Hellhound on My Trail

[jade_starlight]

Bay rum, bourbon vanilla, galangal, hyssop, High John the Conqueror root, tobacco, life everlasting, and brimstone.

This is absolutely amazing. I don't get any bay rum at all (which is a good thing *g*), just something smoky, woodsy and spicy. It smells almost as if you've been running through the dark woods and you've just collapsed exhausted in a clearing when you see a glowing-eyed hellhound come stalking out of the fog and smoke. It is fabulous, and I love it. *g*

[Hawke]

This is very herby and masculine in the imp, but masculine often works on me. And yes, there's "stuff" in mine too. Weird.

 

Wet on the skin, this is smoke and spice and something gingery. For all that, it's cool around the edges, rather than being warm or even hot to smell. It's a little gritty, but I'm liking it so far. Which is good, because I bought two bottles and it'd be a shame not to like it.

 

Dry, this is a soft ginger-vanilla. It would probably smell fantastic on the right guy. Mine, sadly, has a busted sniffer so he doesn't wear scents at all. I don't think this is my holy grail scent, but I'll certainly keep what I've got and hope it ages well.

[Lamia]

This is damn nice.

 

Very masculine, with vanilla, rum and tobacco, but it is, regretfully, a quick fade.

 

On the plus side, I had a bad experience with rum once (whistles innocently) but the rum in this scent doesn't trigger any, ah, bad memories.

[young_devilry]

First time I tried this, I got only brimstone and tobacco. This review is after sitting for a month.

 

Wet; this is sweet bay rum and vanilla. Not foody, but very delicious nonetheless.

 

Dry; here comes the smoke and spice. The brimstone tempers the sweetness, but doesn't overpower it like it did brand new. Very earthy, with herbs coming through and while it doesn't scream manly, this is the most masculine blend I've ever personally purchased.

 

Not an everyday scent, but one I definitely will keep and wear when I want to tap into that slightly dark, masculine temperment, when I have that come-and-get it attitude going on.

[jewelbug]

Bottle: I find that this oil separates a lot, so I needs a good mixing everytime I use it. Light, slightly spiced vanilla with a piney overtone.

 

Wet: Smooth vanilla, bayrum, and something like a sharp herbal. Quite oddly, this reminds me of my grandmothers art studio—the woods, paints, solvents and air freshener. The herbal note(s) have a camphorous, almost minty eucalyptus quality to them.

 

Dry: Herbal, cool, woody scent, with hints of dark vanilla and a camphorous what-I-now-think-to-be-clove-note. Its quite masculine to me, and something I think my hubby might like. The late dry down (several hours later) is a masculine vanilla clove.

 

Hubby: Unremarkable and fades pretty quickly. Too bad it doesn't smell on him like it did on me.

 

Overall: With all the hype around this particular scent, I’m kinda glad that its not an OMG, must have more now blend for me. It is very nice,and I think it’d be especially nice on the right guy, but it didn’t give me grabby hands. I think I’ll tuck it in my box to age for a while and see what happens.

[Little Bird]

I was afraid of the tobacco and brimstone listed in Hellhound, but I still bought a bottle for the bourbon vanilla, and I'm really glad that I did. This doesn't smell anything like I expected it to, but it's still good. I don't smell anything that jumps out at me as being tobacco or brimstone, which I'm happy about.

 

In the bottle, this smells very cologne-like. It's masculine and has a spicy, herbal quality from the bay rum, backed up by a slightly sweet, musky vanilla.

 

On my skin, I can't pick out any bay rum and this isn't musky at all. This is a hot, herbal, earthy sort of scent with a shot of a not-really-sweet sort of vanilla. Earthy vanilla. I keep thinking that it smells primarily of an herbal, slightly medicinal, slightly powdery lavender on my skin (which may be the life everlasting). Herbal lavender and earthy vanilla, with a heat and grittiness to it that I actually find very appealing.

 

My only complaint with this one is that it fades really fast on me. It only lasts about an hour and doesn't have much throw, but it's really wonderful on my skin while it lasts. My boy really likes it on me too.

 

I probably won't need a second bottle of this, but I'm verrrry glad that I have one bottle, at least

[LupaWulf]

Total deliciousness... I had to wait to review for a stubborn cold to go away, and it's totally worth it.

I get an orange/citrus like bit, but not fresh from the grove- oh no. It's a spiced orange like the kind of old fashioned decorations around Christmas time with a slight touch of more spicy rum. On the other hand it also smells like spiced rum mixed with mulling spices.

 

Either way entire deliciousness!

[Saya]

In the Bottle

It smells spicy and masculine. I’m getting the bay rum, tobacco, brimstone and just a tiny hint of vanilla. I’m worried this might end up being too masculine for me.

 

On My Skin

The bay rum note is taking center stage with a spicy tobacco rounding things off. It’s smells almost like an expensive aftershave with a sharp note right at the end of the scent.

 

After a Bit

The vanilla has started to come out a bit and make this less of a masculine scent. It’s still spicy and has a lot of rum, tobacco and brimstone, but I could see a woman wearing this blend.

 

Rating 1-5 (5 being the best)

Scent – 3.5 Throw – 3 Longevity – 3

Over all – 3.3

 

Final Thoughts

I like it but don’t love it. I think aging will work wonders on it, so I’ll keep it and try it again in a couple of months.

[zankoku_zen]

I really get the bay rum and tobacco on the drydown. On wet, it was a very faint, vaguely sweet sort of resinous blend. Now the brimstome and tobacco have come out, and there's a hint of vanilla.

 

I was wondering what all the fuss was about, and I have to say this isn't me. Ah well, I'm sure someone else will love it more.

[themerrybaker]

Hell, Hound - fetch mama them dry root doctor roots.

This is very woody and herbal without much throw. I'd put this in the "seriously witchy" category along with Vipralabda and Queen. I will definitely keep the bottle for those "don't mess with me anymore" days.

And thank you Lab that this does not smell like brimstone toasted wet dog.

[milo]

On wet, I was a little worried that this was too masculine for me. The rum was just overpowering, and a woody note was just making it a little too "guy like" for me. This didn't last long, however, and a most wonderful smoky vanilla came bursting out, while the woodiness took more of a background. Most of these notes are unfamiliar to me, but it is definitely total deliciousness, quite reminiscent of one of my faves, Glowing Vulva, with a little bit of rum and spice thrown in. So glad I have a bottle, wish I had two!

eta: Forgot to mention that this will probably only get better with age.

Edited November 5, 2008 by milo

[strangemodegirl]

Dean Winchester? This is your scent!

 

I didn't expect to like this on me, and swapped for it purely because of the Supernatural connection. Damn, am I glad I did. I love it- if I can't have Dean Winchester, then I can at least smell of him.

 

This is what I was thinking! Except for the part that I was thinking it would work great on me...

 

So, when I first got it I was a little disappointed. It seemed really sharp and floral. Of course, that was on the day I got it. I put it in my box and let it sit. A few weeks later and HOLY MOLY! This scent has shot to one of my top tens, if not top five scents.

I get all the gorgeous smoky, boozy vanilla.

The combo of tobacco and bourbon vanilla is always a winner on me.

I am seriously kicking myself hard for not getting more than one bottle of this. I have a feeling I will be hunting this hellound for a while.

[MisterShrapnel]

Short version: Awesome.

Elaborated:

Wet, it has a bit of a gingerbread-y bite to it, which is unexpected but not unpleasant by any means...

Then it smooths out to be, a wonderfully smooth vanilla, masculine, earthy and smoky, a little spicy and a touch herbal, and...

Oddly I was expecting it to be more sinister or heavy--I kept looking nervously at the "brimstone" bit (though that kind of scent wouldn't really fit the concept) but the smoothness of the vanilla makes this so... wearable.

I keep thinking of a nice white shirt, kind of clean and proper, manly in that sort of respectable way... and the person wearing it is a really handsome guy. It's a warm day, and you can see a slight sheen of sweat on his freshly-showered skin. Er. I don't know if that impression is wrong or something but... gah. It's still a lovely smooth non-"foofy" vanilla (in the way that a starched white shirt isn't the same as a lady's blouse), but you can't hide that it's inherently sexy because of that special smokiness/spiciness/earthiness(/manlinesssss).

Sigh. Someday, I will write worthwhile reviews.

This is so nice.

It's got a rather gentle throw, though. I wonder what the "life everlasting" is?

[PurringPulsar]

Hellhound on my Trail

 

In the imp: rich vanilla with a gritty ‘voodoo’ base, herbal and dark.

Wet on skin: bourbon vanilla and something almost boozy, like absinthe. And some bay rum too.

Dry on skin: now I can smell the HJ root. It reminds me somewhat of the voodoo scent, High John, but it doesn’t have too much of a chemical/antiseptic undertone like what I got in HJ. There is a very medicinal scent to the whole fragrance though, like a cupboard full of mysterious healing herbs. I also smell the bay rum and all sorts of unknown, unusual herbal notes. I get whiffs of brimstone too…and this does, indeed, have a hint of something (not unpleasantly) sulphurous to it. subtle, but I can pick it out. There’s a metallic, almost dragon’s blood or absinthe like cool-woody-resinous scent, which I think is the HJ. The tobacco is very quiet, and now even the vanilla takes a back seat.

After a while: oh, that’s changed a bit, and it’s changed for the better! Now the vanilla makes a comeback, and it’s absolutely gorgeous. And it’s joined by the tobacco, and the scent is now very similar to Antikythera Mechanism, which I adore. The tobacco-vanilla combo is very similar to that, and it’s almost like there’s a hint of teak or patchouli here as well. I still smell the herbs, the HJ root and the bay rum, and the BR in this scent doesn’t overwhelm and make this smell too aftershave-y or soapy as it usually does.

The scent does seem to veer into slightly soapy or medicinal territory. Something about the HJ or bay rum in here smells a bit clinical, like some kind of sterilising product, alcoholic almost, but in a clean way. it does smell soapy but not too chemical or bitter like the HJ notes sometimes go. Bay rum does have a habit of going a tiny bit weird on me. the only thing that’s constant is that incredible vanilla. However, after a few hours, something in here turns into Morocco on me! maybe the musk? But I kept saying ‘why am I smelling Morocco here?’ but that is a good thing because I love Morocco, and this is a vanilla-heavy version of that scent…fringed with those mysterious roots and herbs.

Verdict: this is a voodoo version of Antikythera to me. the same combo of wonderful vanilla and tobacco from AM, but with a mysterious base of intriguing herbs and smoke and a dash of bay rum. I adore the vanilla in here-gorgeous rich Bourbon vanilla-but I’m not so keen on those strange herbs and roots in here. I think it’s the High John and possibly the brimstone, and definitely the bay rum, that make this smell odd on me. it smells medicinal-at first this is a pleasant kind of medicinal (as in, herbal) smell but then it goes all chemical and the HJ starts to have the same kind of reaction as dragon’s blood on me whilst the bay rum smells like a soapy men’s cologne. The only thing I love about this scent is the drydown, which is pure Morocco on me. but apart from that, I’m not sure about this scent. I’ll keep my decant, just to see if age brings out more of the vanilla.

Emoticon rating:

Is it a keeper? Not sure.

If you like this, try: Antikythera Mechanism, Tombstone, Morocco, Oblivion, High John

[savage_rose]

At first this smells kind of plasticky on me (no!), but then that goes away and it's just an herbal, masculine scent with a sweetness to it (bourbon vanilla) and a hint of tobacco. It's nice, but I'm not sure it's me.

[TrailerTrashPrincess]

i love Bay Rum, but the Lab's bay rum never works on me ... and sometimes bourbon vanilla turns coconutty which is just repulsive.

sniffed from the decant, or from my bottle, this is almost like vetiver. or cigarette ashes. something biting, jarring and altogether unpleasant.

on skin, after about half an hour, this has become something somewhere between burning rubber and a bad nursing home. i can't go wash this off fast enough.

 

if my decant (from someone else) and my bottle (purchased directly from the Lab) didn't smell exactly the same, i'd wonder if i hadn't gotten something totally different from everyone else, because apparently i'm the only person who finds this utterly revolting.

[Lyrical]

In the vial: quite strong and sharp but nice. Rum, vanilla, herbs.

 

Wet on skin: sweet yet masculine. Within seconds of hitting my skin a strong, herbal note emerges. I also get something bitter and smoky - tobacco and brimstone? I can see why this is sought after, but I don't think it's for me. *waits for drydown*

 

Dry on skin: ugh - this really doesn't work on me. The rum and vanilla have vanished, leaving bitter smoke and herbs. Not much throw.

[crebbsgirl]

Wet, the bay rum and hyssop and predominant on my skin but as this dries - whoo boy! - this is wonderful. It gets smoky sweet, as the bourbon vanilla and brimstone come out a little more. The tobacco note in this is present, but it doesn't dominate the blend at all, it's more of a supporting player here. The bay rum blends in seamlessly with the other notes. I've had problems with bay rum overtaking other elements in a blend before, and it doesn't happen here. I was worried this was going to be overly masculine for me but I shouldn't have been concerned. I really like this!

[kjirstiben]

Hellhound goes on all about the brimstone, but as it dries down a sweetness emerges and combines (playing nicely) with the brimstone.

 

Over time, it turns soft--vanilla but not foody--and in the course of a few hours turns into a hint of lingering boozy vanillaedness…

 

And then, around the 4 hour mark, it disappears completely!

 

I like this scent, which I got on a bit of a whim, though I do wish it would stick around longer. The sharpness of the brimstone with the sweet vanilla is a really interesting and fun combination! I may experiment to see if lockets or hair application would keep the scent around longer.

 

Recaplet: Sharp, otherworldly, and sweet--vanishes with a puff of vanilla smoke.

My rating: 4 of 5 (I really like this!)

Color impression: Gray like smoke and gunpowder.

[Pendragon]

Uh, this is hot! *sniff sniff* mmmm yumm. This is a beautiful sexy masculine blend, but also equally as nice worn as a female as it has a soft vanilla undertone holding the scent together. There is a clove edge to this that reminds me a bit of Count Dracula

 

I want to give it to my fiance to wear, but I don't want to give up the bottle, it's so delicious! I might keep it in my collection and 'let' him wear it every now and then

[Kimocean]

Oh this is good on me. Hot, heavy sex good. Rip your clothes off and get down to business good. I turned down getting a bottle of this at the will-call it was available at because I thought it was too masculine and I've kicked myself ever since. I finally got a decant and yes, it's got a masculine edge to it, but I just don't care. I want to bathe in this. I want to make everything in my bedroom smell like this. I want to put it in some massage oil and give my lover a back-rub with this. There aren't many of Beth's vanilla scents that I can wear because I can't wear anything with amber or red musk in it without smelling like I haven't showered in weeks. This smells how I wish Snake Oil would stay on me. Sexxxxy!

 

[Ajila]

In the bottle – I don’t really smell anything just a hint of vanilla

 

Wet on me – The first hit is warm spices then it becomes a soapy, herby sort of scent with the vanilla behind it

 

Dry on me – It dries to a pretty straight up vanilla

 

Overall – I do like the vanilla, but I think it could do with something else

 

[hellomoonglow]

I originally didn't buy this because of the 2 alcohol notes but I found a bottle somewhere (ebay maybe?). So I thought, oh what the heck, I'll try it. And it's good stuff! Strong and spicy with a hint of Snake Oil. Lasted overnight on my skin - which is always a plus.

[Prism]

Wet - I get spice, serious spice. It's probably the only fire/brimstone scent I've tried that does'nt go powdery on me. I notice citrus here that's pleasant. There's a richness underlying to it that's a little herby/woodsy, but I dont get sweetness or vanilla at all. I didn't read the notes beforehand and would NEVER have guessed what's in it.

 

Dry - Oh my god I'm so happy I bought a bottle of this when I saw it go up for a reasonable price without waffling about it. It's rum & vanilla. with a hint of the earlier spice and a hint of I want to say florals. Maybe the Life Everlasting as it's related to the daisy family? I dont know. But either way. it's wonderful.

 

I enjoy both the wet and dry version of this but I've found I adore variants on vanilla (I hated almost all vanilla scents before BPAL, now i'm in love. Go fig)

[Gwydion]

In Bottle: The bay rum vanilla combo is lovely. The herbal elements work well and add interest. I’m not having the trouble I usually do with high john the conqueror, which is a pleasant surprise. The whole thing is lighter than I expected, but still androgynously sexy. Wet: yum. The rum/bourbon vanilla is really working well with the other elements, while still staying dominant. I’m now really sorry I didn’t buy this.new. It’s a more viscously herbal cousin to Mad Sweeny. Dry: Fades fast, innofensive vanilla mostly.