OM NA: Temple NA

[AEris]

This is my gift to you - a sacred oil unlike any other NA oil - from the Temple Nocturne Alchemy to the Temple of one's spirit - this scent is for reminding ourselves to find the time to breathe and come forth from the chrysalis of meditation anew and refreshed and one with the self. It was important to the Ancients to find sanctity with the KA and the BA - because we have come as we will leave - but in between we must never forget to Love ourselves because it is only our self on this journey of our individual life. Namaste.

This perfume is built from many layers of beautiful imported Indian and Egyptian Incense based oils. Dark Sandalwoods, Pure rich warm smoke, Musk Incense, Musk Florals and Egyptian Woods.

I can't describe this beautiful, complex scent very well, so please excuse my abruptness.

Temple starts out very spicy, but once on the skin for a minute the spices die down and it becomes a musky incense. It's got an almost creamy smoky feel, with waves of sweetness. The sandalwood notes are deep like the rumble of a timpani, and I could swear that I get a hint of vetiver as well (although I'm not sure about that one, it's like vetiver without any sharpness or unpleasantness - I think the sandalwood and musk combination is confusing my nose).

This is a wonderful scent, and sampling it this morning in a moment of peace and solitude has given me a wonderful start to my day. RA has written such beautiful words to go along with such an emotive scent.

Calming, meditative....if a perfume could give you a back rub, Temple would hook it up right.

[whiskerswhispers]

Temple
In bottle: whoa. This smells like a blend of nag champa, sandalwood, Indian incense and um…something smoky that’s NSFW. It reminds me of Camden Town (and that’s no bad thing!)
On skin: this is the scent of a ‘High’ priest. And I mean, high. I seem to be getting serious whiffs of pot in here! And that’s no bad thing, I do like that smell-I just mustn’t ever wear this to job interviews! It smells like an exotic, intoxicating blend of smokes. I smell Indian incense with nag champa and dry sandalwood with hints of spices from caravans trading from faraway lands. This is a very Eastern scent, more so than an Egyptian one. I think I also smell temple flowers. And lots of saffron. And possibly some patchouli as well. but every now and then I get these little sneaky hints of cannabis coming through. It’s that green-smoky and earthy scent that can’t be mistaken-I mean, I live on campus, I frequently smell it wafting around! There’s also something in here that turns a little sour on me-not sure what it is, maybe cumin? It’s got an almost savoury spice to it which reminds me of Moroccan food at times, and veers into curry territory. I just hope this doesn’t turn too savoury on me. then it goes all smoky and I get hints of vetiver. Thankfully that sourness fades and the scent then settles into a lovely Indian sandalwood smell, spicy and dry and with something almost like dried flowers to it. no more pot! This is an intriguing scent-very much a temple blend, mysterious and incense-y, but also reminiscent of eastern spice markets. I like it a lot but I don’t need a backup. I bet it’ll age nicely. (still can’t get over the fact that my skin turns this to wacky backy though…)

[lorencita]

damn... my skin makes this smell totally different. this starts off extremely woody & dry. i must state that this oil is very, very thick... it takes forever to get a drop out. as this starts to dry it sweetens up and i smell the smoky incense. further in the dry down this mellows out to something that smells exactly like snake charmer from BPAL. (identical) this oil is so incredible that it was still detectable on my wrists the next morning. this is the strongest oil i have ever tried from NA. i can't wait till this ages... I know it will just get even better. what a treat... very unique.

[Amunet]

Potent! Similar to a sandalwood masala style incense, slightly sweet, slightly musky… aromatic petals macerated into this thick mixture of dark secrets. A heavy deep scent… the floral & sweetness thin out and is more deep smoke and smoldering woods as it dries.

[agameofthree]

Bottle: Uhhhh...really musky woods.
Me: I don't know what it is, but I'm getting a really dirt note here, like potting soil or overturned earth. This doesn't work on me, unfortunately.

I wanted to love this one, as Ra's description about this being his gift to us made me want a bottle of it. I'm not sure what happened, though, as it smells very earthy and dirtlike on my skin, which broke my heart. It could be that my decant hasn't had time to settle from its trip and will be better in a few days or a week, so I will definitely try it again. The description sounds amazing, and I think this has the potential to be, if I can just get my skin to cooperate with it.

[mansku11]

I can't wait for my bottle of this to arrive. I feel like this scent smells truly ancient, in that I can really imagine entering an Egyptian temple as a devotee and being anointed with this all those thousands of years ago. At the same time, I feel that this scent has been a part of my life at some time I can't remember; weird deja vu.

This is all dark smokiness. By all means, give this one some time. And shake it well. This is by far the thickest NA oil I have encountered. It also has the strongest throw. I am by nature a bit of a slatherer, but you only need a drop with this, literally. There is a sharpness to this oil when it is still wet; it may be the sandalwoods as sometimes they have a bite at first for me. This oil is a slow morpher and takes its time to come into its real beauty. Once it warms up on your skin, beautiful incense grounded by exotic woods wafts up. I think the incense is primarily nag champa, which is fine because since I found NA, nag champa and I have been secret lovers (please more nag champa! in anything! anytime!). As I was testing multiple scents, I truly was not sure whether the gorgeous smell coming from my arm was Temple, but it was! I really don't know how the Lab does it, but my favorite NA scents have been the ones that you couldn't quite appreciate fully close to the skin; it's the scent that blooms into the air that gives you the oil's true measure, and you have to back up and wait for it! Even the dry down is fantastic, and I feel that this is when the blend sweetens and softens, letting the musky florals come out to play. Lasts forever.

And if it seems that I've been too liberal with my praise, this oil demonstrates once more why NA is FREAKIN' AWESOME!

[Netjeret]

I get Nag Champa single note. Yep. This is a beautiful lovely oil that my skin turns into nag champa. My skin does that. One drop of Nag Champa in a blend and my skin amps it to the nth degree. Sorry NA, my skin just makes this Nag Champa with a hint of citrus.

[purplegirl]

Wow wow wow - I got my order today and the first thing I attacked was Temple Nocturne Alchemy and it's such a heady scent!!! I get a lot of incense and nag champa but it reminds me of the incense that was burned during some religious works that my great grandmother loved to take us to - exotic and it really feels like a trip back in time when I was a kid and my great grandmother was alive. It's bittersweet but oh, this'll be just awesome come the summer when she's aged a bit and the days are long!! I can't wait to see how this develops with a bit of time!!

[hayet]

I agree with a poster above: on first application it is STRONG STRONG nag champa single note.
Seriously head-shoppy (says my husband, who has stolen the bottle for himself). In the next few hours it does some seriously wonderful morphing- sometimes floral incense, sometimes woodsy incense, sometimes back to nag champa.

I really recommend this one to anyone who loves incense. It's gorgeous- but prepare yourself for the strength of the throw and don't slather it on!

[Hazel-rah]

I have tried this on three times for purposes of reviewing and just can't seem to find the words ... this is my final attempt.

Terribly strong and dry and sharp; I believe that there is a Wood in here that is the culprit, as I have detected this medicinal note in a couple of other woody NA oils. But this scent is so so thick and strong that I think I just need to give it a little room to breathe. Ah yes, then I am gifted with sweet Musky Florals borne on tendrils of rich aged Sandalwood and Musk Incense.

Apply sparingly and away from nose. Breathe deeply and evenly. Quiet your mind. Relax your body. Be at peace.

[AEris]

This perfume is built from many layers of beautiful imported Indian and Egyptian Incense based oils. Dark Sandalwoods, Pure rich warm smoke, Musk Incense, Musk Florals and Egyptian Woods.

*Temple NA was once a Scent of the Dead but has been resurrected as a part of the OM NA collection.

An intense, earthy scent combination. Smoky, musky, floral, woods, incense, it's all here and it all sings.

A very powerful and empowering scent, with a smooth, soft edge.

[SaphyRyan]

A small drop of this works wonders. I agree with AEris it is a very empowering scent. People around me kept asking me what it was and that I smelled really really good like an Ancient Temple. I like the idea I smell like a Temple. Everything AEris said plus exotic and enticing and very very sexy on the right person. You can have your arm back AEris but give me one more hit. The silver labels on green bottles are really really nice. The colors are amazing! Fantastic new collection NA!

[hayet]

woah strong! Seriously headshoppy, with the incense and the smokiness, but in a really, really good way. Starts out sharp and herbal, but quickly tempers itself and lets the glorious, decadent musk come out. Massively strong throw! I wouldn't wear this as a daily scent, but it would be lovely for establishing the mood...whatever kind of mood calls for reverential incense mixed with animalistic, wildly passionate musk.

[Ajila]

In the bottle - Perhaps unsuprisingly it has that too many lingering incenses hippy shop sort of scent

Wet on me - An earthy, smoky scent that isn't entirely pleasent

Dry on me - A dry, slightly musky, incense

Overall - I have to admit it didn't grab me

[downrightspooky]

maYn!!!!! This is beyond gorgeous! Thick dark incense – dark and dirty – YEAH!!