Mortal Skin

Zoologist Black Mamba, is that you? Inspired by the viper snake, this scent could very well be a part of the Zoologist perfume line (which is a compliment and a full-bellied glowing endorsement). In fact, with its primary ink note, Mortal Skin is highly reminiscent of Zoologist’s Squid: these two could be sister scents. Except, whereas Squid is a marine scent from the oceanic depths, Mortal Skin is more woodsy and fruity with its blackberry note, which stops just short of entering gourmand terrain. Similar to Squid, the ink is front and center here, and it spills across your mortal skin like a heavy, wet, delicious, black stain. Yet, Mortal Skin proves to be an entirely different animal from Squid, given the additional notes of blackberry, resin, and the faintest hint of iris. Ink, fruit, and woods: Mortal Skin is an enigma and challenging to describe. But let me tell you this... This scent still fucks. It’s art, and it's the definition of niche perfumery. It’s sex in a bottle. It’s masculine and sleek, like a serpent’s scales. It’s like being thrown into the Indiana Jones snake pit - except that pit is a black pool of watery ink with black mambas and blackberries skimming and floating on the surface like black rose petals. The only problem is that pool goes dry quickly, as the longevity on this is quite weak. But above all else, Mortal Skin is tempting. It’s the snake in the Garden of Eden, flicking its tongue against your ear and daring you not to eat the apple, but rather the blackberry. "The darker the berry, the sweeter the juice," the snake hisses. As you give in and spray this, biting into that poisoned berry, you can feel the sweet black juice oozing and dribbling down your neck and wrists, as your eyes turn pitch-black and vampiric. Then the snake wraps its coils around you further, and it tempts you to pull out your credit card to drop $230.00 on this bottle of precious venom. Go on, give into your basic instincts and buy the bottle. Both sin and skin never smelled so good. In five words or less: Squid, but make it viper.

Mortal Skin is a passage. The moment it touches skin, it doesn’t greet you; it confronts you. An unrelenting blast of smoke, ink, and something herbal hits like an invocation. There’s a piercing green sharpness in the form of tarragon, maybe, or something even stranger; cut by a deep, inky darkness that smells more like squid ink than inkpot. It’s pungent, feral, even alien. And yet, just as you steady yourself, blackberry (dark and macerated) rises through the smoke like a memory. It’s uncanny, almost spectral. As minutes pass, the tempest quiets. What was once bold and confrontational becomes soft, spiritual. The smoke clings to the skin, no longer rising, but glowing. Incense mingles with herbal shadows and vegetal musk. The scent no longer leads, you lead it. You become the wearer, not the worn. It transforms from a spell into a second skin. Where Myrrh Shadow 403 leans smoother and more vanillic/structured; Mortal Skin walks barefoot through forgotten forests. It doesn’t offer sweetness or familiarity, but seduction born of mystery. Myrrh Shadow whispers across a candlelit table. Mortal Skin murmurs from the tree line. This is a scent for the solitary sorcerer, not the social poet. Its projection is intimate but with purpose. It invites only those close enough to listen. It doesn’t broadcast, it beckons. Yet, it doesn’t inherently challenge those unfamiliar with its accords. Instead, it seduces. I’m still learning its language, but after just one full wear, it’s clear: Mortal Skin is among the most original and emotionally resonant fragrances I’ve ever tried, point blank. For those unafraid of the dark, this is where the journey begins.

My husband writes calligraphy at times, and he always uses a fountain pen for general writing. One of the inks that he uses is a brand “Iroshizuku”. The colors are rich; the ink is smooth. The bottles are simple and elegantly beautiful. When I wear Mortal Skin, I think of the darkest colors of this ink. A kind member sent me a sample of Mortal Skin quite some time ago. I was smitten, but the price at that time was something that I’d only spend on a rare Guerlain... maybe. So, for many months, I kept stalking online sites with a wild hope of finding one I might afford. As good fortune would have it, another member with whom I’ve traded several times had an almost full, with total presentation bottle for trade. I hemmed and hawed, and cursed. She kindly accepted my trade offer of a very HTF bottle. I sighed a bit, and then danced for joy! Mortal Skin is not similar to the other Stéphane Humbert Lucas fragrances that I’ve tried. In my opinion, this is the nicest one. Unique in its’ stark beauty. I adore the ink note that underlies the scent throughout its’ wearing. If there were such a thing as Blackberry Ink, this would be it. The other notes that talk to me are the myrrh, incense, artemisia (yes, a faint whiff of absinthe), and cardamom. I wouldn’t be surprised that ambergris contributes to the mix by joining everything together beautifully. I find MS to be a serene, peaceful scent that speaks with an Asian tone. Sillage is moderate, but definitely noticeable, dry down is long-lasting and mesmerizing. The bottle speaks for itself... I hope I never empty my bottle.

A dichotomy of warm and chilly. I was actually quite nervous to try this one. The reviews were crazy, the ink note was strange, and of course the bottle looks intimidating. However, it was much more subdued than I imagined. After smelling ink in another scent and disliking it, this one put some fear into me, but I was just too curious to resist. This scent combines what I can only describe as a chilled blackberry with a warm myrrh. The blackberry almost feels like it's mixed with mint, but I think it's actually the ink note that's giving it an odd chill. Pair this with a gorgeous, resinous cloud of myrrh and the scent is unique for sure, but not necessarily unusual. I don't find that this feel venemous or intimidating at all. I'm quite surprised at how well the blackberry/"ink" combo mixes with the myrrh...it doesn't feel too disjointed. You can still pick them out as two distinct vibes, though. Like all other reviews of this, I don't think I can do this justice. It's not a matter of whether or not this is good, it's just a bit indescribable...but in a subtle way. I was not bombarded with a bizarre ink note, overly-sour berries, or sickly sweet resins. It's all quite subdued and intriguing. If your interest has been piqued, try it. No review can convey exactly what this is like. I don't say this to hype it up as some ingenious work or masterpiece, it's just unlike any combination of notes I've smelled before, and I'm surprised that it works so well. It's worth trying at least once, just to see.

W̶h̶o̶ What are you? If Stephane Humbert Lucas told me that there's a real snake hidden inside Mortal Skin, I would believe him. The fragrance seems to shed skin and present a different side of itself each time I wear it. Sometimes it opens with a beautifully dark and cold blackberry that is spiced up by cardamom, and dries down a wonderful buttery iris laying on a bed of myrrh and almond. This variation reminds me a little bit of Bois d'Argent and Rolling in Love. And sometimes, it has a venomous and photorealistic opening of ink that is made even more bitter with artemisia, and dries down to a robust concoction of resinous opoponax with an animallic touch of a combination between musk and ambergris. This variation reminds me a little bit of Tobacco Oud. A dark shadow of incense looms over the composition regardless of which variation decides to show itself that day. Mortal Skin is what I consider to be my favorite type of estoric niche perfumery, where the artist creates a unique and engaging fragrance that will not only intrigue your olfactory senses, but also pleases them. That's what I love about Mortal Skin; is that all artistic merit aside, it smells GOOD. Unlike many other "niche" fragrances that think they are the pinnacle of innovation just because they reek of fecal oud and other novelty notes.

A 2015. év egyik legkülönlegesebb hipnotikus művészi alkotása, nem egy hétköznapi viselet... egy brutális, de mennyei utazás kezdete... Meztelenül állunk egy kristálytiszta térben, az abszolút sötétségben, bőrünkön érezzük a világegyetem, az örök éjszaka lüktetését, a távolban égő haldokló csillagködök lassú hullámzását, melyek csak az ionizált anyaguk miatt világítanak. A halandó bőr és egy összeomló távoli csillag feszültséggel teli illata... Az utazás mesésen indul, fekete tinta füstös tömjénnel párosul, egyesülésüket a kardamom is támogatja, mindehhez a gyanták kellő meleget kölcsönöznek az írisz fagyosságával szemben. Finom füst lebeg mindenfelé, olyan érzésünk támad, hogy mindez az élet törékenységéről szól, melyet körülvesz a nyírfából, szantálfából és cédrusból készült erős keret. Mindehhez nagy koncentrációban csatlakozik a parfüm tökéletes egyediségét biztosító, pézsmába és forró tintába mártott szeder igen különös illata. A háttérben egy száraz, illuzórikus zúgó erdőt hallunk, amely tényleg csak egy káprázat, hiszen valójában az erdő egy sima üvegre festett kép csupán. Ez nem az a fajta parfüm, amelyet egyszerűen csak viselünk, ez olyan, amit akkor kívánunk meg, amikor olyan emberrel találkozunk, akivel érdemes együtt lenni, és amikor felnézünk az égre, tudjuk, hogy nem vagyunk egyedül.

Another amazing 777 concoction... One of my favourite left field scents. Sweet not too pungent ink/blood with a sweet damp grass... I can imagine (actually have experienced) a snake living in a glass tank soiled with urine dead insects, damp humid greenery and dead tree limbs and the sickly sweet anamalic scent eminating creating an impression of an earthy den and a snake waiting to strike! That’s what it represents when you know the packaging and the story. When you don’t it comes across as a gorgeous somewhat dark sweet resinous syrupy ink with dark berry - slightly vanillic even (despite notes). Mysterious, animalac, dark and brooding on a male (something a well dressed gentlemanly vigorous vampire would wear). On a woman - gourmand, sultry, elegant - she’d be wearing a figure hugging dress and sensual and then like a Preying Mantis would sink her teeth into you during copulation. Think Eva Green in Dark Shadows. Not for whimps - which is why Escoteric I guess has a problem with it. It’s borderline left field - phenomenal performance and a great bubble - the bottle design is also a statement deserving a place on your mantle as well. Don’t over analyse this though - for some this is will be just a gorgeous dark sweet gourmand.

Mortal Skin. Stephane Humbert Lucas can be counted on to provide intrigue, masterful blending and a story. I love this opening of sweet blackberry ink and rock rose reminiscent of the amber used in O'Hira. The incense and myrrh swirl around to add interest yet something is familiar. The polished cold-sweet iris rises in the heart much like Iris Fauve by Atelier des Ors. The slight forest like apparition reminds me of Galaad by Lubin when it is in its woody myrrh notes. There is a leathery nuance, and ambergris marine note as well keeping this dark, cool, smooth, animalic and supple. The notes could suggest a heavy beast however the delivery is light, lithe and clean. I suppose its because the synthetics are wielded very adeptly in this story. Out of all the fragrances mentioned..Mortal Skin rises above them all for me in terms of wear ability. Silage is light to moderate, an exemplary fruity iris woody oriental. Longevity is excellent. Sexy Intrigue in a bottle. If you want something unique, artistic and wearable.. Mortal Skin.

#1757 in my “Tour de Fragrance” This may in fact be the pinnacle of the perfumer’s art. I love nearly all of his creations, but this is the best of the best. Everything I love in one scent. Very few in this price category that I think is worth the money, but this is. Everything about this scent works. Enough oil to make your skin shine and hangs on. Good initial silage that’s inoffensive in tight spaces, but I could wish for more. Same vibe as one of my other all time favorite iris scents, Amouage "Interlude Black Iris", but this is warmer, smoother, more well rounded and unique, definitely the better of the two. Somehow the ink note really sets this apart. Note to self: explore more scents with ink notes. Never blind buy something in this price range. Lucky scents has spray samples. But hard to imagine anyone not being blown away by this awesome scent. Good Luck and Good Hunting!

Once in a blue moon I come across something so unique that it's difficult to describe and put in a bucket with similar fragrances. Mortal Skin does not smell like anything I've tried, so there's no point of reference but I'll try. Opening and middle I get mainly blackberry, ink, and incense. It smells very cold, very complex, and mysterious. Beyond that, musk, orris, and unique suede comes out. A friend described this to me as how he would imagine a snakes skin to smell and I agree. It does have a snake/alligator skin vibe. If I had to compare, it reminds me a little bit of Etat Libre D'Orange Rien, little bit of Tom Ford Fabulous, and Jubilation XXV mixed together. Very interesting option for the cold weather. This is art, but also wearable art that smells good! There's something addictive about this one one. Absolutely bottle worthy.. Scent 9.5/10 Performance 7/10

Mortal Skin is one of the more unique creations from Stephane Humbert Lucas, tying in an array of strange and unusual notes and yet has housed them together beautifully. All in all this is a resinous incense-based fragrance; the thick, chewy nature of myrrh, opoponax and styrax mingle to create that incredibly dark yet alluring smoky feel. Alongside this is the dominant note of blackberry, with its sweet juiciness subdued by a heavy dose of thick black ink. This juxtaposes the delicious aura of the blackberry with something far more bitter and brooding. A leathery labdanum and smooth woody base finish this scent of to perfection. This scent is a fantastically though-provoking creation, definitely a fragrance to stand out from the crowd. I’m not sure it’s exactly my style but I can appreciate the creativity and passion that’s gone into making this.

My first SHL in my collection....damn this is good For some reason this is a very comforting scent to me. Beautifully nuanced with the blackberry, ink, myrrh and cardamom notes standing out the most to me. This bottle is so freaking cool too. My new favorite bottle in my collection (sorry, Electimuss) My only wish is that it projected more off the skin but maybe I have to let this macerate. Don’t listen to the review below me. This does not smell like plastic at all. Test it on your skin and see the beauty of this unfold. A reminder to always take negative reviews with a grain of salt. Some people here don’t properly test fragrances or have very weird skin. Idk, but this is not a synthetic or ‘fake’ plastic smell at all. Scent - 9/10 Bottle - 10/10 Longevity - 8.5/10 Projection - 6/10

First off, this is the best SHL fragrance in their offering. None of the others besides for maybe O Hira or Taklamakan come close to the beauty that’s within Mortal Skin. Second, some of the reviews below are a bit annoying because of how they portray this fragrance to be ‘dark’ and ‘smoky’. It is absolutely not a smoky fragrance and it is not really dark either. Go test Beaufort London Terror & Magnificence if you really want something dark, smoky and ashy. This is simply an aromatic amber fruity fragrance. It’s very hard to describe the actual smell because of how much is going on but it’s just out of this world. I could not recommend enough to try this one out. And the longevity is very solid as well. Let this one macerate!!!

9/10- The scent of Maleficent. Scent nature is Dark Fruity Balsamic (Clubbing category). I'd use the words Alluring, Mysterious, and Poison to describe this scent. 100%, Maleficent would wear this, I'd actually expect this juice to be bottled within Dior's Poison. Opoponax and Blackberry give the seductive sweetness which I find to be more mysterious than the Raspberry sweetness in Tuscan leather. Mortal Skin might smell juvenile for men over 40 while still being suitable for women of all ages. Note: The Inky note is quite discrete from the inkiness in Encre Noire, and the fragrance is not smoky but incensy which is more like an incense accord you smell from an ambient candle than burning actual incense.

Mystical,hypnotic and powerful! beautiful its evolution, beginning with a powerful note of ancient incense,followed by a well-known of this ink and blackberry... the initial phase drags you with him .... after a couple of minutes continues enigmatic transformation. Fragrance impact,cold and captivating! Beautiful fragrance,to try and find out...this one stands out a lot. In the bottom it evolves slowly, as does a snake while the strip, goes slowly towards a base almost "rubbery"..the incense note is always there,very nice!! The sillage is great,very good longevity! Medieval Sillage: 9./10 Longevity: 8.5/10 Scent: 8.5/10 Overall: 8.5/10

I really love this scent. It's true to its blackberry notes, rich and sweet but not sugary or synthetic. The ink is certainly present as well, something cold and resinous. Reminds me of when I'd take apart pens as a kid and stain my fingers with it. Those subtle, musky notes on dry down (mostly iris and myrrh to my nose) are just gorgeous and do not overwhelm the profile. To me this a truly luxurious perfume, rich and layered without being overly produced. Not showy, not strong, rather mysterious and complimentary to most anyone's natural smell.

What can i say about this absolute piece of art? I must admit i always have a sort of hesitation in wearing this fragrance, a sort of awe. It intoxicate me, it drives me out of mind in an olfactory trance. Its pure aesthetic seduction, an illusory mask of grandeur, a venomous ephemeral beauty, a mysterious force that commands reverence. Maybe its just narcissistic madness or edonistic vanity. I dont know. Anyway this is by far my favourite fragrance. Its overpriced? I only know i would pay any price for this drug.

This is so good, my favourite La Serpent SHL777 fragrance by far. Has a sort of "baloon" type of smell on my skin, which probably stems from the leather note. Really well-blended woody/leather fragrance, with some freshness from the Ink & Blackberry note, although not very prominent. Very well suited for date nights, as the cardamom and leather come across the highest for me. Very seductive, not too dark and will generally be more mass-appealing than other fragrances with similar scent accords.

A gorgeous skin-like void that gives way to peppered touches over blackberry leather and smoke. Kaleidoscope-like once the void of the ink blinks. Like walking through the house in the dark you sense things as the light hits or sometimes your toes...a study in black white and grey. Stunning, thought provoking and truly unique. This is very moreish... Returning to this sample in winter after trying it last year. So good!

It's awesome and relaxing. Will catch yourself smelling from the bottle frequently. I wear it for rainy days or church. Very powdery so some people will catch that before anything else. Yeah man it's great. I love SHL scents and this one definitely sold me on the house. Banger for the first fancy date. 9.4/10 price is absurd and you're gonna be stressing trying to find a good discount that's legitimate. still love it

This is what I imagine snake venom smelling like... I mean if it had a scent of course. A wonderfully dark and mysterious fragrance that is unique when compared to other dark-like fragrances. It could be an hit or a miss type fragrance, Its an hit for me for sure. Leans more masculine in my opinion but I think the right woman could pull it off decently too. Would I buy: Yes one day Recommended: Worth a sample 100%

I recently got and tried a sample of this and WOW- I absolutely love it so much. It smells so sexy and mysterious, yet so comforting. I'm unfamiliar with ink notes, so I'm unsure if I can smell it, but the opening smells so intoxicating and inviting with the incense and blackberry. The balsamic heart notes are just so addictive as well. I can absolutely see this being a great gothic fragrance for fall

It’s very nice but much too weak . After a few minutes, it starts to disappear into the skin. Then it becomes barely noticeable. I hope the perfumer makes this beauty stronger. Or else it’s useless. Not worth it if I have to keep reapplying every 10 mins. I’ve noticed a trend with beautiful but very weak fragrances being released after 2020. Many reformulations of my favorites but much weaker.

Mortal Skin Stéphane Humbert Lucas – 10/10 My personal favorite from SHL and an absolute masterpiece. It’s super mysterious and really hard to describe, but it gives off this deep, dark, and addictive vibe that I love. Some of the other reviews explain it better, but honestly, you just need to try it for yourself. I recommend this one A LOT.

It is a good perfume for both genders. The most beautiful perfume I ever tried of this house. Deep, mysterious and ethereal. Lovely. I don't think I'll ever get fed up with it. This is one of the most beautiful ink base fragrance i have ever smelled. balsamic and woody The projection is good. The longevity is well. It really smells awesome.

Really dark and a mysterious fragrance. Smells really good and high quality as expected,it kinda reminded me of Black Orchid but not the same just hints of it. Leaning a bit masculine but can be pulled off by the ladies as well. FALL/WINTER Leaning more of a night time wear. Love the bottle!

This fragrance just hits differently. My wife over the course of the day kept asking me what I was wearing, to her surprise she said it changed unlike my other fragrances. The evolution from the opening to the dry down is just amazing. Definitely a top 10 fragrance in my collection.

I have tried alot of fragrances but this one just blown me away with its performance, all I can say this is a projection beast. Scent is masculine unique, smoky and well crafted. Best to be used as a signature scent. Can be worn in all seasons. Mostly for formal events/dating etc

A pleasant, sophisticated blend of ink, blackberry, and faint incense. There is something captivating about this fragrance that makes me want to buy the full bottle, since I got a decant. I envy my friend whom I will be giving this as a gift to.

Opens up very inky, leathery with a smoky undertone. It envelops you in a witchy, poisonous aura, it really stands out for its name. One of the most original perfumes that I've ever tried, very dense, deep and hypnotising. 8/10

"It now knows that all is beautiful"???? ink notes??? myrrh??? iris??? OH SHL I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE. this and crying of evil???? OOOOOH I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE. anyways, this is the soft noir juice.

Wow! So mysterious and unique , the scent is like a dark mysterious snake cave. You can really smell the combination of incense, ink and blackberry' Love it.

This is how I imagine "spice" from "Dune" smells. Mystical, sweet and oriental with desert vibe. 10/10, though I find it more suitable for female.

I mean just incredible. I don't know what I was expecting nor do I know what I'm smelling here... but it's perfect

This one is too weird, badly blended. I don’t know what I’m smelling, but it’s weak. Not a fan.

Beautiful bottle and fantastic perfume.

mystical journey into the afterlife...

Nice, but overpriced for what it is...

Smells like adi ale van saints tears

Mortal Skin continues the exploration of the house of Stéphane Humbert Lucas, but it moves in a darker, more introspective direction than many of their more immediately seductive releases. This is a fragrance built on mood and texture rather than easy appeal, leaning into ink, resins, smoke, and shadowed sweetness to create something deliberately intimate and atmospheric. It aims to wear like a second skin that feels marked, almost stained, blurring the line between warmth and darkness in a way that feels intentional rather than provocative for its own sake. Mortal Skin carries a reputation for being mysterious, cerebral, and quietly intense, the kind of scent that feels etched rather than worn. Now let’s see how this inky meditation on mortality begins to write itself onto skin. Opening: The opening is fruity, dark, and warm. The primary notes I get are blackberry, ink, incense, and labdanum, with the blackberry and ink leading. The blackberry in Mortal Skin comes across as dark and ripe rather than bright or juicy. It smells like crushed blackberries with their skins intact, where the sweetness is tempered by a subtle tartness and a faint earthy edge. There is nothing candy-like or playful here. Instead, it feels shadowy and restrained, leaning more toward a deep fruit stain than a fresh bowl of berries. The novel ink note follows; dark, smooth, and slightly metallic, but never sharp or chemical. It is strikingly similar to the aroma of fresh black ink on paper, inky and cool, with a faint bitterness that gives it a shadowy, intellectual feel. There is a subtle dampness to it, almost like ink just beginning to dry, adding texture without becoming harsh or abrasive. Next, The incense comes through as dry, smoky, and spicy rather than heavy or churchy. It smells like wisps of incense smoke drifting through the air, soft and slightly ashy, with a calm, meditative quality to it, adding atmosphere without weighing the opening down. Lastly, the labdanum puts the final touches on the opening with a warm and resinous accord. It has an ambery richness with a sticky, almost balsamic feel, giving the opening a sense of depth and weight without tipping into heaviness. There is a faint animalic undertone to it as well, but it stays controlled and smooth rather than rough or dirty. Dry Down: The dry down is balsamic, earthy, and woody. The primary notes I get are opoponax, myrrh, cedar, and ink, with the opoponax and myrrh being the most prominent. The opoponax in Mortal Skin comes across as dark, balsamic, and distinctly earthy rather than overtly sweet. While it carries a natural resinous sweetness, it is tempered by a dense, almost soil-like warmth that feels grounded and slightly sticky, like resin seeping into dry earth. It is fairly reminiscent of the opoponax used in Amouage's Jubilation. The myrrh joins the opoponax as an additional resin note, but dry and bitter with additional earthy undertones to build upon what the opoponax started. It smells smoky, dusty, and almost mineral-like, giving the fragrance a sense of age and gravity, as if the resin has been ground down and warmed by time. Next, the cedar enters the composition as a woody accord that is dry, structured, and quietly grounding rather than sharp or aggressively woody. It smells like smooth, aged wood, giving the base a sense of firmness and restraint. There is none of the loud pencil shaving brightness that cedar can sometimes bring. Instead, it feels muted and worn, as if the wood has absorbed smoke, resin, and time. Lastly, the ink rounds out the dry down with soft whispers of the bitter, metallic, and indeed dark, inky accord from the opening. There's some hints of the blackberry as well, that together with the opoponax ties it even closer to Jubilation, but the blackberry is mostly an afterthought at this stage. Performance: In the first hour, projection is strong, reaching out several feet and clearly announcing its presence. Sillage follows with a dense, noticeable trail that reinforces its dark character. For the next few hours, projection remains fairly consistent, still extending outward about 6 feet without any noticeable drop off, while the scent trail softens slightly but remains easy to detect. Around the five to six hour mark, the fragrance begins transitioning toward the skin, and by the seven to eight hour point it has fully settled into a skin scent. Taken as a whole, Mortal Skin delivers respectable performance, but it is clearly softer and shorter lived than God of Fire and Sand Dance, making it the lightest performer of the three without being outright weak. When to Wear: Mortal Skin is best suited for fall and winter evenings, when its dark, moody character feels intentional rather than out of place. It shines most in nightlife settings or intimate, low light environments, where its inky, resinous profile can be appreciated up close. It can also work for daring date nights, particularly if you enjoy fragrances that feel unconventional and thought provoking. That same brooding, artistic nature, however, makes it a poor choice for casual wear, where it would feel heavy and overly serious. It is also not appropriate for formal settings or office wear, where its abstract, ink driven character would likely feel distracting or out of sync with the environment. Blind Buy: Mortal Skin is not a safe blind buy. The concept alone, smelling like ink layered with resins and smoke, is enough to rule it out for many people. This is a fragrance that clearly caters to enthusiasts who enjoy experimental compositions and are comfortable wearing something unconventional. It does not aim to be universally pleasing, and that is very much part of its identity. Given the niche appeal and the price point, sampling is essential. This is the kind of fragrance you need to experience on skin to decide whether its artistry resonates with you or feels too abstract. Final Verdict: Of the Stéphane Humbert Lucas fragrances I have tried so far, Mortal Skin stands out as the most artistic and concept driven. There are moments that briefly echo familiar territory found in fragrances like Jubilation, but the persistent ink note quickly pushes it into its own space, turning it into an exercise in perfume artistry rather than comfort or indulgence. I respect it for committing fully to that idea while still remaining wearable, which is no small feat. That said, the scent profile does not align with my personal taste, and the performance, while acceptable, did not reach the same level as God of Fire or Sand Dance. All things considered, I am glad I experienced Mortal Skin and appreciate what it brings to the table, but it is not a fragrance I see myself adding to my collection. Scent: 7/10 Longevity: 6/10 Sillage: 7/10 Versatility: Low Compliment Factor: Low Gender: Masculine Value: Fair

Mortal Skin is quite an abstract perfume on my skin. The notes blend and percolate through each other, that the smell as a whole, feels like an object exhibiting inflections of different notes. The evolution also takes place in a incremental manner, although three different phases can be distinguished on my skin. The first 30 minutes of Mortal Skin is a chewy, almost chalk-like musk to my nose, with abstract berry sweetness and clean "ozonic" feeling lifting the fragrance up without actually smelling like marine or ozonic elements, which is probably the "ink" referred to in the note list. The woody elements then become stronger with time, as well as the berry sweetness turns more sugary in parallel. There is also an almost oily creamy resin undertone and a saffron-like bitter fruitiness. The combined effect of musky, resinous and slightly inky wood and sweet berries, actually strongly reminds me of the synthetic oud dry down in certain western brands. Like many western "oud" fragrances, Mortal Skin turns drier towards the dry down, but thankfully not as harsh as a few overdosed by woody amber aromachemicals. A simultaneously balmy, date-like and cool, mineral myrrh also comes to rescue, which makes a sweet balsamic berry skin scent with an interesting bitter twang. Mortal Skin stays mostly close to skin and lasts about at least 9 hours. I find it interesting that Mortal Skin is not as heavy as the note list suggests, which allows me to enjoy the fragrance even though I'm not so keen on occidental "oud" and sweet berry in general. But it also leaves me somewhat underwhelmed by this overall nebulous trail, especially at this price. If you happen to be looking for a soft, sweet "oud" and myrrh fragrance and has less limit on budget, Mortal Skin might be a contender, but I would otherwise hesitate to recommend it due to its price and accessibility.

Smooth and quiet. Gloomy, but interesting. Mysterious, like smoky eyes. The closest resemblance that comes to mind is The Cobra and The Canary by IA. Polarizing too, imo. I like it a lot. Not for the price, though. I often layer Jo Malone Blackberry & Bay with Miller Harris Tender in order to achieve this deep dark pastel grey color that I crave at times. It’s not the same ofc. MS in comparison feels more gloomy, but peppery warm; of sweeter and more dense resins (the oppoponax) and it’s more inky. There’s something about it that feels cozy but ozonic, like the air in a warm damp secluded basement with a private swimming pool in it (chlorinated steam). While the combo I use is watercolor, more powdery, floral, pepper-minty (the bayleaf) and lacks the resinous touch (which perfumes like Memo Shams Oud , ADO Larmes du Desert, Smoking Hot etc .. have, without the ink that’s here), more airy. I’m mentioning all this so that you can see how it’s not easy to get a good idea of what the perfume is like from a mere description, or praise or negative comments. So, no matter who says what about how good it is - one thing is for sure - this is not a safe blindbuy. It needs extensive testing. It is unusual. It gives me this funeral home vibe. I like it, but in a twisted way. I think it’s not something most people would wear to appeal to others, but I can see how it can work well if you are a mortician or attending a funeral or nail it on Halloween, dressed as a sophisticated, but somehow sensual pale vampire hosting a basement pool party. If you like Amouage Lineage, maybe you should put your nose on this one.

Mortal Skin is an innovative fragrance from SHL. It's notes are far different than some of his more legendary offerings (O Hira, Black Gemstone), but there are a significant number of reviewers who think of this as a masterpiece. I find it intriguing but all too fleeting. It does not last more than a couple of hours as a moderate silage offering and it becomes a disappearing skin scent soon after that. I do like the ink note and see that several have compared it to Mallo's INK. I love INK and have written a long review of it. I think INK's lasting power is far better, its INK note more authentic, and its vibe more focused on doing something more exploratory. Mortal Skin has some great notes, but they are buried down too low to make much of an impact. I own or have tried all of SHL's fragrances and I would put this one in the bottom third. Granted his offerings are among the best in all the fragrance world, so this is still a fragrance worth sampling. SHL's transition to fragrances that invoke snakes and serpents began with this one. I think that many of these are far less interesting in what he created prior to this. This is unisex, can be worn any time of year. Wearers will feel they are wearing something special, but I just wish it had a more powerful presence.

This one makes me melancholy, because I keep sensing that there are wonderful things in there about to do something spectacular, but these fireworks lurk eternally out of reach ... there's something evanescent and elusive about every note, so I can't settle in and enjoy it. Could be an individual chemistry thing, but MY mortal skin seemed to first mute this down to a gently spiced powdery-wood with a few almost imperceptible sparks of iris ... didn't get the burst of blackberry or ink or darkness I was primed to expect ... and then I'd get the occasional waft of something wonderful every 10 minutes or so, but on burying my nose back to my wrist, it just wasn't there. Any trace of its loveliness entirely gone in 4h or so. So... not sure if I'm anosmic to it, or if it just doesn't perform on me, but this one was definitively NOT as billed. From the pyramid here I hoped for something rich, dark, almost boozily intoxicating, whereas Mortal Skin turned out to be a very subtle, adult, discreet performer. I worried I'd fall expensively in love with this one, but although I'm really glad to have tried it, am relieved to find that it's not meant to be. Unarguably a class act and a beautiful, complex scent if it works for you, though.

My first try from Stephane Humbert Lucas, but perhaps the house's best-known entry, Mortal Skin, is primarily a resinous fragrance, but with some interesting quirks. Admittedly I didn’t think it would smell like skin, but through the semi-animalic resinous dominance of the fragrance, it does vaguely have that vibe. Some florals, the musk, and sandalwood bring the resins to a more comforting, semi-feminine place but there are other elements that frankly complicate the mix like blackberry, ink, and civet. So its center is the resin/wood/musk dynamic but it does veer off interestingly with almost a powdery lipstick mix, so it seems a little feminine on my skin, but I like it. It’s not a huge performer, though, at least on me, and so at its pricing of $290 for 50ml is a bit steep as far as a full bottle. I’ll enjoy trying this some more but with resinous fragrance—though I love them—I can be pretty picky, and Mortal Skin in particular is a “like” not a “love” for me, at least for now. 7 out of 10

I'm really liking this one. It's really familiar and different at the same time as another reviewer mentioned. It reminds me of d&g the one and Mugler pure wood but doesn't really smell like either. To me it is a bit linear, starting off just a bit moist and finishing off just a bit dry. I don't get blackberry or ink (not that I really know what ink is supposed to smell like) but I do get something milky and powdery and dark. This part reminds me of Odin #10 but without the coconut. I get incense and spice and wood too, this makes it feel more masculine than unisex. It smells classy too. There is just the tiniest bit of sweetness as well. Definitely for the evening imo. Now the one thing that is really impressing me is the longevity with the just the right amount of silage; 6 - 8 solid hours before it settles and 18+ on the skin if you don't wash it off. If nothing else it's worthy of sniff.

I love this scent. It is perfect for a cool, quiet summer night. It is introspective, reclusive, silent. It is “Mortal Skin,” after all, hence it is no surprise that it sits close to the skin. In this way, it is reminiscent of Hamlet’s line, “when we have shuffled off this mortal coil.” The scent’s composition suits the mood and subject of that soliloquy: “To be or not to be, that is the question.” The scent’s performance presents the same dilemma. It slips in and out of perception like a snake in the grass. In moderate weather, the longevity is about 6-10 hours. It lasts on clothing for about 12 hours. The sillage is soft. Put it in an atomizer and bring it with you because the top notes are exquisite. Cool blackberry mist over almond powder. Scent: 10/10 Sillage: soft (Up to 4 feet / light texture) Longevity: 6-12 hours Versatility: mainly quiet nights and close encounters

Mortal Skin is an olfactory journey like no other. The opening feels like entering a slick, black cave filled with bats or snakes. The ink is cold, silky smooth, and addictive. The ink gives way to an almost religious experience with the strongly incense-y middle notes - a comforting, warm incense. And at the end, Mortal Skin turns soft, sweet, and woody. Stephane Humbert Lucas has certainly created an interesting experience with Mortal Skin. And while I appreciate and admire this experience, it isn't something that I will crave to recreate on a regular basis, so I will satisfy myself with my sample vial. I'm just glad that my skin was able to bring out the full 3 acts of this "play." Perhaps I would appreciate it more on a man than myself. The wood and incense is a bit too masculine for me to wear with confidence. Beautiful and enchanting nonetheless.

I pick up that tart blackberry scent in the opening. I notice a lot of resins and a slightly salty ambergris note. The artemsia adds a very subtle greenness, and i pick up some dusty iris and sour cardamom. The scent is pretty toned down though, it doesn't jump off the strip at me at all. There's not a ton of sweetness here, but nothing that makes the scent too masculine either. This is unisex enough that a woman can wear it without feeling like they're using their husband's cologne. I don't dislike this offering but it's not especially mind-blowing for me either. If you want a kind of gothic, dark mysterious scent that doesn't have too overwhelming of a presence (and doesn't contain any rose, saffron or patchouli notes), i think this is a good choice.

Reviewing sample from 2023. Mortal sin was launched in 2015. A haunting woody oriental. This opens with inky incense followed by powdery softly spiced ( cardamon and oppoponax) floral (iris) notes. I can't smell the blackberry. It is leathery with a touch of smoke. The dry down is a complex mix of aromatic resinous woods, incense and musk. Beautifully blended although I would have liked more blackberry accord and better longevity. No apparent synthetic notes. Not the same as the current Squid as has been suggested, but rather as if Squid (the OG from 2019) and Sacreste had a baby. Quality- excellent 5/5 Unisex Performance- good sillage, average longevity 4/5 A dark incense/leather/woody fragrance slightly sweet and intoxicating. 8/10