The Wrath of God, the Most Beautiful Lord of Lightning, the Owner of All Palaces. He is the illumination of a lightning strike in the night sky, and is the retributive strike of the rightful king. Shango punishes those who are not living up to their responsibilities. He gives insight to the truth in all circumstances, and is the essence of the thrill and excitement in life that makes every day worth living. To love Shango is to live life to the fullest, no matter what pains the world inflicts upon you. He is Wrath, and his lightning bolts and gouts of fire remind all of his strength and power. It is said that Lord Shango only speaks to his children once; when the God illuminates an answer for you, you had best understand with no further questions. Shango is trial by fire, the honing and refinement of the spirit, the ability to distinguish between truth and lies. He is a dual-faced God: King and Exile, miser and philanthropist, just and ruthless, honest and devious. Shango is the Lord of Persuasion, and his glib tongue can intimidate, coerce, sway and seduce. He is quick wit, articulate words, and the ability to think on one’s feet. He is the King that can incite and enflame the masses with the power of his speech. His words are the sensual murmurs of the lothario, the slick wheedle of the grifter, the convincing argument of the barrister, the dangerous charm of the pimp, the inspiration of the warrior general, and the invigorating exhortations of the monarch. The Roar of Shango is a Universal Truth. Shango governs all professions that cater to the needs and weaknesses of the people. He is the absolute and perfect Male creature, and the rain that falls to earth is His blessed, sublime semen, giving life to the world. His abundant seed washes the land and replenishes Earth’s seas, rivers and oceans. He sneers at cowardice, and demands that all of his children have daring spirits, strength of will, nerve and *balls*. Courage is of the utmost importance, as it empowers us to face adversity with dignity and enables us to act decisively and with resourcefulness. Live, don’t simply exist. Shango’s gifts make it possible for us to find the shortest distance between two points, wring out the best from every situation, recover from every seeming loss and every defeat, and defy all odds to reach our goals. He teaches us wily strategies, masterful tactics, and shows us the value of friendship and camaraderie. His is the comfortable, casual friendship found in just hanging out and having a good time with the guys. Shango is Challenge, the concept of finding the best parts of yourself through conflict and adversity. Shango’s weapon is the double-headed axe, and His animals are the black cat and the leopard.
The Master of Lightning’s ofrenda contains red apples, banana, chili pepper, coconut, pineapple, pomegranate and sugar cane.
janiegalvin –
This is a really lovely scent. In the bottle and wet on my skin it reminds me strongly of Snake Oil, which dismayed me at first because Snake oil does not play well on my skin – it amps up and gets an acrid edge on me. This one does what I always hoped Snake Oil would do. As it dries, the vanilla and fruit start to mingle with the patchouli and musk, sweetening and mellowing the spiciness into something that is somehow comforting and sexy at the same time.
morberry3 –
This perfume oil was my first purchase from BPAL, but it won’t be the last (I currently have my cart full of imps). I like to try to leave very detailed reviews online, because those are the reviews I seek out. First I will explain the packaging, and components included, and then go into the scent.
The delivery was very fast; I placed the order July 10th, received confirmation that it was shipped on the 15th with a direct link to track the shipment, and arrived the 17th. The package was small enough to fit in the mailbox and came in a box inside of a shipping envelope. There was ample bubble wrap inside the package and some around the bottle itself to protect it. I got two imps with my order that come with their own applicator wand built in, which was a nice bonus. It also came with a card bearing the same description of the perfume oil from the website, a ‘ticket’ to the Carnaval Diabolique, and a tarot card from the last line of the description “She pauses, looks you over slowly, and then flicks a tarot card at your feet.” Those were all really nice touches. As silly as it may be, I was also pleased to see the image of the Misfortune Teller is also on the perfume oil bottle itself.
Onto the scent. I will start by saying it is very strong, my husband could smell it as soon as I opened it, but it’s not a bad thing. To me that means I will only need to use tiny dots on my skin and it will last and last. I made the mistake of putting too much on at first though, and it was dizzying, but I feel that’s fairly common when over applying of perfume oil. From the bottle, the scents of Red Musk, Patchouli, and Vanilla Bean come through first and strongest. I have always thought that Musk and Patchouli complement each other beautifully. It’s a very warm, and medicinal sort of smell, but a natural medicinal smell, not a manufactured one. The bottom notes are very sweet, and come through at the end like an after taste would. I will list the ingredients in the order they come through to me; Red Musk, Patchouli Leaf, Vanilla Bean, Black Currant, Pomegranate, Wild Plum. A friend and I agree that on skin it also gives off an Amber vibe. A dot on my skin warms all of the scents together, and as much as I love it now, I feel it’s warmth might be better for cooler months. On my skin the Patchouli and Musk scents are still at the forefront, but I no longer really smell the Vanilla or Pomegranate. The Plum and Black Currant are really coming through right underneath the Patchouli and Musk, and overall is sensuous, warm and a teeny tiny bit spicy. If I had to liken the scent profile to a color, it would be a deep mahogany red.
Initially I got this oil for the Vanilla and Currant, in hopes of it accompanying my favorite lotion, Black Currant and Vanilla Sensual Aromatherapy from Bath and Body Works. The scents do work very well together, in case anyone wondered lol
Overall I really do enjoy this scent, and it gives off a sensual warmth and mysterious musk, exactly what I was looking for.
Jae –
This is a witchy, magical scent! Reminds me of the Santaria Botanical stores in Florida!
Valerie –
I am on my third bottle. I receive so many compliments when I am wearing this. “you smell so good, what is that?” “Another hug please” “you smell like yummy incense”
arai.alecto –
This was my first Carnaval Diabolique, and I must say it did not disappoint. The smell reminded me of a metaphysical shop & Cafe near me that was a great place. It was warm and inviting with a deep undercurrent of mischief. 🙂
hlinspjalda –
I did a side-by-side skin test of vintage Mme Moriarty and the new formulation. The new formulation smelled more fruity and less musky in the bottle. However, after drydown they smelled identical on my skin; they lasted the same amount of time and had the same sillage. La Madame is extraordinary in both her original and her resurrected incarnation.
TarynPage –
When I first opened the bottle, I got the whiff of the medicinal scent other reviewers were smelling. However, like the other reviewers mention, the medicinal smell is exactly what you expect an apothecary to smell like: old-world, dark, a little fruity. The scent on my skin became immediately intimate. I ordered this perfume to smell mythical and supernatural. I wanted to invoke the feelings vintage fortune tellers might invoke. Needless to say, this scent achieved this goal. I don’t think this scent is for everyone, but when I go out on the town at night with crimson lipstick, this is the scent I wear.
Bottled: Highly medicinal and a little sickly sweet (think cherry lozenges) with a hint of smoke and incense.
On *my* skin: Less sweet. Darker. Reminds me of candle wax and a swept floor. I went to a store in Piccadilly Circus once that sold puppets (circa 2001, don’t think it’s there anymore) and it smelled JUST like this. Weirdly, I ended up buying tarot cards there.
Valerie –
Just received my second bottle and may order a third! I receive so many compliments on this – “what are you wearing?” I think on me the patchouli is the lasting scent but combined with all the others, it’s a phenomenal oil. i love it!! Love YOU BPAL !!! Every order so carefully put together and I love the samples that accompany it!!
Corallia.Sauvage –
After checking out the meaning of my tarot card, “The World”, I am nervously exited to ale a deep whiff of my perfume oil. As I open my new bottle of, I’m unsure what to expect… As I unscrew the jar I lean in and inhale a long full breath of the oil. It’s strong & a bit medicinal but not in any methol way. Wet on my skin, it is no longer medicinal as it’s notes begin to open up: so delicious, nice & dark; berries & fruits of a deep Black Forest, beautiful Pathouli, not dirty but dreamy.
I reach in and place more onto the back of my hand, lightly smoothing it into my skin. I’m loving this dark yet alive blend. As it begins to drydown, the wet darkness begins to change and reveal a mysterious lovely symphany that begins to play up a dark vanilla & muskiness, now coming together with an earthy scent with tinged of fruit and sweetness, even a hint of flora that I am loving!! I can’t stop sniffing! I love it..so far my fav ’15 Carnival Diabolique oil.
Jeni –
This is by far my favorite scent, exceeding even the original blend.
This is all red musk, warm vanilla and juicy fruit. I think the patchouli is really just an after thought here! No matter, the pom, plum and the rich black currant serve as the top notes while the vanilla and musk provide a comforting base.
The throw is perfect, a few feet, nothing to overwhelm your neighbors, and it lasts several hours without reapplication.
Nuri –
First off I got my beautiful tarot card (the princess of disks) which I just thought was great. Now to the perfume, it’s a sexy musky patchouli that smells like warm musky skin rolled around in some wild herbs with just a touch of sweetness. It’s a really great scent.