#20 Love Oil

[Rock Geisha]

A potent, enticing love formula, favored among Louisiana courtesans.

In the bottle: Cherries, an herbal smell and...puppies.
Wet: Herbal puppies with a light rose.
Drydown: This is so nasty on me and it's making my eyes burn. I had my grandmother smell it on me and she made a face.

I'm going to try layering it with other stuff but so far this is not doing it for me.

Edit: I've tried layering it with Snake Oil and although I can at least stand myself now, it's still not very me. Edited September 30, 2007 by Shollin

[tinyvulture]

At first this is citrusy and I think there's a hint of plum. I say that because it vaguely reminds me of Bordello, except it's sour instead of sweet. As it dries it really reminds me of Black Phoenix, only without the almond. There's a hint of cherries and soap and maybe a touch of rose? A very complex scent to be sure -- it's like applying a bunch of different BPAL scents at once! Pleasant enough, but too sour/citrusy for me to think of it as "sexy."

 

OK, after about 20 minutes, the citrus goes away and it smells like soapy roses.

Edited February 23, 2006 by tinyvulture

[herongale]

pre-conceived notion: well, isn't that a vague description? This will be a good test of my nose's power, because I don't know what other people find in this scent (and I won't until I check up on the review page at the BPAL forums), so this scent comes to me as a true blank slate. I have absolutely no expectations, other than the fact that this ought to be fairly sexy (and hopefully not syphlitic).

 

in the imp: my god... lavender?! Lavender and... cherry popsicles? I don't think it's possible to understate the popsicle scent here. This smells like a red popsicle right as you are sucking the last bit of cherry ice off the birch wood stick (google tells me that popsicle sticks are made of birch, but I'm going to be honest and say that the wood I'm smelling is more like Balsa wood).

 

wet: definitely the most prominent note is lavender. I'd stake my reputation on it. The specifically popcicle scent fades but there is a remainder of cherry blossom sweetness that makes me suspect the tiniest amount of dragon's blood resin (which would have to be quite remote, because this is a clear coloured oil). Strikingly similar to Twilight, which had honeysuckle in it, but I'm going to guess that this has a different floral component to offset the purple sleepiness of lavender.

 

drydown: rose! Rose comes in over the lavender, and magnifies it into something rather grand. It's a very balanced scent, sweet and feminine. Old-fashioned, though.

 

verdict: interesting, but not "wow" like a Sophia Loren. I'm going to reserve judgement, but I don't think this is going to go on my list of scents that I want 5ml bottles of.

 

post-conceived notion: now it's time for me to read the forum reviews and see how totally wrong I am about the notes...

[Ryvre]

In the imp: Oh my god, what is that stink! My boyfriend says it smells ok, so I'm not sure what I'm reacting to, but I really hate this.

 

Wet: Smells like something herbal and burnt plastic.

 

Dry: Better. Herbal and a bit sharp. I still don't like it, but I don't hate it either.

[dnipbhsw]

This is a light green herbal scent, it's sharp and to me, has a hint of soapiness to it. I like it, don't love it, but I'll have to see how it works on my husband when he gets home this evening. I'll post an update when I can.

 

Update: DH didn't go for this at all. He made a face and said it reminded him of some kind of cleaning solution. He doesn't "get" herbal fragrances, for one thing, and he just likes florals on me. Voodoo magik doesn't work on him, apparently

Edited June 14, 2006 by dnipbhsw

[opaleyes]

This is an interesting one. When I first opened the vial I got something very sharp, coughed a bit, and shut the vial again right away.

 

I decided to tough it out though, and try it on.

 

I got a hint of almond before, but now it's mostly herby. There's something in there I recognize. It's like lemongrass? It definitely softens out. It's a very green scent with little bits of yellow. It gets nicer the longer I wear it.

 

I'll have to wait and test it on the boy, but he's sadly out of town for a few months. *sigh*

 

Hmm... now a bit of lavender is coming out? How odd!

[edenssixthday]

#20 Love Oil was excessively sweet and almondy when I first put it on. But after the initial dry-down, the almond faded into the background and it mellowed into something spicy and sexy, but very subtle. After about 2 hours, it's almost completely gone, and with the cost of BPAL oils, that just isn't enough to make me want to use it again and have to reapply, reapply, reapply. I'm going to pass this on to a friend who I think might like it.

Edited June 25, 2006 by edenssixthday

[Spastik_Kitty]

In the bottle: Almonds and salt.

 

First on: Salty almonds, herbs and something citrusy.

 

After a bit: Something spicy comes through, as well as salty almonds

 

A bit more: I'm not sure what herbs are in here, they're almost anise like, licorice maybe, as well as lemon rind.

 

We'll see how Adm likes it, so far his reply was "I have my own salty nuts, thank you"

[karengypsy]

In the vial: Really oily cinnamon.

 

On me: It smells oily and like powder mixed with some kind of spice. A few minutes later, it's dried down and it's become rather nice, actually. It's a very green scent on me, with some kind of spices and a bit of powder and maybe a hint of rose.

 

Verdict: I won't be buying a bottle, but as this is a Voodoo blend, I look forward to trying it out with a bit of intent!

 

Rating: 3/5

[Eunice]

Eww. Just... It smells woody, rosy and cherry and something that just makes this rank on me.

[PurringPulsar]

#20 Love Oil

 

In the imp: almonds and sharp, almost pickle like, 'voodoo spices'.

Wet on skin: spicy, peppery almonds. It's a very unusual scent, like a whiff of a spice cupboard filled with arcane, mystical spices and herbs used for potions-not the usual kitchen spice.

Dry on skin: whoa, this tickles the nose. This scent just crackles-it's like pepper but with other, unfamiliar spices that crackle and sparkle like fireworks. However, come to think of it, nutmeg might be in here, or maybe even chilli or paprika? I get a little bit more almond-though not the cherry scent, more like a raw nut scent, and also some rose at the back, which has the potential to grow stronger.

After a while: rose! Now a lot of rose has surfaced. The scent now has similarities to TAL Amor, Red Devil, Harlot and Seraglio, only this is much more spicy, pungent and unusual, it has a real voodoo/potion feel to it-a brew of hot, smouldering, fiery spices and unconventional herbs. I do get cinnamon now, I think.

Eventually, this scent is less spicy and much more of a powdery rose…and now I smell sandalwood. this really does resemble Seraglio now.

Verdict: this really does smell less like perfume, more like the sort of scent I could expect to waft from a cauldron where a potion is brewing and simmering. Full of unusual spices that I'm having real trouble identifying-but I'm certain that there's pepper here-several varieties, possibly including chilli-but the note I recognise most is rose-and lots of it. There may even be a touch of orange and cinnamon here too. This hot, crackling scent also brings to mind the image of fireworks-quite apt for an amorous, passionate scent, I must say! The drydown scent is nicer and more perfumed-lots of sandalwood rose. This is very intriguing and different and almost confusing at the start, the drydown is pretty, but I do prefer Seraglio, Harlot and Baghdad to this-they are very similar and smell much nicer on me.

Emoticon rating:

If you like this, try: Red Devil, Seraglio, Harlot, Baghdad, Lucy's Kiss

Edited September 28, 2006 by yeahbutnobut

[cranberry]

In the imp, this smells like honeyed almonds.

 

Once on, the honey almond scent disappears and instead I get the scent I get from a lot of the Voodoo oils. It smells a bit powdery. After it’s been on a bit, it begins to smell like rose. There’s also a mineral oil smell here too. This smells better thank it did initially. It's rosy, slightly sandalwood and slightly spicy.

 

I didn’t have an opportunity to see how this oil works. The scent was ok but there are other oils that have similar properties that smell better.

[Babylon]

Dried herbs, the bite of pepper, and roses. Imagine opening a spice drawer that's empty now, but has been used as a spice drawer since the beginning of time. Now add a few roses to the room, and there you go. (To clarify, the spice drawer wasn't full of cinnamon and cloves, but instead bottles of italian seasoning, basil, oregano, etc.)

 

It's not a bad smell, but not something I would ever wear as just a perfume. Unfortunately the intent of it didn't seem to work either, as my boyfriend spent the evening beside me playing video games rather than ravishing my wrists.

Edited July 24, 2006 by Babylon

[fiddledragon]

From the GenCat Circle Swap.

 

Wet, mainly strong, slightly bitter and medicinal almond. Dry, it's medicinal and slightly lemongrass-like. Was met with wrinkled nose and confusion by boyfriend.

 

I think the Voodoo blends are really just not for me.

[nannan45]

#20 Love Oil

 

Wet On Skin: This smells green and herbal-y. Has this clean smell to it - it reminds me of...dishwash liquid or some other cleaning solution. But oddly, I find it rather pleasant. I've found I don't really like floral scents, and this one definitely isn't floral on me.

 

Dry: I'm usually very bad at identifying individual notes, but this one was clearly Citronella. Citrusy and clean with a bit of powder. This is quite nice!

 

Effect on hubby: Let's just say it works .

[aestien]

Bottle: lemon roses

Wet: creamy lemon roses with spice underneath

Dry: straightforward spicy rose

 

I loved this. I prefer my rose scents balanced with earth/wood/spice notes and this fits perfectly. It definitely made me feel romantic and inviting. It faded quickly, but that may have been the insane heat that day. Beautiful blend.

[fairy]

This one smelled a lot like O, which on me wasn't a good thing. I'm guessing honey is in there and on me, honey smells like sweaty gym socks. I'll keep this just because I like the concept, but as far as fragrance goes, my body chemistry didn't like :/

[minnalavender]

I received this as a frimp in a recent LJ order and had heard nothing about it before I opened the vial.

 

In the bottle: almonds, with clove underneath? Candy, little-girl sweet and not what I had expected at all!

On my skin: Mmmmmmm. The almond morphs into a spicy, powdery rose overlaid with clove and cinnamon - almost like carnations. I love how this smells! There's nothing little-girlish about this oil on my skin. Score! I haven't had a bad bpal rose experience yet.

 

It stays very close to my skin, which is also good for its purpose - you'd have to really snuggle me to catch a hint of it.

 

I think I'll layer this with Love In The Asylum, to help the throw. They share some similar notes.

 

[tracey]

This scent makes me think of the song Roses Grow by Concrete Blonde. It's a very rose scent on my skin (fair blonde). It also has a soapy undertone and whoever said it was like Dove soap nailed it for me. It really smelled like a rosy dove soap initially. It started to deepen and smell like there was the spiciness of carnation in it but it's changing again and now reminds me of a sweet Chanel No. 5 perfume, it has that old undertone. Fortunately I like roses, dove soap, and Chanel .. I'll have to try this again when I go out and see if it garners any attention.

 

It's not my favorite but it's enjoyable.

 

~ Up through the cracks

~ Up through the broken glass

~ In the hot red light of a black and white

~ Roses grow

Edited September 6, 2006 by tracey

[Precis]

In the bottle, #20 Love Oil smells like vetiver or something similar to me. On initially it's just more vetiver, but as it dries something sweet and floral emerges. After a while, it's not cinnamon or rose that I'm smelling at all, but Fruit Loops!

 

Dry: The scent fades a little (still fruit loops, but not as strongly such) and it's yet another voodoo oil that reminds me of beachy areas! Aaaand here comes the rose every other review seems to mention, but there's just a hint.

 

Conclusion: pass!

[sofaking6]

Well, my first negative review and I don't know even know what I don't like..

 

Imp: fruity/almond (nice)

 

Wet: Herbs and light floral (okay)

 

Dry: Oy - it smells like some kind of evil hell-flower is trying to kill me. Is it tuberose? Rose with herbs? I wish I knew because I would definitely avoid the note or combination from now on.

 

Swappin' for sure.

[blackrosepassion]

In the bottle this smells strong. I have avoided trying it for the last week because it smelt too strong for me and I really didn't think that I would like it but today while smelling my oils this one appealed to me and so at last it is getting tried. In the bottle I smell a maraschino cherries and almonds a smell that reminds me of Christmas and Wedding cake.

 

Five minutes after putting it on there is still the sweetness of the cherries but something else as well. A herbal/earthy smell.

 

Later: The cherry smell is gone, there is still a hint of almond though and it has devloped a floral girly scent something like roses and spice. I don't mind this one at this stage. I quite like the rose/floral smell but then again I have always been a rose girl.

 

Conclusion: At first I thought no way and avoided trying it but in the end I think that it is quite a nice scent. Not one that I would ever buy a bottle of but perhaps one to try and have an imp at least of around for those times when I feel like it. I haven't tried it on the boyfriend so I don't know if it works as a love oil but it has got me at least thinking about the naughty side of my life and I think that if he was home I would be pouncing him so perhaps it does work. The smell is a lot heavier then I tend to gravitate towards. I wouldn't wear this as a daytime perfume but for an evening out with my man or while trying to seduce him it might just work.

 

Added: October 12th 2006 Oh my it works

 

Blackrosepassion

Edited October 12, 2006 by blackrosepassion

[steffanina]

#20 Love Oil-

 

In Bottle: Mmm! Fresh and green smelling.

 

Wet: Ooh, I don't like this first sniff of it on. It's like rancid soap.

 

Dry: I'm afraid this has that sour floral smell on me I don't like. Some florals just do that to me. Off to wash.

 

Overall: Not for me.

[supremegoddessofall]

The Voodoo blends and I have not been hitting it off, and this continues that trend. It's got that sharp household cleaner thing happening again with *way* too much lemon for me. Swap.

[columbus]

In the bottle: Almond/cherry with a VERY herbal backdrop.

 

On the skin, that herbal becomes much stronger and very sharp; it almost makes me cough if I sniff at it too much.

 

As it dries, however, it softens quite a bit, and now I’m getting roses and… lavender? I think? We’ll just say “florals” to be safe. Soapy, though. I can practically see the suds.

 

All in all, I’m not much a fan of the way this smells. But hey, it’s a voodoo blend and not a straight perfume, right? It doesn't necessarily have to smell good.