Streets of Detroit

[Monday]

Black musk accord, Ethiopian myrrh, and motor oil.

For me this is the best one out of this update. The black musk accord definitely contains patchouli; it's in there somewhere. I tested the OLLA blind and first couldn't link this one to any of them.
I don't get motor oil at all. I get unburned nag champa incense with a swirl of patchouli in the background. Gorgeous.

[Atrous]

SoD is very much like the Lab's description. Black musk dominates with Motor Oil and Myrrh playing supporting roles. Yes, i can smell motor oil. You'd think it would be gross but it isn't. It's perfect for making the Musk low-down and dirty. This has to be one of the sexier blends in the OLLA series. It's super dark and heavy too. Has good throw and lasts a good long while. A great scent to wear when you're doing bad things.

[OctoberGwen]

This blend is made of so much win. I loooove black musk, and myrhh is one of my favorite resins. I thought the motor oil would be awful, but it's just enough to give Streets a slightly dangerous edge.

 

I will almost certainly need a bottle.

[zankoku_zen]

Streets of Detroit would be right at home in the Phoenix Steamworks line. I get dark pine, musk and motor oil. It's manly, and a clean dirty smell if that makes sense.

 

This is the smell of a man that likes to tinker with antique cars.

[tinyvulture]

Bright yellow oil in the bottle. So this is black musk? I would've guessed there's red musk in there, too. Strong, lasts for hours and hours. And I love that the motor oil has a definite olfactory presence. This scent makes me feel powerful. Detroit will rise.

[azurelunatic]

Okay, who here has read at least part of the Wheel of Time series? In those books, the Power that the dudes use, Saidin, has been tainted by their friendly local demonic forces. The taint is like an oil slick on the top of the Power, twisting and sickening all the dudes who touch it.

 

Picture that, with musk instead of eldritch power.

 

The myrrh rounds out the musk scent. The motor oil floats greasily on top, sweetening it but also making me feel vaguely unwell. Like if I keep channeling the Saidin, I'm going to have some real problems later on.

 

Fortunately, the motor oil goes away after the first few hours. I really like the scent that stays around after that. Which is good, because the scent lasted through a shower, more than a full 24 hours in all. It took alcohol wipes to get off (mostly because I was getting bored and wanted to try something new). And then I'd dripped some on my watch band, which still smells sweet and delightful.

Edited August 6, 2014 by AzureLunatic

[aada]

This is now one of my top scents! For me, the motor oil comes in flashes- you have to sniff for it most of the time, but sometimes it just pops out at you with a bittersharp zing.

By hour 12, I have that deep incensey nag champa-ish scent still fairly strong. So amazing.

[bulletslc]

In the bottle this smells like a fresh stick of nag champa incense with something a little gritty and dirty underneath.

 

Wet on skin this smells a bit like the heavy musk thats in Smut with the myrrh giving it a bit of a bite. The nag champa/motor oil

gets overpowered.

 

Dry on skin the musk lightens up, the myrrh mellows and the nag champa comes out again and blends beautifully with the musk.

 

Have gotten a few compliments on this one.

Definitly a keeper.

5 out of 5 stars!!

 

I now have two backup bottles and am halfway through my first bottle. This is truly a fantastic scent!

Edited November 10, 2014 by Bulletslc

[SophieCedar]

I totally see what people are saying about fresh nag champa... then as this dries, I get a spicy oriental with a touch of motor oil. Dead sexy.

[Diane Bass]

OK, first review here, but I have a lot of notes for this one so it seems logical to share

In the Bottle: I definitely get motor oil, but sweeter, citrus-y. There is also something sharp like old school men’s cologne (Brut, I think)

Wet: Something in here reminds me of visiting Marianna Caverns, underground, earthy, mineral. Also of WD-40 and Bullfrog Bug Spray (but less champhor-y). It's edging on powdery here. Occasional whiffs almost smell like honeysuckle, which would be overpowering if it was the mainstay, thankfully it’s just a featured player. This scent smells distinctly of hot summers to me.

Dry Down: I’m not sure how to put this into words. It smells like yellow-brown to me. Like a workshop: metal, oil, wood, grease. Not exactly dirty, but tangy.

Dry: Very resinous, but it does have a dark edge to it. Like Adam it's almost floral on my skin, but not at all girly (sweet notes amp up on me). I haven't decided yet if I can smell motor oil at this stage. Eventually it develops a kind of sweet rum note, yum.

Verdict: Not an every day scent for me, but I will be keeping my bottle for sure!

[milo]

Lots of black musk here, which is fine by me, as it is the king of all musks! Myrhh comes in, so it's black musk and myrhh. This is reading as a masculine black musk blend to me, which means I probably won't wear it, but it is so wonderful, and I'd love to smell it on a guy. I'm thinking the motor oil is making this blend lean that way. Nice!

[Alistair miles]

Whoa this scent is possibly the best thing I have ever smelled hands down. First I get all black musk and something thick then the myrrh joins the party and whoa it manages to get even better.

[Smaragdina]

This is A M A Z I N G. As in, I keep thinking I'll wear a different scent for today, but then I open up my BPAL cabinet and Streets of Detroit is in my hand and I'm not sure how it got there.

 

On me, it's almost a Black Musk SN - it does that velvet dark lemon thing that Black Temple Burlesque Troupe does, but the motor oil gives it this sharp, slick bite. The motor oil is undeniably motor oil. If I didn't know that's what it was, I wouldn't be able to label it, because "motor oil" is brash and eye-watering and in-your-face and doesn't sound perfume-y at all; but that's what this is, and it adds just enough bite to give the black musk SN some teeth.

 

Wet, this is slick and sleek and just a tiny bit gritty (not the scent, but the feel of the scent - I'm seeing a woman striding through a back alley, heedless of the trash blowing around her fabulous boots). But it's simple enough for day wear. Or night wear. Heck, I've worn this in the office (see below), and then I've slathered some more on to go out for drinks.

 

Dry, on me, this turns soapy in the best way possible. This isn't baby powder soapy. You know when you go to the hairdresser's and they shampoo your hair with all their fancy stuff, and when you next wash your hair it's silky-soft and just lets of this wonderful luxurious clean cloud of scent? That's what Streets of Detroit smells like on me after a few hours. The most rich, pampered, I-want-to-bathe-in-this-forever soap scent ever.

 

I should order another bottle. I should order another ten bottles.

[sammy]

There really isn't much that I can add to the reviews above. They've all hit the nail right on the head. Adjectives like gritty,dark,dangerous,sexy...they all apply to Streets of Detroit. When first applied, I get that hit of motor oil. You'd think it would be unpleasant, being that it's motor oil, but it isn't in the slightest. If anything, I wish that motor oil stage would last just a touch longer on me. It dries down to the most wonderful incense-y, huffable, addictive scent EVER. Truly. Streets of Detroit ROCKS. Get thee to the Lab site at once and order a bottle before it is gone forever or you will be a very sad person. Trust me on this.

Edited December 10, 2014 by Sammy

[LiberAmoris]

Streets of Detroit is totally fascinating. Whatever is in the motor oil note, it smells just realistic enough to be completely evocative without being overly terpenic. The black musk accord is dark and deep and smooth like tarmac. The myrrh is really subtle—definitely not the strongest note on me. All together, this is perfect for the scene in OLLA and captures beautifully the mystery and allure of driving through a city late at night. It mellows out to black musk with a touch of oil; surprisingly, delightfully wearable. And truly sexy—the black musk accord is slightly animalic, and smells a bit like danger barely restrained. I think this would be amazing on my husband, but I might take it out for a spin as well from time to time.

[stellamaris]

Heavens to Mergatroid, I have no clue why there is any of this stuff left at the Lab...it's because the description says "motor oil" and many I am sure like me clutched the pearls and said oh my...and moved on to other more gentile things...that said I bought this for my gear head Jim Jarmusch/Black Pheonix lovin' son thinking ok right up his alley. But, of course I had to test it before gifting, duh...

WOW. This is amazing. I need 14 bottles. This is beautiful black musk with incense (I should learn anything with black musk = buy here in BPAL land) with some beefy throw and lasting power.

This. Is going right in the cart in my follow up Yule order.

[Poenari]

My review as of 6/14/14: (thanks to Mellifluous for saving this, since I lost it on Facebook)

 

I applied before bedtime and it is still present on my inner arm this morning! The oil is a dark brown color. First applied, I get the motor oil, not harsh, but just a quick whiff. The motor oil note, whatever it is, doesnt burn my nose or smell like the burning tires blast I initially get from my 2005 Devils Night. Then, the rest of the time this is a beautiful musk scent on me. Now my skin loves all musk except white musk, and this is no exception. Black musk never gives me the lemony note that so many describe and this black musk is almost a blend of black, Siberian, with a hint of red musk sweetness thrown in for good measure. I think the myrrh is so well blended with the musk that it sweetens it on my skin. I get a very beautiful dark ride in a classic car, late on a hot night, with musky overtones from the heat of two lovers skin just beading into a swirl of dark sexiness. I LOVE IT!

 

Edited 4/4/15 to update:

I wore this the other day, and after nine months of aging, this is even better than when it was fresh! The motor oil is still lightly present at first, but if I didn't know to look for it, I probably wouldn't have known it was there. It's melded into the musk, which has deepened and sweetened, although I wouldn't call this a sweet scent. I always think of motor oil being black and viscous, although that's not what it actually looks like when I've added it to my car before. Aged SoD has that kind of feeling to it, dark, viscous, rich and chewy musk. Get it while you still can!

[Dark Alice]

I cannot believe I have never reviewed this. This is scent is the essence of BADASSERY. Black musk and motor oil. Only a dab will do me as I have learned that too much of it causes a whopping migraine. But little dabs last all damn day. It's my kick ass court scent. It inspires me and reminds me in a weird way that I am a kick ass lawyer (which I am) I am just from the streets of Baltimore...not Detroit.

[Bambi Bloodlust]

Resinous, sweet, sticky, potent musk dancing with gritty motor oil. I definitely get whiffs of the place I get my oil changed at, but that fades after a while. It's incensy and amazing, the musks remind me a bit of Smut. If Smut is a sexy lady, Streets of Detriot is the bad boy she is dating. This isn't an everyday scent for me, it's potent and a bit rough around the edges. But it is gorgeous. And badass. Really badass.

[vox pop]

Lab purchase

Streets of Detroit, is a sensual and confidence forward fragrance, at first I could smell a little tiny bit of a motor oil scent

but on my skin it is an exotic far away land fragrance. Thankfully, on me there is no nag champa. This is sultry, strong in the

“ i've got this ” sense and maybe a little “ you talkin’ to me “

i love The Streets of Detroit!

Edited May 12, 2015 by vox pop

[nathanielhebert]

Streets of Detroit is predominantly a resinous myrrh, with a slap of sweet black musk, and a dribble of motor oil for some character. In fact, the myrrh is more forward than in Sloth, and that's just a two note blend! The gritty motor oil is the first to dissipate while drying down, but on a whole, I felt the mix to be too sweet for my liking.

After a botched first attempt to wear this, I gave Streets of Detroit another whirl, slathering it on before going to bed, but the sweetness crept up on me, becoming almost cloyingly unbearable. I awoke at 5AM, feeling super queasy, with the Streets still going strong, so I had to hop into the shower to wash it off and couldn’t get back to sleep afterwards. I usually pride myself on having an iron constitution, but I don’t think I’ll be able to stomach this one, even though I really want to like it.

Honestly, the culprit seems to be the black musk—a scent I had always assumed smells unobtrusive and sensual. It's the backbone for some of my favourite blends like Leopold Freiherr, German Expressionist Horror, and Mr. Croup. I bought two, lab-fresh bottles from BPAL recently, Iago and Streets of Detroit, both of which are simple, so the notes have nowhere to hide. Iago had the same effect on me, eliciting a knee-jerk gag reflex (even though I loved the imp!), and sniffing them back to back, the black musk note is the one that’s turning my stomach. I know there’s seasonal variations in the blends, but this black musk reminds me of the syrupy red musk scents that haven’t worked for me in the past.

I'll let the Streets of Detroit sit and plan on revisiting it in the future, but that negative scent association might be a hard bike to re-mount even if my chemistry sorts itself out.

[Ryan Hemphill]

Oh my goodness is Streets of Detroit ever a winner!

 

It's sexy, musky, and--yes--smells like motol oil. I love how it even looks the color of clean oil when it comes out of the bottles. That vicsious yellow oil on your skin.

 

As an added note--It totally reminds me of an old love who used to work in the automotive industry and would come home smelling of oil and grease and cologne.

 

This stuff lasts all day long on me and has amazing through. It's pretty much perfect and in my Top 10 for sure.

[theseagrows]

this starts off smelling exactly like an 80s balsam shampoo i used to use, then the black musk and myrrh comes forth and it smells like the aforementioned shampoo plus incense. it's reminding me of freshly cleaned, wet hair in a room with an incense stick burning, really. it's nice. not something i would wear much, but definitely occasionally. thankfully the black musk is not overpowering in this. i think the myrrh is the strongest note on me.

[LizziesLuck]

In the bottle, this is amazing. Myrrh and Musk and just - awesomeness.

 

Wet on my, it does this super fascinating Cola thing...not at all unpleasant.

 

Shortly after, I get the motor oil phase. Even that is quite pleasant. Smells like a sexy mechanic. Lol. I do note that this is not strong on me at all. Based on other's reviews, I only tested the tiniest drop, and it's very faint on me. My skin may be a bit dry though.

 

Dry - The Myrrh finally comes out. Still mostly Myrrh and motor oil though, not really getting the musk. I really like it, but it's a bit masculine on me. I'm just not 100% sure about it, It only came out of the mail yesterday, so I will likely hang on to it and restest again at a later date. There is something really compelling about it, I will say that!

 

After some careful thought, I actually think it smells like my grandfather used to smell.

[marilyn eyre]

Wowza. This is the perfect mix of gritty sex appeal and slick charm. The oil note is pretty prevalent, but I'm kind of into it. I actually get this image of wearing a leather jacket while walking down the city streets at night, but leather isn't a note. This stuff is STRONG, though. Only use a little bit.