Snaky-Hair’d Moirai Many-Form’d

[VioletChaos]

Tobacco-threaded incense smoke, labdanum, red benzoin, and blackened vanilla.

 

Proceeds from the sale of both of the Hymn to the Erinyes scents benefit RAINN, the United States largest anti-sexual violence organization. RAINN operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline, and provides programs to help survivors, prevent sexual violence, and ensure that offenders are brought to justice.

In The Bottle: the tobacco dominates. It's the same tobacco note from Red Lantern, which I believe is the chewy "French" tobacco variety.

 

Wet On Skin: As it starts to warm on my skin, I'm getting the labdanum, which is lovely and a primary motivator in picking up this scent. The incense element reads as sage smoke to me right now, but that might change with drying.

Dry Down: Unfortunately, as sometimes happens with my skin chemistry, the tobacco seems to be all but obliterating any other notes. Tobacco can age well and mellow, so I'll hold onto this bottle for at least a little while, but I was really hoping that the vanilla and benzoin would have a presence in this.

 

In All: really high throw- a tiny bit goes a loooong way, so definitely apply with caution until you know how it'll go on your skin. A must-have for those that adore tobacco notes.

[Joyleaf_]

I adore this. Adore. It feels like the same incense/tobacco note in St Clare, one that has a depth and warmth to it. Almost feels round, if that makes sense. The vanilla sweetens the scent ever so slightly, but this very much tobacco dominated, which delights me to no end. Picture a sunbeam illuminating a smokey, hazy room and youve got it.

I may need another bottle.

[torikitty]

I was excited about this one, too. Sadly, I amp the incense, and that's it! No tobacco, and none of the other notes are particular favorites to save it. Off to swaps!

[zankoku_zen]

Sweet, caramel chewy tobacco and vanilla-laced resins. This one is a dark, snaky, blend. It slithers sinuously. Dangerous, dark. Good throw.

[roseus]

Worried this might be a little heavy on me, but no need. The sweetness of the benzoin and vanilla lift up the chewy tobacco and resins enough. Badass yet comforting. Definitely a cooler weather scent for me.

[theseagrows]

i smell a slightly sweet tobacco and benzoin at the beginning. there's something light and glowy in this-i think it may be the incense. whatever it is, i like it a lot. after being on my skin for about 10 minutes, i get the vanilla which adds a gorgeous sweetness. i will definitely keep my decant for when i'm craving a tobacco incense scent.

[milo]

I rarely get tobacco dominant scents, as I just don't like the lab's version of them. Well maybe my tastes have changed, because I'm kind of digging this:) Lots of tobacco, slightly sweet with a bit of incense. I will definitely use this imp if I happen to crave a tobacco scent. I really like the tobacco in Mr. Nancy, Perversion and Bulgarian tobacco, but maybe French is finding a way into my heart.

[LizziesLuck]

Wet: Absolutely gorgeous. I instantly adore this. The labdanum is actually coming through strongest on me, but the tobacco, benzoin and vanilla are all very evident as well. This is amazing. Chewy caramelly cola-vanilla heaven. So far I feel like this will be a new fave for me.

 

 

Dry: I love this. It's sweet, resinous, rich, but also bright and almost effervescent from the labdanum. The tobacco and labdanum are gorgeous together, and the vanilla and benzoin add rich sweetness. Love it, super glad I blind bottled it. Will need a back-up!

[doomsday_disco]

In the decant: I'm mostly getting the tobacco-threaded incense smoke. Behind that, I can smell some resins and a bit of the blackened vanilla.

 

Wet: The tobacco-threaded incense is the star of the show, and the tobacco in this is a sweet variety. I think it's the tobacco from Orgy With Nine Women. The labdanum and benzoin are lingering behind the tobacco incense, and the blackened vanilla just serves to add a bit of sweetness to the scent.

 

Dry: Same, but lighter and sweeter. The tobacco incense is still the star of the show, but it's not as strong as it was before, and the resins and blackened vanilla are a little stronger during this stage.

 

Verdict: This is a lovely tobacco incense scent! I'm definitely keeping my decant. I may end up grabbing a bottle at some point in the future, but I feel like I don't reach for my tobacco-heavy scents enough as it is (Orgy With Nine Women, Red Lantern, Eastern Comma...). I'll have to see how much I reach for this one.

[lady_pandora]

Sometimes tobacco can take over a blend on me, but in this one, it plays nicely with all the other incense notes to make the most dead-on impression of a particular head shop that I've smelled yet. And I do have kind of a personal-empowerment association with that place, so it works! I was worried about this one, but it's a keeper.

[saint_gawain]

When I first got this (more or less right after it was released) the scent was....super astringent, for some reason? Today I put some on again and the aging really mellowed it out - it's all warm smoky resins and deep labdanum and absolutely gorgeous, particularly in the later hours. I'm really happy I held onto this.

[lookingglass]

Absolutely STUNNING. I'm ashamed I waited this long to try it. 

 

Initally nag champa-ey, with the lift of airy floriential incense, the blend is immediately thickened with the richness of expensive, moist, vanilla tobacco, like you'd pack into a pipe. The benzoin and labdanum are almost indistiguishable together, adding a sticky, dark red, resiny sweetness with a slight tang.  It reminds me a bit of how 80's powerhouse orientals vibed on the drydown, but SHMMF is more incensey...more raw...more real.

 

I love the way this scent makes me FEEL when it's all warmed up: unappologetic and at ease with myself, even knowing that some might raise an eyebrow. I could wear this anywhere, anytime and hold my own.

 

Thank you, Beth...for your brilliance, strength, and humanity. What a beautifully powerful perfume to contribute to RAINN's mission. 

[VetchVesper]

This is the kind of tobacco I don't care for.  It's similar to the one in Hearth, and i think it might be the lab's "pipe" tobacco note, though that's not how it ends up on me.  It's got a weird, fruity cologne thing going on.  Maybe it's tobacco mixed with incense?  I don't know, but sadly, this one doesn't work for me.  If you liked Hearth though, this smells to me like a lighter, sweeter version of it.

[torischroeder9]

Source: Decant from a wonderful forumite. 

 

In the decant: Vanilla, labdanum, and benzoin. 

 

On my skin: 

 

Wet, the labdanum dominates. I get a whiff of blackened vanilla and a bit of benzoin. As it dries, the tobacco-laced incense comes out. On me, it is very much like tobacco-laced incense smoke and not like smoking pipe tobacco. There's also lots in the background on this, tamping down the tobacco and keeping it under control on me. I can pick out whiffs of benzoin and labdanum; I can't discern the vanilla, but that doesn't mean it's not working in the background. 

 

This settles down to a lovely vanilla-and-benzoin-tinged tobacco incense. Tobacco often becomes overwhelming and cloying on me, but it doesn't take over here. Unfortunately, the tobacco note is still more front and center than I prefer (and possibly why this is a scent I scrolled past on the Lab site without loading into my cart). But for tobacco enthusiasts, this one is exquisite.

[Bassmastadroog]

A tad soapy at the opening. I barely smell the tobacco, or what I think might be happening is that the tobacco is merging hard with the labdanum, which is removing a lot of the thick tobacco I was hoping for and replacing it with soap.

 

As it sits, it’s getting warmer and more nuanced. Incensey. Smells like a nice incense (not hippie) that you’d smell while walking into a shop that sells woven mats, crystal necklaces, etc. Ever so slightly almost floral or fruity smelling.

 

If I didn’t have anything like this I’d probably keep it, if it was my first foray into incense. It’s a really nice and eclectic perfume. Overall not for me though as it’s mildly generic smelling compared to the rest of BPAL’s catalogue.

[starbrow]

Early on, my aged bottle is Tobacco Dr. Pepper. Clearly, that tobacco and labdanum are POPPIN'. Thick, chewy, caramely French tobacco, and a spicy cola complete with fizz are on the menu. It's a Statement. Good amount of throw, not surprisingly. The blackened vanilla provides same sweetness that is so lovely and atmospheric, but the red benzoin never shows up specifically as its own note for me, which is fine. I am happy with it melting into the incensey resins that swirl at the base of Snaky Hair'd Moirae.

 

The later stage is gorgeous. As the cola effect of the labdanum trickles away, and the French tobacco's sharp edges smooth out, a beautiful incense emerges. It is spicy and sweet in a resinous old-church-building kind of way, not sweet as in a foodie way. I kept thinking I had put on a Weenie. Oof this is amazing. Totally worth the opening ride. Again, good throw for an hours-later scent, where I can still catch whiffs of it on me every time I turn my head.

 

This is mostly a fall and winter scent to me, so it will make its way to that heavier collection and sit comfortably with my other incenses.

 

I would wear this while: taking a walk on a crisp fall morning through old downtown blocks.

[deepquietvoice]

Decant from forum sale, decanted in 2018.

I imagine this is well-aged.

 

I'm in the same boat as the testers who found this tobacco-heavy. Strong tobacco is the dominant note, followed by smoky incense, something red and peppery (?!), with a vanillic base. The resins get stronger and sweeter once this has a chance to wear for an hour or so.

 

I really like tobacco blends usually, but the tobacco is too overpowering in this one for me. I think the tobacco is the source of the peppery aspect too. It's a bit like being poked in the snout with a humidor.

[pinkgyrl]

Tobacco like whoa 

If you can get through the “settling in” stages of the tobacco note, this is freaking gorgeous.

 

This is like Black Lace’s 3rd cousin - much more tobacco and less vanilla. Dry dark vanilla, smoky laudanum, and a substantial prescience of tobacco - all overlaid with just a gentle wash of incense.  To me, this is a sexy and evocative scent  - my mind drifts to a stolen dance or kiss in a dark club, light overshadowed and diffused by a weighted cloud of cigarette smoke  - languid movements matched to the bass notes of a song thudding so loudly that conversations are moot. 
 

I hate typing this, because I promised myself not to add those infamous words present in almost every review:  this will age gloriously   Alas, I did it, but the tobacco note will lose some of its sharpness while the vanilla note will round out and better announce itself.  
 

Stunning blend. 

 

Edited March 30, 2023 by pinkgyrl

[Little Bird]

This is a lot like the French Tobacco single note, but not as sweet, more washed out, shrill, and sharply smoky.  The tobacco is almost like dead leaves - slightly spicy, dry, lightly sweet.  I don't get vanilla or amber from Snaky Hair'd, but the incense smoke comes out more like actual cigarette smoke to me.  I'll probably never reach for this over any of my sweeter tobacco fragrances.

[jensdays]

I’m not expecting much from this, I don’t especially like the way it smells in the bottle.  Wet it’s kind of heavy and dirty smelling.  I was hoping for tobacco, and vanilla, but I think the incense smoke and labdanum are the more prominent notes.  I’ll have to see how this dries.  Okay, it dried so much better than it went on.  By an hour it’d become a gorgeous chewy tobacco, with hints of the other notes in the background.  Not nearly as much vanilla as I’d expected, with the benzoin AND actual vanilla notes, but the tobacco is just delicious.  It’s got a pretty light throw, and doesn’t seem to be one that will last a long time, but I’m definitely hanging on to it!