Sadak in Search of the Waters of Oblivion

[Lycanthrope]

Sadak in Search of the Waters of Oblivion, John Martin.
Asphodel and opium-tinged water cascading over stone, with champaca flower, blue lotus absolute, passionflower, and a touch of somber Arabian musk.

Wet, this is dark, shadowy, reminds me of the color midnight blue and the texture of velvet.

On, this is a very dark, non-sparkly aquatic with a series of quiet, ominous flowers in the background. There is not much musk. Blue lotus is not a sweet, bubbly lotus like in Undertow. Overall, the effect is a subtle deep saltiness. Just like I would imagine Lethe/oblivion to be. This is a close scent, but with depth and a somber feel.

Will keep testing this bottle to see if I want another or if I'll only use this for brief moments.

I have diluted Blue Lotus absolute at home in jojoba and you can detect it around the edges of Sadak. It's beautiful, hypnotic, and narcotic.

[Caper]

This is a really beautiful aquatic. I'm having trouble describing it, there is a bit of floral and a hint of stone. I don't get much musk but there is something softening it. It is comforting like a foody scent, but it is not foody at all.

 

I really think the hypnotic and narcotic description above is right on. I'll test another time or two before I decide on a bottle, but this isn't like anything else that I have so I'm thinking it is likely.

 

ETA- I finally put my finger on it. If you have ever been swimming and dove under the water holding your breath and turned around to look up at the surface and just relaxed and let the water move your body, that is how this is relaxing. I can picture the surface of the water and remembering wishing I could hold my breath forever.

Edited October 21, 2012 by Caper

[Heavenlyrabbit]

Apparently you reach the very murky Waters of Oblivion by descending a path of opalescent stones and find them surrounded by dark, mysterious flowers.

Edited October 22, 2012 by Heavenlyrabbit

[zankoku_zen]

Dark aquatic, mysterious flowers, light opium and lotus swirling about. Hints of water and stone swirling about.

 

Waters of Oblivion is a very hard scent to describe as its not overly aquatic or floral. It's got both aspects, but not in the way that we usually think of them. This is definitely a pool of water in the middle of the night, with the flowers opening up to the darkness (as opposed to the light of the moon). It's still, and kinda creepy and desolate in its very stillness. There's nothing soft or comforting about this blend.

 

If the overarching vibe of the discontinued Salon blend Silence was the pristine moment of silence, then Waters of Oblivion is its sister in the sense that this is about the absolute lack of movement.

 

Wow. Bravo - Beth, Brian and Labbies. This has been truly a scent experience.

[a_llb]

In vial: A stream of soporific nectar, languorous and cool.

 

Wet: Blue lotus (which is surprisingly not straight-up bubble gum, as lotus usually becomes on me), lunar and glowing - pairing well with the lighter sweetness of passionflower. A layer of pale musk and opium floats above.

 

Dry: There is an inoffensive, almost innocent fruity feel to the drydown.

 

Verdict: It's nice to see a 'still, nighttime, quiet' type blend that isn't overpowered with lavender.

[Aldercy]

This smells oddly more fruity than I would have expected. Maybe... maybe it's the champaca? which for some reason often morphs into candy grape on my skin. But I don't really smell anything else. No opium, nothing aquatic, no musk, no flowers. Flat, plastic, purpley-red fruit. I don't know. Something is wrong here. I'm going to wait a couple days and test it again.

[strahlend]

Sniffing from the decant first impressions – soft, mild, watery blue.

 

Skin testing – pale blue, lightly floral, gentle. Not flowery, not soapy, not cleanser, not even aquatic in the way I usually think of it. There's lightness from the champaca flower and lotus, and the lightest hint of warmth from the opium water and arabian musk. This is lovely.

 

 

Sadak is like airy incense burning beside a cool mountain stream. Sadak is along the lines of the feeling of sandalwood, soft wispy incense, a bit of opium, and whatever the stone element is, with the blue lotus. Notably here the lotus does not smell like bubble gum. I wish I knew what was giving the stone feeling.

 

This just kept winning my heart more and more. The unique gentle blue eventually transformed into a lovely light incense type of smell, which I think may have been the champaca flower. Eventually on my skin this reminds me of dry sandalwood incense with a bit of musk. It's absolutely wonderful and very hard to describe.

Edited October 27, 2012 by strahlend

[Monday]

Bubblegummy lotus and stone, the champaca joins in after a while. I don't like the combination of bubblegum lotus with the stone note there is something in here that makes it extremely soapy. It's unique but not a scent for me.

[Little Bird]

On me, this is like a really soapy men's cologne (the water and stone, I think) with an undertone of weird, sickly sweet fruity-floral. As it dries down, I get an extra sharpness from the opium. This one is a scrubber for me.

[milo]

Smells like jasmine at first, very heady. After a bit, still jasmine, or some white floral and musk. Morphs into watery jasmine-like floral, but not the sour, typical lab jasmine, more of a night blooming variety. I quite enjoy this, though probably wouldn't wear it that often. Smells like a wet, tropical floral.

[brilliantcat]

After reading the other reviews (and having read the notes), I am desperately hoping for soporific, narcotic waters! I love a good aquatic and this has some interesting twists to it.

 

Imp: Dark florals, softly aquatic. A still pool deep in a mountain cave surrounded by tufts of dark-growing flowers instead of reeds.

 

Wet: Definitely opium! The cool stone is here too, along with the florals. This is simply beautiful.

 

Dry: Opium and night-blooming flowers. Finally an opium blend that isn't ruined by one of the other notes or I simply can't smell amongst the other notes! I think this warrants a bottle

[WidgetAlley]

Imp: Soap! Gritty herbal soap and a bit of muguet.

 

Wet: Not soap any more, but incense. Somber, gorgeous incense like the kind I've smelled in temples. I think it must be the lotus, champaca and opium. It smells like one of those very very expensive hippie shops, the kind meant for yuppies rather than stoners. There's definitely a touch of cool aquatic about it too. Very nice, clinging close to the skin.

 

Dry: A fruity, floral incense that is very different from the other, heavier BPAL incenses. I think the stone and water are what's giving it a gorgeous, slightly dusty quality. There's almost no throw on this, but it's definitely so gorgeous that if you catch a whiff you want to move closer. I don't find this harsh or creepy it all-- it's beautiful!

[Lucchesa]

Somehow this smells just like the painting: https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/sadak-in-search-of-the-waters-of-oblivion-17850

 

I was generously frimped this by a fellow forumite -- thanks, Traubert! -- and it's gorgeous. Now I need to see about finding myself a bottle of it...

[DiZZysTARdust]

this is a gorgeous scent. i was intrigued by this scent when i first heard of it and wanted to try it for the curious opium/florals/water and stone notes. i expected it to end up being somewhat on the masculine side. in the bottle it does indeed smell a bit cologne- esque to my nose. freshly on i get an immediate slap of that candy-like sweetness that i associate with lotus. i have to respectfully disagree with the first reviewer. i would indeed call this sweet and bubbly. not like champagne-bubbly, maybe more like a berry soda. but not specifically berry just kind of a fruit flavored soda in general. as it dries the candy tones down but the sweetness remains. there’s a glitteriness to this that i would associate with stone and falling water, just harsh enough to ground the flowers out without being too strong. the flowers are supremely well-blended. more than just the lotus is coming out but they’re very soft and gentle. this is a very close scent but i have to keep smelling myself. when it’s fresh it is a bit stronger, as my mom commented on it from the backseat while i was in the front. def fades in strength but remains beautiful on the skin for several hours. as the floral notes fades away the musk comes out stronger