Actual Lump of Coal

[lookingglass]

[No additional description given.]

Yeah. It's uuuuugh...an actual lump of coal! You know that sooty, dry, slightly sulfuric note from La Befana? Or Brimstone? Take all the prettiness off of those and turn it up to 11. No joke.

[MischiefofRats]

Agreed on the above for sure. Lovers of Smokestack will recognize the coal note from that right away, but whereas Smokestack has some sweetness to temper it, Actual Lump amps the coal and adds a touch of fire and smoke for something that's definitely on the harder, more industrial side. This is not a pretty scent, but it's honestly pretty awesome. If I didn't already have Bonfire SN and Smokestack, I'd be really tempted by this one.

[TrailerTrashPrincess]

Actual Lump of Coal bears no similarities to the Lump of Coal from a decade ago. this is dinosaurs. this is chimney sweeps with bad cockney accents dancing in the streets with penguins. it is an actual piece of coal. not to be confused with the "coal" i've included in some of the pakkitches i've sent out which have been rootbeer flavoured, chocolate-with-crisped-rice, or bouncey balls.

i'm kinda surprised the oil isn't pitch black. which would make it hard to wear, sure, but boy howdy, this is potent stuff.

[mazaru]

This smells 100% exactly like an actual lump of coal - posh charcoal, to be specific - and I absolutely love it.

[Allumina]

My chemistry will sweeten pretty much anything, so on me this starts off wet as a sasparillia candy type thing, before settling down into something heavy on the veviter with some additional notes that are dry and slightly sooty. I'm not getting any smoke or sulfur. I was hoping for something a little harsher, actually- I agree with mazuru on the "posh charcoal" descriptor. I was interested in trying this as a layering note to soften the sweetness of some scents, so I'll update once I actually try that.

[patina]

Okay, read the label. There's your review.

 

Actually, I find the industrial scent somewhat tempered by the mineral char. It's darker than Smokestack but not as offputting to me. It alllmost goes petrochemical but stops short.

Edited January 6, 2017 by patina

[zankoku_zen]

This reminds me to the note of flue gas in one of the Century Guild's. Ashy, smoky, industrial. Dark. Slightly petrochemically. Medium throw, low wear length.

[Little Bird]

I actually enjoy the smell of charcoal, but this smells quite like a dirty ash tray to my nose. Ashy, dry, slightly smoky, and gross to me.

[VetchVesper]

Is it odd that I actually rather like this one? 

 

I have in one hand some handy, dandy, oh so trendy, charcoal cleansing face scrub, and on the other hand's wrist, I have a drop of this lovely single note.  They are very much the same smell, though the perfume is grittier, more industrial.  It's really interesting, and I think I shall enjoy layering it with different things for intriguing effects.  This might be especially nice layered with men's fragrances for a sort of "rugged" vibe.