The Coiled Serpent

[PurringPulsar]

The Coiled Serpent

A potent yogic oil that stimulates the kundalini, provokes spiritual awakening, and releases the energy seated in your root chakra.

 

In the imp: whoa, patchouli! There’s a huge amount of patch in here, more than in any other BPAL, in fact.

Wet on skin: now I can smell sandalwood, a really strong, incense like sandalwood, rising up to greet the patchouli.

Dry: mmm, I like this. This definitely smells like good quality Indian incense, with it’s strong patchouli and spicy sandalwood. It smells like hippies, but in the best way possible. It reminds me very slightly of Anne Bonny but without frankincense, and the sandalwood is of a lighter, spicier, more incense like variety than the dark, woody note in AB, and I think I can smell nag champa (or champaca, as it smells quite floral in here) in here as well.

After a while: the spicy champa scent tones down and the scent becomes patchouli and sandalwood, smoothing out. Oh boy, the patch in here is strong. This really does smell like hippie juice (which isn’t a bad thing, to me).

Eventually this scent becomes almost all patchouli, with the lightest brush of sandalwood. possibly a hint of polished cedar. I do get a feel of headshops and wooden chests which held patchouli incense from here.

Verdict: this is the most patchouli-ed scent in all of BPAL so far. Usually Beth’s patch is very understated, an earthy base note which grounds a scent without being dominant, but in here it is very strong-this isn’t for the patchouli haters! Along with this powerful patch is a gorgeous spiced sandalwood and a hint of nag champa, and the scent has a definite Indian feel to it, like incense, it seems very fitting for yoga. I do like it’s fragrance though, very mystical and deep, and indeed, quite hippy-ish.

Emoticon rating:

Is it a keeper? Yes, but just the imp.

If you like this, try: Anne Bonny, Kathmandu, Sri Lanka, Urd

[fiddledragon]

I'm not getting as much patchouli as vetiver out of this...I'm guessing it's the earthier kind of patchouli rather than the sweeter kind. I also get cedar and something I'd swear is almost vanilla. It's a wonderfully earthy, grounding yet awakening scent; perfect for meditation. I tried putting it in my oil diffuser, though, and it sadly seems to be one of those scents that just doesn't diffuse well in a water-based diffuser. A good 1/3 imp didn't really smell at all unless I put my face right up to the water. At least it's lovely on me!

[supremegoddessofall]

Seriously, this smells like marijuana. Not that I would know, of course, just from what I've heard. Yeah. That's it. I think I would be arrested if I wore this to work. Going to have to go.

[Lari]

I can take a little bit of patchouli in a blend... but too much of it makes me crazy. Completely, totally, utterly patchouli on me. In the bottle, wet on me, dry on me... I got this as a freebie and put it on one morning to see what it would do. It made me smell like the head shops I went to when I was about fourteen. All day. And my skin apparently LOVES to amp the patchouli up, because it just did not fade. I came home that night smelling like patchouli. I was throwing patchouli-scent across the room that night. I had to take a bath to get it to fade. Impressive... but not a keeper for me.

[Spastik_Kitty]

In the imp: Blearg. People weren't joking about the patchouli. It smells like patchouli and dirt.

 

First on: Dirt, hemp and patchouli, with something slightly sweet in there.

 

After a bit: Now it's smelling more like wet, rotting hay and dill.

 

A bit more: I'm starting to think that this particular patchouli isn't as strong or offensive as most. It's very earthy, in a sweet cedarish way with a tang of lemon perhabs.

 

I dunno, working oil maybe? Passed off to the husband, more likely.

[RougeNoir]

I love this!! All I can smell on me is wood. It must be a blend of patchouli and something else. It's absolutely gorgeous - calming and warming/stimulating at the same time. Definitely a keeper!

[jenleigh]

It's really too bad my hatha yoga class was cancelled this week. I'd been wearing White Moon to class, but I think I'm going to need to wear this to the last one. It's VERY grounding - I feel like I do post-class and I've only had this on for about 5 minutes. I wouldn't wear this as perfume at all, but for its intended purpose, I think it will work quite well.

[jasmine]

With a description like that, I haven’t got a clue. Here goes!

 

Immediate reaction: this is vegetative and a bit earthy... make that very earthy, as it settles into my skin. It doesn’t seem like patchouli to me, but like the "hello, I'm dirt!" note that the Lab slips into things sometimes. Hmm.

 

Less dirt; a bit perfumey now; still very vegetative. This is definitely not a scent that I would recommend for everyday. I could readily see it as a Rappacini’s Garden scent -- it smells like plant and dirt, with only a bit of perfuminess layered on top. Also, it gathers strength for some serious presence, so it isn’t as though it can be worn privately and secretly for inner harmony or something along those lines. It’s obtrusive.

 

After time, a touch of smokiness develops, which really isn’t my thing. I’m fairly sure this scent is doing what it’s supposed to do, but it would be better off doing it to someone else.

 

Given more time, the smokiness gets stronger... seven hours later, the smoke is most prominent, with dirt and vegetation in the background. It still has exceedingly strong throw, and I'm no longer certain that this is the way it's supposed to smell -- I'm starting to think this is a quirk of skin chemistry. I can’t see myself deliberately wearing this again.

[Brianne]

In the vial:

Woody

 

On me:

It starts off as a strong patchouli but settles into sandalwood too - the result is a warm, earthy wood with spice. I think there must be myrrh in it as well as I'm getting that pencil shaving vibe I get with myrrh.

 

Other than that though, there doesn't seem to be anything else going on in this scent.

 

Final note:

This is really no different on me than any of the other patchouli + sandalwood scents so there isn't enough about it that is different to make me like it.

[Elemcee]

The Coiled Serpent, on me, smells spicy and earthy. Not dirty, earthy. In the bottle it is very potent, but on my skin, it is rather soft and smooth.

 

Upon putting this on to review, I did feel more energetic, and do still, now, despite it being a time when I would usually go to bed.

 

It's not really a pretty 'perfume' scent; it's something I'd wear to tidy up, or exercise, even. I think it suits today's outfit of a fitted teeshirt and slightly-too-big jeans. It wouldn't suit a pretty dress.

[sofaking6]

Frimp from the lab, thanks!

 

Whoa, this is DIRT and PATCHOULI.

 

Sometimes it's PATCHOULI

 

Sometimes it's DIRT

 

 

I like the DIRT better but it's much too dusty, not fresh or really earthy on me.

 

The PATCHOULI is really overwhelming.

[ktesedale]

I can't stand patchouli - in fact, it's one of the notes that will completely kill a blend for me, and I never really order anything that has patchouli in it. I might have to revise that decision, though, because for some strange, crazy reason, I love this scent! Thank you, Lab, for the frimp!

 

The patchouli doesn't really stand out as an individual note, on my skin - it blends in with the 'earthy' fragrance others have mentioned. It's a very, very well blended scent, to my nose, and it is indeed very grounding. As others have said, it's not really a 'going to a party' scent - but it works perfectly as a 'Saturday with the friends' scent. I am utterly shocked at how much I like this scent. Now I have to decide if I'm willing to try other stuff with this note...

[Atalanta Pendragonne]

Very smoky/woody on me. I'm definitely smelling the patchouli everyone else is noticing; a good thing for me, since I like patchouli. There's a sort of acrid note too, I want to say... red sandalwood? Because that always goes kind of acrid and scorched on me.

[waternight]

In the imp: Musky patchouli with something sweet mixed in

Wet/Drydown: First on – PATCHOULI. Pure patchouli, but a soft patchouli, not overly sharp; it’s still quite herbal though. Drying down – still very strongly patchouli. It’s almost like a single note. Turning a little less herbal, softer, quite warm and comforting. Something vaguely sweet is coming out. Mmm… smells like delicious incense.

Dry: A lovely, sweet, patchouli incense scent. Not something I’ll wear every day, but one I’ll definitely wear on occasion.

[bardsong]

When I first applied this, it smelled like stale cigarette smoke to me. But it's dried down to a very woodsy patchouli. I don't think I'd wear this as a perfume, but I'll definitely have to try it for its intended purpose.

[sookster]

straight sniff from imp is cedarwood and patchouli...

once applied this is almost a single note patchouli...

then the earthiness kicks in...quite interesting; a touch

of smokiness comes through...very grounding indeed

[theseagrows]

i get sandalwood and frankincense with a hint of patchouli and something else. maybe a bit herby? it smells like sour pencil shavings on me. not a keeper.

[stellans]

*In the imp: very patchouli, which I love, but there's something else too, something smoky.

Wet on skin: again, very patchouli, and I am loving it so much. I used to wear straight patchouli way back in the day, and because I was a smoker then, I wore way too much just so I could smell it. I reckon others could smell me coming for miles. I apologize to you all, really I do.

Dry: Oh, man. This dries down so wonderfully mellow. The notes of vetivert? frankincense? something really take the patchouli down just enough to make it a pure delight to the olfactory sense.

Verdict: I. Must. Have. More.

Is it a keeper? see above.

 

 

*I wrote this when I actually wore this oil. I saved it and then forgot to post it. D'OH!

Edited May 2, 2008 by stellans

[Medici]

In the imp: Myrrh and really rampant patchouli, very resinous.

 

Wet: Patchouli, very earthy and dry, still resinous. Someone mentioned pencil shavings before, and I tend to agree. It's dry and woodsy, and maybe a little too hippy-chic for the likes of me.

 

Drydown: Pencil eraser.

 

Verdict: That would be a no thank you kindly.

[Extispex]

I got this to wear for meditating, but really I think I'd find it too distracting. In the bottle its lovely, sort of earthy and incensy. I get some of the aforementioned patchouli, but other resins as well.

 

Once it hits my skin. Dirt. Burnt, smoky dirt. Like an old barbeque pit.

 

It lightens up slightly with wear but not enough to grow on me.

 

I think not.

[pastrydeity]

I think earthy is the best word to describe this. It reminds me of something I can't quite place--early morning on a camping trip maybe, a combination of the earth and trees and dew outside combined with an organic bug-repellent we used to use. It's not bad or unpleasant on me, it's just not my style.

[glass_cat]

Not that anyone really needs to say it again, because I think we all more or less got this impression from this blend, but.... yeah, this is patchouli, patchouli, and more patchouli. This is definitely not one for you if you hate the smell of patchouli or can't stomach blends that have a fairly dominant patchouli note. I'm personally one of those people that can take patchouli or leave it. I don't love it, but it doesn't completely destroy a blend for me either. In addition to the patchouli, I also detected a little greenery, some vetiver, and lots of smoky incense. Coiled Serpent definitely seems like a meditation type blend, as it calls to mind exactly that.

 

This definitely would not have been a scent I'd choose on my own, just based on the site description and other people's reviews, but that's exactly the reason frimps are so awesome. I would have been worried it would be way too hippy-ish for me... and it is hippy-ish... but actually, as someone else up thread said, Coiled Serpent is more grounding than anything else. I don't know that this is something I would reach for to wear to the mall or out to dinner, but I could certainly see me putting it on to relax before bedtime, to do some writing, or to meditate. I actually wore it the other night as a bedtime scent and my boyfriend really loved it... he loves "dirt" smell... and also requested to be allowed to wear it himself sometime because it smelled "kind of like one of his". (That would be the vetiver, since I primarily choose vetiver or cinnamon blends for him.) I doubt I'd get a bigger bottle of this since I really only do that with blends I can see myself wearing "all the time", but I definitely like this scent well enough to finish up my imp when life calls for such a scent as this one.

Edited April 2, 2007 by glass_cat

[isabella]

patchouli incense....better in burner than on me

[Iceblink]

Hot and dry. This serpent is coiled on a rock in the middle of a desert. Patchouli and sandalwood, with the sandalwood dominating at first and then the sweeter patchouli coming into play. Reminds me a bit of Rakshasa, so there must be something floral in here too. My hippie friends would probably love this!

[porcelina]

i really can't tell the difference between patchouli and sandalwood. they both smell like pure BO to me. i get the hot and dry thing that a lot of people bring up with the coiled serpent, but it just smells dirty to me.