Fifth Lash

[starbrow]

Red musk, black amber, red leather, teakwood, smoked lavender, and plum.

 

This is one sexy blend.

 

For fans of red musk, this one is different enough to include in the collection. The warm leather and teak gives it almost a unisex quality - in fact, I'll be trying this one on a boy soon - along the lines of Hellfire or Dee, with the faint whiffs of smoky lavender and red musk swirling into the mix, and that beautiful plum note from the lab giving it all a rich purply note. But it's the leather that is really warming this one up for me and sinking into my skin. It's incredibly sexy as it settles, losing throw but gaining that really nice second-skin quality. 

 

For fun, I put it up against Mme. Moriarty, with whom it shares the red musk and plum. They are quite different, but absolutely deserve to share shelf space in the same collection. Fans of A Savage Veil or Shadow in the Elevator (kissing cousins, minus the leather note) should definitely check this one out.

 

I hadn't tried a red musk/leather scent before and Fifth Lash works SO well. I wish its throw lasted longer but really that is my only complaint. It's gorgeous.

[Dark Alice]

This is quite nice. The leather isn't black but not shiny red patent leather. Finally...a red leather I can handle.

[zankoku_zen]

Red musk, leather, and a hint of plum. This is musky leather with whiffs of plum and teakwood. Good throw and wear length.

[patina]

This is a bit heavy on the leather and teak which gives it a kind of cologne sense. It almost smells like celery at a close sniff. I get an occasional waft of plummy sweet lavender but I don't think the up-close smell is worth it. Very sophisticated though.

 

After some aging the celery has calmed down though the leather is still prominent. I get sticky plum with cologne and red musk too. Now I can finally see the comparison to The Shadow in the Elevator

Edited February 4, 2019 by patina

[cinderfallen]

Immediately, I got smoked plum, the same used in Snake Charmer. It's very plum forward with red musk rounding out the lavender sillage. I don't get much leather. It's incredibly well blended and one of those classics. Highly recommended! (If you missed out on Snake Charmer, try this one to see the kind of feeling the other one had.)

Edited January 20, 2019 by cinderfallen

[Casablanca]

(I'm trying this even though red musk is terrible on me.)

 

First, I get a smoked lavender-plum on a soft, perfumey amber. If I look for it, I find a hint of teak. This blend makes me think of an ornate tent of violet-clad dancers.

 

In drydown, red musk and red leather join the party. (The red musk does its usual thing on my skin, and turns gross after a while.)

 

This one could easily have been a Carnaval Diabolique blend.

[Cali]

Heavy red musk , a hint of lovely leather, coupled with something fresh and a good 'ole (smoky) plum. Idk if it's just my skin being weird today but it seems to fade a lot and I'm left with just a vague impression. Sad, it's lovely.

[tinyvulture]

Was curious about the smoked lavender! I'm getting red musk, no surprise there since it always dominates on my skin. I also pick up leather and lavender in equal amounts. No plum for me. It is a smoky scent. It reminds me of Gaueko, it's got that same lavender + smokiness going on.

[doomsday_disco]

I tested this one over a week ago, and by tested, I mean accidentally spilled almost the entire decant all over my arm and the couch.

So I was so engulfed by this scent that I don't really want to try it again, but like tinyvulture, I was curious about the smoked lavender, and what I ended up getting was a sea of red musk (thanks to the fact that I spilled the decant and my tendency to amp red musk). I also got some leather and plum, and only a little lavender and amber. But mostly, the red musk was out in full force. Even the boy mentioned how strong the scent was.

This is definitely one for red musk fans.

 

[Lucchesa]

Instead of the desired smokiness everyone else is getting, Fifth Lash was soapy on me.  Why?  I don't understand.  Red musk, lots of it; leather, a little plum, and soap.  Stupid skin chemistry.