believe it's a major player in Snow White. )

[sirsaber]

Why do I have a feeling I am going to seriously raid Rappaccini's Garden? Probably because every scent I've smelled thus far from here is really good. This scent is definitely a dark one. I almost smell tobacco with soil. As the others, it reminds me of good earth. It also has that sinister wisp of darkness in it,daring you to touch it.

 

Love love love...

 

 

ETA: I had The Ghost on my otehr wrist for a sample and I sniffed the two together......

 

sooooo amazing. The Ghost compliments it well by adding an eerie touch of garden flowers. Its the scent I'd find in a Witches Garden. I'll probably keep The Ghost now to compliment this one.

Edited May 17, 2008 by Mortarion

[flco]

I'm not good at discerning certain notes when I'm not sure what they are, but in the bottle I was reminded of the times when I was just a wee lass and would go out at night and walk around in the woods just to scare myself. You know that feeling. You work yourself up into a fright just because there's something bizarrely thrilling about the adrenaline rush it gives you.

 

When I slather it on, it no longer possesses the deciduous quality that I associate with the forests around my hometown in Massachussettes. It's still woody, but more on the coniferous side of things, particularly pine. And there's something chilling about it. *sniffs again* Yes! It's a lone Monterey Pine tree festooned with icicles.

 

Not something I'll be reaching for often, but it's still good to have a nice, clean go-to evergreen scent around, even thought I don't think it was originally intended to smell like that.

Edited July 28, 2008 by FlyingCoffin

[Happicuppa]

Sadly, too woody and musky on me. *Looks around for husband to dab with oil* I think this would be a more 'manly scent' if it reacts for him like it did for me.

 

I'm getting a burned wood note to it almost. Like a herbal bonfire. Not for me, but either the husband might or off to find a loving home elsewhere:(

 

1/5

[Delirium1009]

In bottle/imp: Vetiver and dry resins.

 

Immediately on skin: This is strong on the vetiver, and is very dark and smoky. There’s a hint of strong herbs or light pine behind it… this is bitter, dry, and smoky.

 

After a little while: This doesn’t really change much on my skin… it’s still all vetiver and dried herbs.

 

Overall Impressions: This one was kind of boring on me. The vetiver starts out strong and fades a little, but still is the main note of the blend. Behind that are some dried herbs, and possibly a little woodiness. This isn’t something I would wear at all, but it has a nice dry vetiver scent if you like that sort of thing.

[anguissette]

It smelled leathery on me, and I picked up leathery on my friend also - she loves this scent. She claims to not smell leather. After many hours it bloomed into something more complicated and floral, but it really took a long time. I'd rather stick with scents that give me a nice ride at least most of the way through.

[zankoku_zen]

This is dirty, woody patchouli and menthol. I thought it would be boring - but it's not. I like how the menthol curls and wisps around the dirt/wood notes, so that it's a light breath on it.

 

Out of all the RG scents I've tried, this one I most closely associate to protection. It literally screams, I have a purpose and I can save your life, you fool.

 

Scent-wise, it's not a perfume. But if I were wearing protective magicks, I'd totally use this one.

[Methos]

This was the first BPAL scent I ever tried, and it remains one of my absolute favorites...

 

In the bottle, it smells dark, brooding and kind of menacing-- a male mixing poison. On me, it brightens up into herbs and kind of smells like bright, green herbs poking up through the damp, dark forest floor in early spring. I don't know if it's actually in there, but Lemon Verbena sticks out the most. Well... the scent is more like how the living Lemon Verbena plant smells. Or rather, how I precieve it does.

[Lamia]

This is remarkably magnificent for being a single element scent. It starts quite woody and brutal, rather like vetiter, and slowly turns softer, with brushings of myrrh. Trying to puzzle it out (as I lay dozing on the sofa) it's the scent of a spy, someone who knows something that you don't, someone whose secrets could change you.

 

It's powerful and dry and deep and smirking.

 

Yum!

[Iceblink]

Dirt and vetiver blending together earthily, and I love it--but after about an hour this becomes much more herbal. I'd almost swear there was some anise in here? And finally a hint of patchouli. Dark and gritty! Not a keeper but fun to sniff.

[sqwook]

Wet: dry woods

 

Dry: Smokey woods mingled with an underlying soft incense.

 

Comparisons to other scents: Belladonna is the only other Rappaccini's Garden scent I've tried, and the soft herbal incense is very similar, but where Wolfsbane combines it with smokey woods, Belladonna is a green fresh-cut-plant topnote.

[gingiemay]

Wet in imp - A thick, dark woody scent.

 

Wet on skin - A sharp, thick piercing scent like cedar or wooden pencils. This is very masculine.

 

Dry on skin - A faint, dark, woody and rooty scent that is considerably less sharp than after initial application. There is a bit of spice and I think vetiver, but I'm not sure. I don't think I want to smell like spicy roots, so I will put this in the swap pile!