Chaos Theory V: Recursive Self Similarity v4

[Dark Alice]

Snake oil and Celeste. Straight up from wet to dry. I don't how Beth did it but Snake oil and Celeste had an illicit affair on my skin and gave birth to this amazing scent. I will love this bottle forever!!!

[alterosen]

Snake Oil CDXLIII (443): Strawberry Snake Oil - so delicious!

A dark sexy strawberry, not a girly one.

There may be a tiny bit of pepper of some sort as well giving it a hint of heat.

This one is a favorite with the men-folk.

[alterosen]

And another one:

 

Snake Oil (unknown #) bright fresh apples & then slightly spicy Snake Oil - I was hoping for something a bit more apple cider-y but the apples are too crisp or something, not really tart either. I'm not sure what to call it Nice but not for me.

[Ordo_ad_Chao]

CVI

 

How has no one reviewed this yet??

 

wet, it's sweet and sugary, like a light pastry with snake oil and a brushing of something floral- saffron?.

 

On drydown, oh my god. This is like Underpants + Snake Oil.

 

Holy WOW.

[Magycmyste]

This review is for a bottle whose number I can't really make out, but the seller labeled it as C. My guess is XCIV or XLIV (or the last number could be an X), but I think there's a letter before (possibly C? that's just missing - there's just a couple of silver dots in a line. I bought it on the LJ marketplace awhile back. The seller had mentioned that it smelled like salted caramel toffee popcorn, so my test is probably slightly biased.

 

In the bottle: Salty sweet popcorn. There is a distinct popcornness to it, but the sweetness is similar to regular Snake Oil. But I could see it passing for caramel/toffee.

 

Wet on skin: A bit heavier on the sweet Snake Oil at this point - I barely get the salt and butter.

 

Dried down: Oh my Snake Oil, all of a sudden, I want to put you in the bath and bask in this scent. Still heavy on the Snake Oil, but heavy enough on the salt and butter that it complements the sweetness (and makes me want to pull out the bag of toffee popcorn I've got stashed in the pantry)

 

Throw: There's some decent throw to this. I'm good with that.

 

Verdict: ***** You're mine... all mine. I may not know exactly which bottle you were, but I shall love you and wear you and keep you safe in a box....Muahahahaha!!

 

And now, back to your regularly scheduled lives.

 

Edited for spelling and more guesses on the number.

Edited August 20, 2013 by Magycmyste

[jewelbug]

Snake Oil Series CCCLIX

 

This one starts out floral (rose??), and I have trouble picking up the snake oil, at least on me. As it dries, it takes on that pseudo-powdery scent that could either be a musk (black?), or perhaps a black amber. This seems like there was a pretty light hand with the Snake Oil, but maybe I am just amping the other notes. It is very pretty, but I don't see it getting much wear in my rotation.

[Ordo_ad_Chao]

CCCLXIV:

 

In the bottle- Snake Oil and... dusty floral? Unsure if I'm going like this, because florals don't like me as a general rule.

 

Wet- Wet on my skin I don't get any floral at all. It's S.O. amped up, as if the vanilla is doubled with first application

 

Dry- This is not the usual creamy-spicy Snake Oil, although it's clearly in there. It has a dusty, dry sort of vanilla to it, and a faint dusty floral is coming out as well. It's the same dry and dusty sort of note as what I've gotten with all of the lace scents, so I'm going to guess this is snake oil with a linen note and a light floral.

 

30 minutes later: It is maturing more and while the snake oil is clearly present, this wears on me almost exactly as Antique Lace did, with a quiet underpinning of the snake.

 

2 hours later- moderate sillage, and still an antique serpentine lace on me. I was concerned that the light floral note would come out too much but it hasn't morphed further, settling into a comfortable snaky lace.

 

4 hours later- Still consistent, still moderate throw

 

8 hours later- Impressed by how long it lasts and stays true

 

14 hours later- So Snake Lace has astounding staying power! It was quietly classy and the tiniest hint of sensual ALL. DAY. LONG- and then into the night.

 

I would strongly recommend this one to the lace lovers. It is a work of art. I don't feel I actually wear the lace blends well myself, but I can definitely recognize beauty in them when I smell it. And this one has it.

 

Verdict: Snake Lace- classy, understated, and the sensuality of a peep of ankle beneath the antique gown

[Ordo_ad_Chao]

A bottle I was frottled: It has no number on it that I can find.

 

A sweet, soft, girly snake oil. Strawberry snakes, this. It starts all strawberry PINK! and that essence stays but is grounded with S.O. for an unexpectedly lovely blending.

[Ordo_ad_Chao]

The bottle says only 5:

Lemon? pineapple?-melon-apple! definitely apple-strawberry? pomegranate? snakes... This is not snakes in the garden, but snakes on mount olympus, sipping ambrosia. (Shango is what this is reminding me of)

 

How did I get all these bottles without numbers? This one says simply snake oil CT. It's smoke and ash- Brimstone and snake oil.

 

XLVII: that's just yummy. and a bit wild, and feral. This is Satyr and Snake Oil on me. I kind of want to slather this on a delicious guy and devour him.

[brineydeep]

CDXXX

 

This blend is all soapy florals on my skin. I can kind of tell Snake Oil is there but I have to really smell for it.

[doomsday_disco]

CCXIII

 

It looks like this one has been reviewed by sunshinedaisybliss here.

 

In the decant: Aged, vanilla-prominent Snake Oil accompanied by warm peach.

 

Wet: Yep! That's peachy Snake Oil, all right! More Snake Oil than peach, though. I agree that it's a warm, fuzzy peach. It goes really well with the Snake Oil!

 

Dry: It remains a lovely peach-infused Snake Oil!

 

Verdict: I am not usually a huge fan of peach, but peach + Snake Oil is absolutely wonderful! If it were ever to become an official Snake Oil plus scent, I would have to leap for a bottle.

Edited April 20, 2018 by dementia_divine

[apathyandanxiety]

Short reviews of a few CTV blends!

 

1) CCXLIII: This is sort of a powdery berry smoothie type of scent over top of a light snake oil. I've collected several of these blends and this one falls about in the middle as far as likes/loves.

 

2) I had one that had a sort of black musk note that read very masculine, destashed it and now regret it. It had a thick, dark sticky base that some of the others I've RIS just don't have. Best musk I've tried to date and wish I knew what the heck it was.

 

3) My favorite CTV blend is just a really heavy snake oil with a pretty straightforward cinnamon note. It's PERFECT.

 

4) Received a very low partial of this series which smells similar to a light Womb Furie / Snake Skin mix. I actually prefer it over Snake Skin (2017 & 2018) and wish it were available all the time. Think Snake Skin meets honey!

 

5) Finally, I have another that is a very light snake oil, a little heavier than #1 with an aquatic sort of berry note - maybe lychee or lotus or something of that nature. It smells AMAZING wet, but dries so light that I'm torn. I've thought of rehoming it several times but it might just be one to slather until its gone.

Edited May 14, 2018 by apathyandanxiety

[Juliamon]

Got a mystery bottle in a swap, the number is long worn off entirely. Came with the description of "Snake Oil + Smut Lite." Which is amusing to me, as while I haven't tried Smut a lot of the review from the same timeframe say it's similar to Snake Oil.

 

In the bottle: Very little Snake Oil, a whole lot of musk. I'm not an expert on musks yet but I'm pretty sure there's some red in here, possibly brown. Definitely not black or white.

 

Wet: It's just Snake Oil? Weirdly enough it doesn't even smell very aged on me. However, it does smell a bit fuzzier than rubbery, which is probably the musk. The Snake Oil really smothers them though.

 

Dry: The Snake Oil vanishes in an hour, which allows the musks to come back into play. My skin holds on to vanilla so it's a lovely vanilla'd musk with a light throw.

[torischroeder9]

The silver marker is beginning to wear off, but I believe the bottle is DCCXXXIII. Bottle recently acquired from the Lab's Etsy. 

 

In the bottle: Something bright and fruity over Snake Oil. In the same family as Pomegranate Grove: Snake Oil with Australian Copperhead as a kissing cousin. 

 

On my skin:

 

Wet, the fruity smell continues, but it's also joined by something sweet and creamy as well as something slightly astringent. I am hoping the astringent note does not take over because the other notes are 100% gold.

 

As it dries, the fruity note dissipates. The creamy note is quite prominent in the blend's throw. Up close, what I'd initially described as astringent is now clearly grassy vetiver. Snake Oil is present in the background. 

 

Given some time to develop, the vetiver settles back but doesn't fade completely, so that the creamy note -- which might be additional vanilla or even something like mallow root -- remains as a major player. 

 

Once it has time to really bloom on my skin, the Snake Oil is much more prominent, blending seamlessly with the creamy note. While the vetiver is detectable: 1) it's the grassy type of vetiver, not the smoky kind; 2) it is not The Vetiver Show. The result is a Snake Oil that's a little less spicy, a little sweeter, and a little fresher and greener. It is very much a "Snake Oil blend" rather than a blend that happens to contain Snake Oil. The effect is very much the same on my skin, though as this is a little greener and a little fresher, I'd call this a somewhat more "work appropriate" Snake Oil. (Though I totally wear regular Snake Oil to work all the time.) 

 

Also, bottle DCCXXXV. Also recently purchased from the Lab's Etsy. 

 

In the bottle: A soft resin (maybe amber), a light floral, maybe white musk. 

 

On my skin:

 

Wet, it's much different than in the bottle. Snake Oil's patchouli comes immediately to the forefront. Notes that might be light floral and/or white musk are detectable as well. As it dries, it's mainly a resinous smell. My skin is also tingly, which tells me there's an irritant note in here. (Unfortunately, with my skin, that doesn't narrow it down all that much: balsam, cardamom, cassia, cinnamon, clove, cedar, lily...) I'm also getting hints of both floral and spice, and at this point, I can't tell if the spice is only Snake Oil spiciness or if it's in addition to it. There's a lot going on in this Chaos blend. 

 

Given more time to develop on my skin, the Snake Oil -- possibly extra spicy Snake Oil -- scent becomes much stronger in the perfume's throw. Close to the skin, the light, sweet note that is either floral and/or white musk remains, but it's only really noticeable up close. 

 

Given even more time -- this one's complex and a morpher on me -- the floral/white musk note dissipates, and I'm left with Snake Oil plus extra light resin, possibly amber. (Amber is also a note that characteristically takes a while to develop on my skin. In earlier stages, it's often overwhelmed by other notes, only to overwhelm those other notes later on.) 

 

Ultimately, I end up with an amber-infused Snake Oil, which is like a lovely, smoother version of Snake Oil without changing its fundamental Snake Oiliness. It's kind of a strange ride to get there, but it's not unpleasant. And the final result is quite nice. 

Edited June 23, 2019 by torischroeder9

[alterosen]

Snake Oil  DCCXLI (recent purchase from ETSY)

 

A bit citrusy in the bottle (blood orange maybe?) but that doesn't last long once on the skin. As it dries, I get a chocolatey note along with the Snake Oil & a smidge more vanilla, yet it's not totally foody. I tested it alongside Boomslang but they are quite different. This isn't nearly as dark a chocolate nor as sweet. I also get a tiny bit of red musk that isn't present in Boomslang & possibly a hint of wood.

Edited September 27, 2020 by alterosen

[torischroeder9]

Snake Oil DCCXCLI -- At least, that is what it says on the cap label. The bottle label is a bit smudged. 

 

Received in Welcome Spring Swap. 

 

In the bottle: Aged Snake Oil. Like straight up, aged Snake Oil. You could convince me that there's a whisper of something airy in there -- amber or maybe frankincense or maybe even a whiff of orange blossom -- but you could also convince me that this is entirely made up in my head because I believe there has to be notes other than Snake Oil in here. 

 

On my skin:

 

Wet, there's a whiff of cola note (actual kola? labdanum? my imagination?) that disappears fast as it dries down. It's replaced by Snake Oil plus... leather? The more I sniff, the more I'm convinced I'm right. It's a dry, soft, worn leather that acts as a base but doesn't overpower. It's a lot more like what I get from Western Diamondback (minus sage) than what I get from Snake Skin. In character, it's a little more comfortably sensual than overtly sexy, which I don't mind at all.   

 

I don't swear this is my favorite Snake Oil blend ever -- which, I've tried and loved a lot -- but I do think it's my favorite Chaos bottle ever.  

 

[torischroeder9]

Now Snake Oil LCXXIII. Decant received as a frimp in a swap. 

 

In the decant: Snake Oil plus something smooth and a little spicy and a little airy and a little fuity and a lot sexy. You could convince me of vanilla, cardamom, amber, and currant or pomegranate. 

 

On my skin:

 

Wet, there's a lot more pom or currant-forward. It's not unlike the early stages of Australian Copperhead on me. As it dries, something slightly oud-y creeps out. 

 

The oud fades out after about an hour (from initial application, not from initial oud appearance), and then I'm back to something that's reminiscent of Australian Copperhead and Pomegranate Grove Snake Oil, with Snake Oil plus a tart red berry. Given that I am trying hard to hoard my PGSO and failing utterly, I will definitely be making use of this decant! 

[forspecial_plate]

The number is partially rubbed off the bottle, but I think it came that way.  It looks like CXX_ _ or something.  Lab etsy purchase I forgot I had.

 

This starts out with a blast of pumpkin I think, it totally reminds me of a pumpkin patch scent.  The pumpkin retreats pretty fast though and what comes out is soooo familiar but I can't quite identify it.  Is it tobacco?  Soft spices?  Light wood?  Patchouli?  I just can't tell, but it's very much a Halloweenie type of scent and I'm crazy about it.  There is not much Snake Oil coming out (it definitely has "Snake Oil Series" on the label).  The closest comparison I can think of is Hellhound On My Trail but that's not quite it.  I must not have liked this when I first got it, I think I put it away for aging and forgot about it.  

 

Edit: I wore this today and my other Snake Oil Chaos Theory on the other side, and I realized this one has woodsmoke in it, a light touch but it stands out in comparison with the other one.  Snake Oil, pumpkin, and a little woodsmoke. 

Edited August 2, 2023 by forspecial_plate

[bulletslc]

My bottle was a frottle, and the number was completely rubbed off. 

This is Snake Oil and a VERY strong rose. Not a shy, pink or wild rose. This is a full bloom red rose. I actually added a bit more Snake Oil just to calm it down a bit. 

Very pretty, but very strong.

[LavenderCoffee]

Recently acquired from Etsy. Bottle number appears to be DLX (560), good ol' silver marker on black label did its best.

 

In the bottle and freshly applied, I'm getting a big hit of what smells like balsam. Oil is a vivid dark yellow. SO is way off in the distant background at the start, but starts to slither forward in the first ten minutes, and the blend becomes more balanced. I struggle with balsam sometimes but this is real nice. 

[forspecial_plate]

Looks like CCDI but it's hard to make out.  

 

This is light and clean, and I finally figured out, I think there's a light black tea note in it.  I can smell the vanilla part of Snake Oil but not the earthy/musky part, plus black tea.  The reason I think there is black tea is because it reminds me a little bit of anise but not exactly anise.  

 

So - to me this is stripped down Snake Oil plus light black tea, there may be more but that's what I smell.  Good thing I like it because this is the fullest 5ml bottle I've ever received from the lab, it's literally almost up to the top!