Snake Skin

[archaesophilia]

A sinuous leather variant of BPALs Snake Oil.

 

I'm not a huge fan of Snake Oil, my skin just eats it, but every now and then it blows me out of the water in a bled, a la Womb Furie. Alas, this was not one that blew me out of the water. The leather note was very aquatic on me and didn't blend at all with the other scents; then, as always happens, it vanished about an hour after application. If it didn't vanish so completely on me, I'm sure it would be a different story but as is this will have to go to someone who will appreciate it!.

[zankoku_zen]

Leather. Smidge of Snake Oil. Well, huh, a snake oil variant that doesn't completely suck on my skin. I can finally smell some of that sexy Indonesian and vanilla spice that everyone seems to love.... EXCEPT ITS BLANKETED IN CHEMICAL BLACK LEATHER. *sigh* Great throw and wear length.

[Balame]

I'm one of the few who don't like Snake Oil, but thought I'd give this a shot to see if leather could temper the coca-cola sweetness.

And it does! I smell a lovely, dry vanilla with a tickling of spice. There's still the odd cherry association I get from Snake Oil, but it's not out of control.

 

Like zankoku above me, though, I have to say the leather here isn't great. I've definitely smelled better from BPAL.

All of the RPG line that includes it, Genital Mountains, Captain Cully, Jolly Roger, etc. This in comparison smells fairly synthetic and sharp.

 

I think I would've loved this if the leather was softer and more worn, like an old riding saddle or beaten-up leather jacket.

But as it is, this ends up smelling like plastic cherries and fake leather.

Edited April 21, 2017 by Balame

[Verios]

I love snake oil, but only after some aging to smooth it out a bit-and snake skin, on skin test, is exactly the same way.

 

I don't really get much leather, either...sooo, I'm going to put it away for aging, and hope the leather comes forward a bit more, while the spices smooth out...if they do, this may just make it into my cherished favorites list!

[milo]

I knew that this should of been a straight-to-bottle purchase, but I held in the reins and only got 3 decants. I was lucky enough to find another bottle, even though I hadn't even got my decants, and this one does not disappoint. In the bottle, soft leather and snake oil, very much like Western Diamondback, though that one is sweeter. On, this is where it blooms. Sweet, buttery-leather soft snake oil, like WD, but it's a different (better) leather, and more vanilla heavy sweet. I LOVE this, and I imagine the 1.3 bottles is probably not going to be enough for me. Absolute hit.

[freyasfae]

Wet this smelled like snake oil with leather, but as it dried down, it became mostly leather prominent with a touch of vanilla spices. I want to slather my husband in this.

Edited May 18, 2017 by freyasfae

[torikitty]

I think my nose is doing something similar to a previous reviewer, where it's reading the leather + vanilla = cherry. So Cherry Snake Oil is a big thumbs up for me!

[evil_laugher]

I tried this soon after the package arrived, wore it to bed, and it was overpowering, probably extremely close to fresh Snake Oil. I could taste it. It was unpleasant. Trying it again for the first time in 9 months, and it felt like it had the right amount of throw and an appropriate balance. I felt like a sexy cupcake. The leather is an undercurrent. After about 6 hours, I didn't notice it anymore.

Update: It reappeared hours later during appropriate nighttime amorous activity. I look forward to wearing it again!

Edited November 8, 2017 by evil_laugher

[vanilla323]

This one was mostly clean leather on me with a little SO in the background. It wasnt anything special to me, but its not foodie so not sure why I bought it lol. Ended up selling to someone who loves it. Leather lovers give this a try.

 

Ok throw and weartime.

[Joyleaf_]

Well, I am in love. It is the same leather that I get from Iago, which delights me. Its like wearing my worn leather jacket and snake oil at the same time..with not much else. The fiance approves. I am so happy that I ordered this and that it came back

[doomsday_disco]

2018 version.

 

In the bottle: When this first arrived, I got the cherry-almond aspect some reviewers have described from this with fresh Snake Oil. Now, after it has had several days to settle, it smells like Snake Oil snuggled into a black leather jacket.

 

Wet: Soft black leather intertwined with Snake Oil. The black leather note is stronger than the Snake Oil on me, although it isn't sharp or chemically on me, I hope the vanilla of the Snake Oil comes out and sweetens this a little bit.

 

Dry: Fortunately, the vanilla does come out during the dry phase, helping to tame the black leather note, and the vanilla and leather combo, backed by Snake Oil's spices, is amazing.

 

Verdict: I wasn't sure about this at first, but once dry, it's a cozy, soft, well-worn leather and Snake Oil scent that I'm sure will only get better with age.

Edited February 19, 2018 by dementia_divine

[Numanoid]

2018 Version

 

SO... I LOVE Snake Skin. I have the 2017 version which is amazing!! This one, to me, is basically the same, but..wearing it, it is not as strong and not as much throw as the 2017 version.

 

If the 2017 version was too much for you, you might like this one better...at least for now. I let mine sit for a while before testing it and it might get stronger over time, due to the aging process, but this is definitely not as potent.

It is still that leather scent mixed with the Snake Oil, but seems paler in comparison...still wonderful.

[Withjoy]

I'm loving the 2018 version of Snake Skin. And really regretting I didn't get more than one bottle. I may have to do a second Luper order! This is Snake Oil, but a touch less sweet and a bit drier. On me, the leather comes out as it dries down. I can't stop sniffing my wrist!

[Lucchesa]

2018 Snake Skin, which I'll need to death match with my decant of Western Diamondback, my favorite Snake Pit so far, which was on my buy-next list. I think I may like Snake Skin better; it's drier and less sweet than WD when wet. But in both cases, I wish the leather lasted longer.

 

When I smelled Snake Skin ITI, the leather was the main note, with some SO in the background. It's a really nice leather, too. Wet, the leather still predominated, but in drydown, although I could smell a lot of leather on my wrist, the throw was all Snake Oil. And gradually the leather receded until in about 3 hours it was really just SO.

 

Both this and WD are great. Both will age spectacularly. I don't really need two leather/SO blends, do I? Do I?

[mishi-bear]

I love Snake Oil, and I have a few BPAL leather blends that I've loved the leather note in, but something about this didn't work for me. The leather had a chemical and an almost musty smell to it and just smelled wrong. A shame

[galahad]

In the Bottle:

Snake oil and worn leather. More mature than Western Diamondback

On the Skin:

Almost a caramelised snake oil to start with with the leather slow to emerge but when it does - wowza, it is gorgeous!

On the Drydown:

The leather and snake oil are quite balanced in this one. Sophisticated, spicy and with good longevity

[artisjok]

 

On April 14, 2018 at 1:26 AM, Lucchesa said:

Both this and WD are great. Both will age spectacularly. I don't really need two leather/SO blends, do I? Do I?

Of course you do, Lucchesa 

 

I love this one so much! It's classic Snake Oil with a luscious leather note slathered all over it. I have 2017, so I think it's aged just enough to be particularly yum. I had my partner smell my wrist when I first applied, and he asked "saffron?" I smelled, and the leather note does smell like saffron. Maybe that's the chemical sense others have gotten, but for me it's that point when you get just the right amount where the mouth salivates. Decedent! I feel like such a sexy queen wearing Snake Skin. 

Only need a little for big throw and long wear length, too. Glad it will last. 

 

[torischroeder9]

2017 version.

 

In the bottle: Leather and Snake Oil. I'm normally not good at picking out nuances in the Lab's leather, but this note is evocative of large amounts of new, high-quality equestrian tack. 

 

On my skin:

 

Initially, the combination of the wet leather note and the wet Snake Oil is unusually sharp. As it dries, that quickly dissipates, though the leather note makes the blend deeper and heavier than standard Snake Oil. (I am someone for whom Snake Oil doesn't register as particularly sweet, so I don't really notice a lessening of that quality here.) It also provokes a faint redness and irritation on my skin, which standard Snake Oil does not do. None of the Lab's leather notes has done this before, either, but my experience with them is more limited. 

 

About a half hour past the initial drydown, and the leather note recedes significantly. It's still present as an additional grounding note, but the blend is Snake Oil-dominant on me. Also, the skin irritation persists into this phase. 

 

After an hour or so, the irritation goes away. It remains mostly Snake Oil with an undercurrent of leather. 

 

It does have great throw and wear length and after several hours, it fades to mostly Snake Oil on me. 

 

I'm torn. I mean, Snake Skin is awesome on me because Snake Oil is awesome on me. And I definitely understand why those who find Snake Oil too sweet would prefer Snake Skin. But I cannot truthfully say that Snake Skin is more awesome on me than is Snake Oil, or even that is awesome in a unique way. 

 

[melandie]

I got my bottle 2 days ago so it needs to settle still, but this one is incredible and I feel it will need to be a staple for me. Like several others, Snake Oil itself isn't a winner for me - it's ok, but tends to go powdery and is just unremarkable on me - but this one...

 

I get the leather note straight away and it beautifully tempers SO's sweetness as well as the powdery aspect. It doesn't feel in your face sexy, but definitely very quietly sexy, like it doesn't need to prove itself. 

 

This is my first day wearing it and it seems to not last very long but that could change as it ages. 

[patina]

I have the 2017 version. Initially I wasn't thrilled because of the chemical/cherry/powdery leather. Also my skin tends to eat leather. However, this has aged into a soft black suede. As much as I love aged Snake Oil it can sometimes be a  little too sticky-sweet and foody by itself. The leather works very well for it. Less staying power on me than the original Snake Oil, but that's fine.

 

This might be a top 20? If not top ten.

[theredkilt]

2019 decant:

 

I picked this one up without any expectation. This has to be one the best Snake Oil variations out there. The leather note is the kind i like and mixes so well with the SO. As i wear it, it doesn't scream leather to me, but more like a cozy caramelized buttery leathery Snake Oil.This is too gorgeous i can't even find the right words to describe how amazing this smells.

[Threemoons]

Glad I got a bottle of this in 2019 as my 2017 bottle is almost gone.  Just cracked it open today. This is by far the best SO variation IMHO.  The leather in the 2019 version is more of a white leather, like new leather unlined gloves or new soft ballet flats.  The SO oil blend in it is rich and mellow and more of the dominant note here.  I know I'm going to love layering it.

[Estamets]

Beautiful! Soft brown leather a’la Haute Macabre and Western Diamondback. A hint of sweet Snake Oil. Something lovely and resinous when I bury my nose in it. Perfectly blended. 
 

Subtle yet consistent throw. Going on 5 hours and I still get gentle whiffs from my shoulders. 

[Amoraexcena]

I'm going through my collection right now and trying to let go of some bottles that aren't getting enough love, and make some room for new. This is definitely staying. I don't remember which vintage this one is, unfortunately - I sometimes forget to log in to the site before ordering so I don't have full order history on me either. It's the label with 2 women, one with high-heeled feet/legs up. My guess is 2017. Anyway...

 

It's gorgeous. As SO is wont to do, it's mellowed and aged into a gorgeous SO variant. The leather isn't medicinal to my nose, though it's not suede-soft either - I think of this as a high-quality, thick, brown pebbled leather scent. I get a touch of smokiness, not sure where that's coming from. Personally, I find SO a little too intense for me most days, and I think this blend is a little more wearable on my skin. Really beautiful. It's joining Batty Lace and CC:F into my autumn leather scent rotation.

[RoseThornAndOak]

At first, this is very strong patchouli heavy Snek with patent leather supporting and a bit of woods, like cedar. It is very similar to Batty Snake Oil initially. However, on final drydown Batty SO is more vanilla musk and soft leather, and Snake Skin has a fresh, almost (almost almost) sunscreen lotion skin musk vibe + leather and vanilla in comparison. I am wearing The Hound and the Milkwhite Doe on the other arm, and although that started with more coconut, it now doesn't have that same level of sunscreen vibe as Snake Skin. It is not like freshly applied sunscreen, more like after it has settled into your skin a bit throughout the day. My guess is the leather, vanilla, and the musks in SO are playing together to create that scent for me.

 

A rough start but overall I really like the journey this takes me on. I like that it is more clean vanilla + leather now than overt patchouli.

Edited April 30 by RoseThornAndOak