The Malignant Dreams of Cthulhu in Love

[reynardine]

An amorphous mix of oppressive, piceous ritual incense, macerated kelp, sea salt, sticky dark ocean plants, and… mixed chocolates.

In decant: a whiff of light chocolate

Wet: Chocolate and incense

Drydown: The chocolate is very light. Getting some incense and salt.

Later: Morphed. Now getting mainly salty aquatic with a hint of chocolate. I need to test this again before deciding whether to get a bottle. It faded very fast.

EDIT: Added description since top of page.

[musichappens]

The minute it hit my skin all I could smell was mint, salty chocolate. As it begins to dry down, the incense seems to start peaking out quite a bit. Usually predominately chocolate blends (Spooky ) turn to burnt plastic on my skin, but not with this blend ... thank goodness! I think the incense and sea salt really help to keep this from turning on me. I don't wear chocolate scents too often, so I'm happy with my decant.

[beachbabealways]

I love chocolate and aquatics BUT this is not working for me at all. How very sad!

Thanks to Cheshirecat for sending me a frimp to try.

[sunshinedaisybliss]

What a quirky and bizarre little blend this is! I really had very little interest in trying this one - I figured it would be too seaweed-y so I wasn't even slightly tempted. But then the lovely nrl1978 offered to send me some to try, so I thought ah yeah - let's give it a shot.

 

Well, colour me tentacled! There is an underlying ocean bed flavour to this - not fresh sea water like an aquatic.. more the smell that you find on a fishing boat that's been in dry dock for a while - that mix of dried seaweed and salt and general bottom of the sea type muck. As nasty as that sounds, it's actually quite a sweet and exotic smell if you like that sort of thing. In the middle layer, there's a deep dark incense with a smoky hue - this blends beautifully with the dark smells of the ocean and creates a very exotic mix.. 'malignant' is a good word for it, because it does seem somehow alive and bottom-of-the-ocean kinda mysterious. Then, dancing around on top, is the chocolate - it's not a HEY chocolate thing at all, just a hint, but it's certainly there.

 

It is weird, I agree with others on that one. But weird is good, right? This is certainly a scent unlike any other BPAL I've ever tried, and truly worth a try for the curious

 

Edited to update: I ended up buying a bottle, and wore it yesterday. Err... ick. I had to wash it off, it was making me feel kinda sick. The oil I had in my decant was nice but what's in this bottle is *strong* - just way too much. Sorry Cthulhu.. you're going off to swapsville

Edited March 21, 2010 by sunshinedaisybliss

[Little Bird]

I love the chocolate in this. It's a dark, warm, fudgey chocolate that smells like brownies on me. I can also smell the salt and aquatics (and the aquatic goes soapy on me, as usual).

 

Cthulhu in Love smells like brownies sitting on top of a pile of soapy dryer sheets, sprinkled in salt. I kind of like it, but I think that I'm really only liking the chocolate note. I don't think that I care for having soap in my chocolates, lol.

 

I'll keep my decant of this, but I don't need a full bottle. There are better chocolate scents out there, though I can say that this is the only chocolate scent that I own that also goes soapy on me.

[zankoku_zen]

Oh, Cthulu. You are an odd one indeed. On wet, it smells like dark planty cocoa... and dries to plastic graham cookie chocolate water.

 

...

 

Yeah. Just... odd.

[naeelah]

In the bottle it smells rather like Boomslang. Rich chocolate with spicy notes underneath.

 

Wet it smells like rich chocolate with something salty. I recognize the dark seaweed note from Cthulhu, but if I hadn't already smelled it, I'd probably never guess the salty note was supposed to be sea vegetation. It doesn't smell aquatic at all, though. (I should note, I hate aquatics, but Cthulhu was surprisingly pleasant. I didn't keep it, but it was much richer and nicer than the average aquatic. So, I was not worried about the sea components of this.)

 

As it dries, the chocolate is less sweet and obvious. It's a dark, rich blend of chocolates, dark seaweed, slight saltiness, and a whole lotta darkness. The seaweed notes themselves are hard to describe. There's something that does smell like actual seaweed -- deep chlorophyll, water, salt, and that weird beach funk. But it's much more pleasant than that. It kind of works like neroli -- it seems to act like a base note and ground the scent, but it has brighter aspects that work as middle and top notes.

 

It's dark. It doesn't seem to scream dark incense -- yet. IME, dark incense blends start out relatively normal (like any other non-dark incense blend) and gradually deepen with age. (Fresh al-azif, for example, smells like maple syrup and smoky resins on me when fresh, and like blackness with a side of pancakes when aged. The incense in this reminds me of Al-Azif, so I expect it to get darker.)

 

There's no wood given in the notes, but the base aspects of the seaweeds remind me of teak. They have a slightly herbal character that recalls the 13 blends. So in the end, this is rather like Boomslang, if you added the herbs of 13 blends. If I take a deep breath, then an earthy note lingers on the scent's finish. Kind of like black patchouli.

 

In a sentence, I might summarize this as, "Dark, salty, rich chocolate incense." It isn't a chocolate blend with some other stuff -- it's much deeper and richer than that, so just as I'd hoped, it isn't particularly foody. In short, it's pretty dang awesome. I look forward to seeing how this one ages.

[hmelt004]

I was on Thinkgeek ordering a Sonic Screwdriver for The Boy, since he got me one because we're nerdy that way, when the announcement for this oil popped up on the forum. And despite the fact that I have never paid full price for a bottle unsniffed before, I bit on this one. And, dear readers, I was not disappointed.

 

This is the chocolate from Gelt, which is my holy grail of chocolate scents, plus the aquatic from Cthulhu and Port Royal and the Lab's wonderful salt note. This really does smell like a fancy sea salt chocolate bar. Well, if you draped it with seaweed. Which I would not want to eat but quite like smelling. It is sexy and strange, a very wearable foody scent.

 

The Boy even took time out from playing with his Sonic Screwdriver to give it a sniff and say he liked it.

[Deiicide]

Aquatics and me get along. If there's some wood in there, it'll be fine too and some flowers usually don't give it pause but yea. Me and the salty sea notes are bffs. So when I noticed this bottle, I was iffy. Chthulu is strong cologne but this sounds heavenly. As the reviews came in, I was graced a decant and eagerly tried it. OMG, the softest whiff of smokey incense with deep boomslangish chocolate; the aquatics giving a faint effervescent note. It is utterly divine. The chocolate note sticks, where the aquatics fade away as it dries keeping the salt note and the incense. Smokey Salty Sea Chocolates. I am so pleased to have this and can't wait for my bottle to arrive.

[heathercaley]

I Loveeeeeeeeeeeee this!!!

 

I'm not usually a foodie girl, but I had a strong feeling that based on reviews, that I would love this. I was right. It's total love.

 

In the bottle, it's chocolate. But never fear foodie haters!! Once applied, everything will change.

 

 

Once I apply, the chocolate is still there, but the incense and salty sweetness take over almost immediately. It's not milky sweet chocolate either. It's more like a cocoa. The dark incense making it something that you don't want to nom on. It makes you want to inhale your arm though.

 

I bet that as the incense ages, that this will be one of my top 10 favorites. Easily.

 

The throw is decent, and pretty dern good!

 

Verdict? Ebil chocolate!! Ebillllll!!!!

[ModderRhu]

The Malignant Dreams of Cthulhu in Love

Pre-conceived notions: Incense, kelp, salt, ocean plants, and chocolate. I hoped it would smell like salty chocolate + men's cologne + some kelpy coolness. This is my first BPAL ever!

In the bottle: CHOCOLATE. A little incense, but CHOCOLATE. Even with the lid closed. From a foot away.

Wet on skin: Mmmmmmm...this is very very chocolatey. Complex and deep and yummy. The incense gives it a medatative feel right alongside the yumminess. It reminds me a bit of Thierry Mugler's Angel, only MUCH better.

Dry on skin: Yep, I definitely smell the salt! Still chocolatey. No sign of any kelp, but I still really really love it. It smells like evil cupcakes and incense. I feel slightly evil and mischievous when I wear this. (Think Professor Chaos.)

Hours later: Most of the chocolate and incense has dissipated and left behind...honey? Curious. Very nice, though. Good staying power.

Verdict: I was hoping for foodiness juxtaposed with the freshness of the sea and men's cologne. What I got, though, I still really like. (Salt + chocolate= ) Not sure it's love, but it's at least like. I can't see myself buying a second bottle of this, but I will gladly finish the first!

3.5 out of 5 stars

ETA: A general catalog equivalent is Tezcatlipoca. It's almost identical to my nose. Edited April 24, 2010 by ModderRhu

[Heeroluva]

I was a bit worried about this since aquatic scents almost always turn weird on me, but was glad to find my worries were for naught.

 

In the bottle this is almost sickening sweet chocolate. Wet on skin it's OMG get the incense away from me, but that quickly fades and the chocolate comes back into play, but it's no longer sweet. The only thing I can think of to say is that it's a savory chocolate. I'm guessing that's the salt coming into play. The incenses gradually fade until they're just a background note, but it's adds something to it. In the end this actually kind of reminds me of roasting nuts, but in a good way. Definitely a keeper and in my top ten now.

 

Edit: Bah sadly about an hour later the incense amped again. (

Edited April 8, 2010 by Heeroluva

[PurringPulsar]

Malignant Dreams of Cthulhu in Love

 

In the imp: seaweed chocolate. It’s odd, but it seems to work.

Wet on skin: now this smells like the aquatic cologne I get with many sea scents, and chocolate.

Dry on skin: this one is weird, but so intriguing! It reminds me a bit of the 13 series, but this is even more unusual. It’s aquatic notes with chocolate, mainly dark choc. The chocolate and seaweed combination reminds me of some kind of adventurous chocolate experiment concocted by a high end chocolatier. Has there ever been seaweed chocolate available? I wouldn’t be surprised if there is. There’s also a lot of sea breeze in here, but sadly this sea note smells a bit too clean and soapy for me. A bit like the aquatic note in the pirate scents, which turns to washing powder on me, but here there’s a bit more cologne to it. It’s very fresh and almost ‘sporty’ which contrasts the chocolate greatly. I don’t smell any incense.

After a while: this then settles into a blend of aquatic salty linen stained with dark chocolate. There’s an odd and almost buttery (I’d say more oily, but it reminds me of salted butter) scent to the chocolate, and yet it is also very bitter, a little like the ‘raw chocolate’ I’ve seen available. It still smells like one of those ‘avant garde’ savoury chocolate truffles, like if chocolate was blended with Japanese seaweed.

Verdict: this scent is weird! I’ve not encountered a chocolate aquatic scent before, and I wasn’t sure such a thing could work as chocolate and aquatics are opposites to me-chocolate is rich and sweet and indulgent, aquatics are fresh and clean and on me they tend to smell like sporty deodorant. But this mix of contradictory notes does work! It’s not my thing, but it’s unusual and intriguing and I like it for that. it helps that the chocolate note smells more like dark chocolate than milk/white chocolate, and as such it reminds me of those experimental chocolate flavours, like a chocolate and seaweed and sea salt bar (that would be an interesting idea for a chocolate flavour actually). Sadly, I don’t get the incense, and the sea note ends up smelling of soap on me and there’s a weird buttery note I don’t like. so not a scent I want to keep.

Emoticon rating:

Is it a keeper? not really.

[Dharklady]

In bottle: Chocolate with something salty and almost minty underneath.

Wet: Salty cocoa.

Dry: The blend works well surprisingly. The chocolate is more of a cocoa and the salt blends into an almost incense note with it.

Notes: Unusual but I like it! It also has great throw and staying power. Definitely a winning scent in my book.

 

[anomie]

So I was buying my bff a Tardis USB hub for her birthday and this found its way into the order. Whoops?

 

Bottle: Thick, dark chocolate. Almost unsweetened.

 

Wet: Y'all this is WEIRD. Chocolate and almost mealy greens.

 

Quick drydown: This is like beer. A nice rich stout. WTF, skin.

 

Later drydown: Still beery. Man. This is WEIRD.

[whisperstilled]

In decant: Chocolate and...kelp! Salty and green and chocolatey. Not quite like anything else I've tried.

 

Wet: Spicy chocolate with some salt to it. The greenness in the background, as well as the incense, make for a really interesting combination.

 

Dry: The chocolate has died down a great deal, but what's left behind is still awesome. Salty and sweet and green. I am definitely going to need a full bottle of this!

[Juniper]

I just got this with a Domo-kun t-shirt from ThinkGeek -- a total impulse purchase on both counts!

 

This is such a strange scent, but so perfectly evocative, too. In the bottle, it was just chocolate. But as soon as I dabbed it on, I started picking up those incense-y notes and a salty tang of something. As it dried, there were moments it kind of reminded me of the way Guinness tastes -- like chocolate and dirt, and not in a bad way, if you know what I mean. When I leave my wrists at the keyboard, I smell something kind of masculine and cologne-y. But when I sniff too closely... it reminds me of driving past the Malt-O-Meal factory in Northfield. It's strange! I like it, but I'm weirded out by it, and I somehow like it WHILE being weirded out by it. What a bizarre scent. I've been running around making my coworkers smell the bottle, then my wrist, then the bottle, then my wrist, just to see if they're getting the same impressions.

[Sultaana]

ThinkGeek just keep cutting and cutting the price, and my urge to buy an unsniffed bottle was growing and growing. At under $5, I grabbed this. There was no way I could pass it up any longer. It got here pretty fast considering it was UPS ground from New Jersey and I'm all the way in California. It had perfect timing to show up when I had a massive head cold, though. I kept putting it up to my nose and I smelled NOTHING. It was absolute torture. My roommate felt sorry for me and offered to sniff and descripe, but this wasn't really a great idea afterall. She said it was "chocolate ass" and immediately wished she hadn't sniffed it.

 

But! My nose finally began functioning again and it was sniff time! First reaction? WHOA. This blend is chocolatey. But it's weird! Definitely a box of chocolates in the bottle with something strange behind it. I would almost describe this as a box of candy that zombies would give each other. It almost reminds me of Ghoul Hooligan if not for the whiffs of sea salt and greenery and incense. Yum. This has to be my best unsniffed purchase to date and at a mega bargain at that.

[Marblemeadow]

This is the first scent from BPAL that I've ever smelled. I got it as a freebie from ThinkGeek for being a loyal patron. Oh my GOD. This smell is rich and chocolatey at first and it also has this wonderful smokiness from the incense. There's most definitely some saltiness here as well, upon second sniff. I agree that it is a very masculine scent, but its also the kind of scent that I would put on my teddy bear (to remind me of my guy when he is gone). I have informed the FI that he will be wearing this for me. I also told him he better have running shoes on because I am going to be all over him.

 

This would be an awesome purchase for a guy in your life. Yum Yum Yum!

[morganlise]

I can't really add much to this, or express my feelings coherently beyond, "Good gods, I love this!!"

 

I ordered this one from a forumite a few months ago on a total whim. I own Thierry Mugler's Angel, but have never picked up a classic "chocolate" note from that, nor do I own any other scents with chocolate notes and I was sure I wouldn't care for it. (Which begs the question, "Why did you order it then??" The simple answer is, I'm a Lovecraft fan and the concept of Cthulhu in love was just too funny. The complex answer would have to involve well-placed intuition, I guess! )

 

This is classic chocolate at the start, like a real cocoa powder, not sweetened. I have no problem with sweet scents, but this is Cthulhu and I appreciate the no-nonsense approach. It's chocolate with watery notes hovering in the background for the first half hour to hour or so, at which point it gives over almost entirely to a salty, very mellow combination of aquatics and possibly some sort of woods/resin/musk blend, I have a hard time telling exactly what. I'm also not usually a fan of aquatics, which makes my love for this all the stranger! Like I said, this was NOT a bottle that made sense for me just from the notes, and I feel so lucky to have taken a chance on it anyways. It also lasts quite a decent amount of time on me in both its phases, too.

 

Since I got this, I think it has become my Favorite BPAL, even though it's hard to pick just one. The creativity blows me away, and the notes are so unique and weird yet so well-blended. :love!:

[Ramen]

My nose wasn't exactly in peak condition when I put this on yesterday, but The Malignant Dreams of Cthulhu in Love goes, for me, from chocolates with a side of Ocean Funk and incense in the bottle through mostly chocolate and then mostly Ocean Funk before finally settling (for hours on a pretty even balance of everything. It's lots of fun and I'm glad I snagged this as a Geek Points freebie before it got discontinued last year, but it's definitely something I have to be in the mood for.

[Dorian]

When I first got this bottle, I kind of went "meh" and set it aside. That was about a year ago, and I completely forgot I had it. I pulled it out today and just ... Aging has made a huge difference. Now when I put it on my skin, it blossoms into the patchouli from Banshee Beat and the cocoa note from Boomslang - a chocolate-y BB, if you will. Fantastic.

[Balame]

In the Imp: Chocolate... it always seems to take over in the imp regardless of whatever notes are present. Let's see what happens!

 

Wet: Amazingly, it really does smell like kelp. Wet, soggy plants. With chocolate. Wow. There's something a little bit drying in here which helps to balance things out, possibly sandalwood or patchouli, but it's only barely noticeable. I also know that kelp doesn't sound like it would be very pleasant, but it's more like if seaweed floated up onto the beach and had been drying for a while (but still damp). Sort of a richly dark, green scent. Not icky.

 

Dry: Very soothing now, this is actually quite nice. The plants make this more mature than if it were only the chocolate alone, giving the scent a slightly smokey feel, but then the chocolate swoops in to calm it down with a pleasing, indulgent sweetness. It's not as "holy crap seaweed" as when you first put it on, almost feeling like an aquatic musk - that's new.

 

Overall: I like this a lot. Amazingly, it's a very rich, romantic scent. I think most other people would be crazy for this as well, if they could get over the initial "what the heck does kelpy chocolate smell like" concern. I wish I had noticed this when it first went up.

 

*edit* Addition for a re-test and a longer drydown update - there is AMBER in this. Gorgeous, beautiful, rounded amber. No wonder it turned all sensual - amber, cocoa, and rich planty smells? Beautiful.

Edited July 18, 2011 by Balame

[tinyvulture]

Salted chocolate at first. Like a salty, buttery version of Bliss. Then the incense starts to come out. It’s not very strong, so I'm left with faint incense mixed with faint remnants of chocolate. No kelp or sea plants, that I can pick up. I love how it started out.

[hellok80]

This was my first scent, BPAL or otherwise.

It's very strong - I can smell it 3 feet away from the bottle. I spilled it once on tile and that room and the four around it smelled like Cthulhu in Love for weeks.

It's much better behaved when I wear it though. I get a lot of the salt/kelp/aquatics and the chocolate lurks in the back making the whole thing smell good without really being noticed. Definitely a unisex scent, lasts for HOURS on my skin. It's damp and slithery without being musty and I really like the salt and kelp!

 

EDIT: Tried this for the first time in a while and it's really changed. Less strong, a little more masculine, and I seem to remember the chocolate being sweeter before. Still nice though.

Edited December 22, 2011 by hellok80