Rakshasa

[Teamama]

This haunting, exotic scent is named in honor of the shapeshifting demons from Hindu mythology. Sandalwood with rose and patchouli.

 

Almost colorless oil. Wet, I almost think I smell almonds and oranges, but I'm pretty sure that's patchouli being a trickster. Cinnamon seems to have a small walk on part in Rakshasa, but no lines. By the time it dries, Rose & Sandal are the stars, and they're very sweet. Spicy patchouli warms them up, and keeps things from getting too sedate or powdery. I'm glad I got a bottle.

[Kay Torres]

Patch has been hurting my feelings lately with how offensive it's become to my nose...

 

In the imp this smells beautiful; all woody, spicy rose.

 

Wet: Sandalwood and patchouli. A very strong sandalwood and patchouli.

 

Dry: The sandalwood is gone and I'm left with just patchouli in all its nauseating, headache inspiring glory. I got absolutely no rose from this whatsoever. I tried scrubbing it off with rubbing alcohol and it just ended up spreading the patch smell. Tried hand sanitizer, Cetaphil, lemon Ajax, Dove, Shea butter, kojic acid and in a fit of desperation, I even tried putting Vicks under my nose. It doesn't go away. So, plus one point for being long lasting, I guess. Otherwise, this scent is my worst nightmare.

Edited July 18, 2016 by SunsetKay

[roseus]

This is a very dry and unsweet sandalwood to me. Very woody. I get rose and patchouli behind it, but it's mostly sandalwood. This is really pretty, there is something about it that is just so natural. It feels like something I would wear to the beach.

[lizabelle]

GUH. This is a gorgeous sandalwood, similar to Palmyra's but less resinous and more spicy. There's definitely something fruity in here, although I don't think it's the rose; that's showing up as a soft powdery note on me. Maybe it's just that the sandalwood is so intense that it reads as fruity. I feel like I'm standing in a wooden room (ship's hold?) and I'm sitting on a box of spices, or something. As it starts to dry down there's more rose. It's definitely not a red rose; probably closer to pink or yellow. It's very gentle and soft and continues to be a supporting note to the sandalwood.

 

I can only imagine how gorgeous this will be as it ages. I absolutely must get a bottle.

 

ETA: I spoke too soon! Mere minutes after posting this the rose amped quite a bit. It's now a sweet, spicy pink rose with a rich wood base. Still absolutely gorgeous, but a surprise morpher. I love it in all its stages and may have to hoard it!

Edited January 13, 2017 by lizabelle

[joopjoop]

Wet. Wow that's a lot of patchouli. So very much patchouli. With some sandalwood in the mix too. A few minutes after application the rose emerges and it is really nice, but my hot take is that this is a patchouli scent for patchouli lovers. Did I mention there was patchouli?

 

If you like patchouli and rose, this is the scent for you. It is really well done, but it is a bit much for me. It reminds me of less complex Taurus (minus the jasmine) and while I do like to wear this kind of scent sometimes, I already have a bottle of Taurus that will scratch that itch just fine.

[gloame]

Ooooh. This reminds me of something. Like... I don't want to say "This reminds me of Goo-Gone" because I don't want to come off like it smells like a cleaning product, but... it reminds me of Goo-Gone. In the best way. I know there are no citrus notes listed, but I swear I sniff some. I love the rose here. The patchouli is really rounding it out well. What a unique blend! So glad I got to try it! I think I want a bottle. (And after 10 minutes, the Goo-Gone vibe is totally gone, no worries!)

 

Where I'd wear this: To the botanical gardens

[achildoftime]

Very warm patchouli and sandalwood with a touch of rose. It reminds me of the hippy shops with all the fresh incense and oils. The incense doesn't feel too overwhelming, but the rose is getting stronger. In fact, after 30 minutes of wear I almost exclusively get a slightly powdery rose. I'm a little sad because it was a beautiful sandalwood, it was nice an warm but the rose just took over. Boo.

[Lucchesa]

Rakshasa is mostly bright rose and sandalwood on me; the patch stays in the background. Like Teamama and gloame, I get a citrusy feel when it's wet, and this is one of those roses that keeps threatening to turn sour on me but doesn't quite. It's funny, gloame would wear this to the botanical gardens; I just came home from the botanical gardens. And Trader Joe's. So I guess I'd wear this to the botanical gardens and Trader Joe's. It's a very pleasant daytime scent but doesn't knock my socks off.

[DryFrogPills]

In the imp: Sandalwood and roses and... Christmas? I have no idea why this particular combination makes me think Christmas, but it does.

 

Worn: On me, sandalwood is strongest, with patchouli and rose supporting it. It still smells like Christmas. That said, my skin tends to amp up sandalwood, although only part of the time, so it's unpredictable.

 

Long term: As I wear it, the rose gets stronger and grows more even with the sandalwood while the patchouli hangs back behind. At this point, it stops feeling too strongly like Christmas. It's smooth and pleasant. After another hour or two, the rose wisps away, leaving the sandalwood and patchouli, and the patchouli becomes the dominant note, but it's still a very smooth mix. Long term, the sandalwood gains a slightly musty-sharp unpleasant edge, which is something it does on me at erratic intervals, but I'd consider it a very pleasing scent overall.

[doomsday_disco]

In the imp: I swear this smells like oranges, with some spice, sandalwood, rose, and patchouli behind the unexpected orange.

 

Wet: Yes, there is an unlisted orange note here as well as some spices. Then, I get the rose and sandalwood, and lastly, the patchouli.

 

Dry: It stays that way for a while, with the citrus calming down over time until it almost disappears. The rose, spices, sandalwood, and patchouli are mainly what I get from this now, with the soft, red rose being quite prominent at first, and the patchouli and sandalwood gaining strength after a few hours.

 

Verdict: I really enjoyed the wet phase of the scent with the unexpected orange! I just wish it had decided to stick around, as I don’t enjoy the dry phase nearly as much. I am glad I got to try it and don’t think I need more of this, but I think I will hang on to the imp and try it in a wax warmer to see if I get that initial scent wafting through my livingroom.

[Vefenna]

I don't like rose very much, but Rakshasa proves that it can work for me.

From the imp it's a pleasant "roses and wood" scent.
Wet on the skin most prominent note is the rose. When drying down patchouli and sandalwood makes it woody and spicy, keeping (rose) from being too fresh. After couple of hours the rose note is still there but nicely tempered.

 

For me this is simple and enjoyable scent.

[monocainsheresy]

This is not going the way I expected... definitely rose and patch and sandalwood, but presenting not at all how they've done on me before. 

 

Woody hard candies of a nondescript flavor. 

[ziggystardust13]

I was gifted an imp of this in a swap and I've reached for it so often since! I've been craving a good rose and Rakshasa does not disappoint.

 

I do get a hint of citrus in the opening, but Rakshasa quickly settles into a primarily rose+sandalwood scent.  I don't get much patchouli but I know its grounding things out. This scent gives all the rose incensey vibes I love. If you like spellbound, I recommend giving Rakshasa a go.

Edited July 14, 2020 by ziggystardust13

[mymymai]

It's earthy from the patchouli, but almost subtly candy-like from the rose and sandalwood. It's really a gorgeous scent.  I'd much rather take this over RPD for the #tournamentofunderdogs #underdogs.

[Zorra]

I watched the Tournement of Underdogs before I retried this scent. I knew I had an imp, and today I put it on, remembering it being described as a patchouli scent. So when it warmed on my skin I went 'What? What is this? This shouldn't be there?" I first thought I was smelling some herbal lemon like lemon verbena, but then the patchouli took the scene and I forgot about the strange note. Much later I reapplied a little because I was curious about the odd note, and I also looked at the notes in the description. And suddenly it all fell into place: I once bought rose essential oil that smelled like a beautiful rose from the bottle, but when I put it on my skin I smelled geranium. I think it was in fact attar of rose, a little rose oil in geranium oil. I think that in Rakshasa either the rose is in fact attar of rose, or the scent has a geranium note that is not mentioned. And I wonder why what I smell is so different from what most people smell. ETA: Perhaps I should add that I do smell a rose note as well as a sandalwood note, they are just not very strong.

Edited September 1, 2020 by Zorra

[Dancing Raven]

It starts out quite interesting. 

Wet: Cherry cordials. I definitely get both chocolate and tart cherry, which is odd because neither is a listed note. I do know that patchouli sometimes goes chocolate on my skin, particularly the aged type, and some roses have fruity overtones. I'm guessing that's what's happening here. A little more of the actual rose is peeking through after a few minutes. 

Drydown: Rose and sandalwood. For about ten minutes it's almost "fizzy". 

This stays a distinct rose otto and dry, woody (not sweet or powdery) sandalwood. Patchouli isn't really present. I adore roses, but this scent is so "two note", that it isn't really worth seeking out because I have so many rose perfumes from BPAL that are far more beautiful. 

[Teamama]

On 2/10/2016 at 10:45 PM, Teamama said:

Almost colorless oil. Wet, I almost think I smell almonds and oranges, but I'm pretty sure that's patchouli being a trickster. Cinnamon seems to have a small walk on part in Rakshasa, but no lines. By the time it dries, Rose & Sandal are the stars, and they're very sweet. Spicy patchouli warms them up, and keeps things from getting too sedate or powdery. I'm glad I got a bottle.

 

New review for my 2nd bottle.

Wet, Rakshasa comes on very strong.  Rose & Patchouli dominate, with a hint of citrus & spice.

Once it dries, the Sandalwood, emerges. Rose & Patch are smoothly blended, with dry patchouli as the main note. The throw stays close to the skin. It's lightly spicy, & a little sweet.  I really love putting Rakshasa in my hair, & in a scent locket. 

Edited January 2, 2022 by Teamama
Spelling

[silverbottle]

Just got an imp of this recently. Honestly, it smells mostly like orange with spices to me. I'm not picking up anything at all I can identify as patchouli, which is disappointing. The best I can smell of what I'm assuming is the rose note is something that seems to make the orange scent go soft and powdery as it rises, to the edge of floral, but doesn't really rise to being recognizable for itself; no part of this actually smells like rose to me. There might be some sandalwood intermingled in the spices. It doesn't come off as incense-y to me.
 

It reminds me a little bit of a drink I used to have that was made with orange Tang, instant tea, and various spices. Powdery orange with spices. It's possible that I'm just overly sensitive to citrus scents and the like (they always smell strong to me, often too strong), so that this orange aspect is just overwhelming and covering up the other aspects of the scent for me personally.

It is pleasant overall (a nice summer scent, I think), but not what I was expecting from the description.

[torischroeder9]

In the imp: I smell rose more than anything, with something to ground it that could be patch or sandalwood.

 

On my skin:

 

Wet, it's all rose, as most rose scents are on me. As it dries, I can pick out the sandalwood and patch that are backing the rose. They give the floral note some heft. 

 

It's a nice rose, but so much that has rose is too rose on me, and this is no exception. 

[melandie]

I keep up hope that I'll find a rose scent that will work on me, but Rakshasa is NOT that scent. As always, I amp rose to high heaven, I don't get any patch or sandalwood, and basically I smell like those decorative soaps you see in someone's bathroom that are for display but you never actually use. 

[skyturtles]

For fans of both sandalwood and rose, this would be a lovely scent. I myself am not a huge fan of either - sandalwood makes me feel dehydrated or something, and I think rose is best when paired with something fruity or sweet to contrast its own dryness. There is something mystical about this scent. I'm not very familiar with Indian notes in perfume so I cannot share anything in that arena. I don't think I'll be keeping this imp of unknown age, as I'm sure there are folks out there that would enjoy it more than I!