Sin
Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab

All I wanted was a piece of the night
I never got an equal share
When the stars are out of sight
And the moon is down
The natives are so restless tonight
I've been looking for an original sin

The first I've come across in BPAL's repertoire that isn't sickeningly sweet. I honestly did not notice the patchouli at all (even though it's extremely dominant). Instead I got a very greenish spice that fooled me into thinking that someone put some cough syrup on some lavender leaves. It's green, thick and gave me a distinct impression of raw lavender in a garden. After my brain could decipher the anamoly, I figued out that the patchouli is really layed on thick here. Along with the cinnamon, it really throws you for a loop. Almost too... mashed together and just a mix of ingredients, nothing artsy or endearing. Just some smells put together. The sandalwood is really nice though. After the patchouli settles down that is.It's a little weird.

This scent made me decide I don't particularly care for patchouli and sandalwood together, but I think it's mostly the patchouli that I dislike. It screams "hippie" which just isn't me. It's also a very strong smell with my body chemistry.

Whoa! Comes on strong and very hippyish. I guess it's the “black” patchouli that has so much to say. The opening potency doesn't last long, though; it settles down quickly to something of almost normal delivery. The tamed-down patchouli gives off a rich, earthy, almost organic darkness and it also is responsible, I think, for the smoky overlay that begins to show up in the accord – this is the part of the fragrance that I like the best. Then the cinnamon creeps to the fore to eventually take over from the earthy patchouli, leaving the patchouli as an underrepresented partner in the accord and providing the anchor for the cinnamon and sandalwood that's showing up by this time. By this time, the potency of the fragrance has lowered to a normal sillage. The final level moves to a sandalwood and amber that is excellent when smelled of the blotter, but loses something when it tries to perform off my skin. But the amber is dominant throughout the drydown, significantly sweetening the fragrance. I'm disappointed by the poor performance of the sandalwood in the drydown. Sin has some conspicuously important moments of beauty and the top and heart are impressive, but the sandalwood in the base just doesn't come through for me. I feel neutral about Sin.