The Serpent in the Roses

[Seajewel]

Snake Oil dribbling across a cluster of amber-flecked, blackened rose petals.

[starbrow]

Testing fresh, so I will continue to update this review as it ages.

 

Newly arrived, this is a big rose mood. It has so much garden in it, when I'm outside I'm looking around for the roses but it's me. Spicy and indolic, big throw. I can confirm that this rose is similar to the one from The Elephant is Slow to Mate (2021 Luper), but without as much to "corrupt" it so it is totally stealing the show here rather than playing nicely in a gothy ensemble cast like it did in Elephant.

 

The rose continues to dance front and center for hours, only allowing glimmers of the 2022 variety of Snake Oil to pop through. 2022's SO has a musk in it that is especially chewy and strong, so I expected it to compete a bit better with the rose here, but it is inconsistent right now. That should balance out with time. The vanilla and spices are beautiful but muted, total skin-level components in the blend. The amber is on that same mellow playing field, almost drowned out by the rose and the chewy musk of this SO. 

 

The Serpent in the Roses will absolutely develop with even just a few weeks of aging, so I'm giving it some time, mostly for that rose to chill tf out

[Area51Fugitive]

As starbrow above stated, let this one rest a bit.  Same thing happened when I was impatient and needed to test right away, lol.  Nothing but rose.

 

A few days later however...

 

Bottle: The snakey spices and the roses are winding around each other, with the vanilla smoothing everything out.

 

On Skin: I can't tell where the sweetened spices and rose begin or end.  It's romantic and dangerous all at once.

[RoseThornAndOak]

Ladies and gents, I think we might've hit peak BPAL. This is the most BPAL thing I've smelled in a while dude.

 

This is like if you took BPAL, but layered it, with BPAL.

 

Like when you look in two facing mirrors, and get a tunnel of BPAL.

 

Fresh gothy black funeral BPAL rose, goth club BPAL amber (almost fruity or like O, Smut, etc), and o'course BPAL snek but the patch behaves (as it does in many flankers I've noticed, phew). If you don't like snek, as sometimes it goes weird, you might like it here (join my club party!).

 

I don't know what you want from me, it's BPAL. So crank the Combichrist and hit the dance floor already. This BPAL will BPAL you up...

 

More BPAL than BPAL, more BPAL than BPAL 

Okay I'll stop lol. 

 

A year and few months aged: even though the patchouli behaved when this was fresh, it has smoothed out most graciously even more. I'm getting a glorious darkened amber black rose with not too much SO, but quite a bit of it's vanilla and spice.

Edited August 6 by RoseThornAndOak

[abejita]

I agree with one of the reviews above me. If you took BPAL and layered it with BPAL... yes. That would be this. 

 

It starts out as rose-incense-musk-snake oil. The resinous incense-y notes are dominant, with a spicy rose right behind it. The Snake Oil takes the back seat, but it is coming across to me enough that I think with aging it will emerge as much stronger. When I get a Snake Oil variant that I can't smell the SO at all, it doesn't usually improve with time. When I CAN detect it, it does tend to deepen and emerge more with age. 

 

Even un-aged, this is a keeper. I think it will only get better.

[Weirdgirlpilled]

Brb, buying SEVERAL backups of this one. To echo everyone else, this is the bpaliest bpal to ever bpal. I cannot stop sniffing myself. Sultry, sexy, dark and twisted. Something haunting lingers in the background of this one, like a lover that you'll never forget as long as you live. It's dark rose layered over top classic snake oil, and I can definitely detect the patchouli and musk and vanilla, but they're all blended so artfully that not a single one overpowers the other. I would say if you're a fan of the sultriness of snake oil but also infatuated with the dark rose from "London" this would be a big winner for you. Perfection. 

[elissamay]

Hot damn.

This is really giving me Snake Oil, but if Snake Oil had red musk.

It's spectacular, sexy, dark, and addictive. 

 

P.S. - I'm not a huge fan of rose. If you are also not a huge fan of rose, but you do love Snake Oil and/or red musk, I would counsel you to give this one a go. The rose is there but it isn't overwhelming to those of us who just aren't that into it.

Edited April 1, 2023 by elissamay

[AEris]

LOVE!!! Absolutely intoxicating!

So, I don't really sense Snake Oil distinctively. On me, it's a warmly silky red musk incense that opens with a tender hint of green rose stem and settles into an addictive precious masterpiece. If you love deeply warm almost sweet incense and red musk and a hint of dewy rose that isn't powdery or soapy at all, this perfume could be your holy grail. It's my favorite so far for 2023!

[Poenari]

I've been wearing my bottle of this frequently since it arrived last month. It's so beautiful... I have an enduring love of Snake Oil and several of the variants. This is another Snake Oil variant that I believe will become highly treasured. Don't sit on this one! The Snake Oil isn't as prominent as in recent other variants, so I think many people will find this delightful.

 

To me, the rose is a lovely pink dewy rose, not sharp and not soapy, just fresh and springlike. The rose is actually more noticeable than the Snake Oil, which is a supporting player here. I also get some red musk from this. The scent is very wearable in any setting and quite  long lasting. I need at least one backup bottle because I've already been going through my first so quickly! 

 

 

[Minh Scent]

OK, perhaps I have a broken nose.  I get red musk and a hint of rose, with zero snake oil.  I can't say it is not pretty, just much lighter than expected.  It also disappears rather quickly.

 

Edited 9 months later

 

Wow.  The rose has stepped forward.  This is a very sexy deep red rose.  The sexiness comes from the musk.  Indeed there is just a "dribble" of snake oil, but the star of the show is the rose.  I would not really classify this as a Snake Oil variant, but it lovely and goes perfectly over Snake OIl Body Oil.

Edited December 31, 2023 by Minh Scent

[LavenderCoffee]

This is unlike other BPAL roses and other Snake Oil blends in my collection. This is a bold rose, but I'm also enjoying the brazen amber, rising to the occasion: must be some generous flecks! I'm not really picking up on a blackened vibe from the rose, except that it feels very goth femme and I am wayyy into it, even if it isn't especially snakey yet.

 

Edited to add: woke up the next day smelling the snake oil!

 

Ok coming back in 4 months later: this is still. sooo. good. I can't help but think that the snake oil emerging late in the wear time is intentional. The serpent is lurking in the roses but you see (and smell) the roses first! Sneaky snek! I think the blackened rose reads more clearly now and I just love everything about this blend.

Edited July 28, 2023 by LavenderCoffee

[MamaMoth]

rose is just about my #1 danger note, but i'm so slavishly devoted to all things snake oil, i felt honor-bound to at least try this.   i do periodically try some rose variants, hoping to find one that agrees with me. it can be so pretty in the bottle sometimes, but i've had very little luck on my actual skin.  blackened rose though?  with snake oil and amber??  surely if this doesn't work for me, i will just have give up.

this starts quite rosey, and i think i know how this is gonna go. but i'm wrong.  the amber surges up very quickly, and the rose gets kind of dusky, almost ashy-soft.  i don't track snake oil exactly, but there is oodles of smooth, delicious red musk, and i also get a healthy dose of that luscious '22 snake oil vanilla.

the rose fades into the background, and it locks in.  no soap! no stale cloying flowers! it's not super snekky, but it's a lovely dark, incensey rose enfolded in ambery vanilla musk

 

i wanted a snakey, gothy rose that stayed true to itself, and now i have one, so i'm thrilled!  this definitely deserves a place in my snake pit.

[patina]

I don't really get snake oil, either, though this is new, so who knows what it'll do later. I get a fruity, spiced red musk and roses. Think Lust with roses. This is softer than Lust, though. The vanilla may be calming it down. I could compare it to Black Rose, though my super aged bottle turned strident.

 

I get the comparison to The Elephant is Slow to Mate, only this is like talking normally compared to screaming.

 

I have no idea how this will age, but it should be interesting.

EDIT: Two weeks later, it's settled down some. The rose feels silky (amber?) There's still a spiced red musk, but I can smell vanilla when I sniff up close. Better!

Edited April 25, 2023 by patina

[Jenjin]

What a contemplative, elegant experience. Top notes of patchouli, red rose and metallic gold rise to the top. This actually has more light than I was expecting, like sunlight glinting off the snake's eyes at dusk. I'm also getting damp grassy earth notes. This snake is in the meadow, twisting through stems with thorns in an attempt to reach and kiss velvety rose tops. I love its gentle, moody presence. This is a calming, meditative scent for me, combining qualities of earth and spirit becoming one. 

[frizzlechicken]

Yep I definitely agree with those saying this is BPAL. This is gorgeously blended. I'm getting red musk, rose, and something reminiscent of the actual namesake fragrance, Black Phoenix. The amber must be rounding this out in all its warmth. No soapiness, no cloying florals. It's hard to put this one into words other than just "this is great". The SO is very light in this one, but there; it's elegant and gorgeous all at once. 

[dancingchair]

This is gorgeous, even though I'm not sure it's really me. The rose is perfect, intertwining with the Snake Oil patchouli and musk. The vanilla is hard to find here, though maybe it will come out more with age. All the Snake Oil spices are amplified and they pair very well with the patchouli/rose combo.

 

This is spicy rose Snake Oil. The throw and longevity are big, so a little goes a long way. I'm happy with my decant, but I can see why people enjoy this one so much.

[doomsday_disco]

This, like recent snek variants, is strongest on the musk on me, and the dark musk seems to be infused with some red musk, unless that's my sniffer playing tricks on me because of the red rose mingling with it so well (the rose is not as dark as I was expecting from the description). It has some serious throw and stays that way for hours and hours, although it did morph into Snake Oil by the next day (I guess I got it on the sleeve I tested this near), albeit the lighter, newer version (not as strong on the spice or vanilla on me).

 

I like this and agree that it's definitely BPAL, but there are other rose scents that I enjoy more from this update. I'm going to hang onto my decant and retest it before it goes away, though. I'd really love it if the vanilla showed up on me after getting a few more months of rest!

[amoray]

Spicy rose. The rose starts off strong and then mellows into the snake. I don't like rose very much, but even this is tempting me. There was a hippie shop near where I grew up that sold incense and handmade rose soaps and it smells like that shop. I used to go there in high school all the time so it's a super nostalgic scent for me. I'm gonna need to test again and see how I feel. It's not as strong on the snake oil as I'd like, but perhaps some time would change that for the better. At this point I think BPAL could add snake oil to anything and I'd like it. 

[samanare]

This is all Snake Oil on me. I get no rose, just the spicy, resin-y brown-red musk I associate with Snake Oil. The snake must have eaten all the roses with my chemistry/nose. Not for me, but I'm obviously in the minority. I'd say must love Snake Oil for this one.

[DigitalCoyote]

Wet:  AMMMMBBBUURRRHHHHHRAH.  I'm aware that I amp this one because of my experience with On Darkness.

 

Semidry: Amber, a green vegetation smell, and incense roses.

 

Dry: Several hours after application, it's just [a more subdued, not so bellicose] amber and elements of Snake Oil. 

 

I got this a few days ago and thought I would let it settle after I tried it.  The story is the same for both wears.  Snake Oil and I aren't friends most of the time but I had hope because the adulterated variants get along better with my skin.  It's wearable but I don't know that this one is good on me.  I'll have to try it when I'm around people: sometimes I can't smell what's happening on my skin but other people can and find it pleasant.  This happens with Womb Furie and Habu.

 

#reviewathon2023

Edited April 13, 2023 by DigitalCoyote

[pinkgyrl]

🥀  Dark. Slinky. Gothic. Seductive. Haunting.

 

Spicy resin-laced roses with red musk, patchouli, and slightly dusty amber.  Unlike the experience that I’ve had with other Snake Oil variants, the SO is very obscured here; the simultaneously heady but bright and dewy roses feel like the star of the show. All of the notes are seamlessly blended, a wave of perfectly stitched notes with something ominous slinking underneath - the Snake Oil is lurking underneath - only rearing its head during every other huff of this scent that I inhale until finally settling into its recognizable vanilla comfort hours after application.  I swear that I could almost smell sweat beading up on skin at some points during the dry down.  
 

I’ve had to go back to this a few times trying to decide if this perfume is me, is something that I would wear - it’s a gorgeous blend and will only get better every second that it ages.  

Edited April 17, 2023 by pinkgyrl

[Bassmastadroog]

To me this seemed like a no brainer of a perfect scent. I love roses and I’m a long time HG Snake Oil wearer. I rested it for a few days before testing.

 

This is a warmed and velvety petaled rose. Maybe a fresh rose that was left out in the yellow square of sun on a wooden table in a kitchen for a day.

 

The Snake Oil is very understated. I definitely feel it warming up in the background though.
 

This is a mysterious woman in red gauze and gold. It’s got the spices and the mystique of snake oil but the sensual press of the rose. 
 

It’s certainly beautiful. This seems like a GC scent, I’m honestly shocked it’s never been done before. I’ll be buying some backups.

[theseagrows]

so, i can't do regular snake oil, but some of its offshoots are my absolute favorite BPALs. i love amber and rose so knew i had to try this one. it opens with a dark incensy rose. over time it turns into a spicy dried rose. very pretty, reminds me of a couple BPALs from the early aughts when i first discovered them. ❤️

[Janis]

So I tried this twice on different days and got two completely different impressions-- both rested more than a week.

 

First time in ~70 degree weather, I got the wonderful, 'BPAL incarnate' spicy rose and snake oil. Not much amber, just the way I like it! Faded really smoothly and I got the roses/spice all the way through.

 

Second wear was a couple days later in 90 degree weather. It was amber. All amber. Antique amber, sure, but AMBER. I could barely detect any rose, and only the tiniest hint of SO.

 

Based on the first wear, this upsize worthy - but the second wear has me scared. Temperature-sensitive, perhaps?

[rawgirl75]

When I first got my bottle fresh from the mailbox, the rose note was strongly forward.  But soon after a few days or so of settling the rose note stepped down and now it's subtlely there but hangs around in the background.  I will add to what the others have said that this scent has a 'classic bpal' smell, reminding me of the smell of my bpal stash in the early days (circa 2007).  I have no idea why (because they don't smell alike), but somehow it kinda reminds me of my memory of Kubla Khan (which I don't own anymore).

I stopped by my bestie's house today to drop off some snacks and asked her to sniff me.  She sniffed and her eyes rolled up into the back of her head and said "Wow! What is THAT?!"😍
"Oh it's called The Serpent in the Roses" 😁  So of course I then needed to immediately go home and order another backup bottle - which I just did. 😉  
 

Edited April 28, 2023 by rawgirl75