A mechanic's shop - oil, gasoline, exhaust

[kukoho]

I'm dating this guy who's really into the smell of a mechanic's shop. I think I would be very into him smelling like one as well. Which bpal scents will give me the best results here? I'm willing to try out a few to find the right ones. It should be a rich dark dank smell with strong motor oil overtones and little to no floral. My dad was a mechanic so I know exactly the smell he's talking about...

 

Any ideas?

 

 

[UploadedLobster]

Toad, from the Wind in the Willows series, actually has motor oil as a listed note. Ditto Mechanical Phoenix, from last year's Anniversary series. Toad and MP reviews both call them as very cologne-y and not terribly oil-y, though. My own bottle of Mechanical Phoenix agrees with that. Black Ice, another limited edition from a while back, has an 'asphalt' note and a touch of vetiver that might be worth trying.

 

As for some General Catalog blends, I did a quick search for "motor oil" in reviews and came up with Czernobog, Malediction, and Highwayman as likely burly-man options.

 

Troll doesn't smell of motor oil, but it IS burly and badass and grimy and smells slightly of charred things. He might dig that.

Edited January 18, 2009 by Uploaded Lobster

[greenranger]

There's a recent Limited Edition that had Motor Oil in it...

 

Toad, from the Wind in the Willows set. "Dapper cologne, scorched waistcoat, a bit of pipe tobacco, and motor oil. " It's still up, but, I am unsure as to whether an order for it would go through or if the Swap forum is your best bet. Reviews vary as to whether the cologne or the motor oil are more dominant.

 

You might also look at:

 

Smokestack, from the Phoenix Steamworks and Research section. "Creosote, coal, and industrial waste."

 

Malediction, in Sin and Salvation, "red patchouli and vetivert."

 

Dragon's hide, in Ars Draconis, "Dragon’s blood, leather and a hint of smoke."

 

or possibly Devil's Claw, "A yellow-bright and smoky brown-black scent, horned, pronged and strange."

 

Another Limited Edition to try if you can locate some might be Mechanical Phoenix...Not the Metal Phoenix that is currently up, but, the one from last year(2008) that is no longer available except through swaps. "Copper gears, brass cogs, fused wiring, scorched iron, and motor oil."

 

What actually works may depend greatly upon skin chemistry. Vetiver is an amazing, dark scent, but, it doesn't work for everyone. Patchouli and dragon's blood also work on some, but, not on others.

 

 

 

 

 

[toomuch]

So much depends on body chemistry. Santa Eularia Des Riu unexpectedly dried down on me to a scent that reminded me of the cleaning fluid that is used to get the motor oil off mechanics hands. I don't know if that's what you are looking for, but your question reminded me of it.

[ankhfangirl72]

Have you tried Scarecrow? It has a strong petrol-y smell to it, at least it does to me

[GeorgeJr]

Toad, from the Wind in the Willows series, actually has motor oil as a listed note. Ditto Mechanical Phoenix, from last year's Anniversary series. Toad and MP reviews both call them as very cologne-y and not terribly oil-y, though. My own bottle of Mechanical Phoenix agrees with that. Black Ice, another limited edition from a while back, has an 'asphalt' note and a touch of vetiver that might be worth trying.

 

As for some General Catalog blends, I did a quick search for "motor oil" in reviews and came up with Czernobog, Malediction, and Highwayman as likely burly-man options.

 

Troll doesn't smell of motor oil, but it IS burly and badass and grimy and smells slightly of charred things. He might dig that.

I can back up the Lobster here & say that Malediction is very dark & oil like . Toad may list it in it's notes , & I can say I do notice the note that is mentioned when I wear it , but it isn't the main one coming through . And do give Troll a try , or it'll find you & rough you up

[Apple]

Seconding all the vetiver recommendations and adding some new ones:

Agnes Nutter

(Good Omens) - Gunpowder, charred wood, smoke, and rusty nails.

 

Brimstone

(Bewitching Brews) - A smoky, gritty blend, husky and gray.

 

Devil's Claw

(Rappaccini's Garden) - A yellow-bright and smoky brown-black scent, horned, pronged and strange.

 

Djinn

(Diabolus) - The scent of black smoke, of crackling flames, and smoldering ashes.

 

The Grand Inquisitor's Heretic's Fork

(Carnaval Diabolique) - Coppery dried blood, metal, vetiver, and bonfire smoke.

 

Hastur

(Good Omens) - Smoky-sour labdanum, black patchouli, wet tobacco, and brimstone.

 

Iago

(Illyria) - Black musk, wet leather and vetiver.

 

Incantation

(Bewitching Brews) - Vetiver, dark woods, crumbling and burnt black sandalwood and a drop of lemon rind.

 

Malediction

(Sin & Salvation) - Red patchouli and vetivert.

 

Rumpelstilzchen

(Marchen) - Firewood and ash with an oddly otherworldly blend of patchouli, cardamom, nutmeg, black pepper, tonka, vetiver, and myrrh.

 

Sloth

(Sin & Salvation) - Vetiver over black myrrh.

 

Smokestack

(Steamworks) - Creosote, coal, and industrial waste.

 

Troll

(Diabolus) - Vetiver, pine pitch, troll musk, black basil, clove smoke, and scorched cumin.

 

Umbra

(Bewitching Brews) - East African black patchouli, cedarwood, vetiver and a dribble of cinnamon.

And even though the name sounds right, I would advise against Mechanical Phoenix. To me, it smells citrusy fresh, very similar to CK One... not dark or dank at all. I haven't tried Toad (2008 LE, Wind in the Willows); that one might be worth checking out.

 

ETA: Ah yes, seconding the recommendation for Scarecrow! That one definitely has a gasoline-type smell to it and would probably be great layered with a vetiver-heavy blend.

 

Edit #2: Or maybe the Dark Delicacies scent Mutant Hot-Rodders from Hell High?

Mutant Hot-Rodders from Hell High

(Dark Delicacies) - Shiny black leather jackets, gleaming silver studs, black pepper, pungent lime, and hellfire.

I haven't tried it, but it sounds awesome!

Edited January 18, 2009 by Apple

[sqwook]

You might want to try The Little Sparrow. Somehow I'm getting a dusty/oil smell from it.

 

(Troll, on the other hand, was a sweet evergreen / plants / almost-apple on me...)

[kukoho]

Thank you all so much!! I will order at least four or five of the most promising scents and let you know which ones worked out the best. Going out of town for the weekend so maybe I'll place my order while waiting for flights! I'll let you know which ones I ordered.

 

Again, Thanks!!!

 

 

[TPOD]

Some of the Steamworks scents have a mechanical quality to them, but it's more of a polished wood thing than a carburetor thing.

 

Toad and Troll are both really nice and manly.

 

Roadhouse has a sort of truckstop vibe, even though it smells green to me.

 

I guess I'm not much help!!

[GhillieDhu]

I actually got STRONG used motor oil from Dragon's Hide. Well, it was mixed with Hawaiian Punch, but my skin has issues with dragon's blood. Good luck!

[savage_rose]

Azathoth! My uncle was a mechanic, and the second I tried it it reminded me of him.

 

I'm dating this guy who's really into the smell of a mechanic's shop. I think I would be very into him smelling like one as well. Which bpal scents will give me the best results here? I'm willing to try out a few to find the right ones. It should be a rich dark dank smell with strong motor oil overtones and little to no floral. My dad was a mechanic so I know exactly the smell he's talking about...

 

Any ideas?

 

[kukoho]

OHHH I just realized something creepy/endearing. If I'm dating a guy who wants to smell like a mechanics garage and I find that sexy, what does that mean considering my Dad smelled like this my whole life? Maybe I shouldn't think about it too much... It's not like he's a mechanic, and I didn't meet him while scoping out the jiffy lube, but he does work on his own car? Ok enough, I'm just going to go with it cause it feels right.

 

B

 

 

[Apple]

OHHH I just realized something creepy/endearing. If I'm dating a guy who wants to smell like a mechanics garage and I find that sexy, what does that mean considering my Dad smelled like this my whole life? Maybe I shouldn't think about it too much... It's not like he's a mechanic, and I didn't meet him while scoping out the jiffy lube, but he does work on his own car? Ok enough, I'm just going to go with it cause it feels right.

It probably has more to do with comforting/familiar smells and early associations with masculinity than it does with a creepy unresolved Oedipal/Electra complex. I think you're probably okay.

 

[eyeska]

OHHH I just realized something creepy/endearing. If I'm dating a guy who wants to smell like a mechanics garage and I find that sexy, what does that mean considering my Dad smelled like this my whole life? Maybe I shouldn't think about it too much... It's not like he's a mechanic, and I didn't meet him while scoping out the jiffy lube, but he does work on his own car? Ok enough, I'm just going to go with it cause it feels right.

It probably has more to do with comforting/familiar smells and early associations with masculinity than it does with a creepy unresolved Oedipal/Electra complex. I think you're probably okay.

 

Not to mention statistics! Lots of men* work on their own/other people's cars. It's sort of like being concerned because your beau, like your dad, likes video games, or reading books, which you happen to find kinda sexy.

 

Good luck on finding him a scent!

 

*Not to exclude women who work on cars

 

Edited because I worry about clarity and inclusion.

Edited January 24, 2009 by Eyeska

[Verse]

This may sound a bit odd, but I've wondering if there are any BPAL scents with gasoline or exhaust type notes? I've read that the Lab has some "novelty" type scents out there so I figured it was worth a shot to ask.

 

Gasoline has always been one of my very favorite scents--not in a sniffing to get high way!! It isn't that I have a particular affinity for cars, but something about that smell has always been very appealing to me. I'd love it if someone was able to safely bottle that smell--I love the scent but not enough to risk brain cells from inhaling the real thing LOL I guess it is just proof of how different smells appeal to different people (I've even heard of those who adore the scent of skunk...)

[hexatomic]

Haha, I actually like the same scent myself, but it's not something I've found in my BPALs so far. For "exhaust" type scents, you might try Smokestack in the Phoenix Steamworks collection? It smells properly gritty to me.

[orata]

This blog post talks about the difficulties of creating a gasoline perfume... (That said, if you google "gasoline perfume" you'll find at least one fragrance that apparently has a gasoline note.) I've been finding that one of BPAL's white flower notes (I think the culprit is jasmine) turns into a burnt-rubber smell on my skin after drying down, which I don't like, but might be just what you're looking for if your chemistry behaves the same way.

[marared]

Tobacco Honey was nauseatingly gasoline-sweet to me.

[a_llb]

Erik from Dark Delicacies 'Great Duets in Horror'

Resin-coated wood, kerosene, oil, leather, musty velvet, and dust from the Grand Drape.

 

I think the kerosene and oil notes in Erik would be pretty close to what you're looking for. It's actually a really wearable blend (for me at least), it's like a soft shiny smell almost, really smooth. Sometimes in blends with opium tar I get something similar, but much stronger and sharper.

[Silvertree]

I think there are some blends at Dark Delicacies that might fit the bill:

 

THE NAMELESS CITY DRIVE-IN THEATRE

Chrome bumpers gleaming in cold, exhaust-fume laden night air. Soggy foliage and crushed grass dotted with popcorn that has been crushed under rubber tires. Leather seats moist with skin musk and the sweat of groping hands fumbling under ceremonial robes.

 

SPLATTER COMEDY

A bit of blood and chainsaw grease underneath a banana cream pie.

 

You might want to check the reviews to see just how dominant those notes are, though.

[Altaira]

Not gasoline, but my initial reaction to No. 93 Engine was "the cleanest car mechanic, anywhere.' It smells like someone has been working on cars all day and then scrubbed up with lava soap. I bought a bottle

[GingerGunlock]

The Robotic Scarab: Polished metallic notes, glossy leather, frankincense, star anise, and thin lubricating oils.

 

 

Smelled like an oily engine to me!