No. 93 Engine

[Dani87]

Balm of Gilead, benzoin, frankincense, balsam of peru, beeswax, saffron, galbanum, calamus, hyssop, mastic, lemon balm, and white sage.

Imp: wood, cedar maybe?
Wet: beeswax, and frankincense.
Drydown: I smell a smoke to it now, like a lit beeswax candle. Still frankincense, and some saffron now, with a tiny bit of lemon there as well.
Dry: still pretty much the same as drydown, but a bit more smokey. There is also a slight menthol smell.
Overall: this does have an electric feel to it. Has a decent throw. It's very nice smooth scent, that I find sexy. Not in your face sexy, but a subtle kind of sexy. Makes me think of a hot guy working under the hood of a car, covered in grease. He's not trying to be sexy, he just is, and it takes everything you got to keep from jumping him right there in the garage. That said, it's not for me, can't wait to try it on my husband though. It's not too masculine for a woman though, a lady could wear this, and smell just as yummy.

[Quanta]

I got this because I liked the sound of many of the steamworks scents and this one seemed to work for a lot of people.

 

In imp: Spicy and incense-y, kind of woody.

 

Wet on skin: the spice is toned down a bit and a bit of sweetness is peeking through. Interesting.

 

Dry: Sweet incense (in a good way…I’m not the biggest fan of incense but this is kind of nice) with a bit of sharpness and spice. Not bad, but I’m not sure it’s “me.” I’ll give it a few hours.

 

4 hours later: I can barely smell a hint of incense left on my skin. Not spicy anymore, just incense.

 

Overall, I’m kind of lukewarm on this one. It’s nice, but I don’t think I’d wear it on a daily basis and it doesn’t remind me of steampunk or laboratories or anything like that.

[patina]

This smells like magic.

This is a machine shop from an alternate reality where engines are made of burnished copper and run on beeswax and imagination.

 

Alternately, it's a nice bright yellow/ lemony scent with soft musky sage. It reminds me of herbal cough drops I had once, but that's not a bad thing.

 

The herbs are somewhat medicinal, the metal is a little musky in the way heated metal sometimes is. These elements are not overwhelming on me and add more than they detract. (The resemblance to the smell of hot metal is really striking.)

 

This isn't very strong on me.

Edited June 22, 2012 by patina

[hexnut]

In Vitro Rich, resinous, herby… cola! Yes! The cola scent that some reviewers mentioned! Instant love.

Wet And because the "cola" was my favorite note, that vanished immediately, but what remained was very good. A bit sharper, more resinous, a bit less sweet, with herbs underneath. While wet this was rich and almost intoxicating in a way that reminded me of Tombstone.

Drying Blended to resinous, slightly sweet, slightly spicy, with moderate throw. It remained reasonably strong for the next hour. Five hours after application the scent was faint, a bit sweeter, and very nice.

I was a bit worried about the frankincense but it either played nice or was beaten down by the other components. Nor could I detect any individual notes after application; it was all one harmonious blend.This worked well as a skin scent but it was fantastic in the imp, so I need a scent locket for sure. (Why yes, I have seen the Clockwork pendant. Drool.)

[neuilly]

This smells like a woodshop to me. I feel like I'm just smelling layers of wood chips - definitely cedar but it smells like there are other woods as well. I don't really get the other notes. It's very atmospheric, but very not me.

[bellumed]

Ooh, very interesting. In the vial, No. 93 is beeswax. All beeswax. BEESWAX CENTRAL over here! On me, it's a very serious herbal blend. Not mechanical but scholarly. Like an old-timey academic gentleman poring over crumbling books in the library's basement. I think the beeswax is helping that along still, giving a kind of "reading by candlelight" vibe. I wouldn't say it's strongly masculine, just not feminine at all. Since I like my perfume to be a bit more traditionally girly (food and flowers, yay), I was torn on this one.

 

Fortunately, once it dried I started to smell the lemon balm! I wasn't expecting it to show up, but lemon is one of my favorite notes, so that makes me happy. Lemon balm tipped the balance, and I will certainly keep my imp.

Edited July 31, 2012 by bellumed

[elfnwitch]

I bought and Imp of this along with the July 2012 "13" simply for one ingredient: Balm of Gilead. BoG comes from the sticky resin on the buds of the balsam poplar or the hybrid of the balsam poplar x cottonwood trees. That sweet, spicy, earthy resin is divine, and a group I used to belong to used it as incense for full moon ritual. In this, it is what I smell from wet through to dry. The first evening I tested it, my sleep that night was full of dreams for the first time in recent memory.

 

While I absolutely love this, I'm going to get a bottle to keep for full moon/dark moon and meditation. Given the other "sacred" ingredients like frankensence and white sage, it is a perfect ritual oil!

[KakashiMorph]

In the bottle: Frankincense and mastic. Intriguing and fresh.
On my skin: Cedar and frankincense and a faint soapy warmth. A couple of minutes later I get a faint cedar (that reminds me a bit of cedar wood trimmings) and something that makes my smelling sense tingle, like peppermint does (and I think is an echo of the frankincense). About 10 minutes later the cedar is all but gone, the frankincense is a smoky presence and I get the beeswax. Smoky wax in a soapy warmth; it shouldn't work but somehow it does.
Drydown: It has changed to something different that I can't describe. It reminds me a bit of a sweeter version of vanilla's essence (which is bitter) but I don't know what it is.

[BoneBone24]

Wet: Bright and sweet, like an old-timey tonic.

 

Drydown: A spicy metallic with bright lemon and grounding sage over a sweet and creamy base of benzoin and beeswax. Woodsy balsam and sexy frankincense round it out. The throw smells like cinnamon.

 

Dry: More of the same. Brilliant coppers and oiled brass. Deliciously spicy resins with smoky beeswax and herb-spiked lemon. It’s like all of my favorite things rolled into one. To quote Nine, it’s “Fantastic!”

 

 

 

 

9 out of 10 bones

Edited June 21, 2013 by BoneBone24

[fufu_berry]

Dry, woodsy, and vaguely medicinal (I like that kind of scent, so not a complaint!). It went on mostly cedar; some of the beeswax and frankincense started to come out after around 20 min, and then all the lovely herbs sort of blossomed the longer I wore it. I really like this scent - very earthy and mystical.

[carbonatedmariticide]

this is my favorite scent. it was my first ever scent from the lab! a gift a few years back for christmas, and i've been hopelessly enchanted by it since. on me, it transforms from the bottle scent (a bright scent that synthesia says is goldenrod yellow) into this hot, complex delight of beeswax, light nectars, and, somehow, hot metal. and it's still the same on me after all these years! my roomate loves it, too! it takes a slightly more woody route on her, but it's just as delightful. highly recommend this one!

[ccelaya]

Wet - I smell the balsam of Peru and benzoin.

Skin - Ummm I love the way it smells on my skin. Sweet lemon, galbanum, hyssop.

Dry - The sweetness relaxes and it becomes woodsy with notes of frankincense and white sage.

Highly recommend this one!

[mermaidsdream]

I wasn't sure what to make of this scent, at first. In the imp, and applied all I get is the mastic - that sharp, licorice smell - but it's soft, golden, light. After a while, it dries down into something soft, warm, and ... relaxing, almost sleep-inducing. Yes, I love this.

[kythe]

Well, the lab sent me a bunch of Steamworks frimps as an apology for forgetting to include something in a previous order and now all but one of my top five is from Steamworks. Love this collection.

 

At first, No. 93 Engine smells like herbal cough drops, not-too-sweet lemon bars, and soft beeswax. As it dries, it morphs into something delicious and soft reminiscent of spicy chai tea with hints of honey, lemon, and sage. Very warm and relaxing. Metallics don't show up on my skin so this doesn't smell mechanical in the least.

[Deliciousness]

Got this as a crimp .. thanks Labbies!

 

In the imp: woodsy clean incense.

Wet on skin: beeswax with a little vanilla and honey. There is still a background of frankincense and a light citrus. Lovely!

Dry: Frankincense.

 

I had such high hopes for this one! The "wet" stage for No. 93 Engine is amazing, if only it would stay that way. Unfortunately, the frankincense takes over, like a conquering army. It destroys all other notes and nuances of scent. In the end there is frankincense. There will only be frankincense. And nothing else.

[Mergekat]

Such lovely, mechanical bees! I got a decant of this and I tried a few drops on today. It appears to have medium throw, but prefers to hold tight to the skin (unless in the summer heat). I'm getting the warmest of inviting scents. It at times smells more of smooth beeswax glazed in honey, but there are hints of the lemon balm and the sage there. I get multiple scent visuals that make think of Honey Nut Cheerios, then of honey-scented candles, and then of waxed brass metal. It blends in way that I get all these variations. I do with several individuals that it makes them think of "buzzing", and I can see that now with all the honey vibes I'm getting here. Which is perfectly fine for me, as bees are my favorite insects.

I give it a 4 out of 5, only because I wish it had a larger throw for enjoyment's sake.

Edited June 20, 2013 by Mergekat

[Magycmyste]

In the imp: I'm pretty much getting all incense here, with a bit of a citrus backdrop.

Wet on skin: Eh, it's about the same right now. Very pretty, but I'm waiting for some of the other notes to come out.

Dried down: Oh there's the beeswax.... mmmmmm... Sweet mechanical bliss... I have to admit, I can't identify half the notes in this scent, but itdoes come together really well. Most of the notes blend into Incense, and if it was just that, I think I might let this pass. I have several incensey blands, and while I love them, I don't need any more. But the beeswax (and I think the saffron's blending into the beeswax a bit) really adds another layer to this that I don't think I've found in my other incense blends, and makes me want to just breathe it in.

Throw: This one has a soft throw, with the incense sticking close to me skin and the honeyed beeswax wafting in the air around me.

Verdict: ***** Ok, that's another bottle to add to my list.

[Erinofhere]

This should have been a shoe in. We should have been blown away by this. Motors and gears, beeswax, metal, steam, resins!!

This should have been his perfect scent. And the funny thing is that it is his perfect scent only it smells too much like him...

I know I won't be able to articulate this to well.

Due to my husband’s job and his natural skin chemistry... this smells almost exactly the way he smells normally. Only No. 93 has more of a motor oil smell that comes off as chemical.

His skin just ate this one right up

I think I will age the imp and break it out in about 6 months and see if it helps.

On me..it smelled too masculine for me to ever pull it off.

[kashmira]

Originally, I bought this because I am a fan of a band, Current 93, and am quite aware of the spiritual significance of the number 93 in general. I figured the notes might work on me, but I was rolling the dice.

 

In the bottle, I found it to have a sharp green mentholated top note that made me wary to put it on my skin. However, once I applied, it became Orthodox Church in a bottle. Seriously, on my skin, this is an Orthodox Church: candles, incense, iconostasis, etc. It is uncanny how closely the scent matches my memories.

 

This is one of my top 10 scents, hands down.

[icecreamcone]

First applied, No. 93 Engine smells like a dank basement.

On dry down it smells like a freshly emptied bottle of vanilla Coke.

Edited December 26, 2022 by icecreamcone

[Dusk]

I'd forgotten about this scent until yesterday - I knew I'd liked it before, but I couldn't remember what it smelled like. Starts off very warm, resinous, honey sweetness. Dries down to be more complex, with the beeswax playing a large role, some frankincense, and the white sage giving it a drier and more masculine edge. It verges on being too sweet for me - I can actually smell the vanilla coke that the reviewer above mentions - and there's a metallic sharpness that appears in the later dry stages, which I do not like - but I do really like the beeswax. 3.5 of 5.

[sprout]

Okay, this is my first review and given the paucity of single notes I have tried, I am not the best at picking out single notes, so with that caveat here goes

 

Preconceived notions: engine, steamworks, should be interesting, artificial smelling perhaps, mechanical

 

In vitro (imp): yellowish oil, average viscosity, smells medicinal (like rootbeer or cola?) and slightly smoky (like oil burning)

In vivo, wet, first few seconds: sharp, evergreen note [perhaps balm of Gilead? perhaps it reminds me of the resin of evergreen trees, but having never smelled single note balm of Gilead, I have no frame of reference]

 

Development wet to dry: actually smells like smoke coming from the oil burning in an engine and captures the "spirit" of the scent's theme very nicely, a single note I wondered what it was, guessed fennel, it must be the white sage

Base notes: becoming sweeter, more vanilla-resin, me thinks this is benzoin as I enjoy that note. At this phase I think it is equal blend of the herby notes (sage and resinous evergreen notes, a hint of cola/medicine/rootbeer/sassafras? with the benozin which is sweet and vanilla like). As it dries further it reminds me a bit of snake oil with resin (maybe that is all I get of the honeywax candles), but later, I get more of the frankincense and none of the honey comb (womp, womp)

 

Affinity and final thoughts: I was surprised by this one as i expected herbal honeycomb and got resinous vanilla rootbeerish herbal. I must conclude that frankincense in a blend is going to trump other resin and organic notes. I really wish I had gotten the honeycomb that others perceived, but I can perhaps layer with an oil that has more honey and needs complexity. I really enjoy herbal scents, benzoin and frankincense so this is going to be a keeper, and I will probably hoard imps. I am contemplating a partial bottle, however, there are many I enjoy that will take precedence over this. Overall, I do think this captured the idea of Number 93 Engine olfactorily. Bravo Beth!

 

Edited: 3 hours after application, the frankincense calmed a bit and the honeycomb came out--I am in honeycomb heaven! BIG BOTTLE on this one!!!!!! I love this pure, dry, sweet, slightly waxy comb with a hint o' honey

Edited November 21, 2014 by sprout

[Myrrha]

I hadn't tried this one before because of some reviews saying it was a more masculine scent which isn't what I usually like. This is truly a fabulous scent though, many thanks to Tramp for the frimp.

 

Wet- lovely golden beeswax and a wood-like scent, and yes I can smell the brass. It is definitely a golden scent.

 

Drying- herbal notes, something that reminds me of pagan rituals from back when I was more ritually inclined, beeswax and honey. It gets sweeter and less wood-like. With the beeswax and frankincense this is a bit like St. Foutin de Vareilles without the wine and roses.

 

Dry (about 40 minutes), it is mostly beeswax/honeycomb and benzoin with frankincense and the herbal notes supporting. I LOVE this. It is sweet and rich but the benzoin is cool. It makes me feel activated and purposeful. Right now I am wearing a teal colored sweater and feel like this perfume doesn't "go". I would wear this with black, brown, gray, maybe white. The part of me that likes this is the same part of me that likes The Little Wooden Doll and Chimera although they smell quite different. This is not a scent I would wear when I want to feel most feminine but it isn't too masculine once it dries down.

Edited March 8, 2015 by Myrrha

[Naomi Kelsey]

I think "balsam" (or perhaps saffron?) might be a "death note" for me. This seems so amazing in the imp, but on my skin it's straight up mothballs. Rare is the BPAL fragrance that I rush to wash off but this just didn't like me. So sad! My skin tends to amp pine/mint and wood (weird, since I'm not one of those naturally fresh smelling people, I tend to smell warm and musky in my natural state, go fig!) so that might be the issue here. Very disappointed, but the blend itself is not the issue. So, warning, if you amp wood or if saffron/balsam is your death note, beware!

[Marla Moreau]

I got this because reviews of Hermes Trimegestrus v.2 said it was similar... it is, but it's entirely unique.

 

In the bottle: beeswax, resins/incense, and vanilla... tiny bit of citrus

Wet on skin: church, like someone said... this mimics church incense and beeswax candles more than any other scent, creamy. My skin eats citrus so none of that.

Drydown/dry: same as above but more spicy/peppery (copper?), beeswax note is strong which is what I was going for, can't stop sniffing my arm, smoky resins

 

This definitely joins my top 3 along with Hermes Trimegestrus v.2 and Djinn. <3